“Let’s keep going,” said Henry. “I’m sure we’ll be okay.”

  The Aldens and Mrs. Oliver continued single file. In the darkness they stepped cautiously. Just as they rounded a corner, they saw a crack of light on the floor in front of them. Another door! When Henry pushed it open, light flooded the passageway.

  They gasped with surprise. Before them was a small room. The Amazing Arthur was sitting on a stool. He wore jeans, a sweatshirt, and a baseball cap. He did not look like a magician.

  For one long moment everyone was quiet.

  The Amazing Arthur looked down at his tennis shoes with embarrassment. “This is awkward,” he said. “I’m so sorry for worrying you, Mrs. Oliver. I’m sorry I missed your lessons, Henry.”

  “Have you been here the whole time?” Henry asked.

  Jessie looked at her notebook. “It’s been two days,” she said. “We’ve been wondering about you all this time.”

  “Why did you hide?” asked Benny.

  The Amazing Arthur replied, “I’ve been trying to figure out how to do my appearing act at the community center. There’s no hidden door there. I just couldn’t figure it out. I was frustrated, and I didn’t want to disappoint anyone. I’m sorry,” he repeated.

  “Why didn’t you just tell me?” Mrs. Oliver asked the magician.

  The Amazing Arthur sighed. His shoulders slumped. “I didn’t want to break the magician’s code,” he replied. “You were so set against having the magic show here. I was just trying to think of another way to do the trick. I didn’t want to give away the secret.”

  Violet pointed to a pile of blue papers on top of a small table in the corner. “The flyers,” she said. “They’re right here.”

  Benny said, “So no one stole them?”

  “Well, I confess I took the flyers,” said the Amazing Arthur.

  “Why?” Violet asked.

  “I was worried,” the Amazing Arthur continued. “I worried the whole town would show up at the community center for the magic show.”

  “I thought that’s what you wanted,” Mrs. Oliver said.

  “Yes and no,” he answered. “Picture this. Parents and kids buy their tickets. They first stop at the popcorn stand and then buy sodas. Excited, they file into the auditorium to their seats. They wait for the lights to dim. They wait for that huge red curtain to part.”

  “I like this part,” said Benny.

  The Amazing Arthur suddenly looked sad. “But if I had then appeared on the stage, under the spotlight, well—”

  “I think I understand,” said Henry. “Everyone would be looking at you. They’d be expecting you to do a fantastic trick. The one here.” Henry picked up one of the flyers and read the announcement as he had the other day. “‘Come one, come all. The Amazing Arthur will surprise you by appearing out of thin air!’”

  Now Mrs. Oliver was nodding. “The community center isn’t like this magic shop,” she admitted. “If I’d known about this secret room, I would have understood. Now I know why you were so upset.”

  “I’d rather the show be canceled,” said the Amazing Arthur. “That’s why I took the flyers. I’m so embarrassed. I’m sorry, really sorry, Mrs. Oliver. I was so hopeful that I’d figure out another way to perform the trick.”

  “You stayed here overnight?” Mrs. Oliver asked.

  “Yes. I hid in here and waited until you had locked up. Until it was dark. Then I used a flashlight so no one out on the sidewalks would see me inside the shop. I practiced and practiced. I tried to imagine myself on that big stage in the community center with no secret door.”

  “But how did you go back and forth without one of my new keys?” Mrs. Oliver asked.

  Benny jumped up. “Because he never left the shop! Is that right, sir?”

  “You are correct,” the Amazing Arthur answered. He pointed to a cozy corner with a cot and sleeping bag. A small night table made from a box held a reading lamp. A pair of sparkly shoes were tucked under a bench.

  Mrs. Oliver said, “So that’s why I didn’t see you leave. I locked the doors. I was the only one with a key. I assumed you were wandering around town or something. Hmm.” She thought a moment. “Did you take the mirror over to the community center?”

  “I did,” said the Amazing Arthur. “During the day when you were busy in the storeroom, I carried the mirror out the side door. My pickup was parked in the alley, so I delivered the mirror and quickly returned.”

  The group was quiet for several moments.

  Finally Benny asked about one of his favorite topics. “Didn’t you get hungry all this time?”

  The Amazing Arthur patted his stomach and laughed. “I brought peanut butter sandwiches and apples,” he said.

  Mrs. Oliver sighed. Then she laughed too. “I’m sorry I said so many grumpy things about you.”

  The Amazing Arthur smiled a tired smile. “It’s okay, Mrs. Oliver. I don’t blame you for being grumpy. I should have told you. But I just don’t see how I can do this at the community center.”

  The group was quiet again. Then Jessie remembered something. She said, “Mrs. Oliver, the other day you told us you think change is good.”

  “Yes. I still do.”

  “And that you have reasons,” Jessie went on, “for having the magic show at the community center.”

  Mrs. Oliver moved to sit on the bench. She rubbed the small of her back like she was tired and sore. “Yes, I have several reasons,” she answered. “As I said before, I’m trying to run a business. All these jokes and tricks make it a fun place, not a serious place. But—”

  The Aldens listened.

  “But at this moment,” Mrs. Oliver went on, “I’m reminded how much I like fun. I love magic. I love seeing an excited audience. I love hearing the laughter of children.”

  “Oh, so do I!” said the Amazing Arthur. His eyebrows lifted as he regarded the Aldens. “I believe we all do,” he said.

  “Yes!” Benny answered for his brother and sisters.

  “Are you changing your mind, Mrs. Oliver?” Violet asked. “Will you let the magic show be here?”

  “I’ve been too focused on the business side,” the store owner replied. “But I also realize something else that bothers me. Now that I think about it, that is.”

  “Mrs. Oliver, what is it?” Henry asked gently.

  In a soft voice she said, “I feel guilty admitting this.”

  The Amazing Arthur leaned forward to hear. Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny did the same.

  Finally Mrs. Oliver continued. “The main reason I want to move the magic show to the community center is because they have janitors. And I could use the help with cleaning.”

  The Amazing Arthur laughed. “Makes sense to me.”

  Benny said, “We saw a janitor there and reported the broken mirror. I bet he swept it up.”

  “And sweeps the big stage too,” said Henry.

  “You see,” said Mrs. Oliver, “putting on a magic show is a lot of work. Too much work. Setting everything up and moving displays. Dusting. Cleaning before the show and cleaning after everyone goes home. Someone always manages to clomp around in dirty boots.”

  Violet said, “I understand that. Our housekeeper, Mrs. McGregor, gets frustrated when we track muddy shoes into her clean kitchen.”

  “Then you do understand,” said Mrs. Oliver.

  The Alden children listened.

  “I used to love magic shows,” Mrs. Oliver explained. “All during my childhood my parents were so happy performing together. I did some tricks with them. But mostly I had to sweep up confetti afterward and scrape chewing gum off the floor. Can you believe that? Spitting out gum onto beautiful old wooden floors? Honestly.”

  With another weary sigh Mrs. Oliver said, “Do you realize how hard it is to capture balloons that have floated into the rafters? Especially after they pop and the pieces of rubber stick to the wood? It’s a terrible mess. I’m not getting any younger, you know. Climbing on a ladder these days scares me.” She patted her gray curls.

  After a moment Henry said, “What if you have a great crew to help set up?”

  “And clean afterward?” Jessie said.

  “I’m good at sweeping,” Benny boasted. “I get lots of practice at home.”

  “I’m sure you do, Benny,” said Mrs. Oliver.

  The children glanced at one another with concern. They waited.

  After a long moment Mrs. Oliver smiled. “All right,” she said. “I accept your help. We can have the show here. But I have one very serious question.”

  “So do I,” said the Amazing Arthur.

  “Are we good at keeping secrets?” Violet guessed. “Will we honor the magician’s code?”

  “You read my mind, my dear,” said Mrs. Oliver.

  “Mine too,” said the Amazing Arthur.

  Henry answered first. “Absolutely, we’ll honor the magician’s code,” he said.

  Violet agreed. “Definitely,” she said.

  “Yes, sir!” Benny cried. “We’re good at keeping secrets.”

  Jessie held up her notebook. “I won’t even write it down,” she said. “That way no one will be able to read it.”

  “I trust you children,” said the Amazing Arthur.

  “So do I,” Mrs. Oliver said. “All right then. I need to redo the flyers to announce that the Greenfield Magic Show will be held here. The Amazing Arthur will perform his new fabulous trick. And our newest magician, Henry Alden, will also perform. Will you be ready this weekend, Henry?”

  Henry beamed. “You bet,” he said. “I can’t wait!”

  Read on for a sneak preview of

  The Big Spill

  Rescue

  the first book of

  The Boxcar Children®

  Endangered Animals,

  an all-new series!

  “I want to touch a shark!” called six-year-old Benny Alden.

  “Shh!” Benny’s sister Jessie put a finger to her lips. “The sign says we should whisper.”

  Benny put his hand to his mouth. Then he whispered, “I want to touch a shark!” just as excitedly, but quieter.

  The Aldens were at the Port Elizabeth Aquarium. In front of them, a shallow tank stretched across the room. Inside, small sharks and stingrays swam lazily among rocks and plants. A sign above read “Touch Tank.” That meant visitors were welcome to reach into the tank through the open top.

  Grandfather put his hand on Benny’s shoulder. “You’ll get a chance, but first we have to learn the rules.”

  “That’s right,” said Isaiah Young. “Listen to Kayla, she’ll explain.”

  Mr. Young was an old friend of Grandfather’s. The Aldens were staying with him while they visited Port Elizabeth. Kayla, his daughter, was their unofficial guide to the aquarium.

  “Thanks, Dad.” Kayla spoke softly. “We whisper so we won’t frighten the animals. You should also move slowly. Put your hand right under the surface of the water. Hold it there with your palm down.”

  Kayla wore a blue collared shirt, and her tiny braids were pulled back into a ponytail. She was a biologist and knew all about the animals they were going to see at the aquarium. It was clear she knew what she was talking about, and some other visitors even gathered around to listen.

  The four children followed Kayla’s lead. A stingray swam toward them. As it rose in the water, Violet’s hand stroked across its back. She tried to keep quiet but let out a tiny squeal of joy and excitement. “It’s smooth and slippery,” she said.

  “It didn’t touch me,” Benny said sadly.

  “Be patient,” Grandfather said.

  “Are there other rules?” Jessie asked. She was twelve and liked to make notes about everything she learned. She couldn’t write in her notebook with her hand in the water, but she’d try to remember what she learned for later.

  “Don’t try to grab the animals,” Kayla said. “And don’t try to touch their bellies or tails. Instead, touch their backs.”

  “What happens if you touch a shark’s tail?” Benny asked. “Will it bite?”

  Kayla smiled. “These sharks won’t bite. There are about four hundred species of sharks in the world, and most are small and gentle, like these. You can handle them easily.”

  “We still need to treat them with respect,” Henry said. At fourteen, he was the oldest of the Alden children.

  “That’s right,” Kayla said. “We should treat all animals with respect. Here at the touch tank, the sharks and rays will hide if you scare them. But if you are calm and gentle, they’ll get curious and come out.”

  “I don’t want to scare them,” Benny said. “I want to make friends.”

  Benny held his hand under the water. His body wanted to squirm, but he tried to stay very still. A speckled shark as long as his arm swam toward him. Benny held his breath. The shark nosed at his hand, and Benny got nervous. Then it slid past, letting Benny pet down its back.

  “I touched one!” Benny grinned and clapped his hands together. Water from his wet hand sprayed into his face. He wiped himself off with his shirt sleeve as the other children laughed quietly.

  After a few more minutes at the touch tank, Kayla asked, “Shall we move on?”

  Everyone agreed. They were excited to see the other animals at the aquarium. After the children had washed and dried their hands, Kayla led the way to the next room.

  Violet walked beside her. “We don’t get to touch wild animals very often,” she said. “I’ve been to a petting barn at the zoo, but those animals aren’t wild.” Ten-year-old Violet loved animals. She hoped she’d get a chance to draw some during their visit to Port Elizabeth.

  “You shouldn’t touch animals in the wild,” Kayla said. “It can be dangerous. They could hurt you, or you could hurt them. The aquarium chooses animals that are safe for the touch tank, and the tank gives them places to hide if they feel shy. The workers also keep the tank clean and watch for any sign of disease.”

  “That sounds like a lot of work,” Violet said. “Why not let people look but not touch?”

  “Good question,” said Kayla. “Many people are afraid of sharks and rays, but here they see these animals aren’t so dangerous. Maybe after this, your little brother will fall in love with sharks. Maybe he’ll become a shark researcher someday.”

  “I could do that!” Benny said. “I already made friends with that speckled one.”

  They made their way into a glass tunnel. On the other side of the glass, water filled a huge tank. It felt like they were underwater with the fish! This tank held larger animals. Some of the fish were as long as a person was tall. At the bottom, crabs scuttled between sea urchins and coral.

  Violet pointed through the glass. “Oh, that one is pretty. It looks like an orca, but it’s too small. Is it a baby?”

  “That is a Hector’s dolphin,” Kayla said.

  The dolphin was mostly black. It had white from its chin down its belly. The black-and-white pattern had reminded Violet of an orca, which she knew was the largest member of the dolphin family.

  “Hector’s dolphins are the smallest marine dolphins in the world,” Kayla said. “They are very rare and very endangered.”

  Benny frowned. “Are they in-dangered from people?”

  “The word is endangered,” Jessie said.

  “Endangered means a species is at very great risk,” Kayla said. “Only about seven thousand Hector’s dolphins still live in the wild. If we don’t help them, they might all die out. Then they would be all gone—extinct.”

  “That’s awful,” Benny said.

  “Don’t worry, Benny,” said Henry. “Lots of people help protect animals like this. Right, Kayla?”

  “That’s right!” Kayla said. “There are many conservation groups that help. I work with one called Protectors of Animals Worldwide, or PAW.”

  Violet watched the dolphin as it swooped through the water. It swam close to the glass. Then it turned on its side, flicked its tail, and zipped away. It circled back around and wiggled as it passed by once more.

  “It’s dancing!” Benny said. He went up to the glass and started wiggling, trying to copy the dolphin’s moves.

  “You called this a marine dolphin,” Violet said. “Marine means it lives in the ocean, right?”

  “That’s right,” Kayla said. “Most dolphins live in the ocean, but a few live in rivers.”

  Benny spun around. “Will we see one of these dolphins in the ocean?”

  “I don’t think so.” Kayla smiled. “Hector’s dolphins live near New Zealand.”

  “That’s on the other side of the world,” Henry explained.

  Benny sighed. “That’s a long way. Maybe someday we can go.”

  “That would be quite an adventure,” Grandfather said.

  “I like adventures!” Benny raised his arms over his head as a sea turtle swam up to the glass. It looked like it wondered what Benny was doing. “We’ve had a lot of adventures,” Benny told Kayla.

  “Oh really?” she asked.

  “It’s true,” Henry said. “We like to help people and solve mysteries.”

  “We like to help animals too,” Violet added.

  “I try to help animals,” Kayla said. “I don’t think I’ve ever solved a mystery though.”

  Benny smiled up at her. “That’s okay. Maybe we’ll find one for you while we’re here.”

  Kayla laughed.

  Grandfather said, “Don’t be surprised if it happens. My grandkids always find something to get into.”

  The Aldens’ adventures had started when the children ran away from home. After their parents had died, they’d heard their grandfather was mean, so they hid in the woods and lived in an old boxcar they found. That had been their first adventure. Then they met their grandfather and found out he was very kind. He brought the children to live with him in Greenfield, Connecticut. The children still liked to hang out in the boxcar—and they still had plenty of adventures.

  Benny skipped through the room. “Maybe someday I’ll get to travel all over the world. I’ll see animals and help them.”

  “Those are very good goals,” Kayla said.

  Jessie pulled out her notebook. “Can you tell me more about conservation? It means trying to protect nature, right?”