The Mystery of the Monster Mountain - M. V. Carey [29]
“Mr. Smathers is an interesting person, too,” said Jupe. “I imagine he spends a great deal of time in the mountains, communing with nature.”
“You mean talking with the animals? I wonder, do they listen? But for him it is the first time, too. He says he wants to be here because we have so dry a season. He thinks he can help his wild friends to keep out of trouble.” Cousin Anna laughed. “Such an idea. Such a strange little man. Only I wish he would eat like everyone else and I would not have to make special things for him.”
Cousin Anna went out to the kitchen and the boys heard her opening cupboards and banging pots. They drifted out the front door of the inn and down the road past the pine grove to the gasoline station, where Gabby Richardson sat drowsing in the afternoon sun. Richardson opened his eyes as the boys approached.
“Have a good hike?” he wanted to know.
“You’ve been talking to Mr. Smathers,” said Pete.
“I wouldn’t say that,” Richardson told them. “He’s been talking to me. Seems to think I’m corrupting the youth of America by telling them monster tales.”
Richardson’s sleepy eyes narrowed, and suddenly he was most alert, most curious.
“What did you see on the mountain this morning?”
“We’re not sure, Mr. Richardson.” said Bob. “Something big. Some animal, I think.”
Gabby Richardson looked keenly disappointed. “Bears, most likely — or a bear.
You the one who fell into the earthquake fracture?”
Bob admitted that he was.
“Thought so,” said Richardson. “That sort of thing doesn’t do your clothes a bit of good. Not hurt, I see.”
“No,” Bob told him. “Just shaken up a little.”
“Got to watch your step in that wild country,” said Richardson. “You look like sensible lads. I’m sure you didn’t bother that bear any. No need for Anna Schmid to get so riled up about it. Or I guess I should say Anna Havemeyer.”
“She’s upset?” said Pete. “We just saw her and she didn’t seem upset.”
“Well, maybe she got over it by now. She stopped here for gas on her way back from Bishop, and that oddball Smathers had just been here, so I asked her if she’d talked to you after your hike. You may have noticed, I like to keep track of what goes on around here.”
“We’ve noticed.” Pete laughed.
“So she said her husband didn’t want you up on the meadow because of the bears.
Marriage sure hasn’t improved that woman. She’s gotten nervous as a city dude about those critters. I remember the day she’d charge out yelling and waving a skillet at them if they so much as sniffed at her trash.”
Bob looked startled. “Is that really a good idea?” he asked. “I mean, they are wild and …”
“So long as you don’t get too close to them, and you don’t actually hit them, it works sometimes.”
Bob looked at his watch. “It’s after four,” he said to Jupe. “I’m sure my dad will be home by now. I’ll put in the call to him.”
“Phone not working at the inn?” asked Gabby Richardson.
“It isn’t that,” Bob said quickly. “We just happened to be down this way, so I thought …”
“Sure, sure,” said Richardson. “Well, don’t let me stop you. You go ahead and make your telephone call. Me, I’m going over to the pizza house and have a bite. I know when to mind my own business.”
The man got up and ambled slowly out of the station and up the street.
“The day that guy minds his own business, I’ll eat my tennis shoes without salt,”
said Pete in a low voice.
Bob laughed and stepped into the telephone booth. After talking to his father for five minutes, he reported, “Joe Havemeyer isn’t listed in the Reno telephone book.
The credit bureau in Reno hasn’t come through with a report on him yet, but Dad’s friend expects it tomorrow. Dad will call his friend tonight and ask him to check on Jensen, too, but he says we are not to go off half-cocked and make any trouble for anybody, because if we embarrass Hans and Konrad or their cousin for no good reason he will akin us alive. We are to do nothing until we hear from him — except move out of the inn.”
“Oh?” said Jupiter Jones.
“He’s afraid we’re imposing on Cousin Anna, and I guess we are. There