that kept threatening to ruin the ride.
Not until they were almost at the camp did Henry speak. “Benny,” he said. “Al wrecked my bike, but he didn’t do any of those other things.”
“I know,” said Benny. “Wait until we tell everyone.”
“I have something else to tell everyone,” said Henry.
“What?” asked Benny.
“I think I know who’s behind everything that has gone wrong with the great bike race,” said Henry.
CHAPTER 9
Henry’s Plan
The Aldens stood at the day’s finish line, applauding as the last riders came in ahead of the sweep wagon.
“I’m glad we didn’t follow that detour sign,” said Jessie. “Getting lost two days in a row would have been too much.”
“Not so many people got lost this time. And what a surprise. It was Ms. Whatney who caught up with the ones who had followed the sign and got them to turn around before going too far out of their way,” said Henry.
“And Al didn’t switch the signs today,” Benny said. “He was with us. He did say he wrecked Henry’s bike, though.”
“I’ve told you I think I know who is behind all of the trouble now,” said Henry. “And I’ve got a plan.”
“What? Tell us!” Jessie pleaded.
“Follow me, and I’ll tell you while we walk,” Henry said.
At the bike corral, the crew member who was standing guard at the entrance didn’t ask any questions. “The guard tonight?” he said. “Anna Wong. You could check for her in the volunteer tent section. Or leave a message on the volunteer message board there.”
“Thanks,” said Henry. They found Anna Wong emerging from her tent, yawning and stretching.
She stopped yawning as Henry introduced himself, and the Aldens told their story. When they had finished, she said, “I can do that. I’d like to catch whoever’s behind all this, believe me. I love Eagle Mountain.”
“We’ll meet you at dinner, then,” said Henry.
“And don’t forget—we’ve never met before,” Jessie reminded her.
Anna pushed her short dark hair back from her face and laughed. “I can’t remember,” she said. “And I won’t have to pretend too much to be sleepy. I still am.”
Shortly after that, Henry led the Aldens through the dining tent. They passed several empty tables, but none of them seemed to suit him.
Then Violet whispered, “Over there.”
“Right,” said Henry. He walked in the direction that Violet had indicated and sat down at an empty table.
Anna Wong appeared almost immediately, carrying her dinner.
She slowed as she got nearer. Henry tipped his head toward the back of the person sitting at the next table across from the Aldens.
Anna nodded back. She walked over, slid her dinner down at the place in front of Henry and just behind the person he had pointed out, and said, “Do you mind if I sit here?” She yawned loudly as she sat down.
“Please join us,” Violet said.
“I’m Benny,” Benny said, and introduced the rest of his family.
“I’m Anna Wong,” Anna said. She yawned even more loudly. “I’m on the crew.”
“Hard day?” asked Soo Lee. “You seem tired.”
“I am tired,” Anna said. “I’m on bike corral guard duty tonight. I just hope I can ...” She let another yawn interrupt her and then finished, “... stay awake.”
“Were you on duty last night, too?” asked Violet.
“No. Someone else was. I just hope nothing happens tonight. It would be terrible. I would feel awful,” Anna said.
“You’ll do fine,” Jessie reassured her.
“I hope so,” Anna said. “I go on duty right after lights out. I just hope I don’t go on duty and then go to sleep.” She finished her sentence with the loudest yawn of all. They ate in silence for a while. When they all finished, Benny spoke first.
“I’m getting sleepy,” Benny said. He yawned.
“We’d better head back to our tents,” Jessie said. She stood up. The rest of the Aldens did the same.
“Good luck tonight,” said Violet politely.
“Thanks,” said Anna.
Not until they were almost at the camp did Henry speak. “Benny,” he said. “Al wrecked my bike, but he didn’t do any of those other things.”
“I know,” said Benny. “Wait until we tell everyone.”
“I have something else to tell everyone,” said Henry.
“What?” asked Benny.
“I think I know who’s behind everything that has gone wrong with the great bike race,” said Henry.
CHAPTER 9
Henry’s Plan
The Aldens stood at the day’s finish line, applauding as the last riders came in ahead of the sweep wagon.
“I’m glad we didn’t follow that detour sign,” said Jessie. “Getting lost two days in a row would have been too much.”
“Not so many people got lost this time. And what a surprise. It was Ms. Whatney who caught up with the ones who had followed the sign and got them to turn around before going too far out of their way,” said Henry.
“And Al didn’t switch the signs today,” Benny said. “He was with us. He did say he wrecked Henry’s bike, though.”
“I’ve told you I think I know who is behind all of the trouble now,” said Henry. “And I’ve got a plan.”
“What? Tell us!” Jessie pleaded.
“Follow me, and I’ll tell you while we walk,” Henry said.
At the bike corral, the crew member who was standing guard at the entrance didn’t ask any questions. “The guard tonight?” he said. “Anna Wong. You could check for her in the volunteer tent section. Or leave a message on the volunteer message board there.”
“Thanks,” said Henry. They found Anna Wong emerging from her tent, yawning and stretching.
She stopped yawning as Henry introduced himself, and the Aldens told their story. When they had finished, she said, “I can do that. I’d like to catch whoever’s behind all this, believe me. I love Eagle Mountain.”
“We’ll meet you at dinner, then,” said Henry.
“And don’t forget—we’ve never met before,” Jessie reminded her.
Anna pushed her short dark hair back from her face and laughed. “I can’t remember,” she said. “And I won’t have to pretend too much to be sleepy. I still am.”
Shortly after that, Henry led the Aldens through the dining tent. They passed several empty tables, but none of them seemed to suit him.
Then Violet whispered, “Over there.”
“Right,” said Henry. He walked in the direction that Violet had indicated and sat down at an empty table.
Anna Wong appeared almost immediately, carrying her dinner.
She slowed as she got nearer. Henry tipped his head toward the back of the person sitting at the next table across from the Aldens.
Anna nodded back. She walked over, slid her dinner down at the place in front of Henry and just behind the person he had pointed out, and said, “Do you mind if I sit here?” She yawned loudly as she sat down.
“Please join us,” Violet said.
“I’m Benny,” Benny said, and introduced the rest of his family.
“I’m Anna Wong,” Anna said. She yawned even more loudly. “I’m on the crew.”
“Hard day?” asked Soo Lee. “You seem tired.”
“I am tired,” Anna said. “I’m on bike corral guard duty tonight. I just hope I can ...” She let another yawn interrupt her and then finished, “... stay awake.”
“Were you on duty last night, too?” asked Violet.
“No. Someone else was. I just hope nothing happens tonight. It would be terrible. I would feel awful,” Anna said.
“You’ll do fine,” Jessie reassured her.
“I hope so,” Anna said. “I go on duty right after lights out. I just hope I don’t go on duty and then go to sleep.” She finished her sentence with the loudest yawn of all. They ate in silence for a while. When they all finished, Benny spoke first.
“I’m getting sleepy,” Benny said. He yawned.
“We’d better head back to our tents,” Jessie said. She stood up. The rest of the Aldens did the same.
“Good luck tonight,” said Violet politely.
“Thanks,” said Anna.
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