Mr. Mercer took them into his small office. There, Jimmy gave Mr. Mercer the equipment shop keys. Then, he told his story. The man sat silently, listening. It was a dumb thing to do, Jimmy concluded. And Im really sorry. Ill do anything I can to make...
The children agreed to talk to Jimmy privately and ask him why he had tried to ruin the games. But, the next morning, Jimmy did not show up for breakfast. And no one had seen him. Maybe hes in his room, Benny said. Henry asked Freddy for Jimmys room...
Now Ive just learned that the ice at the rink has been ruined. But were not going to cancel anything, Mr. Mercer said. Then he announced a new schedule. The ice-carving judging would be postponed. A crew was hosing the ice, and the skating competitio...
Inside the lodge, the Aldens got cups of hot chocolate and cinnamon buns and sat down by the fire. Grandfather and Mr. Mercer came in. Congratulations, Henry, Mr. Mercer said. You skied well. Thank you, Henry said. And, Benny, your snow sculpture is...
Henry picked the green knit hat off the tree branch. Its Freddys all right, he said. She took Matts skis! Benny exclaimed. She might have hid them somewhere, Jessie reasoned. Her hat must have gotten stuck on the branch as she passed by. But shed hav...
By mid-morning, Bennys team had finished their work. We did it! Alan said. He smiled at the finished snowpeople. Even Jason smiled. I never thought wed get done. Benny walked around the four snowpeople. Theyre good, all right, he said. But will anyon...
The Aldens trudged back to the cabin silently. Each was deep in thought. Finding the glove in the snow near the smashed sculpture was a shock. It belonged to Freddy; that much, they knew. But they werent sure what it meant. In the cabin, Jessie put F...
Watch destroying the snowpeople? The idea made Henry laugh. Watch wouldnt do that, he said. Benny was angry. He didnt do it, he said. He was in the lounge the whole time. Benny reached under the table and patted Watchs head. Then howd the tracks get...
The Aldens stood close together, silently looking at the fallen snow figures. Henry put an arm around Bennys shoulder. Maybe it was an accident, he said, hoping to comfort his brother. Benny didnt respond. What kind of accident? Violet asked. Henry s...
At 5:30, the snow sculptors were too cold and tired to work anymore. Benny hurried inside to the dining room, where he spotted his sisters and brother at a table. He rushed over to join them. Wait till you see our snowpeople! he said. Pete stomped in...
The Aldens had just sat down to eat when Pete burst into the dining room. He was wearing large orange boots. Their thick rubber soles left a line of snow stars on the floor as he stormed along. Freddy followed after him. She pulled off her orange, gr...
A little while later, Benny sat on a bench at the edge of the skating pond. He was trying to lace up his skates. His hands were clumsy inside his gloves. When he took his gloves off, his fingers got too cold. Ill never get these laces tight enough, h...
Mr. Mercer was upset. I parked the truck out by the skating rink last night. The tires were fine then. One flat tire I could understand, Grandfather said. But four? That sounds like it was intentional, Henry pointed out. But who would do something li...
The next morning, the Aldens met Jimmy Phelps in front of the lodge. He was taking off his skates. Is breakfast over already? Benny asked him. He couldnt imagine anyone doing too much before eating. No, Jimmy answered. I was just working up an appeti...
After a supper of spaghetti and salad in the lodge dining room, Grandfather drove the children to the cabin. This is as close as we can get, he said as he stopped the station wagon. Were close enough, Jessie said. From what Mr. Mercer told me, thats...