“And I’m worried about Aunt Mattie coming here,” Judy added. “I wish I never had taken the cottage. We’ve rented a lemon, that’s certain.”
The girls had been unable to glean any definite information from the woman in the grocery store. However, her observation that other tenants repeatedly had moved out, had filled them with misgiving.
At Miss Ward’s suggestion, Judy had gone to Mr. Krumm to ask for a rent refund. He had rejected the request, impatiently assuring her that nothing was wrong with the cottage.
“I thought Girl Scouts had nerve,” he lectured her. “What happens? You hear a few busybodies passing gossipy remarks, and immediately jump to false conclusions. When you rented the cottage I gave you a good price on it with the understanding that you’d stick by the deal. Now you come crying to me before you’ve spent even a night in the place.”
“Girl Scouts do have nerve,” Judy had replied, carefully controlling her temper. “We believe in being cautious though. And we don’t like to be misled or cheated.”
“It was your own proposition,” Mr. Krumm retorted. “You wanted the cottage and you got it. I’m making no refund!”
So now, as the three Scouts stood on the porch waiting as Miss Ward unlocked the door, they were wondering what the night might bring forth.
There was little conversation as the girls quietly set to work making the cottage more liveable. Ardeth opened the windows to air out the rooms. Virginia made up the beds, while Judy and Miss Ward put away the groceries.
“You’re not much worried about staying here tonight are you?” Judy asked the leader as she stacked eggs in the refrigerator.
“No. If I were, I’d take the girls back to Pine Cone Camp,” Miss Ward replied. “Frankly though, I don’t like the things we’ve heard. I can’t imagine why tenants would leave here suddenly unless—”