Bus Station Mystery Read Online Free Page B

beside the bus, unlocking the baggage compartment. He looked around and waved at Frank. “More passengers?” he asked.
    Frank nodded. “They have their tickets.”
    The driver lifted the door of the baggage compartment as he said, “I’ve got a package for Pickett, Plainview Junction. Not very big—now where is it? Oh, here it is.”
    “That’s all?” Frank said. “Nothing else?”
    “That’s it,” the driver said. He looked at the Aldens. “You can give me your tickets now. All aboard!”
    The Aldens went up the steps to the bus. It was dark inside.
    Benny looked around. If Jud and Troy had already climbed in, he could not see them.
    The driver slammed the big door shut. “Oakdale in fifteen minutes,” he announced.
    The Aldens settled back in their seats, glad to be on their way to the fair at last.

CHAPTER 5
    Not Fair!
    B enny and Henry sat together on the bus. They rode along without saying anything for a few minutes. Then Benny said, “I’d like to know what Frank was talking about. It’s just as if we stepped into the middle of a mystery.”
    Henry smiled. “We’re always doing that, Ben. But if we could just find out what is wrong, we might help.”
    “Do you think it’s those two boys?” Benny asked. Then he answered his own question. “I don’t.”
    “We know Frank is interested in birds and gardens and weeds,” Henry said. “The chemicals and books make me think he knows a lot about chemistry. I suppose he could be doing some work for the paint company. He took a package from the driver.”
    Benny thought a minute. “That man on the morning bus told me to ask Frank about his new neighbors. I wonder why.” He couldn’t think of any reason.
    Henry and Benny stopped talking. Everyone on the bus was quiet except for a man who was snoring and a crying baby.
    Then someone began to talk. Benny found himself listening. He heard a boy’s voice. “Wait till he gets a good start. Be ready when I give the signal.”
    “Yeah,” another voice answered. “I’ll be ready. I’m not scared, and I don’t care what he says.”
    The first voice sounded angry. “You don’t understand. We don’t care about him. We know he’ll be mad at us. It’s the people who are there who are important. Don’t forget that.”
    The boys stopped talking. Benny didn’t dare look around to see who had been speaking. But he was sure he knew. They were the two boys Frank had sent out of the bus station, the two boys who had laughed at the Aldens. What could they be planning?
    The younger boy started to talk again. “OK. I understand. What about the meeting tomorrow night? Do you think we can get in?”
    “We can try,” the older boy said. “Frank will be there. I’m sure of that.”
    “Shhh,” the younger boy whispered. “Somebody may be listening.”
    “You mean those girls behind us? They don’t know what we’re talking about.”
    “You can’t tell,” the other boy said. “I don’t trust anybody.”
    Benny wanted to look around at Jessie and Violet. Were they sitting behind the whispering boys? It was hard to think anyone wouldn’t trust them!
    “Oakdale!” the bus driver called. “Ten-minute rest stop.” He swung the handle that opened the big bus door.
    Benny and Henry were the first ones to get off the bus. Violet and Jessie followed them.
    Benny didn’t want the two boys from Plainville Junction to think he was watching for them. He saw a hobby fair poster. “Look,” he called. “Here’s an advertisement. Let’s ask someone how to get there.”
    When he looked around a minute later, Benny saw the boys with their backpacks hurrying away from the bus. By the time the Aldens had been told the directions, the boys were out of sight.
    The hobby fair was in the town hall. Tables had been set up for the displays. Some people met the Aldens as they were buying their tickets. A stranger smiled at Benny and said, “You’re going to be surprised when you see this fair.”
    “Why?” asked