The Mystery of the Ghostly Galeon

through the school’s large front doors. “No math, no English composition, no anything!”
    Honey chuckled and squeezed her arm. “So the only things you’ve got to worry about are vanishing pirates and wandering bears.”
    “I’ve been thinking about that pirate story,” Trixie said thoughtfully. “Do you suppose Miss Trask made it up just to get us to go with her?“
    “No, I don’t,” Honey answered promptly. “She told Jim and me about it again last night, after you’d gone home. Apparently, the legend is well known in the area of Pirate’s Point. Miss Trask says it’s been a real tourist attraction over the years. People who come to the inn are always determined to solve the puzzle.”
    “But so far nobody has?”
    “Miss Trask doesn’t know of anyone,” Honey said slowly. “But you know, Trix, it’s a funny thing. I have an idea she hasn’t visited there in a long time. What’s more, she didn’t seem to want to talk about it. I don’t know why.”
    Trixie didn’t know why, either. As she ran to the station wagon moments later, she glanced sharply at Miss Trask, hoping to be able to detect something from her manner. But Miss Trask appeared to be as brisk and efficient as ever. Her face wore the same kindly expression it always did, and Trixie learned nothing.
    “All set, girls?” Miss Trask asked, smiling from her seat behind the wheel. “Of course, I’m sure you’ve been ready ever since school started this morning. As soon as the others get here, we can be on our way.” She chuckled. “The boys have actually agreed to let me drive, since I know the way. Wasn’t that nice of them?”
    Still smiling and talking, she watched while Trixie and Honey made themselves comfortable beside her. Then she waited patiently until, one by one, the rest of the Bob-Whites arrived.
    There was the usual confusion concerning who was going to sit where. Finally, Mart and Dan settled the argument by scrambling to the back of the wagon. There they stuck their legs out in front of them and beamed triumphantly, while Di, Brian, and Jim climbed into the remaining seats.
    Through all the excitement, Miss Trask smiled serenely. It was as if she hadn’t a care in the world.
    There was, Trixie was beginning to discover, more to Miss Trask than met the eye.
    There was no mystery concerning Miss Trask’s abilities as a driver, however. They were excellent, as the Bob-Whites already knew. Under her expert handling, the station wagon was soon moving smoothly along the highway, and before long, they had left Sleepyside far behind them.
    “Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of pop!” Mart sang out suddenly, breaking a long silence. “Pirate’s Inn, here we come! I don’t know about you guys, but I find the suspense absolutely excruciating!”
    “What suspense?” Di asked.
    “Aha, me fair beauty,” Mart said, stroking an imaginary mustache, “you may well ask. The suspense concerns—” he paused dramatically— “the ghost of Captain Trask.”
    Dan frowned. “I didn’t know the inn was supposed to have a ghost.”
    “Oh, I haven’t heard that it does,” Mart answered cheerfully. “But if it doesn’t now, it soon will have. You see, I’ve given the matter a lot of thought. And I’ve figured out a way to solve, once and for all, the mystery of the old captain’s disappearance.”
    Brian sighed heavily. “I know I’m going to get a silly answer,” he said, “but then, I’m going to ask a silly question. How are you going to solve the mystery, O All-Knowing One?”
    “First we must summon the captain’s ghost from its watery grave,” Mart answered. “Then we’ll give him the third degree. You know— we’ve seen it done in the late-night movies lots of times. We’ll simply sit him down, shine a light into his ghostly eyes, and interrogate him relentlessly. ‘Where were you when the dastardly deed was done?’ we’ll demand to know. Take my word for it. It can’t fail.”
    “I’m sorry to disappoint you, Mart,” Miss Trask remarked, with a twinkle in her eye, “but
    I just don’t think that will work. For one thing, I’m afraid the captain didn’t go to a watery grave. I seem to remember hearing that he died in bed. For another, he was in Jamaica at the time. I must say, though, it’s nice to hear your voice at last. You’ve been so quiet for so long that I wondered if you were still with us.”
    “Oh, he’s still with us,” Trixie couldn’t resist saying. “He’s just been