I’m Jessie, and this is Henry, Violet, and Benny.”
“My goodness,” said Mrs. Carter. “Are you James Alden’s grandchildren?”
“Yes, we are,” answered Henry.
“I went to college with your grandfather. We’ve been friends for years,” Mrs. Carter said. “I’d hoped to someday meet the wonderful grandchildren he’s always talking about.”
There was a whining sound behind them, and everyone turned to see Watch, still sitting by the parking meter. He was getting restless.
“That’s our dog,” said Benny proudly, as Jessie walked over and untied Watch’s leash from the meter. She led him over to meet Jason, Mrs. Carter, and Ginger. After the two dogs had sniffed each other, Jessie told Watch to sit down, and he sat quietly at her feet.
“Do you think he could become a guide dog?” asked Benny.
“He might,” said Jason, smiling at Benny. “He looks like a very good dog. But our school only uses special dogs that are trained from the time they’re puppies.”
“I can see that you children know how to handle animals,” said Mrs. Carter. “I have an idea I’d like to discuss with your grandfather.”
“What is it?” asked Benny eagerly.
Mrs. Carter just smiled. “I think I’ll wait and speak with him first.” She looked at her watch. “Oh! I’ve got to run. Nice meeting you all. See you later, Jason.”
As Mrs. Carter hurried off, the children wondered what her idea was. They were so thrilled about visiting the guide dog school that they almost forgot to buy the things Mrs. McGregor had asked them to get for supper!
That evening, the children could hardly wait for their grandfather to get home so they could tell him about their plans for the next day. It was almost dinnertime. They sat in the old boxcar on the lawn behind their grandfather’s house and listened for his car.
The boxcar hadn’t always been in that spot. It used to be in the woods. When their parents had died, the children had run away and lived in the boxcar. But then their kind grandfather had found them and brought them to live with him. They’d been very happy ever since. The only thing they’d missed was their boxcar, and so Grandfather had moved it to the backyard.
“I think I hear Grandfather’s car now!” cried Benny, jumping up and running out the door of the boxcar. The other children followed.
Sure enough, Grandfather was just pulling into the garage.
“Grandfather! Grandfather!” they all cried, running up to him and giving him big hugs.
“What a nice welcome!” Mr. Alden said.
“Guess what!” said Benny. “We’re going to visit a guide dog school tomorrow!”
“Are your suitcases packed?” their grandfather asked.
“We’re just going for the day,” Violet said.
“That’s not what I hear,” said Grandfather.
“What do you mean?” asked Henry.
“I got a phone call from my old friend Betsy Carter today, and she wants you to spend the week there,” Grandfather explained. “There are extra rooms on the dormitory floor, where you can stay.”
The children were so surprised that at first they didn’t know what to say. But Benny was rarely quiet. “A whole week?” he asked.
“Yes,” Grandfather said. “Betsy only has a small staff, and it seems that most of them are away on vacation, so she needs some help. If you aren’t interested, I could always call her back — ”
“Of course we’re interested!” Jessie exclaimed. “What a week we’re going to have!”
Benny’s eyes lit up. “And maybe we’ll even find a mystery!”
The others laughed, but they didn’t realize that Benny was right.
CHAPTER 2
A Big Black Car
T he following afternoon, Grandfather drove the children to the guide dog school. The Aldens looked out the window with interest as they headed up the school’s long, winding driveway. A brick building sat at the top of the hill. On the beautiful green lawn in front, several people walked about with dogs.
Grandfather stopped the car in front
“My goodness,” said Mrs. Carter. “Are you James Alden’s grandchildren?”
“Yes, we are,” answered Henry.
“I went to college with your grandfather. We’ve been friends for years,” Mrs. Carter said. “I’d hoped to someday meet the wonderful grandchildren he’s always talking about.”
There was a whining sound behind them, and everyone turned to see Watch, still sitting by the parking meter. He was getting restless.
“That’s our dog,” said Benny proudly, as Jessie walked over and untied Watch’s leash from the meter. She led him over to meet Jason, Mrs. Carter, and Ginger. After the two dogs had sniffed each other, Jessie told Watch to sit down, and he sat quietly at her feet.
“Do you think he could become a guide dog?” asked Benny.
“He might,” said Jason, smiling at Benny. “He looks like a very good dog. But our school only uses special dogs that are trained from the time they’re puppies.”
“I can see that you children know how to handle animals,” said Mrs. Carter. “I have an idea I’d like to discuss with your grandfather.”
“What is it?” asked Benny eagerly.
Mrs. Carter just smiled. “I think I’ll wait and speak with him first.” She looked at her watch. “Oh! I’ve got to run. Nice meeting you all. See you later, Jason.”
As Mrs. Carter hurried off, the children wondered what her idea was. They were so thrilled about visiting the guide dog school that they almost forgot to buy the things Mrs. McGregor had asked them to get for supper!
That evening, the children could hardly wait for their grandfather to get home so they could tell him about their plans for the next day. It was almost dinnertime. They sat in the old boxcar on the lawn behind their grandfather’s house and listened for his car.
The boxcar hadn’t always been in that spot. It used to be in the woods. When their parents had died, the children had run away and lived in the boxcar. But then their kind grandfather had found them and brought them to live with him. They’d been very happy ever since. The only thing they’d missed was their boxcar, and so Grandfather had moved it to the backyard.
“I think I hear Grandfather’s car now!” cried Benny, jumping up and running out the door of the boxcar. The other children followed.
Sure enough, Grandfather was just pulling into the garage.
“Grandfather! Grandfather!” they all cried, running up to him and giving him big hugs.
“What a nice welcome!” Mr. Alden said.
“Guess what!” said Benny. “We’re going to visit a guide dog school tomorrow!”
“Are your suitcases packed?” their grandfather asked.
“We’re just going for the day,” Violet said.
“That’s not what I hear,” said Grandfather.
“What do you mean?” asked Henry.
“I got a phone call from my old friend Betsy Carter today, and she wants you to spend the week there,” Grandfather explained. “There are extra rooms on the dormitory floor, where you can stay.”
The children were so surprised that at first they didn’t know what to say. But Benny was rarely quiet. “A whole week?” he asked.
“Yes,” Grandfather said. “Betsy only has a small staff, and it seems that most of them are away on vacation, so she needs some help. If you aren’t interested, I could always call her back — ”
“Of course we’re interested!” Jessie exclaimed. “What a week we’re going to have!”
Benny’s eyes lit up. “And maybe we’ll even find a mystery!”
The others laughed, but they didn’t realize that Benny was right.
CHAPTER 2
A Big Black Car
T he following afternoon, Grandfather drove the children to the guide dog school. The Aldens looked out the window with interest as they headed up the school’s long, winding driveway. A brick building sat at the top of the hill. On the beautiful green lawn in front, several people walked about with dogs.
Grandfather stopped the car in front
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