She was gazing toward the old wishing well at a dark figure which could be seen bending far over the yawning hole.
“What is it?” Louise inquired, turning in surprise.
“Look over there!” Penny directed. “Mrs. Marborough is doing something at the well. Is she trying to repair it or what?”
“She’s examining the inside!” Louise exclaimed. “Why, if she’s not careful, she may fall. We ought to warn her—”
“Mrs. Marborough knows what she is about, Lou. Let’s just watch.”
From a distance it was not possible to tell exactly what the old lady was doing. So far as the girls could discern she was tapping the inside stones of the well with a hammer.
“She’s trying to discover if any of them are loose!” Penny whispered excitedly. “Louise, I’m sure of it now! Something of great value is hidden in or near the wishing well, and Mrs. Marborough came back to Riverview to find it!”
“What could it be?”
“I haven’t an idea.”
“If there’s something hidden in or around the well, why doesn’t she have a workman make a thorough search?”