The Secret of Red Gate Farm - Carolyn Keene [33]
George had a hard time keeping a straight face, and hastily took a sip of milk. Bess could not restrain a giggle, whereupon Mrs. Salisbury gave her a sharp look.
“Humph!” she exclaimed. “I must say I’ll have to agree with Mr. Abbott this time. I’m sure you four are up to some prank.”
Even Nancy and Joanne had to smother tell-tale grins. They only smiled pleasantly, but offered no explanation.
Actually, the girls were so excited over their prospective adventure they could scarcely do justice to the excellent meal Mrs. Byrd had prepared. Karl Jr., as usual, was a charming companion.
He had many amusing anecdotes to tell, and Nancy was happy to observe that Joanne seemed to be enjoying it all immensely.
Indeed, by the time dessert was finished, Nancy and her chums realized that they had temporarily forgotten counterfeiters, syndicates, and even the nature cult on the hill.
Everyone was sorry, a little later, when the young man announced that he must leave.
“I wish I could stay,” he said regretfully, letting his eyes rest especially long on Nancy, “but I must get back to the city tonight. I’ll try to run down again in a few days to see Father. Take care of yourselves,” he added to the girls.
After Karl Jr. had gone, and the girls were washing the dishes, George said teasingly, “You can’t tell me ‘Father’ is the only attraction at Red Gate Farm! He has his eye on Nancy!”
“Silly!” Nancy laughed.
“He scarcely took his eyes off you all evening,” George insisted. “You made quite a hit this morning with that rescued-heroine bit.”
“Oh, honestly, George!” Nancy blushed. “You never give up, do you?”
“Karl Jr. wouldn’t be so bad,” Bess added, “but imagine having Mr. Abbott for a father-in-law!”
“You do the imagining,” Nancy said lightly. “I’m going outside and look at the hillside.”.
All the girls watched until late in the evening, but the mysterious place remained dark and deserted. Disappointed, the girls went to bed.
They awakened early the next morning, for they had gradually become accustomed to farm hours. When they learned from Mrs. Byrd that Reuben was not feeling well, the girls eagerly helped with the various outdoor chores. It was noontime before they realized how much time had passed.
“You girls should have some relaxation this afternoon,” Mrs. Byrd said. “How about a swim down in the brook? There’s a spot that used to be known as the old swimming hole. It’s fairly deep.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Bess declared.
Jo declined, but at two o’clock Nancy, Bess, and George set off in bathing suits. For two hours they swam, floated, and sun-bathed on the shore. Every once in a while Nancy or George would mention some angle of the colony, Hale Syndicate, or counterfeiting mysteries.
But immediately Bess would say, “Shush! We’re relaxing. We may have a big night tonight.”
Finally the girls started for the farmhouse. To reach it they had to cross a field in the corner of which lay a heap of large stones, apparently raked there when the acreage was cultivated.
George, grinning, climbed across the stones, saying, “This life is making me rugged. I—Oh, ouch!” she cried loudly, then added, “A snakel It bit me!”
CHAPTER XV
Masqueraders
NANCY and George turned just in time to see a brownish snake slither off in a wiggling motion and disappear among the stones.
“Oh, George!” Bess cried. “Was it a poisonous one?”
“I’m not sure,” she answered, “I—I hope it wasn’t a copperhead.”
“We’d better not take any chances,” Nancy declared, whipping a handkerchief from her beach robe. “Let’s put on tourniquets, Bess.”
Like lightning the two girls tied their handkerchiefs tightly above and below the puncture marks made in George’s calf by the snake’s fangs.
Then Nancy took a tiny pair of scissors from her bag. “I wish I had something to sterilize these with,” she said.
“Will perfume do?” Bess asked, and took from her bag the tiny bottle of Blue Jade.
The liquid was poured onto the scissors, then Nancy deftly made a crosscut incision