The Mystery of the Man in the Tall Black Hat (8 page)

“Do you suppose the one with the legs is the cannibal?” asked Tricia, peering into the pool. “He’s the biggest and the fattest.”

“He is big and fat, isn’t he?” Donna began to giggle. “You know who he reminds me of?”

Tricia and Tod looked at Donna’s sparkling eyes. A moment later they were all giggling.

Finally Tod spoke. “We’d better get over to Barney’s. His mother won’t let him go anyplace today.”

Barney was dressed and sitting on the steps in the sunshine when the trio walked into his yard. “Barney, did you know that polliwogs are cannibals?” asked Tod. “I think ours are eating each other.”

“Forget about the polliwogs for a minute and tell us the secret,” urged Donna.

“Do you want to tell them, Barn?”

“You’d better. Maybe they’ll believe you.”

Tod drew a deep breath. “Well, when Barney and I were up at Mud Lake getting the polliwogs, we decided to go over to the Martin place—you know, where that old house is?”

“Sure. We know where it is.”

“That’s when we saw him!” Barney exclaimed.

“Who?” Both girls turned and stared at Barney.

“What’s he talking about anyway, Tod?” asked Tricia.

“We were coming around from behind the house when we saw this man,” Tod explained.

“He was wearing a black suit and a coat that had long tails,” interrupted Barney.

“There was a black stovepipe hat on his head,” said Tod.

“And he was carrying a cane,” Barney added.

“Do you expect us to believe that?” asked Donna. “You were probably seeing things.”

“Tricia,” Tod turned to his sister. “Remember Tuesday when we went up to the gravel pit? When we got home you heard me talking to Barney and you thought we were trying to hide something from you? What we were trying to hide was that we had seen this character again up at the gravel pit.”

“We were just sitting there resting when he comes out of the bushes, and hollers and waves his cane,” said Barney.

“What did you do?” asked Donna.

“We ran, that’s what we did.”

“And when we looked back there was nobody there.”

“Do you expect us to believe you when this—this—person keeps disappearing?” Donna stamped her foot.

“That isn’t all,” continued Tod. “I saw him again yesterday.”

“You did?” exclaimed Barney.

“Remember when you got on my bicycle so I could ride you home? I saw him walking toward the house, and he disappeared behind some trees.”

“How come you didn’t tell me?” asked Barney.

“I think you’re making it all up, Tod,” said Donna.

“I’ve got an idea,” suggested Tod as he winked at Barney. “I saw him near that house yesterday, didn’t I?” He looked at Tricia. “I could ride you up there and we can look around and then bring Barney’s bicycle back.”

“Sure, I’ll go,” agreed Tricia. “But I won’t see anybody like you say you saw.”

“I’ll have to go home and get my bicycle.”

“I’ll meet you at the corner, Tod. I want to walk partway home with Donna first.”

Tricia was waiting when Tod rode up on his bicycle a little while later. “OK, hop on,” he said as he stopped beside her.

Tricia seated herself on the bicycle seat, and after Tod had gotten on she gripped the handlebars. Tod straddled the bicycle as he stood to pump.

He had difficulty riding uphill with the added weight and was glad when Tricia offered to get off and let him rest. When they reached the place where Barney’s bicycle was hidden, Tod left his alongside the road, and he and Tricia approached the house which was partially hidden among the trees.

“I almost wish we’d see the man in the stovepipe hat so you’d believe me, Tricia.”

“I wish I’d see him, too.” Tricia’s voice was almost a whisper as she followed him through the underbrush to the house.

Tod knocked loudly on the door. When there was no answer he turned the knob and went inside with Tricia following close behind. He circled the chair so he wouldn’t startle the elderly man seated before the fire that looked as though it was about to go out.

“It’s you!” yelled the old man as he sat bolt upright in his chair.

“Yes, sir.” Tod tried not to yell back.

“You stole my pitcher!” the old man continued.

Tod reached for the paper and pencil he had tucked into his pocket, and began to write. “I’m sorry I barged in on you yesterday. My friend had an accident on his bicycle.”

“The boy all right?” the man yelled.

Tod nodded his head. He began to write again. “I’m Tod Mitchell. This is my sister, Tricia.” Then he added, “What’s your name?”

“Fitzsimmon. J. J. Fitzsimmon,” chuckled the old man. “Ever hear of him?” He seemed to have forgotten they were there as he gazed dreamily into the fireplace. “Who’re you?” He turned abruptly and glared at Tod.

“I think he’s already forgotten he asked me that,” Tod said as he pointed to where he had written his name on the paper.

“Where’s MacDuff?” demanded the man. “I want that scoundrel MacDuff!”

“Let’s get out of here!” Tricia was out the door and running the short distance through the woods which separated them from the road. Tod walked slowly, glancing back over his shoulder. He just couldn’t understand this strange man.

“Tod, look!” Tricia called. “It’s a dog.” She had apparently forgotten her fright. “My, but he’s friendly.”

A medium-sized dog with short, reddish brown hair trotted toward him wagging his tail as Tod came up beside his sister.

“Could you be MacDuff?” Tod grinned and smoothed the silky fur with his hand. “Hello, MacDuff. You are a friendly dog.” The dog licked Tod’s hand. “No wonder Mr. Fitzsimmon wants you with him. I’ll bet you keep him company, but you’re not a very good watchdog.”

The dog continued to wag his tail and looked at Tod quizzically as though he were trying to understand Tod’s words. He followed him as he located Barney’s bicycle and brought it out to the road. Then he sat down and whimpered as they started to leave.

“He wants us to stay!” exclaimed Tricia with delight.

“Sorry, old boy. Go home now.” Tricia and Tod started to ride homeward, looking back to see if MacDuff was following. As they turned a corner, the dog was still sitting in the road where they had left him.

Barney was waiting when they rode up to his house. “See anything?” he questioned.

“We saw a dog,” said Tricia. “But I didn’t see your imaginary man in the stovepipe hat.”

“You know,” said Tod, ignoring Tricia’s remark. “A real queer old fellow lives in that house where I got water. He can’t hear anything and he kept hollering for MacDuff. I think that was his dog.”

Mrs. Sebastian came to the door. “You’ve been out long enough, Barney. You’d better come in and rest.”

“Mom! I’ve been resting all night and all day. I’m tired of resting!” Barney protested.

“That’s OK, Barn. We have to go now, anyhow. Come over when you get to feeling better.”

“I’m all right now.” Barney got up off the steps and started to go in. “I’ll be over in the morning, and thanks for getting my bicycle for me.”

As soon as they got home Tod went to the woodshed to check on the polliwogs as Tricia dashed for the phone to call Donna.

When Tod entered the kitchen through the back door a few minutes later, his mother called to him from the living room. “Tod, I’d like to talk to you.”

“What about?” Tod asked as he entered the room.

“What’s all this about a man in a stovepipe hat?” she asked.

“Did Tricia tell you about that?” He glared at his sister.

“Not exactly. I overheard her talking to Donna on the phone. I don’t think it’s very kind to frighten the girls.”

“I wasn’t trying to frighten them, and it’s true, even if she won’t believe me. We did see this tall man—taller even than Dad. He was all dressed up in a black suit, and it had long tails at the back. He had on a tall hat like Abraham Lincoln wore in some of his pictures.”

“Are you sure you didn’t dream it up?” Mrs. Mitchell glanced toward Tricia.

“Mom, Barney and I saw him two different afternoons, and I saw him yesterday after Barney fell off his bicycle,” Tod said, defending himself. “I wouldn’t make up anything like that—even to scare Tricia.”

Mr. Mitchell had laid aside his magazine and was sitting forward in his chair listening to Tod’s explanation. “You’re sure you and Barney weren’t letting your imaginations run wild?”

“I’m positive, Dad. Maybe if we’d seen him just once we could have made a mistake, but I saw him three times, and Barney saw him the first two.”

“I just can’t imagine anyone wandering around in the woods for over a week dressed as you describe him, with nobody but you and Barney seeing him.”

“I guess we just happened to be there at the right time,” Tod commented.

“If there really is such a man, someone is bound to see him sooner or later besides you and Barney, Tod,” Mr. Mitchell said firmly.

“You don’t believe me either, do you, Dad?”

“I didn’t say I didn’t believe you. I believe you
think
you saw such a man. But doesn’t it seem rather strange, son, that someone of that description would be wandering around in the woods?”

“OK, so nobody believes us. The lady we phoned at the hospital wouldn’t believe us; she thought we were playing a joke and she got mad. The guard at the gate wouldn’t believe us—he thought it was funny! The girls won’t believe us, and now, my very own mother and father won’t believe us!” Tod exploded. He turned and ran from the room.

“Nobody believes us!” he said hopelessly as he dropped down onto the grass behind the woodshed. He put his head down on his arms and felt the hot tears come to his eyes.

“Dear Lord, You know we really did see that man. Please help us find out who he is so they won’t think we’re making it up!”

Tod was still feeling blue when he slipped into the kids’ club meeting at Wildwood Church at six o’clock. He hadn’t felt like talking to Tricia, so he had poked around until she left.

After they had sung a chorus, the leader asked for testimonies. Tod wasn’t paying much attention until Tricia stood up and turned around and faced him.

“I don’t really have a testimony, but my brother does.”

Tod felt his heart jump, wondering what she meant. Everyone turned and looked at him, expecting him to say something.

“About Barney—tell them, Tod,” Tricia urged.

Tod had been so miserable that he had forgotten about Barney’s decision to invite Christ into his life. He stood up and told what had happened.

“He would have been in Sunday School this morning but he had a bicycle accident yesterday and his mother wouldn’t let him come. She wouldn’t let him come tonight, either, but I’ll be sure and get him for next week.”

After he sat down, Tod didn’t feel so sorry for himself anymore. He was glad Tricia had thought about Barney. He even listened to the lesson and took part in the Bible quiz. After the closing song and prayer, Mr. Taylor, the club sponsor, stood up. “Before you go, I have a very important announcement to make. How would you like to have a treasure hunt next Saturday afternoon?”

“With clues?” asked Pam Dobson.

“And real treasure?” asked Jeffrey Jacobs.

“Yes, with clues and real treasure. Let’s meet here at the church at one o’clock. No later or you’ll miss the first clue.”

“What shall we wear?” asked Tricia.

“Don’t dress up. Hunting treasure is hard work.”

“Can we invite a friend?” asked Jim Faris.

“You sure can. We want a lot of kids to come. The more the merrier. Tod, why not ask your friend Barney?”

“Thanks, Mr. Taylor. I’ll do that.”

“Now if there are no more questions we’d better go in for the evening service.”

Tod looked for Barney the following morning. When he hadn’t come by noon, he decided that his mother wouldn’t let him out yet. He had finished his chores and checked the polliwogs what seemed like a hundred times. Every time he looked it seemed there were less of them swimming around.

The newly hatched ones had finally loosed from the jelly which had surrounded the eggs, and now they wriggled about aimlessly. Tod wondered how many of them the large polliwogs had already eaten. He was going to have to get something else for them to eat today, Barney or no Barney.

“I wonder if I should go back up to Mud Lake and try to get some of the guck they were eating up there,” he commented as he ate lunch with Tricia and his mother.

“Donna and I are going over to see her uncle at Carp Lake. Why don’t you go over there and find something?” suggested Tricia.

“That’s a good idea. Maybe I will, but I sure wish Barney was here to go with me. It’s not much fun alone.”

Tricia finished her lunch and carried her dishes to the sink. “Can I go now, Mom?”

“I guess so. You’ve earned the afternoon off. Your room looks very nice since you cleaned it this morning.”

“Hey, Tricia. Why not invite Donna to the treasure hunt?”

“Good idea!” Tricia called back as the screen door slammed behind her.

Tod put his dishes in the sink and went out back of the woodshed to check once more on the tadpoles. The one with the legs was fatter than the day before, and Tod thought he saw another one with legs.