Pilgrim Village Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner

that when he talked to his brother and sisters, they’d figure out something.
    He peeked back into the main room of the print shop, and saw that everyone was kneeling on the floor, picking up the blocks of type that Benny had knocked onto the floor. Jessie caught Henry’s eye and motioned for him to hurry.
    Before Eric could turn around, Henry slipped into the room. No one but Jessie even noticed.
    A little while later the children were back in their cabin. Henry was telling them what he had found.
    â€œSo the old book was Thomas Heathcliff’s journal. I’d love to see what it says,” said Violet. “I wonder why Eric is being so secretive with it.”
    â€œWhat do you think his notes meant, ‘G. Washington to T. Heathcliff, February, 1780,’”Jessie wondered.
    â€œI don’t know. And I also don’t know why he circled all the old buildings on the map,” said Henry.
    â€œSomething strange has happened in each of those places,” said Violet.
    â€œExcept for the farmhouse and our cabin,” said Jessie.
    â€œIs Eric trying to destroy Pilgrim Village?” Violet asked, her face sad.
    â€œI don’t know,” said Jessie.
    â€œI hope not,” Violet said. “He seems so nice.”
    â€œWe wanted a mystery,” Benny said, “and we got one!”
    The children had a picnic lunch with Grandfather on the green. Then they spent the afternoon visiting the little schoolhouse. They sat on hard wooden benches while a woman explained what school was like in the old days. Back then, children of all different ages were in the same class. The littlest children, like Benny, sat in the front row, while the older children, like Henry, were in the last.
    Seeing the old school was lots of fun, and it almost made the Aldens forget about the mystery they were trying to solve. But as soon as they returned to their cabin, they remembered. Because in the middle of the table they found something mysterious. It was a note, written in large handwriting with lots of fancy loops and swirls.
    â€œWhat does it say?” Benny asked when Jessie had picked it up.
    â€œIt says,” Jessie began, reading aloud: “‘ Meet me tonight at six-thirty at the farmhouse. I have something important to show you. I may be late — please wait for me .’ And it’s signed ‘ Eric ’”
    â€œSomething important,” Benny repeated. “Wow!”
    â€œCould I see it, please?” asked Henry. Jessie handed him the note.
    â€œDo you think this has something to do with Eric’s ‘special project?’” asked Violet.
    â€œMaybe,” said Jessie.
    â€œI don’t know,” Henry said after studying the note. “Something just doesn’t feel right.”
    â€œDo you think we should tell Linda?” asked Violet.
    â€œNo, she has enough on her mind right now,” said Jessie. “Let’s wait and see what Eric has to show us first.”
    It was already almost six o’clock. The children ate a quick pizza dinner at the snack bar, and then walked to the farmhouse. Eric wasn’t there yet, so they sat down on the front porch to wait for him. Most of the shops in the village had closed for the night, and there weren’t many visitors around.
    Soon it began to grow dark. Everything was quiet, and there were shadows everywhere. Far off in the distance an owl hooted.
    Benny shivered. “Where’s Eric?” he asked.
    â€œI don’t know,” said Jessie. “But he said he might be late. I’m sure he’ll be here any minute now.”
    Several more minutes passed, and still there was no sign of Eric.
    â€œDo you think he’s coming?” asked Violet.
    â€œMaybe we should stop by the print shop and see if he’s there,” Henry suggested.
    So the children walked slowly around the green to the print shop. But when they got there they saw that the lights had been turned