Free The Sleepy Hollow Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner

CHAPTER 1
The Haunted Hollow
    T he Haunted Hollow Gift Shop, located on
the first floor of a big yellow house with white
shutters, was completely dark when Mrs.
McGregor parked the car in front of it.
    “I thought Mrs. Vanderhoff was expecting
us,” Jessie Alden said, peering out the car
window.
    “She is,” said Mrs. McGregor, the Aldens’
housekeeper. “I’m not surprised the shop is
dark, since it’s closed at night, but the lights
in the upstairs apartment should be on.”
    Ten-year-old Violet Alden rolled down the
car window and leaned out. “I think there’s
someone standing on the porch. It looks like
a man in a cape, but he’s standing very still.”
    Their dog, Watch, perched on Jessie’s lap,
began to growl.
    The youngest Alden, Benny, asked, “Can I
see?” He stuck his head out and then jerked
back in, bumping against Violet. “Roll up the
window, quick! The man doesn’t have a head.
It’s there on the ground!”
    His older brother, Henry, took a flashlight
out of the glove compartment. “It’s probably
some sort of Halloween decoration.” He
shone the light on the front of the shop.
“It’s a scarecrow. He’s headless, all right,
but the thing on the ground is just a carved
pumpkin.”
    Benny moved closer to Jessie. “The town
of Sleepy Hollow is already turning out to be
spooky.”
    “There is something strange about that
pumpkin head,” Violet said. “It’s all white.”
    “Is it a ghost pumpkin?” Benny asked.
    “I’ve seen white pumpkins at farm stands,”
Jessie told him. “Some people like them
because they’re unusual.”
    “I think I like the orange ones better,”
Benny declared. “No ghost pumpkins for me.”
    “Are we sure this the right day?” Violet
asked. “Maybe Mrs. Vanderhoff thought we
were coming a different day.”
    “No, I just talked to Gretchen on
Tuesday. I told her your fall break started
this Friday,” Mrs. McGregor said. The
Aldens’ grandfather was away on a business
trip, so Mrs. McGregor had brought them
to the Hudson River Valley to visit one
of her old friends, Mrs. Vanderhoff. The
children were excited to see how the town
of Sleepy Hollow celebrated Halloween,
and they were looking forward to going
on one of the new ghost tours run by Mrs.
Vanderhoff’s daughter.
    Henry Alden snapped on Watch’s leash and
got out of the car with the dog. “Why don’t
we ring the doorbell?”
    The rest of them followed.
    “The apartment door is on the side of the
building,” Mrs. Vanderhoff said.
    Before they could ring the bell, a figure
carrying a lantern came out of the shadows
between the buildings. Violet, who was in
front, let out a little squeak of surprise and
took a step back.
    “Don’t be frightened,” a woman’s voice
called. As she came forward, the lantern light
showed a woman about Mrs. McGregor’s age.
    “Gretchen!” Mrs. McGregor exclaimed.
“We were worried when we didn’t see any
lights. Children, this is my dear friend
Mrs. Vanderhoff.”
    Mrs. Vanderhoff said, “I’m delighted to
meet you. Now let me guess who is who. I’ve
heard so much about you.”
    “Guess me first! Please!” Benny raised his
hand.
    “Hmmm…well, I know Henry is fourteen
years old. Are you Henry?” She smiled when
she said this to Benny and the older children
knew she was teasing.
    “No.” Benny laughed. “I’m only six.”
    “Then you must be Benny, and the taller
boy must be Henry.”
    “You’re right!” Benny said. “Can you guess
the girls?”
    Mrs. Vanderhoff smiled again. “The girls
are easier to guess because I’ve heard Violet
likes purple and I see one of you has on a
purple sweater.”
    Violet nodded.
    “I also know you’re an artist,” Mrs.
Vanderhoff continued. “I hope you brought
your paints! The Hudson River Valley is a
famous spot for painting.”
    “I did bring them,” Violet said. “I would
like to try to paint some of the trees with
their fall colors.”
    Mrs. Vanderhoff turned to Violet’s sister.
“So you