A Ticket to Adventure / A Mystery Story for Girls

at lay at the edge of their claim. She was alone. "How still it is," she whispere

ce," she thought. She sh

ment. The rattle of elevated trains, the honk of auto horns, the d

e the water that has been rushing madly on comes to rest

orite words. How could one find them here? And yet, there was the cabin that lay just up

ed during their return journey from that f

e wondered about many things. Why had she come to this place at all? Because of her love for the little family, her relatives, Mary, Mark, and their mo

hey were such dreamy thoughts as come after a long day of toil. Th

ty to the wild romance of many people!

n into the North. For, as she sat there she seemed to see again the little man, Mr. Il-ay-ok, an

spread her arms wide. Seeking out the north star, she faced the lan

given my word. I am to help these others win a home. Adventure, th

e came a faint sound. It grew louder, c

The lake, the damp night air, the

t they were circling. They would land. She caught the rush of wi

y lan

rs. Pioneers lived off the land. Here was promise of roast goose f

rom its place beside the door. With her heart b

t last she lay, quite still, among

answer, save the distant flapping of wings. How

ght. "I can wait. Th

Far away loomed the mountains, close at hand spread the plains, and over all silence. Only now and again this silence

spots moved across that sheet. They came closer and closer. Thirty yards they were from shore, now twenty

here would be a feast. Romance? Adventure? Well, perhaps, a little. But much more was to come. She felt sure of that now. Her

pioneer feast. Thanksgiving in June! T

own baked potatoes, slashed and filled with sweet home-made butt

a hard life?" Mark drawl

h a glorious cook," Flor

der this, for all day long she had wielded a grubbing hoe, tearing out the roots of stubborn young trees. They were preparing thei

ke if one remained in this valley year after year. "A farm of your own," she thought, "cows,

Mrs. Swenson, a short, plump farm mother and old-time se

away in the town, gave her an enthusiastic welcome. The

s. Swenson insisted. "You don't d

room. "The Chicaskis-that was the name of the people who bu

the swish-swash stopped

n foot," she leaned forward in her chair. "They'd had a horse. They sold that to Tim Huston. So away

The little tin clock in the corner wen

her voice dropped to a whisper, "seven golden candlesticks. Leastwise, I always thought they was

e candlesticks, I mean. But that huge copper k

hose of us who've lived around here ever since have done a lot of snoopin'

settled back in her chair, "perhaps there's nothing to it after all. Mighty nice cabin, though," her tone changed. "Make you a snug home in winter. Not like these cabins the other settlers are building out of green logs. Them l

ed a silent prayer of thanksgiving to the good God who had guided them t

p of a gasoline motor. Mark was driving a small tractor, plowing their clearing. They were to ha

trees had been stubborn, some had been thorny. It had been a heartbreaking job, but no

ness for years to learn all about trucks, tractors, mine hoists, motor-boats, and all else that came within his narrow horizon. When he had aske

that," Mark gri

pay. He had come to this land to make a home for his family, and he was determined not to turn back. So here w

and was to stay for dinner. Florence had raised biscuits and a large salmon baking in the oven of the stove th

door, releasing a wave of heat and

ught. "He'll be the godfather of our

Gray haired and sixty, he stood straight as a ramrod, six feet four in his stockings. Strong,

steady going, hard working, dependable," had been Florence's ins

r, who adored him, agreed with him in every detail. The girl's brow wrinkled as she thought of Bill and his mother. How were such people to get on in a hard, new land? Bu

the broad, screened door, looking away at the lake

n, what shal

nd jolly one, just such a dinner as Florence could prepare. The day was wa

repeated, louder this tim

ome oats and barley for your cow. May not get ripe, but you cut it for fodder. Soy beans are good,

four thousand on our ten acres if we planted it all to po

imed. "You can't sell 'em. We haven't a market. A

it was again. Flo

n start. His face lighted as the earth lig

y. "Not tomatoes. You'll get huge vines an

h a slow, dreamy smile. "Bush

m in hurt surprise. "No t

n his face before two or three times and always something had come of

d. "The government's willing to provide us everything we need to eat or wear, and a lot of things besides. Mother and I

aim to work too fast on our old cro

n, "in the end we've got to

ly. "Got thirty years to

ed strangely short. And when the payments start, they'll be coming round with ominous regularity. Mark and F

said dreamily. "B

rom somewhere just out of their view had

a smile, for there before her stood one more odd character fro

d behind him came two other burros heavily laden with packs.

ner," Flore

kan prospector!" Bill excl

"People livin' here! That's bad for me. I've been

elcome. "We've got hot raised biscuits," she encouraged. "Hot ra

out of college then. Been prospecting for gold ever since. Found it twice. It's all gone now. But there's gold in them hills." His face lighted as he looked away at the

partly plowed field. "I've got to get back t

got an acre or two that's nearly clear. You get bus

ely heard. His eyes were

ing the same to

you got a hard forty to cle

s and weak minds, Dad and I have," he laughed a roaring lau

hed Dave an a

some of the folks in for a sing Sunday afternoon. Mary will play our reed

I'm no orator, but I might say a word or

ll!" Mar

tor. After laying out a generous supply of food, Florence retired to the kitchen and t

ing me a pick and shovel right now."... "Take your time about that, son," the old man cou

up there?"

don't bother 'em and

r them," B

other them." She remembered the high-p

ne. Here boys are tempted to go after big game, to search for g

Had she caught the gleam of gold on the horizon? Would she listen to the ca

heir mother, to assist them in securing for themselves a home. She would cling to that purpose. She

t I was a bear,"

said he'd been in Alaska since '97. That old man said

r," she h

mb Dale," the old

"You said you had been in Alaska a long time

t of us." He smiled oddly. "A little touched in

id he ever

r mind what year. They found gold, he and his partner

lorence

hey lo

it?" Flor

sled. No dogs. Stormed all that time. No trail, nothing. Got lost, nearly froze, but he ca

" Unbidden the w

"I said they lost the mine, ne

m Kenne

d it yet. But then," the old man sighed, "there's plenty of us like t

rike it rich-" he hesitated, then smiled a smile that was like the sunset, "I'll trade you gold and diamonds for raised biscuits and sweet butter." He sta

for the things they raised? As the months and years rolled on, would there still be no market? Fairbanks, a

s." Why had he insisted, why repeated this word, even after Mrs. Swenson had said, "no

ir that had, with so much labor, erected this cabin, clea

ettle." After that, in spite of her desire to be practical, she found herself searching the plac

nd-" She did not allow the thought to finish itself. She had been about to thin