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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Penny Allen and the Mystery of the Hidden

+Treasure, by Jean Lyttleton McKechnie

+

+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with

+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or

+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included

+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license

+

+

+Title: Penny Allen and the Mystery of the Hidden Treasure

+

+Author: Jean Lyttleton McKechnie

+

+Release Date: October 2, 2016 [EBook #53198]

+

+Language: English

+

+Character set encoding: UTF-8

+

+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PENNY ALLEN AND THE MYSTERY ***

+

+

+

+

+Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, MFR and the Online

+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+FALCON BOOKS

+

+

+_Penny Allen and the Mystery of the Hidden Treasure_

+

+When the Allens--Philip, Jimmy, Penny and Marjorie--opened their

+Michigan Lodge as a summer hotel, they decided to track down the rumor

+of buried treasure. Other people, however, had the same idea, and

+before the Allens could solve the baffling clues they discovered, they

+found themselves in real danger. How they found the treasure, and how

+Penny and Philip found romance with it, make an exciting and romantic

+adventure everyone will enjoy.

+

+

+_Other Falcon Books for Girls_:

+

+  PENNY ALLEN AND THE MYSTERY OF THE HAUNTED HOUSE

+  PATTY AND JO, DETECTIVES

+  JEAN CRAIG GROWS UP

+  JEAN CRAIG IN NEW YORK

+  JEAN CRAIG FINDS ROMANCE

+  JEAN CRAIG, NURSE

+  JEAN CRAIG, GRADUATE NURSE

+  CHAMPION’S CHOICE

+

+

+

+

+[Illustration: “It looks like the note in the bottle!”]

+

+

+

+

+  _Penny Allen_

+

+  AND THE

+

+  Mystery of the Hidden Treasure

+

+  BY JEAN MCKECHNIE

+

+  [Illustration]

+

+  THE WORLD PUBLISHING COMPANY

+  CLEVELAND AND NEW YORK

+

+

+

+

+  Falcon Books

+  _are published by_ THE WORLD PUBLISHING COMPANY

+  2231 WEST 110 STREET • CLEVELAND 2 • OHIO

+

+

+  W1

+

+  COPYRIGHT 1950 BY THE WORLD PUBLISHING COMPANY

+

+  MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

+

+

+

+

+_Contents_

+

+

+   1. A New Adventure             9

+

+   2. An Anonymous Letter        23

+

+   3. The Abandoned Well         40

+

+   4. A Night Prowler            53

+

+   5. Another Threat             68

+

+   6. Clues in a Bottle          85

+

+   7. The Map                    98

+

+   8. Peter Is Worried          109

+

+   9. Camping Out               121

+

+  10. Jimmy to the Rescue       133

+

+  11. The Missing Fragment      151

+

+  12. Setting the Trap          166

+

+  13. Philip Traps a Thief      179

+

+  14. Forgotten Treasure        197

+

+  15. Happy Ending              216

+

+

+

+

+_Penny Allen_

+

+AND THE MYSTERY OF THE HIDDEN TREASURE

+

+

+

+

+CHAPTER 1

+

+A NEW ADVENTURE

+

+

+A warm June breeze was blowing in from Lake Superior. It caught a

+strand of Penny Allen’s blonde hair and blew it across her dark blue

+eyes.

+

+Penny was out in the clearing behind the Lodge hanging blankets on

+the line. “Help,” she called to her brother, Philip, who was working

+nearby. “Help, I can’t see what I’m doing, and my arms are full of

+blankets.”

+

+Philip, his clear, blue-gray eyes sparkling with laughter, hurried to

+the rescue. He extricated Penny from the mound of blankets she was

+carrying and helped her hang them on the line.

+

+As they worked together, fighting the capricious breeze that threatened

+every minute to blow the blankets away, Penny said excitedly:

+

+“I can’t believe it, Phil. We’re practically ready to open the Lodge

+for guests!”

+

+“Well, not quite,” Philip said soberly. He was twenty, a year older

+than Penny, and usually wore a rather serious air. This was partly due

+to his responsibilities as the head of the Allen family.

+

+Their Uncle John Allen had died suddenly a year ago leaving the four

+orphans, Penny, Philip, Jimmy and Marjorie, to shift for themselves. He

+had left the Lodge to Philip and a beautiful yacht, the _Penny Allen_,

+to Penny.

+

+Recently, Philip had decided to turn his inheritance into a business

+venture. The lovely house, situated in the Michigan woods near Lake

+Superior, would make an ideal summer hotel. Ever since the first of

+June they had all been busy helping to get it ready for many of their

+old friends who planned to spend the summer there.

+

+“Don’t look so serious, Phil,” Penny cried. “We _are_ just about ready.”

+

+Philip’s eyes, under their straight, dark eyebrows, were thoughtful.

+“We’re not even organized yet, Penny,” he said. “The winter just seemed

+to go like lightning.” A quick smile dispelled his seriousness. “I

+guess we spent too much of the holidays enjoying the winter sports.”

+

+“Pooh,” Penny said impulsively. “We were all together and we had fun.

+We deserved that.”

+

+Orphans since thirteen-year-old Marjorie, the youngest, had been a

+baby, the Allens had hardly known one another, for they had all gone

+to different schools and summer camps. But in spite of that, they had

+managed to maintain a merry and cheerful household.

+

+And now they were all bound and determined to make a success of their

+summer hotel. “We’ve got plenty of time to get organized in,” Penny

+argued. She pushed her light brown hair out of her eyes with one hand

+and tucked the last clothespin in place with the other. “Here come

+Marjorie and Jimmy. You can organize us all right now.”

+

+“Hi,” Jimmy called, striding toward them. He was the darkest member of

+the family, contrasting sharply with Marjorie.

+

+She was very fair, with light golden hair and light-blue eyes. Her

+slight figure and small delicate hands gave her an almost elfin grace

+to which was added a delightfully mischievous quality. “She looks

+delicate,” Jimmy often said. “But the kid’s as tough as nails.”

+

+Jimmy’s current aim in life was to reach at least six feet before he

+stopped growing. Almost daily the slender, seventeen-year-old boy

+insisted that Philip stand back to back with him in order to determine

+whether or not he had finally become the tallest member of the family.

+

+Judging by the quantities of food he packed away, Penny felt sure that

+he would never stop growing. Moreover, it seemed to her that he was

+quite tall enough now. What he needed to do was to gain a little weight.

+

+“A summer here, spent mostly outdoors,” she said to Philip, “will do

+both Marjorie and Jimmy a world of good. I hope they each gain a few

+pounds before they go back to school.”

+

+Marjorie, who had been trailing behind Jimmy, called out then: “Now

+that the blankets are airing, Penny, can’t we go through the stuff in

+the storage room?” She broke into a run and arrived by the clothesline

+almost out of breath. “I can’t wait to see what’s in those old trunks.”

+

+“Probably nothing but junk,” Jimmy said. “You know what Uncle John

+always called this place.”

+

+When they had first come to the Michigan house early in the fall they

+had expected to find a shack because their Uncle John had always

+referred to it as the “Michigan Shack.” But in spite of its name, it

+had turned out to be a very pretentious log structure evidently built

+for just such a purpose as they were planning to put it to now.

+

+Allen Lodge was imposing with its wide front and its two-story porches.

+The spacious living room was two stories high with the bedrooms opening

+off a balcony which extended around three sides of the room. The large

+dining room, kitchen and pantry, were on the Lake side. There were

+great fireplaces in many of the rooms and Philip said that it must

+have been planned as a summer hotel or a hunting lodge because the

+arrangement was ideal for large numbers of people.

+

+The interior, with its lovely hand-hewn rafters and paneled walls was

+a delight to the eye, and even better, it was easy to take care of.

+Allen Lodge suggested nothing but comfort. No one knew of its secret

+room except the Allens and their newly made friend.

+

+They had heard when they first came here that the house was haunted,

+but it had not taken them long to discover that the ghost was only

+Adra Prentice, a very nice girl whom they had discovered hiding in

+the secret room. Adra, who was eighteen years old, had “haunted”

+the Allen’s house when she had run away from her kidnappers. Their

+adventures and the way they solved the mystery is told in _Penny Allen

+and the Mystery of the Haunted House_. The four Allens were now ready

+for a new adventure and they felt that their own house was the best

+place to find it.

+

+“Those old trunks aren’t filled with junk,” Marjorie was saying to

+Jimmy. “Penny and I looked into one of them and it’s positively

+overflowing with fascinating old dresses that would be wonderful if we

+give a masquerade. And there’s an old jewelry box--”

+

+“Filled to the brim,” Penny finished, smiling, “with costume jewelry

+not worth a cent.”

+

+“See?” Jimmy demanded, grinning at Marjorie. “Junk.” He turned to Phil.

+“Pat asked me to plant some beans in his garden behind the cabin the

+Donahues are going to occupy. If you don’t need me, I’ll go do it now.”

+

+“Go ahead,” Phil said. “It won’t take long.”

+

+Pat Ryan, who had been Uncle John’s guide and the caretaker of the

+Lodge, had just married Ann Mary. He and his new wife had voluntarily

+taken over the responsibility of helping the Allens. Philip and Penny

+realized they would be lost without the Ryans in this undertaking. As

+Philip said, “They’ve completely spoiled us. I wouldn’t think of doing

+anything without first consulting Pat. He seems to know everything

+about everything and as luck would have it, we know next to nothing

+about anything. Fate must have brought us together, or better yet,

+Uncle John must have had us in mind when he first got Pat to work for

+him.”

+

+Penny agreed wholeheartedly with Phil.

+

+“Pat’s orders,” she told Jimmy before he started off to plant beans,

+“must always be obeyed.” She pointed gaily to the blankets that were

+swaying and billowing in the sunny June breeze. “See what I’ve done

+with our household chattels! To think I might have gone through life

+only knowing about readin’, writin’ and ’rithmetic if Ann Mary hadn’t

+taken me in hand and shown me how to run a house.”

+

+“Don’t feel so cocky, Sis,” said Jimmy, an impish grin on his face.

+“You probably have lots more to learn. All I can say is, you’d better

+hurry up and acquire the missing knowledge before Peter gets here.”

+

+Penny blushed at the mention of Peter Wyland’s name. Even though he

+was an old friend and the Allens had known him for years, he had just

+recently shown his preference for Penny’s company and Penny was still

+not used to being teased about it.

+

+Phil shrewdly guessed that Penny had been in love with Peter ever since

+last winter. That was when they had discovered that Peter was a secret

+service man in the employ of Mr. Prentice. Phil had not talked to Penny

+about Peter even when he noticed that she seemed to get letters from

+Wyland quite regularly. Philip’s mind these days was much preoccupied

+with thoughts of Adra Prentice. He seemed unable to get her out of his

+mind, and he found that no matter what he was doing, his thoughts would

+always go back to Adra.

+

+Both Phil and Penny knew that Jimmy and Marjorie would never stop

+teasing them about their feelings, so, contrary to their usual method

+of discussing everything among themselves, they had not said anything

+about this. Nevertheless, it seemed to be more or less understood, and

+although Penny couldn’t help blushing, she pretended to ignore Jimmy’s

+teasing remark.

+

+“Get along with you,” Phil said to his younger brother. “If you don’t

+plant those beans soon they’ll sprout in your pocket.”

+

+Jimmy departed, laughing. “Come on, lazy-bones,” he called over his

+shoulder to Marjorie. “I’ll let you help me for a change. Even _you_

+can’t botch up a job as simple as planting beans.”

+

+“Thank you, no,” Marjorie said with dignity. “I weeded all day

+yesterday while you were fishing.” Marjorie had not missed Penny’s

+blush, and couldn’t resist a chance for teasing her older sister. “Why

+are your cheeks so pink, Penny?” she asked carelessly.

+

+“She’s getting sunburned,” Phil said, quickly coming to Penny’s rescue.

+“If you spent more time looking in the mirror, Marjorie, you’d see that

+your own nose is as red as a beet.”

+

+Just then an old Ford drew up in front of the house. Pat Ryan got out,

+followed by the new summer help. Theresa, who was Pat’s sister and

+lived in the nearby village, had a smile on her broad Irish face. The

+Allens loved her Irish brogue and her tremendous bulk. Marjorie said

+she was worth her weight in gold.

+

+“It’s glad I am to be here working for the Allens,” she said.

+

+Penny welcomed her and said, “It’s we who are glad you could come,

+Theresa, and the rest of you too. We’d never be able to swing this

+experiment if it weren’t for the Ryans and you, and we think you’re

+bricks to do this on a co-operative basis, because right now we don’t

+know if we’ll make a profit, or lose money.”

+

+“Don’t you go worrying about a little thing like that,” answered

+Theresa, and with a wink at Pat she added, “Anybody that finds out

+about Ann Mary’s cooking will gladly pay double the fee you’re

+charging, if Pat isn’t going to be too jealous to let anybody else

+taste that good food.”

+

+“Okay with me,” said Pat good-naturedly. “Providing I get my share.”

+

+Slowly following behind Theresa were two people the Allens had never

+met. Penny and Phil shook their hands as Theresa introduced them.

+

+“This is Mr. and Mrs. Mal Donahue, Ann Mary’s cousins. Mrs. Donahue

+was Kathleen Doherty and we always call her Kitty. It’s a cinch your

+help will all be getting along fine together since we’re all Irish and

+all related. Seems as though all the Irish are related to each other,

+doesn’t it?”

+

+This brought forth gales of laughter from Jimmy who had interrupted his

+work in the garden to greet the new arrivals.

+

+“I hope you like your cabin,” he said to the Donahues. “All of our

+vegetables are growing right in your back yard, so whenever you get

+hungry all you have to do is reach out the window and pick some pole

+beans.”

+

+They smiled at him while Philip said, “We hope you will be happy with

+us, Mal and Kitty.”

+

+Mal Donahue cleared his throat. “We’d like the job, sir, uh--er,” and

+he hesitated. “We were--ahem--curious, you see. We heard the house was

+haunted last winter, and some people say there’s hidden treasure around

+here. We hope it’s just a plain ordinary house. Kitty and I don’t like

+surprises.” This speech was made with some effort and once again Jimmy

+couldn’t control his amusement.

+

+He laughed and slapped Mal on the back. “If there’s any treasure, old

+man, you and I will find it together.” This seemed to reassure Mal.

+

+When Philip and Penny walked toward the Lodge later, she said, “I think

+we are lucky, Phil, to get these young folks. I like their looks, don’t

+you?”

+

+“I certainly do,” Philip agreed. “And Pat and Ann Mary will need all

+the extra help they can get. If things work out the way we hope they

+will, we’ll have to hire more people from the village.”

+

+Penny nodded. “I’m very pleased with Kitty. She looks like a dear, and

+she’ll make a nice appearance waiting on the table.” She sighed. “It’s

+too bad anyone as attractive as Ann Mary must stay in the kitchen most

+of the time.”

+

+“Don’t worry about that,” Phil said with a laugh. “I’m sure all our

+guests will want to go back and tell her how good her food is and

+they’ll get to know her that way. Besides,” he went on, “she won’t stay

+in the kitchen all the time. Even if she’s supposed to do nothing but

+cook, you know Ann Mary will pitch in and help the others whenever she

+has any spare time.”

+

+“That’s true,” Penny said thoughtfully. “And I’m beginning to see

+what you mean about our getting organized. We really should all work

+according to some sort of schedule so we won’t be getting in each

+other’s way.”

+

+“Exactly,” Philip said. “We must have a serious meeting this evening

+and assign definite tasks to each one of us.”

+

+“Right after dinner,” Penny agreed. “Now, before we go back to work in

+the house, let’s read the mail the postman left on the porch a while

+ago. I--I,” she confided, “I’m sort of hoping I’ll hear from Peter

+Wyland. He’s not sure he can take a vacation from his job until the end

+of summer.”

+

+“Cheer up, Sis,” Phil said encouragingly. “Maybe there’ll be a letter

+from him saying he can come sooner.”

+

+They hurried up the steps to the porch where a stack of letters was

+waiting for them.

+

+

+

+

+CHAPTER 2

+

+AN ANONYMOUS LETTER

+

+

+The first letter Penny opened was from the Curtises saying that they

+would arrive in about a week, the first weekend in July.

+

+“That is,” Mrs. Curtis wrote, “if it won’t be rushing you too much,

+Penny dear.”

+

+Mr. and Mrs. Curtis, whom the Allens fondly called Grandma and Grandpa

+Curtis, had been old friends of Uncle John’s. Their daughter Mary and

+their son Charles were the same age as Penny and Philip and they had

+spent many summers together in camps. They were to be the first guests

+at Allen Lodge and were planning to stay the entire summer.

+

+When Mr. Curtis had heard about the ideal fishing his family had

+difficulty restraining him from coming up before the Lodge was really

+open for business.

+

+“The Curtises are always doing something to help us,” brightly

+asserted Penny as she finished the letter out on the big front porch.

+

+She and Philip looked out on the lawn, a wide, trimmed space in front

+of the house, its grass thick, its masses of shrubbery and groups of

+beautiful trees stately, and its flowers just beginning to bloom.

+Truly, summer had come to the shores of Lake Superior, and Phil

+surveyed the property with great pride.

+

+Watching the expression on his face, Penny said, “Uncle John certainly

+had good taste, Phil. You have every reason to be proud of your

+inheritance.”

+

+“I know it,” Phil said. “But don’t forget to give credit where it is

+due. Jimmy and I have done a good job of lawn-mowing and tree-trimming,

+if I do say so myself.” He stretched his long arms. “That kind of work

+is a real muscle builder.”

+

+“I’ll bet it is,” Penny said. “And it’s grand to know that I’ll have

+plenty of flowers for the dining room tables and for every bedroom

+in the Lodge. Pat takes very good care of the cutting flowers in

+his old-fashioned garden. If you and Jimmy take as good care of the

+flowering shrubs, the Lodge will be a bower of blossoms inside and out

+all summer.”

+

+Marjorie and Jimmy came out on the porch then with their hands full of

+more mail that Pat had brought back when he went into town for Theresa

+and the Donahues.

+

+“‘Lo,” said Jimmy. “Help us sort this out. Gobs came in today after the

+postman left.”

+

+Jimmy sat down in one of the large, old-fashioned wicker chairs and

+Marjorie drew up a little footstool in front of him.

+

+“Go ahead,” said Philip, “We’ll trust you and Marjorie to sort it all

+out and hand it over, won’t we, Penny?”

+

+“Only too glad to have you do it,” replied Penny, slumping down in her

+chair and pretending to relax. “Only don’t take too long, if anything

+looks interesting,” she added.

+

+Jimmy’s answer to that was to toss a flat letter into her lap, and to

+follow that closely with another slimmer one, carefully twirled by its

+corner to insure its falling at the proper distance.

+

+“Oh, don’t, Jimmy,” protested Marjorie, over whose head the missives

+were hurled.

+

+“That will keep her quiet, Marge,” Jimmy announced. But Penny was

+already quiet, not even hearing Jimmy’s last remark.

+

+“You have the biggest pile, Phil,” Marjorie stated in a few moments.

+

+The pile in front of Phil was falling over with letters, papers,

+advertisements and catalogues. The process of dividing the mail was

+soon completed and silence reigned except for giggles from Marjorie as

+she read a long letter from her best friend, Judy Powell. Penny, deeply

+engrossed in one of hers, gave a slight exclamation once, and Philip

+whistled as he laid aside a long envelope. But no one stopped to ask

+questions.

+

+Penny looked at the absorbed group as she finished her last letter and

+smiled. Marjorie stopped reading her letters and looked off into space.

+

+“Read me some of Judy’s letter, Marjorie,” said Penny.

+

+Marjorie turned with a smile to say that it was such a good letter and

+so funny--“Judy wants to know by telegram when they can come.”

+

+“She shall, Marjorie,” Philip answered immediately. “I’m thinking of

+getting a special telegram blank printed.”

+

+Marjorie looked at Phil to see if he really meant such an idiotic

+thing; but as Phil only winked at her, she merely said, “Crazy!” and

+turned to Judy’s letter:

+

+  “Dearest Marjorie:

+

+  I think it’s simply tops that we can be together this summer.

+  I was so afraid my parents would insist on sending me to camp

+  again. Not that I don’t like camp, but I know it’s going to be so

+  much more exciting to do things together, like exploring in the

+  woods. Will we be allowed to go through the woods by ourselves?

+  Are there secret cabins, or wonderful hiding places? Can we sleep

+  out at night? I’ll bet it’s wonderful swimming in Lake Superior!

+  Oh, couldn’t you telegraph and let me know right away when we

+  can come? I have so many questions to ask, I don’t know where to

+  begin.

+

+  My brother Alf says he would rather come to Michigan than go on

+  the canoe trip in Canada. He says he always has fun with Jimmy.

+  Maybe the boys will let us help them build something or do some

+  of the things with them. Alf says they’ll never take us fishing

+  because girls talk too much, but maybe we can convince them that

+  we know how to keep quiet.

+

+  I’m so excited that at last we are going to see the Lodge, and

+  all the Allens and especially you, that’s all I can write about.

+

+  Do Charles Curtis and Peter Wyland both still like Penny? Does

+  Penny like either one of them? Maybe I should be minding my own

+  business, but I guess I am just bubbling over with questions.

+  Cincinnati is hot as it always is in the summer and we can’t

+  wait until we get to Michigan. Quick, quick, quick, send me a

+  telegram. It will be the first one I ever received.

+

+  At present I just live in a bathing suit and we spend almost all

+  day at the pool. I’m glad school is out. Alf says I’m a nuisance

+  and a question box, and by now, you probably think the same. I

+  can’t wait until I see you,

+

+                                 Forever yours,

+                                     Judy.”

+

+When Marjorie had finished reading Judy’s letter out loud, Jimmy

+chuckled. “She’s a riot, that Powell kid.”

+

+Penny was already scribbling a message on the back of an envelope.

+“Here,” she said to Jimmy, “go in to the phone in the office and send

+this telegram to Judy right away. There’s no reason why the Powells

+shouldn’t come the first weekend in July when we expect the Curtises.”

+

+“Hooray!” Marjorie shouted as Jimmy went in to send the telegram. At

+that moment Kitty Donahue came out on the porch.

+

+“Hi,” Marjorie greeted her. “When do we eat in this Lodge?”

+

+Kitty came nearer. “I just wanted to ask Miss Penny about that. We’ve a

+big fish baking and I wondered if you would be ready to eat in half an

+hour.”

+

+“Hooray, food!” shouted Marjorie. “We’re always ready to eat, Kitty.

+Are we going to have a conference tonight to assign various duties,

+Penny?”

+

+“Yes, we are,” Penny answered. “Kitty, did you ever help in a summer

+hotel, or anything like that?”

+

+“Yes, _ma’am_! And Mal helped the chef at one of the lake resorts right

+near here. That is what made Ann Mary think about sending for us.”

+

+Philip had turned to look at Kathleen while she talked. “That is very

+fortunate for us, Mrs. Donahue,” he said. “We’re going to have a family

+confab tonight to decide what each of us should do and we’d like all

+of you to come and help us make decisions.”

+

+“Yes, sir,” Kitty said. “We’ll not need much more help, only some

+people from around the village to wait on table if there is a very

+large crowd over weekends, or for some special occasions.” With that

+bit of advice, Kitty went back into the house.

+

+Jimmy came out on the porch then and said to Marjorie: “I told the

+operator to sign your name to the telegram. I thought Judy would get a

+kick out of that.”

+

+“Thanks,” Marjorie said, smiling. “Sometimes you can be nice, Jimmy.”

+

+He ignored her and started gathering up his mail. “By the way,” he said

+to Penny and Phil, “my old schoolmate, Brook, is coming that weekend,

+too, if it’s all right with you.”

+

+“Fine,” Penny and Phil said together.

+

+Jimmy grinned. “Brook wrote that he is going to bring all of his old

+clothes. He says he’ll bring one decent suit, but he hopes he’ll not

+have to put it on. I’m right with him there! I think Judy Powell has

+the right idea about living in a bathing suit all summer. Say, Alf

+Powell, Brook and I will certainly have some wonderful fun this summer.

+Maybe we can put up a shack for us to sleep in.” He went on, pacing up

+and down excitedly, “Or part of that old barn. It would be fun if we

+could be by ourselves.”

+

+“Calm down, Jimmy,” Phil said. “I don’t think Alf’s or Brook’s parents

+will think their sons ought to be sleeping in a shack if they are

+paying good money for rooms, do you?”

+

+Jimmy ran his hands through his short, dark hair. “Naw, I guess not.

+But we could bunk out there sometimes, couldn’t we?”

+

+“Of course,” Penny told him. “It wouldn’t be much fun if you didn’t

+rough it every now and then.” She went on seriously. “I’m counting on

+you, Jimmy, to keep an eye on any kids who may come with their parents.

+You and Marjorie must help to keep them amused, too. It will be rather

+like running a summer camp, with you two as junior counselors. You’ll

+have to supervise games and sports, and maybe, Jimmy, give some of them

+swimming lessons.”

+

+“Ha!” Jimmy narrowed his eyes. “The plot thickens. Looks like I’m going

+to have to work. But don’t worry, Penny. Brook, Alf and I will keep

+the small fry busy.”

+

+“Grand,” Penny said approvingly. “You’ve taken a load off my mind,

+Jimmy. Everyone has simply got to help me as much as possible if we’re

+going to see to it that our guests are kept amused.”

+

+She glanced at Marjorie. “And that means you, too, imp. Don’t you dare

+spend all your time with your chum, Judy.”

+

+“I won’t,” Marjorie promised. “Not unless Jimmy spends all his time

+with Alf and Brook.”

+

+Philip glanced at his wrist watch. “Any objections to you two getting

+washed up before dinner?” But he looked at Jimmy as he spoke.

+

+“Not a one,” returned Jimmy with a wide grin. “I wonder why Phil looked

+at me,” he continued, still grinning.

+

+“Because, you’re practically just past the stage when getting you

+washed behind the ears was quite a family problem,” said Marjorie.

+

+“Look who’s talking,” called Jimmy as he disappeared into the house.

+

+After they had all consumed the delicious baked fish which Pat had

+caught that very day and Ann Mary had fixed in a delectable fashion,

+all the Allens met around the council table. This was the big table in

+the living room and here they were soon joined by the Ryans, Theresa

+and the Donahues.

+

+Philip then outlined a plan which they all discussed and finally the

+duties were assigned to everyone’s satisfaction. Pat was to continue

+what he had always done and be a general overseer of the entire Lodge.

+He would make arrangements for fishing parties, get boats and guides

+and order lunches to be packed. He would lock up every night and do

+many other things.

+

+Ann Mary was in complete charge of the kitchen and Mal and Kitty were

+to be her assistants. Kitty would serve and Mal also had some outdoor

+duties. Theresa was to do the cleaning, and Mal and Kitty were going to

+pitch in and help with that too.

+

+Marjorie had offered to wait on table and help with the cooking, but

+Philip told her that the family would have their hands full with the

+entertaining of their guests. However, all the Allens planned to help

+out every place, all of the time, whenever they were free from their

+other assigned duties. Jimmy had lettered a large sign and hung it on

+a temporary billboard. It read:

+

+  MEETING OF

+  THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

+  OF

+  ALLEN LODGE

+

+Marjorie now pointed to the sign and said, “I feel pretty important

+being a director. Is that why I can get out of cooking and serving?”

+

+At this remark Phil guffawed and Jimmy and Penny joined him, much to

+Marjorie’s chagrin.

+

+“Don’t you kid yourself,” Jimmy said, “Even if Phil says you’ll have

+your hands full entertaining guests, you know you’ll have them twice as

+full, because I’m sure we’ll all have to help each other when our Lodge

+is running full force.”

+

+Philip, it was decided, was to be the official treasurer. He would keep

+the books and have full charge of all receipts and disbursements.

+

+“That,” Jimmy loftily explained to Marjorie, “means money coming in

+and money going out.” Marjorie sniffed. “Keep your definitions of such

+simple words to yourself.”

+

+“Let’s be serious,” Phil said. “All hotels and inns have a rule that

+unless their guests deposit their valuables with them for safekeeping,

+the management is not responsible. Isn’t that right, Mr. Donahue?”

+

+Mal nodded.

+

+“Well then,” Phil went on, “I think we ought to keep our guests’ money

+and jewelry in the safe in the secret room. And in order to safeguard

+the secret, we ought to make it a rule that none of the guests is

+allowed in the secret room.”

+

+“Right,” Jimmy agreed heartily. “If we let everyone run in and out of

+there it won’t be a secret very long. I vote that for the rest of the

+summer, only Pat is allowed to--”

+

+“Phil _and_ Pat,” Penny interrupted. “Phil has to go in and out to the

+safe because he’s the treasurer.”

+

+“That’s right,” Pat agreed. “I’ll act as his substitute. Phil may not

+be available at times when we receive money which should be put right

+in the safe or when we need to take some out to pay bills. I’ll only go

+into the secret room during such emergencies.”

+

+“Okay, thanks, Pat,” said Phil. “Then, as of now, it’s a rule that only

+you and I press the button that opens the secret door. Said rule to

+remain in effect until the end of the season.”

+

+Everyone agreed, and then it was decided that Penny was to be the

+hostess and the housekeeper. Ann Mary was going to help make out the

+shopping lists, while Penny did the actual shopping. Marjorie was to be

+the assistant hostess as well as the secretary. Luckily she had learned

+how to use a typewriter and would really be a big help when it came to

+writing letters. Jimmy was the director of all sports, and even though

+that sounded like an easy job, Penny assured him it would be more than

+a full-time one.

+

+Penny, Ann Mary and Kitty decided it would be wise to make out menus

+for a week in advance. “That means,” Penny said, “that right after

+breakfast tomorrow morning we had better plan the first week’s menu.

+An awful lot of guests are arriving the first weekend in July.”

+

+She sighed wearily. “I guess everything has been taken care of except

+the laundry. We’ll all have our hands full after this week, so I don’t

+see what we can possibly do about that.”

+

+“Got any ideas, Ann Mary?” Philip asked.

+

+Ann Mary thought for a minute. “There’s a new laundry-mat in the

+village--just opened the other day. If we could find someone who would

+come out twice a week, bring in the soiled linen, wash it in one of the

+automatic machines, and bring it back damp dry, Kitty, Theresa and I

+could handle the ironing.”

+

+“A swell idea,” Pat said. “I’ll ask around in the village when I go in

+tomorrow. Anyone, even a mere man,” he added with a chuckle, “can run

+one of those spin-dry slot machines. All we need to do is find someone

+with a car who’ll tote the stuff back and forth for a fair price.”

+

+“I guess that takes care of everything,” Penny said. “Has anybody

+thought of anything else?”

+

+Jimmy thought it would be a good idea to buy a sailboat, but that

+suggestion was promptly vetoed. “We are going to try and make money

+before we spend it, young man,” said Philip. “But if you and Alf and

+Brook Sanders want to fix up one out of what we have, that’s all right

+with me.”

+

+“Watch us!” retorted Jimmy and immediately suggested that a few canoes

+wouldn’t cost much. But once again Phil put a damper on his ideas.

+

+At this point Jimmy wanted to know what kind of a suggestion he could

+make that would not be vetoed, and Penny and Phil both chimed in at

+once with, “Let’s call it a day.”

+

+“But, before the meeting breaks up,” Philip said soberly, “I want to

+make an announcement. I don’t think it’s really important, but I think

+you should all hear it.”

+

+He drew from his pocket the long envelope he had laid aside earlier

+when they had been out on the porch reading their mail. “I got an

+anonymous letter today,” he said, “and at first I thought I wouldn’t

+bother you with it. Writers of anonymous letters are usually either

+cowards or cranks. However,” he continued, “after thinking it over,

+I’ve decided I have no right to keep from you the fact that we have

+been threatened.”

+

+“Threatened?” Penny repeated. “But, Phil, who--?”

+

+For answer, Phil opened the envelope and took out a long sheet of dirty

+paper which he laid on the council table.

+

+Everyone crowded around him to read the ugly scribbled words:

+

+  MR. PHILIP ALLEN: IF YOU

+  KNOW WHAT’S GOOD FOR YOU

+  AND YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS,

+  GET OUT OF THE LODGE AS FAST

+  AS YOU CAN. I MEAN BUSINESS!

+

+

+

+

+CHAPTER 3

+

+THE ABANDONED WELL

+

+

+Ann Mary was the first to speak. “Well, I never,” she gasped. “Who

+could have written such an evil thing, Pat?”

+

+Pat shook his head. “A crank, of course.”

+

+“That’s what I think,” Phil agreed. “Someone who read the newspaper

+stories about Adra Prentice’s kidnaping. Anonymous letters from people

+who aren’t quite right mentally generally follow any kind of publicity.”

+

+“But,” Marjorie objected, “all of that happened last year.”

+

+“It makes no difference,” Jimmy told her. “People use newspapers for

+lots of things besides keeping up with the news. They wrap china in

+newspapers, line shelves and drawers with ’em, for instance. Whoever

+wrote that dopey letter may have come across an account of Adra’s

+kidnaping just the other day.”

+

+Penny nodded. “Let’s tear the ugly thing up and throw it away. Whoever

+wrote it probably won’t ever bother us again.”

+

+“Right.” Jimmy tore the dirty sheet of paper to shreds and tossed them

+into the fireplace. Phil set a match to them and they all watched the

+scraps burn away to ashes.

+

+“Well, that’s that,” Penny said. “As if anyone could scare us Allens

+away from the Lodge!”

+

+Then the meeting did break up, and four very tired, but not at all

+frightened Allens, went upstairs to bed.

+

+       *       *       *       *       *

+

+The next morning Jimmy’s first job was to overhaul the old bus and the

+Bronc. The Bronc was an old station wagon that had seen better days.

+It had served the Allens well, but right now it sputtered and rattled

+and wheezed. The Bus was a small truck and was used for a multitude

+of things. It hauled wood from the woods to the woodbin, it carted

+supplies from the town to the Lodge and Philip planned to use it for

+taking people on camping trips during the summer. Jimmy’s favorite

+pastime was tinkering with cars, and he seemed to know the intricate

+mechanics of the two old vehicles better than any trained mechanic.

+

+While Jimmy was tinkering with the motors, Phil and Mal combed the

+nearby woods for timber. Some of it would be cut up into logs which

+would blaze merrily in the huge fireplaces on cool evenings. The rest

+of it, Phil planned to give Jimmy for his shack. Jimmy had picked a

+spot on the lake shore where he and the other boys could build a fire

+if they wanted. He also planned to build a little dock and rent a few

+rowboats. This was to be the bachelor’s retreat. The site was in a bit

+of a bay with some large rocks along the shore line that would make the

+dock construction simpler. Among the trees a little way back, there was

+a fairly open place where the shack could stand. When Phil and Mal had

+gathered quite a pile of wood, they called Jimmy down to view the spot.

+

+“Now, all you have to do, Jimmy, is to go to it,” said Philip.

+

+“I can’t wait until the other boys arrive to get started,” he answered.

+“I’m going to start preparing the logs and lay the floor. Won’t this be

+ideal?”

+

+In the meantime, Marjorie began her secretarial duties by sorting mail

+and answering as many of the letters as she could, while Penny went

+into the village to shop in order to stock up on staples and to make

+arrangements for her weekly orders.

+

+One afternoon Jimmy, Phil and Mal decided to have a look at the long

+old shed in the back yard which they thought might be fixed up to house

+the cars of their summer guests. The old shed had been there all the

+time, of course, but somehow they had kept putting off the time when

+they would examine it. There had been so many things to do when they

+first came, they had not even opened all the rooms in the house until

+they had decided to turn it into a summer hotel.

+

+Now the guest rooms must be cleaned and aired. Penny and Marjorie were

+busy from morning to night helping Theresa and Ann Mary dust and make

+beds.

+

+“This is so boring,” Marjorie complained. “The only room I’m interested

+in is the old storage room, Penny. When are we ever going to go through

+those old trunks?”

+

+“We’ve had a look at the contents of one of them,” Penny pointed

+out patiently. “And we found that it contained nothing but some very

+old-fashioned clothes and a few worthless, though pretty trinkets. Wait

+till we have more time, honey. Then you may rummage around in there to

+your heart’s content.”

+

+“I can’t understand your lack of curiosity,” Marjorie moaned. “I can’t

+sleep nights thinking about what might be in the trunk we didn’t open.”

+

+Penny laughed. “I guess we’ve had too much indoor work for one day.

+Let’s join the boys down at the shed.”

+

+“Goody, goody,” Marjorie cried, flinging down her dust cloth. “There’s

+bound to be something more exciting than cobwebs out there.”

+

+At last they were hurrying down the concrete walk, past the Donahues’

+small cabin behind the Lodge. They caught up with Mal and the boys on

+the old graveled drive, overgrown with weeds. This drive led among

+bushes and trees and looked like an old horse trail, but it was wide

+enough for a car to travel over it with care.

+

+Jimmy took one good look at all the weeds and said, “I don’t think

+this is such a good idea, especially since I know I’ll be elected a

+committee of one to cut down all these weeds.”

+

+“Why, how did you guess it, young man! You are getting keen,” laughed

+Penny. “But this really does look like a big job, and I’m sure Phil and

+Mal will lend a hand, too.” Jimmy looked relieved at this suggestion

+and here they were at the shed.

+

+“Pat says that even your Uncle John never made use of this shed for

+anything, and that it must have been a sort of stable back in the old

+days,” explained Mal. “See, one of the side walls is pretty badly

+broken up, but the roof has been patched and the framework seems

+strong. There are a pile of boards and some poles behind this shed.

+Looks as though somebody once had the idea of repairing it. That wood

+back there is well seasoned and with the help of the repair man from

+the village we could get it fixed up this week.”

+

+Penny took hold of one of the supports, to which a few boards were

+clinging loosely.

+

+“Be careful how you lean against that,” Philip cautioned her. “That’s

+the broken wall and we don’t want you to fall through it.”

+

+But just as he finished saying it Penny gasped and slipped out of

+sight. For a minute the others stood there with their mouths open, then

+Phil and Jimmy quickly went into action. Mal poked his hand through

+the wall where Penny seemed to have disappeared and Marjorie called,

+“Penny, Penny, answer--are you hurt?”

+

+Phil and Jimmy ran to the outside of the broken wall but there was

+nothing there but the old pile of lumber Mal had mentioned. They called

+Penny, and then there was a muffled sound that seemed to come from the

+very wall itself.

+

+Phil climbed right up on top of the pile of lumber and reached over as

+far as he could toward the wall when he noticed a sunken place between

+the wall and the lumber. It looked like an old well and it was partly

+covered. He called to Penny and this time he heard her answer. As

+quickly as they could, they all started to move enough of the lumber so

+that they could get closer to the old well. Now they were sure Penny

+had fallen into it, and Marjorie ran back to the house as fast as her

+feet could carry her to get a strong rope and more help.

+

+It seemed like hours, but it was only a few minutes before Phil and

+Jimmy were able to lean over the well and start calling down to Penny.

+

+She answered them this time and they heard her say quite clearly: “What

+happened?”

+

+“Whew!” Jimmy gasped, clutching his forehead with relief. “You fell

+down an old well.”

+

+“Are you all right, Penny?” Philip asked anxiously.

+

+“I guess so,” Penny called back. “But it’s so dark I can’t see

+anything.”

+

+“Don’t worry,” Phil said in a reassuring voice. “We’ll have you out in

+no time.”

+

+Marjorie arrived then with Pat who had brought along a long rope.

+Marjorie was very near to tears.

+

+“Don’t let Penny know you’re frightened,” Phil cautioned her. “Keep

+calling down to her in a cheerful voice to keep her courage up.”

+

+Pat tied a big loop on the end of the rope, then Mal lowered it into

+the well, and Phil called down instructions to Penny. Finally the rope

+reached her, and she put the looped end around her waist and held on to

+it as tightly as she could with both hands, while the men pulled her

+up. When, after what seemed an interminably long time, Penny’s head

+appeared, Marjorie burst into tears.

+

+Tenderly they lifted Penny out, and she immediately assured everyone

+that aside from being bruised and shaky, she didn’t think she had any

+broken bones or other injuries. Ann Mary and Theresa and Kathleen had

+arrived on the scene with water and bandages, all of which were scorned

+by Penny who said,

+

+“I did a foolish thing and I deserved what I got, but now that I know

+I’m all right you can all just forget about me. If you keep on making

+such a fuss I’ll feel like an idiot.”

+

+Of course they all ignored her pleadings and made her sit right down

+for a few minutes while Ann Mary wiped her face with a cloth dipped in

+cold water. Then she examined Penny carefully to make sure that she

+could move her arms and legs without pain. The only real damage seemed

+to be to her appearance which was quite ludicrous. Now that they knew

+she was safe they had a good laugh about it. Penny’s face and hands and

+hair were covered with cobwebs, her dress was ripped and her shoes were

+sopping wet. When Phil asked her if there was any water in the well

+she said she thought she had stood in water and, of course, her wet

+shoes showed that she had. Then everybody went back to the house, and

+Penny took a hot bath which Ann Mary said would serve to relieve some

+of the aches and pains she was bound to develop later from such a fall.

+

+Phil and Jimmy were all set to go back and examine the well to see if

+it was still in good working condition, and if they could find the

+water source and perhaps get the well into good order. When they saw

+Penny looking her fresh, well-groomed self again, they went back,

+accompanied by Pat and Mal.

+

+“It beats me,” Pat said. “I never knew there was a well of any kind on

+this property.”

+

+“I’ve heard rumors,” Mal said. “There’s always been a lot of talk in

+the village about buried treasure in the bottom of an old dried-up well

+around here.”

+

+“I know,” Pat said, “and from time to time when the house was empty,

+people who had no business trespassing, came here and tried to find

+that well. Had a lot of trouble with prowlers,” he told Phil. “Your

+Uncle John did. But nobody ever found a well.” He stopped and stared

+at the hole. “Well, now, here it is. And now I wouldn’t be surprised

+at anything. I’ve lived around here all my life and never believed

+there was a well here. I think we should caution everybody to try and

+keep this a secret so we won’t have any prowlers coming around, and we

+should get busy and try to dig up that old well to see if there really

+is any treasure there.”

+

+“My gosh!” said Jimmy. “Do you really think there’s treasure there?

+What kind of treasure is it supposed to be, Pat? Were there ever

+pirates around here? Won’t Alf and Brook nearly die with excitement

+when they hear about this!”

+

+Phil smiled. “I’m afraid we can’t let you say anything to them, or

+anybody else, until we investigate this thoroughly and see if there

+is any foundation to the rumor. I agree with Pat, since we don’t need

+the well for water, I think we should dig it up at once and solve this

+mystery of buried treasure.”

+

+Jimmy was all for going right back for picks and shovels, so Phil let

+him go. Phil’s curiosity was aroused and he could understand Jimmy’s

+enthusiasm. But Phil felt quite sure that they were not on the trail of

+buried treasure.

+

+“The Lodge was supposed to be haunted,” he said to Mal, “and we proved

+it wasn’t. Now we’re about to prove that there’s nothing of any value

+at the bottom of this old well.”

+

+Jimmy came running back then with both hands full of an assortment of

+picks, shovels and garden spades. They found that it was exceedingly

+slow work since they first had to move the pile of old lumber and

+debris that surrounded the old well. When they finally started digging

+they found the stones that formed the well were impossible to move. Pat

+guessed that the old well had been there a hundred years or longer.

+Jimmy suggested that they use dynamite.

+

+After two hours of concentrated labor Phil commented, “I don’t think

+even buried treasure is worth all this effort.”

+

+But Jimmy, who was obviously in high spirits over this adventure,

+contradicted Phil with, “Of course it’s worth it, Phil, you wait and

+see what we find.”

+

+Pat shrugged. “I’m not thinking you should set your heart on finding

+anything, my lad, because there probably won’t be any treasure here,

+any more than the house was haunted last year.”

+

+“Don’t say that, Pat,” countered Jimmy, “I’m not used to working like

+this without any compensation.”

+

+“Not much,” said Phil. “But all kidding aside, Jimmy, I think Pat is

+right. However, we’re going to finish this job, if for no other reason

+than to keep anybody else from falling into it. The rope we lowered to

+Penny went down about thirty feet and I would guess that we have dug

+around the outside of this old well about ten feet deep. Is that right,

+Pat?”

+

+Pat nodded. “Yes, that’s about right, and I think if we get out here

+bright and early tomorrow morning, maybe we can finish the job before

+night.”

+

+Very reluctantly, Jimmy joined the rest as they returned to the house

+to tell Penny and Marjorie of their progress.

+

+

+

+

+CHAPTER 4

+

+A NIGHT PROWLER

+

+

+That evening they all decided to have a picnic style supper in front of

+the fireplace in the living room.

+

+“I’m beginning to feel my bruises,” Penny said cheerfully. “But I’m not

+going to let a few aches and pains bother me. I was very lucky to get

+off without broken bones or sprains.”

+

+“You certainly were,” Jimmy said. “And let me tell you, Sis, I thought

+I’d go nuts until we finally heard your voice.”

+

+“Me, too,” Marjorie chimed in. “Gosh, Penny, it was just about the most

+awful few minutes of my life!”

+

+“Well, let’s not talk about it any more,” Penny said. “The subject I

+want to discuss is the bottom of the well. I can’t really--”

+

+“Gee,” Jimmy interrupted, “wouldn’t it be neat if we get to the bottom

+of the well and find pieces of gold. We’ll be on easy street the rest

+of our lives.” He added, more to himself than the others, “The first

+thing I’ll do is get a sailboat. I’ve found out already that I don’t

+know enough about naval architecture to build one.”

+

+“Ha, you don’t get on easy street that easily,” said Penny. “Besides, I

+don’t remember feeling anything beneath my feet but slime, and if all

+you want is a sailboat, you’d better work for it!”

+

+“I like that!” exclaimed Jimmy. “And what do you call digging away at

+that well? If that isn’t work, I’d like to know what you’d call it.”

+

+“Oh, it’s work all right,” Penny said with a laugh. “But I think it’s

+work without any purpose.”

+

+“So do I, in a way,” Phil said. “But the kids will never be happy until

+we get to the bottom and prove that there isn’t any treasure buried

+there.”

+

+“You just wait until tomorrow,” Marjorie said stubbornly. “When we

+come running up to you, Penny, with our hands dripping with pieces of

+eight, then you and Phil will eat those words.” She raised her voice.

+“I know there’s something valuable hidden around here, and I, for one,

+am never going to give up until I’ve gone over every inch of the place

+with a fine-tooth comb!”

+

+“You don’t have to shout about it,” Jimmy said. “If there is something

+valuable around here, let’s not encourage every Tom, Dick and Harry in

+the village to come out and try to find it first. Although,” he went on

+in a more sympathetic tone of voice, “I know how you feel, Marjorie.

+When Alf and Brook get here, and we haven’t found any gold by then,

+they’ll want to dig up the whole place, too.”

+

+“Dig, if you must,” Penny said, “but spare Pat’s flower beds. I--” She

+stopped suddenly, her finger to her lips. “Sh-h.” She touched Phil’s

+arm lightly and pointed to the window, whispering, “Someone’s out there

+and I’m afraid he’s heard every word we said.”

+

+They all stared silently out through the vine-covered lattice that

+partially screened the court from view. The moon was shining brightly,

+and then from the shrubbery a shadow moved and melted into a little

+clump of low spruces. In another second they saw the figure of a man

+slip around the corner of the wing to disappear again in the shadows of

+another trellis.

+

+It was a warm evening, and all of the doors and windows were wide open.

+The man might try to get into the house. Penny started to rise.

+

+But Phil, with his hand on her arm, shook his head and whispered: “All

+of you stay right here. I don’t want him to know that we’ve seen him.”

+Swiftly he tiptoed across the room to take his pistol from the cabinet.

+

+Penny remembered with relief that Phil always kept his gun loaded. Just

+then she saw Mal run into the court. He had obviously seen the prowler

+from the kitchen window. Before Penny could shout a warning, the man

+darted from the shadows and flung himself on Mal’s back, one arm around

+his throat.

+

+At almost the same moment Phil leaped through the window and fired his

+gun into the air. As the shot rang out, Penny closed her eyes. Opening

+them immediately, she saw Phil running out of the court, with Mal close

+at his heels, in pursuit of the prowler. Jimmy was just about to jump

+through the window to join in the chase, but Penny held him back.

+

+“Stay here with us, Jimmy,” she said. “Phil and Mal can cope with that

+eavesdropper.”

+

+Marjorie, who had for once been speechless, found her voice then. “Oh,

+yes, Jimmy,” she begged. “Stay here with us. He might come back, and we

+haven’t got a gun.”

+

+Jimmy looked disappointed, but he knew he could help Phil best by

+staying with the girls. “Ah, that guy isn’t going to come back,” he

+said. He stared gloomily out of the window as Pat ran across the court

+to join the others.

+

+By this time, Kitty and Ann Mary had appeared, wide-eyed and

+frightened. “Oh, oh,” Kitty cried. “I just know my Mal is going to get

+shot.”

+

+Another shot rang out. Penny’s heart sank. Had the prowler fired the

+second shot? Somehow she managed to disguise her fears and said in a

+reassuring voice to Kitty:

+

+“Don’t worry, dear. Phil and Pat know how to handle their guns.”

+

+“They sure do,” Ann Mary said bravely although Penny could see that

+she was almost as terrified as her cousin. “My Pat won’t let anything

+happen to your Mal.”

+

+Theresa came in from the hall then, rubbing her eyes bewilderedly. “I

+was asleep,” she said. “Did I hear a shot or did I dream it?”

+

+She looked so confused that everyone laughed, and the tension was

+eased. “You heard two shots,” Jimmy told her. “I guess the first one

+woke you up.”

+

+While he was explaining what had happened, they heard footsteps on the

+graveled walk, and in another moment, they could see Phil, Pat and Mal

+slowly approaching the house. Everyone ran out to meet them.

+

+“He got away,” Phil said ruefully.

+

+“Shouldn’t we notify the police?” Penny asked.

+

+Phil shrugged. “Probably only a tramp. I fired in the air to frighten

+him when he jumped on Mal.”

+

+“But you fired a second time,” Marjorie said excitedly. “We were

+terrified for fear one of you had been hurt.”

+

+“That’s right,” Jimmy said. “Say, Phil, how about giving us a play by

+play description of what happened. I missed all the fun, remember?”

+

+Phil frowned. “We want to look around some more. We just came back to

+be sure the rest of you were okay.”

+

+“We’re perfectly all right,” Penny said. “Go ahead with your search.”

+She smiled. “As long as Jimmy stays with us we’re perfectly safe.”

+

+“I want to know what happened,” Jimmy complained. “Give, Phil.”

+

+“Well,” Phil said patiently, “from the minute that man disappeared into

+the shrubbery, he slipped from one tree to another like an Indian, then

+doubled around toward the lake.”

+

+“It certainly sounds as though he knows his way around here,” Marjorie

+put in.

+

+Phil nodded. “Pat fired the second shot when we saw him trying to get

+away in one of our boats. Although Pat fired into the air, it scared

+the living daylights out of him, I guess. He jumped from the boat

+and made for the woods below us.” Phil grinned. “I’ll bet he’s still

+running. He may think we’re mighty poor shots, but at least he knows

+we’re armed. I doubt if he ever comes back on our property again.”

+

+“But who could it have been?” Penny asked. “A tramp wouldn’t know his

+way around our grounds.”

+

+“If anyone should ask me,” Pat said, “I’d say it was one of those crazy

+villagers after the so-called buried treasure. I’ll bet the news is

+all over town already that we found the old well near the shed.”

+

+“But,” Jimmy objected. “Nobody could have heard about it so soon.”

+

+“A lot of people could have,” Mal pointed out. “There were several

+delivery boys out here during the excitement when Miss Penny fell into

+the well.”

+

+Ann Mary nodded. “We were all so worried about Penny we didn’t pay

+any attention to them. When Marjorie came running into the kitchen to

+tell us about the accident, I dashed out of the house so fast I almost

+knocked down one boy who biked out here with some groceries.”

+

+Pat shook his head gravely. “That rumor about buried treasure is going

+to cause us a lot of trouble. We don’t want the place cluttered up with

+night prowlers this summer.”

+

+“Let’s go have a look at the shed,” Jimmy said eagerly. “Maybe the guy

+was down there snooping around and sneaked up to the house to make sure

+we were all inside.”

+

+“All right,” Phil said. “But you have to stay with the girls.”

+

+“Oh, no, he doesn’t,” Marjorie said pertly. “The girls are going, too.”

+

+“We can’t all leave,” Penny said wisely. “After all, he might have been

+a burglar. We would be playing right into his hands if we left the

+house deserted with all the doors and windows open.” She glanced around

+at the shadows with a little shiver. “Suppose he doubled back and is

+watching us right now, waiting to see what we’ll do?”

+

+Marjorie moved a little closer to Penny. “Oh, isn’t it thrilling?” she

+cried. “I wouldn’t be at all afraid to stay here and guard the house if

+I had a gun.”

+

+“Not much you wouldn’t,” Jimmy jeered.

+

+“I for one,” Kitty said, “have no intention of going down to that shed.

+I’m going into the house and Mal is going with me and we’re going to

+lock ourselves in.”

+

+“Fine,” Jimmy said. “That solves the problem. Phil can leave his gun

+with Mal just in case.”

+

+“Okay,” Mal agreed and stuck Phil’s little pistol into his pocket.

+After the Donahues had gone into the house the others headed for the

+shed.

+

+Jimmy had brought a flashlight with him, and when they got inside the

+shed he flashed it all around. Just as they were about to leave, he

+shouted, “Look!” and pointed to a spot near the broken wall where Penny

+had fallen through earlier that day.

+

+The floor of the shed had been opened and plainly showing in the earth

+under it was a footprint. “Someone has been here since we left,” Jimmy

+cried excitedly. “That footprint was made by a man wearing a shoe with

+a rubber sole. And we were all wearing sneakers.”

+

+“You’re right,” Phil said soberly. “But the man who made that footprint

+might not have been our prowler. It could have been left by one of the

+delivery boys whose curiosity was aroused when he heard about Penny’s

+accident.”

+

+Penny nodded. “One of them might have biked back out while we were

+having supper just to have a look. Kids are like that.”

+

+“But,” Jimmy argued, “they don’t have such big feet.”

+

+“Oh, yes, they do,” Marjorie said with a giggle. “Take a look at what’s

+on the end of your own ankles.”

+

+“Maybe the prowler was just a curious kid,” Penny said suddenly. “Have

+you thought of that, Phil?”

+

+Philip thought for a minute. “He had awfully broad shoulders, and I

+don’t think a kid would have jumped on Mal.” He shrugged. “But I really

+think whoever it was won’t come back.” He put the floor boards back in

+place. “If he does, he won’t do any digging for buried treasure at this

+spot. Jimmy, go and get the old Bus and park it right here.”

+

+Jimmy grinned with delight. “Right. And if our curious friend comes

+back to search, he’ll have to move the Bus. And, unless he’s a Samson

+he’ll have to start her up, and, when this thing starts running, he’ll

+realize that he’s set off the loudest fire alarm in Michigan.” He ran

+off to get the Bus.

+

+“If we don’t find any treasure when we dig up the well,” Marjorie said,

+“let’s dig under the floor here.”

+

+“Definitely no,” Phil told her firmly. “We’ll dig up the well and let

+it be known far and wide that we found nothing. That should put a stop

+to all the silly rumors.”

+

+Pat nodded approvingly. “And night prowlers.”

+

+When they returned to the house they found that Kitty and Mal had

+sandwiches and a large pot of hot cocoa waiting for them.

+

+“I think you men should take turns keeping watch tonight,” Kitty said

+nervously. “And please, can’t we sleep in the house tonight instead of

+in the cabin?”

+

+“Of course, you can,” Phil said. “And perhaps it isn’t a bad idea for

+us to take turns keeping an eye on the place.” He smiled reassuringly.

+“For the rest of tonight anyway.”

+

+“I’ll take one shift,” Marjorie said, suppressing a yawn. “I won’t

+sleep a wink anyway.”

+

+But she did, the minute her head touched the pillow, and when she awoke

+in the morning was very disappointed to hear that the night had been

+uneventful.

+

+“At least I didn’t miss anything,” she said as they hurriedly ate

+breakfast on the sunny porch. “Now, to find the buried treasure!”

+

+But the whole day proved to be a tremendous disappointment. They

+finally dug all the way down to the bottom of the well and found

+absolutely nothing but mud. And the source of the spring had evidently

+gone dry.

+

+“All that labor for nothing,” Pat said in a very disgruntled voice. “A

+wasted day.”

+

+Everyone had pitched in and helped at various intervals, although Jimmy

+and Marjorie were the only ones who never gave up hope of finding gold

+pieces deep in the mud.

+

+Wearily the men filled up the huge hole, and the rest of the week was

+spent in what Ann Mary called “fruitful labor.” The shed was converted

+into quite a presentable garage, and at last even Phil admitted that

+they were practically ready to open the Lodge for business. They were

+all so busy with final preparations they dismissed the night prowler

+from their minds.

+

+Only Jimmy and Marjorie remained convinced that there was treasure

+buried on the grounds.

+

+“What about the laundry situation?” Phil asked Penny the night before

+the first guests were expected. “Have you been able to cope with that?”

+

+“I certainly have,” Penny told him proudly. “Several days ago a very

+pleasant-looking man who looks strong enough to carry any amount of

+damp linen, drove out to ask for the job. He’d heard in the village

+that we wanted someone to tote a huge bundle into the laundry-mat twice

+a week, and came right out without even waiting to telephone for an

+appointment with me.”

+

+Phil looked puzzled. “I sort of took it for granted that you’d give the

+job to a woman.”

+

+“I planned to,” Penny said, “in spite of what Pat said about anybody

+being able to work those automatic machines. But there just aren’t any

+women in the village who drive their own cars and who are free to help

+us out.”

+

+“I suppose not,” Phil said.

+

+“This man, a Mr. Taggart,” Penny went on, “recently moved to town for

+the summer and needs work badly. He offered to handle our laundry for

+us at a flat rate of only fifteen dollars a week.”

+

+Phil whistled. “Say, that _is_ cheap!” He added teasingly: “Maybe he’ll

+take the first batch in and never come back!”

+

+Penny laughed. “He’s already taken in one big bundle of sheets and

+pillow cases and, according to Ann Mary, brought them back snowy white.

+She’s terribly pleased. I had no idea we could get anyone to do it so

+cheaply. When the place is filled with guests he’ll probably demand

+more money, but let’s not object. Kitty says the laundry problem in all

+summer hotels is usually the hardest one to solve.”

+

+Phil nodded. “If the place really fills up, we’ll not only have to

+raise Taggart’s pay, but we’ll have to get some people from the village

+to come out by the day and do the ironing.”

+

+“I’ve thought of that,” Penny said. “The same girls who are going to

+help wait on the tables when we really get going are going to do some

+ironing between meals.”

+

+“You think of everything,” Phil said approvingly. “I’m proud of you,

+Sis.”

+

+Penny sighed. “You shouldn’t be. I couldn’t do a thing without the

+advice of Ann Mary and Theresa and Kitty. And, frankly, Phil, I’m

+getting cold feet at the last minute. What if the whole project is a

+flop?”

+

+“It won’t be,” Phil said reassuringly. “You’re just tired and getting

+a case of stage fright.” He tucked her hand through his arm and led

+her toward the stairs. “After a good night’s sleep you’ll be your old

+irrepressible self again. Full of vim, vigor and vitality!”

+

+

+

+

+CHAPTER 5

+

+ANOTHER THREAT

+

+

+Rat-tat-tat on the door.

+

+“Who can that be?” Penny demanded. “We’ve simply got to get these clean

+curtains up before the first guests arrive.”

+

+Phil, who was helping her, said from the top of the stepladder,

+“Probably your laundry man, Mr. Taggart. Ann Mary or Marjorie can take

+care of it.” He climbed down the ladder. “Now what?”

+

+“Draperies,” Penny said. “I’ve already put in the pin hooks so it won’t

+take long.”

+

+Rat-tat-tat again.

+

+“Oh, dear,” she moaned. “Marjorie and Ann Mary are probably out in back

+and can’t hear. Everyone else is in the village. That’s someone at the

+front door so it couldn’t be Mr. Taggart. He always parks his car by

+the Donahues’ cabin. I’d better run down and see who’s knocking.”

+

+Phil moved his ladder to the window where the draperies were to be

+hung. “Wait a minute,” he said. “Just hand me up those things and then

+go.” He stared out of the window as he climbed up. “Say, that must be

+your laundry man’s car out there by the Donahues’ cabin now. Pretty

+classy, isn’t it?”

+

+“It certainly is,” Penny agreed hurriedly. She gave him the draperies

+and ran down the stairs from the balcony. At the bottom she stopped.

+Someone was rummaging around in the storeroom in the back of the house.

+

+“Marjorie,” she called, rather crossly. “What are you doing in there?

+This is no time to explore! And didn’t you hear someone knocking on the

+front door?” She hurried down the hall muttering to herself: “With all

+I have to do, it seems to me that child could at least stop looking for

+hidden treasure long enough to answer the front door!”

+

+But, when she opened the door, Penny’s good nature was immediately

+restored. For there stood Judy and Alf Powell with Mr. and Mrs. Powell

+right behind them.

+

+Their first guests had arrived!

+

+Penny tried to hug everyone at once as she talked excitedly:

+

+“Why, Alf! You’ve grown like a beanstalk. Jimmy will be comparing

+measurements with you in no time. And Judy, you haven’t changed a bit.

+My, won’t you and Marjorie have a million things to talk about. You

+can’t imagine, Mr. and Mrs. Powell, how pleased we were that you could

+come. This isn’t going to be like a resort at all. We’re going to be

+surrounded by all our old friends. Isn’t this fine! Come right in. How

+did you get here? Have you a car to put away?” Penny peered around but

+could not see a car any place.

+

+“No, Penny,” said Mr. Powell. “We decided to take a plane. Alf, as you

+probably know, has flown a few times, but Judy had never been up.”

+

+“We flew to the closest airport,” Mrs. Powell added, “and took a bus

+from there to the village. We left our luggage in the village and

+walked out. It’s such a beautiful day. You won’t mind sending your

+truck down for our bags, will you? A nice man in the village told us

+you had one.”

+

+“Of course not,” said Marjorie, who suddenly appeared behind Penny in

+the hall. “I’d drive it myself if only my mean old brothers and sister

+would let me!” She laughed mischievously.

+

+“Imp!” Penny cried, pushing her straight into Judy’s arms.

+

+As the two girls hugged each other ecstatically, Mrs. Powell said to

+Penny, “This is certainly a lovely spot. Even your description didn’t

+do it justice. I know we’re all going to have a wonderful summer.”

+

+“We saw the lake as we flew over,” Mr. Powell said enthusiastically,

+“and it looks large enough to hold a mighty lot of fish.”

+

+“There’s enough fish there to feed an army,” chimed in Jimmy as he came

+running in from the driveway where he had parked the Bronc. “Alf and I

+are going to catch our share.”

+

+Phil came down the stairs from the balcony and greeted everyone

+cordially. “You couldn’t have arrived at a better time,” he told his

+guests. “If Marjorie had had to wait one more hour for Judy, she would

+have worn a path from the back door to the front. Ever since dawn she’s

+been watching for your car.”

+

+“And yet,” Penny said with a laugh, “when they did arrive, she didn’t

+hear them knocking on the door.”

+

+“I was busy,” Marjorie informed her sister airily. “Out in the

+Donahues’ cabin helping Ann Mary get their laundry together for Mr.

+Taggart.”

+

+Penny said nothing, but she made a mental note to scold Marjorie later

+in private. Marjorie had not been helping Ann Mary; Penny had heard her

+rummaging in the old storage room!

+

+“There’s something a lot better than fish around here,” Jimmy was

+saying in an undertone to Alf.

+

+“I’ll say there is,” Marjorie told Judy.

+

+Penny smiled. She could see that the four of them were already scheming

+and laying plans to dig up the entire place in search of buried

+treasure.

+

+“I guess I’ll forget about Marjorie’s little white lie,” Penny decided.

+“She didn’t mean any harm, and I know she’s been dying to poke around

+in those old trunks for ages.”

+

+Jimmy took Alf to his room and Marjorie took Judy to hers. Philip and

+Penny escorted Mr. and Mrs. Powell to the big airy room which had been

+reserved for them.

+

+“Oh, Judy, isn’t it wo-o-o-onderful that you are here,” Marjorie said

+with a sigh of happiness. “We haven’t got everything quite arranged

+yet, so maybe, just for tonight, you and I can share a room. We’ll

+stay up late and talk, and raid the icebox. We have the most wonderful

+things to eat in it.”

+

+At this point they had to hug each other and dance a little jig in the

+ecstatic joy of the occasion. Then their tongues began to catch up with

+all there was to tell each other.

+

+As soon as Mal had brought the Powell’s luggage in from town and

+Judy had changed into her blue jeans, she and Marjorie were all over

+the place. They were like a couple of hummingbirds, here, there and

+everywhere. They took a dip in the lake, a shower in the boathouse, and

+afterwards, thoroughly content and full of excess spirits, they dressed

+for the best dinner that Judy had ever tasted. Marjorie’s eyes snapped

+and her round face was all smiles as she animatedly told the Powells

+and Alf what she and Judy had seen and done.

+

+Then Alf and Jimmy related how they had spent the day first exploring

+a little in the woods, then making plans for a camping trip that they

+were to make later in the summer, and finally adding a little to the

+construction of the shack. They were mighty anxious to complete the

+bachelors’ retreat as fast as they could, and this was the only reason

+why they accepted an offer of help from Marjorie and Judy.

+

+“I don’t suppose,” Alf said, giving Jimmy a nudge, “that they’ll really

+be any help. But we’ll let them sweep up wood shavings and sort nails.”

+

+“You’ll do nothing of the kind,” Judy said briskly. “I’m going to put

+up a wall all by myself or I won’t go near your silly old place.”

+

+The boys hooted and ran off to their headquarters.

+

+But not much work was accomplished the next day as more guests arrived.

+Brook Sanders was greeted with hilarious shouts of joy by Jimmy and Alf

+when Phil brought him in from the village in the station wagon. Poor

+Brook was not even given a chance to go to his room. But his parents

+were sure he preferred going down to see the shack with the boys. He

+came back with a glowing description of the woods, the lake, the picnic

+grounds, the shack and everything else he had seen.

+

+“Gee, Dad,” he said excitedly, “I wish you’d buy the place next door.

+Jimmy says it’s for sale.”

+

+Mr. Sanders laughed. “I can see you are all enthused, Brook. But why

+buy a place as long as we stand in with the Allens? This suits me.”

+

+“Me too,” said Brook. “Let’s do this every summer.”

+

+“Anybody want any fudge?” asked Marjorie and Judy. “We’ve just made

+some.”

+

+“I never say no to fudge,” said Brook picking out the biggest piece

+before Alf or Jimmy could get it.

+

+“You’d better leave at least one piece for me,” Alf said.

+

+“There’s plenty more in the kitchen,” said Judy, “and we’re bringing in

+a big pitcher of lemonade, too.”

+

+Alf went into the kitchen with Judy to carry out the lemonade and

+Marjorie brought in another dish of fudge.

+

+“Nut fudge,” gloated Alf.

+

+“Nuts to the nutty,” quoted Marjorie from one of her brother’s favorite

+expressions, as she passed him the dish.

+

+Jimmy, Alf and Brook spent the afternoon out in the motorboat, to get

+away from the girls and to make their plans. A great deal had happened

+to all of the boys since they had last seen each other and they had a

+lot of catching up to do.

+

+The next day the Curtises arrived, their car loaded with baggage, and

+Mary said there was more coming by express. Now it was Penny’s and

+Philip’s turn to get all excited and to catch up on old times with Mary

+and Charles.

+

+Charles greeted Penny in his old devoted manner, and immediately asked

+if Peter Wyland, his chief competitor, had arrived yet or if he was

+going to have her to himself this summer. He made it very clear that

+even if Peter came, he was planning to absorb all of Penny’s spare

+time. Penny was cordial but elusive and all the more attractive.

+Charles did not enjoy at all her enthusiasm over the different members

+of his party. He felt that the kiss with which Penny greeted Mary

+should have been planted on his cheek instead and he said so.

+

+Mary and Phil, on the other hand, acted like the two old chums that

+they were. They both laughed heartily when Charles tried to kiss Penny

+and she slipped hastily behind Phil.

+

+“I can see,” Mary said, “that we’re going to have a grand summer

+watching those two fight.”

+

+Phil chuckled. “We’re delighted you all wanted to spend the summer with

+us.”

+

+“That’s right,” Penny said, making a face at Charles. “Even you, silly.

+I wouldn’t have considered the summer complete unless the Curtises were

+here.”

+

+“I know we’re going to have the time of our lives,” Mary said

+enthusiastically.

+

+“I hope so,” Penny said. “We’ve made all kinds of plans. We’ll hike

+through the woods to the nearby places of interest, and have picnics

+and all sorts of evening parties.”

+

+“And,” Phil added to Charles, “fish and hunt.”

+

+“The yacht,” Penny went on, “is in fine shape. We can go on overnight

+trips on the lake. Oh,” she finished, “I’m just full of plans.”

+

+“Are you going to let me help you play hostess?” Charles asked.

+

+“I certainly am,” Penny told him briskly. “And for pity’s sake, start

+right in with all that baggage. I’m sure Mal will be floored when he

+sees it!”

+

+But all Charles could really get to carry up was one small bag, since

+Mal, Pat, Jimmy and the other two boys made quick work of getting the

+car unloaded. Penny suspected the rush act was put on because they were

+all anxious to drive the beautiful, shiny Cadillac into the shed.

+

+For the next few days the Lodge was a beehive of activity. There was

+much conversation and laughter and a great deal of coming and going

+about the grounds. There were beach parties, hikes and picnics and an

+impromptu evening party with everybody joining wholeheartedly in all

+the games that were suggested.

+

+Jimmy arranged a “snipe hunt.” Phil was the only other person besides

+Jimmy who knew there were no snipe around there. Everybody started out

+at twilight with flashlights and paper bags to hunt for the elusive

+snipe. And when they all came back, empty-handed, one by one, Jimmy

+greeted them with a big stuffed bird in his hands. Brook said it was an

+old logger’s trick, and everybody in New England knew about it, but he

+couldn’t understand how he and all these other people would fall for

+it. Nevertheless, they had all enjoyed their tramp through the woods

+and the snack that awaited them when they returned.

+

+There was little rest for the Allens now. Penny would slip away when

+everybody was being entertained to make out orders and menus. She also

+found that she would have to make arrangements for some of the village

+people to come in and help with the cleaning as well as the ironing and

+serving when more guests arrived.

+

+Things were really getting down to quite a businesslike basis, however,

+and Penny was pleased with the routine they seemed to have fallen into

+partly by plan and partly by accident. They had planned to try and get

+all of their actual work done in the morning, but the first few days

+it had not worked out that way since most of the guests were up bright

+and early. But after a few days, when the novelty of the Lodge had worn

+off, and their guests had become quite settled, most of them slept

+later, and this gave the Allens time for their work.

+

+Penny and Phil both had a disappointment in common when Peter Wyland

+and Adra wrote that they would not be able to come to the Lodge until

+the first week in August. Adra Prentice was spending some time with her

+father, whom she had hardly seen all winter. And since Mr. Prentice

+could not come to the Lodge at all as he had originally planned, Adra

+had decided to spend July with him and then come to the Lodge for

+August. Peter, of course, was in Mr. Prentice’s employ, and so he could

+not come for the same reason. However, they both wrote in their letters

+to Phil and Penny that they would be there in August and Peter hinted

+that he might be able to come a week earlier.

+

+“It’s a good thing we haven’t much time to miss anyone these days,”

+Phil said and Penny smiled.

+

+“Yes, keeping busy is a wonderful antidote for some things,” she said.

+

+The next few weeks were indeed busy ones. Some friends of Mary Curtis

+arrived and a few friends of Charles dropped in for the weekends.

+Marjorie and Judy were constantly on the lookout for new romances among

+the young folks, and just as they were certain that one was developing,

+something would happen which would prove that they were wrong.

+

+“Anyway,” Marjorie said to Judy, “there are two romances we can be

+absolutely sure of. Phil is in love with Adra, and Penny is mad about

+Peter.”

+

+“And,” Judy chimed in, “Adra is in love with Phil and Peter is wild

+about Penny. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were all engaged before

+the end of the summer.”

+

+“Neither would I,” Marjorie said, her blue eyes twinkling. “Phil and

+Penny can hardly wait for the arrival of Adra and Peter.”

+

+They had been helping Theresa by emptying all of the scrap baskets

+from the various rooms in the Lodge into the big wire mesh one in the

+clearing. Later, when the wind died down, Pat would set a match to the

+papers.

+

+Right now the wind was blowing so hard that it lifted a crumpled ball

+of paper from Judy’s hand and blew it smack against Marjorie’s face.

+

+“Fate,” Marjorie said with a giggle, “obviously meant for me to read

+this before it got burned.”

+

+Assuming an exaggeratedly serious air, she smoothed out the paper on

+her knee. Then she gave a little gasp. “Oh, Judy,” she cried. “It’s

+another anonymous letter. Remember? I told you about the one Phil got?

+This one was sent to Penny, and I’ll bet she crumpled it up and threw

+it away without saying anything to anybody.”

+

+Judy nodded. “Penny’s like that. She wouldn’t pay any attention to a

+letter she got unless it was signed. What does this one say?”

+

+“Th-this one,” Marjorie stammered, after reading it quickly,

+“fr-frightens me.” And she read the crudely printed words out loud:

+

+  MISS ALLEN: YOUR FALL THE OTHER

+  DAY WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT. I

+  PURPOSELY WEAKENED THOSE

+  BOARDS IN THE SHED SO THAT THE

+  FIRST ONE OF YOU WHO LEANED

+  ON THEM WOULD CRASH INTO

+  THE WELL. IF YOU DON’T CLEAR

+  OUT OF THE LODGE SOON, EXPECT

+  WORSE “ACCIDENTS.” I WARNED

+  YOU THAT I MEAN BUSINESS.

+

+Judy sniffed. “Well, it doesn’t frighten me. From the way you described

+Penny’s accident, I’m sure it didn’t happen because someone had

+tampered with the wall of the shed. Even if he had weakened the boards,

+how could he be sure someone was going to lean on them?”

+

+“You’re right,” Marjorie admitted, completely over her nervousness.

+“Penny herself said she was foolish to touch that broken wall.”

+

+She crumpled the letter and tossed it into the mesh basket. “A crazy

+person who heard about Penny’s fall wrote that silly letter. Come on.

+Let’s bring the empty baskets back to Theresa and forget the whole

+thing.”

+

+But deep down inside, Marjorie was thinking about the footprint Jimmy

+had discovered in the dirt under the shed floor. Had it been left there

+before Penny’s accident, or after it?

+

+“After it,” she finally decided. “The floor boards were all in place

+the first time we inspected the shed. The man who came snooping around

+that night must have left that footprint. He probably meant to sneak

+back and cover up the hole he made in the floor, but got frightened

+away for good when Phil and Pat fired those shots in the air.”

+

+

+

+

+CHAPTER 6

+

+CLUES IN A BOTTLE

+

+

+All during the hot July days that followed Judy and Marjorie did indeed

+live in bathing suits. Mrs. Powell and Penny tried to make them dress

+up for dinner, but they compromised by changing into clean shirts and

+blue jeans.

+

+“Aren’t we ever going to do anything about the treasure that’s supposed

+to be buried around here?” Judy asked one day. They had been in

+swimming and were now lying in the sun on the shore of the lake.

+

+“I suppose we should do something about it,” Marjorie said lazily. “But

+it’s been so hot I hate the thought of digging. Helping Pat hoe up his

+potatoes was about all I could stand.”

+

+“I’ve still got some blisters,” Judy said with a grin.

+

+Marjorie raised herself on one elbow and squinted up toward the Lodge.

+“Penny and Phil don’t think there’s any treasure buried around here any

+more than there was a ghost haunting the place.”

+

+“I know _they_ don’t,” Judy said. “But Jimmy, Alf and Brook do. They’ve

+been acting very mysteriously ever since we got here. They sneak off

+early in the morning with shovels and things, and I’m sure they don’t

+spend all their time fixing up their shack.”

+

+“I know,” Marjorie said thoughtfully. “And it would be simply awful if

+the boys found the treasure, not us.” She scrambled to her feet. “We’ve

+got to find it first. Let’s get out of these wet bathing suits before

+we do anything else. While we’re changing into dungarees we can decide

+where the best place to start digging is.”

+

+Ten minutes later the girls left the Lodge by the back door and, armed

+with shovels, went down to the clearing.

+

+“Oh, golly,” Marjorie moaned. “I thought this would be a swell place to

+dig because there’s no grass on the ground here. But just look. There’s

+the wash hanging out on the line to dry. Mr. Taggart must have just

+brought it back from the laundry-mat.”

+

+“Just our luck,” Judy complained. “We’d better not dig anywhere near

+it. We’d be sure to raise clouds of dust. It hasn’t rained in ages.”

+

+“I tell you what let’s do instead,” Marjorie suggested. “Let’s go help

+the boys with their shack. They promised to let us work on it, too.

+Once it’s finished maybe they’ll go off on that camping trip with Pat.

+Then we’ll have the whole place to ourselves.”

+

+“That’s right,” Judy agreed. “If they caught us digging, they’d be

+sure to make fun of us. They pretend that we’re silly to believe that

+there’s treasure buried around here, but I happen to know that they

+believe in it too.”

+

+When they arrived at the shack, the girls’ offer of help was promptly

+turned down.

+

+“_Help!_” Alf hooted. “Judy, you don’t know which end of a hammer is

+the head.”

+

+“Neither does Marjorie,” added Jimmy with a teasing grin. “Scram, you

+two. We men have work to do.”

+

+“But you promised,” Marjorie reminded him crossly.

+

+Jimmy waved her away. “Later, child, later. Right now we’re too busy

+to teach you the rudiments of carpentry.”

+

+So Judy and Marjorie wandered forlornly off and returned to the

+clearing where they had left their shovels. After that they spent a few

+hours every day aimlessly digging here and there for buried treasure.

+But it was tiresome work and since they knew the holes had to be filled

+up, they never dug very deep or very long at any one spot.

+

+“This is hopeless,” Judy said one day toward the end of July. “What

+we ought to look for are clues. Maps and things pirates may have left

+around which will tell us exactly where to dig.”

+

+“I don’t think there were ever any pirates around here,” Marjorie said

+dubiously. “Didn’t they always stick pretty close to the seacoasts?”

+

+“I guess you’re right,” Judy said disconsolately. “But whoever buried

+the treasure should have left some clues or directions.”

+

+“Not necessarily,” Marjorie pointed out practically. “He might have

+buried it in a hurry and then the Indians or somebody might have killed

+him right afterwards.”

+

+“I give up.” Judy flung her shovel on the ground. “The boys can find

+the treasure first for all I care. My hands are so sore I couldn’t

+paddle a canoe. So let’s go swimming.”

+

+“All right,” Marjorie agreed. “I do want you to have fun while you’re

+our guest, Judy,” she added worriedly.

+

+“Oh, I am,” Judy assured her with a quick smile. “It was my idea to dig

+for the treasure, not yours. But let’s forget about it for awhile.”

+

+“Let’s,” Marjorie agreed. “Besides, I haven’t been much of a help to

+Penny lately. I’m supposed to be assistant hostess, you know, and help

+her entertain the guests.”

+

+“Well, I’m a guest,” Judy said with a giggle. “And you’ve entertained

+me royally.”

+

+From then on Marjorie spent more time helping Penny and Ann Mary and

+Theresa.

+

+By the first of August the boys had made great progress with the shack.

+Mal, Pat and Phil helped out whenever they could and some of the guests

+pitched in occasionally. The walls and the roof were now up, the doors

+and windows were in place and the boys had even spent two nights

+sleeping there on cots. They were now putting in the finishing touches,

+and true to their promise they had let Marjorie and Judy help.

+

+Marjorie, in her enthusiasm over being allowed to put up a shower wall

+all by herself, had banged her finger with the hammer and the boys

+had suggested that she and Judy take some time off to recuperate. So

+Marjorie and Judy were looking for shells down on the beach.

+

+“Oh, golly,” Judy said in disgust after awhile, “all the nice ones seem

+to get as far under the rocks as they can.”

+

+“They certainly do,” Marjorie agreed. “But let’s keep looking. We might

+find some really valuable ones which we could sell to collectors for a

+lot of money.”

+

+For the next few minutes they were very busy pushing and shoving at the

+rocks, upturning some and giving up others that were too heavy to budge.

+

+Finally they came across one huge stone that seemed to be imbedded in

+the sand. Marjorie knew that even with Judy’s help she couldn’t move

+it, and she was just about to crawl by it when she saw something.

+

+“Judy,” she cried excitedly. “Come here, quickly. Doesn’t it look as

+though someone had been digging around this rock a little while ago?”

+

+Judy scrambled to her feet and joined Marjorie. “You’re right,” she

+said. “Some one _has_ been digging here. I’ll bet whoever it was buried

+something under that rock.” She flopped down on her knees beside

+Marjorie and together the girls began to dig frantically with their

+fingers.

+

+And then Marjorie’s sharp eyes caught a glimpse of something that

+glittered in the sunlight. “Diamonds,” she gasped. “Judy, help me.

+Let’s see if we can’t inch the rock up a little so we can see better.

+Oh, wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was real honest-to-goodness

+treasure buried here?”

+

+Judy, tugging at the heavy rock, could only pant, “There. Now we’ve got

+it!”

+

+They both fell to digging with renewed vigor, and in another second

+Marjorie could see that the glittering object was only a dark green

+glass bottle.

+

+“Oh, for Pete’s sake,” she moaned disappointedly. “And I thought we

+were at last going to find the buried treasure.” Crossly she yanked the

+bottle out of the warm sand and raised her arm to toss it into the lake.

+

+“Wait a minute!” cried Judy, grabbing her arm just in time. “There’s

+something in that bottle, Marjorie. When you held it up in the sunlight

+I could see right through the dark green glass.”

+

+Marjorie held the bottle up again and stared at it. “You’re right,

+Judy,” she said. “It looks like a piece of paper. Oh, golly, maybe it’s

+a map which’ll tell us exactly where the treasure is buried!”

+

+As she talked, Marjorie was prying out the cork with a piece of broken

+shell.

+

+“Hurry, hurry,” Judy cried impatiently, hopping up and down. “Now

+you’ve got it out at last. Turn it upside down and shake it, Marjorie.

+Oh, oh, it _is_ a piece of paper!”

+

+The piece of paper was battered and torn, and it had been crumpled into

+a small ball. Carefully Marjorie smoothed it out, and together they

+tried to read the smudged words.

+

+After half an hour of intensive studying they were able to figure

+out that the scrap was a fragment of a message, and the message had

+something to do with “the Log Cabin” and “a well that.”

+

+“Oh, Judy,” Marjorie gasped. “The well must be the one we dug up. If

+we could only find the other fragment, I’ll bet the two together would

+tell us where the treasure is buried!”

+

+“Who do you suppose wrote the message?” Judy asked wonderingly. “And

+how did it get torn? And how did one half get into this bottle?”

+

+“I can guess what happened,” Marjorie said, her imagination completely

+running away with her. “Two men knew about the buried treasure near the

+old well. They wrote down just where they were supposed to dig. Then

+they got into a fight when they talked about how they were going to

+divide the loot. In the tussle, one man got off with one half, and the

+other put his half in this bottle and buried it here for safekeeping.”

+

+Judy stared at her in admiration. “You’re wonderful, Marjorie,” she

+said. “That’s just what happened. Now all we have to do is find the

+other half.”

+

+Marjorie’s elfin blue eyes were bright with suppressed laughter.

+“_All?_” she demanded sarcastically. “The other half of the message

+could be anywhere in the world.” She stared thoughtfully down at the

+scrap. “The two letters ‘tr’ might be part of the word ‘trunk.’ What do

+you think, Judy?”

+

+“I think you’re absolutely right,” Judy said emphatically. “Aren’t

+there some old trunks in the storeroom that you haven’t opened yet? Oh,

+Marjorie, do you suppose there’s another clue in one of them?”

+

+“Let’s look anyway,” Marjorie said. “Tuesday when I was helping Ann

+Mary get the soiled linen ready for Mr. Taggart to take into town, I

+asked her if you and I couldn’t go through those old trunks some rainy

+day. And she said we could. She laughed at me and said, ‘You won’t find

+any treasure there. If you’re smart you’ll search for rare shells down

+by the lake.’ That’s how I got the idea of trying to find some which

+rich collectors might buy from us.”

+

+“Well,” Judy said, “we didn’t find any worth bringing back to the

+Lodge. Let’s don’t waste any more time looking for rare shells. Let’s

+go show this clue to the boys.”

+

+Marjorie hesitated. “Okay, but I’ll bet they just make fun of us. Jimmy

+won’t even consider that it just might be a clue.”

+

+“But,” Judy objected, “he’s bound to realize that the message had

+something to do with the well and the Lodge. Let’s go.”

+

+Marjorie carefully tucked the torn paper into the pocket of her blue

+jeans. Then they raced back to the Lodge.

+

+Out in the shed the girls found that Jimmy, Alf and Brook had finished

+closing in the shower. They banged on the door and Jimmy called out in

+a dramatic voice:

+

+“Who invades our privacy? This is the bachelors’ retreat and we want

+no women around here!” Marjorie heard him add in a loud whisper: “And

+especially not dimwit girls!”

+

+She yelled at the top of her lungs: “Oh, come on out, Jimmy. Quit being

+so mean to us. We have something important to show you.”

+

+But Jimmy was adamant. “_You_ quit banging on the door, dopes. We’ll

+open it when we’re ready and not a minute before.”

+

+Marjorie turned to Judy. “Try Alf. He’s your brother.”

+

+“Alf Powell,” Judy screamed. “You’ll be sorry if you don’t come right

+out. What we have is something really yummy!” She added quietly to

+Marjorie, “That’ll get him!”

+

+“Yummy,” they heard both Alf and Brook repeat, and then from Jimmy as

+he opened the door and stuck his head out:

+

+“Why didn’t you say you had food in the first place?”

+

+“Look,” said Marjorie, showing him the piece of paper. “Judy and I

+found this in a bottle buried in the sand under a big rock on the

+beach. We think it’s part of a message that has something to do with

+the buried treasure.”

+

+“Oh, you dopey kids,” Jimmy said in a very condescending tone of voice.

+“Your imagination works overtime. It’s fantastic,” he said over his

+shoulder to Alf and Brook, “what they can think up in their spare time.”

+

+But Jimmy took the paper from Marjorie, and gave it a contemptuous

+glance. “What a mess,” he said. “You know perfectly well you rigged

+this up yourselves, but you can’t fool me.”

+

+“We didn’t, honest,” Marjorie said, tossing her blonde head. “But if

+that’s the way you feel about it, give it back to me. Furthermore,

+if we find any more clues you’ll be the last person in the world we

+consult.”

+

+Jimmy tossed it to her with a grin. “Run along, kids. We haven’t time

+for your monkey business. We’re going for a swim, and then we’re going

+to get the Bronc ready for our camping trip.” He slammed the door in

+Marjorie’s face. “Scram. Later, if we men haven’t anything better to

+do, you can try to fool us with your phony clues.”

+

+“See?” Marjorie bitterly asked Judy. “That’s a brother for you! If we

+do find anything in the storage room, let’s not tell a soul!”

+

+

+

+

+CHAPTER 7

+

+THE MAP

+

+

+Marjorie and Judy entered the Lodge by the back door and found Mr.

+Taggart in the kitchen with a big bundle of clean laundry.

+

+“Hello, girls,” he said pleasantly. “Find any buried treasure yet?”

+

+“No,” Judy replied, “but down on the beach we--”

+

+Marjorie nudged her and said quickly, “We found a lot of absolutely

+worthless shells.” She grinned at Ann Mary who came into the kitchen

+then with a bag of soiled linen. “You and your rare specimens! I’ll bet

+you sent us off on that wild goose chase just to get us out of your

+hair.”

+

+Ann Mary laughed. “Maybe I did.” She turned to Mr. Taggart. “I really

+sent them down to the lake to keep them from digging up the whole

+place. Pat and Mal worked hard on the vegetable garden behind the

+cabin, and I’m not going to have the kids ruin it in their search for

+something which they know perfectly well isn’t there.”

+

+“That’s right,” the laundry man said with a grin. “A carrot in the hand

+is worth a diamond in the bush.” He picked up the bag and started for

+the door.

+

+“Wait a minute, please,” Ann Mary said. “There’s more upstairs. Sit

+down and make yourself comfortable while I gather up the bed linen.”

+

+“Do you want me to do it for you, Ann Mary?” Marjorie asked, hoping the

+answer would be no.

+

+“Thank you, no,” Ann Mary said emphatically. “The last time you counted

+the sheets you counted one of them twice.”

+

+Marjorie giggled, and the girls followed Ann Mary out into the hall. As

+she hurried up the stairs to the balcony, Judy said:

+

+“I wish you’d show me the secret room sometime, Marjorie. I think

+you’re mean to keep it a secret from me, your very best friend.”

+

+“Why, of course, I’ll show it to you,” Marjorie cried impulsively. “And

+there’s no time like the present.” She led the way into the alcove and

+said, “See those bookshelves? Now watch, while I press this button.”

+

+Open-mouthed with amazement, Judy watched as the shelves moved aside,

+revealing a short flight of stairs that led down into a little room.

+

+“Why, that’s the most marvelous contraption I ever saw,” she said

+enviously. “I wish we had something like it at home.”

+

+“We can’t go in,” Marjorie said. “It’s a law we passed at a meeting of

+the Allen Lodge Board of Directors. Only Phil and Pat can go in. As

+a matter of fact,” she added thoughtfully, “I guess I shouldn’t have

+showed you how the door works without first asking their permission.”

+

+“I won’t tell a soul,” Judy promised. “But why all the secrecy?”

+

+“Well,” Marjorie explained, “we keep all the guests’ valuables and all

+the money in that little old wall safe in there.” She stopped suddenly.

+“Oh, gosh, I guess that was Ann Mary who just went by the alcove. She

+must have heard us talking in here and now she’ll guess that I showed

+you the secret room.”

+

+“Will she tell Phil and Penny?” Judy asked worriedly. “And will they

+bawl you out? Oh, I hope not. It was all my fault! Curiosity killed the

+cat,” she finished lamely.

+

+“You mean,” Marjorie said as she closed the door, “let the cat out of

+the bag!” She grinned. “No, Ann Mary won’t tell. If she thinks I did

+let the cat out of the bag, she’ll bawl me out herself. But she’s no

+tattle-tale, and neither is Pat. They’re both grand people. And so are

+the Donahues.”

+

+“Everyone at the Lodge is swell,” Judy agreed, and added cautiously:

+“Since we’re probably already in Dutch, don’t you think maybe we’d

+better ask Penny’s permission before we go through those old trunks in

+the storeroom? I know Ann Mary said we could, but after all, Penny is

+the housekeeper, isn’t she?”

+

+Marjorie nodded. “We’ll get her permission right now.” She glanced at

+her wristwatch. “She’s probably out on the porch having tea with your

+parents and Mr. and Mrs. Curtis. And I guess Mr. and Mrs. Sanders, too.”

+

+“I tell you what let’s do,” Judy said. “Let’s put on a fashion show.

+Didn’t you say that the trunk you’ve already opened is full of

+old-fashioned dresses and costume jewelry?”

+

+“What a wonderful idea!” Marjorie raced ahead of Judy down the spacious

+hall to the porch.

+

+Penny, looking very lovely in a pale yellow afternoon frock, looked up

+from the tea table with a smile. “Having fun, girls?” she asked. “I

+don’t have to ask you if you’re hungry. Help yourselves to sandwiches

+and cookies.”

+

+“We’re not hungry for once, Penny,” Marjorie told her with a laugh. “We

+came out to ask you if it’s all right if we put on a fashion show for

+you while you’re having tea. The boys have deserted us, and Judy and I

+want to dress up and parade around in some of the old costumes in the

+storage room.”

+

+“Go right ahead,” Penny said. “That’s the best idea you’ve had all

+summer, Marjorie.” She turned to Mary Curtis who was sitting on the

+other side of the table. “Don’t you think so, too, Mary?”

+

+Mary nodded. “Anything to keep those two out of mischief.”

+

+Marjorie and Judy hurried away to the storage room. “My, why haven’t

+we poked around in here before?” Judy asked Marjorie. “What’s in all

+those boxes and trunks anyway?”

+

+“I only know what’s in the trunk we already opened,” Marjorie told

+her. “These are the old, old trunks.” She pointed to two little trunks

+standing side by side. “After the fashion show we’ll go through them

+carefully for clues. The other boxes all contain things of ours that

+we’ve put away so we wouldn’t clutter up the house with things we

+didn’t need.”

+

+Half an hour later the girls appeared on the porch and marched sedately

+up and down, hoping they were behaving like professional models.

+

+It was all Penny could do to keep from laughing. To her they looked as

+stiff as wooden puppets in a Punch and Judy show.

+

+“What period are you representing?” Brook’s mother asked, suppressing a

+smile. “Jane Austen?”

+

+Marjorie relaxed enough to shrug. “We haven’t the faintest idea, Mrs.

+Sanders. Let’s pretend that the audience has to guess.”

+

+“All right,” Mrs. Sanders agreed. “I’ll stick to _Pride and Prejudice_.”

+

+“I’d say that the black velvet was of the nineties, after the big

+sleeves and hideous bustles had gone out,” Mrs. Powell said.

+

+Mrs. Curtis thought it was of a later period. She laughed and said,

+“Wouldn’t it be funny if those bustles came back in again. I’m afraid

+they wouldn’t look quite as cute on us as they do on those two young

+ladies!”

+

+Mary told them she thought the blue satin dress was meant to be worn

+with hoops and was probably from a period dating near the Civil War.

+

+“Let’s go see if we can find the hoop,” Marjorie said, taking Judy by

+the hand and heading back to the storeroom.

+

+They had had enough of dressing up by this time, and they got back

+into their blue jeans and proceeded to turn the contents of the trunks

+inside out. They felt every part of the inside of the trunks for

+hidden places, they shook all the clothes carefully and examined them

+minutely, but all to no avail.

+

+“Maybe all of the costume jewelry in that box isn’t set with imitation

+stones,” Judy said without much hope.

+

+“But it is,” Marjorie said. “Do you want to look at it?” She

+impatiently yanked off the lid and the old velvet lining fell away.

+Then they both saw it--an old map, pasted inside the cover!

+

+Marjorie was so surprised she sat right down on the storage room floor.

+“Oh, my goodness,” she finally got out, “to think, if it hadn’t been

+for you, we might not have even opened the jewelry box. I never would

+have thought of looking here because I examined it so carefully when

+Phil and Penny first opened this trunk.”

+

+But Judy wasn’t listening. She had hurried to a window with the lid

+and was examining the map carefully. “Marjorie,” she groaned, “this is

+positively the worst thing that ever happened to us!”

+

+Marjorie scrambled to her feet and hurried to peer over Judy’s

+shoulder. In another minute she, too, was groaning. “There’s no doubt

+about it,” she mumbled sadly. “This map tells exactly where the

+treasure is buried. And where it is buried is right under the potato

+hills in Pat’s garden!”

+

+“That’s the way it looks to me,” Judy said mournfully. “He won’t dig up

+those potatoes until the fall. The vines have hardly begun to blossom.”

+Very near to tears she added, “And--and you’ll find the treasure after

+I’ve gone back to school!”

+

+Just then Penny appeared at the door. “What on earth is the matter

+with you two?” she asked. “I could hear your moans and groans from the

+balcony.”

+

+“We’ve found the map that shows exactly where the treasure is buried,”

+Marjorie wailed. “B-but Pat won’t let us dig it up.”

+

+Penny’s blue eyes were dark with surprise. “Don’t be silly, Marjorie,”

+she said. “Of course, Pat will let you dig it up.”

+

+Marjorie hurried across the room to show Penny the map. “See,” she said

+pointing. “The big X is behind the Donahues’ cabin on the west side.

+Judy and I know what’s planted there. We got blisters on our hands the

+day we helped Pat and Mal hoe up those potato hills!”

+

+Penny glanced at the map and then she laughed. “You silly girls! Don’t

+you know that this is a joke the boys played on you?” She went back

+into the hall and called up the stairs:

+

+“Jimmy, come down here right away, please.”

+

+Jimmy took the stairs two at a time. “What’s up?” he demanded. “The

+house on fire?”

+

+For answer Penny handed him the jewelry box lid. “Didn’t you paste that

+map there to play a joke on the girls?”

+

+Jimmy stared at the map in amazement. “Honestly, Penny,” he said

+soberly. “I never saw the darn thing before.”

+

+“How about Alf and Brook?” Penny asked sternly. “A joke’s a joke,

+but this one might have caused serious trouble. If someone not as

+thoughtful as Marjorie had found it and followed directions he would

+have ruined Pat’s potatoes.”

+

+“I know,” Jimmy said, still staring at the map. “But neither Alf nor

+Brook did it, Penny. They’ve never been inside the storage room, so

+they couldn’t possibly have planted this map in the cover of the

+costume jewelry box.”

+

+“Well then,” Penny said firmly. “The person who did, did it purposely

+to annoy us.”

+

+“I don’t know how you can be so sure of that,” Marjorie objected. “_I_

+think someone put it in the lid long before Pat and Mal planted the

+garden.”

+

+Penny gave her a fond pat. “I hate to disillusion you, honey, but the

+map was pasted in the lid quite recently. Last week when I opened the

+box to show Mary the costume jewelry the old velvet lining fell out.

+And there wasn’t any map there then.”

+

+Marjorie sighed with disappointment. “Oh, dear,” she began, “then I

+suppose the same mean person put that scrap of paper in the bot--”

+

+But she never finished what she had planned to say. For just then Phil

+called out excitedly from the porch:

+

+“Penny, _Penny! Peter’s here!_”

+

+

+

+

+CHAPTER 8

+

+PETER IS WORRIED

+

+

+Peter had arrived several days earlier than he had planned! For a

+moment Penny stood stock still on the threshold of the old storage room.

+

+She was too thrilled to move, but she was very glad that she was

+wearing her most becoming afternoon frock. Peter said that pale yellow

+brought out the golden lights in her hair and turned her eyes to

+violets. Or was it forget-me-nots?

+

+Marjorie’s giggle set her in motion. “Wake up, Penny,” Marjorie said

+with a laugh. “This is no time to dream.”

+

+Her cheeks burning, Penny hurried down the hall. Peter Wyland was just

+getting out of his car when she appeared on the porch.

+

+Penny’s heart beat a little faster as she greeted him cordially

+and tried to look as casual as possible. Peter squeezed her hand

+lingeringly and looked as though he were going to kiss her right in

+front of all the people.

+

+“You’re looking wonderful,” Penny said.

+

+“So are you!” Peter’s eyes admired her smooth skin which the summer sun

+had turned to a golden tan. Neither of them could think of another word

+to say, and yet they had so much to say to each other!

+

+Philip came to the rescue with a cheery grin. “Hi, fella,” he greeted

+Peter, shaking his hand as though it were a pump handle. “Good to see

+you again.”

+

+Charles came running down the front steps to greet Peter

+enthusiastically, too. Penny thought:

+

+“Good old Charles. He can be nice when he wants to. If it weren’t for

+Peter, I think I could like Charles a lot.” She glanced shyly at Peter.

+“Oh, he _does_ love me. I can tell!” Penny was in a whirl.

+

+The first thing Philip wanted to know was when Adra Prentice was coming.

+

+“You’re in luck, boy,” Peter said, clapping him on the shoulder. “She’s

+arriving in a couple of hours by plane. Her dad--my boss--is planning

+to spend a week here toward the end of the month.”

+

+Phil’s gray-blue eyes lighted up with anticipation. This would be the

+most exciting day of the whole summer for Penny and Phil.

+

+“I’ll carry your bags up to your room,” he said to Peter. “No, I don’t

+need any help. I know Penny is dying to show you all over the Lodge and

+the grounds.”

+

+Marjorie watched them stroll off together arm in arm. She was glad

+Peter was here and that Adra was coming soon, but she did so want to

+be alone with Penny for a few minutes sometime that day. “We’ve got to

+show her the clue we found in the bottle down on the beach,” she said

+to Judy. “Maybe the map is a phony, but I’m sure the scrap of paper in

+my pocket means something.”

+

+“I am, too,” Judy agreed. “And I’m not so sure that the map is a phony.

+It looked so old and weather-beaten. Somebody might have found it just

+the other day and put it in the jewelry box lid for safekeeping.”

+

+Marjorie stared at her thoughtfully. “Who do you suppose this somebody

+is who is lurking around here, and writing anonymous letters? It must

+be the same person, but how did he get into the storage room without

+being seen?”

+

+Judy shrugged. “Don’t ask me. Let’s talk it all over with Penny the

+first chance we get. Then she can discuss it with Peter. He’s sort of

+an amateur detective, isn’t he?”

+

+Marjorie nodded. “Heaven knows when we’ll be able to say more than two

+words to Penny.”

+

+Adra arrived just before dinner, and once again there was excitement

+and tumult. Jimmy and Marjorie greeted the lovely, fragile-looking girl

+with shouts of welcome. Penny hugged her affectionately, but Philip

+could only hold her hand in his and stare down at her wordlessly.

+

+But the expression on his handsome face told Adra more than anything he

+could have said.

+

+Penny’s duties as hostess and housekeeper kept her busy until late in

+the evening. At last, when she was alone in the office planning the

+next day’s program, Marjorie and Judy could stand it no longer. They

+burst into the room, and Marjorie blurted:

+

+“We’ve been trying to see you alone all evening, Sis. But, golly,

+you’re busy as triplets.” She stuck her hand in her pocket and pulled

+out the worn scrap of paper. “Judy and I found this in a bottle buried

+under a big rock down on the beach.”

+

+Penny frowned tiredly. “Oh, Marjorie, not another one of your clues!”

+

+Marjorie bit her lip. “I know you think we’re silly to keep looking

+for buried treasure, Penny. But this is part of a message and it has

+something to do with the Log Cabin and a well.”

+

+Penny laid the scrap on her desk and tried to read it. The girls showed

+her what they had been able to decipher.

+

+“Oh, dear,” Penny said. “I’m too tired now to think about clues. I’m

+sorry, girls. Go on to bed now. It’s late. Leave this with me, and

+the first chance I get in the morning, I’ll show it to Peter. He’s

+the detective of our group, and if anyone can figure what this is all

+about, it’s he.”

+

+After the girls had gone up to their rooms, Penny added to herself:

+“I’m glad Peter arrived today for more reasons than one. Something

+mysterious _is_ going on. Who was our prowler? Who wrote those

+anonymous letters? Who put the map in the lid of the old jewelry box?

+And what sense does this scrap of paper make?”

+

+The next morning, right after breakfast, she was asking Peter the same

+questions. He listened attentively as she filled in all the details.

+

+When she had finished, he said very seriously: “I don’t like any part

+of this, Penny, especially the letter that threatened you. Frankly,

+I wish you had turned it over to the police. Even if there were only

+latent fingerprints on it, they could have sent it to the FBI in

+Washington. Those experts don’t miss a thing, and if the man is a

+criminal, his fingerprints will be in their files.”

+

+“But,” Penny objected, “if he _is_ a criminal, he would have been smart

+enough to wear gloves.”

+

+“That’s true,” Peter admitted. “But there are other ways of discovering

+who wrote those letters. For one thing, although he undoubtedly did his

+best to disguise his handwriting, he couldn’t completely. No one can.

+We all develop certain characteristics when we first learn to write,

+and those characteristics stay with us forever.”

+

+“My,” Penny said admiringly. “You _are_ a detective, Peter.”

+

+Peter grinned, and then sobered. “Not really, Penny. And I wish you’d

+let me notify the police now. Someone is obviously very interested in

+making you Allens clear out of here. I don’t know why, but I can guess.”

+

+“So can I,” Penny said, twirling a strand of her light brown hair

+around her finger. “Maybe Jimmy and Marjorie are right after all. Maybe

+there _is_ buried treasure around here.”

+

+Peter stared down at the note on the desk. They had managed to make out

+the following words:

+

+  t the Log cabin

+  t week in August

+      asure again

+        near the

+        r a well that

+        dry.

+

+“The first word in the third line,” Penny said, “could be the last part

+of the word ‘treasure.’ And the well could be the one we dug up. But

+our mysterious Mr. X isn’t as smart as he should be. We went clear to

+the bottom of that old well, Peter, and there just isn’t any buried

+treasure there.”

+

+Peter nodded. “The man first tried to frighten you, and now he’s being

+as annoying as he dares.”

+

+“Do you know what I think?” Penny asked. “I think there is something

+valuable hidden around here which we don’t know anything about. But Mr.

+X does. He wants us to keep on thinking it’s buried somewhere on the

+grounds so we’ll keep on digging instead of searching elsewhere for it.”

+

+“You’re not only very pretty, Penny,” Peter said, smiling. “But you’re

+very intelligent. I think you’ve reasoned it out correctly. The map and

+this fragment of paper are red herrings; not clues. Will you let me

+turn them over to the police? Just the paper our Mr. X used may be a

+clue which would lead to the discovery of his identity in a very short

+time.”

+

+“Oh, no, Peter,” Penny cried impulsively. “Let’s not turn the mystery

+over to the police now. Let’s first try to solve it ourselves.

+Besides,” she added shrewdly, “when they hear about the night prowler

+who attacked Mal, they may want to put guards around the Lodge. And

+that, Peter Wyland, would make some of the guests nervous. It might

+ruin our whole business venture.”

+

+“I can refuse you nothing, Penny Allen,” he said, grinning. “But I

+think we ought to consult with Phil and Adra before we make a final

+decision. Let’s call them in, and hash the whole thing out all over

+again.”

+

+But an hour later, after a serious discussion, Penny won. They would

+not notify the police unless they received another threatening letter.

+

+“I still don’t like it,” Peter grumbled. “The idea of that coward

+threatening Penny.”

+

+Penny blushed. Peter was being very protective about her and she

+couldn’t help liking it. “But he didn’t really threaten me,” she

+pointed out. “He couldn’t possibly have known I was going to touch the

+rotten supports in the shed wall. If you ask me, he heard about the

+accident and simply took advantage of it. A few hours after I tumbled

+down the well, everyone in the village knew about it.”

+

+“That’s another thing,” Peter said stubbornly. “If we notify the police

+they’ll know who is a stranger in town and keep an eye on him.”

+

+Penny laughed. “Then they’d have to have a thousand eyes, Peter. The

+place is swarming with summer people.”

+

+Peter threw up his hands in mock despair. “Oh, all right,” he said. “I

+give in. Let’s forget about it for awhile. How about a swim, Penny? Or

+are you too busy?”

+

+“Well,” Penny began, “I--”

+

+“Skip it, Sis,” Phil interrupted. “Pleasure comes before business,

+since your main duty is to see that your guests are happy.”

+

+The meeting broke up then, and everyone hurried off to change into

+bathing suits. Down on dock they found Marjorie and Judy sitting on the

+edge, dangling their feet in the water.

+

+Jimmy, Alf and Brook were busy completing preparations for their

+camping trip which was to start the next day. The boys were fixing two

+of the canoes to take along on the Bronc. They were planning to do

+some fishing in the rivers they camped by, and were going to be fully

+prepared to take advantage of anything else they might find.

+

+That evening they had an old-fashioned square dance out on the front

+porch. There was a fiddler in the town who had come back with Mal, and

+the guests as well as the Allens had a lively time. Kitty and Ann Mary

+served delicious cold lemonade with homemade cookies.

+

+Philip reached for his fourth cooky and said to Adra, “I’m sure I’d get

+too fat to move if I ate all the good things Ann Mary is always making.

+Can you make cookies like this, Adra?”

+

+She laughed and said, “No, Phil, I can’t make anything as good as Ann

+Mary does, but I’m sure I could learn, if I was offered an incentive.”

+

+“Would I be incentive enough?” asked Phil.

+

+“You would, indeed!” said Adra promptly. “But I’m afraid we couldn’t

+live on just cookies.”

+

+Phil laughed and said, “That might be fun for a little while. I’m sure

+Marjorie and Jimmy would think so. They can eat at least two dozen at a

+time without even trying. I’m so glad you’re going to be here for the

+rest of the summer, Adra, we have so much to talk about. I want to tell

+you of my plans for the winter. I’m going to try to take a job where I

+can be near you.”

+

+“Oh, Phil, that will be wonderful,” cried Adra. “I can’t think of

+anything I would like better. You know Peter and I have become very

+good friends since he has been working for my father, and he told me he

+would like to find something so that he could be closer to Penny. Does

+Penny know how much he likes her?”

+

+“I think she does, Adra, because, you see, she likes Peter just as

+much.” Phil and Adra looked very happy as they strolled off hand in

+hand.

+

+Penny, watching them, said to Peter, “I’m glad our mysterious Mr. X

+isn’t spoiling their fun. I wish you’d forget about the mystery, too,

+Peter, just for the evening,” she added wistfully.

+

+He grinned cheerfully. “When I look at you, Penny, I can’t even

+remember my own name.”

+

+But Penny knew that, underneath his flattering banter, Peter was

+worried. She almost wished that she hadn’t told him anything about the

+mystery.

+

+

+

+

+CHAPTER 9

+

+CAMPING OUT

+

+

+The next day everybody came out to wish bon voyage to Pat and the boys

+who were leaving on their camping trip for a week. All hands helped

+them get their paraphernalia aboard the station wagon.

+

+Pat was the last one to get in with the big box of fishing tackle in

+his left hand and a huge picnic hamper packed with good food in his

+right hand. Ann Mary had seen to it that they would eat well the first

+day they started out. For the rest of the week they had the back of the

+Bronc well stocked with canned foods which they expected to supplement

+with the fish they caught.

+

+They were all in the best of spirits. This was to be a real adventure.

+Pat was taking them into the woods to a fishing camp where Jimmy’s

+Uncle John Allen used to go every summer. Alf Powell and Jimmy were

+the chief mechanics in case anything went wrong with the car, and Brook

+and Pat were to be the cooks.

+

+Marjorie and Judy had their noses slightly out of joint because they

+had been hoping right up until the last minute before the boys left,

+that perhaps they too would be allowed to go along. But the boys would

+not even hear of it, and Penny thought it would not be a good idea,

+either.

+

+“Never mind,” Judy said in a consoling whisper to Marjorie. “Maybe

+we’ll find the buried treasure while they’re gone.”

+

+Just then Ann Mary came running out with an armful of freshly ironed

+shirts for the boys.

+

+“Mr. Taggart brought these,” she panted, “early this morning. I told

+him he had to get them here before you left. Theresa just finished

+ironing them.”

+

+“Thanks,” Jimmy said, “but they needn’t have been ironed. For the next

+week we aren’t going to care how we look.”

+

+“Lucky dogs,” Marjorie said in an aside to Judy. “Do you know what

+Penny said to me last night? She said, ‘From now on you and I ought to

+change before dinner into something besides blue jeans.’”

+

+“I guess she’s right,” Judy said reluctantly. “Mother has had the same

+idea all along.”

+

+But in spite of how they felt, the girls recovered from their sulks

+long enough to wave cheery goodbyes to the boys.

+

+“Have fun,” they shouted.

+

+“Be careful,” called Penny.

+

+And so at last, Jimmy, Alf and Brook were off on their great adventure.

+

+After driving all day, Pat and the boys pulled into a little grove of

+pines, deep in the woods near a beautiful, rock-strewn river. They

+made camp and got out their mosquito repellent. Pat had told them the

+black flies in this part of the woods were really vicious so they had

+come well prepared for such an emergency. Jimmy and Alf got into their

+high boots and waded into the river to fish. The results of this little

+expedition were not quite as good as they expected, but the few small

+fish they caught were very sweet when cooked.

+

+They were up bright and early the next morning, but that day brought no

+better results as far as fishing was concerned. Pat suggested that they

+move camp deeper into the woods, near a little lake where he thought

+the fishing would be much better. Jimmy seconded the suggestion and in

+no time at all they were on their way again. This time they made camp

+near the tip of the little lake and early the next morning they watched

+the mist rise from the lake and listened to the birds singing in chorus.

+

+This spot was so beautiful that Brook and Alf said they would like to

+spend the rest of the week here, even if they didn’t catch a single

+fish.

+

+“I knew you’d like it,” answered Pat. “Mr. Allen always wanted to stay

+here awhile,” he said to Jimmy.

+

+“And no wonder,” said Jimmy, “I can’t wait until we get out there in

+our canoe.”

+

+The boys were all skillful with the paddle, and as they skimmed along

+the lake widened, then narrowed till it was not much more than a

+stream. Finally they reached the other end and drew the canoe into a

+small bay. Pat led them to a small log hut hidden in the nearby trees.

+Here there was a curious storehouse for food and extra equipment. It

+was built of small pine logs and was raised high on a few posts. Pat

+explained that this was to keep the food from getting damp, and that

+if it were properly fastened no climbing bear could help himself to the

+food.

+

+The little bay where they had left their canoe was the outlet for a

+stream in which Pat said there was wonderful fishing. Pat said they

+would have to go upstream a way against some rapids to get to the

+really good fishing spot. He also told them that there was a waterfall

+nearby and the safest thing would be for all of them to do all of their

+exploring, fishing, hunting, or anything else they decided to do, in

+groups. Pat cautioned them about the strong current in the stream, too.

+

+“Come on,” said Jimmy. “Let’s do some fishing now and go up those

+rapids tomorrow.”

+

+They caught a beautiful trout and a bass for their supper and

+considered that a perfect end to a successful and happy day. They

+decided to spend the night in the small log campers’ hut.

+

+The next day’s plan was changed when morning came. The woods about the

+camp were explored and found to be fairly open. It was full of birds,

+squirrels, chipmunks and other small animals. Brook almost caught a

+flying squirrel and claimed that he saw a wild cat. There were beavers

+building in a small stream that wandered through the pines and widened

+not far from the lake. A graceful deer took flight as Pat, who was

+in the lead, approached. This caused considerable excitement and all

+chatter ceased as they stole on in the hope of surprising another deer

+or a bear.

+

+They climbed trees, investigated nests and Jimmy kept looking for bees.

+The boys wanted to know why, and he replied that the bees would lead

+them to a “honey tree,” and there they might find a bear.

+

+“Go to it, Jimmy,” cried Alf. “I bet we take the honey first.”

+

+They finally did see a bear, a black one of moderate size. It ambled

+off before them from the water’s edge. None of them had the heart to

+shoot it or anything else they saw. They were having such a wonderful

+time just investigating.

+

+Around the campfire that night they sang and told stories and when it

+began to turn very chilly they turned in. They were awakened early in

+the morning by the bird chorus. Alf said it was not so hard to get

+up here as at home, in school time! They took the canoe up the rocky

+stream with its dashing waters and strong current. By noon they had

+reached the highest point from which these rapids started. It was quiet

+at noon and the sun was hot. The perspiring boys sat around in their

+bathing shorts and ate a cold lunch. Then they got down to the real

+business of fishing. Jimmy drew in a handsome black bass, and then the

+competition became keen. Brook caught a beautiful brook trout, and it

+was a jolly group of boys that sat near the shore to clean their fish

+in the late afternoon when they had returned to the hut.

+

+Jimmy had started the fire and then joined the rest, picking up the

+first fish at hand, a fine trout. “Who caught this?” he asked.

+

+“I’ll have you know that I’m the guy,” grinned Pat, looking up from the

+bass he was cleaning and waving his knife in the air. “It’s worth-while

+fishing where there’s something to catch!”

+

+“Isn’t this a walleyed perch, Jimmy?” asked Brook.

+

+“I guess so.” Jimmy had started in vigorously to clean the trout and

+now raised a loud voice in the ditty of “Ham and Eggs.” The others

+joined in, making the shore ring with the sound. The fact that supper

+was to consist mainly of fish made no difference. With young appetites

+and overflowing energy they managed to consume all of the day’s catch.

+

+The next day Jimmy and Alf wanted to take things easy and do some

+swimming and lounging, but Brook wanted to do some more exploring. They

+finally decided to spend the day near the hut, and Brook made a mental

+note to do some exploring on his own when he could. While they were all

+in swimming, he paddled off alone, down the main stream. He had gone

+only a little distance before he was concealed from view by trees and a

+curving shore. He entered the main stream, which was quite wide as far

+as the fork.

+

+There the division of waters left the wider stream to the right. But

+that to Brook’s left offered the prettier outlook. It stretched almost

+straight before him to some distance and descended in a little rapids.

+These looked easy, he thought, and though there were rocks, the water

+looked shallow enough for a good swimmer not to be troubled with any

+difficulty about reaching shore or a rock in case the canoe upset.

+

+A little peninsula, dotted with green trees and bushes, jutted out from

+the left shore. Brook thought he caught a glimpse of someone moving

+there and started into the left fork of the stream.

+

+“After all,” he reflected, “as the crow flies I’m only a couple of

+miles from camp. Maybe Jimmy and Alf have been out exploring and are

+over there on the point.”

+

+Then he saw something that made him paddle faster than ever. He could

+hear the sound of dashing waters further on but he was too excited to

+pay any attention to it. What he had glimpsed looked like a human body,

+sprawling half in and half out of the bushes of a cove on the point.

+

+Brook nosed his canoe into the cove, beached it, and climbed up the

+gentle incline. Then he saw that what had attracted his attention was

+only an old tattered coat. It was rain-shriveled and had obviously been

+flung over a rock to dry. But from the stream it had looked like the

+torso of a human body.

+

+“Well,” Brook sighed with relief. “Thank goodness no one was hurt or

+killed.”

+

+He went into the brush, past a few spruces, and found a small clearing.

+In the mud here were footprints which had obviously been made very

+recently. It had rained the night before, clearing just before dawn.

+Sometime between then and now someone had walked across the clearing

+and into the brush. And back again into the woods on the other side of

+the clearing, Brook reflected as he studied the footprints.

+

+Whoever it was might have hung his coat on the rock to dry if he had

+been caught in the early morning rainstorm.

+

+“Probably a tramp,” he decided and went back to the coat. He lifted it

+rather gingerly, and then, because he could not resist the temptation,

+turned its pockets inside out. To his surprise, he found in the last

+pocket a letter. It looked as though it had been soaked by the rain and

+had been dried again by the sun which had been shining upon the coat

+and rock all morning.

+

+The address upon the torn envelope was blurred, and Brook’s curiosity

+was hindered by the fact that it was almost lunch time and it might be

+well to hurry back. Sticking the letter into the waterproof zippered

+pocket of his bathing trunks, he hurried to his canoe, pushed out and

+entered the stream again.

+

+As Brook got back into the middle of the stream he suddenly discovered

+that no paddling was necessary to make his canoe go! The descent which

+looked so gradual drew canoe and the water itself down rapidly. The

+current was much stronger than one would have thought! Brook used his

+paddle skillfully. He was enjoying this exhilarating experience. It was

+great!

+

+But when he tried to skim around a few rocks to the point, he almost

+upset the canoe and only by a quick push from a rock did he avoid

+being thrown out. But the canoe righted and Brook sped on, past the

+peninsula, around into a wider channel, for which Brook was at first

+glad. There was more space between rocks.

+

+But the current was stronger, his control over the canoe was getting

+a little out of hand. Brook was just beginning to realize that he had

+had no business coming off by himself, when he heard the sound of the

+falls. His face grew pale, but he set his lips. The current drew the

+canoe out into a wider part of the river, and when Brook looked ahead

+for a minute he could see a white spray dashing high over a pile of

+obstructing rocks. It did not seem so bad off to the right, and Brook

+tried to edge over in that direction.

+

+But what he saw ahead of him made him sick. It was still some distance

+away, but the water was boiling over at a little curve and fell

+somewhere below--he could not tell where!

+

+

+

+

+CHAPTER 10

+

+JIMMY TO THE RESCUE

+

+

+Back at camp, shortly after Brook paddled off by himself, Jimmy and Alf

+decided that they had had enough swimming for one day.

+

+“Race you to shore,” Jimmy yelled, flailing the water in a fast crawl.

+Alf was slightly ahead of him, but Jimmy soon passed him and was the

+first to throw himself on the beach, crowing breathlessly, “Beat you!”

+

+“By a mere inch,” Alf said, flopping down beside him. “Where’s Brook?”

+

+Jimmy shrugged. “Probably back in the hut helping Pat prepare a feast

+for our lunch. That guy’s always hungry.”

+

+“So am I,” Alf said. “It’s your Michigan air. But I don’t think Brook

+is with Pat. I saw him drag one of the canoes into the water just

+before our race. I was too busy trying to keep up with you to see what

+he did after that.”

+

+“What difference does it make?” Jimmy demanded. “Let’s go exploring by

+canoe ourselves. We can dry off in the sun just in time for lunch.”

+He pointed. “I want to investigate that fork of the first stream over

+there.”

+

+“I want to eat,” Alf said. “I’m starving. But if you must satisfy your

+curiosity before I satisfy my hunger, I suppose you must.”

+

+“I can’t let you eat now anyway,” Jimmy said with a grin. “If I did

+there wouldn’t be anything left for Brook when he shows up.”

+

+“I’ll say there wouldn’t,” Alf agreed, tightening the belt on his

+trunks. “I could catch a fish right now with my bare hands and eat it

+while it’s still alive.”

+

+“You just had breakfast,” Jimmy said. “Come on!”

+

+Alf lazily shaded his eyes with his hand and squinted up at the sky.

+“About four hours ago by the sun,” he said stubbornly.

+

+Jimmy yanked him to his feet and called out to Pat: “We’re going

+canoeing. Back in time for lunch.”

+

+“Okay,” came Pat’s voice from inside the cabin.

+

+“You bet we’ll be back for lunch,” Alf said as he and Jimmy glided out

+upon the lake. “What’s the coil of rope doing in the canoe?”

+

+“I brought it along so we could climb a bee tree if we found one,”

+laughed Jimmy. “Anyhow it belongs to Pat. I think it’s some of

+Theresa’s clothesline.”

+

+The boys turned into the stream, and when they came to the forking of

+the water, they entered the narrower stream toward its right shore,

+where the waters seemed quieter. While Alf paddled, Jimmy made a loop

+of the rope and tossed it toward a stout little spruce.

+

+“This comes in handy,” said Jimmy, as the rope caught and Alf paddled

+in close to the shore. “This current is certainly strong,” he added

+soberly. “And I imagine if we got caught in the center we’d be headed

+for the falls.”

+

+“Are there falls near here?” Alf asked.

+

+“I think so. Don’t you hear them?”

+

+Alf agreed and they discussed Jimmy’s plan of either drawing the canoe

+ashore and footing it down, or easing the canoe along the right shore.

+But there was a tangle of underbrush along the bank and the footing

+was uneasy. They decided to risk it because they had the rope to throw

+out to some tree so they could keep out of the current. They kept very

+close to the shore and before they reached the peninsula, they beached

+the canoe in a curve that was almost a pool and hastened, over sticks

+and brush and stones, to see what lay farther down.

+

+“Well, we were smart to land, Jimmy,” said Alf, as they stood looking

+at the stream where it flowed beyond the little peninsula. “But it

+certainly is pretty. We’ll have to watch our step getting down where

+we can see the falls. Doesn’t she foam where she is going over? Do you

+imagine the falls are high?”

+

+“Can’t tell, Alf,” Jimmy said. “Looks like quite a ravine down ahead;

+but this whole region isn’t very high and it probably dams up into some

+other little lake. Come on.”

+

+“Wait till I go back after the rope, Jim,” said Alf. “We may need it,

+if we climb down by the falls.”

+

+Alf picked his way back the short distance to the canoe and brought the

+rope. They followed the curving shore toward the left, where the waters

+that swept past the point went wildly on in the wider channel to fall

+over--somewhere.

+

+Jimmy, with the rope over his shoulder, stood still; Alf thought it

+might be better to strike through the trees and avoid the rocks on the

+edge. Jimmy surveyed the water at his feet, the scattered rocks washed

+by the current, and looked upstream just in time to see Brook’s face as

+Brook saw the falls ahead.

+

+“Alf!” Jimmy yelled, horrified. “Look there! It’s Brook!”

+

+Only a moment did Jimmy stare. He slipped the loop already made over

+his head and tightened it about his waist. Alf needed no directions.

+What they had to do must be done quickly. They both started running to

+a point that would bring them nearer to Brook’s course.

+

+“Brook--Brook!” they kept shouting. “This way!”

+

+Brook did not hear them, but just at that moment his pale face turned

+toward the boys and he saw them.

+

+“This way! This way!” cried Jimmy, beckoning. If Brook could only get

+out of that awful central current--but maybe it was all current!

+

+“He can’t come this way! I’ve got to throw him an end of the rope.” As

+Jimmy spoke he was busy tying a stone on the end of the rope to weight

+it. What a risk it was! Jimmy was wading out to a great rock, in a

+shallow where the shore curved. This was no game. He must not miss.

+

+Alf waded after Jimmy to help him hold on to the rope. There was still

+a good chance, if they were successful, to rescue Brook. It was some

+distance to the falls, but now the canoe Brook was in seemed to be

+coming faster.

+

+Now. Jimmy threw, and Jimmy had not played ball for nothing. Brook did

+not catch the rope, but weighted by the stone it fell into the canoe

+and Brook grasped it before it could slip back. Now his paddle was

+whirling out of sight. Brook was standing up in the canoe, with the

+rope tied around him, ready to jump.

+

+Alf braced himself, and Jimmy held the rope tightly just in front of

+where it was around him and drew it taut as Brook leaped. The rope drew

+in easily at first. Then came the tug against the current. Jimmy leaned

+against the rock to brace himself.

+

+It was all over in a few anxious moments. Brook had bruised himself

+among the rocks, but he swam, crept upon a rock, leaped to another,

+found himself in quieter waters and was helped to his feet by two

+fast-breathing boys who could scarcely speak.

+

+“How--did you get here?” gasped Brook as they helped him ashore.

+

+“That’s the question we would like to ask you,” answered Jimmy after

+a brief silence during which they examined Brook to see if he had any

+broken bones.

+

+“I’ll tell you about it,” Brook said shamefacedly. “I--I’m awfully

+sorry, Jimmy. I hope the canoe will come through all right, but I don’t

+see how it can. I’ll make it good, Jimmy, I promise you.”

+

+“We’ll see about that later,” returned Jimmy. “The point is, are you

+all right?”

+

+“I--guess so,” Brook said sheepishly. “Got some bruised shins, I think.

+It didn’t do me any good.”

+

+“I’ll say not!” Jimmy grinned a little and took Brook’s arms, working

+them up and down, one after another. “Swallow any water?”

+

+“Lots.” Brook was glad of that grin and he sheepishly grinned back.

+“My arms are all right, only sore. I’ll be black and blue from that

+rock I hit first. But I guess I deserve it.”

+

+“Sure you do,” Jimmy said with a chuckle. “And to think I thought you

+were at the hut with Pat. Gosh, are we ever lucky! I guess none of us

+listened too carefully when Pat told us to be sure not to go off by

+ourselves. We’re guilty of the same thing you are, Brook,” he admitted.

+“Well, this has been a lesson we’ll never forget and I would say we’ve

+gotten off pretty cheaply if it just cost us the canoe. Let’s get back

+to Pat right away and tell him we’re all right.”

+

+Alf and Jimmy helped Brook, who was white and wretched after his narrow

+escape, and when they got to their canoe they made rapidly for camp.

+

+“Go limp, Brook,” said Jimmy, “and tell us all about it.”

+

+Brook grinned, and said he was “limp all right,” and briefly told

+how he had tried to explore the little rapids that looked so easy,

+completely forgetting that there were falls in the vicinity. He also

+related the incident of the coat and pulled out a wet wad from his

+pocket.

+

+“I was going to dry this,” said he, “and see if I couldn’t read a

+little of it. Maybe I might as well throw it away.”

+

+“Maybe we can dry it yet,” suggested Alf, interested. “Perhaps it’s a

+map to a treasure.”

+

+“Perhaps it isn’t,” laughed Jimmy, but he caught Brook’s hand as he was

+about to toss the letter overboard. “Wait. It’s still pretty flat in

+the envelope. We’ll dry it out and see. How long were you there when

+you found this?”

+

+“Oh, about ten minutes or so.”

+

+“Well, that ten minutes saved your life, kid,” Jimmy grinned. “Alf and

+I must have left right after you did and passed you. I wonder if you

+would have made it over the falls if we hadn’t come along. I’d like to

+go down later and see what it looks like over the brink!”

+

+“So would I, Jimmy,” Brook said.

+

+Jimmy snorted. “You’re going to lie around this afternoon, Brook, after

+we fix you up.”

+

+Back at camp they found that Pat was just beginning to get worried.

+He had kept their lunch warm for them and looked rather cross as they

+beached the canoe. Then he caught a glimpse of Brook’s white face.

+

+“Well, out with it,” Pat said, frowning. “What happened to you, lad?

+You look like a drowned rat.”

+

+“I’m worse than that,” Brook said ruefully. “I’m battered and bruised,

+too.”

+

+As they all explained what had happened, interrupting each other

+constantly, Pat carefully examined Brook to make sure he was not badly

+hurt. “Just a strained ligament,” he said, smiling reassuringly. “We’ll

+have that shoulder strapped up in no time.”

+

+He went into the hut for his first aid kit, and soon Brook was eating

+as hungrily as the other boys. But after lunch he didn’t argue when Pat

+said:

+

+“Now, lad, you’re to take it easy the rest of the day.”

+

+The next morning Brook reported that outside of a few bruises, he felt

+fine. Then they all went back to see the falls.

+

+“They’re pretty,” Brook said, musingly, “and rocky, but not very high

+after all.”

+

+A deep pool lay below, and there was the canoe, bobbing around

+aimlessly near the edge of the pool. It had a big gash in its side,

+but was not beyond repair, Jimmy reported. He towed it up on the shore

+with the aid of the trusty rope and a hook they made with some wire.

+

+“Maybe I could have swum out,” Brook ventured, “but I’m certainly glad

+I didn’t have to try it. And most of all, Pat, I’m glad you didn’t make

+much of my disobedience of your order. Believe me, it won’t happen

+again.”

+

+“I know,” said Pat. “Forget it--it merely was a bit more excitement on

+a very pleasant trip.”

+

+After their return from the falls, Brook remembered the dilapidated

+letter and got it out. Everyone gathered round him and they all tried

+to read it. It was badly torn, obviously a good part of it was missing

+and what little was left was hardly discernible. They managed to make

+out the words _buried_ and _shed_.

+

+Suddenly Jimmy’s face lighted up. “Say, do you remember last week, the

+day we finished the shower, Marjorie showed me a scrap of paper she

+said she and Judy had found in a bottle on the beach?”

+

+Alf nodded. “So what? They didn’t find it in any old bottle. They

+manufactured the whole story just to kid us.”

+

+“That’s what I thought,” Jimmy said, rather shamefacedly. “But now I

+think differently. This piece looks as though it had been torn from the

+scrap they found.”

+

+“Holy cow!” Brook stared at him. “And the girls couldn’t have followed

+us and planted this part of it in the pocket of that old coat.”

+

+“Of course not,” Jimmy said, grinning, “although if either of them

+could drive a car I wouldn’t have put it past them. Besides, you said

+the footprints you saw leading to and from the coat were made by a

+man’s shoes.”

+

+Jimmy stopped suddenly. “Footprints,” he repeated. “Say, Brook, can we

+get to the place where you found the coat by walking?”

+

+“Sure,” Brook said. “It would take twice as long as it would in a

+canoe, but,” he added ruefully, “it would be twice as safe.”

+

+“Then let’s go,” Jimmy yelled. “I want to have a look at the footprints

+you found in the clearing.” He turned to Pat. “Okay if we go?”

+

+Pat nodded. “As long as you all stick together this time.”

+

+As they hurried through the brush with Brook in the lead, Jimmy

+explained. “A few days before you came, Alf,” he said, “we had a lot

+of excitement. I told you how Penny fell down into the old well, but

+I didn’t tell you that somebody came snooping around the place that

+night.”

+

+Alf stared at him. “You certainly didn’t. What’s the idea of keeping

+secrets from one?”

+

+Jimmy grinned. “The truth of the matter is that I forgot all about it.

+First we figured it was a tramp, and then when we realized that he must

+know his way around our property pretty well, we decided it must have

+been one of those dopey villagers who think there’s buried treasure on

+the place.”

+

+Brook stopped to turn around and glare at Jimmy. “What do you mean

+‘dopey’? If you don’t believe in that buried treasure, why did you

+lure us into helping you dig up every spot that didn’t have something

+growing on it?”

+

+Jimmy’s dark eyes twinkled with laughter. “_I_ believe in the treasure

+all right, but I wouldn’t be dopey enough to trespass on other

+people’s property at night trying to find it. You can get a bullet

+through your head very neatly that way.”

+

+“Oh, I see what you mean,” Brook said, completely mollified. He started

+off again at a fast trot. “Was your night prowler a dopey villager?”

+

+“We still don’t know,” Jimmy admitted. “He’s never come back.”

+

+“How do you know he hasn’t?” Alf demanded.

+

+Jimmy groaned, clutching his dark hair in mock dismay. “Will you guys

+puh-leeze let me try to explain to you why I want to look at the

+footprints in the clearing? Of course we don’t know for sure,” he

+said sourly to Alf, “that our snoopy friend didn’t come back. We only

+watched out for him that first night. But with all the people who are

+at the Lodge now I feel certain one of us would have heard a night

+prowler.”

+

+“I’m not at all sure of that,” Alf said stubbornly. “We all sleep like

+logs. After a day with a slave driver like you I can barely keep my

+eyes open long enough to get undressed and topple into bed.”

+

+“Shut up, Alf,” Brook said over his shoulder. “Let the slavedriver

+tell us why we’re taking this long trek through the thickest part of

+the woods.”

+

+“Footprints,” Jimmy said in exasperation. “After Phil and Pat fired a

+couple of shots in the air, the prowler scrammed. Then we went down to

+have a look at the shed. And sure enough, somebody had been there since

+we had left. Right near the spot where Penny fell through the rotten

+wall, some floor boards had been ripped up and there was a footprint in

+the dirt staring us in the face.”

+

+“That guy _was_ dopey,” Alf muttered. “If he had to go around leaving

+footprints all over the place, why didn’t he at least put the floor

+boards back so you wouldn’t find them?”

+

+Jimmy shrugged. “I figure he sneaked out from the village to dig around

+near where we found the well. But just as he got started he realized

+that we might not yet have gone to bed. In that case one of us might

+have seen the flashlight he must have been using. So he slipped up to

+the house to have a look-see. And then Penny saw him.” He chuckled.

+“After that he didn’t have time to think about covering up his traces.”

+

+Brook stopped again and mopped his brow. “I’m beginning to see that

+there’s a method in your madness. If the footprints I saw in the

+clearing match the one you discovered under the shed floor, then we’ll

+know that the same man left the old coat out on the point.”

+

+“Your reasoning, my dear Watson,” Jimmy said, grinning, “is excellent.

+I will elucidate further. The same man is the owner of the scrap you

+found in the pocket of said old coat. And since said note contained the

+two words ‘buried’ and ‘shed’ my guess is that the rumor about buried

+treasure is more truth than poetry!”

+

+“What are we waiting for?” Brook demanded.

+

+“You,” Jimmy returned. “‘Lead on, Macduff.’”

+

+After that they saved their breath and hurried silently through the mud

+and underbrush until at last they emerged into a little clearing.

+

+“This is it,” Brook said. “Get out your magnifying glass, Sherlock.”

+

+Jimmy sank down on his knees and examined the footprints carefully.

+“Rubber heels,” he mumbled triumphantly, “and made by the same

+manufacturer! See that crescent with a circle around it? It’s a

+trademark.”

+

+“Golly!” Alf and Brook yelled in one voice.

+

+Jimmy stood up. “There’s only one hitch in the whole deal. I’m sure now

+that there’s something buried under the old shed, but Phil will never

+let us dig for it as long as we need the shed for a garage.”

+

+“Holy cow,” Alf groaned. “Then that means you’ll find a barrel of gold

+after we’ve gone back to school.”

+

+“Just our luck,” Brook said disconsolately. “I’m never around when

+there’s any excitement!”

+

+Jimmy threw back his head and howled with laughter. “About an hour

+ago,” he reminded Brook, “you were the very center of excitement. Cheer

+up,” he added. “Maybe when we get back and find that the fragment you

+found fits the one the girls found, we’ll be able to read something

+that’ll convince Phil and Penny we should do something about the ground

+under the shed.”

+

+“Maybe,” Alf said without much hope. “But let’s not stick around here

+any longer.”

+

+“Let’s not,” Jimmy agreed. “I vote we go back to camp and tell Pat what

+we have discovered. He pooh-poohs the idea of buried treasure as much

+as Phil and Penny do, but when he hears that the footprints match,

+maybe he’ll take the whole business more seriously.”

+

+“_I_ think,” Brook said, “that we ought to convince him at least that

+we should go home right away. I’d rather dig for gold than fish,

+wouldn’t you?”

+

+Jimmy arched his dark eyebrows with surprise. “And you were the guy who

+was complaining a while ago that I’m a slavedriver!”

+

+Back at camp Pat listened soberly when Jimmy told him that the man who

+had left his footprint under the shed floor had left other footprints

+recently in the clearing on the peninsula.

+

+“Are you sure, lad?” Pat demanded.

+

+Jimmy nodded. “It’s too much of a coincidence to think that someone

+else with the same rubber heels had something to do with this piece of

+paper which looks like it was torn from the one Marjorie found.”

+

+“You’re right,” Pat said. “Let’s head for home at once!”

+

+

+

+

+CHAPTER 11

+

+THE MISSING FRAGMENT

+

+

+Shortly after the boys left in the station wagon for their camping

+trip, Marjorie said to Judy: “Let’s look at that map again. Penny could

+be wrong. Maybe it does show exactly where treasure is buried.”

+

+“Let’s,” Judy agreed. “And maybe we held it upside down or something.

+Maybe the big red cross doesn’t mark the spot where Pat planted his

+potatoes.”

+

+They raced into the Lodge and down the hall to the storage room. During

+the excitement of Peter’s arrival they had left the map, still pasted

+in the lid of the jewelry box, on one of the old trunks. Again they

+took it over to the window and studied it thoughtfully.

+

+“Let’s see,” Judy said after awhile. “When you’re facing north, west is

+on your left isn’t it?”

+

+Marjorie nodded. “So there’s no point in looking at this darn thing

+any longer. If it isn’t a phony, the treasure is buried under the

+potato hills.”

+

+“I give up,” Judy said with a sigh. “We may as well go down to the

+beach and try to find some rare shells. I suppose that’s the only

+buried treasure I’ll have the luck to find.”

+

+During the next few days they filled a bucket with shells which they

+hoped were collectors’ items, but which Phil and Peter told them were

+worthless.

+

+“That is the worst about being a girl!” Judy Powell said in a moment of

+disgust. “The boys will come back with wonderful stories about how many

+fish they caught and the rapids they ran--and everything!” Judy’s ideas

+of what the boys were doing ran out.

+

+Marjorie and Judy were sitting in their favorite spot on the pier,

+dangling their feet in the water. They wore their bathing suits and

+had just watched the cruiser take off with a group of the younger

+guests, exclusive of themselves. They had not wanted to go since Mal

+had promised to take them on a picnic in the woods. Just at this moment

+they were in the old familiar throes of not knowing what to do next.

+

+“Let them rave,” said Marjorie. “We’ve things to tell the boys, too.”

+

+“They wouldn’t think that _we_ do anything,” said Judy rather crossly.

+

+“Maybe we could think up something different,” said Marjorie, a little

+worried. “Aren’t you having a good time, Judy?”

+

+“My, yes! I didn’t mean that,” Judy said quickly. “I was just thinking

+what a grand time they must be having. I’d like to shoot rapids.”

+

+“Come up again next summer and we’ll get Pat and Mal to take us on a

+canoeing trip.”

+

+“You probably couldn’t get my mother to say yes.” Judy laughed. “Let’s

+go back to the house and see if we’re missing anything.” Just as they

+started back toward the Lodge they heard the loud honking of a car on

+the drive.

+

+“Oh,” cried Judy, “I’ll bet the boys have come home. I wonder what made

+them come back before the week was out.”

+

+“Something awful must have happened to one of them,” Marjorie gasped as

+they began to run as fast as they could.

+

+Sure enough, the station wagon was parked in front of the Lodge and the

+boys were tumbling out of it.

+

+“They certainly don’t look as though anything awful had happened to

+them,” Judy panted.

+

+“Hi, everybody,” Jimmy was shouting to the crowd that had gathered on

+the porch. When the girls reached the steps they heard him say quietly

+to Penny and Phil:

+

+“Say, how about calling a meeting of the Board of Directors right away?”

+

+“We can’t, Jimmy,” Penny said. “Everyone is busy.”

+

+“Well, then,” he said. “A meeting of the Allens in the office. I’ve got

+something in my pocket which I think the rest of the family ought to

+know about as soon as possible.”

+

+Penny could tell from the sober expression on Jimmy’s tanned face that

+this was not a joke. She beckoned to Phil and Marjorie and led the way

+into the office.

+

+“On second thought,” Jimmy said as he followed her, “let’s get Peter in

+on this. I’d like to hear his opinion of the whole thing. Besides,” he

+added in a low teasing voice, “he’s practically family anyway.”

+

+Penny’s cheeks flamed. “Jimmy,” she said, mildly scolding, “you never

+can be serious for more than five minutes at a time.”

+

+“I’m pretty darn serious now,” Jimmy said. When they had all gathered

+around the desk, he closed the door and produced the scrap of paper

+which Brook had found in the old coat.

+

+After one swift glance, Penny said, “Why, Peter, the handwriting looks

+just like the one on the fragment Marjorie found. Where on earth did

+you find it, Jimmy?”

+

+Jimmy explained and Penny frowned as she listened. “Brook had no

+business taking that envelope out of a coat he found,” she said.

+

+Peter chuckled. “Maybe he didn’t have any right to take it, Penny, but

+in my opinion it was put where it was so that no boy could resist the

+temptation.”

+

+Penny thought for a minute. Again she read the blurred words, more

+carefully this time.

+

+  We’ll meet a

+  the las

+  and look for the tre

+  I’m sure it’s buried

+  old shed nea

+  has long run

+

+Then she pulled out of her desk drawer the fragment Marjorie had found

+in the green bottle. The two pieces fit together as perfectly as a

+jigsaw puzzle. Now they could all read the complete page:

+

+  We’ll meet at the Log cabin

+  the last week in August

+  and look for the treasure again.

+  I’m sure it’s buried near the

+  old shed near a well that

+  has long run dry.

+

+“Oh, oh,” Jimmy moaned. “That means more digging. I guess we didn’t dig

+deep enough.”

+

+“But what about the map?” Marjorie demanded. “It showed that treasure

+was buried behind the Donahues’ cabin.”

+

+“None of it makes any sense,” Peter said calmly. “And you kids may

+as well accept the fact right now that the map and the two fragments

+aren’t clues. They’re obviously red herrings, deliberately planted to

+keep us busy looking for buried treasure.”

+

+“I don’t get it,” Jimmy said frankly.

+

+“It’s this way,” Phil explained. “Peter, Penny and I figure that there

+_is_ something valuable hidden around here. Somebody who obviously

+isn’t honest knows where it is. He wants to keep us from finding it.”

+

+“Oh golly,” Marjorie broke in, “wait until I tell Judy about this.

+We’ll spend the rest of the summer going over the whole place with a

+fine-tooth comb.”

+

+“Oh, no, you won’t,” Penny said, laughing. “I have a better idea, and

+one that won’t drive our guests out of their minds.”

+

+Peter stared at her in amazement. “Have you been keeping secrets from

+me?” he asked, pretending that his feelings were hurt.

+

+“Oh, no,” Penny told him hastily. “The idea just came to me this

+minute. Actually, the words, ‘last week in August’ gave it to me.”

+Her cheeks flushed with excitement, she went on. “One morning last

+week when I was out in the kitchen discussing menus with Ann Mary, she

+suggested that we give a masquerade party. There are plenty of grand

+costumes in the old trunks for all of the ladies, and you men can rig

+up outfits from old curtains and stuff in our boxes.”

+

+“A swell idea,” Jimmy said. “But what’s it got to do with finding

+hidden treasure?”

+

+Penny smiled at him patiently. “If you’d only let me finish! Ann Mary

+and I decided that the last Friday in August would be a good time for

+the party. Most of the guests will be leaving early in September, so it

+would be sort of a last fling.”

+

+Jimmy began to sing, “After the ball is o-ver. After the guests have

+gone.”

+

+“Stop interrupting,” Marjorie said, glaring at him. “Let Penny finish.”

+

+“Well,” Penny went on, “we planned the party just for ourselves and our

+guests. But now I think we should issue a blanket invitation to all the

+merchants in town. It will be our way of expressing our appreciation

+of the way they cooperated with us all summer. Now,” she finished, “you

+can all guess the rest.”

+

+“Not me,” Marjorie said, rapidly blinking her blue eyes.

+

+Jimmy clutched his dark hair wildly. “I follow you as closely as though

+you’d had a million-mile head start.”

+

+Peter was staring at Penny with frank admiration. “You _are_ smart,”

+he said. “Don’t you see?” he asked Jimmy and Marjorie. “Our Mr. X, or

+our Messrs. X, for there may be more than one, will certainly be among

+those present at the masquerade. With everyone coming masked and in

+costume, he wouldn’t miss the chance. He’ll come out sure that he can

+get whatever he’s after and depart before the unmasking.”

+

+“Holy cow,” Jimmy exploded. “Penny _is_ smart. Instead of our wearing

+ourselves out looking for hidden treasure, he’ll lead us right to it.”

+

+Marjorie gave her sister an impulsive hug. “It’s the grandest idea

+anyone ever invented,” she cried.

+

+“And,” Jimmy put in, suddenly remembering the main reason why they had

+persuaded Pat to cut the camping trip short, “I’m pretty sure there’s

+only one Mr. X.”

+

+“Don’t be a dope,” Marjorie said. “I’m sure there are two. One of them

+put the bottle where he was sure Judy and I would find it while we were

+looking for shells. And the other put the coat where you boys couldn’t

+miss it.”

+

+Jimmy shrugged. “Maybe so, but the same Mr. X who left his footprint

+under the floor of the shed planted the coat.”

+

+“Yipes,” Peter moaned. “What’s all this about a footprint under the

+shed? I thought it was a garage filled with cars.”

+

+“It is now,” Penny explained with a chuckle. “Before we converted it,

+someone ripped up part of the floor and left a footprint in the dirt.”

+

+“That’s right,” Jimmy said. “And he also left footprints in a clearing

+back where Brook found the coat. Footprints,” he finished triumphantly,

+“with rubber heels made by the same manufacturer.”

+

+“Why, Jimmy Allen,” Marjorie gasped admiringly, “you’re so smart you

+ought to get a job with the FBI.”

+

+But Penny laughed. “Now all the red herrings fit together like the

+pieces of this paper. Don’t you see, Jimmy? Mr. X deliberately left

+that footprint in the shed in plain view so I might believe that he had

+had something to do with my accident. Right, Peter?”

+

+“Right,” Peter said. “As soon as Mr. X heard you had fallen down the

+well, he wrote the letter which you received the next day. Then that

+evening he sneaked out to plant evidence which he hoped would back up

+his threat.”

+

+“Oh, gosh,” Jimmy said disconsolately. “We’re right back where we

+started. But at least we can be pretty sure that there’s only one Mr.

+X.”

+

+“We can’t be sure of anything,” Phil said soberly. “Except that whoever

+it is really does mean business. The very fact that one of them jumped

+on Mal that night when we chased him away proves that. An ordinary

+night prowler would have tried to sneak away without being seen.”

+

+“Well,” Marjorie said cheerfully, “we mean business now, too. And we’re

+sure to catch him the night of the masquerade when he comes here to get

+the treasure.”

+

+“Wa--ait a minute,” Phil said cautiously. “What’s to prevent Mr. X

+from getting by with his scheme? We can’t be everywhere at once in a

+place as big as this, especially when so many people will be milling

+around.”

+

+“And,” Peter added, “how will we know whom to keep an eye on?” He

+smiled at Penny. “You planned, of course, to have police detectives

+here in costume, too.”

+

+“No, I didn’t,” Penny admitted. “I thought it would be more fun if we

+set a trap and caught Mr. or Messrs. X ourselves.”

+

+“What sort of a trap?” Phil asked, frowning.

+

+“I don’t know exactly,” Penny admitted. “But I think it ought to have

+something to do with the secret room. For one thing, Ann Mary and I

+planned that just before the unmasking we might spring it on our guests

+as a surprise. None of them except Adra has any idea where it is.”

+

+Marjorie felt very uncomfortable at that moment. She opened her

+mouth to confess that she had showed it to Judy, but decided against

+interrupting Penny until she had finished.

+

+“When we open the door,” Penny went on, “those who want to go down

+into the room will have to take turns, because it’s too small to hold

+them all at the same time. I thought that if anyone had been acting

+suspiciously before that, we might be able to lure him down alone and

+then we could quickly press the button and lock him in.” She added,

+turning to Peter, “Then you can call in the police.”

+

+He shook his head worriedly. “_You_ are not going to be the one to lure

+him down into the room alone.”

+

+“Of course not,” Jimmy said quickly. “_I_ will.”

+

+“No, you won’t,” Phil told him emphatically. “The man may be armed and

+I’m the only one who has a pistol license. I’ll go down with him and

+one of you can close the door. If he’s really been acting suspiciously,

+I’ll suggest that he unmask. If he’s the man we want, he’ll refuse.

+Then I’ll produce my gun and keep him there while I knock on the door.

+That will be the signal that our scheme worked.”

+

+“I don’t like the idea of your being locked down there with him,” Penny

+objected.

+

+“It’s the only answer,” Phil insisted. “Once he has any idea that

+we suspect him, he may make a wild dash for safety, and that would

+frighten some of our guests very badly. Besides, he might escape. With

+all those people wandering in and out of the Lodge, I wouldn’t dare use

+my gun.” He turned to Peter. “What do you think of the plan?”

+

+“It’s okay except for one thing,” Peter said. “What if Mr. X doesn’t do

+anything to make us suspect him? Up until the unmasking we won’t have

+any way of knowing whether he is one of the village merchants or not.

+And by that time he will certainly have disappeared.”

+

+“Oh, he’s bound to do something to make him stand out from the others,”

+Marjorie put in. “And he’ll probably be very careless because he won’t

+have any idea that we plan to catch him in a trap.”

+

+“That’s true,” Peter admitted.

+

+“Sometimes,” Jimmy said with a teasing grin, “the gal makes sense.”

+

+Phil stood up. “If we’re all agreed, I may as well go down to the

+village now and spread the word about the party.”

+

+“And I,” said Penny, rising, too, “had better go through the stuff in

+the storage room and see what we have. I thought it might be fun to

+decorate the secret room so it’ll look good and scary.”

+

+“I’ll help,” Marjorie said. “I know where there’s one of those old

+paper skeletons that we used to hang up on Hallowe’en.” She slipped her

+arm through Penny’s. “Oh, isn’t it going to be fun? Even if we don’t

+catch Mr. X, the masquerade will be the best event of the whole summer.”

+

+“I hope so,” Penny said. “And I hope we do catch him. Even if he’s just

+a crank and isn’t after anything valuable, he’s annoyed us enough. It’s

+time we put a stop to it.”

+

+She glanced back over her shoulder at Peter who was still sitting at

+the desk.

+

+“Oh, dear,” she thought reading the anxious expression on his face.

+“He still thinks we ought to get help from the police.” She shivered

+involuntarily. “Maybe before the party is over we’ll be sorry we didn’t

+follow his advice.”

+

+

+

+

+CHAPTER 12

+

+SETTING THE TRAP

+

+

+The next two weeks were busy ones for everyone connected with the

+Lodge. From morning to night there was a terrific amount of hustling

+and bustling around the house, inside and out. Everyone was loaning

+something or borrowing something to wear at the last big party of the

+season.

+

+Brook, Alf and Jimmy, all amateur but experienced electricians,

+extended wires from the house to the trees so that the lawn would be

+bright with lanterns.

+

+“Just in case there’s no moon,” Phil said.

+

+“If it rains, I’ll die,” Marjorie said nervously.

+

+She and Judy were helping the boys, and Judy insisted upon knowing what

+each one planned to wear.

+

+“We’re all going as cowboys,” Jimmy called down from the fork of a tall

+tree.

+

+“How original of you,” Marjorie said sarcastically. “And it shows how

+lazy you are too. All you have to do is stuff the legs of your jeans

+in boots, tie bandannas around your necks, and borrow toy guns and

+holsters from kids in the village.”

+

+“So what?” Alf demanded. “With masks on nobody will recognize us, not

+even you two.”

+

+“We wouldn’t even try,” Judy informed him airily. “There’ll probably

+be so many cowboys here that night it would be like trying to find a

+needle in a haystack.”

+

+“I hope Mr. X wears something more original,” Marjorie said without

+thinking.

+

+“Who?” Judy demanded.

+

+“Er--nobody,” Marjorie said hastily. The Allens, at Peter’s suggestion,

+had decided not to share their secret with any of the other guests.

+

+“If too many people know that we’re planning to set a trap,” he had

+said, “it won’t be long before Mr. X knows too.”

+

+To change the subject Marjorie said to Brook: “Phil and Penny wrote to

+New York and they heard today that I can get into that small boarding

+school I told you about. It’s up on the Hudson. Golly, I hate to think

+of going away from here.”

+

+“I know how you feel,” Brook said sympathetically. “But just the same

+I’m glad you’re going to a school that isn’t very far from mine. When

+we have dances, you’ll come as my guest, won’t you?”

+

+Marjorie blushed. She _did_ like Brook, and it would be fun to go to

+school dances with him, but she wished he hadn’t asked her when Jimmy

+was around. Jimmy thought it was fun to tease Judy Powell, but Marjorie

+knew that he thought girls were a nuisance. He also thought that boys

+who asked girls to parties were dopes. She waited tensely for the

+caustic remark she knew was coming.

+

+To her surprise, Jimmy said nothing. He climbed down from the fork of

+the tree and gave her a look which said plainer than words:

+

+“Watch your step, stupid. You almost let the cat out of the bag.”

+

+And then Marjorie realized to her dismay that all of the others were

+staring at her curiously. Every one of them had heard her blurt out:

+“I hope Mr. X wears something more original.” They were overcome with

+curiosity but they were all too polite to ask any more questions.

+

+Hastily Marjorie said, “Aren’t you all starving? I’ll go ask Ann Mary

+if I can’t fix some lemonade and raid the cooky jar.”

+

+She was off without waiting for their replies, but Judy raced after

+her. Marjorie’s heart sank. As soon as they were out of earshot of the

+boys, Judy’s curiosity would get the better of her good manners. She

+would demand an explanation of Marjorie’s unfortunate remark.

+

+Then Marjorie had an idea. “You know,” she said casually, “I’ll bet a

+lot of people come to the party disguised as the ghost who’s supposed

+to haunt the Lodge. I think of him as Mr. X and he wears a long gray

+beard. It would be hard to see through that disguise. I mean, a long

+flowing white robe, a wig and a mask with a long gray beard.”

+

+Judy looked disappointed but Marjorie knew that her curiosity was

+satisfied. “It would be a perfect disguise,” Judy said. “And much more

+original than a cowboy outfit.”

+

+Back in the Lodge they found all the other guests busy making final

+decisions about their costumes. The ladies had all enjoyed going

+through the trunks, spending one entire day rummaging, to the great

+delight of the younger fry. Some of the people had gone into town

+to get extra things for their costumes from the local stores. They

+reported that the townspeople, too, were all excited about the party

+and that a great many of them were planning to come.

+

+At last it was the day of the big event, and to Marjorie’s delight the

+sun shone brightly in an almost cloudless sky.

+

+Penny had decided to wear the old wedding dress from the trunk. It

+was beautiful even though it had yellowed with age. Adra was wearing

+a green silk dress with matching slippers from the same old trunk.

+Penny and Marjorie helped each other fix their costumes, and Marjorie

+suggested to Penny that she should wear the veil that went with the

+dress and thus really look like a bride.

+

+“Because, Sis,” Marjorie said unashamedly, “you _are_ going to be a

+bride pretty soon. You might as well start getting used to the idea.”

+

+Penny’s cheeks flamed. Then she suddenly threw her arms around

+Marjorie. “Oh, honey, if only I could be _sure_. There’s no sense in my

+trying to hide from you that I love Peter. But how can I be sure that

+he loves me?”

+

+Marjorie sniffed. “Penny, you idiot! It’s written all over his face

+whenever he looks at you. And when you’re not around he mopes, except

+when he’s shooting daggers with his eyes at Charles Curtis.”

+

+Penny couldn’t help smiling. Then she frowned. “But that doesn’t mean

+I’ll be a bride very soon. Peter may love me, but neither of us has

+enough money to start in housekeeping. Maybe,” she added wistfully,

+“that’s why Peter doesn’t tell me now that he loves me.”

+

+“Pooh.” Marjorie snorted. “You can live on love. Besides, we must have

+made a lot of money on the Lodge this summer.”

+

+“Not really,” Penny told her. “We had to hire an awful lot of help,

+you know. And this whole month the laundry has been so huge we had to

+pay Mr. Taggart twice as much as he estimated in the beginning. It had

+to be taken into the village four times a week.” She sighed. “And the

+girls we originally hired to come out only to wait on the tables and

+help with the ironing had to work full time.”

+

+“Never mind,” Marjorie said consolingly. “It’s been fun.”

+

+Penny brightened. “Oh, I don’t mean that we didn’t make any money.

+There’s enough to see you and Jimmy through school. But Phil and I want

+you to go to college. Both of you.”

+

+“We won’t go,” Marjorie said stanchly. “Not if it means you can’t marry

+Peter when he asks you to. After the experience we’ve had this summer

+we can both get jobs.” She pirouetted around the room. “Don’t you think

+I’d make somebody a wonderful secretary?”

+

+“Wonderful.” Penny giggled. “But not a very dignified one. No, honey,”

+she went on seriously, “don’t you worry your pretty head about getting

+a job just yet. Things will work out somehow. I know they will.”

+

+To herself she added, “If Peter asks me to marry him, I’ll say yes.

+_Together_ we can work things out.”

+

+“I tell you what let’s do,” Marjorie cried. “Let’s have dress rehearsal

+right now. Here, in your room. Just us and Judy ’cause she’s going

+to be my twin. And Ann Mary so she can give our costumes a final

+inspection.” She danced away.

+

+In a short while they were all crowding into Penny’s room, laughing and

+making fun of each other.

+

+Marjorie and Judy were dressed alike in little Swiss peasant girl

+costumes. Jimmy made a very handsome cowboy and Philip was a

+swashbuckling pirate. A banquet was to be served at midnight after

+the unmasking, and since this was the event of the summer, Ann Mary

+had included all her specialties in the menu. She stayed at the

+dress rehearsal only long enough to assure them that they all looked

+wonderful, then hurried away.

+

+In spite of last-minute preparations, the Allens and Peter made time

+for a final conference in the office.

+

+“Let’s try to have as much fun as possible,” Peter said, “but we

+mustn’t forget for one minute that we’re all detectives.”

+

+“That’s right,” Phil agreed. “If any one of us notices a guest acting

+suspiciously, he or she must report at once to the others. There’ll be

+over a hundred people here tonight, so we’ve all got to be on our toes.

+Every minute,” he added soberly.

+

+Jimmy nodded. “Every minute until the unmasking anyway. Which means

+between the hours of ten and midnight. Not many people will arrive

+before ten even though we invited them to come at nine-thirty.”

+

+Penny was sketching a floor plan of the Lodge on a large sheet of

+paper. “Whatever Mr. X is after,” she said, “it obviously isn’t

+buried on the grounds. If it were, he wouldn’t have planted those red

+herrings. Therefore, it’s probably in the house. If it’s upstairs, all

+we have to do is make sure that nobody but our house guests and help

+goes up without our knowing it. We all know what costumes they’ll be

+wearing so that’s easy. But it will be Peter and Marjorie’s job to keep

+an eye on the back stairs; Jimmy and I, the front.”

+

+Everyone nodded, and Penny went on. “If it’s downstairs, Mr. X will

+know that he hasn’t got a prayer of searching for it, unless it’s in

+the office or the storage room, and I’ve locked those doors securely,

+so he can’t slip in and out unnoticed. The other downstairs rooms will

+be filled with people all the time, including the kitchen. The logical

+time for him to try to find whatever he plans to steal will be when

+everyone is gathered in one room.”

+

+She smiled up at Peter. “In order to be sure we catch Mr. X in our

+trap, I have carefully dropped hints throughout the village that at

+eleven-thirty on the dot we’re going to show our guests the secret

+room. Don’t you think he’ll choose that time, when everyone’s attention

+will be concentrated on one spot, to do something which will attract

+our attention?”

+

+“I certainly do,” Peter said. “He’ll be the one guest at that moment

+who won’t crowd into the alcove to see how the secret door works.

+Unless,” he added thoughtfully, “whatever he happens to be after is in

+the secret room itself.”

+

+“I thought of that,” Penny said. “And since he can’t possibly know

+how the secret doors works, he’ll wait until after that part of the

+evening’s entertainment is over. Then he’ll try to sneak back and go

+down into the room while we’re unmasking.” She chuckled. “In that case,

+he’ll walk right into our trap. After the last guest has left, Phil can

+stay behind and hide in the alcove. If Mr. X sneaks back and goes down

+into the room, all Phil has to do is fasten the door from the outside,

+once Mr. X is safely down the stairs. Then we can call the police, for

+obviously no honest person would go into the secret room without our

+permission.”

+

+“I object,” Jimmy said. “According to that scheme, we’ll catch Mr. X,

+but we still won’t know what he was trying to steal.”

+

+“I agree with Jimmy,” Phil said. “So instead of hiding in the alcove

+after the guests have all seen the secret room, I’ll hide down in the

+room itself. Behind the black draperies you’ve hung on the walls. If

+he sneaks back, I’ll stay there until _after_ he’s got whatever he’s

+trying to get. Then at the point of my gun I’ll make him turn it over

+to me and--”

+

+Penny interrupted with a frown: “I still don’t like the idea of your

+being down in the room alone with someone who may be a dangerous

+criminal, Phil.”

+

+“Oh, Penny,” Marjorie cried impulsively, “Phil can take care of

+himself. Besides, Mr. X won’t have any idea that he’s hiding behind the

+black curtains. Also,” she added, “what Mr. X wants may not be in the

+secret room after all.”

+

+“That’s true,” Penny admitted reluctantly.

+

+“Then the scheme is this,” Peter said, summing it up. “If you and

+Marjorie see a stranger sneak upstairs before the unmasking, you’re to

+report at once to Phil, Jimmy and me. We’ll follow him and catch him in

+the act. If no one does anything suspicious, Phil will remain in the

+secret room after the guests have seen it. Pat, who will open the door,

+will close it when everyone has left the alcove. Then we’ll all go into

+the big room for the unmasking and wait until Phil signals that he has

+caught a rat in his trap. You can do that, Phil,” he finished, “as we

+already agreed, by banging on the door.”

+

+And so the final arrangements were made. But Penny, as she hurried

+upstairs with Marjorie to dress for the occasion, knew that Peter was

+worried. He didn’t like the idea of Phil being locked in the secret

+room with Mr. X any more than she did.

+

+“But,” she realized suddenly, “Phil won’t be _locked_ in after all.

+Even though we may deliberately play into Mr. X’s hands by showing him

+how to get into the secret room, he won’t know where the spring is that

+closes the door on the other side.”

+

+And, as Marjorie pointed out while they helped each other with their

+costumes: “The whole thing may be a flop. We don’t know for sure that

+there is anything valuable hidden in the Lodge, or that Mr. X will be

+among those present tonight.”

+

+

+

+

+CHAPTER 13

+

+PHILIP TRAPS A THIEF

+

+

+Peter Wyland knew that Penny would be coming down the back way when she

+was ready, instead of down the stairs from the balcony. When he was in

+his costume he waited at the foot of the back stairs. The large room at

+the bottom of the steps was dimly lit.

+

+Presently Penny, a sweet vision, appeared at the top of the steps.

+She gathered her draperies for the descent, unconscious of anyone’s

+presence. The veil, which Marjorie had persuaded her to wear, floated

+behind her, caught back from her face by pins and a white rose.

+

+When she was halfway down, Peter stepped into the light. “Penny,” he

+said in a low voice, “you look lovely. I should have been waiting here

+with a minister!”

+

+Peter was beside the surprised Penny in a moment, leading her down the

+few remaining steps to the room where he tenderly put his arms around

+her and kissed her. “I can’t wait any longer, Penny, to tell you how I

+love you!” Peter’s voice was a little nervous. What he had intended to

+say deserted him. “Will you--will you wear a dress like this for me,

+soon?”

+

+Penny, who had not had a chance to utter a word, and whose breath was

+taken away by the surprise of having Peter kiss her, merely said,

+“Oh,--why, Peter,” as he led her to a little sofa in the corner of the

+room.

+

+“Sit here with me just a minute, Penny. I’ve been waiting to ask you

+for so long, only I’ve never known whether you were just being kind

+and sweet to me because you’re that way with everyone, or whether you

+could like me well enough to marry me. I saw that there was Charles

+Curtis--but if you were engaged to him, I figured Phil would tip me

+off. I am sort of a coward where you are concerned, Penny. Don’t tell

+me that you like Charley best! Do you love me a little?”

+

+Peter’s voice was low and eager. He held one of Penny’s hands tightly

+in his.

+

+Penny was not the sort to keep the man she loved in a state of

+uncertainty. “Did you know you’ve loved me all summer, Peter? I wish

+you’d told me sooner, because you see, I’ve been in love with you,

+too.” It was all right at last. “I knew last year that I loved you

+Peter, but I couldn’t very well let you know it!” Penny’s hand was

+almost crushed as Peter’s face lit up with joy. He swept her into his

+arms again for another kiss, and Penny said, “I could stay here and

+forget all about my duties to my guests, but we mustn’t forget about

+Mr. X. And I’ll have to go upstairs again, Peter. See how you have

+mussed this veil.”

+

+“Not beyond repair, I hope,” he said, smiling. “Penny, before you go,

+say you’ll marry me this fall, as soon as the guests leave?”

+

+“Silly man! You take my breath away,” Penny laughed. “But it is

+wonderful that you are silly about me, Peter. I can’t think straight

+right this minute, but we’ll talk about it later. Marjorie and Jimmy

+are going to school in September. Phil is going to New York to work

+for Mr. Prentice and to go to school nights. He wants to be near

+Adra. Mercy--I’m all mixed up. There will be so much to see to. Could

+you--could we have our honeymoon right here?”

+

+“I can’t think of a more wonderful spot,” Peter said. “Our life is

+going to be all honeymoon from now on. As long as I know we love each

+other that’s enough to make me walk on air the rest of the evening.

+What a pity we can’t be by ourselves. I’ll be thinking of you every

+single minute, darling.”

+

+Peter waited until Penny went back to her room to repair damages. It

+took her but a few minutes and when she made her appearance in the

+living room, she was immediately surrounded and admired by everyone.

+

+With the keen eye of an experienced hostess, she glanced around to see

+that everyone was being entertained in some fashion. She recognized

+most of the guests regardless of their masks, and she noted that there

+was quite an assembly of townspeople whom she could not recognize

+because of their disguises. Mr. and Mrs. Curtis were dressed as George

+and Martha Washington and they looked very distinguished. They were

+talking to Marjorie just now and saying something that made her laugh.

+There was Charles Curtis dancing with a lovely girl who had spent

+several weekends at the Lodge and had come back for the masquerade.

+When he danced by Penny he stopped for a minute and said, “I’ll wager

+that this is our fair hostess. Shall I telephone the parson? It’s hard

+to resist such a bride!”

+

+“You are incorrigible, Charles,” Penny reported.

+

+“And you look radiant tonight, Penny.” And off he danced with his

+partner. It was hard for Penny to get her mind on anything else except

+Peter. Dear, eager, wonderful Peter. But she had many things to do. The

+tables in the dining room had to be checked, and then she had to return

+and take part in the party. She looked around at the guests once more

+trying to place some of those who did not look familiar. There was one

+masquerader in particular who caught her eye. He was dressed as the

+bearded ghost that was supposed to wander about the Lodge, but aside

+from the long beard and white wig he seemed to be quite young, vigorous

+and active. He was too heavy for Alf who had once said something about

+dressing up as a graybeard. He was with Adra a good deal of the time

+but mingled with the rest and danced well.

+

+All the guests had arrived and the party was in full swing. It was

+nearly time for Philip to announce that he was going to show everybody

+the secret room. Peter came into the room just a few minutes before

+this and slipping an arm around Penny, he said, “Congratulate me, Phil,

+I’m going to be your brother-in-law.”

+

+Philip stared a moment, then put a hand on Peter’s shoulder and told

+him there was no one to whom he’d rather hand over Penny. “Good work,

+Peter,” he said. “Congratulations. Even if she is my sister, I must say

+you’re getting a wonderful girl.”

+

+“Nobody knows that better than I,” Peter said humbly.

+

+“Stop it, you two,” Penny cried. “I’ll get a head too big for my

+shoulders if you keep it up. By the way, do either of you recognize

+that man over there disguised as Graybeard?”

+

+“I think that’s Mr. Sanders. He said something about wearing such a

+costume when Alf gave up the idea,” said Peter.

+

+“No, it isn’t Mr. Sanders,” Penny said. “But there’s something very

+familiar about him. I’m sure I know him but I can’t quite put my finger

+on who he is.”

+

+“Has he done anything suspicious?” Phil asked.

+

+“Not a thing,” Penny admitted. Then she laughed. “But he has been

+paying quite a lot of attention to Adra. You’d better watch out, Phil.”

+

+Phil frowned. “I’ll be glad when this evening is over. I’ve hardly had

+a chance to speak to Adra since breakfast. And--and, well I guess you

+two know how I feel about her.”

+

+“We do,” Penny told him, smiling. “But the question is, does she?” She

+gave him a fond pat on the cheek. “Faint heart never won fair lady,

+Phil.”

+

+“That’s right,” Peter said, grinning. “Once you get used to the idea,

+Phil, proposing to the girl you love isn’t so difficult.”

+

+“I suppose not,” Phil said dubiously, “but if I rush matters I might

+ruin my chances with Adra.”

+

+Marjorie joined them then. “Nobody’s done anything suspicious at all,”

+she complained. “The whole scheme is a flop.”

+

+“The evening isn’t over yet,” Penny reminded her. She tucked her hand

+in the crook of Peter’s arm, blushing. “We’re going to announce our

+engagement at the banquet. And if Phil takes my advice, he’ll propose

+to Adra before the party is over.” She smiled at Marjorie. “Isn’t that

+enough excitement for you?”

+

+“Oh, oh,” Marjorie cried, hugging Penny. “I’m so glad. Wait until I

+tell Judy.” She was off, completely forgetting to congratulate the

+bridegroom-to-be.

+

+A short while after that Penny went upstairs with Adra and told her

+that she and Peter were engaged.

+

+“I’m so happy for you both,” Adra said, rather wistfully.

+

+Penny said nothing, but she guessed that when Phil did propose, the

+answer would be yes. She hurried downstairs again for, from the

+balcony, she could see that the guests were already crowding into the

+alcove.

+

+Most of the younger men, as Marjorie had predicted, were dressed as

+cowboys, complete with bandannas, chaps and guns in their holsters.

+Penny had not been able to pick out Brook and Alf, but she knew that

+Jimmy was the tallest cowboy of them all.

+

+He was waiting for her at the foot of the stairs. “Everybody’s

+all set,” he told her. “Pat’s pressing the button that moves the

+bookshelves now.” When Adra came down from the balcony he added, “Let’s

+wait out here. It’ll only add to the confusion if we, who have already

+seen the secret room, join the crowd in the alcove.”

+

+“All right,” Adra said, sitting on the bottom step. “I’m exhausted. Mr.

+Graybeard is a wonderful dancer, but he never wants to stop for a rest.”

+

+“Who is that guy anyway?” Jimmy asked. “He looks familiar, but I can’t

+place him.”

+

+“Neither can I,” Penny said. “But then I can’t place a lot of the

+people here.” She pointed to two cowboys who were standing just outside

+the alcove. “For instance, are those two guests Alf and Brook? I

+wouldn’t know.”

+

+And then Penny saw something that made her turn and race up the stairs.

+The guns that those two cowboys were slipping from their holsters were

+not toy pistols. Even at that distance she could see that they were

+small, but deadly-looking automatics.

+

+In the meantime, Philip, in the alcove, was making his little speech to

+the assembled guests.

+

+“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said and waited a moment for attention.

+

+“There is one little feature of Allen Lodge that has not been on

+exhibit, a place we call the secret room.” Philip paused again, for

+effect this time, and a murmur of interest ran around the room.

+

+“When we first moved into this Lodge we found it accidentally and

+we decided to surprise you with it tonight. This room has a curious

+entrance and when I open the door you will see the little wall safe

+that has held your money and jewelry. We are sorry to say there is no

+other treasure down there. Believe me, when we heard of the rumors

+about buried treasure, we turned the place upside down to see if we

+could find it, without success.”

+

+Philip deliberately assumed a very disappointed look on his face and

+the guests all laughed. Then he went on, “But maybe the Allens didn’t

+look in the right places, and possibly Mr. Graybeard, the ghost I see

+here tonight, may find some treasure for us. Masks and costumes are

+appropriate to our mysterious visit to a mysterious room. Look for

+treasure! We will have to go down in groups since it is a small room.

+The people immediately surrounding me can come down first and perhaps

+Mr. Graybeard will lend atmosphere by posing near the safe.”

+

+“I’d be delighted,” Mr. Graybeard said.

+

+Philip glanced at him, thinking: “His voice is familiar, but I’m sure

+he isn’t any of the merchants in the village we deal with.” Aloud he

+continued his speech:

+

+“When we come back up from the secret room we’ll unmask and go into

+the big dining room for the banquet. I hope you have all been keeping

+a list of the people whom you think you have recognized. As you know,

+we’re going to gather up your lists as you enter the dining room.

+During the banquet, prizes will be awarded to the guests who have

+guessed the largest number of people correctly.”

+

+After the applause that followed Philip’s speech, Pat pressed the

+button that moved the bookshelves aside. From then on Philip was kept

+busy leading one little party after another down into the secret room.

+

+Mr. Graybeard went with the first group and added to the ghostly

+atmosphere by posing near the safe. Behind him the paper skeleton

+dangled precariously from the ceiling.

+

+When the last guest had inspected the little room and had gone back up

+the stairs to the alcove, Philip said to Graybeard, “Thanks for helping

+us out. You make a swell ghost. Who are you anyway?”

+

+“Never mind,” said a cold, crisp voice. “Turn around and come down the

+steps with your hands up.”

+

+With one swift gesture, Philip released the spring that closed the

+secret door. Then he turned to face the gun Graybeard was pointing at

+him.

+

+Philip was caught in his own trap, but at least the man and his pistol

+could neither harm nor frighten the people on the other side of the

+door.

+

+Philip came slowly down the steps. “So you’re our mysterious Mr. X,” he

+said coolly.

+

+“Call me anything you like,” Graybeard said, taking Philip’s own pistol

+from his pocket. “Now open that safe.”

+

+Philip shrugged. “Anything to oblige.” he said.

+

+“And don’t try to pull any tricks,” Graybeard warned him. “Upstairs,

+two men I hired for the occasion are at this very moment relieving your

+guests of their excess jewelry and cash.”

+

+So it was a planned robbery! And Graybeard’s henchmen had probably come

+disguised as cowboys, carrying real pistols in their holsters!

+

+For a moment, Phil was paralyzed with worry about the girls. Penny and

+Marjorie were so impulsive! Would they submit quietly to a holdup? And

+Adra?

+

+He felt sure that the older women, although they would be frightened

+at the sight of guns, would do nothing which might arouse the anger of

+armed criminals. But the girls!

+

+The voice behind the mask repeated menacingly, “_Open that safe!_”

+

+Philip quickly obeyed. There was nothing else to do. Peter had been

+right all along: They should have called on the police for help.

+

+Philip twirled the dial and opened the door of the safe. “Help

+yourself,” he said curtly.

+

+“I am very much engaged in watching you,” replied the man. Philip had

+no choice. He emptied the safe and handed its contents to the masked

+burglar.

+

+There was a good sum of money, the payments of the guests for the

+week. It was mostly in checks and a great deal of the jewelry had

+been removed from the safe for the occasion. Philip was thanking his

+lucky stars that they didn’t keep too much cash, valuable articles or

+important papers. Philip tried to get a good look at the man’s face

+under his beard, but it and the mask over his nose and eyes completely

+hid his features.

+

+Could this really be the mysterious Mr. X? No, Philip decided.

+Graybeard was nothing but a common ordinary burglar. And yet there was

+something familiar about him.

+

+The man tucked the money into his pocket, then looked contemptuously at

+the bit of jewelry but put it into another pocket. Philip listened to

+hurrying footsteps overhead and could see that Graybeard was perturbed

+by them. But there was no catching this man off guard. He held the gun

+close to Philip every minute. He again ordered Philip to put his hands

+into the air, while he felt around the inside of the safe. Philip could

+not help but think what a curious picture this man with his long gray

+beard made, as he searched through the empty safe with one hand and

+kept his pistol pointed at Philip with the other. What on earth was he

+searching for?

+

+Then Philip heard a little click, and suddenly a drawer on two little

+steel rods dropped down from inside the top of the safe.

+

+“Missed that part of it, didn’t you?” Graybeard sneered. “Empty that

+drawer and hand me the stuff.”

+

+Philip was so surprised he stood there with his mouth open for a full

+minute, then with great interest he looked at this drawer that he

+had never seen before. It was wide and shallow and full of papers.

+Evidently a little hidden spring had released the rods that held the

+drawer in place. Could this be the place where the rumored treasure was

+supposed to be hidden? Philip mentally kicked himself for not having

+thought of such a possibility before. Much good it would do them now.

+Idiot that he had been not to have taken ordinary precautions that

+night. What fools they had all been not to follow Peter’s advice!

+

+No wonder Mr. X Graybeard had planted red herrings guaranteed to keep

+Jimmy and Marjorie searching everywhere for hidden treasure except in

+their own safe.

+

+“Quit stalling,” Graybeard growled, poking Philip with his gun. “Come

+on, hand over that stuff and make it snappy. The boys upstairs must be

+about ready to go.”

+

+Philip took from the drawer two packages of old papers that looked like

+receipted bills, and a large, bulging Manila envelope. This Graybeard

+snatched from Phil’s hand and pocketed it with a satisfied air. He

+glanced at the old papers and said, “You can throw those away. What

+I want is bound to be in this envelope.” He went on in a patronizing

+voice, “Thanks, sonny boy. If you hadn’t played right into my hands,

+I might have had to use some ‘soup’ to blow the lock off that safe.

+Messy stuff, ‘soup,’ and noisy. When I heard you were going to throw

+this ball and show your guests the secret room, I decided to let one

+of you dopey Allens open it for me.” He patted the pocket into which

+he had stuffed the old Manila envelope. “What I have here is much more

+valuable than all the money and jewels the men I hired have taken from

+your guests. They can keep whatever they collected as their pay.”

+

+“Just what is in that old envelope?” Phil asked, stalling for time. The

+man, in the boasting, triumphant mood he was now in, might be caught

+momentarily off guard.

+

+Graybeard chuckled evilly. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

+

+“I certainly would,” Philip said and added shrewdly, “I should think

+you’d like to _know_ too. After all, it may be stuffed with nothing but

+more old receipted bills.”

+

+The man, struck by this thought, glared at Philip through his mask.

+“Never thought of that,” he muttered and hastily shifted the gun from

+his right hand to his left so he could reach into his pocket and open

+the envelope.

+

+In that split second, Philip went into action. Before Graybeard knew

+what was happening the pistol had been knocked from his hand. At the

+same moment, Philip’s fist crashed against his jaw. Graybeard went limp

+and toppled to the floor.

+

+Phil leaped over his unconscious body to retrieve the gun. Then he took

+his own pistol from Graybeard’s pocket.

+

+“Now the tables are nicely turned,” Phil chuckled. He quickly tore

+strips from the black draperies on the wall and tied the man’s hands

+and feet together. He worked fast because he was worried about what

+was going on upstairs.

+

+Then he heard sounds on the other side of the door at the top of the

+steps. Phil held his pistol ready. One of the gunmen, worried by the

+prolonged absence of Graybeard, might be coming down to see what was

+happening in the secret room.

+

+The door swung open, and, to Phil’s relief, Pat leaped down the stairs.

+Phil met him halfway. “What happened?” he asked nervously. “The

+girls--are they all right?”

+

+“Everybody’s just fine,” Pat said, grinning. “I’ll tell you all about

+it later. Let’s see what you have here first.”

+

+He bent down and yanked the beard and mask from the unconscious man’s

+face.

+

+“Whew!” Pat and Phil whistled in one breath. “Our nice cheap laundry

+man!”

+

+For it was Mr. Taggart, and, as he regained consciousness, glaring with

+rage up at Phil, his face was anything but pleasant.

+

+

+

+

+CHAPTER 14

+

+FORGOTTEN TREASURE

+

+

+Pat swiftly untied Taggart’s feet. “Get up,” he ordered. “Your pals are

+waiting for you in a nice shiny prowl car in front of the Lodge.”

+

+“The police,” Phil gasped. “But how--?”

+

+Pat grinned. “The whole hold-up was a washout. Oh, some of the ladies

+got a little scared when we all suddenly found ourselves facing those

+cowboys and their guns. And I was pretty worried about you myself when

+I saw the door close and guessed you were trapped down here with the

+ringleader.” He chuckled. “Penny saved the day. Just before the hold-up

+was to take place, she happened to notice that two of the cowboys, who

+were loitering out in the hall, were carrying real guns. She raced

+upstairs and called the police.” He laughed at the chagrined expression

+on Taggart’s face. “The police arrived shortly after our friend’s pals

+had collected their loot. In fact, they walked out of the door and

+right into the arms of two of the biggest cops I’ve ever seen.”

+

+“Those fools,” Taggart snarled. “I told Jerry and Rick not to let

+anyone out of their sight once the secret door was open.”

+

+Pat, as he deftly emptied Taggart’s pockets, told him, “They didn’t

+exactly _let_ her dash upstairs to the phone in her room. She went so

+quickly and so quietly they didn’t even know she wasn’t among those

+present downstairs. When it finally dawned on them that none of their

+victims was dressed as a bride, I imagine they guessed that the game

+was up and decided to scram without waiting to see what had happened

+to their boss.” He gave Taggart a push. “Get going,” he said gruffly.

+“There’s a nice shiny pair of bracelets waiting for you.”

+

+It was after one when the men returned from the precinct station after

+preferring charges against the three men. The girls were waiting

+excitedly for them on the porch.

+

+“Oh, Phil,” Marjorie yelled, running down the steps. “To think that

+Graybeard was Mr. Taggart our laundryman, and none of us saw through

+his disguise.”

+

+“Well,” Phil said, “it was a good disguise for one thing, and he was

+careful to spend most of his time with Adra who had never seen him.”

+

+Adra smiled rather shamefacedly. “I’m such a lazybones! He usually came

+in the morning before I was up. When he did come later in the day I

+guess I was always off somewhere having a good time while you Allens

+worked.”

+

+“That’s what you were supposed to be doing,” Penny said, smiling.

+“You’re our guest, remember?”

+

+“Never mind about that,” Marjorie interrupted impatiently. “What I want

+to know is whether or not Mr. Taggart was Mr. X.” She tugged Phil’s

+arm, leading him to a seat beside her on the porch glider. “Did he

+plant the clues we found and write us the threatening letters?”

+

+Phil nodded. “The other men were merely hired by him for the evening to

+keep the guests out of his hair while he looked for a secret drawer

+in the safe. He made a complete confession before we left the police

+station.”

+

+“Oh, oh,” Marjorie cried jumping up. “Then the mystery is solved. Tell

+us everything, Phil, right now.”

+

+He patted her hand affectionately. “Not now, honey. First we must think

+of our guests. Family affairs can come later.”

+

+Once everybody was in the dining room, its light and decorations made a

+gay setting for the return to normal feelings. As Philip followed the

+last guest into the room, Penny said, “Adra and I were just sick with

+worry over you, Phil. I want to know every single thing that happened

+as soon as possible! Are you sure you’re all right?”

+

+“I’m fine,” Phil assured her.

+

+Jimmy, too, caught Philip and said. “Good work, Phil. When do I get to

+hear the whole story?”

+

+“As soon as the guests have all gone home or to bed in the Lodge,”

+Philip said. “It’s a long story.” He turned to Penny, “And it was your

+quickwittedness that made it have a happy ending.”

+

+“I didn’t do anything but dash up to my room and call the police,”

+Penny said. “You’re a hero, Phil.”

+

+By now, of course, everyone had removed his mask and all the faces were

+familiar ones.

+

+Philip moved on to a space at the central table where he and Adra were

+going to sit together. He held her hand in a firm clasp and her fingers

+twined in response. Peter smiled at him and clapped his hands together

+for order.

+

+“Speech! Speech!”

+

+Philip smiled at everybody and didn’t seem at all nervous or upset

+after his experience of the evening.

+

+“I’m very sorry,” he began, “that robbers chose us for their victims

+tonight, and that I could not prevent your disagreeable experience.”

+

+“It was fun,” Judy interrupted impulsively. “For the longest time I

+thought it was just an act Jimmy and Alf were putting on. What I’ll

+have to tell the girls when I get back to Cincinnati!”

+

+Philip smiled at her and continued: “I hope that you all can forget

+the unpleasant part of the evening and that you will enjoy the feast

+Ann Mary prepared. I have here the jewelry and wallets and handbags

+the armed cowboys took from you. As I hold up each item will the owner

+please come and get his or her property?”

+

+While the food was being served, Philip distributed the stolen articles

+to their owners.

+

+“I was much too surprised to be frightened at first,” said Mrs. Curtis,

+calmly pouring cream into her coffee. “Indeed, like Judy, I thought for

+quite a while that it was some stunt the boys had thought up. The young

+people today are always doing some crazy thing.”

+

+“I was nearly speechless at those guns,” said Mrs. Powell. “I don’t

+know what the country is coming to! But it was all over so quickly I

+don’t suppose I was much more frightened than I would have been trying

+to get across a busy street.”

+

+“That, my dear, is slightly underestimating it--at least for me,” said

+Mr. Powell. “I was just plain worried one of those guns would go off.”

+

+“I certainly hated to see my jewelry gathered in,” remarked Mrs.

+Sanders.

+

+The prizes were awarded, and there was music afterwards. Some of

+the older people retired soon, but as this was the last general

+celebration, the younger set preferred to linger.

+

+Philip, whose duties as host had been accomplished, wasted no time, but

+took Adra to a moonlit walk and pretty nook on the shore where they sat

+on the sand and talked.

+

+Philip told Adra of his feeling of responsibility for his brother and

+sisters. “Now Penny is engaged to Peter as I suppose she told you.

+This summer’s venture will see Jimmy and Marjorie through school.” He

+hesitated. “And, er, college. At last, Adra, I feel I have a right to

+say, well, that the only treasure I ever wanted is you!”

+

+Adra’s blush was most becoming and gave Philip courage to go on. “Could

+you possibly care for me, Adra? You know your father has invited me

+into his office and I want to go on with my college education evenings,

+but somehow, whatever I decide to do depends on you. If you care, I

+think we can--”

+

+“Manage the rest,” finished Adra calmly, though her heart was beating

+fast. “Yes, Phil, I care enough.”

+

+Two happy young people walked back to the Lodge about half an hour

+later. As Phil and Adra entered they found most of the guests gone and

+Marjorie and Jimmy curled up in big chairs on the porch, sound asleep.

+

+“Those two wouldn’t dare go to bed for fear they’d miss something.”

+Adra and Philip laughed and went back to find Peter and Penny raiding

+the pantry for a snack.

+

+“Ha!” cried Phil. “More burglars!”

+

+“Yes; come join us,” replied Penny, unwrapping some brick ice cream.

+

+“Delighted,” returned her brother. “We need to celebrate. Adra and

+I have just reached a momentous decision and this Lodge can hardly

+contain me, big as it is.”

+

+“Honest? Oh, Adra, you perfect dear!” and Penny dropped the ice cream

+to hug Adra with enthusiasm. And Peter, who had caught the ice cream

+on his plate, shook hands with Philip after carefully setting down his

+burden.

+

+“You know,” said Peter slyly, “Philip was going to tell us what

+Mr. Taggart said when he confessed, but I guess Adra has made him

+completely forget it.”

+

+“That she has,” answered Philip. “Anything else that happened tonight

+is very unimportant by comparison with this. After all, that’s over.

+Exciting enough while it lasted, but not nearly as interesting as plans

+for my future life with Adra.”

+

+“Listen to the hero make little out of his great adventure,” cried

+Penny. “Phil, I can’t stand it another minute. Begin at the beginning

+and tell us every word Mr. Taggart said when he confessed. How did he

+know there was a secret drawer in the safe, and what was in the drawer?”

+

+For answer, Peter led the way to the porch. “Wake up, Sleepy Heads,”

+he said, nudging Marjorie and Jimmy. “Wake up and hear a bedtime story

+about hidden treasure!”

+

+“Hidden treasure,” Marjorie repeated, instantly wide awake. “Phil!

+You’ve been keeping something important from us.”

+

+“I told you it was a family matter,” Phil said, putting his arm around

+Adra. “And before I told the tale I wanted to be sure that Adra as well

+as Peter will soon be members of our family.”

+

+“I knew it,” Marjorie cried, giving Adra a hug. “I told you so, Jimmy.”

+

+“Congratulations, you two,” Jimmy said. “I mean, you four. Now, can we

+hear what went on in the secret room tonight, Phil?”

+

+“The story,” Phil began, “goes back to about twenty years ago when

+Uncle John was a very rich man and living in New York City. At that

+time he invested $20,000 in a small company belonging to one of his

+friends who told him that the stock was sure to go up. But the stock

+didn’t go up. It went down and finally its name disappeared from the

+Stock Exchange boards and from the newspaper stock lists. Naturally,

+Uncle John thought his certificates were worthless, but, lucky for us,

+he didn’t destroy them.”

+

+“Golly, Phil,” Jimmy cried enthusiastically. “When you say ‘lucky for

+us’ do you mean the old stock is worth something? Can I have a sailboat

+after all?”

+

+Phil grinned. “Let me finish, puh-leeze. About five years ago, the

+company started paying dividends, but it couldn’t locate a great many

+of its stockholders, among them, Uncle John. He had changed his address

+several times before he settled down here. So the company officials

+turned the matter over to a special detective agency which specializes

+in tracking down owners of forgotten stocks. Notices also appeared

+in newspapers throughout the country, and Mr. Taggart saw one of the

+notices.

+

+“With forged credentials, he got a job with the detective agency and

+was assigned the duty of finding Uncle John. Guessing that Uncle John

+was dead, he planned to get hold of the stock certificates, and, with

+more forged credentials, prove that he was his sole heir.”

+

+Phil turned to Penny who was holding hands with Peter. “If it hadn’t

+been for you, Taggart might well have succeeded. A girl not quite so

+level-headed might have screamed when she saw those ‘cowboys’ drawing

+real guns from their holsters.”

+

+Peter squeezed her hand more tightly. “I can’t bear to think about what

+might have happened if those gunmen had seen you darting up the stairs.”

+

+“Stop it, both of you,” Penny protested, blushing. “Get on with the

+story, Phil!”

+

+“Okay,” Phil said, smiling. “Taggart finally traced Uncle John to

+the Lodge only to find that he was dead and that we had started our

+business venture here. He had hoped to find the Lodge deserted so he

+could search undisturbed for the certificates. He knew that people

+leave old stocks and bonds in all sorts of places. Sometimes they slip

+them under the paper lining of bureau drawers or cupboards, or between

+the pages of books. False-bottom trunks and secret drawers in old

+safes, and so forth, and so forth. Taggart realized that one of us,

+while we were getting the Lodge ready for guests, might come across the

+certificates. So the first thing he did was to try to frighten us away.”

+

+“That was silly of him,” Marjorie said with a sniff. “He might have

+known that the Allens don’t frighten easily.”

+

+“Be quiet, imp,” Jimmy said. “He didn’t know anything about us then.”

+He added to Philip: “So it was Taggart who wrote the two threatening

+letters? And left his footprint on the ground under the shed floor?”

+

+“That’s right,” Phil told him. “He confessed that he wrote the one to

+Penny _after_ she fell down the well. And he also confessed that he

+was our night prowler. Actually he did a lot of prowling we didn’t

+know about, trying to find out if his anonymous letters had any effect.

+The first night he came snooping around he listened outside the living

+room window and heard us joking about digging in the well for buried

+treasure. That gave him the idea of keeping us busy digging outside,

+instead of searching around inside.”

+

+“I can guess what he did next,” Marjorie said with a rueful laugh. “He

+wrote that note on an old piece of paper, put one half in the bottle

+Judy and I found down on the beach, and the other half in the pocket of

+the old suit Brook found when the boys were out camping.” She stopped

+suddenly, her blue eyes wide with amazement. “But how and when did he

+manage to put that map in the lid of the costume jewelry box?”

+

+“I can answer that one,” Penny said with a sigh. “The day our first

+guests arrived, I heard someone rummaging around in the storage room. I

+thought it was you, Marjorie, and thought you were fibbing later when

+you insisted you were out in the Donahues’ cabin helping Ann Mary count

+their laundry.” She laughed. “I owe you an apology, honey. While you

+and Ann Mary were busy, and Phil and I were upstairs hanging curtains,

+Taggart must have sneaked into the storage room and pasted that map

+behind the rotten lining of the old jewelry box.”

+

+“You’re both two jumps ahead of me,” Philip said, laughing. “Taggart

+did put the map where you found it, but first he had to have some

+excuse for coming out here. He heard in the village that we were

+looking for someone who would take the soiled linen in to the

+laundry-mat and applied to Penny for the job.”

+

+Penny moaned, covering her pretty face with both hands. “Oh, why did I

+fall into his trap so easily? I should have guessed when he offered to

+do it so cheaply, that something was wrong.”

+

+“Not at all,” Peter said protectively. “Taggart did handle the laundry

+situation in a very satisfactory manner, so I don’t think anyone can

+blame you for not suspecting him of an ulterior motive.”

+

+Phil nodded. “That’s right, Penny, nobody blames you. The trouble

+was that no one paid much attention to him when he came out here. I

+imagine Ann Mary didn’t always have the bundle ready, or his pay when

+he brought out the clean wash. Once when she left him alone in the

+kitchen he slipped down to the beach and stuck the bottle containing

+half the note under a rock.”

+

+“We made everything so easy for him,” Marjorie groaned. “He was there

+in the kitchen, I remember, the day Ann Mary suggested that Judy and

+I search for rare shells. He was also there the time I asked her if

+it would be all right for us to spend the first rainy day rummaging

+through the old trunks in the storage room.”

+

+“And,” Penny added, “he knew exactly when the boys left on their

+camping trip. Remember? Ann Mary told him he had to bring back their

+clean shirts before they left. I imagine it was simple for him to find

+out from her where they were going.”

+

+“Uh huh,” Phil said. “_Very_ simple. Ann Mary had no reason to suspect

+him. He followed them to Uncle John’s fishing camp only to find that

+they had moved deeper into the woods. He saw the Bronc’s tire tracks

+and followed them to the lake. Early in the morning before Brook’s

+adventure, he rigged up the coat with the other half of the note in the

+pocket. He could count on the fact that one of the boys, while out

+canoeing, would be sure to notice what looked like the torso of a human

+body.” Phil smiled. “Taggart also knew that Jimmy, like Marjorie, was

+sure treasure was buried around here and was looking for clues.”

+

+“And,” Peter added, “the man knew that no boy could resist going

+through the pockets of an old coat he found.”

+

+Jimmy’s tanned cheeks were very red. “Well,” he said, “that clears up

+all the mysterious clues and letters. And we certainly all played right

+into his hands when we issued invitations to the masquerade.”

+

+“And,” Penny added, “when I dropped hints all over the village that we

+were going to show our guests the secret room that night.” She sighed.

+“What I don’t understand is how Taggart knew there was a secret drawer

+in the safe.”

+

+“Because,” Philip explained, staring at Marjorie, “one day when he was

+out here he caught a glimpse of the safe. Not only is he a notorious

+forger, but, in between sessions in jail, he’s made an exhaustive study

+of safes. He knew that the particular style and make of the one in the

+secret room had a hidden drawer in the top. Since we obviously hadn’t

+found the certificates while we were cleaning up the Lodge, he guessed

+that they might be in the secret compartment of the safe.”

+

+“But,” Jimmy interrupted. “When on earth did he get a glimpse of the

+safe? Up until tonight--I mean last night--nobody but you and Pat ever

+went into the secret room. And I’m sure neither of you was careless

+enough to open the door unless you were sure no one was lurking around.”

+

+It was now Marjorie’s turn to cover her red cheeks with both hands.

+“I can answer that one,” she confessed miserably. “One day when Mr.

+Taggart was here, I showed Judy how the door opened. He must have been

+hiding in the alcove when the bookshelves moved back. I heard someone

+moving down the hall just before we left, and thought it was Ann Mary

+with a bundle of soiled laundry. But I guess there’s no doubt that it

+was Mr. Taggart.” She raised her face, on the verge of tears. “Thinking

+back, I remember now that he was in the kitchen, and Judy and I had

+just left there when she begged me to show her how the secret door

+worked. Oh,” she finished, “how can I be so dumb?”

+

+“’Tain’t easy,” Jimmy said, grinning. “You’ve got to have a lot of

+practice before you can be as hopeless as you are!”

+

+“Never mind, honey,” Penny said to Marjorie in a comforting voice.

+“After all, in a way you helped to set the trap that caught Mr. X.” She

+turned to Philip. “We’re all trying to tell your story for you, and I,

+for one, am getting confused. Once Taggart got a glimpse of the safe

+and knew how to get into the secret room, why did he wait until the

+masquerade to go in there?”

+

+Phil chuckled. “Because he didn’t know the combination of the safe. He

+could, of course, have sneaked out here at night after we’d all gone to

+bed and used dynamite to open the safe, but that would have been pretty

+risky. Soon after he saw the safe and the room, we issued blanket

+invitations to the masquerade and you slyly hinted that part of the

+evening’s entertainment would be a visit to the secret room. Taggart

+promptly decided that the safest way of getting what he wanted was to

+let us lead him right to it.”

+

+“In other words,” Peter added, “while we were setting our little trap,

+Mr. X was setting one of his own. While his gangster friends were

+holding up the rest of the party, he planned to force one of you Allens

+to accompany him into the secret room and open the safe.”

+

+“That’s right,” Philip said. “And I made things easy for him when I

+asked him to lend atmosphere by posing by the safe; and then, to cap

+the climax, I stayed behind after everyone else had left. The only

+thing I can say for myself,” he finished, “is that I did have the

+presence of mind to close the door as soon as I realized I’d walked

+into the trap we had set for him. And even that,” he admitted, “was

+sort of a reflex action.”

+

+“Call it what you like,” Jimmy said, “but it was important. Otherwise,

+Taggart would have heard the outraged cries of his gunmen when they

+walked into the arms of the police. During that commotion he might have

+escaped--with the real loot.” He leaned forward to tap Phil’s knee.

+“Now that we’ve all, with the exception of the inlaws-to-be, confessed

+to being dimwits in one way or another, let’s hear more about those

+stock certificates, Phil. Answer me, yes, or no, are they worth enough

+so I can get a sailboat?”

+

+

+

+

+CHAPTER 15

+

+HAPPY ENDING

+

+

+“I object,” Peter cried. “My wife-to-be isn’t a dimwit. She’s a

+heroine.”

+

+“I object, too,” Adra said. “Phil’s a hero.”

+

+“All right, all right,” Jimmy said. “But it’s getting on toward dawn.

+Marjorie and I are dimwits. Just tell me whether or not we’re rich or

+poor.”

+

+“We’re rich,” Philip said as he drew from his pocket the bulging

+envelope he had earlier been forced to hand over to Taggart. He handed

+it to Penny. “Open it, Sis.”

+

+Her hands shaking with excitement, Penny lifted the flap and pulled out

+a wad of musty-smelling, yellowed stock certificates.

+

+“Those ancient documents,” Phil told her quietly, “don’t look like

+much. But, according to Taggart’s confession, when we turn them in

+we’ll collect about $50,000--their cash value plus back dividends and

+interest.”

+

+For a moment no one spoke. Then Jimmy yelled: “WHOOPEE! The hidden

+treasure is found at last. And boy oh boy, will I ever get the finest

+sailboat that was ever launched!”

+

+“I can’t believe it,” Marjorie said in an awed voice. “Why, I--I’m an

+heiress!”

+

+“_I_ can believe it,” Peter said, pretending to be mournful. “Penny

+will never marry poor penniless me now.”

+

+“Of course not,” Penny said with a laugh. “And now Phil doesn’t have to

+marry Adra for her money either.”

+

+Everyone laughed then, almost hysterically. They were all tired and

+over-stimulated. Dawn was pinking the sky in the east.

+

+“If you ask me,” Jimmy said, stretching and yawning, “I’d say we all

+ought to catch a little shut-eye. I for one won’t believe any part of

+Phil’s yarn until I hear it all over again in broad daylight.”

+

+But the next morning, after consulting the older men who were staying

+at the Lodge, the Allens learned that the old stock certificates were

+worth even more than Taggart had estimated.

+

+“I know the company well,” Mr. Curtis told Phil. “Bought stock in it

+myself a few years ago when it got a government loan and staged a

+comeback.”

+

+And then, to the delight of everyone, Adra’s father, Mr. Prentice,

+arrived by plane. They were all eager for the advice of such an

+experienced businessman.

+

+“I wouldn’t sell,” he said, after hearing the whole story. “You

+couldn’t invest your money in a safer concern. When you collect your

+back dividends you’ll each have a tidy sum if you need cash now. If

+not, I would reinvest that money and thus provide yourselves with a

+comfortable yearly income from it and the original investment.” He

+smiled at them. “I’ll handle the whole matter for you, if you like.”

+

+“Please do,” Penny cried. “Oh, it’s all so wonderful! Peter and I can

+get married right away and Marjorie and Jimmy are assured of college

+educations.”

+

+“What about us?” Philip crossed over to stand beside Adra who was

+perched on the arm of her father’s chair. “Sir,” he said with

+old-fashioned formality, “your daughter has done me the honor of

+promising to become my wife. With your permission we would like to be

+married sometime this fall.”

+

+Marjorie could not suppress a giggle. Phil did look as though he ought

+to be wearing a Prince Albert coat instead of a sports jacket and

+slacks.

+

+Mr. Prentice stood up to shake hands gravely with Philip. “You have my

+permission, sir,” he said, a smile twitching the corners of his mouth.

+“And my blessing.”

+

+Peter grabbed Penny’s hand. “Come on, let’s celebrate! No more work

+today for any of the Allens.”

+

+But Phil and Penny could not take a holiday so soon. Most of the guests

+were making arrangements for their departures. Phil and Penny had to be

+everywhere at once to help them pack and ship off their luggage, or to

+make reservations for them on planes and buses.

+

+Judy flatly refused to leave with her parents and Alf. “I’ve just got

+to stay here for Penny’s wedding,” she begged. “Marjorie and I are

+going to be bridesmaids.”

+

+“Then we’ll stay too,” Mrs. Powell said and added to Penny, “That is,

+if we’re invited.”

+

+“Of course, you are,” Penny cried. “The Curtises and Adra and her

+father are going to stay on for the great event, so we’ll have one

+grand houseparty until then.”

+

+By Labor Day evening all of the other guests had left the Lodge. To

+celebrate the first dinner of the wedding day houseparty, Pat opened a

+bottle of champagne that he claimed to have held over from his wedding

+for another special occasion.

+

+“Ugh,” Marjorie spluttered after one sip. “What horrible tasting stuff!”

+

+Jimmy, Judy and Alf heartily agreed with her and gratefully accepted

+the ginger ale Ann Mary hastily substituted for the bubbling wine.

+

+Peter proposed a toast. “Here’s to the Allens of Allen Lodge. May they

+always be happy and prosperous!”

+

+“You’d better include the Wylands in that toast,” Marjorie said with an

+impish smile. “Penny won’t be an Allen much longer.”

+

+A few days later, on a beautiful, bright September morning, the

+wedding took place. Marjorie and Judy were so excited they couldn’t

+fasten the zippers on their crisp organdie frocks. Penny, sweetly

+serene, came to the rescue, wearing her lovely flowing gown of white

+tulle over taffeta. Marjorie finally conquered her nervousness long

+enough to pin on the clusters of orange blossoms which held Penny’s

+lace veil in place.

+

+Then, carrying Pat’s enormous bridal bouquet of long-stemmed white

+chrysanthemums, Penny came from the house on Philip’s arm to join Peter

+under the trees.

+

+Marjorie held her breath while Penny and Peter made their vows in

+clear, steady voices. After the ceremony was over, Charles was the

+first to congratulate the bridegroom, and Marjorie, the first to kiss

+her sister.

+

+“You didn’t act scared at all,” she whispered. “I know I would have

+said I _don’t_ instead of I do, just because I was so nervous.” She

+turned to give Peter a hug. “It’s so nice to have another brother,” she

+cried. “And to know that soon I’ll have another sister.”

+

+A merry wedding breakfast was served on the sunny porch and this time

+it was Marjorie who proposed a toast. “To Allen Lodge,” she cried,

+holding her punch glass high, “where there’s never a dull moment.

+Here’s hoping that it holds some new adventure just waiting to be

+discovered.”

+

+“I’m with you there, Sis,” cried Jimmy.

+

+But Peter and Penny only smiled happily.

+

+

+

+

+FALCON BOOKS

+

+

+_For Girls_

+

+  Champion’s Choice BY JOHN R. TUNIS

+  Patty and Jo, Detectives BY ELSIE WRIGHT

+

+BY KAY LYTTLETON

+

+  Jean Craig Grows Up

+  Jean Craig in New York

+  Jean Craig Finds Romance

+  Jean Craig, Nurse

+  Jean Craig, Graduate Nurse

+

+BY JEAN MCKECHNIE

+

+  Penny Allen and the Mystery of the Haunted House

+  Penny Allen and the Mystery of the Hidden Treasure

+

+

+_For Boys_

+

+  The Spirit of the Border BY ZANE GREY

+  The Last Trail BY ZANE GREY

+  Call to Adventure BY ROBERT SPIERS BENJAMIN

+  Champs on Ice BY JACK WRIGHT

+  The Strike-Out King BY JULIAN DE VRIES

+  The Winning Basket BY DUANE YARNELL

+  Over the Hurdles BY EMMETT MAUM

+  Boys’ Book of Sea Battles BY CHELSEA CURTIS FRASER

+  Through Forest and Stream BY DUANE YARNELL

+

+BY CAPWELL WYCKOFF

+

+  The Mercer Boys’ Cruise on the Lassie

+  The Mercer Boys at Woodcrest

+  The Mercer Boys on a Treasure Hunt

+  The Mercer Boys’ Mystery Case

+  The Mercer Boys with the Coast Guard

+

+

+

+

+Transcriber’s Note:

+

+The text as published in the original publication has been retained

+except as follows:

+

+  Page 35

+  unless their guests’ deposit _changed to_

+  unless their guests deposit

+

+  Page 36

+  means,” Penny said, “That right after breakfast _changed to_

+  means,” Penny said, “that right after breakfast

+

+  Page 55

+  They all started silently out _changed to_

+  They all stared silently out

+

+  Page 81

+  few friends of Charles’ _changed to_

+  few friends of Charles

+

+  Page 94

+  you’re asolutely right _changed to_

+  you’re absolutely right

+

+  Page 120

+  can’t thing of anything _changed to_

+  can’t think of anything

+

+  Page 146

+  heard a night prowler?” _changed to_

+  heard a night prowler.”

+

+

+

+

+

+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Penny Allen and the Mystery of the

+Hidden Treasure, by Jean Lyttleton McKechnie

+

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+<pre>

+

+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Penny Allen and the Mystery of the Hidden

+Treasure, by Jean Lyttleton McKechnie

+

+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with

+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or

+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included

+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license

+

+

+Title: Penny Allen and the Mystery of the Hidden Treasure

+

+Author: Jean Lyttleton McKechnie

+

+Release Date: October 2, 2016 [EBook #53198]

+

+Language: English

+

+Character set encoding: UTF-8

+

+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PENNY ALLEN AND THE MYSTERY ***

+

+

+

+

+Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, MFR and the Online

+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

+

+

+

+

+

+

+</pre>

+

+

+<hr class="divider mt3" />

+<h1 class="line-spacing1"><big>Penny Allen</big><br />

+<small>and the Mystery of</small><br />

+THE HIDDEN TREASURE</h1>

+

+

+<hr class="divider2" />

+

+<div class="hidehand">

+<div class="figcenter width500">

+<img src="images/cover.jpg" width="500" height="731" alt="Cover" />

+</div>

+</div>

+

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<hr class="divider" />

+</div>

+

+<div class="promo-block">

+<p class="center p120">FALCON <img class="promo" src="images/colophon.png" width="100" height="91" alt="Colophon" />

+BOOKS</p>

+

+<p class="center p180"><cite>Penny Allen and the<br />

+Mystery of the Hidden Treasure</cite></p>

+

+<p>When the Allens&mdash;Philip, Jimmy, Penny and Marjorie&mdash;opened

+their Michigan Lodge as a summer

+hotel, they decided to track down the rumor of buried

+treasure. Other people, however, had the same idea,

+and before the Allens could solve the baffling clues

+they discovered, they found themselves in real danger.

+How they found the treasure, and how Penny and

+Philip found romance with it, make an exciting and

+romantic adventure everyone will enjoy.</p>

+

+

+<p class="center p160"><em>Other Falcon Books for Girls</em>:</p>

+

+<p class="center mb2">PENNY ALLEN AND THE MYSTERY OF THE HAUNTED HOUSE</p>

+<p class="center mt2 mb2">PATTY AND JO, DETECTIVES</p>

+<p class="center mt2 mb2">JEAN CRAIG GROWS UP</p>

+<p class="center mt2 mb2">JEAN CRAIG IN NEW YORK</p>

+<p class="center mt2 mb2">JEAN CRAIG FINDS ROMANCE</p>

+<p class="center mt2 mb2">JEAN CRAIG, NURSE</p>

+<p class="center mt2 mb2">JEAN CRAIG, GRADUATE NURSE</p>

+<p class="center mt2">CHAMPION’S CHOICE</p>

+</div>

+

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<hr class="divider2" />

+<div class="figcenter width400">

+<a name="frontis" id="frontis"></a>

+<img src="images/frontispiece.jpg" width="400" height="550" alt="fronispiece" />

+<div class="caption">“It looks like the note in the bottle!”</div>

+</div>

+</div>

+

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<hr class="divider" />

+</div>

+<p class="center p180"><em>Penny Allen</em><br />

+

+AND THE<br />

+

+Mystery of the Hidden Treasure</p>

+

+<p class="center p130 mt3"><span class="smcap">by JEAN McKECHNIE</span></p>

+

+<div class="figcenter width100">

+<img src="images/colophon.png" width="100" height="91" alt="Colophon" />

+</div>

+

+<p class="center p130 mt3">THE WORLD PUBLISHING COMPANY</p>

+

+<p class="center">CLEVELAND AND NEW YORK</p>

+

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<hr class="divider" />

+

+<p class="center line-spacing2">Falcon Books<br />

+

+<i>are published by</i> <span class="smcap">THE WORLD PUBLISHING COMPANY</span><br />

+

+2231 WEST 110 STREET • CLEVELAND 2 • OHIO</p>

+

+

+<p class="center mt3 line-spacing2">W1<br />

+

+COPYRIGHT 1950 BY THE WORLD PUBLISHING COMPANY<br />

+

+MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA</p>

+

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<hr class="divider" />

+</div>

+<h2><a name="contents" id="contents"></a><i>Contents</i></h2>

+

+<table summary="Content">

+<tr>

+<td class="tdr">1.</td>

+<td class="tdl">A New Adventure</td>

+<td class="tdr2"><a href="#i">9</a></td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdr">2. </td>

+<td class="tdl">An Anonymous Letter</td>

+<td class="tdr2"><a href="#ii">23</a></td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdr">3.</td>

+<td class="tdl">The Abandoned Well</td>

+<td class="tdr2"><a href="#iii">40</a></td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdr">4.</td>

+<td class="tdl">A Night Prowler</td>

+<td class="tdr2"><a href="#iv">53</a></td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdr">5.</td>

+<td class="tdl">Another Threat</td>

+<td class="tdr2"><a href="#v">68</a></td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdr">6.</td>

+<td class="tdl">Clues in a Bottle</td>

+<td class="tdr2"><a href="#vi">85</a></td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdr">7.</td>

+<td class="tdl">The Map</td>

+<td class="tdr2"><a href="#vii">98</a></td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdr">8.</td>

+<td class="tdl">Peter Is Worried</td>

+<td class="tdr2"><a href="#viii">109</a></td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdr">9.</td>

+<td class="tdl">Camping Out</td>

+<td class="tdr2"><a href="#ix">121</a></td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdr">10.</td>

+<td class="tdl">Jimmy to the Rescue</td>

+<td class="tdr2"><a href="#x">133</a></td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdr">11.</td>

+<td class="tdl">The Missing Fragment</td>

+<td class="tdr2"><a href="#xi">151</a></td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdr">12.</td>

+<td class="tdl">Setting the Trap      </td>

+<td class="tdr2"><a href="#xii">166</a></td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdr">13.</td>

+<td class="tdl">Philip Traps a Thief</td>

+<td class="tdr2"><a href="#xiii">179</a></td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdr">14.</td>

+<td class="tdl">Forgotten Treasure</td>

+<td class="tdr2"><a href="#xiv">197</a></td>

+</tr>

+<tr>

+<td class="tdr">15.</td>

+<td class="tdl">Happy Ending</td>

+<td class="tdr2"><a href="#xv">216</a></td>

+</tr>

+</table>

+

+

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<hr class="divider" />

+

+<p class="center line-spacing2"><span class="p180"><em>Penny Allen</em></span><br />

+<span class="p120">AND THE MYSTERY OF THE<br />

+HIDDEN TREASURE</span></p>

+</div>

+

+

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<hr class="divider" />

+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">9</a></span>

+</div>

+

+<h2><span><a name="i" id="i"></a>CHAPTER 1</span><br />

+A NEW ADVENTURE</h2>

+

+

+<p class="noi"><span class="smcap">A warm June</span> breeze was blowing in from Lake

+Superior. It caught a strand of Penny Allen’s blonde

+hair and blew it across her dark blue eyes.</p>

+

+<p>Penny was out in the clearing behind the Lodge

+hanging blankets on the line. “Help,” she called to

+her brother, Philip, who was working nearby. “Help,

+I can’t see what I’m doing, and my arms are full of

+blankets.”</p>

+

+<p>Philip, his clear, blue-gray eyes sparkling with

+laughter, hurried to the rescue. He extricated Penny

+from the mound of blankets she was carrying and

+helped her hang them on the line.</p>

+

+<p>As they worked together, fighting the capricious

+breeze that threatened every minute to blow the

+blankets away, Penny said excitedly:</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">10</a></span>

+“I can’t believe it, Phil. We’re practically ready to

+open the Lodge for guests!”</p>

+

+<p>“Well, not quite,” Philip said soberly. He was

+twenty, a year older than Penny, and usually wore a

+rather serious air. This was partly due to his responsibilities

+as the head of the Allen family.</p>

+

+<p>Their Uncle John Allen had died suddenly a year

+ago leaving the four orphans, Penny, Philip, Jimmy

+and Marjorie, to shift for themselves. He had left the

+Lodge to Philip and a beautiful yacht, the <em>Penny

+Allen</em>, to Penny.</p>

+

+<p>Recently, Philip had decided to turn his inheritance

+into a business venture. The lovely house, situated in

+the Michigan woods near Lake Superior, would make

+an ideal summer hotel. Ever since the first of June

+they had all been busy helping to get it ready for

+many of their old friends who planned to spend the

+summer there.</p>

+

+<p>“Don’t look so serious, Phil,” Penny cried. “We

+<em>are</em> just about ready.”</p>

+

+<p>Philip’s eyes, under their straight, dark eyebrows,

+were thoughtful. “We’re not even organized yet,

+Penny,” he said. “The winter just seemed to go like<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">11</a></span>

+lightning.” A quick smile dispelled his seriousness.

+“I guess we spent too much of the holidays enjoying

+the winter sports.”</p>

+

+<p>“Pooh,” Penny said impulsively. “We were all together

+and we had fun. We deserved that.”</p>

+

+<p>Orphans since thirteen-year-old Marjorie, the

+youngest, had been a baby, the Allens had hardly

+known one another, for they had all gone to different

+schools and summer camps. But in spite of that, they

+had managed to maintain a merry and cheerful household.</p>

+

+<p>And now they were all bound and determined to

+make a success of their summer hotel. “We’ve got

+plenty of time to get organized in,” Penny argued.

+She pushed her light brown hair out of her eyes with

+one hand and tucked the last clothespin in place with

+the other. “Here come Marjorie and Jimmy. You

+can organize us all right now.”</p>

+

+<p>“Hi,” Jimmy called, striding toward them. He was

+the darkest member of the family, contrasting sharply

+with Marjorie.</p>

+

+<p>She was very fair, with light golden hair and light-blue

+eyes. Her slight figure and small delicate hands<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">12</a></span>

+gave her an almost elfin grace to which was added a

+delightfully mischievous quality. “She looks delicate,”

+Jimmy often said. “But the kid’s as tough as nails.”</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy’s current aim in life was to reach at least

+six feet before he stopped growing. Almost daily the

+slender, seventeen-year-old boy insisted that Philip

+stand back to back with him in order to determine

+whether or not he had finally become the tallest member

+of the family.</p>

+

+<p>Judging by the quantities of food he packed away,

+Penny felt sure that he would never stop growing.

+Moreover, it seemed to her that he was quite tall

+enough now. What he needed to do was to gain a

+little weight.</p>

+

+<p>“A summer here, spent mostly outdoors,” she said

+to Philip, “will do both Marjorie and Jimmy a world

+of good. I hope they each gain a few pounds before

+they go back to school.”</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie, who had been trailing behind Jimmy,

+called out then: “Now that the blankets are airing,

+Penny, can’t we go through the stuff in the storage

+room?” She broke into a run and arrived by the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">13</a></span>

+clothesline almost out of breath. “I can’t wait to see

+what’s in those old trunks.”</p>

+

+<p>“Probably nothing but junk,” Jimmy said. “You

+know what Uncle John always called this place.”</p>

+

+<p>When they had first come to the Michigan house

+early in the fall they had expected to find a shack

+because their Uncle John had always referred to it

+as the “Michigan Shack.” But in spite of its name, it

+had turned out to be a very pretentious log structure

+evidently built for just such a purpose as they were

+planning to put it to now.</p>

+

+<p>Allen Lodge was imposing with its wide front and

+its two-story porches. The spacious living room was

+two stories high with the bedrooms opening off a

+balcony which extended around three sides of the

+room. The large dining room, kitchen and pantry,

+were on the Lake side. There were great fireplaces in

+many of the rooms and Philip said that it must have

+been planned as a summer hotel or a hunting lodge

+because the arrangement was ideal for large numbers

+of people.</p>

+

+<p>The interior, with its lovely hand-hewn rafters<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">14</a></span>

+and paneled walls was a delight to the eye, and even

+better, it was easy to take care of. Allen Lodge suggested

+nothing but comfort. No one knew of its

+secret room except the Allens and their newly made

+friend.</p>

+

+<p>They had heard when they first came here that

+the house was haunted, but it had not taken them long

+to discover that the ghost was only Adra Prentice,

+a very nice girl whom they had discovered hiding in

+the secret room. Adra, who was eighteen years old,

+had “haunted” the Allen’s house when she had run

+away from her kidnappers. Their adventures and the

+way they solved the mystery is told in <cite>Penny Allen

+and the Mystery of the Haunted House</cite>. The four

+Allens were now ready for a new adventure and they

+felt that their own house was the best place to find it.</p>

+

+<p>“Those old trunks aren’t filled with junk,” Marjorie

+was saying to Jimmy. “Penny and I looked into

+one of them and it’s positively overflowing with fascinating

+old dresses that would be wonderful if we

+give a masquerade. And there’s an old jewelry box&mdash;”</p>

+

+<p>“Filled to the brim,” Penny finished, smiling, “with

+costume jewelry not worth a cent.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">15</a></span>

+“See?” Jimmy demanded, grinning at Marjorie.

+“Junk.” He turned to Phil. “Pat asked me to plant

+some beans in his garden behind the cabin the Donahues

+are going to occupy. If you don’t need me, I’ll

+go do it now.”</p>

+

+<p>“Go ahead,” Phil said. “It won’t take long.”</p>

+

+<p>Pat Ryan, who had been Uncle John’s guide and

+the caretaker of the Lodge, had just married Ann

+Mary. He and his new wife had voluntarily taken

+over the responsibility of helping the Allens. Philip

+and Penny realized they would be lost without the

+Ryans in this undertaking. As Philip said, “They’ve

+completely spoiled us. I wouldn’t think of doing anything

+without first consulting Pat. He seems to know

+everything about everything and as luck would have

+it, we know next to nothing about anything. Fate

+must have brought us together, or better yet, Uncle

+John must have had us in mind when he first got Pat

+to work for him.”</p>

+

+<p>Penny agreed wholeheartedly with Phil.</p>

+

+<p>“Pat’s orders,” she told Jimmy before he started off

+to plant beans, “must always be obeyed.” She pointed

+gaily to the blankets that were swaying and billowing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">16</a></span>

+in the sunny June breeze. “See what I’ve done with

+our household chattels! To think I might have gone

+through life only knowing about readin’, writin’ and

+’rithmetic if Ann Mary hadn’t taken me in hand and

+shown me how to run a house.”</p>

+

+<p>“Don’t feel so cocky, Sis,” said Jimmy, an impish

+grin on his face. “You probably have lots more to

+learn. All I can say is, you’d better hurry up and

+acquire the missing knowledge before Peter gets

+here.”</p>

+

+<p>Penny blushed at the mention of Peter Wyland’s

+name. Even though he was an old friend and the

+Allens had known him for years, he had just recently

+shown his preference for Penny’s company and

+Penny was still not used to being teased about it.</p>

+

+<p>Phil shrewdly guessed that Penny had been in love

+with Peter ever since last winter. That was when they

+had discovered that Peter was a secret service man in

+the employ of Mr. Prentice. Phil had not talked to

+Penny about Peter even when he noticed that she

+seemed to get letters from Wyland quite regularly.

+Philip’s mind these days was much preoccupied with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">17</a></span>

+thoughts of Adra Prentice. He seemed unable to get

+her out of his mind, and he found that no matter what

+he was doing, his thoughts would always go back to

+Adra.</p>

+

+<p>Both Phil and Penny knew that Jimmy and Marjorie

+would never stop teasing them about their feelings,

+so, contrary to their usual method of discussing

+everything among themselves, they had not said

+anything about this. Nevertheless, it seemed to be

+more or less understood, and although Penny couldn’t

+help blushing, she pretended to ignore Jimmy’s teasing

+remark.</p>

+

+<p>“Get along with you,” Phil said to his younger

+brother. “If you don’t plant those beans soon they’ll

+sprout in your pocket.”</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy departed, laughing. “Come on, lazy-bones,”

+he called over his shoulder to Marjorie. “I’ll let you

+help me for a change. Even <em>you</em> can’t botch up a job

+as simple as planting beans.”</p>

+

+<p>“Thank you, no,” Marjorie said with dignity. “I

+weeded all day yesterday while you were fishing.”

+Marjorie had not missed Penny’s blush, and couldn’t<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">18</a></span>

+resist a chance for teasing her older sister. “Why are

+your cheeks so pink, Penny?” she asked carelessly.</p>

+

+<p>“She’s getting sunburned,” Phil said, quickly coming

+to Penny’s rescue. “If you spent more time looking

+in the mirror, Marjorie, you’d see that your own nose

+is as red as a beet.”</p>

+

+<p>Just then an old Ford drew up in front of the

+house. Pat Ryan got out, followed by the new summer

+help. Theresa, who was Pat’s sister and lived in

+the nearby village, had a smile on her broad Irish

+face. The Allens loved her Irish brogue and her tremendous

+bulk. Marjorie said she was worth her

+weight in gold.</p>

+

+<p>“It’s glad I am to be here working for the Allens,”

+she said.</p>

+

+<p>Penny welcomed her and said, “It’s we who are

+glad you could come, Theresa, and the rest of you

+too. We’d never be able to swing this experiment if

+it weren’t for the Ryans and you, and we think you’re

+bricks to do this on a co-operative basis, because right

+now we don’t know if we’ll make a profit, or lose

+money.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">19</a></span>

+“Don’t you go worrying about a little thing like

+that,” answered Theresa, and with a wink at Pat she

+added, “Anybody that finds out about Ann Mary’s

+cooking will gladly pay double the fee you’re charging,

+if Pat isn’t going to be too jealous to let anybody

+else taste that good food.”</p>

+

+<p>“Okay with me,” said Pat good-naturedly. “Providing

+I get my share.”</p>

+

+<p>Slowly following behind Theresa were two people

+the Allens had never met. Penny and Phil shook their

+hands as Theresa introduced them.</p>

+

+<p>“This is Mr. and Mrs. Mal Donahue, Ann Mary’s

+cousins. Mrs. Donahue was Kathleen Doherty and

+we always call her Kitty. It’s a cinch your help will

+all be getting along fine together since we’re all Irish

+and all related. Seems as though all the Irish are related

+to each other, doesn’t it?”</p>

+

+<p>This brought forth gales of laughter from Jimmy

+who had interrupted his work in the garden to greet

+the new arrivals.</p>

+

+<p>“I hope you like your cabin,” he said to the Donahues.

+“All of our vegetables are growing right in your<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">20</a></span>

+back yard, so whenever you get hungry all you have

+to do is reach out the window and pick some pole

+beans.”</p>

+

+<p>They smiled at him while Philip said, “We hope

+you will be happy with us, Mal and Kitty.”</p>

+

+<p>Mal Donahue cleared his throat. “We’d like the

+job, sir, uh&mdash;er,” and he hesitated. “We were&mdash;ahem&mdash;curious,

+you see. We heard the house was haunted

+last winter, and some people say there’s hidden treasure

+around here. We hope it’s just a plain ordinary

+house. Kitty and I don’t like surprises.” This speech

+was made with some effort and once again Jimmy

+couldn’t control his amusement.</p>

+

+<p>He laughed and slapped Mal on the back. “If

+there’s any treasure, old man, you and I will find it

+together.” This seemed to reassure Mal.</p>

+

+<p>When Philip and Penny walked toward the Lodge

+later, she said, “I think we are lucky, Phil, to get these

+young folks. I like their looks, don’t you?”</p>

+

+<p>“I certainly do,” Philip agreed. “And Pat and Ann

+Mary will need all the extra help they can get. If

+things work out the way we hope they will, we’ll

+have to hire more people from the village.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">21</a></span>

+Penny nodded. “I’m very pleased with Kitty. She

+looks like a dear, and she’ll make a nice appearance

+waiting on the table.” She sighed. “It’s too bad anyone

+as attractive as Ann Mary must stay in the kitchen

+most of the time.”</p>

+

+<p>“Don’t worry about that,” Phil said with a laugh.

+“I’m sure all our guests will want to go back and tell

+her how good her food is and they’ll get to know her

+that way. Besides,” he went on, “she won’t stay in the

+kitchen all the time. Even if she’s supposed to do nothing

+but cook, you know Ann Mary will pitch in and

+help the others whenever she has any spare time.”</p>

+

+<p>“That’s true,” Penny said thoughtfully. “And I’m

+beginning to see what you mean about our getting organized.

+We really should all work according to some

+sort of schedule so we won’t be getting in each other’s

+way.”</p>

+

+<p>“Exactly,” Philip said. “We must have a serious

+meeting this evening and assign definite tasks to each

+one of us.”</p>

+

+<p>“Right after dinner,” Penny agreed. “Now, before

+we go back to work in the house, let’s read the mail

+the postman left on the porch a while ago. I&mdash;I,” she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">22</a></span>

+confided, “I’m sort of hoping I’ll hear from Peter Wyland.

+He’s not sure he can take a vacation from his

+job until the end of summer.”</p>

+

+<p>“Cheer up, Sis,” Phil said encouragingly. “Maybe

+there’ll be a letter from him saying he can come

+sooner.”</p>

+

+<p>They hurried up the steps to the porch where a

+stack of letters was waiting for them.</p>

+

+

+

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<hr class="divider" />

+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">23</a></span>

+</div>

+</div>

+

+<h2><a name="ii" id="ii"></a><span>CHAPTER 2</span><br />

+AN ANONYMOUS LETTER</h2>

+

+<p class="noi"><span class="smcap">The first</span> letter Penny opened was from the Curtises

+saying that they would arrive in about a week, the first

+weekend in July.</p>

+

+<p>“That is,” Mrs. Curtis wrote, “if it won’t be rushing

+you too much, Penny dear.”</p>

+

+<p>Mr. and Mrs. Curtis, whom the Allens fondly called

+Grandma and Grandpa Curtis, had been old friends of

+Uncle John’s. Their daughter Mary and their son

+Charles were the same age as Penny and Philip and

+they had spent many summers together in camps.

+They were to be the first guests at Allen Lodge and

+were planning to stay the entire summer.</p>

+

+<p>When Mr. Curtis had heard about the ideal fishing

+his family had difficulty restraining him from coming

+up before the Lodge was really open for business.</p>

+

+<p>“The Curtises are always doing something to help<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">24</a></span>

+us,” brightly asserted Penny as she finished the letter

+out on the big front porch.</p>

+

+<p>She and Philip looked out on the lawn, a wide,

+trimmed space in front of the house, its grass thick, its

+masses of shrubbery and groups of beautiful trees

+stately, and its flowers just beginning to bloom. Truly,

+summer had come to the shores of Lake Superior, and

+Phil surveyed the property with great pride.</p>

+

+<p>Watching the expression on his face, Penny said,

+“Uncle John certainly had good taste, Phil. You have

+every reason to be proud of your inheritance.”</p>

+

+<p>“I know it,” Phil said. “But don’t forget to give

+credit where it is due. Jimmy and I have done a good

+job of lawn-mowing and tree-trimming, if I do say so

+myself.” He stretched his long arms. “That kind of

+work is a real muscle builder.”</p>

+

+<p>“I’ll bet it is,” Penny said. “And it’s grand to know

+that I’ll have plenty of flowers for the dining room

+tables and for every bedroom in the Lodge. Pat takes

+very good care of the cutting flowers in his old-fashioned

+garden. If you and Jimmy take as good care

+of the flowering shrubs, the Lodge will be a bower of

+blossoms inside and out all summer.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">25</a></span></p>

+

+<p>Marjorie and Jimmy came out on the porch then

+with their hands full of more mail that Pat had brought

+back when he went into town for Theresa and the

+Donahues.</p>

+

+<p>“‘Lo,” said Jimmy. “Help us sort this out. Gobs

+came in today after the postman left.”</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy sat down in one of the large, old-fashioned

+wicker chairs and Marjorie drew up a little footstool

+in front of him.</p>

+

+<p>“Go ahead,” said Philip, “We’ll trust you and Marjorie

+to sort it all out and hand it over, won’t we,

+Penny?”</p>

+

+<p>“Only too glad to have you do it,” replied Penny,

+slumping down in her chair and pretending to relax.

+“Only don’t take too long, if anything looks interesting,”

+she added.</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy’s answer to that was to toss a flat letter into

+her lap, and to follow that closely with another slimmer

+one, carefully twirled by its corner to insure its

+falling at the proper distance.</p>

+

+<p>“Oh, don’t, Jimmy,” protested Marjorie, over

+whose head the missives were hurled.</p>

+

+<p>“That will keep her quiet, Marge,” Jimmy announced.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">26</a></span>

+But Penny was already quiet, not even hearing

+Jimmy’s last remark.</p>

+

+<p>“You have the biggest pile, Phil,” Marjorie stated

+in a few moments.</p>

+

+<p>The pile in front of Phil was falling over with letters,

+papers, advertisements and catalogues. The process

+of dividing the mail was soon completed and silence

+reigned except for giggles from Marjorie as she read a

+long letter from her best friend, Judy Powell. Penny,

+deeply engrossed in one of hers, gave a slight exclamation

+once, and Philip whistled as he laid aside a long

+envelope. But no one stopped to ask questions.</p>

+

+<p>Penny looked at the absorbed group as she finished

+her last letter and smiled. Marjorie stopped reading her

+letters and looked off into space.</p>

+

+<p>“Read me some of Judy’s letter, Marjorie,” said

+Penny.</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie turned with a smile to say that it was such

+a good letter and so funny&mdash;“Judy wants to know by

+telegram when they can come.”</p>

+

+<p>“She shall, Marjorie,” Philip answered immediately.

+“I’m thinking of getting a special telegram blank

+printed.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">27</a></span>

+Marjorie looked at Phil to see if he really meant

+such an idiotic thing; but as Phil only winked at her,

+she merely said, “Crazy!” and turned to Judy’s letter:</p>

+

+<blockquote>

+<p class="noi">“Dearest Marjorie:</p>

+

+<p>I think it’s simply tops that we can be together

+this summer. I was so afraid my parents would insist

+on sending me to camp again. Not that I don’t

+like camp, but I know it’s going to be so much more

+exciting to do things together, like exploring in the

+woods. Will we be allowed to go through the

+woods by ourselves? Are there secret cabins, or

+wonderful hiding places? Can we sleep out at night?

+I’ll bet it’s wonderful swimming in Lake Superior!

+Oh, couldn’t you telegraph and let me know right

+away when we can come? I have so many questions

+to ask, I don’t know where to begin.</p>

+

+<p>My brother Alf says he would rather come to

+Michigan than go on the canoe trip in Canada. He

+says he always has fun with Jimmy. Maybe the boys

+will let us help them build something or do some of

+the things with them. Alf says they’ll never take us

+fishing because girls talk too much, but maybe we

+can convince them that we know how to keep quiet.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">28</a></span>

+I’m so excited that at last we are going to see the

+Lodge, and all the Allens and especially you, that’s

+all I can write about.</p>

+

+<p>Do Charles Curtis and Peter Wyland both still

+like Penny? Does Penny like either one of them?

+Maybe I should be minding my own business, but

+I guess I am just bubbling over with questions. Cincinnati

+is hot as it always is in the summer and we

+can’t wait until we get to Michigan. Quick, quick,

+quick, send me a telegram. It will be the first one I

+ever received.</p>

+

+<p class="mb0">At present I just live in a bathing suit and we

+spend almost all day at the pool. I’m glad school is

+out. Alf says I’m a nuisance and a question box, and

+by now, you probably think the same. I can’t wait

+until I see you,</p>

+

+<p class="right mt0 mb0">Forever yours,</p>

+<p class="right2 mt0">Judy.”</p>

+</blockquote>

+

+<p>When Marjorie had finished reading Judy’s letter

+out loud, Jimmy chuckled. “She’s a riot, that Powell

+kid.”</p>

+

+<p>Penny was already scribbling a message on the back

+of an envelope. “Here,” she said to Jimmy, “go in to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">29</a></span>

+the phone in the office and send this telegram to Judy

+right away. There’s no reason why the Powells

+shouldn’t come the first weekend in July when we expect

+the Curtises.”</p>

+

+<p>“Hooray!” Marjorie shouted as Jimmy went in to

+send the telegram. At that moment Kitty Donahue

+came out on the porch.</p>

+

+<p>“Hi,” Marjorie greeted her. “When do we eat in

+this Lodge?”</p>

+

+<p>Kitty came nearer. “I just wanted to ask Miss Penny

+about that. We’ve a big fish baking and I wondered if

+you would be ready to eat in half an hour.”</p>

+

+<p>“Hooray, food!” shouted Marjorie. “We’re always

+ready to eat, Kitty. Are we going to have a conference

+tonight to assign various duties, Penny?”</p>

+

+<p>“Yes, we are,” Penny answered. “Kitty, did you

+ever help in a summer hotel, or anything like that?”</p>

+

+<p>“Yes, <em>ma’am</em>! And Mal helped the chef at one of the

+lake resorts right near here. That is what made Ann

+Mary think about sending for us.”</p>

+

+<p>Philip had turned to look at Kathleen while she

+talked. “That is very fortunate for us, Mrs. Donahue,”

+he said. “We’re going to have a family confab tonight<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">30</a></span>

+to decide what each of us should do and we’d like all

+of you to come and help us make decisions.”</p>

+

+<p>“Yes, sir,” Kitty said. “We’ll not need much more

+help, only some people from around the village to wait

+on table if there is a very large crowd over weekends,

+or for some special occasions.” With that bit of advice,

+Kitty went back into the house.</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy came out on the porch then and said to Marjorie:

+“I told the operator to sign your name to the

+telegram. I thought Judy would get a kick out of

+that.”</p>

+

+<p>“Thanks,” Marjorie said, smiling. “Sometimes you

+can be nice, Jimmy.”</p>

+

+<p>He ignored her and started gathering up his mail.

+“By the way,” he said to Penny and Phil, “my old

+schoolmate, Brook, is coming that weekend, too, if

+it’s all right with you.”</p>

+

+<p>“Fine,” Penny and Phil said together.</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy grinned. “Brook wrote that he is going to

+bring all of his old clothes. He says he’ll bring one

+decent suit, but he hopes he’ll not have to put it on.

+I’m right with him there! I think Judy Powell has the

+right idea about living in a bathing suit all summer.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">31</a></span>

+Say, Alf Powell, Brook and I will certainly have some

+wonderful fun this summer. Maybe we can put up a

+shack for us to sleep in.” He went on, pacing up and

+down excitedly, “Or part of that old barn. It would

+be fun if we could be by ourselves.”</p>

+

+<p>“Calm down, Jimmy,” Phil said. “I don’t think

+Alf’s or Brook’s parents will think their sons ought to

+be sleeping in a shack if they are paying good money

+for rooms, do you?”</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy ran his hands through his short, dark hair.

+“Naw, I guess not. But we could bunk out there sometimes,

+couldn’t we?”</p>

+

+<p>“Of course,” Penny told him. “It wouldn’t be much

+fun if you didn’t rough it every now and then.” She

+went on seriously. “I’m counting on you, Jimmy, to

+keep an eye on any kids who may come with their

+parents. You and Marjorie must help to keep them

+amused, too. It will be rather like running a summer

+camp, with you two as junior counselors. You’ll have

+to supervise games and sports, and maybe, Jimmy,

+give some of them swimming lessons.”</p>

+

+<p>“Ha!” Jimmy narrowed his eyes. “The plot thickens.

+Looks like I’m going to have to work. But don’t<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">32</a></span>

+worry, Penny. Brook, Alf and I will keep the small

+fry busy.”</p>

+

+<p>“Grand,” Penny said approvingly. “You’ve taken

+a load off my mind, Jimmy. Everyone has simply got

+to help me as much as possible if we’re going to see to

+it that our guests are kept amused.”</p>

+

+<p>She glanced at Marjorie. “And that means you, too,

+imp. Don’t you dare spend all your time with your

+chum, Judy.”</p>

+

+<p>“I won’t,” Marjorie promised. “Not unless Jimmy

+spends all his time with Alf and Brook.”</p>

+

+<p>Philip glanced at his wrist watch. “Any objections

+to you two getting washed up before dinner?” But

+he looked at Jimmy as he spoke.</p>

+

+<p>“Not a one,” returned Jimmy with a wide grin. “I

+wonder why Phil looked at me,” he continued, still

+grinning.</p>

+

+<p>“Because, you’re practically just past the stage when

+getting you washed behind the ears was quite a family

+problem,” said Marjorie.</p>

+

+<p>“Look who’s talking,” called Jimmy as he disappeared

+into the house.</p>

+

+<p>After they had all consumed the delicious baked<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">33</a></span>

+fish which Pat had caught that very day and Ann

+Mary had fixed in a delectable fashion, all the Allens

+met around the council table. This was the big table

+in the living room and here they were soon joined by

+the Ryans, Theresa and the Donahues.</p>

+

+<p>Philip then outlined a plan which they all discussed

+and finally the duties were assigned to everyone’s satisfaction.

+Pat was to continue what he had always done

+and be a general overseer of the entire Lodge. He

+would make arrangements for fishing parties, get boats

+and guides and order lunches to be packed. He would

+lock up every night and do many other things.</p>

+

+<p>Ann Mary was in complete charge of the kitchen

+and Mal and Kitty were to be her assistants. Kitty

+would serve and Mal also had some outdoor duties.

+Theresa was to do the cleaning, and Mal and Kitty

+were going to pitch in and help with that too.</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie had offered to wait on table and help with

+the cooking, but Philip told her that the family would

+have their hands full with the entertaining of their

+guests. However, all the Allens planned to help out

+every place, all of the time, whenever they were free

+from their other assigned duties. Jimmy had lettered a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">34</a></span>

+large sign and hung it on a temporary billboard. It

+read:</p>

+

+<p class="center line-spacing2">MEETING OF<br />

+THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS<br />

+OF<br />

+ALLEN LODGE</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie now pointed to the sign and said, “I feel

+pretty important being a director. Is that why I can

+get out of cooking and serving?”</p>

+

+<p>At this remark Phil guffawed and Jimmy and

+Penny joined him, much to Marjorie’s chagrin.</p>

+

+<p>“Don’t you kid yourself,” Jimmy said, “Even if

+Phil says you’ll have your hands full entertaining

+guests, you know you’ll have them twice as full, because

+I’m sure we’ll all have to help each other when

+our Lodge is running full force.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">35</a></span>

+Philip, it was decided, was to be the official treasurer.

+He would keep the books and have full charge

+of all receipts and disbursements.</p>

+

+<p>“That,” Jimmy loftily explained to Marjorie,

+“means money coming in and money going out.”

+Marjorie sniffed. “Keep your definitions of such

+simple words to yourself.”</p>

+

+<p>“Let’s be serious,” Phil said. “All hotels and inns

+have a rule that unless their <a name="guests" id="guests"></a><ins title="Original has 'guests’'">guests</ins> deposit their valuables

+with them for safekeeping, the management is

+not responsible. Isn’t that right, Mr. Donahue?”</p>

+

+<p>Mal nodded.</p>

+

+<p>“Well then,” Phil went on, “I think we ought to

+keep our guests’ money and jewelry in the safe in

+the secret room. And in order to safeguard the secret,

+we ought to make it a rule that none of the guests is

+allowed in the secret room.”</p>

+

+<p>“Right,” Jimmy agreed heartily. “If we let everyone

+run in and out of there it won’t be a secret very

+long. I vote that for the rest of the summer, only Pat

+is allowed to&mdash;”</p>

+

+<p>“Phil <em>and</em> Pat,” Penny interrupted. “Phil has to

+go in and out to the safe because he’s the treasurer.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">36</a></span>

+“That’s right,” Pat agreed. “I’ll act as his substitute.

+Phil may not be available at times when we receive

+money which should be put right in the safe or when

+we need to take some out to pay bills. I’ll only go into

+the secret room during such emergencies.”</p>

+

+<p>“Okay, thanks, Pat,” said Phil. “Then, as of now,

+it’s a rule that only you and I press the button that

+opens the secret door. Said rule to remain in effect

+until the end of the season.”</p>

+

+<p>Everyone agreed, and then it was decided that

+Penny was to be the hostess and the housekeeper. Ann

+Mary was going to help make out the shopping lists,

+while Penny did the actual shopping. Marjorie was to

+be the assistant hostess as well as the secretary. Luckily

+she had learned how to use a typewriter and would

+really be a big help when it came to writing letters.

+Jimmy was the director of all sports, and even though

+that sounded like an easy job, Penny assured him it

+would be more than a full-time one.</p>

+

+<p>Penny, Ann Mary and Kitty decided it would be

+wise to make out menus for a week in advance. “That

+means,” Penny said,

+“<a name="that" id="that"></a><ins title="Original has 'That'">that</ins> right after breakfast tomorrow

+morning we had better plan the first week’s<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">37</a></span>

+menu. An awful lot of guests are arriving the first

+weekend in July.”</p>

+

+<p>She sighed wearily. “I guess everything has been

+taken care of except the laundry. We’ll all have our

+hands full after this week, so I don’t see what we can

+possibly do about that.”</p>

+

+<p>“Got any ideas, Ann Mary?” Philip asked.</p>

+

+<p>Ann Mary thought for a minute. “There’s a new

+laundry-mat in the village&mdash;just opened the other day.

+If we could find someone who would come out twice

+a week, bring in the soiled linen, wash it in one of the

+automatic machines, and bring it back damp dry,

+Kitty, Theresa and I could handle the ironing.”</p>

+

+<p>“A swell idea,” Pat said. “I’ll ask around in the

+village when I go in tomorrow. Anyone, even a mere

+man,” he added with a chuckle, “can run one of those

+spin-dry slot machines. All we need to do is find

+someone with a car who’ll tote the stuff back and

+forth for a fair price.”</p>

+

+<p>“I guess that takes care of everything,” Penny said.

+“Has anybody thought of anything else?”</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy thought it would be a good idea to buy a

+sailboat, but that suggestion was promptly vetoed.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">38</a></span>

+“We are going to try and make money before we

+spend it, young man,” said Philip. “But if you and

+Alf and Brook Sanders want to fix up one out of what

+we have, that’s all right with me.”</p>

+

+<p>“Watch us!” retorted Jimmy and immediately suggested

+that a few canoes wouldn’t cost much. But

+once again Phil put a damper on his ideas.</p>

+

+<p>At this point Jimmy wanted to know what kind of

+a suggestion he could make that would not be vetoed,

+and Penny and Phil both chimed in at once with,

+“Let’s call it a day.”</p>

+

+<p>“But, before the meeting breaks up,” Philip said

+soberly, “I want to make an announcement. I don’t

+think it’s really important, but I think you should all

+hear it.”</p>

+

+<p>He drew from his pocket the long envelope he had

+laid aside earlier when they had been out on the porch

+reading their mail. “I got an anonymous letter today,”

+he said, “and at first I thought I wouldn’t bother you

+with it. Writers of anonymous letters are usually

+either cowards or cranks. However,” he continued,

+“after thinking it over, I’ve decided I have no right<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">39</a></span>

+to keep from you the fact that we have been threatened.”</p>

+

+<p>“Threatened?” Penny repeated. “But, Phil, who&mdash;?”</p>

+

+<p>For answer, Phil opened the envelope and took out

+a long sheet of dirty paper which he laid on the council

+table.</p>

+

+<p>Everyone crowded around him to read the ugly

+scribbled words:</p>

+

+<div class="block-centre">

+<div class="block">

+MR. PHILIP ALLEN: IF YOU<br />

+KNOW WHAT’S GOOD FOR YOU<br />

+AND YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS,<br />

+GET OUT OF THE LODGE AS FAST<br />

+AS YOU CAN. I MEAN BUSINESS!<br />

+</div></div>

+

+

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<hr class="divider" />

+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">40</a></span>

+</div>

+

+<h2><a name="iii" id="iii"></a><span>CHAPTER 3</span><br />

+THE ABANDONED WELL</h2>

+

+<p class="noi"><span class="smcap">Ann Mary</span> was the first to speak. “Well, I never,”

+she gasped. “Who could have written such an evil

+thing, Pat?”</p>

+

+<p>Pat shook his head. “A crank, of course.”</p>

+

+<p>“That’s what I think,” Phil agreed. “Someone who

+read the newspaper stories about Adra Prentice’s kidnaping.

+Anonymous letters from people who aren’t

+quite right mentally generally follow any kind of

+publicity.”</p>

+

+<p>“But,” Marjorie objected, “all of that happened

+last year.”</p>

+

+<p>“It makes no difference,” Jimmy told her. “People

+use newspapers for lots of things besides keeping up

+with the news. They wrap china in newspapers, line

+shelves and drawers with ’em, for instance. Whoever

+wrote that dopey letter may have come across an account

+of Adra’s kidnaping just the other day.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">41</a></span>

+Penny nodded. “Let’s tear the ugly thing up and

+throw it away. Whoever wrote it probably won’t ever

+bother us again.”</p>

+

+<p>“Right.” Jimmy tore the dirty sheet of paper to

+shreds and tossed them into the fireplace. Phil set a

+match to them and they all watched the scraps burn

+away to ashes.</p>

+

+<p>“Well, that’s that,” Penny said. “As if anyone

+could scare us Allens away from the Lodge!”</p>

+

+<p>Then the meeting did break up, and four very tired,

+but not at all frightened Allens, went upstairs to bed.</p>

+

+<hr class="tb" />

+

+<p>The next morning Jimmy’s first job was to overhaul

+the old bus and the Bronc. The Bronc was an

+old station wagon that had seen better days. It had

+served the Allens well, but right now it sputtered and

+rattled and wheezed. The Bus was a small truck and

+was used for a multitude of things. It hauled wood

+from the woods to the woodbin, it carted supplies

+from the town to the Lodge and Philip planned to

+use it for taking people on camping trips during the

+summer. Jimmy’s favorite pastime was tinkering with

+cars, and he seemed to know the intricate mechanics<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">42</a></span>

+of the two old vehicles better than any trained mechanic.</p>

+

+<p>While Jimmy was tinkering with the motors, Phil

+and Mal combed the nearby woods for timber. Some

+of it would be cut up into logs which would blaze

+merrily in the huge fireplaces on cool evenings. The

+rest of it, Phil planned to give Jimmy for his shack.

+Jimmy had picked a spot on the lake shore where he

+and the other boys could build a fire if they wanted.

+He also planned to build a little dock and rent a few

+rowboats. This was to be the bachelor’s retreat. The

+site was in a bit of a bay with some large rocks along

+the shore line that would make the dock construction

+simpler. Among the trees a little way back, there was

+a fairly open place where the shack could stand.

+When Phil and Mal had gathered quite a pile of wood,

+they called Jimmy down to view the spot.</p>

+

+<p>“Now, all you have to do, Jimmy, is to go to it,”

+said Philip.</p>

+

+<p>“I can’t wait until the other boys arrive to get

+started,” he answered. “I’m going to start preparing

+the logs and lay the floor. Won’t this be ideal?”</p>

+

+<p>In the meantime, Marjorie began her secretarial<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">43</a></span>

+duties by sorting mail and answering as many of the

+letters as she could, while Penny went into the village

+to shop in order to stock up on staples and to make

+arrangements for her weekly orders.</p>

+

+<p>One afternoon Jimmy, Phil and Mal decided to

+have a look at the long old shed in the back yard

+which they thought might be fixed up to house the

+cars of their summer guests. The old shed had been

+there all the time, of course, but somehow they had

+kept putting off the time when they would examine

+it. There had been so many things to do when they

+first came, they had not even opened all the rooms

+in the house until they had decided to turn it into a

+summer hotel.</p>

+

+<p>Now the guest rooms must be cleaned and aired.

+Penny and Marjorie were busy from morning to

+night helping Theresa and Ann Mary dust and make

+beds.</p>

+

+<p>“This is so boring,” Marjorie complained. “The

+only room I’m interested in is the old storage room,

+Penny. When are we ever going to go through those

+old trunks?”</p>

+

+<p>“We’ve had a look at the contents of one of them,”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">44</a></span>

+Penny pointed out patiently. “And we found that it

+contained nothing but some very old-fashioned

+clothes and a few worthless, though pretty trinkets.

+Wait till we have more time, honey. Then you may

+rummage around in there to your heart’s content.”</p>

+

+<p>“I can’t understand your lack of curiosity,” Marjorie

+moaned. “I can’t sleep nights thinking about

+what might be in the trunk we didn’t open.”</p>

+

+<p>Penny laughed. “I guess we’ve had too much indoor

+work for one day. Let’s join the boys down at

+the shed.”</p>

+

+<p>“Goody, goody,” Marjorie cried, flinging down

+her dust cloth. “There’s bound to be something more

+exciting than cobwebs out there.”</p>

+

+<p>At last they were hurrying down the concrete

+walk, past the Donahues’ small cabin behind the

+Lodge. They caught up with Mal and the boys on the

+old graveled drive, overgrown with weeds. This drive

+led among bushes and trees and looked like an old

+horse trail, but it was wide enough for a car to travel

+over it with care.</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy took one good look at all the weeds and

+said, “I don’t think this is such a good idea, especially<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">45</a></span>

+since I know I’ll be elected a committee of one to cut

+down all these weeds.”</p>

+

+<p>“Why, how did you guess it, young man! You are

+getting keen,” laughed Penny. “But this really does

+look like a big job, and I’m sure Phil and Mal will

+lend a hand, too.” Jimmy looked relieved at this suggestion

+and here they were at the shed.</p>

+

+<p>“Pat says that even your Uncle John never made

+use of this shed for anything, and that it must have

+been a sort of stable back in the old days,” explained

+Mal. “See, one of the side walls is pretty badly broken

+up, but the roof has been patched and the framework

+seems strong. There are a pile of boards and some

+poles behind this shed. Looks as though somebody

+once had the idea of repairing it. That wood back

+there is well seasoned and with the help of the repair

+man from the village we could get it fixed up this

+week.”</p>

+

+<p>Penny took hold of one of the supports, to which

+a few boards were clinging loosely.</p>

+

+<p>“Be careful how you lean against that,” Philip

+cautioned her. “That’s the broken wall and we don’t

+want you to fall through it.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">46</a></span>

+But just as he finished saying it Penny gasped and

+slipped out of sight. For a minute the others stood

+there with their mouths open, then Phil and Jimmy

+quickly went into action. Mal poked his hand through

+the wall where Penny seemed to have disappeared

+and Marjorie called, “Penny, Penny, answer&mdash;are you

+hurt?”</p>

+

+<p>Phil and Jimmy ran to the outside of the broken

+wall but there was nothing there but the old pile of

+lumber Mal had mentioned. They called Penny, and

+then there was a muffled sound that seemed to come

+from the very wall itself.</p>

+

+<p>Phil climbed right up on top of the pile of lumber

+and reached over as far as he could toward the wall

+when he noticed a sunken place between the wall and

+the lumber. It looked like an old well and it was partly

+covered. He called to Penny and this time he heard

+her answer. As quickly as they could, they all started

+to move enough of the lumber so that they could get

+closer to the old well. Now they were sure Penny had

+fallen into it, and Marjorie ran back to the house as

+fast as her feet could carry her to get a strong rope

+and more help.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">47</a></span>

+It seemed like hours, but it was only a few minutes

+before Phil and Jimmy were able to lean over the well

+and start calling down to Penny.</p>

+

+<p>She answered them this time and they heard her

+say quite clearly: “What happened?”</p>

+

+<p>“Whew!” Jimmy gasped, clutching his forehead

+with relief. “You fell down an old well.”</p>

+

+<p>“Are you all right, Penny?” Philip asked anxiously.</p>

+

+<p>“I guess so,” Penny called back. “But it’s so dark

+I can’t see anything.”</p>

+

+<p>“Don’t worry,” Phil said in a reassuring voice.

+“We’ll have you out in no time.”</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie arrived then with Pat who had brought

+along a long rope. Marjorie was very near to tears.</p>

+

+<p>“Don’t let Penny know you’re frightened,” Phil

+cautioned her. “Keep calling down to her in a cheerful

+voice to keep her courage up.”</p>

+

+<p>Pat tied a big loop on the end of the rope, then Mal

+lowered it into the well, and Phil called down instructions

+to Penny. Finally the rope reached her, and she

+put the looped end around her waist and held on to it

+as tightly as she could with both hands, while the men

+pulled her up. When, after what seemed an interminably<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">48</a></span>

+long time, Penny’s head appeared, Marjorie

+burst into tears.</p>

+

+<p>Tenderly they lifted Penny out, and she immediately

+assured everyone that aside from being bruised

+and shaky, she didn’t think she had any broken bones

+or other injuries. Ann Mary and Theresa and Kathleen

+had arrived on the scene with water and bandages,

+all of which were scorned by Penny who said,</p>

+

+<p>“I did a foolish thing and I deserved what I got, but

+now that I know I’m all right you can all just forget

+about me. If you keep on making such a fuss I’ll feel

+like an idiot.”</p>

+

+<p>Of course they all ignored her pleadings and made

+her sit right down for a few minutes while Ann Mary

+wiped her face with a cloth dipped in cold water.

+Then she examined Penny carefully to make sure that

+she could move her arms and legs without pain. The

+only real damage seemed to be to her appearance

+which was quite ludicrous. Now that they knew she

+was safe they had a good laugh about it. Penny’s face

+and hands and hair were covered with cobwebs, her

+dress was ripped and her shoes were sopping wet.

+When Phil asked her if there was any water in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">49</a></span>

+well she said she thought she had stood in water and,

+of course, her wet shoes showed that she had. Then

+everybody went back to the house, and Penny took

+a hot bath which Ann Mary said would serve to

+relieve some of the aches and pains she was bound to

+develop later from such a fall.</p>

+

+<p>Phil and Jimmy were all set to go back and examine

+the well to see if it was still in good working

+condition, and if they could find the water source

+and perhaps get the well into good order. When they

+saw Penny looking her fresh, well-groomed self

+again, they went back, accompanied by Pat and Mal.</p>

+

+<p>“It beats me,” Pat said. “I never knew there was a

+well of any kind on this property.”</p>

+

+<p>“I’ve heard rumors,” Mal said. “There’s always

+been a lot of talk in the village about buried treasure

+in the bottom of an old dried-up well around here.”</p>

+

+<p>“I know,” Pat said, “and from time to time when

+the house was empty, people who had no business

+trespassing, came here and tried to find that well. Had

+a lot of trouble with prowlers,” he told Phil. “Your

+Uncle John did. But nobody ever found a well.” He

+stopped and stared at the hole. “Well, now, here it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">50</a></span>

+is. And now I wouldn’t be surprised at anything. I’ve

+lived around here all my life and never believed there

+was a well here. I think we should caution everybody

+to try and keep this a secret so we won’t have any

+prowlers coming around, and we should get busy and

+try to dig up that old well to see if there really is any

+treasure there.”</p>

+

+<p>“My gosh!” said Jimmy. “Do you really think

+there’s treasure there? What kind of treasure is it

+supposed to be, Pat? Were there ever pirates around

+here? Won’t Alf and Brook nearly die with excitement

+when they hear about this!”</p>

+

+<p>Phil smiled. “I’m afraid we can’t let you say anything

+to them, or anybody else, until we investigate

+this thoroughly and see if there is any foundation to

+the rumor. I agree with Pat, since we don’t need the

+well for water, I think we should dig it up at once

+and solve this mystery of buried treasure.”</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy was all for going right back for picks and

+shovels, so Phil let him go. Phil’s curiosity was aroused

+and he could understand Jimmy’s enthusiasm. But

+Phil felt quite sure that they were not on the trail

+of buried treasure.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">51</a></span>

+“The Lodge was supposed to be haunted,” he said

+to Mal, “and we proved it wasn’t. Now we’re about

+to prove that there’s nothing of any value at the bottom

+of this old well.”</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy came running back then with both hands

+full of an assortment of picks, shovels and garden

+spades. They found that it was exceedingly slow work

+since they first had to move the pile of old lumber

+and debris that surrounded the old well. When they

+finally started digging they found the stones that

+formed the well were impossible to move. Pat guessed

+that the old well had been there a hundred years or

+longer. Jimmy suggested that they use dynamite.</p>

+

+<p>After two hours of concentrated labor Phil commented,

+“I don’t think even buried treasure is worth

+all this effort.”</p>

+

+<p>But Jimmy, who was obviously in high spirits over

+this adventure, contradicted Phil with, “Of course it’s

+worth it, Phil, you wait and see what we find.”</p>

+

+<p>Pat shrugged. “I’m not thinking you should set

+your heart on finding anything, my lad, because there

+probably won’t be any treasure here, any more than

+the house was haunted last year.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">52</a></span>

+“Don’t say that, Pat,” countered Jimmy, “I’m not

+used to working like this without any compensation.”</p>

+

+<p>“Not much,” said Phil. “But all kidding aside,

+Jimmy, I think Pat is right. However, we’re going to

+finish this job, if for no other reason than to keep

+anybody else from falling into it. The rope we lowered

+to Penny went down about thirty feet and I

+would guess that we have dug around the outside of

+this old well about ten feet deep. Is that right, Pat?”</p>

+

+<p>Pat nodded. “Yes, that’s about right, and I think

+if we get out here bright and early tomorrow morning,

+maybe we can finish the job before night.”</p>

+

+<p>Very reluctantly, Jimmy joined the rest as they

+returned to the house to tell Penny and Marjorie of

+their progress.</p>

+

+

+

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<hr class="divider" />

+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">53</a></span>

+</div>

+

+<h2><a name="iv" id="iv"></a><span>CHAPTER 4</span><br />

+A NIGHT PROWLER</h2>

+

+<p class="noi"><span class="smcap">That evening</span> they all decided to have a picnic style

+supper in front of the fireplace in the living room.</p>

+

+<p>“I’m beginning to feel my bruises,” Penny said

+cheerfully. “But I’m not going to let a few aches and

+pains bother me. I was very lucky to get off without

+broken bones or sprains.”</p>

+

+<p>“You certainly were,” Jimmy said. “And let me

+tell you, Sis, I thought I’d go nuts until we finally

+heard your voice.”</p>

+

+<p>“Me, too,” Marjorie chimed in. “Gosh, Penny, it

+was just about the most awful few minutes of my

+life!”</p>

+

+<p>“Well, let’s not talk about it any more,” Penny

+said. “The subject I want to discuss is the bottom of

+the well. I can’t really&mdash;”</p>

+

+<p>“Gee,” Jimmy interrupted, “wouldn’t it be neat if<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">54</a></span>

+we get to the bottom of the well and find pieces of

+gold. We’ll be on easy street the rest of our lives.” He

+added, more to himself than the others, “The first

+thing I’ll do is get a sailboat. I’ve found out already

+that I don’t know enough about naval architecture

+to build one.”</p>

+

+<p>“Ha, you don’t get on easy street that easily,” said

+Penny. “Besides, I don’t remember feeling anything

+beneath my feet but slime, and if all you want is a

+sailboat, you’d better work for it!”</p>

+

+<p>“I like that!” exclaimed Jimmy. “And what do you

+call digging away at that well? If that isn’t work, I’d

+like to know what you’d call it.”</p>

+

+<p>“Oh, it’s work all right,” Penny said with a laugh.

+“But I think it’s work without any purpose.”</p>

+

+<p>“So do I, in a way,” Phil said. “But the kids will

+never be happy until we get to the bottom and prove

+that there isn’t any treasure buried there.”</p>

+

+<p>“You just wait until tomorrow,” Marjorie said stubbornly.

+“When we come running up to you, Penny,

+with our hands dripping with pieces of eight, then

+you and Phil will eat those words.” She raised her

+voice. “I know there’s something valuable hidden<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">55</a></span>

+around here, and I, for one, am never going to give

+up until I’ve gone over every inch of the place with

+a fine-tooth comb!”</p>

+

+<p>“You don’t have to shout about it,” Jimmy said.

+“If there is something valuable around here, let’s not

+encourage every Tom, Dick and Harry in the village

+to come out and try to find it first. Although,” he

+went on in a more sympathetic tone of voice, “I know

+how you feel, Marjorie. When Alf and Brook get

+here, and we haven’t found any gold by then, they’ll

+want to dig up the whole place, too.”</p>

+

+<p>“Dig, if you must,” Penny said, “but spare Pat’s

+flower beds. I&mdash;” She stopped suddenly, her finger to

+her lips. “Sh-h.” She touched Phil’s arm lightly and

+pointed to the window, whispering, “Someone’s out

+there and I’m afraid he’s heard every word we said.”</p>

+

+<p>They all <a name="stared" id="stared"></a><ins title="Original has 'started'">stared</ins> silently out through the vine-covered

+lattice that partially screened the court from

+view. The moon was shining brightly, and then from

+the shrubbery a shadow moved and melted into a little

+clump of low spruces. In another second they saw the

+figure of a man slip around the corner of the wing

+to disappear again in the shadows of another trellis.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">56</a></span></p>

+

+<p>It was a warm evening, and all of the doors and

+windows were wide open. The man might try to get

+into the house. Penny started to rise.</p>

+

+<p>But Phil, with his hand on her arm, shook his head

+and whispered: “All of you stay right here. I don’t

+want him to know that we’ve seen him.” Swiftly he

+tiptoed across the room to take his pistol from the

+cabinet.</p>

+

+<p>Penny remembered with relief that Phil always

+kept his gun loaded. Just then she saw Mal run into

+the court. He had obviously seen the prowler from

+the kitchen window. Before Penny could shout a

+warning, the man darted from the shadows and flung

+himself on Mal’s back, one arm around his throat.</p>

+

+<p>At almost the same moment Phil leaped through the

+window and fired his gun into the air. As the shot

+rang out, Penny closed her eyes. Opening them immediately,

+she saw Phil running out of the court,

+with Mal close at his heels, in pursuit of the prowler.

+Jimmy was just about to jump through the window

+to join in the chase, but Penny held him back.</p>

+

+<p>“Stay here with us, Jimmy,” she said. “Phil and

+Mal can cope with that eavesdropper.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">57</a></span>

+Marjorie, who had for once been speechless, found

+her voice then. “Oh, yes, Jimmy,” she begged. “Stay

+here with us. He might come back, and we haven’t

+got a gun.”</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy looked disappointed, but he knew he could

+help Phil best by staying with the girls. “Ah, that guy

+isn’t going to come back,” he said. He stared gloomily

+out of the window as Pat ran across the court to

+join the others.</p>

+

+<p>By this time, Kitty and Ann Mary had appeared,

+wide-eyed and frightened. “Oh, oh,” Kitty cried. “I

+just know my Mal is going to get shot.”</p>

+

+<p>Another shot rang out. Penny’s heart sank. Had

+the prowler fired the second shot? Somehow she managed

+to disguise her fears and said in a reassuring voice

+to Kitty:</p>

+

+<p>“Don’t worry, dear. Phil and Pat know how to

+handle their guns.”</p>

+

+<p>“They sure do,” Ann Mary said bravely although

+Penny could see that she was almost as terrified as

+her cousin. “My Pat won’t let anything happen to

+your Mal.”</p>

+

+<p>Theresa came in from the hall then, rubbing her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">58</a></span>

+eyes bewilderedly. “I was asleep,” she said. “Did I

+hear a shot or did I dream it?”</p>

+

+<p>She looked so confused that everyone laughed, and

+the tension was eased. “You heard two shots,” Jimmy

+told her. “I guess the first one woke you up.”</p>

+

+<p>While he was explaining what had happened, they

+heard footsteps on the graveled walk, and in another

+moment, they could see Phil, Pat and Mal slowly

+approaching the house. Everyone ran out to meet

+them.</p>

+

+<p>“He got away,” Phil said ruefully.</p>

+

+<p>“Shouldn’t we notify the police?” Penny asked.</p>

+

+<p>Phil shrugged. “Probably only a tramp. I fired in

+the air to frighten him when he jumped on Mal.”</p>

+

+<p>“But you fired a second time,” Marjorie said excitedly.

+“We were terrified for fear one of you had

+been hurt.”</p>

+

+<p>“That’s right,” Jimmy said. “Say, Phil, how about

+giving us a play by play description of what happened.

+I missed all the fun, remember?”</p>

+

+<p>Phil frowned. “We want to look around some

+more. We just came back to be sure the rest of you

+were okay.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">59</a></span>

+“We’re perfectly all right,” Penny said. “Go ahead

+with your search.” She smiled. “As long as Jimmy

+stays with us we’re perfectly safe.”</p>

+

+<p>“I want to know what happened,” Jimmy complained.

+“Give, Phil.”</p>

+

+<p>“Well,” Phil said patiently, “from the minute that

+man disappeared into the shrubbery, he slipped from

+one tree to another like an Indian, then doubled

+around toward the lake.”</p>

+

+<p>“It certainly sounds as though he knows his way

+around here,” Marjorie put in.</p>

+

+<p>Phil nodded. “Pat fired the second shot when we

+saw him trying to get away in one of our boats. Although

+Pat fired into the air, it scared the living daylights

+out of him, I guess. He jumped from the boat

+and made for the woods below us.” Phil grinned. “I’ll

+bet he’s still running. He may think we’re mighty

+poor shots, but at least he knows we’re armed. I doubt

+if he ever comes back on our property again.”</p>

+

+<p>“But who could it have been?” Penny asked. “A

+tramp wouldn’t know his way around our grounds.”</p>

+

+<p>“If anyone should ask me,” Pat said, “I’d say it

+was one of those crazy villagers after the so-called<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">60</a></span>

+buried treasure. I’ll bet the news is all over town already

+that we found the old well near the shed.”</p>

+

+<p>“But,” Jimmy objected. “Nobody could have

+heard about it so soon.”</p>

+

+<p>“A lot of people could have,” Mal pointed out.

+“There were several delivery boys out here during

+the excitement when Miss Penny fell into the well.”</p>

+

+<p>Ann Mary nodded. “We were all so worried about

+Penny we didn’t pay any attention to them. When

+Marjorie came running into the kitchen to tell us

+about the accident, I dashed out of the house so fast

+I almost knocked down one boy who biked out here

+with some groceries.”</p>

+

+<p>Pat shook his head gravely. “That rumor about

+buried treasure is going to cause us a lot of trouble.

+We don’t want the place cluttered up with night

+prowlers this summer.”</p>

+

+<p>“Let’s go have a look at the shed,” Jimmy said

+eagerly. “Maybe the guy was down there snooping

+around and sneaked up to the house to make sure we

+were all inside.”</p>

+

+<p>“All right,” Phil said. “But you have to stay with

+the girls.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">61</a></span>

+“Oh, no, he doesn’t,” Marjorie said pertly. “The

+girls are going, too.”</p>

+

+<p>“We can’t all leave,” Penny said wisely. “After all,

+he might have been a burglar. We would be playing

+right into his hands if we left the house deserted with

+all the doors and windows open.” She glanced around

+at the shadows with a little shiver. “Suppose he doubled

+back and is watching us right now, waiting to

+see what we’ll do?”</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie moved a little closer to Penny. “Oh, isn’t

+it thrilling?” she cried. “I wouldn’t be at all afraid to

+stay here and guard the house if I had a gun.”</p>

+

+<p>“Not much you wouldn’t,” Jimmy jeered.</p>

+

+<p>“I for one,” Kitty said, “have no intention of going

+down to that shed. I’m going into the house and Mal

+is going with me and we’re going to lock ourselves

+in.”</p>

+

+<p>“Fine,” Jimmy said. “That solves the problem. Phil

+can leave his gun with Mal just in case.”</p>

+

+<p>“Okay,” Mal agreed and stuck Phil’s little pistol

+into his pocket. After the Donahues had gone into

+the house the others headed for the shed.</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy had brought a flashlight with him, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">62</a></span>

+when they got inside the shed he flashed it all around.

+Just as they were about to leave, he shouted, “Look!”

+and pointed to a spot near the broken wall where

+Penny had fallen through earlier that day.</p>

+

+<p>The floor of the shed had been opened and plainly

+showing in the earth under it was a footprint. “Someone

+has been here since we left,” Jimmy cried excitedly.

+“That footprint was made by a man wearing

+a shoe with a rubber sole. And we were all wearing

+sneakers.”</p>

+

+<p>“You’re right,” Phil said soberly. “But the man

+who made that footprint might not have been our

+prowler. It could have been left by one of the delivery

+boys whose curiosity was aroused when he heard

+about Penny’s accident.”</p>

+

+<p>Penny nodded. “One of them might have biked

+back out while we were having supper just to have a

+look. Kids are like that.”</p>

+

+<p>“But,” Jimmy argued, “they don’t have such big

+feet.”</p>

+

+<p>“Oh, yes, they do,” Marjorie said with a giggle.

+“Take a look at what’s on the end of your own

+ankles.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">63</a></span>

+“Maybe the prowler was just a curious kid,” Penny

+said suddenly. “Have you thought of that, Phil?”</p>

+

+<p>Philip thought for a minute. “He had awfully broad

+shoulders, and I don’t think a kid would have jumped

+on Mal.” He shrugged. “But I really think whoever

+it was won’t come back.” He put the floor boards

+back in place. “If he does, he won’t do any digging for

+buried treasure at this spot. Jimmy, go and get the

+old Bus and park it right here.”</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy grinned with delight. “Right. And if our

+curious friend comes back to search, he’ll have to

+move the Bus. And, unless he’s a Samson he’ll have

+to start her up, and, when this thing starts running,

+he’ll realize that he’s set off the loudest fire alarm in

+Michigan.” He ran off to get the Bus.</p>

+

+<p>“If we don’t find any treasure when we dig up the

+well,” Marjorie said, “let’s dig under the floor here.”</p>

+

+<p>“Definitely no,” Phil told her firmly. “We’ll dig

+up the well and let it be known far and wide that we

+found nothing. That should put a stop to all the silly

+rumors.”</p>

+

+<p>Pat nodded approvingly. “And night prowlers.”</p>

+

+<p>When they returned to the house they found that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">64</a></span>

+Kitty and Mal had sandwiches and a large pot of hot

+cocoa waiting for them.</p>

+

+<p>“I think you men should take turns keeping watch

+tonight,” Kitty said nervously. “And please, can’t we

+sleep in the house tonight instead of in the cabin?”</p>

+

+<p>“Of course, you can,” Phil said. “And perhaps it

+isn’t a bad idea for us to take turns keeping an eye

+on the place.” He smiled reassuringly. “For the rest

+of tonight anyway.”</p>

+

+<p>“I’ll take one shift,” Marjorie said, suppressing a

+yawn. “I won’t sleep a wink anyway.”</p>

+

+<p>But she did, the minute her head touched the pillow,

+and when she awoke in the morning was very

+disappointed to hear that the night had been uneventful.</p>

+

+<p>“At least I didn’t miss anything,” she said as they

+hurriedly ate breakfast on the sunny porch. “Now,

+to find the buried treasure!”</p>

+

+<p>But the whole day proved to be a tremendous disappointment.

+They finally dug all the way down to

+the bottom of the well and found absolutely nothing

+but mud. And the source of the spring had evidently

+gone dry.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">65</a></span>

+“All that labor for nothing,” Pat said in a very

+disgruntled voice. “A wasted day.”</p>

+

+<p>Everyone had pitched in and helped at various intervals,

+although Jimmy and Marjorie were the only

+ones who never gave up hope of finding gold pieces

+deep in the mud.</p>

+

+<p>Wearily the men filled up the huge hole, and the

+rest of the week was spent in what Ann Mary called

+“fruitful labor.” The shed was converted into quite

+a presentable garage, and at last even Phil admitted

+that they were practically ready to open the Lodge

+for business. They were all so busy with final preparations

+they dismissed the night prowler from their

+minds.</p>

+

+<p>Only Jimmy and Marjorie remained convinced that

+there was treasure buried on the grounds.</p>

+

+<p>“What about the laundry situation?” Phil asked

+Penny the night before the first guests were expected.

+“Have you been able to cope with that?”</p>

+

+<p>“I certainly have,” Penny told him proudly. “Several

+days ago a very pleasant-looking man who looks

+strong enough to carry any amount of damp linen,

+drove out to ask for the job. He’d heard in the village<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">66</a></span>

+that we wanted someone to tote a huge bundle into

+the laundry-mat twice a week, and came right out

+without even waiting to telephone for an appointment

+with me.”</p>

+

+<p>Phil looked puzzled. “I sort of took it for granted

+that you’d give the job to a woman.”</p>

+

+<p>“I planned to,” Penny said, “in spite of what Pat

+said about anybody being able to work those automatic

+machines. But there just aren’t any women in

+the village who drive their own cars and who are free

+to help us out.”</p>

+

+<p>“I suppose not,” Phil said.</p>

+

+<p>“This man, a Mr. Taggart,” Penny went on, “recently

+moved to town for the summer and needs work

+badly. He offered to handle our laundry for us at a

+flat rate of only fifteen dollars a week.”</p>

+

+<p>Phil whistled. “Say, that <em>is</em> cheap!” He added teasingly:

+“Maybe he’ll take the first batch in and never

+come back!”</p>

+

+<p>Penny laughed. “He’s already taken in one big

+bundle of sheets and pillow cases and, according to

+Ann Mary, brought them back snowy white. She’s

+terribly pleased. I had no idea we could get anyone

+to do it so cheaply. When the place is filled with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">67</a></span>

+guests he’ll probably demand more money, but let’s

+not object. Kitty says the laundry problem in all summer

+hotels is usually the hardest one to solve.”</p>

+

+<p>Phil nodded. “If the place really fills up, we’ll not

+only have to raise Taggart’s pay, but we’ll have to

+get some people from the village to come out by the

+day and do the ironing.”</p>

+

+<p>“I’ve thought of that,” Penny said. “The same girls

+who are going to help wait on the tables when we

+really get going are going to do some ironing between

+meals.”</p>

+

+<p>“You think of everything,” Phil said approvingly.

+“I’m proud of you, Sis.”</p>

+

+<p>Penny sighed. “You shouldn’t be. I couldn’t do a

+thing without the advice of Ann Mary and Theresa

+and Kitty. And, frankly, Phil, I’m getting cold feet

+at the last minute. What if the whole project is a

+flop?”</p>

+

+<p>“It won’t be,” Phil said reassuringly. “You’re just

+tired and getting a case of stage fright.” He tucked

+her hand through his arm and led her toward the

+stairs. “After a good night’s sleep you’ll be your old

+irrepressible self again. Full of vim, vigor and vitality!”</p>

+

+

+

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<hr class="divider" />

+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">68</a></span>

+</div>

+

+<h2><a name="v" id="v"></a><span>CHAPTER 5</span><br />

+ANOTHER THREAT</h2>

+

+<p class="noi"><span class="smcap">Rat-tat-tat</span> on the door.</p>

+

+<p>“Who can that be?” Penny demanded. “We’ve

+simply got to get these clean curtains up before the

+first guests arrive.”</p>

+

+<p>Phil, who was helping her, said from the top of the

+stepladder, “Probably your laundry man, Mr. Taggart.

+Ann Mary or Marjorie can take care of it.” He

+climbed down the ladder. “Now what?”</p>

+

+<p>“Draperies,” Penny said. “I’ve already put in the

+pin hooks so it won’t take long.”</p>

+

+<p>Rat-tat-tat again.</p>

+

+<p>“Oh, dear,” she moaned. “Marjorie and Ann Mary

+are probably out in back and can’t hear. Everyone

+else is in the village. That’s someone at the front door

+so it couldn’t be Mr. Taggart. He always parks his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">69</a></span>

+car by the Donahues’ cabin. I’d better run down and

+see who’s knocking.”</p>

+

+<p>Phil moved his ladder to the window where the

+draperies were to be hung. “Wait a minute,” he said.

+“Just hand me up those things and then go.” He

+stared out of the window as he climbed up. “Say,

+that must be your laundry man’s car out there by the

+Donahues’ cabin now. Pretty classy, isn’t it?”</p>

+

+<p>“It certainly is,” Penny agreed hurriedly. She gave

+him the draperies and ran down the stairs from the

+balcony. At the bottom she stopped. Someone was

+rummaging around in the storeroom in the back of

+the house.</p>

+

+<p>“Marjorie,” she called, rather crossly. “What are

+you doing in there? This is no time to explore! And

+didn’t you hear someone knocking on the front

+door?” She hurried down the hall muttering to herself:

+“With all I have to do, it seems to me that child

+could at least stop looking for hidden treasure long

+enough to answer the front door!”</p>

+

+<p>But, when she opened the door, Penny’s good nature

+was immediately restored. For there stood Judy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">70</a></span>

+and Alf Powell with Mr. and Mrs. Powell right behind

+them.</p>

+

+<p>Their first guests had arrived!</p>

+

+<p>Penny tried to hug everyone at once as she talked

+excitedly:</p>

+

+<p>“Why, Alf! You’ve grown like a beanstalk. Jimmy

+will be comparing measurements with you in no time.

+And Judy, you haven’t changed a bit. My, won’t

+you and Marjorie have a million things to talk about.

+You can’t imagine, Mr. and Mrs. Powell, how pleased

+we were that you could come. This isn’t going to be

+like a resort at all. We’re going to be surrounded by

+all our old friends. Isn’t this fine! Come right in. How

+did you get here? Have you a car to put away?”

+Penny peered around but could not see a car any

+place.</p>

+

+<p>“No, Penny,” said Mr. Powell. “We decided to

+take a plane. Alf, as you probably know, has flown

+a few times, but Judy had never been up.”</p>

+

+<p>“We flew to the closest airport,” Mrs. Powell

+added, “and took a bus from there to the village. We

+left our luggage in the village and walked out. It’s

+such a beautiful day. You won’t mind sending your<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">71</a></span>

+truck down for our bags, will you? A nice man in

+the village told us you had one.”</p>

+

+<p>“Of course not,” said Marjorie, who suddenly appeared

+behind Penny in the hall. “I’d drive it myself

+if only my mean old brothers and sister would let

+me!” She laughed mischievously.</p>

+

+<p>“Imp!” Penny cried, pushing her straight into

+Judy’s arms.</p>

+

+<p>As the two girls hugged each other ecstatically,

+Mrs. Powell said to Penny, “This is certainly a lovely

+spot. Even your description didn’t do it justice. I

+know we’re all going to have a wonderful summer.”</p>

+

+<p>“We saw the lake as we flew over,” Mr. Powell

+said enthusiastically, “and it looks large enough to

+hold a mighty lot of fish.”</p>

+

+<p>“There’s enough fish there to feed an army,”

+chimed in Jimmy as he came running in from the

+driveway where he had parked the Bronc. “Alf and

+I are going to catch our share.”</p>

+

+<p>Phil came down the stairs from the balcony and

+greeted everyone cordially. “You couldn’t have arrived

+at a better time,” he told his guests. “If Marjorie

+had had to wait one more hour for Judy, she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">72</a></span>

+would have worn a path from the back door to the

+front. Ever since dawn she’s been watching for your

+car.”</p>

+

+<p>“And yet,” Penny said with a laugh, “when they

+did arrive, she didn’t hear them knocking on the

+door.”</p>

+

+<p>“I was busy,” Marjorie informed her sister airily.

+“Out in the Donahues’ cabin helping Ann Mary get

+their laundry together for Mr. Taggart.”</p>

+

+<p>Penny said nothing, but she made a mental note to

+scold Marjorie later in private. Marjorie had not been

+helping Ann Mary; Penny had heard her rummaging

+in the old storage room!</p>

+

+<p>“There’s something a lot better than fish around

+here,” Jimmy was saying in an undertone to Alf.</p>

+

+<p>“I’ll say there is,” Marjorie told Judy.</p>

+

+<p>Penny smiled. She could see that the four of them

+were already scheming and laying plans to dig up

+the entire place in search of buried treasure.</p>

+

+<p>“I guess I’ll forget about Marjorie’s little white lie,”

+Penny decided. “She didn’t mean any harm, and I

+know she’s been dying to poke around in those old

+trunks for ages.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">73</a></span></p>

+

+<p>Jimmy took Alf to his room and Marjorie took

+Judy to hers. Philip and Penny escorted Mr. and Mrs.

+Powell to the big airy room which had been reserved

+for them.</p>

+

+<p>“Oh, Judy, isn’t it wo-o-o-onderful that you are

+here,” Marjorie said with a sigh of happiness. “We

+haven’t got everything quite arranged yet, so maybe,

+just for tonight, you and I can share a room. We’ll

+stay up late and talk, and raid the icebox. We have

+the most wonderful things to eat in it.”</p>

+

+<p>At this point they had to hug each other and dance

+a little jig in the ecstatic joy of the occasion. Then

+their tongues began to catch up with all there was

+to tell each other.</p>

+

+<p>As soon as Mal had brought the Powell’s luggage

+in from town and Judy had changed into her blue

+jeans, she and Marjorie were all over the place. They

+were like a couple of hummingbirds, here, there and

+everywhere. They took a dip in the lake, a shower

+in the boathouse, and afterwards, thoroughly content

+and full of excess spirits, they dressed for the best

+dinner that Judy had ever tasted. Marjorie’s eyes

+snapped and her round face was all smiles as she animatedly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">74</a></span>

+told the Powells and Alf what she and Judy

+had seen and done.</p>

+

+<p>Then Alf and Jimmy related how they had spent

+the day first exploring a little in the woods, then

+making plans for a camping trip that they were to

+make later in the summer, and finally adding a little

+to the construction of the shack. They were mighty

+anxious to complete the bachelors’ retreat as fast as

+they could, and this was the only reason why they

+accepted an offer of help from Marjorie and Judy.</p>

+

+<p>“I don’t suppose,” Alf said, giving Jimmy a nudge,

+“that they’ll really be any help. But we’ll let them

+sweep up wood shavings and sort nails.”</p>

+

+<p>“You’ll do nothing of the kind,” Judy said briskly.

+“I’m going to put up a wall all by myself or I won’t

+go near your silly old place.”</p>

+

+<p>The boys hooted and ran off to their headquarters.</p>

+

+<p>But not much work was accomplished the next day

+as more guests arrived. Brook Sanders was greeted

+with hilarious shouts of joy by Jimmy and Alf when

+Phil brought him in from the village in the station

+wagon. Poor Brook was not even given a chance to go

+to his room. But his parents were sure he preferred<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">75</a></span>

+going down to see the shack with the boys. He came

+back with a glowing description of the woods, the

+lake, the picnic grounds, the shack and everything else

+he had seen.</p>

+

+<p>“Gee, Dad,” he said excitedly, “I wish you’d buy

+the place next door. Jimmy says it’s for sale.”</p>

+

+<p>Mr. Sanders laughed. “I can see you are all enthused,

+Brook. But why buy a place as long as we

+stand in with the Allens? This suits me.”</p>

+

+<p>“Me too,” said Brook. “Let’s do this every summer.”</p>

+

+<p>“Anybody want any fudge?” asked Marjorie and

+Judy. “We’ve just made some.”</p>

+

+<p>“I never say no to fudge,” said Brook picking out

+the biggest piece before Alf or Jimmy could get it.</p>

+

+<p>“You’d better leave at least one piece for me,” Alf

+said.</p>

+

+<p>“There’s plenty more in the kitchen,” said Judy,

+“and we’re bringing in a big pitcher of lemonade,

+too.”</p>

+

+<p>Alf went into the kitchen with Judy to carry out

+the lemonade and Marjorie brought in another dish

+of fudge.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">76</a></span>

+“Nut fudge,” gloated Alf.</p>

+

+<p>“Nuts to the nutty,” quoted Marjorie from one of

+her brother’s favorite expressions, as she passed him

+the dish.</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy, Alf and Brook spent the afternoon out in

+the motorboat, to get away from the girls and to make

+their plans. A great deal had happened to all of the

+boys since they had last seen each other and they had

+a lot of catching up to do.</p>

+

+<p>The next day the Curtises arrived, their car loaded

+with baggage, and Mary said there was more coming

+by express. Now it was Penny’s and Philip’s turn to

+get all excited and to catch up on old times with Mary

+and Charles.</p>

+

+<p>Charles greeted Penny in his old devoted manner,

+and immediately asked if Peter Wyland, his chief

+competitor, had arrived yet or if he was going to have

+her to himself this summer. He made it very clear

+that even if Peter came, he was planning to absorb all

+of Penny’s spare time. Penny was cordial but elusive

+and all the more attractive. Charles did not enjoy at

+all her enthusiasm over the different members of his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">77</a></span>

+party. He felt that the kiss with which Penny greeted

+Mary should have been planted on his cheek instead

+and he said so.</p>

+

+<p>Mary and Phil, on the other hand, acted like the

+two old chums that they were. They both laughed

+heartily when Charles tried to kiss Penny and she

+slipped hastily behind Phil.</p>

+

+<p>“I can see,” Mary said, “that we’re going to have

+a grand summer watching those two fight.”</p>

+

+<p>Phil chuckled. “We’re delighted you all wanted to

+spend the summer with us.”</p>

+

+<p>“That’s right,” Penny said, making a face at

+Charles. “Even you, silly. I wouldn’t have considered

+the summer complete unless the Curtises were here.”</p>

+

+<p>“I know we’re going to have the time of our lives,”

+Mary said enthusiastically.</p>

+

+<p>“I hope so,” Penny said. “We’ve made all kinds of

+plans. We’ll hike through the woods to the nearby

+places of interest, and have picnics and all sorts of

+evening parties.”</p>

+

+<p>“And,” Phil added to Charles, “fish and hunt.”</p>

+

+<p>“The yacht,” Penny went on, “is in fine shape. We<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">78</a></span>

+can go on overnight trips on the lake. Oh,” she finished,

+“I’m just full of plans.”</p>

+

+<p>“Are you going to let me help you play hostess?”

+Charles asked.</p>

+

+<p>“I certainly am,” Penny told him briskly. “And for

+pity’s sake, start right in with all that baggage. I’m

+sure Mal will be floored when he sees it!”</p>

+

+<p>But all Charles could really get to carry up was

+one small bag, since Mal, Pat, Jimmy and the other

+two boys made quick work of getting the car unloaded.

+Penny suspected the rush act was put on because

+they were all anxious to drive the beautiful,

+shiny Cadillac into the shed.</p>

+

+<p>For the next few days the Lodge was a beehive of

+activity. There was much conversation and laughter

+and a great deal of coming and going about the

+grounds. There were beach parties, hikes and picnics

+and an impromptu evening party with everybody

+joining wholeheartedly in all the games that were

+suggested.</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy arranged a “snipe hunt.” Phil was the only

+other person besides Jimmy who knew there were no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">79</a></span>

+snipe around there. Everybody started out at twilight

+with flashlights and paper bags to hunt for the elusive

+snipe. And when they all came back, empty-handed,

+one by one, Jimmy greeted them with a big stuffed

+bird in his hands. Brook said it was an old logger’s

+trick, and everybody in New England knew about

+it, but he couldn’t understand how he and all these

+other people would fall for it. Nevertheless, they had

+all enjoyed their tramp through the woods and the

+snack that awaited them when they returned.</p>

+

+<p>There was little rest for the Allens now. Penny

+would slip away when everybody was being entertained

+to make out orders and menus. She also found

+that she would have to make arrangements for some

+of the village people to come in and help with the

+cleaning as well as the ironing and serving when more

+guests arrived.</p>

+

+<p>Things were really getting down to quite a businesslike

+basis, however, and Penny was pleased with

+the routine they seemed to have fallen into partly by

+plan and partly by accident. They had planned to try

+and get all of their actual work done in the morning,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">80</a></span>

+but the first few days it had not worked out that way

+since most of the guests were up bright and early.

+But after a few days, when the novelty of the Lodge

+had worn off, and their guests had become quite settled,

+most of them slept later, and this gave the Allens

+time for their work.</p>

+

+<p>Penny and Phil both had a disappointment in common

+when Peter Wyland and Adra wrote that they

+would not be able to come to the Lodge until the

+first week in August. Adra Prentice was spending

+some time with her father, whom she had hardly seen

+all winter. And since Mr. Prentice could not come

+to the Lodge at all as he had originally planned, Adra

+had decided to spend July with him and then come

+to the Lodge for August. Peter, of course, was in

+Mr. Prentice’s employ, and so he could not come for

+the same reason. However, they both wrote in their

+letters to Phil and Penny that they would be there

+in August and Peter hinted that he might be able to

+come a week earlier.</p>

+

+<p>“It’s a good thing we haven’t much time to miss

+anyone these days,” Phil said and Penny smiled.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">81</a></span>

+“Yes, keeping busy is a wonderful antidote for

+some things,” she said.</p>

+

+<p>The next few weeks were indeed busy ones. Some

+friends of Mary Curtis arrived and a few friends of

+<a name="Charles" id="Charles"></a><ins title="Original has 'Charles’'">Charles</ins> dropped in for the weekends. Marjorie and

+Judy were constantly on the lookout for new romances

+among the young folks, and just as they were

+certain that one was developing, something would

+happen which would prove that they were wrong.</p>

+

+<p>“Anyway,” Marjorie said to Judy, “there are two

+romances we can be absolutely sure of. Phil is in love

+with Adra, and Penny is mad about Peter.”</p>

+

+<p>“And,” Judy chimed in, “Adra is in love with

+Phil and Peter is wild about Penny. I wouldn’t be surprised

+if they were all engaged before the end of the

+summer.”</p>

+

+<p>“Neither would I,” Marjorie said, her blue eyes

+twinkling. “Phil and Penny can hardly wait for the

+arrival of Adra and Peter.”</p>

+

+<p>They had been helping Theresa by emptying all

+of the scrap baskets from the various rooms in the

+Lodge into the big wire mesh one in the clearing.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">82</a></span>

+Later, when the wind died down, Pat would set a

+match to the papers.</p>

+

+<p>Right now the wind was blowing so hard that it

+lifted a crumpled ball of paper from Judy’s hand and

+blew it smack against Marjorie’s face.</p>

+

+<p>“Fate,” Marjorie said with a giggle, “obviously

+meant for me to read this before it got burned.”</p>

+

+<p>Assuming an exaggeratedly serious air, she smoothed

+out the paper on her knee. Then she gave a little gasp.

+“Oh, Judy,” she cried. “It’s another anonymous letter.

+Remember? I told you about the one Phil got?

+This one was sent to Penny, and I’ll bet she crumpled

+it up and threw it away without saying anything to

+anybody.”</p>

+

+<p>Judy nodded. “Penny’s like that. She wouldn’t pay

+any attention to a letter she got unless it was signed.

+What does this one say?”</p>

+

+<p>“Th-this one,” Marjorie stammered, after reading

+it quickly, “fr-frightens me.” And she read the

+crudely printed words out loud:</p>

+

+<div class="block-centre">

+<div class="block">

+MISS ALLEN: YOUR FALL THE OTHER<br />

+DAY WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT. I<br /><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">83</a></span>

+PURPOSELY WEAKENED THOSE<br />

+BOARDS IN THE SHED SO THAT THE<br />

+FIRST ONE OF YOU WHO LEANED<br />

+ON THEM WOULD CRASH INTO<br />

+THE WELL. IF YOU DON’T CLEAR<br />

+OUT OF THE LODGE SOON, EXPECT<br />

+WORSE “ACCIDENTS.” I WARNED<br />

+YOU THAT I MEAN BUSINESS.

+</div>

+</div>

+

+<p>Judy sniffed. “Well, it doesn’t frighten me. From

+the way you described Penny’s accident, I’m sure it

+didn’t happen because someone had tampered with

+the wall of the shed. Even if he had weakened the

+boards, how could he be sure someone was going to

+lean on them?”</p>

+

+<p>“You’re right,” Marjorie admitted, completely

+over her nervousness. “Penny herself said she was

+foolish to touch that broken wall.”</p>

+

+<p>She crumpled the letter and tossed it into the mesh

+basket. “A crazy person who heard about Penny’s

+fall wrote that silly letter. Come on. Let’s bring the

+empty baskets back to Theresa and forget the whole

+thing.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">84</a></span>

+But deep down inside, Marjorie was thinking about

+the footprint Jimmy had discovered in the dirt under

+the shed floor. Had it been left there before Penny’s

+accident, or after it?</p>

+

+<p>“After it,” she finally decided. “The floor boards

+were all in place the first time we inspected the shed.

+The man who came snooping around that night must

+have left that footprint. He probably meant to sneak

+back and cover up the hole he made in the floor, but

+got frightened away for good when Phil and Pat

+fired those shots in the air.”</p>

+

+

+

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<hr class="divider" />

+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">85</a></span>

+</div>

+

+<h2><a name="vi" id="vi"></a><span>CHAPTER 6</span><br />

+CLUES IN A BOTTLE</h2>

+

+<p class="noi"><span class="smcap">All during</span> the hot July days that followed Judy and

+Marjorie did indeed live in bathing suits. Mrs. Powell

+and Penny tried to make them dress up for dinner,

+but they compromised by changing into clean shirts

+and blue jeans.</p>

+

+<p>“Aren’t we ever going to do anything about the

+treasure that’s supposed to be buried around here?”

+Judy asked one day. They had been in swimming and

+were now lying in the sun on the shore of the lake.</p>

+

+<p>“I suppose we should do something about it,” Marjorie

+said lazily. “But it’s been so hot I hate the thought

+of digging. Helping Pat hoe up his potatoes was about

+all I could stand.”</p>

+

+<p>“I’ve still got some blisters,” Judy said with a grin.</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie raised herself on one elbow and squinted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">86</a></span>

+up toward the Lodge. “Penny and Phil don’t think

+there’s any treasure buried around here any more than

+there was a ghost haunting the place.”</p>

+

+<p>“I know <em>they</em> don’t,” Judy said. “But Jimmy, Alf

+and Brook do. They’ve been acting very mysteriously

+ever since we got here. They sneak off early in the

+morning with shovels and things, and I’m sure they

+don’t spend all their time fixing up their shack.”</p>

+

+<p>“I know,” Marjorie said thoughtfully. “And it

+would be simply awful if the boys found the treasure,

+not us.” She scrambled to her feet. “We’ve got to

+find it first. Let’s get out of these wet bathing suits

+before we do anything else. While we’re changing

+into dungarees we can decide where the best place to

+start digging is.”</p>

+

+<p>Ten minutes later the girls left the Lodge by the

+back door and, armed with shovels, went down to

+the clearing.</p>

+

+<p>“Oh, golly,” Marjorie moaned. “I thought this

+would be a swell place to dig because there’s no grass

+on the ground here. But just look. There’s the wash

+hanging out on the line to dry. Mr. Taggart must have

+just brought it back from the laundry-mat.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">87</a></span></p>

+

+<p>“Just our luck,” Judy complained. “We’d better

+not dig anywhere near it. We’d be sure to raise clouds

+of dust. It hasn’t rained in ages.”</p>

+

+<p>“I tell you what let’s do instead,” Marjorie suggested.

+“Let’s go help the boys with their shack. They

+promised to let us work on it, too. Once it’s finished

+maybe they’ll go off on that camping trip with Pat.

+Then we’ll have the whole place to ourselves.”</p>

+

+<p>“That’s right,” Judy agreed. “If they caught us

+digging, they’d be sure to make fun of us. They pretend

+that we’re silly to believe that there’s treasure

+buried around here, but I happen to know that they

+believe in it too.”</p>

+

+<p>When they arrived at the shack, the girls’ offer of

+help was promptly turned down.</p>

+

+<p>“<em>Help!</em>” Alf hooted. “Judy, you don’t know which

+end of a hammer is the head.”</p>

+

+<p>“Neither does Marjorie,” added Jimmy with a teasing

+grin. “Scram, you two. We men have work to

+do.”</p>

+

+<p>“But you promised,” Marjorie reminded him

+crossly.</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy waved her away. “Later, child, later. Right<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">88</a></span>

+now we’re too busy to teach you the rudiments of

+carpentry.”</p>

+

+<p>So Judy and Marjorie wandered forlornly off and

+returned to the clearing where they had left their

+shovels. After that they spent a few hours every day

+aimlessly digging here and there for buried treasure.

+But it was tiresome work and since they knew the

+holes had to be filled up, they never dug very deep

+or very long at any one spot.</p>

+

+<p>“This is hopeless,” Judy said one day toward the

+end of July. “What we ought to look for are clues.

+Maps and things pirates may have left around which

+will tell us exactly where to dig.”</p>

+

+<p>“I don’t think there were ever any pirates around

+here,” Marjorie said dubiously. “Didn’t they always

+stick pretty close to the seacoasts?”</p>

+

+<p>“I guess you’re right,” Judy said disconsolately.

+“But whoever buried the treasure should have left

+some clues or directions.”</p>

+

+<p>“Not necessarily,” Marjorie pointed out practically.

+“He might have buried it in a hurry and then

+the Indians or somebody might have killed him right

+afterwards.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">89</a></span>

+“I give up.” Judy flung her shovel on the ground.

+“The boys can find the treasure first for all I care.

+My hands are so sore I couldn’t paddle a canoe. So

+let’s go swimming.”</p>

+

+<p>“All right,” Marjorie agreed. “I do want you to

+have fun while you’re our guest, Judy,” she added

+worriedly.</p>

+

+<p>“Oh, I am,” Judy assured her with a quick smile.

+“It was my idea to dig for the treasure, not yours.

+But let’s forget about it for awhile.”</p>

+

+<p>“Let’s,” Marjorie agreed. “Besides, I haven’t been

+much of a help to Penny lately. I’m supposed to be

+assistant hostess, you know, and help her entertain

+the guests.”</p>

+

+<p>“Well, I’m a guest,” Judy said with a giggle. “And

+you’ve entertained me royally.”</p>

+

+<p>From then on Marjorie spent more time helping

+Penny and Ann Mary and Theresa.</p>

+

+<p>By the first of August the boys had made great

+progress with the shack. Mal, Pat and Phil helped

+out whenever they could and some of the guests

+pitched in occasionally. The walls and the roof were

+now up, the doors and windows were in place and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">90</a></span>

+boys had even spent two nights sleeping there on cots.

+They were now putting in the finishing touches, and

+true to their promise they had let Marjorie and Judy

+help.</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie, in her enthusiasm over being allowed to

+put up a shower wall all by herself, had banged her

+finger with the hammer and the boys had suggested

+that she and Judy take some time off to recuperate.

+So Marjorie and Judy were looking for shells down

+on the beach.</p>

+

+<p>“Oh, golly,” Judy said in disgust after awhile, “all

+the nice ones seem to get as far under the rocks as

+they can.”</p>

+

+<p>“They certainly do,” Marjorie agreed. “But let’s

+keep looking. We might find some really valuable

+ones which we could sell to collectors for a lot of

+money.”</p>

+

+<p>For the next few minutes they were very busy

+pushing and shoving at the rocks, upturning some and

+giving up others that were too heavy to budge.</p>

+

+<p>Finally they came across one huge stone that

+seemed to be imbedded in the sand. Marjorie knew

+that even with Judy’s help she couldn’t move it, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">91</a></span>

+she was just about to crawl by it when she saw

+something.</p>

+

+<p>“Judy,” she cried excitedly. “Come here, quickly.

+Doesn’t it look as though someone had been digging

+around this rock a little while ago?”</p>

+

+<p>Judy scrambled to her feet and joined Marjorie.

+“You’re right,” she said. “Some one <em>has</em> been digging

+here. I’ll bet whoever it was buried something under

+that rock.” She flopped down on her knees beside

+Marjorie and together the girls began to dig frantically

+with their fingers.</p>

+

+<p>And then Marjorie’s sharp eyes caught a glimpse

+of something that glittered in the sunlight. “Diamonds,”

+she gasped. “Judy, help me. Let’s see if we

+can’t inch the rock up a little so we can see better.

+Oh, wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was real honest-to-goodness

+treasure buried here?”</p>

+

+<p>Judy, tugging at the heavy rock, could only pant,

+“There. Now we’ve got it!”</p>

+

+<p>They both fell to digging with renewed vigor, and

+in another second Marjorie could see that the glittering

+object was only a dark green glass bottle.</p>

+

+<p>“Oh, for Pete’s sake,” she moaned disappointedly.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">92</a></span>

+“And I thought we were at last going to find the

+buried treasure.” Crossly she yanked the bottle out

+of the warm sand and raised her arm to toss it into

+the lake.</p>

+

+<p>“Wait a minute!” cried Judy, grabbing her arm

+just in time. “There’s something in that bottle, Marjorie.

+When you held it up in the sunlight I could

+see right through the dark green glass.”</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie held the bottle up again and stared at it.

+“You’re right, Judy,” she said. “It looks like a piece

+of paper. Oh, golly, maybe it’s a map which’ll tell

+us exactly where the treasure is buried!”</p>

+

+<p>As she talked, Marjorie was prying out the cork

+with a piece of broken shell.</p>

+

+<p>“Hurry, hurry,” Judy cried impatiently, hopping

+up and down. “Now you’ve got it out at last. Turn

+it upside down and shake it, Marjorie. Oh, oh, it <em>is</em>

+a piece of paper!”</p>

+

+<p>The piece of paper was battered and torn, and it

+had been crumpled into a small ball. Carefully Marjorie

+smoothed it out, and together they tried to read

+the smudged words.</p>

+

+<p>After half an hour of intensive studying they were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">93</a></span>

+able to figure out that the scrap was a fragment of a

+message, and the message had something to do with

+“the Log Cabin” and “a well that.”</p>

+

+<p>“Oh, Judy,” Marjorie gasped. “The well must be

+the one we dug up. If we could only find the other

+fragment, I’ll bet the two together would tell us

+where the treasure is buried!”</p>

+

+<p>“Who do you suppose wrote the message?” Judy

+asked wonderingly. “And how did it get torn? And

+how did one half get into this bottle?”</p>

+

+<p>“I can guess what happened,” Marjorie said, her

+imagination completely running away with her.

+“Two men knew about the buried treasure near the

+old well. They wrote down just where they were

+supposed to dig. Then they got into a fight when

+they talked about how they were going to divide the

+loot. In the tussle, one man got off with one half,

+and the other put his half in this bottle and buried it

+here for safekeeping.”</p>

+

+<p>Judy stared at her in admiration. “You’re wonderful,

+Marjorie,” she said. “That’s just what happened.

+Now all we have to do is find the other half.”</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie’s elfin blue eyes were bright with suppressed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">94</a></span>

+laughter. “<em>All?</em>” she demanded sarcastically.

+“The other half of the message could be anywhere in

+the world.” She stared thoughtfully down at the

+scrap. “The two letters ‘tr’ might be part of the word

+‘trunk.’ What do you think, Judy?”</p>

+

+<p>“I think you’re

+<a name="absolutely" id="absolutely"></a><ins title="Original has 'asolutely'">absolutely</ins> right,” Judy said emphatically.

+“Aren’t there some old trunks in the

+storeroom that you haven’t opened yet? Oh, Marjorie,

+do you suppose there’s another clue in one of

+them?”</p>

+

+<p>“Let’s look anyway,” Marjorie said. “Tuesday

+when I was helping Ann Mary get the soiled linen

+ready for Mr. Taggart to take into town, I asked her

+if you and I couldn’t go through those old trunks

+some rainy day. And she said we could. She laughed

+at me and said, ‘You won’t find any treasure there. If

+you’re smart you’ll search for rare shells down by the

+lake.’ That’s how I got the idea of trying to find some

+which rich collectors might buy from us.”</p>

+

+<p>“Well,” Judy said, “we didn’t find any worth

+bringing back to the Lodge. Let’s don’t waste any

+more time looking for rare shells. Let’s go show this

+clue to the boys.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">95</a></span>

+Marjorie hesitated. “Okay, but I’ll bet they just

+make fun of us. Jimmy won’t even consider that it

+just might be a clue.”</p>

+

+<p>“But,” Judy objected, “he’s bound to realize that

+the message had something to do with the well and the

+Lodge. Let’s go.”</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie carefully tucked the torn paper into the

+pocket of her blue jeans. Then they raced back to the

+Lodge.</p>

+

+<p>Out in the shed the girls found that Jimmy, Alf

+and Brook had finished closing in the shower. They

+banged on the door and Jimmy called out in a dramatic

+voice:</p>

+

+<p>“Who invades our privacy? This is the bachelors’

+retreat and we want no women around here!” Marjorie

+heard him add in a loud whisper: “And especially

+not dimwit girls!”</p>

+

+<p>She yelled at the top of her lungs: “Oh, come on

+out, Jimmy. Quit being so mean to us. We have

+something important to show you.”</p>

+

+<p>But Jimmy was adamant. “<em>You</em> quit banging on

+the door, dopes. We’ll open it when we’re ready and

+not a minute before.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">96</a></span>

+Marjorie turned to Judy. “Try Alf. He’s your

+brother.”</p>

+

+<p>“Alf Powell,” Judy screamed. “You’ll be sorry if

+you don’t come right out. What we have is something

+really yummy!” She added quietly to Marjorie,

+“That’ll get him!”</p>

+

+<p>“Yummy,” they heard both Alf and Brook repeat,

+and then from Jimmy as he opened the door and stuck

+his head out:</p>

+

+<p>“Why didn’t you say you had food in the first

+place?”</p>

+

+<p>“Look,” said Marjorie, showing him the piece of

+paper. “Judy and I found this in a bottle buried in the

+sand under a big rock on the beach. We think it’s

+part of a message that has something to do with the

+buried treasure.”</p>

+

+<p>“Oh, you dopey kids,” Jimmy said in a very condescending

+tone of voice. “Your imagination works

+overtime. It’s fantastic,” he said over his shoulder to

+Alf and Brook, “what they can think up in their

+spare time.”</p>

+

+<p>But Jimmy took the paper from Marjorie, and gave

+it a contemptuous glance. “What a mess,” he said.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">97</a></span>

+“You know perfectly well you rigged this up yourselves,

+but you can’t fool me.”</p>

+

+<p>“We didn’t, honest,” Marjorie said, tossing her

+blonde head. “But if that’s the way you feel about it,

+give it back to me. Furthermore, if we find any more

+clues you’ll be the last person in the world we consult.”</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy tossed it to her with a grin. “Run along,

+kids. We haven’t time for your monkey business.

+We’re going for a swim, and then we’re going to get

+the Bronc ready for our camping trip.” He slammed

+the door in Marjorie’s face. “Scram. Later, if we men

+haven’t anything better to do, you can try to fool us

+with your phony clues.”</p>

+

+<p>“See?” Marjorie bitterly asked Judy. “That’s a

+brother for you! If we do find anything in the storage

+room, let’s not tell a soul!”</p>

+

+

+

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<hr class="divider" />

+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">98</a></span>

+</div>

+

+<h2><a name="vii" id="vii"></a><span>CHAPTER 7</span><br />

+THE MAP</h2>

+

+<p class="noi"><span class="smcap">Marjorie and Judy</span> entered the Lodge by the back

+door and found Mr. Taggart in the kitchen with a

+big bundle of clean laundry.</p>

+

+<p>“Hello, girls,” he said pleasantly. “Find any buried

+treasure yet?”</p>

+

+<p>“No,” Judy replied, “but down on the beach we&mdash;”</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie nudged her and said quickly, “We found

+a lot of absolutely worthless shells.” She grinned at

+Ann Mary who came into the kitchen then with a

+bag of soiled linen. “You and your rare specimens!

+I’ll bet you sent us off on that wild goose chase just

+to get us out of your hair.”</p>

+

+<p>Ann Mary laughed. “Maybe I did.” She turned to

+Mr. Taggart. “I really sent them down to the lake

+to keep them from digging up the whole place. Pat

+and Mal worked hard on the vegetable garden behind<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">99</a></span>

+the cabin, and I’m not going to have the kids ruin it

+in their search for something which they know perfectly

+well isn’t there.”</p>

+

+<p>“That’s right,” the laundry man said with a grin.

+“A carrot in the hand is worth a diamond in the

+bush.” He picked up the bag and started for the door.</p>

+

+<p>“Wait a minute, please,” Ann Mary said. “There’s

+more upstairs. Sit down and make yourself comfortable

+while I gather up the bed linen.”</p>

+

+<p>“Do you want me to do it for you, Ann Mary?”

+Marjorie asked, hoping the answer would be no.</p>

+

+<p>“Thank you, no,” Ann Mary said emphatically.

+“The last time you counted the sheets you counted

+one of them twice.”</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie giggled, and the girls followed Ann Mary

+out into the hall. As she hurried up the stairs to the

+balcony, Judy said:</p>

+

+<p>“I wish you’d show me the secret room sometime,

+Marjorie. I think you’re mean to keep it a secret from

+me, your very best friend.”</p>

+

+<p>“Why, of course, I’ll show it to you,” Marjorie

+cried impulsively. “And there’s no time like the present.”

+She led the way into the alcove and said, “See<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">100</a></span>

+those bookshelves? Now watch, while I press this

+button.”</p>

+

+<p>Open-mouthed with amazement, Judy watched as

+the shelves moved aside, revealing a short flight of

+stairs that led down into a little room.</p>

+

+<p>“Why, that’s the most marvelous contraption I ever

+saw,” she said enviously. “I wish we had something

+like it at home.”</p>

+

+<p>“We can’t go in,” Marjorie said. “It’s a law we

+passed at a meeting of the Allen Lodge Board of Directors.

+Only Phil and Pat can go in. As a matter of

+fact,” she added thoughtfully, “I guess I shouldn’t

+have showed you how the door works without first

+asking their permission.”</p>

+

+<p>“I won’t tell a soul,” Judy promised. “But why all

+the secrecy?”</p>

+

+<p>“Well,” Marjorie explained, “we keep all the

+guests’ valuables and all the money in that little old

+wall safe in there.” She stopped suddenly. “Oh, gosh,

+I guess that was Ann Mary who just went by the

+alcove. She must have heard us talking in here and

+now she’ll guess that I showed you the secret room.”</p>

+

+<p>“Will she tell Phil and Penny?” Judy asked worriedly.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">101</a></span>

+“And will they bawl you out? Oh, I hope

+not. It was all my fault! Curiosity killed the cat,” she

+finished lamely.</p>

+

+<p>“You mean,” Marjorie said as she closed the door,

+“let the cat out of the bag!” She grinned. “No, Ann

+Mary won’t tell. If she thinks I did let the cat out of

+the bag, she’ll bawl me out herself. But she’s no tattle-tale,

+and neither is Pat. They’re both grand people.

+And so are the Donahues.”</p>

+

+<p>“Everyone at the Lodge is swell,” Judy agreed,

+and added cautiously: “Since we’re probably already

+in Dutch, don’t you think maybe we’d better ask

+Penny’s permission before we go through those old

+trunks in the storeroom? I know Ann Mary said we

+could, but after all, Penny is the housekeeper, isn’t

+she?”</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie nodded. “We’ll get her permission right

+now.” She glanced at her wristwatch. “She’s probably

+out on the porch having tea with your parents and

+Mr. and Mrs. Curtis. And I guess Mr. and Mrs. Sanders,

+too.”</p>

+

+<p>“I tell you what let’s do,” Judy said. “Let’s put

+on a fashion show. Didn’t you say that the trunk<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">102</a></span>

+you’ve already opened is full of old-fashioned dresses

+and costume jewelry?”</p>

+

+<p>“What a wonderful idea!” Marjorie raced ahead

+of Judy down the spacious hall to the porch.</p>

+

+<p>Penny, looking very lovely in a pale yellow afternoon

+frock, looked up from the tea table with a

+smile. “Having fun, girls?” she asked. “I don’t have

+to ask you if you’re hungry. Help yourselves to

+sandwiches and cookies.”</p>

+

+<p>“We’re not hungry for once, Penny,” Marjorie

+told her with a laugh. “We came out to ask you if it’s

+all right if we put on a fashion show for you while

+you’re having tea. The boys have deserted us, and

+Judy and I want to dress up and parade around in

+some of the old costumes in the storage room.”</p>

+

+<p>“Go right ahead,” Penny said. “That’s the best

+idea you’ve had all summer, Marjorie.” She turned to

+Mary Curtis who was sitting on the other side of the

+table. “Don’t you think so, too, Mary?”</p>

+

+<p>Mary nodded. “Anything to keep those two out

+of mischief.”</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie and Judy hurried away to the storage

+room. “My, why haven’t we poked around in here<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">103</a></span>

+before?” Judy asked Marjorie. “What’s in all those

+boxes and trunks anyway?”</p>

+

+<p>“I only know what’s in the trunk we already

+opened,” Marjorie told her. “These are the old, old

+trunks.” She pointed to two little trunks standing

+side by side. “After the fashion show we’ll go through

+them carefully for clues. The other boxes all contain

+things of ours that we’ve put away so we wouldn’t

+clutter up the house with things we didn’t need.”</p>

+

+<p>Half an hour later the girls appeared on the porch

+and marched sedately up and down, hoping they

+were behaving like professional models.</p>

+

+<p>It was all Penny could do to keep from laughing.

+To her they looked as stiff as wooden puppets in a

+Punch and Judy show.</p>

+

+<p>“What period are you representing?” Brook’s

+mother asked, suppressing a smile. “Jane Austen?”</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie relaxed enough to shrug. “We haven’t

+the faintest idea, Mrs. Sanders. Let’s pretend that the

+audience has to guess.”</p>

+

+<p>“All right,” Mrs. Sanders agreed. “I’ll stick to

+<cite>Pride and Prejudice</cite>.”</p>

+

+<p>“I’d say that the black velvet was of the nineties,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">104</a></span>

+after the big sleeves and hideous bustles had gone

+out,” Mrs. Powell said.</p>

+

+<p>Mrs. Curtis thought it was of a later period. She

+laughed and said, “Wouldn’t it be funny if those

+bustles came back in again. I’m afraid they wouldn’t

+look quite as cute on us as they do on those two young

+ladies!”</p>

+

+<p>Mary told them she thought the blue satin dress

+was meant to be worn with hoops and was probably

+from a period dating near the Civil War.</p>

+

+<p>“Let’s go see if we can find the hoop,” Marjorie

+said, taking Judy by the hand and heading back to

+the storeroom.</p>

+

+<p>They had had enough of dressing up by this time,

+and they got back into their blue jeans and proceeded

+to turn the contents of the trunks inside out. They

+felt every part of the inside of the trunks for hidden

+places, they shook all the clothes carefully and examined

+them minutely, but all to no avail.</p>

+

+<p>“Maybe all of the costume jewelry in that box

+isn’t set with imitation stones,” Judy said without

+much hope.</p>

+

+<p>“But it is,” Marjorie said. “Do you want to look<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">105</a></span>

+at it?” She impatiently yanked off the lid and the old

+velvet lining fell away. Then they both saw it&mdash;an

+old map, pasted inside the cover!</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie was so surprised she sat right down on

+the storage room floor. “Oh, my goodness,” she

+finally got out, “to think, if it hadn’t been for you,

+we might not have even opened the jewelry box. I

+never would have thought of looking here because I

+examined it so carefully when Phil and Penny first

+opened this trunk.”</p>

+

+<p>But Judy wasn’t listening. She had hurried to a

+window with the lid and was examining the map

+carefully. “Marjorie,” she groaned, “this is positively

+the worst thing that ever happened to us!”</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie scrambled to her feet and hurried to peer

+over Judy’s shoulder. In another minute she, too, was

+groaning. “There’s no doubt about it,” she mumbled

+sadly. “This map tells exactly where the treasure is

+buried. And where it is buried is right under the

+potato hills in Pat’s garden!”</p>

+

+<p>“That’s the way it looks to me,” Judy said mournfully.

+“He won’t dig up those potatoes until the fall.

+The vines have hardly begun to blossom.” Very near<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">106</a></span>

+to tears she added, “And&mdash;and you’ll find the treasure

+after I’ve gone back to school!”</p>

+

+<p>Just then Penny appeared at the door. “What on

+earth is the matter with you two?” she asked. “I

+could hear your moans and groans from the balcony.”</p>

+

+<p>“We’ve found the map that shows exactly where

+the treasure is buried,” Marjorie wailed. “B-but Pat

+won’t let us dig it up.”</p>

+

+<p>Penny’s blue eyes were dark with surprise. “Don’t

+be silly, Marjorie,” she said. “Of course, Pat will let

+you dig it up.”</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie hurried across the room to show Penny

+the map. “See,” she said pointing. “The big X is behind

+the Donahues’ cabin on the west side. Judy and

+I know what’s planted there. We got blisters on our

+hands the day we helped Pat and Mal hoe up those

+potato hills!”</p>

+

+<p>Penny glanced at the map and then she laughed.

+“You silly girls! Don’t you know that this is a joke

+the boys played on you?” She went back into the

+hall and called up the stairs:</p>

+

+<p>“Jimmy, come down here right away, please.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">107</a></span></p>

+

+<p>Jimmy took the stairs two at a time. “What’s up?”

+he demanded. “The house on fire?”</p>

+

+<p>For answer Penny handed him the jewelry box lid.

+“Didn’t you paste that map there to play a joke on

+the girls?”</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy stared at the map in amazement. “Honestly,

+Penny,” he said soberly. “I never saw the darn thing

+before.”</p>

+

+<p>“How about Alf and Brook?” Penny asked sternly.

+“A joke’s a joke, but this one might have caused

+serious trouble. If someone not as thoughtful as Marjorie

+had found it and followed directions he would

+have ruined Pat’s potatoes.”</p>

+

+<p>“I know,” Jimmy said, still staring at the map. “But

+neither Alf nor Brook did it, Penny. They’ve never

+been inside the storage room, so they couldn’t possibly

+have planted this map in the cover of the costume

+jewelry box.”</p>

+

+<p>“Well then,” Penny said firmly. “The person who

+did, did it purposely to annoy us.”</p>

+

+<p>“I don’t know how you can be so sure of that,”

+Marjorie objected. “<em>I</em> think someone put it in the lid

+long before Pat and Mal planted the garden.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">108</a></span>

+Penny gave her a fond pat. “I hate to disillusion

+you, honey, but the map was pasted in the lid quite

+recently. Last week when I opened the box to show

+Mary the costume jewelry the old velvet lining fell

+out. And there wasn’t any map there then.”</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie sighed with disappointment. “Oh, dear,”

+she began, “then I suppose the same mean person put

+that scrap of paper in the bot&mdash;”</p>

+

+<p>But she never finished what she had planned to say.

+For just then Phil called out excitedly from the porch:</p>

+

+<p>“Penny, <em>Penny! Peter’s here!</em>”</p>

+

+

+

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<hr class="divider" />

+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">109</a></span>

+</div>

+

+<h2><a name="viii" id="viii"></a><span>CHAPTER 8</span><br />

+PETER IS WORRIED</h2>

+

+<p class="noi"><span class="smcap">Peter had arrived</span> several days earlier than he had

+planned! For a moment Penny stood stock still on the

+threshold of the old storage room.</p>

+

+<p>She was too thrilled to move, but she was very glad

+that she was wearing her most becoming afternoon

+frock. Peter said that pale yellow brought out the

+golden lights in her hair and turned her eyes to violets.

+Or was it forget-me-nots?</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie’s giggle set her in motion. “Wake up,

+Penny,” Marjorie said with a laugh. “This is no time

+to dream.”</p>

+

+<p>Her cheeks burning, Penny hurried down the hall.

+Peter Wyland was just getting out of his car when

+she appeared on the porch.</p>

+

+<p>Penny’s heart beat a little faster as she greeted him

+cordially and tried to look as casual as possible. Peter<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">110</a></span>

+squeezed her hand lingeringly and looked as though

+he were going to kiss her right in front of all the

+people.</p>

+

+<p>“You’re looking wonderful,” Penny said.</p>

+

+<p>“So are you!” Peter’s eyes admired her smooth skin

+which the summer sun had turned to a golden tan.

+Neither of them could think of another word to say,

+and yet they had so much to say to each other!</p>

+

+<p>Philip came to the rescue with a cheery grin. “Hi,

+fella,” he greeted Peter, shaking his hand as though

+it were a pump handle. “Good to see you again.”</p>

+

+<p>Charles came running down the front steps to greet

+Peter enthusiastically, too. Penny thought:</p>

+

+<p>“Good old Charles. He can be nice when he wants

+to. If it weren’t for Peter, I think I could like Charles

+a lot.” She glanced shyly at Peter. “Oh, he <em>does</em> love

+me. I can tell!” Penny was in a whirl.</p>

+

+<p>The first thing Philip wanted to know was when

+Adra Prentice was coming.</p>

+

+<p>“You’re in luck, boy,” Peter said, clapping him on

+the shoulder. “She’s arriving in a couple of hours by

+plane. Her dad&mdash;my boss&mdash;is planning to spend a week

+here toward the end of the month.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">111</a></span></p>

+

+<p>Phil’s gray-blue eyes lighted up with anticipation.

+This would be the most exciting day of the whole

+summer for Penny and Phil.</p>

+

+<p>“I’ll carry your bags up to your room,” he said

+to Peter. “No, I don’t need any help. I know Penny

+is dying to show you all over the Lodge and the

+grounds.”</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie watched them stroll off together arm in

+arm. She was glad Peter was here and that Adra was

+coming soon, but she did so want to be alone with

+Penny for a few minutes sometime that day. “We’ve

+got to show her the clue we found in the bottle down

+on the beach,” she said to Judy. “Maybe the map is

+a phony, but I’m sure the scrap of paper in my pocket

+means something.”</p>

+

+<p>“I am, too,” Judy agreed. “And I’m not so sure

+that the map is a phony. It looked so old and weather-beaten.

+Somebody might have found it just the other

+day and put it in the jewelry box lid for safekeeping.”</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie stared at her thoughtfully. “Who do you

+suppose this somebody is who is lurking around here,

+and writing anonymous letters? It must be the same<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">112</a></span>

+person, but how did he get into the storage room

+without being seen?”</p>

+

+<p>Judy shrugged. “Don’t ask me. Let’s talk it all

+over with Penny the first chance we get. Then she

+can discuss it with Peter. He’s sort of an amateur detective,

+isn’t he?”</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie nodded. “Heaven knows when we’ll be

+able to say more than two words to Penny.”</p>

+

+<p>Adra arrived just before dinner, and once again

+there was excitement and tumult. Jimmy and Marjorie

+greeted the lovely, fragile-looking girl with

+shouts of welcome. Penny hugged her affectionately,

+but Philip could only hold her hand in his and stare

+down at her wordlessly.</p>

+

+<p>But the expression on his handsome face told Adra

+more than anything he could have said.</p>

+

+<p>Penny’s duties as hostess and housekeeper kept her

+busy until late in the evening. At last, when she was

+alone in the office planning the next day’s program,

+Marjorie and Judy could stand it no longer. They

+burst into the room, and Marjorie blurted:</p>

+

+<p>“We’ve been trying to see you alone all evening,

+Sis. But, golly, you’re busy as triplets.” She stuck her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">113</a></span>

+hand in her pocket and pulled out the worn scrap of

+paper. “Judy and I found this in a bottle buried under

+a big rock down on the beach.”</p>

+

+<p>Penny frowned tiredly. “Oh, Marjorie, not another

+one of your clues!”</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie bit her lip. “I know you think we’re silly

+to keep looking for buried treasure, Penny. But this

+is part of a message and it has something to do with

+the Log Cabin and a well.”</p>

+

+<p>Penny laid the scrap on her desk and tried to read

+it. The girls showed her what they had been able to

+decipher.</p>

+

+<p>“Oh, dear,” Penny said. “I’m too tired now to

+think about clues. I’m sorry, girls. Go on to bed now.

+It’s late. Leave this with me, and the first chance I

+get in the morning, I’ll show it to Peter. He’s the

+detective of our group, and if anyone can figure what

+this is all about, it’s he.”</p>

+

+<p>After the girls had gone up to their rooms, Penny

+added to herself: “I’m glad Peter arrived today for

+more reasons than one. Something mysterious <em>is</em> going

+on. Who was our prowler? Who wrote those anonymous

+letters? Who put the map in the lid of the old<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">114</a></span>

+jewelry box? And what sense does this scrap of paper

+make?”</p>

+

+<p>The next morning, right after breakfast, she was

+asking Peter the same questions. He listened attentively

+as she filled in all the details.</p>

+

+<p>When she had finished, he said very seriously: “I

+don’t like any part of this, Penny, especially the letter

+that threatened you. Frankly, I wish you had turned

+it over to the police. Even if there were only latent

+fingerprints on it, they could have sent it to the FBI

+in Washington. Those experts don’t miss a thing, and

+if the man is a criminal, his fingerprints will be in

+their files.”</p>

+

+<p>“But,” Penny objected, “if he <em>is</em> a criminal, he

+would have been smart enough to wear gloves.”</p>

+

+<p>“That’s true,” Peter admitted. “But there are other

+ways of discovering who wrote those letters. For one

+thing, although he undoubtedly did his best to disguise

+his handwriting, he couldn’t completely. No

+one can. We all develop certain characteristics when

+we first learn to write, and those characteristics stay

+with us forever.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">115</a></span>

+“My,” Penny said admiringly. “You <em>are</em> a detective,

+Peter.”</p>

+

+<p>Peter grinned, and then sobered. “Not really,

+Penny. And I wish you’d let me notify the police

+now. Someone is obviously very interested in making

+you Allens clear out of here. I don’t know why, but I

+can guess.”</p>

+

+<p>“So can I,” Penny said, twirling a strand of her

+light brown hair around her finger. “Maybe Jimmy

+and Marjorie are right after all. Maybe there <em>is</em> buried

+treasure around here.”</p>

+

+<p>Peter stared down at the note on the desk. They

+had managed to make out the following words:</p>

+

+<div class="block-centre">

+<div class="block">

+<div class="verse">

+<div class="line">t the Log cabin</div>

+<div class="line">t week in August</div>

+<div class="line indent3">asure again</div>

+<div class="line indent4">near the</div>

+<div class="line indent4">r a well that</div>

+<div class="line indent4">dry.</div>

+</div>

+</div>

+</div>

+

+<p>“The first word in the third line,” Penny said,

+“could be the last part of the word ‘treasure.’ And the

+well could be the one we dug up. But our mysterious<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">116</a></span>

+Mr. X isn’t as smart as he should be. We went clear to

+the bottom of that old well, Peter, and there just isn’t

+any buried treasure there.”</p>

+

+<p>Peter nodded. “The man first tried to frighten you,

+and now he’s being as annoying as he dares.”</p>

+

+<p>“Do you know what I think?” Penny asked. “I

+think there is something valuable hidden around here

+which we don’t know anything about. But Mr. X

+does. He wants us to keep on thinking it’s buried

+somewhere on the grounds so we’ll keep on digging

+instead of searching elsewhere for it.”</p>

+

+<p>“You’re not only very pretty, Penny,” Peter said,

+smiling. “But you’re very intelligent. I think you’ve

+reasoned it out correctly. The map and this fragment

+of paper are red herrings; not clues. Will you let me

+turn them over to the police? Just the paper our Mr.

+X used may be a clue which would lead to the discovery

+of his identity in a very short time.”</p>

+

+<p>“Oh, no, Peter,” Penny cried impulsively. “Let’s

+not turn the mystery over to the police now. Let’s

+first try to solve it ourselves. Besides,” she added

+shrewdly, “when they hear about the night prowler

+who attacked Mal, they may want to put guards<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">117</a></span>

+around the Lodge. And that, Peter Wyland, would

+make some of the guests nervous. It might ruin our

+whole business venture.”</p>

+

+<p>“I can refuse you nothing, Penny Allen,” he said,

+grinning. “But I think we ought to consult with Phil

+and Adra before we make a final decision. Let’s call

+them in, and hash the whole thing out all over again.”</p>

+

+<p>But an hour later, after a serious discussion, Penny

+won. They would not notify the police unless they

+received another threatening letter.</p>

+

+<p>“I still don’t like it,” Peter grumbled. “The idea of

+that coward threatening Penny.”</p>

+

+<p>Penny blushed. Peter was being very protective

+about her and she couldn’t help liking it. “But he

+didn’t really threaten me,” she pointed out. “He

+couldn’t possibly have known I was going to touch

+the rotten supports in the shed wall. If you ask me,

+he heard about the accident and simply took advantage

+of it. A few hours after I tumbled down the well,

+everyone in the village knew about it.”</p>

+

+<p>“That’s another thing,” Peter said stubbornly. “If

+we notify the police they’ll know who is a stranger in

+town and keep an eye on him.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">118</a></span>

+Penny laughed. “Then they’d have to have a thousand

+eyes, Peter. The place is swarming with summer

+people.”</p>

+

+<p>Peter threw up his hands in mock despair. “Oh, all

+right,” he said. “I give in. Let’s forget about it for

+awhile. How about a swim, Penny? Or are you too

+busy?”</p>

+

+<p>“Well,” Penny began, “I&mdash;”</p>

+

+<p>“Skip it, Sis,” Phil interrupted. “Pleasure comes before

+business, since your main duty is to see that your

+guests are happy.”</p>

+

+<p>The meeting broke up then, and everyone hurried

+off to change into bathing suits. Down on dock they

+found Marjorie and Judy sitting on the edge, dangling

+their feet in the water.</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy, Alf and Brook were busy completing

+preparations for their camping trip which was to start

+the next day. The boys were fixing two of the canoes

+to take along on the Bronc. They were planning to do

+some fishing in the rivers they camped by, and were

+going to be fully prepared to take advantage of anything

+else they might find.</p>

+

+<p>That evening they had an old-fashioned square<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">119</a></span>

+dance out on the front porch. There was a fiddler in

+the town who had come back with Mal, and the

+guests as well as the Allens had a lively time. Kitty

+and Ann Mary served delicious cold lemonade with

+homemade cookies.</p>

+

+<p>Philip reached for his fourth cooky and said to

+Adra, “I’m sure I’d get too fat to move if I ate all the

+good things Ann Mary is always making. Can you

+make cookies like this, Adra?”</p>

+

+<p>She laughed and said, “No, Phil, I can’t make anything

+as good as Ann Mary does, but I’m sure I could

+learn, if I was offered an incentive.”</p>

+

+<p>“Would I be incentive enough?” asked Phil.</p>

+

+<p>“You would, indeed!” said Adra promptly. “But

+I’m afraid we couldn’t live on just cookies.”</p>

+

+<p>Phil laughed and said, “That might be fun for a

+little while. I’m sure Marjorie and Jimmy would think

+so. They can eat at least two dozen at a time without

+even trying. I’m so glad you’re going to be here for

+the rest of the summer, Adra, we have so much to talk

+about. I want to tell you of my plans for the winter.

+I’m going to try to take a job where I can be near

+you.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">120</a></span>

+“Oh, Phil, that will be wonderful,” cried Adra. “I

+can’t <a name="think" id="think"></a><ins title="Original has 'thing'">think</ins> of anything I would like better. You know

+Peter and I have become very good friends since he

+has been working for my father, and he told me he

+would like to find something so that he could be closer

+to Penny. Does Penny know how much he likes her?”</p>

+

+<p>“I think she does, Adra, because, you see, she likes

+Peter just as much.” Phil and Adra looked very happy

+as they strolled off hand in hand.</p>

+

+<p>Penny, watching them, said to Peter, “I’m glad our

+mysterious Mr. X isn’t spoiling their fun. I wish you’d

+forget about the mystery, too, Peter, just for the

+evening,” she added wistfully.</p>

+

+<p>He grinned cheerfully. “When I look at you,

+Penny, I can’t even remember my own name.”</p>

+

+<p>But Penny knew that, underneath his flattering

+banter, Peter was worried. She almost wished that she

+hadn’t told him anything about the mystery.</p>

+

+

+

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<hr class="divider" />

+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">121</a></span>

+</div>

+

+<h2><a name="ix" id="ix"></a><span>CHAPTER 9</span><br />

+CAMPING OUT</h2>

+

+<p class="noi"><span class="smcap">The next day</span> everybody came out to wish bon voyage

+to Pat and the boys who were leaving on their

+camping trip for a week. All hands helped them get

+their paraphernalia aboard the station wagon.</p>

+

+<p>Pat was the last one to get in with the big box of

+fishing tackle in his left hand and a huge picnic hamper

+packed with good food in his right hand. Ann

+Mary had seen to it that they would eat well the first

+day they started out. For the rest of the week they

+had the back of the Bronc well stocked with canned

+foods which they expected to supplement with the

+fish they caught.</p>

+

+<p>They were all in the best of spirits. This was to be a

+real adventure. Pat was taking them into the woods to

+a fishing camp where Jimmy’s Uncle John Allen used

+to go every summer. Alf Powell and Jimmy were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">122</a></span>

+the chief mechanics in case anything went wrong with

+the car, and Brook and Pat were to be the cooks.</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie and Judy had their noses slightly out of

+joint because they had been hoping right up until the

+last minute before the boys left, that perhaps they too

+would be allowed to go along. But the boys would not

+even hear of it, and Penny thought it would not be a

+good idea, either.</p>

+

+<p>“Never mind,” Judy said in a consoling whisper to

+Marjorie. “Maybe we’ll find the buried treasure while

+they’re gone.”</p>

+

+<p>Just then Ann Mary came running out with an armful

+of freshly ironed shirts for the boys.</p>

+

+<p>“Mr. Taggart brought these,” she panted, “early

+this morning. I told him he had to get them here before

+you left. Theresa just finished ironing them.”</p>

+

+<p>“Thanks,” Jimmy said, “but they needn’t have been

+ironed. For the next week we aren’t going to care how

+we look.”</p>

+

+<p>“Lucky dogs,” Marjorie said in an aside to Judy.

+“Do you know what Penny said to me last night? She

+said, ‘From now on you and I ought to change before

+dinner into something besides blue jeans.’”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">123</a></span></p>

+

+<p>“I guess she’s right,” Judy said reluctantly. “Mother

+has had the same idea all along.”</p>

+

+<p>But in spite of how they felt, the girls recovered

+from their sulks long enough to wave cheery goodbyes

+to the boys.</p>

+

+<p>“Have fun,” they shouted.</p>

+

+<p>“Be careful,” called Penny.</p>

+

+<p>And so at last, Jimmy, Alf and Brook were off on

+their great adventure.</p>

+

+<p>After driving all day, Pat and the boys pulled into

+a little grove of pines, deep in the woods near a beautiful,

+rock-strewn river. They made camp and got out

+their mosquito repellent. Pat had told them the black

+flies in this part of the woods were really vicious so

+they had come well prepared for such an emergency.

+Jimmy and Alf got into their high boots and waded

+into the river to fish. The results of this little expedition

+were not quite as good as they expected, but the

+few small fish they caught were very sweet when

+cooked.</p>

+

+<p>They were up bright and early the next morning,

+but that day brought no better results as far as fishing

+was concerned. Pat suggested that they move camp<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">124</a></span>

+deeper into the woods, near a little lake where he

+thought the fishing would be much better. Jimmy seconded

+the suggestion and in no time at all they were

+on their way again. This time they made camp near

+the tip of the little lake and early the next morning

+they watched the mist rise from the lake and listened

+to the birds singing in chorus.</p>

+

+<p>This spot was so beautiful that Brook and Alf said

+they would like to spend the rest of the week here,

+even if they didn’t catch a single fish.</p>

+

+<p>“I knew you’d like it,” answered Pat. “Mr. Allen

+always wanted to stay here awhile,” he said to Jimmy.</p>

+

+<p>“And no wonder,” said Jimmy, “I can’t wait until

+we get out there in our canoe.”</p>

+

+<p>The boys were all skillful with the paddle, and as

+they skimmed along the lake widened, then narrowed

+till it was not much more than a stream. Finally they

+reached the other end and drew the canoe into a small

+bay. Pat led them to a small log hut hidden in the

+nearby trees. Here there was a curious storehouse for

+food and extra equipment. It was built of small pine

+logs and was raised high on a few posts. Pat explained

+that this was to keep the food from getting damp, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">125</a></span>

+that if it were properly fastened no climbing bear

+could help himself to the food.</p>

+

+<p>The little bay where they had left their canoe was

+the outlet for a stream in which Pat said there was

+wonderful fishing. Pat said they would have to go upstream

+a way against some rapids to get to the really

+good fishing spot. He also told them that there was a

+waterfall nearby and the safest thing would be for all

+of them to do all of their exploring, fishing, hunting,

+or anything else they decided to do, in groups. Pat

+cautioned them about the strong current in the stream,

+too.</p>

+

+<p>“Come on,” said Jimmy. “Let’s do some fishing

+now and go up those rapids tomorrow.”</p>

+

+<p>They caught a beautiful trout and a bass for their

+supper and considered that a perfect end to a successful

+and happy day. They decided to spend the night

+in the small log campers’ hut.</p>

+

+<p>The next day’s plan was changed when morning

+came. The woods about the camp were explored and

+found to be fairly open. It was full of birds, squirrels,

+chipmunks and other small animals. Brook almost

+caught a flying squirrel and claimed that he saw a wild<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">126</a></span>

+cat. There were beavers building in a small stream that

+wandered through the pines and widened not far from

+the lake. A graceful deer took flight as Pat, who was

+in the lead, approached. This caused considerable excitement

+and all chatter ceased as they stole on in the

+hope of surprising another deer or a bear.</p>

+

+<p>They climbed trees, investigated nests and Jimmy

+kept looking for bees. The boys wanted to know why,

+and he replied that the bees would lead them to a

+“honey tree,” and there they might find a bear.</p>

+

+<p>“Go to it, Jimmy,” cried Alf. “I bet we take the

+honey first.”</p>

+

+<p>They finally did see a bear, a black one of moderate

+size. It ambled off before them from the water’s edge.

+None of them had the heart to shoot it or anything

+else they saw. They were having such a wonderful

+time just investigating.</p>

+

+<p>Around the campfire that night they sang and told

+stories and when it began to turn very chilly they

+turned in. They were awakened early in the morning

+by the bird chorus. Alf said it was not so hard to get

+up here as at home, in school time! They took the

+canoe up the rocky stream with its dashing waters and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">127</a></span>

+strong current. By noon they had reached the highest

+point from which these rapids started. It was quiet at

+noon and the sun was hot. The perspiring boys sat

+around in their bathing shorts and ate a cold lunch.

+Then they got down to the real business of fishing.

+Jimmy drew in a handsome black bass, and then the

+competition became keen. Brook caught a beautiful

+brook trout, and it was a jolly group of boys that sat

+near the shore to clean their fish in the late afternoon

+when they had returned to the hut.</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy had started the fire and then joined the rest,

+picking up the first fish at hand, a fine trout. “Who

+caught this?” he asked.</p>

+

+<p>“I’ll have you know that I’m the guy,” grinned Pat,

+looking up from the bass he was cleaning and waving

+his knife in the air. “It’s worth-while fishing where

+there’s something to catch!”</p>

+

+<p>“Isn’t this a walleyed perch, Jimmy?” asked Brook.</p>

+

+<p>“I guess so.” Jimmy had started in vigorously to

+clean the trout and now raised a loud voice in the ditty

+of “Ham and Eggs.” The others joined in, making the

+shore ring with the sound. The fact that supper was

+to consist mainly of fish made no difference. With<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">128</a></span>

+young appetites and overflowing energy they managed

+to consume all of the day’s catch.</p>

+

+<p>The next day Jimmy and Alf wanted to take things

+easy and do some swimming and lounging, but Brook

+wanted to do some more exploring. They finally decided

+to spend the day near the hut, and Brook made

+a mental note to do some exploring on his own when

+he could. While they were all in swimming, he paddled

+off alone, down the main stream. He had gone

+only a little distance before he was concealed from

+view by trees and a curving shore. He entered the

+main stream, which was quite wide as far as the fork.</p>

+

+<p>There the division of waters left the wider stream

+to the right. But that to Brook’s left offered the

+prettier outlook. It stretched almost straight before

+him to some distance and descended in a little rapids.

+These looked easy, he thought, and though there were

+rocks, the water looked shallow enough for a good

+swimmer not to be troubled with any difficulty about

+reaching shore or a rock in case the canoe upset.</p>

+

+<p>A little peninsula, dotted with green trees and

+bushes, jutted out from the left shore. Brook thought<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">129</a></span>

+he caught a glimpse of someone moving there and

+started into the left fork of the stream.</p>

+

+<p>“After all,” he reflected, “as the crow flies I’m only

+a couple of miles from camp. Maybe Jimmy and Alf

+have been out exploring and are over there on the

+point.”</p>

+

+<p>Then he saw something that made him paddle

+faster than ever. He could hear the sound of dashing

+waters further on but he was too excited to pay any

+attention to it. What he had glimpsed looked like a

+human body, sprawling half in and half out of the

+bushes of a cove on the point.</p>

+

+<p>Brook nosed his canoe into the cove, beached it,

+and climbed up the gentle incline. Then he saw that

+what had attracted his attention was only an old tattered

+coat. It was rain-shriveled and had obviously

+been flung over a rock to dry. But from the stream it

+had looked like the torso of a human body.</p>

+

+<p>“Well,” Brook sighed with relief. “Thank goodness

+no one was hurt or killed.”</p>

+

+<p>He went into the brush, past a few spruces, and

+found a small clearing. In the mud here were footprints<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">130</a></span>

+which had obviously been made very recently.

+It had rained the night before, clearing just before

+dawn. Sometime between then and now someone had

+walked across the clearing and into the brush. And

+back again into the woods on the other side of the

+clearing, Brook reflected as he studied the footprints.</p>

+

+<p>Whoever it was might have hung his coat on the

+rock to dry if he had been caught in the early morning

+rainstorm.</p>

+

+<p>“Probably a tramp,” he decided and went back to

+the coat. He lifted it rather gingerly, and then, because

+he could not resist the temptation, turned its

+pockets inside out. To his surprise, he found in the last

+pocket a letter. It looked as though it had been soaked

+by the rain and had been dried again by the sun which

+had been shining upon the coat and rock all morning.</p>

+

+<p>The address upon the torn envelope was blurred,

+and Brook’s curiosity was hindered by the fact that it

+was almost lunch time and it might be well to hurry

+back. Sticking the letter into the waterproof zippered

+pocket of his bathing trunks, he hurried to his canoe,

+pushed out and entered the stream again.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">131</a></span>

+As Brook got back into the middle of the stream he

+suddenly discovered that no paddling was necessary

+to make his canoe go! The descent which looked so

+gradual drew canoe and the water itself down rapidly.

+The current was much stronger than one would have

+thought! Brook used his paddle skillfully. He was enjoying

+this exhilarating experience. It was great!</p>

+

+<p>But when he tried to skim around a few rocks to

+the point, he almost upset the canoe and only by a

+quick push from a rock did he avoid being thrown

+out. But the canoe righted and Brook sped on, past the

+peninsula, around into a wider channel, for which

+Brook was at first glad. There was more space between

+rocks.</p>

+

+<p>But the current was stronger, his control over the

+canoe was getting a little out of hand. Brook was just

+beginning to realize that he had had no business coming

+off by himself, when he heard the sound of the

+falls. His face grew pale, but he set his lips. The current

+drew the canoe out into a wider part of the river,

+and when Brook looked ahead for a minute he could

+see a white spray dashing high over a pile of obstructing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">132</a></span>

+rocks. It did not seem so bad off to the right, and

+Brook tried to edge over in that direction.</p>

+

+<p>But what he saw ahead of him made him sick. It

+was still some distance away, but the water was boiling

+over at a little curve and fell somewhere below&mdash;he

+could not tell where!</p>

+

+

+

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<hr class="divider" />

+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">133</a></span>

+</div>

+

+<h2><a name="x" id="x"></a><span>CHAPTER 10</span><br />

+JIMMY TO THE RESCUE</h2>

+

+<p class="noi"><span class="smcap">Back at</span> camp, shortly after Brook paddled off by

+himself, Jimmy and Alf decided that they had had

+enough swimming for one day.</p>

+

+<p>“Race you to shore,” Jimmy yelled, flailing the

+water in a fast crawl. Alf was slightly ahead of him,

+but Jimmy soon passed him and was the first to throw

+himself on the beach, crowing breathlessly, “Beat

+you!”</p>

+

+<p>“By a mere inch,” Alf said, flopping down beside

+him. “Where’s Brook?”</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy shrugged. “Probably back in the hut helping

+Pat prepare a feast for our lunch. That guy’s always

+hungry.”</p>

+

+<p>“So am I,” Alf said. “It’s your Michigan air. But I

+don’t think Brook is with Pat. I saw him drag one of

+the canoes into the water just before our race. I was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">134</a></span>

+too busy trying to keep up with you to see what he

+did after that.”</p>

+

+<p>“What difference does it make?” Jimmy demanded.

+“Let’s go exploring by canoe ourselves. We can dry

+off in the sun just in time for lunch.” He pointed. “I

+want to investigate that fork of the first stream over

+there.”</p>

+

+<p>“I want to eat,” Alf said. “I’m starving. But if you

+must satisfy your curiosity before I satisfy my hunger,

+I suppose you must.”</p>

+

+<p>“I can’t let you eat now anyway,” Jimmy said with

+a grin. “If I did there wouldn’t be anything left for

+Brook when he shows up.”</p>

+

+<p>“I’ll say there wouldn’t,” Alf agreed, tightening the

+belt on his trunks. “I could catch a fish right now with

+my bare hands and eat it while it’s still alive.”</p>

+

+<p>“You just had breakfast,” Jimmy said. “Come on!”</p>

+

+<p>Alf lazily shaded his eyes with his hand and squinted

+up at the sky. “About four hours ago by the sun,” he

+said stubbornly.</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy yanked him to his feet and called out to

+Pat: “We’re going canoeing. Back in time for lunch.”</p>

+

+<p>“Okay,” came Pat’s voice from inside the cabin.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">135</a></span></p>

+

+<p>“You bet we’ll be back for lunch,” Alf said as he

+and Jimmy glided out upon the lake. “What’s the coil

+of rope doing in the canoe?”</p>

+

+<p>“I brought it along so we could climb a bee tree if

+we found one,” laughed Jimmy. “Anyhow it belongs

+to Pat. I think it’s some of Theresa’s clothesline.”</p>

+

+<p>The boys turned into the stream, and when they

+came to the forking of the water, they entered the

+narrower stream toward its right shore, where the

+waters seemed quieter. While Alf paddled, Jimmy

+made a loop of the rope and tossed it toward a stout

+little spruce.</p>

+

+<p>“This comes in handy,” said Jimmy, as the rope

+caught and Alf paddled in close to the shore. “This

+current is certainly strong,” he added soberly. “And

+I imagine if we got caught in the center we’d be

+headed for the falls.”</p>

+

+<p>“Are there falls near here?” Alf asked.</p>

+

+<p>“I think so. Don’t you hear them?”</p>

+

+<p>Alf agreed and they discussed Jimmy’s plan of

+either drawing the canoe ashore and footing it down,

+or easing the canoe along the right shore. But there

+was a tangle of underbrush along the bank and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">136</a></span>

+footing was uneasy. They decided to risk it because

+they had the rope to throw out to some tree so they

+could keep out of the current. They kept very close

+to the shore and before they reached the peninsula,

+they beached the canoe in a curve that was almost a

+pool and hastened, over sticks and brush and stones, to

+see what lay farther down.</p>

+

+<p>“Well, we were smart to land, Jimmy,” said Alf,

+as they stood looking at the stream where it flowed

+beyond the little peninsula. “But it certainly is pretty.

+We’ll have to watch our step getting down where we

+can see the falls. Doesn’t she foam where she is going

+over? Do you imagine the falls are high?”</p>

+

+<p>“Can’t tell, Alf,” Jimmy said. “Looks like quite a

+ravine down ahead; but this whole region isn’t very

+high and it probably dams up into some other little

+lake. Come on.”</p>

+

+<p>“Wait till I go back after the rope, Jim,” said Alf.

+“We may need it, if we climb down by the falls.”</p>

+

+<p>Alf picked his way back the short distance to the

+canoe and brought the rope. They followed the curving

+shore toward the left, where the waters that swept<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">137</a></span>

+past the point went wildly on in the wider channel to

+fall over&mdash;somewhere.</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy, with the rope over his shoulder, stood still;

+Alf thought it might be better to strike through the

+trees and avoid the rocks on the edge. Jimmy surveyed

+the water at his feet, the scattered rocks washed by the

+current, and looked upstream just in time to see

+Brook’s face as Brook saw the falls ahead.</p>

+

+<p>“Alf!” Jimmy yelled, horrified. “Look there! It’s

+Brook!”</p>

+

+<p>Only a moment did Jimmy stare. He slipped the

+loop already made over his head and tightened it about

+his waist. Alf needed no directions. What they had to

+do must be done quickly. They both started running

+to a point that would bring them nearer to Brook’s

+course.</p>

+

+<p>“Brook&mdash;Brook!” they kept shouting. “This way!”</p>

+

+<p>Brook did not hear them, but just at that moment

+his pale face turned toward the boys and he saw them.</p>

+

+<p>“This way! This way!” cried Jimmy, beckoning.

+If Brook could only get out of that awful central current&mdash;but

+maybe it was all current!</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">138</a></span>

+“He can’t come this way! I’ve got to throw him an

+end of the rope.” As Jimmy spoke he was busy tying

+a stone on the end of the rope to weight it. What a

+risk it was! Jimmy was wading out to a great rock, in

+a shallow where the shore curved. This was no game.

+He must not miss.</p>

+

+<p>Alf waded after Jimmy to help him hold on to the

+rope. There was still a good chance, if they were successful,

+to rescue Brook. It was some distance to the

+falls, but now the canoe Brook was in seemed to be

+coming faster.</p>

+

+<p>Now. Jimmy threw, and Jimmy had not played

+ball for nothing. Brook did not catch the rope, but

+weighted by the stone it fell into the canoe and Brook

+grasped it before it could slip back. Now his paddle

+was whirling out of sight. Brook was standing up in

+the canoe, with the rope tied around him, ready to

+jump.</p>

+

+<p>Alf braced himself, and Jimmy held the rope

+tightly just in front of where it was around him and

+drew it taut as Brook leaped. The rope drew in easily

+at first. Then came the tug against the current. Jimmy

+leaned against the rock to brace himself.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">139</a></span>

+It was all over in a few anxious moments. Brook had

+bruised himself among the rocks, but he swam, crept

+upon a rock, leaped to another, found himself in

+quieter waters and was helped to his feet by two fast-breathing

+boys who could scarcely speak.</p>

+

+<p>“How&mdash;did you get here?” gasped Brook as they

+helped him ashore.</p>

+

+<p>“That’s the question we would like to ask you,”

+answered Jimmy after a brief silence during which

+they examined Brook to see if he had any broken

+bones.</p>

+

+<p>“I’ll tell you about it,” Brook said shamefacedly.

+“I&mdash;I’m awfully sorry, Jimmy. I hope the canoe will

+come through all right, but I don’t see how it can. I’ll

+make it good, Jimmy, I promise you.”</p>

+

+<p>“We’ll see about that later,” returned Jimmy. “The

+point is, are you all right?”</p>

+

+<p>“I&mdash;guess so,” Brook said sheepishly. “Got some

+bruised shins, I think. It didn’t do me any good.”</p>

+

+<p>“I’ll say not!” Jimmy grinned a little and took

+Brook’s arms, working them up and down, one after

+another. “Swallow any water?”</p>

+

+<p>“Lots.” Brook was glad of that grin and he sheepishly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">140</a></span>

+grinned back. “My arms are all right, only sore.

+I’ll be black and blue from that rock I hit first. But I

+guess I deserve it.”</p>

+

+<p>“Sure you do,” Jimmy said with a chuckle. “And

+to think I thought you were at the hut with Pat. Gosh,

+are we ever lucky! I guess none of us listened too carefully

+when Pat told us to be sure not to go off by ourselves.

+We’re guilty of the same thing you are, Brook,”

+he admitted. “Well, this has been a lesson we’ll never

+forget and I would say we’ve gotten off pretty cheaply

+if it just cost us the canoe. Let’s get back to Pat right

+away and tell him we’re all right.”</p>

+

+<p>Alf and Jimmy helped Brook, who was white and

+wretched after his narrow escape, and when they got

+to their canoe they made rapidly for camp.</p>

+

+<p>“Go limp, Brook,” said Jimmy, “and tell us all

+about it.”</p>

+

+<p>Brook grinned, and said he was “limp all right,” and

+briefly told how he had tried to explore the little

+rapids that looked so easy, completely forgetting that

+there were falls in the vicinity. He also related the incident

+of the coat and pulled out a wet wad from his

+pocket.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">141</a></span>

+“I was going to dry this,” said he, “and see if I

+couldn’t read a little of it. Maybe I might as well

+throw it away.”</p>

+

+<p>“Maybe we can dry it yet,” suggested Alf, interested.

+“Perhaps it’s a map to a treasure.”</p>

+

+<p>“Perhaps it isn’t,” laughed Jimmy, but he caught

+Brook’s hand as he was about to toss the letter overboard.

+“Wait. It’s still pretty flat in the envelope.

+We’ll dry it out and see. How long were you there

+when you found this?”</p>

+

+<p>“Oh, about ten minutes or so.”</p>

+

+<p>“Well, that ten minutes saved your life, kid,”

+Jimmy grinned. “Alf and I must have left right after

+you did and passed you. I wonder if you would have

+made it over the falls if we hadn’t come along. I’d like

+to go down later and see what it looks like over the

+brink!”</p>

+

+<p>“So would I, Jimmy,” Brook said.</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy snorted. “You’re going to lie around this

+afternoon, Brook, after we fix you up.”</p>

+

+<p>Back at camp they found that Pat was just beginning

+to get worried. He had kept their lunch warm for

+them and looked rather cross as they beached the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">142</a></span>

+canoe. Then he caught a glimpse of Brook’s white

+face.</p>

+

+<p>“Well, out with it,” Pat said, frowning. “What happened

+to you, lad? You look like a drowned rat.”</p>

+

+<p>“I’m worse than that,” Brook said ruefully. “I’m

+battered and bruised, too.”</p>

+

+<p>As they all explained what had happened, interrupting

+each other constantly, Pat carefully examined

+Brook to make sure he was not badly hurt. “Just a

+strained ligament,” he said, smiling reassuringly.

+“We’ll have that shoulder strapped up in no time.”</p>

+

+<p>He went into the hut for his first aid kit, and soon

+Brook was eating as hungrily as the other boys. But

+after lunch he didn’t argue when Pat said:</p>

+

+<p>“Now, lad, you’re to take it easy the rest of the

+day.”</p>

+

+<p>The next morning Brook reported that outside of a

+few bruises, he felt fine. Then they all went back to

+see the falls.</p>

+

+<p>“They’re pretty,” Brook said, musingly, “and

+rocky, but not very high after all.”</p>

+

+<p>A deep pool lay below, and there was the canoe,

+bobbing around aimlessly near the edge of the pool. It<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">143</a></span>

+had a big gash in its side, but was not beyond repair,

+Jimmy reported. He towed it up on the shore with

+the aid of the trusty rope and a hook they made with

+some wire.</p>

+

+<p>“Maybe I could have swum out,” Brook ventured,

+“but I’m certainly glad I didn’t have to try it. And

+most of all, Pat, I’m glad you didn’t make much of my

+disobedience of your order. Believe me, it won’t happen

+again.”</p>

+

+<p>“I know,” said Pat. “Forget it&mdash;it merely was a bit

+more excitement on a very pleasant trip.”</p>

+

+<p>After their return from the falls, Brook remembered

+the dilapidated letter and got it out. Everyone

+gathered round him and they all tried to read it. It

+was badly torn, obviously a good part of it was missing

+and what little was left was hardly discernible.

+They managed to make out the words <em>buried</em> and

+<em>shed</em>.</p>

+

+<p>Suddenly Jimmy’s face lighted up. “Say, do you remember

+last week, the day we finished the shower,

+Marjorie showed me a scrap of paper she said she and

+Judy had found in a bottle on the beach?”</p>

+

+<p>Alf nodded. “So what? They didn’t find it in any<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">144</a></span>

+old bottle. They manufactured the whole story just

+to kid us.”</p>

+

+<p>“That’s what I thought,” Jimmy said, rather shamefacedly.

+“But now I think differently. This piece

+looks as though it had been torn from the scrap they

+found.”</p>

+

+<p>“Holy cow!” Brook stared at him. “And the girls

+couldn’t have followed us and planted this part of

+it in the pocket of that old coat.”</p>

+

+<p>“Of course not,” Jimmy said, grinning, “although

+if either of them could drive a car I wouldn’t have

+put it past them. Besides, you said the footprints you

+saw leading to and from the coat were made by a

+man’s shoes.”</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy stopped suddenly. “Footprints,” he repeated.

+“Say, Brook, can we get to the place where

+you found the coat by walking?”</p>

+

+<p>“Sure,” Brook said. “It would take twice as long

+as it would in a canoe, but,” he added ruefully, “it

+would be twice as safe.”</p>

+

+<p>“Then let’s go,” Jimmy yelled. “I want to have a

+look at the footprints you found in the clearing.” He

+turned to Pat. “Okay if we go?”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">145</a></span>

+Pat nodded. “As long as you all stick together this

+time.”</p>

+

+<p>As they hurried through the brush with Brook in

+the lead, Jimmy explained. “A few days before you

+came, Alf,” he said, “we had a lot of excitement. I

+told you how Penny fell down into the old well, but

+I didn’t tell you that somebody came snooping around

+the place that night.”</p>

+

+<p>Alf stared at him. “You certainly didn’t. What’s

+the idea of keeping secrets from one?”</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy grinned. “The truth of the matter is that I

+forgot all about it. First we figured it was a tramp,

+and then when we realized that he must know his way

+around our property pretty well, we decided it must

+have been one of those dopey villagers who think

+there’s buried treasure on the place.”</p>

+

+<p>Brook stopped to turn around and glare at Jimmy.

+“What do you mean ‘dopey’? If you don’t believe in

+that buried treasure, why did you lure us into helping

+you dig up every spot that didn’t have something

+growing on it?”</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy’s dark eyes twinkled with laughter. “<em>I</em> believe

+in the treasure all right, but I wouldn’t be dopey<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">146</a></span>

+enough to trespass on other people’s property at

+night trying to find it. You can get a bullet through

+your head very neatly that way.”</p>

+

+<p>“Oh, I see what you mean,” Brook said, completely

+mollified. He started off again at a fast trot. “Was

+your night prowler a dopey villager?”</p>

+

+<p>“We still don’t know,” Jimmy admitted. “He’s

+never come back.”</p>

+

+<p>“How do you know he hasn’t?” Alf demanded.</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy groaned, clutching his dark hair in mock

+dismay. “Will you guys puh-leeze let me try to explain

+to you why I want to look at the footprints in

+the clearing? Of course we don’t know for sure,” he

+said sourly to Alf, “that our snoopy friend didn’t

+come back. We only watched out for him that first

+night. But with all the people who are at the Lodge

+now I feel certain one of us would have heard a

+night <a name="prowler" id="prowler"></a><ins title="Original has 'prowler?'">prowler.</ins>”</p>

+

+<p>“I’m not at all sure of that,” Alf said stubbornly.

+“We all sleep like logs. After a day with a slave

+driver like you I can barely keep my eyes open long

+enough to get undressed and topple into bed.”</p>

+

+<p>“Shut up, Alf,” Brook said over his shoulder. “Let<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">147</a></span>

+the slavedriver tell us why we’re taking this long trek

+through the thickest part of the woods.”</p>

+

+<p>“Footprints,” Jimmy said in exasperation. “After

+Phil and Pat fired a couple of shots in the air, the

+prowler scrammed. Then we went down to have a

+look at the shed. And sure enough, somebody had

+been there since we had left. Right near the spot

+where Penny fell through the rotten wall, some floor

+boards had been ripped up and there was a footprint

+in the dirt staring us in the face.”</p>

+

+<p>“That guy <em>was</em> dopey,” Alf muttered. “If he had

+to go around leaving footprints all over the place, why

+didn’t he at least put the floor boards back so you

+wouldn’t find them?”</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy shrugged. “I figure he sneaked out from the

+village to dig around near where we found the well.

+But just as he got started he realized that we might

+not yet have gone to bed. In that case one of us might

+have seen the flashlight he must have been using. So

+he slipped up to the house to have a look-see. And

+then Penny saw him.” He chuckled. “After that he

+didn’t have time to think about covering up his

+traces.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">148</a></span>

+Brook stopped again and mopped his brow. “I’m

+beginning to see that there’s a method in your madness.

+If the footprints I saw in the clearing match the

+one you discovered under the shed floor, then we’ll

+know that the same man left the old coat out on the

+point.”</p>

+

+<p>“Your reasoning, my dear Watson,” Jimmy said,

+grinning, “is excellent. I will elucidate further. The

+same man is the owner of the scrap you found in the

+pocket of said old coat. And since said note contained

+the two words ‘buried’ and ‘shed’ my guess is that

+the rumor about buried treasure is more truth than

+poetry!”</p>

+

+<p>“What are we waiting for?” Brook demanded.</p>

+

+<p>“You,” Jimmy returned. “‘Lead on, Macduff.’”</p>

+

+<p>After that they saved their breath and hurried silently

+through the mud and underbrush until at last

+they emerged into a little clearing.</p>

+

+<p>“This is it,” Brook said. “Get out your magnifying

+glass, Sherlock.”</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy sank down on his knees and examined the

+footprints carefully. “Rubber heels,” he mumbled

+triumphantly, “and made by the same manufacturer!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">149</a></span>

+See that crescent with a circle around it? It’s a trademark.”</p>

+

+<p>“Golly!” Alf and Brook yelled in one voice.</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy stood up. “There’s only one hitch in the

+whole deal. I’m sure now that there’s something

+buried under the old shed, but Phil will never let us

+dig for it as long as we need the shed for a garage.”</p>

+

+<p>“Holy cow,” Alf groaned. “Then that means you’ll

+find a barrel of gold after we’ve gone back to school.”</p>

+

+<p>“Just our luck,” Brook said disconsolately. “I’m

+never around when there’s any excitement!”</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy threw back his head and howled with laughter.

+“About an hour ago,” he reminded Brook, “you

+were the very center of excitement. Cheer up,” he

+added. “Maybe when we get back and find that the

+fragment you found fits the one the girls found, we’ll

+be able to read something that’ll convince Phil and

+Penny we should do something about the ground

+under the shed.”</p>

+

+<p>“Maybe,” Alf said without much hope. “But let’s

+not stick around here any longer.”</p>

+

+<p>“Let’s not,” Jimmy agreed. “I vote we go back to

+camp and tell Pat what we have discovered. He pooh-poohs<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">150</a></span>

+the idea of buried treasure as much as Phil and

+Penny do, but when he hears that the footprints

+match, maybe he’ll take the whole business more seriously.”</p>

+

+<p>“<em>I</em> think,” Brook said, “that we ought to convince

+him at least that we should go home right away. I’d

+rather dig for gold than fish, wouldn’t you?”</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy arched his dark eyebrows with surprise.

+“And you were the guy who was complaining a while

+ago that I’m a slavedriver!”</p>

+

+<p>Back at camp Pat listened soberly when Jimmy told

+him that the man who had left his footprint under

+the shed floor had left other footprints recently in the

+clearing on the peninsula.</p>

+

+<p>“Are you sure, lad?” Pat demanded.</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy nodded. “It’s too much of a coincidence to

+think that someone else with the same rubber heels

+had something to do with this piece of paper which

+looks like it was torn from the one Marjorie found.”</p>

+

+<p>“You’re right,” Pat said. “Let’s head for home at

+once!”</p>

+

+

+

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<hr class="divider" />

+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">151</a></span>

+</div>

+

+<h2><a name="xi" id="xi"></a><span>CHAPTER 11</span><br />

+THE MISSING FRAGMENT</h2>

+

+<p class="noi"><span class="smcap">Shortly after</span> the boys left in the station wagon for

+their camping trip, Marjorie said to Judy: “Let’s look

+at that map again. Penny could be wrong. Maybe it

+does show exactly where treasure is buried.”</p>

+

+<p>“Let’s,” Judy agreed. “And maybe we held it upside

+down or something. Maybe the big red cross

+doesn’t mark the spot where Pat planted his potatoes.”</p>

+

+<p>They raced into the Lodge and down the hall to

+the storage room. During the excitement of Peter’s

+arrival they had left the map, still pasted in the lid

+of the jewelry box, on one of the old trunks. Again

+they took it over to the window and studied it

+thoughtfully.</p>

+

+<p>“Let’s see,” Judy said after awhile. “When you’re

+facing north, west is on your left isn’t it?”</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie nodded. “So there’s no point in looking at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">152</a></span>

+this darn thing any longer. If it isn’t a phony, the

+treasure is buried under the potato hills.”</p>

+

+<p>“I give up,” Judy said with a sigh. “We may as

+well go down to the beach and try to find some rare

+shells. I suppose that’s the only buried treasure I’ll

+have the luck to find.”</p>

+

+<p>During the next few days they filled a bucket with

+shells which they hoped were collectors’ items, but

+which Phil and Peter told them were worthless.</p>

+

+<p>“That is the worst about being a girl!” Judy Powell

+said in a moment of disgust. “The boys will come

+back with wonderful stories about how many fish

+they caught and the rapids they ran&mdash;and everything!”

+Judy’s ideas of what the boys were doing

+ran out.</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie and Judy were sitting in their favorite

+spot on the pier, dangling their feet in the water.

+They wore their bathing suits and had just watched

+the cruiser take off with a group of the younger

+guests, exclusive of themselves. They had not wanted

+to go since Mal had promised to take them on a picnic

+in the woods. Just at this moment they were in the

+old familiar throes of not knowing what to do next.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">153</a></span></p>

+

+<p>“Let them rave,” said Marjorie. “We’ve things to

+tell the boys, too.”</p>

+

+<p>“They wouldn’t think that <em>we</em> do anything,” said

+Judy rather crossly.</p>

+

+<p>“Maybe we could think up something different,”

+said Marjorie, a little worried. “Aren’t you having a

+good time, Judy?”</p>

+

+<p>“My, yes! I didn’t mean that,” Judy said quickly.

+“I was just thinking what a grand time they must

+be having. I’d like to shoot rapids.”</p>

+

+<p>“Come up again next summer and we’ll get Pat

+and Mal to take us on a canoeing trip.”</p>

+

+<p>“You probably couldn’t get my mother to say

+yes.” Judy laughed. “Let’s go back to the house and

+see if we’re missing anything.” Just as they started

+back toward the Lodge they heard the loud honking

+of a car on the drive.</p>

+

+<p>“Oh,” cried Judy, “I’ll bet the boys have come

+home. I wonder what made them come back before

+the week was out.”</p>

+

+<p>“Something awful must have happened to one

+of them,” Marjorie gasped as they began to run as

+fast as they could.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">154</a></span>

+Sure enough, the station wagon was parked in front

+of the Lodge and the boys were tumbling out of it.</p>

+

+<p>“They certainly don’t look as though anything

+awful had happened to them,” Judy panted.</p>

+

+<p>“Hi, everybody,” Jimmy was shouting to the

+crowd that had gathered on the porch. When the

+girls reached the steps they heard him say quietly to

+Penny and Phil:</p>

+

+<p>“Say, how about calling a meeting of the Board of

+Directors right away?”</p>

+

+<p>“We can’t, Jimmy,” Penny said. “Everyone is

+busy.”</p>

+

+<p>“Well, then,” he said. “A meeting of the Allens

+in the office. I’ve got something in my pocket which

+I think the rest of the family ought to know about as

+soon as possible.”</p>

+

+<p>Penny could tell from the sober expression on

+Jimmy’s tanned face that this was not a joke. She

+beckoned to Phil and Marjorie and led the way into

+the office.</p>

+

+<p>“On second thought,” Jimmy said as he followed

+her, “let’s get Peter in on this. I’d like to hear his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">155</a></span>

+opinion of the whole thing. Besides,” he added in

+a low teasing voice, “he’s practically family anyway.”</p>

+

+<p>Penny’s cheeks flamed. “Jimmy,” she said, mildly

+scolding, “you never can be serious for more than

+five minutes at a time.”</p>

+

+<p>“I’m pretty darn serious now,” Jimmy said. When

+they had all gathered around the desk, he closed the

+door and produced the scrap of paper which Brook

+had found in the old coat.</p>

+

+<p>After one swift glance, Penny said, “Why, Peter,

+the handwriting looks just like the one on the fragment

+Marjorie found. Where on earth did you find

+it, Jimmy?”</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy explained and Penny frowned as she listened.

+“Brook had no business taking that envelope

+out of a coat he found,” she said.</p>

+

+<p>Peter chuckled. “Maybe he didn’t have any right

+to take it, Penny, but in my opinion it was put where

+it was so that no boy could resist the temptation.”</p>

+

+<p>Penny thought for a minute. Again she read the

+blurred words, more carefully this time.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">156</a></span></p>

+

+<div class="block-centre">

+<div class="block">

+We’ll meet a<br />

+the las<br />

+and look for the tre<br />

+I’m sure it’s buried<br />

+old shed nea<br />

+has long run

+</div>

+

+<p>Then she pulled out of her desk drawer the fragment

+Marjorie had found in the green bottle. The

+two pieces fit together as perfectly as a jigsaw puzzle.

+Now they could all read the complete page:</p>

+

+<div class="block-centre">

+<div class="block">

+We’ll meet at the Log cabin<br />

+the last week in August<br />

+and look for the treasure again.<br />

+I’m sure it’s buried near the<br />

+old shed near a well that<br />

+has long run dry.

+</div>

+

+<p>“Oh, oh,” Jimmy moaned. “That means more digging.

+I guess we didn’t dig deep enough.”</p>

+

+<p>“But what about the map?” Marjorie demanded.

+“It showed that treasure was buried behind the Donahues’

+cabin.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">157</a></span></p>

+

+<p>“None of it makes any sense,” Peter said calmly.

+“And you kids may as well accept the fact right now

+that the map and the two fragments aren’t clues.

+They’re obviously red herrings, deliberately planted

+to keep us busy looking for buried treasure.”</p>

+

+<p>“I don’t get it,” Jimmy said frankly.</p>

+

+<p>“It’s this way,” Phil explained. “Peter, Penny and

+I figure that there <em>is</em> something valuable hidden

+around here. Somebody who obviously isn’t honest

+knows where it is. He wants to keep us from finding

+it.”</p>

+

+<p>“Oh golly,” Marjorie broke in, “wait until I tell

+Judy about this. We’ll spend the rest of the summer

+going over the whole place with a fine-tooth comb.”</p>

+

+<p>“Oh, no, you won’t,” Penny said, laughing. “I have

+a better idea, and one that won’t drive our guests

+out of their minds.”</p>

+

+<p>Peter stared at her in amazement. “Have you been

+keeping secrets from me?” he asked, pretending that

+his feelings were hurt.</p>

+

+<p>“Oh, no,” Penny told him hastily. “The idea just

+came to me this minute. Actually, the words, ‘last

+week in August’ gave it to me.” Her cheeks flushed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">158</a></span>

+with excitement, she went on. “One morning last

+week when I was out in the kitchen discussing menus

+with Ann Mary, she suggested that we give a masquerade

+party. There are plenty of grand costumes

+in the old trunks for all of the ladies, and you men

+can rig up outfits from old curtains and stuff in our

+boxes.”</p>

+

+<p>“A swell idea,” Jimmy said. “But what’s it got to

+do with finding hidden treasure?”</p>

+

+<p>Penny smiled at him patiently. “If you’d only let

+me finish! Ann Mary and I decided that the last

+Friday in August would be a good time for the party.

+Most of the guests will be leaving early in September,

+so it would be sort of a last fling.”</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy began to sing, “After the ball is o-ver. After

+the guests have gone.”</p>

+

+<p>“Stop interrupting,” Marjorie said, glaring at him.

+“Let Penny finish.”</p>

+

+<p>“Well,” Penny went on, “we planned the party

+just for ourselves and our guests. But now I think we

+should issue a blanket invitation to all the merchants

+in town. It will be our way of expressing our appreciation<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">159</a></span>

+of the way they cooperated with us all summer.

+Now,” she finished, “you can all guess the rest.”</p>

+

+<p>“Not me,” Marjorie said, rapidly blinking her blue

+eyes.</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy clutched his dark hair wildly. “I follow you

+as closely as though you’d had a million-mile head

+start.”</p>

+

+<p>Peter was staring at Penny with frank admiration.

+“You <em>are</em> smart,” he said. “Don’t you see?” he asked

+Jimmy and Marjorie. “Our Mr. X, or our Messrs. X,

+for there may be more than one, will certainly be

+among those present at the masquerade. With everyone

+coming masked and in costume, he wouldn’t miss

+the chance. He’ll come out sure that he can get whatever

+he’s after and depart before the unmasking.”</p>

+

+<p>“Holy cow,” Jimmy exploded. “Penny <em>is</em> smart. Instead

+of our wearing ourselves out looking for hidden

+treasure, he’ll lead us right to it.”</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie gave her sister an impulsive hug. “It’s the

+grandest idea anyone ever invented,” she cried.</p>

+

+<p>“And,” Jimmy put in, suddenly remembering the

+main reason why they had persuaded Pat to cut the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">160</a></span>

+camping trip short, “I’m pretty sure there’s only one

+Mr. X.”</p>

+

+<p>“Don’t be a dope,” Marjorie said. “I’m sure there

+are two. One of them put the bottle where he was sure

+Judy and I would find it while we were looking for

+shells. And the other put the coat where you boys

+couldn’t miss it.”</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy shrugged. “Maybe so, but the same Mr. X

+who left his footprint under the floor of the shed

+planted the coat.”</p>

+

+<p>“Yipes,” Peter moaned. “What’s all this about a

+footprint under the shed? I thought it was a garage

+filled with cars.”</p>

+

+<p>“It is now,” Penny explained with a chuckle. “Before

+we converted it, someone ripped up part of the

+floor and left a footprint in the dirt.”</p>

+

+<p>“That’s right,” Jimmy said. “And he also left footprints

+in a clearing back where Brook found the coat.

+Footprints,” he finished triumphantly, “with rubber

+heels made by the same manufacturer.”</p>

+

+<p>“Why, Jimmy Allen,” Marjorie gasped admiringly,

+“you’re so smart you ought to get a job with the FBI.”</p>

+

+<p>But Penny laughed. “Now all the red herrings fit<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">161</a></span>

+together like the pieces of this paper. Don’t you see,

+Jimmy? Mr. X deliberately left that footprint in the

+shed in plain view so I might believe that he had had

+something to do with my accident. Right, Peter?”</p>

+

+<p>“Right,” Peter said. “As soon as Mr. X heard you

+had fallen down the well, he wrote the letter which

+you received the next day. Then that evening he

+sneaked out to plant evidence which he hoped would

+back up his threat.”</p>

+

+<p>“Oh, gosh,” Jimmy said disconsolately. “We’re

+right back where we started. But at least we can be

+pretty sure that there’s only one Mr. X.”</p>

+

+<p>“We can’t be sure of anything,” Phil said soberly.

+“Except that whoever it is really does mean business.

+The very fact that one of them jumped on Mal that

+night when we chased him away proves that. An ordinary

+night prowler would have tried to sneak away

+without being seen.”</p>

+

+<p>“Well,” Marjorie said cheerfully, “we mean business

+now, too. And we’re sure to catch him the night

+of the masquerade when he comes here to get the

+treasure.”</p>

+

+<p>“Wa&mdash;ait a minute,” Phil said cautiously. “What’s<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">162</a></span>

+to prevent Mr. X from getting by with his scheme?

+We can’t be everywhere at once in a place as big as

+this, especially when so many people will be milling

+around.”</p>

+

+<p>“And,” Peter added, “how will we know whom to

+keep an eye on?” He smiled at Penny. “You planned,

+of course, to have police detectives here in costume,

+too.”</p>

+

+<p>“No, I didn’t,” Penny admitted. “I thought it

+would be more fun if we set a trap and caught Mr. or

+Messrs. X ourselves.”</p>

+

+<p>“What sort of a trap?” Phil asked, frowning.</p>

+

+<p>“I don’t know exactly,” Penny admitted. “But I

+think it ought to have something to do with the secret

+room. For one thing, Ann Mary and I planned that

+just before the unmasking we might spring it on our

+guests as a surprise. None of them except Adra has

+any idea where it is.”</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie felt very uncomfortable at that moment.

+She opened her mouth to confess that she had showed

+it to Judy, but decided against interrupting Penny

+until she had finished.</p>

+

+<p>“When we open the door,” Penny went on, “those<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">163</a></span>

+who want to go down into the room will have to take

+turns, because it’s too small to hold them all at the

+same time. I thought that if anyone had been acting

+suspiciously before that, we might be able to lure him

+down alone and then we could quickly press the button

+and lock him in.” She added, turning to Peter,

+“Then you can call in the police.”</p>

+

+<p>He shook his head worriedly. “<em>You</em> are not going

+to be the one to lure him down into the room alone.”</p>

+

+<p>“Of course not,” Jimmy said quickly. “<em>I</em> will.”</p>

+

+<p>“No, you won’t,” Phil told him emphatically. “The

+man may be armed and I’m the only one who has a

+pistol license. I’ll go down with him and one of you

+can close the door. If he’s really been acting suspiciously,

+I’ll suggest that he unmask. If he’s the man we

+want, he’ll refuse. Then I’ll produce my gun and keep

+him there while I knock on the door. That will be the

+signal that our scheme worked.”</p>

+

+<p>“I don’t like the idea of your being locked down

+there with him,” Penny objected.</p>

+

+<p>“It’s the only answer,” Phil insisted. “Once he has

+any idea that we suspect him, he may make a wild dash

+for safety, and that would frighten some of our guests<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">164</a></span>

+very badly. Besides, he might escape. With all those

+people wandering in and out of the Lodge, I wouldn’t

+dare use my gun.” He turned to Peter. “What do you

+think of the plan?”</p>

+

+<p>“It’s okay except for one thing,” Peter said. “What

+if Mr. X doesn’t do anything to make us suspect him?

+Up until the unmasking we won’t have any way of

+knowing whether he is one of the village merchants or

+not. And by that time he will certainly have disappeared.”</p>

+

+<p>“Oh, he’s bound to do something to make him stand

+out from the others,” Marjorie put in. “And he’ll

+probably be very careless because he won’t have any

+idea that we plan to catch him in a trap.”</p>

+

+<p>“That’s true,” Peter admitted.</p>

+

+<p>“Sometimes,” Jimmy said with a teasing grin, “the

+gal makes sense.”</p>

+

+<p>Phil stood up. “If we’re all agreed, I may as well

+go down to the village now and spread the word about

+the party.”</p>

+

+<p>“And I,” said Penny, rising, too, “had better go

+through the stuff in the storage room and see what we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">165</a></span>

+have. I thought it might be fun to decorate the secret

+room so it’ll look good and scary.”</p>

+

+<p>“I’ll help,” Marjorie said. “I know where there’s

+one of those old paper skeletons that we used to hang

+up on Hallowe’en.” She slipped her arm through

+Penny’s. “Oh, isn’t it going to be fun? Even if we

+don’t catch Mr. X, the masquerade will be the best

+event of the whole summer.”</p>

+

+<p>“I hope so,” Penny said. “And I hope we do catch

+him. Even if he’s just a crank and isn’t after anything

+valuable, he’s annoyed us enough. It’s time we put a

+stop to it.”</p>

+

+<p>She glanced back over her shoulder at Peter who

+was still sitting at the desk.</p>

+

+<p>“Oh, dear,” she thought reading the anxious expression

+on his face. “He still thinks we ought to get help

+from the police.” She shivered involuntarily. “Maybe

+before the party is over we’ll be sorry we didn’t follow

+his advice.”</p>

+

+

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<hr class="divider" />

+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">166</a></span>

+</div>

+

+<h2><a name="xii" id="xii"></a><span>CHAPTER 12</span><br />

+SETTING THE TRAP</h2>

+

+<p class="noi"><span class="smcap">The next</span> two weeks were busy ones for everyone connected with the

+Lodge. From morning to night there was a terrific amount of hustling

+and bustling around the house, inside and out. Everyone was loaning

+something or borrowing something to wear at the last big party of the

+season.</p>

+

+<p>Brook, Alf and Jimmy, all amateur but experienced electricians,

+extended wires from the house to the trees so that the lawn would be

+bright with lanterns.</p>

+

+<p>“Just in case there’s no moon,” Phil said.</p>

+

+<p>“If it rains, I’ll die,” Marjorie said nervously.</p>

+

+<p>She and Judy were helping the boys, and Judy insisted upon knowing what

+each one planned to wear.</p>

+

+<p>“We’re all going as cowboys,” Jimmy called down from the fork of a tall

+tree.</p>

+

+<p>“How original of you,” Marjorie said sarcastically. “And it shows how

+lazy you are too. All you have to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">167</a></span> do is stuff the legs of your jeans

+in boots, tie bandannas around your necks, and borrow toy guns and

+holsters from kids in the village.”</p>

+

+<p>“So what?” Alf demanded. “With masks on nobody will recognize us, not

+even you two.”</p>

+

+<p>“We wouldn’t even try,” Judy informed him airily. “There’ll probably

+be so many cowboys here that night it would be like trying to find a

+needle in a haystack.”</p>

+

+<p>“I hope Mr. X wears something more original,” Marjorie said without

+thinking.</p>

+

+<p>“Who?” Judy demanded.</p>

+

+<p>“Er&mdash;nobody,” Marjorie said hastily. The Allens, at Peter’s suggestion,

+had decided not to share their secret with any of the other guests.</p>

+

+<p>“If too many people know that we’re planning to set a trap,” he had

+said, “it won’t be long before Mr. X knows too.”</p>

+

+<p>To change the subject Marjorie said to Brook: “Phil and Penny wrote to

+New York and they heard today that I can get into that small boarding

+school I told you about. It’s up on the Hudson. Golly, I hate to think

+of going away from here.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">168</a></span>

+“I know how you feel,” Brook said sympathetically.

+“But just the same I’m glad you’re going to a school

+that isn’t very far from mine. When we have dances,

+you’ll come as my guest, won’t you?”</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie blushed. She <em>did</em> like Brook, and it would

+be fun to go to school dances with him, but she wished

+he hadn’t asked her when Jimmy was around. Jimmy

+thought it was fun to tease Judy Powell, but Marjorie

+knew that he thought girls were a nuisance. He also

+thought that boys who asked girls to parties were

+dopes. She waited tensely for the caustic remark she

+knew was coming.</p>

+

+<p>To her surprise, Jimmy said nothing. He climbed

+down from the fork of the tree and gave her a look

+which said plainer than words:</p>

+

+<p>“Watch your step, stupid. You almost let the cat

+out of the bag.”</p>

+

+<p>And then Marjorie realized to her dismay that all

+of the others were staring at her curiously. Every one

+of them had heard her blurt out: “I hope Mr. X wears

+something more original.” They were overcome with

+curiosity but they were all too polite to ask any more

+questions.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">169</a></span>

+Hastily Marjorie said, “Aren’t you all starving? I’ll

+go ask Ann Mary if I can’t fix some lemonade and raid

+the cooky jar.”</p>

+

+<p>She was off without waiting for their replies, but

+Judy raced after her. Marjorie’s heart sank. As soon

+as they were out of earshot of the boys, Judy’s curiosity

+would get the better of her good manners. She

+would demand an explanation of Marjorie’s unfortunate

+remark.</p>

+

+<p>Then Marjorie had an idea. “You know,” she said

+casually, “I’ll bet a lot of people come to the party

+disguised as the ghost who’s supposed to haunt the

+Lodge. I think of him as Mr. X and he wears a long

+gray beard. It would be hard to see through that disguise.

+I mean, a long flowing white robe, a wig and a

+mask with a long gray beard.”</p>

+

+<p>Judy looked disappointed but Marjorie knew that

+her curiosity was satisfied. “It would be a perfect disguise,”

+Judy said. “And much more original than a

+cowboy outfit.”</p>

+

+<p>Back in the Lodge they found all the other guests

+busy making final decisions about their costumes. The

+ladies had all enjoyed going through the trunks, spending<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">170</a></span>

+one entire day rummaging, to the great delight of

+the younger fry. Some of the people had gone into

+town to get extra things for their costumes from the

+local stores. They reported that the townspeople, too,

+were all excited about the party and that a great many

+of them were planning to come.</p>

+

+<p>At last it was the day of the big event, and to Marjorie’s

+delight the sun shone brightly in an almost

+cloudless sky.</p>

+

+<p>Penny had decided to wear the old wedding dress

+from the trunk. It was beautiful even though it had

+yellowed with age. Adra was wearing a green silk

+dress with matching slippers from the same old trunk.

+Penny and Marjorie helped each other fix their costumes,

+and Marjorie suggested to Penny that she

+should wear the veil that went with the dress and thus

+really look like a bride.</p>

+

+<p>“Because, Sis,” Marjorie said unashamedly, “you

+<em>are</em> going to be a bride pretty soon. You might as well

+start getting used to the idea.”</p>

+

+<p>Penny’s cheeks flamed. Then she suddenly threw

+her arms around Marjorie. “Oh, honey, if only I could

+be <em>sure</em>. There’s no sense in my trying to hide from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">171</a></span>

+you that I love Peter. But how can I be sure that he

+loves me?”</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie sniffed. “Penny, you idiot! It’s written all

+over his face whenever he looks at you. And when

+you’re not around he mopes, except when he’s shooting

+daggers with his eyes at Charles Curtis.”</p>

+

+<p>Penny couldn’t help smiling. Then she frowned.

+“But that doesn’t mean I’ll be a bride very soon. Peter

+may love me, but neither of us has enough money to

+start in housekeeping. Maybe,” she added wistfully,

+“that’s why Peter doesn’t tell me now that he loves

+me.”</p>

+

+<p>“Pooh.” Marjorie snorted. “You can live on love.

+Besides, we must have made a lot of money on the

+Lodge this summer.”</p>

+

+<p>“Not really,” Penny told her. “We had to hire an

+awful lot of help, you know. And this whole month

+the laundry has been so huge we had to pay Mr. Taggart

+twice as much as he estimated in the beginning.

+It had to be taken into the village four times a week.”

+She sighed. “And the girls we originally hired to come

+out only to wait on the tables and help with the ironing

+had to work full time.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">172</a></span>

+“Never mind,” Marjorie said consolingly. “It’s been

+fun.”</p>

+

+<p>Penny brightened. “Oh, I don’t mean that we

+didn’t make any money. There’s enough to see you

+and Jimmy through school. But Phil and I want you

+to go to college. Both of you.”</p>

+

+<p>“We won’t go,” Marjorie said stanchly. “Not if it

+means you can’t marry Peter when he asks you to.

+After the experience we’ve had this summer we can

+both get jobs.” She pirouetted around the room.

+“Don’t you think I’d make somebody a wonderful

+secretary?”</p>

+

+<p>“Wonderful.” Penny giggled. “But not a very dignified

+one. No, honey,” she went on seriously, “don’t

+you worry your pretty head about getting a job just

+yet. Things will work out somehow. I know they

+will.”</p>

+

+<p>To herself she added, “If Peter asks me to marry

+him, I’ll say yes. <em>Together</em> we can work things

+out.”</p>

+

+<p>“I tell you what let’s do,” Marjorie cried. “Let’s

+have dress rehearsal right now. Here, in your room.

+Just us and Judy ’cause she’s going to be my twin.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">173</a></span>

+And Ann Mary so she can give our costumes a final inspection.”

+She danced away.</p>

+

+<p>In a short while they were all crowding into

+Penny’s room, laughing and making fun of each other.</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie and Judy were dressed alike in little Swiss

+peasant girl costumes. Jimmy made a very handsome

+cowboy and Philip was a swashbuckling pirate. A

+banquet was to be served at midnight after the unmasking,

+and since this was the event of the summer,

+Ann Mary had included all her specialties in the menu.

+She stayed at the dress rehearsal only long enough to

+assure them that they all looked wonderful, then hurried

+away.</p>

+

+<p>In spite of last-minute preparations, the Allens and

+Peter made time for a final conference in the office.</p>

+

+<p>“Let’s try to have as much fun as possible,” Peter

+said, “but we mustn’t forget for one minute that we’re

+all detectives.”</p>

+

+<p>“That’s right,” Phil agreed. “If any one of us notices

+a guest acting suspiciously, he or she must report

+at once to the others. There’ll be over a hundred

+people here tonight, so we’ve all got to be on our toes.

+Every minute,” he added soberly.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">174</a></span>

+Jimmy nodded. “Every minute until the unmasking

+anyway. Which means between the hours of ten

+and midnight. Not many people will arrive before ten

+even though we invited them to come at nine-thirty.”</p>

+

+<p>Penny was sketching a floor plan of the Lodge on a

+large sheet of paper. “Whatever Mr. X is after,” she

+said, “it obviously isn’t buried on the grounds. If it

+were, he wouldn’t have planted those red herrings.

+Therefore, it’s probably in the house. If it’s upstairs,

+all we have to do is make sure that nobody but our

+house guests and help goes up without our knowing it.

+We all know what costumes they’ll be wearing so

+that’s easy. But it will be Peter and Marjorie’s job to

+keep an eye on the back stairs; Jimmy and I, the

+front.”</p>

+

+<p>Everyone nodded, and Penny went on. “If it’s

+downstairs, Mr. X will know that he hasn’t got a

+prayer of searching for it, unless it’s in the office or

+the storage room, and I’ve locked those doors securely,

+so he can’t slip in and out unnoticed. The other downstairs

+rooms will be filled with people all the time, including

+the kitchen. The logical time for him to try to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">175</a></span>

+find whatever he plans to steal will be when everyone

+is gathered in one room.”</p>

+

+<p>She smiled up at Peter. “In order to be sure we

+catch Mr. X in our trap, I have carefully dropped hints

+throughout the village that at eleven-thirty on the dot

+we’re going to show our guests the secret room. Don’t

+you think he’ll choose that time, when everyone’s attention

+will be concentrated on one spot, to do something

+which will attract our attention?”</p>

+

+<p>“I certainly do,” Peter said. “He’ll be the one guest

+at that moment who won’t crowd into the alcove to

+see how the secret door works. Unless,” he added

+thoughtfully, “whatever he happens to be after is in

+the secret room itself.”</p>

+

+<p>“I thought of that,” Penny said. “And since he can’t

+possibly know how the secret doors works, he’ll wait

+until after that part of the evening’s entertainment is

+over. Then he’ll try to sneak back and go down into

+the room while we’re unmasking.” She chuckled. “In

+that case, he’ll walk right into our trap. After the last

+guest has left, Phil can stay behind and hide in the

+alcove. If Mr. X sneaks back and goes down into the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">176</a></span>

+room, all Phil has to do is fasten the door from the outside,

+once Mr. X is safely down the stairs. Then we

+can call the police, for obviously no honest person

+would go into the secret room without our permission.”</p>

+

+<p>“I object,” Jimmy said. “According to that scheme,

+we’ll catch Mr. X, but we still won’t know what he

+was trying to steal.”</p>

+

+<p>“I agree with Jimmy,” Phil said. “So instead of

+hiding in the alcove after the guests have all seen the

+secret room, I’ll hide down in the room itself. Behind

+the black draperies you’ve hung on the walls. If he

+sneaks back, I’ll stay there until <em>after</em> he’s got whatever

+he’s trying to get. Then at the point of my gun

+I’ll make him turn it over to me and&mdash;”</p>

+

+<p>Penny interrupted with a frown: “I still don’t like

+the idea of your being down in the room alone with

+someone who may be a dangerous criminal, Phil.”</p>

+

+<p>“Oh, Penny,” Marjorie cried impulsively, “Phil can

+take care of himself. Besides, Mr. X won’t have any

+idea that he’s hiding behind the black curtains. Also,”

+she added, “what Mr. X wants may not be in the secret

+room after all.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">177</a></span>

+“That’s true,” Penny admitted reluctantly.</p>

+

+<p>“Then the scheme is this,” Peter said, summing it

+up. “If you and Marjorie see a stranger sneak upstairs

+before the unmasking, you’re to report at once to

+Phil, Jimmy and me. We’ll follow him and catch him

+in the act. If no one does anything suspicious, Phil

+will remain in the secret room after the guests have

+seen it. Pat, who will open the door, will close it when

+everyone has left the alcove. Then we’ll all go into the

+big room for the unmasking and wait until Phil signals

+that he has caught a rat in his trap. You can do that,

+Phil,” he finished, “as we already agreed, by banging

+on the door.”</p>

+

+<p>And so the final arrangements were made. But

+Penny, as she hurried upstairs with Marjorie to dress

+for the occasion, knew that Peter was worried. He

+didn’t like the idea of Phil being locked in the secret

+room with Mr. X any more than she did.</p>

+

+<p>“But,” she realized suddenly, “Phil won’t be <em>locked</em>

+in after all. Even though we may deliberately play into

+Mr. X’s hands by showing him how to get into the

+secret room, he won’t know where the spring is that

+closes the door on the other side.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">178</a></span>

+And, as Marjorie pointed out while they helped

+each other with their costumes: “The whole thing

+may be a flop. We don’t know for sure that there is

+anything valuable hidden in the Lodge, or that Mr. X

+will be among those present tonight.”</p>

+

+

+

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<hr class="divider" />

+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">179</a></span>

+</div>

+</div>

+

+<h2><a name="xiii" id="xiii"></a><span>CHAPTER 13</span><br />

+PHILIP TRAPS A THIEF</h2>

+

+<p class="noi"><span class="smcap">Peter Wyland</span> knew that Penny would be coming

+down the back way when she was ready, instead of

+down the stairs from the balcony. When he was in his

+costume he waited at the foot of the back stairs. The

+large room at the bottom of the steps was dimly lit.</p>

+

+<p>Presently Penny, a sweet vision, appeared at the top

+of the steps. She gathered her draperies for the descent,

+unconscious of anyone’s presence. The veil, which

+Marjorie had persuaded her to wear, floated behind

+her, caught back from her face by pins and a white

+rose.</p>

+

+<p>When she was halfway down, Peter stepped into

+the light. “Penny,” he said in a low voice, “you look

+lovely. I should have been waiting here with a minister!”</p>

+

+<p>Peter was beside the surprised Penny in a moment,

+leading her down the few remaining steps to the room<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">180</a></span>

+where he tenderly put his arms around her and kissed

+her. “I can’t wait any longer, Penny, to tell you how I

+love you!” Peter’s voice was a little nervous. What he

+had intended to say deserted him. “Will you&mdash;will you

+wear a dress like this for me, soon?”</p>

+

+<p>Penny, who had not had a chance to utter a word,

+and whose breath was taken away by the surprise of

+having Peter kiss her, merely said, “Oh,&mdash;why, Peter,”

+as he led her to a little sofa in the corner of the room.</p>

+

+<p>“Sit here with me just a minute, Penny. I’ve been

+waiting to ask you for so long, only I’ve never known

+whether you were just being kind and sweet to me because

+you’re that way with everyone, or whether you

+could like me well enough to marry me. I saw that

+there was Charles Curtis&mdash;but if you were engaged to

+him, I figured Phil would tip me off. I am sort of a

+coward where you are concerned, Penny. Don’t tell

+me that you like Charley best! Do you love me a

+little?”</p>

+

+<p>Peter’s voice was low and eager. He held one of

+Penny’s hands tightly in his.</p>

+

+<p>Penny was not the sort to keep the man she loved

+in a state of uncertainty. “Did you know you’ve loved<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">181</a></span>

+me all summer, Peter? I wish you’d told me sooner,

+because you see, I’ve been in love with you, too.” It

+was all right at last. “I knew last year that I loved you

+Peter, but I couldn’t very well let you know it!”

+Penny’s hand was almost crushed as Peter’s face lit up

+with joy. He swept her into his arms again for another

+kiss, and Penny said, “I could stay here and forget

+all about my duties to my guests, but we mustn’t

+forget about Mr. X. And I’ll have to go upstairs again,

+Peter. See how you have mussed this veil.”</p>

+

+<p>“Not beyond repair, I hope,” he said, smiling.

+“Penny, before you go, say you’ll marry me this fall,

+as soon as the guests leave?”</p>

+

+<p>“Silly man! You take my breath away,” Penny

+laughed. “But it is wonderful that you are silly about

+me, Peter. I can’t think straight right this minute, but

+we’ll talk about it later. Marjorie and Jimmy are going

+to school in September. Phil is going to New York to

+work for Mr. Prentice and to go to school nights. He

+wants to be near Adra. Mercy&mdash;I’m all mixed up.

+There will be so much to see to. Could you&mdash;could we

+have our honeymoon right here?”</p>

+

+<p>“I can’t think of a more wonderful spot,” Peter said.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">182</a></span>

+“Our life is going to be all honeymoon from now on.

+As long as I know we love each other that’s enough to

+make me walk on air the rest of the evening. What a

+pity we can’t be by ourselves. I’ll be thinking of you

+every single minute, darling.”</p>

+

+<p>Peter waited until Penny went back to her room to

+repair damages. It took her but a few minutes and

+when she made her appearance in the living room, she

+was immediately surrounded and admired by everyone.</p>

+

+<p>With the keen eye of an experienced hostess, she

+glanced around to see that everyone was being entertained

+in some fashion. She recognized most of the

+guests regardless of their masks, and she noted that

+there was quite an assembly of townspeople whom she

+could not recognize because of their disguises. Mr.

+and Mrs. Curtis were dressed as George and Martha

+Washington and they looked very distinguished.

+They were talking to Marjorie just now and saying

+something that made her laugh. There was Charles

+Curtis dancing with a lovely girl who had spent several

+weekends at the Lodge and had come back for

+the masquerade. When he danced by Penny he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">183</a></span>

+stopped for a minute and said, “I’ll wager that this is

+our fair hostess. Shall I telephone the parson? It’s hard

+to resist such a bride!”</p>

+

+<p>“You are incorrigible, Charles,” Penny reported.</p>

+

+<p>“And you look radiant tonight, Penny.” And off

+he danced with his partner. It was hard for Penny to

+get her mind on anything else except Peter. Dear,

+eager, wonderful Peter. But she had many things to

+do. The tables in the dining room had to be checked,

+and then she had to return and take part in the party.

+She looked around at the guests once more trying to

+place some of those who did not look familiar. There

+was one masquerader in particular who caught her

+eye. He was dressed as the bearded ghost that was

+supposed to wander about the Lodge, but aside from

+the long beard and white wig he seemed to be quite

+young, vigorous and active. He was too heavy for Alf

+who had once said something about dressing up as a

+graybeard. He was with Adra a good deal of the time

+but mingled with the rest and danced well.</p>

+

+<p>All the guests had arrived and the party was in full

+swing. It was nearly time for Philip to announce that

+he was going to show everybody the secret room.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">184</a></span>

+Peter came into the room just a few minutes before

+this and slipping an arm around Penny, he said, “Congratulate

+me, Phil, I’m going to be your brother-in-law.”</p>

+

+<p>Philip stared a moment, then put a hand on Peter’s

+shoulder and told him there was no one to whom he’d

+rather hand over Penny. “Good work, Peter,” he

+said. “Congratulations. Even if she is my sister, I must

+say you’re getting a wonderful girl.”</p>

+

+<p>“Nobody knows that better than I,” Peter said

+humbly.</p>

+

+<p>“Stop it, you two,” Penny cried. “I’ll get a head too

+big for my shoulders if you keep it up. By the way, do

+either of you recognize that man over there disguised

+as Graybeard?”</p>

+

+<p>“I think that’s Mr. Sanders. He said something

+about wearing such a costume when Alf gave up the

+idea,” said Peter.</p>

+

+<p>“No, it isn’t Mr. Sanders,” Penny said. “But there’s

+something very familiar about him. I’m sure I know

+him but I can’t quite put my finger on who he is.”</p>

+

+<p>“Has he done anything suspicious?” Phil asked.</p>

+

+<p>“Not a thing,” Penny admitted. Then she laughed.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">185</a></span>

+“But he has been paying quite a lot of attention to

+Adra. You’d better watch out, Phil.”</p>

+

+<p>Phil frowned. “I’ll be glad when this evening is

+over. I’ve hardly had a chance to speak to Adra since

+breakfast. And&mdash;and, well I guess you two know how

+I feel about her.”</p>

+

+<p>“We do,” Penny told him, smiling. “But the question

+is, does she?” She gave him a fond pat on the

+cheek. “Faint heart never won fair lady, Phil.”</p>

+

+<p>“That’s right,” Peter said, grinning. “Once you get

+used to the idea, Phil, proposing to the girl you love

+isn’t so difficult.”</p>

+

+<p>“I suppose not,” Phil said dubiously, “but if I rush

+matters I might ruin my chances with Adra.”</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie joined them then. “Nobody’s done anything

+suspicious at all,” she complained. “The whole

+scheme is a flop.”</p>

+

+<p>“The evening isn’t over yet,” Penny reminded her.

+She tucked her hand in the crook of Peter’s arm, blushing.

+“We’re going to announce our engagement at

+the banquet. And if Phil takes my advice, he’ll propose

+to Adra before the party is over.” She smiled at

+Marjorie. “Isn’t that enough excitement for you?”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">186</a></span></p>

+

+<p>“Oh, oh,” Marjorie cried, hugging Penny. “I’m so

+glad. Wait until I tell Judy.” She was off, completely

+forgetting to congratulate the bridegroom-to-be.</p>

+

+<p>A short while after that Penny went upstairs with

+Adra and told her that she and Peter were engaged.</p>

+

+<p>“I’m so happy for you both,” Adra said, rather

+wistfully.</p>

+

+<p>Penny said nothing, but she guessed that when Phil

+did propose, the answer would be yes. She hurried

+downstairs again for, from the balcony, she could see

+that the guests were already crowding into the alcove.</p>

+

+<p>Most of the younger men, as Marjorie had predicted,

+were dressed as cowboys, complete with bandannas,

+chaps and guns in their holsters. Penny had

+not been able to pick out Brook and Alf, but she knew

+that Jimmy was the tallest cowboy of them all.</p>

+

+<p>He was waiting for her at the foot of the stairs.

+“Everybody’s all set,” he told her. “Pat’s pressing the

+button that moves the bookshelves now.” When Adra

+came down from the balcony he added, “Let’s wait

+out here. It’ll only add to the confusion if we, who

+have already seen the secret room, join the crowd in

+the alcove.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">187</a></span>

+“All right,” Adra said, sitting on the bottom step.

+“I’m exhausted. Mr. Graybeard is a wonderful dancer,

+but he never wants to stop for a rest.”</p>

+

+<p>“Who is that guy anyway?” Jimmy asked. “He

+looks familiar, but I can’t place him.”</p>

+

+<p>“Neither can I,” Penny said. “But then I can’t place

+a lot of the people here.” She pointed to two cowboys

+who were standing just outside the alcove. “For instance,

+are those two guests Alf and Brook? I wouldn’t

+know.”</p>

+

+<p>And then Penny saw something that made her turn

+and race up the stairs. The guns that those two cowboys

+were slipping from their holsters were not toy

+pistols. Even at that distance she could see that they

+were small, but deadly-looking automatics.</p>

+

+<p>In the meantime, Philip, in the alcove, was making

+his little speech to the assembled guests.</p>

+

+<p>“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said and waited a moment

+for attention.</p>

+

+<p>“There is one little feature of Allen Lodge that has

+not been on exhibit, a place we call the secret room.”

+Philip paused again, for effect this time, and a murmur

+of interest ran around the room.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">188</a></span>

+“When we first moved into this Lodge we found it

+accidentally and we decided to surprise you with it

+tonight. This room has a curious entrance and when

+I open the door you will see the little wall safe that

+has held your money and jewelry. We are sorry to

+say there is no other treasure down there. Believe me,

+when we heard of the rumors about buried treasure,

+we turned the place upside down to see if we could

+find it, without success.”</p>

+

+<p>Philip deliberately assumed a very disappointed

+look on his face and the guests all laughed. Then he

+went on, “But maybe the Allens didn’t look in the

+right places, and possibly Mr. Graybeard, the ghost I

+see here tonight, may find some treasure for us. Masks

+and costumes are appropriate to our mysterious visit

+to a mysterious room. Look for treasure! We will

+have to go down in groups since it is a small room.

+The people immediately surrounding me can come

+down first and perhaps Mr. Graybeard will lend atmosphere

+by posing near the safe.”</p>

+

+<p>“I’d be delighted,” Mr. Graybeard said.</p>

+

+<p>Philip glanced at him, thinking: “His voice is familiar,

+but I’m sure he isn’t any of the merchants in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">189</a></span>

+the village we deal with.” Aloud he continued his

+speech:</p>

+

+<p>“When we come back up from the secret room

+we’ll unmask and go into the big dining room for the

+banquet. I hope you have all been keeping a list of the

+people whom you think you have recognized. As you

+know, we’re going to gather up your lists as you enter

+the dining room. During the banquet, prizes will be

+awarded to the guests who have guessed the largest

+number of people correctly.”</p>

+

+<p>After the applause that followed Philip’s speech,

+Pat pressed the button that moved the bookshelves

+aside. From then on Philip was kept busy leading one

+little party after another down into the secret room.</p>

+

+<p>Mr. Graybeard went with the first group and added

+to the ghostly atmosphere by posing near the safe. Behind

+him the paper skeleton dangled precariously

+from the ceiling.</p>

+

+<p>When the last guest had inspected the little room

+and had gone back up the stairs to the alcove, Philip

+said to Graybeard, “Thanks for helping us out. You

+make a swell ghost. Who are you anyway?”</p>

+

+<p>“Never mind,” said a cold, crisp voice. “Turn<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">190</a></span>

+around and come down the steps with your hands

+up.”</p>

+

+<p>With one swift gesture, Philip released the spring

+that closed the secret door. Then he turned to face the

+gun Graybeard was pointing at him.</p>

+

+<p>Philip was caught in his own trap, but at least the

+man and his pistol could neither harm nor frighten

+the people on the other side of the door.</p>

+

+<p>Philip came slowly down the steps. “So you’re our

+mysterious Mr. X,” he said coolly.</p>

+

+<p>“Call me anything you like,” Graybeard said, taking

+Philip’s own pistol from his pocket. “Now open

+that safe.”</p>

+

+<p>Philip shrugged. “Anything to oblige.” he said.</p>

+

+<p>“And don’t try to pull any tricks,” Graybeard

+warned him. “Upstairs, two men I hired for the occasion

+are at this very moment relieving your guests

+of their excess jewelry and cash.”</p>

+

+<p>So it was a planned robbery! And Graybeard’s

+henchmen had probably come disguised as cowboys,

+carrying real pistols in their holsters!</p>

+

+<p>For a moment, Phil was paralyzed with worry

+about the girls. Penny and Marjorie were so impulsive!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">191</a></span>

+Would they submit quietly to a holdup? And

+Adra?</p>

+

+<p>He felt sure that the older women, although they

+would be frightened at the sight of guns, would do

+nothing which might arouse the anger of armed criminals.

+But the girls!</p>

+

+<p>The voice behind the mask repeated menacingly,

+“<em>Open that safe!</em>”</p>

+

+<p>Philip quickly obeyed. There was nothing else to

+do. Peter had been right all along: They should have

+called on the police for help.</p>

+

+<p>Philip twirled the dial and opened the door of the

+safe. “Help yourself,” he said curtly.</p>

+

+<p>“I am very much engaged in watching you,” replied

+the man. Philip had no choice. He emptied the

+safe and handed its contents to the masked burglar.</p>

+

+<p>There was a good sum of money, the payments of

+the guests for the week. It was mostly in checks and a

+great deal of the jewelry had been removed from the

+safe for the occasion. Philip was thanking his lucky

+stars that they didn’t keep too much cash, valuable

+articles or important papers. Philip tried to get a good

+look at the man’s face under his beard, but it and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">192</a></span>

+mask over his nose and eyes completely hid his features.</p>

+

+<p>Could this really be the mysterious Mr. X? No,

+Philip decided. Graybeard was nothing but a common

+ordinary burglar. And yet there was something familiar

+about him.</p>

+

+<p>The man tucked the money into his pocket, then

+looked contemptuously at the bit of jewelry but put

+it into another pocket. Philip listened to hurrying

+footsteps overhead and could see that Graybeard was

+perturbed by them. But there was no catching this

+man off guard. He held the gun close to Philip every

+minute. He again ordered Philip to put his hands into

+the air, while he felt around the inside of the safe.

+Philip could not help but think what a curious picture

+this man with his long gray beard made, as he searched

+through the empty safe with one hand and kept his

+pistol pointed at Philip with the other. What on earth

+was he searching for?</p>

+

+<p>Then Philip heard a little click, and suddenly a

+drawer on two little steel rods dropped down from inside

+the top of the safe.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">193</a></span>

+“Missed that part of it, didn’t you?” Graybeard

+sneered. “Empty that drawer and hand me the stuff.”</p>

+

+<p>Philip was so surprised he stood there with his

+mouth open for a full minute, then with great interest

+he looked at this drawer that he had never seen before.

+It was wide and shallow and full of papers. Evidently

+a little hidden spring had released the rods that held

+the drawer in place. Could this be the place where the

+rumored treasure was supposed to be hidden? Philip

+mentally kicked himself for not having thought of

+such a possibility before. Much good it would do

+them now. Idiot that he had been not to have taken

+ordinary precautions that night. What fools they had

+all been not to follow Peter’s advice!</p>

+

+<p>No wonder Mr. X Graybeard had planted red herrings

+guaranteed to keep Jimmy and Marjorie searching

+everywhere for hidden treasure except in their

+own safe.</p>

+

+<p>“Quit stalling,” Graybeard growled, poking Philip

+with his gun. “Come on, hand over that stuff and

+make it snappy. The boys upstairs must be about ready

+to go.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">194</a></span>

+Philip took from the drawer two packages of old

+papers that looked like receipted bills, and a large,

+bulging Manila envelope. This Graybeard snatched

+from Phil’s hand and pocketed it with a satisfied air.

+He glanced at the old papers and said, “You can throw

+those away. What I want is bound to be in this envelope.”

+He went on in a patronizing voice, “Thanks,

+sonny boy. If you hadn’t played right into my hands,

+I might have had to use some ‘soup’ to blow the lock

+off that safe. Messy stuff, ‘soup,’ and noisy. When I

+heard you were going to throw this ball and show

+your guests the secret room, I decided to let one of

+you dopey Allens open it for me.” He patted the

+pocket into which he had stuffed the old Manila envelope.

+“What I have here is much more valuable than

+all the money and jewels the men I hired have taken

+from your guests. They can keep whatever they collected

+as their pay.”</p>

+

+<p>“Just what is in that old envelope?” Phil asked,

+stalling for time. The man, in the boasting, triumphant

+mood he was now in, might be caught momentarily

+off guard.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">195</a></span>

+Graybeard chuckled evilly. “Wouldn’t you like to

+know?”</p>

+

+<p>“I certainly would,” Philip said and added shrewdly,

+“I should think you’d like to <em>know</em> too. After all, it

+may be stuffed with nothing but more old receipted

+bills.”</p>

+

+<p>The man, struck by this thought, glared at Philip

+through his mask. “Never thought of that,” he muttered

+and hastily shifted the gun from his right hand

+to his left so he could reach into his pocket and open

+the envelope.</p>

+

+<p>In that split second, Philip went into action. Before

+Graybeard knew what was happening the pistol had

+been knocked from his hand. At the same moment,

+Philip’s fist crashed against his jaw. Graybeard went

+limp and toppled to the floor.</p>

+

+<p>Phil leaped over his unconscious body to retrieve

+the gun. Then he took his own pistol from Graybeard’s

+pocket.</p>

+

+<p>“Now the tables are nicely turned,” Phil chuckled.

+He quickly tore strips from the black draperies on the

+wall and tied the man’s hands and feet together. He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">196</a></span>

+worked fast because he was worried about what was

+going on upstairs.</p>

+

+<p>Then he heard sounds on the other side of the door

+at the top of the steps. Phil held his pistol ready. One

+of the gunmen, worried by the prolonged absence of

+Graybeard, might be coming down to see what was

+happening in the secret room.</p>

+

+<p>The door swung open, and, to Phil’s relief, Pat

+leaped down the stairs. Phil met him halfway. “What

+happened?” he asked nervously. “The girls&mdash;are they

+all right?”</p>

+

+<p>“Everybody’s just fine,” Pat said, grinning. “I’ll

+tell you all about it later. Let’s see what you have here

+first.”</p>

+

+<p>He bent down and yanked the beard and mask from

+the unconscious man’s face.</p>

+

+<p>“Whew!” Pat and Phil whistled in one breath.

+“Our nice cheap laundry man!”</p>

+

+<p>For it was Mr. Taggart, and, as he regained consciousness,

+glaring with rage up at Phil, his face was

+anything but pleasant.</p>

+

+

+

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<hr class="divider" />

+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">197</a></span>

+</div>

+</div>

+

+<h2><a name="xiv" id="xiv"></a><span>CHAPTER 14</span><br />

+FORGOTTEN TREASURE</h2>

+

+<p class="noi"><span class="smcap">Pat swiftly</span> untied Taggart’s feet. “Get up,” he ordered.

+“Your pals are waiting for you in a nice shiny

+prowl car in front of the Lodge.”</p>

+

+<p>“The police,” Phil gasped. “But how&mdash;?”</p>

+

+<p>Pat grinned. “The whole hold-up was a washout.

+Oh, some of the ladies got a little scared when we all

+suddenly found ourselves facing those cowboys and

+their guns. And I was pretty worried about you myself

+when I saw the door close and guessed you were

+trapped down here with the ringleader.” He chuckled.

+“Penny saved the day. Just before the hold-up was to

+take place, she happened to notice that two of the

+cowboys, who were loitering out in the hall, were

+carrying real guns. She raced upstairs and called the

+police.” He laughed at the chagrined expression on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">198</a></span>

+Taggart’s face. “The police arrived shortly after our

+friend’s pals had collected their loot. In fact, they

+walked out of the door and right into the arms of two

+of the biggest cops I’ve ever seen.”</p>

+

+<p>“Those fools,” Taggart snarled. “I told Jerry and

+Rick not to let anyone out of their sight once the

+secret door was open.”</p>

+

+<p>Pat, as he deftly emptied Taggart’s pockets, told

+him, “They didn’t exactly <em>let</em> her dash upstairs to the

+phone in her room. She went so quickly and so

+quietly they didn’t even know she wasn’t among those

+present downstairs. When it finally dawned on them

+that none of their victims was dressed as a bride, I

+imagine they guessed that the game was up and decided

+to scram without waiting to see what had happened

+to their boss.” He gave Taggart a push. “Get

+going,” he said gruffly. “There’s a nice shiny pair of

+bracelets waiting for you.”</p>

+

+<p>It was after one when the men returned from the

+precinct station after preferring charges against the

+three men. The girls were waiting excitedly for them

+on the porch.</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">199</a></span></p>

+

+<p>“Oh, Phil,” Marjorie yelled, running down the

+steps. “To think that Graybeard was Mr. Taggart

+our laundryman, and none of us saw through his disguise.”</p>

+

+<p>“Well,” Phil said, “it was a good disguise for one

+thing, and he was careful to spend most of his time

+with Adra who had never seen him.”</p>

+

+<p>Adra smiled rather shamefacedly. “I’m such a lazybones!

+He usually came in the morning before I was

+up. When he did come later in the day I guess I was

+always off somewhere having a good time while you

+Allens worked.”</p>

+

+<p>“That’s what you were supposed to be doing,”

+Penny said, smiling. “You’re our guest, remember?”</p>

+

+<p>“Never mind about that,” Marjorie interrupted impatiently.

+“What I want to know is whether or not

+Mr. Taggart was Mr. X.” She tugged Phil’s arm, leading

+him to a seat beside her on the porch glider. “Did

+he plant the clues we found and write us the threatening

+letters?”</p>

+

+<p>Phil nodded. “The other men were merely hired

+by him for the evening to keep the guests out of his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">200</a></span>

+hair while he looked for a secret drawer in the safe.

+He made a complete confession before we left the

+police station.”</p>

+

+<p>“Oh, oh,” Marjorie cried jumping up. “Then the

+mystery is solved. Tell us everything, Phil, right

+now.”</p>

+

+<p>He patted her hand affectionately. “Not now,

+honey. First we must think of our guests. Family affairs

+can come later.”</p>

+

+<p>Once everybody was in the dining room, its light

+and decorations made a gay setting for the return to

+normal feelings. As Philip followed the last guest into

+the room, Penny said, “Adra and I were just sick with

+worry over you, Phil. I want to know every single

+thing that happened as soon as possible! Are you sure

+you’re all right?”</p>

+

+<p>“I’m fine,” Phil assured her.</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy, too, caught Philip and said. “Good work,

+Phil. When do I get to hear the whole story?”</p>

+

+<p>“As soon as the guests have all gone home or to bed

+in the Lodge,” Philip said. “It’s a long story.” He

+turned to Penny, “And it was your quickwittedness

+that made it have a happy ending.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">201</a></span>

+“I didn’t do anything but dash up to my room and

+call the police,” Penny said. “You’re a hero, Phil.”</p>

+

+<p>By now, of course, everyone had removed his mask

+and all the faces were familiar ones.</p>

+

+<p>Philip moved on to a space at the central table where

+he and Adra were going to sit together. He held her

+hand in a firm clasp and her fingers twined in response.

+Peter smiled at him and clapped his hands together for

+order.</p>

+

+<p>“Speech! Speech!”</p>

+

+<p>Philip smiled at everybody and didn’t seem at all

+nervous or upset after his experience of the evening.</p>

+

+<p>“I’m very sorry,” he began, “that robbers chose us

+for their victims tonight, and that I could not prevent

+your disagreeable experience.”</p>

+

+<p>“It was fun,” Judy interrupted impulsively. “For

+the longest time I thought it was just an act Jimmy and

+Alf were putting on. What I’ll have to tell the girls

+when I get back to Cincinnati!”</p>

+

+<p>Philip smiled at her and continued: “I hope that you

+all can forget the unpleasant part of the evening and

+that you will enjoy the feast Ann Mary prepared. I

+have here the jewelry and wallets and handbags the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">202</a></span>

+armed cowboys took from you. As I hold up each item

+will the owner please come and get his or her property?”</p>

+

+<p>While the food was being served, Philip distributed

+the stolen articles to their owners.</p>

+

+<p>“I was much too surprised to be frightened at first,”

+said Mrs. Curtis, calmly pouring cream into her coffee.

+“Indeed, like Judy, I thought for quite a while that

+it was some stunt the boys had thought up. The

+young people today are always doing some crazy

+thing.”</p>

+

+<p>“I was nearly speechless at those guns,” said Mrs.

+Powell. “I don’t know what the country is coming to!

+But it was all over so quickly I don’t suppose I was

+much more frightened than I would have been trying

+to get across a busy street.”</p>

+

+<p>“That, my dear, is slightly underestimating it&mdash;at

+least for me,” said Mr. Powell. “I was just plain worried

+one of those guns would go off.”</p>

+

+<p>“I certainly hated to see my jewelry gathered in,”

+remarked Mrs. Sanders.</p>

+

+<p>The prizes were awarded, and there was music

+afterwards. Some of the older people retired soon, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">203</a></span>

+as this was the last general celebration, the younger

+set preferred to linger.</p>

+

+<p>Philip, whose duties as host had been accomplished,

+wasted no time, but took Adra to a moonlit walk and

+pretty nook on the shore where they sat on the sand

+and talked.</p>

+

+<p>Philip told Adra of his feeling of responsibility for

+his brother and sisters. “Now Penny is engaged to

+Peter as I suppose she told you. This summer’s venture

+will see Jimmy and Marjorie through school.” He

+hesitated. “And, er, college. At last, Adra, I feel I

+have a right to say, well, that the only treasure I ever

+wanted is you!”</p>

+

+<p>Adra’s blush was most becoming and gave Philip

+courage to go on. “Could you possibly care for me,

+Adra? You know your father has invited me into his

+office and I want to go on with my college education

+evenings, but somehow, whatever I decide to do depends

+on you. If you care, I think we can&mdash;”</p>

+

+<p>“Manage the rest,” finished Adra calmly, though

+her heart was beating fast. “Yes, Phil, I care enough.”</p>

+

+<p>Two happy young people walked back to the

+Lodge about half an hour later. As Phil and Adra entered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">204</a></span>

+they found most of the guests gone and Marjorie

+and Jimmy curled up in big chairs on the porch,

+sound asleep.</p>

+

+<p>“Those two wouldn’t dare go to bed for fear they’d

+miss something.” Adra and Philip laughed and went

+back to find Peter and Penny raiding the pantry for a

+snack.</p>

+

+<p>“Ha!” cried Phil. “More burglars!”</p>

+

+<p>“Yes; come join us,” replied Penny, unwrapping

+some brick ice cream.</p>

+

+<p>“Delighted,” returned her brother. “We need to

+celebrate. Adra and I have just reached a momentous

+decision and this Lodge can hardly contain me, big as

+it is.”</p>

+

+<p>“Honest? Oh, Adra, you perfect dear!” and Penny

+dropped the ice cream to hug Adra with enthusiasm.

+And Peter, who had caught the ice cream on his plate,

+shook hands with Philip after carefully setting down

+his burden.</p>

+

+<p>“You know,” said Peter slyly, “Philip was going to

+tell us what Mr. Taggart said when he confessed, but

+I guess Adra has made him completely forget it.”</p>

+

+<p>“That she has,” answered Philip. “Anything else<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">205</a></span>

+that happened tonight is very unimportant by comparison

+with this. After all, that’s over. Exciting

+enough while it lasted, but not nearly as interesting

+as plans for my future life with Adra.”</p>

+

+<p>“Listen to the hero make little out of his great adventure,”

+cried Penny. “Phil, I can’t stand it another

+minute. Begin at the beginning and tell us every word

+Mr. Taggart said when he confessed. How did he

+know there was a secret drawer in the safe, and what

+was in the drawer?”</p>

+

+<p>For answer, Peter led the way to the porch. “Wake

+up, Sleepy Heads,” he said, nudging Marjorie and

+Jimmy. “Wake up and hear a bedtime story about

+hidden treasure!”</p>

+

+<p>“Hidden treasure,” Marjorie repeated, instantly

+wide awake. “Phil! You’ve been keeping something

+important from us.”</p>

+

+<p>“I told you it was a family matter,” Phil said, putting

+his arm around Adra. “And before I told the tale

+I wanted to be sure that Adra as well as Peter will

+soon be members of our family.”</p>

+

+<p>“I knew it,” Marjorie cried, giving Adra a hug. “I

+told you so, Jimmy.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">206</a></span>

+“Congratulations, you two,” Jimmy said. “I mean,

+you four. Now, can we hear what went on in the

+secret room tonight, Phil?”</p>

+

+<p>“The story,” Phil began, “goes back to about

+twenty years ago when Uncle John was a very rich

+man and living in New York City. At that time he

+invested $20,000 in a small company belonging to one

+of his friends who told him that the stock was sure

+to go up. But the stock didn’t go up. It went down

+and finally its name disappeared from the Stock Exchange

+boards and from the newspaper stock lists.

+Naturally, Uncle John thought his certificates were

+worthless, but, lucky for us, he didn’t destroy them.”</p>

+

+<p>“Golly, Phil,” Jimmy cried enthusiastically.

+“When you say ‘lucky for us’ do you mean the old

+stock is worth something? Can I have a sailboat after

+all?”</p>

+

+<p>Phil grinned. “Let me finish, puh-leeze. About five

+years ago, the company started paying dividends, but

+it couldn’t locate a great many of its stockholders,

+among them, Uncle John. He had changed his address

+several times before he settled down here. So

+the company officials turned the matter over to a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">207</a></span>

+special detective agency which specializes in tracking

+down owners of forgotten stocks. Notices also appeared

+in newspapers throughout the country, and

+Mr. Taggart saw one of the notices.</p>

+

+<p>“With forged credentials, he got a job with the

+detective agency and was assigned the duty of finding

+Uncle John. Guessing that Uncle John was dead, he

+planned to get hold of the stock certificates, and, with

+more forged credentials, prove that he was his sole

+heir.”</p>

+

+<p>Phil turned to Penny who was holding hands with

+Peter. “If it hadn’t been for you, Taggart might well

+have succeeded. A girl not quite so level-headed might

+have screamed when she saw those ‘cowboys’ drawing

+real guns from their holsters.”</p>

+

+<p>Peter squeezed her hand more tightly. “I can’t bear

+to think about what might have happened if those

+gunmen had seen you darting up the stairs.”</p>

+

+<p>“Stop it, both of you,” Penny protested, blushing.

+“Get on with the story, Phil!”</p>

+

+<p>“Okay,” Phil said, smiling. “Taggart finally traced

+Uncle John to the Lodge only to find that he was

+dead and that we had started our business venture<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">208</a></span>

+here. He had hoped to find the Lodge deserted so he

+could search undisturbed for the certificates. He knew

+that people leave old stocks and bonds in all sorts of

+places. Sometimes they slip them under the paper

+lining of bureau drawers or cupboards, or between

+the pages of books. False-bottom trunks and secret

+drawers in old safes, and so forth, and so forth. Taggart

+realized that one of us, while we were getting

+the Lodge ready for guests, might come across the

+certificates. So the first thing he did was to try to

+frighten us away.”</p>

+

+<p>“That was silly of him,” Marjorie said with a sniff.

+“He might have known that the Allens don’t frighten

+easily.”</p>

+

+<p>“Be quiet, imp,” Jimmy said. “He didn’t know anything

+about us then.” He added to Philip: “So it was

+Taggart who wrote the two threatening letters? And

+left his footprint on the ground under the shed

+floor?”</p>

+

+<p>“That’s right,” Phil told him. “He confessed that

+he wrote the one to Penny <em>after</em> she fell down the

+well. And he also confessed that he was our night

+prowler. Actually he did a lot of prowling we didn’t<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">209</a></span>

+know about, trying to find out if his anonymous letters

+had any effect. The first night he came snooping

+around he listened outside the living room window

+and heard us joking about digging in the well for

+buried treasure. That gave him the idea of keeping us

+busy digging outside, instead of searching around inside.”</p>

+

+<p>“I can guess what he did next,” Marjorie said with

+a rueful laugh. “He wrote that note on an old piece

+of paper, put one half in the bottle Judy and I found

+down on the beach, and the other half in the pocket

+of the old suit Brook found when the boys were out

+camping.” She stopped suddenly, her blue eyes wide

+with amazement. “But how and when did he manage

+to put that map in the lid of the costume jewelry

+box?”</p>

+

+<p>“I can answer that one,” Penny said with a sigh.

+“The day our first guests arrived, I heard someone

+rummaging around in the storage room. I thought it

+was you, Marjorie, and thought you were fibbing

+later when you insisted you were out in the Donahues’

+cabin helping Ann Mary count their laundry.” She

+laughed. “I owe you an apology, honey. While you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">210</a></span>

+and Ann Mary were busy, and Phil and I were upstairs

+hanging curtains, Taggart must have sneaked

+into the storage room and pasted that map behind the

+rotten lining of the old jewelry box.”</p>

+

+<p>“You’re both two jumps ahead of me,” Philip said,

+laughing. “Taggart did put the map where you found

+it, but first he had to have some excuse for coming out

+here. He heard in the village that we were looking

+for someone who would take the soiled linen in to the

+laundry-mat and applied to Penny for the job.”</p>

+

+<p>Penny moaned, covering her pretty face with both

+hands. “Oh, why did I fall into his trap so easily? I

+should have guessed when he offered to do it so

+cheaply, that something was wrong.”</p>

+

+<p>“Not at all,” Peter said protectively. “Taggart did

+handle the laundry situation in a very satisfactory

+manner, so I don’t think anyone can blame you for

+not suspecting him of an ulterior motive.”</p>

+

+<p>Phil nodded. “That’s right, Penny, nobody blames

+you. The trouble was that no one paid much attention

+to him when he came out here. I imagine Ann Mary

+didn’t always have the bundle ready, or his pay when

+he brought out the clean wash. Once when she left<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">211</a></span>

+him alone in the kitchen he slipped down to the

+beach and stuck the bottle containing half the note

+under a rock.”</p>

+

+<p>“We made everything so easy for him,” Marjorie

+groaned. “He was there in the kitchen, I remember,

+the day Ann Mary suggested that Judy and I search

+for rare shells. He was also there the time I asked her

+if it would be all right for us to spend the first rainy

+day rummaging through the old trunks in the storage

+room.”</p>

+

+<p>“And,” Penny added, “he knew exactly when the

+boys left on their camping trip. Remember? Ann

+Mary told him he had to bring back their clean shirts

+before they left. I imagine it was simple for him to

+find out from her where they were going.”</p>

+

+<p>“Uh huh,” Phil said. “<em>Very</em> simple. Ann Mary had

+no reason to suspect him. He followed them to Uncle

+John’s fishing camp only to find that they had moved

+deeper into the woods. He saw the Bronc’s tire tracks

+and followed them to the lake. Early in the morning

+before Brook’s adventure, he rigged up the coat with

+the other half of the note in the pocket. He could

+count on the fact that one of the boys, while out<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">212</a></span>

+canoeing, would be sure to notice what looked like

+the torso of a human body.” Phil smiled. “Taggart

+also knew that Jimmy, like Marjorie, was sure treasure

+was buried around here and was looking for clues.”</p>

+

+<p>“And,” Peter added, “the man knew that no boy

+could resist going through the pockets of an old coat

+he found.”</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy’s tanned cheeks were very red. “Well,” he

+said, “that clears up all the mysterious clues and letters.

+And we certainly all played right into his hands

+when we issued invitations to the masquerade.”</p>

+

+<p>“And,” Penny added, “when I dropped hints all

+over the village that we were going to show our

+guests the secret room that night.” She sighed. “What

+I don’t understand is how Taggart knew there was a

+secret drawer in the safe.”</p>

+

+<p>“Because,” Philip explained, staring at Marjorie,

+“one day when he was out here he caught a glimpse

+of the safe. Not only is he a notorious forger, but,

+in between sessions in jail, he’s made an exhaustive

+study of safes. He knew that the particular style and

+make of the one in the secret room had a hidden

+drawer in the top. Since we obviously hadn’t found<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">213</a></span>

+the certificates while we were cleaning up the Lodge,

+he guessed that they might be in the secret compartment

+of the safe.”</p>

+

+<p>“But,” Jimmy interrupted. “When on earth did he

+get a glimpse of the safe? Up until tonight&mdash;I mean

+last night&mdash;nobody but you and Pat ever went into

+the secret room. And I’m sure neither of you was

+careless enough to open the door unless you were

+sure no one was lurking around.”</p>

+

+<p>It was now Marjorie’s turn to cover her red cheeks

+with both hands. “I can answer that one,” she confessed

+miserably. “One day when Mr. Taggart was

+here, I showed Judy how the door opened. He must

+have been hiding in the alcove when the bookshelves

+moved back. I heard someone moving down the hall

+just before we left, and thought it was Ann Mary

+with a bundle of soiled laundry. But I guess there’s

+no doubt that it was Mr. Taggart.” She raised her

+face, on the verge of tears. “Thinking back, I remember

+now that he was in the kitchen, and Judy and I

+had just left there when she begged me to show her

+how the secret door worked. Oh,” she finished, “how

+can I be so dumb?”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">214</a></span>

+“’Tain’t easy,” Jimmy said, grinning. “You’ve got

+to have a lot of practice before you can be as hopeless

+as you are!”</p>

+

+<p>“Never mind, honey,” Penny said to Marjorie in a

+comforting voice. “After all, in a way you helped to

+set the trap that caught Mr. X.” She turned to Philip.

+“We’re all trying to tell your story for you, and I,

+for one, am getting confused. Once Taggart got a

+glimpse of the safe and knew how to get into the

+secret room, why did he wait until the masquerade to

+go in there?”</p>

+

+<p>Phil chuckled. “Because he didn’t know the combination

+of the safe. He could, of course, have sneaked

+out here at night after we’d all gone to bed and used

+dynamite to open the safe, but that would have been

+pretty risky. Soon after he saw the safe and the room,

+we issued blanket invitations to the masquerade and

+you slyly hinted that part of the evening’s entertainment

+would be a visit to the secret room. Taggart

+promptly decided that the safest way of getting what

+he wanted was to let us lead him right to it.”</p>

+

+<p>“In other words,” Peter added, “while we were

+setting our little trap, Mr. X was setting one of his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">215</a></span>

+own. While his gangster friends were holding up the

+rest of the party, he planned to force one of you

+Allens to accompany him into the secret room and

+open the safe.”</p>

+

+<p>“That’s right,” Philip said. “And I made things

+easy for him when I asked him to lend atmosphere

+by posing by the safe; and then, to cap the climax,

+I stayed behind after everyone else had left. The only

+thing I can say for myself,” he finished, “is that I did

+have the presence of mind to close the door as soon

+as I realized I’d walked into the trap we had set for

+him. And even that,” he admitted, “was sort of a

+reflex action.”</p>

+

+<p>“Call it what you like,” Jimmy said, “but it was

+important. Otherwise, Taggart would have heard the

+outraged cries of his gunmen when they walked into

+the arms of the police. During that commotion he

+might have escaped&mdash;with the real loot.” He leaned

+forward to tap Phil’s knee. “Now that we’ve all, with

+the exception of the inlaws-to-be, confessed to being

+dimwits in one way or another, let’s hear more about

+those stock certificates, Phil. Answer me, yes, or no,

+are they worth enough so I can get a sailboat?”</p>

+

+

+

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<hr class="divider" />

+<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">216</a></span>

+</div>

+

+<h2><a name="xv" id="xv"></a><span>CHAPTER 15</span><br />

+HAPPY ENDING</h2>

+

+<p class="noi">“<span class="smcap">I object</span>,” Peter cried. “My wife-to-be isn’t a dimwit.

+She’s a heroine.”</p>

+

+<p>“I object, too,” Adra said. “Phil’s a hero.”</p>

+

+<p>“All right, all right,” Jimmy said. “But it’s getting

+on toward dawn. Marjorie and I are dimwits. Just

+tell me whether or not we’re rich or poor.”</p>

+

+<p>“We’re rich,” Philip said as he drew from his

+pocket the bulging envelope he had earlier been

+forced to hand over to Taggart. He handed it to

+Penny. “Open it, Sis.”</p>

+

+<p>Her hands shaking with excitement, Penny lifted

+the flap and pulled out a wad of musty-smelling, yellowed

+stock certificates.</p>

+

+<p>“Those ancient documents,” Phil told her quietly,

+“don’t look like much. But, according to Taggart’s<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">217</a></span>

+confession, when we turn them in we’ll collect about

+$50,000&mdash;their cash value plus back dividends and interest.”</p>

+

+<p>For a moment no one spoke. Then Jimmy yelled:

+“WHOOPEE! The hidden treasure is found at last.

+And boy oh boy, will I ever get the finest sailboat

+that was ever launched!”</p>

+

+<p>“I can’t believe it,” Marjorie said in an awed voice.

+“Why, I&mdash;I’m an heiress!”</p>

+

+<p>“<em>I</em> can believe it,” Peter said, pretending to be

+mournful. “Penny will never marry poor penniless

+me now.”</p>

+

+<p>“Of course not,” Penny said with a laugh. “And

+now Phil doesn’t have to marry Adra for her money

+either.”</p>

+

+<p>Everyone laughed then, almost hysterically. They

+were all tired and over-stimulated. Dawn was pinking

+the sky in the east.</p>

+

+<p>“If you ask me,” Jimmy said, stretching and yawning,

+“I’d say we all ought to catch a little shut-eye.

+I for one won’t believe any part of Phil’s yarn until

+I hear it all over again in broad daylight.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">218</a></span></p>

+

+<p>But the next morning, after consulting the older

+men who were staying at the Lodge, the Allens

+learned that the old stock certificates were worth even

+more than Taggart had estimated.</p>

+

+<p>“I know the company well,” Mr. Curtis told Phil.

+“Bought stock in it myself a few years ago when it

+got a government loan and staged a comeback.”</p>

+

+<p>And then, to the delight of everyone, Adra’s father,

+Mr. Prentice, arrived by plane. They were all eager

+for the advice of such an experienced businessman.</p>

+

+<p>“I wouldn’t sell,” he said, after hearing the whole

+story. “You couldn’t invest your money in a safer

+concern. When you collect your back dividends

+you’ll each have a tidy sum if you need cash now.

+If not, I would reinvest that money and thus provide

+yourselves with a comfortable yearly income from it

+and the original investment.” He smiled at them. “I’ll

+handle the whole matter for you, if you like.”</p>

+

+<p>“Please do,” Penny cried. “Oh, it’s all so wonderful!

+Peter and I can get married right away and Marjorie

+and Jimmy are assured of college educations.”</p>

+

+<p>“What about us?” Philip crossed over to stand beside

+Adra who was perched on the arm of her father’s<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">219</a></span>

+chair. “Sir,” he said with old-fashioned formality,

+“your daughter has done me the honor of promising

+to become my wife. With your permission we would

+like to be married sometime this fall.”</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie could not suppress a giggle. Phil did look

+as though he ought to be wearing a Prince Albert

+coat instead of a sports jacket and slacks.</p>

+

+<p>Mr. Prentice stood up to shake hands gravely with

+Philip. “You have my permission, sir,” he said, a

+smile twitching the corners of his mouth. “And my

+blessing.”</p>

+

+<p>Peter grabbed Penny’s hand. “Come on, let’s celebrate!

+No more work today for any of the Allens.”</p>

+

+<p>But Phil and Penny could not take a holiday so

+soon. Most of the guests were making arrangements

+for their departures. Phil and Penny had to be everywhere

+at once to help them pack and ship off their

+luggage, or to make reservations for them on planes

+and buses.</p>

+

+<p>Judy flatly refused to leave with her parents and

+Alf. “I’ve just got to stay here for Penny’s wedding,”

+she begged. “Marjorie and I are going to be bridesmaids.”</p>

+

+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">220</a></span>

+“Then we’ll stay too,” Mrs. Powell said and added

+to Penny, “That is, if we’re invited.”</p>

+

+<p>“Of course, you are,” Penny cried. “The Curtises

+and Adra and her father are going to stay on for the

+great event, so we’ll have one grand houseparty until

+then.”</p>

+

+<p>By Labor Day evening all of the other guests had

+left the Lodge. To celebrate the first dinner of the

+wedding day houseparty, Pat opened a bottle of

+champagne that he claimed to have held over from

+his wedding for another special occasion.</p>

+

+<p>“Ugh,” Marjorie spluttered after one sip. “What

+horrible tasting stuff!”</p>

+

+<p>Jimmy, Judy and Alf heartily agreed with her and

+gratefully accepted the ginger ale Ann Mary hastily

+substituted for the bubbling wine.</p>

+

+<p>Peter proposed a toast. “Here’s to the Allens of

+Allen Lodge. May they always be happy and prosperous!”</p>

+

+<p>“You’d better include the Wylands in that toast,”

+Marjorie said with an impish smile. “Penny won’t be

+an Allen much longer.”</p>

+

+<p>A few days later, on a beautiful, bright September<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">221</a></span>

+morning, the wedding took place. Marjorie and Judy

+were so excited they couldn’t fasten the zippers on

+their crisp organdie frocks. Penny, sweetly serene,

+came to the rescue, wearing her lovely flowing gown

+of white tulle over taffeta. Marjorie finally conquered

+her nervousness long enough to pin on the clusters of

+orange blossoms which held Penny’s lace veil in

+place.</p>

+

+<p>Then, carrying Pat’s enormous bridal bouquet of

+long-stemmed white chrysanthemums, Penny came

+from the house on Philip’s arm to join Peter under

+the trees.</p>

+

+<p>Marjorie held her breath while Penny and Peter

+made their vows in clear, steady voices. After the

+ceremony was over, Charles was the first to congratulate

+the bridegroom, and Marjorie, the first to kiss

+her sister.</p>

+

+<p>“You didn’t act scared at all,” she whispered. “I

+know I would have said I <em>don’t</em> instead of I do, just

+because I was so nervous.” She turned to give Peter a

+hug. “It’s so nice to have another brother,” she cried.

+“And to know that soon I’ll have another sister.”</p>

+

+<p>A merry wedding breakfast was served on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">222</a></span>

+sunny porch and this time it was Marjorie who proposed

+a toast. “To Allen Lodge,” she cried, holding

+her punch glass high, “where there’s never a dull

+moment. Here’s hoping that it holds some new adventure

+just waiting to be discovered.”</p>

+

+<p>“I’m with you there, Sis,” cried Jimmy.</p>

+

+<p>But Peter and Penny only smiled happily.</p>

+

+

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<hr class="divider" />

+</div>

+<div class="promo-block">

+<p class="center p120">FALCON <img class="promo" src="images/colophon.png" width="100" height="91" alt="Colophon" />

+BOOKS</p>

+

+<p class="center p160"><em>For Girls</em></p>

+

+<div class="hang">

+<div>Champion’s Choice <small>BY JOHN R. TUNIS</small></div>

+<div>Patty and Jo, Detectives <small>BY ELSIE WRIGHT</small></div>

+</div>

+

+<p class="center p120">BY KAY LYTTLETON</p>

+

+<div class="hang">

+<div>Jean Craig Grows Up</div>

+<div>Jean Craig in New York</div>

+<div>Jean Craig Finds Romance</div>

+<div>Jean Craig, Nurse</div>

+<div>Jean Craig, Graduate Nurse</div>

+</div>

+

+<p class="center p120">BY JEAN McKECHNIE</p>

+

+<div class="hang">

+<div>Penny Allen and the Mystery of the Haunted House</div>

+<div>Penny Allen and the Mystery of the Hidden Treasure</div>

+</div>

+

+

+<p class="center p160"><em>For Boys</em></p>

+

+<div class="hang">

+<div>The Spirit of the Border <small>BY ZANE GREY</small></div>

+<div>The Last Trail <small>BY ZANE GREY</small></div>

+<div>Call to Adventure <small>BY ROBERT SPIERS BENJAMIN</small></div>

+<div>Champs on Ice <small>BY JACK WRIGHT</small></div>

+<div>The Strike-Out King <small>BY JULIAN DE VRIES</small></div>

+<div>The Winning Basket <small>BY DUANE YARNELL</small></div>

+<div>Over the Hurdles <small>BY EMMETT MAUM</small></div>

+<div>Boys’ Book of Sea Battles <small>BY CHELSEA CURTIS FRASER</small></div>

+<div>Through Forest and Stream <small>BY DUANE YARNELL</small></div>

+</div>

+

+<p class="center p120">BY CAPWELL WYCKOFF</p>

+

+<div class="hang">

+<div>The Mercer Boys’ Cruise on the Lassie</div>

+<div>The Mercer Boys at Woodcrest</div>

+<div>The Mercer Boys on a Treasure Hunt</div>

+<div>The Mercer Boys’ Mystery Case</div>

+<div>The Mercer Boys with the Coast Guard</div>

+</div>

+</div>

+

+

+<div class="chapter">

+<hr class="divider" />

+</div>

+<div class="tn">

+<p class="center p120">Transcriber’s Note:</p>

+

+<p class="noi">The text as published in the original publication has

+been retained except as follows:</p>

+

+<ul class="nobullet">

+<li><ul><li>Page 35<br />

+unless their guests’ deposit<br />

+unless their <a href="#guests">guests</a> deposit</li></ul>

+</li>

+<li><ul><li>Page 36<br />

+means,” Penny said, “That right after breakfast<br />

+means,” Penny said, “<a href="#that">that</a> right after breakfast</li></ul>

+</li>

+<li><ul><li>Page 55<br />

+They all started silently out<br />

+They all <a href="#stared">stared</a> silently out</li></ul>

+</li>

+<li><ul><li>Page 81<br />

+few friends of Charles’<br />

+few friends of <a href="#Charles">Charles</a></li></ul>

+</li>

+<li><ul><li>Page 94<br />

+you’re asolutely right<br />

+you’re <a href="#absolutely">absolutely</a> right</li></ul>

+</li>

+<li><ul><li>Page 120<br />

+can’t thing of anything<br />

+can’t <a href="#think">think</a> of anything</li></ul>

+</li>

+<li><ul><li>Page 146<br />

+heard a night prowler?”<br />

+heard a night <a href="#prowler">prowler.</a>”</li></ul>

+</li>

+</ul>

+</div>

+

+

+

+

+

+

+

+<pre>

+

+

+

+

+

+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Penny Allen and the Mystery of the

+Hidden Treasure, by Jean Lyttleton McKechnie

+

+*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PENNY ALLEN AND THE MYSTERY ***

+

+***** This file should be named 53198-h.htm or 53198-h.zip *****

+This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:

+        http://www.gutenberg.org/5/3/1/9/53198/

+

+Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, MFR and the Online

+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

+

+

+Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions

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