Outer Space Mystery Read Free Page A

down the mountain. It was too early for lunch. They decided to walk through the campus and down the main drive.
    “Here’s that trail we saw on the way in,” said Henry.
    “But Randy told us to stay away from it,” Violet said.
    “But he wouldn’t say why ,” said Benny.
    “I’m sure he has a good reason —” Jessie began, but a thrashing noise in the woods cut her off.
    The children caught a glimpse of a small animal running down the trail.
    “What was that?” Violet exclaimed.
    “Let’s follow it and find out!” Henry cried.
    They hiked a while, swatting gnats and looking for the animal they’d seen. Then the trail became narrower and fainter until it disappeared altogether.
    “I think we should go back,” Jessie said.
    “I do, too,” agreed Henry. “But which way is back?”
    Violet gazed down into the hollow. “Is that a chimney?” she said to the others. “It must belong to a cabin.”
    Jessie stared at the stone chimney. “I don’t remember any cabin near the college. I think we’re lost!”

CHAPTER 3
Pictures in the Sky
    “W e shouldn’t have gone down this trail,” Violet said. “No one knows where we are.”
    “Don’t worry. We’ll find our way back,” Henry assured her.
    “I’m hungry,” Benny said. Lost or not, he wasn’t about to miss lunch. Looking around, he spotted a faint path twisting through the trees. “I think this is it!”
    “Benny, you’re right!” Jessie gave him a quick hug.
    The children hurried through the dense underbrush. Soon the narrow track widened into the main driveway. Within minutes, they were back on the campus of Mountvale College.
    Streams of people poured from the main building.
    “Just in time for lunch,” Henry said. “The conference must be over for the morning.”
    “And there’s Grandfather,” Violet exclaimed, running over to him. “Grandfather, are you eating with us?”
    “I’m sorry, Violet. I’ve been asked to sit with today’s guest speakers,” James Alden replied. “You children go ahead. I’ll see you later this evening.”
    The Aldens entered the dining room and quickly staked out a table. Rachel Cunningham brought over four menus.
    Jessie tried to be friendly. “Hi, Rachel. How are you doing?”
    “Fair,” replied the young woman. She popped her chewing gum impatiently. “What’ll it be?”
    Jessie hadn’t even had time to read the menu. She noticed a group of students at the next table. They were snapping their fingers at Rachel.
    “I think those people over there want you,” she said. “You can take their order first.”
    Rachel barely glanced in their direction. “Rich kids,” she said with a sniff. “Just because their parents have a lot of money doesn’t mean they can treat me like a maid.”
    “Hey, Rachel,” called one of the young men. “What’s good today?”
    “I don’t cook the food,” she said over her shoulder. “I just serve it.” Then she took an order pad and pencil from her skirt pocket.
    Benny noticed the big ring of keys attached to her belt. “You sure have a lot of keys,” he said admiringly. “Do you know what they all go to?”
    “I should,” Rachel replied with a sigh. “I have to clean each of those rooms every day.”
    “You have keys to all the dorm rooms?” Henry asked, suddenly interested.
    “All the rooms in the Seneca Building,” she said. “Now, what do you want for lunch?”
    Henry ordered a chicken salad sandwich with potato chips and milk. So did everyone else.
    When Rachel left, Henry leaned forward. “She has keys to all the rooms,” he said. “Rachel could have been the one in our room last night. She was at the cookout. And she got caught in the storm.”
    “I was thinking the same thing,” said Jessie. “But why would Rachel break into your room? Was she looking for something? Nothing was taken.”
    “One of my apples,” Benny reminded her.
    Violet smiled. “That’s not a very big crime, Benny. Maybe Rachel didn’t have anything to