CHAPTER 1
The Arrival
“T here he is!” said six-year-old Benny.
The airport waiting room was crowded, but the Aldens all saw the man in the baseball cap.
Henry waved to him. “That’s Uncle Andy, all right.”
“But where’s Aunt Jane?” Jessie said.
The Aldens had come to San Francisco to visit their grandfather’s sister, Jane, and her husband, Andy Bean. Chattering excitedly, the children surrounded their uncle. He laughed as he hugged them.
“Where’s Aunt Jane?” ten-year-old Violet asked.
“She had some shopping to do,” Uncle Andy explained. “She’s going to meet us for lunch.”
Benny nodded. “Good,” he said. “I’m hungry.”
“We ate on the plane,” twelve-year-old Jessie reminded her brother.
“But Jessie, that was hours ago,” said Benny.
Uncle Andy laughed. “Same old Benny,” he teased. Then he said, “Let’s get your luggage.”
Fourteen-year-old Henry held up his duffel bag. “We carried everything on the plane with us,” he said.
Benny pointed over his shoulder. “All my stuff is in my backpack.”
“Well, then, let’s go,” Uncle Andy said.
On the way to the parking garage, he asked, “Did you have a nice trip?”
The Aldens said, “Yes!”
“I think you’ll enjoy San Francisco,” their uncle told them. “It’s an interesting city.”
He and Aunt Jane had been staying in San Francisco for the last few weeks. They would not return home until Uncle Andy had finished his business here.
“We’re happy you invited us,” Violet said.
Uncle Andy smiled. “We’re happy to have you,” he said. “I hope you’ve thought about what you want to do.”
“We each want to do something different,” Jessie said.
Henry nodded. “I’d like to see Chinatown. I’ve been reading about it.”
“I’d like to take a boat trip,” Violet told him. She had heard about sightseeing boat tours.
“The Golden Gate Bridge is my choice,” Jessie put in.
“And the cable cars!” Benny said. “Don’t forget the cable cars. They remind me of our boxcar.”
The Alden children used to live alone in a boxcar after their parents had died. Then their grandfather found them and took them to his beautiful home in Greenfield.
Uncle Andy nodded. “You’ll see all that and more.” He took out his car keys. “Here we are,” he said, and opened the trunk.
The Aldens piled their luggage inside. Then they all climbed into the car.
“Where are we going?” Benny asked.
Uncle Andy started the engine. “To Fisherman’s Wharf,” he said. “It’s a good place to begin our sightseeing.”
The Aldens looked at one another and smiled. With so much to do, they knew this would be a special trip.
Before long, they were in the city. The sun shone brightly on the bay. The tall buildings seemed to sparkle. Uncle Andy drove up one steep hill and down another.
“San Francisco sure is hilly,” Violet observed.
“Some people call it the City of Hills,” Uncle Andy said.
The car crested a hill and started down.
“They should call it roller-coaster city,” Benny said. Everyone laughed.
Soon Uncle Andy pulled into a parking space.
“There’s Aunt Jane!” Violet said.
Benny was the first one out of the car. “Aunt Jane!” he called, and ran toward the woman. The other Aldens hurried after him. Aunt Jane held out her arms. Benny hugged her.
“I’m so glad to see you all!” Aunt Jane said.
“We’re glad to see you, too,” Jessie said.
“If it’s okay with everyone, I thought we’d tour the pier first,” Aunt Jane said, smiling. “That way we’ll work up an appetite.”
They strolled along the brick sidewalk and under a sign that read PIER 39. The place was buzzing with activity. Here, an artist sketched a visitor. There, a group posed for a photo. Everywhere, people wandered along the wooden plank walkway. They went in and out of the small shops that lined both sides of the pier.
In one shop, Violet said, “We should buy a souvenir for Soo
The Arrival
“T here he is!” said six-year-old Benny.
The airport waiting room was crowded, but the Aldens all saw the man in the baseball cap.
Henry waved to him. “That’s Uncle Andy, all right.”
“But where’s Aunt Jane?” Jessie said.
The Aldens had come to San Francisco to visit their grandfather’s sister, Jane, and her husband, Andy Bean. Chattering excitedly, the children surrounded their uncle. He laughed as he hugged them.
“Where’s Aunt Jane?” ten-year-old Violet asked.
“She had some shopping to do,” Uncle Andy explained. “She’s going to meet us for lunch.”
Benny nodded. “Good,” he said. “I’m hungry.”
“We ate on the plane,” twelve-year-old Jessie reminded her brother.
“But Jessie, that was hours ago,” said Benny.
Uncle Andy laughed. “Same old Benny,” he teased. Then he said, “Let’s get your luggage.”
Fourteen-year-old Henry held up his duffel bag. “We carried everything on the plane with us,” he said.
Benny pointed over his shoulder. “All my stuff is in my backpack.”
“Well, then, let’s go,” Uncle Andy said.
On the way to the parking garage, he asked, “Did you have a nice trip?”
The Aldens said, “Yes!”
“I think you’ll enjoy San Francisco,” their uncle told them. “It’s an interesting city.”
He and Aunt Jane had been staying in San Francisco for the last few weeks. They would not return home until Uncle Andy had finished his business here.
“We’re happy you invited us,” Violet said.
Uncle Andy smiled. “We’re happy to have you,” he said. “I hope you’ve thought about what you want to do.”
“We each want to do something different,” Jessie said.
Henry nodded. “I’d like to see Chinatown. I’ve been reading about it.”
“I’d like to take a boat trip,” Violet told him. She had heard about sightseeing boat tours.
“The Golden Gate Bridge is my choice,” Jessie put in.
“And the cable cars!” Benny said. “Don’t forget the cable cars. They remind me of our boxcar.”
The Alden children used to live alone in a boxcar after their parents had died. Then their grandfather found them and took them to his beautiful home in Greenfield.
Uncle Andy nodded. “You’ll see all that and more.” He took out his car keys. “Here we are,” he said, and opened the trunk.
The Aldens piled their luggage inside. Then they all climbed into the car.
“Where are we going?” Benny asked.
Uncle Andy started the engine. “To Fisherman’s Wharf,” he said. “It’s a good place to begin our sightseeing.”
The Aldens looked at one another and smiled. With so much to do, they knew this would be a special trip.
Before long, they were in the city. The sun shone brightly on the bay. The tall buildings seemed to sparkle. Uncle Andy drove up one steep hill and down another.
“San Francisco sure is hilly,” Violet observed.
“Some people call it the City of Hills,” Uncle Andy said.
The car crested a hill and started down.
“They should call it roller-coaster city,” Benny said. Everyone laughed.
Soon Uncle Andy pulled into a parking space.
“There’s Aunt Jane!” Violet said.
Benny was the first one out of the car. “Aunt Jane!” he called, and ran toward the woman. The other Aldens hurried after him. Aunt Jane held out her arms. Benny hugged her.
“I’m so glad to see you all!” Aunt Jane said.
“We’re glad to see you, too,” Jessie said.
“If it’s okay with everyone, I thought we’d tour the pier first,” Aunt Jane said, smiling. “That way we’ll work up an appetite.”
They strolled along the brick sidewalk and under a sign that read PIER 39. The place was buzzing with activity. Here, an artist sketched a visitor. There, a group posed for a photo. Everywhere, people wandered along the wooden plank walkway. They went in and out of the small shops that lined both sides of the pier.
In one shop, Violet said, “We should buy a souvenir for Soo
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