Gertrude Warner - The Mystery of the Lost Mine

She reached up to adjust the blinds. The light was coming from Mr. Tobias’s trailer. Didn’t that man ever go to bed?

Then Jessie saw something that made her heart skip a beat. A shadowy figure prowled around the Garcias’ RV. The person seemed to be testing the window latches.

She was about to wake Violet when the figure melted into the desert darkness.

The next morning, after Grandfather left early to help Mr. McCrae, the Aldens walked over to the Chuck Wagon. They shared a table in the corner with Luis.

Over a hearty rancher’s breakfast of flapjacks and sausage, they discussed the prowler Jessie had seen around the Garcias’ RV.

“Maybe it was Mr. or Mrs. Garcia,” Henry suggested.

Luis shook his head. “No, we were all in bed.”

“Maybe it was Mr. Clark,” said Violet. “Or Mr. Tobias. He’s always up late.”

“But why would he be checking the windows in the Garcias’ RV?” asked Jessie.

“Maybe,” said Benny, “it was somebody else.”

Henry looked at him. “Like who?”

“Somebody who isn’t staying at this campground.”

Jessie said, “RV Haven is several miles from the nearest town, right? There aren’t any houses around. If the prowler isn’t from the campground, then he—or she—would have to be from the mountains.”

“Maybe Janine Crawford knows if anyone else lives around here,” Henry said.

Janine hurried by just then with a pot of coffee.

“Excuse me, Janine.” Henry used his politest tone. “Does anyone live out here? I mean, not on the campground.”

“Nobody with a grain of sense,” she snapped, slapping their check on the table. She left, her mood as sour as ever.

“Well, that was no help,” Violet remarked.

Tom stopped by their table. “Going gold hunting today?”

“We’re going riding ,” Henry replied cautiously.

Tom laughed, went over to the counter, and poured himself a cup of coffee.

“How did he know we’re looking for the mine?” Henry asked Luis.

Luis shrugged. “It’s kind of a joke around here. The mine is no secret. Remember, lots of people have looked.”

Violet was quiet. She noticed that the Clarks, who sat across from them in a booth, kept getting up and passing their table. First Mr. Clark got up for a copy of the daily newspaper. Then Mrs. Clark walked by to get a bottle of catsup. Mr. Clark rose again to refill his coffee cup.

“Is it my imagination, or are the Clarks listening to us?” Violet said in a hushed voice.

“Violet’s right,” said Jessie. “They keep getting up and going right by our table. I think Tom Parker was listening, too, when we were talking about the prowler.”

“Let’s not mention the prowler to anyone,” Henry advised. “Not until we find out more. Right now, everyone is a suspect.”

Benny blissfully scooped up his last bite of hotcake. “Another mystery! We didn’t have to find one—it found us!”

As they were making plans to rent trail horses, the door burst open.

Old Jake tottered into the restaurant. His battered felt hat was covered with dust. His clothes looked more rumpled than ever.

Jake glanced around, as if searching for a friendly face. His gray eyes rested on the Aldens. He headed in their direction.

“You loaned me some money,” he said to Henry. “You seem like decent kids.”

“Why don’t you sit down?” Henry offered. Jake acted as though he had something important on his mind.

“Thankee.” Jake pulled up an extra chair. He stuck out a calloused hand. “Name’s Jake.”

Henry shook his hand. “I’m Henry Alden. This is my sister Jessie, my sister Violet, and that’s my brother, Benny. And our friend Luis Garcia.”

Jake nodded at each in turn. “Nice to make your acquaintance.” Suddenly lowering his voice, Jake asked, “Can you keep a secret?”

“Yeah!” Benny replied immediately. “What is it?” Old Jake must have found the Lost Dutchman’s mine!

Jake pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket. “When I got up this morning to start my campfire, I found this.” He smoothed the paper on the table. Crudely cut-out letters spelled a single sentence.

Henry picked up the paper. “Looks like somebody wrote this using letters cut out of a flyer or something. But it’s in Spanish. I can’t read it.”

“I can.” Luis studied the note. “It says, ‘This path is dangerous.’ ”

“What does that mean?” asked Violet.

“It means I’d better watch my back,” Jake said, stuffing the note into his pocket.

“Who would send you that letter?” Luis wanted to know.

“Good question.” Jake sighed. “When you’re a prospector, there’s always somebody trying to jump your claim.”

“Then you have found the mine!” Benny exclaimed. “Where is it? We won’t tell anyone, promise!”

But Jake clammed up. With a gruff “Thanks for your help,” he pushed back his chair and hurried into the store section.

Janine followed Jake, grumbling, “Where is Tom? He’s never around when I have to deal with difficult customers.”

Suddenly Jessie thought of something. “Jake!” she cried. “He lives in the hills. Could he be the prowler I saw last night?”

“It’s something to think about,” Henry said. “Jake is certainly a strange character.”

The Garcias came in then.

“You early birds!” Mrs. Garcia teased as Violet gave up her seat. “Please don’t get up.”

“We were leaving anyway,” Violet said.

“We’re going horseback riding.”

“Mr. Garcia, if someone did find the

Dutchman’s mine, how would they say it was theirs?” Henry asked.

“Well, you’re supposed to file a claim with the local government,” Mr. Garcia replied.

“But no one is permitted to stake a claim on federally protected land,” added Luis’s mother. “The Superstition Mountains are part of the Tonto National Forest. If anyone is digging in those hills, they are breaking the law.”

Jessie and Henry looked at each other. Jake talked as if he had been digging in the hills. Was he in trouble with the law?

They discussed this as they hiked to the stables.

“Jake might not know he’s breaking the law,” Violet said. “Someone should tell him.”

“He’s been living in this area a long time,” Henry said. “Seems like he would know.”

“But what if he found the mine?” Benny asked. “Suppose he’s already found the gold? Would he have to put it back?”

No one could answer that question. They were silent the rest of the way to the Mountain Shadows Stables.

A young man came out of the small office. “I’m Rex. Looks like you youngsters aim to go riding.”

“Yes, sir,” replied Luis. “Do you have five saddle horses available?”

“Right this way.” The man took them into the dim stables.

Violet loved the smell of hay and horses. She thought her horse was beautiful.

“What’s his name?” she asked.

“Dusty,” Rex replied. He brought out three horses for Luis, Jessie, and Henry. Then he led out a pony for Benny.

“This is Ginger,” Rex told Benny. “If you give her a lump of sugar, she’ll love you forever.” He handed Benny a sugar cube.

Benny fed the sugar to Ginger. Her lips were soft and damp. “She tickles!” He giggled.

Then Rex saddled the horses and helped the children mount them.

Riding his cream-colored horse over the rocky ground, Henry felt like a cowboy from the Old West. “Which way is Weaver’s Needle?” he asked Luis.

Luis studied the compass he had brought. “That way,” he said, pointing. “I don’t know how far it is, though. Let’s give it a try.”