Mystery at Kittiwake Bay by Joyce A. Stengel

Author:Joyce A. Stengel
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aladdin
Published: 2001-12-16T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

They stole down the stairs to the vestibule where Cassie had first heard the wind howling its mournful song. Her stomach tightened as she closed the cellar door behind them, and they descended the steep stairs to the belly of the house. The farther down they went, the stronger the musty damp odor grew. Their lights illuminated only a pale path in the cavernous cellar. Cassie rotated her flashlight from side to side. Innumerable objects cluttered the granite and dirt floor—tall, narrow chests, wicker rockers, trunks, hat stands, a rocking horse.

“According to that booklet, there’s a tunnel that leads from the bay side to the house,” Marc said, his voice sounding hollow.

“And from the house to the ocean,” Cassie finished.

“Right. So there must be a tunnel entrance on the west side. Keep your light straight ahead. Don’t flash it up,” he cautioned.

“Why?” Cassie asked, immediately swinging the light upward. It showed great wooden beams that seemed to be moving. Cassie stared and focused the light on one spot. The beams were alive with shimmering hard-backed beetles. “Gross,” she muttered, shielding her head with her hand.

“I told you not to look.” Marc chuckled.

After what seemed an eternity to Cassie, they stood in the opposite side of the cellar. Here, there wasn’t as much discarded furniture, but one huge chest loomed in front of them.

“Why do you suppose they pushed this heavy thing all the way down here?” Cassie wondered aloud. “Marc,” she said, her voice rising with excitement, “this chest’s been moved recently. You can see scratches on the floor!”

“You’re right,” Marc said, flashing his light on the floor. He circled to the back of the massive piece. “Take a look at this, Cassie! I didn’t see this the last time I was here. The chest must have been on top of it.”

“A trapdoor!” exclaimed Cassie, her light playing on the circular iron door in the floor. “Come on, let’s go,” she added, impulsively reaching for the iron ring.

“Hold it, Cassie,” Marc said. “We might be getting into some real danger.”

“I know,” Cassie murmured. “But we have to find out what’s going on, Marc. And I think this will lead us to the answer.”

Marc nodded, and together they pulled open the trapdoor. Marc went down first, and Cassie followed, leaving the door open behind her. She didn’t want to be closed in. They descended on slimy stone stairs farther into the center of the cliff. A heavy silence pulsed in Cassie’s ears.

They stood in a tunnel about five feet across and six feet high. It branched in two directions. Cassie’s light shone along the stone ceiling and wavered into a mysterious distance. She started down the sloping passage. “I have a feeling this leads to the ocean,” she said.

“And the other direction must lead to the bay,” said Marc, behind her. “That must be where they smuggled the runaway slaves in.”

The air was heavy and humid. Cassie felt its weight clogging her throat. Her clothes stuck to her. The two proceeded in silence, concentrating on keeping their footing on the slimy, rock-strewn floor.

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