Amazing Mystery Show by Gertrude Chandler Warner Read Free Book Online Page B

attention back to the riddle as they perched on the edge of the fountain. Andy, who was standing nearby, started filming again.
    Henry read the riddle aloud one more time to refresh everyone’s memories. “A kind of ship that never sails, it bites and spits, and has a tail. What is it?”
    “I keep thinking we’re close to figuring it out,” Jessie added thoughtfully. “I just can’t quite put my finger on what it is.”
    “What’s the matter, Benny?” Violet asked when she heard her little brother sigh. “Thinking about something?”
    Benny nodded. “I was thinking about putting through the crack in the Liberty Bell.”
    “We’ll come back tomorrow and have a game, Benny,” Henry said. “That’s a promise.”
    “And we’ll go for a ride on the camels,” Violet added.
    “Did you say”—Jessie paused—“camels?”
    Violet nodded. “The ones at the zoo, Jessie. Remember?”
    “Camels have tails … and they bite and spit,” Jessie said slowly, figuring it out as she spoke. “And they’re called—”

    “Ships of the desert!” Henry cut in. “Ships that don’t really sail.”
    Jessie’s eyes were shining. “Guess where we’re going?”
    The others were ready with an answer. “To the zoo!” they all cried out.
    Just then, something caught Violet’s eye. A woman with curly red hair was sitting on a bench nearby reading a newspaper. She was wearing sunglasses with tortoise-shell frames. The woman was peering over her paper, staring at the Aldens.
    Violet leaned closer to the others. “Let’s get going,” she whispered nervously.
    With that, the Aldens headed for the bus stop with Andy close on their heels.

CHAPTER 10
The Show Goes On
    A warm breeze was blowing when the Aldens arrived at the Philadelphia zoo. They could tell it was going to be a hot day.
    “I just knew we’d figure out that riddle,” Benny said as they headed along the tree-lined walkway.
    Henry gave his brother a big smile. “It does look like we’ve got a real shot at winning.”
    As they rounded a bend, they caught sight of the camels. “Now, where’s a good hiding place for a gold coin?” Violet said, glancing around.
    “Let’s split up again and check all around,” Jessie said in her practical way.
    Andy held up a hand. “Listen, kids, I’m just heading for the washroom. Don’t find the gold coin before I get back, okay?” he added with a wink.
    Henry laughed. “It’ll take us a while to look around.”
    While Andy walked over to the washroom, the four children started their search for the gold coin. It wasn’t long before Violet called out, “Over here!”
    As the others hurried over to where Violet was standing under a tree by the side of the walkway. They watched as she reached into the hollow of the tree and pulled out a gold coin.
    “Way to go, Violet!” Henry praised. He tucked the gold coin Violet handed him into his back pocket.
    Just then Violet spotted something that made her gasp. “She followed us!”
    “Who?” asked Henry, glancing around.
    “See that woman standing by the water fountain over there?” Violet said in a hushed voice.
    “The one reading the map?” Benny asked. “I can’t really see her face.”
    “She’s just pretending to read the map,” Violet said in a hushed voice. “This is going to sound a bit weird,” she added, “but I think that’s the same woman who was just at Franklin Square.”
    “Are you sure?” Henry asked in surprise.
    “She has the same red hair and the same sunglasses,” answered Violet, who had an artist’s eye for detail.
    “It could just be a coincidence,” said Jessie. “Maybe she was planning to go to the zoo today.”
    “But she’s watching us, Jessie,” Violet insisted. “She keeps peeking over the map at us. And she was doing the same thing at the park.”
    “There could be a good reason for that,” said Henry.
    “Like what?”
    “We’re being filmed, Violet,” Henry reminded her. “That would make anybody