The simple decision to find a proper burial place for Alexander the Coppersmith lands the Sugar Creek Gang in the middle of another incredible adventure. A sudden rainstorm sends the Gang into the mysterious house on the hill. Once inside, the boys discover a dangerous criminal on the run from the law. The only way of escape is down the chimney. Come along and learn with the Sugar Creek Gang that God will always provide a way of escape for His children. The Sugar Creek Gang series chronicles the faith-building adventures of a group of fun-loving, courageous Christian boys. These classic stories have been inspiring children to grow in their faith for more than five decades. More than three million copies later, children continue to grow up relating to members of the gang as they struggle with the application of their Christian faith to the adventure of life. Now that these stories have been updated for a new generation, you and your child can join in the Sugar Creek excitement. The simple decision to find a proper burial place for Alexander the Coppersmith lands the Sugar Creek Gang in the middle of another incredible adventure. A sudden rainstorm sends the Gang into the mysterious house on the hill. Once inside, the boys discover a dangerous criminal on the run from the law. The only way of escape is down the chimney. Come along and learn with the Sugar Creek Gang that God will always provide a way of escape for His children. The Sugar Creek Gang series chronicles the faith-building adventures of a group of fun-loving, courageous Christian boys. These classic stories have been inspiring children to grow in their faith for more than five decades. More than three million copies later, children continue to grow up relating to members of the gang as they struggle with the application of their Christian faith to the adventure of life. Now that these stories have been updated for a new generation, you and your child can join in the Sugar Creek excitement. Paul Hutchens's memories of childhood adventures around the fishing hole, the swimming hole, the island, and the woods that surround Indiana's Sugar Creek inspired these beloved tales. The late PAUL HUTCHENS , one of evangelical Christianity's most prolific authors, went to be with the Lord on January 23, 1977. Mr. Hutchens, an ordained Baptist minister, served as an evangelist and itinerant preacher for many years. Best known for his Sugar Creek Gang series, Hutchens was a 1927 graduate of Moody Bible Institute. He was the author of 19 adult novels, 36 books in the Sugar Creek Gang series, and several booklets for servicemen during World War II. Mr. Hutchens and his wife, Jane, were married 52 years. They had two children and four grandchildren. Sugar Creek Gang 34 Locked in the Attic By Paul Hutchens Moody Publishers Copyright © 1999 Pauline Hutchens Wilson All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-0-8024-7039-3 CHAPTER 1 The Sugar Creek Gang was having one of the most exciting, adventurous summers ever. When we killed the fierce, savage-tempered, twenty-eight-toothed wildcat, we never dreamed that the very next week we'd have a hair-raising experience in a haunted house. It had been quite a while since the gang had visited the haunted house, far up in the hills above Old Man Paddler's cabin. In fact, we hadn't visited Old Man Paddler himself for some time. And in a way, that kind, long-whiskered old man was responsible for our running into the brand-new, very dangerous, haunted-house mystery. Big Jim, the leader of our gang, had seen the old man that morning and had an important story to tell us when the gang met the afternoon of that ordinary day—ordinary, that is, until we heard what Big Jim had to tell us. The part of the story that had to do with me, Bill Collins, started at our house. That's because it was very important that I get to go to the gang meeting down by the swimming hole, and whether or not I could go depended, as it usually does, on Mom or Dad or both. It also depended on me. And on that day I wasn't very dependable. My parents didn't think so, anyway. It never feels good to be on the outs with your parents when it's your own fault, and they seemed to think it was my fault. Dragonfly, the crooked-nosed, allergy-pestered member of our gang was going to start on an out-West vacation the very next week to get away from the ragweed pollen, which always gave him hay fever and asthma. His folks had bought him a pair of beautiful cowboy boots and a very fancy broad-brimmed Stetson cowboy hat. Now, I had saved money that summer toward a new suit I would need in the fall, but I had decided that I needed a pair of cowboy boots and a cowboy hat worse—a whole lot worse. And I was sure that I needed them right now. Both Mom and Dad had said no and meant it the first time. But I wanted that hat and those boots so much that I thought it was worth taking a chance on getting into trouble. That very week I'd said in a tone of voice that my