The Mystery at the Calgary Stampede by Gertrude Chandler Warner

CHAPTER 1
Cow Town
    I n the airplane seat ahead of Benny and Henry, a man put on a white cowboy hat.
    In the airplane seat ahead of Benny and Henry, a man put on a white cowboy hat.
    “Does that mean we’re about to land?” six-year-old Benny asked his big brother.
    “We still don’t know where we’re going!”
said Jessie, age twelve. She sat across the aisle
from her brothers, and next to her was her
younger sister, Violet.
    “It’s a mystery,” said Violet. She couldn’t
believe they were about to land and their
grandfather still hadn’t told them where they
were going.
    The plane began to descend and Violet
reached for her grandfather’s hand. “I’m not
afraid,” she whispered.
    “I know,” Grandfather said. He gave her
hand a soft squeeze.
    Violet felt good with Grandfather beside
her. She could remember a time when she and
her brothers and sister found an abandoned
boxcar in the woods and made a home for
themselves there. That was before they’d met
Grandfather. But now Grandfather took care
of them, and they cared for him too—Henry
in his fourteen-year-old, big brother way, and
Benny, always quick to make everyone laugh.
Now the boxcar had a home in their backyard.
    Violet squeezed Grandfather’s hand right
back, and he smiled at her.
    “Ready for adventure?” he asked.
    “Always,” she said.
    “So,” said Henry as the plane taxied toward
the airport, “where are we?”
    Grandfather chuckled. “I’m going to let
you guess.” He led the way through the
airport and onto a bus.
    Half an hour later, Benny was kneeling
on his seat, looking out the window. “All the
windows of shops and restaurants and offices
in this city are painted with cows and horses
and cowboy hats and boots.” He pointed to
a revolving door in a tall building. “Look
at that! It’s painted like old-time Western
saloon doors!”
    Grandfather pulled on the cord to let the
driver know they were getting off the bus.
    Violet pointed to another painted window.
“Look—it says, ‘Welcome to Cow Town.’ Is
there really a city with that name?”
    Henry shook his head. “I think we’re in
the city of Calgary. Grandfather, you told
us about it when you were telling us about
your friend Judy. It’s also called Cow Town,
you said. And my guess is that it’s Stampede
time. Right?”
    Grandfather smiled wide. “You’re right,
Henry! Cow Town Calgary, it is.”
    Benny was frowning. “What’s a stampede?”
he asked. “Isn’t that when everybody rushes
around and somebody gets knocked over?”

    “Like this?” asked Jessie. She jogged in
circles around Benny. Henry and Violet
danced around too. Benny squealed, and
Jessie lifted him up and gave him a squiggly,
tickling hug.
    “I think stampede has more to do with
horses,” said Henry. “You know, broncos
bucking and roping calves and riding bulls
like cowboys.”
    “That’s called a rodeo,” added Jessie.
    “Right!” said Henry.
    Grandfather spoke up. “The rodeo is one
part of the Stampede. The Stampede includes
all sorts of events, from art exhibits to dog
shows. We’re going to have a great time!”
    They’d come to a building with a sign that
read Glenbow Museum . A woman was standing
in front. She had a huge smile on her face and
bright red hair that sat in a pile atop her head.
    “Our Calgary Stampede is called the
Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth,” she
said in a deep, rich voice. She must have
overheard them. She put out her hand. “I’m
your grandfather’s friend, Judy Simon!”
    She shook each of the Aldens’ hands and
chuckled. “I thought it was about time your
grandfather brought you to our province
of Alberta.”
    “In Canada a province is like a state,” Jessie
explained to her siblings.
    “I’m so excited you’re all finally here,” Judy
said. “Especially for Stampede time! Every
July we open our city to the world for ten days.
It’s a giant party! We have cowboys from all
over North America. We have chuckwagon
races and young