time! And he’s got the paper!”
The Aldens set out on the chase.
A fast runner, Henry took the lead. It was a tough uphill climb and he was surprised the heavier young man could run so fast.
Benny was right behind Henry. Being shorter, he could duck under bushes and take shortcuts.
In no time, Henry and Benny had reached the fork in the trail. The girls soon caught up and all four raced down the main driveway.
“What happened to Rachel?” Henry panted to Jessie.
“I don’t know. I thought she was behind me and Violet. But she could have gone down another trail and got away. Rachel knows this mountain better than anyone.” Jessie felt disappointed. Even though Rachel had helped Eugene cheat, Jessie believed Rachel had been about to do the right thing.
“There’s Eugene!” Benny cried. He sprinted past the pillars and onto the campus. “He’s getting into his car! He’s driving off.”
The children watched in amazement as Eugene spun the little red sports car past them and barreled down the mountain.
Henry shook his head. “I thought he’d run into the main building. That’s where the conference is being held. He could still present Mark’s paper.”
“But he ran away instead,” Violet said.
“He’s probably scared of us,” Benny declared. “Because we know what he did.”
“Maybe,” Jessie said doubtfully. “But Eugene seems like the type who can talk his way out of anything.”
“And now he’s run off with Mark’s paper,” said Henry. He squared his shoulders. “We still have to tell everyone what Eugene did. It won’t get Mark’s paper back, but at least he’ll know what happened to it.”
The children rushed into the main building and down the hall to the auditorium. Henry opened the door and they slipped inside.
The hushed auditorium was occupied by students. Grandfather was standing at the podium onstage, as if he was about to make an announcement. Several distinguished-looking men sat at a long table beside him.
Jessie nudged Violet. Mark was sitting dejectedly off to one side. How terrible he must feel, Jessie thought, knowing his big day was ruined.
“Let’s go,” she whispered to her sister.
Violet suddenly felt shy. There were so many people! “What are we going to say?”
“We’ll just tell them what we know,” said Benny.
“You know how grown-ups are,” Violet pointed out. “They might not believe us.” Several times in the past, the Aldens had discovered something important, only to be ignored by adults.
The door opened behind them.
“But they’ll believe me ,” said a figure in a pink sweater.
Rachel Cunningham smiled, then led the children down the aisle toward the stage.
CHAPTER 10
Benny’s Discovery
G randfather’s eyebrows raised in surprise as he watched his grandchildren and Rachel Cunningham climb onto the stage. They stood beside the podium.
“I hope this interruption is important,” James Alden said.
“It’s about Mark’s paper,” Henry said.
Mark sat up straight.
“We’re aware Mark’s paper is missing,” said Grandfather. “What do you children know about it?”
This time Rachel spoke. “Everything, sir. I told them. You see, I helped steal it. Eugene Scott paid me to take Mark’s notes. We copied Mark’s paper. Eugene was going to present it as his own work.”
Mark leaped up. “What? Where is Eugene?”
“He’s gone,” Jessie replied. “We chased him, but he took off in his car. He took your paper with him,” she added ruefully.
Rachel pulled an envelope from inside her sweater. “Not all of it,” she said. “I still have Mark’s original notes. Eugene forgot to ask me for them.”
“That’s why you weren’t behind us,” Jessie said. “You were getting Mark’s notes.”
By now everyone in the audience was straining to hear the onstage discussion.
James Alden spoke into the microphone. “I think we could all use a short recess.” To Rachel and his grandchildren he said, “Let’s go
The Aldens set out on the chase.
A fast runner, Henry took the lead. It was a tough uphill climb and he was surprised the heavier young man could run so fast.
Benny was right behind Henry. Being shorter, he could duck under bushes and take shortcuts.
In no time, Henry and Benny had reached the fork in the trail. The girls soon caught up and all four raced down the main driveway.
“What happened to Rachel?” Henry panted to Jessie.
“I don’t know. I thought she was behind me and Violet. But she could have gone down another trail and got away. Rachel knows this mountain better than anyone.” Jessie felt disappointed. Even though Rachel had helped Eugene cheat, Jessie believed Rachel had been about to do the right thing.
“There’s Eugene!” Benny cried. He sprinted past the pillars and onto the campus. “He’s getting into his car! He’s driving off.”
The children watched in amazement as Eugene spun the little red sports car past them and barreled down the mountain.
Henry shook his head. “I thought he’d run into the main building. That’s where the conference is being held. He could still present Mark’s paper.”
“But he ran away instead,” Violet said.
“He’s probably scared of us,” Benny declared. “Because we know what he did.”
“Maybe,” Jessie said doubtfully. “But Eugene seems like the type who can talk his way out of anything.”
“And now he’s run off with Mark’s paper,” said Henry. He squared his shoulders. “We still have to tell everyone what Eugene did. It won’t get Mark’s paper back, but at least he’ll know what happened to it.”
The children rushed into the main building and down the hall to the auditorium. Henry opened the door and they slipped inside.
The hushed auditorium was occupied by students. Grandfather was standing at the podium onstage, as if he was about to make an announcement. Several distinguished-looking men sat at a long table beside him.
Jessie nudged Violet. Mark was sitting dejectedly off to one side. How terrible he must feel, Jessie thought, knowing his big day was ruined.
“Let’s go,” she whispered to her sister.
Violet suddenly felt shy. There were so many people! “What are we going to say?”
“We’ll just tell them what we know,” said Benny.
“You know how grown-ups are,” Violet pointed out. “They might not believe us.” Several times in the past, the Aldens had discovered something important, only to be ignored by adults.
The door opened behind them.
“But they’ll believe me ,” said a figure in a pink sweater.
Rachel Cunningham smiled, then led the children down the aisle toward the stage.
CHAPTER 10
Benny’s Discovery
G randfather’s eyebrows raised in surprise as he watched his grandchildren and Rachel Cunningham climb onto the stage. They stood beside the podium.
“I hope this interruption is important,” James Alden said.
“It’s about Mark’s paper,” Henry said.
Mark sat up straight.
“We’re aware Mark’s paper is missing,” said Grandfather. “What do you children know about it?”
This time Rachel spoke. “Everything, sir. I told them. You see, I helped steal it. Eugene Scott paid me to take Mark’s notes. We copied Mark’s paper. Eugene was going to present it as his own work.”
Mark leaped up. “What? Where is Eugene?”
“He’s gone,” Jessie replied. “We chased him, but he took off in his car. He took your paper with him,” she added ruefully.
Rachel pulled an envelope from inside her sweater. “Not all of it,” she said. “I still have Mark’s original notes. Eugene forgot to ask me for them.”
“That’s why you weren’t behind us,” Jessie said. “You were getting Mark’s notes.”
By now everyone in the audience was straining to hear the onstage discussion.
James Alden spoke into the microphone. “I think we could all use a short recess.” To Rachel and his grandchildren he said, “Let’s go
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