- Title: The Camp-Out Mystery"
- Author: Gertrude Chandler Warner.
- Main Characters: Henry 14, Jessie 12, Violet 10, Benny 6.
- The story takes place at the Aldens house.
- They are getting ready to go camping.
- On the way to the campsite, they stopped at a store to get some food.
- The lady who worked at the store recognized the Aldens.
- The Grandfather recognized the lady too.
- The woman's name was Doris.
- Doris has a sister named Hildy.
- Hildy was not very nice at all. She lived in a cabin in the woods near the campsite.
- Grandfather asked Doris if it was crowded at the campsites.
- She said no not at all which is strange because in the summer normally people would come, and it would be very crowded.
- When the Aldens left the store they went straight to the campsite.
- When they got to their campsite, there was trash everywhere, and it seemed like someone left in a hurry.
- When they were finished cleaning up all of the trash on the ground and got their tents up, they decided to go hiking.
- The grandfather said that he will just stay back and read a newspaper.
- When the children were gone hiking they decided to see if anybody else was camping too, and there was this family named the changs.
- They had l two children.
- The Aldens walked over to them to say hi.
- They said they thought they were the only ones at the campground.
- The Aldens said that they thought that they were too
- They said goodbye and the Aldens went exploring again.
- They saw this cabin in the woods and thought that might be Hildys' cabin.
- They knocked at the door and this lady came.
- The Aldens asked her if her name was Hildy and she said yes.
- They told their names, and then she said what do you want? In a grouchy voice.
- They said they didn't want anything and they just wanted to say hi.
- Then she slammed the door.
- The children thought that the lady was not nice at all.
- When they got back from exploring they told their grandfather all about what happened.
- When they went to bed they heard very strange noises in the night, like footsteps and very loud music.
- In the morning the children said they heard very strange noises in the night.
- The grandfather said he heard it too.
- The next night they heard the strange noises in the night again
- In the morning the grandfather said he is going to the store and getting more food.
- So the children waited for intell he came back.
- But he never did.
- Then big clouds came and then it started to rain a lot and thunder came.
- The children got so worried that they started to go look for him in the morning.
- They left a note on the table just in case if the grandfather came back and was wondering why the children were not there.
- The children started off to look for their grandfather
- They kept calling for him, but no answer at all.
- Then when they were calling even more they heard their grandfather!
- He was stuck under a big curved rock.
- The grandfather said he sprained his ankle.
- The children asked the grandfather how he got the sprained ankle.
- He said he was hiking back and then all of the sudden he heard very loud music that made him jump and he sprained his ankle by twisting very fast trying to see what it was and then he fell down and slipped under a rock.
- He also said it started to rain and thunder was coming so he didn't really get wet because the rock was covering almost his whole body.
- The children went to look for some help to get their grandfather out under the rock and fix his sprained ankle
- The children found another cabin in the woods and knocked at the door.
- Then a man came to the door.
- The children introduced themselves and asked if he can come to help their grandfather.
- He said yes of course he can, in a very nice voice.
- The man's name was Andy Watts.
- The man got a wheel barrel and came where the grandfather was and helped him into it so he didn't have to walk on his sprained ankle.
- The man fixed the sprained ankle and said don't go on it intell about two or three days, and then it will be fine to walk on it again.
- The man also said if you need me to help you pack I will be in my cabin.
- The grandfather said why would we pack up so soon?
- The man said well I thought you would because you have been under a lot of stress so I just thought maybe you would just want to go home and relax.
- The grandfather said well my grandchildren want to say here and I also want to stay here awhile.
- The man said wow! you guys are tough to stay out here because the other campers all ready left, apparently they heard loud music, and strange things have been happening out here.
- And just in case if you change your mind about staying here I can help you pack up.
- Well bye! the man said.
- The children all thought that something is going on and its supper strange.
- The next day some of their food was gone!
- They told their grandfather that they are going hiking again and they will be back soon.
- The grandfather said ok.
- When they were hiking they saw the letter that they wrote for their grandfather just in case he came back.
- The letter was on a tree and it was being held up by an arrow!
- The person who put it there erased their writing and put this saying: Went Home. Back Never!
- The children were wondering why would anybody do that?
- It's just so strange!
- After that, they went to Andy Watts's house and tell him what they saw.
- They knocked on the door.
- But no answer.
- They kept calling for him.
- Then they heard a muffled voice inside the house saying HELP ME!
- It sounded like Hildy!
- The children tried to open the door but it was locked!
- Then they heard Andy Watts's voice saying fine you got me.
- He opened the door.
- Then the children saw Hildy all tied up on a chair!
- He explained everything. And he also explained why was Hildy tied up on the chair.
- He said when he first got here he got a cabin and lived in it for a long time.
- He also said It was very crowded with people camping here.
- Every night he would hear so many loud voices of people having parties and roasting marshmallows when he was trying to sleep, and when they left there was trash everywhere that people never clean up after themselves. So one night I gave everybody a taste of their own medicine, like scaring them and playing very loud music at night and stealing people's food. He said that got them to leave. That's why nobody really camps here anymore.
- He said he never meant to scare your grandfather and make him slip and fall and also sprain his ankle, I just wanted you guys out of here, so you guys won't make a mess of trash everywhere and be very loud at night.
- Andy Watts also explained why he tied Hildy up.
- The reason why was because she came over to my place and started to ask questions like, why was the Aldens lantern in her cabin?
- Then I got so nervous that I just tied her up, I thought she was going to be so suspicious of me if I answered all of her questions.
- When he finished the whole story he said well I better go tell the owner of the campgrounds what I did.
- When the grandchildren got back they told their grandfather all that happend.