儿童英语读物 The Mystery of the Star Ruby CHAPTER 4 The Mixed-up Backpacks

“What did I find?” Violet asked anxiously.



The man at the grading counter held up her stone between his thumb and forefinger 1.



“A very nice Mama Bear ruby,” he proclaimed. “I’d say it’s easily twenty carats.”



“Wow!” exclaimed Benny.



The gem 2 inspector 3 put the stone in the plastic container and returned it to Violet. “Congratulations, young lady. Let me know if you decide to have the stone cut and mounted in a ring.”



“I will. Thanks.” Violet slipped the plastic container into her pink backpack. As she headed for the door, she noticed Sybil Finley standing 4 in line behind her.



Sybil stared at Violet’s backpack with a frown. Then, without speaking to Violet or the other Aldens, she pushed her way out of the jewelry 5 shop and headed toward the cabins.



“What’s with her?” Henry wondered.



Jessie shrugged 6, adjusting her own backpack. “Maybe she remembered she had to do something in her cabin. The line back there was pretty long.”



“Is it time for lunch yet?” Grandfather asked.



Benny stopped in surprise. “Grandfather! That’s what I always say!”



“Just thought I’d beat you to it!” said Grandfather.



Everyone laughed as they walked up the path to the main building.



Jonathan and Donald Hodge were sitting at their table in the dining room.



“I hear you had a pretty productive morning,” Jonathan said to Violet. “May I see the stone you found?”



Violet slipped her backpack off and hooked it on the back of her chair. Then she unzipped the outside pocket and handed Jonathan the plastic container.



Jonathan gave a low whistle of admiration 7. “This would make a nice ring.” He showed the stone to Donald. “See? If you’d stayed on the line longer, you might have found something.”



“Beginner’s luck,” Donald said. “But it is a nice stone.”



Jonathan passed the container back to Violet. “Donald has such a good eye, he never takes his stones to the grading window.”



Donald flagged down their waitress. “Miss? When is lunch?”



“Coming right out, sir,” she said.



Henry wondered why Donald was always bugging 8 the waitress. Everyone was hungry, but they’d learned to wait, since meals were served family-style. Why was he so impatient?



Sybil Finley hurried into the dining room. She had changed into a white blouse and denim 9 skirt. When she saw an empty chair next to Violet, she smiled.



“I thought I was late,” she said. She pulled out the empty chair, bumping Violet’s bulky backpack.



“Let me move that,” said Violet.



“I’ll just put it over here.” Sybil shifted the backpack to the floor, on the side away from Violet.



After a lunch of barbecue sandwiches, potato chips, pickles 10, and brownies, the Alden kids decided 11 to spend the afternoon hiking.



“May I have my backpack?” Violet asked Sybil.



“I’m sorry I forgot all about it.” Sybil handed over the pink backpack. “Have fun.”



The kids took a trail on the other side of the flume. The path followed the stream that fueled the waterwheel. The sun blazed overhead, but a breeze stirred the treetops.



“That water looks really good,” Benny murmured. “Can we go wading 12?”



“Great idea,” Henry said, unhooking the straps 13 of his pack.



The Aldens sat down on the rocks and took off their shoes and socks. Leaving packs and water bottles on a big rock, they stepped out on a sandbar.



Jessie dipped her toes into the clear water, then yanked her foot back with a shriek 14. “Oooo, that’s cold!”



Giggling 15, the kids waded 16 into the chilly 17, shallow water. Olive-green minnows darted 18 around their ankles as they picked up interesting stones.



Cra-ack! Crack!



Henry straightened up. “What was that?”



Violet pointed 19 into the woods on the far side of the creek 20. “It sounded like it came from over there.”



“Let’s check it out,” said Benny, already halfway 21 across the stream.



On the opposite side, the kids clambered up the bank. They stared into the thick woods.



“We can’t investigate without our shoes,” Jessie said sensibly.



Henry shielded his eyes from the sun. “I don’t see anything anyway. It was probably an animal.”



“It must have been a big animal,” Benny commented.



“Not necessarily,” said Henry. “Everything is louder in the woods. I’ve heard chipmunks 22 that sound like bears!”



They recrossed the stream. On the other side, they put on their shoes and socks, then sorted out their packs.



“Wait a minute!” Jessie exclaimed. “My pack is gone!”



Violet sat back on her heels. “You’re right! What could have happened to it?”



“That cracking sound we heard must have been a person,” Henry figured. “And he—or she—took Jessie’s pack. But why?”



“Let’s look around for clues,” Violet suggested.



Benny found something right away, a scrap 23 of white cloth caught on a tree branch.



Jessie plucked the material off the branch. “Good job, Benny. This could have been here all along—but maybe not.” She examined the fabric 24. “The cloth is stained.”



“So all we have to do is find a ripped shirt or blouse with a stain on it,” said Henry. “And that could belong to the person who took Jessie’s pack.”



Jessie gave her brother a dubious 25 look. “Sounds like we’re looking for a needle in a haystack!”



That evening at dinner, a thunderstorm broke over the mountains. Everyone marveled at the echoing thunder and bold streaks 26 of lightning.



Looking at the rain pelting 27 against the windows, Jonathan said ruefully, “And I changed my shirt before dinner.”



The Aldens glanced at one another.



Henry whispered to Violet, “I wonder if Jonathan changed out of a ripped, stained, white shirt?”



Violet frowned. She didn’t like to think of Jonathan doing something so dishonest.



Dinner arrived and soon everyone was busy eating turkey with dressing 28 and mashed 29 potatoes. While the waitress served slices of coconut 30 cake, Cecil Knight 31 filled coffee cups.



Jonathan turned to Benny. “Do you know where horses go when they are sick?”



Benny thought hard. “No. Where?”



“The horse-pital!”



Benny collapsed 32 with laughter. “That’s funny! Tell another one!”



“Okay, what do gorillas 33 eat for lunch?”



“Bananas?” Benny guessed.



“Go-rilla cheese sandwiches!” Jonathan said.



Benny giggled 34. “I get it!”



At the front of the room, Mr. Knight clapped his hands. “Who wants to play charades 35?”



“What kind of a game is that?” Benny asked.



“You know, Benny. It’s where you act out a word or a name and other people guess what it is,” Jessie replied.



“My aunt Cathy was great at charades,” said Mr. Knight. “I didn’t know her very well—she and my uncle Josh and my cousin only visited the mine once when I was a kid. But I liked her a lot.”



“Count me out,” said Donald. “I’ve got a good book to read.” He stood up to leave.



“It’s still raining,” said Violet. “You’ll get wet.”



“I won’t melt.” Donald disappeared into the stormy night.



“Well, I’m a charade-player from way back,” said Sybil. “Let’s pick a theme. How about animals?”



They all had fun guessing which animal each player acted out. When it finally stopped raining, it was time for bed.



Since it was dark outside, Henry and Benny walked the girls to their cabin.



Violet spotted 36 something pink lying against the door.



“Jessie!” she cried. “It’s your pack!”



Jessie picked up her pack.



“It’s not even wet!” she exclaimed in amazement 37. “How did it get here?” Quickly, she unzipped the compartments 38. “Nothing is missing.”



“That’s weird,” Henry said. “Why would someone take your pack in the first place?”



“It’s a mystery!” Benny said eagerly.



“It is strange,” agreed Henry. “The Case of the Disappearing and Returning Backpack. But now, we’d better turn in. We have another day of hunting rubies 39 tomorrow.”



Later, after she and Jessie were in bed, Violet wondered about Jessie’s missing backpack. Who could have taken it? What had the thief been after?



Then she thought of something. She sat up and switched on the lamp.



“What is it?” Jessie asked sleepily.



“I just realized something,” said Violet. “Your pack looks just like mine! They are identical.”



Now Jessie sat up. “Do you think the thief got our packs mixed up? That he took mine by mistake?”



“I don’t know,” Violet said. “But I think Benny’s right. We definitely have a mystery here!”