Chapter Thirty-Nine

Digging For Gold

"Blast!" Daniel materialised to lean back in his chair next to Carolyn with his legs crossed at the ankle and his arms folded. He looked the very picture of annoyed frustration.

"What happened?" Carolyn looked up from her typing. "Did you find Lucius and ask him to help us with Harriet? We do need her out of the house while I talk to my mother."

Daniel compressed his lips. "He sends his apologies, but he said he's far too busy to attend."

"He's never been that busy before. I wish he would help us with this scheme of yours," Carolyn worried.

"He said he would but he's been called away on urgent business for the Admiral. He won't be able to make it back in time. Blast the ghost! He drinks my best Madeira, smokes all my cigars and then vanishes on me."

Carolyn indicated the typewriter beside her. "Well, he has gone to great lengths to help us with our work. We guess we can't expect him to be at our beck and call all the time."

"No…" Daniel unfolded his taut frame to rest his elbows on his knees. "I suppose not. But where am I going to find another ghost at such short notice? The children will be home from school soon and we need someone discreet to bury the treasure for Harriet to find and dig up."

"Surely Lucius is not the only ghost you know?" Carolyn reasoned. "I mean there must be others."

"Of course, there are." Daniel waved an impatient hand. "But we need someone who can follow orders and not think for himself. And can come here at a moment's notice."

"Ah, you do know one such ghost," Carolyn offered. "And he follows your orders to the letter. He would give his life for you if he wasn't already dead."

Daniel sat up, frowning. "Who?"

Carolyn smiled sweetly. "You know who."

"I…" Daniel's frown deepened and then his brow cleared. "Oh no, that won't work. That ghost is a complete buffoon. He'll ruin everything and make Harriet so suspicious she will never leave."

"Of course, it will work. You just have to give him a chance to prove himself and make sure he knows what to do. And besides what choice do we have?"

"Applegate…" Daniel raised his eyes to the ceiling. "I do not believe it. I hoped never to see him again until the summer. And we would be going out to the camp, not asking him to come here."

"As you said we don't have a lot of time. And he would be thrilled to get the call. We'll just have to make the best of it. So go on, call him or do whatever it is that you need to do to bring him here."

"All I have to do is think about seeing him." Daniel sighed. "Which is something I try very hard not to do. Then we just have to wait for him to show up. Though he may not even get that right."

"With Mr Peabody to help him, I'm sure he can find his way here. You said they found their way back to the camp last time they were here when Wilkie appeared to try and find you. Elroy did exactly as you instructed him."

"I'll admit he is doing an excellent job on keeping the camp ship-shape and Bristol fashion. And he's repaired that sailboat and made her ready to go to sea."

"There you are then. Elroy can be trusted. You just need to show a little faith in him."

"Well, we can only hope he gets here in time. There's not a moment to lose."

As he spoke the sound of moaning suddenly seemed to emanate from the very walls and floor of the bedroom. The spectral sound increased in volume and intensity as something moved further into the room. Beside it came the hissing and snarling sound of a disembodied feline.

"Applegate!" Daniel snapped angrily. "Stop showing off and materialise before I have you flogged!"

"Aye, aye, Sir!" With a lot of confused huffing and puffing, Able Seaman Elroy Applegate slowly materialised.

He was still dressed in his ill-fitting uniform of a nineteenth-century seaman, complete with its crumpled tasselled cap. From long habit, he immediately reached down to pull up the slack, striped sock on his right leg before snapping to quivering attention and saluting shakily.

Beside him, Mr Peabody materialised to sit staring at them with wide green eyes. He yawned, showing a full set of gleaming white fangs.

"Able Seaman Fourth Class Elroy Applegate reporting for duty again as you ordered, Sir," Applegate said happily, grinning from ear to ear. "Ready and willing to do whatever you say, Sir. I request your permission for me and Mr Peabody to come aboard, Sir."

"Permission granted," Daniel replied, dropping his head into his hand with a groan. "I know I'm going to regret this."

"Hello, Elroy. How are you?" Carolyn smiled at the unlikely pair.

Applegate immediately saluted her. "Oh, ship-shape and Bristoled all the way, my Captain's pretty lady, Ma'am. Nothing for you to worry your pretty head about. Elroy Applegate and Mr Peabody have never let anyone down. I'm so glad my lovely peoples need me again."

His brow wrinkled. "You do need me, right? I want to be needed. I live to be needed. This isn't just a social call? I mean, I would like that, visiting with my peoples. It's been so lonely all the way out there at that camp, all by myself."

Mr Peabody yowled his complaint. He fixed his master with a disgusted glare.

"Well, yes, of course, you do count too," Elroy hurried to reassure him. "But my peoples are my peoples and they need my help too. And summer's coming soon. Then the camp'll have peoples again. Right, Sir?"

"Yes, we need you and talking about the camp can wait. This is business," Daniel replied with resignation. "You are to do exactly as ordered. Nothing more, nothing less. On your honour as an able seaman."

"Oh, Sir! Yes, Sir! Not one thing wrong will I do without orders, Sir! You can count on me totally, Sir!" Elroy saluted several times so hard he managed to knock a container of pens from the desk and tip over the vase of flowers, spilling water. "Oh, sorry, Sir. I'll fix it."

"Leave it!" Daniel stared at him with resignation. "I just know this is going to be a bad idea but what choice do we have?"

"None…" Carolyn began to giggle as she mopped up the spilled water with some discarded papers. "But Elroy has just given me a marvellous idea about how we may get rid of Harriet. She also lives to be needed."

"What idea?" Daniel frowned at her. "Will it work?"

She grasped his arm. "I'll tell you all about it later."

"Well, for now, we have no choice at all if we are the have a moment's peace," her husband replied as he reached to pick up a small, very dirty canvas bag from the desk. "Now this is what we want you to do for us, Elroy…"

※※※※※

"But you've just gotta come down to the beach with us, Cousin Harriet," Candy pleaded. "We can't do it all on our own. We need a lookout in case someone comes and sees what we're doing."

"But it's cold outside and the beach is so full of all that sand," Harriet protested, shuddering as she drank her coffee at the kitchen table. "I couldn't possibly. I'm sure your mother needs me to be here for her. She's looking tired."

"No, she isn't and no, she doesn't," Jonathan replied. "She said she had a lot of work to do on the Captain's memoirs and we weren't to disturb her this afternoon. Please, Cousin Harriet, come with us. It's a sunny day outside. You could use some fresh air."

Harriet cast a worried look through the kitchen window as the warming sunshine. "Why should I? What's in it for me?"

Candy looked from right to left to check they were alone. "Maybe something more like this…" She dipped her hand into her skirt pocket and brought out three sand-covered gold coins.

"Or even like this…" Jonathan extracted a small silver ring from his pocket and showed it to Harriet. It sat on the palm of his hand, set with a gem that sparkled green fire in the sunlight.

"Ohhh…" Harriet looked both right and left before she leaned closer. "Where did you find these?"

Candy sighed. "Down at the beach. There's a hole in the rocks we've been exploring. That's what we've been trying to tell you. We found this place a couple of days ago. Now we need to dig to see if there's anything else before someone else finds it."

Harriet looked torn. "Why don't you ask the Captain to go with you? He likes sand. I'm sure he can dig better holes than me."

Candy returned the coins to her pocket. "Because he's upstairs helping Mum with his memoirs from his journals. They said we're not to bother them. And we need to go down to the beach now."

"Those memoirs are such troublesome things," Harriet complained, finishing her coffee. "It's just like the last time I was here. I know I heard a man's voice in her room, but she denied it. I swear I didn't know what to say or do."

Jonathan shrugged. "It was probably the Captain. He was always popping in and out. We never knew when we'd see him."

"Most unseemly." Harriet clicked her tongue. "They weren't even married then. And how could he have gotten into her room? I didn't pass him on the stairs. Besides, I would have known if there was a man in the house. I know he smokes a pipe because I found it in the living room."

Candy gasped. "Look out, Martha's coming back. Are you gonna come down to the beach with us or not? We need you."

"Well, if you need me…" Harriet sighed tragically. "But mind now, no crabs or fish or anything nasty. And I'll need my sunhat. My skin is so delicate."

"We won't," Jonathan promised brightly, quickly pocketing his gem just as Martha entered the kitchen by the back door carrying a basketful of washing.

"What are you two kids up to?" she asked suspiciously. "I hope you're not annoying Cousin Harriet now. Maybe you'd better run along outside and play. I'm sure Harriet won't mind giving me a hand with scrubbing out the kitchen. It's in sad need of a good going over. Then there's this washing to fold and the dinner to get ready. I could sure use a hand with it all."

"Oh, um… That's all right…" Harriet stared around at the gleaming kitchen not sure what the housekeeper was talking about. "I'll take the children down to the beach. I could do with some fresh air and sunshine. I'm sure we won't be long."

Martha frowned dubiously. "Well, only if you're sure. I wouldn't want you to get all tired out now, running after those two."

"Oh, I love the beach," Harriet lied briskly. "And the children are so sweet. I'm sure we won't come to any harm."

"Come on, Scruffy. Let's go," Jonathan called to his dog and gave Martha the thumbs up behind his back as the two children shepherded their quarry towards the front door.

Harriet could still be heard complaining and questioning as they walked away down the front path. Scruffy's excited barking added to the din of their departure.

Martha walked quickly to the bottom of the stairs, listening to the three voices getting fainter. She then turned and hurried up the stairs to poke her head around the bedroom door.

"The coast's clear. She went with the kids when I threatened to put her to work scrubbing out the kitchen. You should have seen her face. But she wasn't all that keen on being down there for long, so you'd better be quick."

"Thanks, Martha." Carolyn nodded as she reached for the telephone on her desk.

"Courage, my love." Daniel squeezed her hand. "Once we get this behind us and Harriet gone, we can breathe easy and relax."

"I hope and pray you're right," Carolyn sighed as she began to dial. "As I said, Elroy gave me an idea. I've been thinking about Harriet and the best way to send her back home. I'm sure I can do it."

※※※※※

"It's right over here, Cousin Harriet…" Candy indicated a small cutting at the base of the rocky headland.

"It doesn't look very big," Harriet replied dubiously.

"Scruffy dug his way in there easily," Jonathan supplied helpfully. "There's a hole in the back of the rock. We covered it up again so no one else would find it."

The dog proved it by hurrying forward to begin digging in the loosened sand at the base of the cutting, growling as he did so. He soon uncovered a larger opening.

"Looks like he's after something more than treasure and he's making such a mess," Harriet complained, as the dog kicked sand over her shoes. "Can't you kids stop him?"

"Maybe he smells something like a bone or a dead animal." Candy turned her head to grin at Elroy and his cat, standing behind them, watching anxiously. The cat bristled and hissed.

Elroy dragged off his cap. "Mr Peabody says he's really sorry. But he doesn't like dogs and he can't help it. They make him spit."

"It's okay," Candy reassured him in a whisper. "All done?"

"All done," Elroy confirmed, beaming with pleasure. "I did good?"

"Very good," Candy confirmed, giving him the thumbs up behind her back.

"I just can't see why anyone would want to bury anything in there," Harriet complained. "This is a silly goose chase. I think we should go back now before your mother wonders where we are and starts to worry."

"Martha knows, she'll tell her," Jonathan replied. "Just give it a little longer, Cousin Harriet. Maybe you should get down there and have a look inside."

Harriet shuddered. "But it's so dirty and dark and sandy. Why don't one of you two look inside? You're smaller."

Candy sighed. "Because we're only kids. They won't believe us if we say we found the treasure. But they'd believe you because you're an adult. Please, Cousin Harriet. It won't take long. Like you said, it's not a very big hole. Don't you want to find something in there?"

"Oh, very well…" Harriet sank to her knees beside the dog.

"Come away from there, Scruffy," Jonathan commanded, calling the dog to him.

The animal backed up reluctantly, still growling. Mr Peabody hissed his indignant reply.

"You'd better go, Elroy," Candy whispered. "We can handle it from here."

"You sure?" Elroy looked disappointed. "I like being with my peoples. I wanted to see the pirate treasure."

"It's just a few old coins and such. It's not really treasure. We just needed to get Harriet out of the house for a while so Mum can have some peace and talk to her Mum."

"Oh, all right then." Elroy sighed gustily. "I guess the Captain and his pretty lady won't mind. I get to see you all when you come to the camp for the summer."

His expression brightened. "Able Seaman Fourth Class Elroy Applegate and Mr Peabody signing off, Master Muir!" He saluted before slowly dematerialising with a lot of determined huffing and puffing.

Mr Peabody rolled his eyes, still hissing his complaint as he followed. Scruffy sneezed his disgust as he stared after them.

※※※※※

"Oh, my darling girl, thank you so much for such wonderful news! I'm so very pleased for you and Daniel. I'll tell your father the very minute he comes in from his round of golf. I know he'll be thrilled. How are you? Is everything all right?"

"I'm fine, Mother. There's nothing for you to worry about. I'm in very good hands. I've been given an appointment in Bangor in two weeks to see my new ob-gyn doctor."

"I know you're in good hands, then, dear. And you have Harriet there with you. She must be a great comfort for you at this delicate time. Give her my best."

Carolyn shook her head at her husband. "I haven't told Harriet yet. I will when I'm ready. And you won't tell her or Hazel. Please, Mother, do this for me."

"Very well, dear. I suppose you do know best. I won't say a word to anyone but your father until you give me permission. But I can't see why they have to be kept in the dark."

"I'll explain it to you another time. For now, I have to tell you that Harriet really should be back in Philadelphia."

"Why is that, dear? She only wants the best for you, especially now that you're in your delicate condition. She could be a great help to you and Daniel."

"And I appreciate that, I truly do." Carolyn tightened her grip on her husband's hand. "But we can't possibly keep her with us when there's someone else who really misses her and needs her back in the city. She was telling me all about Owen just this morning. Of how he's in such a dreadful state with his upcoming trail and everything. She's so worried about him."

"You devious minx…" Daniel whispered softly, quickly kissing her cheek. "Why didn't I think of that?"

Carolyn covered the mouthpiece of the receiver with her hand as she softly replied, "Because you didn't hear the way she talked about him this morning. I think she's already half in love with him."

Daniel rolled his eyes with a groan. "Two peas born in the same pod. They are welcome to each other."

"Yes…" Carolyn nodded as she went back to listening to her mother.

"Oh, yes, Carolyn. Owen needs her, but he didn't want to be greedy if you needed her more. He's always put others first. And Harriet is such a good-hearted and caring soul. Owen says that all the time. She's been a real support to him at this awful time. Of course, we all know how much he loved you. I had such hopes for you two…"

"Yes, well, that's all in the past now, Mother. I have Daniel and I'm very happy. And if Owen feels he needs Harriet more," Carolyn managed to say without a tremor in her voice. "My dear cousin always means well. But I am sure Owen's need is far greater than ours."

"Very well, I'll leave it up to your discretion, dear. I will say Harriet has been a wonderful support to Owen at this most difficult of times in his life. His trial is coming up. He told your father only yesterday he misses having her there for him. I do think he would be well pleased to see her return. Harriet does care for us all."

"There you are, then," Carolyn breathed with relief, giving her husband the thumbs-up signal. "Thank you, Mother. I will tell Harriet that Owen needs her and wants her to come back immediately to support him. That will make her very happy and I am sure she will be home in no time."

"And your wonderful news? Will you tell her before she leaves? You really do need to tell her."

"Yes, I will, Mother. But I will also tell her that Owen has the greater need right now. I'm sure you understand."

"Of course, dear. Though Harriet did express her ongoing concerns over those memoirs of the Captain's. She said she heard you reading some of it out loud. She does worry that they were rather too racy and intimate. Do you still plan on publishing them? I mean, surely if they're not fit to be read by strangers…"

"Oh yes, we will certainly be publishing those journals as soon as we find the time," Carolyn assured her blithely, earning herself another wry look from her husband. "Please hug Father for me and I love you. Goodbye."

"Very well, I suppose you know what to do for the best. Goodbye, dear. Please take care of yourself. We love you too. We'll come to see you as soon as we can get away."

"Well, that went a lot better than I expected." Carolyn replaced the receiver into its cradle with a long sigh of relief. "And she didn't ask too many questions."

Daniel placed his hand over hers. "Maybe Emily has finally learned her place in your life and when not to interfere."

"Maybe…" Carolyn allowed cautiously. "But she still sent Harriet to spy on us. Whatever Harriet may say to the contrary. There's only one reason she's here and that's to uncover any gossip."

"Yes and she's still championing that blasted Owen Mitford. Him I would gladly keelhaul and then feed his carcass to the sharks."

"Yes, but he has his own worries for now thanks to you and Lucius. Once we tell Harriet how much Owen needs and misses her then we can breathe easier. She will be packing her bags to hurry back to him."

"As soon as she's gone we shall pull up the drawbridge and drop the portcullis." Daniel nodded decisively. "That blasted Mitford is welcome to her. Maybe they should get married and then Harriet can bore him to death with her prattle and foolishness!"

※※※※※

"Is this it?" Harriet managed to extract a small, dirty canvas bag from the depths of the hole Scruffy had dug in the sand beneath the rockface. "Is this all there is?"

"Maybe he wasn't very good at being a pirate," Jonathan supplied helpfully.

"Oh, just look at me," Harriet exclaimed as she got to her feet, trying to brush damp sand and twigs from her clothing. "I think this has all been a very silly, wild goose chase."

She glared suspiciously at the two children and their dog. The trio managed to look innocent.

"What's in the bag, Cousin Harriet?" Candy asked.

"I bet it's nothing." Harriet pulled open the drawstring of the bag, tipping the contents up into her open palm.

A few coins and some gems spilled out, falling from her hand to the sand. "Oh, don't let me lose any," she quickly commanded.

Candy and Jonathan went down on their knees to collect the scattered treasure. They stood up with it all in their hands.

Harriet took it back from them, still looking dissatisfied. "It's not much to show for all that time digging in the sand," she said in a disappointed tone.

"But it is treasure," Jonathan insisted. "And I know Claymore Gregg likes treasure. Maybe you could sell it to him."

"Why should I? I might decide to take it back to Philadelphia with me."

"But if you go and show it to anyone else in the city then they'll want to take it off you," Candy told her. "But Claymore won't tell. He's already got all sorts of treasure he keeps in his safe. He's always saying if we find anything we can take it to him and he'll pay us in dollars for it."

"He does?" Harriet looked dubious as she returned the treasure to the bag and drew the string closed.

"We could go and ask him, if you want," Jonathan offered brightly. "His office isn't too far from here. We could go there right now."

"Right now?" Harriet questioned. "I don't know if that's a good idea."

"Yes, it is," Candy insisted, taking her hand. "There's no time like the present, the Captain always says. Now, come on, Cousin Harriet. Let's go before it gets dark."

※※※※※

Claymore looked up when his office door opened and the two Muir children walked in. Then he saw Harriet behind them and his face fell into dissatisfaction.

"Hi, Claymore," Candy greeted him. "We've brought someone to see you."

"I can see that," Claymore grouched. "Good afternoon, Miss Williams."

"Good afternoon. And please call me Harriet. The children insisted I come and see you."

"She found some treasure down at the beach and we knew you'd be interested in looking at it," Jonathan said.

"I might be…" Claymore stood up. "It depends on the treasure."

Harriet placed the dirty canvas bag on the desk. "I don't think it's much. But the children insisted I bring it to you."

Claymore cringed at the sight of the sad little bag. He knew what was inside and his heart quailed at the state his precious treasure must now be in. He wanted to scope it up and run for his kitchen and run it all a nice, deep sink of hot soapy water.

"What's the matter, Claymore?" Candy asked. "You not feeling well? You've gone all pale."

"I'm fine…" Claymore muttered as he took the bag in his trembling hands and managed to tip the contents out onto the desk blotter.

Sand, some twigs and a few small stones came with it. He shook the bag to make sure it was empty.

Harriet frowned at the small pile. "I said there wasn't much. But the children said you would want to pay me money for it."

"Yes, yes, of course," Claymore quailed. "I'll give you what is suitable."

He pulled out his wallet as he made a quick mental calculation of how much Harriet Williams would accept and how little he could get away with. He sorted an amount and held the notes out.

Harriet accepted them and did her own quick calculation. "I think they're worth more than this paltry amount," she said huffily.

"Very well…" Claymore whimpered as he added a few more notes to the pot and prayed.

"It seemed like it was going to be a waste of an afternoon." Harriet shrugged as she quickly pocketed her gains. "But I think I could get used to this treasure-hunting lark."

"Oh, I don't think there's any more down there," Claymore replied hurriedly. "I've been over every inch of that beach. You've had a lucky find."

"Maybe, maybe not…" Harriet eyed him levelly before she turned to the children who were watching the exchange with wide eyes. "I think this calls for a trip to the candy store, don't you? Then I think we'll get a taxi back to your house. I'm tired from all this walking."

"See ya, Claymore." Jonathan waved as the three of them and their dog left the office.

"See ya…" Claymore groaned as he sank down into his office chair to begin sorting through his own treasure. "Oh, what have they done to you, my precious darlings?" he cooed to the collection of gold coins and gemstones gathering them closer to his chest.

※※※※※