Mystery in the Cave by Charles Tang Read Free Book Online

how did you find us?”
    “Well, the rope snapped. On a rock I guess. I didn’t notice right away and thought it was still connected to your end. By the time I figured out that the rope had snapped, I was lost.”
    “Were you afraid, Henry?” Benny asked, holding his breath for an answer.
    “Not really,” Henry said, “but lucky for me all these caves connect. I found an exit out of the cave, all the way over by the Dragon’s Mouth Cavern. Then I ran back to the sinkhole entrance we came in and started our first route all over again.”
    “How will we get out if the tape is gone?” Violet asked. “We could get lost again.”
    Henry held up the roll of tape. “Not to worry. I just stuck on some more pieces as I came in, right up to this spot.”
    “Can we go outside now?” Benny asked. “I’m cold, and I want to finish my lunch where I can see what I’m eating!”
    “Me, too,” Jessie said.
    Just as Henry said, getting out was easy. Soon, the children spotted the daylight coming through the sinkhole entrance. They helped each other out, then plopped down on the grass.
    “We sure had a scare, didn’t we, Henry?” Benny asked, now that everyone was safe and sound. Then his eyes opened even wider than usual. “Hey, look! Joe Caveman is climbing out of the sinkhole!”
    Sure enough, when the Aldens looked up, Joe Caveman was pulling his sack up from underground.
    Benny ran over to him. “We got lost today and had to eat our lunch down there. Did that ever happen to you?”
    Joe Caveman didn’t seem to hear Benny. He went right on putting things into his sack. When everything was packed up except for a book, he tied the top of the sack and threw it over his shoulder.
    “Were you the one who took down our silver tape and moved our rocks?” Benny asked.
    Joe Caveman didn’t answer.
    Jessie held up the red shovel. “Is this yours, by any chance? We found it nearby.”
    Without answering, Joe Caveman just politely tipped the brim of his hat, walked right by everyone, then disappeared down the road.
    The Aldens looked at each other.
    “What a strange man,” Jessie said. “He tipped his hat, but he didn’t even stop to talk. I wonder what’s in that old sack of his, anyway.”
    “I don’t know,” Henry answered. “But did you see the title of the book he was holding?”
    “What did it say?” Violet asked.
    “ Treasure ,” Jessie said.

CHAPTER 7
Benny Meets the Monster
    That evening the Aldens decided to make a homemade dinner in their cabin. They made a delicious stew, and served it with hot rolls and salad. After dinner, they played cards out on the porch.
    After a while, Violet put down her last card. “Want to play another round, Benny?”
    “No, I want to eat another round. I wish we had some dessert after our dinner.”
    Jessie put her finger to her lips. “Shhh. You’re making me hungry again. How about a nice apple, Benny?”
    “Only if it’s in a nice apple pie!”
    Jessie laughed. “I give in, Benny. Let’s go down to the coffee shop for apple pie. There’s no point staying in a motel if we can’t go out for dessert once in a while. It’s getting chilly out, so bring a jacket.”
    The Aldens bundled up, then headed down the steps of Little Nose Cliff. When they reached the bottom, they noticed an empty, beat-up, green car parked under the streetlamp.
    “That’s the car that was here the night we arrived,” Henry said. “I wonder why it’s parked way over here? Our cabin’s the only one at this end of the motor court.”
    The children walked down the road. They had nearly reached the coffee shop when they heard a car coming up fast behind them.
    “Move over!” Jessie said to Benny and Violet before turning around. “That car is going awfully fast.”
    The Aldens jumped to the side just in time to see the green car whiz by.
    “Hey, how do you like that?” Jessie asked. “It’s the green car from the parking lot. I wonder if that’s what almost hit Grandfather’s