“A black button! And I don’t think it’s been here very long!” Bert turned it over in his fingers. The button was still shiny and dry.
“Someone has been in here lately!” Nan exclaimed. “Remember Christmas Eve? It wasn’t the wind that made that door close—it was a person!”
“But why would anyone use this tunnel now?” Dorothy questioned.
“I don’t know, but let’s keep our eyes open for anything else new in here,” Nan replied.
But they reached the stairs and trap door to the old smokehouse without finding another clue to the mysterious intruder.
“Ooo, I’m glad to be out of there!” Flossie exclaimed as they emerged into the bright sunlight. “Now let’s go see Mr. Burdock!”
The six children trudged through the newly fallen snow for fifteen minutes or so until they came within sight of Dave Burdock’s cabin nestled among the trees. A wisp of smoke curled up from the chimney.
“Dave must be all right,” Dorothy observed. “He has a fire going.”
They hurried forward, and Bert knocked on the door. There was no reply. He pounded louder. Still no answer.
“Maybe he’s gone into town,” Freddie said.
“Or he could be hurt and not be able to come to the door,” Flossie said, her chin beginning to quiver.
“I think we should go in if the door’s unlocked,” Nan said firmly. “Try it, Bert”
The door swung open with Bert’s push, and the children stepped inside. The room was empty.
“Perhaps he’s in the kitchen,” Harry said, opening that door. But Dave was not there.
“Let’s sit down and wait for him,” Nan proposed. “He’ll probably be back soon.” She walked over to the camp bed, then stopped in surprise.
“Look!” she cried, pulling something from between the cot and the wall.
It was a black capel
“That’s what the Black Monster wears!” Freddie cried out.
“Dave Burdock is the Black Monster?” Dorothy asked unbelievingly.
The children were too shocked to speak for a few minutes, and sat in gloomy silence.
Finally Bert said, “The top button on the cape is missing.” From his pocket he took the button he had picked up in the tunnel of Snow Lodge. It matched the ones on the cape exactly!
“Dave has been spying on us. But why?”
“But Mr. Carford’s nephew can’t be the Black Monster !” Nan said in a shocked tone.
“Sure, he is,” said Dorothy indignantly.
At this moment Nan happened to look out the window. Dave Burdock and another man, wearing a dark blue ski cap and jacket, were coming. Soon they walked into the cabin.
“Well, visitors,” Dave said cheerily. “Glad to see you.”
The children did not smile, and Freddie piped up, “You’re the Black Monster!”
“What!” Dave exclaimed.
“This is the cape you wear to hide under,” Harry told him, holding it up.
Dave Burdock stared, speechless. “I never saw that before in my life.” He turned to speak to the man he had brought along. “Will, do you—”
But Will was not there. He was streaking up the path. Like a shot, Bert, Harry, and Dave Burdock were after him. The race was short, and Will was captured. He was marched back to the cabin.
“Now suppose you all tell me what this is about,” Dave demanded.
Will was silent, so Bert told about the rumpus at Mr. Carford’s, the warning note to the Bobbsey twins, and the secret stranger visiting Snow Lodge secretly.
“Okay, I’ll talk,” said Will, who gave his last name as Beck, a woodsman. “I’ve known old Mr. Carford and Dave here for a long time. I wanted to see Dave cleared, so I’ve been searching in the lodge a long time for that money.
“When I heard from the Hokes that you folks were coming up—well, I didn’t want you snooping around and maybe finding it.”
As Will paused, Bert interrupted. “What difference does it make who finds the money so long as Mr. Carford gets it?”
“He don’t deserve it!” Will blustered.
“You mean you were going to keep it?” Harry burst out.
“I was going to share it with Dave here,” Will answered. “He’s my friend. He let me sleep here when I got caught in the blizzard.”
“But the money, if it’s found, belongs to my uncle,” Dave insisted.
“That mean old codger? Bah!” Will scoffed.
“He’s very kind—a regular Santa Claus,” Nan spoke up.
Dorothy asked, “Why did you call yourself the Black Monster and wear the cape?”
“To keep folks from seeing my face and to scare you if I could,” Will explained. Clasping and unclasping his hands nervously, the woodsman continued:
“My father used to wear this cape in the woods when it was cold, so I hit upon the idea of putting it on and calling myself the Black Monster. Dave here didn’t know I had it.” Will also admitted shamefacedly that he had cut the mainsheet on Bert’s iceboat.
“You probably thought that wouldn’t be serious,” Harry spoke up. “But the mainsheet gave way in the midst of a storm. The Icebird turned over, and we were all thrown out!”
Will looked distressed. “I sure am sorry for that,” he said, shaking his head. “I guess I got kind of excited trying to worry you Bobbseys so you’d go back home.” He also admitted telephoning the family’s home and pretending to be a newspaperman to find out when the Bobbseys would arrive at Snow Lodge. And Will, not Danny, had frightened Mr. Carford’s chickens.
Dave Burdock stood up. “I’m amazed at you, Will Beck. You’ve always been honest and straightforward. I’m sure this has been a lesson to you.”
“Yes,” the woodsman admitted. “And it took a bunch of children to teach me.” Without another word he picked up his cape, took the loose button from Bert, and stalked out the door.
Flossie rushed over to Dave Burdock and jumped into his arms. “Oh, I’m so glad you weren’t the Black Monster! Now everything’s just bee-yoo-ti-ful!”
The guide smiled at her. “I think maybe you children have taught me a lesson, too. At least, I have a lot to mull over.”
There was a long pause. Finally Freddie spoke up. “I’m glad nobody mean found the money that got lost at Snow Lodge. Now we can hunt harder and harder!”
CHAPTER XVII
SNOWBOUND
“DON’T tell me we’re going to have another snowstorm!” Dorothy said as she and Harry and the twins trudged toward home. “Snow Lodge is certainly well named !”
The sky had darkened, and fine flakes of snow drifted down. By the time the children reached the house the snow was falling heavily and showed no signs of stopping. At once the twins and their cousins told about their morning at Dave Burdock’s cabin.
“It’s an amazing story,” Mr. Bobbsey said, “and I’m glad the mystery is solved.” He laughed. “You children almost had me believing there was a black monster.”
The room had become so dim from the storm outside that Mrs. Bobbsey snapped on the lights. Now they suddenly went out.
“Oh, oh!” Bert exclaimed. “Power failure!”
Mr. Bobbsey jumped up and peered out a window. “The weight of the snow has torn the wires loose,” he reported. “We’ll be without electricity for quite a while, I’m afraid!”
“Ooh!” Flossie gasped, then said, “We can do everything by candlelight. I love that!”
Candles were lighted, but Mr. Bobbsey also found some kerosene lamps and a large can of kerosene in the cellar. Soon the rooms were cozy with the soft glow of their light.
“I see now,” Mrs. Bobbsey remarked, “why Mr. Carford left the old wood-burning stove in the kitchen when he installed a modern electric range. Otherwise how would I be able to cook hot meals or heat water until the power comes back on?”
In the afternoon the children became restless. They had searched carefully all over the first floor of the lodge and had not found the money. “We might try the attic,” Nan suggested, �
��although I don’t see how it could be there.”
Nevertheless, with Bert and Harry each carrying a lantern, the six children mounted the stairs to the attic.
After peering around for a few minutes, Flossie suddenly exclaimed, “Oh Nan! We forgot! Remember Mr. Carford told us we could play with the things in these trunks!”
“Of course!” Nan replied. “Let’s see what’s in them.”
Raising the lid of the nearest trunk, she pulled out old-fashioned suits and dresses, and even high-topped shoes with little tassels dangling from them.
“What fun!” Dorothy cried. “Let’s all dress up!”
The boys entered into the spirit of the masquerade and pulled out long, tight trousers and ruffled shirts. Soon each child had an armful of clothes, and they dashed down to the bedrooms to change.
Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey were reading in front of the fire when the procession came down the stairs. “Look, Mother!” Nan cried. “We’re giving a style show!”
Nan and Dorothy wore crinolines which swayed as they walked, showing white ruffled pantalets. Flossie had on a long green skirt which she had tied up under her arms with a wide red sash. Freddie wore cowboy chaps and a toy lariat draped from his belt. The older boys had put on the long trousers and tail coats which almost reached the floor.
The twins’ parents burst into shouts of laughter. “That’s quite a mixture of styles!” Mr. Bobbsey gasped when he could speak.
“Oh! I wish I could take your pictures!” Mrs. Bobbsey exclaimed between chuckles.
Pleased with the impression they had made, the children paraded around the room. Then Nan stopped in front of her mother. “Why don’t we have a party this evening?” she begged. “We have the costumes, and we should make it a special occasion since we’re marooned in a snowstorm with no electricity!”
Mrs. Bobbsey laughed. “I agree that it is a good night for a party. What kind do you want to have?”
“You let us plan it, Aunt Mary,” Dorothy replied. “You won’t have to do anything but come and have a good time.”
“And Freddie and I can stay up late until the end of the party,” Flossie pleaded.
“Well, if you and Freddie will go now and take naps, maybe that can be arranged,” Mr. Bobbsey said with a wink at his wife.
For the remainder of the afternoon the six children forgot about the storm outside. The small twins were too excited to nap for long and soon were dashing about helping Nan, Bert, and their cousins as they prepared for the big celebration.
Nan and Dorothy made small party sandwiches and baked cupcakes in the old-fashioned stove. Bert and Harry planned some skits and games. Freddie ran back up into the attic and after a search discovered some noisemakers in one of the trunks and a lot of colored tissue paper. He helped Flossie make fancy hats from the paper.
The small twins were whispering excitedly in a corner when Dorothy came into the living room. “What are you two imps planning?” she asked.
“Oh—uh—nothing,” Freddie replied evasively. Then, giggling, he and Flossie ran off up the stairs.
By the time Mrs. Bobbsey called them for the evening meal, everything was in readiness. At the table all eight of the Snow Lodge guests were in a festive mood.
When dinner was over and the dishes washed, Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey suddenly disappeared without saying a word to anyone.
“Harry,” Bert called to his cousin, who had been drying dishes in the kitchen, “come help me lay a big, roaring fire in the living room. The one we had this afternoon is all ashes.”
“The rest of us will get things out for the skits and games,” Nan volunteered.
Soon everything was ready, and the children were eager to begin the celebration.
“But where are Aunt Mary and Uncle Dick?” Dorothy asked, as the young people assembled in the living room.
Suddenly there was a sound on the steps. The children rushed into the hall. Coming down the stairs arm in arm, were two quaintly dressed people.
“Surprise!” Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey cried out
Then Mrs. Bobbsey added, “Don’t you recognize us? We thought we should dress formally for your party.”
“But where did you get those costumes?” Nan wanted to know. “You look like pictures of the people in the last century.”
The twins’ mother wore a beautiful, long flowing gown of pale blue silk with huge puffed sleeves and creamy lace at the neck. The crown of her large pink hat was wreathed with varicolored flowers.
Mr. Bobbsey had on narrow striped trousers, a gold brocaded vest, and a long black jacket. In his right hand he carried a tall silk hat and a gold-handled cane.
“Oh,” Nan breathed, “you look simply wonderful!”
“Daddy, you’re bee-yoo-ti-ful!” Flossie cried, clasping her hands together in admiration.
Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey were pleased with the reception they had received. “You looked so cute in your costumes,” Mrs. Bobbsey explained, “that Daddy and I decided to investigate those trunks, too. I think we found the best one!”
The evening’s gaiety started with playing charades. For Flossie’s and Freddie’s sakes the words were kept simple. When the score was added, it was found that Mrs. Bobbsey’s team, consisting of Dorothy, Bert, and Freddie, were the winners. The other side had failed to guess “cobweb” and “blanket.”
“Before we start the skits,” Freddie piped up, “how about the refreshments? I know I can play my part better if my tummy is full.”
“All right, my little fat fireman,” his father teased him. The dainty sandwiches and gaily decorated cupcakes were brought in by Nan and Dorothy. Flossie passed out the noisemakers, and Freddie put a fancy hat on each of the children. What a din as four horns and four rattles were used at once !
Freddie heaped his plate high and, with Flossie following him, headed for a corner of the living room. Pillows had been arranged there in front of a makeshift stage where the skits were to be held, so he and Flossie sat down on them to enjoy their refreshments.
The rest of the party gathered around the fireplace, eating and chatting gaily. It was some time before Mrs. Bobbsey realized that the small twins had become very quiet.
She glanced in the direction of the stage and there on the pillows lay Freddie and Flossie—fast asleep ! The little boy still clutched a half-eaten cupcake in his chubby hand.
“Let’s carry them up to bed, Dick,” Mrs. Bobbsey suggested. “I was afraid they wouldn’t be able to stay awake.” She and Mr. Bobbsey went to pick up their small twins.
As Freddie was lifted from the pillows he awoke with a start. “Oh, hi, Daddy!” he said, rubbing his eyes. “We’re all ready for the skits.”
“Don’t you think the skits can wait until tomorrow?” his father asked. “You’re pretty sleepy and it’s very late.”
“Please no, Daddy. I wasn’t really asleep,” Freddie replied groggily. “Flossie and I have a very special skit we just have to do.”
“Well, all right,” his father agreed. “But after that you must go to bed.”
Mrs. Bobbsey nodded approval, and the two children dashed out of the room.
“What is this skit that’s so important?” Mr. Bobbsey asked the other children.
“We don’t know, Dad,” Bert answered. “It’s something they planned themselves and wouldn’t tell us about.”
“I saw Freddie making a paste of flour and water,” Harry said, grinning.
“And Flossie came to me and asked me to tie two big red hair ribbons together,” Nan added.
“What on earth can they be up to?” Mrs. Bobbsey wondered aloud.
In a few minutes the waiting group heard steps on the stairs and Freddie called, “Okay, we’re ready!”
Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey and the four older children made themselves comfortable in front of the stage. Then Flossie cried, “Here we come!”
The audience turned toward the doorway. What a sight they saw!
First came Flossie, dressed only in her underwear, with a huge re
d ribbon tied in a bow on her hip and circling the opposite shoulder.
Behind Flossie came Freddie. He had pasted cotton together with flour and water to make a beard, and his small body was wrapped in a large sheet, held together at the waist by a huge safety pin. In one hand, he carried a small sickle, and in the other, an hourglass eggtimer.
The living room rang with laughter, and it was easy to see that Freddie and Flossie were finding it hard to keep from giggling, too.
“Do you know who we are?” Freddie asked eagerly.
“Snow White and Prince Charming?” his father suggested.
Flossie giggled. “Oh, Daddy! You’re teasing us!” she protested.
“Jack and Jill?” Bert suggested.
“I guess we’ll have to tell them!” Flossie said with a make-believe sigh.
“I’m Father Time,” Freddie explained. “And Flossie’s Baby New Year!”
“You see, we decided not to wait for New Year’s Eve,” Flossie added, her blue eyes sparkling.
“We really knew who you were meant to be all the time,” Mrs. Bobbsey said reassuringly. “Your skit was very good.”
The older children gathered around the small twins to congratulate them and admire the costumes. Then suddenly came a loud snap, like the crack of a giant whip. The merrymakers looked at one another fearfully.
“Wh-what’s that?” Flossie whispered, clutching Nan’s hand.
The next second a thundering crash filled the room, and Snow Lodge seemed to shudder on its foundation !
CHAPTER XVIII
WONDERFUL DISCOVERY
AS SNOW LODGE shook under the violent impact, the Bobbsey family and their visitors huddled together and looked around the room. Bits of mortar had sprayed from the fireplace onto the floor. From the den snowflakes and wind blew into the room.
“I think a tree must have fallen on the den,” the twins’ father said. “The weight of all the snow on its branches probably weakened it, and the wind toppled it over.”
The group rushed to the entrance of the den. A scene of ruin confronted them. As Mr. Bobbsey had guessed, a huge old tree had fallen through the roof, its topmost branches blocking the door from the living room. Snow-laden boughs poked through the demolished roof and lay heavily on the crushed furniture.
The Bobbsey Twins and the Mystery at Snow Lodge Page 10
