The Mystery of the Man in the Tall Black Hat (11 page)

“It points toward those trees. Come on!”

Legs flew as everyone tried to discover where the arrow was directing them.

“A red ribbon!” shouted Tricia.

“Here it is! Here it is!” Skinny Peterson was jumping up and down. A white slip of paper was sticking out from beneath the ribbon which had been neatly tied about a small fir tree.

Tod removed it and began to read.

“Oh, no. How will we ever figure that one out!”

“Wait a minute,” said Tod. “Look here. There’s an ‘S’ here on this corner.”

“South! South! Let’s go!” Several of the group started off at a run.

Jeff and his team were racing down the hill. Tod quickly replaced the clue and darted off. He had noticed another mark on the paper, but the gang had rushed off before he could mention it. He told Barney about the picture of a mailbox which was drawn in one corner.

“All we have to do is check out all the mailboxes along the way,” said Barney.

When they reached the first one, Tod glanced back. Jeff’s group was gathered together. Tod opened the box and glanced inside. It was empty. There was another box about half a mile farther, and as Barney and Tod walked quickly in that direction Jeff’s team caught up with them.

“What’s the matter, Tod? Stuck on that last clue?” asked Jeff as he trotted past.

“Still puzzling,” answered Tod. “The rest of the gang thinks they know where they’re going.”

Jeff held up his hand and formed his fingers into a large “OK” sign. Tod knew Jeff thought he had it made. He waited until Jeff and his followers were past the next mailbox, then reached out and opened it.

“There’s something in there, Barney. Reach in and get it while I stand in front of you—just in case they look back.”

Barney obeyed, and Tod slowly walked ahead reading the clue.

Tod walked backward, replaced the clue in the box, and looked at Barney. “Now all we need is our team!”

When Jeff’s team had gone ahead, the members of Tod’s team gradually returned to find their captain. “Tod!” exclaimed Tricia, “Are you going to let them win?”

“Is everyone here?” asked Tod. The boys and girls gathered around and he reached in the mailbox and pulled out the clue. A moment later Mrs. Graybill was passing out large, juicy oranges. When she had seen that everyone had one, she handed Tod another clue. Tod opened the paper and read,

“That’s a clue?” asked Pam.

“Mmmm,” Tricia mumbled. “Brides and altars.”

“There are other kinds of bridal trails, little sister,” laughed Tod.

“Sure, a bridle trail is a horse trail!” exclaimed Skinny Peterson, who had her own horse.

Tod couldn’t help but laugh. Skinny had her hair done up in a pony tail.

He turned to Mrs. Graybill. “Thanks. If we see the other team we’ll send them back.”

A quarter mile farther they turned off the main road. The bridle trail led through the woods, up over the hill, and behind the old Martin place. The gang scattered out along the trail searching for clues. There was no sign of Jeff and his team, and Tod concluded they had continued along the main road. Well, they would become tired before long and retrace their steps.

Barney was dragging his shovel behind him, catching it from time to time on tree roots and bushes. Tod wondered what possible use they would find for it. He lagged behind the others so he wouldn’t get too far ahead of Barney. Every few minutes they would catch up to the group sitting beside the trail waiting.

After the climb to the top of the hill, the trail leveled off. Just before they reached the clearing around the Martin place, Tod and Barney saw the gang standing in a circle looking at something along the trail. They parted when they heard Tod and Barney. Next to the trail, rocks had been piled together and in the center a stick had been placed in a standing position. A red ribbon was tied to it. Tod crouched and began to search for the clue.

“I don’t see anything,” he said as he puzzled over the problem. He began to take the stones from the pile examining each one, but when he had finished he still had no clue.

“I don’t get it,” he said frowning. He replied the stones and replaced the stick.

They fanned out searching the ground nearby, but gathered again around the little mound of stones. A bluejay flew overhead scolding loudly.

“Look!” exclaimed Pam pointing upward. There in the tree was another red ribbon tied around a branch. Tod reached up on tiptoe and felt around the limb. A moment later he held a piece of paper in his hand.

“A spade,” cried Barney. “I brought one. See, Tod. It will be useful after all!”

Tod grinned. Maybe Barney was right.

“And I know where to look this time,” said Tod. “There’s a dead apple tree right in front of the house. Let’s go!”

Barney tried to get there first but his short legs weren’t quick enough. He came up to the tree panting and dragging his shovel.

“Where shall I dig?” he asked. Everyone laughed. Tod was down on his hands and knees searching around the base of the old tree trunk. At last he found a hollow and inside was the next clue.

“Sorry, Barn,” he said as he held it up. “No need for the spade after all.” Barney looked so disappointed that Tod almost wished he’d let him dig.

“I don’t get it,” Donna said shaking her brown curls.

“I think maybe I do,” Tricia grinned. “What’s the name of this hill?”

“It’s Madrona Hill,” said Bill Faris.

“‘Before you start down the hill by this name’—Madrona Hill, sure,” said Tod. “That has to be it.”

“And the large tree must be a madrona tree,” Bill added.

Tod replaced the clue in the hollow in the tree. “Let’s just follow the trail to the path that goes down the hill and then look for a big madrona tree.”

Skinny Peterson and Pam ran ahead, with Jim and Bill Faris following them. Tod and Barney were ahead of Tricia and Donna, but the girls soon passed them, leaving Tod impatiently urging Barney to hurry.

“Barney, I wasn’t going to say anything about that shovel, but it sure is a nuisance and slows us up all the time. If Jeff hadn’t taken off on that wild goose chase they’d have gotten to the treasure by this time.”

Barney didn’t answer, and Tod immediately was sorry he had spoken. “Maybe you’ll use it yet,” he said with a sigh.

They had gone only a short distance when they saw Tricia and Donna running back toward them. “Tod, come quick!” called Tricia.

“Did you find another clue?”

“No,” panted Donna. “The others are up ahead—they saw the—man in the stovepipe—hat.”

Skinny Peterson, Pam, and the Faris boys were waiting on the trail just ahead. “Tell Tod what you saw,” said Tricia.

Skinny Peterson’s eyes looked like they were about to pop out of her head. Pam’s face was white, and the two boys looked puzzled.

“There was this guy—I mean, man,” began Skinny. “I just saw his back for a minute. He was wearing a black suit and he had on a tall black hat!”

Tod and Barney looked at each other. “Did anyone else see him?” he asked.

“I didn’t,” said Pam.

“We didn’t either,” added Bill and Jim.

“Well, I saw him!” exclaimed Skinny. “It was real creepy. What would a man be dressed like that for out here in the woods?”

“Maybe he has something to do with the treasure hunt,” suggested Pam.

“I think Skinny was seeing things,” Tod said as he gave a warning look to Barney and the girls.

“Yeah, Skinny,” laughed Jim. “You and your imagination!”

The others began to laugh, and Tod knew they thought Skinny was making it up.

At the top of the hill they began to look for a large madrona tree. Tod was glad when they found the clue right away. It was tucked in the crotch between two branches. All it said was,

TRAIL’S END.
TREASURE AT THE MITCHELLS’.

The gang whooped and hollered as they raced down the hill and through the woods. When Barney and Tod arrived in the yard shortly after the others, Mr. Taylor was waiting for them.

“It looks like you made it first, Tod.”

“Jeff and his team were heading toward the bridge the last time we saw them,” said Tod.

“Maybe they’re clear into the city by this time!” laughed Skinny.

Mr. Taylor held up his hand for quiet. “OK, kids. Here are your final instructions. Walk fifty-three paces east, beginning at the corner of Tod’s house over there. Turn directly north and go fifteen paces. You’ll find the treasure somewhere in that area.”

Everyone dashed for the corner of the Mitchell house and began measuring and counting steps. When they had gone fifty-three paces, Tod stood at the far corner of the chicken house, Barney was at the closest corner and the other members of the team were scattered beyond and between them.

“Since Tod’s the captain we ought to go by his paces,” declared Bill.

They gathered around while Tod paced off fifteen steps north. This led him behind the chicken house and to the far corner of the building. “Look for clues,” he suggested.

A grove of slender young fir trees stood to their right. Ahead a few feet was a barbed wire fence and to their left the chicken house.

“It must be in that grove of trees,” declared Tricia.

Shortly they located a small mound of fresh dirt. On top were some stones laid out in the shape of an “X.”

“Where’s your shovel, Barney” asked Tod.

“I left it at the house.”

Tod slapped his hand against his forehead. “Oh, no! When we finally need it you don’t have it.”

“I’ll go get it,” offered Barney, as he set out as fast as his chubby body would allow.

While he was waiting, Tod removed the stones from the top of the mound. He stood back when Barney arrived, to let him dig.

Barney stuck the shovel into the ground. After a few minutes, he dropped it. “I think I’ve hit something!” he cried excitedly. He was down on his knees and digging with his hands. Finally he lifted an old chest from the ground.

“It’s locked,” he said in dismay as he tried the lid.

Tod reached for the chest. A small padlock was closed tightly on the hasp of the chest. “Let’s take it back to Mr. Taylor.”

Mr. Taylor was waiting for them. He grinned as he reached into his pocket, took out a key, and fitted it into the lock. The lock sprung open, and Tod fumbled to take it off.

“What’s in it?” Everyone tried to see inside.

“Wait,” said Tod, noticing a piece of paper pasted inside the lid. “Let me read what it says.”

Inside were pencils and pens of various colors. Scattered throughout the chest were candy kisses and gold foil-wrapped chocolate that looked like gold coins.

“Leave some candy for the other team, and let’s go bury the chest again,” suggested Tod.

“Yes, yes. Let’s make them find it!” cried Tricia.

Tod had just finished putting the stones on top of the mound of dirt when they heard Jeff’s team coming into the Mitchell yard.

“Tod, look!” cried Barney, breaking into a clumsy run. “It’s MacDuff. MacDuff is with them!”

MacDuff had seen Barney and dashed toward him barking and wagging his tail. He reached him and jumped up in greeting. Barney fell and they rolled on the lawn. MacDuff raced around the yard and pounced upon Barney again and again.

After Jeff’s team had located the treasure and had divided the remaining candy, Mrs. Mitchell and Mrs. Taylor brought out homemade ice cream with fresh strawberries from Mitchell’s garden.

“Where did you find MacDuff?” Barney asked Jeff as he stroked the back of the dog’s neck.

“At first we thought he was Mrs. Graybill’s dog. That’s where he started to follow us.”

“Until we saw that goofy character all dressed up for a Halloween party,” one of the others commented. “Then we decided the dog must belong to him.”

“What did the man look like?” asked Skinny.

“Like Abraham Lincoln going to Ford’s theater.”

“I
did
see him!” cried Skinny. “Nobody would believe me but I
did
see him! That proves it!”

“OK, so you saw him,” agreed Tod, “but does anybody know who he is or where he came from?”

“Now that you mention it, I didn’t give it a thought. I wonder why he was all dressed up like that,” questioned Jeff.

“I thought he had something to do with the treasure hunt,” said Pam.

“Or he could have been a relative of Mrs. Graybill. It was pretty close to her place that we saw him.”

“Well, whoever he is, I’m sure glad MacDuff is back,” stated Barney.