“But someone certainly tossed a message down the slope. Let’s look around for clues.”
Spreading out, the girls covered every inch of the cleared area.
“Someone was here all right!” cried Connie as she came upon several large footprints. “He wasn’t a brownie either! Look at these huge footprints!”
At least six large shoe marks were visible in the moist earth.
“A person could have stood here and looked directly down upon our picnic site,” Miss Gordon observed. “I wonder if voices carry that far.”
Eileen and Rosemary offered to run back to the oak tree to make a test. Five minutes later as they talked together below the cliff, those above were able to hear nearly every word.
“That explains how the person chanced to learn of Veve’s wish,” Miss Gordon said.
“But it doesn’t explain who threw the stone,” protested Veve.
“It was someone’s idea of a practical joke,” Connie replied, sitting down on a log to rest. “Too bad! I’d have liked a tree house. Think of the good times we could have had there.”
“Maybe we’ll get it yet,” Veve hinted.