Mystery of the Runaway Ghost by Gertrude Chandler Warner

CHAPTER 1
Shadowbox
    “Grandfather should be home soon,” said six-year-old Benny. He pressed his nose against the living room window. “Any minute now, we’ll find out about the surprise!” He sounded excited.
    Ten-year-old Violet came up behind her younger brother. “I wonder what kind of surprise it is.” She looked out the window, too. There was no sign of Grandfather yet.
    Jessie, who was twelve, was placing napkins around the dining room table. “It’s not like Grandfather to be so mysterious,” she said. “Tell us again what he said on the phone, Henry.”
    “He didn’t say much,” said Henry, as he poured lemonade into tall glasses. “He wouldn’t even give me a hint. He just said he was bringing home pizza for dinner — pizza and a surprise.” At fourteen, Henry was the oldest of the Alden children.
    “One thing’s for sure,” said Jessie. “Grandfather’s surprises are always fun.”
    At that, Watch, the family dog, looked up and barked in agreement.
    Violet had a faraway look in her eye. “Remember when Grandfather surprised us with the boxcar?”
    The others nodded and smiled. After their parents died, the four Alden children had run away. They discovered an abandoned boxcar in the woods and made it their home. Then their grandfather, James Alden, found them and brought them to live with him in his big white house in Greenfield. He had the boxcar moved to his backyard as a special surprise for his grandchildren. The Aldens often used the boxcar as a clubhouse.
    “Well, surprises always make me hungry,” Benny said. “I hope Grandfather gets a really big pizza.”
    “Oh, Benny!” Jessie laughed. “Everything makes you hungry.”
    Just then, James Alden walked in the door. He was holding a pizza box from Joe’s Restaurant. “Ready to dig in?” he asked, smiling fondly at his grandchildren. “I ordered an extra-large topped with special tomato sauce, extra cheese, and pepperoni.”
    Benny let out a cheer. “That’s my favorite kind!”
    The children forgot all about the surprise for a while as they helped themselves to pizza. Finally, Grandfather sat back in his chair and said, “Are you ready to hear my news?”
    Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny looked up expectantly. “Yes! What is it, Grandfather?” Violet asked.
    “I was talking to my friend Fran Russell today. I have some business to take care of in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, and I thought I’d stop by to see her while I’m there.” Grandfather took a sip of his lemonade. “She invited the four of you to come with me and spend a few days with her at Shadowbox. What do you think?”
    Everyone thought it was a great idea. The children had often heard their grandfather speak of his good friend Fran and her old stone house, Shadowbox.
    “Shadowbox sure is a weird name for a house,” Benny said.
    “The name fits, Benny,” said Grandfather, smiling over at his youngest grandson. “When you see the house, you’ll know what I mean.” He helped himself to another slice of pizza.
    Henry was curious. “How old is Shadowbox, Grandfather?”
    Grandfather took a bite of his pizza and chewed thoughtfully for a moment. Then he said, “As I recall, Fran’s ancestors built Shadowbox back in the 1850s. It’s been in the family ever since. Fran takes great pride in her home,” he added. “And in the family ghost.”
    The children all looked at their grandfather in surprise. “The family what ?” said Benny his eyes round.
    Grandfather’s eyes crinkled with amusement. “According to the story, Shadowbox is haunted by a runaway ghost.”
    “What do you mean?” asked Henry.
    “Is the ghost one of Fran’s ancestors?” Jessie asked at the same time.
    Then Violet chimed in, “What kind of ghost runs away?”
    Grandfather couldn’t help laughing as he held up a hand to slow them down. “You’ll hear all about the runaway ghost when you get to Shadowbox.”
    Benny wiped tomato sauce from his chin. “Won’t you tell us