Caleb stretched himself out on the couch and closed his eyes. Thus dismissed, the girls hastily departed.
“Such a cross old man!” Rosanna exclaimed when they were out of earshot. “But even though he is irritable, I rather like him.”
“So do I,” Penny admitted with a laugh. “You know, I think our questions about the ivory collection disturbed him more than he cared to show.”
“He did seem reluctant to tell us anything about it.”
“We’ll nail him down yet,” Penny declared grimly as they walked slowly toward the house on the cliff. “Unless I’m sadly mistaken, that ivory collection is hidden somewhere on the premises and he’s scared silly for fear someone will find it!”
CHAPTER IX
A Scrap of Paper
Penny and Rosanna entered the house by the side door. Hearing a murmur of voices from the direction of the library, they involuntarily paused to listen.
“If we go into this thing as partners we’re both bound to profit,” they heard a man say in an insistent tone. “Think it over and I know you’ll see how easily it can be accomplished. Those two girls are nit-wits. They’ll make no trouble.”
Penny and Rosanna exchanged a startled glance. They recognized Max Laponi’s voice. So he was plotting against them! Undoubtedly, planning to secure complete control of the Winters’ estate.
“I’m going to find out with whom he is talking,” Penny whispered.