Mystery of the Stolen Sword by Charles Tang Read Free Book Online Page B

the ghost tonight,” Benny said eagerly. He walked into the orchard, with Violet at his heels. At that moment, the two heard some whispering, and a low call that sounded like a long, drawn-out boooooo.
    “What’s that?” Benny asked.
    Violet listened closely.
    “Whooooooo...Whooooooo...Whoooooo.”
    “It could be an owl,” Violet answered, but she did not sound very sure. Being out in the orchard after dark was spookier than she had thought.
    “No, it’s not,” Benny said stubbornly.

    “How far do you want to go?” Violet asked.
    “Not too far,” Benny said. His voice was a little quavery as he peered into the dark mass of fruit trees whose branches looked as if they could reach out and grab him. “Are there wolves out here?” Benny wanted to know.
    “I don’t think so. In fact, I’m sure there aren’t.”
    Just at that moment, Benny and Violet heard a long, low hiss. Benny jumped two feet in the air. “Do you hear that?” he shouted, clutching Violet’s arm. “I bet that’s a snake.”
    Violet stopped walking and shone her flashlight on some low bushes behind the trees. Stray leaves were rustling in the wind, making a hissing sound — pssst, pssst, pssst. “That might be the whispering sound we’re hearing,” Violet said hopefully.
    “Are you sure?” Benny asked.
    “Yes.” Violet’s voice quavered. She wasn’t really sure, but she wanted Benny to believe she was.
    To get their minds off the hissing noise, Violet shone her light, which was getting dimmer, on the trees in front of her. Something she saw made her stop short and stare. “Benny, that marking. It wasn’t here the last time we were in the orchard.”
    “What marking?” Benny rushed over to the tree where the flashlight shone on its bark. In the dim light, he could see a drawing of a helmet, next to the drawing of the sword the Aldens had seen earlier.
    “You’re right,” Benny said. “Do you think the ghost drew this?”
    “No, I don’t,” Violet said. “But I hope it doesn’t mean that a helmet is missing from Seymour’s collection.”
    “Oh, I hadn’t thought of that,” Benny exclaimed. “We’d better check the secret passageway right away.” At that moment, the flashlight went out. Violet and Benny could not believe how dark it seemed, even in the moonlight.

CHAPTER 9
By the Light of the Moon
    “I ’m scared,” Benny admitted.
    Violet gulped. “Take my hand. We’re not far from the farm.”
    Guided by the moonlight, Violet and Benny made their way home, stumbling over rocks and large branches in their path.
    “Things sure look different in the dark,” Benny muttered as two bats fluttered over them.
    “Ugh.” Violet shuddered. She let go of Benny’s hand and almost dropped her flashlight so she could cover her hair. “I can’t stand bats.”
    Benny and Violet were very happy to see the farmhouse in the distance, lit with a warm light from the lamps in the living room.
    Twenty minutes later, all the Aldens and Seymour were in the secret passageway. Carefully they shone their flashlights on all the suits of armor.
    “Oh, no!” Violet groaned. Just as she had feared, one of the helmets was missing.
    “That’s the most valuable helmet in the collection.” Seymour sounded angry. “That thief sure knows what he’s doing.”
    That night, before they went to bed, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny met in Jessie and Violet’s bedroom. Jessie sat on the large bed, her notebook in hand. “We have to do something before anything else disappears,” she said firmly. “At least we have some leads.”
    Henry nodded. “We suspect Blake Ambrose is involved.”
    “And someone from the farm must be helping him,” Jessie added. “Remember, Seymour told us that only the farm workers know how to get inside the secret passageway. Someone from the farm must be involved, too.”
    “Now we just have to find out who,” said Benny. He sat with his legs crossed on Jessie’s bed.
    “Blake knows Veronica,”