then Benny spoke up, “You could buy the rest of our cookies!”
Mr. Murray put his arm around his wife. “We will, we will!” he promised, laughing.
“And we’ll put on the best ice show you’ve ever seen!” said Carl. He touched Alex’s hand, and she smiled at him. “I’ll be ready in five minutes,” she said.
All at once, Janet O’Shea waved a paper overhead. “I have more good news! The tickets to our five Cincinnati performances are completely sold out!” She smiled. “It looks as if all my skaters will be paid, and get bonuses, too!”
Benny tilted his head. “It’s the first time I ever saw you smile, Miss O’Shea.”
Janet O’Shea chuckled. “I haven’t had much to smile about! I think, though, sunny skies are ahead!”
“Good!” Benny said. “Then you can smile all the time.”
Everyone laughed, and, except for the skaters, they hurried to take their seats for the performance.
Bugles blared. The arena darkened, then one spotlight shone. Ollie Olsen came careening out on the ice on his stomach, sliding across the rink.
Benny laughed the hardest at Ollie’s funny routine. The clown stumbled around the rink, stopping in front of Benny and doffing his hat. He shook his head from side to side, which caused his orange wig to slip over one eye. He pulled a fuzzy rabbit from his sleeve, then presented it to Benny.
Benny’s eyes shone. “Thank you!” he said, hugging the rabbit.
Ollie, plopping his hat back on, teetered back and forth. With a bow so low his round false nose touched the ice, he whirled about, tripping and tottering offstage.
Soft music played and the spotlight moved to a couple skimming around the rink. Alex and Carl, in red, glittering costumes, skated out to the middle. They did double and triple jumps, and when Carl lifted Alex high overhead, Jessie clapped the loudest. “Aren’t they wonderful?” she said to Henry.
“The best,” he replied.
More skaters came out. With the colored lights, music, and costumes, the show was one of the most beautiful sights the Aldens had ever seen. The performers’ intricate footwork and spins were breathtaking.
“I want to be an ice skater when I grow up!” Benny exclaimed.
Violet smiled. “Maybe you will, Benny. Maybe you will.”
Jessie and Henry smiled, too, knowing Benny would change his mind many times before he grew up.
On the way home, the children sat quietly in the car, enjoying the way the moonlight sparkled on the white snow.
In his pajamas, Henry touched his toes twenty-five times. It had been a busy day. A thief had been caught, the jewels had been returned to Mrs. Murray, and they’d seen an ice show more spectacular than any they’d ever imagined. Tomorrow, they’d meet Soo Lee. He switched off the light and climbed into bed. What could be better?
CHAPTER 12
Soo Lee
As the Aldens ate their breakfast, they admired the gifts they’d chosen for Soo Lee. Henry had bought a lovely illustrated Cinderella book; Violet, a doll dressed in a denim skirt and plaid blouse; Jessie, a soft teddy bear; and Benny, a bright red fire engine.
“Could I have another piece of toast?” Benny asked. “It’s a long way to the airport.”
“Sure,” Henry said, popping a slice in the toaster.
Grandfather pushed back his chair. “I’m proud of each of you for solving the Murrays’ robbery. Sara is very happy. Your ideas worked!”
“The green-ink idea was mine,” Benny said, heaping a tablespoon of jam on his toast.
“I won’t forget,” Grandfather said with a chuckle. He glanced at his watch. “We’d better leave for the airport. The Starlight Troupe will be leaving soon, and I know you want to say good-bye.”
Jessie jumped up. “I don’t want to miss Alex!”
Benny said, “I don’t want to see the ice skaters leave.”
“None of us do,” Jessie said softly.
“I’m sure they’ll come back,” Henry said in a reassuring tone.
Benny brightened again. “Really?”
“Really,” Jessie said.
Mr. Murray put his arm around his wife. “We will, we will!” he promised, laughing.
“And we’ll put on the best ice show you’ve ever seen!” said Carl. He touched Alex’s hand, and she smiled at him. “I’ll be ready in five minutes,” she said.
All at once, Janet O’Shea waved a paper overhead. “I have more good news! The tickets to our five Cincinnati performances are completely sold out!” She smiled. “It looks as if all my skaters will be paid, and get bonuses, too!”
Benny tilted his head. “It’s the first time I ever saw you smile, Miss O’Shea.”
Janet O’Shea chuckled. “I haven’t had much to smile about! I think, though, sunny skies are ahead!”
“Good!” Benny said. “Then you can smile all the time.”
Everyone laughed, and, except for the skaters, they hurried to take their seats for the performance.
Bugles blared. The arena darkened, then one spotlight shone. Ollie Olsen came careening out on the ice on his stomach, sliding across the rink.
Benny laughed the hardest at Ollie’s funny routine. The clown stumbled around the rink, stopping in front of Benny and doffing his hat. He shook his head from side to side, which caused his orange wig to slip over one eye. He pulled a fuzzy rabbit from his sleeve, then presented it to Benny.
Benny’s eyes shone. “Thank you!” he said, hugging the rabbit.
Ollie, plopping his hat back on, teetered back and forth. With a bow so low his round false nose touched the ice, he whirled about, tripping and tottering offstage.
Soft music played and the spotlight moved to a couple skimming around the rink. Alex and Carl, in red, glittering costumes, skated out to the middle. They did double and triple jumps, and when Carl lifted Alex high overhead, Jessie clapped the loudest. “Aren’t they wonderful?” she said to Henry.
“The best,” he replied.
More skaters came out. With the colored lights, music, and costumes, the show was one of the most beautiful sights the Aldens had ever seen. The performers’ intricate footwork and spins were breathtaking.
“I want to be an ice skater when I grow up!” Benny exclaimed.
Violet smiled. “Maybe you will, Benny. Maybe you will.”
Jessie and Henry smiled, too, knowing Benny would change his mind many times before he grew up.
On the way home, the children sat quietly in the car, enjoying the way the moonlight sparkled on the white snow.
In his pajamas, Henry touched his toes twenty-five times. It had been a busy day. A thief had been caught, the jewels had been returned to Mrs. Murray, and they’d seen an ice show more spectacular than any they’d ever imagined. Tomorrow, they’d meet Soo Lee. He switched off the light and climbed into bed. What could be better?
CHAPTER 12
Soo Lee
As the Aldens ate their breakfast, they admired the gifts they’d chosen for Soo Lee. Henry had bought a lovely illustrated Cinderella book; Violet, a doll dressed in a denim skirt and plaid blouse; Jessie, a soft teddy bear; and Benny, a bright red fire engine.
“Could I have another piece of toast?” Benny asked. “It’s a long way to the airport.”
“Sure,” Henry said, popping a slice in the toaster.
Grandfather pushed back his chair. “I’m proud of each of you for solving the Murrays’ robbery. Sara is very happy. Your ideas worked!”
“The green-ink idea was mine,” Benny said, heaping a tablespoon of jam on his toast.
“I won’t forget,” Grandfather said with a chuckle. He glanced at his watch. “We’d better leave for the airport. The Starlight Troupe will be leaving soon, and I know you want to say good-bye.”
Jessie jumped up. “I don’t want to miss Alex!”
Benny said, “I don’t want to see the ice skaters leave.”
“None of us do,” Jessie said softly.
“I’m sure they’ll come back,” Henry said in a reassuring tone.
Benny brightened again. “Really?”
“Really,” Jessie said.
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