“Well,” Penny went on, “we planned the party just for ourselves and our guests. But now I think we should issue a blanket invitation to all the merchants in town. It will be our way of expressing our appreciation of the way they cooperated with us all summer. Now,” she finished, “you can all guess the rest.”
“Not me,” Marjorie said, rapidly blinking her blue eyes.
Jimmy clutched his dark hair wildly. “I follow you as closely as though you’d had a million-mile head start.”
Peter was staring at Penny with frank admiration. “You are smart,” he said. “Don’t you see?” he asked Jimmy and Marjorie. “Our Mr. X, or our Messrs. X, for there may be more than one, will certainly be among those present at the masquerade. With everyone coming masked and in costume, he wouldn’t miss the chance. He’ll come out sure that he can get whatever he’s after and depart before the unmasking.”
“Holy cow,” Jimmy exploded. “Penny is smart. Instead of our wearing ourselves out looking for hidden treasure, he’ll lead us right to it.”
Marjorie gave her sister an impulsive hug. “It’s the grandest idea anyone ever invented,” she cried.
“And,” Jimmy put in, suddenly remembering the main reason why they had persuaded Pat to cut the camping trip short, “I’m pretty sure there’s only one Mr. X.”
“Don’t be a dope,” Marjorie said. “I’m sure there are two. One of them put the bottle where he was sure Judy and I would find it while we were looking for shells. And the other put the coat where you boys couldn’t miss it.”
Jimmy shrugged. “Maybe so, but the same Mr. X who left his footprint under the floor of the shed planted the coat.”
“Yipes,” Peter moaned. “What’s all this about a footprint under the shed? I thought it was a garage filled with cars.”