Tree House Mystery by Gertrude Warner Page B

back and sat down at his desk. He took off his glasses and said, “You were kind to cook that supper for us. My wife was very tired from moving.”
    Mrs. Beach said, “How do you do, Mr. Alden? Yes, I was tired. I didn’t enjoy moving.”
    “The boys loved the casserole,” Mr. Beach said suddenly. “They like all kinds of spaghetti and macaroni. They liked the dessert, too. And so did I.”
    Mrs. Beach said nothing else, and the two boys did not say a single word.
    Mr. Beach was shy and uneasy, and Mrs. Beach acted as if she were thinking of something else. Even Benny found it hard to talk to the new neighbors. Nobody seemed interested in what he had to say.
    “We really have a big dog,” said Benny. “His name is Watch, but he isn’t here this summer. My Aunt Jane wanted him on the farm.”
    Nobody said a word. They just looked at him.
    Poor Benny. He tried again. “You’d like our dog. He’s a nice, gentle dog.”
    Mr. and Mrs. Beach just nodded politely.
    At last the Aldens went home. “They aren’t very friendly,” said Jessie, as they opened their own door.
    “I agree with Jessie,” said Benny.
    After that, nothing happened. Nothing at all.
    One day Benny said, “I’d never know we had any neighbors. They certainly aren’t friendly. We asked them to come and see us, but they didn’t even say they would. And they haven’t.”
    Even Grandfather Alden said, “It seems strange to me, too, Benny. We don’t want to bother them if they don’t want to be friends.”
    “It’s too bad,” Jessie said. “We thought it would be nice to have neighbors at last.”
    Henry nodded at his sister. “I guess we go our way, and they go their way.”
    So that’s how it was. No new friends. No neighbors. Nothing at all.

CHAPTER 2
    Benny’s Plot
    B enny Alden was a boy who liked to see things happen. One day at breakfast he burst out, “Those kids next door are the dumbest kids I ever saw!”
    Grandfather Alden looked up in surprise. He said, “That doesn’t sound like you, Benny. You are usually a kind boy.”
    “Well, I don’t mean to hurt anybody,” answered Benny. “I’m just telling you the way it is. You know what those new boys do, Grandfather?”
    “No, what?”
    “Nothing,” said Benny. “They don’t play, and they don’t read. They don’t work, and they don’t talk to each other. The big one lies in the swing and never swings. And the little one lies on his back and just looks up at the leaves. He doesn’t even go to sleep!”
    “It’s true, Grandfather,” said Henry. He looked at Mr. Alden. “I have never seen boys like them.”
    Benny went on. “Here they are, two healthy boys, one eight and one ten.”
    “How do you know how old they are?” Jessie asked.
    “I asked them. I went through our woods and looked over the hedge and asked them how old they were.”
    “What did they say?” asked Violet.
    “Just that. Jeffrey said one word, ten, and Sammy said one word, eight. Then I said, ‘Don’t you ever play anything?’ And they both said one word, no. So I came home. I was discouraged.”
    Henry glanced at Mr. Alden and raised his eyebrows as if asking a question. Mr. Alden nodded. Getting up from the table, he said, “I must go to work. Good luck to you all.”
    Then Grandfather Alden stopped and added, “I must tell you that I have an idea for a vacation later in the summer, maybe the last of July. So that gives you about three weeks to do whatever you like with the neighbors.”
    The four Aldens looked at their grandfather.
    Benny said, “I don’t suppose it’s any use to ask you what your idea is?”
    “No, Ben. No use at all. You know I never tell secrets.”
    “I know,” said Henry, laughing. “Do you want me to drive you to work?”
    “No, Bill will drive. But thank you just the same, Henry.”
    Bill was Mrs. McGregor’s husband. He took care of the yard and the vegetable garden and the flowers.
    When Mr. Alden had gone, the four young people still sat at