“Hi, everybody,” Jimmy was shouting to the crowd that had gathered on the porch. When the girls reached the steps they heard him say quietly to Penny and Phil:
“Say, how about calling a meeting of the Board of Directors right away?”
“We can’t, Jimmy,” Penny said. “Everyone is busy.”
“Well, then,” he said. “A meeting of the Allens in the office. I’ve got something in my pocket which I think the rest of the family ought to know about as soon as possible.”
Penny could tell from the sober expression on Jimmy’s tanned face that this was not a joke. She beckoned to Phil and Marjorie and led the way into the office.
“On second thought,” Jimmy said as he followed her, “let’s get Peter in on this. I’d like to hear his opinion of the whole thing. Besides,” he added in a low teasing voice, “he’s practically family anyway.”
Penny’s cheeks flamed. “Jimmy,” she said, mildly scolding, “you never can be serious for more than five minutes at a time.”
“I’m pretty darn serious now,” Jimmy said. When they had all gathered around the desk, he closed the door and produced the scrap of paper which Brook had found in the old coat.
After one swift glance, Penny said, “Why, Peter, the handwriting looks just like the one on the fragment Marjorie found. Where on earth did you find it, Jimmy?”
Jimmy explained and Penny frowned as she listened. “Brook had no business taking that envelope out of a coat he found,” she said.