Camp Club Girls Get a Clue!

by Renae Brumbaugh

  “Don’t worry, we can catch up,” Elizabeth told her friends. “So far, the only real points awarded are for clean cabins. Let’s just make sure ours is really clean today. But first we need to come up with a team name.”

  “I’ve been thinking about that,” said Bailey. “I think it should have something to do with the fact that we’re at camp.”

  “Let’s make it a name to reveal that we are members of an elite group,” said Alex.

  “How about the Discovery Lake Discoverers?” suggested McKenzie. “No, it’s too much of a tongue twister.”

  “I think we should keep it simple,” said Elizabeth. “Something easy for everyone to remember.”

  “So…we want to have a camp club or something like that,” said Kate.

  “I’ve got it!” said Bailey. “We can be the Camp Club Girls!”

  “I like it! It’s simple and to the point,” said Sydney.

  “Very well, then. We are the Camp Club Girls!” said Elizabeth, and the group let out a cheer.

  After breakfast, the Camp Club Girls hurried back to their cabin and cleaned it to a high shine. “I love Biscuit, but he sure is messy! It’s a lot easier to clean without him dragging everybody’s socks out!” said McKenzie.

  “Tell me about it! He thinks my panda is an intruder! Every time I take it off my bed to make it up, he attacks it!” said Bailey.

  “We need to decide who will compete in which camp event,” Elizabeth told them. “McKenzie is the natural choice for horseback riding. We’ll also need a team for the canoe races and someone to compete in the nature studies quiz. And, of course, the talent competition.”

  The girls talked at once, discussing who wanted to do what.

  “Kate, why don’t you do the nature studies quiz, and I’ll do the scripture memory competition,” Elizabeth suggested as she helped Bailey straighten the covers on her bed.

  “I think this competition is in the bag!” exclaimed Bailey, heaving her giant panda back onto her bed.

  “I do think we have a good chance, but it will be tough. Amberlie seems pretty competitive. She really wants to win,” McKenzie told her friends.

  “She can want it all she wants,” said Sydney, “but we want it more. And we’re gonna win!”

  Kate left her nature studies class, pressing past campers returning to their cabins. When she was halfway to the golf course, Elizabeth caught up with her.

  “I’ll bet I know where you’re headed,” said the fourteen-year-old.

  Kate sighed. “I feel guilty about leaving Biscuit alone. But I know it’s best this way. I’ve just never had a pet before. I wish I could talk Mom and Dad into letting me keep Biscuit.”

  Elizabeth smiled. “ ‘Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart,’ Psalm 37:4. That’s today’s Discovery verse. I guess you could say that a dog is one of the desires of your heart.”

  “Yes, it is. I guess I’ll have to think more about that verse. Maybe there is hope, after all,” Kate responded. “Come on, let’s go. I miss Biscuit!”

  They jogged the rest of the way to the golf course. As they approached, they heard the low, mournful howls that told them two things: Biscuit was safe, and Biscuit was very, very sad.

  The little dog lunged at Kate, nearly knocking her to the ground as soon as she slipped inside the gate. “Biscuit!” she exclaimed. “I’ve missed you, too, boy! I’m sad when we’re apart!”

  The dog attacked her with slobbery kisses and muddy paws.

  “Hey! Stop that!” Kate laughed at the dog’s enthusiasm.

  Elizabeth smiled at the girl and dog who were so in love with each other. “Boy, that bath didn’t last very long,” she said. “Now be still, Biscuit, and let us listen to your collar.”

  Alex and Bailey returned from their crafts class, each holding a small wooden treasure box. Bailey’s sparkled with glitter and plastic jewels, while Alex’s was painted with bold stripes. Arriving at their room, they stopped. They stared. Then the girls jumped up and down, cheering.

  A cardboard trophy with the glittered words CLEAN DORM WINNER— POINTS hung on their door.

  “We won!” The two girls squealed.

  That is how Kate and Elizabeth found their two friends moments later. They had run all the way from the golf course, and now they were panting. “Girls, listen…”

  Kate stopped and fell onto her bed, trying to catch her breath. Holding up the small recorder, she said, “Listen.”

  They were interrupted by Sydney and McKenzie, who had seen the trophy on their way in the door.

  “Hey, cool! We won! Now, unless Amberlie can rack up some serious character points, we’ll be first in line all day tomorrow,” said McKenzie with a grin.

  “I can’t wait to see Amberlie’s face when we pass her,” Sydney said.

  “Well, don’t act too smug. The Princess Pack is still way ahead of us in overall points. Remember, they’ve won three days in a row! We still have some serious catching up to do,” said Elizabeth.

  Kate, now recuperated from her run, waved her arms. “Guys,” she called out. “I think this is more important than standing first in line. Listen to what was on Biscuit’s recorder!”

  The girls gathered around Kate’s bed and leaned in to hear the tiny device.

  “Sounds like howling, just like you said,” McKenzie told her.

  “Shhhh! Just listen.”

  The girls strained to hear something, anything, over Biscuit’s desperate howling. Then, after about thirty seconds, the howling stopped.

  Digging for Treasure

  The girls looked at each other and continued listening. In the background, they heard what sounded like the low rumble of a truck’s engine. Then the engine died. They heard a door slam and heavy footsteps approach.

  The footsteps ended with what sounded like a cell phone ringing then a man’s voice. “Hello? Oh hi, Dad. Yeah, I’ve been digging. No, I haven’t found anything. No, no sign of any treasure. But I’m not giving up. Don’t worry, I’ll find it. I’ll call you as soon as I know something.”

  The talking ended, and then the footsteps started again. Only this time, they seemed to be going away from the recorder. A car door slammed, an engine revved, and then it seemed the truck drove away. When the noise from the vehicle faded, Biscuit started howling again.

  The girls sat in silence.

  Finally Alex spoke up. “Well, girls, the plot thickens.”

  “I’ll say,” said Bailey. “I guess that explains all the holes.”

  “So, Mr. Gerhardt is digging for treasure….” McKenzie looked thoughtful. “I wonder what his dad has to do with all of this.”

  “Yeah,” said Sydney. “And if his dad is in on it, does he come here and help his son?”

  Elizabeth just sat quietly, soaking it all in. Finally she spoke up. “Well, we have a full-blown mystery on our hands. And it’s up to us to get to the bottom of it. But for now, let’s only go to the golf course in groups of two or more. No more going down there alone, okay Bales?”

  “No problem! I almost needed my inhaler just listening to the recording!”

  Elizabeth dangled her feet over the side of the dock and watched the ripples from the rock she had just thrown. Her Bible was open on the dock beside her, and her eyes focused on the verse she had read three or four times. She read it out loud, as she often did when trying to memorize something:

  “Matthew 6:19–20. ‘Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.’ ”

  Lord, there sure is a lot of talk about treasure here at camp this year. I want to have the right kind of treasure—the kind that will make You happy. But what about the mystery at the golf course? Is a treasure really buried there or somewhere around the camp?

  When she heard the soft murmur of a golf cart drawing near, sh
e knew it was Mr. Anzer. He faithfully made the rounds in that golf cart, watching over the camp, making sure everything was running smoothly. She smiled at the man who reminded her so much of her grandpa.

  “Hello, Elizabeth. I had a feeling I’d find you here in your old spot. Don’t let me disturb you. I’m just going to check the pedals on these paddleboats. They’ve been sticking. I’ll bet they just need some oil.” The old man pulled an oil can from the toolbox in the back of the cart.

  “Oh, you’re not disturbing me. I was just thinking about this morning’s verse. I’ve noticed all of our verses so far have talked about treasure, and I think it’s funny.”

  “Funny?” Mr. Anzer’s eyebrows lifted.

  “Oh, not funny, ha-ha. The other kind of funny.”

  The old man began examining the pedals of a boat banked along the edge of the lake. “Tell me why it’s funny,” he said.

  Elizabeth leaned back and looked at the sunlight glistening through the branches. She didn’t want to reveal too much of the mystery, but she did want some answers. Something told her that Mr. Anzer was a good source of information.

  “Oh, my roommates and I have just been playing sort of a…a mystery game. We’re pretending a treasure is buried somewhere in the camp. It’s silly, really. But we’re having fun.”

  The old man stood and looked at her. “Well that is funny. Just where do you think this treasure may be hidden?”

  Elizabeth laughed nervously. “Oh, it could be anywhere— the stables, the nature trail…the golf course…”

  Mr. Anzer turned his attention back to the pedals. “I’ve been working here for a long time, and I’ve never run across any buried treasure. But that doesn’t mean it’s not here!” The man chuckled. “If anybody can find treasure in this old camp, I’m sure it will be you.”

  Elizabeth smiled. “How long have you worked here, Mr. Anzer?”

  “Oh, longer than you’ve been alive. Years ago, I was the manager of camp operations. All three of my children attended this camp every summer, and my wife used to oversee the cafeteria. She died a few years back, and my kids are all grown and married. I just can’t bring myself to leave this old place….” He paused and smiled. “So now I just putter around and fix things.”

  “It sounds like a fun job to me,” Elizabeth told him, and he smiled at her. “I have a question, though. This is such a great camp, and everything is kept in top shape—except for the golf course. It seems kind of run-down, and that doesn’t fit in with the rest of the camp. Why?”

  Mr. Anzer moved to the next paddleboat and knelt to check the pedals. “The golf course was a main attraction when the camp was new. But years ago, it turned out that a gang of thieves had their hideout on the old Wilson farm—just on the other side of the golf course. When they were discovered, we increased the security here at the camp. For a couple of years, we didn’t let any campers go down that way—the golf course was off-limits. Then, even when we reopened it, most of the campers were a little spooked by the idea that thieves might have hidden there. It just never became a popular attraction again. And with a tight budget, maintaining the golf course never seems to become a priority.”

  “Wow, that is kind of scary. Any chance the gang is still there?” Elizabeth asked.

  “No. This happened a long time ago. I don’t know what happened to the thieves, but I’m sure they wouldn’t come back to the same place where they got caught,” he told her.

  Elizabeth picked up her Bible and stood. “I need to do something before my next class, Mr. Anzer. It’s been really nice talking to you.”

  The old man waved good-bye and continued on to the next paddleboat. “See ya later,” he called.

  Elizabeth hurried toward the cabins. Wait till the others hear about this! she thought. This is more complicated than we thought.

  A few minutes later, she flung open the door to find her roommates getting ready to leave for their next classes. “You will never believe what I just found out!” Elizabeth announced.

  That afternoon, the girls used their free time to explore the golf course. They greeted a very excited, muddy Biscuit, and slipped through a small opening in the far side of the fence.

  “The old farmhouse has to be this way,” said Sydney. The six young detectives, with their four-legged sidekick, tromped through thick trees and brush until they arrived at a clearing. There, just beyond a trickling creek, was an old farmhouse.

  “This is it!” said Alex. “This is just like in Dragnet! I watch those reruns all the time with my grandpa. Once they were looking for—”

  “Shhhh!” whispered the other girls in unison.

  “We don’t know what we’ll find,” said Elizabeth in a hushed voice. “Whatever happens, let’s stay together.”

  The girls nodded, gingerly walked through the shallow creek, and approached the old house that was falling apart. The only sounds were the gentle rustle of trees swaying in the breeze and Biscuit’s steady panting.

  They noiselessly drew closer to the old farmhouse until they were close enough to peek through a broken window. Old newspapers and discarded fast-food containers littered the floor, and tattered furniture was flipped this way and that in careless disarray.

  Biscuit began to growl, and the girls froze. The dog’s growl grew louder, until finally he dashed toward the trees. Standing on his hind legs, he looked ready to scale the tree.

  A squirrel chattered angrily from its branches. The girls sighed with relief and continued exploring.

  Alex motioned for the group to follow her. “This way,” she whispered, and the band of detectives stepped carefully around the corner of the house, onto the steps of the wide porch, and through the door, which hung only partially on its hinges.

  “Wow, this looks like something out of a scary movie,” said Bailey.

  The girls spread out through the small downstairs area, turning chairs upright and peering in closets.

  “Whoa! Bad move!” they heard Sydney call from the kitchen. She had opened the refrigerator, and the foul stench spread through the rest of the house in moments.

  “Ugh! Gross!” The other girls covered their noses. Kate and McKenzie pulled their T-shirts up over their faces, leaving only their eyes visible.

  Elizabeth rushed to open a window, but she found it painted shut. Then, spying a back door in a corner of the kitchen, she opened it wide. “At least there’s a breeze. Maybe it will blow the smell away.” Sure enough, the odor began to die down.

  Alex stood at the foot of the stairs, looking into the shadowy hallway above. “Hey, let’s go upstairs and look around.”

  The girls looked at each another, waiting for someone else to go first.

  “Uh, you go on ahead, Alex,” said Sydney.

  “Awww, come on, guys. You’re not scared, are you?” she prodded them.

  “I’m not scared. Are you scared?” Sydney retorted.

  “No, I’m not scared,” Alex shot back. She remained glued to her spot.

  Finally Kate led the way. “Okay, Alex. Come with me.” Then she said, “If we’re not back in ten minutes, run for your lives!”

  The other girls laughed nervously then followed Alex and Kate up the stairs. “We might as well stick together,” said Elizabeth, bringing up the rear. Biscuit bounded up the stairs ahead of them and rushed into a dark room.

  The girls followed their beloved mascot into a dusty bedroom. McKenzie pulled back the curtains and lifted the shades, and sunlight flooded into the room. Biscuit sniffed here and there and then dove under the bed. A moment later, he reappeared with an old sock in his mouth.

  “What is it with you and socks, boy?” asked Kate, kneeling to scratch him behind the ears. The girls opened drawers and closets, finding a moth-eaten coat, a muddy pair of brown work boots, and more old newspapers. The small connected bathroom revealed a rusty drain, a dried-up cake of soap, and a roll of yellowed toilet paper.

  Together, the girls moved to the next bedroom, and this time Elizabeth opened the
curtains. As the other girls snooped around, Elizabeth stood at the window. She noticed a ladder propped up against one side of the window. Then her gaze went to the driveway leading to the farmhouse. The mud showed fresh tire tracks, but she saw no vehicles. Funny, she hadn’t noticed those earlier. The house certainly looked like no one had been inside for a very long time, so why the tire tracks?

  She turned from the window, not wanting to frighten the younger girls. “I think we should head back,” she told the others. I’ll tell them about the tire tracks after we’re safely back at camp, she thought.

  “Hey, look at this!” said Kate, pulling a faded spiral notebook from a drawer in the bedside table. “It looks like an old journal of some sort. But it must have gotten wet, because most of the words are washed out.”

  The girls crowded around, looking at the cryptic notebook. Biscuit, still carrying the old sock, hopped onto the bed beside Kate and made himself comfortable.

  Bang! The girls jumped at the noise from downstairs. Their eyes filled with panic as they heard heavy footsteps. Bailey opened her mouth to scream, but McKenzie clasped her hand over Bailey’s mouth. The girls remained frozen as the footsteps got louder. Quietly Elizabeth tiptoed to the door, shut it softly, and turned the lock. Then she looked at the girls, held a shushing finger over her lips, and tiptoed to the window.

  No one moved except Elizabeth, who skillfully opened the window. In a soft whisper, Elizabeth said, “We need to stay calm. Here’s a ladder, but we have to be extra quiet, or whoever is downstairs will catch us. Sydney, you go first and help the others down. I’ll stay here and go last.”

  Sydney’s eyes widened, but she tiptoed to the window, slipped over the ledge, and scurried down the ladder. Bailey went next, then Kate, holding the notebook. After that, McKenzie descended with Biscuit. Alex grabbed an old newspaper before heading down. Finally, with one last look around, Elizabeth started out the window.

  Just after Elizabeth’s feet hit the ground, the ladder tipped. Before the girls could catch it—crash!—it landed on the ground.