The Indian Burial Ground Mystery

“Now I want you all to head on home.”
    Everyone said their good-byes. Dan and Mart accompanied Di and Trixie
down the driveway. When they reached Glen
Road , they separated. Dan walked Di home since it
was on his way. The Beldens walked up the road to
Crabapple Farm in silence. It had been an exciting day, and Trixie was too
tired to talk. Besides, she needed to think.
    “Is that you, children?” Mrs. Belden called from her bedroom.
    “Yes, Moms,” Trixie answered. Then she switched off the downstairs hall
light and climbed slowly up the stairs. Mrs. Belden always kept the light on
when the children were out late.
    As she closed her bedroom door behind her, Trixie tried to organize the
events of the night in a logical way. She realized with a start that in all the
excitement of the burglary, she had completely forgotten to mention the ghost
to anyone. She was glad that Honey and Di had seen it, too, so she couldn’t be
accused of making things up. But who could it have been? Who would want to go
to the trouble of putting on such a creepy charade to scare them away?
    Trixie considered the possible suspects. There was Charles Miller, of
course. He was trying awfully hard to get her and Honey away from the village
site. But Charles Miller hadn’t been in Sleepyside tonight. He was working in
the city, as usual.
    It could have been Harry, too. But Harry drove a yellow Volkswagen, and
that gave Trixie the idea that he was busy doing something else
tonight—something far more lucrative than scaring a bunch of girls in the
woods!
    It was confusing. If Trixie’s figuring was correct, both men would have
to have been in two places at the same time. And that was impossible.
    Trixie decided to sleep on it, and hoped that some answers would come to
her by morning. As her head hit the pillow, she fell into a deep, dreamless
sleep.



10 * In the Cave
     
    At breakfast the next morning, Trixie
was greeted by a very worried Helen Belden.
    “Good morning, Moms,” she said with a puzzled look at her mother.
    “Oh, Trixie, I’m so upset. Have you seen Reddy?” Mrs. Belden’s forehead
was furrowed with concern. “He wasn’t in the house this morning, and he isn’t
outside, either. Did he come home with you last night?”
    Trixie’s hand flew up to her mouth in horror. “Oh, no!” she gasped. “He
was with us in the woods, but he went off with Mart and Dan when they went for
the shovels. I didn’t see him after that. I forgot—I mean, what with the
burglary and everything!”
    “The burglary!” Now it was Mrs. Belden’s turn to look shocked. “What
burglary?” While Trixie ate her cereal, she told her mother what had happened
at the Manor House the night before.
    “So, you see,” she finished lamely, “I wasn’t even thinking about Reddy.
I guess I just assumed that he came home while we were talking to Sergeant Molinson .”
    “This is dreadful,” said Mrs. Belden. “I hope they catch the crooks. But
I’m worried about Reddy. It’s very unusual for him to stay out all night like
this.”
    “Should I start looking for him right now?” Trixie asked. “I could miss work
today.”
    “Oh no, dear,” Mrs. Belden said as she cleared the table distractedly.
“I would be happier if you went to work. I’ll look for him this morning. I’m
sure he’ll turn up someplace. I just don’t want to upset Bobby. You know how he
gets.”
    “If he isn’t home by this afternoon,” Trixie said, “I’ll look for him
instead of going to the dig.”
    “Darling, it’s 7:30,” Mrs. Belden said. “I think you’d better get going.
I’ll make a few calls before Bobby gets up. Maybe a neighbor has seen Reddy.”
    Trixie grabbed her cap, and headed for the door. “See you later, Moms,”
she called as the door banged behind her.
    Trixie was very busy all morning at the hospital. She was so worried
about Reddy that she called home on her break. But no one answered the phone.
It was close to 12 o’clock before she had a chance to look in on Professor
Conroy.
    Trixie opened the stairwell door to the second floor, and started down
the corridor. But she stopped short when she saw Professor Conroy’s door open,
and Harry step into the hall! He glanced briefly in Trixie’s direction, then
disappeared around the corner, heading for the elevators.
    Trixie’s breath caught in her throat. Then she relaxed. I guess he
didn’t recognize me in this candy-striper uniform, she thought. I
wonder what he’s doing