Read Bicycle Mystery for Free Online

cars.”
    “We’ll be there,” Jessie said.
    “Fine,” said Mrs. Randall. “I want you to see Eric show off the dog. It’s quite a sight.”
    The next day, as Henry drove along, Benny said, “I give up about that new name for Smoky. I’m sure they wouldn’t call him Shadow just because we did.”
    “We’ll have to wait and see,” Violet said.
    When the Aldens reached the Randalls’ yard, Carl ran out. He was a freckled boy in a Camp Mohawk shirt.
    “You must be the Alden kids!” he called. “I’m Carl.”
    They all went into the house, and Carl’s Uncle Eric shook hands with the Aldens.
    “Tell me,” said Uncle Eric, “how did the dog get to you after he left the parking lot?”
    “We’d like to know that,” answered Jessie. “I wonder if we’ll ever know.”
    “Oh, we’ll know sometime!” said Benny.
    Carl said, “Wait until you see how fine Smoky looks. He’s been washed and brushed. His paws and toes are cleaned and shined.”
    “I can’t wait to see him!” Violet said.
    “What about his new name?” Benny asked.
    “You have to wait for that,” Carl said with a wink. “It’s time to go now.”
    Henry followed the Randall car to Ashby. He had a little trouble parking, so the Randalls went in first with Smoky.
    The Ashby dog show was held in a big hall. When the Aldens went in, they saw the steward standing right by the door.
    He said to the young people, “Come in. Your friends are right over there.” He pointed to a large sign that said “Class—Skye Terrier.” Under the sign were two cages.
    “That steward seemed to know us,” said Benny. “That’s funny.”
    “Look!” Violet said. “Read what it says on Smoky’s cage. There’s Smoky’s new name!”
    A big sign was printed with the words, “Smoky, the Bicycle Dog.”
    People were standing around Smoky’s cage.
    Someone said, “That’s the dog that was stolen.”
    Another said, “He wasn’t stolen.”
    “Who stole the Bicycle Dog?”
    “What are you talking about?”
    “Didn’t you read about it in the paper? Four children on bicycles found him.”
    Mrs. Randall smiled at the Aldens. She said, “I guess you don’t know that everyone has seen the picture of you riding your bikes, with Smoky beside you. Tomorrow we will put another piece in the paper telling that you found the dog. Nobody stole him.”
    Smoky was delighted to see the Aldens. He tried to get out of his cage, but he could not. He licked their hands through the wires.
    “That cage makes me think of Big Jeko,” said Violet.
    “It won’t be long now,” said Uncle Eric. “I am going to handle Smoky. But don’t forget, he is Carl’s dog. Next year he can handle him.”
    “What do you mean, handle?” asked Benny. “I would think anyone could handle Smoky.”
    “You’ll see,” Uncle Eric replied. “It means to show him off. The dog has to know what he is expected to do, too.”
    The Aldens noticed there was one other dog in the same class with Smoky. It was a Skye terrier named Cinderella, for cinder, the color of ashes. It was a soft bluish-gray dog.
    Then the show began. The four Aldens found places with the crowd behind the rope.
    Everyone was excited. Everyone wanted his dog to get a first prize. Of course, everyone thought that Smoky, the Bicycle Dog, would win a first prize.
    Dogs of all kinds were there. There were enormous dogs with soft white fur, and tiny dogs no bigger than a man’s hand. All of them were trained.
    The first dog was a Great Dane. His master held his leash while the band played. The dog walked slowly. Then he stood still with his head up and his tail down.
    Then came Cinderella. “My,” said Jessie, “hear the people clap!”
    And then came Smoky. Uncle Eric knew exactly what to do, and so did Smoky. Henry said, “Now hear them clap! Even louder than for Cinderella.”
    The judges for the dog show watched every dog closely. They noticed how the dogs looked and how they acted.
    Later on, the judges went