The Witch Tree Symbol by Carolyn Keene (1955, 1975) Part 4

The girls' hear some bad new about Nancy's father. He was very ill and not going to make it. George thought this was weird that it was the secretary that called. She decided to call her parents to see if they heard anything and they said Mr. Drew had just called them and was on his way home from business and will be heading out again. So they decided to take the call as a hoax to try and get Nancy out of town. Going outside Nancy goes to the garden and is stuck in the back of the head. Mrs. Glick's son Henner was practicing with his sling shot and accidentally hit her. A doctor is called and she is ordered to rest the remainder of the day.

The next day they discover that Nancy's convertible had been stolen. They believe that Mr. Hoelt is the one responsible. Mrs. Glick and her son wish to help so they decide to go to the Hoelt property to try and locate her car. On the way over one of the wheel's breaks on their carriage. Nancy and Henner have to go to a nearby friends' house to get help. There was a barn raising happening so there were many people that could help. Nancy saves Henner and a friend from being hit by a large beam that fell.

The family thanked Nancy's bravery and helpfulness with food. After their carriage was repaired they make their way to the Hoelt property. After searching around for clues, Henner discovers another witch tree symbol. They notice movement from behind the tree and go to see what it was. It was a young boy, when they tried to speak to him he did not respond. He was deaf and mute. Nancy hears Bess and George holler from the woods, they had found Manda.

After talking with Manda she had a hard time believing that Mr. and Mrs. Hoelt were bad people. Nancy explains to her what he has been doing around there even near her hometown. The Hoelt's told her that the antiques were in his family for a long time and did not want anyone stealing them. Manda takes them to the furniture and they go into more detail what he stole. Hoelt was having the young boy paint the symbols because it was his family's symbol and he wanted them painted on the farm. While in the room Mr. Hoelt came home early and locked them in planning on having them die in there and not escape.

Thinking fast as they were running out of air in the room, Nancy spots a ventilation system and figures out they can make a smoke signal for help. While waiting the girls checked the furniture more and found a table which had a small compartment that held a very important piece of paper. Hearing footsteps come to the room they feared that it was Hoelt, but thankfully it was two police officers and they freed them from the room. Mrs. Glick and Henner had hid in the woods and came out once they saw the police. Nancy's car was not there but the police were shortly able to find it with Mr. and Mrs. Hoelt in it attempting to run away. Getting his confession he watched the Drew residence after seeing Nancy at Mrs. Tenney's family home and purposefully hit Togo to try and keep her from showing up in Lancaster. He did in fact steal the furniture and was in search of that piece of paper. But he never got know what the paper said. Before returning the girls' talk with Manda to hear some great news. She a met a nice young Amish man and they planned to marry. Her parent's were going to be very happy and she asked the girls' to come to the wedding and they all agreed to attend.

This certainly was not my most favorite of the Nancy Drew series. It had a long of strange twists and turns that at some points did not make much sense for this time era. The Pennsylvania-Dutch words and sentences probably upset me the most, if your going to do a language from origins of a modern language, at least to the translations properly. Some of the traditions of the Amish portrayed did not appear to very accurate, most times outsiders are not typically present for smaller private gatherings as shown in this book. One thing that was left unanswered what will become of the young deaf a mute boy. If he can paint all of that, he will certainly have a bright future. Perhaps the Glick family took him in, but we will never know. This also is disappointing, everything is made right in the end and you do know what happens to everyone that you encounter in Nancy's mysteries. Hopefully the next one will hold true to that.