The exciting third book in this charming series of historical novels for children, Danny and Life on Bluff Point: Lost in the Dark sees the adventures continue for ten-year-old Danny in 1890s rural upstate New York. It's the winter of 1895 in Bluff Point, New York, and though chores and school continue, Danny manages to make time for fun. He and his family enjoy all that living in the country has to offer-ice skating, fishing, sledding, and even a winter party with friends and neighbors. Pa and Uncle Henry race their spirited teams and sleighs along the Ridge Road, and Danny is given his own small iceboat, one to be shared with Cousin Jay. One day while out on the iceboat, Danny fails to pay attention to where he is and how far out onto the lake he's gone. He spends a chilly, windless night alone on the ice of Keuka Lake. Cold and frightened, Danny chooses the wrong direction in the moonless night and walks further away from home. Can Danny find his way back before the winter wind turns even colder? Filled with wonderful, vivid details of late nineteenth century rural life, Danny and Life on Bluff Point: Lost in the Dark captures the innocence and warmth of days gone by.

Danny and Life on Bluff Point: Lost in the Dark

By Mary Ellen Lee

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2009 Mary Ellen Lee
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4401-4608-4

Chapter One

AN INVITATION

Danny & Cat

"Hello, Danny, where are you?" Mary calls in her high-pitched little girl voice.

"I'm up here." I reply.

"I'm coming up."

"Be careful on the ladder."

Shortly, Mary's hood-covered-head pops over the edge of the hayloft floor of the horse barn. "Uncle Philo is here," she announces with great drama. She does not attempt to climb into the loft. Mary is afraid to make that last big step from the ladder to the loft. I have just learned to do it myself.

"I'll be right down," I say. It is not often we see our Uncle Philo in the winter. He and his family live in Branchport which is miles from here. I wonder why he has come. There must be something going on for him to ride all the way to our house on the top of Bluff Point. I hope no one is sick or hurt.

I was sitting in the hay doing some drawing. I manage to hide the papers and pencil behind my back before Mary can see them. Instead, I play with Tabby, my favorite barn cat. He is an orange-colored tiger. He was lying beside me in the hay. Now I have him on my lap. We are sitting in the path of light that comes from the small window in the peak of the barn. It is about the only light source except for a few cracks in the siding. The hayloft is one of my favorite private places. The smell of the hay reminds me of summer.

My drawing attempts are a secret as I know my big sister, Ruthie, will make fun of my efforts. She will laugh at my drawings. My big sister already teases me about my small size, lack of strength, and my talking to the farm animals. She tells me I have two girlfriends too. Rachel and Amelia aren't girl friends; they are just friends of mine.

I don't mind so much her picking on me about my talking to our animals. They are my friends and it gives me great comfort to talk to them. I'm the only boy and need someone to talk to other than my sisters. My Pa and the other men are often too busy to talk to me. My older sister drawing attention to my miserable small size in front of other people really bothers me though. Someday I will grow and be as tall as my Pa is. No one can tease me about my size then.

It is early Saturday afternoon, the first week of February 1895. I have done all my chores. My time is my own.

"Did he say anything about why he came?" I ask as I watch Mary slowly climb down the long ladder.

"Not that I heard. He just got here a few minutes ago anyway. Don't talk to me now. I'm concentrating on climbing down. I don't like being on this ladder."

"I want to know why Uncle Philo is here. Hurry up, won't you? But be careful. Don't be afraid, you have climbed up before."

"I am moving as fast as I can. Hold your horses, Danny. You don't want me to fall do you? I don't like it here and have to be careful. Besides, I only went up part way this time."

Mary & Ladder

Mary really isn't supposed to climb this ladder as it is straight up and the rungs are man-sized apart. It is difficult for me because of my short legs and being in heavy winter clothes makes it even harder. Winter in upstate New York requires heavy warm clothes.

"Thanks for coming to get me, Mary."

"You're welcome, Danny."

Finally, on the upper barn floor we make our way down the stairs and through the basement past the pigpens. The pigs are all asleep. Once outside, I carefully latch the side door. I don't what to be responsible for some wild animal or even my dog, Buster, getting into the barn. A wild animal might attack the pigs and horses.

We make our way to the house, using the paths that we shoveled through the huge amount of snow that fell a few weeks ago. Thankfully, not much new snow has fallen since the blizzard in January.

We find Doc and Uncle Ed on their way to the cow barn. My Grandfather Lee hired Doc many years ago. He is our long time hired hand. Uncle Ed is Pa's youngest brother. Uncle Ed and Doc are sort-of funny looking when they stand close together. Doc is short, heavy set and has a moustache. Uncle Ed is tall, thin, and clean shaven.

Doc is older than Pa is by thirty-three years. His shoulders are almost as wide as Pa's are. He has white hair and a salt and pepper-colored moustache. When he grins, his moustache turns up at the ends. He always seems to have a smile on his face and often tells us stories of the old days on Bluff Point.

Uncle Ed is younger than Pa is by nine years. He doesn't talk much when he is with the other men. Uncle Ed is tall and thin with sober blue eyes.

When he and I are alone, he tells me many things about farming.

Doc and Uncle Ed have rooms in the bunkhouse which is behind our house.

"Is that Philo's horse I see?" Uncle Ed asks.

"Yup, he has come for a visit," I say. "Mary and I are going to see what he has to say."

Uncle Philo tied his horse to the hitching post. He is patiently waiting for his master.

The enormous pile of snow outside the woodshed door is gone, we shoveled it away. We no longer have to crawl through a snow tunnel to get to the door. Too bad, it was kind of fun. It was especially fun to watch the men crawl through it as it was barely big enough for them. My cousin Jay and I dug the tunnel during the blizzard. The family needed a way to get out of the back of the house. It would be unsafe in case of fire to only have one way to escape from the house.

Mary and I run into the woodshed, remove our boots and burst into the kitchen. Uncle Ed and Doc are behind us.

"Greetings, Danny," Uncle Philo calls in his deep but pleasant voice. "Greetings, Mary."

Mary and I give Uncle Philo a hug of greeting.

"Hello, Uncle Philo," I say breathlessly. "It is good to see you."

I'm a little in awe of him as he is taller and broader of shoulder than my Pa is. He has a bushy moustache and beard, all black in color. He is not a farmer but is a steamboat captain, boat pilot, and water well driller. Uncle Philo is a younger brother of Pa's. He knows all kinds of neat things about machinery and the boats on Keuka Lake. Not that my Pa doesn't know about such things, Uncle Philo knows more.

Uncle Ed and Doc shake Uncle Philo's hand.

"Danny, please put Philo's horse in the barn and give her some water and hay," Pa directs.

"But, I'll miss what Uncle Philo has to talk about and why he has come," I moan.

"That's all right, Danny, I'll wait till you get back," Uncle Philo laughs. His face is full of smiles and his blue eyes are sparkling. Must be there is no problem at his house.

"I'll go with you," Mary says. "You'll get done faster if I help."

Mary is one of my little sisters, only she is taller than I am by several inches. We are starting to do things together even though she is two years younger than my ten years. Mary is the only one I have to play with at home. Thirteen-year-old Ruthie has declared herself too grown-up to play with me. Carolyn, our youngest sister is much too little. She is only five.

We follow the path back to the main horse barn door with Uncle's horse in tow. Buster is happily following us. Now he wants to chase the tall horse and is playfully nipping at his heels.

Uncle Philo's horse is a very large riding horse, reddish in color. He calls him Red. Uncle likes good horses even more than my Pa. Red is a...