Boxcar Children 62 - Mystery of the Lake Monster by Gertrude Chandler Warner

footprints were made, then we don’t have any suspects at all!”
    “Is something wrong?” asked Nora just then, coming up to their table to refill their water glasses. “You’ve barely touched your desserts.”
    “Oh, no,” said Violet quickly. She didn’t want to hurt Nora’s feelings — or Drew’s. “It’s delicious.” She picked up her fork and took a bite of chocolate cake. She smiled. It really was good.
    “I’m glad you like it,” said Nora. She glanced across the room toward the table where the Duboises were sitting. “Someone was complaining tonight that we only had chocolate cake for dessert. But when I offered him ice cream, he said he didn’t want that, either. I guess that shouldn’t surprise me. He’s been complaining ever since he got here.” She shook her head. “Poor kid. He’s as bad as Drew was when he first got here. He just wants to go back home.”
    Nora walked away.
    Jessie said in a low, excited voice, “That’s it!”
    “What?” asked Benny.
    “I think I know who’s been making a monster appear at Lake Lucille. And I think I have an idea of how to catch the culprit!”

CHAPTER 9
A Monster-Maker
    L ater that night, the Aldens were setting up their trap on one of the paths by Lake Lucille.
    “I’m tired of waiting,” said Benny.
    “Shhh,” said Jessie.
    “I hope Nicole is doing her job,” said Henry. “Otherwise we won’t catch anyone.”
    “I put a new roll of film into my camera,” said Violet. “That way we can have lots of evidence.” The Aldens had decided that the best way to catch a monster — a photograph — was the best way to catch their culprit, too.
    Watch pricked up his ears and whined slightly. “Is that — ” Benny began.
    But a moment later, Nicole came down the path. “I think he fell for it,” Nicole reported breathlessly. “I told him I had heard Nora and Drew talking and that Nora had said that if they had just one more monster incident, she was going to close the lodge for the summer — even if it’s just more footprints on the beach. I said that she said, ‘In fact, if I had seen those footprints, that would have been enough for me.’ ”
    “That’s great, Nicole,” said Violet admiringly.
    “I know,” said Nicole. “And I pretended to be really upset.”
    “Excellent,” said Jessie.
    “Now, when he leaves tonight, follow him, but be careful not to get caught,” Henry said.
    “And don’t forget your camera,” Benny reminded her. “Just in case something goes wrong with Violet’s.”
    Nicole nodded. “I won’t,” she said. “This time, we’re going to have some solid proof of who the real monster of Lake Lucille is.”
    The night grew steadily darker. Stars appeared in the black sky. From far away, a bear hooted and a bear cub answered.
    “Don’t worry, Watch,” Benny whispered. “They won’t bother us if we don’t bother them.”
    As the lights up at the lodge and in the cabins went out one by one, the whole world seemed to be going to sleep. Quiet and calm lay over the lake and the mountains.
    Something rustled in the underbrush.
    “What was that?” said Violet.
    “Just an animal — a raccoon or opossum,” Jessie whispered to her. “Carl told us they liked to go out at night.”
    “Oh, yes,” said Violet.
    “Shhh,” said Henry very, very quietly.
    Everyone froze in their hiding place. Benny put his hand over Watch’s muzzle so Watch wouldn’t bark.
    Then a thin beam of light pricked the darkness. It came down the trail. The Aldens could see that someone was walking, half covering the beam of the flashlight with one hand so that it wouldn’t be as bright. Whoever it was wanted only enough light to see — and didn’t want to be seen.
    Turning on their flashlights, the Aldens leaped out from their hiding places and ran toward the light.
    “Smile!” Violet said as she took a picture.
    Jason Dubois was standing in the middle of the path, wearing an awful scowl. Nicole was right behind