“Not small enough for you to stop talking, Benny. I guess the three of you can take turns being people again.”
“Peggy said it’s okay to be half bears and half people at the picnic with our bear heads off,” Jessie said. “She told me people like finding out who the Three Bears really are.”
“I’d like to find out who our suspects really are,” Jessie said. “I decided Miss Sayer isn’t one of them.”
The other children couldn’t see Violet’s thoughtful face under her costume. “I wish we could find out if Mrs. Keppel is really Elsa Berne. If she took Herr Bear, maybe she had a good reason.”
Henry noticed Professor Tweedy walking quickly in the Aldens’ direction. “What about him?” Henry asked. “We still don’t know why he’s been acting so strangely.”
“For someone who reads bear books, he doesn’t even seem to notice you’re the Three Bears,” Henry said when the professor passed by.
“I’m going to introduce myself,” Jessie decided. “Maybe we’ll get some clues from what he says.” Jessie stepped in front of the professor. “Hello. I’m Papa Bear from Goldilocks and the Three Bears .”
This seemed to be a huge surprise to the professor. “Well, whoever put you in that costume should read a few different editions of the story. In the old books, the Three Bears do not grin like cartoon bears as you do in those costumes.” The professor walked away, leaving the Aldens to wonder about him.
Violet lifted her arm to check her watch, but of course it was hidden beneath her costume. “Henry, isn’t it almost time to show Mister B. to the judges? They’re going into the hall. That’s where Professor Tweedy went, too.”
Henry checked his watch. “Time to go, with or without the Herr Bear. I guess all we can do now is keep an eye out for Mrs. Keppel and Professor Tweedy, too.”
“Now Mister B. can keep two eyes out,” Benny reminded everyone.
Streams of teddy bear lovers made their way into the Old Mills Town Hall. They brought their beloved bears in wagons, baskets, baby carriers, and strollers. There were bears of all shapes, sizes, and colors.
“Psst—there’s Mrs. Keppel in front of the ladies’ room,” Jessie whispered to Violet. “She’s got a baby carriage. Let’s follow her. See you two later,” she told Henry and Benny.
Mrs. Keppel gave Violet and Jessie a big smile when she saw them in their bear suits. “Ah, two of the Three Bears,” she said to the girls, whom she didn’t recognize. “Where is Baby Bear?”
Jessie nodded in Benny’s direction. He was standing near the judges’ table with Henry and Mister B. “He’s over there.”
Mrs. Keppel tried to push her carriage into the ladies’ room when the security guard came by. “Sorry, no carriages in there, Mrs. Keppel. Don’t worry, it’s safe out here. I’ll be just down the hall.”
After the guard moved away, Jessie had an idea. “Would you like us to watch your carriage? After all, we’re bear parents, too.”
Mrs. Keppel laughed but hesitated. “ Ja … I mean, yes. I shall be back within minutes.”
Within seconds, Jessie tugged at the baby blanket covering the carriage.
“Two bears!” she and Violet cried at the same time when they saw two nearly identical bears staring back—one with blue eyes and one with golden eyes.
Violet quickly covered the bears again. “You were right, Jessie,” she said. “Mrs. Keppel did take Herr Bear. I saw his eyes.”
Mrs. Keppel returned. “ Danke. I mean, thank you,” she said. She pushed her carriage forward and walked off.
When the girls found Henry and Benny again, they had to wait to tell them their news. Grandfather was back and talking to Peggy, Doc, and Herr Bear’s owner, Mrs. Withers. Even Miss Sayer was there, standing next to Mr. Alden. As always, she was holding Chatter Bear. Jessie’s news would have to wait.
“Hi, Grandfather,” Jessie whispered. “It’s me under this costume, and Violet’s in that
“Peggy said it’s okay to be half bears and half people at the picnic with our bear heads off,” Jessie said. “She told me people like finding out who the Three Bears really are.”
“I’d like to find out who our suspects really are,” Jessie said. “I decided Miss Sayer isn’t one of them.”
The other children couldn’t see Violet’s thoughtful face under her costume. “I wish we could find out if Mrs. Keppel is really Elsa Berne. If she took Herr Bear, maybe she had a good reason.”
Henry noticed Professor Tweedy walking quickly in the Aldens’ direction. “What about him?” Henry asked. “We still don’t know why he’s been acting so strangely.”
“For someone who reads bear books, he doesn’t even seem to notice you’re the Three Bears,” Henry said when the professor passed by.
“I’m going to introduce myself,” Jessie decided. “Maybe we’ll get some clues from what he says.” Jessie stepped in front of the professor. “Hello. I’m Papa Bear from Goldilocks and the Three Bears .”
This seemed to be a huge surprise to the professor. “Well, whoever put you in that costume should read a few different editions of the story. In the old books, the Three Bears do not grin like cartoon bears as you do in those costumes.” The professor walked away, leaving the Aldens to wonder about him.
Violet lifted her arm to check her watch, but of course it was hidden beneath her costume. “Henry, isn’t it almost time to show Mister B. to the judges? They’re going into the hall. That’s where Professor Tweedy went, too.”
Henry checked his watch. “Time to go, with or without the Herr Bear. I guess all we can do now is keep an eye out for Mrs. Keppel and Professor Tweedy, too.”
“Now Mister B. can keep two eyes out,” Benny reminded everyone.
Streams of teddy bear lovers made their way into the Old Mills Town Hall. They brought their beloved bears in wagons, baskets, baby carriers, and strollers. There were bears of all shapes, sizes, and colors.
“Psst—there’s Mrs. Keppel in front of the ladies’ room,” Jessie whispered to Violet. “She’s got a baby carriage. Let’s follow her. See you two later,” she told Henry and Benny.
Mrs. Keppel gave Violet and Jessie a big smile when she saw them in their bear suits. “Ah, two of the Three Bears,” she said to the girls, whom she didn’t recognize. “Where is Baby Bear?”
Jessie nodded in Benny’s direction. He was standing near the judges’ table with Henry and Mister B. “He’s over there.”
Mrs. Keppel tried to push her carriage into the ladies’ room when the security guard came by. “Sorry, no carriages in there, Mrs. Keppel. Don’t worry, it’s safe out here. I’ll be just down the hall.”
After the guard moved away, Jessie had an idea. “Would you like us to watch your carriage? After all, we’re bear parents, too.”
Mrs. Keppel laughed but hesitated. “ Ja … I mean, yes. I shall be back within minutes.”
Within seconds, Jessie tugged at the baby blanket covering the carriage.
“Two bears!” she and Violet cried at the same time when they saw two nearly identical bears staring back—one with blue eyes and one with golden eyes.
Violet quickly covered the bears again. “You were right, Jessie,” she said. “Mrs. Keppel did take Herr Bear. I saw his eyes.”
Mrs. Keppel returned. “ Danke. I mean, thank you,” she said. She pushed her carriage forward and walked off.
When the girls found Henry and Benny again, they had to wait to tell them their news. Grandfather was back and talking to Peggy, Doc, and Herr Bear’s owner, Mrs. Withers. Even Miss Sayer was there, standing next to Mr. Alden. As always, she was holding Chatter Bear. Jessie’s news would have to wait.
“Hi, Grandfather,” Jessie whispered. “It’s me under this costume, and Violet’s in that
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