Happy Easter, everyone! I'm still recovering from a day of Greek food and ouzo (my great-grandmother's family was Greek, so we celebrate Greek Easter every year on Easter Sunday; the amount of moussaka my family can consume is alarming).
In this chapter, you will learn a little bit more about what the strange men are up to, but not all that much because, as I've said, I fail majorly at writing mysteries. I seriously considered going on strike and refusing to update my story until The Thorns of Love is updated, but I decided that would be mean. And the good news is that now that summer is on the way, I've been working on this story more and more—for some reason, summer and fall are very inspiring to me when it comes to working on stories like Mandie. Maybe because they get me excited for things like camping and hiking and stuff... anyway; the reviews!
LovetheLORD: thank you! I'm so glad you liked the first two chapters, and I hope you enjoy the third!
Annefan (guest): I love hearing that this sounds like a real Mandie story! Thank you! I never really could figure out Riley O'Neal. He does seem to really appreciate Sallie's help in the school, but I always thought he was strangely into Mandie; and it was weird because she was only thirteen when they first met. He seems like a nice person, but for some reason, I always found him a bit odd. / what does everyone else think about him?
Jomandaforlife (guest): love the name! Thanks for understanding about the updating schedule, and I promise that I will update with or without it! I think I can tell you that there will be plenty of Mandie/Joe moments in this story! I don't want it to get too romantic, but I think I can safely say that, since the characters are older now, their relationship is a bit more dramatic/intense!
Gen (guest): so glad you liked it! Thank you for reviewing, I really appreciate it.
Guest: speaking as someone passionately in love with McDonald's fries, I'm extremely gratified that you love my story like McDonalds!
Guest: here you go! A new chapter!
Guest: I HOPE I UPDATED BEFORE YOU DIED! Knowing my updating though, probably not. Rest in peace, Mandie fan who died waiting for my story...
Mandie fan (guest): thank you! It means so much to me when people compliment my writing. And if I get that far before I die of old age, I will definitely have Joe and Mandie get married!
Kkluvzmusic (guest): thank you, and thank you for reading my first story! Here is the next chapter!
When they arrived in Bird-town, the first thing Mandie did was head for her great Uncle's house, hoping that either he or Uncle Ned had news of Dimar.
She found them, along with Aunt Saphronia, talking outside of the house.
Uncle Wirt's face lit up when he saw her. "Papoose!" he said, returning her embrace.
"Hello, Uncle Wirt," she said with a big smile. "Aunt Saphronia," she added, turning the hug the tiny, wrinkled Indian woman.
Aunt Saphronia placed a leathery hand on Mandie's cheek and smiled warmly, her dark eyes lighting with welcome. Mandie grasped the hand with her own and turned her attention to Uncle Ned.
"What have you heard, Uncle Ned?" she asked, as her friends joined them. "Have you seen Tsa'ni or Dimar?"
"No see Tsa'ni or Dimar," Uncle Ned replied, with a shake of his head. "Dimar mother say she see him yesterday morning, not since then. Wirt say council not yet decide what to do about men."
Mandie exchanged a look with her friends. "We haven't found any sign of the boys either," Mandie replied. "Joe suggested that they might be watching those men."
Uncle Ned shrugged. "Maybe, but other braves watch too, no see Tsa'ni or Dimar."
Mandie frowned. "What did the braves say about the men?"
Uncle Wirt's forehead creased. "Men stay near border, dig up rocks, bushes. Move."
"They're moving rocks and bushes around?" Mandie repeated, surprised. "What does that mean? Do you think they're looking for gold, Uncle Ned?"
Uncle Ned shrugged again. "Make sense," he said. "Keep lots of maps, papers."
"How strange," Mandie said, turning to her friends, after saying good-bye to her aunt and uncle. They headed back to where they left the wagon. "I wonder why they think there's gold near the border."
"If they are looking for gold," Sallie put in. "We do not know that for sure."
"Besides, as long as they don't do any harm to the Cherokee's land, we can't really stop them," Joe pointed out. "We'd have to prove that they're trespassing, and we can't accuse them of anything if it doesn't seem like they're doing anything illegal."
"Then why would that old Indian try to stop us from coming?" Mandie reminded him. "He wanted us all to stay away. He was definitely hiding something."
"And Dimar would not over exaggerate about something so serious," Sallie added. "He must think something important is going on, or he would not have sent such an urgent message."
"Yes, well, it would be nice if he would show up and let us know what's going on," Joe said dryly.
"Maybe we should go see what they're up to ourselves," Jonathan suggested.
"Sounds dangerous to me," Celia said with a shudder.
Mandie smiled at Jonathan. "Oh, don't worry," she assured him. "We'll be paying them a visit sooner or later. I'd just prefer to do it with Dimar, that's all.
"Remember, your mother and Uncle John will be arriving this afternoon with Dr. Woodard," Celia said.
"That's right," said Joe. "Who knows how long we'll have to poke around with them before we can do some investigating of our own."
"We'll think of some excuse to leave," Mandie replied, shrugging. "Besides, Sallie and Dimar and I always wander all over when I'm here. Mother usually stays with Morning Star."
A sudden movement in the woods caught her eye, and she turned to see a very familiar Cherokee boy heading towards them through the trees.
"Look!" Mandie cried. "It's Dimar!"
Dimar returned Mandie's wave and quickened his pace, hurrying over to where they stood.
"Hello, Mandie," he said warmly, grasping her hand, and then turning to greet the others.
"I'm so glad you found us, Dimar," Mandie told him. "We got here yesterday and Morning Star said that you'd gone missing along with Tsa'ni. We've been asking around about you all morning."
Dimar smiled apologetically. "I did not mean to make you worry, although I assumed that you would not be here until today."
"Mandie wanted to come earlier with my grandfather and me," Sallie informed her. "Her mother and John Shaw are coming today."
Dimar laughed, his handsome brown face lighting with amusement. "I should have known you would come as quickly as possible," he told Mandie, smiling at her.
"Well, where have you been?" Joe interjected, diverting Dimar's attention from Mandie.
"At the border," Dimar replied. "I have been watching those men."
"And?" Mandie asked eagerly.
Dimar shrugged. "They act very strangely. I cannot tell for sure what they are doing. I will take you all there today, if you like."
"Of course!" said Mandie instantly. "But I have another question first—have you seen Tsa'ni? We've been looking for him as well."
Dimar frowned, his face turning serious. "Yes, Tsa'ni is missing," he replied. "I am worried about him. He was with me, also watching the men, but I have not seen him for four days now. I think he may be in trouble."
"What kind of trouble?" Joe asked, after Mandie gave him an I-told-you-so look.
"I do not know," said Dimar, shaking his head. "I thought he was returning to Bird-town, to let the men know more of what was going on, but I was told that he never showed up."
"Do you think he got caught?" Jonathan asked.
"Tsa'ni?" said Dimar. "It is possible, I suppose, but I do not know what they would do with him. So far, they do not seem to be doing anything illegal, so there would be no reason to threaten Tsa'ni."
"We're on our way back to Deep Creek," said Mandie. "Do you think we could go to the border first? If that's alright with y'all," she added, looking around at her friends.
"It is alright with me," said Sallie. "I would like to see these men too."
The rest of them echoed her assent.
"Yes, we will go now," Dimar agreed. "They are closer to Deep Creek than to Bird-town anyway, but it will take maybe three hours by wagon."
"Why don't we take the wagon part of the way, and then cut through the woods to make it shorter?" Mandie suggested. "I don't mind walking."
"Yes, that is what we will do," said Dimar. "I can get us there faster that way."
"We can eat before we set out on foot," Celia added. "Morning Star packed us plenty of food."
Jonathan grinned at her. "I like your style," he said jokingly, prompting a laugh from Dimar and Joe.
"Let us hurry," said Dimar, gesturing to the wagon. "If we start now, I think we can return to Ned's house by the time Mandie's mother and John Shaw arrive."
Dimar volunteered to drive the wagon, and since he knew the mountain far better than anyone else, Joe agreed. They soon cut away from the dirt road between Deep Creek and Bird-town and veered northwards, taking small, less-worn trails through the woods, which Dimar explained was much faster than going all the way around to the Deep Creek village before heading north. The woods were dense and the mountain was uneven, but Dimar handled the horses with skill.
Mandie knew from the maps she had seen and the general positioning of the reservation that, though there were a more than a few miles in between them, they were traveling almost directly parallel to Deep Creek.
Finally, as the trails Dimar was taking grew more steep and rocky, and harder to navigate, he suggested they stop to eat something before continuing on foot.
"We will not have to worry about the wagon," he said, hopping down from the seat and walking around to help the girls out, with Joe and Jonathan just behind him. "I will unhitch the horses before we leave and secure them to a tree. There is plenty of grass for them to graze on, and we will not be much longer than one or two hours."
"What time is it, do you know?" asked Jonathan, taking the basket that Sallie handed him.
Mandie glanced up at the sun. "It is only just barely noon, I think," she answered, shielding her eyes.
Dimar turned to smile at her, admiration in his gaze. "You are exactly right, Mandie."
She avoided his gaze and turned to help Sallie and Celia set out the food. She knew that Dimar admired her, but she also suspected Sallie harbored some feelings for him, which made her position very awkward.
"There is a mountain spring just up there," Dimar said to Joe. "I believe Ned keeps a pail in the wagon for water. You and I will go and get some."
"Alright," Joe agreed, walking around to the back of the wagon and retrieving the pail. "Don't eat everything while we're gone, Jonathan," he warned, following Dimar up the mountainside.
"The very thought," said Jonathan indignantly, as soon as they had disappeared from view. "I say we eat it all just out of spite now."
Mandie laughed and finished unpacking the rest of the food. Morning Star had sent plenty, even with the added company of Dimar. There were biscuits packed with cold ham, fried chicken, and big hunks of bean bread.
Joe and Dimar soon returned with cold spring water, and they all set about the meal, eating as quickly as possible.
When they were finished, Mandie and Sallie repacked the leftovers into the basket and returned it to the wagon.
"Joe and I will get more water for the horses, and then we will leave," Dimar said. "And will you wedge large rocks behind the wheels of the wagon so it does not accidentally roll away? I do not think it would, but there is no point in taking any chances," he added to Jonathan.
"I'll help," Mandie offered, looking around for stones. By the time they had finished securing the wagon, Dimar and Joe had watered the horses, and they were ready to continue.
"We are not too far," Dimar said over his shoulder, leading the way down a rocky foot path. "I will let you know when we are very close, and then we will have to be quiet. I do not trust these men."
"And I somehow doubt they'll appreciate being spied on," Joe added, walking just behind Dimar. Mandie fell in step behind him, and Sallie, Celia, and Jonathan followed in single file, since the path was so narrow.
The sun rose higher in the sky as noontime passed, and after following Dimar through the mountains for what seemed like miles, he finally announced that they were close.
"They are just down this side of the mountain," he said, motioning for the others to follow him. "You will hear them and see them soon. Come, but we must be quiet now."
Mandie and her friends followed him as silently as possible as he led them down and around to a secluded, craggy overhang that looked down into the wooded mountain valley. She trailed Dimar as he crept forward and settled in a crouching position behind the boulders and saplings that littered the mountainside.
"There," Dimar whispered, pointing through the trees. Mandie followed his gaze and just barely made out the figures of men coming and going around the lower ground.
"What creek is that?" Mandie whispered, wondering if Deep Creek continued all the way there.
Dimar shrugged. "It is just a small mountain stream," he replied. "I think it is a branch off of Deep Creek, but I do not know for certain."
"I can't make out what they're doing very well," Joe said from her other side.
"Me neither," Mandie agreed. She looked at Dimar. "Is this as close as you and Tsa'ni got?"
He shook his head. "No, we got much closer. There are plenty of trees and undergrowth to hide behind once you get farther into the gap. The mountainsides offer plenty of cover."
"Let's go farther down," Mandie said. "I want to see what they're doing."
"Alright," Dimar said, "But it is probably best if not all of us go. It will be harder to hear and see only a few."
"I don't mind staying here," Celia offered. "I can't exactly sneak around very well with only one arm."
"I'll stay with Celia," Jonathan added. "But I want a fully detailed report."
"Good," said Dimar, while Mandie and her friends chuckled. "Then I will take Mandie and Sallie, and Joe, farther down. It is not hard, but Mandie, you must keep your head down. Your blonde hair is easier to spot in the woods than black like mine and Sallie's, or brown like Joe's."
Mandie nodded, and all four crept off of the overhang and stealthily made their way down, closer to the small encampment. Dimar led them through the trees until they were close enough to hear the men's muffled voices and see them clearly. He motioned to a cluster of boulders and leafy shrubs, and they crouched down behind them to conceal themselves, peering down at the camp.
Mandie counted six men, three of whom were conversing over by a wagon. Two of the men were working at unearthing a large stone, and the last man was sorting through empty crates stacked next to the wagon.
"They do seem to be moving things around, like Uncle Ned was saying," Mandie said in a whisper.
Dimar nodded. "Yes, they have uprooted several saplings and moved them since I have been watching them. I do not yet know why. They never seem bothered or in a hurry. It is good that they do not know we watch them."
"Do any of my people often travel along this area of the reservation?" Mandie asked, wondering at the ease of the men.
"No," said Dimar. "It is not good ground for our crops, and Deep Creek has all the water the people of the village would need. It is too far from Bird-town for any of them to have an interest in it. I suppose braves might hunt here at times, but that is all."
"I wonder what the crates are for," Joe said.
"If they are looking for gold, they will use the crates to carry it," Dimar said.
Mandie turned slightly to look at him. "You think they are looking for gold, then?"
He shrugged, his gaze fixed on the activities of the men. "What else would they be doing here? The gold you all found in the cave created a big stir," he pointed out. "Maybe these men think they know where to find more. I am sure there are more caves around here."
Mandie looked back down at the men. Dimar was right, she reflected, looking for gold was really the only logical explanation for the men's actions—but something nagged at her. If they were bent on finding gold, why didn't they have more tools? All she could see were two heavy shovels. If they planned to find gold in perhaps a nearby cave, surely they would have at least a pickaxe.
"Have they moved from this spot at all, Dimar?" Joe asked.
Dimar frowned thoughtfully. "If they did, it was not very far, and for not very long. They are always here when I am watching them."
That made Mandie all the more certain that they weren't interested in finding gold. If they were, wouldn't they be spreading out and exploring?
"Are they on Cherokee land, then?" Mandie questioned.
"It is hard to tell," Sallie answered. "They are very close to the border. But we cannot use that against them, even if they were. People are allowed to travel on our land."
"They don't seem to be doing much traveling," Joe pointed out.
"Maybe they are surveyors making a map," Mandie suggested. "Isn't that what those two men who were digging all over the mountain said?"
Dimar shook his head. "Surveyors would not dig up markers like they are doing and move things around."
"That's true," Mandie agreed. She paused for a moment and swept her gaze over the clearing. "I do not see any sign of Tsa'ni."
"No, I do not either," Dimar said. "I do not know if that is good or bad."
"No sign of that Indian either," Joe said in an undertone, exchanging a glance with Mandie.
Mandie let out a quiet sigh and leaned back on her heels. "I suppose we'd better be heading back to Uncle Ned's," she whispered. "We'll have to come back here tomorrow and watch them some more."
Dimar glanced at the sky and nodded. "Yes, you are right," he agreed. "It will take an hour, maybe two, to get back to Deep Creek. I will come back tomorrow morning and we can search for Tsa'ni." He peered down at the men for a moment longer, and then turned to lead the way back up the overhang, making sure they remained out of sight.
"There you are!" Celia said, when Mandie and the others had scaled back up to the extending mountainside. "Did you see the men? Or Tsa'ni?"
Mandie shook her head. "No, we didn't find Tsa'ni, but those men are sure up to something strange. I have no idea what."
Celia grinned. "Oh, but you'll figure it out, Mandie, if I know you."
"We'll tell you two all about it on the way," said Joe, "But for now, we'd better get back to the wagon and head for Deep Creek. My father and Mandie's folks will probably be there soon."
The others agreed and headed back the way they had come. Once they were safely out of earshot, Mandie's friends chatted amongst themselves, but Mandie stayed mostly silent. She was upset that they had found no sign of Tsa'ni, and she couldn't help feeling that those strange men had something to do with it.
Read and review (if you feel like it :P). And just out of curiosity, which was your favorite Mandie book in the original series? Besides Mandie and the Secret Tunnel, I always really liked Mandie and the Abandoned Mine and Mandie and the Seaside Rendezvous... but I love them all!