The Mystery of the Uninvited Ghost

wagon on Glen Road, near the Lynch mailbox.
    Both Regan and Mr. Maypenny jumped from the Wheeler car, followed by Matthew Wheeler and Peter and Bobby Belden. All the Bob-Whites exploded from the station wagon.
    Peter Belden hurried to touch his niece’s thin face to make sure she was no mirage. Bobby wavered between Dan and Hallie, then went to investigate the mailbox. “There’s no mail today,” he announced.
    Weak though he was, Dan met his uncle and the old gamekeeper in the middle of the road, glad to feel the comfort and strength in their hands and arms. He looked at the flower in Mr. Maypenny’s buttonhole and asked wistfully, “The wedding’s over? Did Juliana get her ring back?”
    He turned to Regan. Tm sorry, Uncle Bill! I had to take the ring to keep those creeps from stealing it. The boss has a thing about diamonds. That night at the farm, Reddy let me know that he was somewhere near. When I had the chance to take the ring, I slid it off Juliana’s finger. I couldn’t stand to see her cry, but I couldn’t let anybody know what was going on till I tried to round up that gang and keep them from ruining the wedding.
    “I planned to hide the ring and a note in Jim’s saddlebag, but Tom needed help with Jupiter just then, and I stuffed the ring in your desk. I was on my way back to get it when I saw one of the gang hanging around. I took off after him and chased him all the way to the inn. He got into the building through a window. I figured out that he was in room two-fourteen and watched it from the hallway inside. When that Dick Ryks came out, I followed him up to the third floor. He jumped me, and—you know how that turned out. I’ve learned that I’d better stick to working on the game preserve. I’m not very good as a detective!”
    “Leave that job to the Belden-Wheeler Detective Agency!” Jim advised proudly.
    “Don’t forget the Bob-Whites and Hallie,” Honey chimed in.
    Hallie’s berry-black eyes warmed with affection. “You’re a bunch of okay kids. You’ve got the smarts!”
    “No, Hallie, that’s not quite right.” Trixie did her best imitation of a drawl and linked arms with her new friend. “You’re an okay kid yourself!”
    “Oh, jeeps,” Hallie chuckled.
    “That’s gleeps!” the Bob-Whites chorused.