The Happy Hollisters and the Mystery of the Mexican Idol
CHAPTER 1 A New Toy WILL it bite me asked little Sue Hollister Yikes replied redheaded Ricky How can a toy snake bite anybody Especially chimed in Holly twirling one of her pigtails if it’s purple with yellow spots and has a smiling face The two sisters four and six years old and their brother who was seven were looking into the window of a toy shop at the airport a few miles outside of Shoreham their hometown It was an exciting afternoon for the whole family including Mother and Daddy and Pete and Pam because Uncle Russ Hollister was coming from the West Coast with a big secret Dark-haired Sue who loved secrets kept her bright eyes on the long velvety cotton snake Oh I wish we could have her she said How do you know the snake’s a her asked Ricky wrinkling his freckled nose Cause her name is Mathilda replied the younger girl And how do you know that asked Holly 7
Cause I named her that already declared Sue Don’t you think Mathilda is a good name Just then the two other Hollister children walked up Pete was a handsome twelve-year-old boy with a crew cut Pam two years younger had fluffy golden hair and a happy smile We all like Mathilda Ricky said pointing to the snake in the window Do you spose we could buy her Crickets said Pete That would be great fun to have How much does she cost The boy pressed closer to the glass in order to see the price tag It was marked six dollars I’ve only got thirty-nine cents said Ricky jiggling a few coins in his pocket The other children counted what money they had and it made a grand total of three dollars and sixty-two cents Suddenly they heard a voice behind them So there you are The children whirled about to see their father smiling at them He was a tall handsome man wearing light blue slacks and a sport shirt to match We wondered where you had disappeared he said Oh Daddy we’d like to buy Mathilda Pam said Who’s Mathilda he asked and was quickly told When he learned how much extra money was needed to purchase the snake Mr Hollister went inside the shop with his children The clerk took Mathilda from the window and handed her to Sue After everyone 8
helped to pay they left the shop smiling happily Sue tucked the snake’s head under her arm and Ricky draped the back end over his shoulder What kind of snake is she asked Sue as they trooped across the terminal floor toward the ticket counter where her mother waited It’s a spotted purple friendly replied Daddy I think Mother will be surprised to see it Oh dear what do you have there exclaimed Mrs Hollister as the children ran up to her She was a slender blond woman with blue eyes It’s a spotted purple friendly named Mathilda explained Sue Here pet her Mommy As Mrs Hollister bent down to pet the velvety nose an announcement came over the public address system Passengers awaiting flight sixty-three from Los Angeles to New York there may be a delay in departure from this airport due to an emergency aboard this flight That’s the plane Uncle Russ is on said Pam with a startled look What’s the trouble Mr Hollister asked the clerk behind the counter I really don’t know sir The aircraft is just landing now Hearing this Ricky and Holly dashed toward stairs which led to an observation deck overlooking the airfield The others hastened after them with Sue dragging Mathilda along behind her 9
