“Very much like my friend here, and she had on similar clothes,” George answered.
Nancy had observed this herself, and wondered whether the thief had been shadowing her. Had she deliberately planned the theft to embarrass Nancy and also give herself a chance to get away?
To the guard, Nancy said, “You’ve heard the vacation hoax story, of course?” He nodded. “Well,” she went on, “that girl is no doubt the same one who took this woman’s purse.”
The victim had been staring hard at Nancy. Now she said, “I can see the difference in the two of you. You’re pretty and you have a kind face. That other girl is very hard-looking. I’m sorry I accused you.”
“I’m glad we got things straightened out,” Nancy replied.
The guard suggested that the woman come to the museum office and tell her story to the police, whom he would summon. The crestfallen victim followed him.
“I’m glad that’s over,” Bess remarked. “For a few minutes I was afraid you were going to land at police headquarters, Nancy.”
“To tell the truth,” her friend answered, with a little grin, “I was too.”
George reminded the others that they had been on their way to look at the Cardiff Giant. “Come along!” she urged. “I want to see that moth-eaten Indian.”
The girls went outdoors and hurried to the large shed beneath which the giant lay. The three girls stared at it and burst out laughing.
“That Yo and his moth-eaten Indian!” Bess said. “The only thing about this being a giant is his size. He’s just carved out of wood and pretty crudely at that. He has an Indian face, though.”
Nancy read a sign tacked to the wall. It explained that the Cardiff Giant had been a hoax perpetrated many, many years before. A man had carved the figure, then buried it on a farm in Cardiff, New York, to age the wood. Finally he had dug it up. The man had publicized the giant widely as having been carved in ancient times by Indians. His story caught on so well that he and a partner had traveled all over the country exhibiting their “prehistoric Indian figure.”
Newspapers and various periodicals had run stories about the Cardiff Giant and the men had made thousands of dollars before the hoax was discovered.
After Bess had read the sign, she said indignantly, “Why, that faker! He was nothing but a thief!”
The girls moved off and went to buy the old-fashioned candy. After some more sightseeing they returned to the parking area.
As they drove through the exit gate, Yo was waiting for them. He wore a broad grin and called, “How did you like the withered old Indian?”
George opened the door to let Yo in, and replied, “You old fraud you! I guess I’ll have to give you credit for really fooling us this time. One good hoax deserves another, I suppose.”
Yo laughed and said, “What you doing this afternoon?”
“If I tell you,” said Nancy, “are you going to play another joke on us?” He laughed, and she added, “We’re going swimming.”
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They dropped him off in town. On the way home Nancy decided his mysterious smile at the dock yesterday might have indicated he liked to play jokes.
The instant the girls arrived at Bide-A-Wee, they thanked Miss Drew for her secret invitation to the boys.
Bess added, “Tell us what to do to help get ready for them and we’ll start.”
“Oh, tomorrow will do. Why don’t we all go swimming? You can try out your scuba equipment and hunt for the child’s coach.”
“Great idea,” Nancy agreed, “I keep wondering, if we do find it, what condition the box will be in. Maybe it has disintegrated and floated away.”
“Yes,” Bess added, “and the coach could be a sorry sight after lying in water a couple of hundred years.”
Nancy said if this were true Miss Armitage would be very much disappointed. “And I will too. Well, let’s get started.”
In a short time Aunt Eloise and her guests were swimming in Mirror Bay. The girls began hunting for the child’s Russian royal coach. They found many small items in the sand, the shale and the mud, but nothing of importance until Nancy signaled the cousins to take a look at something. They swam over quickly. Their detective friend was tugging at the wheel of an object embedded in the mud.
The three girls moved it gently from side to side so as not to break the wheel off the article to which it was attached. After several seconds they unearthed a child’s rusted stroller and brought it to the surface. Its wicker sides were gone.
When it lay on the beach, Bess looked at it, frowning. “Don’t tell me this was once a beautiful gold and white coach.”
George laughed. “It’s as bad as Cinderella’s coach turning into a pumpkin.”
Aunt Eloise looked amused. “I’d say this stroller is about fifty years old, but hasn’t been in the water over six months. Someone probably threw it out as junk.”
The girls decided they had searched enough for this session and everyone went to dress, disappointed at another failure. They came outside again just in time to witness a gorgeous sunset across the water.
“Let’s take a sunset sail,” Bess proposed.
“Great idea,” Nancy agreed. “Suppose you and George go out first, then I’ll take Aunt Eloise while you cousins get supper!”
“That was a neat trick,” George commented. “Nevertheless, I’ll say okay. Come on, Bess, let’s gol”
She and Bess returned in about twenty minutes, then Nancy and Aunt Eloise set off. Miss Drew worked the stick while Nancy manned the sheet. Enough breeze had sprung up so they were able to sail almost halfway to Cooperstown. They tacked back and pulled up to the dock of Mirror Bay Bide-A-Wee.
“Something smells wonderful!” Aunt Eloise remarked. “Bess must be preparing one of her favorite recipes.”
The appetizing dish turned out to be cheese soufflé served with tiny ham sandwiches, corn on the cob, and tomato salad.
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After everyone had eaten, Bess called out, “Anyone for dessert?”
“I’m stuffed,” George admitted.
Aunt Eloise smiled. “I’m sure whatever you have planned will be delicious. Why don’t we wait until later in the evening—maybe an early midnight snack.”
All agreed but Bess refused to divulge what the dessert was. A little later they went to sit on the porch. By this time it was dusk and as usual the fireflies began to flit about.
“Have you ever noticed,” Aunt Eloise asked, “that most of the fireflies turn their lights on and off in unison? These are the males. The females refuse to follow this practice and flash on their little lanterns whenever they please. It’s sort of a flirtation.”
The girls laughed and Aunt Eloise went on to explain that entomologists say that this custom makes it easy for a male to find a mate.
Nancy spoke up. “What a perfect night for trying to find luminescent mushrooms for Karen! Why don’t we climb the mountain right now and see if we can find any? They might even be in a cave. I’ve read that mushrooms thrive in damp caves.”
George added eagerly, “I just remembered something I learned about luminescent mushrooms or some kind of fungi growing in the jungle. It seems that during wartime Japanese soldiers used to rub the palms of their hands with this phosphorescent material and could read a letter or military order by holding their hands over the sheet.”
“How amazing!” Bess said.
She was not particularly keen about going on the trek because of the green man, but since her friends were making the climb she felt compelled to go along. Nancy felt no alarm and tried to reassure Bess.
The trekkers took flashlights but did not turn them on. The fireflies lighted their way. Aunt Eloise suggested that they not talk and attract attention, so the group climbed in silence, looking for the luminescent mushrooms. They saw none.
In a little while Nancy and her friends approached the area where they had encountered the green man. There was no sign of him and they heard no voice. Bess had just begun to feel secure against danger when suddenly she grabbed Nancy’s arm in a gesture of fright.
CHAPTER VIII
Bess’s Fright
QUIVERING with fear, Bess could not speak but she pointed to the girls’ right. Some distance away, in the dark forest, they saw the green man enveloped in his weird green light! His face looked more ghoulish than ever. Nancy and her companions stood rooted to the spot, waiting for his next move.
Nancy was asking herself, “Does he know we’re here? If so, is he hoping to scare us away? But why?”
The green light suddenly went out. The man vanished.
“He couldn’t have gone far,” the young detective said to herself. “I’m going to find out where he is.”
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She signaled the others to follow her as she made her way along swiftly but noiselessly. Everything went smoothly for about a hundred feet. Then Bess, who was reluctantly bringing up the rear, stumbled over a tree root and fell down.
Involuntarily she gave a little cry. The others stopped walking and looked back. Bess was picking herself up and waved that she was all right. Nancy hoped that if the green man had heard the sound, he might think the cry had come from some night animal.
“It did seem like an owl,” she told herself.
Nancy’s hopes were in vain. A few seconds later the same voice the girls had heard the evening before called out, “Who’s there?”
Aunt Eloise and the others stood stock-still and did not reply. There was no further sound from the unseen man. A few seconds later Nancy decided to take a chance and go on.
George and Aunt Eloise followed, but Bess remained in one spot, paralyzed with fear. Just as she made up her mind to push forward, she was suddenly grabbed from behind and a strong hand clapped over her mouth.
Bess struggled to get away from her captor. She tried to scream but could make only gurgling sounds, which her friends could not hear. Her abductor began to drag her down the mountain.
Since there had been no outcry, Bess’s friends were unaware of the girl’s plight. A few moments later, however, Nancy heard scraping sounds behind her. Turning to find out what was making them, she realized that Bess was not with the group.
Aunt Eloise and George looked also and together the three began to retrace their steps. Bess was not in sight. Where was she?
Nancy whispered worriedly, “I think someone has kidnapped Bess! Those scraping sounds are being made by her heels as she’s dragged down the mountain!”
The searchers turned on their flashlights and hurriedly followed the sounds. The abductor stayed on the trail. In a few moments Nancy saw Bess ahead of them. A masked figure was clutching her around the arms and had a hand clapped over her mouth.
“Stop that!” Aunt Eloise shouted, running as fast as she could over the uneven ground.
At once Bess’s captor dropped her, turned, and ran pell-mell down the hill. As Nancy and the others rushed toward Bess, the young detective kept wondering why the man had taken that route.
“Could he be the green man, or someone in league with him?”
There was no time for further speculation. By now the kidnapped girl was sitting up and declared she was all right.
“But my legs are too wobbly for me to stand yet,” she confessed.
“We’ll carry you back to the cabin,” George offered.
“I’ll be all right,” Bess insisted. “That guy didn’t harm me. Give me a few minutes to collect my wits. I’ve had a pretty bad scare.”
“I’ll say you did,” Aunt Eloise agreed. “We’ll sit here for a while. When you feel like talking, tell us exactly what happened.”
Nancy spoke up. “I’m sure neither the green man nor his cohorts will expect any of us to go back to that area. I’d like to sneak up to it and see if I can learn anything.”
As Aunt Eloise started to object, Nancy added, “I’ll be careful, really I will. It isn’t far from here and you’ll know where to find me if I don’t return.”
Miss Drew finally consented but insisted that Nancy return within ten minutes. Otherwise they would investigate.
“I’ll be here,” her niece promised.
Nancy turned off her flashlight and disappeared among the trees. Instead of going up the regular path and turning right, she took a shortcut directly to the area where they had seen the green man. Within a short time she was at the spot and stood still to listen. Were her ears deceiving her or had she heard voices?
“Yes, I did,” she said to herself.
From somewhere nearby she could clearly detect a subdued conversation.
A man said, “I don’t want people coming around here, do you understand? It’s too dangerous. Sam, you’re in charge of security for this project. You’ve got to do a better job than just looking spooky.”
There was a long pause, then Sam replied, “Listen, Mike, your way would bring the police to our headquarters in no time, and you don’t want that.”
This remark was followed by a long silence. Nancy could not hear a sound. No lights, no men appeared from anywhere.
“I’ll investigate this place in daylight,” the young detective told herself. “It might be a good idea to mark the spot.”
She reached up to the tall pine alongside which she was standing and broke off a good-sized piece of bark.
“That should be enough identification when I return,” she decided.
Nancy quickly hurried back to her friends, who looked relieved, and excitedly whispered to them what she had learned.
“So there is something underhanded going on in this area,” Bess remarked as she stood up and started trudging down the hillside. “Well, I for one refuse to come here again and I advise all of you to stay away also. Let the police solve this mystery.”
The group discussed whether or not Bess’s near abduction was cause for getting in touch with the authorities that night, but after discussing it several minutes they decided to let the incident pass temporarily.
“Let’s make up our minds tomorrow morning,” Aunt Eloise suggested. “I’m sure everyone is exhausted. A good night’s sleep will do each of us a lot of good.”
By the time they reached the cabin, Bess had revived completely from her frightening experience and insisted they eat the dessert she had prepared. It proved to be a generous helping of wild strawberry mousse heaped in the center of a ring of fluffy sponge cake.
“Is this ever yummy!” Nancy exclaimed. “I’m glad we waited.”
Everyone slept soundly, but early the next morning there was a loud knock on the front door. Nancy and Aunt Eloise put on robes and answered the summons. Miss Drew opened the door wide to find a state trooper standing there.
“I’m Officer Duffy,” he introduced himself. The trooper stared at Nancy. “Where were you last night?” he asked with a stern expression.
Nancy explained that the group in the cabin had taken a walk up the mountainside, then had gone to bed.
“Why are you asking?”
In reply he said, “Will you please come out on the porch? I can see you better here and I want to get a good look at you.”
Still puzzled, Nancy did as requested. Aunt Eloise followed her. He gave the girl a searching look.
Aunt Eloise frowned. “Just what are you getting at?” she asked the trooper.
To the surprise of the Drews, the officer said to Nancy, “You cover up very well, young lady. But this time we have some proof against you that identifies you as the guilty party.”
“Guilty of what?” Nancy asked in amazement.
“You know, all right. And there’s no use in denying it.”
With that the officer pulled a picture from his pocket, saying it had been taken the night before by an infrared camera.
“Where?” Aunt Eloise asked.
“In our largest jewelry store,” the trooper replied. “An invisible camera is set up there. Perhaps you don’t know what this young lady is up to. Instead of just being a sightseer, she’s been robbing jewelry stores and perpetrating other crimes.”
“Nonsense!” Aunt Eloise cried.
Duffy held the photograph so that Nancy and her aunt could see it. The scene revealed the burglary in the jewelry store. A man stood there but only his back showed, so he could not be identified.
The girl with him, however, was facing the camera which had taken a very clear picture of her. Undeniably the girl in it looked like Nancy Drew!
By this time Bess and George had come outside and asked what was going on. When they were shown the picture, both of them gasped.
Bess exclaimed, “This is horrible!”
Aunt Eloise turned to the officer. “We’ve had other problems because of this girl. She does look a lot like Nancy, but she’s someone else.”
George spoke up. “Officer, I should like to point out one difference. See that mark on the jewel thief’s face? It’s probably a big insect bite. Look at Nancy. She doesn’t have one!”
The trooper’s expression softened. Was he beginning to believe that Nancy was innocent?
“That’s a good point, Officer, don’t you think so?” Aunt Eloise smiled. “Won’t you join us for breakfast? We’d like to tell you what we know about the girl in the picture.”
Trooper Duffy consented and sat down on the porch. The others went into the cabin and while Aunt Eloise prepared coffee and bacon, scrambled eggs and toast, the girls dressed. The group ate picnic-style while Bess told of her harrowing experience the evening before and the appearance of the green man. The officer pulled a notebook from his pocket and wrote down a few facts.
Nancy said to him, “Would you have time this morning to accompany me to the area we’ve been talking about? I can find it easily and I have an idea that possibly the girl thief may be hiding there.”
The trooper nodded. “I’ll be glad to go.” About half an hour later he and Nancy started up the mountainside. The young detective headed for the tree from which she had torn the bark.
CHAPTER IX
Bat Attack
As Nancy and Officer Duffy trudged up the mountain she told him in more detail about last night’s episode and the conversation she had overheard between the two men.
“Sam and Mike?” he repeated. “As soon as I get back to headquarters I’ll see if there’s a combination of men with those names wanted by the police.” He shook his head, adding, “Pretty slim information to start with, though.”
Nancy agreed that the names were fairly common. She told him that the one called Sam evidently assumed horrible disguises to frighten people.
“Of course that’s no crime in itself,” the trooper reminded the young detective.
She confessed that she was more curious than frightened. “I’d like to find out where the men are staying, what they’re doing, and why they are scaring people away from the area.”
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 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.