Free Great Turkey Heist by Gertrude Chandler Warner Page A

“Because when we are done, I think I know where we can find Violet’s giant turkey sign.”
    “You know where Tom the turkey is?” Benny asked. He was so excited that he dropped his football, and it rolled across the floor.
    “Maybe,” Jessie said. “But we will know for sure tomorrow.”
    The next morning, Mrs. McGregor made an especially big Thanksgiving Day breakfast. The children ate platefuls of eggs and bacon and French toast.
    “Thank you, Mrs. McGregor!” Violet said. “That was delicious.”
    Mrs. McGregor smiled. “I’m glad you liked it. You children have a very big Thanksgiving Day ahead with all of your volunteering. I wanted you to have a good start to the day.”
    After breakfast, Grandfather drove the children to the food pantry. Henry used the key to open the door. Everyone was glad that no one had played any tricks. There was no trash thrown on the door. The sign that Violet had painted on the door still looked very nice.
    The children worked quickly. Benny was in charge of lining up the cereal boxes. Henry stacked the heavy cans of soup and sauce. Jessie set all the vegetables side-by-side. Violet made signs to place on the shelves so that everyone would be able to find what they were looking for.
    Soon, the food pantry looked just like a regular store. All the cans and boxes were neatly on the shelves. The floor was swept clean and the lights shone brightly. Violet’s signs explained where all the food could be found.
    The children were just about ready to leave when they heard a banging on the door.
    “Oh no!” Violet said. “Do you think the person who played all the tricks is back?”
    Henry carefully opened the door. “It’s Mr. Higgins!” he said.
    Mr. Higgins walked into the food pantry. He was wearing a dark brown hat and scarf. He looked around at all the food stacked on the shelves. “It looks very nice in here,” he said. “I think that you children have done a wonderful job. I have to admit that I am very embarrassed. In the beginning, I hated the food pantry. I was worried. I thought that no one would shop at my grocery store. I thought everyone would come for the free food at the food pantry.”
    “We’re sorry,” Jessie said. “We did not want the food pantry to hurt your grocery store.”
    “But it didn’t!” Mr. Higgins said. “It helped my grocery store! When you had the food pantry movie night and football game, my store was very crowded. Everyone in Greenfield wanted to buy cans of beans and vegetables and boxes of cereal to donate to the food pantry. My business has never been better.”
    “That’s wonderful,” Jessie said.
    “It made me realize something,” Mr. Higgins said. “I was being selfish. I was not thinking. People who shop at my store will not go to the food pantry. They will buy groceries at my store to donate to the food pantry. And people who are hungry will now have a place to go to find something to eat.”
    “We are glad that you stopped by to tell us,” Violet said.
    Mr. Higgins pulled out his wallet. “I came to confess,” he said, “and to pay you back for what I have done. I am ashamed to tell you that I am the one who threw garbage on the door, put holes in your bicycle tires, and broke the glass jars in your baskets. I even ripped your fliers off the store windows.”
    Violet looked at Mr. Higgins’ brown hat and scarf. “You were the man who knocked into Mr. Grayson in the street and spilled all the canned goods.”
    “Yes. I’m sorry,” Mr. Higgins said.
    Benny jumped up and down. “What about Tom the turkey? Did you steal the sign? Can you give it back now?”
    Mr. Higgins looked surprised. “Yes, Benny. I did take it. I was very angry. I took the sign at night after you went home. I threw it in the alley behind my store, and now it is gone. I want to give you some money so that you can make a new sign. I am very sorry for what I have done.”
    Jessie shook her head. “We think we know where the sign is,” she