Mountain Top Mystery (3 page)

“Maybe we ought to get ready for the helicopter,” said Violet. “We don’t want to keep them waiting.”

They got their packs ready, rolled up the sleeping bags, and waited.

“Remember when that big rock fell?” said Benny. “I think I really saw a hole, a huge one. Like a cave maybe.”

Grandfather said, “You may be sure we will find out. Ah! Here comes the helicopter.”

“I guess they know the fog has gone away,” said Jessie.

The Aldens saw the helicopter whirring far above them and then slowly coming down. Without a word they all stood behind the hump. This left an open place for the helicopter to land. It came straight down and landed exactly in the middle of the space.

“Straight as a string,” said Benny. “Oh, look who’s here! It’s Mr. Carter!”

Violet cried, “Now where in the world did
he
come from?”

Grandfather smiled.

“Really,” said Jessie, “how did he know about us, Grandfather?”

“That will be a good puzzle for you to guess,” said Mr. Alden.

“Pooh!” said Benny. “I bet I can tell you exactly what happened. I’ll bet you told the ranger to send for Mr. Carter right away if anything happened.”

By this time Mr. Carter and a ranger had let down the steps and were coming down.

“We can’t take you all at once,” the ranger pilot said.

“Well, then, leave me for the second trip,” said Mr. Alden.

“And I will stay with you, Grandfather,” said Violet.

“Good girl,” Mr. Alden said.

Henry, Jessie, and Benny took their packs and poles and sleeping bags. John Carter helped them up the steps into the helicopter.

“We’ll be back soon,” he said, pulling in the steps.

Sure enough, in a short time the helicopter was back for Grandfather and Violet.

Grandfather asked the pilot to hover over Old Flat Top. There was the hole that Benny thought he saw when the step fell.

“Look, Violet, there’s the hole!” shouted Grandfather over the noise of the helicopter.

Down they went to the log store. Even before the plane landed, Violet said, “Grandfather, I see the rangers and some other men, too.”

“Yes,” Grandfather said, “a man with a camera. I have a feeling the newspaper people heard about the rockslide.”

Flashbulbs popped as Mr. Alden and Violet got out of the helicopter. Benny came running up and cried, “Isn’t it exciting? A reporter asked me all about what happened.”

“Mr. Alden?” a man with a notebook said, coming up to Grandfather. “Your grandson has already told me about his accident. The others told me about his rescue and your night on Old Flat Top. May I ask if you plan to stay here longer?”

“The large hole that was opened when the rockslide took place interests me,” Mr.Alden said. “We may stay to learn more.”

Benny was listening hard. “Yes, let’s stay,” he exclaimed. “And you remember that light we saw—”

Before he could say anything more, Mr. Alden told the reporter, “Yes, I think you can say we will be here for a few days. And now we need to get some food. You probably know we had a pretty odd breakfast.”

“Thank you,” the reporter said, “I understand.” He closed his notebook and left with the cameraman.

“Benny,” Mr. Alden said, “I didn’t think that the reporter needed to know about what we saw during the night. Not until we know more about it ourselves.”

A ranger was standing nearby and Henry turned to him. “I have a question, sir. When it was dark, we all saw a very faint light quite deep in the woods. We thought somebody might be in trouble, but the light didn’t move. Do you know anything about this?”

“Yes, we do,” said one of the rangers. “An old Indian lives there, the last of the tribe. Perfectly harmless. Just wants to live alone and be let alone. Every month I take over some flour, salt, sugar, and tea and a few canned things. Then I bring back sweet grass baskets in trade. They sell like hot cakes—I haven’t one left.”

Henry asked, “Could I drive the car as far as the house?”

“No. You can go a little way into the woods. Then you have to walk about a quarter of a mile. The path is easy to follow,” the ranger answered.

Mr. Alden came up. He said, “I think we will drive over. My grandchildren are much interested.”

John Carter said, “I have my car. I can take Benny and Violet.”

Jessie said, “Fine. But we need some lunch. Let’s get some food from the store here and then go.”

Grandfather agreed and let Jessie plan to get what was needed. “We can eat in the woods before we go up the trail,” she said.

The Aldens were soon on their way, Henry driving in the lead. When they had driven as far as they could into the woods, Henry and Mr. Carter parked the cars.

Lunch was quickly eaten because everyone was so curious about the Indian in the woods.

Benny called back, “When we get there, do you think it is all right to knock on the door?”

“I should think so,” said Henry. “What else can we do? We want to go in and meet him, don’t we? The ranger said he was perfectly harmless.”

Soon they saw a small gray house with a large vegetable garden. A stone step was at the front door. Benny knocked.

There was a soft sound of feet and the door opened. There stood a very tall Indian woman who held her head like a queen.

For once Benny did not know what to say. Mr. Alden stepped forward quickly and said, “I hope we are not bothering you. My grandchildren saw your light from Old Flat Top. They were afraid you were in trouble.”

The old Indian woman bowed her head a little, opened the door wide, and said, “Please come in.”

CHAPTER
4

Lovan’s Story

T
he family was so surprised to find an Indian woman instead of a man that no one said anything.

The room they looked into had two chairs and a couch. On a table lay an Indian basket that was not yet finished. Bunches of sweet grass were hung up to dry. The room was sweet with the smell of the grass.

“Sit down,” said the Indian woman. She took the rocking chair, and Mr. Alden sat in the other chair. Mr. Carter sat on the couch and the others sat on the floor.

Still no one had said a word. Then Benny, who was nearest the Indian woman, spoke. He said, “That man is my grandfather, James Alden. John Carter is sitting on the couch. I am Benny and there is my brother Henry and my sisters, Jessie and Violet.”

The old woman said, “My name is Lovan Dixon. I am almost ninety years old.”

“Well!” exclaimed Benny.

Jessie said, “We were on Flat Top all night and saw your light. We were worried thinking somebody might be in trouble.”

“You are very kind,” said the woman. “Why were you on Flat Top? Did you have an accident?”

“Yes,
I
did,” said Benny. “When I was coming down, the first step broke away. But I don’t think about that any more. Grandfather said there was no use in it.”

The Indian woman turned to Mr. Alden. “He was right,” she said. “I heard all the rocks coming down like thunder. I was worried about you. I saw your fire all night.”

Violet looked at the old Indian and asked, “Is anything wrong?”

“Not now,” said the woman.

Then Benny cried, “Do you really want to live all alone here?”

“Yes, child,” said Lovan Dixon. “I do want to. I do not like living in a town. Too many people laugh at Indian ways. I like to live alone.”

Violet and Jessie looked around at the house. It was neat and clean. The old woman’s gray hair was as smooth as silk. Her strong old face was deeply wrinkled.

Benny shouted, “Those people were mean. I’d like to tell them so.”

“You are a kind boy. There is no need to bother with anyone. I like it here. I love the woods. I am the last of my people. My tribe always lived here and the government gave these woods to my tribe long ago. The woods go to the other side of Flat Top.”

Now Grandfather spoke, “But I have a feeling that something is bothering you. Won’t you tell us?”

The old woman did not speak for a time and it was very quiet in her little house. Then she said, “I hear that the woods will be cut over for lumber and I will lose my land.”

Nodding, John Carter said, “It could be true, Miss Dixon. Many times, I am sorry to say, our government has forgotten its promises to the Indians.”

Mr. Alden said, “From this minute on do not worry any more. I know a man who will find out who owns this land. He will buy it himself if he has to. You may use it as long as you live, Miss Dixon.”

“Please say ‘Lovan,’” said the Indian woman with a bow.

“Lovan,” said Benny at once because he liked the sound of the name. “When that step gave way on Old Flat Top, I thought I saw a big hole behind it. Do you think that was really true?”

Lovan folded her arms and sat for a long time with bowed head. There was not a sound. After awhile she drew a long breath and said, “I trust you. Let me tell you a story. Years ago my grandfather told it to me, and he heard it from his grandfather. You ask about a hole, child. I believe there is a cave.”

For a minute Lovan did not say anything more. Then she went on, “You understand this happened years ago. There used to be a cave on the other side of Flat Top, but no cave where you say the hole is. In those days you couldn’t get up the mountain by your trail, but you could get up on the other side. Flat Top didn’t have such a flat top at that time.”

Every eye was on the old Indian woman. They hoped she would go on, and she did.

“The story goes that a Frenchman who was a friend of the King of France ran away to America to live. There was a war in France and he escaped. He was shot accidently right near here. My great-grandfather, Running Deer, hid him and took care of him until he died. The Frenchman had a great leather bag with things in it which he expected to sell. But when he died, he gave the bag to my great-grandfather for taking care of him.”

“What was in the bag?” cried Benny. Lovan smiled at Benny. “I never knew,” she said. “My great-grandfather died without telling anyone what was in it. But my grandfather thought that his father hid the bag in that old cave.”

“Why didn’t he go up and find it?” asked Benny.

Henry said, “Benny, you are asking too many questions.”

Lovan smiled a little. She said, “I don’t mind. Nobody has ever dared before. Something happened to that mountain and the rocks moved and closed the cave. It looked as if it had been squashed together. That was when Flat Top became flat.”

Mr. Carter said, “Didn’t anyone try to dig the cave out?”

“No, the rocks were too heavy. Besides the climb was too steep.”

Jessie said slowly, “If that bag was ever found, wouldn’t it belong to you?”

Lovan bowed again. “Yes,” she said. “I am the last of the tribe and my grandfather told me it was mine.”

“Wouldn’t you expect to get it then,” asked Henry, “if somebody found it?”

“I don’t know,” said Lovan. “I have lost many things.”

Violet said, “Do you suppose the hole Benny found is a sort of back door to that cave?”

“I have no doubt of it,” said Lovan.

Mr. Alden said, “Don’t worry any more about anything. I myself will see that you get what is yours.”

Lovan said, “I am grateful to you. All I have left now is this house and my garden and my front step.”

“What about your front step?” asked Mr. Alden.

“Come and see,” said Lovan. “You must go down my step and watch.”

She followed them out with a cup of water in her hand. They watched her as she poured the water slowly into some hollows in the step.

“A big, enormous claw!” cried Benny. “It is almost as long as the step.”