"I couldn't help noticing that you were turning your head, looking all around, this morning at the cave," Nancy said gently to Ivy.
"I guess I was thinking of those nasty pranks that were played on us. I thought that as we got close to the gold someone might do something drastic. But I also had the feeling we were being watched."
"Did you hear anything? You had the expression of someone straining to listen."
"I thought I did." Ivy smiled in surprise at Nancy's observation. "Just some rustling in the bushes."
"I've been meaning to have a better look around Fisk Lookout. I'll go and see if Bess and George are willing to go."
When they were back at the top of the ridge, Nancy instructed them to spiral out, trying their best to cover all the ground as they worked their way downward.
It was not long before George came swiftly but silently up to Nancy whispering to her that she had seen something. "There's a tent between a bunch of trees. We better not make any noise in case there's someone inside."
Nancy and George quickly informed the other girls and they gathered in a spot concealed by bushes. Nancy gazed at the site indicated by George. Nestled between pine trees, obscured by leafy undergrowth, was a small tent. It was covered in a camouflage design. On the side facing them was a small lateral opening near the top, which revealed a dark interior.
"It looks like a blind," said George in a whisper.
"Maybe Jesse set it up when he was watching wildlife," suggested Bess.
"But he wasn't watching wildlife!" objected George.
"Sh, you two. I'm going to resort to that old cliché." Nancy picked up a rock and tossed it near the blind. There was no sound or movement. "Well, I think we should chance investigating further. After all, we're not doing anything suspicious, we're just on a walk."
The interior of the blind was empty. In fact it was scrupulously clear of debris that would indicate it had been in use. There was only room for one person to enter and stand upright. Nancy went in to examine the ground which was soft and carpeted in brown, dried pine needles.
"Aren't we supposed to find a button or something that would tell us who used this blind?" asked Ivy.
"Yes, or a gum wrapper, and Nancy would hold it up and say, 'Aha, only so-and-so chews this brand of gum!'" said George.
"Someone has been very careful to take away all their equipment and any garbage they may have produced, so that there's very little physical evidence." Nancy continued to bend over the dirt floor of the tent.
"Notice she didn't say 'no evidence'," George pointed out.
"That's right. There are three indentations in the soil. It likely indicates a tripod, and whatever was mounted on the tripod was heavy, maybe a telescope or a night vision scope, or a camera or all three. It's obvious that whoever set up the blind was interested in this clear view down to the shoreline.
"There are footprints here. They aren't very clear but they seem to all have the same pattern. It looks like a hiking boot. That rules out Jesse. You never see him wear anything other than those canvas sneakers."
"Oh, look," said Ivy excitedly, "there's a hair on the outside of the tent, just above the entrance flap. It's long and dark."