Windy City Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner Page B

everything’s all right here, I’ll let you get settled.”
    â€œAre we going to meet your father?” Henry asked.
    Chad frowned. “I don’t know. He’s always busy with some new plan for his business. Thank goodness he has his hobby or he would never relax!”
    Jessie wanted to ask what his father’s hobby was, but Mr. Alden said, “I know you’re busy. You run along. Tell your father I’ll see him in the morning.”
    â€œAnd I’ll be back bright and early to show you the city,” Chad said to the children. He started out. At the door, he said, “Are there any questions about the apartment or anything?”
    â€œI have a question,” Benny piped up. “Can we eat anything we find?”
    Chad laughed. “Anything,” he said. “Just don’t eat it all at once.”
    After Chad left, the Aldens unpacked.
    When they had finished, Jessie said, “I have a surprise.” She showed them a book about Chicago.
    Grandfather Alden was more surprised than anyone. “That’s my old school workbook. Where did you find it, Jessie?”
    â€œIn the bookcase at home,” she answered.
    â€œYou used that book in school ?” Benny said. He thought it must be very old, but he didn’t say so.
    â€œWe were studying American cities,” Grandfather said. He took the book from Jessie and glanced through it. “Soon after we finished our study, your great-grandfather brought me here on the train. Very few people traveled by airplane then.”
    â€œA train is still the best way to travel,” Henry said, thinking of the boxcar he and his brother and sisters had lived in after their parents had died. When their grandfather found them, he brought the children and their boxcar to his home.
    The others agreed with Henry. “You see so much more,” Jessie concluded.
    Grandfather closed the book. “This is a very old book,” he said. “You will find things have changed.”
    The children sat down to study the book.
    â€œChicago’s a terrific city,” Mr. Alden put in. “It was a good city before the fire and a great one after.”
    â€œFire?” Violet repeated.
    Henry held up the workbook. “It tells about it in here,” he told his sister. “It’s called the Great Chicago Fire. It nearly destroyed the whole city way back in 1871.” He showed the other Aldens a picture of a building. “That’s the Water Tower — one of the few buildings that wasn’t burned.”
    â€œHow did the fire start?” Violet asked.
    Henry studied the book. Then he said, “No one knows.”
    â€œThe most popular explanation concerns a cow and a lantern,” Grandfather said.
    â€œThat story is here in the book,” Henry said. “People thought Mrs. O’Leary’s cow kicked over a lantern and started the fire. High winds spread it.”
    â€œIs that why they call it the Windy City?” Benny asked. “Because of the winds?”
    â€œCould be,” Grandfather answered. “But most say it’s because residents bragged so much about their city. People said they were windy — full of hot air.”
    Jessie said, “This city is full of mysteries!”
    Grandfather agreed. “Those mysteries will never be solved,” he said. “But here’s one you can solve: Shall we eat supper here or go out?”
    â€œHere!” the younger Aldens all said.
    Grandfather started for the kitchen. “I’ll be the cook tonight.”
    The children looked at one another. Grandfather seldom did the cooking.
    â€œDo you want some help?” Jessie asked.
    â€œYou can set the table,” Grandfather answered.
    They decided to move the table nearer to the windows. Then Jessie and Violet poked through drawers until they found a tablecloth and silverware. Henry and Benny found the dishes.
    â€œOh, look,” Benny said.