The Woodshed Mystery by Gertrude Warner Read Free Book Online

Somebody dug that hole to keep ammunition in!”

    “You’re right,” said Henry quietly. “I think we have found one of the places where they hid ammunition!”
    “Then they took it to Concord,” said Jessie.
    “In a load of hay!” said Violet.
    They all looked at each other.
    Henry said, “Aunt Jane, we decided not to go into the tunnel. We may find a lot more things later.”
    “We thought somebody might shut the cover down,” said Benny. “And there we’d all be. Next time we’ll leave somebody outside to keep watch. Where’s Sam?”
    But Sam had gone back to work.
    Aunt Jane said, “Sam must go with you every time. Remember that.”
    “I think so, too,” said Jessie. “That dirt looked as if it had been moved only yesterday. Some stranger is around here.”
    “He’s stealing eggs from the Beans,” said Benny. Everyone laughed.
    Benny went on slowly. Talking about the Beans had made him think of something. He said, “Aunt Jane, why didn’t you marry this Andy Bean?”
    “All right, I’ll tell you, Benny. Nobody ever asked me before.”
    “I wasn’t very polite to ask you, was I?” said Benny.
    “No,” said Aunt Jane. “But I don’t mind. I was quite silly. Andy Bean did ask me to marry him and I said no. My reasons were very silly. I know that now. The first reason was that he was two years younger than I was, but he was big and he looked older. What do you guess the second reason was?”
    “What?” asked four voices.
    “I didn’t want to be called Mrs. Bean!”
    Violet patted Aunt Jane’s hand. “I don’t think that was too silly.”
    “Well, I do,” said Aunt Jane. “I have been sorry a thousand times. Andy was a fine looking, clever boy. He had a nice crooked smile. His younger brother owns the Bean farm now. His wife is the Mrs. Bean who told you about the eggs, Benny.”
    “Don’t we have the most exciting adventures!” cried Benny. “Something new is always happening.”
    “Yes, Benny,” said Aunt Jane laughing. “Ever since I met you something nice has happened every day. Before that nothing happened.”
    “Well, tomorrow we’ll explore that cellar again,” said Henry. “I’ll read that old book myself. I’d like to know what to look for.”
    “We might find an old gun,” said Benny. “Maybe an old flintlock.”
    “Benny Alden!” cried Violet. Her eyes were like stars. “Do you know what you just said? Maybe that cellar is where Andy Bean found his old flintlock!”
    Everyone was excited until Jessie said, “No, I don’t think so. Don’t you remember that somebody gave it to Andy?”
    “That’s right, Jessie,” said Benny. “They said it was somebody hiding in this house! And that’s why the stories have been told and nobody will live here.”
    “Well!” said Henry. “We’ll find out if it takes all summer.”
    “Don’t forget,” said Aunt Jane softly, “it may .”
    Henry smiled at his aunt. Maybe it would take all summer, but the mystery would be solved. And it would be solved quickly if some of his and Benny’s ideas proved to be right.

CHAPTER 10
    Back to the Woodshed
    T he next day Maggie saw an old man in overalls coming to the back door. He had a basket of eggs.
    “Are you selling eggs?” Maggie asked.
    “Yep,” said the old man.
    “Where did you come from?” she asked again.
    “Beans’,” said the man.
    Benny heard him from the next room. He laughed. He said to Violet, “He doesn’t talk much, does he?”
    “I wonder who he is?” said Violet.
    “I know who he is,” said Benny. “He is the Beans’ hired man. I saw him working there when I went over.”
    Maggie told the man, “We will have plenty of eggs later. Sam is going to raise chickens.”
    “Yep,” said the man.
    “We do want two dozen eggs now,” Maggie went on. “Put them in this pan.”
    Benny and Violet listened.
    “Have you lost any more eggs?” asked Maggie.
    “Yep,” said the man.
    “Can’t you say anything but ‘yep’?” Maggie