The next day, Gus has to go into town to run some errands for Cassie's parents, and borrows the little pony trap. He suggests that he take Cassie along for the ride. He tells Cassie that there is somebody in town that they may meet who might be able to help with the bag.
They set off in the trap, and make town in good time. Gus picks up some provisions from the General Store, and buys Cassie a penny sugar stick with the change. They load up the trap, and then Gus tells Cassie to come with him to the Hotel. The Hotel is a grand building, probably dating from a time when the little town was larger and busier than it is now. The lobby is empty, with a large marble counter for new visitors to register.
Gus takes Cassie through a small door at the side of the lobby., through which there is a small bar where locals go to meet and drink at the end of the day. It is fairly empty, apart from the barman, and a large figure with his back to them, sweeping up in the corner. Down the middle of his back is a long black ponytail, which reaches almost to his belt. Gus goes up to him and shakes his hand, and asked him to sit for a while with him and Cassie. They take a table in the corner, and the two men have small beers, and Gus buys Cassie a sarsaparilla juice.
Gus and Cassie show big Tom the bag, and he examines the symbols and confirms that this is an algonquin indian bag - it was used to carry medicines. He explains the the algonguins had a different view of the forest, seeing it as a living place inhabited by spirits. It is said that they are so in tune with the spirits of the forest that that they can disappear into the undergrowth. He asks if he can borrow the bag to examine it further, and will bring it back to the hotel tomorrow. Gus and Cassie set off home.
Monday, 9 March 2009
Thursday, 5 March 2009
Chapter 2 - A Meeting in the Forest
Cassie wakes up early the next morning, determined to tell Tom all about her adventure. She goes early to the dairy with her trolley, and finds Tom fishing with a home made rod in the creek. She tells him all about the indian enclosure, and shows him the necklace. Tom shares Cassies excitement, and, as it is the weekend, suggests to Cassie that they both visit it that day.
They get their parent's permission, and set off again into te forest. They go off to find Gus, but he has to fix the hotel generator, which is playing up, so he can't come with them. Gus draws her a map to find the clearing again, and Cassie finds her way without any difficulty. Again, they search for indian things, and then eat their pack lunch, and drop off to sleep on the grass. Cassie is awoken suddenly by Tom, who is sitting upright, staring into the forest.
"what was that?" he asks. Cassie looks over to where he is staring, and sees a shape moving in the bushes and trees. It looks like a person, but is quite small - perhaps a child? They rush over to the bush but the figure has disappeared without trace. Tom spots something on the ground - a small leather bag, with strange markings, like writing, but nothing they have ever seen before.
They head home to tell Gus all about what has happened. Gus is just coming out of the basement, covered in soot and oil from his day spent wrestling with the generator, and tells the children he needs to clean up before he can hear their adventure. They arrange to meet on the porch. Cassie makes lemonde for herself and Tom, and Gus has a beer and a pipe. They tell him everything that has happened, and show him the bag. Gus thinks the writing looks like Indian writing, and asks Tom if he can borrow the bag to get it checked out, and Tom agrees.
They get their parent's permission, and set off again into te forest. They go off to find Gus, but he has to fix the hotel generator, which is playing up, so he can't come with them. Gus draws her a map to find the clearing again, and Cassie finds her way without any difficulty. Again, they search for indian things, and then eat their pack lunch, and drop off to sleep on the grass. Cassie is awoken suddenly by Tom, who is sitting upright, staring into the forest.
"what was that?" he asks. Cassie looks over to where he is staring, and sees a shape moving in the bushes and trees. It looks like a person, but is quite small - perhaps a child? They rush over to the bush but the figure has disappeared without trace. Tom spots something on the ground - a small leather bag, with strange markings, like writing, but nothing they have ever seen before.
They head home to tell Gus all about what has happened. Gus is just coming out of the basement, covered in soot and oil from his day spent wrestling with the generator, and tells the children he needs to clean up before he can hear their adventure. They arrange to meet on the porch. Cassie makes lemonde for herself and Tom, and Gus has a beer and a pipe. They tell him everything that has happened, and show him the bag. Gus thinks the writing looks like Indian writing, and asks Tom if he can borrow the bag to get it checked out, and Tom agrees.
Tuesday, 3 March 2009
Chapter 1 - The necklace
Cassie lives in a big hotel in upstate New York with her mother and father. In the summer the hotel is busy and fun, but in the off season Cassie is bored. She has one friend who lives on a nearby farm, called Tom. Tom's farm is a dairy farm, and every morning Cassie goes down with her trolley to collect a pail of milk for the hotel breakfasts. She makes waffles with a waffle iron, smothered in butter, maple syrup, and whipped cream from the dairy.
The hotel janitor is and old man called Gus. Cassie and Gus sit on the porch after breakfast; Gus smokes a corn cob pipe and drinks a steaming mug of coffee, and they chat. One morning, Cassie asks Gus about who lived in the area before the hotel was built, and Gus tells Cassie about the Algonquin Indians. Gus promises to take Cassie to see the place in the forest where the Indians used to live.
Cassie gets permission from he parents, and as the hotel is quiet, the make a pack lunch and set off. It is a warm early spring day, and they stop by the river for a rest and dangle their feet in the river. Gus teaches Cassie how to tickle for trout. He explains that if you are alone in the forest, this is an excellent way to get food, but as they already have a packed lunch, they agree to put the trout back, and watch it race off in the ice cold stream water together.
Eventually, they reach a clearing in the forest, which Gus says is where the original Algonquin village was. There isn't much left, as they lived in tepees, but they find some bones, and Cassie finds a necklace under a rock. The necklace is made from shells and polished blue semi-precious stones. Gus says it is OK for her to keep it.
The hotel janitor is and old man called Gus. Cassie and Gus sit on the porch after breakfast; Gus smokes a corn cob pipe and drinks a steaming mug of coffee, and they chat. One morning, Cassie asks Gus about who lived in the area before the hotel was built, and Gus tells Cassie about the Algonquin Indians. Gus promises to take Cassie to see the place in the forest where the Indians used to live.
Cassie gets permission from he parents, and as the hotel is quiet, the make a pack lunch and set off. It is a warm early spring day, and they stop by the river for a rest and dangle their feet in the river. Gus teaches Cassie how to tickle for trout. He explains that if you are alone in the forest, this is an excellent way to get food, but as they already have a packed lunch, they agree to put the trout back, and watch it race off in the ice cold stream water together.
Eventually, they reach a clearing in the forest, which Gus says is where the original Algonquin village was. There isn't much left, as they lived in tepees, but they find some bones, and Cassie finds a necklace under a rock. The necklace is made from shells and polished blue semi-precious stones. Gus says it is OK for her to keep it.
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