儿童英语读物 The Mystery on the Train CHAPTER 10 Meeting Uncle Bob

Annie found them in the observation lounge 1 when she woke up. Benny said, “I told you we’d get your posters back!”



The Aldens told her all about the bearded man and recovering the posters. Annie listened carefully and then she shook her head. “I still don’t know how he knew what I had in my portfolio 2.”



“Someone must have told him,” Henry said. “Maybe you told a friend and you’ve forgotten.”



Annie shook her head. “I didn’t tell anyone.”



“Aunt Jane would like to talk to you,” Jessie said. “She asked us to let her know when you were up.”



Annie looked a little frightened as she stood up.



“I’ll go get her,” Benny said. “She doesn’t want you to walk on that ankle.”



Very soon, Aunt Jane and Benny came back. Annie and Aunt Jane went to a small table in a corner to talk. The Aldens sat a long way from them. They talked about their trip and about their adventure in Salt Lake City. From time to time, one of them glanced over at the table where Aunt Jane and Annie sat alone.



Jessie said, “Annie looks pretty upset and she isn’t saying much.”



“I hope they don’t quarrel,” Violet said. “I want Annie to be my friend for always.”



“We’ll just have to wait and see,” Jessie said. “Where are we?”



“We’re in Nevada,” Henry answered. “We’re on our way to Reno.”



“Nevada is beautiful,” Violet answered. “Look over there at those purple hills. And see those mountains in the distance? They are all reds and purples and blues 3.”



“I’ll be glad to see San Francisco,” Benny said. “But I wish the train ride was even longer.”



“Three nights and three days went fast, didn’t they?” Jessie said.



“The day is early,” Henry said. “We’re still in Nevada and we have a whole day of California coming up.”



The children looked out the window at the beautiful landscape and hoped that Aunt Jane and Annie would be finished talking soon. Then Annie stood up and walked out of the dining room.



Finally, Violet could stand no more suspense 4. She went to Aunt Jane’s table and asked, “Where’s Annie?”



Aunt Jane smiled. “She’s gone to rest. She’s decided 5 to telephone her aunt at the next stop. She doesn’t want to wait until we get to San Francisco to make her apology. She is also going to see if she can find out who her aunt talked to about her trip. We just can’t understand how anyone knew she would be on the train with her posters.”



The other Alden children came over to Aunt Jane’s table and she said, “Annie is very grateful for your help. And I want you to know how proud I am of you. You are very kind and brave children—and smart, too. I’m proud of my nieces and nephews.”



“I still want to know who that man with the beard is,” Benny said. “The mystery won’t be solved until we figure that out.”



“Don’t forget about Vincent and Mr. Reeves,” Jessie said.



Annie came back to the dining room. She was smiling and she seemed quite happy. “I had a nice talk with my aunt and she’s not angry anymore. But she says she didn’t tell anyone I was taking this trip. She says she kept thinking I would change my mind. I don’t understand how, but that bearded man must have learned about the posters some other way.” Annie shrugged 6. “The important thing is that I have the posters back. Thanks to you.” She hugged each of the Boxcar Children.



“Are we going to sit in the dining room until lunch?” Aunt Jane teased 7. “Don’t you want to go up to the observation lounge this morning? Most people think this is the best scenery of our trip.”



“The Sierra Nevadas,” Benny said proudly. “Mile-high mountains.”



“Let’s go,” Violet said. “I want to see everything I can on this trip.”



They left the dining car and went to the observation lounge. Aunt Jane found a group of bridge players and joined their game. The Aldens sat watching the Sierra Nevada mountains roll by their window. Violet tried to sketch 8 the tall pine trees but soon gave up. “I’ll have to learn to draw faster before I can sketch landscapes from a train window.”



“You can use my photographs when we get home,” Jessie offered. “With my snapshots and your memory, I’m sure you’ll do fine.”



They enjoyed the scenery so much that they stopped talking about the bearded man and the posters until Vincent came into the observation lounge.



“There’s Vincent,” said Benny. “He’s a suspect—we should talk to him. He was helping 9 the bearded man.”



But Vincent went right over to the Alden children, asking, “Are you having a good time?”



“Wonderful,” Jessie replied. “We’re sorry this is the last day.”



Vincent nodded and looked down at Violet’s sketchbook. He asked, “Mind if I look at your drawings?”



Violet gave him the sketchbook and he turned the pages slowly, saying, “You’re a good artist, young lady.”



He stopped and looked a long time at the sketch of the bearded man. “Do you know that man?” Henry asked.



“Funny guy,” Vincent answered. “Had a ticket to San Francisco but he got off in Salt Lake City.”



“Is he a friend of yours?” Jessie asked.



Vincent closed the sketchbook and handed it back to Violet. “No, just a guy on a train. I helped him with his luggage, that’s all. He gave me a good tip.”



“You helped him carry a rolled package,” Benny said. “The package had stolen posters in it.”



“How do you know that?” Vincent asked. He was smiling as though he thought they were joking. “Were they your posters?”



“These were very valuable posters,” Henry added. “They weren’t ours, they belonged to our friend, Annie.”



“Annie,” Vincent said. “She’s the one I was supposed to watch over.” Then Vincent’s face fell. “I guess I didn’t do a very good job. If she really lost the posters she needs to report it to the railroad police.”



Vincent left them then and the Alden children talked it over. “He certainly seemed to be telling the truth,” Jessie said.



“But you never know,” Benny added. “Sometimes things look one way and they turn out another way.”



“He looked a long time at my sketch of the bearded man,” Violet pointed 10 out.



“What do you think we should do next?” Jessie asked.



“If Vincent is telling the truth and Annie’s aunt says no one knew about the posters, there isn’t much to go on,” Henry said.



“Let’s talk to Mr. Reeves,” Jessie suggested. “He seems to be rushing to buy exactly the kind of old movie posters that Annie wants to sell. It seems like more than a coincidence.”



Henry looked at his watch. “We are having lunch with Mr. Reeves in an hour. Maybe we will learn something then.”



“I think I’ll go visit Annie,” Violet said. “She must be lonely in her compartment 11.”



“Maybe she will have lunch with us,” Jessie suggested.



“I’m sure she’d like that,” Violet answered. “She and Benny and I can sit together and you and Henry can sit with Aunt Jane and Mr. Reeves.”



At lunchtime, Mr. Reeves was waiting for Aunt Jane and Jessie and Henry. He was in a very good mood and he talked and talked about his life and his interests. As lunch was served, Henry asked, “Do you mind if I ask how you found out about the posters you are planning to buy?”



Mr. Reeves smiled and said, “Collectors like to keep their sources confidential 12. Are you planning to snatch 13 them out from under my nose?” Then he looked suspiciously 14 at Henry and asked, “Why do you want to know?”



“We’re just curious,” Jessie answered promptly 15.



“I’m curious why you would be curious,” Mr. Reeves said and then he laughed at his own joke. He looked straight at Henry and asked directly, “Why do you want to know?”



“It’s kind of a mystery,” Henry said. “A friend has some posters and we’re trying to help her.”



“A mystery?” Mr. Reeves said. “Delightful. I love a mystery. Many of my favorite movie posters are about mysteries.”



“So how did you hear about the posters you are going to San Francisco to buy?” Jessie prompted.



“A collector never tells his sources,” Mr. Reeves said. “Especially if you have a friend in the business.”



“She’s not actually in the business,” Henry said. He looked at Jessie and Aunt Jane and they both nodded that he should go on and tell the story. “We met a young woman on this train and she has some valuable posters. Someone tried to rob her.” He cleared his voice and said, “The fact is, the posters sound like the same ones you were describing. She has signed posters of Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin and some other silent screen stars.”



“And she’s here!” Mr. Reeves said with excitement. “I must speak to her immediately.”



“We want to know how you knew those kinds of posters would be for sale in San Francisco,” Henry said.



“Very well, a man named Perkins called me and said he’d have the posters for sale on Friday. I don’t fly so I popped onto this train so I could be there by Friday. You say the girl has the posters with her? I suppose she’s the redhead sitting with your brother and sister.” Mr. Reeves stood up and went toward the table where Annie, Violet, and Benny were sitting. Henry and Jessie followed.



They reached Annie’s table just as Mr. Reeves was introducing himself. He gave Annie his card, bowed to her, and then asked, “I understand you have some posters to sell. I wonder if they really are the ones I’m traveling out to see.”



“I don’t think they could be,” Annie said. “No one knew I was bringing them out to California except my aunt.”



“A man called Perkins called me,” Mr. Reeves said. “I’ve done business with a friend of his before.”



“Bob Perkins?” Annie asked. She seemed very surprised.



“Yes, do you know him?”



“He’s my uncle. I don’t actually know him,” Annie admitted. “But I’ve talked to him on the telephone and he knew I was bringing the posters . . . I forgot that . . . but why?” Annie’s voice trailed off and she said, “I wonder why he called you without telling me about it.”



“I’m a fairly well-known collector,” Mr. Reeves said. “It’s natural that he might call me. May I see the posters now? Perhaps we can strike a bargain before the train gets into San Francisco.”



Annie shook her head. “I’m not selling.”



“But, my dear, I’ve come all the way from Chicago!”



“I’m sorry,” Annie said. “I talked it over with my aunt and we decided I shouldn’t sell.” To the Aldens, she added, “My aunt says she’ll send me an allowance 16 if I really want to live with Uncle Bob.”



“I would make you a very fair offer,” Mr. Reeves said. “A very fine offer if the posters are in the condition your uncle promised.”



“I’m sorry,” Annie said firmly.



“Your uncle did promise to sell them to me, you know.” Mr. Reeves seemed quit disappointed.



“They weren’t his to sell,” Annie said simply. “The posters are an inheritance from my grandparents and they were left to me and my aunt. It is our decision.”



“I see.” Mr. Reeves bowed and said, “Well, children. Let us go back to our table and have lunch before it gets too cold.”



When they rejoined Aunt Jane, Mr. Reeves said, “This is a nuisance but I shall just have to turn around and go back to Chicago. She has no intention of selling the posters. Her uncle was mistaken.”



“So it was her uncle who called you,” Aunt Jane said quietly. “I wonder why.”



“It seems he had no right to offer the posters for sale,” Mr. Reeves said. “Ah, well, perhaps the trip across the country has been good for my nerves.”



He stood up abruptly 17 and bowed. “It’s been a pleasure. You are fine children. Good bye to you all.”



Mr. Reeves turned to leave the dining car. Henry stood up and said, “I think I’ll follow him, just to be safe.”



“I’ll go with you,” Jessie said.



They followed Mr. Reeves to his room and then went up to Annie’s room to wait for her. When she arrived, Henry asked, “Will you check on your posters just to make sure they’re safe?”



Annie went into her compartment and in a few minutes she came out smiling. “Everything is fine. Thanks a lot.”



“We’re going back to the observation lounge,” Jessie said. “Do you want to come along?”



“No. I think I’ll feel safer if I sit right here,” Annie said. “Besides, my ankle is still a little weak. I’ll just sit here and think.”



“Why do you think your uncle called Mr. Reeves to sell your posters?” Jessie asked.



Annie shook her head and looked troubled. “I really don’t know Uncle Bob. My aunt never talks about him but it’s clear she doesn’t like him. When I began to quarrel with her, I wrote to him. He telephoned me a few times and then he said he really wanted me to come out to California to live. He was the one who suggested I could sell the poster to pay for my education.”



“So you’ve never even seen him?” Henry asked.



She said, “He’s coming to meet me in Emeryville where the train stops and we’ll take the bus into San Francisco. He said he’ll be wearing a red tie.”



“We’ll help you find him,” Jessie promised.



“Thanks,” Annie said. “You’ve been good friends. See you at five.”



At exactly five p.m. the train pulled into the station in Oakland, California. There was a bus waiting to take all the passengers who were going to downtown San Francisco.



Annie said, “Won’t you wait and meet my uncle?”



“That would be very nice,” Aunt Jane said. “We’d like to invite you to visit us while the children are here.”



“There’s a man over there in a green jacket and a red tie,” Benny said. He pointed to a dark-haired slender man.



Annie and the others went over to the man. She said, “Uncle Bob?”



“Annie? Is that you? I’m so glad to see you.” Her uncle put his arms around her and hugged her.



Violet looked very upset and she said to Henry, “I know that man. He was on the train with us. He’s the one with the beard and sunglasses.”



“How would you know that?” Henry asked.



“I recognize his ears,” Violet said. “I’m certain I’m right.”



When Henry looked doubtful, Violet called out to Annie, “Come here, please, I have something to say.”



Annie stepped away from her Uncle Bob and came over to Violet and Henry.



Violet said, “Annie, he’s the one who tried to steal your posters. He had on a fake 18 beard and sunglasses but I’m certain it’s him. Here, let me show you.”



Violet dropped her suitcase onto the ground and knelt beside it. She opened up the suitcase and pulled out her sketch pad. She began to flip 19 through the pages as she said, “You’re an artist, Annie. You’ll see what I mean. Look at his ears. Now look at the ears on this man in the sketch. They are the same, aren’t they?”



Annie looked at the sketch. Then she looked at her uncle. Then she looked at the sketch and then she turned kind of white and asked, “Are you really my Uncle Bob?”



“Of course I am.” The man laughed and pulled out his driver’s license 20 with a picture on it. “I guess it’s right to be cautious 21. After all, you’ve never met me even though you are my only niece. I’ll carry the posters.” He tried to take the portfolio from Henry but Henry held on tight.



“I met a man on the train who said you’d promised to sell him my posters,” Annie said. “That wasn’t your decision to make, Uncle Bob.”



“Don’t be silly,” her uncle said. “I was just trying to help. Here, son, I’ll take those posters.” He tugged 22 and Henry held on tighter.



Annie took a deep breath and said, “I don’t think so. You tried to steal my posters on the train. You were wearing sunglasses and a beard but you were the same size and coloring. And I have a drawing of your ears.”



Uncle Bob pretended to laugh. “That’s ridiculous,” he said. “How could I be on a train with you and then meet you here? You kids are making up crazy stories.”



“No, sir,” Henry said. “I think it’s quite simple. You got off the train in Salt Lake City. We chased you and Benny tore a piece out of your coat.”



“I think you might remember that if you try,” Jessie added.



“Annie, I don’t know who these people are but you should come home with me. I’m your uncle.”



“These people are my friends,” Annie said decisively 23. “They will help me get to the airport and I’ll fly home to Aunt Ellen tonight. I was a silly girl to think I was ready to make it on my own.”



“All right,” Uncle Bob said. “You go, but leave the posters with me. That old lady has plenty of other money and these should have been mine.”



He made a grab 24 for the posters but Henry was too fast for him. He jerked 25 the portfolio away from Uncle Bob.



“I still say the posters are mine,” he shouted. “They belonged to my parents.”



“We have a will,” Annie reminded him.



“That will is unfair,” he said. “My parents were unfair! They never should have cut me out! It isn’t fair!”



“I’m sorry for you, Uncle Bob. You must be very unhappy. But I can’t stay here.”



“If we don’t hurry, we’ll all be staying here,” Benny said. He pointed to the bus and said, “Our bus is leaving. We’d better go, too.”



The Alden children, Aunt Jane, and Annie all picked up their suitcases and ran for the bus. They were the last ones on board but there were plenty of seats so they were able to sit together.



Aunt Jane smiled at Annie and said, “You showed very good sense, Annie.”



“It was Violet who had good sense,” Annie said.



“You were quick to see that he was the same man,” Henry said to his little sister. “That was good work.”



Violet smiled and said, “We all helped.” Then she said to Annie, “I’m glad you’re coming with us. You can meet our Uncle Andy.”



Aunt Jane said, “We’ll call your Aunt Ellen when we get home and see if you can spend a few days sightseeing with us. Then you can go home to Boston. I know your aunt will be glad to see you.”



“Yes,” Annie agreed. “And I will be glad to see her.”



“And I’ll be glad because you will be living in Boston again,” Violet said. “We live in Greenfield and that isn’t far away at all.”



“We can be good friends,” Annie said and hugged her.



“And I’m glad because we solved the mystery of the long train ride,” said Benny. “It was a very good mystery, too. I was surprised right up until the very end.”



“So were we all,” Violet said as she squeezed into the seat beside him.