The Mystery of the Stolen Dinosaur Bones Read online

  “Look over there,” said Violet. She pointed to an opening. The children saw a small cavern just below them. “Should we go in there?”

  “I think so,” said Jessie. “We’ll all go together and keep close.”

  They carefully stepped into the cavern and shined their flashlights around the floor.

  “Oh, I see some tracks,” said Violet. “They’re in the mud by that opening in the wall.”

  Jessie tiptoed over and shined her light on the cave floor. She drew in her breath and looked back at her siblings.

  “What’s wrong?” asked Henry. “Are they footprints?” They joined Jessie by the muddy tracks.

  “Oh, those aren’t footprints,” said Violet.

  “Not from a person,” said Jessie. “They look like bird tracks …”

  “Very big bird tracks!” said Violet. “They’re huge! What kind of bird makes tracks that big?” She looked around and hugged herself.

  “I know!” cried Benny. “It’s a real, live dinosaur!”

  Just then Watch started barking.

  CHAPTER 3

  A Cave Full of Bones

  The children stood still and listened. Watch stopped barking.

  “Were those footsteps?” asked Violet. “I thought I heard footsteps.”

  “It must be the dinosaur!” said Benny.

  “There are no dinosaurs living today,” said Henry.

  The children waited. The sound of footsteps stopped.

  “Whatever it is got too far away for us to hear,” said Jessie.

  “Or it stopped,” said Violet. She held tight to her sister’s hand.

  “Watch doesn’t look worried,” said Jessie. “It’s too bad he can’t talk!” She petted Watch as he wagged his tail.

  “I’m sure there’s an explanation for these tracks,” said Henry. He bent to study them again.

  “Maybe they were made from treads on someone’s shoes. Some shoes leave strange patterns,” said Jessie.

  “I just hope whatever made the tracks has left,” said Violet.

  “I think whoever or whatever made the tracks is gone now,” said Henry. “Or else Watch would tell us. So let’s keep exploring.”

  The children headed back into the passageway. Violet posted a sticky note on the entry to the little cavern and wrote strange tracks with a shaky hand.

  “That’s a good idea to mark our way,” said Jessie. “We don’t want to get lost in here!”

  “I’m also drawing a map of the cave in my sketchbook,” said Violet. “It keeps me from getting too scared!”

  The children walked along slowly. They were careful to check all around as they made their way down the passage. They barely squeezed through a small tunnel that led to another wide passage.

  “I don’t think anyone much bigger than us could get through there,” said Jessie. “That was a tight fit!”

  “Caves can have hundreds of miles of passages of all sizes,” said Henry. “Many caves have never been explored before or even discovered.”

  “It looks as if this one has been discovered,” said Violet. She pointed to a plastic bag lying in the passageway. The children examined the little bag.

  “There’s something inside,” said Benny. “It looks sort of like popcorn before it’s been popped!”

  Henry picked up the bag and shined his light on the contents. “It’s dried corn!” he said. “It’s a very odd thing to find inside a cave!”

  “Let’s take it with us,” suggested Violet. “Maybe it’s a clue about who took Elliot’s dinosaur bones.” She put the bag inside her pack.

  “Look ahead of us,” said Benny. “I see light! Did we walk in a circle?”

  Henry checked his compass. “No, we’ve been walking east since we started. That light must be another entry to the cave!”

  “Or maybe the dinosaur has his lights on,” said Benny. His brother and sisters laughed, though Violet looked around nervously. They continued along the passage. Soon they entered a huge cavern with a large entry opposite where they stood. Sunlight streamed inside. The Aldens turned off their helmet lights and looked around.

  “It looks like we found the other entrance,” said Jessie.

  “And it looks like someone uses this side of the cave,” said Henry.

  The children were surrounded by boxes and blue plastic crates. There were bones in piles all over the floor. The boxes and crates were overflowing with more bones and rocks.

  “It looks like a paleontologist uses this cave,” said Jessie. “I wonder who.”

  “Jolanda said that Bones Hogan was ‘long gone.’ Does that mean he disappeared?” asked Violet.

  “I thought Jolanda meant that he died but maybe not,” said Henry. He rubbed his chin as he looked around. “Look, those are fresh boot prints in the mud,” he said. “It’s like someone was just here. We should be careful and talk softly.”

  “Do you think Elliot’s stolen dinosaur bones are here?” whispered Benny.

  “I don’t know,” said Henry. “We’ll have to look for them.”

  “Elliot’s bones will be marked,” said Benny. “A piece of tape will have a number and his initials.” He smiled.

  “Good work, Benny,” said Jessie. “You know because that’s how Elliot marked the toe bone that you found.”

  Benny beamed with pride.

  “I’ll take photos of everything,” whispered Violet. She walked around the cavern, snapping photos with her camera. The other children studied the piles of bones. They carefully sifted through the boxes and crates.

  “I don’t see any bones that are marked E.B.,” said Benny.

  “I don’t either,” said Jessie.

  Henry nodded agreement.

  “We should also check those,” said Jessie, pointing to three openings in the cavern’s walls. The children could see even more caverns through each opening.

  “You’re right, Jessie,” said Henry. “Let’s stick together. We want to be ready in case whoever uses this cave shows up.”

  “Whoever—or whatever—uses this cave, you mean,” said Benny.

  The children headed into the first cavern. Inside were metal crates filled with tools. “These look like digging and cleaning tools,” said Henry. “There are chisels, hammers, picks, and all kinds of brushes.”

  “There are lots of shovels in this crate,” said Jessie.

  “These are the tools that dinosaur hunters use to dig up bones,” said Benny.

  Violet was studying a small chisel. “This chisel has letters carved in the wooden handle,” she said. She held it up for everyone to see.

  “B.H.,” said Benny.

  “Those are probably the owner’s initials,” said Henry. “People working together on a dig might mark their tools so that they don’t confuse them.” He looked around the cavern again. “I don’t see any bones in this cavern.”

  The children carefully made their way to the second cavern. There were stacks of books and piles of papers but no bones. They headed to the third cavern. It was very small. There was a wooden table and a chair. A kerosene lamp sat on the table next to an open book. A sleeping bag lay nearby. It looked as if someone had used it recently.

  Henry carefully picked up the book. “Dinosaur Birds by Bones Hogan,” he read. “This is a book about giant dinosaur birds!”

  “The B.H. on the pick must stand for Bones Hogan,” said Benny. “He lives here! And he has a dinosaur bird that lives with him!”

  “Please stop saying that, Benny,” said Violet. “You know dinosaurs are extinct!” She looked nervous again.

  “I’m sorry, Violet,” said Benny. “I know you don’t want to see a live dinosaur. But I do!”

  “This mystery is getting more and more interesting,” said Henry. “Let’s go outside and see what else we can find.”

  The children passed through the wide opening. They stood in a narrow, rocky valley. Craggy hills and scrubby trees surrounded the valley.

  “It looks like a faraway planet,” said Benny.


  “Where someone lives,” said Henry. “And whoever lives here would probably not like finding us here.”

  “Especially if it’s the dinosaur bone thief,” said Violet.

  The children headed back into the cave. Watch ran ahead and began to bark again. They quickly caught up with him in the cavern with the piles of papers. He was sniffing at another opening on another side of the cavern.

  “Oh! We didn’t notice that before,” said Henry.

  “I think we’d better leave—now,” said Jessie.

  “I think so too!” said Violet.

  “Let’s see what’s through that hole,” said Benny. “Please? Then we can leave.”

  “Okay,” said Henry. “I’m curious too!” The children agreed and headed through the opening and into a dark cavern. They turned their helmet lights back on.

  “I don’t see anything,” said Jessie. They walked around, shining their lights on the floor and walls. “Oh wait. Look at this!” Jessie picked something up from the floor. She held it up to her helmet light.

  “That’s a feather,” said Violet.

  “It’s a very big feather!” said Benny. He grinned in the darkness.

  Henry shined his flashlight around the floor. He pointed at white spots on the rocks. “It looks like a bird uses this cavern. Maybe whoever lives here has a parrot.”

  “A parrot doesn’t have giant feet,” Benny pointed out.

  “Or giant feathers,” said Violet.

  Just then a voice bellowed from behind the children. “What do you kids think you’re doing in here?”

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  CHAPTER 4

  Dinosaur Dan

  A very tall man with a long, scraggly gray beard glared at the Aldens.

  Benny noticed that the man looked like one of the photos back at the museum. “Are you Bones Hogan?” he asked shyly.

  “Heck no, I’m not Bones Hogan, young man,” bellowed the man. “Just how old do you think I am? And who are you people?” He scowled at the children.

  The children quickly introduced themselves.

  “You also look a little like Santa Claus,” said Benny.

  “Well, I ain’t him either,” chuckled the man. “People call me Dinosaur Dan.”

  Watch ran over to Dinosaur Dan and sniffed at his boots.

  “And who is this little rascal?” asked Dinosaur Dan. He let Watch smell his hand. Then he tickled Watch under his chin.

  “That’s our dog, Watch,” said Jessie.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Watch,” said Dinosaur Dan. “I used to have a dog that looked just like you, only bigger.” He chuckled and petted Watch on the head.

  “Do you have a pet dinosaur now?” asked Benny.

  Dinosaur Dan burst out laughing. His laugh echoed around the cavern. Benny decided that Dinosaur Dan also sounded like Santa Claus. “What a question! Why do you ask?” he asked.

  “Um, because we saw what looked like giant bird tracks and a giant feather inside the cave,” said Violet.

  “That is very interesting,” said Dinosaur Dan with just the slightest smile. “You know that dinosaurs like coelurosaurs had birdlike feet and feathers, right?”

  “I know about coelurosaurs!” said Benny.

  “But dinosaurs are extinct!” said Jessie.

  “Sure, that’s what they say,” said Dinosaur Dan. “But what do they know? I’d watch your step in that cave, that’s all I can say.”

  “We will,” said Violet. She clutched Jessie’s hand again.

  Jessie looked at Dinosaur Dan. Something about the way he was smiling made her wonder if he knew more about the tracks than he let on.

  “So why don’t you tell me what you kids are doing in my cave?” asked Dinosaur Dan.

  “We’re very sorry if we trespassed,” said Henry. “We didn’t know that someone owned this side of the cave.”

  “I don’t know what you mean by that,” said Dinosaur Dan. “There’s another side?”

  “Yes, our friend has a dinosaur dig on the other side of this cave,” explained Henry. “He stored some bones there.”

  “And somebody stole them!” blurted Benny.

  “Huh,” said Dinosaur Dan. “Well, I’m a lot of things, but I ain’t no thief. Who is your friend anyway?”

  “Our friend’s name is Elliot Boyce,” said Jessie. “He is a paleontologist.”

  The children noticed that Dinosaur Dan frowned when Jessie said Elliot’s name.

  “Elliot Boyce, eh?” said Dinosaur Dan.

  “We think somebody took his dinosaur bones and came this way,” said Henry. “That’s how we ended up here.”

  “We didn’t know someone lived here,” added Violet.

  “Well, I sure live here,” said Dinosaur Dan. “I lease the property and hunt for dinosaur bones. I guess you saw my collection since you were nosing around in my stuff.”

  “Yes, you have a lot of dinosaur bones,” said Benny.

  “I do indeed,” said Dinosaur Dan. “And I can tell you like dinosaurs, Benny,” he said, grinning.

  Benny grinned back at the big man.

  “As for Elliot Boyce, he’s nothing but a thief himself,” said Dinosaur Dan. “I’m glad somebody stole something from him!”

  Violet frowned. She didn’t like to hear that a friend of Grandfather’s might be a thief. She looked at Henry.

  “Why would you say that about Elliot?” asked Henry. “He’s a good friend of our Grandfather’s.”

  “Maybe Elliot has pulled the wool over your grandfather’s eyes,” said Dinosaur Dan. “But he was a thief.”

  “When was Elliot a thief?” asked Violet.

  “It happened when were in college,” said Dinosaur Dan.

  Benny looked at Dinosaur Dan’s gray beard and looked puzzled.

  Dinosaur Dan smiled at Benny. “I was a little old for college, but so what? I wanted to be a paleontologist.”

  “What happened?” Jessie asked politely.

  “Elliot and I were very good friends,” said Dinosaur Dan. “We discovered some dinosaur bones out in Hell Creek. It was a very important find.”

  “What kind of dinosaur was it?” asked Benny.

  “It was a coelurosaur,” said Dinosaur Dan. “It was a kind that nobody had ever discovered before.”

  “What happened?” asked Henry.

  “My so-called friend Elliot stole our findings. He took my name off everything and got all the credit.” Dinosaur Dan pulled off his leather hat and slapped it on his knee. The hat sent a billow of dust into the air. “I was so mad I walked out of college and never looked back,” he said. “I moved out here. Now I just do what I do best, hunt for bones.”

  The Aldens looked at one another. “We’re so sorry to hear that Elliot may have cheated you,” said Jessie. “Maybe it was a misunderstanding.”

  “Maybe you can talk to him,” said Violet, “since he lives nearby.”

  “He probably has a good explanation,” said Henry.

  Benny nodded.

  “I don’t care where he lives. I got no interest in talking to that thief,” said Dinosaur Dan. “Like I said, I’m done with all that. Come on, I’ll show you how I spend my time these days.”

  The children followed Dinosaur Dan. They listened as he talked about his finds. He said that his little valley had never been explored before.

  “I’ve found lots of common dinosaurs here,” said Dinosaur Dan. “I’ve found some rare ones too.”

  “What do you do with the bones you find?” asked Jessie.

  “I sell some to collectors and museums,” said Dinosaur Dan. “Others I donate to schools. It depends.”

  “How do you keep people from finding out where you are?” asked Violet.

  “I have a secret way out of this valley,” said Dinosaur Dan. “I have a camp about a mile away. It looks like I live there.” He chuckled. “But I don’t.”

  “You live in the cave!” said Benny.

  “Th
at’s right, Benny!” said Dinosaur Dan.

  “You didn’t know the cave had another entrance?” asked Henry.

  Dinosaur Dan glared at Henry. Violet noticed that Dinosaur Dan’s moods seemed to change very quickly.

  “What I know or don’t know ain’t none of your business,” said Dinosaur Dan. “You kids should probably leave now. I have to arrange a meeting with that Warren Gordon fellow for tomorrow. Then I have to pick up supplies.” He pulled out a cell phone and waved for the children to go away.

  “Thank you for showing us around!” said Henry. Dinosaur Dan grunted. Henry motioned for his brother and sisters to join him. They turned and headed back to the cave entrance.

  “What is that?” asked Benny. The children saw a shadow duck quickly inside the cave. Watch ran ahead, barking.

  “Was that a person?” asked Violet.

  “Maybe it was the dinosaur,” said Benny. “Now I’m not so sure that I want to meet it.” He huddled close to Henry.

  “Let’s just be careful,” said Henry, taking Benny’s hand. The children slowly entered the big cavern and looked around. Watch stopped barking.

  “Whatever or whoever it was is gone,” said Jessie.

  “Let’s go back to the ranch,” said Violet. “I don’t think I want to meet a real dino­saur either.”

  “Good idea, Violet,” said Jessie. “I think we’ve worn out our welcome here.”

  The children turned their helmet lights on and started back through the passageway. Soon they passed the opening to the cavern where they had found the strange tracks.

  “Yikes, what was that?” asked Violet.

  Scratching noises were coming from inside the dark cavern. Watch yipped and stared at the opening, wagging his tail.

  “Something or someone is in there,” whispered Henry. “Right now.”

  “I think we should just keep going,” whispered Jessie. She snatched Watch up into her arms and grabbed Violet’s hand. “Let’s get out of here.”

  The children raced back through the passageway as the scratching sounds faded in the distance.

  CHAPTER 5

  A Different Story

  Henry climbed down the ladder first. Jessie handed Watch to Henry and then she and the others climbed down one after the other. The children brushed their dusty clothes with their hands. They stomped their feet and scraped mud off of their shoes.