“Good-morning, girls!”
“Oh, it’s Harry Pangborn!” exclaimed Arden.
“Hello, Harry!” greeted Terry. Since the episode at Cedar Ridge, the friends had begun to call one another by their first names.
“What are you doing in there?” Arden called back.
“Investigating ghosts, as I promised. Want to help me?”
“We’re after holly,” said Terry, “in the back woods.”
“Well, you have time for both ghosts and holly too, perhaps.”
“No, thank you,” Arden decided, shaking some of the snow off her hat. “I think you can do your investigating alone. I mean, you come to it with an open mind. Terry or I might suggest something to you, in our eagerness, and that would throw you off the track.” They were so near the Hall they could talk easily to the young man at the window above.
“There is something in what you say,” admitted Harry with an assumed judicial air. “I shall take it under consideration. Well, then, I’ll go on investigating by myself, reserving the right to call at Sim’s house to see you all, later, and report.”
“Yes, do!” invited Terry.