Free Great Bicycle Race Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner Page B

know if any of us can go on the bike ride, come to think of it.”
    “What? Why not?” cried Violet.
    “Because it says on the forms that you have to be eighteen to ride, or you have to have an adult ride with you,” Jessie said.
    For a moment, everyone was silent.
    Then Benny cried, “It’s not fair!”
    Henry glanced at Soo Lee. “Maybe we could ask Aunt Alice or Uncle Joe to come with us,” he said.
    “Maybe,” said Soo Lee. But she didn’t sound as if she thought they would be able to do it.
    But then Grandfather Alden smiled and said, “I’ll go on the bike ride with you.”
    Benny was so surprised that he dropped the ear of corn he’d been holding. “You will?” he exclaimed.
    “Why not?” said Grandfather. He smiled at Benny. “I haven’t been on a bicycle in a while, but I think I can remember how to ride it. It’s something you never forget.”
    “That’s great!” said Soo Lee.
    “But what will you do for a bike, Grandfather?” asked Jessie.
    “I can rent one at Greenfield Wheels,” said Grandfather. “That shouldn’t be any problem.” He glanced around the table. “But you have to do your own fund-raising.”
    “We can do that,” said Benny. He picked up his ear of corn and looked over at his grandfather. “You should eat everything on your plate,” Benny told him. “And dessert. You have to get good and strong for the bike ride.”
    The next morning, the Aldens began thinking of ways to raise money for the bike ride. They started in the kitchen, right after breakfast.
    “Soo Lee and I are going to have a lemonade stand. Mrs. McGregor said she could help us with the lemonade,” said Violet.
    “And we’ll make a sign,” said Jessie. “To put in front of the stand.”
    “While you are selling lemonade, we can ride our bikes to all the stores and ask for donations,” suggested Benny. “That way, we can practice for the bike ride, too.”
    “Good idea,” said Henry.
    Using a wagon and with Henry, Jessie, and Benny helping, Violet and Soo Lee took the lemonade, a table, two chairs, cups, napkins, and a sign to a busy corner near their house. Watch trotted along behind, and when the table had been set up, he sprawled out in the shade beneath it.

    “Good dog,” said Benny. “You stay here and help sell lemonade, Watch. We’ll be back soon.”
    Watch thumped his tail in agreement.
    Henry, Benny, and Jessie rode their bikes up and down the streets of Greenfield. Dr. Scott, the veterinarian who took care of Watch, made a donation. Sam, the ice-cream man, whose Clydesdale horse pulled the ice-cream wagon, made a donation, too.
    But not everybody was as kind as Sam and Dr. Scott. The owner of the card shop, who was reading a newspaper at the counter when they came in to ask for a donation, listened with a stony face as they told him about Eagle Mountain. Then he raised the newspaper. “See this? This is May Whatney. She’s a good customer and I’m not making a donation to you. That mountain doesn’t need saving from her; it needs saving from people like you who are against progress.”
    “Thank you just the same,” said Jessie politely.
    “May your bikes all have flat tires,” the man said. “Now go.”
    The Aldens left quickly.
    “Wow,” said Henry. “That wasn’t any fun. I guess some people have very strong feelings about the Eagle Mountain issue.”
    “Yeah,” said Benny. He made a face.
    “Let’s go in there,” said Jessie, pointing at the antiques store. “I think Mr. Bellows will make a donation.”
    They were right. Will Bellows, like the veterinarian and Sam, had been part of one of the mysteries that the Aldens had solved and was happy to make a donation.
    “So, are you going to solve any crimes on this bike ride?” Mr. Bellows asked.
    “I don’t think so,” said Henry.
    Jessie smiled. “We’ll probably be too busy riding our bikes to think about any mysteries,” she agreed.
    “I bet we do find a mystery to solve,” said Benny. “Just