The Mysterious Benedict Society

Rhonda takes the children to meet Mr. Benedict, who congratulates them. He refers to the test administrator as “Number Two.”

Mr. Benedict says they are waiting for Constance Contraire. He shares some of Constance’s test answers, which he finds amusing. As he laughs, he falls asleep, and Rhonda leaps forward to catch him. In a minute Mr. Benedict wakes up and explains that he has narcolepsy, which is usually triggered by strong emotion. Number Two and Milligan enter with Constance, who is tiny.

Mr. Benedict has long conducted the tests hoping to establish a team of children to help him with an urgent project. He has never before found enough qualified children to form a team. Mr. Benedict warns them that this mission will be dangerous and may risk their lives.

Mr. Benedict asks what all four of them have in common. The others reply that they passed the tests, that they are children, and that they are gifted, but Reynie observes that they are all alone. The advertisement had been addressed to children, not parents, which Reynie found odd. Now he understands that the advertisement was geared toward children who do not have parents. He and Kate are orphans, he guesses Constance may be as well, and he believes that Sticky is hiding something about himself.