Chapter 7

Chapter 7 The Clydes and the three kids hurried after Jud. As they ran across the yard, the ranch truck pulled into the driveway. Ma and Pa hopped out carrying bags of groceries. "What's going on?" Pa asked Jud. "Someone rang the bell," Jud answered, leaping up the porch steps. There was no one on the porch, but the bell was still swinging. "Jud! Get in here!" Thumbs yelled from inside the house. "I'm in the office."

Jud sprinted through the screen door, with everyone else following. Nine people crowded into the small office. Thumbs was kneeling on the floor in front of Lulu, who was gagged and tied to a chair. While Thumbs untied the knots, Ma removed the gag. Pa was already on the phone, calling the sheriff. "What happened to you?" Ma asked. "The safe!" Lulu cried, pointing. The safe door was wide open, revealing a stack of papers and one green accounts book. The only thing missing was Josh's nugget. "They got my gold!" Josh yelled. "Can I have some water?" Lulu asked. She rubbed her wrists, which had red marks on them from the rope. Bonnie ran to get water while Lulu told her story. "I was in here watering the plants," she said, "when someone grabbed me and shoved me into this chair. I started to yell, so he gagged me, then tied me up." "Who was it?" Pa asked. "Did you recognize him?"

Lulu shook her head. "He was dressed all in black, with a black hood over his face. Never said a word to me." "Say, where are Fiona and Ed?" Jud asked. "They should've heard the bell like everyone else." "Fiona made Ed lie down," Lulu said. "She wrapped his ankle, and I got him a pair of crutches. I offered to call a doc, but he said he'd take aspirin and be fine." Jud ran out the door, and the kids followed. "Which cabin is Fiona's?" he asked over his shoulder. "That one," Dink said, pointing to the cabin closest to the main house. Jud thundered up the steps and banged on the door. "Fiona? It's Jud Wheat. Are you all right?" When he heard no answer, Jud opened the door and stepped inside. "Oh my … someone go get Ma, quick!" Jud yelled over his shoulder. Ruth Rose barreled off the porch and raced toward the main house. Dink peeked past Jud. Fiona was tied in a chair with a gag tied over her mouth, just like Lulu.

Dink grabbed Josh's arm. "Let's go check Ed!" he cried. Dink and Josh ran to Ed's cabin. "Mr. Getz?" Dink called. "Are you okay?" When no answer came, Dink opened the door. Ed Getz was lying on his bed. A scarf was covering his mouth. His hands were behind his back. Dink untied the scarf and pulled it away. "Thanks!" Ed said. "I thought I'd be here all day!" He nodded toward his closet. "There's a gym bag in there. Look for a small box. Inside is a key. The guy used my own handcuffs on me!" Josh found the key. When Ed sat up, Dink and Josh saw that his hands had been cuffed to the iron bed board. Josh used the key, and the handcuffs popped open. "What happened?' Dink said. "They tied up Fiona and Lulu, too!' "Yeah, and the rat stole my gold nugget!" Josh said. Dink noticed that Ed's foot was tightly wrapped in a bandage. A pair of crutches was leaning against the bed.

"I was fooling around with my handcuffs, preparing to show you guys some tricks at dinner," Ed said. "All of a sudden, someone dressed in black burst in here. Before I could move, he cuffed me to the bed and tied this scarf around my face." Ed shook his hands and rubbed his wrists. 'Boy, those things were tight!" "Can you walk?" Dink asked. "Pa called the sheriff. We should probably all meet in the office." Ed propped himself up and stood on his good foot. Josh handed Ed the crutches, which he slid under his arms. Holding his bandaged foot off the floor, he took a hop, then another. "Let's go," Ed said. "Don't walk too close to me. If I fall, I don't want to land on you." With Dink and Josh leading, the three of them moved down the path toward the main house. Up ahead, Ruth Rose, Ma Wheat, and Fiona were standing with a man on the porch. In the driveway, a few chickens were pecking the tires on a green-and-white car. The word SHERIFF was printed on the door.