Free The Yellow House Mystery by Gertrude Warner Page A

wedding on her violin, with three other players. She wore a long violet dress. Jessie wore blue.
    Watch wore his big white ribbon, and he did not bark until it was all over. When everyone was out on the porch saying good-by to Joe and Alice, he barked and barked. By then it didn’t matter, for everyone was laughing and talking.
    The children did not know what to do with themselves right after Joe and Alice had gone. They tried to read. When it was almost time for supper, Jessie said, “I wonder where they are going on their wedding trip.”
    “I don’t know myself,” said her grandfather. “People don’t tell where they are going.”

    “They will be back in two weeks,” said Violet. “Let’s go upstairs again and look at their lovely home.”
    Even Mr. Alden went up with the children. Watch came along too. He was always happy when he was with his four children.
    Mr. Alden sat down in a big easy chair while Violet and Jessie looked again at the pretty blue and white kitchen. They went into the sunny bedroom, and back to the pleasant living room.
    The new dishes were set in piles in the clean cupboards. “It will be such fun for them to keep house here,” cried Jessie. “Everything is in such good order. Alice will love it.”
    “Won’t we have a wonderful time this summer,” said Benny. “When Joe comes back he is sure to have some fine ideas.”
    “Maybe they won’t want us around, though,” said Jessie. “We must be careful about that.”
    “Well then,” said Benny, “we can think up the ideas, and ask them to do things with us.”
    “A very good plan, my boy,” said Mr. Alden with a smile. “If they don’t want to, they can always say no.”
    Then they heard a step on the stairs. It was Mrs. McGregor, the housekeeper. She was a kind little lady, and took fine care of the children. Her hair was white and her eyes were blue.
    “Supper is ready,” she said with a smile.
    “I hope I can have some more wedding cake,” said Benny. “I just love weddings, don’t you, Mrs. McGregor?” He took her hand.
    “Yes, my dear,” said Mrs. McGregor, smiling at the little boy. “Your cousin Joe has a fine wife, and he is a fine young man himself. It was a lovely wedding.”
    Then Violet thought, as she had often thought before, that there was something sad about Mrs. McGregor. “Yes,” she said to herself, “she is sad even when she smiles.”

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CHAPTER 4
    The Tin Box
    I t seemed a long time to the four children before Joe and Alice came home. But at last they drove up to the front door in a new station wagon.
    “It’s Joe!” shouted Benny. “He’s got a new station wagon!” He ran down the steps. “Oh, Joe, why did you buy a station wagon when there are only two of you?”
    “Guess!” said Joe, laughing. He jumped out and gave his hand to his beautiful young wife.
    Then the other children ran out to see Joe and Alice. Everyone was laughing and talking at once. They took bags and boxes and went into the house. Watch barked and jumped around, to show how glad he was to see Joe again.
    “I bet you got a station wagon so we could go too,” cried Benny.
    “That’s right,” said Alice, smiling at him. “Won’t we have a lot of fun in that station wagon!”
    “We know where to go first,” Benny went on. “Want us to tell you?”
    “Children, children! Do let Alice sit down one minute,” said Mr. Alden as he came out into the hall. “You have lots of time, you know. Come in, Alice, and let them talk.”
    But the children could not wait. Before they knew it, they were telling all about the mystery of the little yellow house.
    “What a story!” said Joe. “I’ve wondered about that house myself. I’d like to go inside.”
    “We waited for you to go with us,” said Henry.
    “Will you both go?” asked Jessie.
    “Of course we will,” said Alice.
    Joe laughed. “Well,” he said, “it looks as if we would go right back to Surprise Island.”
    “Today?”