The Mandie Collection (37 page)

“Maybe,” Mandie said. “But she really wants me to learn how to be a proper lady.”

“A proper lady?” Joe laughed. “That's funny. I thought you were a proper lady already.”

Mandie giggled. “You know what she means. She wants me to learn how to put on the social airs.”

“I'm not so sure I want my future wife to learn all that nonsense,” Joe told her. “You might get so you think you're better than I am.”

Mandie jerked his hand. “Don't ever say that! That will never happen! You know that!”

“Let's hope it doesn't!” Joe said.

Rejoining the rest of the group, Joe and Mandie continued on their gold-recovery mission. But, somehow, they had to find a way for Mandie to get out of going to Miss Tatum's Finishing School.

CHAPTER TWELVE

THE CREATURES IN THE
WOODS

As the group got a glimpse of the wealthy Mr. Vanderbilt's mansion in the distance, Uncle Ned held his hand up signaling them to halt.

“Must be quiet. Go slow now,” he told them. “Into woods.” He pointed to a faint trail leading off to the left from the main road.

They followed him into the dark woods. The sun sank lower in the sky, and thick trees blocked out most of the remaining daylight.

The old Indian stopped in the thick underbrush and dismounted. “Leave horses here,” he said. “Bring rope, bow, arrows.”

“Joe, we must be awfully close now,” Mandie whispered excitedly.

“Yes, and you stay back,” he whispered, slinging his rifle over his shoulder. “I'll go ahead with the men.”

Mandie took Snowball in her arms as she and Joe joined the group around Uncle Ned. Dimar stood ready with one hand on his bow and arrows and the other on his rifle. Tsa'ni trailed along behind.

Uncle John spoke in a loud whisper. “We will move forward slowly,” he explained. “And when we spot the cabin, you young people stay back out of sight.”

“I would like to go with you,” Dimar volunteered.

“We'll probably need you boys later, but let us men handle things first,” Uncle John answered. “We'll let you know what we're going to do.”

They crept quietly through the woods until they came within sight of an old rickety cabin. Uncle Wirt pointed to the woodpile nearby. Running over to it, he held up one of the long cloaks the bandits had worn. It was just as Uncle Wirt's son, Jessan, had said.

There were three horses tied behind the hut, and an old wagon stood in front. The strong odor of fish cooking filled the air, and a faint sound of voices came from inside the hut. There were no windows in the hut—only one door, and it was standing open.

Uncle Ned slipped behind a tree on one side of the cabin, and Uncle Wirt moved into position on the other side. Uncle John hid behind a tree between the other two. The young people huddled together where they were, waiting breathlessly.

Suddenly Snowball jumped down from Mandie's shoulder and darted for the door of the hut. Mandie caught her breath and froze. When the kitten stepped into the clearing around the cabin, they all watched and waited anxiously.

Snowball walked straight through the doorway of the cabin. Immediately, there was a big commotion inside. The cat meowed loudly. “Hey, come hyar, you cat!” a gruff voice hollered.

Snowball ran out the door with a big, burly man close behind. He stooped and grabbed the kitten. Snowball started biting and scratching. The man shook him violently.

“You dumb cat! Bite, will you? I'll kill you for that!” he yelled.

The kitten managed to get loose, but instead of returning to Mandie, he ran in circles around the clearing. The man grabbed an axe from the woodpile and chased the cat furiously.

Mandie could stand it no more. She had to save her kitten. Breaking quickly through the underbrush before anyone could stop her, she ran into the clearing, intent on rescuing Snowball.

When the bandit saw her, he whirled and started in her direction. “How did you git hyar?” he bellowed. “Hey, you're that gal on the train with that cat, ain't you?” he said as he got closer.

Mandie began to chase Snowball, and the man chased her. Then, all of a sudden, a sharp arrow whizzed across the clearing and grazed the bandit's leg. He screamed and fell to the ground, clasping his bleeding leg.

A second man edged out of the hut to see what was going on. Uncle Ned and Uncle John rushed forward and knocked him down. With Uncle Wirt's help they tied him and the wounded man to a tree away from the clearing.

The third man, still inside the hut, called out. “What's goin' on out there?” There was no answer. He came to the doorway. But when he saw the others in the yard, he slammed and barred the door.

Mandie hurried with Snowball to the shelter of the trees. “Snowball, why do you always have to cause trouble?” she scolded.

Uncle John summoned the boys. “All right, come on if you want to help,” he said.

The boys followed quickly.

“How are we going to get that man out of the cabin?” Joe asked.

“We can shoot him out,” Uncle John suggested. “The cabin has enough holes in it to shoot through. Or we can just wait for him to come out. He has to, sooner or later,” he said as the two old Indians joined them.

“Why do we not burn him out?” Tsa'ni asked.

“Burn him out? Suppose the gold is in that cabin and it burns up,” Dimar protested.

“Gold wouldn't burn up,” Uncle John informed him. “Fire dangerous!” Uncle Wirt added.

“I agree,” said Uncle John. “He doesn't really have a chance. We're all armed. The odds are in our favor. Everyone get your weapons ready. I think we can get him to surrender.”

As soon as the bows and arrows and rifles were aimed and ready, Uncle John called to the man inside. “Come out!” he said. “We've got you completely surrounded, and we are armed.”

There was no answer. Everyone waited silently, their weapons pointed at the only door of the old shack.

Mandie and Sallie remained at a distance, watching and biting their fingernails, afraid someone would get hurt.

Slowly, the door to the cabin opened, and the last bandit, seeing all their weapons, hurried out into the yard.

“Don't shoot! I give up!” he called as the men and boys advanced.

Quickly, Uncle Ned threw his rope around the bandit, and Uncle Wirt helped tie him up. After leaving him with the other two, Uncle Ned and Uncle Wirt joined the others.

“All right, let's go find the gold,” Joe said, leading the way into the cabin.

The girls started to come forward and follow, but Uncle Ned waved them back.

“Stay!” he called to them, as he, too, entered the hut.

Mandie took the rope she was carrying and let one end dangle so that Snowball could play with it. Worry clouded her face. “What if they don't find the gold in there, Sallie?” she asked. “Those men might've spent it.”

Sallie laughed. “I do not think they could spend that much gold so soon.”

Snowball scratched around at Sallie's feet, throwing dirt everywhere.

The Indian girl looked down. “Why does Snowball keep scratching in the dirt?”

“I don't know,” Mandie answered. “Snowball, please be still.”

Then she saw what the kitten was playing with. It looked like a string, but when she stooped to pick it up, it wouldn't come all the way out. Part of it was buried under the ground. The more Mandie pulled at it, the more excited she became.

“Sallie, look!” she cried. “This string is attached to something underground!”

Sallie knelt beside her. “Do you think it could be one of the drawstrings on the bags of gold?” she asked.

“Oh, I hope so,” Mandie replied as both girls started digging with their hands.

They were right. Within minutes they had uncovered one of the bags of gold. And from the looks of the tangled web of strings, it appeared that the other bags were there, too.

Mandie picked up Snowball and the bag of gold. “Let's get Uncle Ned!” she exclaimed, heading for the cabin. Sallie stayed right behind her.

As they got to the doorway, Mandie shouted. “Uncle Ned, we've found it!” They all stopped their searching and gathered around her. “It's buried out there where we've been standing all this time,” she said, laughing.

With everyone helping it didn't take long to uncover the rest of the gold. After loading it into the old wagon in front of the cabin, they hitched up two of the bandits' horses. Then they brought the bandits back into the clearing and made them get into the wagon.

Uncle John looked at them with great satisfaction. “We're taking you into town and turning you over to the authorities,” he said.

“Mister, please don't do that,” one of them begged. “You've got yer gold back. Jest let us go.”

Uncle John climbed in beside them. “How did you happen to know about the gold anyway?” he asked.

“Well, it's sorta like this. We got some friends you'ins knows. Rennie Lou and Snuff. They still in that thar jail but we'ins got out. They was the ones what told us about the gold,” one of the bandits replied.

“Then we just hung around 'til we found out what you was gonna do with it. I acted like an ol' drunken bum and laid in that thar alley behind the bank in Bryson City while you'ins were loadin' it up,” he said proudly. “I heard the whole plan.”

“Oh, hesh up!” yelled one of the other bandits.

“Rennie Lou and Snuff,” Uncle John repeated. “The man and woman who kidnapped Mandie, Joe, and Sallie in the mountains and then tried to burn down your barn, Uncle Ned. Remember, we took them into town and turned them over to the law.”

“Bad people,” Uncle Ned said. “These bad people, too.”

“Take to jail,” Uncle Wirt told him.

So that's what they did. On the way into town, the young people rode their ponies behind the men, while Uncle Ned drove the wagon full of gold and bandits.

When they turned the bandits over to the jailor, he said he would summon the local doctor for the wounded man.

Then Uncle Ned headed the wagon in the direction of the huge bank in downtown Asheville.

Uncle John knew the banker, and it didn't take long to unload the gold and place it in the bank's vault. It would be safe there until they could start building the hospital for the Cherokees.

Since it was getting late and they had missed their hotel stay, thanks to the bandits, Uncle John checked them into the hotel in Asheville for the night. Early next morning they began the trip back to Franklin. Elizabeth and Morning Star would be waiting for them.

It was exciting to stay in the hotel, but Mandie was anxious to get home and tell her mother all the wonderful news. Yet on the other hand, she dreaded any further discussion of the school in Nashville.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

GETTING THINGS SETTLED

When the tired travelers finally reached Franklin, they found Elizabeth and Morning Star waiting for them in the parlor. “Oh, John, I'm so glad you're home,” Elizabeth said, greeting her husband with a hug.

John kissed her. “We're all dirty, tired, and hungry,” he replied, “but very happy to be here.”

Elizabeth looked over the entire group. “You young people had better get cleaned up,” she said. “Then go out in the kitchen and get a bite to eat. But after that, into bed, every one of you. You all need a nap—and no arguing.”

There was no protest. Mandie's eyes sparkled. “Oh, Mother! Isn't it wonderful?” she bubbled. “The gold is safe. We finally found it. The bandits are in jail, and the gold is in the bank at Asheville!”

“I'm glad, dear.” Elizabeth smiled. “We'll discuss your trip more after a while. Now go along with the others.” She waved Mandie on through the doorway to clean up.

Jenny and Liza weren't around at the moment, but Aunt Lou waited for the youngsters in the kitchen. The old woman smiled and put her arms around Mandie. “My chile!” she said. “I knowed de good Lawd gonna send you back safe!”

“Aunt Lou, we found the bandits and the gold,” Mandie said excitedly.

“I knowed you would.” The old woman grinned. “Now, y'all jest get your food waitin' there on the stove and then git on upstairs to rest. I'se got to take some of this out to Mister John, and Mister Ned, and Mister Wirt and Miz Lizbeth.”

The hungry young people gathered around the cookstove and began filling their plates, while Aunt Lou piled a large tray full of food for the adults.

Mandie and her friends could hardly hold their heads up as they ate at the kitchen table. They were too tired to talk—almost too tired to eat. They might have fallen asleep at the table had it not been for Aunt Lou's bustling in and out to wait on the adults. Aunt Lou finally sent them to bed, and they readily obeyed.

After that much-needed nap, as soon as Mandie could get away from the others, she hurried over to Polly's house. She had to make things right with her friend.

Polly sat on her front porch with her foot propped up on a stool. “Hello, Mandie,” Polly greeted her. “Aunt Lou told our cook that y'all had got home. Do sit down and tell me what happened.”

Mandie related the details of their trip to her friend and then fell silent.

“There's something you aren't telling me, Mandie,” Polly said.

“Yes, there is,” Mandie replied, twisting around in her chair. Her heart pounded as she tried to find the right words. “I don't know how to explain it, but I've had some bad feelings toward you, and I want to ask your forgiveness for being rude.”

“Bad feelings toward me? When?” Polly asked in surprise. “And how can I forgive something that I don't even know about?”

“I suppose—I got a little jealous of, uh, of you and Joe,” Mandie faltered.

“Me and Joe? That's funny.” Polly laughed.

“And then when you hurt your foot, I was glad you had to go home,” Mandie confessed. “Will you forgive me?”