The Mystery of the Ghostly Galeon

visiting back and forth.
    “Have you seen the boys’ rooms?” Di asked. “I don’t know how they did it, but Brian and Mart seem to have been given the captain’s cabin. It has brass lamps and everything! Jim and Dan have a room like ours.”
    “I wonder where Miss Trask’s room is,” Trixie said. “I know she came upstairs with us, but then I sort of lost track of her.”
    “Her room’s at the end of this passage,” Honey answered. “I caught sight of it before I came in here. I don’t know if she wanted it that way, but it isn’t a bit like this.”
    “What is it like?” Di asked.
    Honey shrugged. “It’s just a regular old room. There’s no nautical theme in it or anything—just some big, dark furniture and a small single bed.“
    “Maybe it’s the room she’s always had ever since she was a child,” Trixie said thoughtfully. “And did you notice what she said downstairs? ‘For once I agree with my brother,’ she told us. It almost sounds as if the two of them don’t always get along with each other.”
    Di smiled. “You should be able to understand that, Trix. You don’t always get along with yours.” Trixie’s face went red. Of course, Di was right. All the same, Trixie wished she hadn’t mentioned it. There were times when she knew she fought too much with Mart. There were also times when she would have liked to keep family quarrels private. She knew it was often her own fault that they weren’t.
    Honey had been watching Trixie’s face. “If we took fast showers,” she said quickly, trying to change the subject, “we could get out of our school clothes and climb into something more comfortable. Then we could go downstairs and get something to eat.”
    “You’ve just said the magic words,” Trixie announced. throwing her a grateful glance. “I’m starved!”
    Di walked back into her own room, but she left the connecting doors open. “The dining room is really neat, too,” she called. “Wait till you see it. I only took a quick peek, but it’s all done in dark wood. It has brass lamps on the tables, anchors on the walls, and thick red carpeting on the floor.”
    “Even under the captain’s table?” Trixie asked, disappointed. She still had high hopes of finding a trapdoor under there.
    “No,” said Di, laughing. “It’s the only spot in the whole room that doesn’t have it. And wait till you see the oil painting!”
    “What oil painting?” Honey asked.
    But Di wouldn’t tell her. “It’ll give you the creeps” was all she’d say.
    When Trixie, dressed in clean jeans and blouse, reached the dining room at last, she saw immediately what Di meant. On the far wall, lit by a spotlight, was an enormous oil painting of a tall, fierce pirate chief standing guard over his treasure chest. He glared at Trixie, no matter where she moved to in the room.
    “What do you think of that, eh?” a voice boomed in her ear.
    Startled, Trixie turned and saw Mr. Trask, still in his pirate costume, standing beside her.
    “Oh—uh—it’s very nice,” Trixie stammered.
    “Nice! What’s nice about it?” Mr. Trask asked, laughing. “It’s supposed to scare the living be-jabbers out of you, me hearty. It’s also supposed to be Captain Trask. As you can see, he’s guarding the family treasure.” He smiled to himself. “In fact, Trixie, he’s guarding more than some people think.”
    “Did he really look like that?” Trixie asked.
    “Well, now, since you ask me,” Mr. Trask answered softly, “no, he didn’t. But don’t tell anyone. The old painting we had of the real captain was the same size as that one. But in real life, the old captain didn’t look nearly fierce enough. In fact, he looked like a real softy. So I had a new portrait painted to me own specifications, you see.” He sighed and shook his head sadly. “I know that Marge won’t like it, though. No, she won’t like it at all. She doesn’t go much for the changes I’ve made around here. But in my opinion, the new painting gives the place—“
    “Atmosphere?” Trixie suggested, smiling. “Exactly!” Mr. Trask exclaimed. “But there! Enough of this jibber-jabber, girl. Go.and join your friends. The captain’s table is occupied right now, but you’ll sit at it tonight, I promise. This afternoon, though, I’ve assigned one of my best waiters to take your order, so go ahead and enjoy yourselves.”
    He hurried away, and Trixie moved slowly to a long table in the big bay window. There the