The Clue in the Recycling Bin Read Online Free

recycling,” Jessie said to Chad.
    He frowned. “I guess I am,” he said. Then Chad turned to Kayla again. “Where do the trucks take the bins?” he asked.
    â€œTo a recycling plant in Watertown,” said Kayla as she turned to pick up a box of glass jars. “Benny and Jessie, can you show Chad how to sort the recycling?”
    Jessie took the box from Kayla. “Sure,” she said. “The glass bins are over here,” she told Chad.
    But Chad just stood there.
    Kayla went back to work in her shed. Jessie and Benny began dropping the bottles and jars into the correct bins.
    Benny stood on his tiptoes and looked into the bin for brown glass. Still, he could barely see over the top.
    Jessie laughed. “Here’s a wooden box to stand on,” she said. She turned the box over and put it down near Benny.
    â€œI see a plastic bottle,” said Benny. “It doesn’t belong with glass.”
    Benny stood on his tiptoes on the wooden box, but he still wasn’t tall enough to reach inside the bin.
    â€œHere,” said Jessie, “I can reach it.”
    She reached into the bin for brown glass and pulled out a plastic bottle. The green label read Doo-Dah Tea. Benny knew that the green label meant the tea was mint flavored. Benny took the bottle from Jessie and walked over to the plastics bin. He threw the bottle into the bin.
    â€œThe bottle was in the wrong place,” Benny said to Chad. “Somebody threw plastic into the Dumpster for brown glass.”
    Chad suddenly looked interested. “What?” he asked. “What did you just say?”

    Benny repeated what he had said.
    â€œHmmm,” said Chad. “That could be it. It could be in the wrong place.”
    â€œ What could be in the wrong place?” Jessie asked.
    â€œHmmm,” said Chad again. He didn’t say anything else.
    â€œAre you ready to help recycle now?” Benny asked.
    â€œNo,” snapped Chad. “I have something else to do.”
    Jessie and Benny watched Chad walk away. He didn’t say good-bye to them. He didn’t say good-bye to Violet or Henry, either, when he walked past where they were working.
    â€œWhat a grump,” said Jessie.
    â€œMaybe he’s just hungry,” said Benny.
    Jessie laughed. “Oh Benny,” she said. “I don’t need a watch when you’re around, do I?”
    â€œWhy not?” asked her brother.
    â€œBecause when you’re hungry in the middle of the day, I know it’s time for lunch.”
    The children finished sorting recycled materials and rode their bikes home along the bike path.
    As they were pedaling, Violet heard footsteps behind them. She could tell they were the footsteps of somebody running very fast.
    Before Violet could even turn around to see who was running, she heard somebody say, “Hi Benny! Hi Violet! Hi Jessie and Henry!”
    It was Ethan. He waved his hand as he raced past them.
    Violet saw that today Ethan was wearing shorts and a tank top.
    â€œEthan sure can run fast,” said Benny as he pedaled his bike.
    â€œYes,” said Jessie. “I’ll bet he runs track. That looked like a track uniform he was wearing.”
    When they arrived back home, the children propped their bikes against the garage and walked into the sunporch. Benny patted the big green frog and looked up at his bull piñata, which Henry had hung from the sunporch ceiling.
    Mrs. McGregor was in the kitchen, reading the newspaper and drinking a bottle of tea.
    Jessie noticed that the bottle had a green label. It was mint-flavored Doo-Dah Tea.
    â€œWhat’s in the news?” Jessie asked Mrs. McGregor.
    â€œWhat’s for lunch?” asked Benny at the same time.
    Everybody laughed.
    â€œI’ll answer both questions after you all wash the recycling dirt off your hands and sit down. I’ve already set the table.”
    After the children had washed, Mrs. McGregor brought out