儿童英语读物 The Mystery Girl CHAPTER 6 The Picnic

Everyone worked hard for the rest of the day. When it was time to go, they were all hungry, especially Benny.



“Nancy,” Jessie said, “Mr. Taylor told us that there’s a stream near here. We’re going to make some sandwiches and eat by the water. Would you like to come with us?”



“I’d love to,” Nancy said. “I’ll bring a bag of potato chips.”



“Great, I love potato chips,” Benny said. “Come on, everybody!” He ran down the path. Violet ran with him.”



“I’ll wash up and meet you in a few minutes,” Nancy said to Henry and Jessie. She hurried down the path toward her cabin.



Jessie and Henry walked more slowly. They decided 1 not to say anything about the money. At least, not yet. “I still think a customer must have put it on the counter and then left the store,” Henry said. “Then Nancy found it and put it in the cash register.”



“I suppose,” Jessie said thoughtfully. “But the way Nancy looked around before she put it in was strange. Like she didn’t want anyone to see her.”



Henry watched as Nancy let herself into her cabin. “Oh, well, let’s not think about it for a while. Let’s get the picnic ready and have some fun.”



The picnic was fun. They had asked Mr. Taylor to come, too, but he had to go into Elmford that evening. That was when he told them about the stream. He said it was perfect for picnics, and he was right.



“This is such a beautiful place!” Violet exclaimed when they arrived. “Look at all



the wild flowers growing here.”



The stream was clear and sparkling. Flowers and willow 2 trees grew along the banks, and there was a flat, grassy 3 spot where they could spread their picnic blanket.



“It’s not deep!” Benny pulled his shoes and socks off and stepped into the water. “But it’s freezing!” he shouted, laughing.



In a minute, the others had taken their shoes off and joined Benny in the stream. For a little while they jumped back and forth 4 across the narrow stream, splashing each other with the cold, clear water.



“Look what I found!” Henry suddenly called out. He held up an old, cracked rubber ball that had been hidden by the tall grass. “Catch, Jessie!” he cried, and tossed the ball across the stream to his sister.



Jessie caught the ball and threw it to Nancy. Nancy tossed it to Benny who threw it to Violet. The game of catch went on until Benny finally said, “Let’s eat!”



“Yes, let’s,” Nancy agreed breathlessly. “I’m famished 5.”



“I hope you like peanut butter sandwiches,” Benny said as he helped Violet spread a blanket on the grass.



“They’re one of my favorites,” Nancy said. She smiled at the Aldens. “You all have such a good time together. It’s fun to be with you.”



Violet thought Nancy must be missing her own family, and she felt sad for her. “Well, we argue sometimes.”



Benny realized that Violet was trying to make Nancy feel better. “That’s right, we do argue,” he said. “Henry and I had an argument last week.”



“That’s because you wanted to play checkers and I wanted to finish reading a book,” Henry said.



“Who won?” Nancy asked. She was smiling now.



“He did!” Henry and Benny said together.



“You both did,” Jessie said. “Henry finished the book, and then they played checkers.”



Everyone laughed, and then they set the food out on the blanket. There were sandwiches, Nancy’s potato chips, grapes and apples, and some more of Mr. Taylor’s oatmeal cookies.



“We’re missing something,” Benny said, looking at the picnic dinner. “There’s nothing to drink.”



“There’s water from the stream,” Jessie suggested. “But even though it looks clean, it might not be clean enough.”



Benny put his socks and shoes on. “I’ll go back to the cabin and fill a thermos 6 with milk,” he said. “Peanut butter sandwiches taste best with milk, anyway.” He ran off.



“I wonder if he’ll remember to bring some paper cups,” Violet said. “I’ll go after him, just in case.”



Violet quickly caught up with Benny, and the two of them walked together. When they reached the path that led to the cabins, Benny stopped so suddenly that Violet bumped into him.



“What’s the matter?” she asked.



“Look,” Benny said quietly. He pointed 7 toward Nancy’s cabin.



Violet gasped 8 a little and put her hand on Benny’s shoulder. Standing 9 in front of Nancy’s cabin was Mrs. Edwards. She was staring at the cabin. Then she looked up and down the path, but she didn’t see the two Aldens.



As Benny and Violet watched, Mrs. Edwards went up the step onto Nancy’s porch. She looked back and forth again. Then she walked over to the front window, cupped her hands against the glass, and peered inside.



“What should we do, Violet?” Benny asked.



“Nothing right now, Benny,” Violet whispered. “Just wait.”



In a moment, Mrs. Edwards stepped back from the window. Then she left Nancy’s cabin, walked down the path, and went into her own cabin.



Benny let out a big breath. “That was a little scary, Violet.”



Violet kept her hand on Benny’s shoulder as they walked to their cabin. “Mrs. Edwards didn’t really do anything bad.”



“We should tell Nancy, shouldn’t we?” Benny asked.



“Let’s tell Henry and Jessie first,” Violet said. “I want to know what they think.”



Benny agreed, and the two of them got the milk and cups and went back to the others. But for Violet and Benny, the picnic wasn’t as much fun as before.



Later that night, Henry and Jessie built a fire in the big stone fireplace. When they all sat down in front of it, Jessie and Henry told Benny and Violet about seeing Nancy put the money in the cash register.



“It was so strange,” Jessie said.



“We saw something strange, too,” Violet said.



“Strange and sort of scary,” Benny added.



“What was it?” Henry asked.



Violet told them about seeing Mrs. Edwards, and how she’d looked in Nancy’s cabin window.



“Why was it scary, Benny?” Henry asked.



Benny frowned. “Because of the way she acted,” he said.



“I know what Benny means,” Violet said. “Before Mrs. Edwards went up on the porch, she looked all around. And she did the same thing before she looked in Nancy’s window. I think she didn’t want anyone to see her.”



“Like she was sneaking,” Benny said. “Like she was doing something wrong.”



“That’s exactly what it was like,” Violet agreed.



“And that’s the way Nancy acted with the money,” Jessie said.



“Maybe Mrs. Edwards and Nancy know each other. Maybe Mrs. Edwards was just looking to see if Nancy was in her cabin,” Henry said.



“Nancy has never said anything about her,” Jessie said. “And Mrs. Edwards doesn’t seem to know Nancy. Remember, she asked us about her.”



Benny was sitting cross-legged on the floor, his chin in his hands. “But we never asked if they knew each other,” he said.



Jessie had to laugh. “You’re right, Benny. We haven’t.”



“Maybe we should,” Henry said. He stared thoughtfully into the fire. “Maybe we should ask Nancy about everything.”



The others thought about it. Then Jessie said, “But what if Nancy is trying to hide something? What do you think she would do if we started asking lots of questions?”



“I know what I would do,” Benny said, yawning. “I would run away.”



“We don’t want Nancy to do that,” Violet said quickly. “Maybe she’s in some kind of trouble. If she is, we should help her.”



Benny yawned again. “Can we help her tomorrow? I’m too sleepy to do anything tonight.”



“Good idea, Benny,” Henry said with a smile. He took Benny’s hand and pulled him to his feet. “Come on, let’s all go to sleep. Maybe we will wake up with some ideas.”



Benny went to sleep right away. But after he helped make sure the fire was out, Henry lay awake in his bottom bunk 10 for a long time. In the big front room on the open couch, Jessie and Violet lay awake, too. The three of them were all trying to think of what they should do about Nancy Baldwin.