Part 6 (1/2)

”Well, I guess the mystery of the haunted bridge is solved,” concluded George.

”How do you explain the moaning and the groaning we heard?” Bess asked. ”Did we imagine it?”

”No,” Nancy answered gravely. ”Those noises were very real, and so was that terrible cry up the ravine. And we know none of them came from this scarecrow!”

”You don't suppose we heard the creaking of the bridge as it swayed in the wind?” Bess asked.

”No,” Nancy replied. ”It's possible some prankster may be at work around here. Let's make a search.”

After the girls had investigated the area carefully they were more bewildered than before. There was no evidence of footprints in the vicinity of the bridge. Apparently no one had been there recently.

”n.o.body's around here now,” Nancy observed, ”but of course someone must have set up the scarecrow. But why?”

”There are no fruit trees nearby and no crops to be protected from crows,” Bess commented. ”It seems pretty obvious that someone wants to keep people from crossing the bridge.”

”Shall we go to the other side?” Nancy asked.

”The bridge doesn't look safe to me,” Bess protested.

”I think it will hold me,” Nancy said. As she cautiously stepped onto the bridge, the rickety boards creaked.

Bess shuddered. ”Oh, Nancy, please don't go any farther!” she cried. ”There's nothing to see on the other side.”

The young detective, her hands clenched around the wooden railing, edged her way to the middle of the bridge. Beads of perspiration dotted her forehead as the shaky supports swayed. Suddenly the railing billowed outward.

Bess and George gasped as Nancy paused, then deftly pulled the railing toward her. ”Please turn back!” Bess called. ”Let's look for your golf ball instead.”

Nancy did not want to upset her friends and gingerly made her way back to them. ”I'd very much like to find that ball,” she said. ”It's a prize one of mine. Jimmy Harlow, the champion, autographed it for me.”

The girls poked among the bushes and leaves for nearly fifteen minutes but could not locate the lost ball.

”Maybe it rolled into the creek,” Bess suggested.

Nancy, who wore a pair of st.u.r.dy shoes, scrambled down the muddy bank. After a brief search she realized she was accomplis.h.i.+ng nothing and was ruining her shoes. She decided to rejoin her friends who were watching from above. She walked along the edge of the creek looking for a place where the bank was not so steep.

Suddenly her eyes lighted upon a metal object half buried in thick mud. Excitedly Nancy stooped to pick it up.

CHAPTER V.

Exciting Discovery

”Is that your ball, Nancy?” George called.

”No, it's a piece of bra.s.s. I think I've found an old plate!”

”A bra.s.s plate!” Bess exclaimed in wonder.

Meanwhile Nancy had pried the object out of the mud and saw that it was not a plate but a small carved chest.