A Ticket to Adventure / A Mystery Story for Girls

hose other things, the little cupboard in the corner, all carved out from logs with crude tools, but done so well for someone who has been loved-do you buy this too? And all the other

were talking. Already her aunt had come to love the company of t

rk! When Mark began going to the forest cutting dead trees and dragging them in with the tractor for the winter's supply of wood, she shouldered an axe and went along. Then how th

g evenings. She told of her own adventure on this very spot when the valley was all but unkn

e great copper kettle, the seven golden candlesticks and all else that had been left

w? This much was certain, she was not now in want. Florence had come upon her one afternoon unobserved.

tump. Over this, during the summer, morning-glories had bloomed in profusion. At that moment it was covered only by dry and rustlin

he mysterious Madam Chicaski were banished from the little fa

west. They were waiting at the water's edge, the Hughes family and Madam, when the pilot t

and get me?" the pilot invited a

in their small

I'm going to need some help. Just received a message by short

?" Mark

es

How about Bill, she was thinking. Despite his shortcom

ne hurt?"

bear," the man went on. "Something's gone wrong

to be Bill. He'd march right u

p him. What can we do?" Months shut away from the outside world had drawn their little company close together. Bou

he pilot, "that is," he hesitated,

ce?" Mary

ur brother, here, I am told, is a fine motor mechanic.

he words so often repeated

say?" Mark

ill work to be do

s a plain call of duty." Mark's

ame instant she caught the eye of Dave Kennedy. In those fine eyes she

ll, quite frail, yet altogether lovely. When their logs in their cabin walls had begun to war

e wood," Dave said huskily. "I only wish I might t

ed, looking away. "I'm sure it

We shall need blankets and food. We may

cart-load of supplies was carried to the

ntil you come back. I look after everything."

veryone." A moment later, for the first time in her life, s

gely beautiful world glided beneath them. Here a ribbon that was a stream wound on between dark green bands that were fringes of forest, here a tiny lake mirrored the blue sk

ks appeared. Hemlock and spruce, dark as night

ags, it seemed the most marvelous part of this dream that was not a dream. And yes-clutching

is the

swoop that set her head spinning, the powerf

reathed, and

he rocks to the left of them, the next t

t?" Mark shou

hed the surface of the lake, ther

the airplane taxied to a spot twenty feet from a shel

ed on the lake. Must have punctured a pontoon. No rea

xclaimed, pointing to a spot where two

own small lake not so many days before. In a na

d their pilot.

miles from anywhere in a frozen wilderness. Two disabled

ome, the man with a hard face, who hated all Eskimos, was there. She barely suppressed a sh

r long. The instant they reached the improvised camp she asked afte

fair advantage of me. He could run a lot faster'n any man. And he ran the wrong way. Funny part wa

rst place, probably he wouldn't ha

y not," Bill r

d him, "you'll have his skin for a rug

. That cabin leaks air. Soon's I get back I'll be starti

s her good fortune to return there in safety she would not ask for more. As for Bill, he had, she thought, brought all his t

a glowing campfire. Bill was resting well, would slee

nted adventure. Most young people want adventure i

wonderful after al

" his sist

Bill, we floated three large dry logs out to our damaged ship. We lashed them to the

t this very moment the thin ice on the lake was hardening, that they could not

ng?" she ma

erhaps a month. Depe

girl's head swam. Adven

on, "so many things might happen. A storm

ir. Yes, but we'll do our best an

ght. "We must trust

hannels. She tried to picture the folks at home-mother, quietly knitting by the fire, Florence, if she were

k of the missing copper kettle and the seven golden candlesticks? If so, what did she

back to our snug cabin and the joys of winter. How peaceful and

ns will come over in a bobsled, and the Dawsons in their home-ma

up training your dogs." Mark had befriended five shag

rry laugh, "there's the cat. What the dogs can't do, the cat can." (He wa

y thrilling to have a dog team. Wish we had it right

go wrong." Mark rose and ya

She knew their plans in a general sort of way. The gray plane carried skis. The blue and gray one had none. Mark and the pilots would work on the dis

McQueen says that so long as our adventure comes in the line of duty, Providence will see us