"Are you almost ready, Bet? We're waiting!" called Joy.
"We'll all escort the queen's fan to the bank," laughed Kit.
"No, I'm not ready yet," Bet replied with a strained voice. "Oh Auntie Gibbs, come here," she called from the head of the stairs. "Did you see the fan? Phil left it on the desk."
The old lady came hurriedly up stairs. "Why did Phil have it? I haven't seen a thing of it."
"Oh, I was terrible! I took the fan from the drawer and loaned it to Laura Sands to wear with her French costume."
"What made you do such a thing, Bet? I'm surprised at you!"
"I just didn't think. And oh dear, Dad won't take that as any excuse! We must find it, Auntie Gibbs. We must!"
Everyone joined in the hunt with growing excitement, and the house was searched, even the attic. But the fan was gone.
"Maybe Phil didn't put it on the desk, at all. He probably has it in his pocket and forgot all about it. Let's call him on the phone and see what he says," exclaimed Kit.
But Bet stopped suddenly: "Oh Auntie Gibbs, perhaps that was a robber that I thought I saw going out the window. Maybe he stole the fan!"