“From what he told us, even if the mine tunnel gave way, there should be an indication of some sort. Rocks, maybe timbers… something,” I said.
“What are we supposed to do if we find the mine?” asked Carlos.
“It’s just a landmark. What we really need to find is Prospectors Canyon. It’s somewhere beyond the mine. That’s where the shootout occurred,” I said.
Catching up to me, Mary asked, “Don’t you have any other clues?” She tilted her head, raised her eyebrows, and whispered, “From you know whoooo?”
“Why Mary, what do you mean?” I joked.
“You know exactly what I mean and whoooo I mean,” Mary laughed.
“You can’t say it, can you, Mary? You’re afraid to admit you believe in ghosts? ‘Completely nuts’ I think is what you called me. Does that sound familiar?” I asked.
“Look, I still don’t believe in ghosts. But you seem to be awfully lucky lately, like finding William’s grave on the first try. By the way, that was quite a story you laid on us back there. ‘Haven’t you guys ever seen a Western movie?’ I’m surprised you got away with that one. How did you find the grave anyhow?” asked Mary.
“You don’t want to know.”
“Yes, I do. Tell me.”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Let’s just say that I had some help.”
“He… It… told you where to look?” Mary asked.
“Who knows better than he?”
“I don’t know, Scooter. I don’t know what to believe.”
“Believe what you like. I’m not too sure I believe it myself.”
“Do you have special knowledge to help us find the mine?” she asked.
“I didn’t want to say, but since you asked—yes, I do.”
“What is it?”
“Here’s a hint. We’re looking for a rock formation that looks like an alpaca,” I said.
“An alpaca? What does an alpaca look like?” asked Mary.
“Sort of like a llama.”
“Why didn’t you just say a llama? Everyone knows what a llama looks like.”
“Because, I was told an alpaca.” I looked straight into Mary’s eyes. “We head in the direction the alpaca is facing. That will lead us to the mine entrance, which now is probably just a pile of rocks. From the mine’s entry, we head directly south to Prospectors Canyon.”
“With your sense of direction, how will you know which way is south? Did you bring a compass?” asked Mary.
“I didn’t know we’d need one when I… er… until recently, if you know what I mean,” I said.
“Yes, I’m afraid I know exactly what you mean,” said Mary.
“Interesting rock formations, don’t you think?” 3J eased his horse up next to Mary. “I haven’t been this way for a long time. Look over there—that rock looks like a ship.”
“That one looks like a huge castle,” said Carlos pointing to another large formation. They moved into a valley bordered by high cliffs, almost perfectly straight, about a hundred feet high. Gray-brown in color, the knifelike cliffs curved so that it was impossible to see far ahead.
“Someone has been here recently.” 3J studied the ground. “See the hoof marks?”
“I wonder who else would be riding out this way,” Carlos said.
“Think of what traveling would have been like for the pioneers,” said Mary. “Can you imagine covered wagons coming through a place like this, not knowing what’s waiting for them at the end of their travels? All their possessions in one wagon. I wonder if our parents would have been able to do that.”
“I don’t think so,” I laughed. “Mom would want The Gazette so she could have her crossword puzzles.”
We rode slowly, two by two, along the jagged rock and well-packed clay trail wide enough for a single wagon to pass. The clop-clop of the horses’ hooves echoed in the canyon where scraggly pine trees struggled to grow out of the crevices of the cliffs.
I looked at the scattered wisps of clouds above the ridge wall. Perfect place for an ambush, I thought, as I envisioned a stagecoach or pony express rider being held up by bandits. Maybe this was where the sheriff was ambushed by the Faceless Bandit.
“Hey, look at that cliff,” shouted Carlos. “It looks like some sort of animal—a sheep maybe.”
“It looks like a llama,” said 3J.
“Or maybe,” suggested Mary looking at me, “an alpaca?”
Chapter 34: Old Irish Mine
I gawked at the massive rock formation. “I’ve never seen an alpaca, but I guess it looks like one. Which way is it facing?”
“Toward that bunch of oak trees,” 3J pointed.
“Yeah,” said Carlos and Mary.
“I think so too,” I said. “We’ll probably find the mine entrance if we follow in the direction the alpaca faces.”
“How do you know that?” asked Carlos.
“Don’t ask,” Mary responded. “You would never believe it either.”
Wild flowers poked through the scrub brush and tall dry grass that covered the dark, red, rocky surface. With no visible path to follow, the riders moved slowly, weaving around the undergrowth, looking over their shoulders to make sure they were headed in the direction the alpaca indicated.
“How far do we have to go?” asked Mary. “Did you get specific instructions?”
“He… ah… no, nothing definite,” I replied. “But I don’t think it’s too far.” I turned my baseball cap around so the visor blocked the bright sun.
A short time later, I pulled Paint to a halt, dismounted, and handed the reins to Mary. “Doesn’t this mound of rocks look like an old mine was here? You guys must have seen lots of old mines.”
“Well, maybe,” said 3J. “Most of the ones I’ve seen still have an entrance tunnel.”
“Let’s take a look around. Maybe we can find something that will give us a clue,” I said.
Hindered by scraggly pine trees and underbrush, the investigation took on a more serious air. Kicking aside rocks and tumbleweed, we walked in widening circles.
“Whoa.” 3J jumped back. “That’s a big one.”
“What?” I asked.
“A lizard. Very quick. It must have been a foot long.”
“What did it look like?” asked Mary.
“Sort of like a small alligator,” said 3J.
“Are they dangerous?” asked Mary, backing away.
“It’s probably a Western Whiptail. They’re not dangerous unless you happened to be an insect,” Carlos laughed.
“What other kinds of creepy, crawly critters do you have around here?” asked Mary nervously.
3J said casually, “A few snakes and spiders—stuff like that.”
“Sounds awful to me. I have ophidiophobia and arachnophobia.”
“Is that contagious?” 3J stepped away from Mary.
“Oh, Mary is showing off with her big words. It just means she’s ‘chicken’ when it comes to snakes and spiders. It’s no big deal,” I said.
“Scooter, you suffer from hippopotomonstrosesqui-ppedphobia,” said Mary with a smirk.
“See what I mean?” I said.
“What does that mean?” asked Carlos.
“Look it up,” said Mary.
Mary turned to 3J. “Are the snakes and spiders poisonous?”
“Some are. The Pacific Rattlesnake is, of course. The Pacific Gopher snake and the Bull snake sort of look like the rattler, but they aren’t poisonous. And they don’t have the rattles on their tails. Of course, sometimes the rattles fall off the rattlers, so it’s best to avoid them all.”
“Where do the rattlers hang out?” I asked.
“They like cracks and crevices in rocky ledges or mines.” 3J moved around the mound of rocks. “If you leave them alone, they’ll leave you alone. We have Black Widow spiders, too. They have a red hourglass shape on their belly. They like old rodent holes. Just stay with me, Mary. I’ll make sure none of our creepy crawlies get you.”
Mary moved closer to 3J. “How do y
ou know so much about snakes and spiders?”
“We learned it in school. It’s important to know about them if you live here,” he said.
“I’m sticking with you from now on.” Mary grabbed 3J’s hand.
He smiled. “You’ll be safe with me.”
“What are we looking for?” asked Carlos.
“Anything that will tell us this was a mine. I don’t even know what that might be,” I said.
“Here’s an old timber,” yelled 3J.
Carlos and I hustled over.
“It’s kind of square like. It’s definitely not a tree trunk,” added Mary.
“I suppose that could be part of a mine,” I said. “What do you guys think?”
Mary bent down for a closer look. “I wouldn’t know unless it says ‘Old Irish Mine’ on it.”
“Let’s look a little more. Maybe we can find something else,” I suggested.
Once again, the group spread out. Mary stayed close to 3J. Surveying the area, kicking brush aside, stumbling over broken branches and rocks, we hunted for a clue—any clue.
“Hey, over here!” yelled Carlos. “I think this was a mine. Look what I found.” Carlos held up a rusted pickaxe minus the handle. “It’s heavy.”
We all dashed over.
“This must have been The Old Irish Mine. Look at this,” I pointed. “The grass seems to have been trampled recently. Let’s follow the path.”
Moving between shrubs and rocks, we stumbled and slid as we climbed a steep incline.
“Ouch,” said Mary. “I’m getting scratched by all these stupid bushes. Scooter, why the heck are we climbing this ridiculous hill?”
“Someone has been here and I want to know why,” I said. “This sure isn’t a normal hiking trail.”
“Well, maybe it was some animal, like a deer or something. They would trample the grass too. Let’s get out of here.” Mary stopped climbing as 3J and Carlos caught up with her. I continued to climb.
“Hey, you guys. Come up here. We found a mine,” I shouted down to the group.
“Awe, come on, Scooter. We don’t want to get scratched up,” said Mary.
“You’ll be sorry if you don’t come up. We’re on to something,” I replied.
Mary looked at 3J and Carlos. They shrugged their shoulders and started to climb. A few minutes later, they saw me standing beside a thick shrub in front of a large boulder.
“Is that what you wanted us to see? Another stupid bush?” asked Mary.
“No,” I replied, “it’s what’s behind the bush. Look.”
Pushing aside the branches, I said, “A mine shaft. And look at these footprints. Mary, do you have your camera with you?”
“Sure, I always have it. Why?”
“Take a picture of the footprints. They look fresh to me, and kind of unusual. Then let’s see what’s in the mine. This must be the Old Irish Mine.” I started to go in. I pulled a small flashlight from my pocket. “Wow, this is cool.”
Mary took two pictures of the footprints and followed Carlos, 3J, and me into the mine.
“Pretty dark in here,” said Mary. “I wonder what sort of critters would live in here.” She moved closer to 3J.
“Don’t think about it,” he responded.
“Scooter, where are you going?” asked Mary. “Give us some light here.”
I used my flashlight to assist the others. “Stay close. There’s a bend in the shaft up ahead.”
As we moved around a bend, the scant sun light disappeared. The tunnel continued to the right, but to the left was an enclosure. I flashed my light about the enclosure, then gasped. “Someone else knows about this mine. Look, there’s a sleeping bag, cans of food, a couple of wooden crates with a magazine called ‘Coin World’, candles, a gray metal box, and some rope. There’s been a campfire here, too. Those are burnt logs.” I moved closer to the articles I spotted. I knelt down and picked up a small metal box. My flashlight flickered. Oh no, I thought. The batteries can’t go dead now.
I shut off the light to save what juice the batteries had left.
Mary let out a muffled scream. 3J put his arm around her shoulders.
“Let’s get out of here, Scooter. Right now!” Mary turned and started toward the light at the mine’s entrance.
I lifted the metal box and shook it. Coins. It sounded like coins in the box. I tried to open it, but it was locked. “Mary, how about a picture of this box?”
“No, I’m getting out of here. We shouldn’t be here. This is really stupid! Don’t ever ask me to play detective again.” Mary grabbed 3J’s hand. “Coming Carlos?”
“You bet,” said Carlos. He turned and followed Mary and 3J.
“What’s that sound?” said Mary. “Scooter, come over here now! I heard a funny sound out there.”
I put the box down and joined the group. We listened. Twigs snapped, rocks rolled. Something or someone was outside the mine entrance.
We moved toward the entrance.
From outside the mine, we heard grunting sounds, “Oof, ugh, ahh.”
The rumble of moving rocks, then a loud thump as a boulder smashed in front of the entrance, blocking the exit from the mine.
Chapter 35: Trapped
“Now what do we do, smarty?” Mary’s frightened eyes glared at me. “You’ve really got us in a mess this time!”
“Just stay calm. We’ll figure something out.” I wished I felt as confident as I sounded. I knew we were in danger, but if they panicked it would only make matters worse.
Cupping my hands to my ears, I listened for sounds outside the mine. I heard someone outside sliding on the rocky path.
“Good riddance, you nosey brats!” A deep voice called from outside the mine.
“Hey, let us out of here!” Mary yelled at the top of her lungs. “Help!”
“Never!” an evil voice replied. “And watch out for the rattlesnakes.” The laugh that followed was the most fiendish laugh I had ever heard.
But that voice, I thought, sounds familiar.
Carlos and 3J shouted, “Hey! Let us out of here!”
The only response was the sound of horse hoofs fading in the distance.
“Save your breath,” I told the others. “I doubt if there’s anyone else around that would help us. What we need to do is to find a way out of here.”
Sitting near the obstructed mine entrance, traces of sunlight crept past the edges of the large boulder that blocked their escape. All eyes were on me, and in those eyes, I saw fear and panic.
“What would Kemo Kelly do?” I asked mostly to myself.
“Scooter,” Mary said, “that’s just a stupid TV show. We’re trapped and we may never get out of here alive.”
“Maybe we can move the boulder,” said 3J. “Let’s try.”
Carlos, 3J, Mary, and I put our shoulders to the heavy stone.
“Heave!” shouted Mary.
“Ugh, euff, ahh,” groaned the four of us as we pushed with all our might.
“It’s not moving,” said Mary.
“Okay, this isn’t going to work,” I said. “Let me think.”
Resting in front of the boulder, I closed my eyes and tried to remember exactly what I saw farther back in the mine. A sleeping bag, a campfire site, cans of food, magazines, and…
“I’ve got an idea,” I said. I took the penlight flashlight, unscrewed the end, and reversed the batteries. “Sometimes this extends the life of the batteries a little. You guys stay here, I’ll be right back.”
I moved to the bend in the mineshaft and disappeared around the left-hand bend. Not wanting to use the battery power, I flicked on the flashlight for a moment. “Yes!”
In the darkness, I crawled toward the wooden crates next to the sleeping bag. Grabbing the object of my search, I remembered Mary’s comment about Kemo Kelly. Kemo Kelly may be just a TV detective, I thought, but he taught me to notice things.
Chapter 36: It’s Dark in Here
“Candles? A rope?” said Mary. “We’re going to g
et out of this mine because you found a couple of candles and a piece of rope?”
“And a walking stick,” I said. “Kemo Kelly says you have to use what you have.”
“Well, at least candles help with the almost dead batteries in Scooter’s flashlight,” said 3J. “If we can light them.”
“Anyone have matches?” Carlos’ brown eyes darted around his friends’ faces.
“Yes.” I patted my pockets, then reached in one and pulled out a book of matches. “See, my souvenir from Upchucks.”
“Scooter, if I ever get out of here, I’m never, ever, ever going to let you talk me in to being a detective again. I really mean it this time.” Mary glared at me in the dim light. “This isn’t helping my claustrophobia, you know.”
I studied the blocked entry. Daylight seeped in around the boulder illuminating a spider in its web dangling from the mine entrance.
“No need to panic. I think there may be another way out.” I pointed toward the spider web. “Now we have the candles, we can explore and find out.”
“What makes you think so?” asked Mary.
“Look the way the spider web is moving. Slightly out from where we are. Something is making it move that way and I’ll bet it’s another opening down the mine shaft.”
“I hate spiders,” said Mary.
“It’s not moving very much.” 3J stared at the web.
“The sooner we get started, the sooner we get out of here. We can use this rope I found to hang on to so we don’t get separated.” I lit one candle and put the other one in my pocket along with the matches. “Ready?”
I tied one end of the rope around my waist and handed it to Mary. “I want to have at least one hand free. I’ve got to hold the candle and I want to use the walking stick to poke at things. You guys can just hang on to the rope.” Mary passed the rope on to 3J and Carlos.
A few paces beyond the bend in the mineshaft, all light from the entrance was blocked.
“I’ve never been anywhere this dark,” said Carlos.
Stumbling over the uneven floor of the mineshaft, 3J said, “We’re going downhill. Deeper into the mine.”
The Haunted Hanging Tree Page 9