Mystery in the Old Attic by Gertrude Chandler Warner

her seriously.
    â€œThat might be a way to keep an eye on them,” said Henry.
    â€œAnd perhaps getting one of them to confess,” said Jessie as she began to whip the cream.
    â€œI don’t think the professor is home right now,” said Benny. “I saw him head out toward the woods.”

    â€œAnd who knows what Kimberly is up to,” said Henry as he began to set the dining room table.
    An hour later, the Aldens called their grandfather downstairs for tea.
    â€œGoodness, we haven’t eaten in the dining room the whole time we’ve been here,” said Grandfather as he sat down. Henry had set the table with Emily’s blue-and-white china. Silver platters piled high with gingerbread, cinnamon toast, and tiny sandwiches lay on the table along with a big pot of tea and another of hot cocoa. There were also little pots of jam, sugar, and whipped cream.
    â€œPlease pass the cream and sugar,” said Benny as he stirred his cocoa with a little spoon.
    â€œThis is so much fun,” said Violet as she spread strawberry jam on her cinnamon toast. “No wonder Emily was always giving tea parties.”
    â€œIf only she had left us with more clues,” said Henry as he passed the sugar to Grandfather.
    Benny nodded. “Well, she did leave us with that riddle. And she gave us the idea for this party.” He bit into a gingerbread cookie. Suddenly his eyes opened wider, and he waved his arms wildly.
    â€œBenny, what’s wrong?” Jessie sounded truly alarmed. “Is something wrong with the gingerbread?”
    Benny shook his head. “No, the gingerbread is fine,” he answered, once he swallowed. “It’s just that I thought of something important.”
    â€œWhat?” Jessie held her toast in midair. Everyone stopped eating and looked at Benny.
    â€œThe man Sam described — you know, the man who pawned the ring …”
    â€œYes,” said Jessie.
    â€œWell, Sam described the professor, not Adam.” Benny sounded very proud of himself.
    â€œYou’re right,” said Henry. “He said he was a big man with glasses. And he wore a brown tweed overcoat.”
    â€œJust like the professor,” said Benny.
    â€œIt’s true,” said Violet. “The professor has worn a brown tweed overcoat every time we’ve seen him.”
    â€œIt looks like we’re going to have to ask Professor Schmidt a few questions,” said Henry.
    â€œI was hoping I wouldn’t have to see him again,” said Benny as he helped himself to another gingerbread cookie.

CHAPTER 10
    The Professor
    S oon everyone was talking at once. Henry wanted to go find the professor right away. The others convinced him to wait until they had talked to Sam. “That way, if Sam’s records back us up, we’ll have definite proof against the professor,” said Jessie.
    â€œBut Sam said to give him a couple of days.” Benny sounded disappointed. “That means we’ll have to wait until tomorrow.”
    â€œRight,” said Henry as he added whipped cream to his steaming mug of cocoa. “So we might as well sit here and enjoy our party.”
    â€œWell said,” said Grandfather, reaching for a slice of cinnamon toast.
    Violet looked up at the portraits of Emily’s parents. Then she looked at her grandfather. He definitely looked a little like Emily’s father.
    â€œGrandfather?” Violet asked.
    Grandfather looked up from pouring his tea. “Yes?”
    Violet took a deep breath. What she wanted to say wasn’t easy for her. “Grandfather,” she began again, “do we really have to sell this house? I mean, it has so much family history in it.”
    Grandfather looked sad. “I know,” he said. “It’s a shame to let this house go out of the family. But we live too far away to be able to care for it properly.”
    â€œCould we try to find someone to take care of it for