Mystery of the Traveling Tomatoes by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Author:Gertrude Chandler Warner [Chandler Warner, Gertrude]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-4532-2906-4
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
Published: 2011-10-26T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 6

Poison Ivy!

The Applewood Café bustled with lunchtime customers. As the Aldens waited for their orders, they discussed their visit to the armored car company and to the bank.

“The thief knew exactly how the real driver looked and talked,” Henry said. “That means he’d been watching the real driver. The thief might live right here in Greenfield.”

The smell of cooking food made Benny’s stomach rumble. To pass the time until the food came, he looked at the old photo of the café hanging over their table. For the first time, he noticed Duffy’s Garage in the background. The pile of old tires was higher back then. That was before Henry and Benny used them to build the planter for their potatoes. When Mr. Shea brought their food, Benny asked, “Does Duffy mind us using his old tires for our buried treasure?”

“We’ve never met Duffy,” said Mrs. Shea. “But Sally, the lady who sold us the Café, said he wouldn’t mind. He moved away and just wants to sell the place.” Benny poked his spoon through the crust of his chicken-potpie. He was so hungry he barely stopped to blow on each spoonful before putting it into his mouth.

“Slowly,” said Violet, resting a gentle hand on Benny’s shoulder, “Remember your manners.”

Benny paused, his spoon halfway to his mouth. It was hard to eat slowly when he was so hungry! Slowly he ate the pie, tasting each pea and carrot and zucchini and onion he had helped plant and grow.

When they finished, Mr, Shea brought them each a warm peach cobbler topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Then he pulled a new picture puzzle from his chefs apron. “This one is extra-super-hard,” he said. “Good luck.”

The children bent over the puzzle, looking for differences between the two photos of a toy store. “Benny,” said Jessie, “what’s wrong?”

Benny looked down. He didn’t even realize he’d been scratching his wrist. But now he felt it itching. And his arm itched. “Your skin is all red,” said Violet. “It’s covered with blisters.”

Now Benny couldn’t stop scratching. His arm grew redder and redder. The children called Mrs. Shea, who took one look and said, “Poison ivy.” She lopped off a piece of the aloe plant decorating their table. Thick gel oozed out and she dabbed it on Benny’s arm. It felt cool and soothing.

“Remember this rhyme,” said Mrs. Shea. “‘Leaves of three, let them be.’ Poison ivy has three leaves. Benny, did you go into any woods, or deep weeds?”

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