The Marshland Mystery

barge, Cleopatra! I can’t hold this thing all day!” He let go of the bike, and it started to wobble crazily down the driveway.
    Trixie moved fast to catch it before it could crash. “Thanks, dear,” she said sarcastically. “You have such pretty manners. Pretty awful, I mean!”
    And while Mart, pink-cheeked, was trying to think of a fitting retort, she marched her bike up to the garage storeroom, where all the Belden bikes were kept in a neat row.
    It wasn’t until she had put her own bike in its regular rack that she noticed that Bobby’s bike wasn’t there. That was unusual. Dad had made it a firm rule that every bike had to be put away safely after being used. Bobby knew that as well as the rest of them did, and he always obeyed.
    “Yikes! I hope Bobby hasn’t left it standing out somewhere! Moms will be furious with him. I guess I’d better look for it and put it away for him,” she decided quickly.
    She started out of the storeroom but saw Brian carrying an armful of the plants she and Honey had gathered at the swamp. He would expect her, of course, to lend a helping hand in getting them ready for Miss Bennett on Monday morning. After all, it was her project, and he was just being obliging.
    But, in spite of her good intentions, she ducked back out of sight till he had passed. “I’ll help him as soon as I find Bobby’s bike and put it away,” she told herself. “Though I’m sure Brian will do a much neater job alone.”
    She dashed about, trying to find the half-size bike, but it was nowhere in the yard or the orchard.
    When she did get around to the potting shed, Brian was just labeling the last bunch of the plants.
    “About time you showed up, Lady Jane,” he growled.
    “I’m sorry, Brian,” she said contritely. “I intended to come sooner, but I had something important to tend to, really.”
    “Forget it, fuzzy head!” Brian said good-naturedly, tousling the short curls on top of her head. “I didn’t mind doing it by myself.”
    “You’re an angel! And thanks millions!” Trixie grinned happily at him, blowing him a kiss. “I just know you’re going to be the best doctor in the whole world someday, because you never mind doing things for people.” Before Brian could get over his embarrassment and find an answer, she had darted off to look for her mother.
    Her mother was reading and resting as Trixie came into the cheerful living room. Saturday afternoon was her time to relax, with Bobby safely asleep and dinner preparation still a couple of hours off.
    “Has Honey phoned any news, Moms?” Trixie asked.
    “No, dear, but I just spoke to Miss Trask. There’s still no sign of that little rascal Gaye. Miss Trask feels sure that the child is deliberately hiding to worry Miss Crandall about her performance at the party for the Arts Club tonight. She feels sure Gaye will put in an appearance any moment now, especially since it’s getting close to Mr. Poo’s dinner hour, and Gaye loves him too much to let him be hungry.”
    “She’s a funny little thing,” Trixie said soberly. “I wish
    I could like her. I’m trying, Moms, really, but I’m not doing so well, I’m afraid.”
    “You will, dear,” Mrs. Belden told her serenely.
    But Trixie was not so sure. Her sigh said as much. She helped herself to an apple and munched it thoughtfully, strolling across the room and back restlessly.
    “Is there anything you need me for here?” she asked finally.
    “Not for a couple of hours.” Her mother smiled as she answered. She studied Trixie a minute and then put down her book. “There’s something on your mind. Don’t you want to tell me what it is, dear?”
    Trixie hesitated. Then she asked suddenly, “Moms, did Bobby get the signed photo from Gaye this morning?” Her mother looked surprised. “Why, no, dear, he didn’t. As a matter of fact, he rode his bike over to Wheelers’ right after breakfast, hoping she’d have it all ready for him. And when he got there, she was already practicing the concerto or sonata or whatever it is that she is doing tonight for the Arts Club. She wasn’t allowed to stop to come down and talk to him. I think that was part of the argument she had with her aunt just before she disappeared.”
    “I’ll bet Bobby was terribly disappointed,” said Trixie. “I was hoping that maybe he’d seen her and could tell us if she’d mentioned running away.”
    Mrs. Belden shook her head. “No, he didn’t see her at all. And to top it,