The Secret of Dinswood

by Ellen Alexander

  Sebastian examined the road more closely and realized Doug was right. “What do you think it means?” Sebastian asked, goose bumps that had nothing to do with the temperature rising up on his arms.

  “I don’t know,” Doug said, shaking his head slowly, “but something just isn’t right.” Doug didn’t want to worry Sebastian, but he was beginning to think something had happened to Cal. That would explain why no one had been along this road in a long time. A feeling of dread stole over Doug as he began to imagine what they would find when they got to the cabin. Nevertheless, he picked up his pace.

  Sebastian struggled to keep up, but he didn’t complain. Like Doug, he was anxious to see if Cal was all right. They had only met him once, but Sebastian had liked him and would hate to see anything bad happen to him.

  By the time the cabin came into view, they were both breathing heavily—a cloud of fog forming in front of their faces with each exhalation. Doug and Sebastian stopped several yards from the cabin and looked for signs of habitation. No smoke curled from the cabin’s only chimney, and the windows were dark. An eerie silence surrounded the cabin, which sat nestled in a stand of oak trees.

  Doug looked over at Sebastian. “Well, I guess we should go up and knock on the door.”

  Sebastian nodded in agreement but didn’t speak. Slowly, as if they had weights tied to their legs, they trudged up to the front of the cabin and climbed the three wooden steps that led up to the front door. Doug took off his gloves and knocked on the door. Several seconds passed. The boys pressed their ears to the door and strained to hear any sounds that would indicate someone was coming, but all remained quiet. Doug knocked on the door again, but this time with more force. Still no one came. Genuinely concerned now, Doug began to pound on the door with his fist and shout Cal’s name. When there was still no response, he tried the door, but it was securely locked. Doug turned swiftly, startling Sebastian, and went back down the steps. Not wanting to be left standing there on the porch by himself, Sebastian quickly followed. Going over to the large front window, Doug pressed his hands to the glass and peered inside. Standing beside him, Sebastian did the same. The room was dark and empty, a layer of dust covering every available surface. It looked like no one had been in the cabin for a long time. They left the living room window then and began moving around the cabin, looking in each of the windows. Doug fully expected to find Cal lying on the floor either dead or unconscious, but all of the rooms were dark and empty.

  They were just coming around the side of the house on their way back to the front when they heard a car coming up the lane. Doug looked over at Sebastian, a chill running up his spine. Instinct told him they’d better hide. It was obvious from the way Sebastian began frantically looking around that he was thinking the same thing. The car was getting closer by the second; they needed to find a place to hide quickly. Suddenly Doug’s eyes lighted on a woodpile behind the cabin.

  “Over there!” Doug said pointing.

  Sebastian didn’t need to be told twice. Together they ran to the woodpile and crouched down behind it just as a black four-wheel drive Jeep came into view. Being careful not to be seen, the boys peered around the side of the woodpile and saw two men dressed in black and wearing ski masks climb out of the Jeep. The men approached the front of the cabin and then disappeared from view. All was quiet for a few moments, and then suddenly the silence was broken by a gunshot. Sebastian gasped, a look of sheer terror distorting his features. Doug was scared too, but he knew they were going to have to keep their heads if they were going to get out of there alive. Then something occurred to him that nearly shattered his control. He and Sebastian had left a clear trail of footprints in the snow.

  Emma and Martha sat at the wooden table in the bookstore, nervously glancing at the clock behind the counter from time to time. A few students from Dinswood were wandering around among the bookshelves. It was relatively quiet in the store, so Emma was hesitant to speak to Martha about her worries, afraid that she would be overheard. A few minutes later, the store had cleared of customers once again, and Emma was just about to voice her concerns to Martha when the girl behind the counter chose that moment to come over and introduce herself.

  “Hi, I’m Becky Munsen,” the girl said with a friendly smile.

  Emma, who was remembering how this girl had been eyeing Doug earlier, failed to respond. Surprised at Emma’s unfriendliness, Martha spoke up, hoping Becky hadn’t noticed. “Hello, my name’s Martha Merriweather, and this is Emma Higsby.”

  Emma managed a lukewarm hello as Becky sat down next to Martha, obviously intending to talk to them for a while. “You guys go to Dinswood Academy, don’t you?”

  Emma and Martha nodded their heads. Encouraged, Becky continued, “What’s it like going to school in a castle?”

  “We love it! Don’t we, Emma?” Martha said, trying to draw Emma into the conversation, more than a little embarrassed by her friend’s behavior.

  “Yeah, it’s great,” Emma answered tonelessly, beginning to enjoy Martha’s discomfort.

  Martha frowned at her and then turned to Becky once more. “Well, the halls are a little drafty, but other than that, it’s almost like going to school in a museum. The rooms are huge and nothing short of fabulous. There were some renovations done a few years ago, but most of the castle is just the way Lord Dinswood left it.”

  “I’ve never been in a real castle,” Becky said with a sigh. “I think they’re so romantic.” A dreamy look came over Becky’s face, and she was silent for a moment.

  Oh brother, Emma thought to herself. This girl has read one too many romance novels. Emma looked over at Martha and tried not to laugh. Martha was struggling to stifle her own giggle. Soon the moment passed, and Becky’s eyes focused once again. Apparently, she had returned from whatever romantic adventure she’d been imagining. Suddenly it occurred to Emma that they could be getting some valuable information from Becky. She was just about to question Becky about Cal when Martha asked a question of her own.

  “Where do you go to school, Becky?”

  “I go to the high school in Benton,” Becky answered. “All the kids in Windland go to school in Benton.”

  Emma knew that Benton was a larger town about twenty-five minutes southeast of Windland, but the part of Becky’s answer that interested Emma the most was that she had said she was in high school. “What grade are you in?” she asked quickly. Martha looked at her with raised eyebrows, surprised that Emma was suddenly willing to join in the conversation.

  “Oh, I’m just a freshman. What grade are you guys in?” Becky asked cheerfully.

  “We’re only in the seventh grade,” Emma answered with exaggerated regret, hoping that Becky would now see that she was too old for Doug. Martha couldn’t help grinning. She knew exactly what Emma was doing and why she hadn’t been very friendly to Becky when she’d first come over to talk to them.

  “Who was that tall boy that was with you?” Becky asked Emma. “He was absolutely gorgeous!”

  Martha almost laughed out loud at the look on Emma’s face. It couldn’t have been more obvious that Emma was jealous of this beautiful, if somewhat dimwitted, girl. Martha didn’t think Emma had anything to worry about, but she couldn’t really offer assurances in front of Becky.

  As Emma still hadn’t answered Becky, Martha smothered her giggle, and giving Becky a smile that could have melted butter, she said, “His name’s Douglas Harwood. His dad’s the dean of the school.”

  “He’s only in the seventh grade too,” Emma added quickly, putting heavy emphasis on the “seventh.” Becky, however, was undeterred. Apparently, it didn’t bother her that Doug was two years younger than she was.

  “He looks much older,” Becky said dreamily.

  Emma gave Becky a look of disgust. Fortunately, lost once again in her dreamland, Becky didn’t notice. Deciding it was time to change the subject, Martha asked the question that Emma had wanted to ask before all this Doug business had begun. “Why isn’t Cal working in the
bookstore today?”

  “Oh, he’s hardly ever here. Mom pretty well runs everything. I help out most Saturdays.” Becky began looking around with an air of distraction. Apparently now that the subject of Doug had been exhausted, she was no longer interested in continuing the conversation. Emma, however, had a few more questions to ask.

  “What do you know about Cal Thrabek?”

  “Not much. He’s a nice old man, but he mostly keeps to himself. I haven’t really talked to him that much,” Becky said, rising from her chair. “I’d better get back to work now.”

  As she and Martha were the only two in the store other than Alice and Becky, Emma couldn’t imagine what work Becky had to get back to. In any case, they certainly hadn’t been able to get much information out of Becky. Emma wondered if it would arouse suspicion if they asked Alice about Cal; maybe Alice would know more than her silly daughter. She leaned over the table and whispered to Martha, “Do you think we ought to ask Alice about Cal?”

  Martha looked over to where Alice stood behind the counter and shook her head in the negative. “I don’t think so. I’m afraid it would seem a little odd that we’re so interested in Cal after having met him only one time.”

  “I guess you’re right,” Emma said with a sigh. Leaning back in her chair, she glanced at the clock. Doug and Sebastian had been gone nearly an hour. They should be getting back pretty soon. Emma wondered how their meeting with Cal had gone and if they’d been able to learn anything that would help them find the treasure. For what must have been the hundredth time, she wished that she and Martha had been able to go with them. They had made a promise to stick together. A feeling of unease came over Emma that she couldn’t explain. She began silently praying that Doug and Sebastian were all right.

  Doug continued to watch the cabin over the top of the woodpile for a few moments longer. Every now and then he could see movement through the windows as the two men moved from room to room. Doug realized that the men had to be searching for Cal, because they were moving through the house too quickly to be looking for a particular item. Now, however, wasn’t the time to worry about what these two wanted with Cal—that would have to wait for later. Doug knew that it wouldn’t be long before the two men, having completed their search of the house, would be coming back outside. He just hoped they wouldn’t spot his and Sebastian’s tracks in the snow. If the two men realized they had witnesses, there was no telling what they might do. He and Sebastian would have to get out of there fast, but where would they go? Doug looked around and hurriedly took a survey of their options. The woods behind them led away from the main road and toward the unknown. Not being from the area, the boys had no way of knowing if there were any other houses close by where they might get help. At this time of year, the trees afforded little cover, and the ground in that direction was relatively flat with only a slight upward slope. If they tried to go that way, they would most likely be caught or possibly even gunned down. Doug quickly decided against that direction. They couldn’t go back the way they had come either. In their Jeep, the two men would quickly catch up to them if they tried to get to the main road by way of the lane. Their only hope was to head into the woods across from the front of the cabin. If they traveled east, they should eventually hit the main road at some point north of the lane leading up to Cal’s cabin. Hopefully, they would be able to flag someone down before the two men could get to them. Another advantage to this direction was that the ground in front of the cabin dropped steeply away. If the men decided to give chase, he and Sebastian would at least be out of sight of their pursuers for a few seconds. His decision made, Doug turned his attention back to the cabin and silently prayed that, after completing their search, the two men would just get in their Jeep and leave, never knowing that they had been watched.

  A second later, the boys heard the front door of the cabin close with a bang. The two men had come back outside and soon could be seen walking to their Jeep. Doug heaved a huge sigh of relief. The men were leaving, and he and Sebastian had not been discovered. He was just about to say as much to Sebastian when one of the men stopped suddenly and began pointing at something in the snow.

  “What are they doing?” Sebastian whispered with a frown.

  “I think they’ve found our tracks,” Doug answered grimly.

  “What?” Sebastian said, his eyes widening. It was obvious from his expression that he hadn’t thought about the trail they’d left in the snow.

  Doug didn’t reply but continued to watch the two men as they turned and followed the boys’ trail back to the cabin. The two men may have discovered their trail, but they had no way of knowing if the owners of those footprints were still around. Maybe they would decide the tracks were old and forget about following them. Doug continued to hope and wait.

  “We’ve got to get out of here!” Sebastian said in a panic.

  “If they come around the side of the house, we’ll make a run for it. Just follow me,” Doug said in a low voice, willing himself to stay calm.

  Sebastian’s first impulse was to run into the woods behind them, but he didn’t want to leave Doug. Deciding to trust his friend, he fought the urge to flee and waited.

  A moment later, the men appeared on the south side of the house. Doug let them get almost all the way around the house before he left the cover of the woodpile and began running as fast as the snow would allow around the opposite side of the house and into the woods east of the cabin. A quick glance over his shoulder assured him that Sebastian was following.

  They had just entered the woods when the two men rounded the house. They had seen the boys and were chasing them. Together, the two boys crashed through the woods, branches scraping their faces as they ran headlong down the hill. Bark flew off a tree next to Doug’s head, and he realized they were being shot at.

  “They’re shooting at us!” Sebastian shouted in amazement.

  “I know! Keep running!” Doug shouted back. The ground had begun to slope sharply downward. A few seconds later, Doug risked a glance backward and was relieved to see that they were no longer in sight of the men; not only that, but the men weren’t following them down the hill. Just then, Doug heard the engine of the Jeep roar to life and realized that the two men were going to try to intercept them when they reached the main road. “We’ve got to get to the road before they do!” Doug said, willing his legs to go faster, the cold air burning his lungs as he sucked it in. Doug knew that although the Jeep could go much faster, he and Sebastian were taking a shorter and more direct route to the main road.

  “I’m going as fast as I can!” Sebastian said between breaths as he struggled to maintain his footing on the slippery slope.

  The boys continued their rapid flight down the hill for what seemed like an eternity. Doug began to wonder if they would be able to reach the road before the two men in the Jeep. The hill was growing steeper with each step, and it was getting harder and harder to remain upright. Suddenly, Sebastian lost his battle with gravity. With a loud exclamation, his feet flew out from under him, and he fell backward in the snow. The combination of his forward momentum and the sharpness of the incline were enough to send him careening down the hill like a man on a toboggan.

  “You’re a genius!” Doug shouted at Sebastian. Imitating what Sebastian had done, he was soon sliding along behind him. All went well until they got to the bottom of the hill and the ten-foot drop into the ditch beside the main road. Fortunately, the ditch was so full of drifted snow that it cushioned their fall, and they arrived at the side of the road, breathless but unharmed.

  Struggling up out of the piled snow, Doug looked over to where Sebastian lay. “Are you okay, buddy?”

  “I’m just great for a guy who’s recently been shot at and fallen off a cliff,” Sebastian replied as he sat up and shook the snow out of his hair.

  “Well, we can’t rest now. That Jeep could be coming along any minute.” Anxiously, Doug looked up and down the road. A short distance uphill, the road curved sharply to the left.
If anything was coming in that direction, they wouldn’t know it until it was almost upon them. Then Doug looked downhill in the direction the Jeep would be coming. The road was clear for the moment. Quickly, Doug went over to help Sebastian extricate himself from the snowdrift. Soon they were both standing on the side of the road brushing snow off of their clothes. Doug was in the process of deciding what their next move should be when Sebastian cried excitedly, “Something’s coming!’

  Doug looked downhill once again. Sure enough, less than half a mile away, the black Jeep could be seen turning onto the main road. Knowing they couldn’t outrun the Jeep, Doug began looking for a place to hide, but he quickly saw that there was none. They certainly couldn’t go back the way they had come, and the ground on the other side of the road was a cleared field. Doug looked at Sebastian and then back at the approaching Jeep. It was coming closer and closer.

  “We could hide in a snow drift,” Sebastian suggested.

  “They’ll see our tracks,” Doug replied, watching the Jeep as it continued to draw nearer with each passing second.

  “Well, I’m not going to stand here and let them kill me,” Sebastian said defiantly.

  Doug had been thinking the same thing. Turning to Sebastian, he said, “Then let’s give ‘em a run for their money. There might be a place we can hide around the curve up there.”

  Sebastian nodded his agreement to the plan, and the two boys stepped onto the road and began running uphill as fast as they could. Every few seconds, Doug would look back over his shoulder to see where the Jeep was. It was quickly closing on them. Doug realized they’d never make it to the curve before the Jeep was upon them. Still he continued to run, straining with everything he had. Sebastian was doing likewise but was starting to fall behind, his legs not as long as Doug’s.

  When he saw that he was leaving his friend behind, Doug stopped for a second to give him time to catch up. “Hurry, Sebastian! We’re almost there,” he encouraged as he gasped for air. But even as he said the words, he knew it was hopeless. The Jeep was almost close enough now to see its license plates. Sebastian had just caught up to Doug when a truck suddenly appeared around the curve in front of them. The truck was coming fast enough that the driver had to slam on his brakes in order to avoid the two boys standing in the middle of the road. Once the truck had come to a complete stop and the boys realized they hadn’t just traded being shot for being hit by a truck, they saw that the driver of the truck was none other than Mr. Munsen.