It Fits!
AT these words my heart sank. “There goes all our good resolutions and
promises!” I thought. For of course I knew that we’d never go straight
home now!
“Digging up the garden!” cried Eve. “How d’you know?”
“I saw it this morning when I stopped to have a look for my flashlight
which I mislaid the night I was—ah—pinched! The door was locked, and
I couldn’t get into the house. On my way out I noticed that somebody’d
been at work in the garden in a new place.”
“Then that creature hasn’t left the country at all,” Hattie May cried.
“It’s just as I suspected, he’s still after the treasure!”
We were approaching the house. “Want to stop and have a look?” Michael
inquired teasingly. “Might pick up a clue—collar button or whatnot!
Don’t you think?”
“Oh, no, I don’t think we’d better,” I began hurriedly, though I knew
as I said it that it was useless.
“Of course we must stop,” Hattie May declared. “Hamish would never
forgive me if I neglected a single clue!”
“We-ll,” said Eve doubtfully, “I don’t suppose it would really do any
harm just to run in for a minute. So long as we don’t have to catch the
bus,” she glanced doubtfully at me.
I shrugged. “Do just as you like,” I said, “but don’t expect me to
explain things to Aunt Cal!”
“Leave Aunt Cal to me!” Eve laughed lightly and began to climb down
from the wagon. Without enthusiasm I followed her and once more found
myself making my way over the wall, across the yard toward the tangled
garden. It was getting to be a habit, I reflected. It almost seemed as
if some unknown force kept drawing us back to the old house and its
secrets.
Michael pointed out the place where a new hole had been dug nearby
where we had discovered the first one, and apparently hastily filled in
again. Could it be that Bangs had returned?
“You’d hardly think he’d dare hang around,” Eve said thoughtfully.
“It just shows how badly he wants that treasure,” Hattie May cried.
“He’s willing to take any risk.”
“Wish I could think of a way to get my flashlight,” Michael said,
glancing toward the house. “I think I’ll just have a try at those
cellar windows on a chance,” he added. “Be right back.”
“They’re all nailed fast,” Eve called after him. But he strode on.
We sat down on the edge of the fountain. The statue of Circe still lay
where we had left it, reclining in the leaf strewn bowl. Hattie May
began poking with a stick in the newly filled hole. Several minutes
went by and Michael did not return. “He must have got in after all,”
Eve said, glancing a little apprehensively I thought, toward the thick
growth of bushes that obscured our view of the rear of the house.
As she spoke our attention was caught by the sound of a car coming up
the hill. Automobiles passed that way so seldom that we all jumped up
instinctively. To our surprise it appeared to be slowing down in front
of the house. Then suddenly I recognized Miss Blossom’s little coupe
and saw that lady’s ample bulk at the wheel. A woman beside her was
leaning over and peering out.