Mystery of the Missing Cat by Charles Tang Page A

but he had been searching and searching for them. When he’d found them at last, he had brought them all to Greenfield to live with him. He’d even brought the boxcar, too, so they could visit it whenever they wanted.
    â€œWhat an amazing story,” said Mrs. Valentine. “You know, it’s funny, but I know a cat who found someone, too, sort of the way Watch found you.”
    â€œReally?” said Violet, forgetting her shyness. “What happened?”
    â€œI’m the housekeeper for Mr. Woods. He lives in the big stone house at the end of Tucker Lane. He lives all alone. He never visits friends. Friends never visit him. He never goes anywhere except for walks. He just doesn’t seem to like anyone.”
    â€œDoesn’t he have a family?” asked Soo Lee.
    â€œNo, no one,” said Mrs. Valentine. “But one day just a few months ago, he came home from one of his long walks carrying a tiny little calico kitten — white with orange and black spots. She was skinny and starving, with funny, crinkled, dirty spotted fur. Why, she was so young her eyes were still blue — kittens’ eyes usually change to green or yellow when they’re five or six weeks old.”
    â€œI didn’t know that,” said Benny.
    â€œPoor kitten,” said softhearted Violet.
    â€œBut she was a lucky kitten after all,” Mrs. Valentine went on. “Because Mr. Woods kept her and fed her and nursed her back to health. He named her Spotzie, and now wherever he goes, she goes.”
    â€œThat’s a very nice story,” said Mrs. McGregor.
    Mrs. Valentine shook her head sadly. “It was a nice story. But a few days ago, Mr. Woods and Spotzie were sitting on the porch the way they always do in the afternoon. Mr. Woods went inside for a minute. And when he came back outside, Spotzie was gone!”
    â€œDid she run away?” asked Jessie.
    â€œI don’t think so. Mr. Woods was only gone a minute. And he came back out and called and called for Spotzie. She always comes when she’s called. But she didn’t this time.”
    â€œDid Mr. Woods call the Greenfield Animal Shelter?” asked Jessie.
    â€œHe did. And he goes out every day, looking for her and calling for her. But she’s just disappeared!” Mrs. Valentine frowned.
    â€œMaybe we could help,” said Henry. “Maybe we could find Spotzie for Mr. Woods.”
    Mrs. Valentine took a last sip of tea and stood up. “It would be a wonderful thing if you could,” she told the five children. “It’s upset Mr. Woods terribly. I feel sorry for that man.”
    â€œCould we come over tomorrow?” asked Jessie.
    Mrs. Valentine thought for a moment, then nodded. “Yes. Mr. Woods or I could show you where Spotzie was when she disappeared. My niece is coming tomorrow, so if she’s arrived, you can meet her, too.”
    â€œWe’d like that,” said Henry. Everyone agreed that they would.
    Mrs. Valentine thanked Mrs. McGregor for the tea, and left, telling the children she’d look forward to seeing them the following day.
    Benny said, “Maybe Watch can use his nose and find Spotzie.”
    â€œMaybe,” said Jessie.
    â€œOh, Benny,” said Violet. “You have a milk mustache!”
    Benny put his cup of milk down. Sure enough, he had milk across his upper lip.

    Benny looked down at Watch, who had been drinking milk from his bowl on the floor beside the door.
    â€œLook,” he said, pointing. “Watch has a milk mustache, too!”

CHAPTER 2
    The Search Begins
    T he next day after breakfast, the Boxcar children went to get Soo Lee. She lived with cousins Joe and Alice in an old gray shingled house on the edge of Greenfield. When Joe and Alice had decided to move to Greenfield and had bought the old house, it hadn’t been as nice as it was now. The Boxcar children had even thought it was haunted — by a singing ghost!
    But the