Read Online Mystery at the Ballpark by Gertrude Chandler Warner - Free Book Online
Authors: Gertrude Chandler Warner
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jumping up and down. “Great catch!” Violet said.
Nicole beamed. “We really did it, didn’t we?” She felt breathless and a little dizzy.
“We sure did!” Jessie cried.
Soon the rest of the team ran over, jumping up and down and cheering. They were very pleased with themselves. As they walked off the field, Benny said, “You should see Chuck. He’s smiling from ear to ear!”
“So’s Coach Warren,” Michael offered. He lowered his voice. “When are we going to spring the trap?”
Henry moved closer. He knew that Michael was talking about the baseball card in the glove compartment. “We’re going to start the party as soon as everyone cleans up.”
Half an hour later, the Pirates had left the parking lot, and the Bears were milling around the field, sipping cold lemonade. Henry was just about to approach Coach Warren when a female voice rang out.
“Surprise, surprise!” Violet and Jessie turned to see Mrs. Sealy bearing down on them with a large birthday cake. “I hope Coach Warren can blow out all these candles,” she said, teasing. She was balancing the cake carefully, and Jessie noticed that it was decorated to look like a baseball diamond.
Susan and her mother were right behind her, carrying napkins and paper plates.
“Did you know your aunt was planning this?” Violet asked quietly.
Susan looked a little embarrassed. “My aunt knew we were having a party to celebrate after the game, and she decided to bake a cake.” She paused. “I’m surprised she knew it was the Coach’s birthday. …”
Violet didn’t say anything. Somehow, Mrs. Sealy always seemed to be in the middle of things.
A little bit later, after the cake had been cut, Violet wandered over to Henry. He was standing next to the van, his hand on the door handle. “Is the baseball card still there?” she said, glancing at the inside of the van.
Henry shook his head. “It’s gone,” he told her. “Just as I knew it would be.”
“So the thief is right here!” It gave Violet a little chill to think that the thief was someone close by—someone so close she could almost reach out and touch him or her. She glanced around the field. Chuck was sitting next to Mr. Jackson in the dugout, eating cake, and Mrs. Sealy was talking to Coach Warren. Susan had been collecting signatures on a giant birthday card, and she made her way over to Violet and Henry.
“We can give this to the coach just as soon as you two sign it,” she said. After Henry and Violet wrote their names, she headed for Coach Warren. Henry motioned for the rest of the Aldens to follow him.
“We’d like to wish you a happy birthday, Coach,” Susan began. As Coach Warren took the card, Henry stepped forward.
“And we have a little present for you.” To Violet’s amazement, he took a plastic-wrapped baseball card out of his pocket.
“Why, thank you,” Coach Warren said. His face lit up when he recognized Joe DiMaggio.
“How in the world …” Violet muttered.
Jessie edged closer. “That’s the real card,” she said in a low voice. “Henry substituted a fake one in the glove compartment to catch the thief.”
“What do we do now?” Violet whispered.
“We spring the trap,” Jessie said simply. She moved quickly and stood between Susan and Coach Warren. “There’s something you need to know, Coach,” she began. “You know the series of thefts we’ve been having. …”
The coach nodded sadly. “I had hoped all that was behind us.”
“I’m afraid it’s not,” Henry said firmly. “In fact, someone tried to steal your birthday present today. The Joe DiMaggio card.”
The coach fingered the baseball card. “Are you sure?”
“I’m positive. That’s why we set a trap and substituted a fake card in the glove compartment of the van.” Everyone in the crowd was very still. Violet noticed that Chuck jammed his hands in his pockets, and Mr. Jackson looked worried. “And someone is holding the fake card right now.
Nicole beamed. “We really did it, didn’t we?” She felt breathless and a little dizzy.
“We sure did!” Jessie cried.
Soon the rest of the team ran over, jumping up and down and cheering. They were very pleased with themselves. As they walked off the field, Benny said, “You should see Chuck. He’s smiling from ear to ear!”
“So’s Coach Warren,” Michael offered. He lowered his voice. “When are we going to spring the trap?”
Henry moved closer. He knew that Michael was talking about the baseball card in the glove compartment. “We’re going to start the party as soon as everyone cleans up.”
Half an hour later, the Pirates had left the parking lot, and the Bears were milling around the field, sipping cold lemonade. Henry was just about to approach Coach Warren when a female voice rang out.
“Surprise, surprise!” Violet and Jessie turned to see Mrs. Sealy bearing down on them with a large birthday cake. “I hope Coach Warren can blow out all these candles,” she said, teasing. She was balancing the cake carefully, and Jessie noticed that it was decorated to look like a baseball diamond.
Susan and her mother were right behind her, carrying napkins and paper plates.
“Did you know your aunt was planning this?” Violet asked quietly.
Susan looked a little embarrassed. “My aunt knew we were having a party to celebrate after the game, and she decided to bake a cake.” She paused. “I’m surprised she knew it was the Coach’s birthday. …”
Violet didn’t say anything. Somehow, Mrs. Sealy always seemed to be in the middle of things.
A little bit later, after the cake had been cut, Violet wandered over to Henry. He was standing next to the van, his hand on the door handle. “Is the baseball card still there?” she said, glancing at the inside of the van.
Henry shook his head. “It’s gone,” he told her. “Just as I knew it would be.”
“So the thief is right here!” It gave Violet a little chill to think that the thief was someone close by—someone so close she could almost reach out and touch him or her. She glanced around the field. Chuck was sitting next to Mr. Jackson in the dugout, eating cake, and Mrs. Sealy was talking to Coach Warren. Susan had been collecting signatures on a giant birthday card, and she made her way over to Violet and Henry.
“We can give this to the coach just as soon as you two sign it,” she said. After Henry and Violet wrote their names, she headed for Coach Warren. Henry motioned for the rest of the Aldens to follow him.
“We’d like to wish you a happy birthday, Coach,” Susan began. As Coach Warren took the card, Henry stepped forward.
“And we have a little present for you.” To Violet’s amazement, he took a plastic-wrapped baseball card out of his pocket.
“Why, thank you,” Coach Warren said. His face lit up when he recognized Joe DiMaggio.
“How in the world …” Violet muttered.
Jessie edged closer. “That’s the real card,” she said in a low voice. “Henry substituted a fake one in the glove compartment to catch the thief.”
“What do we do now?” Violet whispered.
“We spring the trap,” Jessie said simply. She moved quickly and stood between Susan and Coach Warren. “There’s something you need to know, Coach,” she began. “You know the series of thefts we’ve been having. …”
The coach nodded sadly. “I had hoped all that was behind us.”
“I’m afraid it’s not,” Henry said firmly. “In fact, someone tried to steal your birthday present today. The Joe DiMaggio card.”
The coach fingered the baseball card. “Are you sure?”
“I’m positive. That’s why we set a trap and substituted a fake card in the glove compartment of the van.” Everyone in the crowd was very still. Violet noticed that Chuck jammed his hands in his pockets, and Mr. Jackson looked worried. “And someone is holding the fake card right now.
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