The Black Jacket Mystery

darkness, shivered. “And much smaller this time, please,” she said under her breath.
    And in a few minutes they were all on their way, trudging through the woods toward Mr. Maypenny’s place to explain all that had happened.
     

The Carnival • 21
     
    THE OLD GAMEKEEPER was delighted to see them all come trooping in, Mr. Belden carrying Bobby, and Mart and Brian lending a hand to their tired sister.
    But he was surprised to see Dan Mangan trudging along at Bill Regan s side. “Where’s the other?” he demanded suspiciously. “Where’s the one that took you away?”
    “He’s in the hands of the law by now, Mr. Maypenny,” Peter Belden told the old fellow.
    “Good thing, too. And you’re okay, Dan? I was afraid for you, after what he did to me!” Mr. Maypenny touched the sore spot on his head. “It still hurts.”
    “Everything’s all right now, Mr. Maypenny.” Trixie came up with a wide grin on her face. “And Dan’s going to help us with the carnival, if you can spare him.” She looked at him hopefully.
    “Guess I can,” he said dryly. “Ain’t seen much of him the last couple of days and managed to get along somehow, just the same!”
    “I’d be glad to stay and help all I can here,” Dan told Mr. Maypenny, “but Uncle Bill wants me to go back to the city with him for a day or so and sort of straighten things out with a man there.”
    “Humph! That judge, I suppose.” He peered at Dan over his spectacles. “Well, I’ll give him a letter to show that judge how much we’d like to have you stay on here, and I figure it won’t take you too long to get your business finished with him.”
    “Thanks, Mr. Maypenny,” Dan said with a grin. “I sure hope I can be back Saturday.”
    “We’re counting on it.” Brian came up in time to add his voice.
    A couple of minutes later, when Dan had walked over to the horses with Brian and Mart, Mr. Maypenny hurried over to Bill Regan.
    “What’s this about Dan having to go back to the city now? You’re not thinking of letting them put him in that reform school, are you?”
    Regan looked troubled. “When I went to the city this week, it was to tell the judge that Dan wasn’t doing so well with the folks out here. Things looked pretty bad, you remember. So the judge said he’d issue papers and send the boy away to the school.
    I was supposed to turn him over tomorrow.”
    “Well, you can’t do it now. Call the judge on the phone and tell him it was all a mistake.”
    “I wish I could, but I’m afraid Dan’ll have to go in with me. Maybe when I tell the judge what really happened out here, about this Luke fellow, who used to be head of the street gang, coming here and trying to make Dan help him rob the Wheelers—” A small voice came from behind them. “It’s all my fault everybody thought Dan was the thief,” Trixie said unhappily. “I found some clues, but they weren’t true ones. And I’m awfully sorry.”
    “Forget it, Trixie. It wasn’t your fault. Dan was pretty unfriendly to everybody when he came here. He gave a bad impression,” Regan said honestly.
    “If it would help, maybe Dad would take me to the city so I could tell the judge.”
    Regan smiled. “It won’t be necessary, I hope, Trixie. I think when he’s had a talk with Dan, and I tell him the whole story, he’ll let Dan come back with me. We’ll soon find out.”
    But one day passed and then another, and still Regan didn’t come back with Dan Mangan to tell them that everything would be all right.
    “Just the same,” Honey told Trixie as she sewed busily on a green-and-gold costume for Bobby to wear as the little leprechaun in the ice show, “I’m going right ahead with this. I know everything’s going to be settled in time for Dan to get back.”
    Bobby had been delighted when they had told him what they were planning for him for Saturday. He had even stood still for a whole ten minutes while Honey tried on the half-finished costume. Regan had gilded Bobby’s skate-shoes till they looked like solid gold, and Miss Trask had contributed a wonderful golden feather for his peaked hat.
    And Bobby himself had practiced solemnly on his figure eights and on his final bow. They didn’t dare tell him that there was a chance his friend Dan might not get back.
    The books were piled high in the storeroom at the farm, and practically every ticket had been sold. The prizes, from the toy bear to the secondhand lumber, were all on display in the local stores,