Trying to update fast. :) Hope that this was fast enough.

As soon as the Joe and Tommy got back they went on their hunt. They all went separate ways, so as not to find the same thing. All of the things that they found were quite interesting. Joe, found a leaf fossil. Which I'll add, are very rare. Tommy found an eagles nest. Robert found a tree shaped like a chair, and it even had branches shaping armrests! And last, Mandie found a very, very, deep pit about ten feet deep!

They all drew pictures of what they had found as best as they could, and then brought them to Celia. She took them and looked at them for a while. After about ten minutes she decided. "All of the things that you found were very interesting, and it pretty hard to choose just one for first place. But I have finally decided. Third place goes to Tommy. Second to Joe and Robert. I just really couldn't decide which was better. And winner is Mandie," Celia confirmed. Joe smiled with triumph as he looked at Tommy.

"All right, since that is all finished," Mandie began. "Do y'all want to see what each other found in person?" They all nodded and agreed to do that. They first went to the one that Tommy found, and Joe climbed up high enough to almost touch the eagle's nest.

"Bet you couldn't do that!" Joe yelled down to Tommy from the top of the tree. Mandie smiled as she let out a sigh and shook her head.

After that they went to the tree that Robert found. They stayed there for a moment and used the tree as a throne.

"Mandie shall be the queen," Celia said.

"In that case, I will be the king," Joe said, stepping up beside Mandie.

"No you do not have to do that. I think I will be the king," Tommy said pushing Joe away.

"Ok, then. I will not be the queen. Celia shall be queen. I will be her royal servant, and Robert will be king," Mandie said. Tommy and Joe frowned and crossed their arms. Mandie shook her head and frowned.

Last, they went to what Mandie had found. They were all amazed at the depth of the pit. They looked down into it and they could almost not see the bottom, because of the cloud filled sky.

"See? Look at how deep this is! It looks like it is ten or eleven feet deep!" Mandie exclaimed.

"Wow Mandie! I thought that you were exaggerating just to win, since it is a little bit hard to draw a pit, but you weren't exaggerating at all!" Celia exclaimed.

"Yeah Mandie how did you find it?" Joe asked.

"I just looked," Mandie answered. "But I wonder who dug it. And why they dug it in our woods," Mandie wondered.

"Oh no! Here we go again. Looks like Mandie has another mystery to solve!" Joe said. "And let me guess, you want all of us to help, including me? Did I guess right?"

"Yup, you sure did!" Mandie answered. "Uh-oh! It's starting to snow. We'd better get back."

They turned around and went back to the house as fast as they could. They quickly went inside and took off their coats, hats, and gloves. They started walking into the parlor when a delicious spell met their noses. It spelled just like chocolate cake. They ran into the parlor to see if they were correct. Just as they had suspected there sitting on the parlor table was a beautiful chocolate cake.

"Chocolate cake!" Mandie and Joe exclaimed together. They walked into the parlor and sat down grabbing a slice as they went. "If there is anything it the world that I could never get tired of, it's chocolate cake," Mandie said. Joe nodded. "Me too." They started eating their cake and then after they had finished they stayed in parlor and hung out. Mandie looked out the window. The snow was falling fast, and the sky was almost dark, even though the sun had not set yet.

"The snow is falling fast out there. I hope that it stops soon, or we might not be able to get a Christmas tree tomorrow," Mandie said disappointedly.

"Yeah I do to, but it sure is pretty," Celia said gazing out the window.

"It is pretty, I know. But if it keeps up we also won't be able to find out who dug that pit," Mandie said.

They sat looking out of the window for a long while, when the snow finally stopped falling.

"Oh look Mandie! It looks like the snow is letting up a bit!" Celia exclaimed.

"Good!" Mandie said. "I hope that it doesn't start again, because I at least want to be able to go back and figure out who dug that pit," Mandie said hopefully.

"Do we have to come with you?" Joe asked.

"Yes! You sure do! And when Sallie and Dimer get here, that is if we haven't solved it by then, I'll want them to help," Mandie stated.

"I'll be glad to help," said Tommy.

"Thank you Tommy," Mandie answered smiling.

When Joe saw this he stood up and walked over to Mandie. "Well, I guess that it wouldn't be so bad to come. Besides, you will need someone to protect you."

"Well now at least you are coming Joe. What about you two?" Mandie asked Celia and Robert.

"I think that it would be fun to help solve a mystery," Robert said.

"And you know what my answer is every time Mandie. I'll always help with your mysteries," Celia answered.

"I know Celia. I can always count on you," Mandie said. "Celia, I am going up to our room to unpack my clothes. Do want to come?" asked Mandie.

"Sure," Celia answered standing. She followed Mandie up the stairs to their room. They grabbed their bags off of the bed. Mandie opened the wardrobe. They already had some dresses in there.

"I wish we had different dresses for the Christmas ball," Mandie thought. "Polly always has the best dresses! Oh well, the best thing is to have fun." She continued to unpack her clothes and hang them in the wardrobe. Then she pulled out her ball gown. Well not really a ball gown, just her prettiest dress. It was a bright blue dress with long flowing sleeves, and ruffles at the bottom. But Mandie still wasn't very happy with it. She knew that Polly would have some beautiful real ball gown. But Mandie didn't let that bother her right now. The ball was still a week away. Mandie finished unpacking her cloths and stood up. Celia finished packing as well and they headed back down the stairs.

A few minutes after they got back into the parlor, Liza came in and told them to come out for the noon meal. "Hey Missy Manda, has dat miss sweet thang showed up yet?" Liza whispered.

"No not yet, but I don't think that she is coming until tomorrow," Mandie answered.

They filled their plates and sat down at the table. They began eating. Now was Mandie's chance to tell everyone about the new mystery she had found.

"Hey guess what I found today?" Everyone stopped eating and looked up. "I found a pit ten or eleven feet deep!"

"Are you sure that you really aren't exaggerating a little bit?" Elizabeth asked.

"No she isn't Mrs. Shaw," Celia said. "She showed it to us. Right guys?"

"Yeah she did, and she thinks that it is a big mystery," Joe answered.

"I do not!" Mandie protested.

"Well we will see," Elizabeth answered. They continued to eat, and then Mandie began to think. "Why does Joe always have to be so obnoxious? He knows that I don't like it when he does that."

When everyone had finished eating the young ones went into the parlor to talk.

"Joe," Mandie began. "I didn't like what you said about me thinking that it was a big mystery,"

"Sorry Mandie, it was just a joke. But do we really have to solve every silly little mystery that you find?" Joe asked.

"Yes we do!" And if you don't want to help then don't!" Mandie almost shouted. "Come on guys let's go somewhere else." They followed Mandie out of the room.

"But Mandie. Wait!" Joe said. But they had already gone.

They went into the sunroom and sat on the couches.

"Mandie are you sure that wasn't a little harsh?" Celia asked.

"No I don't. He doesn't need to say things like that!" Mandie answered.

"Well can you at least apologize?" Celia said.

"No!" Mandie answered.

"Then I am leaving. Good night Mandie!" Celia said, and threw her head up and walked out of the room.

"Um. I think I will go with Celia," Robert said standing.

"Yeah, I am a little bit tired, so I think that I will go up to my room," Tommy said. When they left the room Mandie sighed. "Maybe I should apologize to him. But it is a little bit late now so I think that I will go to my room." She got up and left the sun room.

"Celia I am sorry for the outburst. I am going to apologize to him in the morning," Mandie said.

"Okay, but let's go to bed now," Celia answered. They changed into their nightgowns and jumped into the bed. Snowball curled up beside Mandie and they went to sleep.