“And you called in the false alarms, too, didn’t you?” asked Henry.
Ralph nodded.
As the police officers walked off with Ralph, Benny said, “We’ve solved another mystery.”
“With a little help from Sparky,” Violet added, rubbing the dog’s head.
Just then, an alarm began ringing and several firefighters ran out to the trucks.
“What is it?” Steve called to Christine.
“Fire in an abandoned building down by the river,” she called back.
“Can we go watch?” asked Benny.
“I’ll take you in my car,” said Steve. “But we’ll stay far away from the fire and out of the way of the firefighters.”
As Steve’s car approached the burning building, the Aldens began to smell smoke. Large flames were coming from the windows of the two-story building. Several firefighters with hoses stood around the outside, shooting streams of water up at the building. A couple of firefighters were standing up on ladders, spraying water into the top of the building.
Two firefighters came running out of the building, their oxygen masks over their faces. “They must have gone in to make sure there wasn’t anyone inside,” Steve explained.
Slowly but surely, the Aldens could see that the flames were beginning to die down. At last the fire was out.
“Wow, that was amazing,” Benny said as Steve drove them home. “Especially those two who went inside the building. That takes courage. I want to be a firefighter when I grow up.”
“It’s hard work,” said Steve, “and it’s dangerous. But it’s one of the greatest jobs in the world.”
The following morning, the Aldens were just finishing breakfast when the telephone rang and Jessie answered it.
“That was Mike,” Jessie said when she hung up. “He asked if we could come down to the firehouse right away.”
“Did he say why?” asked Henry.
“No,” said Jessie. “He just said it was important.”
When the Aldens arrived at the firehouse, they found Mike, Steve, Ms. Lerner, and Rebecca waiting for them. Rebecca was holding a large rolled-up piece of paper in her hands and had a mysterious look on her face.
“We thought you should be among the first to see our plans for the new firehouse,” Ms. Lerner told the children.
“You mean you’re still planning on tearing the old one down?” Jessie asked. She couldn’t believe it. “Even after the rally?”
“Why don’t you take a look,” said Rebecca, unrolling her drawing of the proposed new firehouse.
“That looks just like the old firehouse,” Henry said, “but bigger.”
“Exactly,” said Ms. Lerner. And for the first time, she smiled at the children. “Rebecca has come up with a way to repair the old building and add a wing on to the side. That way there will be more room.”
“And I’ve designed the new wing to match the old building,” said Rebecca, pointing to one side of the drawing.
“That’s wonderful!” said Violet.
“I can’t believe we thought you two might be trying to hurt the old firehouse,” said Benny.
“Benny!” Jessie said, embarrassed.
“What do you mean?” asked Ms. Lerner.
It was too late. There was nothing the Aldens could do but explain.
“You always seemed so angry,” Violet said to Ms. Lerner.
Ms. Lerner smiled again. “I was upset. I love old things, and it made me miserable to think that we’d have to tear this place down. But I knew the fire department had outgrown this building. The town couldn’t afford two buildings. I couldn’t think of any way around it. Until Rebecca’s brilliant plan.”
“We were afraid that maybe you’d even taken the antiques to convince the town council to tear down the firehouse,” said Jessie.
“I would never do that! But it did upset me that those beautiful works couldn’t be properly displayed. But now Rebecca has designed a special display area for them — with a lock,” Ms. Lerner explained. “I can’t believe you suspected me!”
“And you suspected me, too?” Rebecca asked in surprise.
“We thought you took our petition to try to stop us,” Benny explained.
“Took it? You left it in my studio the day you stopped by!” she said.
“So that’s what happened!” said Jessie. “Now I remember. We were showing it to you just before you took out your stack of drawings — ”
“And I put them right on top of the petition,” said Rebecca. “I found it later when I’d put the drawings away. You didn’t think I’d taken the antiques, too, did you?”
The children nodded, slightly ashamed.
“But why?” Rebecca asked.
“You had been studying them so closely,” said Violet. “We thought maybe it was because you were plotting to take them. You also said something about old things being valuable.”
“I’ve always liked modern art, modern buildings. . . .” Rebecca began. She paused and looked down at her hands, then back up at the children. “Seeing those nozzles and speaking trumpets was the first time I really thought about the value of old things. And that’s what led me to design a new wing on the firehouse, but keep the old part.”
“Why were you studying the trophies so closely the day of the burglary?” asked Henry.
“Because I thought some were missing,” Rebecca said. “But I wasn’t quite sure, so I didn’t say anything. I can’t believe you thought I was a thief.”
“We didn’t really,” said Jessie. “But we did overhear you say something on the phone about making a lot of money, and it made us wonder.”
“Oh, that,” Rebecca said, blushing. “I was talking to my husband, about this project. As I told you, I’ve only recently started out as an architect. This project is a big break for me. Mostly I’m excited about the work, but I have to admit, I’ll also be happy to make a little money and pay some of my bills!”
At last all of the mysteries had been cleared up. “Thanks for all your help,” Mike told the Aldens as they headed home.
“Anytime,” said Benny. “Just give us a call next time you need a mystery solved!”
About the Author
GERTRUDE CHANDLER WARNER discovered when she was teaching that many readers who like an exciting story could find no books that were both easy and fun to read. She decided to try to meet this need, and her first book, The Boxcar Children, quickly proved she had succeeded.
Miss Warner drew on her own experiences to write the mystery. As a child she spent hours watching trains go by on the tracks opposite her family home. She often dreamed about what it would be like to set up housekeeping in a caboose or freight car — the situation the Alden children find themselves in.
When Miss Warner received requests for more adventures involving Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny Alden, she began additional stories. In each, she chose a special setting and introduced unusual or eccentric characters who liked the unpredictable.
While the mystery element is central to each of Miss Warner’s books, she never thought of them as strictly juvenile mysteries. She liked to stress the Aldens’ independence and resourcefulness and their solid New England devotion to using up and making do. The Aldens go about most of their adventures with as little adult supervision as possible — something else that delights young readers.
Miss Warner lived in Putnam, Connecticut, until her death in 1979. During her lifetime, she received hundreds of letters from girls and boys telling her how much they liked her books.
The Boxcar Children Mysteries
THE BOXCAR CHILDREN
SURPRISE ISLAND
THE YELLOW HOUSE MYSTERY
MYSTERY RANCH
MIKE’S MYSTERY
BLUE BAY MYSTERY
THE WOODSHED MYSTERY
THE LIGHTHOUSE MYSTERY
MOUNTAIN TOP MYSTERY
SCHOOLHOUSE MYSTERY
CABOOSE MYSTERY
HOUSEBOAT MYSTERY
SNOWBOU
ND MYSTERY
TREE HOUSE MYSTERY
BICYCLE MYSTERY
MYSTERY IN THE SAND
MYSTERY BEHIND THE WALL
BUS STATION MYSTERY
BENNY UNCOVERS A MYSTERY
THE HAUNTED CABIN MYSTERY
THE DESERTED LIBRARY MYSTERY
THE ANIMAL SHELTER MYSTERY
THE OLD MOTEL MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE HIDDEN PAINTING
THE AMUSEMENT PARK MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE MIXED-UP ZOO
THE CAMP-OUT MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY GIRL
THE MYSTERY CRUISE
THE DISAPPEARING FRIEND MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE SINGING GHOST
MYSTERY IN THE SNOW
THE PIZZA MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY HORSE
THE MYSTERY AT THE DOG SHOW
THE CASTLE MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE LOST VILLAGE
THE MYSTERY ON THE ICE
THE MYSTERY OF THE PURPLE POOL
THE GHOST SHIP MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY IN WASHINGTON, DC
THE CANOE TRIP MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE HIDDEN BEACH
THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING CAT
THE MYSTERY AT SNOWFLAKE INN
THE MYSTERY ON STAGE
THE DINOSAUR MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE STOLEN MUSIC
THE MYSTERY AT THE BALL PARK
THE CHOCOLATE SUNDAE MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE HOT AIR BALLOON
THE MYSTERY BOOKSTORE
THE PILGRIM VILLAGE MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE STOLEN BOXCAR
THE MYSTERY IN THE CAVE
THE MYSTERY ON THE TRAIN
THE MYSTERY AT THE FAIR
THE MYSTERY OF THE LOST MINE
THE GUIDE DOG MYSTERY
THE HURRICANE MYSTERY
THE PET SHOP MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE SECRET MESSAGE
THE FIREHOUSE MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY IN SAN FRANCISCO
THE NIAGARA FALLS MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY AT THE ALAMO
THE OUTER SPACE MYSTERY
THE SOCCER MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY IN THE OLD ATTIC
THE GROWLING BEAR MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE LAKE MONSTER
THE MYSTERY AT PEACOCK HALL
THE WINDY CITY MYSTERY
THE BLACK PEARL MYSTERY
THE CEREAL BOX MYSTERY
THE PANTHER MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE QUEEN’S JEWELS
THE STOLEN SWORD MYSTERY
THE BASKETBALL MYSTERY
THE MOVIE STAR MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE PIRATE’S MAP
THE GHOST TOWN MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE BLACK RAVEN
THE MYSTERY IN THE MALL
THE MYSTERY IN NEW YORK
THE GYMNASTICS MYSTERY
THE POISON FROG MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE EMPTY SAFE
THE HOME RUN MYSTERY
THE GREAT BICYCLE RACE MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE WILD PONIES
THE MYSTERY IN THE COMPUTER GAME
THE MYSTERY AT THE CROOKED HOUSE
THE HOCKEY MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE MIDNIGHT DOG
THE MYSTERY OF THE SCREECH OWL
THE SUMMER CAMP MYSTERY
THE COPYCAT MYSTERY
THE HAUNTED CLOCK TOWER MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE TIGER’S EYE
THE DISAPPEARING STAIRCASE MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY ON BLIZZARD MOUNTAIN
THE MYSTERY OF THE SPIDER’S CLUE
THE CANDY FACTORY MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE MUMMY’S CURSE
THE MYSTERY OF THE STAR RUBY
THE STUFFED BEAR MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF ALLIGATOR SWAMP
THE MYSTERY AT SKELETON POINT
THE TATTLETALE MYSTERY
THE COMIC BOOK MYSTERY
THE GREAT SHARK MYSTERY
THE ICE CREAM MYSTERY
THE MIDNIGHT MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY IN THE FORTUNE COOKIE
THE BLACK WIDOW SPIDER MYSTERY
THE RADIO MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE RUNAWAY GHOST
THE FINDERS KEEPERS MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE HAUNTED BOXCAR
THE CLUE IN THE CORN MAZE
THE GHOST OF THE CHATTERING BONES
THE SWORD OF THE SILVER KNIGHT
THE GAME STORE MYSTERY
THE MYSTERY OF THE ORPHAN TRAIN
THE VANISHING PASSENGER
THE GIANT YO-YO MYSTERY
THE CREATURE IN OGOPOGO LAKE
THE ROCK ’N’ ROLL MYSTERY
THE SECRET OF THE MASK
THE SEATTLE PUZZLE
THE GHOST IN THE FIRST ROW
THE BOX THAT WATCH FOUND
A HORSE NAMED DRAGON
THE GREAT DETECTIVE RACE
THE GHOST AT THE DRIVE-IN MOVIE
THE MYSTERY OF THE TRAVELING TOMATOES
THE SPY GAME
THE DOG-GONE MYSTERY
THE VAMPIRE MYSTERY
SUPERSTAR WATCH
THE SPY IN THE BLEACHERS
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
copyright © 1997 by Albert Whitman & Company
978-1-4532-1362-9
This 2011 edition distributed by Open Road Integrated Media
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Gertrude Chandler Warner, The Firehouse Mystery
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