Boxcar Children 64 - Black Pearl Mystery Read Free Page B

outside the Aldens’ guest cottage, several bright red honeycreepers twittered in the trees the next morning.
    Those birds are like little alarm clocks,” Violet whispered to Jessie, who was half awake in the next bed.
    Jessie yawned and looked over the side of her bed. “Where’s Watch?”
    The next thing Jessie felt wasn’t Watch but Benny bouncing on the bed. “Watch isn’t in Hawaii, silly,” Benny said with a laugh. “But I am. Time for breakfast.”
    Jessie pulled the sheet up over her head. “You did a good job waking me up, just like Watch. I forgot we were in Hawaii, not Greenfield.”
    Benny tugged Jessie’s covers. “Maybe our breakfast will be on banana leaves. Can I go now, Jessie? Cousin Mary said there’s breakfast on the porch for the volunteers. That’s what I am, right?”
    Jessie opened one eye, then the other. She yawned. “You sure are, Benny. If you’re really hungry, go ahead to breakfast now. We’ll come in a while. Do you have your pink cup?”
    Benny reached into his backpack. He took out the old cracked pink cup that he’d found when the children were all living in the boxcar. “It’s right here.”
    So Benny went ahead. He just knew his first Hawaiian breakfast was going to be good. When he stepped onto Cousin Mary’s porch, only one other person was there.
    Hi, Joseph,” Benny said to Mr. Kahuna.
    Joseph continued reading his newspaper without looking up.
    This didn’t stop Benny’s chatter. “I’m an early bird, just like those honeycreeper birds with the funny beaks.”
    Joseph Kahuna turned the newspaper page.
    Is it okay to help myself?” Benny asked. He could hardly wait to try the juices, fruits, and breads spread out on the table.
    Go ahead,” Joseph said at last. “The food is for everyone.”
    Benny poured some yellow juice into his pink cup, then took a sip. “Hey, this isn’t orange juice!”
    It’s papaya juice,” Joseph said.
    Mmm, it’s pretty good,” Benny said. “What’s this?”
    That’s banana bread made from our macadamia nuts and bananas,” Joseph said. “Everything on this table comes from this plantation. Those pineapples come from our plants, the papayas from our papaya trees, and the coconut milk from our palm trees.”
    Did Cousin Mary’s coconut cake last night come from a coconut cake tree?” Benny said with a twinkle in his eye. “We saved you a piece. Did you get it?”
    Instead of laughing, Joseph just stirred his coffee. “I was called away last night. I missed the luau and the coconut cake.”
    Benny put down his cup. “It was fun. I liked eating, then dancing the hula and listening to scary Hawaiian stories.” Benny took another sip of papaya juice before he continued. “And we almost found out about the black pearl. Luke and Cousin Mary said you know that story. Can you tell it?”
    Joseph Kahuna put down his coffee cup so quickly, some of the hot liquid spilled over. He wiped it with a napkin. “The black pearl story is just an old made-up Hawaiian tale. Nothing to tell. Now I have to get to work.”
    But . . . but . . . Cousin Mary said you knew about it,” Benny said.
    Joseph Kahuna stood up. “I know about pineapples. That’s what I know about.”
    With that, Joseph Kahuna rose from his chair and left for the fields.
    Benny loved to eat, but now he wasn’t too hungry. He went back to the cottage.
    When Benny arrived there, Jessie was reading aloud from a small piece of paper:
Please call me. I have something to discuss with you. No need to mention anything to Mary Cook or anyone else.
    Norma Kane
    This was jumbled up with Jessie’s travel books in the van,” Henry explained to Benny. “We think something about this note upset Joseph after he dropped off Mrs. Kane.”
    What do you think it means, Jessie?” Violet asked.
    Jessie reread the note. “Do you suppose Joseph was at Mrs. Kane’s last night? Why would he go there?” Jessie asked Henry.
    I don’t know,” Henry answered. “Let’s just put the