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scratched the place where his cast met his hand.
    Henry spoke. “I wonder what Mr. Kirk was saying no to, in his message to Roger.”
    “I don’t know,” answered Mr. Yee, carefully accepting more cucumber salad, using his left hand to spoon it onto his plate.
    “Several years ago, Roger wanted to buy the Kirk farm,” said Grandfather. “But I haven’t heard anything about that in maybe three years.”
    “Maybe Roger wants to buy the farm again but Mr. Kirk still won’t sell,” said Jessie.
    “Mr. Kirk would never sell his farm as long as he can use it to grow crops,” said Mr. Yee. “He loves to farm.”
    “Would he sell the part that the community garden is on?” asked Henry.
    Mr. Yee shook his head. “Not as long as somebody wanted to garden on it. Mr. Kirk loves to see people grow food and eat it.”
    “Alex is like his father,” said Benny. “Alex likes to grow food for people to eat.”
    Mrs. McGregor brought more food to the table: barley and mushrooms, sautéed chard, and carrots sautéed with ginger and orange juice.
    “Look,” said Violet as the carrots were being served. “Aren’t the purple carrots beautiful?” she asked. “I love how they’re purple on the outside and orange on the inside.” She turned to Mr. Yee. “Why did you decide to grow purple carrots instead of the regular orange ones?” she asked.
    “I grow orange carrots, too, Violet,” said Mr. Yee. “But I like the purple ones better. I think they taste better, and purple vegetables are very healthful.”
    “Getting back to Roger Walski,” said Grandfather, “I heard he wants Greenfield to build a new health center, with a pool, several running tracks, and a weight room.”
    “Taylor would like that,” said Jessie. “She loves to exercise.” Jessie told Grandfather who Taylor was.
    “Roger is petitioning the other gardeners,” Henry said. “He wants them to agree to move the community gardens.”
    “But the other gardeners don’t want to move,” added Jessie.
    “I don’t want the gardens to be moved,” said Benny. “I like them right where they are. And I like the rabbits, too,” he added.
    “Well,” said Mr. Yee with a laugh, “you and I agree and disagree, Benny. I like the gardens where they are, but I don’t like the rabbits.”
    Grandfather laughed, too. “Albert, I know you. What you really mean is that you don’t like the rabbits on the loose, where they can trip people.”
    “Perhaps that is so,” said Mr. Yee.
    By the time dinner was finished, everybody was full. But not too full—they had each saved room for fresh strawberries.
    After the berries were all gone, Grandfather and Mr. Yee went to sit on the porch and talk. The children stayed behind to clear the table for Mrs. McGregor.
    “This was a very interesting dinner conversation,” said Jessie as she collected the used bowls.
    “Yes,” said Henry as he stacked plates. “We learned something very useful.”
    “Was it about Mr. Walski?” asked Benny.
    “Yes,” said Henry. “We need to talk to Roger Walski tomorrow morning.”

CHAPTER 8
The Vandal
    The next morning it was Grandfather, not Mrs. McGregor, who dropped Mr. Yee and Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny off at the community gardens. Grandfather then drove away and the five gardeners walked past Sections E, D, C, and B, saying hello to all the other gardeners.
    And once again, as the children and Mr. Yee left these sections behind and walked toward Section A, they saw trouble.
    Taylor Harris and Alex Kirk were standing in front of Taylor’s fenced-in garden, shouting at each other. A big American blue rabbit hopped past Alex and into Mr. Yee’s garden.
    “You’re the one!” shouted Taylor. “You’re the garden thief!”
    “I am not!” shouted Alex. “You don’t know what you’re talking about!”
    The children ran up to Taylor and Alex. Mr. Yee hurried into his garden, after the rabbit.
    Just then Roger came out of his garden and walked up to Taylor and