Read Online Stuffed Bear Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner - Free Book Online

costume.” They took off the heads of their costumes so Grandfather could see their faces.
    Grandfather hugged his plump, furry grand-bears. “You’ve been eating too many berries,” he said, chuckling until he saw some long faces. “Oh, my, I’m afraid my joke won’t cheer up this group. Doc already told me a valuable bear he was fixing for Mrs. Withers here was stolen from the toy hospital. Have you had any luck solving this mystery?”
    “Follow me,” Jessie said, waving everyone toward the front of the hall.
    “Something’s up,” Violet whispered to the boys.
    When the Aldens came to the judges’ table, they were in for another surprise.
    “Professor Tweedy!” Henry said. “What are you doing behind the judges’ table?”
    Unlike the smiling judges at the table, the professor looked as if he were about to examine machines, not sweet bears. “As you may know, I am a history professor,” he explained. “I’ve been interested in historical bears since I wrote about President Theodore Roosevelt years ago.”
    Benny smacked his furry forehead. “I know why! My kindergarten teacher said teddy bears were named after him, because he wouldn’t shoot a cub on a hunting trip. Neither would I.”
    The Aldens thought they saw a smile cross Professor Tweedy’s face, but they couldn’t be sure. “That’s quite correct. Mr. Roosevelt was a very popular president, so some toy makers named their bears after him. Not that you’ll see a genuine teddy bear here. They are extremely rare, as I wrote in one of my articles on bears.”
    Doc stepped forward to shake the professor’s hand. “Why didn’t you tell me you were an expert? I would have given you the run of my collection of bear magazines and books.”
    The professor looked over the top of his glasses at Doc. “Don’t mention it. I helped myself to your library. Here,” he said, opening his briefcase. “I borrowed these magazines. You can take them now. As for not telling anyone, I certainly didn’t want all these people with their bears following and pestering me. I’m only here to judge the antique bears—those of historical interest.”
    That’s when Jessie made her move. “What about these? Are they of historical interest?” She slowly pulled away the baby blanket covering Mrs. Keppel’s bears.
    “That’s my bear!” Mrs. Withers cried. “That woman stole my bear.”
    Mrs. Keppel looked around at everyone. “I’m not ashamed at all that I took this bear. Look, Professor,” she said, handing over two yellowed sheets of paper. “You will find my childhood name listing me as the parent of Fraulein Bear. My dear brother Kurt’s name is on the Herr Bear birth certificate. The movers stole our bears when we had to leave our home in Switzerland. I have searched for my bear children for many years. Two years ago I found Fraulein. This week I found her twin, Herr Bear. I would have offered to buy him, but I don’t have the money. I wasn’t going to keep Herr Bear—I just wanted to have the two of them together for a short while. Herr Bear is all I have left to remind me of my dear brother.”
    Doc stepped forward. “I’m sad to say, Mrs. Keppel, that Mrs. Withers purchased the Herr Bear at an auction of rare toys years ago. I believe, after all this time, you cannot really claim Herr Bear as your own.”
    Mrs. Withers looked shocked. “I had no idea that the bear was stolen,” she said. “If I had known that there was someone who cared about it this much, I would have come looking for you a long time ago.”
    “What are you saying, Mrs. Withers?” asked Henry.
    “I’m saying that this bear belongs with the person who loves it the most,” said Mrs. Withers. “I have many more valuable bears in my collection. But it’s clear to me that no bear would be more valuable to Mrs. Keppel than the Herr Bear. I’d like you to have it,” she said, turning to Mrs. Keppel. “I only wish you had just told us all who you were to begin