儿童英语读物 The Amusement Park Mystery CHAPTER 11 Frank Tells All

Benny said between sobs 1, “Will we ever get down?”



“Sure we will,” Henry said reassuringly 2. But when he looked down at Sheila’s face, he had his doubts.



“Let us down!” Jessie shouted.



Frank Arnold dashed toward the wheel and grabbed his wife’s arm. Sheila tried to shove him away, but Frank was too strong. For a moment the two struggled, then Frank grabbed the lever.



By this time a crowd had gathered and an alarmed Joshua rushed forward. In dismay he looked up at the frightened children.



Frank pushed the lever forward and the ride started. Down, down, the Ferris wheel came.



Violet sighed with relief and Jessie sank back against the seat. Their awful ride was over.



When they reached the bottom, the children scrambled 3 out.



Stiffly, Benny straightened up. “My legs are wobbly,” he said in a shaky voice. “I don’t like the Ferris wheel!”



“It will be a long time before I ride it, too,” Violet said.



“Thank heavens, you’re safe,” Joshua exclaimed, patting Benny’s back. Then he turned to the Arnolds. “And you, Sheila!” he said angrily. “What did you think you were doing?”



Furious, she pressed her lips together and turned her back on him. Joshua faced Frank.



“Frank,” Joshua said, “what’s going on?”



Frank nervously 4 smoothed down his moustache. “The carousel 5 horses,” he muttered. “They were the cause of everything!”



Joshua stared at him. “Go on,” he said sternly.



“Frank!” Sheila shouted.



“We stole three of the Dentzel horses,” Frank admitted, lowering his eyes. “I went along with the plan for the money. But when I saw the children at the top of the Ferris wheel, I changed my mind.” He glanced shamefaced at Benny. “When it comes to hurting little kids, I draw the line!”



Sheila whirled around. “Frank! Be quiet!” she hissed 6. She shook her head fiercely, and the red scarf around her neck fluttered.



Frank gave her a sad look and murmured, “It’s over, Sheila.”



Joshua nodded firmly. “You bet it’s over! We’ve known about the three damaged horses for some time.” He shot the children a grateful glance. “Thanks to the Aldens. But we didn’t know you were guilty. Where are my original horses?” Joshua asked in a forbidding tone.



“Frank!” Sheila screamed. “Not another word!”



Joshua half turned to Ned, who stood behind him. “Ned,” he asked, “will you call the police?”



Ned shot Frank and Sheila Arnold a dark look, and said, “With pleasure.”



Joshua turned back to Frank. “I’m waiting for you to answer my question. Where are my horses?”



“In Old Jim Mitchell’s barn,” Frank answered, then continued as if he wanted to get the whole story off his chest. “We had clever artists copy the real horses from the pictures we shot at night. When the carvers finished, they painted the fake horses just like the originals.”



“Except,” Benny piped up, “they forgot to paint one horse’s stomach!”



Miserably 7 Frank nodded. “You kids noticed every mistake that was made.” He paused, then went on, “Everything was done at night. When the fake horses were ready, we substituted them for the original Dentzels.” He sighed. “We were going to be rich!”



“If it hadn’t been for these kids we would have been!” Sheila glared at Benny. “You were always around the merry-go-round, no matter what I did!”



“Take it easy, Sheila,” Frank said. “After the fake horses were in place on the carousel, we hired a truck to haul the original horses to the barn.”



“Our biggest mistake was when we paid Margaret Macy in broad daylight. You kids even saw that!” He sighed. “Everything we did went wrong!”



Panic-stricken, Sheila dashed away.



“Stop!” Joshua yelled.



But Sheila kept running until she reached the House of Mirrors. She hurried inside.



“She’s getting away!” Benny said, racing 8 after her.



The other children followed. Joshua asked several bystanders to guard Frank, and hastily ran after the children.



Henry entered the House of Mirrors. “Benny,” he shouted. “Where are you?” Benny, however, had already disappeared in the twists and turns and passages of the hundreds of mirrors.



Jessie and Violet stayed together, but Henry went after Benny.



Benny, on the trail of Sheila, tiptoed forward. As he came around a corner, he found himself face to face with a short fat boy. “It’s me!” he squealed 9, and ran on, trying to find Sheila.



Hearing a noise, Benny whirled around, but no one was there. His stomach tightened 10 in a knot. He was alone. “J-Jessie,” he stammered 11.



No answer.



“Violet?” he called, raising his voice.



No answer.



“Henry!” he called in a louder tone.



No answer.



All at once Sheila appeared. Her eyes were wild and her red scarf was half untied 12 and flapped around her face. “You!” she gasped 13, glaring at Benny.



Benny couldn’t move.



Sheila grimaced 14 and then vanished behind a mirror.



“Henry!” Benny yelled at the top of his lungs.



“I’m here!” Henry said, stepping from behind a mirror.



Benny turned around and saw a tall skinny Henry. He reached out, but his small hand touched cold glass. “Henry?”



“Here I am,” Henry said, tapping Benny on the shoulder.



Benny sighed with relief. “Sheila was here!” he gasped.



“We’ll stick together,” Henry said. “Joshua’s here, too.”



And sure enough, Joshua seemed to step out of a mirror.



“Where did Sheila go?” Joshua asked urgently.



Benny shook his head. “She went in back of a mirror and just disappeared.”



“We’ll find her,” Joshua said, his jaw 15 square and set.



A slight rustling 16 noise startled them. Henry turned one way, Benny another, and Joshua still another. “Who’s there?” Benny cried.



“Come out!” Henry said in a forbidding voice.



Surprised, Violet and Jessie appeared before them.



“We’re all together,” Jessie exclaimed. “Didn’t you see Sheila?”



“I did,” Benny said proudly, “but she got away.”



The five of them stood in the center of the House of Mirrors, wondering which way to turn.



All at once Violet put a finger to her lips. She nodded in Joshua’s direction.



Slowly, Henry turned and glimpsed the tip of a red scarf.



“I see Sheila,” Benny whispered.



“Stay close to me,” Joshua said. “I know every passageway.”



Jessie glanced at him. Did they dare approach Sheila? There was no telling what she might do.