"Land cruising?"
"Yes, Mollie has an auto, and we were just planning a tour when you came in."
"So, you see, unless you could arrange to have a sort of traveling store, we couldn't patronize you very often," went on Mollie, wondering why Mr. Lagg did not come to the point. He had evidently called with some special object in view, and leaving his establishment during the height of the season would seem to indicate that the object was not a trivial one. "But we'll stop in whenever we're near you," Mollie concluded.
"Thank you, Miss Billette. So you are going on an auto cruise; eh?"
"A tour, yes."
"Then that may fit in with what I have called about," said Mr. Lagg, quickly. "Yes, it may be just the very best idea yet. Excuse me a moment while I think," he said, and he closed his eyes. His head nodded two or three times in a satisfied sort of way, and occasionally he murmured to himself. The girls looked at one another, unable to fathom the meaning of this conduct. Then Mr. Lagg whistled and suddenly exclaimed:
"I have it! You can solve this mystery, too!"
"Another mystery?" queried Grace, rather languidly, as she took a more comfortable position on the divan. "We seem to be having a monopoly of them."
"What is it, Mr. Lagg?" asked Mollie.
"Were you much afraid of that ghost on Elm Island?" he replied, by asking another question.