things.â
âThatâs what Andy Watts said,â Violet piped up. âHe told us we should go home.â
Doris got to her feet. âMaybe it would be best if you left,â she said. âIâll be happy to help you pack up right now.â
âOh, no, thank you, Doris,â Grandfather said. âWeâre staying.â
âWell, I was just thinking of you,â Doris said firmly. âIt canât be much fun putting up with all that noise and such.â
âCan you stay and have breakfast with us?â Jessie asked.
âI have to get back,â Doris answered. âI have some ⦠business to take care of.â At the edge of the camp she turned to face them. âI wish youâd change your mind about leaving, James.â
Grandfather laughed. âAn Alden doesnât change his mind easily,â he said.
Doris frowned. âAll right,â she said, âbut you may be sorry.â
âWhat did she mean by that ?â Violet asked when Doris had gone.
âOh, thatâs just Dorisâs way,â Grandfather said. âShe was always very serious.â
âWe should put her on our list,â Benny said.
âList?â Grandfather asked.
âWe were trying to decide who could be doing all those strange things,â Henry explained.
âWe forgot about Doris,â Jessie added.
âWell, you can keep her off your list,âGrandfather told them.
âBut she did act strangely,â Henry said.
âShe didnât sound at all surprised about the missing pancake mix or any of the other things,â Violet said.
Mr. Alden shook his head. âItâs not Doris,â he said. âShe would never think of such things.â
The children had a wonderful time playing in the forest and taking care of Grandfather that day. Only at night when the music sounded and the lights appeared did they think about solving the mystery. But, by then, they were too tired to try to figure things out.
The next morning, Jessie noticed they were low on bread. âThatâs strange,â she said. âI was sure we had enough for a few more days.â
âSomeone must have taken it,â Benny said.
Henry said, âI guess weâll just hike to the store for more.â
âNot me,â Benny said. âI want to stay here. Grandfather promised to read me a story.â
âYou and Violet go,â Jessie suggested. âBenny and I will stay with Grandfather.â
She made a grocery list, and Violet and Henry set off toward the store. They met the Changs in the parking lot. They were packing their van.
âAre you leaving already?â Henry asked.
âYes, we are,â Mr. Chang answered.
âAnd none too soon,â Mrs. Chang added. âWith all that loud music, we havenât had a decent nightâs sleep since weâve been here.â
Violet was surprised. âBut I thought you hadnât heard the music.â
âWe didnât hear it the night you mentioned,â Mr. Chang told them. âWe were too tired to hear anything that night.â
âThere were those mysterious lights in the forest,â Mrs. Chang said. âAnd our food is missing. Itâs been no picnic; thatâs for sure!â
âThe last straw was finding an arrow holding a message in a tree at the edge of our camp,â Mr. Chang said.
âThe same things have happened to us!â Violet told them.
âWell, weâve had enough,â Mr. Chang said. âBe careful. Something is very wrong here.â
CHAPTER 14
Hildy Disappears
A t the store, Doris was pacing the floor. âYou didnât see Hildy anywhere along the way, did you?â she asked Violet and Henry when they arrived.
âNo, we didnât,â Henry said. âWere you expecting her?â
âThis is her shopping day,â Doris answered. âShe always comes in early so she wonât run into any
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