“I don’t get it,” Jimmy said frankly.
“It’s this way,” Phil explained. “Peter, Penny and I figure that there is something valuable hidden around here. Somebody who obviously isn’t honest knows where it is. He wants to keep us from finding it.”
“Oh golly,” Marjorie broke in, “wait until I tell Judy about this. We’ll spend the rest of the summer going over the whole place with a fine-tooth comb.”
“Oh, no, you won’t,” Penny said, laughing. “I have a better idea, and one that won’t drive our guests out of their minds.”
Peter stared at her in amazement. “Have you been keeping secrets from me?” he asked, pretending that his feelings were hurt.
“Oh, no,” Penny told him hastily. “The idea just came to me this minute. Actually, the words, ‘last week in August’ gave it to me.” Her cheeks flushed with excitement, she went on. “One morning last week when I was out in the kitchen discussing menus with Ann Mary, she suggested that we give a masquerade party. There are plenty of grand costumes in the old trunks for all of the ladies, and you men can rig up outfits from old curtains and stuff in our boxes.”
“A swell idea,” Jimmy said. “But what’s it got to do with finding hidden treasure?”
Penny smiled at him patiently. “If you’d only let me finish! Ann Mary and I decided that the last Friday in August would be a good time for the party. Most of the guests will be leaving early in September, so it would be sort of a last fling.”
Jimmy began to sing, “After the ball is o-ver. After the guests have gone.”
“Stop interrupting,” Marjorie said, glaring at him. “Let Penny finish.”