Mystery of the Midnight Dog Read Free

again. ...
    “Except ...”
    Violet pressed her hands to her cheeks. “Except when?” she breathed.
    “Except when something terrible is going to happen. Then Judge comes back, waiting and watching and barking and howling to try to warn people. And woe to anyone who doesn’t listen to the Ghost Dog of Elbow Bend.”

CHAPTER 3
Howls in the Night
    Applause broke out.
    The Aldens turned in surprise. They had been so interested in the story that Kate Frances was telling, they hadn’t even noticed that a small crowd of people had also stopped to listen. Several of them were tourists, with cameras around their necks.
    “That was just wonderful,” a large man with a big camera said. “May I take your photograph?”
    “Sure,” said Benny.
    “Me, too, me, too,” several other people said. Cameras clicked. One man even had a video camera trained on them. Kate Frances laughed.
    “Wasn’t that wonderful, Elizabeth?” a young woman said to the older woman standing next to her. It was the woman in the dark glasses, red lipstick, and big hat.
    The woman turned up a corner of her mouth. It might have been a smile. “I’m hot,” she complained. Then, almost reluctantly, she said to Kate Frances, “That wasn’t bad. You could almost be a writer.”
    “Thanks,” said Kate Frances as the group began to wander away.
    The younger woman smiled. “Elizabeth should know!” she said brightly.
    “Come on. Let’s get out of the sun,” the woman named Elizabeth muttered.
    The group on the sidewalk broke up and people drifted away. Henry looked at his wristwatch. “Wow,” he said, “almost time for supper.”
    “We’d better head back,” said Kate Frances.
    By the time they got back to Mrs. Wade’s house, the evening shadows of the trees had grown long and the sun was almost down. Grandfather Alden was setting the wooden table inside the screened porch.
    Soon dinner was on the table and Watch was eating a bowl of dog food nearby.
    “Fried chicken,” said Grandfather. “If it tastes as good as it smelled while you were cooking it, Sally, it will be delicious.”
    “It is,” mumbled Benny who’d already reached for a drumstick and taken a big bite.
    While they ate, they talked about everything they’d seen that day.
    “When I grow up I’m going to have a purple house just like the pink one,” Violet said.
    “But it won’t be just like the pink one if it is purple,” Henry teased her gently.
    “When I grow up, I’m going to move to Elbow Bend and eat dinner just like this every day,” Benny said.
    “Well, we don’t eat like this every day, Benny,” said Mrs. Wade. “But I’m glad you like my cooking.” She looked pleased.
    Watch finished his meal and walked to the edge of the porch. He pressed his nose against the screen. He tilted his head as if he were listening to something that no one else could hear.
    “This town has lots of stories in it. But no mysteries so far,” Jessie said. “Not real mysteries, anyway.”
    “You like mystery stories?” Lainey asked.
    “Oh, yes,” said Jessie. “We like to solve them.”
    “Solve them?” Lainey looked a bit surprised.
    “Sure. We’ve solved lots of mysteries,” Henry said. “Even one with a singing ghost.”
    Kate Frances laughed. “Well, with all the ghost stories people tell around here, maybe a mystery will turn up yet.”
    Just then, Watch gave one short, sharp bark, then threw back his head and let out a long howl.
    Everyone at the table froze.
    Then Benny dropped his fork, pushed back his chair, and hurried over to the small dog. “What’s wrong, boy?” he asked.
    In answer, Watch howled louder.
    “Watch?” said Jessie. “Are you okay?”
    Then, as quickly as he had begun, Watch stopped howling. But the fur on his back stayed up and he kept his nose pressed against the screen for a long moment.
    Benny wrapped his arms around Watch’s neck. Watch turned his head and licked Benny’s cheek.
    Looking up at everyone at the table, Benny