Animal Shelter Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner Read Free Book Online

‘you hear.’ As if we couldn’t hear a loud voice like that!”
    Violet shivered. “Do you really think it’s the same person, Jessie? Why would Miss Newcombe let someone like that live in her house?”
    Henry looked worried. “Maybe she didn’t let them in, Violet. Maybe they scared her away.”
    â€œWell, that man didn’t scare these dogs away. Look, they want to go back to the house,” Benny cried.
    Sure enough, Lad and the white dog were pulling hard on their leashes and half dragging Benny up the driveway toward the house again.
    â€œThey know this is their home,” Violet cried. “Well, I’m just going to march up there and see what happens. Let’s see what the man has to say about that!”
    This time, four Aldens and three dogs went up to the porch. Violet rang the bell.
    The door flew open. “I told you, I don’t want what you’re selling, you hear?” the man shouted when he saw a porch full of Aldens and dogs. “Now, git!” he said.

    Suddenly, Lad pulled so hard on the leash, it slipped from Benny’s hand. He dashed into the house! Before the Aldens had time to think about their manners, they were in the house, too.
    With Watch and the new dog, Benny and Henry flew down a hallway.
    â€œLad! Lad! Come back!” Benny yelled. He chased the dog to the back of the house.
    â€œYou kids stay out of this house and keep those hounds out, too,” the man shouted. “I say, get out of here!”
    Henry hurried back and stood in front of the man. “We won’t leave without our brother or the dogs!” he said. Then Henry ran off again to find Lad.
    Jessie stood tall, too. “That black dog and this white one live in this house,” she told the man.
    â€œNo one lives here but me,” the man said.
    Violet was shaking, but she spoke up all the same. “Where is Miss Newcombe?” she demanded. “This is her home.”
    The man stepped toward Violet. “And what business is that of yours, little girl? None at all, I say. I’m in charge of this property now, and I don’t have to explain anything to trespassers!”
    By this time, Henry had caught Lad by the leash, and Benny was right behind. “Don’t worry, we’re leaving. But you can’t keep us from looking for Miss Newcombe,” Henry said.
    Before anyone could stop Benny, he spoke to the man, too. “We have a deed to her house, and my grandfather is going to bring it to the state capital to see who owns this house.”
    â€œWe’ll see about that!” the man warned. “Now get off this property, you hear?”
    When everyone was safe at the end of the driveway, Jessie put her arm around Benny. “Are you all right, Benny?”
    â€œI’m good,” Benny said, “but that man is bad. And I think there are other people in that house, too. I heard a door bang and some footsteps while I was chasing Lad.”
    Henry led his brother and sisters out the gate. “Benny’s right. When I ran to the back of the house to follow Benny and Lad, I thought I saw someone disappear into a back room. Another man. They’re the same men who bought the dynamite at Mr. Seed’s and who nearly ran us over with their truck.”
    â€œI can’t believe strange people would be in a nice old woman’s house,” Violet said. “And to act as if Lad didn’t live there! Why, anyone could see both dogs knew that house very well.”
    When the Aldens peeked through some evergreens at the house, Jessie stared longer than anyone else. “Look, Henry. The truck that tried to run us over is parked back there,” she whispered.
    Henry took a look. “It’s the same pickup truck! That man who answered the door isn’t alone in there, I’m sure of it. I’m going to sneak around the side of the house and see what that truck says.”
    Violet and Benny looked on