Gertrude Warner - The Mystery of the Lost Mine

“Have a good ride,” Rex said, waving them off.

After a while they passed a sign that said “Peralta Canyon Trail.”

“We’re on the right track,” Luis commented.

Once more they rode single file with Luis in the lead and Henry at the rear. They stopped once to eat their breakfast and again to drink and check their bearings.

“Are we almost there?” asked Benny.

Violet got out her maps. “I see Weaver’s Needle,” she said, pointing to the heart-shaped formation in the distance.

Luis nodded. “Soon we’ll have to leave our horses and hike in.”

After a while the trail ended, narrowing to a path that vanished in the brush. They tied the horses to the trees, and began climbing on foot.

“I keep thinking about old Jake out here. He must be really tough,” Henry said.

“I hope he’s all right,” said Jessie.

Benny slowed his pace. “I don’t see Weaver’s Needle anymore,” he said to Luis.

“That’s because we’re getting closer,” Luis said.

Violet couldn’t believe how quiet it was up here. Earlier the mountains echoed with birdcalls. Now the hills were completely silent.

Luis explained, “It’s the heat. Animals and birds go under cover during the day. They come out to feed after sundown or in the early morning.”

“I wish I could find some cover.” Benny slumped down on a stone. His cheeks were pink.

“Watch out!” Luis cried. He checked the boulder Benny sat on. “Always look before you sit down. A rattler could be sunning itself.”

Benny jumped. “I sure don’t want to sit on a snake!”

Henry had climbed over the next rise. “Hey, look what I found!”

The others hurried over the hill at the urgency in Henry’s voice.

Henry stood in the middle of a small campsite. Charred sticks smoked from a recent fire. Paper cups and trash littered the area.

Violet picked up a coffee cup. “Is this Jake’s camp? The fire is still warm. He’s probably nearby.”

Luis kicked at the smoldering ashes. “Jake is too smart to leave a mess like this. Anyone with wilderness experience would smother the fire with sand. And Jake would never leave trash.”

“Then whose camp is it?” Benny asked.

“Somebody who obviously doesn’t care.” Henry was disgusted by all the trash lying around.

Jessie felt eyes boring into her. Looking up, she caught a glimpse of a tall figure in the rocks high above.

“Maybe it’s his camp!”

Luis cupped his hands around his mouth. “Hey, up there!”

“Halloo!” Henry yelled. His voice bounced around the canyon.

But the figure disappeared into the rocks.

“Whoever it was,” Benny said, “he didn’t want to be found.”

“We might as well eat,” Jessie said. Henry shrugged off the backpack and Jessie began taking out rolls and cheese.

No one was very hungry. They were all disappointed they hadn’t found Jake or his camp.

Violet couldn’t stop thinking about the figure on the rocks. “That person we saw wasn’t Jake,” she said firmly.

“How do you know?” Henry asked, chewing a cookie.

“Because Jake isn’t tall. And that person was tall.”

“Like Tom,” Jessie said thoughtfully.

“Or Mr. Clark,” Luis added.

“Or,” Henry said, “Mr. Tobias.”

“Why would Mr. Tobias be out in these hills?” asked Violet. “He’s always in his trailer.”

Henry began picking up trash to stuff in his backpack. “Maybe he’s not always in his trailer. Maybe he just wants us to think he is.”

A pebble rolled down the rock wall. Henry froze. “He’s still up there.”

“What is he doing?” Jessie asked fearfully. “Why won’t he answer us?”

“He’s trying to scare us,” Benny said.

“Well, it’s working.” Violet put her camera back in its case. She didn’t feel like taking pictures.

“Violet’s right,” said Luis. “I think we should head back to camp.”

“But we didn’t find the mine,” Benny cried.

“Or Jake,” Violet said sadly.

“Tacos,” declared Benny, “are the very best part of Arizona.” He crunched his fourth beef taco happily.

“They are good,” agreed Jessie, adding shredded lettuce to her chicken taco. “Mr. McCrae, it was really nice of you to take us out to dinner.”

Across the table, Gerald McCrae chomped chips and salsa. “I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate finishing work on my cabin. James deserves a real Tex-Mex meal.”

Grandfather refilled Violet’s iced tea glass from the frosty pitcher. “It felt good to work in the open air. And I’m so glad my grandchildren had a chance to see the West.”

“Are we leaving?” Benny asked, concerned. They hadn’t found Jake yet. Or really looked for the Lost Dutchman’s mine.

“Not until the end of the week,” Grandfather replied. “There are still a few things to be done on the cabin. Then Gerald will drive us to Phoenix and we’ll fly home.”

“And you’ll take your RV to the cabin,” Henry said to Mr. McCrae. “We’ve sure enjoyed it.”

“I’ll come visit you in Greenfield,” said Mr. McCrae. “And you can borrow the RV again sometime.”

Benny would miss the New Boxcar. It was neat living in that miniature house on wheels.

“How about fried ice cream for dessert?” Mr. McCrae suggested.

“How can they fry ice cream?” Benny wanted to know. “Wouldn’t it melt?”

But when the toasted, coconut-covered ball was set in front of him, he didn’t speak until the glass dish was scraped clean.

“Are you going on the evening hike with us?” Violet asked Grandfather as they drove back to RV Haven.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Grandfather replied. “The desert at night is beautiful.”

The Aldens piled out of Mr. McCrae’s Jeep in front of the Chuck Wagon.

“See you tomorrow morning,” Gerald McCrae said to Grandfather, pulling away.

Grandfather went ahead to unlock the RV. “Since we’re hiking in the desert, we’ll all need warmer clothing,” he told them.

Janine Crawford was closing the restaurant. The dinner shift was over.

“Did Jake come in today?” Jessie anxiously asked the waitress.

Janine jingled the large bunch of keys she carried. “I don’t think so. To tell you the truth, I was too busy to notice.”

“Wasn’t Tom around to help?” Violet asked.

Janine made a snorting sound. “Is that man ever around when there’s work to be done?”

“He’s guiding the hike tonight, isn’t he?” Benny said. He didn’t want to miss seeing the desert at night.

Janine got into her car. “Don’t worry. If it’s something fun, Tom will be there.”

“She doesn’t like him very much, does she?” Henry observed as Janine’s car pulled away, crunching gravel.

Violet noticed something about the waitress. “Janine is tall,” she said. “As tall as any man. Do you suppose she was the person we saw on the rocks today?”

Henry nodded. “Good point, Violet. We can’t say for sure if the prowler or the stranger in the hills was a man.”

“All I know,” Benny said, “is that Jake hasn’t shown up in two whole days.”

“Sounds to me like the threat in Jake’s note came true. I think Jake’s in trouble,” Jessie said.

Back in the RV, the children got ready for the hike. Jessie and Violet tied sweaters around their waists. Henry and Benny changed into long-sleeved shirts. Since Benny’s shirt didn’t have a pocket on the front, he tucked his lucky rock into his jeans pocket.

They all gathered at the recreation center. The Clarks and the Garcias were already waiting, along with several other people from the campground. Luis joined the Aldens.