Jean L. McKechnie

“ 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!” ”

“ 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.” ”

“ 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.” ”

“ 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.” ”

“ 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!” ”

“ 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.” ”

“ 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.” ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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’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.”
120 “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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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.” ”

“ 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.” ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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?” ”

“ No one can. We all develop certain characteristics when we first learn to write, and those characteristics stay with us forever.”
115 “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.” ”

“ 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!” ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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.”
21 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.” ”

“ 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.” ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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 if54 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.” ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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!” ”

“ 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.173 And Ann Mary so she can give our costumes a final inspection.” She danced away. ”