"Yes, but it wouldn't help us out any with solving the mystery," objected Margaret. "When do you suppose it will be get-at-able, anyway?"
"Alexander says he's going to be there before school in the morning, and again at noon, and in the afternoon too. He says he's almost tempted to play hookey and be there all day! But I told him Sarah and Mother would have a fit if he did! The club is to be all together here in the afternoon, and he'll come right in and tell us the minute he discovers anything."
"Wouldn't it be simply awful," moaned Margaret, "if any one got in ahead of us and looted the place in the beam!"
"Alexander doesn't think that likely," declared Jess. "I asked him about that, too, but he says it's probably so well concealed that nobody would think of such a thing—unless the beam were to be chopped up, and that won't happen for a good while yet."
So they were all forced to possess their souls in patience till Monday afternoon. Then, with fast-beating hearts, the girls gathered in the Charlton Street parlor. Alexander, of course, was not with them, and they did not expect him for some time. But, to their utter amazement, he strolled in about three-thirty, hands in his pockets, whistling "The Lass of Richmond Hill" as unconcernedly as though this were not the day of days for the Antiquarian Club!
"Good gracious, Alexander, what's wrong?" demanded Corinne.
"Wrong? Nothing at all! Everything O. K., A., number one!" he replied airily.
"But why aren't you over at the stable as you said you'd be?"
"Oh, I didn't think it worth while!" he answered indifferently, ambling over to gaze out of the window.
