Sydney and the Wisconsin Whispering Woods by Jean Fischer Page B

heavy brown boot emerged from the thicket, then a leg wearing worn khaki pants, a thick brown belt, a red plaid shirt, an arm, a hand. Finally, the mountain man pushed through the brush and onto the path. His cap had come off, and he held it in one hand. Burrs and brambles covered his shaggy beard and hair.
    “Dad burn it!” he complained. “There has to be a better way through the woods to this path.”
    He picked up his cap and plopped it onto his head. “Ow!”
    He took it off again and picked the brambles out of his hair. While the girls watched, he tilted the kayak onto its edge with the bottom facing him. He gripped the center rim, hoisted the boat onto his upper leg, and then wrestled it onto his shoulder. “There,” he puffed. Then off he went down the path, whistling his happy song.
    “Let’s follow him,” whispered Alexis. “Are you going to take off those glasses?”
    “I think I’ll leave them on,” said Sydney. “In case Fang is nearby.”
    They followed a safe distance behind as the mountain man slogged along toward the shore.
    “Wait!” said Alexis.
    “What’s the matter?” Sydney asked.
    “The Wonder Watch is doing something. I feel it jiggling on my wrist.” Alexis looked at the face of the watch. Words flashed across the screen. M ESSAGE W AITING: B AILEY . “What do I do?” she asked.
    “Push the button on the side,” Sydney said.
    Alexis pushed the button, and Bailey’s message scrolled across the watch’s big, round face. W HAT’S WITH THE UGLY ‘SHROOM? H AVE YOU GUYS SEEN THE OLD MAN IN THE WOODS YET?
    “Can I text back on this thing?” Alex asked.
    “No, but you can talk back,” said Sydney. “Just say what you want, and a microchip inside will translate it into printed words. They’ll show up in the chat room.”
    “I forgot all the extra stuff that Kate built into this thing,” said Alex. “I’ve never used it.”
    She put her lips up to the face of the watch and spoke softly. “They’re growing all over the place in the forest. We don’t know what kind they are. We’re following the mountain man now. More later.”
    “Come on. Let’s go,” said Sydney. “He’s probably to the lake already.”
    By the time they got to the lakeshore, the mountain man had already launched his kayak. They could see him paddling swiftly across the lake, heading directly to the other side.
    Sydney searched the muddy earth for clues. “Hey, I think these are his boot prints,” she said. “A word is on the bottom of the soles.”
    She took out the mini-microcam and took a picture. “I can’t read it very well, but maybe the Camp Club Girls can enlarge it and tell us what it says. Send a message on the Wonder Watch. Ask them to blow up the picture.”
    While Sydney and Alexis waited for the girls to reply, the mountain man steered his kayak to the other side of the lake. He pulled it up onto the shore and disappeared into the forest.
    “The watch is jiggling again,” said Alexis. “It’s a message from Elizabeth.” She held out her wrist and pushed the button so Sydney could see.
    I ENLARGED THE PHOTO. THE WORD ON THE SOLE IS
ÉSPRIT
. I TOOK F RENCH LAST SEMESTER. IT MEANS SPIRIT .
    Sydney felt a chill. “This is spooky, Alex,” she said. “I mean, think about the legend of Jacques Chouteau. He paddled off across North Twin Lake and was never heard from again. He was French. Now, we find this French word on the bottom of this boot print, and it means ‘spirit.’ It’s too weird.”
    “You know what’s weird?” Alex said. “Seeing my reflection in those mirrored sunglasses!”
    “Sorry,” said Sydney. She took off the glasses and put them in her pack.
    “Syd, you don’t really believe that he’s the ghost of Jacques Chouteau, do you?”
    Sydney hesitated. “No,” she said. “But you have to admit it’s strange.” She started walking up the narrow path and into the woods.
    Alexis followed her. “Where are we going now?”
    “We’re going to find