The Problem with Dreams

Chapter 6 - A Visit for Matt

            "It looks like a log cabin," Matt commented.

            "It is a variation on that idea," Greg agreed. "Shall we examine the exterior, Zackary?"

            "Okay," Zackary agreed.

            Outside the plastering had been done, the roof looked finished complete with slate tiles, and the workmen were installing rain gutters around the eves on that day. Here and there, new stakes had been placed in the ground, though their purpose wasn't immediately obvious. What was obvious was that their usual route along the crest of the hill was about to be transformed in some way as grading had been done in places and markings made upon the ground between the cottage and the driveway.

            "Maybe we should go back the way we came?" Matthew suggested.

            "I think that is a very good idea," Greg agreed. "I suggest we go back through the house. I need to speak with Mr. Thompson anyway."

            Together the three went through the cottage again, retracing their steps to the house, finding it really didn't take long at all to get between the two.

            "This is amazing," Matthew repeated when they found themselves back in the library again.

            "It is getting better all the time," Greg agreed.

            "Can we go back outside and look at the streambed some more?" Zackary asked.

            "As long as you are careful and stay out of the cave," Greg told them. "I'm going up to Mr. Thompson's workbench. I'll come back to look for you in a little while."

            "Okay," Zackary agreed.

            They went down to the door in the north hotel wing together, then Zackary proceeded to show Matthew the contouring that had been done for drainage, disguised as a stream bed, while Greg followed the path under the house, across the stream and up the path along the orange fence. This he knew eventually would have to go, but for now it remained their most reliable path in and out of the little valley where they were building the house.

            Greg's conversation with Mr. Thompson lasted longer then he'd originally thought, and the boys came to find him before he was through.

            "Are you ready to explore the passageway that leads to the tunnel?" Greg asked.

            "Can we do it after lunch?" Matt asked. "I'm getting sort of getting hungry."

            "We can," Greg agreed and they hiked over the hill to the front of the garage to get to where the car was parked.

            "Can we take our lunch down by the pond?" Zackary wanted to know.

            "Unfortunately, until Mr. Van Kirk gets the stairwell in, it is not easy to get there from here," Greg reminded him.

            "How do you get there?" Matt wanted to ask. "Walk down through the valleys like we did before?"

            "Actually there is a passage on the lowest level of the cave that connects to the tunnnel," Greg said. "That is the best way to get there, however we would have to go around through the grotto again, or through the tunnel then climb down the ropes, neither of which are easy to do while carrying our lunch."

            "Oh, okay," Zackary said. "We can eat up on the hill again."

            "We can drive up there," Greg suggested. "Come on, get in."