The Indian Burial Ground Mystery

skeptical brother.
    Mart examined the map, then said with a shrug, “Well, why not? Going on
a treasure hunt is always fun. And we can always catch fireflies if we don’t
find any treasure.”
    “Well, I’m not going to get involved in this nonsense,” Brian said
moodily. “I don’t believe all this stuff about a treasure, and what’s more, I
think you’re all wrong about Charles.” Trixie felt bad that Brian wasn’t taking
her seriously, but she had to continue her investigation, anyway. “I’m sorry.
I’d like your help,” she said to her brother. “But I know you need more proof,
and I’ll find it sooner or later.” Brian went over to the door. “I’m sorry too, Trix . But this is one mystery I’m not interested in.
Count me out.”
    The door closed behind him.
    There was a short silence after Brian left. Then Dan asked, “Do we have
any flashlights here? There’s no point in all of us staggering around in the
woods, bumping into each other.”
    “Here are two,” Di said. “That means we need three more.”
    “I’ll run up to the garage and get them,” Honey said, heading for the
door. “I know where they’re kept.”
    Honey returned a few moments later, and the five young people were ready
to go investigating.
    “This is exciting,” Mart said. “All we have to do is find a treasure
before we’re eaten alive by mosquitoes.”
    Walking quickly, the Bob-Whites reached the village site through one of
the back paths. They didn’t want to alert the graduate students to their
presence. Reddy was crashing around in and out of the bushes, making a lot of
noise. Trixie tried to hush him up and make the excited dog walk quietly beside
her, but it was no use. Reddy was intoxicated by the scent of small animals and
was not about to be controlled. Sounds of noisy laughter and singing floated
through the trees. It was obvious that even if the interlopers were to set off
a few firecrackers, the students wouldn’t have the slightest inkling that they
weren’t alone.
    Once at the village site, Trixie started digging away with her hands at
the low hillside where Charles had begun his search. Great clods of dirt went
flying behind her. Dan found a long stick and was poking the earth to see if it
sank in anywhere. Mart was marching back and forth giving unwanted advice.
    “Mart, if you’re so smart,” Trixie finally said, looking up from her
digging, “why didn’t you remember to bring a shovel? It’s not easy to dig for
treasure with your bare hands.”
    “Clever,” Mart said, scratching his chin. “Very clever—for a novice.”
    “Novice indeed!” Trixie said with a snort.
    Reddy, inspired by Trixie’s digging, started digging his own hole right
next to her. In seconds, a thick spray of dirt coated Trixie from head to toe.
    “Stop that, Reddy!” she scolded.
    Reddy jumped up and down, covering Trixie with dog kisses, and then went
happily back to his digging.
    “Get the dog to do the dirty work,” Mart said with a smirk.
    In the meantime, Dan and Di were examining the map with their flashlights.
    “If there were a cave around here, it would have to be made of
limestone,” Dan said thoughtfully. “But there are no rock formations anywhere
in this area, so the cave would have to be underground, not in the side of a
hill. I think Charles was digging in the wrong place.”
    “Isn’t that a tree?” Di said, pointing to a spot on the map. “I guess it
would have to be a pretty big tree by now, since that map was drawn at least
two hundred years ago.”
    “Wait a minute,” Trixie said. “Maybe this giant log is part of that old
tree. It certainly looks fat enough to be over two hundred years old. And the
other trees around here look like second growth. They’re not tall, and their
trunks are thin. Maybe this place was once a meadow.”
    “All this conjecture is ridiculous without a shovel,” Mart said
pompously. “I’m glad I thought of it.”
    “You didn’t think of it,” Trixie muttered.
    Honey quickly jabbed her elbow into Trixie’s ribs.
    “Yes, he did,” Honey said quickly. “And since he thought of it, he
should be the one to go get it.”
    “Great thinking, Honey,” Trixie put in with a laugh. “Bring two while
you’re at it—they’re small.”
    “I’d better go with you,” Dan said. “We wouldn’t want you to get lost in
the woods.”
    “I would never get lost in the woods, old man,” Mart was
saying as they left the clearing. “But I’m