The Mystery of the Lost Village (9 page)

It was early afternoon when a taxi pulled into the Lightfeathers' driveway and Grandfather got out.

“Grandfather's here!” Violet cried, running to meet him.

“It's been a long two weeks without you, children,” he said, hugging each of the Aldens in turn.

“We missed you, too, Grandfather,” Jessie said. “But so much has happened!”

“You'll have to tell me all about it on the plane,” Grandfather said. “We just have time to get to the airport.”

Violet and Amy looked at each other. “How can we say good-bye?” Violet said, giving her a hug.

“We'll keep in touch. We'll write lots of letters,” Amy promised.

“Thanks for taking care of the children,” Grandfather said to the Lightfeathers. “I know it was a wonderful experience for them.”

“It was quite an experience for us!” Mrs. Lightfeather said, smiling. “In fact, I'd say it was absolutely amazing.”

“Really?” Grandfather looked puzzled. “Did something interesting happen here?”

The Aldens and the Lightfeathers laughed. “Interesting? Just wait until you hear the whole story!” Benny said.

About the Author

G
ERTRUDE
C
HANDLER
W
ARNER
discovered when she was teaching that many readers who like an exciting story could find no books that were both easy and fun to read. She decided to try to meet this need, and her first book,
The Boxcar Children
, quickly proved she had succeeded.

Miss Warner drew on her own experiences to write the mystery. As a child she spent hours watching trains go by on the tracks opposite her family home. She often dreamed about what it would be like to set up housekeeping in a caboose or freight car — the situation the Alden children find themselves in.

When Miss Warner received requests for more adventures involving Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny Alden, she began additional stories. In each, she chose a special setting and introduced unusual or eccentric characters who liked the unpredictable.

While the mystery element is central to each of Miss Warner's books, she never thought of them as strictly juvenile mysteries. She liked to stress the Aldens' independence and resourcefulness and their solid New England devotion to using up and making do. The Aldens go about most of their adventures with as little adult supervision as possible — something else that delights young readers.

Miss Warner lived in Putnam, Connecticut, until her death in 1979. During her lifetime, she received hundreds of letters from girls and boys telling her how much they liked her books.

The Boxcar Children Mysteries

T
HE
B
OXCAR
C
HILDREN

S
URPRISE
I
SLAND

T
HE
Y
ELLOW
H
OUSE
M
YSTERY

M
YSTERY
R
ANCH

M
IKE'S
M
YSTERY

B
LUE
B
AY
M
YSTERY

T
HE
W
OODSHED
M
YSTERY

T
HE
L
IGHTHOUSE
M
YSTERY

M
OUNTAIN
T
OP
M
YSTERY

S
CHOOLHOUSE
M
YSTERY

C
ABOOSE
M
YSTERY

H
OUSEBOAT
M
YSTERY

S
NOWBOUND
M
YSTERY

T
REE
H
OUSE
M
YSTERY

B
ICYCLE
M
YSTERY

M
YSTERY IN THE
S
AND

M
YSTERY
B
EHIND THE
W
ALL

B
US
S
TATION
M
YSTERY

B
ENNY
U
NCOVERS A
M
YSTERY

T
HE
H
AUNTED
C
ABIN
M
YSTERY

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HE
D
ESERTED
L
IBRARY
M
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A
NIMAL
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HELTER
M
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LD
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OTEL
M
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IDDEN
P
AINTING

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A
MUSEMENT
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ARK
M
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M
IXED
-U
P
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OO

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AMP
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UT
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M
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IRL

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RUISE

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ISAPPEARING
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RIEND
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HOST

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IZZA
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ORSE

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OG
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HOW

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ASTLE
M
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M
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L
OST
V
ILLAGE

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M
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I
CE

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URPLE
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OOL

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HOST
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HIP
M
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ASHINGTON
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AT

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OT
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IR
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ALLOON

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OOKSTORE

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ILGRIM
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M
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OXCAR

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AVE

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RAIN

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AIR

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INE

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UIDE
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ET
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IREHOUSE
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ITY
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EREAL
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UEEN'S
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EWELS

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IRATE'S
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AP

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ALL

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ORK

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OME
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UN
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ICYCLE
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ACE
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ILD
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ONIES

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AME

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OUSE

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OCKEY
M
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IDNIGHT
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OG

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WL

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AMP
M
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M
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AUNTED
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LOCK
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OWER
M
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IGER'S
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YE

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ISAPPEARING
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TAIRCASE
M
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LIZZARD
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OUNTAIN

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HE
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LUE

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ANDY
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ACTORY
M
YSTERY