Mystery at the Ski Jump by Carolyn Keene

of loud toots behind them caused Nancy to slow down and look around. “Oh dear! Burt’s car has skidded into a ditch!” She groaned. “We’ll have to pull it out.”
    It took half an hour and considerable huffing and puffing on everybody’s part to haul the station wagon back onto the road. When it was once more on its way, Burt realized that the steering gear needed attention. He signaled to Nancy and drove forward to tell her they must stop at the first town and have it adjusted.
    Nancy nodded. “Suppose Ned and I go ahead and leave the food order at the general store. You pick it up. We’ll drive Aunt Eloise to camp and start a fire.”
    Soon the convertible was again on its way. At the store Nancy ordered ham, eggs, slabs of bacon, meat, huge roasting potatoes, bread, fresh fruit, and other necessities.
    “Friends of mine will call for the order in a station wagon,” Nancy explained to the proprietor.
    “Come on. We’d better hurry,” Ned warned. “I can hear the train pulling in.”
    He and Nancy dashed to the station, half expecting to see John Horn alight as well as Eloise Drew. But the trapper was not aboard.
    “Hello, Ned!” Miss Drew greeted him, after she embraced her niece. “And where are the rest of my guests?” she inquired.
    “They were delayed,” said Nancy. “A little trouble with Burt’s station wagon. We’re to go on ahead.”
    “I’m glad we’re starting at once,” Miss Drew observed. “In an hour it will be dark. And that narrow, snowy road leading to my place can be very hazardous.”
    Nancy and Ned helped Aunt Eloise into the convertible and they began the long climb to the lodge. The road was indeed deep in snow and Ned had to drive very slowly. All were relieved to see the house.
    “Look at that snow!” Aunt Eloise exclaimed. “Why, it’s halfway up the door.”
    “Are there any shovels in the garage?” Ned asked as he climbed out of the car.

    “Burt’s car has skidded into a ditch!” Nancy cried out
    “I think so,” Miss Drew answered.
    Ned struggled around the corner of the house to the garage. He came back swinging a shovel and started clearing a path. Soon the station wagon arrived.
    “Reinforcements are here,” Dave and Burt announced.
    In a few minutes they were carrying in the suitcases. The girls and Aunt Eloise followed, shivering in the huge, icy living room.
    “We can soon have some heat,” Aunt Eloise said, taking swift charge of the situation. “Boys, there’s plenty of wood in the shed out back. Suppose you start a roaring fire in the grate.”
    “Girls,” said Nancy, “let’s bring in those groceries from the station wagon.”
    “Groceries?” Bess gaped.
    Nancy’s heart sank. “Bess! George!” she gasped. “Didn’t you remember to stop for the food? Didn’t Burt tell you?”
    The blank consternation on her friends’ faces was answer enough.
    Tired and hungry, the campers had to face it. There was no food in the house!

CHAPTER XIV
    The Fur Thief
    “CHEER UP!” Aunt Eloise encouraged her guests. “The situation isn’t too black. I left a few canned staples in the pantry here. If you don’t object to beans—”
    “Beans! Oh, welcome word!” cried Bess, rolling her eyes ecstatically. “I’m ravenous enough to eat tacks.”
    “Then you’ll have to earn your supper,” George said firmly. “Get a mop. This place must be cleaned before we eat.”
    In the midst of their tidying the cottage a knock came on the door. John Horn walked in. The old fellow looked ruddy and fit after his trek on snowshoes. He explained that he had come up the day before and was camping out in the hills Indian style. When they told him of their predicament about food, he looked amused.
    “Shucks, nobody here need go hungry.” He chuckled. “I shot some rabbits on the way. I’ll bring ’em in and give you folks a real treat!”
    After consuming the nourishing beans and John Horn’s delicious rabbit, cooked on a spit in the fireplace, everyone