The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart & Carson Ellis

Author:Trenton Lee Stewart & Carson Ellis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: 2008-03-31T16:00:00+00:00

That evening, at precisely 10:01, S.Q. Pedalian knocked on the boys’ door. He knocked first with his feet, by accident, and then with his knuckles. Getting no response, he opened the door and peered in. In the dim room he saw the boys lying on their bunks in their pajamas. Something caught his eye, however, and he looked upward. Only shadows on the ceiling.

“S.Q.? Is that you?” Reynie asked in a sleepy voice.

“Sorry, boys,” S.Q. said, snapping on the light. “I didn’t think you’d be asleep so early—it’s only just now lights-out. Mr. Curtain wants to see you. Hop up now, both of you, and get dressed. You know, I could have sworn I saw one of your ceiling tiles move.”

“Probably just a shadow,” Reynie suggested, fumbling with his trousers and shoes.

“Or a mouse,” said Sticky in a cracked voice. His mouth had gone very dry.

S.Q. scratched his head. “A mouse, hm? That’s probably it. A lot of students have complained about mice in their ceiling lately. I suppose we’ll have to put out some traps.” As Reynie made a mental note to tell Kate to look out for mousetraps, S.Q. ushered them from their room.

Both boys were in a state of high alarm. Obviously Martina had convinced Mr. Curtain she hadn’t cheated, for how else would she have been made an Executive? Thus Mr. Curtain must know that Sticky lied, and no doubt Reynie had been implicated as his accomplice. Which was as it should be, Reynie thought miserably. It was his plan that got Sticky into this mess—twice.

At the entrance to the Institute Control Building, S.Q. stopped. With a sympathetic expression, he knelt down and put a hand on each of their shoulders. “I imagine you two are wondering what Mr. Curtain wants to speak with you about.”

“Oh, yes!” cried the boys together, and Reynie’s heart leaped. If he had a moment to prepare, maybe he could think of something to say, something that…

“I wish I knew,” S.Q. said, shaking his head. “I hope it’s nothing bad.”

Sixty seconds later the boys were alone with Mr. Curtain in his office. Trying to breathe evenly (and mostly failing), they waited for him to speak. Mr. Curtain had put down his journal and rolled out from behind his desk. But instead of his usual zooming about, he was inching toward them, very, very slowly, contemplating the boys in a way that gave them the impression of a predator—a wolf spider came to mind—seeking just the moment to pounce upon its prey. They had to fight the urge to recoil.

“No doubt,” said Mr. Curtain as he drew near, “you are wondering why Martina Crowe was made Executive. After all, according to you, George, she was a bully and a cheat. Isn’t that right?”

Sticky reached for his spectacles, checked himself, and thrust his hands into his pockets to still them. “Yes, sir.”

“It’s true, Mr. Curtain,” said Reynie. “We were wondering that.”

“Yes. I know. And now I shall tell you why. Do you remember

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