Free The Mystery of the Grinning Gargoyle by Gertrude Chandler Warner

zero.
    Touchdown!
    The crowd cheered.
    Benny Alden looked up at the screen, hoping to see a replay. But instead, the screen began to show a very interesting halftime show.
    There on the screen, in front of thousands of happy fans, were Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny Alden.
    â€œThat’s me!” Benny said. “Up there on the screen!”
    And next to the four Alden children stood two familiar faces.
    â€œHello, Goldwin University. My name is Annabel,” a smiling girl with light-brown hair said to the camera. “But you might know me better as Raven, the girl in all of the gargoyle videos you’ve watched on the Internet.”
    The crowd cheered—they had seen Raven’s videos.
    â€œWell, the mystery of the grinning gargoyles has been solved, just like I promised it would be on my last video,” Annabel said.
    The crowd gasped—they wanted to know how the mystery ended.
    â€œAlthough I wanted to be the one to solve the mystery,” said Annabel, “my four friends here proved that they are better detectives than I could ever be. I’d like to introduce you to Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny Alden.”
    The crowd roared their approval—for the Alden children waving to them from the big screen, as well as the Alden children sitting with them in Goldwin Coliseum.
    Annabel smiled on the big screen and said, “I now give you, the man behind the mystery, the man behind the grinning gargoyles, and the man behind the Gargoyle Gyro—Izzy, the owner of Goldwin Gyros!”
    Izzy was on the video, too. He twirled his mustache and wiped a hand over his bald head, then began to speak. “I would like to apologize to everyone who might have been scared of the gargoyles. They were not real. I only wanted to let everyone know about the good food I would like to share with you. And now I hope you not only appreciate the great gargoyle statues we are lucky to have here at Goldwin University, but that you enjoy the free Gargoyle Gyros I will be serving at my restaurant after the game.”
    The crowd screamed at the top of their lungs and stomped their feet and clapped their hands—for the end of the mystery and for the promise of free food.

    The video ended with Izzy, Annabel, and the Alden children waving to the camera.
    And the big game ended with Goldwin University winning 28-0.
    As the Alden family walked to Goldwin Gyros after the game, Benny smiled and said, “Grandfather, I can’t wait until next year when we can come watch the big game at the brand new Woods Stadium. Although the only gargoyle I want grinning at me is a Gargoyle Gyro!”

All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.
    This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
    Cover art by Logan Kline
    Illustrations by Anthony VanArsdale
    Copyright © 2014 by Albert Whitman & Company
    ISBN: 978-1-5040-0752-8
    Published by Albert Whitman & Company
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