Mystery on Blizzard Mountain Read Online Free PDF Page B

explained. “I lugged it all the way up here when I first laid out the trail this summer. It’s metal to keep out mice, raccoons, chipmunks, and rodents. Everything inside is in metal, too, to help keep the smells inside the cabinet. That keeps any hungry bears away. If a bear can’t smell anything inside, it’s not going to bother.”
    “Wow,” said Benny.
    “We can make stew for dinner,” Violet said. “Bean and tomato stew. With rice.”
    “Good idea,” said Henry. He was hungry.
    “Let’s get to work,” said Jessie.
    When they had finished dinner, they settled into the bunk beds. The cabin was rough, but they were glad to be indoors. After their long hike, they had no trouble falling asleep.
    They had leftover stew at lunch the next day. “And we’ll have stew again tonight, too, if Bobcat doesn’t get here soon,” said Maris. She sounded worried.
    “If Bobcat doesn’t come, will we have to leave?” asked Violet.
    “No,” said Maris slowly. “We’ll do fine on beans for another couple of days, which is how long I’d planned to be here. It’s just that we’re going to get mighty tired of beans.”
    Benny didn’t say anything. He liked most food, but he was already getting tired of beans for every meal!
    After lunch, they walked farther up the mountain, helping Maris clear a section of trail. They cut back bushes and cleared away fallen trees. It was hard work.
    Late in the afternoon, they returned to the cabin.
    They saw no sign of Bobcat.
    Maris shook her head. “If he doesn’t come tomorrow, maybe I’ll hike back down the trail to make sure he hasn’t fallen or gotten hurt on his way up here,” she said.
    “What if he has?” Violet said, sounding more worried than Maris.
    “Bobcat can take care of himself,” Maris said. “Don’t worry. He’s trained in wilderness emergency rescue, just like all the park rangers are.”
    “Oh,” said Violet.
    “I’m hot,” Benny announced.
    “Me, too,” said Jessie in surprise. “I can’t believe how hot I am. Especially since it snowed the night before last.”
    “Hard work and sunshine,” said Maris with a smile. “Why don’t we head down to that stream over there and stick our feet in the water? That should cool us off.”
    At once the Aldens jumped up and headed for the stream. They lined their boots behind a log at the top of the little bank above the stream, then slipped and scrambled down to the water.
    “It’s freezing!” Violet squealed.
    “It’s so cold it makes my teeth hurt,” said Benny dipping one toe in and then the other.
    They stood on the rocks in the warm sun and played in the water, being careful not to get anything more than their toes wet. Maris sat nearby laughing. She splashed cold water on her face and lifted it to the sun. “This is one of the reasons I like working in this park,” she said.
    “I’m going to be a park ranger when I grow up,” Benny said. “And a detective.”
    “Oh, Benny,” said Violet.

    They skipped stones on the water and made boats out of leaves that they sent swirling downstream. Violet gathered a collection of pretty colored rocks from the stream.
    “Look!” said Benny suddenly. “Gold!” He held out a sparkling rock. They all came to peer at it.
    “I’m afraid not, Benny,” said Maris. “Those sparkling chips are mica, not gold.”
    “It’s pretty anyway,” said Violet.
    “Here. You can have it for your rock collection,” said Benny generously.
    “That’s nice of you,” Maris said. “And I have something you can add to your collection.”
    “What collection?” Benny asked, puzzled.
    “Your collection of knowledge,” Maris said teasingly She bent over and showed the Aldens a small plant with waxy round leaves. It grew close to the earth. Maris broke off a leaf and rubbed it between her fingers. “Smell,” she said.
    Violet took a cautious sniff. “Peppermint?” she asked.
    “Nooo,” said Jessie.
    “Gum. It smells like chewing gum,” Benny