The Mystery off Glen Road

again. Neither one of them alone would have or could have done it. It only happened because they were traveling in a team. It probably all started out as a game. They must have been running that deer since early this morning, and then, when he dropped from utter exhaustion, they—well, we don’t know for sure, Honey. So if we bury the carcass and never let both dogs out together again at the same time, it’ll never happen again.”
    “Oh, oh, I’m so confused,” Honey moaned. “I hate the dogs for doing what they did, but I don’t really hate them, because I don’t think they meant to kill that lovely creature. But, Trixie, now that they have, they’ll do it again and again. That’s what always happens. Jim and Daddy were talking about it just last week. Pretty soon other dogs will join Patch and Reddy; then there’ll be a pack. They’ll kill one deer after another, and in the end they’ll all have to be put away.”
    Trixie sniffed, but it sounded more like a sob. “I don’t believe it,” she said staunchly. “That’s the way sheep-killing dogs behave, because they eat what they kill. Oh, woe,” she yelled suddenly. “Why didn’t I think of that before? Why didn’t I call the dogs away from the carcass right away? Maybe they are eating it now.”
    Both girls began to call and whistle, and in a moment the dogs came bounding into the clearing. They were wagging their tails and very obviously expected to be welcomed with open arms.
    “How can the two of them act so innocent?” Honey asked, looking at them sadly.
    “They are innocent,” Trixie said loudly. “And don’t you forget it for one minute. Until somebody proves that they are guilty, I’m going to go right on believing there is a poacher lurking around here. And it was that poacher who killed the deer.” She swung up on Susie’s back. “Please hand me the newspapers, Honey. We’ve got to take the dogs home right away and then come back here and bury the carcass.”
    Honey said nothing until they had cantered along the trail for several minutes with the dogs scampering beside the horses. Then she said soberly, “If a poacher killed that deer, why didn’t we hear the shot?”
    “Because he used a longbow, of course,” Trixie said impatiently.
    “Then why didn’t you see the arrow in the—the carcass?” Honey asked.
    “Oh, I don’t know,” Trixie cried. “I just took one look at the horrible scene and fled. Anyway, a deer can run for miles after it’s been shot with a bow. The shaft of the arrow might have been broken off.”
    “I thought people always hunted deer very early in the morning,” Honey went on.
    “They usually do,” Trixie agreed, “but the poach-er might not have seen one until an hour ago. It would take him quite a while to follow and track it down to where it dropped.”
    “Then,” Honey said in a more hopeful tone of voice, “if your theory is right, the carcass will be gone when we get back.”
    “That’s right,” Trixie said. “But to be on the safe side, we’ll bring along spades.”
    Honey shook her head. “If we discover proof that the dogs did kill that deer, we’ll have to tell Jim, Trixie. With Daddy away, he’s the head of the family. And you know as well as I do, Trix, that he’ll only laugh at us if we tell him we’re going to keep the dogs shut up. That just couldn’t be done. With all of the people who go in and out of our houses all day long, why, it’s just about impossible... Her voice dwindled away.
    “Oh, I know,” Trixie said in a small voice. “Besides, we can’t collect the money for being gamekeepers if we don’t report the dogs. And if we don’t get the money, Brian won’t get his jalopy. Why does life always have to be so complicated?” she finished miserably.
    “I know just how you feel,” Honey said sympathetically. “I guess I don’t love Patch quite as much as you love Reddy. We haven’t had Patch anywhere near as long, and, anyway, he’s Jim’s dog. But don’t forget that Jim’s going to be just as broken-hearted as you are, Trixie. If he has to get rid of Patch, it’ll just about kill him.”
    “Don’t you think I know that?” Trixie demanded crossly. “That’s one reason why I don’t even want Jim to know. And have you forgotten about Bobby? You know how he absolutely adores he ground Reddy walks on! How do you suppose my baby brother is going to feel when we have to tell him that he’s never going to see his dog again?”
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