Read Online The Mystery of the Masked Rider by Carolyn Keene - Free Book Online Page A

set up the cot in the extra stall and turn in early.”
    â€œNo way!” Nancy protested. “Bess and I will sleep here and keep our eyes on Nightingale.”
    â€œWell . . .” Colleen looked undecided.
    â€œI want you to go,” Nancy insisted. “That way you can keep an eye on your rivals.” She gave Colleen a meaningful look. Then she turned and pulled the mask from its hiding place behind a bucket. “I also want you to present this to Marisa and see her reaction.”
    â€œOh, all right,” Colleen said finally. “But I’m not wearing a costume.”
    â€œOh, yeah?” With a grin Phil held up the plastic bag by a hanger. “Check this out,” he said, pulling up the plastic. Underneath was a gold-embroidered outfit with filmy harem pants—a costume straight out of the Arabian Nights.
    Colleen drew in her breath as she touched the shimmering bodice. “Phil, it’s beautiful. Where’d you get it?”
    â€œLet’s just say I rubbed my magic lamp, and out jumped a genie who gave it to me.”
    â€œOh, right.” Colleen laughed. Nancy was glad her friend had relaxed again. She was also gladthat Colleen and Phil were going to the party. That would keep Phil out of the way.
    â€œAnd what are you going to wear?” Nancy asked Phil as she started to unsaddle Nightingale.
    He frowned. “Well, that’s a problem. Any suggestions?”
    Just then Bess came striding down the aisle toward them. She was carrying a cowboy hat. “Look what I bought!” she said, plopping it on her head.
    Grinning, Nancy looked back at Phil. “Well, how about the Wild West look?”
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    â€œLet’s see,” Bess said, holding up her watch later that evening. Squinting, she tried to read the numbers in the dim light from the stable aisle. “It’s eleven o’clock, which means that everyone at the party is feasting on crab-stuffed mushrooms and spiced shrimp.” She sighed. “And here we sit in a cold, smelly stall listening to a horse chew its hay.”
    Nancy laughed at her friend. Bess was sitting on the edge of one of the cots they’d set up in the stall next to Nightingale’s. Nancy was stretched out in a sleeping bag on the other cot, her jacket scrunched into a pillow. “At least we won’t gain any weight from too much rich food,” Nancy teased.
    â€œOh, I don’t know about that.” Leaning over, Bess rustled around in her backpack and pulledout two packages of cookies and a bag of chips. “Reinforcements.”
    Tossing a package to Nancy, Bess settled back on her own cot. Both girls began to quietly munch their cookies. Nancy heard the rustle of straw as Nightingale turned in her stall. All evening they’d kept a sharp eye on the mare. Now that the stable had quieted down and most of the people had left, Nancy thought it was safe to relax a little.
    â€œAt least Colleen’s having fun,” Bess said a moment later.
    â€œAnd she’s keeping an eye on Phil and Marisa,” Nancy added. “If everyone’s at the party, it’ll make our job easier.” She yawned and rubbed her eyes. “Whew, it’s been a long day.”
    â€œI know what you mean.” Bess kicked off her sneakers and slid into her sleeping bag. “This cot’s not as bad as I thought.”
    â€œMmmm.” Nancy yawned again. “Actually, it’s kind of comfortable,” she mumbled. Pulling the sleeping bag up to her chin, she snuggled down under it. The hushed sounds of the stable were lulling. Nancy could see Nightingale’s rusty coat through the slats of the stall wall. Glancing at Bess, she noticed her friend had already fallen asleep. Maybe I should stay awake and watch Nightingale, Nancy thought, but her eyes were heavy. Soon she was asleep, too.
    Hours later Nancy woke with a start and sat up straight. For a second she