The Mystery in the Snow by Gertrude Chandler Warner

we find her glove, and then I’m walking around with her hat in my pocket.”
    â€œShe’s guilty all right,” Benny said.
    â€œWatch didn’t destroy your snow sculptures,” Jessie reminded him. “But your friends thought he did.”
    â€œAnd for a while you were sure Pete did it,” Henry said.
    Violet sighed. The more she thought about this puzzle the more confusing it became. “Is there anything we can be sure of?” she asked.
    â€œI’m sure of one thing,” Benny answered. “I can’t think another thought until I have something to eat.”

CHAPTER 14
    More Mischief
    I nside the lodge, the Aldens got cups of hot chocolate and cinnamon buns and sat down by the fire.
    Grandfather and Mr. Mercer came in.
    â€œCongratulations, Henry,” Mr. Mercer said. “You skied well.”
    â€œThank you,” Henry said.
    â€œAnd, Benny, your snow sculpture is something to see.”
    Benny smiled, but Grandfather could tell something was troubling him.
    â€œWhat’s wrong, Benny?” Grandfather asked.
    â€œSomeone’s trying to keep our team from winning,” Benny blurted.
    Mr. Mercer’s dark eyes narrowed. “Is that so?”
    â€œIt looks that way,” Henry said.
    Mr. Alden sank into a chair. “We heard there was some trouble with the snow sculptures, but…” his voice trailed off.
    â€œAnd someone took Matt’s skis to keep him from doing his best,” Benny said.
    Mr. Mercer shook his head. “Jimmy said something at breakfast about missing skis. He wanted me to call off the race. I thought they’d turn up — that they were just misplaced.” He paused. “Who could do such a thing?” he wondered.
    â€œSo many things have been going wrong — even the missing keys and the flat tires,” Henry said.
    â€œBut they have nothing to do with your team,” Mr. Alden said.
    Henry nodded. “That’s why this mystery is so confusing.”
    Just then, there was a commotion at the door. Nan and Pete were shouting at each other and tugging at something.
    â€œHere, here. What’s going on?” Mr. Mercer called.
    Nan and Pete marched over. Each had hold of one of Pete’s blue earmuffs. They were tugging so hard that the metal connecting band was stretched to its limit.
    â€œShe won’t give me my earmuffs!” Pete complained.
    â€œHe ruined our ice carving!” Nan snapped. “We were making a castle. Now, the tower’s gone.” She wiped her tears with her red scarf. “Pete did it,” she concluded. “We found his earmuffs right there in the snow.”
    Pete rolled his eyes. “I didn’t do it,” he defended. “Someone took my earmuffs.”
    The Aldens exchanged disbelieving glances. Now, the mischief was aimed at both teams.
    Everyone trekked outside to look at the ice carving Freddy’s team had made. The entire castle tower had melted away.
    â€œThe sun didn’t do it,” Mr. Mercer decided. “It doesn’t work that fast.”
    â€œI didn’t do it, either,” Pete said.
    The Aldens thought he was telling the truth. He was too busy with his stopwatch. He wouldn’t have had the time to melt the ice.
    â€œWhat happened?” Jimmy asked, walking up to the group clustered around the melted ice sculpture.
    Nan told him.
    â€œWe have to call off this event,” Jimmy said. “There isn’t enough time to finish before the judging tomorrow.”
    Mr. Mercer shook his head. “Don’t worry,” he said to the ice carvers. “We’ll figure out something.”
    â€œHow can we make a castle without a tower?” Nan asked.
    â€œMake something else,” Benny suggested.
    â€œWe’d better go check our sculpture,” Violet said, and they all paraded over there. Violet’s team’s ice carving had not been damaged.
    â€œThat’s a relief,”