Mystery of the Spider's Clue by Gertrude Chandler Warner Page A

Jessie, Violet, and Benny watched through the opened doorway as Grandfather’s flashlight beam swept back and forth across the yard.
    At that moment, Benny heard a car door slam shut. He looked up at Jessie. “Did you hear that?”
    â€œHear what?”
    â€œI think the prowler just made his getaway,” Benny told her.
    Shaking her head, Jessie said, “I doubt there was a prowler here, Benny. Watch probably just heard a raccoon in the yard.”
    â€œMaybe,” said Benny. But he didn’t sound convinced.
    A few minutes later, Grandfather came back inside, with Watch close on his heels.
    Grandfather put the flashlight away in the cupboard. “I’m not sure what got Watch so upset,” he said. “It’s pretty quiet out there.”
    Henry nodded. “Watch seems fine now.”
    â€œWhy don’t we go back upstairs,” suggested Grandfather. “Our warm beds are waiting for us.”
    Violet shivered in her pajamas. “Watch will keep an eye on things for us.”
    â€œThat’s why we call him Watch.” Jessie laughed. “Right, Benny?”
    But Benny didn’t answer. He was peering out the window again. Somebody had been prowling around out there. He was sure of it.
    â€œI didn’t hear a thing,” Mrs. McGregor told the Aldens the next morning. “Not even Watch barking.”
    â€œJust as well,” said Grandfather as he sat down at the breakfast table. “It turned out to be a false alarm.”
    The Aldens’ housekeeper was dishing up scrambled eggs. She smiled over at Benny. “Looks like somebody could use a little more sleep.”
    Benny covered his mouth as he yawned. Then he shook his head. “There’s no time for sleep.”
    Grandfather stirred cream into his coffee.
    â€œOh, yes. Today is your last chance to find the secret code word, isn’t it?”
    Henry nodded. “If nobody finds it by the end of the day the inheritance goes to the millionaire’s relatives.”
    Grandfather took a bite of his bacon and chewed thoughtfully. Then he said, “This mystery certainly came along at exactly the right time for Sam, didn’t it? Just when he can’t work for a while—presto!—he suddenly has a chance to inherit money. It’s really quite an amazing coincidence.”
    â€œI was hoping the mystery would perk Sam up a bit,” added Mrs. McGregor. “But I’m afraid he still isn’t himself. It’s just because of his job, of course. Sam really misses his work.”
    But Violet didn’t think that was all it was. She was sure something else was troubling Sam Snow.
    â€œThe mystery keeps stirring up sad memories for him,” she told Mrs. McGregor.
    â€œIt is weird,” put in Henry. “The clues seem to remind Sam of his brother. He gets a faraway look in his eye and—”
    â€œHe’s not one bit happy anymore,” finished Benny.
    Grandfather nodded. “There’s a reason for that.”
    The children turned to their grandfather in surprise.
    â€œWhat is it, Grandfather?” asked Jessie.
    James Alden put down his fork. “Long ago, when Sam Snow turned his back on the family business, it caused quite a rift between the two brothers.”
    Benny looked puzzled. “What’s a rift?”
    â€œIt means they had a disagreement,” explained Jessie.
    â€œThat’s exactly right,” said Grandfather. “I remember hearing about it at the time. Simon didn’t want his brother to leave the family business. He thought Sam was making a big mistake. There was an argument, and some terrible things were said. When Sam walked out the door, it was the last time the two brothers saw—or spoke to—each other in almost forty years.”
    â€œDidn’t they ever try to patch things up?” Violet wondered.
    Grandfather thought for a moment, then shook his head. “No, I don’t think they