"BC012 - Houseboat Mystery - Warner, Gertrude Chandler" - читать интересную книгу автора (Warner Gertrude)

"Yes, Ben, we know that," said Henry with a smile.
"There's your store," said Benny, pointing. A sign said, "Eric A. Martin, Groceries."
The whole family went into the store. "I need a box of salt," Jessie told the man behind the counter. "Ours rolled overboard."
The man laughed and took some salt off the shelf. "Are you the folks in the Rivers houseboat?" he asked.
"That's right," said Violet. "How did you guess?"
"Almost everyone forgets something or loses something," said Mr. Martin. "They come in here because it's the first place to stop."
Henry asked, "Do you have any clothesline?"
Everybody stared at Henry. Jessie said, "There's a fine clothesline on the boat, Henry."
Mr. Martin said, "Yes, I have two kinds. Cotton and plastic."
"I think I want cotton," said Henry. "It's softer."
"Yes, it is softer and it stretches more," Mr. Martin agreed.
"Good," said Henry, looking at the bunch of line. "Not too many feet in one bunch. I'll have to take two. I want a ball of string, too, please."
"What in the world do you want with two bunches of clothesline and a ball of string?" asked Jessie.
"Secret," replied Henry. "I don't want to tell because I may not have good luck."
"Oh, you will, Henry," said Benny. "I know you. You must have a secret idea."
"Let's buy some bananas," said Jessie. "They're a good dessert, and there's no cooking."
Mr. Martin nodded. "Yes, you must have everything shipshape on a boat. You can't cook too many things."
Violet was looking out of the window. She said, "Grandfather, there's a restaurant on the other side of the street."
"It's a good one, too," said Mr. Martin. "Very good food."
Violet went on, "It's almost noon. I think it would save time to eat lunch here. We have so much to do on the boat."
"Good!" said Grandfather. "We'll do that."
The Aldens said good-bye to Mr. Martin and walked across the street with their groceries.
There were only two men in the restaurant, having lunch. They sat off in one corner. The Aldens sat down at a big table on the other side of the room.
The food was excellent, and they all chose ice cream for dessert.
"No ice cream for a while," said Jessie. "It won't stay frozen on a houseboat."
Benny and Grandfather were facing the two men. Benny looked at them and decided he didn't like them. He didn't really know why, so he said nothing.
Mr. Alden looked at the strangers, too. He thought, "I wonder what they are talking about. It seems to be nothing good."
This was such a small restaurant that a husband and wife ran it alone. The man was the cook and his wife was the waitress.
Benny noticed the woman as she came out of the kitchen. She went over to the table where the two men sat. She asked, "Do you want more coffee?"
One of the men said, "Yes, I'd like some more."
But when the waitress put down the cup, Benny saw her slip a small envelope under the saucer. Then she looked back toward the kitchen where her husband was. But the man was too busy to notice. He went on cooking.
The man at the table put the envelope into his pocket and tried to smile at the woman. But it was not a real smile. The waitress walked quickly over to the Aldens' table.
The men kept their heads down as they talked in low voices. When the Aldens started to go out, Benny heard one man say roughly to the other, "What do you mean—find out? Nobody has found out yet. And it's three years."
When the Aldens were in the street, Benny said, "I don't like those men in there."
Henry looked at his brother and said, "What's the matter, Ben? You always like everybody."
"Well, I don't like them," said Benny. "That's for sure. You were sitting with your back to them. You didn't see them. What do you think, Grandfather?"
"I agree with you perfectly, Benny," said Mr. Alden. "I didn't like them either. They are up to no good."
"Well, we'll never see them again," said Jessie, "and I'm glad."
The Aldens started back toward the houseboat. Benny looked back at the restaurant and stopped suddenly. He could just see the front part of an expensive black car parked a little beyond the restaurant.
"I've seen that car before," Benny thought to himself. Then he knew! It was the heavy black car that had almost hit them the day before!
"Two men in a hurry," he thought. He decided to say nothing right away.
By now the Aldens had reached the houseboat. "It seems like home already," said Violet.
Benny said, "Now don't drop the salt again, Jessie."
Jessie got the salt safely aboard. Benny carried the clothesline and string for Henry. Mr. Alden and Henry untied the boat, and Henry poled it out into the middle of the stream. It floated beautifully, and yet it went slowly.
Benny asked Henry, "Are you going to tell your secret now, Henry?"
"No, but I'm going to work on it. We'll need it very soon. You can guess if you want to."
Just then Jessie said, "Benny, change your clothes and I'll wash your things out."
"Oh, let's watch Henry first," Benny answered.
Jessie herself wanted to watch when Henry brought his clothesline on the deck and began to measure it. He made many long loops. Then he laid the middle of each loop on the deck and crossed it with another rope. He tied this place together with string.
"What in the world!" said Violet. "Are you making a chair seat?"