Mailbox Mania (5 page)

“I certainly do.” Mr. Pete glanced at his watch. “And the U.S. Post Office wants the mail delivered on time. So if you'll excuse me . . .” And off he went.

Dunkum scratched his head. “I think he knows something.”

“Maybe we should follow him,” Jason said.

“We better stick close to home,” Stacy said.

“We better stick together,” Abby said, grinning.

They zoomed down the hill toward their cul-de-sac. And stopped in front of Dunkum's house.

“I'm starved,” Jason said. “Let's have a picnic.”

“Where?” Stacy asked.

“Mr. Tressler has the biggest yard,” Abby said. “Besides, we haven't visited him much. Not all of us together.”

“Good idea,” Shawn said.

“Who wants to pack a lunch for Mr. Tressler?” Abby asked.

Nine hands went up. Abby voted too.

“Let's everyone bring something!” Dee Dee said.

And they did.

Mr. Tressler seemed to enjoy the company. He nodded and smiled when Abby sat next to him—beside the comfortable lawn chair.

After dessert, the kids showed him the puzzle pieces. Jason pushed through the circle and put the puzzle together. “Look at that,” he bragged. “Five seconds flat!”

“Any second-grader can do that,” Dee Dee teased.

Jason took the puzzle apart. He passed the pieces to Dee Dee. “OK, you'll be in second grade next year. Let's see how fast you are.”

The kids watched her put the puzzle together. “The Cul-de-sac Kids stick together,” they chanted when it was done.

Mr. Tressler leaned forward to look. “What a fine puzzle.”

“Looks homemade,” Abby said. “Don't you think so?”

Jason popped up. “We wanna find out who sent the pieces to us.”

Carly giggled. “The mailman acted funny.”

“You should've seen him,” Dunkum said. “He was in a big hurry.”

“I think he's keeping a secret,” Eric said.

Mr. Tressler listened. Then he said, “What sort of secret?”

“We don't know yet,” Abby said.

Mr. Tressler rubbed his chin. “Looks to me like you've got yourselves a mystery.”

Stacy looked at her watch. “We can't spend all day solving it. Tomorrow is Mailbox Mania!”

Mr. Tressler sat up straight. “And I get to choose the best mailbox!” He tapped his cane on the ground.

Abby looked at Jimmy and Carly.
She looked at Shawn. “I don't know about the rest of you, but—” She paused.

Dunkum smiled. “I think I know what Abby's going to say.”

“So do I,” Carly said.

Mr. Tressler's face burst into a grin. “You don't need a judge? Is that it, missy?”

Abby nodded. “Maybe we should just have fun with Mailbox Mania. Without the contest.” She looked around. “Let's vote on it.”

The kids agreed.

“OK,” she said. “How many for a mailbox contest?”

No hands.

“How many just for fun?”

Nine hands. No . . . ten. Jason raised two!

Eric pushed one of Jason's hands down. “Hey, no fair voting twice!”

Jason frowned and pushed his hand
back up. “I can if I want!”

“Whoa, there.” Mr. Tressler raised his hand. “I thought the Cul-de-sac Kids stick together.”

He turned and winked at Abby.

“Why . . . Mr. Tressler?” she exclaimed. “Do you know something we don't?”

“Let's have a look at that puzzle.” He grinned at Abby and the others. “Five seconds, you say?”

Jason counted the seconds.

Mr. Tressler's bony fingers flew.

“Three seconds!” Jason shouted. “Mr. Tressler put the puzzle together in only
three
seconds!”

The kids cheered.

“Mr. Tressler made it!” Jason said. “
He
made the puzzle!”

“Thank you, Mr. Tressler,” Abby said. “Thank you very much!”

Mr. Tressler's eyes twinkled.

The mystery was solved.

THE CUL-DE-SAC KIDS SERIES
Don't miss #10!

THE MUDHOLE MYSTERY

When Dunkum digs for buried treasure in Mr. Tressler's backyard, he uncovers a mystery—in a mudhole! The discovery turns out to be a muddy time capsule, buried many years ago.

Curious, the Cul-de-sac Kids sniff around for clues. Who buried the time capsule? Where are they now?

Dunkum and his friends are in for a big surprise!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Beverly Lewis remembers waiting for the mail as a kid. She wrote lots of letters to pen pals and other friends. (Still does!)

Beverly and her younger sister, Barbara, had lots of fun with their neighborhood friends. They made “Mushy Goo-Goo”—a secret recipe that included a little water and lots of dirt. They dressed their cats in doll clothes. They hitched up Maxie, their Eskimo Spitz, to a sled and went to the store in a blizzard.

They even had a carnival to raise money for a Jerry's Kids Telethon. And ended up in the newspaper, and later got to be on TV!

If you like books that tickle your funny bone, look for Beverly's next books in the Cul-de-sac Kids series.

Visit Beverly's Web site at
www.BeverlyLewis.com
.

Also by Beverly Lewis

The Beverly Lewis Amish Heritage Cookbook

G
IRLS
O
NLY
(GO!)†
Youth Fiction
Girls Only! Volume One
   •   
Girls Only! Volume Two

S
UMMER
H
ILL
S
ECRETS‡
Youth Fiction
SummerHill Secrets: Volume One
   •   
SummerHill Secrets: Volume Two

H
OLLY'S
H
EART
Youth Fiction
Holly's Heart: Collection One
‡   •   
Holly's Heart: Collection Two
‡
Holly's Heart: Collection Threet
†

S
EASONS OF
G
RACE
Adult Fiction
The Secret
   •   
The Missing
   •   
The Telling

A
BRAM'S
D
AUGHTERS
Adult Fiction
The Covenant
   •   
The Betrayal
   •   
The Sacrifice
The Prodigal
   •   
The Revelation

A
NNIE'S
P
EOPLE
Adult Fiction
The Preacher's Daughter
   •   
The Englisher
   •   
The Brethren

T
HE
R
OSE
T
RILOGY
Adult Fiction
The Thorn

C
OURTSHIP OF
N
ELLIE
F
ISHER
Adult Fiction
The Parting
   •   
The Forbidden
   •   
The Longing

T
HE
H
ERITAGE OF
L
ANCASTER
C
OUNTY
Adult Fiction
The Shunning
   •   
The Confession
   •   
The Reckoning

O
THER
A
DULT
F
ICTION
The Postcard
   •   
The Crossroad
   •   
The Redemption of Sarah Cain October Song
   •   
Sanctuary
(with David Lewis)   •   
The Sunroom

www.BeverlyLewis.com

†4 books in each volume     ‡5 books in each volume

From Bethany House Publishers

Fiction for Young Readers

(ages 7-10)

A
STRO
K
IDS®
by Robert Elmer

Space scooters? Floating robots? Jupiter ice cream? Blast into the future for out-of-this-world, zero-gravity fun with the AstroKids on space station
CLEO-7
.

T
HE
C
UL-DE-SAC
K
IDS
by Beverly Lewis

Each story in this lighthearted series features the hilarious antics and predicaments of nine endearing boys and girls who live on Blossom Hill Lane.

J
ANETTE
O
KE'S
A
NIMAL
F
RIENDS
by Janette Oke

Endearing creatures from the farm, forest, and zoo discover their place in God's world through various struggles, mishaps, and adventures.