disappeared like that,” Violet said. “I wonder what could have happened to him.”
“It is an odd story,” Grandfather agreed.
“Has anyone seen this ghost?” Henry wanted to know. “I mean, what makes people think the farm is haunted?”
Grandfather swallowed before he answered. “Some of the farmhands have heard strange noises in the orchard — leaves rustling even when there’s no wind, the sound of twigs breaking in the underbrush, noises like that. Of course, it could just be some animal that people are hearing,” Grandfather said.
Everyone nodded, except Benny. “I bet it’s really a ghost,” he insisted.
“We’ll see,” Grandfather said, chuckling.
“So when are we visiting?” Jessie wanted to know.
“We’ll leave the day after tomorrow,” Grandfather answered.
“Mmm,” said Benny, taking a bite of his brownie.
CHAPTER 2
The Orchard
“G randfather, we have to turn right at the next road,” Jessie said. She sat in the front of the station wagon with a map unfolded in her lap.
The Aldens had been driving for almost three hours. It was now noon — “time for lunch,” Benny reminded everyone. Watch, who was lying in the very back, thumped his tail.
“See, Watch is hungry, too,” Benny announced.
“We’ll be at the orchard by lunchtime,” Grandfather said as he turned onto a narrow winding road. Acres and acres of fruit trees seemed to stretch for miles, broken only by fields where horses and cows grazed.
“Wow, there are a lot of orchards around here,” Jessie commented. “All apples?”
“All apples,” Grandfather answered.
“There’s nothing on the trees now.” Benny sounded disappointed as he looked at all the bare fruit trees.
“All the apples have been picked by this time,” Grandfather explained. “Now Seymour is probably busy pruning the trees and cleaning up things around the barn.”
“Does he need our help?” Benny asked.
“I’m sure Seymour would appreciate any help,” Grandfather answered. “But this isn’t a working vacation.”
“Except that we have to look for the ghost,” Benny reminded his family.
“And we can help feed the animals,” Jessie suggested.
“Yes, you can probably do that,” said Grandfather as he turned onto a dirt road. “You can see the Curtis farm up ahead,” he informed his grandchildren as he pointed to a big red barn in the distance. Around the barn was a big house and a long, low shed.
“It looks like all the buildings on the farm are connected,” Henry observed. Grandfather was driving slowly now because there were deep ruts in the narrow dirt road.
“They are,” Grandfather answered as he steered the car around a jagged rock in the road. “Farms that were built more than a hundred years ago often had connected buildings. They made for easy passage in the wintertime during those blinding snowstorms.”
“Where is the secret passageway?” Benny wanted to know.
“Ah, that I’ll let you find for yourself,” Grandfather answered, “but I’ll give you a hint. The secret passageway is underground.”
“Underground,” Benny repeated. He looked as if he didn’t really believe it.
“Oh, look, a pumpkin patch,” exclaimed Violet, pointing, “and there’re still pumpkins in it.”
“They’re huge,” Jessie commented.
The Aldens were now passing a pasture where two horses pranced very close to the barn.
“And we’re here,” Grandfather announced as he pulled the station wagon up to the big house — a two-story white building with green shutters and a wide wraparound porch.
Benny was the first one out of the car, with Watch at his heels.
“Well, hello, old friend,” a deep voice boomed behind them.
Grandfather turned around and ran to greet an elderly man with silvery hair, rosy cheeks, and bright blue eyes. “I saw you drive up from the barn,” the man said. “I don’t move as fast as I used to, or I would have been up here to greet you before you got out of the
“It is an odd story,” Grandfather agreed.
“Has anyone seen this ghost?” Henry wanted to know. “I mean, what makes people think the farm is haunted?”
Grandfather swallowed before he answered. “Some of the farmhands have heard strange noises in the orchard — leaves rustling even when there’s no wind, the sound of twigs breaking in the underbrush, noises like that. Of course, it could just be some animal that people are hearing,” Grandfather said.
Everyone nodded, except Benny. “I bet it’s really a ghost,” he insisted.
“We’ll see,” Grandfather said, chuckling.
“So when are we visiting?” Jessie wanted to know.
“We’ll leave the day after tomorrow,” Grandfather answered.
“Mmm,” said Benny, taking a bite of his brownie.
CHAPTER 2
The Orchard
“G randfather, we have to turn right at the next road,” Jessie said. She sat in the front of the station wagon with a map unfolded in her lap.
The Aldens had been driving for almost three hours. It was now noon — “time for lunch,” Benny reminded everyone. Watch, who was lying in the very back, thumped his tail.
“See, Watch is hungry, too,” Benny announced.
“We’ll be at the orchard by lunchtime,” Grandfather said as he turned onto a narrow winding road. Acres and acres of fruit trees seemed to stretch for miles, broken only by fields where horses and cows grazed.
“Wow, there are a lot of orchards around here,” Jessie commented. “All apples?”
“All apples,” Grandfather answered.
“There’s nothing on the trees now.” Benny sounded disappointed as he looked at all the bare fruit trees.
“All the apples have been picked by this time,” Grandfather explained. “Now Seymour is probably busy pruning the trees and cleaning up things around the barn.”
“Does he need our help?” Benny asked.
“I’m sure Seymour would appreciate any help,” Grandfather answered. “But this isn’t a working vacation.”
“Except that we have to look for the ghost,” Benny reminded his family.
“And we can help feed the animals,” Jessie suggested.
“Yes, you can probably do that,” said Grandfather as he turned onto a dirt road. “You can see the Curtis farm up ahead,” he informed his grandchildren as he pointed to a big red barn in the distance. Around the barn was a big house and a long, low shed.
“It looks like all the buildings on the farm are connected,” Henry observed. Grandfather was driving slowly now because there were deep ruts in the narrow dirt road.
“They are,” Grandfather answered as he steered the car around a jagged rock in the road. “Farms that were built more than a hundred years ago often had connected buildings. They made for easy passage in the wintertime during those blinding snowstorms.”
“Where is the secret passageway?” Benny wanted to know.
“Ah, that I’ll let you find for yourself,” Grandfather answered, “but I’ll give you a hint. The secret passageway is underground.”
“Underground,” Benny repeated. He looked as if he didn’t really believe it.
“Oh, look, a pumpkin patch,” exclaimed Violet, pointing, “and there’re still pumpkins in it.”
“They’re huge,” Jessie commented.
The Aldens were now passing a pasture where two horses pranced very close to the barn.
“And we’re here,” Grandfather announced as he pulled the station wagon up to the big house — a two-story white building with green shutters and a wide wraparound porch.
Benny was the first one out of the car, with Watch at his heels.
“Well, hello, old friend,” a deep voice boomed behind them.
Grandfather turned around and ran to greet an elderly man with silvery hair, rosy cheeks, and bright blue eyes. “I saw you drive up from the barn,” the man said. “I don’t move as fast as I used to, or I would have been up here to greet you before you got out of the
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