Bus Station Mystery Read Online Free

even a car passed.
    Benny finally spoke up. “It’s one o’clock now. That’s long past lunch time, and I’m hungry. Why don’t we have some lunch? Frank told us we could. So it will be OK with him.”
    “Yes, why not?” Jessie said. “There’s no telling when the bus will come. I’m hungry, too.”
    “So am I,” Henry said.
    That settled it. Jessie and Violet went behind the lunch counter and opened the refrigerator and looked in. They found butter, milk, and hamburgers. In the breadbox were hamburger rolls and loaves of bread for sandwiches.
    “That’s enough,” Jessie said with a nod. “These are just the things Frank uses for his lunch counter. We can get up a good meal.”
    “Just hurry,” Benny said.
    Jessie got out a frying pan and began to cook the hamburgers. Soon the smell was delicious. Everyone began to sniff.
    “Come right up to the counter, ladies and gentlemen,” said Jessie. “Here are paper plates and paper cups.” She poured four cups of milk.
    “Isn’t there anything else in the refrigerator, Jessie?” Benny asked.
    “Well, Ben!” exclaimed Henry. “Right in front of your eyes. Look at that glass doughnut jar on the counter.”
    “Well, well,” said Benny. “I guess I’m blind or something. Doughnuts and milk will finish this lunch off just fine.”
    “Wait, Benny. Let me look again,” said Jessie. “There was another package in the refrigerator.” She opened the door and took out the package.
    “Cheese!” shouted Benny. “I know it’s cheese before you get the paper off. I hope it’s the kind I like.”
    It was cheese and the kind Benny liked. More milk and lunch was over.
    “Not many dishes to wash,” said Jessie, laughing. She threw away the paper cups and plates. “No spoons, and not even knives and forks. I’ll just wash the frying pan,” she said as she scrubbed away. She left it clean and shiny and she hung it up under the counter.
    Henry looked at his watch again. “I wonder where Frank is. He should have come back by now.”
    “No sign of the bus, either,” said Benny. “We’ll never get to the fair in Oakdale at this rate. Not much of an adventure, just waiting in a bus station.”
    Just then there were voices outside. “You still here?” someone called. It wasn’t Frank.
    Benny ran to look out. The two strange boys were back. They had on dry clothes. They both grinned at the Aldens.
    The big boy said, “We just went home to dry out. We found out we wouldn’t miss the bus. We could take our time.”
    “How did you find out?” Henry asked.
    The smaller boy said, “Because the wind blew a big dead tree across the road that leads to the bridge. Nobody can get through. The bus has to go miles around the other way.”
    “The highway is closed!” said Violet in a low voice. “That means we’re stranded. Grandfather will be worried about us. I wish we could call him in Greenfield. But the telephone line is broken.”
    “Don’t worry about Grandfather,” Henry said. “He won’t know we are stuck at this little bus station. I’m sure he thinks we are in Oakdale now, enjoying the fair.”
    “Come on,” the older boy said. “Let’s go back down to the road and watch for the highway patrol to come. See you kids later.” And the two boys ran off.
    “I don’t like this very much,” said Benny. “Nothing to do. I wish I had something to look at.”
    Jessie said, “Well, when I was cleaning up I did see something that made me curious.”
    “You did?” Benny asked. “Anything will be better than nothing.”
    Jessie said, “I didn’t say anything about it, because I didn’t think it was any of our business. Still, it is different from what you’d expect in a bus station.”
    “What are you talking about?” asked Henry. He was curious now, too.
    Jessie said, “Come around behind the counter. Look up on that high shelf.”
    They all looked up. There were several drinking glasses half full of dirty water. Two glasses held old