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 mysterio
us 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 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.
“Karen will love this,” she remarked. The scarf was tied and Nancy swung it over her shoulder like a little knapsack.
George asked Yo if the place he had seen the green man was near here.
“Oh no,” he replied. “It was way over on the other side of the trail.”
“One thing I’m sure of,” Nancy said as they started back toward the entrance, “this is not a thieves’ hangout. The bats would have chased them away and there’s no evidence of anyone’s having lived here.”
“Right,” Yo agreed. “Now I’ll take you to what I think is the green man’s place if you like.”
“Please do,” Nancy replied.
When they neared the exit of the bat cave, the hikers could see that it was nearly dusk. They would need their flashlights.
Before leaving, George said, “What is this cave made of?” She put her hand on the wall to feel the rocks. The next moment she cried out, “I’ve been bitten!”
The searchers turned and fled
Nancy and Yo turned just in time to see a giant worm-like creature on George’s arm. Quickly Yo knocked it to the floor of the cave and stepped on it.
At the same time he exclaimed, “It’s a poisonous centipede! Very poisonous!”
CHAPTER X
Footprint Lesson
As Yo made the horrifying announcement, he took George by the hand and yanked her quickly outside the cave. Even in the waning light, they could all see the puncture in the girl’s forearm.