The Canoe Trip Mystery Read Free

wildflowers.
    â€œThis might be a good campsite,” Henry called to the others. “We could explore.”
    The Aldens and Aunt Jane paddled ashore and pulled the canoes out of the water. They tied the ropes around a trunk of a large pine tree and took out their backpacks, sleeping bags, and a small bag of food for dinner and breakfast.
    A dirt road wound through the field and into a small pine forest. Aunt Jane suggested they set up camp near a stream under the pine trees.
    â€œSomebody else also thought this would be a good campsite,” Jessie said. She pointed to a heap of ashes on the ground.
    â€œHenry and I will go back and get the tents out of the canoes,” Aunt Jane said, putting her pack and sleeping bag on the ground.
    â€œBenny, Violet, and I can gather wood for a campfire,” Jessie suggested. “By the way, where is Benny?” she asked, as she turned around to look for her brother.
    â€œHe went to explore the old house in the clearing,” Violet said. Both girls found Benny poking a pile of stones with a stick.
    â€œThis might have been a chimney once,” Jessie said. The walls of the house had been made of wood, but now they lay in a pile of rubble.
    â€œThere’s lots of wood here for a fire,” Violet pointed out.
    â€œYes, let’s gather some,” Jessie said, stooping to pick up some wooden planks. “Watch out for the poison ivy,” she warned her brother and sister. A thick patch grew alongside the house.
    â€œI saw it. Henry showed me what it looked like in a book,” Benny said proudly. “I didn’t go near it.”
    Violet went into the forest near the house to gather smaller sticks and twigs.
    She came running back to her brother and sister with a pile of sticks in her arms. “Come see what I’ve found!” she called to them.
    Jessie and Benny followed her into the woods and stopped before a very large rock. Someone had painted a message on it.
    â€œLook, there’s writing on it!” Benny leaned forward to see better.
    â€œYes,” Jessie agreed. “It looks like a riddle.”
    In a clear voice, Violet read:
    â€œSilver and gold coins, so well hidden
To seek and find them, you are bidden.
A cat with whiskers but no feet
Guards them near his silver sheet. ”
    â€œWhat does ‘bidden’ mean?” Benny looked at his sisters.
    â€œIt means telling someone to do something,” Jessie answered.
    â€œOh,” Benny said. “So, whoever wrote this message is telling us how to find a hidden treasure.” Benny beamed.
    His sisters smiled back at him.
    â€œYou know, Grandfather was wrong,” Benny said. “We have found a mystery on the canoe trail.”

CHAPTER 3
    Night Noises
    J essie, Violet, and Benny rushed back to their campsite. Henry and Aunt Jane had already put up the tents. Aunt Jane was washing her hands in the stream.
    â€œWe’ll have the hot dogs tonight,” she said, reaching into the bag of food.
    For once Benny wasn’t interested in talking about food. “Aunt Jane, we found a riddle written on a rock near the old house,” he almost shouted.
    â€œA riddle?” Aunt Jane said.
    â€œReally?” Henry asked. “What did it say?”
    Jessie and Violet remembered it word for word and were able to repeat it.
    â€œCan you show me where it is?” Henry asked.
    â€œMaybe we should wait until after dinner,” Jessie suggested.
    â€œI am hungry,” Benny admitted.
    â€œSo am I,” Aunt Jane said.
    â€œWhy don’t we wait,” Violet told Henry. “It will still be light after dinner.”
    â€œYes, and then we can look for more clues,” Jessie added.
    Henry and Jessie built the campfire.
    Aunt Jane explored the campsite. “Lots of people must camp here. Look at the remains of all these campfires.” She pointed to several piles of ashes on the ground.
    â€œYes, it’s funny we