Boxcar Children 56 - Firehouse Mystery by Charles Tang, Gertrude Chandler Warner Page B
Authors: Charles Tang, Gertrude Chandler Warner
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notebook.
“That looks familiar,” said Jessie. “Didn’t we see someone carrying that recently?”
“Yes, but I can’t remember who. . . .” said Henry.
“Maybe there’s a name on the inside.” Violet opened the cover. “Oh, my goodness. . . .” she said as she read what was on the first page.
“What is it?” asked Benny.
“I think it’s a clue to the burglary,” said Violet.
“What’s in there?” Jessie asked.
Violet took a deep breath, “Listen to this,” she said, and began to read aloud: “ Silver speaking trumpet, 1890; copper hose nozzle, 1900; looks valuable — call Lenny to arrange a deal. ”
“That must have been written by the burglar,” said Henry.
“If only we could remember who we saw carrying that notebook,” said Jessie.
“I remember!” Benny cried.
CHAPTER 10
To Catch a Thief
W ell, who was it?” Jessie demanded.
“It was Mr. Frederick! He had a notebook with that gold design on the front,” said Benny. “He must be the thief!”
“Wait a minute,” said Steve. “We can’t just accuse someone unless we’re sure. I’m going to call the police. They should see that notebook.”
Steve called, and two police officers arrived a few minutes later. They looked at the notebook and immediately agreed with the children. “It certainly seems that the man who owns this book had something to do with the burglary,” said one of the officers. “We need to ask him some questions.”
“But if he is the thief, we don’t want to scare him off,” the other officer pointed out.
“I could call him and just say that we’ve found the notebook and that he should come pick it up,” said Jessie.
“Good idea,” said the first officer. “We’ll handle things when he gets here.”
Henry looked up Ralph Frederick’s number in the phone book and Jessie called him.
“I’ve been looking all over for that notebook,” Ralph said when she told him what they’d found. “I must have dropped it when I was out in back the other day. I’ll be right over to pick it up. Oh, and please don’t look inside. It’s some . . . uh, notes for my book, and I’d like to keep them private.”
The police officers parked their car around the corner so Ralph wouldn’t see it when he arrived. Then they waited in Mike’s office, while Steve and the Aldens stayed in the living room. Not long afterward, they saw an old station wagon pull up in front. Mr. Frederick got out, looking nervous.
“Here’s your notebook,” Jessie said when he’d entered the firehouse.
“Thanks,” said Mr. Frederick, turning to leave. “Gotta run.”
“Mind if we ask you some questions first?” asked one of the police officers, stepping out into the living room.
Just then there was the sound of a dog barking excitedly out in front.
“That sounds like Sparky,” said Jessie, running outside to see what was the matter.
The others followed her. They found Sparky standing by Mr. Frederick’s car, his paws up on the back door. The back window was open and Sparky was looking inside.
“What is it, boy?” Jessie called. When she and the others looked into the car, they saw why Sparky was so upset. An old blanket was spread out across the back seat of the car.
“That’s Sparky’s blanket!” said Benny. “He must have been able to smell it.”
“No, no, that’s just an old — ” Mr. Frederick began.
But it was too late. Everyone had already spotted what he had been trying to hide under the blanket. Peeking out from beneath it were a couple of silver trophies.
“The missing antiques!” cried Violet.
“Just as we thought,” said one of the police officers. “We’ve been looking for a pair of thieves who specialize in valuable antiques. Their names are Ralph and Lenny. And I think we’ve just found Ralph.”
“You weren’t writing a book about historic buildings, were you?” asked Jessie.
Ralph shook his head. He knew he’d been beaten.
“But why did you take Sparky’s
“That looks familiar,” said Jessie. “Didn’t we see someone carrying that recently?”
“Yes, but I can’t remember who. . . .” said Henry.
“Maybe there’s a name on the inside.” Violet opened the cover. “Oh, my goodness. . . .” she said as she read what was on the first page.
“What is it?” asked Benny.
“I think it’s a clue to the burglary,” said Violet.
“What’s in there?” Jessie asked.
Violet took a deep breath, “Listen to this,” she said, and began to read aloud: “ Silver speaking trumpet, 1890; copper hose nozzle, 1900; looks valuable — call Lenny to arrange a deal. ”
“That must have been written by the burglar,” said Henry.
“If only we could remember who we saw carrying that notebook,” said Jessie.
“I remember!” Benny cried.
CHAPTER 10
To Catch a Thief
W ell, who was it?” Jessie demanded.
“It was Mr. Frederick! He had a notebook with that gold design on the front,” said Benny. “He must be the thief!”
“Wait a minute,” said Steve. “We can’t just accuse someone unless we’re sure. I’m going to call the police. They should see that notebook.”
Steve called, and two police officers arrived a few minutes later. They looked at the notebook and immediately agreed with the children. “It certainly seems that the man who owns this book had something to do with the burglary,” said one of the officers. “We need to ask him some questions.”
“But if he is the thief, we don’t want to scare him off,” the other officer pointed out.
“I could call him and just say that we’ve found the notebook and that he should come pick it up,” said Jessie.
“Good idea,” said the first officer. “We’ll handle things when he gets here.”
Henry looked up Ralph Frederick’s number in the phone book and Jessie called him.
“I’ve been looking all over for that notebook,” Ralph said when she told him what they’d found. “I must have dropped it when I was out in back the other day. I’ll be right over to pick it up. Oh, and please don’t look inside. It’s some . . . uh, notes for my book, and I’d like to keep them private.”
The police officers parked their car around the corner so Ralph wouldn’t see it when he arrived. Then they waited in Mike’s office, while Steve and the Aldens stayed in the living room. Not long afterward, they saw an old station wagon pull up in front. Mr. Frederick got out, looking nervous.
“Here’s your notebook,” Jessie said when he’d entered the firehouse.
“Thanks,” said Mr. Frederick, turning to leave. “Gotta run.”
“Mind if we ask you some questions first?” asked one of the police officers, stepping out into the living room.
Just then there was the sound of a dog barking excitedly out in front.
“That sounds like Sparky,” said Jessie, running outside to see what was the matter.
The others followed her. They found Sparky standing by Mr. Frederick’s car, his paws up on the back door. The back window was open and Sparky was looking inside.
“What is it, boy?” Jessie called. When she and the others looked into the car, they saw why Sparky was so upset. An old blanket was spread out across the back seat of the car.
“That’s Sparky’s blanket!” said Benny. “He must have been able to smell it.”
“No, no, that’s just an old — ” Mr. Frederick began.
But it was too late. Everyone had already spotted what he had been trying to hide under the blanket. Peeking out from beneath it were a couple of silver trophies.
“The missing antiques!” cried Violet.
“Just as we thought,” said one of the police officers. “We’ve been looking for a pair of thieves who specialize in valuable antiques. Their names are Ralph and Lenny. And I think we’ve just found Ralph.”
“You weren’t writing a book about historic buildings, were you?” asked Jessie.
Ralph shook his head. He knew he’d been beaten.
“But why did you take Sparky’s
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