Free Ice Cream Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner

CHAPTER 1
A Horse Named Butterscotch
    “Benny? Benny, where are you?” called ten-year-old Violet from the back door of the big white house.
    No one answered.
    “Benny?” Violet called again.
    “Haven’t you found him yet?” asked her sister, Jessie. “Henry’s waiting.”
    Henry was fourteen and the oldest of the four Alden children. Benny, six, was the youngest.
    “He and Watch were playing ball,” Violet said. “But I don’t see them now.”
    “I know how to get Benny’s attention. Watch this!” said Jessie, taking charge. She was twelve and liked to get things done.
    Cupping her hands to her mouth, Jessie shouted, “Benny! Watch! Ice cream! ”
    Almost immediately a small boy and a small dog came running from behind the old boxcar that stood at the edge of the backyard. “Here we are,” the boy cried. Watch barked happily.
    Violet laughed. “Benny! You’re all muddy,” she said.
    “We are?” Benny looked down at his dirt-streaked T-shirt. Then he looked over at Watch, whose whole face from nose to ears was powdered with sticky dirt. “Oh,” he said. “I guess we did get a little dirty. I was helping Watch dig a hole to bury a bone.”
    “I’ll wash Watch with the garden hose,” Jessie said. “Violet, why don’t you help Benny get his hands and face clean.”
    “Aw, do I have to clean up already?” Benny said.
    “If we’re going to get ice cream, you do,” Violet told him.

    “Ice cream? Well, I guess I could wash up a little bit,” said Benny. He followed Violet into the house.
    “And put on a clean T-shirt,” Jessie added.
    “Awww,” said Benny, but he didn’t argue. Benny would do almost anything for ice cream.
    A little while later, Violet and Benny came hurrying down the front steps of the house. Jessie, Watch, and Henry were waiting.
    “There you are,” said Henry, jumping to his feet. He picked up his bicycle. “Let’s go.”
    It was a hot day, so Watch rode in Jessie’s bicycle basket instead of running beside them. But he was still panting gently by the time they reached the Greenfield Ice Cream Barn at the edge of downtown Greenfield. The small shop was built to look like an old-fashioned red barn. Behind that was a real red barn with a small fenced-in pasture on one side. A neat gray shingled house with red trim stood just down the road. The owner of the shop lived there.
    The Aldens steered their bikes into the bicycle stand in front of the store, and Watch hopped out of his basket. But instead of leading the way to the Ice Cream Barn where he knew he would get some water and maybe a taste of vanilla ice cream, he scampered toward the big red barn.
    “Watch!” exclaimed Benny. “Where are you going?”
    Watch barked.
    “Okay, I’m coming,” said Benny, as if he could understand what Watch had said.
    Henry looked at his sisters and shrugged. “I guess we’d better go see what Watch is up to,” he said.
    They found Watch in the pasture next to the barn. He was nose-to-nose with a large tan horse with a cream-colored mane and tail. Benny was scratching the horse’s ears.
    “Look! Watch and I found a horse. A big horse!” said Benny.
    “There’s never been a horse here before,” said Jessie.
    “What’s your name?” Violet wondered in a soft voice.
    “That’s Butterscotch,” a voice said behind them. “She’s a new business partner at the Ice Cream Barn. And so am I.”
    The Aldens turned to see a tall girl, with bright green eyes and a thick ponytail, coming out of the barn. Her hair matched the color of Butterscotch’s coat. She had on jeans and a red shirt with the words ICE CREAM BARN embroidered in gold above the pocket.
    “Hi,” said Benny. “Who are you?”
    “Benny, don’t be rude,” said Jessie.
    The girl laughed. “Don’t worry about it,” she told them. “I’m Brianna. I’ve just moved to Greenfield to join the ice-cream business.”
    “I’m Jessie. This is Violet, Henry, Benny, and Watch,” said Jessie.
    “How can