The Flying Saucer Mystery Read Free Page A

that’s partially true. As for myself, I never could be sure whether it was a real unidentified flying object from outer space or some government experimental aircraft.”
    “Then you’ve seen it?” Ned asked.
    The naturalist said indeed he had. “The saucer usually appears at night and has very bright lights. I’ve seen only white lights, but some folks say at times they’re red, other times green, and even yellow.
    “One man reported seeing the whole saucer turn bright red. It looked as if it were ready to burn up, but the thing flew away and disappeared.”
    Old Joe’s listeners were intrigued by the strange story. All of them hoped that the mysterious flying saucer would return soon so they, too, might see it.
    Dave asked, “Do the people who have seen it think there are human beings aboard?”
    The naturalist smiled and shrugged. “Nobody’s ever seen anyone come out. But I’d say one thing. If humans are aboard, they must be the best pilots in the whole universe.”
    Burt added with a chuckle, “And they’re flying a super craft.”
    Old Joe said he really had to leave. Again he invited the group to come to his log cabin. “I’ll show you some crude drawings I made of the flying saucer.
    “That’s great!” George remarked. “It’s too bad you didn’t take any photographs of it.”
    The naturalist said that some of the local people had tried to, but their high-speed cameras had been unable to capture anything but a blur.
    “That’s strange,” Nancy remarked under her breath.
    “I’ll give you directions to my place,” Old Joe said. He asked for paper and pencil, and drew a map of trails to his cabin. When he finished the zigzagging line, he looked squarely at Nancy. “I have a mystery of my own that I’d like you to solve,” he said. “I’ll tell you about it when you come to see me.”
    Intrigued by the prospect of another mystery, Nancy wondered what it might be, but Old Joe gave no hints. The campers decided they would call on him the next morning, and the naturalist was delighted.
    After he had gone, Nancy thought excitedly, maybe Old Joe’s mystery concerns his cabin. He did make a point of telling us that everything in it is handmade.
    The following morning the campers packed up their belongings. Jan made sure this time that nothing was left behind.
    “All set!” she called at last.
    Everyone mounted a horse. Hal rode in front, carrying Old Joe’s map. It led them onto a narrow side trail which apparently was a dry brook that became a torrent of water when there were cloud-bursts or melting snow. Now the path was filled with small stones.
    The riders had not gone far when Ned, who was following Nancy, suddenly cried out, “Goalpost has gone lame!”
    At once, Nancy reined in Susan B and dismounted quickly to examine Goalpost’s hooves.
    “There’s a stone wedged in this one,” Nancy said, as she carefully lifted Goalpost’s right foreleg.
    She hurried back to her horse, opened the saddlebag, and took out a hoof pick. With Ned’s assistance, she managed to dislodge the stone.
    She patted the horse’s nose and gave him a little hug, saying, “Now do you feel better, you nice old thing?”
    Ned smiled. “Thanks for your help, Nancy.” He, too, patted the animal.
    By this time their friends were out of sight. When Nancy and Ned caught up with them, the group had stopped to discuss what they should do next.
    “The forest is becoming more and more impenetrable,” Hal announced. “It’s impossible for the packhorses to get through because the trees are so close together. I suggest we tie them here and go on to Old Joe’s without them. I’ll check our walkie-talkies in case we get split up.”
    He examined the compact radiotelephones that were being carried in his and Jan’s saddlebags. “They’re okay,” Hal said a few minutes later. “Let’s go on. If any place is too narrow to pass through, pull your legs, saddlebags, and stirrups to the back of your