Mystery in New York by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Author:Gertrude Chandler Warner
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company

CHAPTER 6

View from the Harbor

Henry called Mrs. Teague from a pay phone on a corner and told her that they were going to Mr. Pound’s office to ask some more questions about the mystery of the missing diamond. Then he called information and got Mr. Pound’s office address. Finally, he looked in his guidebook and discovered that a nearby bus would take them to Wall Street, near Mr. Pound’s office.

“Wall Street is named after a real wall that used to be where the street is today,” he told the others as they sat down on the wide seat at the back of the bus. Fortunately, it wasn’t very crowded. “It was made by the Dutch settlers out of big wood planks.”

“Why?” asked Violet.

“To protect the early settlers from attack,” Henry said. “That was in 1653 and New York wasn’t a big city like it is today. It was just a settlement with a few dozen people.”

“And now it has so many,” said Jessie in amazement.

“In a very small area,” Henry said. “My guidebook says that the island of Manhattan is only 13.4 miles long and 2.3 miles wide at the widest point.”

The bus was driving down a street that was narrow, with buildings so tall they seemed to lean over it. It was almost as if the bus had driven into a tunnel.

“This is Wall Street, our stop,” said Henry.

They got off the bus. The men and women hurrying by seemed to all be wearing dark suits and worried expressions. Most of them carried briefcases. When the children reached Mr. Pound’s office, a guard made them sign in at a desk in the lobby. Then they rode an elevator up to the twenty-third floor. They stepped off the elevator and saw a pair of glass doors with silver handles in front of them. POUNDSTAR was written in golden script across the door.

Jessie led the way, pushing open the doors and stopping in front of the receptionist’s desk. “We’re here to see Mr. Pound,” she announced.

“Do you have an appointment?” asked the receptionist.

“No,” said Jessie.

“We’re here to help him find his diamond,” Benny said.

The receptionist raised an eyebrow. “Really?” she said. “And which detective agency shall I tell Mr. Pound’s secretary you are from?”

“The Alden Family Detective Agency,” said Henry firmly. “We’ll be glad to wait.”

He went and sat down on one of the plush wine-colored chairs in the reception area. He folded his arms. Jessie, Benny, and Violet did the same.

The receptionist picked up the phone. “Some children who say they are from the Alden Family Detective Agency are here to see Mr. Pound. They say it is about the stolen diamond.”

A moment later, the receptionist’s expression of polite scorn changed to one of surprise. She put down the phone. “Mr. Pound will see you now,” she said. She pointed. “Go down the hall, then up the stairs. He’ll meet you at the top.”

“Thank you,” said Violet.

The receptionist just stared at them.

“What’s this? You’ve found my diamond?” Mr. Pound called from the top of the stairs where he was waiting.

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