The Mystery of the Emeralds

eating, Trixie told the boys about their expedition the previous day and what they had found in the diaries.
    “Whew! The plot thickens!” Mart whispered, pulling an imaginary cloak around his shoulders. “What’s the next move, Trixie, dear?”
    “The next move is to talk with all the Bob-Whites and see if someone is bright enough to figure out a way for us to get to Virginia,” Trixie said. “My brain is incapable of producing one sensible suggestion.”
    “If the Queen only had a muffler, I might drive you down,” Brian offered.
    “The Queen not only doesn’t have a muffler, but also, the last time I visited Her Excellency, she didn’t even have a backseat!” Trixie teased. “Thanks for the offer, but I think we’ll have to come up with a better plan than that.”
    “Let’s all meet at the club right after lunch. Maybe by then someone will have had a cerebral tempest,” Mart said.
    “Sounds as though you’ve been reading some of my medical books,” Brian, who planned to become a doctor, quipped. “What the dear lad is trying to say is ‘brainstorm.’ ”
    “Just for that you can do the dishes,” Trixie flung at Mart. “Honey, will you call Di and Jim about the meeting?” she asked. “I’ve just got to weed the asparagus bed for Moms before she gets back. I promised to do it when I first got home.” She dashed out to the garden.

    It was such a lovely day that the Bob-Whites decided to have their meeting outside the clubhouse, under a nearby weeping willow tree. Its graceful branches, reaching almost to the ground, made a kind of natural outdoor living room. Di was late, and while they were waiting for her, Jim amused them by feeding his pet catbird, Cheerio. Jim was a great lover of nature and had a special talent for winning the confidence of wild creatures. When Trixie commented on this, Jim laughed and said, “It doesn’t take any talent to tame a catbird. They practically force their friendship on you. Cheerio followed me all the way from the house.”
    As though to prove what Jim had said, the gray bird gave a loud meow, perched on Jim’s shoulder, and took a piece of dried doughnut from his lips.
    Di soon joined them, and although she said she’d run all the way to the clubhouse, she looked as fresh and cool as always.
    How does she always manage to look so unruffledP Trixie thought as she involuntarily tucked in her own blouse and pulled up her socks. I’m always such a frump! She glanced at Jim, who must have been reading her thoughts, for he gave her a warm smile. Her confidence restored, she pounded an imaginary gavel on the ground to bring the meeting to order.
    She and Honey brought everyone up to date on the latest developments. It was Di who asked the first question. “Where is Cliveden, Trixie? Is it anywhere near Williamsburg?”
    “I’m not sure, but we can look it up,” Trixie answered. “I brought a gasoline company road map, just in case we needed it.” She jumped up and, bringing the map from the basket of her bicycle, spread it on the ground.
    “There’s Cliveden, and—yes, there’s Williamsburg, not very far away. Why, Di? Do you know anyone there?” Honey asked hopefully.
    “No,” Di answered in her usual slow way, “but it just happens that Daddy and Mummy are going to Williamsburg tomorrow on a trip. There’s some sort of convention down there. They wanted me to go along, as a matter of fact, because they thought it would be good for me to see Washington and Williamsburg, but I got out of it. I’d much rather stay here with you all.”
    Oh, nol Trixie thought. If only I were in her shoes, I’d go in a flash. Aloud she said, “Oh, Di, couldn’t you change your mind? Maybe you could find out something about Rosewood Hall.” As soon as she had said it, she realized that she had sounded patronizing. She hadn’t meant to, although Di never had been as quick as Honey to help solve a mystery. “Would you, Di?” she asked as sincerely as she could.
    “I’ll do whatever I can, Trix, but I may have an even better idea.” The color rose in her cheeks, and her lovely violet eyes were bright with excitement.
    “Why don’t I get Daddy and Mummy to take us all with them?”
    “All the Bob-Whites?” Jim asked in amazement. “Something tells me your father wouldn’t like the idea of that many on such a long trip.”
    “And besides,” Brian continued, “we just got back from one vacation, and I’m not at all sure my parents would let