Th at’s a mystery the driver replied with a wink Th ey came all the way from Puerto Rico but there’s no sender’s name or address on the crate Th at’s funny said Pete Th e truckman lifted the crate to his shoulder and the children followed him to the kitchen door of their large rambling house which was on the shore of Pine Lake Pete opened the door and asked the man to set the crate on a table He signed the delivery book and the driver went off Just then little Sue Hollister a vivacious four-year old ran into the room Her eyes grew wide as saucers Oh Mother she cried out come and see our s’prise As the other children kicked off their boots and removed their coats Mrs Hollister a slender blond haired woman hurried into the kitchen She looked fi rst at the crate then at the children Pete tall good looking and wearing a crew cut was grinning broadly Blond pretty Pam had tiny dimples which now showed plainly Ricky who had red hair and freckles was peer ing through the slats of the crate Do you know anyone in Puerto Rico Mother Pam asked No Does Dad No Why Th en we have a mystery to solve Pete said excitedly A pineapple mystery Holly added Mrs Hollister smiled as she inspected the label on the crate Th e fruit is for us all right and from San Juan in Puerto Rico 8
Let’s open the crate Ricky urged Pete got a claw hammer and tore the strips of wood from the top What luscious looking pineapples Mrs Hollister said as she lifted one out Four eight twelve sixteen Holly counted Th ere are sixteen of them Where is Rico-Rico Sue asked cocking her head inquisitively As the others giggled Pam ran to get her geography book and found the map of the Caribbean islands It’s right here She showed Sue pointing out the second island east of Cuba San Juan is the capital It’s about two thousand miles from here Yikes Ricky exclaimed Th e pineapples came a long way At their mother’s suggestion the children carried the fruit into the pantry and put it on a shelf As Holly set one of the golden pineapples down she jumped back and shrieked still Everyone crowded around Oooh look In the crown of the pineapple lay a tiny lizard Th e little creature about six inches long was very How did he get in here Mother Holly asked Mrs Hollister said she supposed the lizard had crawled into the crate in Puerto Rico and had come all the way to the U S by boat Is he dead Ricky asked I hope not said kindhearted Pam 9
Oooh look 10
Tears came to Sue’s eyes Maybe the poor little liz ard got frozen she wailed Pete lifted him gently from the top of the pineapple and said the reptile was still breathing He put him on a chair near the kitchen radiator Ricky dropped to his knees intently studying the strange visitor Pam meanwhile hurried into the living room for a book on reptiles She returned reading it What are you looking up Holly asked her Pam said she wanted to fi nd out whether the liz ard might be poisonous After reading a few minutes she shook her head Th e only poisonous ones are the Gila monster found in the American Southwest and the Mexican beaded lizard she reported Sue dried her tears and said Th is lizard isn’t wear ing beads He’s all right Oh Sue you’re a case Pam told her with a chuckle Suddenly Ricky shouted Look Th e lizard’s moving Th e heat had had its eff ect and the tiny traveler be gan to stir his stubby legs Quick Let’s fi nd a bed for him Holly said excit edly She ran down the cellar steps to locate something in which to put him Pam continued to read about lizards Th e one in front of her apparently was an iguana whose home is the Caribbean islands Th e article says they’re friendly and playful Pam said May we keep this one for a pet Mother Of course dear 11
