Pilgrim Village Mystery (5 page)

Once the fire was going, Jessie put a little bit of oil in the kettle and browned the chunks of beef. Violet added the vegetables and some water, and seasoned the stew with the herbs.

While the stew cooked, the children straightened up the cabin and set the table. Jessie gathered the potato and carrot peelings and the onion skins and threw them away. Henry placed the plates and glasses around the table and laid the silverware. Violet picked some wildflowers and put them in a little jar in the middle of the table. Benny went to the candlemaker's shop to pick up their candles.

Then there was nothing to do but wait for the stew to finish cooking. The children sat on the front step of their cabin while they waited. Every once in a while Jessie would tend the fire, or Henry would stir the stew with a long wooden spoon.

Mr. Alden and Linda arrived promptly at six, and were impressed with how pretty the table looked in the little cabin.

“Something smells good,” said Grandfather.

“Beef stew!” Benny said. “And we made it just the way they did a long time ago.”

“It's getting dark,” said Jessie. “I'll light some candles.” She took two pewter candlestick holders from the mantle and put in two candles they had dipped themselves that morning. Then she placed the candlesticks in the middle of the table and lit them. A soft glow filled the room.

“We made those candles ourselves, Grandfather,” Benny said proudly.

“You did? That's wonderful,” Mr. Alden said.

Violet poured a large glass of apple cider for everyone. Henry spooned beef stew onto everyone's plate. “Let's eat,” Benny said.

Mr. Alden was the first to take a taste. “This is delicious.”

“It's as good as the beef stew Red serves at the tavern,” Linda said.

Linda and the Aldens talked and ate, enjoying the tasty stew.

“Martha, the candlemaker, came to me today, and said you'd found something in the wax, Violet.” Linda said.

“A pin,” said Violet.

“
In
the wax?” Grandfather asked.

“Yes,” said Linda. “That's what's so strange. Martha doesn't know how it got there.”

“Someone must have come in after she left for the night,” said Jessie.

“But why would anyone do that?” asked Linda.

“You know, something strange happened in the print shop, too,” Jessie recalled. “We had arranged the type for a poster and left the tray on the counter overnight. In the morning the type was all jumbled up.”

“Maybe someone had come in after the shop was closed, knocked over the tray, and then just put the type back in any which way,” Henry said.

“Who would be sneaking into the shops at night?” Linda said. “And why?”

“Well, it doesn't sound too serious so far. No one's reported anything missing, have they?” Grandfather asked.

“No,” said Linda. “I guess we'll just have to wait and see. If anything else happens, I might have to get a security guard at night.”

As the candles burned lower, Jessie sliced some pears, and Linda set out a tin of shortbread she had brought. Everyone munched on the delicious cookies and juicy slices of pear.

After dessert, Violet and Benny cleared all the dishes and silverware from the table. Grandfather helped Henry wash the dishes and Linda helped Jessie dry them. Soon everything was clean.

Benny let out a big, loud yawn, which made everyone laugh.

“I think it's time somebody got to bed. We'd better go,” Grandfather said.

“Thanks for the delicious meal,” said Linda.

When their guests had left, the children washed up and put on their pajamas. Then they snuggled into their cozy beds and were soon asleep.

CHAPTER 6

Angry Voices

W
hen the children woke up the next morning, they dressed in their colonial costumes and then stopped at the bakery for muffins.

“Let's go to the weaving shop today,” Violet said. “I'd like to learn how to spin thread and make cloth.” Violet enjoyed sewing and was very handy with a needle and thread.

Benny made a face. “I want to go see the horses again.”

“We did that yesterday,” Violet said.

“Yes, but —” Benny began.

“We don't all have to stick together,” Henry pointed out.

“Maybe while Henry and Violet go to the weaving shop, we could visit the farmyard,” Jessie suggested.

“Okay!” said Benny eagerly.

So the children headed off in two different directions.

But when Henry and Violet reached the weaving shop, they were in for a surprise. Although everything else in the village was open and bustling with activity, the sign in the window of the weaving shop said “Closed.”

Henry and Violet saw a movement in the shop, so they peeked through the window. Linda was inside with a man they didn't recognize. When Linda saw the children at the door, she opened it and let them in.

As soon as the children saw the look on Linda's face, they knew something was wrong. Violet was just about to ask what, when Linda stepped back to let them enter the shop, and they saw for themselves. The shop was a mess! The spinning wheel and the loom had been tipped over and lay on the floor, and there were piles of thread and fabric everywhere.

“What happened?” asked Henry, his eyes wide.

“We don't know,” said Linda. “When Arnold, the weaver, came in this morning, the shop looked like this.”

“Was it a burglar?” Henry asked.

“It looks like it,” said Arnold. “But there's nothing valuable here to steal, and I don't see anything missing.”

“The candlemaker's shop, the print shop, and now here. I wonder what's going on,” said Henry.

Linda looked very upset. “And there's more. I've been getting complaints about the tavern. Apparently the food and the service haven't been very good. I don't know what's happening. Just when our little village seemed to be doing so well, suddenly everything's falling apart.”

“Don't worry, Linda,” Violet said. “We'll help you figure out what's going on.”

Linda smiled at the children. “I hope you can,” she said. “Before it's too late.”

Henry and Violet helped Linda and Arnold set the loom and spinning wheel upright. Then they picked up the piles of thread and fabric and sorted them by color.

“Why don't you take the day off,” Linda suggested to Arnold when everything was back in its place.

“Thanks. I think I will,” Arnold said. “And thank you for your help,” he said to Violet and Henry.

“You're welcome,” Violet said. “Maybe we can come back another day and learn about weaving.”

She and Henry left the shop and headed toward the stable. Benny and Jessie were inside, patting the chestnut horse. Henry told them what had happened at the weaving shop, and how upset Linda was.

“That's terrible,” Jessie said. “Do you think this has anything to do with the other strange things that have been happening?”

“I don't know,” said Henry.

The Aldens started to walk back toward the green and passed the general store.

“Let's take a look in here,” said Violet.

The general store was larger than the other buildings on the green. A counter ran along the back. Behind the counter a man stood at an old-fashioned cash register, ringing up purchases. All the walls of the store held shelves from floor to ceiling, containing almost everything a person might need.

“This is like an old-fashioned supermarket,” said Benny.

“Yes it is,” Jessie agreed.

There were piles of cloth in all different patterns, spools of thread, bars of soap wrapped in brown paper, and candles like the ones the children had dipped the day before. There were shelves holding quill pens, jars of ink, sheets of parchment paper and envelopes tied together with ribbon, and sealing wax in many colors. In one corner was a rack of brooms and in another corner a large pile of handwoven baskets. Near the door was a case containing boxes of biscuits, tins of tea and coffee, jugs of maple syrup, and jars of jam.

But what caught Benny's eye was the line of large glass jars on the counter. Each jar held a different kind of candy: long strings of licorice, red and white striped peppermint sticks, sour lemon drops.

“That peppermint candy looks good,” said Benny, eyeing the red-and-white striped sticks.

“Benny! We haven't even had lunch yet,” Henry said.

“I know,” said Jessie. “We'll buy some candy now and then we'll go have lunch at the snack bar. We can save the candy for dessert.”

The children selected some candy: a peppermint stick for Benny, a cinnamon stick for Henry, and licorice for Jessie and Violet. They also bought some sour lemon drops for Grandfather, since those were his favorite.

Then the children went to the snack bar and ate hot dogs and french fries.

“Do you think Shelly has gotten the shipment of clay yet?” Benny asked as he popped his last bite of hot dog in his mouth and licked the mustard off his fingers.

“I don't know,” Henry said, gathering up their paper napkins and throwing them in the garbage. “Let's go find out.”

The Aldens headed across the green, chewing on licorice and sucking on candy sticks.

As they started down the path toward the pottery shop, they heard loud voices. But it wasn't until they got to the door of the pottery shop that they realized the voices belonged to Eric and Shelly, who were inside. And they didn't sound happy.

“You're making a big mistake,” said Eric angrily.

“I'm
not.
You
are,” Shelly insisted.

“I'll do this my way,” Eric replied.

The children stood right outside the door of the shop trying to decide if they should enter or go away. They knew it wasn't right to eavesdrop on other people's conversations. But they couldn't help wondering what the two were talking about. Why were they so angry?

Shelly was just starting to say something when Benny dropped the bag of sour lemon drops, and it clattered to the ground noisily. He hurried to pick up the bag, but it was too late. Shelly and Eric had heard.

“What was that?” asked Shelly, looking toward the door.

The Aldens had no choice now but to enter the pottery shop.

“Hello,” Henry said, going inside with Jessie and Violet behind him. Benny quickly picked up the candies and followed.

Eric looked very upset to see the children. “I'll talk to you later,” he said over his shoulder to Shelly. He walked quickly out the door.

“How nice of you to drop by,” Shelly said.

“Has the new shipment of clay come in yet?” Jessie asked.

“No, I'm afraid it hasn't,” said Shelly. “But do you have any questions about pottery that I could answer?”

The children had a lot of questions for Shelly, but they weren't about pottery. They wanted to ask what she and Eric had been arguing about, but they knew they couldn't.

“No, thank you,” Violet said politely. “We'll try back here later in the week.”

The Aldens began walking out the door, when suddenly Benny turned around. “Would you like a sour lemon drop?”

Shelly smiled. “I would love one.” Benny took the bag over to her and she put her hand in and pulled out a candy. Again the children noticed her bright red fingernails.

When the children were outside, Jessie said quietly, “What do you think Eric and Shelly were arguing about?”

“I don't know,” said Violet, “but they sounded very upset.”

“They certainly didn't sound as if they'd just met a few days ago,” Henry pointed out.

“You know what I'm wondering,” said Violet. “Did you notice Shelly's fingernails? They looked awfully nice for someone who usually has her hands covered with clay.”

“Good point,” Henry said. “I never would have thought of that.”

“Remember she didn't seem to know much about pottery the other day,” Jessie added. “Maybe she isn't really a potter at all.”

“Then why is she pretending to be one?” Henry wondered aloud.

Since no one knew the anwer to this question, Jessie spoke up. “I think it's time we took a break. Let's go over to Grandfather's hotel for a swim.”

“Great idea,” Henry said.

“Yeah!” said Benny.

The children went back to their cabin and changed out of their colonial costumes and into regular clothes. Then they gathered their bathing suits.

They went to Linda's office to call Grandfather and tell him they were on their way.

“I'll meet you later at the tavern for dinner,” Linda said.

“That's great!” Jessie said.

The children walked the short distance from Pilgrim Village to the hotel. It felt strange to be back in the modern world, where everyone dressed in modern clothes and there were electric lights and cars. Grandfather met them at the swimming pool. The children gave Grandfather the sour lemon drops they had bought for him. Then they all got into the pool, and splashed and dived and raced each other back and forth. Even Grandfather joined in.