The Happy Hollisters and the Sea Turtle Mystery BY JERRY WEST Illustrated by Helen S Hamilton THE SVENSON GROUP INC on behalf of The Hollister Family Properties Trust
Dedication The Happy Hollisters and the Sea Turtle Mystery is Volume 26 in a 33-book series The books are being reissued in honor of my grandfather Andrew Edward Svenson who began The Happy Hollisters series in 1953 using the pseudonym Jerry West The characters in the Hollister fami ly 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 Svenson and Libby Svenson for production and marketing assistance Andrew E Svenson III The Svenson Group Inc on behalf of The Hollister Family Properties Trust Your mystery wouldn’t be too scary for us Holly declared her eyes dancing
CHAPTER 1 Charlie Tiger Tail NINETY ninety-five a hundred shouted Ricky Hollister as he leaned against a tree with his eyes tightly shut Ready or not here I come The seven-year-old boy whirled about in the game of hide-and-seek But there was no one on the broad green lawn surrounding the Hollister home on Pine Lake Red-haired Ricky tiptoed to the hedge and parted it Nobody A giggle sounded The boy spun around and his gaze was caught by the odd-looking craft far out on the lake He stared in amazement then called out Yikes Look at that funny boat Silence The hiding youngsters did not make a peep I’m not fooling Ricky pleaded keeping his eyes on the strange boat You all can come in home free Honest This isn’t a trick Out of the leafy tree dropped six-year-old Holly her pigtails flying Pam ten stepped from behind the garage She had a sunny smile and fluffy golden hair Pete’s crew cut head popped up behind a big azalea bush and next to it an upside down bushel basket 7
