Dedication The Happy Hollisters and the Whistle-Pig Mystery is Volume 28 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 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 Janet Riley 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 You Hollisters seem to attract mysteries
CHAPTER 1 Cops and Robbers BLACKIE lost his best friend said Holly Hollister That’s why the poor dog won’t eat or anything The pig-tailed girl who was six balanced on the rail fence which bordered the Hollisters front yard On the grass sat her two sisters dark-haired Sue four and blond Pam ten The older girl was cross-legged and in her lap nestled White Nose with her five kittens Pam stroked the mother cat What about Blackie’s friend the woodchuck she asked Where did the little creature go The three Hollister girls were fond of Blackie a cocker spaniel owned by Indy Roades who worked for Mr Hollister Indy’s backyard extended into a woods At the edge of it had lived a perky little woodchuck whom Blackie used to romp with every day But the chuck had vanished and the cocker was moping because he missed his playmate I know what Holly exclaimed leaping down from the fence Let’s take White Nose and the kittens over to Indy’s Blackie can play with them
Pam liked the idea Maybe Pete and Ricky would want to come she said Instantly Holly raced across the lawn toward their house on the edge of Pine Lake calling her two brothers She found seven-year-old Ricky sitting on the front steps with a glass of water beside him He had a squirt gun in his hand and was having target practice with a scurrying black ant Yikes Sure I’d like to come the red-headed boy declared He filled his water pistol and tucked it into his belt Then Holly ran inside and called Pete who was twelve and had blond crewcut hair He was seated before the television in the living room Crickets he exclaimed You should have seen what happened in New England a train robbery When the older boy joined his brother and sisters in the yard he told the latest news A train had been held up near the town of Foxboro and masked bandits had robbed the mail car of nearly a million dollars in cash It was in three U S postal sacks Pete said and added Police have surrounded the whole area I wish we could be there to help em Ricky declared patting his water pistol Then he said Let’s play cops and robbers Not now Pam said We’re going to take White Nose and her kittens to keep Blackie company After the Hollisters had walked several long blocks they came to the house where Indy Roades lived Marching into the backyard they found Blackie lying on the grass beside his doghouse The cocker
spaniel’s head lay on his outstretched front paws and he looked up sadly at the children See we brought you our cat and kittens to play with Sue chirped Now you won’t be lonesome any more Blackie The dog wagged his tail only once Then he looked sad again The girls put White Nose and her kittens on the ground and the animals paraded around Blackie Still he did not show any interest He doesn’t want to bother with those silly cats Ricky declared Come on Let’s play cops and robbers Make believe the train bandits are in the woods here and we’re chasing them And we can use Blackie for a bloodhound suggested Holly her eyes brightening with the idea You go ahead Pam said I’ll stay here and take care of White Nose and her family Me too piped little Sue Pete Ricky and Holly ran off into the woods calling for Blackie to follow Indy’s dog obeyed but did not seem very peppy Come on Blackie Ricky urged There are bandits in here Pushing the bloodhound along before them the three children tiptoed along the path It led deeper into the woods where the trees were taller and closer together Ahead there loomed a huge rock As they passed it Holly was suddenly pelted by pine cones The robbers she cried out stopping and glancing about her wildly
