Mountain Top Mystery

by Gertrude Chandler Warner

  him.

  After lunch, Dr. Osgood and his head man stayed on Flat Top. But the

  rest began to climb down. They were eager to tell Lovan what had

  happened.

  "But let's not tell her the news too suddenly." Jessie said. "It might

  be too much all at once."

  "Yes," agreed Henry. "Maybe it would be a good idea if she met David

  first and then heard about the treasure."

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  Violet said, "I think that is a good plan. Lovan can make up her mind

  about David and then he can tell her about the treasure."

  When they reached Lovan's cottage, they found her sitting on the

  dinosaur step with a rough flat stone beside her. She was rubbing

  something on it.

  Lovan had five white beads on a string. She had the string over her hand

  and was rubbing the white beads on the rough rock. The white pieces got

  rounder and rounder.

  "You're making beads!" cried Benny.

  "Yes. I have almost finished," said Lovan. "This is the last string."

  They saw two boxes of round beads, one of white and one of purple beads.

  Lovan went on. She saw that they wanted to know. "I break a clamshell in

  small pieces," she said. "I make a small hole in every piece and string

  a few on a string. Then I grate them until they are round."

  "I never knew that," said Mr. Alden. "I always wondered how wampum was

  made."

  "This is how it is done," said Lovan. "Nobody uses

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  wampum now. But I sometimes weave it into my baskets."

  All this time David had been watching Lovan. But Lovan was so busy she

  did not see David at all. Even Mr. Alden was a bit nervous now. He

  didn't quite know how Lovan would feel about meeting her nephew. But

  Lovan herself settled that. Suddenly she looked up at Mr. Alden and saw

  David behind him.

  "An Indian boy!" she said. "Who are you, little brother?"

  David said, "Well, I suppose I am your grandnephew and you are my

  Great-Aunt Lovan."

  Lovan did not speak. She was thinking. She was looking David over. At

  last she said, "Then that baby did not die?"

  "I guess not," said David, smiling a little. "I feel alive. My

  grandmother was named Susan. My mother died first, then Grandmother. I

  thought I was the last of my family."

  Lovan nodded. She looked at David sharply. "A good young man, are you?"

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  David bowed his head. "I'm going to be. I can help you with your garden.

  Maybe I can go to school?"

  Jessie and Henry were watching Lovan closely. They knew by the look on

  her face that Lovan was really very tired-tired of living alone, tired

  of walking so far to get sweet grass, and tired of wondering what would

  become of her.

  Mr. Alden fixed it all up as well as he could. He said, "Lovan, you

  don't know David and he doesn't know you. But you can get to know each

  other. David can do work for the rangers at first and come to see you

  often. Then if you get along well, he can live here and take care of

  you. He's a strong young man."

  Lovan put the beads in the box with the rest. "Come in," she said. "I

  will show you where David could sleep if he came here."

  They all went into the cottage and Lovan opened a door.

  David looked at the smooth bed. He looked at Lovan's kind face. For the

  first time in a long, long time David felt that he had a home and

  someone to

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  care about him.

  Before David could say anything there was a whistle. It came loud and

  clear into the little cottage.

  "It's Mr. Carter!" said Jessie. "He always whistles that tune when he

  feels fine."

  John Carter had a large box. He said, "I thought that Lovan ought to see

  her treasure."

  "Oh, did you find the leather bag?" cried Lovan.

  "Yes, we did," said Benny. "We came to tell you, but we wanted you to

  meet David first. Now don't be disappointed when you see the things.

  They look black but they're silver. They have to be polished."

  "Of course," said Lovan. "The silver would turn black after all those

  years."

  She looked at each piece. But the thing she seemed to like best was the

  paper with the French writing. Jessie told her what each French word

  meant.

  "Poor man!" said Lovan. "He was shot by an Indian. When

  Great-Grandfather found him on the side of the mountain, he took care of

  him. He gave him all the good Indian medicines. But the poor man was

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  badly hurt and knew it. He did not live long. I never heard where he was

  buried."

  "It was secret, just like the bag," said Benny.

  Mr. Alden packed the things in the box again. He gave the roll of paper

  to Lovan. He said, "Now if you agree, I'll sell these things to a museum

  or a collector and put the money in the bank. Nobody can get it out

  except you."

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  "And you, too, Mr. Alden," said Lovan. "I'd feel better if you could get

  it out, too. Something might happen to me."

  "Very well. I'll fix it that way. And now you are tired. We'll go back

  to the motel. Come on, everybody."

  Benny said, "It looks as if we've just about solved another mystery."

  They all went out of the cottage and down the step. All but David. He

  stood on the step beside Lovan with his head down. He said to Lovan, "Do

  you mind if I bring my dog here? He's a good dog and he minds me."

  "No," said Lovan, shaking her head. "I need a watchdog."

  The two Indians looked at each other-one so old and one so young.

  Lovan said a few soft words in an Indian language.

  David answered her in the same language. They looked at each other and

  smiled. Then they shook hands.

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  David turned to Mr. Alden. "I'll come down later, sir. I'd like to stay

  here with Aunt Lovan for a little while, if you don't mind."

  "No," said Mr. Alden, walking down to the station wagon, "I don't mind

  at all. It's exactly what I want most."

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  CHAPTER 13

  No Goodbyes

  When the family met at supper, David was not there.

  "Don't worry about him," Mr. Alden said, sitting down at the table.

  "He's got two good legs and he can walk miles. He'll show up when he

  gets ready."

  Mr. Carter was not there, either. Nobody asked where he was. They were

  used to his going and coming.

  But Dr. Osgood was there. He said, "I shall be working here most of the

  summer. You know, my head man is a fine young scientist. He is having

  the

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  time of his life. He knows those fossils even better than I do."

  Benny had been looking thoughtful. Suddenly he said, "Why don't we go

  home, Grandfather?"

  Everybody stopped eating to stare at Benny. He was usually the last

  person to want to go home.

  "Well, why not?" Benny went on. "I'd like to see Watch again. We've been

  away quite a few days."

  "That's an idea," said Grandfather. "Our real work here is ended. I

  shall keep track of David anyway, and Lovan, too. We can get here

  anytime in two hours."

  Jessie said, "David w
ill be a different boy, Grandfather. I think his

  Indian friends didn't treat him well. He was not from their tribe. If

  he's treated right, he'll act right."

  Just as she spoke, a figure appeared in the door. It was David and he

  was indeed a changed boy. The whole family stared at him and listened.

  "Oh, Mr. Alden!" he cried. (This didn't sound like David at all!) "My

  aunt and I are going to be fine to-

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  gether. She needs me, and I sure need a family." He put out both his

  hands to shake hands. "Aunt Lovan talks now, a steady stream!"

  "So do you, Dave," said Benny, laughing. "What are you going to do

  first?"

  "Well, I'm going to get my dog."

  "What kind of a dog is he?" asked Jessie.

  "Oh, he's a hound dog. He came to me. He didn't have any home either.

  He's white with black and sort of yellow. He has long soft ears. His

  tail wags so fast you can't see it."

  Everyone was thinking the same thing, "David loves his dog."

  "What's his name?" asked Violet.

  David stopped short. Then he said, "I hate to tell you. I always called

  him

  Mine.

  He was the only thing I had."

  "That's OK," said Benny. "When you call him, you can say Miney, Miney,

  Miney!"

  "I never have to call him," said David, shaking his head. "He's always

  with me."

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  Grandfather said, "Sit down, my boy, and eat your supper. Don't you want

  a ride to Maine?"

  "No. I'll go the same way I came. It won't take me long."

  "We are going home, too, Dave," said Henry. "We want to get that silver

  cleaned and sold. And Grandfather wants to buy your aunt's woodland on

  both sides of Flat Top. When he owns it, Lovan can be sure the trees

  will not be cut. Mr. Carter knows collectors who buy old silver."

  "And that necklace," said Jessie. "Lovan doesn't need to worry about

  money again."

  "She's going to pay me by the week," said David. "I'll have to buy some

  heavy clothes if I work outdoors and some clothes for school, too."

  "David!" said Grandfather. "I won't worry about you another minute. You

  are a man for sure. And that's what your Aunt Lovan needs-a strong young

  man. I know you must be disappointed that this treasure isn't yours,

  but-"

  "Never mind that, Mr. Alden!" said David, putting

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  out his hand. "I don't want to hear it. Just wait till I get my dog.

  Then we'll be all set."

  "We'll go to see your aunt later and say goodbye," said Grandfather,

  "and now we will say goodbye to you for awhile."

  David pushed back his chair. His supper was finished. He looked at them

  all, one by one. He said, "But I don't know-I don't know-" Violet had

  tears in her eyes.

  "Don't say anything, Dave," she said. "Just don't say anything."

  Benny said, "I can't say goodbye to Dave, either."

  "I know what you mean," Jessie said. "Dave is a good friend and it seems

  as if we have known him for a long time."

  The next day was spent getting ready to leave. Mr. Alden wanted to talk

  with Dr. Osgood. He also wanted to see the rangers about Lovan Dixon and

  David.

  Late in the afternoon the family drove over to see Lovan. They found her

  sitting on her dinosaur step,

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  finishing a basket.

  Somehow Lovan seemed different to them. There was a new happiness in her

  face.

  "I have been looking for you," she said.

  "You have?" asked Benny.

  "Yes, the ranger told me," said Lovan. "He came over with my canned

  stuff. I have to get powdered milk for David. When you see him again you

  won't know him. I'm a good cook."

  "He looks better already," said Grandfather. "David stands straight now

  and looks you right in the eye."

  While Mr. Alden was telling Lovan about her woodlands and the treasure,

  the girls watched her fingers with the basket. They saw that she had put

  white beads all around the top of the basket. Now she was winding a

  border of sweet grass for the edge. She came to the last stitch and

  fastened the grass very tightly. She held it up a minute and then

  started to get up.

  "Come in," she said.

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  She walked across the room and took another basket from the table. It

  was just like the other basket, but the beads were light purple. She

  turned around and gave the white one to Jessie and the purple one to

  Violet.

  "A sewing basket for you," she said, "made with love."

  The girls were so pleased that they could hardly speak.

  "We need these so much!" said Jessie. She smelled the sweet grass.

  "We'll always think of you when we use these," said Violet. "It is the

  nicest present you could have given us."

  "Thank you, Lovan," said Grandfather. "Those are very thoughtful

  presents, and they are all your handiwork."

  "Do sit down," said Lovan. She knew the young people would sit on the

  floor at her side.

  "One more thing," said Grandfather, "if you are going to feed David and

  pay him by the week, you'll

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  need money before I can buy this land. Now this is

  my

  business. I want

  David to be educated. And here is some money to start on. A ranger will

  come to bring you money. You make out a check and he will cash it.

  You'll be surprised how much a boy can eat."

  "And a dog, too," said Lovan, smiling. She took the money. "I will take

  care of David like a son. I can teach him many things myself. And there

  is a school not too far away."

  "Well," said Mr. Alden, getting up, "we must go. We'll just say goodbye

  for now."

  "No, no!" cried Lovan. "Don't say goodbye. Say, 'Come again.'"

  "That's the way to talk," said Benny. "We'll say come again soon, so why

  say goodbye?"

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  CHAPTER 14

  Time for Celebration

  The Aldens had been gone only one day when David came back from Maine

  with his dog.

  It was night when David came, but he was sure of his way through the

  woods. He and his dog made almost no noise, but David found Lovan at the

  door of her cottage, waiting and listening.

  The old Indian woman was smiling. She liked the way the dog trotted at

  David's side.

  "This is Mine, Aunt Lovan," David said. "Let him sniff at you, then

  speak to him. He won't bite."

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  But Lovan knew what to do better than David. She opened the door wide so

  that the dog could smell the cooking. It was a delicious pot roast

  cooking with turnips and carrots and onions and potatoes. The dog

  trotted happily into the cottage. He turned to Lovan and sat up with his

  two front paws hanging down.

  "He's smiling," cried David. "Doesn't that look like a smile?"

  "Good dog," said Lovan. "Shake hands."

  Now Mine had never learned to shake hands. But when the old lady took

  his paw in her hand he wagged his tail as well as he could while sitting

  on it. He seemed to know that Lovan was the one with the supper.

  "Your supper is too hot, Miney," s
he said. "It's just right for you,

  David. Sit right down. Are you about starved?"

  "Very near," said David. "I didn't want to stop to eat. But now it must

  be the middle of the night."

  "It's one o'clock," said Lovan. She began to cut many thin slices off

  the meat. Then she piled a soup

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  Time for Celebration

  plate with vegetables. She put corn muffins on another plate and poured

  a large glass of milk. Mine sat still watching every move.

  David said, "We ought not give Miney good meat like this. He eats

  scraps."

  "Well, some other time, David," said Lovan. "Tonight it is a party."

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  "Miney is glad," said David. "I'll cut some of my meat for him. It's

  cool enough now. He likes everything-bread and vegetables and candy."

  Mine wagged his tail all the time he was eating. He licked up the last

  bit and went over to Lovan and put both paws on her lap.

  "Good dog," she said, patting his head. "You are mine, too."

  "I'm glad you like him," said David.

  "Did you have any trouble with the other Indians?" asked Lovan.

  "No. They didn't want my dog. They have two or three others. I didn't

  even tell them where I was going. They didn't ask."

  "I see," said Lovan. "And now let's all go to bed."

  Things went along well and a month soon went by. Then the Aldens came

  back. As they drove into the woods they heard a dog barking.

  "That's Miney!" said Benny, laughing.

  Just then David and Lovan appeared around the corner of the house. The

  dog barked.

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  "Quiet," said David. He stopped.

  The Aldens could hardly believe what they saw. "You must have gained ten

  pounds, Dave!" shouted Benny.

  "I guess so," said David, laughing. He was delighted to see his good

  friends.

  "What are you working on behind the house?" asked Henry.

  "Come and see," said Lovan with a smile. "We are both outdoor people. So

  Dave made this place to eat."

  Under the great pine trees was a large wooden table. On each side was a

  bench.

  "The benches are long so we can have company," said David.

  "Company like us!" shouted Benny.

  "Let me show you what else we are doing, Mr. Alden," said David. "Aunt

  Lovan and I are making an Indian book."

  "Let me see it. That is the best thing I have heard yet," said Mr.

  Alden. "We don't want to lose the best parts of Indian life."

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  By this time the Aldens were in the house, looking at the Indian book