Disappearing Staircase Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner Read Free Book Online Page B

another time,” Henry said. “Well, at least we figured out where the skylight is.”
    Jessie smacked her forehead. “Wait! We were so excited about finding Violet’s music box, we almost forgot to tell you: The skylight isn’t in the playroom at all. We think there’s a hidden space behind the bathroom.”
    Henry couldn’t get over this. “Wow! Well, I guess you’re too tired to go looking around for it, right, guys?” he asked Soo Lee and Benny.
    “I’m not too tired,” Benny whispered right back.
    Henry laughed. “Just kidding. Let’s go.”
    By now the Aldens knew where all the squeaky parts of the floor were. They reached the bathroom without so much as a creak.
    “There’s the linen closet,” Jessie said. “I don’t see any openings or anything in here, though.”
    “Maybe the secret room was blocked off a long time ago.” Henry pushed hard on the wall behind the shelves. Nothing budged. “Hey, Soo Lee, what are you doing?”
    Soo Lee, the shortest Alden, saw something the other children had missed. Looking straight ahead, she pointed below the shelf right at her eye level. “Look, Henry. There’s a little door under this shelf. You have to be little like me and Benny to see it.”
    Henry crouched down. “Good job, Soo Lee.” He lifted the two bottom shelves. “They aren’t attached. Now we can get through that door easier, even though it’s only about three feet tall. Ready?”
    By this time, Benny planted himself right by Soo Lee. “Can I look—I mean, after Soo Lee gets her turn?”
    Soo Lee backed away. “You can go first, Benny. Then me.”
    Benny had to stoop down a little to open the door. He pushed it gently just a crack.
    “What do you see?” Henry asked.
    “There’s a room full of boxes and stuff,” he said. “And it’s got a skylight, just like in the dollhouse. Uh-oh.” He backed out suddenly.
    Benny put his finger to his lips. “Shhh.” He pulled the door gently to close it. He pointed to the bathroom door.
    The Aldens went into the hallway where they could talk.
    “What did you see?” Jessie whispered. “Did someone come?”
    “Mr. Gardiner! He’s in there,” Benny whispered. “He was putting things into cardboard boxes, but I couldn’t tell what.”
    “One thing we need to find out,” Henry said, “is how George got into that room. Did you notice an exit in the dollhouse room?”
    Jessie shook her head no. Then she had a thought. “Maybe the passageway came later—after someone built the dollhouse.”
    “There’s another way to get into that room, and it has something to do with the garage,” Henry said. “We just haven’t figured it out yet.”

CHAPTER 9
Lost and Found
    The next day, the Aldens spent the morning painting the porch of the main house. While they worked, they spoke in low whispers.
    “It’s too bad Mabel is at the fund-raising breakfast right now,” Jessie said. “We have to tell her about the disappearing staircase and the hidden playroom.”
    Violet touched up a spot Benny had missed on one of the railings. “I want to show her the music box.”
    “I want to go exploring,” Benny said now that their work was all done.
    “Painting these railings took longer than I expected,” Henry said. “I don’t think we have enough time to go exploring. Nan invited some television people to film us working, and they’re supposed to be here any minute.”
    Jessie cleaned off the rim of the paint can, then hammered down the lid. “You know, we could give those reporters a real story and show them the staircase and secret rooms we found.”
    “Hey, that’s a great idea,” Henry said. “Everybody will be gathered around for that. Then we’d see who gets upset about the disappearing staircase.”
    “We might get to be on television,” Benny told Soo Lee as Violet cleaned off their hands with a cloth. “Maybe the camera will follow us around. We can be famous!”
    Jessie chuckled. “You’re pretty famous already, Benny Alden!