The Sleepy Hollow Mystery Read Online Free PDF Page B

puzzled.
    “A big black horse chased us off the path!”
Violet said. “It would have dashed right past
you. It was making a horrible noise too.”
    “I didn’t see anything,” Isiah said. “I didn’t
hear anything either. I always listen to music
while I’m waiting.” He patted his coat pocket.
“I keep my MP3 player and my earbuds with
me. Though the horses were both restless for
some reason.”
    Henry thought Isiah sounded like he was
telling the truth, but Henry couldn’t figure
out what had happened to the horse. He
supposed it might have gone off the path
into the woods, just like it had appeared
onto the path.
    Jessie, Benny, and the rest of the group
arrived. The children were no longer crying,
but none of them were smiling.
    Isiah bowed to the tour group and said,
“Good evening. Ghost and Spook and I
welcome you.” He motioned to the two
white horses hitched to a big open wagon.
No one said anything. He held his lantern
up and looked around at the group. “Looks
like we have a quiet crowd tonight. No one
is laughing. Shall I tell you a funny story?”
    “No,” Annika said. “We should just go back
to the shop.” She helped the smaller children
into the wagon.
    “Isiah, did you fall down?” Benny asked.
“You have mud on your face and your coat
is ripped.”
    Annika turned and examined Isiah. “Benny
is right. What happened?”
    Isiah rubbed his muddy cheek. “Benny
guessed it. I’m just clumsy. When I got out
of the wagon to tighten the harness, I slipped
in the mud.”
    Jessie started to speak and then stopped. It
hadn’t rained since they had been in Sleepy
Hollow, and she didn’t see any mud. She
would note it in her notebook when she got
back to the Vanderhoffs.
    On the way back, Annika tried to teach
the tour group an old folk song. The Aldens
joined in but the other children were still
fearful. They held up their lanterns and
looked out into the darkness. Jessie could
hear the parents grumbling to each other
about the scare they’d had. When the
tour arrived back to the house, the group
didn’t want to stay for the treats and asked
for their money back. Annika gave it to
them, apologizing.
    When the tour group was gone, Isiah
said, “Now are you going to tell me what
happened?”
    Annika started to cry, so Henry explained
what had happened.
    “Not another trick,” Isiah groaned.
    “We were worried the horseman would get
you,” Violet said.
    “Annika, you should really let me do the
tours,” Isiah said. “Look how upset you are.”
    “No, I can do them.” Annika wiped her
face. “I’m not going to let someone scare me
with silly tricks.”
    “All right, but think about it.” Isiah patted
his horses. “I should get these old boys back
to the stable. It’s getting late.”
    After Isiah left, the Aldens helped Annika
put away the treats and drinks. They were
nearly finished when Violet said, “I hear a
noise. I think someone is in the yard behind
Mr. Beekman’s café.”
    Henry walked to the fence. “Hello!” he
called out, shining the flashlight.
    “What do you want?” a man said in an angry
voice. “Don’t shine that light in my eyes.”
    “It’s Mr. Beekman,” Annika said. She
went over to the fence. “Good evening, Mr.
Beekman. We were just worried when we
heard a noise.”
    “Well, I’m allowed to go into my café
whenever I want. I came to get something
I’d forgotten.”
    “Sorry we bothered you,” Henry said.
    When they had finished cleaning up,
Annika said, “Thank you for helping. I’m
very tired, and I need to think about what to
do about the tours. Good night.”
    The Aldens went up to the apartment.
Henry looked out the window. “Mr. Beekman
is leaving. He said he came to get something,
but he’s not carrying anything.”
    “Maybe it’s something small, like a piece of
paper he put in his pocket,” Violet suggested.
    “We have to figure this out,” Henry said.
“Annika was very upset tonight. If it happens
again, she might stop her