The Secret of the Scarecrow (6 page)

“Daddy, do you believe in scary stories?” Nancy asked as she set the table for dinner later that
day. “You know, like witches . . . werewolves . . . walking scarecrows?”

“Sure, I believe in scary stories, Nancy,” Mr. Drew said, throwing her a wink. “But only on Halloween!”

Nancy did the math. Halloween was over three weeks away. Not only was it getting dark early—it was getting spooky.

“And speaking of Halloween,” Mr. Drew said. “How about a trip to Granny Apple Farms tomorrow morning? You can ask Bess and George to come along too.”

“Thanks, Daddy, but we can't,” Nancy said. “The Clue Crew is working on a special case.”

Hannah smiled as she carried a bowl of veggies into the dining room. “When isn't the Clue Crew working on something special?” she teased.

“This case is different, Hannah,” Nancy said. “We have to solve it by Monday . . . or else.”

“Hmm,” Mr. Drew said. “I guess that is more important than a hayride.”

“Hayride?” Nancy asked. She loved hayrides!

“And picking out the perfect pumpkin,” Mr. Drew added.

“Pumpkin?” Nancy asked. She loved pumpkin picking!

Nancy thought about the farm as she folded another napkin in half.

“I guess the Clue Crew could use a break, Daddy,” Nancy decided. “And maybe some yummy caramel apples too!”

Sunday morning Mr. Drew drove Nancy, Bess, and George to Granny Apple Farms. The three friends sat in the backseat whispering about what they saw the day before. . . .

“I didn't sleep all night,” Bess said. “I kept thinking of that thing we saw outside my house.”

“You mean Jake McStuffings?” George said.

Nancy heaved a sigh. “There is only one scarecrow we're going to talk about today,” she said. “And her name is Autumn.”

Mr. Drew pulled into the parking lot.

“Why don't you girls go ahead to the pumpkin patch while I pick up some apple cider?” he said as they climbed out of the car.

“Sure, Daddy,” Nancy said.

Nancy, Bess, and George headed across the farm toward the pumpkin patch. On the way they passed stands selling apples, fresh veggies, and cider that smelled like cinnamon. Nancy was about to check out some colorful Indian corn when she heard the clip-clopping sound of horses' hooves.

Turning, Nancy smiled. It was a hay wagon being pulled by a horse. A bunch of smiling kids sat swinging their feet over the sides. Two girls wore identical pumpkin-colored jackets. Nancy recognized one of them from school.

“There's Leanne!” Nancy pointed out.

“She's with her little sister, Trixie,” Bess said. “I guess Leanne likes hayrides too.”

“How can she?” Nancy said. “She told Mrs. Ramirez she's allergic to hay.”

“Maybe the wagon is filled with straw,” Bess
said. “Leanne never said she was allergic to straw.”

“You're probably right,” Nancy said. “Now let's check out the pumpkins before the perfect ones are taken.”

The friends hurried to the patch. It was filled with pumpkins and kids trying to lift them.

“How about that one?” George asked, pointing one out.

“Too big,” Nancy said.

“How about that one?” Bess asked, pointing to another.

“Too small,” Nancy said.

“Okay, Goldilocks,” George joked. “Which one is just right?”

“How about that one?” a voice said.

The girls spun around. Standing right behind them was Harvey Mueller.

“Hi, Harvey,” Nancy said. She hoped he wouldn't bring up Jake McStuffings!

“That pumpkin over there is perfect,” Harvey said, pointing to a medium-sized pumpkin. “It's
the right size and not as warped as some of the others.”

“Thanks,” George said.

Harvey then turned to Bess. “You should get a whole bunch of pumpkins,” he said.

“Me?” Bess asked. “Why?”

“Because,” Harvey said with a grin. “They would look awesome on your porch.”

Bess stared at Harvey as he walked away. “How did Harvey know I have a porch?” she asked. “He never came to my house.”

Nancy watched Harvey leave the pumpkin patch. He was pretty mad when no one believed his latest story. How far would he go to make everybody believe in Jake McStuffings?

“Maybe Harvey did come to your house, Bess,” Nancy said. “Maybe he came to steal Autumn.”

“Why would Harvey steal our scarecrow?” George asked.

“Maybe Harvey stole Autumn so we would think Jake did it,” Nancy figured.

“Yeah,” Bess said thoughtfully. “How else would Harvey know I had a porch unless he was there?”

“That's why I think Harvey Mueller is our next suspect,” Nancy declared.

The girls looked all over the farm for Harvey but couldn't find him anywhere.

“He probably went home.” Bess sighed.

“Then we should go to Harvey's house too,”
Nancy declared. “After we pick out a pumpkin and go on our hayride.”

“I know where Harvey lives,” George said. “We went to his Halloween party when we were in first grade, remember?”

“How can I forget?” Bess groaned. “Instead of apples we bobbed for rubber eyeballs.”

Nancy remembered too. Harvey's house was four blocks away from hers and within walking distance.

After another hour of pumpkins, hayrides, and caramel apples it was time to get back to work. . . .

“Have fun at your friend Harvey's house!” Mr. Drew called from the car window.

George wrinkled her nose at the word “friend.”

“Thanks, Daddy,” Nancy called back.

The Clue Crew walked up toward the Mueller house. Nancy looked down and saw strands of hay scattered on the grass.

“That probably fell off Autumn when Harvey carried her here,” Nancy said.

The girls followed the trail around the Muellers' house. It stopped suddenly at the base of a tree.

“Huh?” Nancy wondered.

But when the girls looked way up, they gasped. Up in the tree was a tree house—a haunted-looking tree house!

“Cheese and crackers!” George exclaimed.

The tree house had a crooked wooden roof and windows covered with cobwebs. A ladder leading up to the door was made of fake bones—at least Nancy hoped they were fake!

“If the trail of hay stops here,” Nancy thought out loud, “then Harvey must have carried Autumn up to his tree house.”

George cupped both hands around her mouth. “Come on out, Harvey Mueller,” she
shouted up to the tree house. “We want to talk to you!”

No answer.

“Harvey?” Nancy called up too.

Still no answer.

“Let's go up and look for Autumn,” Nancy decided.

“But I'm afraid!” Bess wailed.

“Of heights?” Nancy asked.

“No!” Bess cried. “Of ghosts!”

“Get a grip, Bess,” George said as she grabbed the ladder. “Whoever heard of a haunted tree house anyway?”

The bony ladder creaked as George climbed up first, followed by Nancy and then by Bess. Soon all three friends were inside and looking around.

“Whoa,” George said.

Rubber bats and cobwebs hung from the ceiling. A green chair shaped like a monster claw stood next to a pile of scary books and movies. On a shelf were jars filled with rubber insects and plastic fangs.

“There's some more hay,” Nancy said, pointing to the floor. “But where's Autumn?”

Bess gasped as a rubber bat swung against her head. They were about to look around some more when they heard a loud—

CREEEEAKKKK!

The girls froze. It was the ladder outside creaking.

“Someone's coming up,” Nancy said.

“It's probably Harvey,” Bess said.

Nancy, Bess, and George walked to the door and looked down. Someone was climbing up the ladder. All they could see was a big straw hat. The same hat they spotted behind the hedge yesterday!

Nancy felt her knees begin to shake.

She hadn't really believed in Harvey's walking scarecrow story—until now!

“Oh nooooo!” Nancy cried. “It's Jake McStuffings—and he's coming after us!”

The girls backed away from the door. They grabbed anything they could find to throw at Jake—a monster mask, an alien action figure. George tried to pick up the monster claw chair, but it was too heavy. Instead she lifted the plastic jar of fangs.

“On your mark, get set—hurl!” George shouted.

Outside the door the hat came into view. Followed by the figure of—

“Harvey?” Bess said.

“Hey,” Harvey said, stepping into the tree house. Along with the hat he wore baggy overalls and a checkered shirt—its sleeves stuffed with hay!