The Message in the Hollow Oak

by Carolyn Keene

  The girls held on tightly as the old, open car was driven into the water. It swung from side to side and slid off the rocks. Clem had a determined look on his face.

  “This is crazy!” Julie Anne whispered.

  Nancy thought so too, but before she had a chance to say this out loud, the car gave a sudden jerk. The right wheels landed up on the rocks. The car tilted precariously and went out of control.

  The next instant it went over on its side, throwing the occupants into the rock stream!

  CHAPTER VIII

  Exciting Plans

  FOR a few moments after the car went over, there was no sound except that of the rushing water. Then Nancy, soaked from head to toe, arose and looked around. To her relief Julie Anne was pulling herself up. Both of them were concerned about Clem. But the next second he stood upright and gazed sheepishly at the girls.

  “Sorry, ladies,” he said. “I don’t know what possessed this contraption. She just got stubborn. Been through here many times. But now when I have passengers, she starts to act up. You two all right?”

  “Yes, I am,” Nancy replied, “but soaked.”

  “Me too,” Julie Anne added.

  “I reckon you’ll dry out soon, it’s so hot,” Clem predicted. “Want to give me a hand with this thing? We’ll see if we can right her.”

  The old car was not heavy and though it took the combined strength of its three passengers they finally managed to set the vehicle on its four wheels. Clem climbed into the driver’s scat and tried to start the motor. Dead! Its owner stepped out. As he scratched his head in perplexity, the farmer realized his hat was gone.

  “Sailed on downstream, I reckon,” he said with a sigh.

  “And our lunch too,” Julie Anne stated ruefully. “I guess we’ll have to give up our sleuthing for today.”

  Nancy had been looking toward the shore. “Perhaps we can push the car back to the embankment, and after it dries out, the motor will start,” she said hopefully.

  “You may be right,” Clem agreed. He heaved a sigh. “It’s a long walk home and a long way to the bridge that goes across this stream. Anyhow it don’t take cars. All right, let’s push!”

  One girl got on each side of the old car, while Clem pushed the front end and guided the steering wheel. The going was rough and the car balked at the rocks. By the time they finally reached the embankment, all of them were exhausted and flopped to the ground for a rest.

  Water poured from the car. When the flow slackened, Clem opened the hood. “We’ll let the sun work on this,” he announced. Nevertheless he took some rags from a compartment and began sopping water from the engine.

  “I predict,” he said, “that this old buggy will be runnin’ within half an hour.”

  “I certainly hope so,” Julie Anne replied. She was now walking up and down letting the breeze blow through her hair and clothing.

  Meanwhile Nancy had been looking around. She spotted a huge oak on the far side of the stream. Though the tree was in full leaf and looked healthy, and probably was not hollow, she wondered if there might be a lead plate on it.

  “I won’t be satisfied until I make certain,” the young sleuth thought, and pointed out the oak to Julie Anne and Clem. “I think I’ll wade over there and look.”

  “But you’re already partially dry,” Julie Anne reminded her.

  She knew this would not deter Nancy and she was right. The curious young detective stepped down into the stream and made her way across. To her disappointment, she found that the tree had no lead plate on it nor any carvings or other marks.

  “Well, I can’t pick up a clue every time,” Nancy said to herself, and recrossed the stream.

  By this time Clem had dried off the motor and the many wires leading from it. Hopefully he climbed into the driver’s seat and turned on the ignition. The enginer sputtered and a stream of water shot out of the exhaust. Coughing and sputtering, the motor kept going, and in three minutes purred normally.

  “Yea!” Nancy and Julie Anne cried out.

  The two girls got into the back seat and Clem took off. Presently Nancy asked if he knew how to go about arranging a towboat trip.

  “Yep,” said Clem. “I know just the fellow who can fix you up. He’s an old geezer, a retired towboat captain. Lives just outside o’ Cairo, about four miles up the bank u’ the Ohio. You can’t miss it—small white house with red trim. Name’s Nathaniel Hornbeck.”

  “Do you have his phone number?” Nancy asked.

  Clem grinned as he swerved around a hole in the dirt road. “He don’t have one. You just knock on the door. He’s glad for company. Sorry I disappointed you today,” Clem added, “but sometime I’ll come around and take you on the rest of the journey to find the hollow oak.”

  “Great,” Nancy said. “Just let us know.”

  By the time they reached the dig, the trio was thoroughly dry but disheveled looking. Nancy and Julie Anne hurried into the farmhouse to change their clothes. No one was around and they assumed the diggers were busy in the excavation.

  When the girls came outside, they met Theresa coming from the dig, holding something in her hand. She looked at the girls and beamed. “I’ve made a marvelous find!” she exclaimed.

  The archaeologist opened her fingers to reveal an ancient Indian necklace of river pearls and a shell bracelet.

  “These had been in a deerskin pouch,” she told the girls. “Of course the pouch had disintegrated but we’re saving the fragments. I’m taking these treasures to our lab.”

  During the rest of the day Nancy kept wondering why Ned wanted to talk to her. Since Art was not free to go into Walmsley she could not telephone, but he promised to take her the next morning.

  They set off early. When they reached town, Art said he would shop while Nancy was busy. Once more she tried Ned and finally found him.

  “Hi!” she said. “I’m glad I located you.”

  Ned Nickerson chuckled. “I was beginning to think you’d forgotten me. Have you solved the mystery?”

  “No, but I have an interesting lead.”

  “Good. Nancy, how would you like three hearty young men and two smart girls to join you?”

  Nancy almost shouted for joy. “You mean you and Burt and Dave and George and Bess can come here?”

  Ned said this was exactly what he meant. “You say the word and we’ll hop a plane.”

  “Come as soon as you can,” she urged. “Fly to St. Louis and take a helicopter from there. My interesting clue is that pirates stole the treasure which Père François was carrying and hid it in a cave along the Ohio River. It the story is true, there’s a good chance the treasure has never been found because all the pirates were lost in a storm.”

  Enthusiastically she told about the Ohio River towboat trips. “Would you and the others like to take one and hunt for the treasure?”

  “Sounds great,” he replied. “Suppose you make all the arrangements and then call me when you want us to start. Only don’t make it too long. I’m itching to get out there.”

  Tingling with happiness, Nancy came out of the phone booth. Just then Art rode up. Excitedly she asked, “Would you possibly have time to dash into Cairo and back?”

  He looked at his wrist watch. “Yes, if we hurry. What’s up?”

  Nancy swung onto the motorcycle and it roared down the road. She told Art the news that her friends were going to fly out to help solve the mystery.

  When Art made no comment, she said, “You’ll like them. I know you will.”

  He had become glum, but replied, “At any rate I’ll like Bess and George.”

  The remark amused Nancy, but as time went on and Art did not respond to her remarks as he usually did, she became puzzled. Then suddenly Nancy wondered, “Could Art be jealous of Ned?”

  Deciding the thought was ridiculous, she put it out of her mind. It was true she and Art had been together a good deal the past few days but the friendship was casual.

  As they neared Cairo after a ride with an alm
ost one-sided conversation, Nancy decided that her hunch had been right. Art had hardly spoken the whole time. Obviously he was not thrilled by Ned’s expected arrival! An idea of how to take care of the situation came to her.

  “Art,” she said, “do you think you and Julie Anne could get away from the dig for a few days and go on the towboat trip with the rest of us? I’d love to have you come.”

  Art brightened considerably. “I’m sure we could get permission. Thanks a lot.”

  When they reached town Nancy directed Art to Captain Hornbeck’s home. In a short time they pulled up in front of a tree-shaded cottage on a low bluff overlooking the river. A tall, weather-beaten man with gray hair stood in the front doorway. In one hand he held an arrow.

  “Howdy,” he said, smiling. “I heard you coming on that motorcycle. What can I do for you?”

  Nancy introduced herself and Art and explained what they wanted. “Clem Rucker said you have no phone, so we couldn’t call you—”

  “Humph!” the captain snorted. “Old Clem doesn’t know. I got an unlisted number so folks won’t bother me. But come in.”

  He led the way into a small living room crowded with furniture. On a large table Nancy and Art were amazed to see arrowheads, shafts, feathers, and odd tools.

  “I make bows and arrows,” the old man said, “and use the same tools as the ancient Indians.”

  He showed them a stone scraper he worked with to form the wooden shafts. “Then I fit a real Indian arrowhead to it,” he added. “I’ve found hundreds of ’em around here.”

  While the young people admired the artifacts he had made, the retired captain called the towboat company for which he had once worked. The line was busy. When he came back, Nancy asked him about river pirates.

  “In the old days,” he said, “the Ohio and Mississippi both had their share of pirates. They were a menace to navigation.”

  Warming to the subject, Hornbeck told his callers that pirates used to lie in wait along the shore until a flatboat with a pioneer family came along. Then they would go out, capture the boat, and kill the passengers.

  “How wicked!” Nancy exclaimed.

  Art asked, “What did they do with the cargo?”

  Captain Hornbeck said they usually took it all the way to New Orleans and sold it.

  “In those days travel overland was so slow that news of a piracy did not reach New Orleans until after the men had left there.”

  The elderly captain went back to the telephone and tried again to get the towboat company. This time he was successful and after a short conversation arranged the trip for Nancy’s group.

  “You can go aboard in the evening day after tomorrow.”

  “That’s perfect,” Nancy told him. “Thank you so much. We’ve enjoyed talking to you.”

  The elderly man walked to the door with Nancy and Art. “I hope you have fun and good luck on your trip,” he said.

  Before returning to the dig, Nancy called the airfield. When she learned that Roscoe Thompson was not there, she left a message requesting him to pick them up Saturday morning and fly them to Cairo.

  Art was more talkative and whistled cheerfully on the way back to the dig. Nancy was relieved that apparently whatever was bothering him had vanished. When they arrived at the farmhouse, Nancy thanked Art and then dashed inside to change into digging clothes. No one was around.

  “I guess everyone’s down in the pit,” Nancy thought. “I—Oh!”

  She had caught sight of a crudely printed note propped up on the bureau. Her name was scrawled across the top. Underneath was a message:

  “You will never find the right hollow oak. I have taken the message out of it and destroyed the tree. Now the treasure it told about will be mine! Ha! Ha!”

  CHAPTER IX

  Escaping Thief

  NANCY studied the note on the bureau intently. Was it true that someone had found the message in the hollow oak which told of a treasure?

  The young detective took a long breath. “Maybe it’s only a joke,” she said to herself. “Perhaps one of the girls or even one of the boys left this note to play a trick on me.”

  Nancy took out her magnifying glass and examined the paper for fingerprints. There were none on it.

  She was still puzzled as she laid the note down and began to change her clothes. As soon as she was dressed for the dig, Nancy went to the excavation and climbed down.

  The busy workers looked up and said, “Hi!” Julie Anne asked if she had had any luck reaching Ned.

  “Yes,” Nancy replied. “I’ll tell you about it later.” She changed the subject and asked, “Which one of you left a note on the bureau?”

  “Note?” Julie Anne repeated. “There wasn’t any note when I was in the room.”

  Not only Nancy’s roommates but all the other girls said they knew nothing about the message that had been left for Nancy.

  “How about you boys?” Nancy called out.

  They in turn denied having written it. Art asked, “What did it say?”

  Nancy told him and the others. Theresa looked disturbed. “This is serious. I beg of you, if anyone here did it as a joke, please own up so none of us will be worried.” The whole group reiterated that they knew nothing about the strange message.

  “Oh, Nancy,” Julie Anne burst out, “it must have been that awful man or some pal of his!”

  Theresa Bancroft said she did not like the thought of anyone sneaking around the dig. “Whoever the person is, he’s very brazen to come here in the daylight. I want all of you to be very careful.”

  Nancy’s roommates were alarmed over the situation. They were sure she had not heard the last of her enemy.

  Julie Anne, after thinking this over, said, “I don’t believe what’s in that note. If the person had really found the message and was on the track of a treasure, he wouldn’t bother to tell you. I think he left the note to frighten you away. If you don’t leave, he may harm you.”

  Nancy turned to Theresa. “There’s good logic in what Julie Anne says. I think I should go to Cairo and stay there until my friends arrive. Did Art tell you they’re coming?”

  “He didn’t say a word,” Julie Anne replied.

  Art lowered his eyes. Was it possible he did not like the idea? Quickly Nancy explained about the five friends who would join her on the river trip.

  “That’s fine,” said Theresa. “And bring them back with you after the trip. We’ve plenty of room. As for your leaving here today, I insist that you stay until it’s time to go meet your friends.”

  The archaeologist requested that everyone get back to work Nancy picked up her shovel.

  The boys had unearthed the fine skeleton of a man and carried it to the laboratory. Here they planned to wire it together so it could be hung up and exhibited. When the others finished work, they all trooped to the barn to see it.

  The skeleton was suspended from a rod which the boys had put up. Theresa was very much pleased and said it was one of the finest specimens ever to be uncovered.

  “Any museum would be delighted to have this,” she remarked, “but I’m glad it will be on exhibit at Paulson University.”

  After dinner Nancy invited Julie Anne to go on the towboat trip.

  “Oh how exciting!” she exclaimed. “Suppose I ask Theresa right away.”

  She hurried off. On the way to find the leader, Julie Anne met Art who was about to make the same request. Both promised Theresa they would work doubly hard as soon as they returned to the dig.

  “All right, go ahead,” Theresa said. “Neither of you has been in this area before and it will be a nice side trip for you.”

  As usual the evening was gay with singing and for the time being everyone forgot about Nancy’s mysterious note. Finally all the boys went home except Bob Snell, who remained on guard.

  The girls fell asleep quickly but at once Nancy began having worrisome dreams. She could see pirates attacking towboats and barges. She spotted sneaking figures in the moonlight, and finally when s
omeone tried to grab Père François’s treasure from her, she woke up.

  “Oh!” she said softly. “What a nightmare!”

  Everything around her was peaceful but Nancy could not get back to sleep. Finally she arose, pulled on slacks and a shirt and went outdoors. She did not see Bob Snell and wondered where he was. Restless, she walked past the dig site and around the house to the farmyard.

  The night was dark, with few stars, but her eyes soon became accustomed to this. She could make out the shape of the old barn. Beyond it lay the wide empty field and the woods. Far in the distance a dog barked and another answered.

  Nancy wondered where Bob was. Perhaps behind the barn-lab? She considered turning on her flashlight, but instinct told her not to.

  “What’s the matter with you?” she asked herself sternly. “You’re actually nervous!”

  The next moment she heard a low creaking noise. Someone was slowly opening the barn door! Instantly she knew it was not Bob. He would not be so cautious about it.

  Before Nancy could investigate, a strange ghost-like shape appeared from the ramshackle building. Nancy’s heart began to pound as she saw what it was. A skeleton was walking toward her!

  Nancy blinked several times, then her good sense returned and she knew someone was carrying the skeleton in front of him.

  He must be a thief! Walking on tiptoe but quickly, Nancy came up to the skeleton. Someone was indeed carrying it!

  “Put that down!” she ordered, reaching out to grab the bony figure.

  There was a startled grunt from behind the skeleton and the next moment a man thrust it at her, brushed past, and ran fast toward the road.

  “Bob! Bob!” Nancy shouted, but got no reply.

  She did not dare pursue the fugitive. It was too dangerous, and besides, she had retrieved the valuable fossil and must hold onto it.

  “I’d better put this back in the lab.”

  As she was about to walk to the barn, two flashlights appeared from the farmhouse. Julie Anne was holding one, Theresa the other.

  Seeing the skeleton, Julie Anne gave a loud squeal. Then, spotting Nancy, she exclaimed, “What on earth!”