The Mystery of the Emeralds

handed it to Honey, asking that she be sure to see that Edgar ate the custard. “The other dish,” she explained, “contains the poultice, which should be heated and put on his head.”
    Edgar Carver thanked her for the custard, but Trixie noticed he made no promises about using the poultice. She knew that he had long ago become accustomed to his friend Carolyn’s whims.

The Green Trees Ghost • 16

    NATURALLY the Bob-Whites were impatient to see the secret tunnel. While they were waiting for Mr. Carver to return from showing Miss Bates to the door, they decided that each one should make a trip down the circular staircase.
    “If one of you happens to see the brick marked with an X when you’re in the tunnel, just give the Bob-White signal,” Trixie suggested, “but don’t waste a lot of time looking for it.”
    “We know what you’re getting at,” Mart laughed. “You just don’t want any of us stealing your thunder. You want to find the emeralds all by yourself, don’t you?”
    The inquiry was good-natured, but Trixie was furious. She made a flying leap toward her brother, but Jim managed to catch her by the shoulders. Turning to Mart, he said, “I think you’d better take that crack back, Mart, old boy. After all, it’s Trixie who’s got this close to the solution, so I can’t say I blame her for wanting to go on with it, can you?”
    “Sorry, Trix; honest I am,” Mart apologized, his face reddening.
    It wasn’t often that any of the Bob-Whites interfered when he teased his sister, but Mart knew that this time he had gone a little too far. Trixie, quickly sensing the sincerity of his apology, forced back her anger.
    “Jeepers, Mart,” she said, “I should know you well enough by now not to let you make me mad. But sometimes—sometimes you just get my goat!”
    The little scene was interrupted when the Bob-Whites heard the phone ring in Mr. Carver’s study, and it wasn’t long before he came wheeling back into the music room.
    “It was your father, Di,” he said, excitement sounding in his voice. “He and Mrs. Lynch would like to come over and see Green Trees, and he suggested we all have lunch with them afterward.”
    “Oh, that’s wonderful!” Di said enthusiastically. “I’ve been wanting them to see the house, but Daddy’s been so busy with all those old meetings that he hasn’t had time.”
    “Now that you mention lunch, I realize I’m starving,” Mart said, hugging his middle with both arms. “We were so excited, we forgot about food.”
    “That’s the first time I’ve ever known you to forget eats!” Brian teased.
    “Well, we could have resorted to dear Carolyn’s custard,” Mr. Carver said with a twinkle in his eye, “but Mr. Lynch’s invitation sounds much more appealing. Can you take a little time out from your investigations, Trixie? I think you need a short break.”
    Trixie’s heart sank. She wasn’t the least bit interested in food. All she wanted was to get back into the passage and look for the X-marked brick. It was hard enough to have to wait until everyone had had a chance to see what the tunnel looked like, and now another delay! It occurred to her that she might suggest that they go to lunch without her, but she quickly vetoed this idea. She knew it would be impolite to Mr. Carver, who was anticipating meeting the Lynches with such obvious pleasure. She couldn’t throw a wet blanket on the party by not going along.
    Swallowing her disappointment and making an effort to sound enthusiastic, she said, “An hour or two won’t make any difference, Mr. Carver. After all, the necklace has been hidden for a good many years, so I guess it won’t run away by itself now.”
    “Good girl, Trixie,” Jim said under his breath as he came over to her. “Don’t think I don’t know how hard that was for you.”

    By the time the Bob-Whites had freshened up, Mr. Carver had changed into a white linen suit and gone to the front door to watch for the visitors. It was quite apparent that he was unusually excited at the chance to show Green Trees to someone who he knew had a special interest in it and more than ordinary appreciation of its beauty.
    When Mr. and Mrs. Lynch arrived, the two men greeted each other warmly, and Mrs. Lynch, looking pretty and cool in a pale yellow dress, shook hands with Edgar Carver.
    “After all we’ve heard about you from the Bob-Whites,” she said, “introductions seem scarcely necessary. We don’t feel like