The Mystery of the Blinking Eye

big order!” Brian laughed.
    “I don’t mean all the things they do here,” Ned said hastily. “She just wants me to tell her what the people and buildings look like. My mom and dad belong to a study group, and they really know what goes on at the United Nations.”
    “We study about it, too, in school,” Trixie said quickly. “One of the girls who used to go to Sleepyside High is a guide here—Betsy Tucker. I hope she’s on duty when we take the tour.”
    “I wonder what qualifications are needed to be a United Nations guide,” Diana said. “I think that would be an interesting career.”
    “Wouldn’t it be fascinating to work where decisions affecting the entire world are made daily?” Trixie looked admiringly at her friend. “Do you really think you may want to be a United Nations guide someday?”
    “Why not? You and Honey know just what you’re going to do when you finish college. By that time your detective agency will be going strong, if you keep on as you’ve started. I’m going to ask Betsy, when we see her, just what preparation is needed. It isn’t too early to think about it.”
    “You’ll have to bone up on languages, that’s for sure,” Mart said.
    “Only French,” Honey reminded him. “When we go inside, you’ll notice that all signs are in English or French. There are guides from so many countries that almost every language is spoken. Guides from the United States aren’t expected to know any language other than French.”
    “There we are... right ahead!” Jim called out. “See the circle of flagstaffs?”
    “Wheeew! Is that ever a sight!” Ned stood still, overwhelmed by the nearness of the tall glass Secretariat and the curved line of flags whipped by wind from the East River close by.
    Far above the colorful avenue of flags from all member nations rose the standard of the United Nations itself—a white field with an olive wreath.
    As they crossed the wide stone plaza that surrounded the entrance to the United Nations buildings, the visitors could see in the distance the great Queensboro Bridge arching above Roosevelt Island in the East River.
    A sight-seeing boat steamed lazily past and tooted its salute.
    “We go in here,” Brian directed. He held open the door that led to the vast lobby. “There’s Betsy waving to us!”

“The Idol Is Worthless!” ● 6

    A LOVELY GIRL, smiling warmly, hurried to greet the Bob-Whites. “How nice to see someone from Sleepyside!”
    “You haven’t met Dan Mangan,” Trixie told her. “He’s our newest club member. And these are our friends from Iowa.” She presented the Hubbell twins and Ned Schulz. “Do you think you can be our guide?”
    “I think so. I’ll ask. We take turns, but the tours haven’t started yet today and won’t for another twenty minutes. In the meantime, wouldn’t you all like to meet some of the other guides? Especially some of the ones from other countries?”
    “Trixie, this is super!” Barbara cried as Betsy left to find the other guides. “Just imagine what I’ll tell my friends at home when I see them!”
    “This is Steffi,” Betsy said, returning. “She really has a long Hindu name, but she wants us to call her just Steffi.”
    “How do you do?” Steffi asked in a soft voice. She spoke perfect English. “I have not been here long. I have not met many young people in the United States.”
    “You must have been in our country before,” Diana insisted. “You speak English so beautifully.”
    “I have learned it in our school in Delhi,” the girl answered. “All schools in India teach the English language. You are interested in my sari?” She smiled at Honey.
    “I didn’t realize I was staring so,” Honey answered, embarrassed. “It’s beautiful!”
    “It was woven of blue and silver, the colors of our United Nations. When I wear it, it reminds me of my country and my family. But I enjoy wearing jeans after work.”
    Steffi drew several other girls toward her and introduced them. “This is Arista. Her home was on one of the three large islands near Greece that suffered great damage from an earthquake. One of the agencies of the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, UNICEF, helped her relatives after the disaster. Now Arista’s family lives in the United States.”
    “It is my hope to do something for the United Nations in return for what they did for my family,” Arista said, smiling at the young people.
    “It is my hope, too,” the guide