The Mystery of the Whispering Witch

the hospital. The thing is, Trix, that Brian, Jim, and I have a date.”
    Trixie stared. “What kind of date?”
    “It is an engagement with a comely damsel who is demure of eye and fair of face,” Mart replied. “She is to be relentlessly pursued by a bashful swain who is too solemnly silent to be believed.” Trixie glared at him. “Oh, for crying out loud, Mart! What are you talking about?”
    “I’m afraid he means that we’ve been booked for the school’s Thanksgiving play,” Brian said, “and rehearsals start this afternoon. Jim is playing the part of Miles Standish, I’m going to be bashful John, and one of Mart’s classmates—”
    “A female,” Mart added needlessly.
    “—is playing the part of Priscilla.”
    “And I’m the stage manager,” Mart finished. “And so, you see, irate sibling, our services have been engaged by the Sleepyside Junior-Senior High School for this afternoon. Either we accompany you to Lisgard House right now—”
    “—or I’m afraid you’re going to have to go there by yourselves this afternoon,” Jim said, looking sorry about the turn of events.
    Trixie could tell that Fay and Honey felt as unhappy as she did about the way things had worked out.
    “I’ll come with you,” Di said suddenly, pushing the dark, shining curtain of hair away from her pretty face. “Fay needs clothes; she also needs to see Mr. Gregory, who isn’t home yet; and I wouldn’t miss seeing inside that house for the world. Besides, it’s daylight. Whoever heard of a ghost appearing in the afternoon? Okay, girls?”
    Slowly and reluctantly, the girls nodded their assent.
    “It’ll be fine,” Trixie told Fay reassuringly as the big car sped homeward toward the safety of Crabapple Farm. But as they turned into the Beldens’ graveled driveway, she discovered that she was crossing all of her fingers.

    It wasn’t long after this that Trixie, remembering her promise to Regan, suggested that they should take the horses on their trip back to Fay’s new home. At two o’clock, the four girls met in the Wheelers’ stable yard.
    Di, mounted on Sunny, her palomino, watched patiently as Trixie and Honey saddled Lady, Susie, and Strawberry.
    Trixie had already whispered in Starlight’s ear that he would get his turn another time, because the other Bob-Whites were busy and there was no one left to ride him.
    Starlight had nodded his head almost as if he understood and forgave them all.
    When the girls were nearly finished with getting their mounts ready, they heard Regan’s voice call, “Don’t forget to tighten Lady’s cinch.” He appeared from around the side of the stable and strode toward them. Soon he was running an experienced hand over the leather cinch that Honey had just tightened.
    Trixie grinned at him. Ever since she had known him, Regan had never failed to mention that Lady had a habit of “blowing herself up” when she was being saddled. Her cinch had to be tightened after riding a short distance; otherwise the saddle loosened and slipped.
    Only once had Trixie forgotten. But Regan hadn’t. He had not enjoyed watching her being tumbled helplessly from the dapple gray mare’s back onto the hard ground below. On that occasion, it had taken repeated assurances to convince him that she wasn’t hurt. He didn’t intend to let it happen again.
    “Don’t worry, Regan,” Trixie told him now. “We’ve already asked Fay, and she’s quite used to horses. In fact, she’s quite an accomplished horsewoman. She was just telling us about it.”
    “My mother had a job on a ranch one time,” Fay explained shyly. “The school I attended was pretty far away, so the only way I could get there was on horseback. Mr. Larson, the ranch owner, helped me. He taught me to ride and lent me a horse, too.” She sighed. “I still miss old Smoky.”
    Trixie glanced at her with sympathy. It must be awful never having a home or a pet of your own, she thought. I wonder how many homes Fay has had? How many has she had to leave when she really didn't want to?
    Regan watched as Fay lifted herself into Strawberry’s saddle, while Trixie mounted Susie.
    “We won’t be too long, Regan,” promised Honey, who already sat astride the mischievous Lady. “And I will remember to tighten the cinch again.”
    “And we won't take the horses for a fast gallop through the woods,” Trixie added, grinning down at Regan’s worried face.
    “To say nothing of jumping fallen trees,” Di couldn’t