The Disappearing Friend Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner Read Free Book Online Page A

get hungry, so please make yourselves at home. I’ll be back by four-thirty.”
    Dr. Jackson kissed Shirley good-bye and hurried out the door.
    Violet took Shirley’s hand. “You know, I have a brother a little bit older than you. His name is Benny.”
    Shirley looked at Violet and at Beth. Then she let go of Violet’s hand and sat down on the floor and began to cry.
    â€œMammaaa,” howled Shirley.
    â€œOh, Shirley. Don’t cry. Your mother will be back in just a little while.”
    â€œMammmaa,” cried Shirley louder.
    â€œShhh,” said Violet soothingly.
    â€œGood grief,” said Beth.
    Violet took Shirley’s hand and pulled her to her feet. “You take her other hand, Beth,” she said.
    â€œWhy?” asked Beth.
    â€œWe’ll take her outside in the backyard. If we can get her to play, she’ll forget about her mother and stop crying.”
    In the backyard was a big sandbox full of toys. “Here,” said Violet. “We’ll build sand castles. Would you like to build sand castles, Shirley?”
    Shirley kept crying.
    â€œGood grief, stop it!” snapped Beth, snatching her hand free from Shirley’s.
    Violet looked at Beth in surprise.
    â€œWhat a brat,” said Beth.
    â€œShe’s just scared because her mother’s gone and we’re strangers. If you try to understand, it’s not so hard,” Violet said.
    Beth folded her arms and sat down on the edge of the sandbox. “Well . . . do something.”
    Beth is acting so strangely, thought Violet. Gently she led Shirley into the sandbox. She sat down by her and began to pour sand into the different colored containers.
    Watching Violet, Shirley gradually began to stop crying. Then she was only sniffling. Suddenly, she reached out for a container.
    â€œMine,” she said, turning the container upside down to make a square sand tower.
    â€œGood, Shirley,” said Violet.
    As they played in the sandbox, Violet told Beth about Dr. Jackson and the conversation the Aldens had overheard at the hospital. “We wondered if Dr. Jackson might be the one who didn’t want us to raise money for the hospital,” said Violet. “But it doesn’t look that way, does it? I don’t think she played all those terrible tricks on us, do you?”
    Beth, who had been sitting on the edge of the sandbox watching, folded her arms. “You never know,” she said.
    â€œWell, I don’t think it is Dr. Jackson,” said Violet. “Are you hungry, Shirley? I think it’s time for your snack.”
    The two girls took Shirley inside for her snack and sat with her. While she ate her banana pudding, Beth and Violet had milk.
    â€œCan you say banana pudding?” Violet asked Shirley.
    â€œNannaning,” said Shirley.
    Violet smiled, then looked up. Beth was staring at her.
    â€œIs something wrong?” asked Violet.
    Beth jumped. “Wrong? No. Of course not.”
    But Violet couldn’t help but notice how uncomfortable Beth seemed. She wasn’t acting like herself at all.
    Maybe her brothers and sister had been right about Beth, thought Violet. But she didn’t want to believe it.
    Violet was relieved when Dr. Jackson came back, and it was time to go home. Beth said a quick good-bye to Violet and dashed off on her bicycle.
    That night after dinner, Violet told everyone about the baby-sitting job and Dr. Jackson.
    â€œDr. Jackson?” asked Grandfather. “I know Dr. Jackson. She speaks her mind. But she is a good doctor, and a good person.”
    â€œWe wondered if she would not like us raising money for the new wing, since she was against building it,” said Jessie. “But it doesn’t look that way now.”
    â€œNo,” said Grandfather. He got up from the dinner table. “I’ll be in my study for a little while.”
    After Grandfather left, Jessie said thoughtfully, “Still, something