CHAPTER 1 A Strange Face THIS is a special meeting of our detective club said Pete Hollister Please come to order The blond crew-cut twelve-year-old boy waited until the club members were seated on benches in the basement of the Hollister home All right Pete said finally you have all heard about the Shoreham monster We’re going to solve this mystery Ann Hunter will you please call the roll The club secretary stood up and read from a large notebook Pam Hollister Here the blond ten-year-old girl replied And I see all the other Hollisters are present Ann Hunter went on Ricky Holly and Sue They sat like steps seven six and four years old Redheaded Ricky wrinkled his freckled nose Holly twirled one of her pigtails and tickled Sue who hunched her shoulders and giggled Next to reply was seven-year-old Donna Martin She dimpled when her name was called After that came Pete’s pal Dave Mead and finally Jeff Hunter Good all present said Pete Thank you Ann 7
The younger children wriggled and squirmed Pete glanced out of the window into the growing darkness and called for order again It’s kind of late already so we’d better get right down to business he said Besides the monster mystery there is also the new toy library in Washington School you know What’s that Dave Mead asked He was a tall boy of Pete’s age Pam will tell us Pete replied Pam Hollister rose and smiled This is going to be fun she said and told them about a project in the grade school located in another part of town They have a new kind of library there Pam continued Instead of borrowing books the children can borrow toys I think the Shoreham Detective Club should help to find toys for the library Yikes said Ricky Doesn’t everybody have toys Some children don’t his sister answered There’s not enough money to buy them That’s right put in Dave We’re just lucky And we should help But where will we get the toys asked dark haired Jeff Hunter who was eight years old Ask people for them his sister Ann replied Sure Pete said I know Dad will be glad to offer some from his store Mr Hollister had a combination hardware and sporting-goods store in downtown Shoreham It also included a fine toy department 8
made the motion which was seconded by Pam Let’s vote on it Donna Martin suggested She All in favor Pete said raise your right hand As all hands shot into the air a terrifying shriek pierced the room Everyone whirled to look at Holly Hollister She stood white-faced trembling and pointed at the cellar window I saw it I saw the monster she gasped What Pete stared at his sister It just came and went Holly was still shaking Calm down her brother said and went over to the window Nothing could be seen outside but the gray sky and the only sound was the chirping of crickets Pam put her arm around Holly Are you sure it wasn’t Zip looking into the window Just then the Hollisters beautiful big collie dog padded down the steps into the basement No it wasn’t Zip Ricky declared He’s been upstairs all the time Since Holly insisted that she had seen the face of the Shoreham monster Pete trotted upstairs went out the back door and searched around the house Nothing Mr and Mrs Hollister were out shopping Pete heard Domingo their pet burro braying from his stall in the garage The boy quickly checked on him but found him alone Pete patted Domingo’s nose then returned to the basement Nothing out there he said Did anybody else see the face 9
