Read Online The Marshland Mystery by Julie Campbell - Free Book Online Page A

Jim, looking thoughtful, said, “Seems as if we ought to be doing something about Gaye, but we’d better wait until there’s a real reason to worry. Sergeant Rooney’s probably right.” The other four nodded.
    Mart and Brian walked down to the foot of the driveway with the girls, while Jim went to catch up on some of his load of senior homework. He was taking two extra subjects, preparing for his entrance into college in the fall, and every spare minute of his time had to be used for study.
    While the boys were loading Trixie’s bike into the car for the short ride home, Honey solemnly promised to phone Trixie the moment there was any news about Gaye. “I wish we could go looking for her together around here, but Mother has several things she wants me to do to get ready for the party tonight.”
    Trixie nodded, with a glum expression. “If there is a party. It would be just like that little imp to hide somewhere till morning, just to spite her aunt!”
    “I hope she has more consideration for Mother and the Arts Club than to do a stunt like that!” Honey’s hazel eyes flashed. “Mother and her committee have worked hard getting people to buy tickets for the recital, and they’ve been counting on this party to help boost the sale.”
    Brian and Mart had lifted Trixie’s bike into the car and were ready to start for home. Brian started to climb into the driver’s seat. “Come on, Trix. Plenty to do at home, from the looks of this bundle of junk you brought from the marsh.”
    “Okay, be right with you,” Trixie called. “Don’t forget to call,” she reminded Honey hastily.
    “Don’t worry. I’ll phone the moment she shows up,” Honey assured her. Then, with a cheerful good-bye to the boys, Honey trundled her bike up toward the stable.
    Trixie stopped as she was about-to enter the car and looked toward the clubhouse door. “You know,” she told Brian, “Gaye could be in there hiding. Even if the door is locked, she could have squeezed in through that side window if one of us left it unlatched.”
    “That’s an idea,” Brian agreed. “I’ll take a look.” He strode up the walk to the door as Trixie and Mart watched, then went around out of sight at the side of the vine-covered cottage to examine the window.
    But a moment later he reappeared, shaking his head. “Window’s locked,” he reported, starting to rejoin them. He changed his mind suddenly and turned back to try the door. It, too, was locked, and he turned away again.
    “Bring our map while you’re at it,” Trixie called. “Jim pinned it to the door.”
    But the map was not pinned to the door. Nor was it anywhere in sight on the ground nearby.
    Trixie hurried to help look for it, while Mart waited impatiently.
    “It probably blew away, and somebody picked it up and put it in the trash can,” he suggested.
    “Golly! I hope they didn’t!” Trixie wailed. “I wanted to show it to Miss Bennett and the class on Monday. It was such a lovely map, with those cute drawings of yours, Brian.”
    “Well, thank you, small sister! Your praise is music to my ears, or something!” Brian laughed.
    “Huh!” Mart remarked dryly. “She didn’t think it was such a masterpiece when she dashed off and forgot it this morning!”
    Trixie gave him a withering look, but Brian merely grinned. “Never mind, Trix. I’ll do you another and really let my artistic ability show.”
    “Brian, you’re absolutely the darlingest—” Trixie beamed at her big brother.
    “Sap,” Mart said, finishing her sentence for her. Then, as she glared at him, he strolled back to the car. “Come on. It’s gone, so why worry?”
    But Trixie had noticed a tiny piece of paper in the tall grass beside the walk, and she made a sudden swoop to recover it. “Here’s part of it!” she exclaimed. “The pin’s still in it.”
    “Let’s see.” Brian took it from her fingers. “The pin is bent, as if someone had jerked at the map before the paper tore. I used heavy