The Mystery in the Snow by Gertrude Chandler Warner Page A

she said.
    Just then, Freddy and Beth ran to join them.
    â€œWhat’s up?” Henry asked.
    Freddy raised her hand. In it was Benny’s pink cup.
    â€œHey,” Benny said, “what’re you doing with my cup?”
    â€œI found it at the rink, Benny,” Freddy told him.
    Benny’s mouth dropped open. The last time he had seen his cup, his snow self was holding it.
    â€œSomeone’s ruined the ice,” Beth said. “Patches are chipped and broken. People trying to skate there would have trouble staying on their feet. Racing or figure skating would be impossible.”
    Freddy held up a chisel. “Whoever did it used this.”
    â€œWho could’ve done this?” Benny wondered aloud.
    Beth and Freddy stared at him.
    â€œWait a minute,” Benny said. “You don’t think I did it?”
    â€œOf course they don’t, Benny,” Jessie assured him.
    Freddy held up the cup again. “Whoever left this here wanted us to think you did it,” she said and gave it to him.
    All of a sudden, Jimmy said, “I’ll see you later. I have to talk to Mr. Mercer. Maybe he’ll call off the games.” He dashed away.
    Watching him, Freddy said, “He is really acting weird. I don’t know how many times he’s said we should call off the games.”
    Everyone headed toward the lodge.
    â€œHe probably just wants everything to go right,” Beth said.
    â€œWith his parents coming for the awards dinner and everything,” Jessie put in.
    Freddy looked at her in disbelief. “His parents aren’t coming for dinner,” she said. “They never come for anything. They just drop him here. They don’t even pick him up until everyone else has gone home.”
    â€œBut he told us they were coming,” Benny said.
    â€œWishful thinking,” Freddy responded.
    Matt rushed up. “My skis are back,” he told them. “I just found them in the equipment shop.”
    â€œThis is getting stranger and stranger,” Freddy commented.
    After dinner, Mr. Mercer clapped for silence. “As you all know, we’ve had some trouble this year,” he said. “First the keys to the equipment shop were missing, then my tires were flat. Someone damaged the snow sculptures and one of the ice carvings.” Then, he went on, “Jimmy Phelps came to talk to me at breakfast this morning. He thought we should call off the ski race because Matt’s skis were missing.”
    Henry leaned toward Jessie. “Didn’t Matt say he left the skis by the rack just before breakfast?” he whispered.
    Jessie searched her memory. “I think so,” she said.
    â€œAnd he didn’t know they were missing until the race?”
    Jessie nodded.
    â€œHow did Jimmy know they were missing at breakfast?”
    Her eyes wide, Jessie looked at her brother. Did he think Jimmy had caused all the trouble?

CHAPTER 15
    The Solution
    â€œN ow I’ve just learned that the ice at the rink has been ruined. But we’re not going to cancel anything,” Mr. Mercer said. Then he announced a new schedule. The ice-carving judging would be postponed. A crew was hosing the ice, and the skating competition would take place when it was ready. Sledding would be moved into its time slot.
    â€œMy message to whoever caused the trouble is this,” Mr. Mercer concluded. “It won’t work. Snow Haven Lodgers never quit!”
    Everyone cheered.
    Henry and Jessie were on their feet, ready to go.
    â€œCome on,” Henry urged Violet and Benny. “Let’s go back to the cabin.”
    â€œBut I haven’t finished my cake,” Benny protested.
    Jessie pulled a paper napkin from the holder in the center of the table. “Wrap it in this,” she said, “and bring it with you.”
    Grumbling, Benny did as he was told.
    Henry and Jessie raced through the lounge with Violet and Benny trailing along behind.
    Outside,