“Blackberry?” Judy gave a little gasp. “I am careless! I do believe I left him shut in the attic, but Peter will rescue him when he comes home.”
“We may need him to rescue us if those men find out what we’re up to. What time do you expect him?” Lorraine wanted to know.
“He said he might be late and suggested that I spend the night with Mother and Dad,” replied Judy. “I didn’t ask him why. You know Peter doesn’t want me to get myself involved in any of his cases. I don’t even know what sort of assignments he has any more. The Bureau is so secret about it.”
“Well, we can be secret about this investigation, too. How do we know those men aren’t criminals hiding out here while the Brandts are away?” asked Lois.
“Roger Banning isn’t a criminal,” Lorraine objected.
“His pal, Dick Hartwell, was. Remember?”
“Wasn’t there something in the paper about him being out on parole?” asked Lorraine. “I don’t think we should label him a criminal if he is. Probably he has a good job and is no more inclined toward crime than we are. After all, we are trespassing.”
“I don’t care if we are,” Lois said recklessly as they trudged on.
It seemed a long way uphill to the part of the estate where Judy felt sure the path branched off and led toward the fountain.
“Watch for it! We don’t want to miss it. Maybe we ought to look for it on the other side of that hedge,” she suggested.