In the second volume of this exciting mystery series, the Haskell grandparents, Abby and Josh, take their four grandchildren and two friends to Medora in the beautiful North Dakota Badlands to help Aunt Gracie and Uncle Clyde run the C&G Ranch. But little do they know of the summer adventure that awaits! At first, life at the ranch couldn't be better. Responsible thirteen-year-old Audrey becomes a good horse trainer while her twelve-year-old brother Denny and his friend, Randy, can't stay out of trouble. Denny's twin sister, sarcastic Jenny, and her eleven-year-old friend Missy learn to take care of each other. Enthusiastic eight-year-old Ty continues to be a source of fun and amazement. Together, the kids form the Peanut Butter Club. When Uncle Clyde tells the kids about the mysterious horse thieves that never leave a footprint or a fingerprint, the club springs into action. In their investigation, they meet a host of colorful characters including the suspicious Sheriff Rudolph, the rugged Rattlesnake Lenny, and the mysterious Black Knight. But who-or what-is jinxing the C&G Ranch? With good teamwork, true friendship, and a little help from the adults, the Peanut Butter Club is determined to solve the mystery and save the ranch from financial ruin before it's too late!

Who Jinxed the C&G Ranch?

Peanut Butter Club Mysteries Book 2By Mary Ellen Erickson

iUniverse

Copyright © 2009 Mary Ellen Erickson, PhD
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4401-4216-1

Contents

Chapter 1 Dude Ranch, Here We Come..........................1Chapter 2 Custer's Last Stand...............................10Chapter 3 Time for a Meeting................................20Chapter 4 Wake Up!..........................................29Chapter 5 Meeting Rattlesnake Lenny.........................40Chapter 6 The Trail Ride....................................49Chapter 7 The Black Knight..................................60Chapter 8 An Exciting Sunday Picnic.........................68Chapter 9 Ty and Laddie's Big Adventure.....................77Chapter 10 What About the Sheriff?...........................89Chapter 11 Snooping Can Be Dangerous!........................99Chapter 12 Catching Stolen Horses............................108Chapter 13 Barrel Racing 101.................................120Chapter 14 July Fourth Celebration...........................129Chapter 15 Wild Buffalo Cow..................................141Chapter 16 Prospecting for What?.............................150Chapter 17 Falling Asleep on the Job.........................161Chapter 18 To Catch a Thief..................................171Chapter 19 Corn Harvest......................................180

Chapter One

Dude Ranch, Here We Come

"What?" Ty burst out excitedly.

"You heard me," Grandma Abby said to her eight-year-old grandson. "We're going to spend most of the summer at the C&G Ranch near Medora, North Dakota."

"Yay!" the four Haskell grandchildren shouted in unison as Grandpa Josh covered his ears."

"Please, don't do that!" Grandpa exclaimed. "Remember my hearing aid is turned up."

He backed the car out of its parking spot at the Aberdeen, South Dakota bus terminal where he and Grandma had just picked up their four grandchildren. The children's parents were on a humanitarian mission to South America and would be gone most of the summer. Ty and Audrey were the children of Tom and Sylvia (Haskell) Thomsen. The twins, Jenny and Denny were the children of Mark and Heather Haskell.

"Sorry, Grandpa," Audrey, their pretty, thirteen-year-old granddaughter apologized. "I guess we forgot. This is all so exciting. Will there be lots of horses? Can we each have one to ride? Will ..."

"Hold on, girl," Grandpa stopped her in midsentence, "one question at a time. Yes, they have lots of horses. There should be enough for everyone when the customers aren't riding them."

"What customers?" asked Jenny, one of the rambunctious eleven-year-old twins.

"The customers that come to the ranch to ride horses," Grandma Abby replied.

"Then it's a `Dude Ranch,'" explained Denny, the other eleven-year-old, willowy, blond twin. "You know, the kind that has tourists ride and learn about ranch life," he added, giving Jenny a know-it-all grin as he settled back into the seat and stared out the window.

"You're partly right," Grandma said. "It's still a riding stable, but my sister and her husband don't have many live-in guests anymore. Clyde broke his leg a few months ago when he fell off a horse, and Gracie can't do all the work herself. She runs the riding stable and a small convenience store for tourists. She needs help until Clyde's leg is healed. That's why we're going there for a couple of months. Grandpa and I are retired and are able to leave our farm for a while. We've worked out an arrangement with Emma and Elmer Cavett to take care of our animals while we head out west to help out the Buxtons."

"Sorry to hear about Clyde's leg," Audrey said with sympathy.

Audrey had heard about her mother's aunt and uncle from Grandma through the years, but she didn't remember much about them.

"How come you two are going to help?" Audrey asked. "Don't they have any children?"

"No. Gracie and Clyde have no children. They didn't marry until late in life. Gracie was always too busy teaching, and Clyde was gone off rodeoing all over the country. He's a real cowboy."

"Can we go see a rodeo this summer?" Ty asked.

"If there is one in the area, we'll go see it," Grandpa replied. "You won't see Clyde in rodeos anymore. He's my age, and his back would shatter if he fell off a bull or horse. He's already broken his leg."

Grandma ignored Grandpa's statement and went on with her story about Gracie and Clyde. "It's not only all the work Gracie has to do, but she's got all that worry about what's happening to the ranch."

Denny, who was daydreaming in the back seat about being a cowboy, perked up. "What's happening to the ranch?" he asked.

"Well, there seems to be a jinx on the ranch during the past year or two. Horses have been disappearing, cattle have been found dead, and farm hands have been leaving. They sold the cattle that were left, and are down to one ranch hand to help with the horses."

"Who's that?" Denny asked.

"His name is Darrel Van Drugen, but everyone calls him `Dutch.' You'll all get to meet him because he lives in the bunkhouse. Gracie says he's very good with horses."

"Maybe he can teach us some fancy riding stuff with horses," Audrey said. "I'd like to learn to barrel race or something like that so I can be in a rodeo some day."

"I'm sure Dutch can teach us all something about horses," Grandpa said. He checked the traffic light ahead of him and made a right turn. I'd better concentrate on my driving before we have an accident, he thought.

* * * The children continued their questioning as Grandpa Josh drove the car out of Aberdeen and headed north on Highway 281 to the Haskell's small diversified farm. The children had learned many skills when visiting their grandparents last summer, becoming very good at taking care of the animals, mowing grass, gardening, and doing odd jobs around the farm.

"Where will we all sleep when we get to the ranch?" asked Audrey, always the practical one.

"Gracie and Clyde have a bunkhouse and a big ranch house. Grandpa and I will stay in the ranch house and you kids will stay in the bunkhouse. Back when the dude ranch had guests, they needed lots of rooms, so the bunkhouse has several rooms and suites. Some of you might have to share a room if they don't have one for each of you."

Denny frowned. He didn't want to share a room with Ty again like he had done last summer. How can I get out of that? he thought.

"The convenience store is on the bottom story of the main ranch house. There is also a big country kitchen and porch where we'll be eating our meals," Grandma said.

"It should be fun running a store," Ty said enthusiastically. "I'll bet Aunt Gracie has lots of candy in her store."

"Yes, she does," Grandma Abby replied, "but you'll be eating lots of veggies-from Gracie's big garden that we'll all be taking care of."

"Oh no," the children moaned in unison, then began to laugh. They had learned to eat veggies last summer, and had actually learned to like them.

"Does Aunt Gracie put lots of cream and butter on her veggies, like you do, Grandma?" asked Ty.

"She sure does. Gracie is a good cook and I'll be helping her, so you'll be eating very good food," Grandma said, as an assured Ty let out a sigh of relief.

* * *

The car became silent for a while, then Jenny burst out, "What about Missy and Randy?"

"What about Missy and Randy?" Grandpa repeated.

"We were planning to do all sorts of things with them this summer," Denny declared enthusiastically.

"Like get into trouble with the law like you did last summer?" Grandpa asked.

"No, like solve mysteries like we did last summer," Denny replied.

"Maybe there are some mysteries around Medora we could all solve together," Jenny said, joining the conversation.

"Besides," Denny pleaded, "Randy and Missy are very good with horses, and they don't have that much to do on their grandparent's farm and ..."

"We'll see," Grandma interrupted Denny in midsentence. "Two months is a long time. Maybe their grandparents won't want them to be gone that long."

Denny and Jenny frowned and looked at each other, instinctively knowing they'd have to figure out a way to take Randy and Missy along. It just wouldn't be as much fun if Emma and Elmer Cavett's grandchildren weren't there too.

* * * When they arrived at the farm, Grandma Abby announced, "Don't bother to unpack your suitcases-we'll be leaving first thing in the morning. Grandpa and I already have our things in the van we've rented for the summer."

The children put their belongings upstairs before supper, and then gathered in Audrey's room to devise a plan to convince Grandma and Grandpa to take Randy and Missy along.

Audrey would asked politely if the Cavetts could come-Grandma and Grandpa rarely refused Audrey anything because she was so polite and responsible. Denny and Jenny would butter up the grandparents to break down their defenses. And Ty would plead in his cute little boy way-something that always melted Grandma and Grandpa's hearts.

* * *

After supper, Audrey asked sweetly, "Have you phoned Emma and Elmer yet to ask if Missy and Randy can go along?"

"Well, no," Grandma admitted. "I've been busy with supper."

"Could you please do that while Jenny and I do the dishes?" Audrey pleaded.

"I guess I could," Grandma said, and got up to start clearing the table.

Jenny gave Audrey a dirty look. Doing the dishes was not part of the plan.

"You know," Denny said, addressing his part of the plan by focusing on Grandma, "Missy and Randy don't have much fun. Their parents are both gone all the time and their grandparents aren't nearly as cool as you and Grandpa."

"Yeah," Jenny joined in as she put some cups into the kitchen sink. "You and Grandpa are always doing fun things, and you make life out here lots of fun."

"Ahhh, hum." Grandpa cleared his throat. "Sounds like a snow job, Abby. I think our grandchildren are trying to butter us up for the kill."

Ignoring Grandpa, Ty turned to Grandma. "Please, Grandma, call," he pleaded, while giving her a sad puppy dog look.

Grandma shook her head slowly and said, "Well, I'll call, but I can't promise anything."

"Yay!" the children all shouted at once.

Grandpa held his ears and went outside to get some fresh air.

* * * About twenty minutes later, Grandma Abby called everyone into the living room to make her announcement.

The children held their breath, waiting to hear what Grandma would say.

"You win."

She smiled at the children, who were about to start yelling again, but stopped when Grandpa covered his ears.

"Grandpa and I set down some rules that will be followed by all six of you. We'll read them to you on the way to Medora tomorrow. Since Elmer is taking care of our animals this summer, I guess the least we can do is give his grandchildren a fun adventure in the Badlands of North Dakota."

"Thanks, Grandma, thanks, Grandpa." The children hugged their grandparents, and ran upstairs to plan their exciting summer.

Halfway up the stairs, Jenny whispered to Audrey, "You didn't have to volunteer us to do the dishes."

"Whatever," Audrey replied continuing her ascension up the stairs. "I hope I won't regret my part in this scheme later this summer," she muttered to herself.

After the children were out of earshot, Grandpa looked at Grandma and grinned, "That was quite a snow job they did on you, Abby."

"I know." Abby smiled slyly. "I was thinking of asking the Cavett's grandchildren to come along anyway. Why do you suppose I insisted on renting the big van? I thought I'd make sure our grandchildren wanted Randy and Missy along before I mentioned it to Emma. Now that they think it was their idea, they'll have to live with the rules we set up-it will make life much easier."

"You sly old fox," Grandpa said with a grin.

"Yes, I'm a sly, silver fox," Grandma said with a laugh, pointing to her white hair.

Chapter Two

Custer's Last Stand

"Everybody ready?" Grandpa Josh asked.

"Yes," answered the children in unison.

"Last chance to go to the bathroom," Grandma Abby announced as she closed her car door.

The Haskell's van was loaded with kids, clothes, canned goods, and the family dog. The next stop would be the Cavett's place where they would pick up Randy and Missy.

"This dog stinks!" Jenny complained. "Why did we have to bring him?"

"Grandpa couldn't get along without Laddie," Grandma said. "Besides, Laddie would be very lonely at home this summer."

"Laddie can sit by me," Ty said as he moved over in his seat to make room for the aging collie.

Laddie jumped up on the seat when the freckle-faced boy called his name. Ty put his arms around the dog and gave him a big hug.

"Where will Missy and Randy sit?" Jenny asked.

"Laddie will have to lie on the floor near the door when the Cavetts get in," Grandma said.

Then she turned to Grandpa, "Get this show on the road!"

* * * The Cavett's grandchildren were waiting on the front porch, ready to go.

After much chatter, a little rearranging, and a round of fond good-byes to Elmer and Emma, the last car door was closed. Grandpa turned down his hearing aid and pulled out of the drive way.

Abby looked at her husband with apprehension. This would be a long, noisy trip.

"Settle down!" she said to the children. "I've got some things to talk about."

One by one the children shushed each other.

Grandma continued, "If Grandpa and I are to survive this summer, you'll have to follow some rules we've made. First, when riding in this van we need to whisper. There are so many of us that the noise gets to be too much for Grandpa and me to take."

"Yes, Grandma," the children whispered.

"Next, since we will be guests at Gracie and Clyde's place, whatever they ask you to do, you will do. You will follow their house rules and do all the work they ask you to do."

"Yes, Grandma," the children agreed.

"What type of work are we talking about?" asked Denny, always the inquisitive one.

"Oh, there will be mowing, caring for the animals, gardening, tending the small store, general ranch work, helping on trail rides and some manure hauling."

"Manure hauling! That stinky job should be left up to the boys," Jenny suggested.

"Why?" asked Grandma. "I thought you told me girls are equal to boys and can do anything that boys can do."

"She only says that when she wants to go along with us," Denny said. "When she thinks a job is yucky, she says it's boys' work."

Grandma ignored further comments by her twin grandchildren, and continued with her rules.

"Third, you will eat what's put on the table without complaints. If you don't like a certain food, just say `no, thank you' and pass it on. If you put something on your plate you will do your best to eat it."

"Yes, Grandma," all the children responded, but several had sour looks on their faces.

"And last, you will stay out of trouble so we don't have the local sheriff visiting us all the time."

"Yes, Grandma," the children answered reluctantly. They knew it would be a hard task to stay out of trouble all summer.

It grew very quiet in the van as the children pondered the rules they had just agreed to. Grandma looked over her shoulder into the back part of the van where the Cavett grandchildren sat quietly not knowing what to say.

"Randy and Missy," she addressed their summer guests, "you can call Josh and me `Grandma' and `Grandpa' this summer, since we will be taking your grandparents place as your guardians. You will follow all the rules that our grandchildren do and be disciplined in the same manner."

"Yes, Grandma," Randy and Missy responded in unison.

Everyone laughed. The Cavetts were now part of the family.

"Good," Grandma said. "Now that we have that settled, we can relax and have a fun summer. Our first stop today will be in Eureka, South Dakota for some kuchen."

"What's kuchen?" Ty asked.

"It's a German coffee cake-made with dough, cream, and fruit," Audrey explained proudly. "Grandma makes it for Christmas sometimes. Don't you remember, Ty?"

"Oh, yeah, I like kuchen!" Ty said excitedly. "Can we eat some when you get it?"

"Yes, we'll stop at the Eureka Kuchen Factory. Eureka is the kuchen capital of the world you know. At least that's what the people from Eureka say. My cousin Elfe told me that, and she's from Eureka. Well, anyway, Gracie and Clyde love kuchen, so I thought we'd bring them a cooler full as a treat."

* * *

The time passed quickly as the van drove north on Highway 281, then turned west on Highway 10 to Eureka. The children spent their time talking about all the fun things they would do during the summer.

After a brief stop at the Kuchen Factory for a snack and the purchase of a variety of kuchens, the van headed north again on Highway 83 to Bismarck, the capital of North Dakota, where they had lunch.

When they were back inside the van, Grandma announced, "Next, we'll stop at Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park."

"What's at Fort Lincoln?" Audrey asked.

"Lots of things," Grandma explained. "You can explore the ruins of the On-a-Slant Mandan Indian Village, and also the Fort Lincoln cavalry and infantry posts."

"Why was it called, `On-a-Slant Village'?" Jenny asked.

"Because it was built on the side of a hill that sloped toward the Missouri River. They had good drainage, but it washed away the Indian earth lodges when they had heavy rains," Grandma informed her granddaughter.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Who Jinxed the C&G Ranch?by Mary Ellen Erickson Copyright © 2009 by Mary Ellen Erickson, PhD. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.