The Gatehouse Mystery

guess," Trixie said, "is that he lurked around in the woods all day trying to figure out a way of getting into your house without being seen. He must realize by now that that is hopeless. So I think he may spend the night in the cottage and then go on his way north." She shrugged. "What else can he do?"
    "Nothing," Honey said. "He can't very well come up to the house and knock on the door and demand that I give him something he stole."
    "That's right," Trixie said. "He's probably more afraid of us than we are of him. For all he knows, we may have turned the diamond over to the police by now. In fact," she finished, "he must be afraid of that. He's probably already gone and is miles away."
    Honey sighed. "Then why did you scare me half to death a few minutes ago?"
    "Because," Trixie said, "I hadn't thought it through. Ever since lunch I've been trying to remember what we said after I first got the feeling that someone was watching us from the thicket. While we were grooming the horses, I finally decided that it was after that when you told me where you had put the diamond. I got to worrying about you and stopped thinking." She giggled. "I can't seem to do two things at once. When I started to think again, I stopped worrying. Right now I'm not thinking, because I know I'm going to get an awful bawling out when I get home. Good night." She scampered off down the path to the hollow.
    Trixie did receive a severe scolding when she arrived.
    "But, Moms," she wailed, "vacation is almost over. Soon 111 have to be in bed at nine. Can't we change the rule so I can stay up at Honey's later until school starts?"
    "If you'd only phoned for permission," Mrs. Belden said, shaking her head. "When you weren't here at nine fifteen your father called the Manor House, but the line was busy. I finally got so worried we called information and got the number of Regan's room. He reported that you were on your way home."
    "I should have called," Trixie admitted. "And I'm very sorry." She grinned hopefully. "I haven't got any excuse except the old one. I didn't think."
    Mr. Belden smiled. "Honesty deserves some reward, I guess. Well let you off this once. And when Brian and Mart come back, we will extend the rule to nine thirty until school opens. As long as you're with them, your mother won't worry."
    "Gee, thanks, Dad," Trixie said and hurried up to her room.
    The next morning, when she and Bobby climbed the hill to the Manor House, they saw that the old, dark-green car was again parked in front of the garage. Regan introduced them to the new chauffeur.
    "Dick," he said, "this is Trixie Belden and her kid brother, Bobby. They live in the little white farmhouse down in the hollow."
    The tall, blond man bowed. "How do you do, Miss Trixie and Master Bobby."
    Trixie shook hands with him and said, "Please don't call me 'miss,' Dick. I'm just plain Trixie."
    "Hey," Bobby interrupted. "You're a chowpur, Dick. What's a chowpur?"
    Dick grinned down at him. "It means, I drive cars and take care of their motors. When your legs get a little longer, I'll teach you how to shift gears."
    "Yippee!" Bobby yelled with delight. "An' I'll teach you how to catch frogs in Mummy's best strainer."
    "So," Trixie scolded, "that's where it disappeared! You're a bad boy, Bobby Belden! Moms looked all over the place for that big strainer yesterday."
    "Ah, don't scold the kid." Dick reached into his pocket and produced two quarters. "Here, Bobby. You can buy yourself a strainer for your very own."
    Bobby stared with his round, blue eyes at the money which Dick dropped into his fat little hand. "For my very own," he repeated. "Hey! For my very own!"
    Just then Miss Trask appeared. "I gave Mr. Wheeler your letter of recommendation," she told Dick. "He's leaving on a business trip with Mrs. Wheeler in about an hour, and he said to tell you to start work today if you like."
    "I'd like to very much," Dick said. "I'm to sleep in, I suppose?"
    Miss Trask nodded. "There's another bedroom over the garage. You and Regan can share the same living room and bath in the suite."
    Dick scowled. "Over the garage? I took it for granted that I'd sleep in the house."
    Miss Trask looked surprised, but she said cheerfully, "Oh, you'll like sharing Regan's suite much better. The rooms are very comfortable and attractive. There's a television set and a fine radio-phonograph and a private telephone which you are at liberty to use for all the private calls you wish to make."
    "You couldn't pay me