The Mystery of the Ghostly Galeon

he’s done. I think we ought to call the police.”
    “And tell them what?” Mart asked.
    “Tell them what we suspect, of course,” Trixie answered.
    Brian was shaking his head. “It’s a nice theory, Trixie, but you can’t prove any of it. You don’t know that there really is any money missing. You don’t know that the hotel chain has been causing trouble. And you have no reason to suspect Weasel Willis of anything.”
    “Jeepers!” Trixie exclaimed. “What more do you want?”
    “Proof, Trix,” Dan said, joining Brian and Mart in the driveway.
    Brian sighed and turned away. “I’m going to wash up for dinner,” he said. “How about you guys?”
    While Jim parked the station wagon, Mart pulled a crumpled tissue from his pocket. Gravely he presented it to his frowning sister. “Don’t cry because we don’t like your theories, Trix,” he said solemnly. “Take this instead. It may not be good for the sniffles, but it will sure help soften the blow. ”
    Trixie could hear him still laughing at his own joke as he and the other boys disappeared behind the doors to Pirate’s Inn.
    “Oh, that Mart!” Trixie told Di. “Sometimes he makes me so mad!”
    “Are you going to keep an eye on the Weasel?” Honey asked.
    “I sure am,” Trixie said stubbornly. Then, when the three girls were in the lobby, she added, “I’m going to stick so close to him that he’ll think he’s grown an extra shadow.”
    Just then the door to the office opened and upset all her plans.
    Trixie stood as if frozen to the spot as she heard a man’s deep voice say, “Believe me, Marge, I’d do anything to help you and Frank. You know that. Why, we’ve known each other for too long for me to do anything else.”
    Trixie could tell it was Mr. Morgan, who held the mortgage on the inn.
    “Don’t be like that, Marge,” she heard him say. “I’d give you more time if I could, but it just isn’t possible. And it was Frank himself who set the deadline. Tonight at seven, he said, and that’s what was agreed on.”
    “If only it weren’t such a very large amount of money,” Miss Trask said, “I might have been able to raise it from somewhere.” She paused, then continued briskly, “But that isn’t your problem. It’s mine now. I know that. It’s just that Pirate’s Inn has been in our family for so long—”
    “Ah, Marge,” Mr. Morgan said from the door, “if only I were as rich as everyone thinks I am. As it is, I’ve had several investments go sour on me recently, and I really need the cash myself. Listen, you’ve still got an hour to come up with something.”
    “I’m afraid it’s too late,” Miss Trask replied, her voice tight. “If you’ll come back at seven, I’ll be prepared then to hand over the deed.”
    In another moment, the office door had closed firmly behind him, and Mr. Morgan stood staring at the three girls who were standing there.
    “It’s sad,” he muttered to himself as he hurried through the front door. “It’s really sad.”
    “Oh, Trix,” Honey cried, truly realizing for the first time that Miss Trask was about to lose her childhood home, “isn’t there anything that we can do?”
    “Yes,” Di added eagerly, “maybe I could phone my father—”
    Honey was shaking her head. “Even if your dad or mine was willing to lend the money, Miss Trask is too proud to take it. Besides, we could never get the cash here in time. The deadline’s in an hour.”
    “I’ll think of something,” Di announced. “What’s more, I’ll go and talk to the boys. Maybe they’ll have some ideas of their own.”
    Honey watched her hurry upstairs, then she turned to say something to Trixie.
    The words died on her lips. Her friend’s face wore such a strange expression. She looked dazed, almost as though she had been hit over the head.
    “What is it?” Honey cried. “Oh, Trixie! Did you remember something?”
    “It’s the craziest thing,” Trixie answered at last, “and I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before. Oh, Honey, you’re never going to believe it! But I’ve just realized where we’re going to find Mr. Trask!”

Disaster! ● 18

    TRIXIE DIDN’T STOP to explain. In the next instant, she was moving so fast that Honey had a hard time keeping up with her.
    Outside the inn, Trixie stopped abruptly. The pale moon was just beginning to turn everything to silver.
    For a moment, Honey thought her friend was going to chase after Mr. Morgan, who was just driving