🌲🎁🍩Gift of a Mystery📖❄✨
by Ann 🎶
🌲🎁🍩Chapter 7📖❄✨
Frank and Joe woke up bright and early the next day, ready to interpret the maps they’d given to each other that would lead to their gifts. They studied them after breakfast.
“Hey, this is missing some of the trail!” Joe traced the route until there was no line.
“Is it?” Frank asked, not even looking up from where he was examining the map he held.
Joe jumped up from where he’d been sitting on the couch. He carried the map over to the large window, holding the page up toward the middle section where the curtains were pulled aside. Nothing like sunlight to reveal the answer!
He grinned as he spotted the trail appear. Nice!
Frank was decoding the clues on his map. There was a number ‘8’ that had him speculating on that intriguing clue. Did it stand for the number eight, the symbol for infinity, loop, two O’s or zeros together, or ‘ate’….He continued to consider various possibilities of what it might be and what it might mean.
James came into the living room. He observed the two brothers’ intense focus on the hand-drawn maps. “Such serious business! Do you guys still want to go to the Morton’s farm?”
They both looked up at him and simultaneously exclaimed, “Yeah!”
“The snow looks like it’s going to be perfect for sledding!” James gestured toward outside.
“Alright!” Joe hurried to go get his cold weather gear on.
Frank made one more note he’d been working on then went to get his coat, gloves, scarf, hat and boots on. It was going to be chilly going down that awesome hill at Chet and Iola Morton’s grandparents’ farm. It was right outside Bayport, a few miles from the Morton siblings’ own farm home.
“Let’s go!” yelled Joe as he rushed toward the front door of the Hardy’s house.
“Whoa, there, little buddy,” chuckled James, catching Joe’s coat arm as he soared by. “Let’s see here. Something just might be wrong with this picture.” He eyed Joe’s head. “Can you guess what it is?” He raised his right eyebrow and waited for Joe’s answer.
Joe, being a smart detective, didn’t have to wonder what James was referring to. “It’s not that cold out!”
“Hmmmm. I think it is and I think your mom and dad would want you to have a hat on.” Fenton and Laura had gone to some stores and to take care of several errands for a few hours.
“Probably,” Joe agreed reluctantly. His countenance brightened as he suggested, “How about my hood?” He pulled it up over his head.
“But what about when you’re flying down that supercool hill and the wind snatches it backwards? Like this. You’ll get cold!” James tugged Joe’s hood off fast in example of the wind.
“I’ll just pull it back on when I stop!” Joe smiled hopefully, nodding.
James smiled back, nodding, also, while saying, “Go put your knit cap on.”
Joe realized he wasn’t winning this one and he would just be wasting sledding time, so he went, got his hat and put it on as he came hurrying back. “Let’s go! What’s everyone waiting for?”
“You!” retorted Frank.
James had picked up his rental car the previous evening from the shop. He’d checked it over and found that the mechanic had done an excellent job. The rental place had had to agree and pay for the repairs. Now the car was in better condition than it had been since the rental company had first bought it.
“This is definitely much better!” James told Frank and Joe on their way to the Morton grandparents’ farm. He turned onto Shore Road and as he drove, he glanced over toward Barmet Bay. “That’s going to be some fun skating and ice boat racing when the ice gets thick enough.”
“Yep! It’s working in it,” agreed Joe. Both brothers were also watching the water, noting the ice forming along the edges. This particular section of the bay was down an embankment with brush, foliage, and snow also part of the scenic view. Coves and cliffs were all along the coastline. Even though they couldn’t see it from where they were, they knew Cabin Island was located a distance ahead, in Barmet Bay, beyond the point.
Frank was thinking about it as they rode along the shore. “Maybe someday we can go to Cabin Island and camp there – that would be awesome.”
“Be fun exploring!” Joe gave a nod, picturing it, also. “Very mysterious.”
As soon as they arrived at the farm, Dave and Marge Morton came out to greet them. They had hot chocolate and doughnuts ready for everyone sledding. Chet and Iola Morton were already there with their grandparents. Most of the cookie party crew was assembling: Biff Hooper, Callie Shaw, Phil Cohen, Tony Prito, Jim and Lily Fong, Perry, Tessie, and Paula Robinson, and Zeke Escapa. Everyone would be helping out that morning then all would enjoy the incredible sledding, including Grandma and Grandpa Morton.
James gave Dave and Marge the beautiful custom crafted wood shelf he’d made for them, which they loved. He had become instant friends with them when they’d met on a previous visit of his to Bayport. There were many people James had come across in his travels and adventures, and these two special people were among his favorites.
After they thanked him for his thoughtful and beautiful gift, they caught him up on Bayport happenings. He knew most of the information from Laura and the rest of the Hardy family.
“You should have seen your cousin,” Grandpa Morton told James. “She did a great job. Didn’t back down.”
“A real mama bear,” Grandma Morton smiled.
James agreed with that accurate description of his cousin Laura. He listened as the couple shared with him how she’d taken on a teachers’ association, that was funded by an evil group with an agenda of destruction, that had infiltrated Bayport Elementary. Like a warrior, Laura had led the fight against them in her own, quiet, but firm, persistent way, along with other parents, students, and good teachers brave enough to stand up against a powerful group. Decency, morals, and transparency, and real education, had won. The association had claimed to have the students’ best interests at heart, but they lied, as was revealed by their actions and policies they wanted to implement. The good people of Bayport had banded together in unity to stop them decisively.
Visiting and catching up accompanied them as everyone helped with various tasks. There was always plenty to do on the farm. The animals needed taking care of. The Mortons also had a winter garden they worked. Before the guests left that day, they would be given a variety of homegrown goodies, free from harmful chemicals and genetically modified organisms. It had taken a lot of intelligence and hard work to grow, harvest, and preserve the food, and it had been well worth it.
With sunlight shining down on them, there were many smiles and much laughter, playing outside, having a great time. The sledding time brought races and competition on the magnificent hill wonderfully designed for that fun activity. James had called it right earlier when he said the snow would be perfect for sledding.
“Woooohoooooo!” yelled Joe as he flew down the hill, slicing through the cold winter air on the sled.
Tony and Biff had a marathon of races going on, determined to go farther than the other.
“THAT was the longest! You can forget beating that, Tony!” Biff told him in goodnatured competition.
“You wish! I have the speed record,” Tony stated.
“Only for talking!” Biff laughed.
James and Dave took turns helping with the smaller ones’ sleds of carrying them up the big hill after they’d all been sledding. It was quite a trek back to the top. Some of them got rides on the sleds. One of the paths upward zigzagged slightly to make it a little easier, even though it was longer than a straight shot.
One of the times at the top of the hill, right after he reciprocated with a snowball at Tony, who had just thrown one at him, Biff paused for a second.
“Hey, it’s beginning to snow!” Biff grinned, watching the wintery precipitation coming down.
James chuckled, “The weather guessers did their usual thing. Getting it wrong. They predicted warmer temps and maybe a sprinkle or two, but definitely no snow! One of them even said that!”
“Looks like it’s going to stay around a while, too,” noted Tony. He liked the sound of that!
“Let’s get as much sledding in as possible!” exclaimed Joe, right as he pushed off on his sled and raced down the hill.
“Agreed!” James grinned, taking off after his second cousin.
While climbing back up the hill after another epic ride, the snow had started getting thicker. The Morton grandparents offered for any of their guests to stay if they’d like, after checking with their parents, of course. Some parents were already showing up to pick up their children. Chet and Iola had already planned on staying overnight.
“Fenton and Laura are expecting us back before dark, so we better get going,” remarked James. He glanced at the sky, where the snow clouds were there to stay for a while. He’d already called to let them know they’d be starting on their way soon.
The ride back to the Hardy home was cautious, but fun, seeing the snow bouncing around in the wind that was picking up. James’ driving skills were utilized as visibility had diminished much more since leaving the Morton farm. James was very thankful his rental had already broken down days ago and now had the benefit of a good repair, making it much safer. He didn’t want to take any chances on Frank and Joe’s safety.
He breathed a prayer of thanks as they drove into the Hardy driveway. Fenton and Laura had gotten home several hours earlier and were thankful when their sons and James were safely inside as the snow storm continued.
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Hardy and Drew Mysteries 