Don’t forget my book about Jesse James,” Benny told the librarian at the Greenfield Public Library the next day. “He was a famous bank robber, you know.”
The librarian laughed. “I know. He and his brother, Frank. I used to like to read about them, too.”
Benny said, “I can’t read this book yet, at least not all of it. But Violet said she would help me.”
“I will,” said Violet. She smiled at the librarian and put the books she had just checked out into her backpack. The Aldens had come to the library early that morning to return books and check out new ones. Watch had stayed at home with the Aldens’ housekeeper, Mrs. McGregor, because dogs weren’t allowed in the library.
One of the reasons Benny wanted to go to the library was to learn more about bank robbers. “It might help me find clues,” he explained.
As they walked out of the library, Jessie said, “Let’s go to the post office.”
“Why? Do you have a letter to mail?” asked Henry.
“No. But maybe we could look at the wanted posters,” said Jessie.
Violet’s eyes widened. “Do you really think we’ll see a picture of George Smith or Harpo Woo on one of the posters?” she asked.
“We’ll see Mr. Smith and Mr. Woo,” Benny said.
“How do you know that, Benny?” asked Henry, smiling a little at his younger brother. “You haven’t read any of your books about bank robbers yet.”
Benny pointed. “Because they are right across the street by the bank.”
The four Aldens stopped and stared. They saw two men, but the men weren’t Harpo Woo and George Smith.
“Where, Benny?” asked Jessie.
“Right there,” said Benny. “Those two men. They’re in disguise.”
Violet blinked in disbelief. Then she said, “You’re right! That is George Smith and Harpo Woo.”
Sure enough, at first the two men who stood outside the bank did not look much like the two men the Aldens had met the day before, but at a second glance it was clear who they were. George had his dark glasses on and today he had a hat pulled low on his forehead. He was wearing jeans, a colorful vest, and a turtleneck sweater, and his beard was no longer brown streaked with gray but jet-black.
Harpo’s black hair had been tucked up under a broad-brimmed hat. He was wearing his dark glasses as he had the day before, but today he had a black goatee and long sideburns.
As the children watched, a short man in a windbreaker, new-looking jeans, and heavy black shoes walked briskly up to the two men. He was very tan and had silver hair slicked back. He, too, wore dark glasses. The two turned to him as he spoke.
The silver-haired man gestured and the two men looked warily around. The man who called himself George Smith nodded and pointed down the street, and the man in the new jeans walked on.
“Is he a bank robber, too?” Benny asked.
“I think he was just asking directions, Benny. Don’t let them see us,” said Henry, and pulled his sisters and brother back to stand in the shadow of a doorway.
As the Boxcar Children watched, George raised a camera and took a photograph of the building. Today he didn’t have the big camera he had had the day before, but a small silver one. Harpo appeared to be talking to his own left hand.
“Harpo has a tape recorder,” Violet said. “In his left hand. I wonder what he is recording.”
As Harpo talked and George took photographs, they both kept glancing nervously up and down the street.
“Do you think they’re planning to rob the bank?” Benny asked. “Maybe we should call the police!”
But before the Aldens could do anything, Harpo glanced down the street and seemed to freeze for a moment. Then he said something to George.
In response, George grabbed Harpo by the arm and pulled him into a blue van parked on the street near the bank. Then George jumped in the van himself, started it, and drove quickly away.
“Look! That must be what frightened George and Harpo,” Violet said.
A police car had just turned the corner and was heading down Main Street toward the bank.
Instantly, Jessie jumped out onto the sidewalk and threw up her hand to flag the police car.
The officer rolled down her window and said, “Well, hello. What can I do for you?”
“We just saw bank robbers!” Benny blurted out.
Startled, the officer looked toward the bank.
“We didn’t see anyone robbing the bank,” Henry explained quickly. “We think we saw someone who is planning to rob the bank.”
The Aldens told the officer what they’d seen and heard the day before and that morning in front of the bank. When they had finished, the officer smiled and nodded. “Thanks for the tip,” she said. “We’ll keep an eye on the bank.”
Then she looked in the rearview mirror. “I’m holding up traffic here. I’d better move on.” The officer pulled away from the curb.
Jessie put her hands on her hips. “She didn’t believe us!” she exclaimed.
“No, I don’t think she did,” Henry agreed.
Violet didn’t say anything. She was watching the dark brown car behind the police car. The woman in the car had wild red hair tied back with an emerald-green scarf. Slashes of green eye shadow above her eyes matched the scarf.
As she drove by, she glared out her window at the Aldens, her face red with fury.
“Why is she so angry?” Violet said softly. “Why is she angry at us?”
“Who?” asked Henry.
“Her. The lady in the brown car,” Violet said. But the brown car had already passed by and the other Aldens didn’t see the angry woman in the green scarf.
Jessie turned toward Benny. “How did you recognize George and Harpo so quickly, Benny?” she asked.
“Harpo’s feet,” said Benny.
“You recognized his feet?” Henry asked.
“He had on the same shoes. Silver high-tops,” said Benny.
“Oh.” Jessie thought for a moment, then said, “You’re right, Benny. That’s very observant of you.”
“I’m a detective,” said Benny.
“You sure are,” Henry agreed. “And it’s a good thing, too. Because if the police don’t believe us, we may have to catch the bank robbers ourselves.”
“We can do it,” Benny said.
“I hope so,” Jessie said. “And I hope we can do it before they rob another bank.”
“Let’s go to the post office to look at wanted posters,” Violet said.
“And then we can get some ice cream,” Benny suggested.
“After we go to the post office,” agreed Henry.
The Aldens went to the post office. But they didn’t see George Smith’s picture on any of the wanted posters, or Harpo’s, either—even in disguise.