The Mandie Collection (49 page)

“It looks empty, but I'll go see,” Joe offered. As he put his foot on the first step to the front porch, a shot rang out above their heads.

A gruff voice yelled from inside the house. “That's fur 'nuff! Don't come no further! Whadda you want?”

Joe jumped backward.

Mandie reached to join hands with him and Liza as Joe grabbed Sallie's hand. Quickly, Mandie whispered, “What time I am afraid, I will put my trust in Thee.”

They were all afraid to move. Their hearts pounded. Liza squeezed Snowball so hard he pushed his claws into her dress in fright.

The man inside the house yelled again. “I said whadda you want?”

“We're looking for a rock pile,” Joe began.

“Rock pile?” the man yelled back.

The front door creaked noisily open. A dirty, bearded man stood there pointing a rifle at the young people. “What're you talkin' 'bout? A rock pile?” He looked from one to another. For some reason he singled out Liza in the group. “You there, what are y'all after?” he asked.

“Why, we's jes' after a rock pile, a 'simmon tree, and a . . . a . . . dendrum bush,” Liza told him in a trembling voice. She tried to hide behind Mandie.

“What kind of dad-blame nonsense is that? I wanta know,” he yelled.

“We were just measuring some distances and—”

“Measuring distances for what?” the old man interrupted, still pointing the rifle at them.

“We were just wondering how far it is from here to my house,” Mandie spoke up.

“And where's your house at?” the man asked, spitting tobacco juice out into the yard near them.

Liza whispered in Mandie's ear. “Nasty, ain't he?”

Mandie jerked on her hand to shut her up. “My house is my Uncle John Shaw's house in Franklin right over that way,” she told the man, waving her hand to the left.

“John Shaw, huh? He your uncle you say?”

“He was my father's brother,” Mandie explained.

“I know all about them Shaws. What are you doin' this fur from home?” the man asked.

“We were just measuring to see how far we had come,” Mandie replied.

“Well, you kin jest measure right off this here land. I'm stakin' a claim to it,” the old man persisted, shaking his rifle at them. “John Shaw's got 'nuff. He ain't gittin' this here land.”

“You mean nobody lives here?” Joe asked.

“Jes' me,” the old man said. “Me and my rifle.”

“Is your name Hezekiah by any chance?” Sallie spoke up.

“Who? Hezekiah? No, by granny's, it ain't Hezekiah,” the man said.

“Did you ever know anyone living around here named Hezekiah?” Mandie asked.

“No, I ain't never knowed no Hezekiah. Now git off my land, all of you, 'fore you wish you had,” the man warned.

“Yes, sir. We'll go,” Joe said, turning to leave. Then he looked back. “You didn't tell us your name.”

“My name ain't none of your bizness,” the old man yelled.

“Do you know if there are any persimmon trees growing around here?” Mandie asked.

“Persimmon trees? What would I know about persimmon trees? But I'll tell you right now. Anything growin' 'round here belongs to me. Don't let me catch you puttin' your hands on it,” the old man said. “Now are you goin,' or you want me to force you off?”

“We're going,” the young people all said at once. Hurrying away from the house, they ran on toward the woods, glancing over their shoulders to see if the man was following. Once inside the protection of the woods, they dropped to the ground, out of breath.

“Whew! That could have been dangerous.” Joe gasped for air.

“Yes, that man is not just right, is he?” Sallie asked.

“He sure scared me,” Mandie said.

“Dat man got lots of screws loose,” Liza exclaimed.

Snowball left Liza's lap to crawl over to Mandie's.

Mandie took him in her arms and squeezed him. “Snowball, you'll have to stay with Liza a little longer,” she said. Handing him to the Negro girl, she stood up.

Liza petted Snowball. “We ain't found no 'simmon tree yet,” she complained.

“No, we still have to look for it. I'm afraid to go back toward that old man's house, so we'll have to estimate how far we've come,” Mandie said.

“I'd guess we're about a hundred feet away,” Joe calculated. “So if his house is where the rock pile is on the map, we should find a persimmon tree over that way about 472 feet,” he said, pointing.

“We'd bettuh hurry up and git dis thing done, whatever we's doin,' ” Liza said. “I don't like all dese woods.”

“Let's measure from here,” Joe said. “It probably won't be exactly right, but I think we'll be pretty close.”

When they had measured the 472 feet, they looked all around. There was not a single persimmon tree in sight. They walked around in circles, through trees and bushes and could not find even one.

“No persimmon tree of any kind anywhere?” Mandie moaned.

“We might not be in the right spot,” Joe suggested.

“Persimmon trees do not live forever,” Sallie reminded them. “The persimmon tree on the map might have died or been cut down.”

“Dat's right. Somebody might not like 'simmons and dey jes' cut de tree down to git rid of it,” Liza added.

“Should we look for the rhododendron bush?” Mandie asked. She looked at the map. “It says here the rhododendron bush is 333 feet from the persimmon tree.”

“That's not so far. Maybe if we measured 333 feet in every direction from right about here, we could find the rhododendron bush,” Joe suggested.

The others agreed, but after measuring 333 feet in several directions, they could not find a rhododendron bush. Then suddenly they found themselves in dozens of rhododendron bushes. Exasperated, they looked all around them.

“We only want one rhododendron bush!” Mandie exclaimed.

“But we have dozens of them,” Sallie said.

“Take dat one over there. It looks like a good one. Want me to hep you dig it up?” Liza asked, pointing to a large bush.

“No thanks. You don't exactly understand what we're doing, and it's too hard to explain,” Joe told the girl.

“I do not believe any of these rhododendron bushes could be fifty years old,” Sallie told them as she looked about.

“I have no idea how long they live, but you're probably right,” Mandie agreed.

“Looks like we've lost out,” Joe remarked.

“I'm not giving up,” Mandie protested. “We'll find the hidden treasure somewhere.”

“Hidden treasure?” Liza exclaimed. “Is dat what y'all been huntin' all dis time? Hidden treasure?”

Mandie and Joe exchanged glances.

“We're not sure what we're looking for,” Joe told her.

“Whatever it be, it must be hid good,” Liza said.

“Do you think we should go back to the house? Abraham's friend might be back by now,” Sallie said.

Mandie sighed. “I hate to quit now. We don't have much time left.”

“We can come back as soon as we check with Abraham,” Joe suggested. “It's not all that far now that we've measured the distance and know the way.”

“Reckon dem Turners done left by now?” Liza spoke up.

Everyone laughed.

“They probably have,” Mandie assured her.

“Let's head back,” Joe urged. He led the way, and Sallie followed right behind, but Mandie walked along by Liza.

As they made their way back down the dirt pathway, Liza pulled at Mandie's skirt. “Missy,” she whispered, “sumpin' I fo'git to tell you.”

Mandie frowned. “What is it, Liza?”

“Dat Missy Polly, she done been back to yo' house dis mawnin' wantin' to know what y'all doin.' She wants to go wid you wherever.” “Why didn't you tell me then?” Mandie asked.

Liza smiled. “Oh, Missy, you know why I don't tell.” She lowered her voice. “Dat Missy Polly, she jes' wanta be 'round de doctuh son, dat's what she want. I tries hard to keep her 'way from de doctuh son fo' you.”

Mandie laughed. Joe and Sallie turned to see what she was laughing at.

“What's going on back there?” Joe called back.

“Nothing really,” Mandie replied. “Just something funny Liza told me.”

As everyone trudged on, Liza bent to whisper to Mandie. “Ain't nuthin' funny. It serious.”

Mandie smiled and said, “Thanks for telling me, Liza. I'll watch out.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

WHO WAS HEZEKIAH?

As soon as they came within sight of the cemetery, Liza raced ahead. She didn't like being near that place. When the others came around the corner of the cemetery, they spied a horse and buggy standing at the hitching post in front of the house.

“Dr. Plumbley is at Abraham's!” Mandie exclaimed.

Joe and Sallie raced after her around the house to Abraham's little cottage. Liza, not knowing what it was all about, decided to follow. Holding on to Snowball, she caught up with them. Abraham and Dr. Plumbley were sitting and rocking on the front porch.

Mandie sat on the steps in front of the two men. “Dr. Plumbley . . .” she said, out of breath, “I'm so glad . . . we caught . . . you . . . before you left this time.”

Dr. Plumbley smiled. “I believe you all have been running,” he said.

They nodded, and Sallie joined Mandie on the steps. Joe put the rope and the hoe on the end of the porch and sat beside the girls.

Liza looked around. “Don't see no Turners nowhere,” she muttered. “Must be gone. Snowball, we go see.” She took the kitten and headed for the Shaws' house.

Mandie looked up at the big Negro doctor. “Dr. Plumbley,” she began again, breathing a little easier, “Abraham said you used to live here in Franklin.”

“Sure did, many years ago. I was born in Franklin and lived here with my grandparents until they died,” the doctor replied. “I was twelve years old then, and I had to go to New York and live with relatives. My brother, Elijah, was luckier. Some friends here in Franklin took him into their home. He was only nine years old.”

The young people looked at each other.

“What year did you leave Franklin?” Joe asked.

“I remember that very well. It was Easter Sunday, 1852, right after my grandparents' funeral. My aunt in New York had come down, and I went back with her that day,” he said.

“What are y'all doin,' takin' a census or sumpin'?” Abraham spoke up.

“No,” Mandie replied. “We're trying to find people who lived here in Franklin in 1850. I want to show you something.” She pulled the copy of the map out of her apron pocket and spread it on the floor by the steps. “Will you look at this, Dr. Plumbley?”

Abraham and the doctor got up and sat by Mandie on the steps.

Dr. Plumbley's face lit up as he read the map. “Where did you get this?” he asked.

“We found it in the attic tacked to the back of an old sideboard. Did you know my aunt, Ruby May Shaw, who drew this map?” Mandie held her breath, awaiting his answer.

Dr. Plumbley looked at her and smiled sadly. “Yes, I knew Ruby. She was like an angel on earth. She was so good and kind.” He pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed the corner of his eye.

“You did!” Mandie exclaimed.

Sallie and Joe crowded closer.

Dr. Plumbley pointed to Hezekiah's house on the map. “That's where my grandparents' house was. I lived there.”

“You lived there?” Sallie cried.

“Did you ever know anyone named Hezekiah?” Joe asked.

“I sure did. I knew him well. I am Hezekiah,” Dr. Plumbley said.

All three young people bombarded him with questions.

“But Abraham said your name was Samuel,” Mandie argued.

“My name is also Hezekiah—Samuel Hezekiah Plumbley. Everyone else called me Samuel, but Ruby found out my other name was Hezekiah, and it fascinated her. She insisted on calling me Hezekiah.”

Mandie reached for the doctor's big black hand and squeezed it. “Oh, Dr. Hezekiah, I'm so glad to meet you and to find out that you really knew my father's little sister!” she exclaimed.

“And I'm delighted to meet Ruby's niece,” Dr. Plumbley replied, putting his other hand on top of hers.

“Do you know anything about this map?” Sallie asked the doctor.

“Were you with Ruby when she buried whatever this treasure is?” Joe asked.

“No, to everything. This is the first time I ever saw or heard of a map,” Dr. Plumbley said.

“Was your house on the main road way down yonder?” Mandie questioned. “There's a sign there now saying Fine Food Since 1852.”

“Right on that spot,” he said. “I haven't been to Franklin in a long, long time, but I rode down that way yesterday. That big road has been cut through since we lived there.”

“Was your house the one that burned down?” Sallie asked.

Dr. Plumbley nodded. “Yes. My grandparents died in the fire,” he said softly. “It was Good Friday, and I was at the church services. Grandma was sick, and Grandpa was too feeble to get her out when the roof caught fire. Nobody lived close by, and I wasn't there to help. If I had been, I might have been able to rescue both of them.”

Everyone was silent, sharing the doctor's sadness.

Dr. Plumbley wiped his eyes. “They say the Lord knows best,” he continued. “I was in His house of worship when it happened, and my brother was with me.”

“Where were your parents?” Joe asked.

“My grandparents were the only parents I ever knew. My ma ran off with some man after I was born, and my pa didn't want me or my brother. He left us with my grandparents. Neither my ma nor my pa was ever heard of again,” Dr. Plumbley explained.

“Dr. Plumbley, you don't know anything about the rest of this map, do you?” Mandie asked. “Do you know where the rock pile, persimmon tree, and rhododendron bush are?”