“Missing?” Ms. Juniper said. “Doesn’t the ranger live on the park grounds?”
The guard nodded. “Yes,” he said. “He shares a cabin with his daughter. I’m heading over to his cabin now. The caretaker will meet me there.”
Sam whispered, “Get up. We have to follow the guard so we can see what’s going on.”
The four of us stayed well behind the guard as he jogged across the grounds. He didn’t notice us. At the cabin, we hid among some bushes around the corner from the front door.
Ranger Harrison’s house was a small log cabin among a few tall pines. Standing on the front porch was an old man in a brown shirt and pants. “I’m ready to open the door, if you need me to,” the old man said.
The guard nodded. Then he banged on the door. “Ranger Harrison,” the guard shouted through the door. “Are you in there?”
There was no answer. My friends and I quietly came around the corner. The guard patted the old man on the back.
“Go ahead,” the guard said. “Open the door.”
The old man pulled a long chain from his pocket. Then he unlocked the door and pushed it open.
“Thanks, Herman,” the guard said. They walked into the cabin.
A second later, Sam crept in after them. Egg, Gum, and I had no choice but to go in too.
“Harrison?” the guard called. “Are you in here?”
No response. The guard walked into the back hallway. “Hello?” he said.
“Hey,” Egg whispered close to my ear, “where did the old guy go?”
An instant later, a hand gripped my shoulder. The caretaker snapped, “What are you kids doing?”
Egg and I spun to face the caretaker. “You kids shouldn’t be here,” he said. “Why aren’t you with your class?”
“We —,” Sam started to say.
The guard cut her off. “Ranger Harrison!” he shouted. He ran through the bedroom door.
My friends and I ran in behind him. A man wearing striped green pajamas was tied to the bed. A red and white bandanna was tied over his mouth. His eyes were wide with fear.