Sleepy Hollow Sleepover (8 page)

“Yeah, but by the time they figured everything out, Ace and Goose would be far away with the money,” Dink said. “She’s probably going to meet them somewhere.”

“But I still don’t understand why they burned the hay wagons last night,” Josh said.

“The way I figure, they wanted the cops to think the bank was robbed late at night, while we were all stuck in the woods,” Dink said. “Bonnie told Officer Klevor that the crooks came at midnight and took only a small amount of money, then left. The police would figure the crooks had over eight hours to get away and wouldn’t bother going after them.”

“Wow, that was some plan,” Hank said. “When the real plan was to hide the bags of money in the horse after
the vault opened this morning.”

“Right,” Dink said. “Bonnie must have told Ace and Goose that you were coming to pick up your horse. So they decided to take your truck so
they
could get the horse.”

“You got that right,” Hank said. “They jumped me outside my house. Made me spill my coffee! Next thing I knew, I was in this hole.”

Suddenly the paint sprayer motor stopped.

“What’s going on?” Josh whispered.

“Either they finished the paint job or they ran out of paint,” Hank said.

The four prisoners sat in the dark, listening. They heard nothing.

Dink had an idea. “Hank, can I stand on your shoulders?” he asked.

CHAPTER 11

“Sure, kid,” Hank said. “You got a plan?”

“Yes,” Dink said. “If I can move whatever they used to cover the hole, maybe I can run to town and get the police.”

“And leave us here?” Josh said.

“I don’t know what else we can do,” Dink said. “If we just stay here, they’ll get away with the money. We don’t know how long it will take the police to find us.”

“Yeah, maybe they were lying about letting the police know where we are,”
Ruth Rose said. “They lied about everything else!”

“Okay, kid,” Hank said. “It’s worth a try.”

Dink heard Hank position himself. “Okay, step on my knee, then I’ll hoist you up,” Hank said.

A minute later, Dink was standing on Hank’s shoulders. Hank held Dink’s hands so he wouldn’t topple off. Dink felt like an acrobat in a circus.

“You okay?” Hank asked.

Dink licked his lips. “Yeah, only I feel like I’m gonna fall.”

“You’re fine. I won’t let you fall. Can you reach the top?” Hank asked. “I’ll let go of one of your hands, all right?”

“Okay,” Dink said. He felt Hank release his right hand. Suddenly he lost his balance. “Hank, I’m falling!”

“Grab my head!” Hank said.

Dink’s free hand found the top of
Hank’s head, and he held on.

“Okay, you want to try again?” Hank asked.

“I’m ready,” Dink said. With his left hand still clutching Hank’s left hand, he reached his right hand straight up. His fingers swept the air blindly, feeling nothing.

Then they made contact.

“I think I’m touching the top!” Dink whispered.

“What is it?” Hank asked. “Can you lift it up?”

Dink dragged his fingertips along something rough and solid. He pushed, and the flat object lifted, but only slightly.

“I think it’s wood. Hank, I need both hands,” Dink said.

He felt Hank release his other hand. Then Dink felt Hank’s strong hands clamp on to his knees.

“Go for it, kid,” Hank said. “I’ve got you.”

Slowly, Dink reached both hands over his head. He felt himself swaying in the dark, but when he had two hands pressing against the wood, he regained his balance.

Dink steadied his feet on Hank’s shoulders. He took a breath and slowly pushed upward with his hands. It felt like the thin plywood he, Josh, and Ruth
Rose used to build a tree house in Josh’s backyard.

The flat wood lifted a few inches. For a moment, Dink was blinded by sunlight. The stink of fresh paint stung his nostrils.

He squinted and looked across the barn floor. He saw old farm tools and clumps of hay. He saw the rear of the truck, not far from the edge of the hole. Turning his head, Dink saw the mechanical horse on its side. He wondered if the money was still inside. The blue tarp was in a heap near the horse.

Dink peered under the truck, between the tires. He had a clear view of the old house. On its steps sat Ace and Goose. Several bank bags were on the ground. They were counting the money!

No way am I going to be able to run for help
, Dink said to himself. He knew they’d grab him before he took two steps.

Then Dink made another discovery. One of the truck tires was only inches from his fingers. He smiled at his new idea, glad he’d hung on to Ruth Rose’s knife.

He gently let the wood down and rested his arms against its bottom surface. “Hank,” he whispered.

“Yeah, kid?”

“Does your truck have a spare tire?” Dink asked.

Hank chuckled. “Nope. Been meaning to get one….”

“I need one of those tin cans on the floor,” Dink said.

Hank relayed the message to Josh and Ruth Rose.

Dink heard his friends scurrying in the dark to find a can.

“Coming up,” Hank said a minute later.

Dink slowly reached one hand down and took a tin can from Hank.

He lifted the wood again and used the can to prop it open. Then he eased the knife from his pocket.

Dink slid his arm out past the can. He pushed the tip of the knife blade against the truck’s rubber tire.

CHAPTER 12

But he couldn’t do it. His plan had been to slash a tire so Ace and Goose couldn’t drive away with the money. But this was Hank’s truck and Hank’s tires.
Why should I ruin a perfectly good tire?
Dink asked himself.

Dink had another idea. He folded away the knife blade and flipped out a tiny screwdriver. He held the knife in his right hand. With his left, he reached out and unscrewed the little cap over the tire’s air valve. Then he inserted the tip of the screwdriver into the valve and pushed.

He heard air escaping from the tire. He hoped that the two crooks didn’t hear the hissing noise.

When the tire was flat, Dink shoved the knife into his pocket. He removed the tin can and began to lower the plywood. Then, from the corner of his eye, he saw something interesting: the yellow rope Ace and Goose had used to secure the tarp over the mechanical horse. It was in a loose pile near the truck’s rear tire.

Dink reached an arm out of the hole and grabbed the rope. He tied one end of the rope to the truck’s bumper. He yanked on it to tighten the knot. Then he dropped the rest of the rope down into the hole.

He lowered the plywood. “Hank, I’m coming down,” he whispered.

Dink felt Hank’s hands leave his knees. “I’ve got you.”

A few seconds later, Dink was kneeling on the damp floor of the hole. Once again, he felt blind.

“What did you see up there?” Ruth Rose asked.

“They’re counting the money,” Dink said. “There’s an old house and a yard. Hank, your truck is red now.”

“What’s with the rope?” Hank asked.

“I tied it to the truck,” Dink said. “I thought maybe you could climb up the rope, Hank. Then you could pull us out.”

“Awesome!” Josh said. “This is better than TV!”

“It might work,” Hank said. “Where are those guys? Will they see me?”

“I don’t think they will,” Dink said. “They’re over by the house. Your truck is between this hole and them.”

“Okay, I’m tying a loop in the end of this rope,” Hank said. “After I’m up, you kids can put your feet into the loop, and
I’ll pull you up, one at a time.”

Hank tugged the rope tight, then began climbing, hand over hand, with his legs and feet helping him.

Dink heard him grunting. He remembered trying to climb a thick rope in gym class. It wasn’t easy!

A moment later, Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose saw daylight as Hank moved the plywood. They saw him scramble up and out onto the barn floor.

Dink found the end of the rope and held out the loop. “Who’s going first?” he asked.

“You go,” Ruth Rose said. “You did all the work.”

“No, let Josh go,” Dink said. “He’s the strongest, so he can help Hank pull us up.”

“I think Ruth Rose should go first,” Josh said. “She’s afraid of the dark.”

“I am not afraid of the dark, Joshua
Pinto!” Ruth Rose said. She thrust the loop at him. “Go on up.”

Dink figured Josh was just being nice. Everyone knew Josh hated dark places. “Go, Josh!” he said.

Josh stuck a foot into the loop. The rope became taut as Hank hauled up the extra length. Josh held on to the rope with both hands. Dink and Ruth Rose watched as he rose toward Hank.

“Your turn,” Dink said after they saw Hank lift Josh out of the hole.

“Are you sure?” Ruth Rose asked.

Dink grinned. “I love dark, smelly places,” he said.

Then Ruth Rose followed Josh up. Dink could hear Hank’s deep breaths as he hauled on the rope, now carrying Ruth Rose’s weight.

For the last time, the looped end of the rope fell at Dink’s feet.

But before Dink could put a foot into
the loop, the yellow rope came slicing through the air, landing on Dink’s head and shoulders. It was no longer tied to the truck’s bumper!

Dink stared straight up. Who had untied the rope—or cut it—and dropped it down into the hole? Where were Josh and Ruth Rose and Hank?

Suddenly Dink heard a man’s voice shout. Then he heard more yells. Surely that was Ruth Rose’s loud scream!

Dink thought he heard cars arriving.

There were thudding footsteps on the barn floor. And more yelling—this time Dink was sure it was Josh.

Then came silence.

Dink stared at the escape hole above his head. He saw dust floating in the sunlight. He heard only a lonely birdcall, then nothing.

Dink sat on the damp floor. He held the rope in his hands. He closed his
eyes, hoping that when he opened them he would see Hank’s face looking back at him.

He heard footsteps and looked up. Part of the light was blocked by a man’s head and shoulders.

“Dink?” a familiar voice said. “Your friend Josh tells me maple walnut is your favorite ice cream. Why don’t I send a ladder down for you, then we’ll go get some?”

Dink grinned. “Thanks, Officer Klevor,” he said.