Free The Boxcar Children Mysteries: Books One through Twelve by Gertrude Chandler Warner Page B

dishes already on the island, Grandfather?”
    “Not a dish except what the captain has,” replied Mr. Alden. “I’m sorry.”
    “Don’t be sorry!” cried Jessie. “It’s lots more fun to buy them. Let’s get six of each thing. Then we can have company.”
    “There’s still time to go back to the mainland,” said Henry looking at his watch. “We could go to the five and ten for dishes, and we could buy bread and milk for supper.”
    “And I want my bear,” said Benny.
    “Very well, my children,” said Mr. Alden, smiling. “You shall go back and get your things and stay here this very night.”
    But just then Mr. Alden noticed that Captain Daniel had something on his mind.
    “Did you want something, Captain?” he asked.
    “Well, yes,” replied Captain Daniel. “I heard you say I was the only one on the island.”
    “Well, aren’t you?” Mr. Alden looked at him.
    “No, I’m not. I’ve got a young friend staying with me in my hut. I thought I had better tell you. He’s a good young man, handy and all, but he hasn’t been well.”
    “What’s the matter with him? Who is he?” asked Mr. Alden sharply, just as Captain Daniel knew he would.
    “I’ve known him all his life,” said Captain Daniel. Then he looked at Dr. Moore for help.
    “Suppose I go down to the hut and talk with this man,” said Dr. Moore.
    “Fine!” said Mr. Alden. “You go and see what this is all about.”
    “I want to go with you,” said Benny.
    “Oh, no,” said the doctor. “You go look in the windows of the yellow house, and see what you can see. I’ll be right back.”
    So the children went over to look into every window, while Dr. Moore went off with Captain Daniel to see his friend.



CHAPTER 2
Housekeeping
    T hank you for coming, Doctor,” said Captain Daniel, as they walked toward the fisherman’s hut. “You will see that it’s all right.”
    Soon they came to the hut. A young man sat in the door, fixing a lobster pot.
    “Hello,” he said, looking up.
    “Hello,” replied Dr. Moore. “I’m a doctor, and I thought I would come to see you. Mr. Alden is leaving his four grandchildren on the island with Captain Daniel.”
    The young man smiled. “Yes, I know,” he said. “I’m glad you came.”

    “He’s a very handy man, Joe is,” put in Captain Daniel. “He’s a big help to me.”
    “I’d like to tell you about myself,” said the young man. “Please sit down a minute.
    “I used to live around here,” he went on. “Last year I went off to explore a place, and dig up old
Indian things. One day I fell from a very high rock, and broke my arm. For a long time I didn’t know
who I was.”
    “Now do you remember who you are?” asked Dr. Moore.
    “Yes, I think I’ll tell you.” The young man whispered a name.
    “You can’t mean it!” cried Dr. Moore. “How strange! Who found you after you fell?”
    “An old Indian found me, and took me to his hut. He took care of me, and got a doctor to fix my arm. I came here to Captain Daniel as soon as I remembered who I was.”
    “Why didn’t you go right back to your home?” asked Dr. Moore.
    “Because I wanted to be perfectly well before I went home. You see, I used to live with my uncle. It didn’t seem right for me to go back home until I was sure that I was well again.”
    “I see,” said Dr. Moore. “Come over some day to see me, and tell me some more. I will look at your arm then.”
    “It is almost well,” said the young man.
    “Good!” said Dr. Moore. “You are doing the right thing. You should stay here and help Captain Daniel. You will like the four children when you get to know them.”
    “I’m sure I shall,” said the young man. “You won’t tell anyone about me, will you?”
    “No, I won’t,” promised the doctor. “I will say that you are Captain Daniel’s old friend and a handy man. The children can call you Joe.”
    “Right!” said Joe. “My middle name is Joseph, anyway.”
    Dr. Moore and Captain Daniel