The Indian Burial Ground Mystery

.”
    “Have you ever heard of the name ‘ Depew ’
in these parts?” Honey asked. “We think maybe it was an old family that died
out.”
    “ Depew ,” Brom said slowly. “Of course, I’ve heard of the Depews . Long time ago, though. All history
now.”
    “Really?” Trixie gasped. “Where was their property?”
    “Right here,” Brom said with a shy smile.
“Well, not here, exactly. Back down Glen
Road a ways. Right across from the Wheeler place.
Used to be a big old mansion, but it burned down in a mysterious fire long
about the time of the Revolution. Never did get built back up again.
    “Owned all the land around here, the Depews did. Some say the son went crazy after
the place burned down. I don’t know that for sure, of course, but he never did
come back. Disappeared. Land was later bought by the family that built your
place, Honey.” Trixie shot Honey a warning look.
    “That’s really interesting, Brom ,” Honey said
slowly. She realized that it was probably best not to mention why they wanted
to know about the Depews .
    “Glad to oblige,” Brom said. “As a matter of
fact, there’s a good ghost story about the Depews , but I’ll tell you the next time I see
you. Have to get over to see Mrs. Vanderpoel .
Promised her I’d bring her some apples. She’s going to bake a pie.”
    “And give it to you to eat, right?” Trixie asked merrily. “She makes the
best pies in the world.”
    “That she does,” Brom answered. “I’d pick
apples for Mrs. V. any day, as long as I get to eat some of her pie.”
    “Thanks for your help,” Trixie said. “We have to get back, too. Regan
gets upset if we keep the horses out too long.”
    Trixie and Honey waved good-bye to Brom and
quickly trotted the horses along the path to Glen Road . They knew it would be quicker
going back on the road than through the paths, and it was getting dark.
    “What a break,” Trixie said. “The Depew house was right here on the preserve. I’ll bet the cave is right where Charles
thinks it is!”
    “Me, too,” said Honey. “We’d better look at that map more closely. If
Charles is on the right track, so are we.”
    “I’d be a lot more comfortable if all the Bob-Whites could
investigate this one,” Trixie stated. “Let’s call a short meeting for tonight
after dinner.”
     
    That night at the clubhouse, Trixie explained what had happened to the
assembled Bob-Whites. Di and Dan sat on the floor, while Mart paced back and
forth eating crackers out of a giant economy-sized box. Reddy was there, too,
watching Mart pace the way a judge watches a tennis match. Back and forth, back
and forth went Reddy’s head. Brian looked bored.
    “After Charles took the diary, I made a rubbing of what had been drawn
on the pad,” Trixie said. “I have a copy of the map right here. The only
problem was finding out where the Depew property was. Luckily, we ran into Old Brom , and he
told us that the whole game preserve was once owned by the Depew family. Their house was across the road from the Manor House, so that puts it
right where the dig site is now.”
    “ Ved-dy in- ter - est-ing , Miss Belden,” Mart mumbled through a mouthful of
crackers. “Do you have these insights often?”
    Trixie ignored Mart’s remark and went right on talking. “My theory is
that Charles Miller somehow found out that there was treasure on this land, and
he decided to dig for it. But Professor Conroy disrupted his plans, first by
appointing him student head of the dig, and then by assigning us to the very
spot where Charles thought the treasure was buried. Charles hit Professor
Conroy on the head to get him out of the way for a while—-just long enough for
him to find the treasure. The trouble was, Honey and I got in his way. First we
showed up on the village site; and then we found the diary that he left on the
table in the archive room.”
    “I think we should all investigate the village site before Charles gets
back from the city tomorrow morning,” Honey said. “We know he’s already started
digging for the treasure, because we saw a giant hole there this afternoon when
we rode by on our horses.”
    “Show me the alleged map,” Mart said. “This theory isn’t very convincing
so far.” Trixie reached into the pocket of her shorts and pulled out the
rubbing she’d made earlier, along with another piece of paper.
    “I recopied it so it would be easier to read,” she said as she handed
both pieces of paper to her