Mountain Top Mystery Read Online Free Page B

forget, I will have a fine woodlot. John, you attend to that for me, will you?”
    Mr. Carter laughed. “I was already planning my first step.”
    Henry said, “I don’t see how we can go home and leave this whole thing, Grandfather. What do you think of staying at a motel for a few days?”
    “All right,” said Mr. Alden, “that’s a good idea. We can ask the ranger where the nearest motel is.”
    Benny said, “Three rooms would be right for us. One for the girls, one for us boys, and one for Grandfather.”
    Turning to John Carter, Mr. Alden said, “It’s settled that we’ll stay here. I think you had better drive back to look after business details.”
    Everyone waved as Mr. Carter drove off. At the log store, the Aldens found the ranger they knew.
    “Did you find Lovan Dixon at home?” he asked.
    “Oh, yes,” Jessie said “What a wonderful old woman she is!”
    “You will never believe it,” said the ranger, “but that Indian woman, ninety years old, has to walk five miles to the swamp to get the sweet grass and five miles back. Quite a walk for ninety. We sell the baskets just as fast as we get them.”
    “I’d like a sewing basket like that,” Jessie said, “and so would Violet.”
    “I think Miss Dixon would make you some if you asked,” the ranger said. “But if you ask her first, don’t try to pay for them. It will be a gift, you can be sure. She gave one to my wife, so I know. I tried to pay her and she was very much hurt.”
    Now Grandfather spoke, “Do you happen to know if Dr. Percy Osgood and his men are working somewhere in this neighborhood? I have an idea Percy would be interested in the cave Benny found by accident.”
    “Yes, we saw the cave from the helicopter. The rocks were huge that fell away to leave it open,” one of the rangers said. “Look out of the door and you can see the pile that rolled down the mountain.”
    Indeed there was a pile of rocks of all sizes, perhaps ten feet high. “And I am glad it did not turn into a bigger rockslide,” the ranger said. “I know Dr. Osgood is not too far off. Let me make some calls and I will get his telephone number for you.”
    “Good,” said Mr. Alden. “Let’s find that motel. Where is the nearest one?”
    “Go back to the main road, turn to the right, and then go about half a mile. That’s the nearest motel, and the best one, too.”
    “How lucky we are!” said Benny. “Things seem to happen just right for us.”
    The family went out to the station wagon and Henry started the car. They drove away, waving at the ranger.
    “We’ll be back soon,” cried Benny.
    “Perhaps not until tomorrow,” called Grandfather with a wink.
    “The kids are pretty tired, I guess,” shouted the ranger.
    “I wasn’t tired at all until he said that,” said Jessie, “and now I guess I am.”
    “I guess I am, too,” said Grandfather. “The first thing I will do will be to take a nap.”
    Henry drove just as the ranger had said. He soon came to a motel. It was a long row of log buildings. At one end there was an office and at the other a restaurant.
    “Good,” said Jessie. “I shall be glad to have a real dinner. It seems as if we’ve been gone much longer than two days.”
    Benny said, “I know just what I’m going to eat, too.”
    Grandfather said, “Don’t tell, then. Keep it for a surprise.”
    The three motel rooms were just alike. Each had two beds and a bathroom.
    Benny said, “Oh, I can hardly wait to wash my hands! It has been two days since I’ve really washed them!”
    “Funny to hear you say that, Ben,” said Henry. “I’m going to take a shower the first thing I do.”
    It did not take long for the Aldens to make themselves at home in their three motel rooms.
    “First thing is a shower for me,” said Henry.
    “I’m next,” Benny said. “And after that I’m going to try out that bed.”
    Violet and Jessie, too, decided to shower and nap. But it was Grandfather who was the first one asleep. There