The Happy Hollisters and the Mystery in Skyscraper City
Dedication Th e Happy Hollisters and the Mystery in Skyscraper City is Volume 17 in a 33-book series Th e books are being reissued in honor of my grandfather Andrew Edward Svenson who began Th e Happy Hollisters series in 1953 using the pseudonym Jerry West Happy Hollisters series in 1953 using the pseudonym Jerry West Happy Hollisters Th e characters in the Hollister family were based in part on his family my grandmother father uncle and aunts and I am grateful to them for inspiring these books and for their support of this labor of love Marian S Svenson Elaine Hollister Andrew E Svenson Jr Pete Laura Svenson Schnell Pam Eric R Svenson Sr Ricky Jane Svenson Kossmann Holly Eileen Svenson de Zayas and Ingrid Svenson Herdman Sue Many thanks also to Callie and Libby Svenson for their editorial and marketing assistance Andrew E Svenson III Th e Svenson Group Inc on behalf of Th e Hollister Family Properties Trust How can we ever thank you for bringing us such good fortune
Contents 1 A Mysterious Message 2 A Chopstick Mishap 3 Young Detectives Kit 4 Secret Writing 5 The Eavesdropper 6 Two Bullies and a Ghost 7 Tricks of the Wind 8 A Funny Mistake 9 The Foo Twins 10 Stuck 11 A Narrow Escape 12 A Hidden Figure 13 Ho-Pang-Yow 14 The Flickering Flashlight 15 Hootnanny’s Hunch 16 A Lost Rocket 17 An Important Push Button 18 A Firecracker Trick 7 15 25 33 41 50 61 73 83 92 101 111 121 134 144 153 161 170
CHAPTER 1 A Mysterious Message SECRET Tunnels of New York City Pete Hollister read aloud to his sister Pam Crickets Th is ought to be an exciting book Th e blond twelve-year-old boy picked up the vol ume from the table at the annual book sale in Lincoln School library Th e place was crowded with children on the last day of school before summer vacation What do you think of this Pam Pete asked Pam who was ten and had fl uff y golden hair glanced at the fi rst page It sounds spooky and mysterious she said smiling And only twenty-fi ve cents Let’s buy it Okay Pete made his way to the desk of Miss Allen the librarian and gave her a quarter for the purchase I hope you enjoy reading about those secret tunnels Pete the sweet-faced gray-haired woman said I’m sure I will Miss Allen I like mysteries Pete’s blue eyes sparkled as he thumbed through his new book Suddenly two pages near the back opened wide Between them was a folded piece of pa per Curious Pete opened it and saw that the sheet was covered with black spidery-looking Oriental symbols 7
