The Clue in the Recycling Bin by Gertrude Chandler Warner Read Free Book Online Page B

tea?” she asked Kayla.
    â€œOh yes,” said Kayla. “Thank you.”
    And then, to the surprise of the children, Kayla chose a mint-flavored Doo-Dah Tea.
    Kayla walked into her studio and the children stood by their bikes for a moment.
    â€œWell,” said Jessie at last. “That’s a surprise.”
    â€œYes,” said Violet. “Yesterday Kayla drank raspberry-flavored tea, but today she chose mint.”
    â€œLet’s offer Ethan the same choice,” said Henry.
    The Aldens walked over to where Ethan was raking leaves and grass. They said hello and offered Ethan Doo-Dah Tea.
    â€œNo, thanks,” said Ethan.
    â€œKayla is upset,” Henry told him. “She’s worried about the fact that somebody is getting into the center and opening the bags of leaves and grass.”
    Ethan shrugged. “She shouldn’t be upset, not really. I’m here to clean everything up.”
    â€œWe would like to show you something,” Jessie said to Ethan. “Can you come outside with us for a few minutes?”
    Ethan shrugged again, but he put his rake aside. “Sure,” he said.
    The five of them walked through the gate of the recycling center. Henry led the way. They turned right, then right again.
    â€œStop,” said Henry. They had reached the place just outside the fence from where the bags of leaves and grass were stored.
    â€œThe ground is wet,” said Jessie. “We’re all leaving footprints.”
    â€œSo?” said Ethan.
    Jessie pointed to footprints ahead of them. They were very fresh. The left and right prints were far apart from one another. Both the left and right prints pointed toward the fence.
    â€œSomebody was here before us,” she said. “He left footprints, too.”
    Ethan didn’t say anything.
    â€œLook at your footprints,” said Henry to Ethan.
    Ethan looked down.
    â€œThey match those footprints,” said Henry, pointing to the prints ahead of them.
    Ethan didn’t say anything.
    â€œWe know what you’re doing,” Violet said softly.
    Ethan shook his head. “Okay,” he said. “You’re right, those are my footprints. But I’m not really breaking into the recycling center.”
    â€œWhy are you jumping over the chain-link fence?” Henry asked.
    â€œFor fun,” said Ethan. “And for training. It’s fun and I can keep in shape. I take a running start, jump over the fence, and land on the soft bags of leaves and grass. Nobody knows I can do it except me! And every time I do it, I come in and clean up.”
    â€œBut when you land on the bags, they break open,” said Jessie. “Leaves and grass fall out, and the recycling center looks messy.”
    â€œBut I come in and clean everything up,” Ethan repeated.
    â€œYour kind of fun upsets people,” said Violet. “It upsets Kayla because she thinks somebody wants the recycling center to fail.”
    Ethan looked down at his feet. “Yeah,” he said, “I know it’s not right. But I was trying to make it right by cleaning up after myself.”
    The children waited, giving Ethan a chance.
    Finally Ethan spoke. “I’ll stop doing it,” he said. “I guess I have to tell Kayla.”
    â€œWe’ll go with you if you want,” said Jessie.
    When they walked into Kayla’s studio, Henry noticed that she was busy with a soldering torch.
    Kayla set the soldering torch aside and removed the magnifying lens she wore on a headband.
    â€œI’m sorry,” Ethan said to her. “I won’t do it again.”
    Kayla looked confused. “Huh?” she said.
    â€œI’ve been jumping over the fence and landing on the bags of leaves and grass clippings,” said Ethan. “I’m sorry.”
    Kayla just stared at him.
    â€œI came in and cleaned up each time I did it,” Ethan explained.
    â€œYes,” said Kayla at last. “But all