Read Online The Mandie Collection by Lois Gladys Leppard - Free Book Online

at home in Deep Creek with other things to do . Uncle Ned was an old Cherokee friend of her father’s. When Jim Shaw died he had promised to watch over Mandie. He kept his promise. The Indian was old but he was still strong, active and alert.
    Joe tapped on her door. “I’m ready,” he called.
    Mandie grabbed her heavy winter coat and hat, snatched up a scarf and a pair of wool gloves and hurried downstairs.
    Mr. Bond met them in the hallway, dressed for the outdoors and carrying an axe. “Abraham has the wagon hitched up outside,” he said. “I’d suggest going out to Mr. Shaw’s land near the boardinghouse to look for a tree.”
    â€œYou mean where Dr. Plumbley used to live?” Mandie replied. “That’s a good idea.”
    As the wagon neared the woods where Mandie and her friends had searched for hidden treasure the last time Mandie was home, Mr. Bond slowed the horse. He turned to Mandie and Joe. “Suppose we leave the wagon here and walk through the trees there and see what we can find,” he said.
    â€œFine,” Mandie agreed.
    â€œThis is the very place I had in mind,” Joe said, helping Mandie from the wagon.
    As they tramped through the cold woods, they saw lots of small evergreens that would have made fine Christmas trees, but Mandie was determined to find a tree tall enough to touch the twelve-foot ceiling in the house.
    â€œAfter all,” she said, “this is my very first Christmas with my mother, and I want it to be special.”
    After walking along for some time in silence, Joe pointed ahead and cried, “Hey, how about that one?”
    â€œJust what we need!” Mandie exclaimed, hurrying with the others toward it.
    Mr. Bond took his axe and began swinging at the trunk of the tree. “Stand back now,” he warned.
    Mandie and Joe moved away from him. Every time Mr. Bond hit a lick at the tree there seemed to be an echo. At first Mandie didn’t pay much attention to it. But then Mr. Bond missed a lick, and they still heard it.
    Mandie looked at Joe. “Does it sound to you like someone else is chopping down a tree or something?”
    Joe nodded. “I’ve been listening. I think there’s someone else around here doing something.”
    Mr. Bond looked up. “Probably somebody after a Christmas tree,” he said.
    â€œBut this is my Uncle John’s land,” Mandie protested.
    â€œHe never bothers about other people coming in here and getting a tree now and then,” Mr. Bond said, resuming his chopping.
    The echo sounded again. Then suddenly there was a loud crash nearby. Mandie and Joe looked at each other and ran off in the direction of the crash. Mr. Bond followed.
    As they hurried through the trees, Mandie caught a glimpse of something moving. “What’s that?” she cried.
    â€œStop or we’ll shoot!” Joe yelled, even though none of them had a gun.
    The noise stopped.
    As the young people broke through the trees, they came face-to-face with a man and woman all bundled up with heavy coats, hats, and scarves. They were pulling at a small, freshly cut tree.
    â€œWho are you?” Joe demanded.
    â€œDon’t shoot!” the man cried.
    And as he spoke, Mandie recognized them. It was Jake and Ludie Burns, who lived in a tenant house on John Shaw’s property.
    The woman squinted at the young people. “Well, if’n it ain’t John Shaw’s niece!” she exclaimed.
    â€œOh, I’m glad to see you, Mrs. and Mr. Burns,” Mandie said, rushing forward to embrace the old woman.
    Joe shook hands with Mr. Burns. “Imagine finding you here,” he said.
    Mr. Bond greeted the couple, then said, “I told these young people that Mr. Shaw allowed other people to get Christmas trees off his property now and then—”
    â€œWe got permission yestiddy to cut a tree,” Jake Burns explained.
    â€œYou’ns will hafta come see our