儿童英语读物 The Mystery in the Snow CHAPTER 9 Tracks

The Aldens stood close together, silently looking at the fallen snow figures.



Henry put an arm around Benny’s shoulder. “Maybe it was an accident,” he said, hoping to comfort his brother.



Benny didn’t respond.



“What kind of accident?” Violet asked.



Henry shrugged 1. “Not an accident exactly,” he answered. “What I mean is, maybe an animal did it. A raccoon or something.”



Benny shook his head. “A person did it,” he said angrily. “On purpose. I just know it.”



Jessie saw something on the path beside the snow sculptures. She squatted 2 down for a better look. “Benny’s right,” she said. “Look at these.”



“They’re tracks,” Violet said.



“Boot tracks,” Henry added.



Benny knelt down on the snow. “Pete’s boots,” he said.



“How can you tell?” Henry asked.



“Look at the pattern,” Benny said. “It’s the same as the one Pete’s boots made in the dining room at lunch.”



Violet searched her memory. Pete’s large orange boots did leave a pattern of snow on the wood floor. “Stars,” she remembered.



Henry examined the print. The star shapes were barely visible outlines on the surface of the snow. Other shapes stood out more. It was the reverse of the pattern on the floor.



“The stars on the boot must be indented 3 — sort of like cookie cutters,” he said.



“So the snow packs into them and drops out later,” Jessie concluded.



“Pete did it,” Benny said.



“You can’t be sure, Benny,” Violet said. “There could be other people with boots like that.”



“He left the dining room early, didn’t he?” Benny argued. “And I saw him out here.”



Henry was surprised. “You saw him?”



Jessie asked, “When?” and Violet, “Where?”



Benny pointed 4 toward the back of the lodge 5. “He was just going around that corner when we came out here.”



“You’re sure it was Pete?” Henry asked. “It’s pretty dark out here. Could it have been someone else?”



Benny shook his head. “It was Pete’s shadow,” he said.



“Pete’s shadow?” Violet repeated.



“If it was only a shadow, Benny, you can’t be sure it was Pete,” Jessie said.



“Let’s go back to the lodge, and think this through,” Henry suggested.



“I’m too upset to think,” Benny said.



“Are you too upset to have dessert?” Violet asked.



Benny sighed. “I suppose I could eat a little.”



Henry chuckled 6. “That’s our Benny,” he said.



Benny found his teammates Jason, Alan, and Debbie in the lounge. He told them what had happened, but he didn’t mention Pete. They raced outside to see for themselves.



Pete was not in the lounge or the dining room.



“He’s probably hiding,” Benny decided 7.



The Aldens picked up their dessert plates from the front table and sat down to eat. Watch lay down at Jessie’s feet.



“Why would Pete do such a thing?” Henry wondered aloud.



“He’s angry because he has to be timekeeper,” Violet said.



“But he’s on Freddy’s team,” Jessie reminded them. “Wouldn’t he want to get back at her?”



“Maybe he ruined their snow sculptures, too,” Benny put in.



That was possible. They decided to check.



“But first,” Benny suggested, “we should all have a second piece of pie.”



Jason, Alan, and Debbie came rushing up to the Aldens’ table.



“We know who did it!” Jason told Benny.



Benny looked up at him. “So do I,” he said.



“That dog of yours,” Jason said.



The Aldens looked at each other in disbelief.



“Watch did it all right,” Debbie said.



“What makes you think that?” Henry asked.



“The tracks,” Alan said.



“We saw dog tracks,” Debbie added.



“It had to be Watch,” Jason concluded. “He’s the only dog here.”



Watch lowered his head and scooted under the table.