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Authors: Carolyn G. Keene

BOOK: The Secret of Mirror Bay
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Duffy smiled at her. He had completely lost his severe attitude. “You’ll find out,” he predicted.
A little while later they reached the tree from which Nancy had pulled a piece of bark and looked all around. There was no sign of a cabin, cave, or other type of shelter.
“It’s just possible,” the officer said, “that Sam and Mike are staying in Cooperstown or some other place nearby, and come up here only on occasion.”
Duffy thought they might be scientists studying the flora of the mountainside. “As far-fetched as it may seem, it’s possible they have some experiment set up and don’t want it disturbed or known to anyone yet, even the police. But they sure use a strange method to scare away curious people.”
Nancy said nothing, but she could not forget Mike’s retort about something bringing the police there and that was what the men did not want. If the project were legal, there was certainly no harm in the authorities knowing about it.
She and the trooper walked around the area looking for possible traps, cages, miniature greenhouses, and boxes in which plants might be growing. They found none and Duffy said he must leave. He led the way to the foot of the hill.
“I’ll continue to track down that girl who looks like you,” he said as the two reached his car which he had parked above Bide-A-Wee.
“If you capture her,” said Nancy, “I’d like to talk to her.”
“I’ll pass along word to the Cooperstown Village Police,” Duffy promised. “That’s probably where she’ll be held.” He handed Nancy a slip of paper. “If you have any further need for help, call me at this number.”
“Thank you. I will,” she said as they parted.
During Nancy’s descent to her aunt’s cabin, she thought about the mysterious girl. Though apparently only a few years older than Nancy, she was already guilty of some grave offenses against the law.
“How much happier she’d be if she used her brains for some good cause!”
As Nancy walked up on the front porch, Aunt Eloise and the other girls plied her with questions about her trip up the mountain. She reported everything, including Officer Duffy’s theory about what Sam and Mike might be doing.
“Do you agree with him?” Miss Drew asked her niece.
Nancy shook her head. “I’m sure there’s some connection between that girl who looks like me and those two men. They may be scientists, but I still think they’re up to something crooked.”
“I agree,” George said.
Nancy was determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, particularly since she might be accused each time the girl broke the law. No doubt her double was using the resemblance to her own advantage. The situation might become more difficult for Nancy to deny the charges.
Bess said, “Let’s forget those people and go scuba diving. I want to hunt for that child’s royal coach. It intrigues me more than thinking of the man who tried to kidnap me.”
Aunt Eloise laughed. “I don’t blame you. Where are you going to look now? Haven’t you about exhausted this whole area?”
“I have an idea,” George spoke up. “I saw an underwater metal detector in one of the kitchen cabinets. Let’s take that down with us.”
Within minutes Aunt Eloise was in her swim-suit and the three girls had on their scuba diving equipment. The searchers had barely started working with the detector when it began to click noisily. The girls were not in deep water and it was easy to dig into the shale and sand at the spot with their bare hands.
Almost at once each of the girls found a coin, then another, and another. Someone either on the shore or in a boat had dropped a lot of them in the water. The coins were brought to the surface and to everyone’s delight they proved to be very old.
“What a discovery!” Aunt Eloise exclaimed.
The coins were of English origin and all bore early eighteenth-century dates.
Bess looked at them and remarked, “These must be worth a fortune! Let’s shine them up so we can see better just what’s engraved on them.”
Aunt Eloise offered to do it and the girls went back to their metal detection search. Unfortunately they had no luck and finally rose to the surface and returned to the cabin.
“I’ll dress to go into the village,” Nancy announced. “How about all of you coming with me?”
“Any special reason?”
“Yes, two. If the coins we found are valuable, they shouldn’t be left here, especially with thieves in the neighborhood.”
“You’re right,” said Aunt Eloise. “In this state, money that’s found has to be turned over to the police within ten days. They hold it for a while. If no one claims the treasure-trove within a predetermined time, the finder keeps it. I suggest that right now we put the coins in a safe-deposit box at the bank.”
Nancy nodded. “I’ll phone Officer Duffy and ask him which police headquarters to report this to.
The others agreed to the arrangement, then Nancy said, “My other reason for going to the village is to find Yo. I want to ask him if he knows of any caves up on the mountain where people may be in hiding—one that the trooper and I might have missed.”
“They’re both good ideas,” Aunt Eloise remarked. “Also, Yo may know of some place where Karen could find her luminescent fungi.”
George added, “If he knows of one, why don’t we get him to go along with us? Then we can tell Karen where it is.”
When they reached Cooperstown, Aunt Eloise and the girls went directly to the bank, which fortunately was still open. Miss Drew arranged to rent a safe-deposit box, then inquired if there was anyone at the bank who was an expert on old coins.
“Yes,” the officer answered. “One of our cashiers.”
Aunt Eloise told what she had with her and an attractive young man was brought over. Miss Drew showed him the collection.
After looking at a few of the coins, he became excited. “Where did you find these?” he asked.
Miss Drew explained that her niece and two other girls had retrieved them from the bottom of the bay.
“They’re very valuable,” the young man said. “What do you plan to do with this treasure? I know several people who might be interested.”
Aunt Eloise turned toward the girls. “You found them. What do you say?”
Nancy replied, “If it turns out we may keep the money, I’d like to give the collection to the historical museum here.”
The young man beamed. “It would be a marvelous gift. Would you like me to speak to the people there?”
“Not yet,” Nancy said. “In the meantime we’ll put the coins in the box, and let you know when we can show them.”
“Very good,” the cashier said and went back to his work.
After the old money was put away and the key given to Aunt Eloise, Nancy and the others drove to the dock. Yo was there and came to greet the girls.
“How’s the mystery business coming?” he asked with a grin.
“Kind of slow,” Nancy replied. “We’re here to ask you a question. Have you ever seen a cave where thieves might hang out up on the mountain?”
“I sure have,” the young man answered. “It’s not Natty Bumppo’s cave, though—too many campers and sightseers go there. You know he was the scout in Cooper’s famous
Leatherstocking Tales.
“The cave I’m thinking of is way up in the rough part of the woods. So you figure some thieves are hiding out there?”
Nancy decided to be noncommittal. “We’d like to find out one way or the other.”
Yo gave her a searching look. “Do you think that green man is a crook?”
Nancy shrugged. “A State Police officer thinks he might be a scientist. Yo, could you show us the cave real soon?”
“How about late this afternoon?” he asked.
“Great,” Nancy replied. “We’ll be waiting for you.”
“I’ll be at your place after work.”
When it was time to dress for the climb, Bess refused to go. Nancy and George put on their sturdiest long-sleeved shirts and dungarees. They wore hiking shoes and tied scarves around their hair.
Yo arrived about five o’clock and the three set off up the mountain. Each carried a flashlight in case they stayed until dark.
Yo did not follow the trail which the girls now knew so well. Instead, he led them through a tangle of vines and bushes among the trees. It was very rocky in places and all of them slipped and slid at times. Finally Yo said they were nearing the spot.
“We’d better go quietly,” he whispered.
The three crept forward. There was not a sound from the cave.
“I guess it’s safe to enter,” Yo told the girls.
The cave was well sequestered. It was deep in the mountainside and the entrance was partially but effectively screened with vines.
As the three searchers stepped inside, they could see the far end of the underground cavern. It was glowing like a neon light.
The girls hurried forward, but before they could advance more than a few feet, there was a sudden sound of wings and loud squeaking. The next moment hundreds of bats came swooping down in their direction!
The searchers turned and fled.
The mouse-like flying mammals, once they were outside, were blinded by the sunlight. The little brown creatures banged into the trees and some fell to the ground, stunned. But soon most of them recovered and by instinct returned to the cave and hung upside down on the ceiling.
“I guess that ends our going in,” George remarked.
“Not at all,” Yo replied. “Now that the bats have made our acquaintance and are no longer afraid of us, they won’t bother us any more. To prove it to you, I’ll go in first.”
Yo was right. The bats did not move from their roosting place and the girls followed Yo inside. Now they could see that the cave was dimly lighted by whatever was at its far end.
When they drew closer, Nancy exclaimed, “Giant luminescent mushrooms!”
“Don’t try to eat them,” Yo warned. “Not unless you want to end up in the hospital.”
“We just solved a puzzle for someone,” George told Yo. “A girl we met is hunting for luminescent fungi and here they are! We’ll have to bring her up here.”
“Why don’t we tear one of these mushrooms from the wall and take it to her?” Nancy suggested.
“Here’s my pocketknife,” Yo offered, removing it from a pocket.
Nancy pulled the scarf from her head. Then, while she held it under the mushroom, he deftly removed the fungus from the wall.
“Karen will love this,” she remarked. The scarf was tied and Nancy swung it over her shoulder like a little knapsack.
George asked Yo if the place he had seen the green man was near here.
“Oh no,” he replied. “It was way over on the other side of the trail.”
“One thing I’m sure of,” Nancy said as they started back toward the entrance, “this is not a thieves’ hangout. The bats would have chased them away and there’s no evidence of anyone’s having lived here.”
“Right,” Yo agreed. “Now I’ll take you to what I think is the green man’s place if you like.”
“Please do,” Nancy replied.
When they neared the exit of the bat cave, the hikers could see that it was nearly dusk. They would need their flashlights.
Before leaving, George said, “What is this cave made of?” She put her hand on the wall to feel the rocks. The next moment she cried out, “I’ve been bitten!”
The searchers turned and fled
Nancy and Yo turned just in time to see a giant worm-like creature on George’s arm. Quickly Yo knocked it to the floor of the cave and stepped on it.
At the same time he exclaimed, “It’s a poisonous centipede!
Very
poisonous!”
CHAPTER X
Footprint Lesson
As Yo made the horrifying announcement, he took George by the hand and yanked her quickly outside the cave. Even in the waning light, they could all see the puncture in the girl’s forearm.
Instantly Yo leaned down and put his lips over the wound. He began to suck the poison from it, stopped to spit out the deadly fluid, then started over again. Not a word was said by Nancy and George, but they watched intently.
“That’s enough,” the young man said presently, and straightened up. “But don’t move!”
George was too frightened to do anything but obey. Nancy asked, “Is there any way I can help?”
“Yes,” Yo replied. “Help me tear off some of this wild-grape vine and strip off the leaves.”
Within seconds the two had long streamers of it. Yo began to fashion a tourniquet around George’s arm just above the wound. He directed Nancy to put another directly below it.
When this was accomplished, he warned George, “Be very quiet.”
She stood stock-still and watched his next move. Beaming a flashlight, he searched for a small sharp stone. He cleaned it off very thoroughly on one of the grape leaves. Then he rubbed it up and down over the surface of George’s uninjured arm.
To Nancy the procedure looked like hocuspocus and she wondered, now that the danger to George was probably over, if Yo were just being silly.

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