|
The Mystery
of Rip Van Winkle’s Ghost
This story
was requested by my daughter, and is a fun crossover. It’s also the personal
favorite of my husband, Damon. What more recommendation do you need? J
It was an exciting Saturday afternoon
for the Bob-Whites. Recently, Jim had discovered that he had another cousin
on the Frayne side of the family. His only other living blood relative lived
in “Oh, Jim, do you
think your cousin will be here soon?” Trixie asked impatiently, excitement
practically oozing from her pores. “She’ll be here any
minute, Trix,” Jim answered. A lopsided grin parted his lips. He wasn’t sure
who was more thrilled about this meeting: Trixie or him. “Is she still
coming with her friends?” Brian questioned. Jim nodded. “Yeah,
she and her friends were taking a trip to Sleepy Hollow and decided to stop
here on their way.” “Why are they going there?”
A perplexed expression clouded Diana Lynch’s pretty face. “That seems like an
unusual vacation.” “I’m not really
sure,” Jim replied with a shrug. “She and her friends do a lot of traveling.
That’s all I know.” “I just hope your
cousin is hot,” Dan commented. He flashed the girls a devastating grin. The
former bad boy was quite the ladies’ man. Being the only officially
unattached Bob-White male, he enjoyed making the rounds with Sleepyside’s
eligible young ladies and regaling them with the BWGs’ many adventures. “Methinks Don Juan
has disregarded the captivating damsel with whom he has been spending an
exorbitant amount of time,” Mart chided teasingly. Dan scratched his
chin in confusion. “Who…oh, yeah! Amy Morrisey!” he remembered with a snap of
his fingers. “I had to break up with the lovely Amy. She was getting a bit
too clingy.” “Someday you’re
going to meet your match, Dan Mangan,” Honey warned. “And I hope when you do,
all the hearts you’ve broken will be there to see it.” Dan assumed an angelic
expression. “Me? A heartbreaker? I don’t break hearts; I use them gently and
then return them.” Diana snorted. “Is
that your motto or something? Because if it is, you ought to get it written
on a T-shirt. The number of hearts broken by you would be cut in half.” “Hey, can I help it
if there are just too many chicks and too little time?” Dan replied with a
grin. “Is it my fault that all the pretty girls in Sleepyside find the bad boy
look so appealing?” Di laughed as she
flipped her ebony hair off her slender shoulders. “The police should be
notified about that smile of yours so they could put it on the list of
dangerous weapons.” “Yeah,” Honey
agreed. “It’s a good thing Dan has to stay home chopping wood all the time,
or he’d be breaking hearts all over the United States.” “That’s the law of
supply and demand, ladies,” Dan retorted. “Hey, I’m the only guy in the club
not already latched onto—” “Is that a car I
hear?” Jim interrupted. Trixie clutched
Jim’s arm as she hopped up and down, barely able to restrain herself. “Your
cousin’s almost here, Jim! Oh, I’m so excited for you!” Jim glanced fondly
at the sandy blonde, his gaze soon growing contemplative. “Can you please do
me a favor, Trix?” he asked seriously. Trixie stared in his
bright green eyes, mesmerized by their brilliance. “Anything, Jim,” she
gulped. “Just this once,
could you please try to not find a
mystery? I’d hate to spoil my cousin’s trip.” After patting Trixie’s arm
consolingly, he added gently, “After all, not everyone solves mysteries like
you. Daphne may not understand your sleuthing obsession.” Trixie swallowed and
nodded her head. It would be a struggle, but she would do anything to please her supple,
redheaded friend. “I’ll try, Jim. But you know how mysteries just seem to
fall in my lap.” Jim smiled and
tugged on his favorite curl. “I know, Shamus.” Honey squealed in
delight as a van pulled into the Manor House driveway. “They’re here, Jim!
They’re here!” A big green 1968 Chevrolet Sportvan 108 with orange
and green flowers paint on it parked, and four teenagers, as well as a large
dog, got out and sauntered towards the Bob-Whites. “James Frayne?” an
attractive girl with auburn hair asked as she looked around. “That’s me,” Jim
greeted. “Are you Daphne Blake?” The pretty redhead
smiled and nodded. “Glad to meet you, Jim. These are my friends, Fred Jones,
Velma Dinkley, and Norville Rogers.” “Like, you can call
me Shaggy,” the gangly fellow named Norville told them. “Oh, and this is our
dog, Scooby Doo.” “Good to meet you
all,” Jim replied. He shook each of their hands and patted the Great Dane’s
head. “This is my sister, Honey
Wheeler, and our friends, Trixie, Mart, and Brian Belden, Diana Lynch, and
Dan Mangan.” “Rad to reet you,
Rim!” the dog exclaimed. Each of the
Bob-Whites’ mouths gaped in surprise. “D-did your dog
j-just talk?” Honey stammered weakly. “Like, man, Scoob talks
all the time,” Shaggy told them, as if a talking dog was as common as rain
falling from the sky. “It’s like, getting him to be quiet that’s the
miracle.” “How mysterious!”
Trixie exclaimed, her china blue eyes round with wonder. Brian began examining
the Great Dane. He knew there had to be some plausible explanation for the
phenomena, such as an oversized voice box. However, everything seemed normal
apart from his overly-bowed legs, double chin, and sloped back, which Brian
attributed to poor breeding. “How is this medically possible?” he mused. “We have found no
conclusive scientific explanation for our conversing canine,” the short girl
said sagely, as she pushed her dark eyeglasses further up on her freckled pug
nose. Trixie giggled and
poked her almost-twin in the ribs with her elbow. “Finally, someone you can
talk to, Mart,” she teased. Mart scowled at his
younger sister, and then shifted his attention to the newcomers. “What will
the longevity of this sojourn be?” “I’m not sure,” the
tall blond teenage boy answered. “We’re going to a mystery convention and
wanted to stop in Sleepyside so we could meet Daph’s cousin.” “A mystery
convention!” Trixie repeated excitedly. “Do you solve mysteries, too?” Fred nodded as he
gave an arrogant sniff. “We’ve been responsible for solving several crimes
all over the “Trixie and Honey
are our resident detectives,” Jim
stated, not bothering to hide his obvious pride. Trixie blushed to
the roots of her sandy hair. “Oh, Jim. We’re not that good.” “Why, you’re the
best, Shamus,” Jim told her with obvious affection. He turned back to Fred.
“They’ve even worked on cases in Great Britain and France.” “Well, we’re hoping
to solve the mystery of the headless horseman during our visit,” Fred
announced. “I’m sure we can take care of that while we’re in the area.” “Headless
Horseman?!” Shaggy cried, clinging to his dog. “Readress Rorseman?!” Scooby echoed.
His large body trembled in fear. Shaggy’s embrace failed to make the dog feel
more secure, so he jumped in his master’s scrawny arms. “Trixie and Honey already took care
of that,” Jim boasted, casting an appreciative glance in the duo’s direction.
“That was just after they found out who was pretending to be a sasquatch, and
right before they solved the ghostly galleon case.” He glanced fondly at
Trixie, who was once again wearing her All-American red face. “Jinkies!” Velma cried. “We solved
the case of Big Foot as well!” “It’s always a man in a disguise,”
Fred remarked, disappointment lacing his words. “A bit of ingenuity and hard
work unmasks the villains every time. We’ve also solved the case of a set of
armor missing from a museum, and—” “Well, Trixie solved the case of the
whispering witch and the midnight marauder,” Jim interrupted angrily. “Jim, could you direct us to a hotel
so we can get settled in?” Daphne asked sweetly, sensing the tension between
Jim and Fred. “Oh, there’s no need for you to stay
in a hotel!” Honey exclaimed. “We have plenty of room here at Manor House.
You can stay with us! We’d love to have you.” “Any g-ghosts here?” Shaggy asked
nervously. Trixie giggled. “Not a one. This
house is pretty much ghost-proof.” “I don’t know…” Fred began. “It would be nice to stay with my cousin, Freddie,” Daphne cooed. She
batted her long eyelashes and gently rubbing her fingertips along his arm. “Right!” Fred agreed, quickly
changing his tune. “I’m glad I thought of it, Daph.” Daphne winked at Trixie, Honey, and
Diana. It was obvious that although Fred thought
he was in charge, Daphne was really calling the shots. “You’ll enjoy staying here,” Brian
told them. “The Wheelers have a beautiful home, and their cook is wonderful.” “Food?!” Shaggy repeated, forgetting
his former fears. Scooby suddenly disappeared then instantly
reappeared with a bib around his neck and eating utensils clasped in his
paws. “Zoinks! Why didn’t you mention food
sooner? Like, I’m there, man!” Shaggy cried, patting his growling stomach. Velma laughed. “Well, I guess it’s
all set. We’ll stay here with you, Jim.” Daphne and her friends got their bags out of
their vehicle. “Gleeps! I love your van!” Trixie
exclaimed, admiring the psychedelic words painted on the back and along the
sides. Fred patted the hood of the Chevy.
“Yeah, the Mystery Machine’s taken us all over the country.” “Well, it looks awesome,” Trixie
said. “I think the word you’re looking for
is ‘groovy’, squaw,” Mart corrected. “I don’t care what you call it,”
Trixie replied. “I like it.” “Hey, Trix, do you want me to stencil
that on the Bob-Whites’ station wagon?” Jim teased. Trixie responded by sticking her
tongue out at him. Jim led his guests into the Manor
House. Fred, unwilling to play the second fiddle, quickly caught up and took
up the lead with Jim. Noticing that Daphne’s escort was
temporarily out of the picture, Dan gallantly retrieved her large purple
suitcase and matching carryon. “Need some help?” he offered, flashing her his
most dashing grin. Daphne batted her eyelashes in
thanks. “Uh, gee, Dan, do you think you could
put those big guns to use and give me a hand, too?” Velma questioned in a
sultry voice. Dan grimaced slightly, but quickly
remembered his Bob-White manners and smiled at the bespectacled brainiac.
“Sure, Velma. Always willing to help a damsel in distress.” Velma tittered prettily as she rubbed
Dan’s muscular bicep. “Jinkies, Dan, you sure are strong!” Dan’s blush rivaled even Trixie’s.
“Uh…thanks, Velma. Comes from chopping all that wood.” Anxious to ditch the
overbearing girl, he picked up the pace and raced into Manor House. Behind
him, Mart, Di, and Brian were stifling chortles. When Shaggy and Scooby grabbed their
bags and caught up with the rest of the gang, Mart sniffed the air. “What is that palatable aroma?” Mart
queried as he inhaled the air around Shaggy’s luggage. The delicious aroma
emanating from the suitcase made Mart’s belly rumble. “Like, I just packed some groovy
snacks to tide me over till lunchtime,” Shaggy explained. “I’m, like,
starved, man!” At lunch… The
Bob-Whites and Mystery Inc. sat at the Wheelers’ large dining room table. “Did you get
settled?” Jim politely asked his guests. “Oh yes, Jim. The
rooms are lovely,” Daphne assured him from her seat beside Fred. Dan hurriedly
grabbed the open seat to her left. He cringed as he noticed that Velma had
sat down in the other seat beside him. Miss Trask walked
briskly into the dining room, claiming the seat at the head of the table that
she assumed in Matthew Wheeler’s absence.
“This is our
governess, Miss Trask,” Jim explained. “She helps run the Manor House for
Dad.” Miss Trask smiled
and glanced around the room at their guests. “Glad to meet you.” She was a
bit taken aback at the sight of Scooby sitting on the opposite end of the
table. “Excuse me, but is that a d-dog?” “Rog? Roos a rog?”
Scooby asked, acting insulted. “Like, Scooby’s more
than a dog, ma’am,” Shaggy corrected. “He’s, like, my best friend,
practically part of the family.” Scooby suddenly vanished, and then
instantly reappeared, dressed up as Shaggy’s grandmother, complete with a
pearl necklace, shawl, and a gray-haired wig. He coyly giggled, as best as a
Great Dane can giggle of course, discreetly covering his large nose with an
old-fashioned handkerchief. “Oh, Miss Trask,
please say Scooby can stay!” Honey begged. “I’m sure he’s housebroken!” Trixie giggled from
her seat between Jim and Honey. “Yeah, Scooby probably has better table
manners than Bobby.” “I assure you that
Scooby will behave himself,” Velma insisted. Miss Trask merely
shrugged her shoulders. “Any guest of Jim’s is welcome,” she relented with a
prim yawn. “Are you tired, Miss
Trask?” Brian inquired, a doctor-like concern evident in his dark brown eyes.
“I’m sorry for my
rudeness, but I can’t quit yawning,” Miss Trask apologized. “I’ve been having
trouble sleeping the past several nights.” Celia, the young,
pretty maid, appeared with large plates of food. She looked hesitantly at
Scooby, but after the Great Dane gave her a goofy giggle, she shrugged her
shoulders and set down large platters of ham, scalloped potatoes, and baby
carrots. Trixie speared a big
slab of baked ham with the silver serving fork and placed it on her plate.
“What’s wrong, Miss Trask? Why have you been having trouble sleeping?” Miss Trask clamped
her thin lips together firmly as she shook her head in response. “Now, now. I
don’t want to bother you young people with my problems. This should be a
celebration. After all, it isn’t every day that Jim discovers new relatives.
You children have fun with your friends. I’m sure I’m only imagining things.”
Struggling to stifle
her curiosity, Trixie was practically twitching with excitement. Her fingers
trembled so badly that she almost spilled her glass of lemonade. “Imagining
what?” she prompted, her large blue eyes as big as saucers. Promise or no
promise, her mystery antenna was perked up, and she just couldn’t ignore it. “Nothing,” Miss
Trask insisted. “You’ll think I’m being foolish.” “You’re the most
sensible person we know, Miss Trask!” Honey assured her earnestly. “Please
tell us what’s bothering you.” The kindly governess
sighed and put down her fork. “I don’t want to alarm our guests, girls. Maybe
I’ll talk to you later.” “Don’t worry about
alarming us, Miss Trask,” Fred protested. “We solve mysteries, too.” “Is that so?” Miss
Trask eyebrows shot up in surprise. “What a coincidence! In that case, I
suppose I can tell you what’s
wrong.” Trixie set down her
fork as she prepared to listen to Miss Trask’s story. She had a feeling that
this would be their most exciting mystery yet! “The past several
nights,” Miss Trask began, “I’ve seen a mysterious form floating around my window.
I’m not sure if I’ve been dreaming or imagining things, or if something
really is there. It’s quite
disturbing.” “Jinkies!” Velma
blurted. “How—” “Mysterious!” Trixie
interjected before Velma could finish. “What does the form look like, Miss
Trask?” The sensibly-shoed
governess thoughtfully chewed her food before she answered. “It’s the
strangest thing. Each night I’ve seen a white figure in an old-fashioned
nightgown and nightcap. I think it’s a man, although it has long gray hair.” Di shivered. “Sounds
like someone right out of the Rip Van Winkle story.” “This is the area where that story took place.” Trixie worried her
lower lip as she gathered her thoughts. “Maybe it’s Rip Van Winkle’s ghost!”
she cried suddenly. “G-g-ghost!” Shaggy
and Scooby disappeared under the dining room table, their teeth chattering so
loudly that they caused the table to vibrate. “Knock it off, you
guys,” Fred lectured. “It was probably the wind or an animal outside her
window.” “It couldn’t have
been an animal,” Dan remarked. “Miss Trask’s room is on the second floor of
the mansion. How could a large animal pass by her window up there?” “That’s an
excellent point, Dan.” Velma batted her eyes at him. “Body and brains. You’ve got the whole
package.” “Can you believe
he’s single?” Di asked Velma, ignoring Dan’s warning glare. Thankfully, Mart
took a short break from chewing long enough to ask another question, and
Velma wasn’t able to make her move. “So, what does this
apparition do during your postmeridian repose, Miss Trask?” he inquired,
getting his third helping of ham and potatoes. “I’m not sure
exactly,” Miss Trask replied. “I see it in the middle of the night. It
appears to be staring at me.” “Does it do anything
else?” Trixie asked, her china blue eyes very wide. Miss Trask shook her
head. “No, it just looks at me. It’s rather unnerving.” “Jinkies!” Velma
cried. “Gleeps!” Trixie
exclaimed. Secretly, she wondered what kind of word “jinkies” was. Sounds like a breakfast cereal, Trixie
thought. What kind of word is “gleeps”? Velma wondered, with a sniff of
self-importance. “Jinkies” sounds so
much more intelligent... Shaggy and Scooby
suddenly got up from under the table, dressed in Hawaiian shirts and
sunglasses. Shaggy had somehow acquired his suitcase, and Scooby was holding
a camera in his paws. “Like, I’m outta here, man!” Shaggy
insisted. “I’m not sticking around for some creepy ghost to look at me in the
middle of the night!” Daphne laughed.
“Where’re you headed, guys?” “Ra-ri-ee,” Scooby
answered, doing the hula. “ Scooby exuberantly
shook his head up and down as he continued his dance. “Sorry guys, but
you’re not going anywhere,” Fred informed the would-be travellers. “We’re going to solve this mystery!” Jim gritted his
teeth; he didn’t like this bossy guy who liked to lecture. “That’s nice of
you to offer your help, Fred, but the Bob-Whites can take care of this by
ourselves.” “Am I hallucinating
or is there a superfluity of testosterone in this dwelling?” Mart whispered
to Di. The violet-eyed
girl merely giggled and shushed him. She wasn’t sure what he’d said, but she
knew it was probably funny. She’d ask him to translate when they were alone. “Don’t worry, Miss
Trask,” Trixie assured her. “The Bob-Whites will figure this out.” “And we’ll help too,
won’t we gang?” Daphne put in. “You bet!” agreed
Velma. “We’ll all look for clues after lunch. You can come with me, Daniel.” Dan attempted a
weak smile, and then gulped down his water. It was tough being such a
desirable hunk. An hour later… Once they’d finished
lunch, Honey and Trixie went to Honey’s room to freshen up while Diana helped
Daphne unpack. Honey was running a brush through her silky brownish-gold hair
and had a tube of lipgloss ready to apply. Trixie had already raked her
fingers through her sandy locks, which constituted her “freshening up”. She
currently laid on Honey’s bed and hung upside-down over the edge as she
waited for Honey to finish. “So, what do you
think about Daphne and her friends?” Trixie asked. “Daphne seems very
nice,” Honey replied thoughtfully, running the hairbrush through her silky
hair. “And so do her friends. Aren’t Shaggy and Scooby funny?” Trixie raised her
head and sniffed indignantly. “I don’t see what’s so great about Scooby Doo.
Why, Reddy’s just as smart as he is!” Honey giggled. “I’ve
never heard Reddy talk, though.” “I suppose,” Trixie
reluctantly conceded. “Velma’s nice, and she seems very smart when it comes
to solving mysteries. And Daphne’s just as sweet as she is pretty.” “Dan thinks so,
too,” Honey tittered. “I think he may need to borrow Scooby’s bib to sop up
his drool.” Trixie laughed until
she fell off the bed. “Have you noticed how Velma looks at Dan? She reminds
me of Mart eyeing one of Wimpy’s deluxe burgers.” “I don’t think
Fred’s very happy that Dan likes Daphne,” Honey commented. “It’s so obvious
that they’re a couple.” “What do you think
of Fred?” Trixie asked as she climbed back up on Honey’s bed. “He’s very
handsome!” Honey gushed. “That ascot’s so dreamy!” “I guess he’s okay,”
Trixie admitted, “but he’s a little too bossy for me.” Honey snickered.
“Daphne knows how to keep him in line.” “I don’t think he
and Jim are getting along very well,” Trixie observed, winding one of her
sandy curls around her index finger. “I think Jim thinks they think… well,
that Mystery Inc. is… oh gosh, I don’t know what I’m trying to say!” Honey giggled. “I
know what you mean, Trixie. Fred is a little
take-overy. But I’m sure Jim will act like a perfect gentleman while they’re
here.” After another quick glance in the mirror, the girls trotted
downstairs. The pair found Mart telling Shaggy
and Scooby about Wimpy’s daily specials. Brian, Jim, and Velma were
discussing the merits of going to an in-state university versus an
out-of-state one. Fred and Dan were jockeying for position near Daphne, but
she was in a deep conversation with Diana. Apparently the purple-loving fashionistas
had already clicked. “Do you think this outfit is all
right for finding clues?” Daphne asked Di. “Or is it too dressy?” “Oh, no, it’s perfect!” Di gushed,
admiring Daphne’s stylish purple attire. “Those shoes, though a bit dangerous,
are to die for! Like I always say, Looking your best is worth the risk of
falling down and breaking your neck.” “Fashion has a price, you know,”
Daphne commented. Di nodded emphatically. “I agree
totally! And by the way, I love your outfit. I just adore that shade of
purple! Where did you find it?” Impatient to begin the new case,
Trixie interrupted the discussion on fashion. “Are we ready to split up and
find some clues?” “Sounds good to me, Shamus,” Jim
answered with a grin. “Let’s head out, gang,” Fred
answered, taking charge once more. “I think we can build a simple trap using
clothes hangers, soap suds, and a weed-eater.” Jim rolled his eyes in obvious
exasperation. “That’s not our style, Fred. Let me tell you how it works.
Trixie discovers a mystery, and she inevitably drags Honey into it.
Pretending to work on some sort of fundraiser, Trixie and Honey search for
clues. Brian, Mart, and I give them a hard time about being too suspicious,
while Dan is off chopping wood Di sleeping in the other room or mad at
something. Brian and I throw in a safety lecture or two, and Mart teases
Trixie relentlessly using words he can’t even spell. Trixie makes a few
harebrained accusations which prove to be ridiculous, but she always figures
it all out after someone, usually she and/or Honey, gets kidnapped. They’re rescued in the nick of time, and we
get some type of reward for solving the mystery, which we donate to charity.” “I’m glad you all manage to solve the
mystery in spite of your bumbling, but we’ve always found our method to work
perfectly,” Fred argued as he straightened his ascot. “What is your method, Fred?” Brian inquired. “Well, first we befriend the general
population,” Fred began. “Then, we learn that they’re being terrorized by an
evil creature of some sort. Out of the goodness of our hearts, we volunteer
to learn the monster’s intentions, thereby ridding its sinister presence from
the community. While looking for clues, Shaggy and Scooby usually end up
being chased by the ghost, Velma loses her glasses, Daphne falls in a trap,
and I come up with a brilliant plan to capture the monster. Upon further
analysis, we discover the ghost is really a man in a mask, which we prove
after he is caught in our trap. When
the police are hauling the would-be criminal off, he always says he would’ve
gotten away with it if it hadn’t been for us.” “And that actually works for you?”
Jim asked in disbelief. “At least none of us get kidnapped!”
Fred’s expression suddenly grew sheepish. “Well, nobody except for Daphne,
but we always manage to find her in time.” Brian stood between Jim and Fred. “No
matter what we decide to do to catch Rip Van Winkle’s ghost, I think that we
all agree that we need to find some clues first. I suggest we split up.” “Good idea, Brian,” Jim agreed.
“There are twelve of us, so I think we should split up in four even groups of
three. One group can take the south; one can take the north, and so on.” “In my expert opinion, I think we should split up in four
even groups of three,” Fred said in a superior tone, as if he hadn’t heard a
single word Jim had said. “That way, all four directions can be covered.” Trixie stifled a giggle as Jim’s ears
turned a bright red and his green eyes blazed. “Sounds good, Fred,” she said
with a wink to Jim. “Now, who’s going with who?” “Trixie and I will take the north
side of the house,” Jim stated firmly. “Who wants to come with us?” “I will,” volunteered Daphne. “But Daph,” Fred whispered, waggling
his blond eyebrows. “You can’t go with them. We always go off alone to find clues.” “Oh, right. I’d better stick with
Freddie. Di, will you come with us?” Diana squealed in delight and hooked
her arm through Daphne’s. “We’ll cover the south side,” Fred
informed them. “I’ll go with Jim and Trixie,” Brian
replied. I’d better keep an eye on my
baby sister and my best friend, he thought, noticing the intense fond
glances Jim was casting in Trixie’s direction; it was only a matter of time
until those looks escalated into physical contact. “I’ll cover the east,” Dan offered. “And I’ll go with Dan,” Velma quickly
piped. She hustled to Dan’s side and stared up at him adoringly. Honey giggled. “I’ll come with you,
in case you need a chaperone.” If looks could kill, Honey Wheeler
would’ve keeled over at the one that Dan hurled at her. “That leaves me to cover the west
side with Shaggy and Scooby,” Mart replied. “Let’s meet back here in an
hour.” “And remember, if you have any
trouble, use the Bob-White whistle,” Jim reminded them, as his group headed
to the north. “Fred, Mystery Inc. needs a secret
whistle,” Daphne urged as their crew walked to the south side of the estate. “Come on, guys,” Mart called to
Shaggy and Scooby. “Let’s try and find some clues.” Suddenly, Shaggy and Scooby ran
behind a tree and reappeared on crutches, each with one leg in a cast. “Like, man, I wish I could, but I
have a broken leg!” Shaggy moaned, pointing to his seemingly afflicted limb. Scooby began nodding his head and
pointing to one of his own casted bones. “Roken reg! Roken reg!” “Don’t worry, Mart. I’ll take care of
this,” Velma informed him, digging into the pocket of her short pleated
skirt. She pulled out several small brown objects. “Would you do it for a
Scooby snack?” Shaggy and Scooby shook their heads.
Apparently, they were holding out for more. “In spite of the fact that I find it
pitiful that you’re more motivated by hunger than a desire to solve
mysteries, I’ll up the ante,” Velma conceded, holding out a couple more of
the cookies. “Rour! Rour!” Scooby begged
desperately. “All right, guys. Here are four Scooby snacks apiece.” Velma
tossed them into the air, and Shaggy and Scooby skillfully caught them in
their mouths. The casts and crutches instantly disappeared, and they were
good to go. “Like, let’s get this spook show on
the road, man,” Shaggy said. “I’m gonna waste away if I don’t get another
snack soon.” “A man after my own heart!” Mart
exclaimed. “We’ll find that leftover chocolate cake after we find some clues.
Hey, are those Scooby snacks any good?” The trio of food-lovers wandered off
to the west side of the house as Shaggy attempted to accurately describe the
unique taste of Scooby snacks. Dan shrugged his broad shoulders. “I
guess we’d better get going, too,” he said, turning toward the east side of
the Manor House estate. Velma clipped along at his heels, but Honey stayed
farther back and made kissy-faces each time Dan looked back at her. On the south side of Manor House… “See
anything, girls?” Fred asked as he, Daphne, and Di searched all over the ground
for clues. “The only thing I’ve
discovered is that these shoes are creating thousands of blisters on my
feet,” Daphne complained. “And I got a grass
stain on my brand new designer jeans,” Di moaned. “I’m bored and ready to
back inside.” “Don’t you like
solving mysteries, Di?” Daphne inquired, flipping back her fiery hair and
then straightening her dark orchid headband. Di shook her head
sadly, her violet eyes losing their usual sparkle. “That’s really more Trixie
and Honey’s thing. I’m afraid all I do is get in the way.” “I know how you
feel,” Daphne agreed, squeezing Diana’s arm in a consoling manner. “Velma’s
the smart one. Fred’s the leader. Shaggy and Scooby are the bait. All I do is
look pretty.” “At least you do a
good job of it,” Di encouraged. Fred came over to
Daphne and put his arm around her tiny waist. “You’re more than just a pretty
face, Daph. You do have a knack for getting kidnapped and falling into
holes.” Daphne stomped her
high-heeled foot. “You’re so corny, Fred Jones! See if I look for any more
clues with you again!” Suddenly, her high heel got stuck in
a hole. While bending over to get it loose, she saw a piece of paper flying
around in the breeze. “Hey, I found something!” she cried gleefully. When she
was out of the hole, she retrieved the paper once it landed on the lawn. Fred and Di quickly bounded to her
side. “Great job, Daph!” Fred
congratulated, rubbing her shoulder. “What did you find?” “I’m not sure. It looks like a piece
of notebook paper.” Daphne held it close to her face. “It has writing on it.” “What does it say?” Di asked
breathlessly. Daphne squinted as she peered at the
writing. “I don’t know. I think it’s written in another language.” Fred snatched it out of her hands.
“Let me take a look at that.” He
carefully studied the writing. “It appears to be written in another
language.” Daphne rolled her eyes, and Di
giggled. It seemed that that the only thing Fred didn’t know was that he
didn’t know everything. Meanwhile, on the west side of the Manor House… “Like, man, where’s
all the clues?” Shaggy asked, looking all over the ground in search of
anything suspicious. He turned to Scooby. “Smell anything, old pal?” Scooby lifted his
nose from off the ground and shook his head. “Ruh-uh, ruh-uh! No rues ret.” Mart searched the
west side around Manor House. “There has
to be something here someplace,” he muttered. “Like, man, look
what I’ve found!” Shaggy exclaimed happily. “I’ve hit the proverbial sugar
jackpot!” He triumphantly held up a large, heart-shaped box of chocolates. Both Mart and Scooby
raced to Shaggy’s side. Shaggy opened the lid, and the three gazed longingly
at the decadent chocolates nestled in the box. By now, large trails of drool
were running down each of their chins. “I wonder where it
came from,” Mart pondered out loud. “Do you think, like,
maybe we should taste it?” Shaggy suggested hopefully. “You know, make sure
it’s safe and all.” Scooby vigorously
nodded his head. “Raste rest! Raste rest!” Mart scratched his
head as he mulled the idea. “I don’t know. What if it’s a clue?” “Aw, come on, Mart!”
Shaggy persuaded, sticking the yummy smelling candy under Mart’s nose. “Just
a little bit? After all, we have the box as evidence…” Mart gingerly took a
nibble from one of the squares of chocolate. Not tasting any poisons or
sedatives, he popped the rest of the bite into his mouth. “Well, what do you
think?” Shaggy demanded. “Like, it is okay, or are you gonna keel over, man?” Mart swallowed the
bite of chocolate and reached for another. “I think that, if Rip Van Winkle
purchased this candy, he has excellent taste!” Meanwhile, on the east side of the Manor House… “Jinkies!
This sure is a big house!” Velma exclaimed, taking her eyeglasses off and cleaning
them on her sweater. Honey nodded. “Yes,
it is. There’re simply too many servants for Mother to manage by herself. She
travels with Daddy often, and has a lot of dinners to organize. That’s why
it’s so nice to have Miss Trask around. If something were to happen to her…” Honey’s voice broke
at the thought of Miss Trask leaving. Miss Trask was more than a governess to
Honey. The older, sensible woman was a mother figure, as well. “Don’t worry,
Honey,” Dan said, patting her arm. “We’ll figure this out before Rip Van
Winkle scares off Miss Trask.” “Are any of the
other servants jealous of Miss Trask?” Velma inquired, thoughtfully rubbing
her freckled cheek. “Maybe someone’s trying to frighten her so she’ll leave.
Then they could have her job.” Honey chewed her
lower lip as she reflected upon Velma’s words. “I don’t think anyone’s after
her position, but you never know. I suppose it does pay well.” “She has fired several cooks,” Dan
mentioned. “Like Trixie says: Miss Trask hires them and fires them! Maybe one
of the people she’s fired wants revenge.” Honey nodded slowly.
“There was that maid named Helen
that Miss Trask let go shortly after we arrived in Sleepyside. I think she
was gone before you moved here, Dan.” Velma took a pen and
small notebook out of her pocket and jotted down some notes. “Could anyone
else be out to get Miss Trask?” “Everybody loves
Miss Trask!” Honey insisted. “She’s a friend to everyone. Why, she was the
first real friend I ever had! Miss Trask was there for me even before I met
Trixie.” She wiped a tear from her hazel eyes. “I just couldn’t bear it if
Miss Trask left! We have to solve
this mystery before she leaves.” Dan sympathetically
patted Honey’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Honey. Miss Trask’s a tough old gal.
She loves you as much as you love her. It’ll take more than some old dude in
a nightgown to scare her away.” “If you want to help
Miss Trask, help me find some
clues,” Velma remarked bossily, studying the ground. Several minutes
later, Honey squealed in delight. “I found something!” She removed a
handkerchief from her pocket and carefully picked up a pen that was lying in
the grass. Dan and Velma hurried to her side. “Great work, Honey!”
Dan exclaimed. “Are those letters
engraved on it?” Velma asked. Honey peered closely
at the pen. “Yes! I see an H. J.
L. on it! I wonder what those initials stand for.” Velma scratched her
chin thoughtfully. “You mentioned a maid named Helen. That name begins with
an ‘h’. What was Helen’s last name?” Honey shrugged. “I
don’t remember. We went through so many servants when we first moved to
Sleepyside that I didn’t learn many of their full names. Why, we started
calling our cooks ‘Cook’ because we’d gone through so many.” “Maybe Jim knows,”
Dan suggested with a grin. “After all, Jim knows everything. Just ask
Trixie.” “I think you know everything, Daniel,” Velma
crooned as she slid her arm through his. “And you’re so strong!” Dan resisted the
urge to groan. It was going to be a long day. On the north side of the Manor House… Trixie, Jim,
and Brian searched the north side of the Manor House lawn. Thus far, they
hadn’t had any luck, but Jim was determined to keep looking. He refused to
return empty-handed and risk being made fun of by Fred. Struck by inspiration, Trixie looked up
and studied the mansion. “Jim, is Miss Trask’s window on this side of the
house?” Jim grinned in that
charming, lopsided manner of his. “As a matter of fact, it is. That’s why I
claimed the north direction. I knew my Shamus would want to investigate
around the window.” Trixie blushed and
walked beneath Miss Trask’s second-story window. She stood beside a large red
maple tree and looked up. “I’ve got it!” she cried, snapping her fingers. She
grasped one of the low branches and climbed on it. “This is no time to
climb trees, Trixie,” Brian admonished sternly. Trixie ignored him
and made her way higher into the tree. “A-ha!” she yelled in triumph, holding
up something in her fingers. She released the object she found with a saucy
grin. A piece of fabric fluttered down and landed on her oldest brother’s
head. “What’s this?” Brian
asked, carefully studying the material. Jim came and peered over his shoulder. “I’m guessing that
piece of material was torn from Rip Van Winkle’s nightshirt,” Trixie
answered. “The fabric looks old and worn.” Jim nodded. “It does
look like the kind of material an old-fashioned nightshirt would be made out
of.” Brian shook his
head. “That’s crazy, Trix. How do you know it came from the ghost? A bird
could’ve taken it up there to use in its nest. And besides, why would a ghost
climb a tree?” “To do this,” Trixie
retorted. She used the branches of the maple to help her climb higher. When
she was near the top, she expertly scaled a particularly thick branch. At its
end, she gingerly jumped and landed on the balcony outside of Miss Trask’s
window. “Ta-da!” she proclaimed, with her arms raised. “Good job, Shamus!”
Jim applauded. He and Brian quickly climbed the tree and joined Trixie on the
balcony. “I never noticed how
easy it’d be to get on this balcony,” Brian commented. “That would explain
how the ghost appeared outside Miss Trask’s window.” “Now what do we do?”
Jim asked, rubbing a freckled hand through his thick russet hair. “We wait for Rip to
appear tonight,” Trixie announced. “It’ll take him a while to get out of the
tree, and when he does, we’ll be waiting for him.” “Maybe Fred could
build a trap,” Brian wryly suggested. Back inside Manor House… At the
appointed time, the four groups met in the Manor House foyer with their
clues. “What did everybody find?” Jim asked. “Like man, just this
groovy box of chocolate,” Shaggy offered, holding up the clue. Dan grabbed the
cardboard container. “Where’s the chocolate?” he questioned after opening the
lid and peering inside. Mart grinned
impishly. “My colleagues and I animadverted that it would be advantageous for
us to scrutinize the dubious delicacies.” “The whole box?” Di
inquired archly, placing her hands on her hips. Trixie sighed in
exasperation at her almost-twin. “Mart! Those chocolates could’ve been an
important clue! How could you?” “Zoinks!” Shaggy
exclaimed, slapping his forehead. “We only meant to eat a couple, but like,
we just couldn’t stop. Those chocolates were just so groovy!” “Especially the
caramel ones,” Mart admitted with a sheepish grin. “Rummy-rum-rum!”
Scooby rubbed his belly with one paw and giggled in that goofy way of his. “We found a piece of
paper,” Daphne said, holding it up for the others to see. Trixie and Velma
both reached for it at the same time. However, Trixie was a bit quicker. She
held the piece of paper close to her face and scrunched her nose in
confusion. She turned the paper upside-down, but it still made no sense to
her. “Looks like Greek to
me,” she admitted. “Actually, it’s
French,” Velma corrected in a highly superior, intellectual tone. She
snatched the paper from Trixie’s grasp. “Fortunately, I am fluent in seven
languages, including French. Roughly translated, this says: ‘My precious
dove, I am astounded by your beauty. You drive me crazy when you wear your
smart tweed suits and those sensible shoes. Your brisk efficiency makes me
want to sweep you off your feet and make mad, passionate love to you. Run away with me, my love.’ “Of course, it
loses something in the translation,” Velma said, pushing her glasses farther
up on her nose. “Gang, the key to
solving this mystery is finding out who this letter was written for,” Fred
proclaimed. “I’m guessing it
was written to Miss Trask,” Trixie stated. “It certainly
sounds like her,” Daphne agreed. “At lunch she was wearing a smart tweed suit.” Di nodded. “And
don’t forget her sensible shoes. She refuses to wear heels, no matter how
often I tell her that they can be comfortable.” “Uh, are you sure
this was written for Miss Trask?” Brian questioned a bit dubiously. “Well, of course
this is Miss Trask’s letter!” Trixie insisted. “She matches the description
perfectly!” Dan looked a little
green around the gills. “Yeah, but the guy who wrote the letter wants to…
uh…for lack of a better phrase…get busy with her.” Trixie, Honey, and
Di collapsed in a fit of giggles. However, Jim, Brian, and Mart turned green
too. “Dan has a good
point,” Jim remarked. “Who would write a letter like that to Miss Trask?” “Maybe it’s “ Di shrugged her
shoulders. “I suppose it’s his first name. I can’t say for sure. Why do you
ask?” Honey pulled out the
fancy fountain pen and held it out for the others to examine. “We found this
when we were looking for clues.” “What does a pen
have to do with this Harrison fellow?” Fred questioned. Dan took the pen and
pointed to the engraved initials. “See this H. J.
L.? This could belong to the ghost.” “I am reluctant to
refute your hypothesis; however, why would a specter have such a superior
writing utensil?” Mart inquired. “Rhat rid re ray?”
Scooby asked, scratching his head with his paw. “Mart so eloquently
observed that if this apparition were truly a poltergeist of some sort, it
would not consider a pen an ineluctable object,” Velma replied in a scholarly
tone. Mart scowled. “I’m
sorry, but the position for smart aleck linguistic expert has already been
filled,” he said under his breath, glaring at the pint-sized, orange-wearing
visitor. Di giggled and
poked him in the ribs. “Mart, in my candied opinion, there’s nobody smarter
than you.” “If Mart’s so
smart, maybe he could tell us why the ghost of Rip Van Winkle would need a
pen,” Dan challenged. “It’s obvious: the ghost
is a fake,” Mart answered. “And I’m sure I
could rig a simple trap using an old mine car, flour, and a light bulb,” Fred
remarked. Jim rolled his eyes
and exhaled loudly. “I told you how
it works, Fred. We don’t set—” “Miss Lefferts!”
Trixie interrupted excitedly. “What was her first name, Honey?” “I think it was
Josephine,” Honey told her. “Why?” “Josephine could’ve
been her middle name,” Trixie explained, her sandy brows furrowed
contemplatively. “Her first name could’ve been Harriet or something like
that. The rest of the initials match the ones on the pen.” “Like, who’s this
Lefferts chick?” Shaggy inquired, scratching his whiskered chin. “She was Honey’s old
governess,” Brian explained. “She was fired after Honey begged her father to hire
Miss Trask instead.” “There’s the
motive,” Fred observed. “But what about the love letter?” “That could’ve been
planted to throw us off the trail,” Dan offered. “Or maybe it was one
that Miss Trask already had,” added Honey. “I’ve always suspected that she
once had a special beau. Or maybe she has a secret boyfriend now that we
don’t know about.” “But that part about sweeping her off her
feet and making…EWWW!” Jim shivered, not wanting to think about the
middle-aged governess being intimate with a man. “It makes me throw up a little in my mouth
to think about it.” “If the mysterious
figure isn’t really a ghost, then how does it appear on Miss Trask’s
balcony?” questioned Daphne, a perplexed look on her pretty face. “Trixie found the
answer to that one,” Brian stated. “Tell them, Sis.” With a satisfied
grin, Trixie pulled the torn piece of material out of her pocket and held it
up for all to see. “I found this in a red maple by Miss Trask’s window. The
person pretending to be a ghost could’ve easily climbed the tree and hopped
to the balcony.” “Brilliant
conjecture, Beatrix!” Mart applauded. “Methinks this enigma is all but
deciphered!” “We still need to
catch that ghost!” reminded Fred. “If we could find some baling twine, scuba
gear, and…” “I suggest we wait
and see if Rip Van Winkle appears tonight,” Jim interrupted. “We can stake
out Miss Trask’s room and catch him or her in the act.” “Great idea, Jim,”
Daphne said. “Everyone can stay
over,” Honey suggested. “We have plenty of room. That way, we’ll all be here
if Rip Van Winkle decides to make an appearance.” |
|
That night… The Bob-Whites spent the rest of the day
showing Daphne and her friends around Sleepyside. They showed Mystery Inc.
the sights in town and had a picnic dinner at the Wheelers’ boathouse. It was
too cool for a swim, but everyone enjoyed looking at the shimmering water of
the lake. When the mosquitoes
began biting, the group retreated indoors to the Wheelers’ large den. Fred
broke out a large, rolled-up set of plans, and spread them out on the coffee
table. Fred cleared his
throat nervously. “I know you said no traps, Jim, but I had a few free
minutes to spare before dinner, so I worked this up. Would you mind taking a
look?” Jim sighed and reluctantly
looked at the plans Fred had designed for a trap to catch Rip Van Winkle.
Trixie’s curiosity made her peek over Jim’s shoulder. “Wow! This really
might work, Fred!” Trixie cried excitedly. Jim half-heartedly
agreed. “Yeah, it looks okay. What would we need to get this together?” “This is a rather
simple design. All we’ll need is a small trampoline, an extra mattress, a
large barrel, and some Sugar Smacks,” Fred explained. “What’re the Sugar
Smacks for?” Mart asked. Di giggled. “Maybe
it’s a snack to keep you, Shaggy, and Scooby occupied while we’re waiting.” “Now, about the
bait…” Daphne began, looking pointedly at the loveseat on which Shaggy and
Scooby were sitting. “Zoinks! I’m, like,
outta here, man!” Shaggy cried, clambering to stand to his feet so he could
make his getaway. “Ree roo! Ree roo!”
Scooby agreed, heading for the door. “Hold on, guys!”
Trixie yelled. “We can’t let Miss Trask know about our plan. Someone needs to
sleep in her room and pretend to be her.” “Hmmm. We need
someone skinny, because Miss Trask is
rather thin,” Di mentioned casually. “Yes, and our
fill-in should be tall, because Miss Trask
is tall for a lady,” put in Velma. “And, if the ghost is someone from
this area, they might recognize one of the Bob-Whites, so that leaves us
out,” Dan pointed out. “Gee, who could do it?” Mart’s bright
blue eyes fell on Shaggy. “Like, no way, man!” Shaggy
protested. “I’m sick of being bait! Let Velma do it!” “Velma’s too short,” Brian told him.
“We need someone who is at least five foot eight inches.” “Let Fred do it!” Shaggy gulped.
“He’s tall!” Fred shook his head. “I’m too big.
Miss Trask’s a lot skinnier than I am, Shaggy.” Shaggy pointed at Daphne. “Daphne’s
tall and skinny!” he shouted. “Let her be Miss Trask.” “Negative,” Fred informed him.
“Danger-Prone Daphne would only get kidnapped.” He ignored his girlfriend’s
angry expression. “And besides, if Rip thinks Miss
Trask is hot, he’d really like
Daphne,” Dan added, admiring Daphne’s long legs encased in dark orchid nylons.
“He’d be sure to kiss her. Er, kidnap her, I mean.” Fred glared at Dan and put a
possessive arm around Daphne, staking his territory. “I think it’d be best
for Daphne to stay with me. Alone. In the bushes.” He paused, shrugged his
shoulders, and added with a rueful grin, “It’s kind of tradition.” Shaggy disappeared, and then
instantly reappeared, walking on his knees. A pillow was stuffed under his
shirt, making his lanky form appear much wider. “Like, I’d to love help out,
man, but I kinda overdid it at dinner and put on a few pounds. I wish I could
help. There’s nothin’ I like more than, like, being chased by some spooky
dude in a nightgown who wants to make me his woman.” “Would you do it for a Scooby snack?”
Velma bribed. “No way!” “Would you do it for five Scooby
snacks?” Daphne tempted, shaking the box. “Like, it’s gonna take a whole box of Scooby snacks to get me to
dress like a chick,” Shaggy argued stubbornly. “All right, will you do it for the
whole box of Scooby snacks?” Fred pleaded. Shaggy only hesitated momentarily
before grabbing the box. With a suspicious glance in Scooby’s direction, he
tipped the box up and consumed all of the contents. After wiping the crumbs
from his chin, he looked up with a renewed sense of purpose. “Like, where’s the Granny gear?” At bedtime… At “I hope you sleep
well tonight, Miss Trask,” Honey replied. “Not me!” Trixie
exclaimed. “I hope the ghost shows—” |
|
Trixie was silenced
by Honey’s elbow in her ribs. She rephrased her statement. “I mean, I hope
you do sleep well, and that the
ghost leaves you alone,” she corrected, rubbing her tender ribs. “You know, Miss
Trask, you might sleep better if you stayed in the guest room by your suite,”
Jim casually suggested. “Oh, I don’t know,”
Miss Trask said. “With all you teenagers sleeping here, I shouldn’t take one
of the guest suites when I have a perfectly good bedroom of my own.” Di shook her head. “Don’t
worry about that, Miss Trask. I’m going to bunk in with Daphne and Velma, and
Honey and Trixie always stay together in Honey’s room.” “Yeah, and I sleep
in the extra bed in Jim’s room,” Brian added. “Dan and I stay in
the room beside Jim that has bunk beds,” Mart went on. “And Scooby, Shaggy,
and I are in the room across from the girls,” Fred replied. “So there are a
couple of empty rooms left,” Trixie insisted. “Yeah, what’s the use
of having a mansion if you don’t have a few extra bedrooms?” Honey giggled
nervously. “Well, I am exhausted,” Miss Trask confessed.
“Maybe I would sleep better if I stayed in that other room.” Jim nodded. “I’m
sure you will, Miss Trask.” “We’ll keep an out
for anything suspicious!” Trixie blurted. Miss Trask looked
inquisitive, but her thoughts were interrupted by a loud yawn. “If you all
don’t need anything else, I’ll go on to bed.” “Good night,” the
Bob-Whites and Mystery Inc. called as Miss Trask climbed the stairs to her
bedroom. A half hour later… The girls and
Shaggy went into Miss Trask’s room to help get him ready. They were digging
through the dresser drawers, pulling out various nightgowns for him to model. “How about this
one?” Honey pulled out a pink one with lace along the collar. Shaggy shook his
head and frowned. “Like, too itchy!” “What do you think
of this?” Velma questioned, holding out a yellow flannel gown. “Zoinks! Too hot!” “Do you like this
one?” Trixie offered him a peach satin nightshirt. “Like, peach washes
me out!” “Whoo-hoo, Miss
Trask!” Di hooted, holding up a black lace teddy. “I’m outta here!”
Shaggy exclaimed, heading for the door. “Hold it!” ordered
Honey sternly. Before Shaggy could escape, she firmly grasped the collar of
his baggy T-shirt. She handed him an olive green sleep shirt. “Put this on.
You shouldn’t have any complaints.” Shaggy reluctantly
took the nightgown. “Just my color,” he said, slipping the gown over his
clothes. He climbed into the bed and pulled the covers up to his chin. Trixie pulled out a
gray wig. “Hold still so I can put this on you.” She fixed the hair and made
it look as real as possible. “Wait! He needs
something else!” Diana cried. She left the room, and when she returned, she
was holding a set of tweezers. She deftly plucked a few stray whiskers from
Shaggy’s chin. “Ouch!” he yelped,
hopping out of bed and protectively covering his beatnik-styled goatee.
“Like, no more plucking! It’s taken me three years to grow that!” Velma snickered.
“I’ve been dying to pluck out those pathetic whiskers for ages. Now get back
in bed and act like Miss Trask.” At that moment, the
rest of the guys returned. “Nice outfit, Shag,”
Mart teased. He and Scooby doubled over, wildly hooting at the sight of
Shaggy dressed in the gown and wig. Dan picked up Miss
Trask’s teddy. “Gee, why didn’t you want to wear this, Shaggy?” he asked with a grin. He held the teddy in front
of Daphne and used his imagination, ignoring the threatening look on Fred’s
face. “I have one just
like it at home, Dan,” Velma whispered in his ear. The grin slowly faded from
Dan’s face, along with the color, and he put the teddy back in Miss Trask’s
dresser without another word. “Is the trap ready?”
Trixie asked. Fred nodded. “It’s
ready and waiting for the ghost.” He opened the French doors leading to the
balcony. “On the balcony, we placed that small trampoline.” “When Rip jumps from
the tree branch to the balcony, he’ll land on the trampoline and spring into
the air,” Jim explained. “Our spurious
specter will then rebound to the mattress waiting on the firmament below,”
Mart added. “My eldest kinsman has calculated the approximate distance the
apparition will be projected, using the wind speed, the height of the
balcony, and an average weight, and in that estimated spot, we have deposited
the mattress.” “Brian and I will be
waiting in the bushes on the ground below with a barrel that’s open on both
ends,” Dan said. “When the ghost falls on the mattress, we’ll rush over and
put the barrel over his head, trapping him.” “Then, everyone can
come out from their hiding spots to unmask Rip Van Winkle’s ghost,” Brian
concluded. “Is that a great
plan, or what?” Fred asked proudly. “Now we should head
to our spots and wait for the ghost,” Jim directed. “Mart, Scooby, and I’ll
hide in the closet with Trixie and Honey.” “Dan, Velma, and I
will hide in the bushes waiting for the ghost to land on the mattress,” Brian
added. “When he lands, we’ll put the barrel around him so he can’t get away.” “Daphne, Di, and I
will be waiting in another bush, in case the ghost escapes,” Fred went on. “Like, what’re you
gonna do with the Sugar Smacks?” Shaggy inquired. Fred shot him a
warning glance. “Zoinks! Just asking,
man!” Without another word, Shaggy hopped back into bed and tried to look
like a middle-aged governess. Later that night… In spite of the
sensible shoe she was sitting on, Trixie managed to fall asleep in Miss
Trask’s walk-in closet. A rustling noise roused her. She sat up and poked
Jim, Mart, Scooby, and Honey until they were all awake. Trixie put a finger
to her lips and motioned towards the window. They all heard a
noise outside. “Someone’s climbing
that tree,” Trixie mouthed. Scooby began shivering. Thankfully, Shaggy had
fallen asleep, and anyone peeking in the window would assume it was Miss
Trask sleeping in the queen-sized bed. Through the crack in
the door, they saw a silhouette on the tree branch nearest the balcony. The
figure looked just as Miss Trask had described, complete with an
old-fashioned nightshirt, nightcap, and scraggly gray hair. “R-r-rhost!” Scooby
muttered, his entire body trembling from fright. Mart hastily clamped a hand
over the dog’s mouth, hoping Scooby wasn’t hungry and that he’d get to keep
all his fingers. “Sshhh!” Trixie
hushed. They watched as the
form carefully stood on the branch and prepared to jump to the balcony. They
each held their breath as Rip Van Winkle’s ghost leaped to the balcony,
landed on the trampoline, and was shot into the air. The teenagers jumped up
from out of the closet and hurried to the balcony and peered over the edge. The nightgowned
figure landed on the mattress below, and Brian and Dan hurried out to place
the open-ended barrel over his shoulders. Velma quickly dumped a large bowl
of Sugar Smacks over the ghost’s head. The rest of the gang cheered while the
crew from upstairs made their way outside. When they all were
gathered around the villain, Fred grabbed the long hair. “Now, it’s time to
see who this ghost really is.” He yanked off the mask, revealing a chubby old
man. “Jonathan Winters?!”
the group yelled. Fred removed
another mask… “Professor
Hyde-White?!” And yet another
mask… “Big Foot?!” And yet
another mask… When the final mask
was removed, a man resembling Don Knotts sat before them. The Bob-Whites
gasped in surprise, but Mystery Inc. looked puzzled. “That has to be
another mask,” Fred said, yanking on the gentleman’s sparse salt-and-pepper
hair. “I thought for sure it was Miss Lefferts!” “What in tarnation
are you doing!” Rip Van Winkle shrieked. “You’re worse than that harum-scarum
Belden girl!” “Mr. Lytell, how
could you!” Trixie bellowed, her china blue eyes round with surprise. “I
never suspected you!” “I always thought
you liked Miss Trask!” Honey wailed. “Why did you pretend to be a ghost to
scare her?” “Scare her?” Mr.
Lytell repeated. “I wasn’t doing any such thing! For months, I’ve been trying
to work up my courage to make a move on Marge. I’ve brought her chocolates
and written her love notes in French, but so far I’ve never gotten brave
enough to do more than gaze at her through her window. I’ve been climbing up
that tree and jumping into her balcony for the past week, just wanting to
tell her how much I love her. I was determined that tonight would be the
night. And I would have gotten away with it, too, if it hadn’t been for you
meddling kids and your dumb dog!” “Oh, Henry!” Miss
Trask gushed. Unbeknownst to the Bob-Whites or their guests, Miss Trask had
been standing there the entire time. “I never knew you felt that way. If only
I’d known!” She rushed to his side and removed the barrel. Once it was gone,
she wiped away a few stray Sugar Smacks and threw her arms around the old
man, kissing him passionately. “Pack your tweed
suits and your sensible shoes, and run away with me, my love!” Mr. Lytell
pleaded after the long kiss ended. “Oh, Henry!” Miss
Trask moaned, rubbing her hands over Mr. Lytell’s shriveled chest. “Let’s go
to your place and…watch the wrestling matches!” “I think it’s time
for us to leave,” Dan murmured, a dumbfounded, slightly sickened, expression
on his face. They all walked away in silence. One by one, the members of the
Bob-Whites and Mystery Inc. made their way back into the house and climbed
the stairs to their rooms. Trixie and Jim were
the last ones to go inside. Suddenly, with a newfound zeal, the handsome
redhead whirled the sandy blonde around, embracing her in his strong arms. “Oh, Shamus, I love
you! I don’t want to be like Mr. Lytell and be forced to hide my feelings for
you! I’ve had enough of the fond glances and curl tugging. I want to kiss you
like you’ve never been kissed before!” And with that, he lowered his mouth to
Trixie’s and… BEEP BEEP BEEP… Trixie bolted awake as her alarm
clock blared. She groaned and sunk back down on her pillow. What a dream! she thought with an
unhappy sigh. That’s the last time I watch
a Scooby Doo marathon and eat a pan of Moms’ triple-chocolate-chunk brownies
before bed. But what a pleasant ending! Trixie smiled
dreamily and snuggled back under her blankets, imagining what Jim’s kiss
would be like for real. Maybe in a future
universe, she thought with a sigh.
If only I could have a glimpse… Maybe someday I’ll get a kiss like
that for real, she wished, because these
fond glances are getting kind of old.
My family
adores Scooby Doo, and one day long ago while watching an episode, my
daughter mentioned that the characters on Scooby Doo were like the
Bob-Whites. They were teenagers who traveled around to cool places and solved
mysteries. She wanted to know what
would happen if the Bob-Whites met Mystery Inc., so I thought it would be fun
to mix the two together for a fanfic. And I had a groovy time doing it. J I know I’ve
really exaggerated Fred’s bossiness, Velma’s know-it-allness, and Daphne’s
prissiness, but hey, it was my story! I had a lot of fun with the competition
between Fred and Jim. I could just see Di and Daphne naturally buddying up.
And it was just too tempting to pair up Mart, Shaggy, and Scooby! Mart did eventually sweet talk Velma out of
a box of Scooby Snacks. He has become hopelessly addicted to them, in spite
finding out their secret ingredients. ZOINKS! One thing I
learned was that it is incredibly difficult to write for Scooby. Those “r’s”
are tricky. I found myself sitting at the computer, talking like Scooby, and
trying out different things. My kids really enjoyed that, though. J Thank you so
much to my wonderful editors, Kathy and Kaye. You all are the best! Thank you
for agreeing with Damon that this story wasn’t too utterly stupid! Thank you
also to LisaMarie, who also gave it a big thumbs up! Thank you to
my wonderful husband, Damon, who insisted on making me a Scooby Doo
background for my story. The images were swiped from somewhere, and they
weren’t used with permission. I figured since I never asked Random House for
permission, I wouldn’t ask Hanna-Barbera Productions for it, either! Don’t
want to play favorites! And I just
had to throw in that part about the wrestling matches. I always thought that
was such a weird thing for Miss Trask to watch, and so I always wondered what
they were REALLY doing! J Be sure to
check out the Blooper Reel
at The Cameo!
|
