Mystery of the Spider's Clue Read Free Page B

do feel badly for my friends—the ones who rely on me. Some of them are getting older, you know. They can’t get around much anymore. They really enjoy looking out their windows at the flowers and the trees.” Sam shook his head sadly. “I try to keep their windows clean. Every week I do one or two houses for free. The homes where my older friends live, I mean.”
    â€œMaybe we could lend a hand,” volunteered Henry.
    â€œOf course,” agreed Jessie, while Benny and Violet nodded eagerly.
    Sam looked surprised—and pleased. “Would you?” he asked.
    â€œWe’d like to help,” Violet said in her soft voice.
    Sam looked at the children’s eager faces. “Washing windows is hard work,” he warned them.
    â€œNo problem!” Benny said. “We can handle it!”
    â€œI just might take you up on that offer,” Sam said, smiling for the first time. “I don’t like to let folks down.”
    The Aldens looked at one another. They understood what Sam meant. Helping people always made them feel good, too.
    â€œThe houses aren’t far from here.” Sam scribbled the names and addresses on a piece of paper. “I know they’ll appreciate your help.”
    Henry folded the paper that Sam handed to him. Then he carefully put the addresses in his pocket.
    Jessie spoke up. “Do you mind if I make a copy of the Spider’s Clue poem, Sam?”
    Sam didn’t mind at all. “Be my guest,” he said.
    Jessie tugged her small notebook and pencil from her pocket. While she copied the poem, the other Aldens helped Mrs. McGregor. They gathered up the glasses and saucers and teacups and took them into the kitchen to wash them. It wasn’t until they were saying good-bye that the children remembered to give Sam their get-well card.
    â€œNobody’s ever drawn a picture of me before,” Sam told them, taking a long look at the card. “And a poem, too! I can’t believe it.”
    Mrs. McGregor smiled. “Well, there’s a first time for everything.”
    Sam tucked the get-well card into his shirt pocket. “This one is a keeper!” he said in a choked voice.
    Violet was afraid Sam might get lonely all by himself. “We’ll stop by every day,” she promised. “And we’ll keep you up to date on the mystery.”
    â€œI’d like that,” Sam told her.
    Jessie was worried about Sam, too. There was such a sad note in his voice. But she didn’t know what to say to make him feel better, so she just stared out the window. Her eyes suddenly widened when she caught a glimpse of movement outside.
    Was it just her imagination? Or was the same man still watching Sam’s house from behind the trees?

CHAPTER 3
A Needle in a Haystack
    â€œGuess what, Grandfather?” Benny was bursting with news at dinner that night.
    James Alden was helping himself to some of Mrs. McGregor’s creamed chicken. He looked puzzled, but only for a moment. “I bet you found a mystery to solve,” he said, turning to his youngest grandson. “Am I right?”
    Benny’s mouth dropped open. “How did you know?”
    Grandfather chuckled. “Because my grandchildren attract mysteries like a magnet attracts iron.”
    At that, the four Alden children couldn’t help laughing. They went on to tell Grandfather everything that had happened when they went to visit Sam. When they were finished, their grandfather said, “Sam’s right. You do have your work cut out for you.”
    â€œThat’s for sure,” said Jessie. She passed the hot biscuits to Violet. “Especially when the clues are in such a strange poem.” Jessie had the oddest feeling she’d heard the first few lines of that poem somewhere before. But she couldn’t quite put her finger on where it was.
    Violet sighed. “We only have one week to find the secret code word for Sam.”
    â€œThat