Читать книгу The Girl Scouts at Singing Sands - Mildred A. Wirt - Страница 5

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THE sun had lowered behind the spruce trees as the camp station wagon unloaded three sober-faced Scouts and their leader at the doorstep of Calico Cottage.

“I’m not certain that we should stay here,” Miss Ward remarked uneasily. “All this talk we’ve heard about the place makes me wonder if I’m acting wisely to allow the group to remain overnight.”

“And I’m worried about Aunt Mattie coming here,” Judy added. “I wish I never had taken the cottage. We’ve rented a lemon, that’s certain.”

The girls had been unable to glean any definite information from the woman in the grocery store. However, her observation that other tenants repeatedly had moved out, had filled them with misgiving.

At Miss Ward’s suggestion, Judy had gone to Mr. Krumm to ask for a rent refund. He had rejected the request, impatiently assuring her that nothing was wrong with the cottage.

“I thought Girl Scouts had nerve,” he lectured her. “What happens? You hear a few busybodies passing gossipy remarks, and immediately jump to false conclusions. When you rented the cottage I gave you a good price on it with the understanding that you’d stick by the deal. Now you come crying to me before you’ve spent even a night in the place.”

“Girl Scouts do have nerve,” Judy had replied, carefully controlling her temper. “We believe in being cautious though. And we don’t like to be misled or cheated.”

“It was your own proposition,” Mr. Krumm retorted. “You wanted the cottage and you got it. I’m making no refund!”

So now, as the three Scouts stood on the porch waiting as Miss Ward unlocked the door, they were wondering what the night might bring forth.

There was little conversation as the girls quietly set to work making the cottage more liveable. Ardeth opened the windows to air out the rooms. Virginia made up the beds, while Judy and Miss Ward put away the groceries.

“You’re not much worried about staying here tonight are you?” Judy asked the leader as she stacked eggs in the refrigerator.

“No. If I were, I’d take the girls back to Pine Cone Camp,” Miss Ward replied. “Frankly though, I don’t like the things we’ve heard. I can’t imagine why tenants would leave here suddenly unless—”

“Calico Cottage may have a ghost,” Judy supplied with a nervous giggle.

“Judy, we know there are no such things!”

“Maybe by staying here we can disprove the rumors that have been circulating,” Judy said soberly. “Now, if we could, that would be performing a real service for Mr. Krumm.”

An inspection of the cottage and the grounds immediately surrounding it, proved reassuring. Save that a musty, damp odor lingered in the dwelling even after rooms had been thoroughly aired, the girls could detect nothing amiss.

“Our telephone is connected,” Miss Ward reported. She had tested it by calling Miss Lubell at Pine Cone Camp. “It’s reassuring to know that if anything should go wrong, we’ll not be cut off from help.”

“As we were last winter at Maple Leaf Lodge!” Judy added with a laugh. “Remember how that man, who pretended to be a caretaker, cut the wires?”

“And the exciting time we had at Penguin Pass with Monstro the Snowman!” contributed Virginia, who had overheard the conversation. “Those were the days!”

“You speak as if our adventures are over,” chuckled Ardeth. “I have a hunch we may have a few here at Calico Cottage before we’re through.”

The three girls became thoughtful as they reflected upon a recent skiing excursion to Maple Leaf Lodge on Candy Mountain. Judy, at the time, had been a Tenderfoot Scout. However, she had proven her courage and by passing difficult tests, had moved up in rank.

For that matter, not only Judy, but the entire patrol had won the admiration of villagers by the efficient manner in which the capture of a dangerous criminal had been accomplished. This story of the Girl Scouts’ meeting with a clever impersonator has been told in the first volume of a series, entitled: “The Girl Scouts at Penguin Pass.”

Judy and Ardeth peeled potatoes for the evening meal, set the table and prepared a simple salad.

“Anything more?” Judy then inquired.

“Not for awhile,” Miss Ward replied. “The meat loaf will take at least thirty minutes more in the oven. Then we’ll have dinner.”

“Mind if Ardeth and I do a bit of exploring?”

“Not if you’ll be back within half an hour.”

“We will,” Judy promised. “Want to come along, Virginia?”

“No, thanks, I’ll stay to help Miss Ward with last minute things,” she decided. “Besides, I had enough hiking this morning.”

Letting themselves out the screen door, Judy and Ardeth walked through the aisle of tall trees to the main highway. Then, without any discussion, they turned into the narrow private road, and struck off in the general direction of Calico Cave.

“No telling how far it may be,” Judy presently remarked. “Or whether we can find it quickly. I simply have to see that place!”

“Caves always fascinated me,” declared Ardeth, walking fast to keep up with her friend. “I hope this one has stalactites.”

For awhile, the girls walked directly into the setting sun. The road was hemmed in on either side with stately evergreens which spiced the air with a pleasant fragrance. Presently, hearing a sound behind her, Judy looked back and was astonished to see a small dog following almost at her heels. She halted to coax him to her. He wagged his stub tail, and licked her hand affectionately.

“Why, Ardeth, it’s Pete!” she exclaimed.

“Not the milkman’s dog?”

“It’s the same dog, I’m sure. Do you suppose he jumped off the milk truck and is lost?”

“He doesn’t act lost,” Ardeth rejoined as the animal started on ahead of Judy. “In fact, he seems to know right where he’s going.”

“Maybe we should catch him,” Judy said doubtfully. “He might get lost in the woods.”

The two Scouts started after Pete, but the faster they hurried, the more distance the dog put between them. Now and then, he would pause to look back and bark, as if to tell them that he thoroughly enjoyed the game.

Presently the weed-grown private road came to a dead-end in a loop which permitted a car to turn around and retravel the route it had come. A weather-beaten signboard read: “To Calico Cave,” its painted arrow pointing up a rocky trail.

“Come back here, Pete!” Judy called. “Why, you little scamp!”

Paying not the slightest heed, the dog trotted up the trail.

“He acts as if he’s been here before,” Ardeth observed. “Maybe he’s trying to guide us to the cave!”

“We really should turn back,” Judy said. “Oh, well, if we hurry, maybe we’ll have time to take a quick peek at the cave.”

Struggling up the sharp incline, the girls soon came to an opening amid the tall bushes. To their right was an expanse of limestone rock, badly eroded by the elements.

“There it is! The cave!” Judy cried as she discerned a small, dark opening.

Pete had gone directly to the entrance and stood there, barking and jerking his head, as if to beckon the girls.

“That dog has been here before all right!” Judy declared. “Otherwise he wouldn’t be so excited about the place.”

With Ardeth close behind, she picked her way across the rocky path to the projecting shelf. The cave opening was barely shoulder height and not more than four feet wide.

Curiously, Judy peered down into the dark interior. “It’s just a narrow passage leading gradually into a deep endless hole,” she reported. “I imagine though, that the cave may open up into a large chamber somewhere below. Want to explore?”

“You and your jokes!”

Judy laughed and turned to leave. Ardeth however, crouched down to direct her gaze into the opening.

“I can hear water dripping,” she reported. “Say, why do you suppose the name of this place was changed from Hager’s Hole to Calico Cave? Or are they one and the same?”

“Ask Pete,” Judy replied with a chuckle. “He seems to know more about the place than we do.”

She whistled to attract the dog’s attention, but he paid her no heed. Even after she and Ardeth started down the path, he kept sniffing at the cave entrance.

“Come on, Pete!” Judy called impatiently.

“Maybe he thinks he’ll find a rabbit down in that hole,” Ardeth remarked. “I hate to leave him here alone. I’ve heard of dogs losing themselves in caves.”

“He’ll come in a minute or two,” Judy returned. “He’s only trying to tease us.”

Pete, however, did not follow the girls. At the bend of the path, they looked back again. Even as they called to him, he barked and vanished into the dark hole.