The Mystery of the Haunted Mine
(continued)
Trixie leaned against the railing on the upper porch outside of Hallie's room. Down below in the front yard, Mart, Hallie, Honey and Dan were helping Bobby build a huge snowman.
Trixie smiled as Bobby, who was trying to roll a large ball of snow, leaned forward and fell face first into the ball. Normally, she would be down there playing with them, but right now she didn't feel very playful.
She didn't even bother to look up when she heard the footsteps of someone walking towards her on the porch. Instead, she continued to chew on her right thumbnail and stare down at the woodgrain of the rustic railing.
"I suppose you guys are all packed," she said.
"We have a few supplies we need to get this afternoon in town. Your Uncle Andrew is being very generous, as usual."
Trixie looked over at the strong freckled hands resting on the railing next to her. Pushing herself off the railing, she walked over to a large wooden barrel that stood next to a long bench, scowling at the barrel as if it was the cause of all her problems.
Jim turned to face her. "I'm sorry you can't go along. I know how much you want to," he said simply.
Trixie sighed and nudged the barrel with the toe of her boot. "It's not fair," she said. "You guys will solve the mystery and catch the prankster while we girls will stay home and bake pies and knit."
Jim ran a hand through his red hair, walked over to the bench and sat down. "I don't know what to say, Trix. If it helps, the pies were delicious…."
Trixie threw her hands over her head. "Wonderful! You can change my nickname from Schoolgirl Shamus to Simple Simon!"
Completely frustrated, she sat down next to him on the bench.
"This whole trip has been a disaster," she exploded, unable to stop. "First the embarrassing pictures, then my perfect cousin, and now the sabotaging of my career! You have no idea what it's like to have your entire family drive you nuts!"
He pressed his lips together tightly and looked down at the floorboards.
"You're right, Trixie, I don't," he said huskily.
Shame washed over her.
I've done it again, she thought, Opened my big mouth before thinking. And now I've really hurt him when he all he was trying to do was make me feel better.
"Gosh, Jim, I'm really sorry." She gulped. "I shouldn't have said that." Tentatively she looked at him for the first time since he came up to talk to her.
He was always so patient with her, often more so than her own brothers were. Ever since she met Jim, Trixie had admired his strong, independent character. He seldom spoke of his past, instead he focused on his future goals and worked hard to achieve them. If the Bob-Whites were doing something difficult, you could depend on Jim to lead the way through the hardest parts.
"That's ok, Trix. I'm too sensitive about it, I guess." He managed a small smile at her. "And you're right, you have been getting picked on a lot. That's what families do. Besides, I guess it makes us even for me losing my temper with you yesterday."
Trixie ran a hand distractedly through her curls. "I understand why you did," she said softly. "It doesn't justify my blowing up at you just now. "
They were quiet for a few moments.
"One of the things I remember about my Mom was the way she would hum to herself in the kitchen as she worked.," Jim spoke quietly, staring out at the pine trees rustling in the soft breeze. "And I really remember the smell of fresh baked pies and cakes cooling on the racks on the counter. " He paused, his deep green eyes lost in thought. "Then when Dad died, and she married Jonesey, she hardly cooked anymore. Maybe it was because she was sick, or maybe we just ate out a lot then, but I sure did miss it."
Trixie did not trust herself to speak over the lump in her throat. Instead, she reached over and gently sandwiched one of his hands between hers.
After a moment, he looked over and smiled at her.
"Do you really think your family is trying to sabotage your career?" he said lightly.
"Well, no one seems to be encouraging it. I've been very serious about it, but everyone still treats me like I'm a child playing a game. I've been considering my future very seriously."
"So have I," he said in a voice that made Trixie remember that there were some areas of her future she wasn't quite ready to consider yet.
As if sensing her hesitation, Jim stood and gently pulled her to her feet. "Don't worry, Trixie. I have a feeling your family is really proud of all you've accomplished so far." He looked at her fondly. "They just don't want to see your pretty head in trouble all the time."
Trixie blushed and wandered over to a snow drift in the corner of the porch. She glanced back at him quickly, though, when he added mischievously, "Or in a barrel!"
"Jim Frayne! Don't you ever mention that again!" She picked up a huge clump of snow and waved it at him threateningly.
"I thought you weren't a child anymore," he teased.
She packed the snow into a good-sized ball and looked at him thoughtfully.
"I guess in some ways I am," she said, turning to fling the giant snowball over the railing, hitting Mart squarely in the back of the head.
Trixie quickly ducked down behind the enclosed porch, making it look like Jim had thrown the snowball. Giggling at his astonished face, she quickly crawled for cover as Mart started to retaliate. Sputtering, Jim chased her down the side stairs, and a full-fledged snowball battle was on.
The Bob-Whites and the Idaho Beldens followed Andrew Belden out of the crisp air into the town's general store. A short, balding man with bushy sideburns stepped from behind the antique counter to greet them. After Cap and Knut introduced their Uncle and friends to "Pop" Nelson, they set about acquiring the necessary food and extra equipment for the winter camp. Hallie showed the girls around the old-fashioned store.
"Kind of reminds you of Crimper's back home, doesn't it, Trixie?" said Honey, gazing around the room, which held canned goods and mining equipment on the same shelves in some places.
Trixie nodded. "The Wild West version. How can you ever find anything in here?" she asked Hallie.
Hallie chuckled. "Pop does have an unique inventory system in here." She pointed to the rack of ladies cosmetics sitting next to a selection of garish ski masks.
Honey giggled. "That's easy to figure out, both are things to cover your face with. But what about over here?" She pointed to a stack of buckets, some hardware, and a rack of books all grouped together.
Trixie stared at the collection for a minute. "I've got it! Pails, nails, and tales!"
The girls continued around the shop, giggling at what they found on the shelves.
"This aisle is my favorite." said Hallie.
In an obscure corner of the room, they saw wart remover and several mousetraps hanging from a piece of pegboard. On the floor, there were little stone and plastic lawn ornaments. Above the pegboard, behind glass, were some black powder and sticks of dynamite. Over it all hung a giant stuffed moose head. Trixie and Honey stared at the items for sale in amazement, then turned to Hallie.
"Give up?" she asked, dark eyes sparkling with amusement. "It's the 'things that you don't want in your powder room' corner!"
As they were laughing, Pop Nelson came over to them with some stick candy.
"Just like always, Hallie Belden, have to stay in here and laugh at my merchandise until I give you a stick of peppermint." His voice was gruff, but his pale blue eyes twinkled in merriment. Handing each of them a stick, he proceeded to unlock the glass case on the wall.
"Now, skedaddle on out of here before you scare all my customers away. Your brothers and your gentlemen friends are waiting for you outside." He took out several sticks of dynamite and locked the cabinet.
"Gonna have to replenish my supply of dynamite, if you can believe such a thing." They followed him over to the counter. "Not too often I get a call for it, but this mornin' this redhead comes in askin' for it with the rest of his order. Said he'd be back for it after he visited Joe Bank's shop. Then you bring in that tall redheaded lad with you all. " He put the dynamite behind the counter and pointed to the list that the boys and Trixie's uncle had made.
"Hope I get more of 'em in. Good for business." He waved his hands to shoo them out of the store. They thanked him for the candy and joined the boys on the wooden porch outside of the store.
Knut grinned at his sister. "I suppose you girls aren't interested in the best submarine sandwiches in town now that you managed to chisel Pop out of some candy. Don't you ever get tired of doing that, Hallie?"
"Not while Brian is still sucking on a peppermint drop. I saw Pop handing round the bag before you left," she retorted.
Brian gave a guilty grin and shrugged.
Cap laughed. "Can't put one over on Hallie-long-legs. Let's go to Morty's before the lunch crowd gets there."
Uncle Andrew chuckled. "I think we'll be the lunch crowd, Cap."
Happily, the group filed into the long dining car replica with its long counter and gleaming silver trim. A large room had been added to the back with plenty of booths and tables and a jukebox and room for dancing.
Joining several of the tables together, they kept the waitress busy filling their order for quite some time.
Trixie sat across from Hallie at the window, watching people walking down the street. Turning the corner heading towards Pop's general store, Trixie caught a glimpse of a redheaded man with a briefcase.
Hallie saw him, too. "Looks like someone is going to pick up some dynamite," she said.
Trixie couldn't resist the chance to quiz her cousin. "How can you be sure he's the right man? He doesn't look like someone that would be carrying dynamite around with him."
Instead of being flustered, Hallie chuckled. "What do people who carry dynamite around look like? That has to be the man. In Idaho, redheads don't grow on trees like they do at Manor House."
Trixie couldn't resist a smile.
Besides Jim, Honey's father was a redhead, and so was their groom, Regan.
"What's this about my people living in trees?" Jim demanded, making Hallie choke on her drink, laughing.
After a delicious lunch of submarine sandwiches, chips and cokes, they strolled down the main street of Silvertown.
Mart groaned and stretched happily. "Now that was a feast of true sustenance. That was certainly the most delectable combination of deli delights between two pieces of bread I have had in some time."
Jim laughed. "That's high praise coming from the connoisseur of sandwiches."
Knut glanced at his watch. "Pop won't have our order together for a while yet. What say we go down to the Astor theater? There's a really good western playing."
Knowing that Honey didn't really like westerns, Trixie said, "Gee, Knut, would you mind if Honey and I just walked around town for a while? We'd like to do some window shopping."
"Okay by me," he replied. "Hallie, you coming?"
"I think I'll keep playing tour guide," she answered.
"Then we'll meet you girls by the cars at four o'clock," said Uncle Andrew.
The girls watched the group go into the theater, then Hallie turned to face Trixie. "So, where shall I start the tour?" she drawled.
Honey looked at all the quaint shops on the street. "Anywhere but the bakery." She smiled. "How about that little bookshop called 'The Inkwell'?"
"I was thinking about the local barbershop," replied the tall girl.
Trixie looked up sharply at her cousin.
"Would that happen to be owned by Joe Banks?" she asked.
"Joe Banks Jr., and we will probably find Joe Banks Sr. sitting in there, ready to take on anyone at checkers."
Honey looked at the two cousins. "And maybe you'll find some information about the man who bought the dynamite? I don't see why you would be interested. I'm sure here in mining country, this is a normal thing."
Trixie shrugged. "I just have a feeling."
"Detectives often work by intuition, you know," added Hallie, smiling at her cousin.
"To start, then they go find some facts," Trixie said, smiling back at her.
Honey smiled happily at seeing them reach an understanding. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's start the tour," she said to Hallie.
They strolled casually down the street, pausing by the large striped pole announcing Bank's Barbershop. Through the window they saw a middle-aged man busy working with his clippers on another gentleman. Several older men were seated by a checkerboard, one was reading interesting articles aloud from the paper.
Out front, to the New Yorker's delight, was an old watering trough left over from wilder days. Bells jingled on the door as Hallie opened it and ventured inside. The barber nodded a greeting to her as she strode over to the group to men, Trixie and Honey behind her.
Joe Banks Sr. peered up at her through thick glasses. "Hey there!" he said."You're Harold Belden's daughter, aren't you?" He nudged the dozing man beside him. "Hey, Carl! We have company!"
Hallie chuckled and said, "Here's another Belden. This is my cousin Trixie, and her friend Honey Wheeler. They're from New York."
The elder Banks shook hands with them and nudged the sleeping man again.
"Hey! All the way from the east!" he shouted.
Trixie tried to suppress a giggle.
Carl opened one sleepy eye and nodded at them. Joe invited them to sit down on the long bench along the wall.
"Certainly a good week for visitors," Joe said. "Mrs. Phillips's two boys came by for a cut--they're visiting their mother over the holidays. Rob's got a young son of his own, two and a half, nearly took the store apart just like his father did at that age. Widow Popper's got a suitor in to see her from Kansas this week. Don't know why a fellow would want to stay out there in the dust for."
He paused for a breath, and peered at Hallie. "Knutson was in here after work couple of weeks ago. When's that rascal Capelton going to come in and get rid of that tail of his? Anyway, it's nice to see good people visiting town, not like that red-headed fool, Randall Chaney, who comes waltzing in here not two hours ago looking real smug about something."
The girls looked at each other, but let the old barber continue his rambling.
"I remember the last day we saw him around here, he was in here ranting about how young Schmidt had cheated him out of something or another, saying how he was gonna get even. First time we had to get the sheriff down here. " He chuckled. "I remember Sheriff Colt's first day as deputy. Had the dangerous task of rescuing Mary's cat from the tree out front of her bakery." He glanced over at the girls. "Got time for a game?" he asked, nodding at the board.
"Actually we have to get going," said Hallie.
All three girls stood and politely said their good-byes.
After exiting, Trixie exhaled a long breath. "Gleeps, I feel like I've been run over!" she said.
Honey nodded in agreement.
Hallie chuckled. "Old Mr. Banks sure has the gift of gab. Knows a little bit about everyone who's been in and out of this town for the last twenty years at least."
Trixie turned to her younger cousin. "It was really clever of you to think of visiting the shop, Hallie."
Honey added her agreement. "It certainly was. And he gave us quite an interesting angle to this mystery."
Hallie glowed at the other girls' praise and rubbed the toe of her boot against the sidewalk. "This whole thing has too many angles.," she finally said. "I wish we could be up on the mountain tonight with the guys to figure out what's going on."
Trixie stopped walking and looked at her. "That's how I felt this morning. But I realized that just because we can't be there doesn't mean we can't use our brains here. We still need to figure out so many things. Like why someone is haunting the mine."
"That one is easy. To get their hands on the inventory in the warehouse," said Honey.
Hallie snapped her fingers. "But according to Gloria's dad, nothing was missing from the warehouse at the mine when the ghost scared off the workers the other day."
The girls continued to walk, turning this fact over in their minds.
"We know how the old equipment 'floating' across the room was done, thanks to Hallie. But I'm still stumped about the old hermit's ghost we saw," said Trixie.
Honey stopped walking and pointed a trembling finger.
"I see him now!" she said.
Trixie and Hallie looked to see the back of a man walking up a trail near the wide strip of land going up the mountain.
"Well, I've got some questions for him!" declared Hallie, and rushed off in that direction.
Trixie and Honey hurried to catch up with Hallie's long stride. Crossing the fire trail over sledding runs that were now empty of children in the early evening, they followed the hermit's footprints up the narrow path.
"How far do you think we should go?" panted Honey, as the trail became steeper.
Trixie was about to answer, when suddenly they came to an intersection in the trail.
The three girls bent over the footprints in the area, but it was Hallie that found the smaller path leading a little off to the left with the correct prints going uphill.
Once or twice they spotted the man far in front of them As they got closer, they could see him carrying a very full pack on his back. Very little conversation was made during the steep climb and Trixie was starting to wonder about the sense of following him so deep into the woods, when all of the sudden the path leveled out, revealing a log cabin in a clearing.
Trixie stopped for breath, but before she could say anything, a group of gray furry creatures came tearing around the corner of the house. Trixie stood rooted to the spot, unable to scream as the pack of wolves came running at her.
She barely had time to throw her arms up over her head as the lead wolf leaped upon her and knocked her to the ground. Thinking the animal would immediately go for her throat, she was shocked to find it happily licking her face and enthusiastically wagging its tail. The first wolf was joined by two more, all making curious grunts and howls as they continued to greet her, competing for her affection.
A sharp whistle caught their attention and they ran back to the house. Honey and Hallie were also picking themselves up from where they, too, were attacked by the welcoming animals. Turning in the direction of the whistle, Trixie gasped to see the ghost of the mine standing by the cabin glaring at them.
Trixie glanced over at her cousin, who stood with her mouth open. Honey was clutching her arm and looked ready to run. Trixie felt like turning down the trail at top speed, too, but squared her shoulders as the ghost of the hermit spoke to them.
"Now, I've seen everything!" he declared, dark brown eyes flashing under thick eyebrows. One hand scratched at his long white beard. "What in the world are you three girls doing following an old man up into the woods?"
Trixie managed to find her voice. "Would you believe you look like someone we know?" she said lamely.
He threw his hands up into the air. "Now I've heard everything. Bad enough some fool thinks I'm some kind of subject for a nature film…thought this was a place I could get some peace and quiet." Muttering, he cleared some snow off a small bench by the side of the cabin. "Don't want any company other than the dogs, but since you're here, might as well sit down." He motioned to the girls to sit on the bench, seating himself on a stump across from them.
Cautiously they sat down, instantly surrounded by the gray canines begging for attention at their feet.
"Did you say dogs?" Honey asked, carefully petting the huge ball of fur trying to climb into her lap.
"Down, Sasha. Yes I did, miss." He chuckled. "You thought they were wolves, eh?" He laughed at their sheepish looks.
Trixie began to relax and tried to pet the animals wiggling happily near her feet. "They make me homesick for Reddy," she said.
The Belden dog was spending the week with Tom and Celia, the married chauffeur and maid at the Wheeler's mansion. Jim's springer spaniel, Patch, was also being dog-sat at the couple's cozy trailer.
The man glanced over at her. "Your Reddy a Husky, too?"
Trixie blinked, confused for a moment. "No, he's an Irish setter. Is that what these dogs are--huskies?"
He pulled affectionately at one dog's ear. "Yep, Siberian Huskies, championship sled dogs, this group is. That's why I came over here to Silvertown. Rented this cabin for the winter, figured I'd have some nice new trails for us to practice on."
Trixie looked down at the handsome dogs sniffing at her boots and milling around the three girls, their tails curled up like question marks and matching the inquisitive looks on the girls' faces. She was mildly startled to see blue eyes on some of them; one dog even had two different colored eyes.
"Do you take your team up by the old mine?" Hallie asked.
"Nope," he answered, looking at her suspiciously. "Haven't been up that far. We usually stick to the trails down here. Easier on the sled." He jerked a thumb in the direction of the curious looking object hanging from the side of the cabin.
Silence fell on the group, as they both stared at each other for a moment.
Honey was the first to speak. "We're sorry for trespassing on your property, sir. I'm Honey Wheeler and these are my friends, Trixie and Hallie Belden."
"Daniel Yeager," was the gruff but kind reply, and he shook hands with each of them. "Sorry, I seem to forget my manners, just me and the dogs up here most of the time."
"Didn't you say someone was taking pictures of you, Mr. Yeager?" asked Trixie.
"It was the darndest thing!" They jumped at his loud tone. "Was walking down the road over there, when I heard this whirring sound. I looked over, and some fellow was making a film of me. I gave him a glare and he took off."
He frowned at the memory, causing the girls to jump again at the reminder of the ghostly figure in the trees.
"Did he have red hair?" asked Hallie.
Daniel Yeager looked at them as if they had lost their minds. "Far as I can remember, fellow was wearing a hat. What kind of crazy kids are you anyway?" he asked.
Trixie giggled nervously. "We may have seen the film of you. That's why we thought we knew you."
He scratched his beard again thoughtfully. "Well, if you see it again, you tell that fellow I don't appreciate it one bit."
"We were hoping you would know who he was," said Hallie.
"Well, I don't and don't care to," he said. "You girls better be running on back into town before it gets dark."
Trixie jumped off the bench and looked at the setting sun. "Gleeps! You're right, Mr. Yeager! What time is it, Honey?"
Honey looked at her watch. "Three forty-five!" she exclaimed.
Hallie jumped up. "We had better skedaddle back into town. Nice meeting you! " she said to the bearded man, who stood shaking his head at them as they rushed down the trail.
"Careful goin' down" he called after them.
The girls raced back down the trail and ran across town where they found the boys and their uncle loading the supplies into Knut's Suburban.
Mart raised an eyebrow at the panting girls. "Do my optical orbs deceive me? It seems our errant sleuths have traded window shopping for cross country running, an admirable sport for those dressed for the event."
Trixie leaned back against the seat of the rental van. "For your information, smarty, we followed and cornered the ghost of Gunter in his lair." She paused, still out of breath.
"He surrounded us with his wolf pack," added Honey.
Hallie pulled her hair off her face. "But we convinced him that you boys would make a much tastier meal for the pack, so he let us pass through with the expectation of a heartier meal tonight," she said.
Trixie smiled smugly at her brother. "I pity the wolf that chews on you, dear brother. He will probably die of indigestion."
"It sounds to me like a tale of sour grapes, little sister." Mart scowled and turned around in his seat, leaving Trixie to turn over the events of the day in her head on the way home.
After the group left to set up camp, Trixie paced around the living room, deep in thought.
"You're going to wear a hole in the carpet, Trixie," remarked her father.
She stopped and looked at him. "Can you run Uncle Andrew's film projector?" she asked.
"I thought you didn't ever want to see those movies again," said her mother with a smile.
"It's not the movies I want to see. Well, it is, but not on the screen. Please, Dad?"
Curious, Peter and Harold Belden got the projector out and, under Trixie's direction, pointed it not at a screen, but out at the trees. Hallie turned out the lights and suddenly, a giant Cap Belden at age five was chasing Mart across the dense firs.
"It looks like Mart and Cap are playing in the trees!" said Bobby.
Hallie switched back on the lights and the girls explained their theory about how the ghost effect was done to their amazed parents.
"You girls may be finding out more things than the boys are tonight," observed Hallie's father.
Hallie chuckled. "Yeah, like beds are warmer when they are indoors."
They bid the adults good night and went up those warm beds.
"Well, now we know how the haunting was done," yawned Honey. "All we have to figure out is why."
"And that's the hard part," groaned Hallie.
"After all the characters I met today, it's a wonder I can think at all," said Trixie, stretching out in her cot.
Honey's even breathing was all the reply she heard. Yawning, she decided to let all thought go from her mind.
We'll sort it out in the morning was her last thought of the day.
The sun was shining brightly through the windows of the Belden living room after breakfast the next morning. Trixie was curled up in the corner of the comfortable sofa, watching her friends enviously.
Honey was sitting at a card table in the corner of the room, busy pasting pictures into a scrapbook.
Hallie was sitting in a huge chair, long legs dangling over the side of the plush armrests. She was knitting ferociously; her brow furrowed in deep thought.
Trixie looked down at her fingernails, chewed and ragged. Maybe I should find something else to do with my hands while I think.
The telephone rang, startling all three girls out of their reveries. Hallie went to the kitchen to answer it. Trixie waited impatiently, watching Honey finish working and clean up the table area.
Then, Honey sat down next to Trixie. "I keep thinking about the film of the hermit, I mean, of Mr. Yeager. Do you think he was telling us the truth?" she asked.
Trixie frowned. "I don't know, Honey. He could have been involved with the haunting. What bothers me is this: Why haunt a mine that is worthless? If no-one took the inventory when the men left, why bother with the camera tricks?"
"How would you like to talk to someone who might know?" asked Hallie, striding into the room looking pleased. Not waiting for an answer, she continued, "That was Gloria. She thought we might want to visit Ed Samson in the hospital. She's on her way over."
They rushed to get ready to go. Trixie stopped to pick up the part that Hallie had found and put it into the pocket of her jeans. After throwing on extra sweaters, the girls were waiting outside when Gloria's Jeep pulled into the driveway.
Ed was sitting on the side of his bed dressed in street clothes when they arrived. He smiled at Gloria. "Doc says I can go home today."
She smiled back. "That's great, Ed. I want you to meet Honey Wheeler and Trixie and Hallie Belden."
He stood up and shook hands with all of them. His left arm was in a sling and he had a black eye, but otherwise the big man seemed to be feeling fine.
He looked at Trixie. "I'm glad you stopped by so I could thank you, miss. Who knows how badly I could have been hurt if you hadn't come across that hole in the floor."
Trixie blushed. "You're quite welcome, Mr. Samson. But we didn't come down here to be thanked…."
He shook his head. "I'm very grateful to you and your dark-haired brother. I'd like to talk to him, too, before you kids go back to New York."
Gloria smiled at him. "I'm sure that can be arranged. But right now, I think the girls have some questions for you, if you don't mind."
He motioned for them to sit in the extra chairs near the bed, and when they were seated, settled down on the edge again. "Shoot! Ask me anything."
Never a shy person, Hallie was the first to speak. "How did you end up in such a mess out there?"
The worker settled back a bit on the bed. "We were working in the warehouse, taking inventory of what had just been brought up. I heard some yelling and looked over at Mike Chaney, who was working near me. He was pointing at some old mining stuff that was floating in the air. Then we heard some moaning and clanking. Everyone was pretty much on end after all the stories that were going around. So we ran out of the building and that's when we saw it." He paused, frowning. "Gloria told me that you girls saw the same thing."
They nodded.
"But we know it wasn't a ghost," Trixie said.
They proceeded to tell him how the trick was done.
He listened and shook his head slowly. "I thought it was fake. I'm not saying it didn't unnerve me at first, but I wasn't about to abandon my job until I investigated some more." He gave a curt nod of his head to Gloria. "I thought I saw a light coming from the old coal building, so I went to check it out. The upstairs was locked, which is pretty unusual. I knew the floor was bad over in the corner, but I also knew that if I could get out that window, I could easily get up to the next floor. By then, I was plenty mad about someone playing a joke and I really didn't think about the danger. When I got to the back room, I heard someone walking around upstairs. I hurried over to the window…."
He paused and rubbed his head. "It's kind of fuzzy from there. I remember a loud crash, and I must have hit my head. When I woke up, everything was dark and I didn't dare move. My flashlight must've fallen down with the floor." He shrugged his wide shoulders. "Doc says I was lucky to survive the night."
"You must have been in and out of consciousness all morning until Trixie got you to stand up," said Honey.
"And I am grateful for that." He nodded somberly at Trixie.
She looked down at her hands in embarrassment. Suddenly, she remembered the thingamajig in her pocket. "Mr. Samson, can you tell me what this is?" she asked, pulling it out and handing it to him.
He raised his eyebrows and grunted softly. "It's a part to a switch for one of our alternative lighting lamps we make. It's pretty technical, but the whole device can save electricity by nearly fifty percent over regular lamps. This part here," he said as he shook the device at them, "is a pretty universal part. We use this on a few of our products, and many other companies use them as well. Where did you find it?"
Hallie told him about finding the part with the fishing line and the tools.
Gloria frowned. "May I see it?" she asked.
Ed handed it to her and rubbed his head again. "Pretty odd you would find it up on the mountain. Those pieces should only be in the downtown warehouse."
"You're right, Ed," Gloria confirmed. She looked at the teenagers. "These parts are pretty expensive to make, but necessary. A lot of other companies will use a cheaper model of this same part, but Dad believes the better quality ones make a more efficient product."
Ed Samson nodded. "Your father's right about that."
Gloria looked at the other girls. "We should go over to the factory next. I want to check the records on this part."
They bade goodbye to Ed and drove over to the warehouse. Gloria asked them to wait while she went inside to check the inventory files.
Trixie impatiently tapped on her knees, while she waited in the backseat.
Hallie turned around to look at her from the front seat. "Now we know why those parts are disappearing," she said.
"A universal part would be easy to sell to companies, and since those are expensive to make, most companies would take the good deal and not report it to the authorities," commented Honey. "But we still don't know why the the thieves would want to scare people away from the old mine."
"Someone is out to ruin Gloria's father. Why not make a profit at the same time?" answered Hallie.
"And old Mr. Banks told us who that is! " Honey's hazel eyes were wide. "All we have to do is find that Randall Chaney fellow that Mr. Banks was talking about...."
"And arrest him for buying dynamite?" Hallie asked, one thin eyebrow raised.
Trixie exhaled in frustration. "She's right, Honey. We have no evidence that this guy has even been near the factory. And if he just got into town, how could he have been stealing the parts?"
Hallie nodded. "Old Mr. Banks would have known if this Randall fellow was in town. He knows everything that goes on around here."
"We may be wrong altogether. Just because he and Gloria's father had a dispute a while ago…." Honey's voice trailed off uncertainly.
The three girls sat in silence for a moment. Trixie began to run their conversation with Ed Samson through her head again, trying to put a finger on the nagging feeling in the back of her head.
"If only we could trace that part you found to someone at the downtown warehouse," Honey said to Hallie, who was fidgeting with her long dark hair.
Hallie finished putting it into a long braid, and snapped an elastic band on the end. "Whoever it was is our culprit. Who were the men up on the mountain at that time?"
Trixie snapped her head up, blue eyes blazing. "Mike Chaney!" she cried.
Honey frowned at her. "But he was working near Ed Samson when they saw the tools move, Trixie."
"I know, Honey, one of his relatives was playing ghost at the time!"
Hallie slapped her forehead "Randall Chaney! Why didn't I associate that name right away!"
Trixie grinned at her, "Because we aren't supersleuths yet."
Hallie's black eyes glowed. "We?" she asked shyly.
Trixie looked at Honey, whose soft hazel eyes sparkled her encouragement.
Smiling warmly at her younger cousin, Trixie nodded. "Why not have another detective in the family?" she said softly. "After all, you found all the clues."
Trixie watched Hallie's face light up happily. Opening the front door, the dark-haired girl quickly got out and turned around to smile at them.
"I'm all for finding some more," she said.
Smiling, Trixie and Honey soon joined her in walking towards the building.
"I think we should check around the shipping and receiving docks," Hallie said.
Trixie nodded her agreement. "Maybe someone saw a redhead driving a truck or something."
The turned to walk around to the far side of the building.
"I don't think anyone is working today to ask," Honey said nervously. "Gloria used her key to get in, remember."
Trixie and Hallie looked at each other.
"I didn't notice," said Trixie sheepishly.
"Detective points to Miss Wheeler," joked Hallie.
Quietly, they strode towards the docks at the rear of the old warehouse.
Hallie, who was in the lead, stopped suddenly, causing Trixie to bump into her.
"What is it?" Trixie whispered, trying to peer over her taller cousin's shoulder.
Hallie turned and put a finger to her lips. Crouching behind a cement ramp, the girls saw a small truck being loaded by two men.
"That's the last one,"said the taller man. "Help me get the stockroom locked up before anyone sees us."
The other man took off his hat to wipe the sweat off his forehead, revealing a shock of red hair. "What about that blonde chick up in the front office?"
His partner turned to face him, revealing the face of Mike Chaney to the girls.
"She's deep into the paperwork. Besides, her old man trusts me with a key, remember? "
They went inside the warehouse. As soon as the door had swung shut, Hallie whispered, "Now's our chance!" and ran towards the truck.
Trixie and Honey quickly followed her inside the back of the vehicle.
"Hallie Belden, what are you doing?" Trixie whispered fiercely.
"I'm gonna see what's in these boxes," said Hallie.
Honey looked around nervously. "This isn't a good idea. Those men are going to come back any second!"
No sooner were the words out of her mouth than they heard the door creak. Quickly, they dove under the heavy tarp covering the boxes.
"I'm telling you, she's looking for something up there. I think Schmidt is on to you," said Randall Chaney in an unpleasant voice.
Mike Chaney sighed. "She can't do anything without these files." Trixie heard him drop something on top of the tarp. "Let's get going."
Trixie's stomach sank as she heard him close up the back of the truck. She looked over at Honey, but couldn't see her in the absolute darkness. She did feel Honey's hand grip her arm as they heard two doors slam and the engine turn over. They were trapped!
Huddled under the tarp in the back of the truck, the girls watched the luminous dial on Hallie's watch click away one, then two hours. Afraid to talk at first, for fear of being overheard, eventually they spoke in whispers.
"How far away do you think we are?" said Honey, fearfully.
"I don't know, Honey," answered Trixie. "It seems like we have been going uphill, though."
"Do you think we are going up to the mine?" asked Honey hopefully.
Hallie stretched her legs. "Nope. We would have been there a while ago," she said gloomily. "This has got to be the stupidest thing I've done yet."
All three were silent again.
"You could disagree with me...." Hallie added.
"What are we going to do when they stop?" asked Honey.
No one had an answer. Trixie thought of her family. Surely Gloria would have told them the girls were missing by now. Perhaps the boys were even searching for them. A faint glimmer of hope arose within her, only to be crushed by her next thought: How can they find us in a truck probably miles and miles away from them by now?
She heard a slight sniff from Honey and reached over to pat her reassuringly on the back. "Don't worry. We'll get through this somehow...." She was interrupted by Hallie shushing her.
The truck slowed down and the radio that had been playing in the background suddenly cut off, creating an eerie silence. Trixie tensed as she heard the doors slam, and the sound of snow crunching under the men's boots as they walked to the back of the truck.
"Are you sure we shouldn't unload this stuff into the cabin?" Mike was saying.
"Just leave it here for now. We've got work to do. When that moron Schmidt fired me, I told him I'd get even."
"I don't know, Randy. We skimmed enough of his inventory to make us pretty rich. Why use the dynamite?"
Trixie held her breath, straining to hear the two men through the door of the truck.
"When we dynamite the top of that ridge, causing an avalanche onto the old mine, he'll be financially ruined. It'll serve him right. You said no one's gonna be up there today, so we won't have to worry about that."
"Like we didn't have to worry about Ed Samson getting hurt," said Mike sarcastically.
"That was an accident!!" Randall Chaney practically shouted. "Now let's get going, so we can load up the jeep with this stuff and get out of your buddy's cabin. "
"Should I get the inventory papers out?" Trixie felt her heart stop as Mike jiggled the handle.
"No! Quit draggin' your feet!" was the impatient reply.
All three girls breathed a sigh of relief as they heard the motor of a jeep starting up, but waited till the sound was well out of range before they dared to move. Trixie felt Hallie spring up and grope her way to the back of the truck.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Getting us out of here. Unlocks from the inside," she panted, wrestling with the handle. "Safety…precaution…Ah!" With a loud grating sound, the lock turned and all three were blinking their eyes, trying to get accustomed to the light again.
"I thought we were done for," sighed Honey as she jumped out of the truck.
Trixie clambered down beside her, grabbing the inventory folder as she went.
"The boys will be done for, if we don't stop those men," moaned Hallie.
They looked down the road that they had just come up.
"We can't possibly go back the way we came," Hallie said.
"We must be somewhere up on top of the mountain," ventured Trixie, looking around helplessly.
Hallie was heading toward the cabin. "Maybe there's a phone inside," she said, peering in the window. Trixie joined her. Both girls' shoulders slumped dejectedly at the empty room inside.
"Not even wood for a fire." Trixie said.
Honey's eyes filled with tears. "We've got to do something," she said, rubbing her hands together to ward off the cold.
Hallie pointed over to their left, then jogged in that direction. Suddenly she turned and waved excitedly. Trixie and Honey ran over to her. As they got closer, they saw what she was excited about.
"I know where we are!" she said triumphantly, her dark eyes flashing.
Trixie and Honey looked down at the steep white strip slashing its way through the trees. Off to their right and down the mountain a bit was a bare, rocky break on the snow covered ridge, and under that they could make out a few of the buildings to the mine. Somewhere in there, the boys and Uncle Andrew would be camping. Trixie shivered. Somewhere above the ridge, the Chaneys would be setting up their dynamite. They couldn't possibly get down there to warn the boys in time.
Honey was thinking the same thing. "I can't bear to stand here and watch," she whispered.
Trixie looked at Hallie, pale but determined. Suddenly she ran back to the cabin. Hallie and Honey followed, breathlessly wondering what the short blonde was thinking. Stuffing the inventory file into her coat, Trixie ran past an old grill, over a rotting picnic table and a pile of old rubber tires and car parts, stopping to vigorously brush some snow off a large oblong object. Quickly Hallie joined her, and together they lifted a beaten flat bottomed canoe onto its side.
"Oh, no," said Honey. "You can't possibly be thinking of what I think you're thinking of...."
Trixie looked up, red-faced from exertion. "Can you possibly think of something better?" she replied. Together, she and Hallie started to drag the canoe towards the fire trail.
"We'll be killed!" Honey wailed.
Trixie stopped and looked her best friend in the eye. "If we don't try, my Uncle and our brothers will be," she said softly.
Honey nodded and helped the cousins drag the canoe over to the edge of the fire trail.
"Ok," said Hallie, "Let's start it out in the middle of the open area. I'll take the front, Trix, you take the rear for ballast."
Trixie gave a nervous laugh. "If we weren't going to die, I'd resent that."
Hallie got in the front and sat down.
"Wait!" said Honey. "How will we steer this thing?"
"I don't think we have that option," retorted Hallie.
"No, you're right, Honey. Just like a toboggan. Lean right, lean left. Ok?" said Trixie. She watched Honey step in the middle, stiffening as the canoe lurched a little bit.
Here goes nothing, she thought, and got into the back of the canoe and pushed off.
Dan was listening quietly to Cap Belden as the two young men stood on the edge of the fire trail. Cap was telling Dan about how the trail had gotten wider over the years because of all the skiers. "I think the amount of eagles and hawks one sees up here now has increased because of the good hunting area this makes in the summer and fall for them."
Dan nodded and looked up at the ridge. He nudged Cap, who was looking downhill. "Does that look like a canoe to you?" he asked, surprised.
"What?" said Cap, swinging his head around. "Mart, Jim, come see this!" the goateed young mountainman called over his shoulder.
"What's up?" said Jim as they jogged over to where the two were standing.
"Looks like some idiots are going to try to canoe down the mountain," replied Cap.
Trixie was unprepared for the sudden burst of speed after the first couple of yards downhill. Desperately holding on to the sides of the canoe, the girls tried to lean right and left ever so slightly to keep the nose of the boat going straight.
An icy wind stung their faces, the snow spraying up at them as they traveled over the bumpy terrain. The trees were whizzing by on either side of the trail, too fast to pick out shapes, although Trixie thought she saw people frantically waving out of the corner of her eye. She had no time to think about it as the canoe went over a small hill, and they hung in the air for a split second, Honey's scream cut off sharply when they landed with a thud, jarring every bone in Trixie's body.
"Lean Left!" she would hear Hallie shout, and she would move her head and shoulders, the wind a roar in her ears. Trixie's fingers felt numb to the bone as chunks of snow and ice would hit them as they bounced along.
They went over another sickening drop, and Trixie heard a cracking sound when the canoe landed, slowing it ever so slightly. Suddenly, near the bottom of the hill, a pack of dogs pulling a sled dashed out of the wood in front of them.
"Right!" she heard Hallie scream and she and Honey threw their weight to the right of the canoe, tipping it. The canoe flew away from them, smashing into a tree. Trixie tumbled head over heels, finally sliding to an icy halt. She was laying there trying to decide if anything was broken, when she felt something warm all over her face. Opening her eyes, she found herself looking into a pair of blue ones surrounded by gray and white fur. Carefully sitting up while trying to keep the dog from licking her, she stretched her arms and legs gingerly, while looking for Honey and Hallie.
"What in tarnation is wrong with you crazy girls!" yelled Daniel Yeager, who was picking Honey up off the ground.
"You ok, Honey?" Trixie croaked. Honey nodded.
Frantically, she looked around for Hallie, her lungs still burning from the icy air. The dark haired girl was sitting up groaning, holding her left arm close to her chest. Trixie scrambled over to her.
"Think I only broke my arm," her cousin panted. Painfully, Hallie got to her feet and looked down the hill to the town below. "We have to get to the sheriff," she said wearily.
"I knew when I met you girls you had no sense. Now I've seen everything. Going down hill in a canoe, of all things! What the…."
"Please, Mr. Yeager!" Trixie interrupted him. "It's urgent we get to the sheriff's office immediately!"
"It's a matter of life and death!" proclaimed Hallie.
"Please can you help us?" begged Honey.
The older gentleman looked at them for a second, then stalked over to his sled and began unloading some sacks from the front of it. "Hop on!" he barked at them.
Honey sat in the back and Trixie held onto Hallie, trying to make sure her arm didn't get jostled too much. Daniel Yeager whistled to the dogs, and the sled jumped forward at a rapid pace. Trixie could hear the dogs barking as they ran down the trail to town, responding to the left or the right at his 'Gee' or 'Haw".
They reached the police station within five minutes, Trixie rushing ahead, while Honey helped Hallie at a slightly slower pace. Trixie barged into the room, startling Peter and Harold Belden, Knut, Brian, and Gloria and Burt Schmidt, who were gathered around the small office.
Before anyone could speak, she blurted out her story to the sheriff and collapsed in her father's arms, watching as the Sheriff and his men moved quickly to stop the Chaneys from their diabolical intent.
The rest of the afternoon was a blur until they arrived back at the Belden residence on the hill. Harold Belden had immediately taken his daughter to the hospital after seeing her arm. Everyone else had stayed at the Sheriff's Office until word of the Chaneys' capture was radioed in.
Knut and Brian returned to camp to help pack up, since the ghost wasn't going to make an appearance. Within an hour, Trixie and Honey were back at the house, drinking hot cider and telling their story to the older Beldens. Before they had finished, Hallie and her father came through the door with Gloria and her father and the town sheriff. Everyone gathered around the dining room table as Eleanor and Helen Belden poured cider and coffee and put out a plate of molasses cookies.
Sheriff Colt tipped his hat at the three girls. "I'm not saying that I recommend detective work for young ladies," he said, "but these three certainly did a great job of figuring out this whole mess of yours, Burt."
Gloria's father shook his head. "I didn't think that Mike Chaney would be anything like his cousin. I didn't know that Randall held such a grudge. It's not like I fired him for no reason." He turned to the girls. "I caught Randall doctoring the inventory and skimming some cases of items to resell. He tried to talk me into going along with it, but I wouldn't have any part of it."
"You should have reported it to us," said the sheriff.
"Well," said Mr. Schmidt uncomfortably, " I thought he could get a fresh start somewhere else.
"He certainly did, at the Smith Supply warehouse. No doubt he's been skimming there, too. Anyway, we caught those two red-handed with the dynamite. Once we showed them those papers you gave me, they sang like birds." He nodded at Trixie.
"Did they tell you why they haunted the mill?" she asked.
Sheriff Colt nodded. "They wanted to drive the men away and put Schmidt out of business. The dynamite bit was the icing on the cake. They planned to take their last load and move across the country and get a job in another warehouse to continue their game." He chuckled. "They still can't figure out how we got our hands on that paperwork. That's what really did them in."
Trixie smiled at her friends, a smile which faded as her father gave her a stern look.
"Things could have gone much differently. I don't know what you girls were thinking, hiding in that truck," her father said.
"We weren't really hiding, Dad," Trixie said guiltily. "We accidentally got trapped in there."
"I don't know, Peter. If they hadn't been in the back of the truck, no one would have know about the dynamite until it was too late," said Eleanor Belden, looking proudly at her daughter.
Hallie chuckled. "I told you my mom had the smarts!" she winked at Trixie.
Honey looked at the sheriff. "What about Mr.Yeager?" she asked.
The thin sheriff chuckled loudly. "Daniel is convinced you girls are completely insane. When we asked him about his involvement in haunting the mine, he was very indignant, and righteously so. Randall Chaney admitted to seeing Yeager walking around on the mountain and, remembering the story about the mine being haunted, he filmed him walking down the road one day--without Daniel's consent, of course. Then they set up a projector in the upper half of the dilapidated old building."
"I guess they figured no one would go poking around down there," said Burt Schmidt.
"Except for poor Mr. Samson," added Hallie.
Trixie's mother sighed and looked at the two cousins, then at her husband. "I guess we are going to have to face up to our daughter's career choice," she admitted wearily. "If only they wouldn't get into such dangerous situations."
"Believe me, Mrs. Belden," said Honey,"if we could do detective work without them, I would be much happier. I never want to go sledding in a canoe again!" She joined in the laughter her statement caused.
"How do you feel about having a detective for a daughter, Harold?" Trixie's dad asked his brother.
Harold Belden rubbed his chin and looked across the table at his daughter. "How about it, Hallie? Was the broken arm worth it?" he said seriously.
Hallie waved her cast at him and grinned ear to ear. "Yep!" she said in her unmistakable drawl.
Her uncle laughed softly. "They are too much alike, Harold." Trixie's father shook his head at the two girls.
Trixie turned to Honey. "What do you think, Honey. Is there room in the future Belden-Wheeler Detective agency for another Belden?"
"It's perfectly perfect!" her best friend replied. "But next time, I'll wait at the foot of the mountain for you two."
Amid the laughter that followed, Sheriff Colt and the Schmidts prepared to leave, Gloria promising to be back later for dinner.
Eleanor insisted that Hallie rest for a bit on the living room sofa.
Trixie watched as they made her younger cousin comfortable, trying to figure out why after all the years of competition with Hallie, now including her in her life felt so good. She shook her head. That mystery would have to wait for now.
She looked around the comfortable kitchen area, slightly restless now that the case was wrapped up, eager for the boys to arrive. Trixie turned to her mother who was starting the evening meal, since Maria, the cook, had the day off.
"Moms?" she queried timidly, "Do you think Aunt Eleanor would mind if I made some huckleberry pies?"
Her mother turned to look at her, trying to control the surprise on her face.
Honey also, gave her an astonished glance.
"Why, Trixie?" asked Mrs. Belden.
Trixie shrugged. "I just think the guys might enjoy them when they come in from the cold," she said, trying to ignore the blush creeping into her cheeks.
"I think that would be nice, dear," replied her mother, obviously pleased.
"Why the change of heart about baking?" asked Honey, as the two girls rolled out pie crusts together.
Trixie thought for a moment. "I don't see why I can't solve a mystery and bake a pie in the same day," she finally said.
Honey laughed. "Well, we've already challenged the laws of physics once today. Why not?"
Trixie grinned at her as she pressed the crust onto the pie plate.
Later that evening, when the last piece of pie had been eaten, the Bob-Whites gathered wearily in the comfortable living room, the elder Beldens having left them to enjoy a game of cards in the den.
"I must admit, Trix, you have outdone yourself not only with your daring escapades and diligent deductions pertaining to the pilfering phantoms, but your culinary creations have turned out to be as sharp as your wit this particular day."
"Heaven help me, I believe Mart is giving me a compliment!" Trixie's eyes looked at the group in merriment.
"I'd have to agree with him," said Jim, sitting on her left. "Although I don't think much of your canoeing down the mountain.…"
"Even if it did save our hides," interrupted Cap.
Dan chuckled. "It certainly was a shock to see the three of you jet rocketing downhill." He shifted his position on the sofa, making sure that Hallie's arm was comfortable.
"Well, you won't be seeing me do that again," said Honey, retrieving her bags from the far corner of the room.
Mart snapped his fingers. "What, no Bob-White bobsled team for the next winter Olympics?"
"You girls are lucky you got away with only some bruises and a mild fracture," remarked Brian somberly.
"Little did I know when I was looking for them that they were on top of the mountain," added Gloria. "But I can't thank them enough for what they did for my family." She smiled warmly at the girls.
"I can't believe that they solved the whole mystery while we were freezing up at the mine." Dan grinned. "Some help we were."
"Ah, but we were rewarded for our unnecessary vigilance with the fragrant aroma of succulent huckleberry pie at the end of our weary sojourn," sighed Mart, helping himself to another cookie.
"It was certainly was something nice to come home to," agreed Knut.
Jim said nothing, but smiled meaningfully at Trixie.
Feeling happy enough to burst, she looked over at Honey who was heading their way with a large photo album.
"Gleeps, Honey, this night is practically perfect! Why ruin it with old pictures?" she wailed.
Honey smiled at her. "But we haven't looked at this family album, yet, Trix." She placed the album on the coffee table in front of Dan and Hallie.
Dan glanced at her and opened the scrapbook.
Pictures of the Bob-Whites on the dock of the Wheeler's lake met their eyes.
Trixie laughed at a photo of Mart being pushed off a float by Diana Lynch. The happy group reminisced over the many pictures of the club over the last few years, including some of Hallie's visit, and the club's last trip to Idaho.
Trixie hugged her best friend
"It's nice to belong to this family, don't you think?" Honey said softly. She looked over at Dan and Jim absorbed in the book of photos.
"This is definitely an album I don't mind looking at," Trixie answered, her blue eyes sparkling. "I can't wait to start working on the next one!
The End