The Mystery of the Millionaire

slender figure, Di Lynch was the prettiest of the Bob-Whites—the prettiest girl at Sleepyside Junior-Senior High School, in fact. But she, like Trixie, was not partial to hot weather. Her face looked slightly drawn, as if she hadn’t been sleeping well.
    “All I want to do when it’s this hot is to stay inside and not move any more than I can help,” Di continued. “Unfortunately, the hot weather doesn’t slow the twins down one little bit.”
    Trixie smiled sympathetically. Di had a set of twin brothers and a set of twin sisters. She was fond of them, and she earned her contributions to the Bob-White treasury by taking care of them for her parents. But sometimes, as now, that wasn’t an easy job.
    “How about you, Dan?” Trixie asked. “Why haven’t we seen you lately?”
    Dan turned his thin, dark face toward Trixie. There was a hint of worry in his black eyes. “I’ve been working overtime for Mr. Maypenny,” he said. “All this hot, dry weather has created a fire hazard. We’re doing twice as much patrolling as usual, checking for fires. After riding around in the preserve all day in the heat, I don’t feel very sociable.”
    “Oh, Dan, I hadn’t even thought about what the weather might be doing to the preserve. Is it really getting dangerous?”
    Dan Mangan shrugged. “Mr. Maypenny doesn’t seem overly concerned. But then, he never does. All we can do is patrol carefully and hope for the best.”
    Trixie nodded without speaking. Part of her was worrying about the possibility of a fire that would devastate the preserve and the animals in it. But another part was feeling very proud of Dan Mangan. This responsible, hardworking boy was very different from the tough city kid who had come to Sleepyside not so long ago. She was glad that she’d had a part in helping him to find himself.
    Brian and Mart had gone directly into the boathouse to change into their swimsuits, and they came running to the water just as Honey waded out. “Hi, Trix!” she called, grabbing a towel and rubbing herself dry as she walked to the group seated on the shore. “Isn’t it great that we’re all together again? It seems like ages!”
    “Mm-hmm,” Trixie agreed absently. She was staring out at the lake, where her attention had been captured by the sight of Jim and Laura engaged in a friendly water fight.
    Honey, following her friend’s gaze, said, “This party of yours was a wonderful idea, Trixie. Laura was thrilled at the idea of going for a swim. It was lucky that one of Mother’s swimsuits fit her. I think this party was just what Laura needed to take her mind off her troubles.”
    Trixie understood the tactful message behind Honey’s words. Laura Ramsey was in serious trouble, and the Bob-Whites were pledged to helping her. Being jealous wouldn’t help anyone. Trixie squeezed Honey’s hand gratefully and stood up. “Me for a swim,” she said, heading toward the boathouse to change.
    “I’m ready, too,” Di said. “When I first got here, I felt too hot and limp to move, even into the nice, cool water!”
    Trixie and Di changed hurriedly and ran toward the little lake. The coolness of the water was a pleasure in the midday heat. Trixie stood stock-still in ^nee-deep water, just savoring it before she waded farther in.
    “Come on in, Trixie,” Jim called. “The water’s fine.”
    “Yep, and I’m going to inch my way into deeper water to make it last as long as I can—like Bobby does when he licks an ice-cream cone.” Trixie spoke saucily, trying to overcome the hurt she still felt.
    “Bobby can’t do that when Reddy is around,” Jim retorted with a sly look, “or Reddy finishes the cone quick. Woof! Woof!” With his imitation of the Beldens’ lovable, but unmanageable Irish setter, Jim lowered his hands into the water and brought them up fast, dousing Trixie thoroughly.
    “I’ll get you for that!” Trixie shouted, plunging forward into the lake as Jim retreated as fast as he could against the resisting water.
    Brian and Laura joined in the water fight immediately, and Mart drew Di Lynch into it, too. In a moment, Dan Mangan leaped up from his place on the shore and ran out to join in the fun. Honey, coming out of the boathouse, where she had gone to change back into her clothes, stood on the shore and yelled encouragement.
    The shouting, laughing, and splashing continued for fifteen minutes. Di Lynch was the first to wade back out of the water, still laughing, but panting with