by Ron Roy
“Do ghosts leave footprints?” Josh asked.
“Maybe it’s Walker,” Ruth Rose suggested. “They’re too big to be Wallis’s.”
“But why would Walker come here?” Dink wondered out loud.
“Can we go?” Josh pleaded. “I just saw a monster spider, and he was looking back at me!”
“Okay, but let’s come back,” Ruth Rose said. “I want to clean this place. It’s sad to see it all dusty like this.”
Ruth Rose pulled the door shut behind them. As they crossed the drawbridge, Dink noticed something in the moat. He jumped down and picked up a bright green feather.
“Hey, guys, look! It’s like the one that was stuck to Josh’s sneaker.”
Ruth Rose held the feather up to the sun. “What’s it from?”
Josh examined the feather. “The only bird I know with this kind of feather is a parrot,” he said. “But parrots don’t live in Maine.”
Dink took the feather back from Josh, then put it in his pocket.
“Okay we’ve explored the playhouse,” Josh said. “Now you guys have to do what I want.”
Dink grinned at his friend. “You mean eat?”
“No. I want to check out that cave down on the beach.”
“Wait a minute,” Dink said. “You were creeped out by the playhouse, but you want to explore the cave?”
“Caves are cool,” Josh said. “Come on, you guys.”
The kids headed past the castle, through the gate, and down the cliff. They stood looking at the small river flowing out of the cave. “I wonder how deep it is,” Dink said.
“There’s one way to find out,” Josh said. He stepped in the water and began wading into the cave. The water reached just above his ankles.
“Come on, you guys!” he called over his shoulder.
Dink and Ruth Rose followed him. The cave grew darker, until the sunlight disappeared. The air was cold and damp, and the black walls felt slimy.
“Josh, this water is freezing,” Ruth Rose said. Her voice sounded hollow. “I hate it in here! Can we go back?”
“The water’s getting deeper, too,” Dink said. “And I can’t even see you guys!”
“Shh!” Josh said. “I heard something!”
“Josh, don’t try to scare us!” Ruth Rose said. “I’m already—”
Suddenly a scream echoed through the cave.
“RUN!” Ruth Rose yelled.
Over their heads, hundreds of black bats streaked for daylight.
The kids didn’t stop running till they were at the top of the cliff. Dink threw himself on the ground, trying to catch his breath.
“What was that?” Ruth Rose asked, pulling off her sopping sneakers. “My heart nearly stopped!”
“It was the ghost!” Josh said. “I bet that cave leads to a secret dungeon under the castle. Maybe that’s where Emory Scott died!”
Ruth Rose burst out laughing. Josh ignored her. “There must be a secret door leading to the dungeon somewhere. And I’m going to find it!”
“Maybe you are,” Dink said. “But I’m gonna take a shower and change.”
“Me too,” Ruth Rose said. “I smell like a fish!”
When they got back to the castle, Walker’s Jeep was parked out front. The kids cleaned up, then hurried down to the kitchen. Wallis, Walker, and Rip were sitting at the long table, husking ears of corn.
“Hi, kids,” Walker said. “How was your first day at Moose Manor?”
“It was great,” Josh said, shooting Dink a look. “We explored the playhouse and found some neat stuff on the beach.”
Dink figured Josh wanted to keep his “secret dungeon” idea to himself.
“Well, I have lobsters to cook,” Wallis said. “I hope everyone’s hungry!”
After supper, the grownups decided to play Scrabble.
“You kids can join us,” Wallis said. “Or you can choose another board game from the hall closet. Help yourself.”
“Um…I think I’ll go upstairs and read,” Josh said. He motioned for Dink and Ruth Rose to follow him. They met upstairs in the hall between the bedrooms. “Let’s search up here while they’re playing Scrabble,” he said.
“What exactly are we looking for?” Dink asked.
“A secret door or passageway,” Josh said, rapping his knuckle lightly on a wall.
“Josh, don’t you think Wallis would’ve told us about a secret door?” Ruth Rose said.
“Maybe she doesn’t know about it,” Josh said.
“I guess we should look around,” Dink agreed. “Something is making those weird noises.”
“Let’s start on the roof,” Ruth Rose said.
They walked down the hall, and Josh pushed open the narrow door.
At the top of the stairs, they opened another door. A cool breeze blew in their faces as they stepped onto the flat roof.
“Wow! You can see everything!” said Josh. “It would be neat to fly a kite up here!”
Dink stood between two granite battlements that were taller than he was. He felt like a king looking over his land.
“There’s nothing up here,” Josh said.
“Okay,” Dink said. “Let’s look downstairs.”
The kids tromped back down to the hall.
Ruth Rose walked into her room while Dink and Josh searched theirs. Dink started with the closet, but found only dust and an old tennis racket.
He used the racket to poke behind the window curtains. A few spiders darted away but nothing else.
Suddenly Josh screamed from the bathroom. “Dink, it’s got me! Help!”
Dink charged into the bathroom, holding the tennis racket like a club. He looked around wildly, but the room was empty.
“Josh? Where are you?”
The shower curtain flew open. Josh stood there, grinning. “Boo!”
Dink shook his head. “You’re so lame, Josh. It would serve you right if some ghost did get you!”
Josh climbed out of the tub. “Thought you didn’t believe in ghosts, Dinkus!”
Dink just shook his head again. He crossed the hall and knocked on Ruth Rose’s door. “Find anything?” he asked.
She shook her head. “Nope.”
She and Dink searched the long hall. They looked behind the radiators and inside plant pots and one tall umbrella stand.
Josh tapped on the walls, listening for hollow sounds. Finally they gave up, sweaty and dusty.
“I don’t know where else to search,” Dink said.
“We didn’t check out the downstairs rooms,” Josh said.
“We’ll have to wait till tomorrow,” Ruth Rose said, yawning. “I’m going to bed. And I hope I don’t dream about ghosts, thanks to Josh Pinto!”
Josh grinned. “I read somewhere that ghosts eat girls with curls.”
“Just let one try!” she said, then slammed her door.
Dink and Josh climbed into bed. A few minutes later they were both asleep.
Dink woke suddenly, his heart thumping. He looked at the clock. It was midnight!
Dink climbed out of bed and tiptoed to the window. He saw black trees against a blacker sky.
Then he saw it—a ghostly light near the playhouse!
Dink gulped and felt goose bumps climbing his legs. Could it be Emory Scott’s ghost?
The light winked a few more times, then disappeared.
Dink shivered, rubbing his eyes. When the light didn’t return, he crawled back into bed.
He yawned and closed his eyes, deciding that he had seen a firefly.
But just before falling off to sleep, Dink opened his eyes again. He had seen only one light moving out there in the darkness.
Why would there be only one firefly in the woods? He thought about that until he fell asleep.
Dink dreamed that he was in the cave again. It was pitch dark. Up ahead, he heard a hideous scream. But this time, the scream didn’t stop, it just got louder. Suddenly bats were flying in his face. But these bats had feathers-bright green feathers!
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nbsp; Dink bolted upright in his bed. The blankets were twisted around his legs and the alarm clock was buzzing.
I’m not in a cave, Dink realized. I’m still in the castle. Relieved, he shut off the alarm.
“Josh, wake up,” he said.
Josh opened an eye. “Why?”
Dink climbed out of bed. “Walker’s taking us lobstering, remember?” He turned on the light and yanked Josh’s covers off.
“Come on, let’s go catch a lobster!”
Josh groaned, but he climbed out of bed. “I hate lobsters.”
Dink laughed. “You ate one last night.” He pulled on yesterday’s jeans and a warm sweatshirt over his T-shirt. “I’m going downstairs. Don’t go back to bed!”
Dink crossed the hall and tapped on Ruth Rose’s door. She was up and dressed in yellow from top to bottom.
“Did you see anything strange last night?” Dink asked.
Ruth Rose was pulling a brush through her hair. She shook her head.
“Well, I did! I’ll tell you about it downstairs.”
There was a light on in the kitchen. Dink saw juice glasses, cereal bowls, and some muffins on the table. He was munching when Ruth Rose and Josh came in.
“Guys, I think someone was creeping around outside last night,” Dink said. He told them about the light he’d seen in the woods.
Josh grabbed a muffin and bit off half.
“Told you,” he said, trying to grin and chew at the same time. “It was Emory’s ghost!”
“Very funny Josh,” Ruth Rose said.
Just then there was a thump in the mud room and the kitchen door crashed open. Josh nearly fell out of his chair.
Walker came in wearing tall rubber boots and a yellow slicker. “Ready to go?” he asked.
Dink laughed in relief. “Josh thought you were a ghost,” he said.
“Did not,” Josh muttered.
They walked outside and climbed into Walker’s Jeep. The sky was pitch black. Dink peered into the woods, half expecting to see the strange light again.
A few minutes later Walker turned into his driveway. They got out and walked behind the house to the dock. Their feet made hollow noises on the wooden boards.
“Watch your step out here,” Walker said, aiming a flashlight at Dink’s feet.
Dink breathed in the salty night air. A few stars made pinpoints of light above the boat. Somewhere, he heard a night bird call.
“Ready to come aboard?” Walker asked.
Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose followed Walker onto the dark boat.
“Better slip one of those on,” Walker said when they were aboard. He pointed at orange life jackets hanging on a row of pegs.
The kids climbed into the bulky vests and sat on benches. Walker started the motor, and the small boat moved away from the dock.
“It’ll be about an hour before we get to my pots,” Walker hollered over the roar of the engine. “Get comfortable!”
Ruth Rose and Josh curled up on the benches, but Dink sat up. He didn’t want to miss a thing. He could smell the lobster bait. Waves slapped against the hull as they chugged through the black water.
Dink watched the glow of morning color the horizon pale yellow. It made him remember the light he’d seen last night. Did the light have anything to do with the strange noises or the two green feathers?
The boat’s gentle rocking made Dink feel sleepy. He closed his eyes. Then Walker was shaking him. Dink sat up and squinted into sunlight.
The waves rocked the boat back and forth. When Dink stood, he nearly lost his balance. “Where are we?” he asked.
“About five miles out,” Walker said. “Wake up Ruth Rose and Josh, and we’ll eat.”
They sat in a patch of sunlight. Breakfast was peanut butter sandwiches and hot, milky cocoa from Walker’s thermos.
Dink saw other boats in the distance. “Are those all lobster boats?”
Walker nodded. “Most of them are. A few fishing boats are out, too.”
Josh looked over the side. “How do you catch the lobsters?” he asked.
Walker pointed to a machine. “That winch brings them up. I’ll show you how it works.”
Walker picked up a long pole with a hook on one end. He used it to grab the rope attached to a marker buoy. He snagged the rope onto the winch, pushed a button, and wet rope began whistling up out of the water. Fast!
A few seconds later a lobster pot surfaced on the other end of the rope. Wearing a rubber apron and gloves, Walker dragged it into the boat.
The wooden trap was covered with seaweed. A few small crabs scampered out onto the deck. “Let’s see what we’ve got,” Walker said, dropping the crabs back into the sea.
Walker opened the pot’s small door and reached in a gloved hand. He pulled out a wet, dark green lobster. The lobster waved its claws angrily.
“Those claws can break a finger,” Walker warned. He snapped two thick rubber bands onto the lobster’s front claws. Then he dropped the lobster into a tank of sea water.
“Josh, get the bait, will you?”
Josh dragged the heavy pail over. Walker pulled out a huge fish head.
“Oh, phew!” Josh said. “That’s gross!”
“The lobsters don’t mind,” Walker said, dropping the fish head into the lobster pot. He fastened the door and shoved the trap back into the water.
“That’s pretty much how it’s done,” Walker said, slapping water off his gloves.
“Can we pull another one?” Dink asked.
“Sure, and you guys can help. Grab some gloves out of that locker.”
Ruth Rose brought out three pairs of thick rubber gloves. Walker winched up another pot and held a wiggling lobster out to Josh.
“Hold him by the back so he can’t reach you with his claws.”
Josh held the lobster with both gloved hands. Ruth Rose and Dink snapped rubber bands onto the claws.
“Who wants to put bait in the pot?” Walker asked, grinning.
Dink volunteered while Josh faked gagging noises. Dink stuck his hand into the bait bucket, then dropped a bloody fish head into the lobster pot.
The morning grew warm, so the kids stripped off their sweatshirts. The ocean was calm. Sea gulls soared overhead, watching for scraps.
“Look, there’s Rip,” Walker said.
Rip pulled his boat up next to Lady Luck. When the boats were side by side, Rip tossed a line to Dink.
“How’s it going?” Rip asked. He was wearing clean jeans and a T-shirt. He held a coffee mug in one hand.
“We got a few,” Walker said. “My crew here was a big help.”
“Are you going lobstering?” Josh asked.
Rip shook his head and flashed a grin. “Not today kiddo. Just came out to check my buoys. Toss me the line, okay?”
Dink tossed his end of the rope toward the other boat. Rip caught it in his free hand. “Have a good day!” he yelled as he pulled away.
“Anyone want more cocoa?” Walker asked.
“I do,” Josh said.
Dink turned around and saw something on Lady Luck’s deck.
It was a bright green feather.
Dink snatched up the feather. Ruth Rose raised her eyebrows. Dink shrugged and stuck the feather in his pocket.
“Ready to head in?” Walker asked. “I promised Sis I’d get you back before lunch.”
He started up the engine, and they chugged toward land.
Back at Walker’s dock, the kids helped him hose fish goo and seaweed off the deck of his boat. Then he drove them to the castle.
“Sis’s car is gone,” Walker said. “She must be out doing errands. Will you kids be okay for a while?”
“I’m a little hungry,” Josh said, grinning.
“Here, finish this.” Walker handed Josh the bread, peanut butter, and knife. He waved and drove away.
“Where should we eat?” Josh asked.
“How about the playhouse?” Ruth Rose said. “I can wash those little dishes.” She found a watering can ne
xt to the mud room door and filled it from the spigot.
On the way to the playhouse, Dink pulled the feathers out of his pocket. He told Josh how he’d found the third one on Walker’s boat.
The kids studied the feathers, holding them up to the sunlight. “They’re exactly alike,” Josh said.
“Another parrot feather?” Ruth Rose asked. “Where could they be coming from?”
Josh grinned. “From a parrot?”
“Very funny, Joshua!”
Dink suddenly remembered his dream. Screaming bats with green feathers…
Ruth Rose opened the playhouse door and they walked in.
“It’s too cold in here,” Josh said. “Why don’t we eat out in the sun?”
Dink helped Josh carry the table out.
Ruth Rose brought out the dishes and set them in the grass.
“The rug looks pretty dusty,” Dink said. “We should drag it outside and sweep it.”
Josh was spreading peanut butter on bread at the table. “Can we eat first, then work? My stomach is talking to me.”
On his knees, Dink began rolling up the rug. “Your stomach is—hey, guys, look!”
“Not another green feather, I hope,” Josh muttered. He strolled over to see.
Dink pointed to a trapdoor in the floor.
“Yes!” Josh yelled. “I told you! The secret door to the secret dungeon!”
Ruth Rose ran over. “Let’s open it!” she said.
The handle had a spring lock. Ruth Rose squeezed the spring, and the lock popped open. With all three of them pulling, they were able to raise the trapdoor. They heard a creepy whoosh, then cold, damp air escaped.
“Yuck, what a smell!” Josh said.
The kids stared into the musty-smelling hole. Stone steps led down to darkness. Even in the dim light, they saw footprints on the steps.
“Just like the prints we saw on the rug,” Dink said.
They all jumped back as a hollow scream echoed out of the dark hole.
“Something’s down there!” Ruth Rose whispered.
Josh’s eyes were huge. “Not some-thing,” he whispered. “Someone. It’s the ghost of Emory Scott!”
