“But,” Jimmy objected. “Nobody could have heard about it so soon.”
“A lot of people could have,” Mal pointed out. “There were several delivery boys out here during the excitement when Miss Penny fell into the well.”
Ann Mary nodded. “We were all so worried about Penny we didn’t pay any attention to them. When Marjorie came running into the kitchen to tell us about the accident, I dashed out of the house so fast I almost knocked down one boy who biked out here with some groceries.”
Pat shook his head gravely. “That rumor about buried treasure is going to cause us a lot of trouble. We don’t want the place cluttered up with night prowlers this summer.”
“Let’s go have a look at the shed,” Jimmy said eagerly. “Maybe the guy was down there snooping around and sneaked up to the house to make sure we were all inside.”
“All right,” Phil said. “But you have to stay with the girls.”
“Oh, no, he doesn’t,” Marjorie said pertly. “The girls are going, too.”
“We can’t all leave,” Penny said wisely. “After all, he might have been a burglar. We would be playing right into his hands if we left the house deserted with all the doors and windows open.” She glanced around at the shadows with a little shiver. “Suppose he doubled back and is watching us right now, waiting to see what we’ll do?”
Marjorie moved a little closer to Penny. “Oh, isn’t it thrilling?” she cried. “I wouldn’t be at all afraid to stay here and guard the house if I had a gun.”
“Not much you wouldn’t,” Jimmy jeered.