About
The Alden children go to Mystery Ranch for summer vacation and run into Mike, an old friend from Surprise Island. The four friends are puzzled as Mike’s house is set on fire and he’s blamed for it. They know Mike didn’t do it, so they spend their vacation putting clues together to solve the mystery.
Read one section at a time, then discuss the questions to review understanding. These questions are a starting place for conversation, not a complete test of the chapter.
Chapter 1
Comprehension questions
Where do the four Alden children get to go for the summer?
Page 9 — Mystery Ranch
9
Where does Watch ride on the train ride there?
Page 10 — Baggage car
10
What has happened to Aunt Jane’s old hayfield?
Page 12 — It was made into a street
12
What do the children want to go see when they get to Aunt Jane’s?
Page 12 — The ranch
12
Chapter 2
Comprehension questions
Who does the ranch belong to?
Page 15 — The four Alden children
15
What mineral was found on the ranch?
Page 15 — Uranium
15
Who is Mike?
Page 16 — A friend from Surprise Island
16
Who did Mike see next to Pat in the newspaper picture?
Page 24 — A strange man
24
Chapter 3
Comprehension questions
What happened to Mike’s house?
Page 28 — It burned down
28
What word does Mike say to make everyone correct him?
Page 31 — Don’t
31
Where is Mike going to stay?
Page 33 — With Benny at Aunt Jane’s house
33
Chapter 4
Comprehension questions
How did the Wood’s know their house was on fire?
Page 36 — Their dog Spotty
36
What was the rumor going around about Mike?
Page 37 — That he started the fire
37
Who started the rumor?
Page 39 — A strange man with a blue hat
39
Who did Benny want everyone to watch for?
Page 41 — The man with the blue hat
41
Chapter 5
Comprehension questions
Where did the children go with Mr. Carter?
Page 42 — Up to the mine
42
What did the children want to do with the big empty room?
Page 45 — Let Mrs. Wood sell pies there
45
Who would Mrs. Wood make them for?
Page 46 — The miners
46
Chapter 6
Comprehension questions
Where do the children take Mrs. Wood?
Page 49 — To the building at the mine
49
Who is Mr. McCarthy?
Page 51 — The night watchman
51
Did Mrs. Wood like the idea of making and selling pies?
Page 52 — Yes
52
Who did Mike think Mr. McCarthy saw at the mine the night of the fire?
Page 56 — Man with blue hat
56
Chapter 7
Comprehension questions
Does Grandfather Alden like the idea of helping Mrs. Wood with her pie business?
Page 64 — Yes
64
Why did Mike tie up Spotty after the fire?
Page 67 — So he wouldn’t bark
67
Why did Spotty growl?
Page 66 — He saw the man in blue
66
Chapter 8
Comprehension questions
What did the children go to the store to buy?
Page 71 — Stove, sink, refrigerator, etc.
71
How did Mrs. Wood feel about buying new appliances?
Page 71 — She was delighted and happy
71
Why did the storekeeper tell them not to buy dishes?
Page 76 — Mrs. Wood’s friends were also giving her things
76
Chapter 9
Comprehension questions
Where did Mrs. Wood want to live?
Page 79 — In the building where she will sell pies
79
Why did she want to live there?
Page 79 — To have her boys close when she wakes up to make pies
79
What did the neighbors do for Mrs. Wood?
Page 85 — They gave her everything she needed
85
Chapter 10
Comprehension questions
Aunt Jane came to the building, what did she have for Mike?
Page 88 — The newspaper
88
Whose picture was in the newspaper?
Page 89 — A man with a hat
89
Who did Mr. Carter think the man with the blue hat was?
Page 92 — Someone who wanted to buy the mine
92
Who did Mr. Carter work for?
Page 94 — FBI
94
Chapter 11
Comprehension questions
What did Violet give Mrs. Wood?
Page 99 — A sign that said “Mike’s Mother’s Place”
99
What did the children use to lead the dogs to the finish line?
Page 104 — Bones
104
Why did Spotty stop during the race?
Page 105 — He smelled something
105
What did Spotty dig up?
Page 106 — A man’s blue hat
106
Chapter 12
Comprehension questions
When the children went to see Mr. Carter, what did Watch dig up?
Page 108 — A gasoline can
108
Why was finding the hat and gas can important?
Page 108 — It told the kids the man with the blue hat started the fire with the can
108
What did Mr. Carter find behind the mine?
Page 115 — Wires
115
What was the man with the blue hat doing at the mine the night of the fire?
Page 109 — Blowing up the mine
109
Chapter 13
Comprehension questions
Why did the children and Mrs. Wood have a party?
Page 117 — Because people have been so nice
117
Why did Spotty growl while everyone was watching the movie?
Page 121 — A man walked by
121
What did Spotty do when he saw him?
Page 121 — He ran and caught him
121
Chapter 14
Comprehension questions
Why did Mike feel it was his mystery?
Page 125 — It was his house that burned up
125
Why did Benny say it was Mike’s mystery?
Page 126 — It was Spotty who found the hat
126
What did Mike learn to say correctly?
Page 127 — Doesn’t
127
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Worksheets
Practice sheets with space to write your answers.
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