CHAPTER 1
“Wait Outside!”
L isten—listen to this!” said Benny Alden. He was reading the newspaper after breakfast. “Science and Hobby Fair. Oakdale, July 25–26. The last day’s today!”
“A two-day science and hobby fair?” asked Jessie. “That sounds interesting. I’d like to go.”
Benny looked at Violet and Henry.
“Well, come on then,” said Henry. “Let’s all go! I’d like to see what other kids have invented and built all by themselves. Let me see the paper, Ben.”
Then Henry read aloud, “One hundred exhibits by young people and adults. Special exhibits by factories to show what they make and show that Oakdale is a fast-growing town.”
“How can we get there?” asked Jessie.
“We can ride our bikes to Oakdale,” said Violet.
“Oh, no, Violet,” Henry said. “Oakdale is thirty miles away. That’s too far to bike both ways in one day.”
“Well, what about the bus?” Benny asked. “We’ll have to look at a bus timetable. But we haven’t got a timetable.”
“It just happens that I have a timetable,” said Grandfather Alden. He took a timetable out of his pocket. “It’s a brand new one,” he said, “so it will be right.” He gave the timetable to Henry.
Henry looked it over. “No,” he said, “we can’t go straight to Oakdale. We have to change buses at Plainville Junction, and we have to wait there an hour for the bus to Oakdale.”
“That’s OK,” said Benny. “People always have to wait at stations for buses and trains. That’s what stations are for.”
Jessie said, “If we hurry, we can get the morning bus.”
Grandfather Alden laughed. “Well, Benny, you’ve started something as usual. I wish I could come along, too. I know that there’s a lot of new business around Oakdale. I hear something about a new company near Plainville Junction.”
“What about lunch?” Benny asked.
They all laughed. Benny was always hungry, and he could always eat even when he was not hungry at all.
“I think there will be plenty to eat at the fair,” Henry said. “Perhaps at the bus station, too.”
“Yes, I think so,” said Mr. Alden. “As I remember it, the bus station is at a crossroads in a lonely spot. The station is near a red bridge over the river. Not many people live around there.”
“We can wait till we get to the fair in Oakdale,” Jessie decided. “I’m sure we can eat there.”
“Look up a bus that will bring us home, Henry,” Benny said. “If there are buses at the right time, we can go and come back all in one day.”
Henry looked at the timetable again and found a return bus that would bring them back by dinnertime. He looked around at the others and said, “This is one time we don’t have to pack a bag or a lunch or take a thing.”
“Better take a little money,” said Grandfather with a smile.
“For bus tickets,” agreed Henry.
“And for something to eat,” put in Benny.
“Perhaps we’d better take raincoats,” Jessie added. “We’ve been caught in plenty of showers.”
“It won’t rain,” objected Benny. “Look at that blue sky!”
Mr. Alden shook his head. “I’d call this day a weather breeder. Better take your raincoats. This is just the time of year for a sudden storm.”
So with money and four raincoats, the Aldens started off for the Oakdale Hobby Fair. They got to the Greenfield bus station just in time to catch the bus for Plainville Junction.
“You can get tickets to Oakdale at the Plainville bus station,” the driver told them. “I suppose you are going to the fair.”
“That’s right,” answered Benny.
There was only one other person on the bus, an old gentleman. Jessie and Violet sat together, and Henry took a seat behind the bus driver. Ben sat down with the old gentleman. He liked company, and he liked to meet strangers.
“Just going somewhere for the day?” asked the old man with a smile.
“Yes, we’re going to Oakdale to the hobby fair,” Benny answered. “Are you
“Wait Outside!”
L isten—listen to this!” said Benny Alden. He was reading the newspaper after breakfast. “Science and Hobby Fair. Oakdale, July 25–26. The last day’s today!”
“A two-day science and hobby fair?” asked Jessie. “That sounds interesting. I’d like to go.”
Benny looked at Violet and Henry.
“Well, come on then,” said Henry. “Let’s all go! I’d like to see what other kids have invented and built all by themselves. Let me see the paper, Ben.”
Then Henry read aloud, “One hundred exhibits by young people and adults. Special exhibits by factories to show what they make and show that Oakdale is a fast-growing town.”
“How can we get there?” asked Jessie.
“We can ride our bikes to Oakdale,” said Violet.
“Oh, no, Violet,” Henry said. “Oakdale is thirty miles away. That’s too far to bike both ways in one day.”
“Well, what about the bus?” Benny asked. “We’ll have to look at a bus timetable. But we haven’t got a timetable.”
“It just happens that I have a timetable,” said Grandfather Alden. He took a timetable out of his pocket. “It’s a brand new one,” he said, “so it will be right.” He gave the timetable to Henry.
Henry looked it over. “No,” he said, “we can’t go straight to Oakdale. We have to change buses at Plainville Junction, and we have to wait there an hour for the bus to Oakdale.”
“That’s OK,” said Benny. “People always have to wait at stations for buses and trains. That’s what stations are for.”
Jessie said, “If we hurry, we can get the morning bus.”
Grandfather Alden laughed. “Well, Benny, you’ve started something as usual. I wish I could come along, too. I know that there’s a lot of new business around Oakdale. I hear something about a new company near Plainville Junction.”
“What about lunch?” Benny asked.
They all laughed. Benny was always hungry, and he could always eat even when he was not hungry at all.
“I think there will be plenty to eat at the fair,” Henry said. “Perhaps at the bus station, too.”
“Yes, I think so,” said Mr. Alden. “As I remember it, the bus station is at a crossroads in a lonely spot. The station is near a red bridge over the river. Not many people live around there.”
“We can wait till we get to the fair in Oakdale,” Jessie decided. “I’m sure we can eat there.”
“Look up a bus that will bring us home, Henry,” Benny said. “If there are buses at the right time, we can go and come back all in one day.”
Henry looked at the timetable again and found a return bus that would bring them back by dinnertime. He looked around at the others and said, “This is one time we don’t have to pack a bag or a lunch or take a thing.”
“Better take a little money,” said Grandfather with a smile.
“For bus tickets,” agreed Henry.
“And for something to eat,” put in Benny.
“Perhaps we’d better take raincoats,” Jessie added. “We’ve been caught in plenty of showers.”
“It won’t rain,” objected Benny. “Look at that blue sky!”
Mr. Alden shook his head. “I’d call this day a weather breeder. Better take your raincoats. This is just the time of year for a sudden storm.”
So with money and four raincoats, the Aldens started off for the Oakdale Hobby Fair. They got to the Greenfield bus station just in time to catch the bus for Plainville Junction.
“You can get tickets to Oakdale at the Plainville bus station,” the driver told them. “I suppose you are going to the fair.”
“That’s right,” answered Benny.
There was only one other person on the bus, an old gentleman. Jessie and Violet sat together, and Henry took a seat behind the bus driver. Ben sat down with the old gentleman. He liked company, and he liked to meet strangers.
“Just going somewhere for the day?” asked the old man with a smile.
“Yes, we’re going to Oakdale to the hobby fair,” Benny answered. “Are you
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