The Black Jacket Mystery

patch.
    There was no sign of the boy at Mr. Maypenny’s, and they decided not to say anything about the accident. Mr. Maypenny seemed glad to see them and offered them hot chocolate if they wanted it.
    “No, thanks, Mr. Maypenny.” Honey smiled at him. “Were late, and we’ll have to start right back.”
    “That’s too bad, youngsters. I was hoping you could stay a little and visit with the boy Danny. He says he’s met you all at school.”
    “That’s right.” Trixie nodded. “Will he be here long?”
    “Rest of the term, I hope. The boy’s a help already, even though he’s innocent as a babe about farm life.” He interrupted himself abruptly. “But here I am gabbing, when you’re wanting to look at the almanac. Here it is, hanging right by the stove, where I can look at it every morning and know what to expect outdoors!”
    “We thought the twenty-seventh would be about right, on a Saturday—” Trixie was thumbing over the pages. “ ‘Clear and cold.’ That’s elegant! I hope your almanac is telling the truth!”
    “Hasn’t missed yeti” Mr. Maypenny asserted. Then he looked sheepish and corrected himself, “That is, all except the hurricane last November. Book said ‘fair weather that time.”
    “Oh, well.” Trixie held back a grin. “Anybody can make one mistake, especially a small one!”
    But as she and Honey rode back toward Glen Road a few minutes later, they had a good laugh about the almanac and the hurricane.
    There was a little scraped place on the mare Susie’s flank, and the girls had to explain to Regan how it had happened.
    His face darkened as they told him about Dan Mangan’s accident with Susie. “He must learn to keep off the horses,” he said grimly when Trixie had finished.
    “I bet he won’t try again,” Trixie laughed.
    “But he should,” Honey argued. “Mr. Maypenny says he hopes Dan will stay till summer vacation. And it would make things lots easier for Mr. Maypenny if his helper could ride. He could cover lots more ground.”
    “So he could,” Regan agreed heartily. “Maybe we can spare old Spartan for the lad to use. I don’t get him out as often as I should. I’ll speak to Miss Trask about it next time I see her.” Regan beamed at them.
    Trixie thought, watching him, He certainly looks a lot happier than he did before he went to the city about his experiment, whatever it is. Maybe it’s working out so he’U be rich and famous.
    Regan was telling Honey, “Tell the boys I’U be
    glad to help them build the booths for the carnival.”
    “They’ll be glad to hear that.” Trixie grinned. “But maybe you’d better tell them. They’d think I begged you to help, so I could get out of some of the work.”
    Regan chuckled. He seemed in high good spirits. “Don’t worry! I’ll put ’em straight. I might even swing in Maypenny and the Mangan boy for good measure! They’ll be glad to do what they can, too.” Suddenly Trixie remembered something. “But Dan told us he was leaving very soon. Remember, Honey?”
    Honey nodded. “I’d forgotten that.”
    Regan’s face was stern. “He did, eh?” He was silent a moment, as if he were thinking it over. Then he said abruptly, “Well, run along to the farm, girls. I’ll take care of the horses and the tack today. I’m caught up on all the rest of my work.”
    “Jeeps! Thanks a lot, Regan. We are late, and Moms has choir practice tonight, tool” Trixie grabbed Honey’s hand and drew her out of the barn with her. “Let’s scoot!”
    But once they were on their way down the driveway, they didn’t hurry a great deal. Trixie had something on her mind that was bothering her, and Honey noticed it after a couple of her own remarks received grunts for an answer.
    Honey stopped suddenly and faced her friend. “All right. What is it now? What are you wondering about this time? You’d better tell me.”
    Trixie looked serious. “You know, Honey, it’s a funny thing. Remember I thought Dan looked like somebody I knew, but I couldn’t think who it was? I know now.”
    “Goodness! Who?”
    “Regan!”
    “Oh, Trix! That’s silly. Regan has red hair, and Dan is very dark.”
    “I know, but just the same, there’s something around their eyes that’s the same.”
    “Well, I can’t see that. I think Dan Mangan looks more like Mr. Maypenny. They have the same sharp, stuck-out chin.”
    Trixie looked startled. “I didn’t notice that, but they do have, don’t they? That’s funny. I