The Mystery off Glen Road

sorry I asked you to get the papers, Trixie. I forgot about your job.”
    “It’s all right, Dad.” She smiled down at him. “We have to go right by Mr. Lytell’s store when we patrol. It was no trouble at all.”
    “But stopping off and coming back here must have delayed you,” he said, “and I know you’re in a hurry to get through early today. Ben arrives this afternoon sometime, doesn’t he, Trixie?”
    Trixie felt her cheeks burn. She wanted to say, “Yes, and I couldn’t care less, that crum-bum!” But instead she forced herself to mumble, “Uh-huh. We’re all invited to dinner at the Manor House.”
    “That’s nice,” her father said. “But you mustn’t stay up late. Don’t forget you have to get up at dawn to patrol before school tomorrow.” He frowned. “I don’t want you to get overtired, and you mustn’t let this job interfere with your homework.” Trixie laughed. “We haven’t any homework, Dad, and we won’t have any all week, on account of the Thanksgiving holidays beginning on Wednesday. All we’re doing now in school is reviewing.”
    He reached up suddenly and touched her hand. “You look worried, Trix. Anything wrong?”
    Trixie was sorely tempted to blurt out, “Yes, Dad, everything’s wrong.” But she somehow managed to swallow the lump in her throat and wordlessly shook her head. “I am sort of tired,” she finally got out. “It isn’t the patrolling. It’s grooming the horses and cleaning the tack. You know how strict Regan is. Everything’s got to be just perfect or he has a fit.” Mr. Belden chuckled. “Every rose has a thorn, and don’t forget that Regan is one of your best friends.” He gave her hand a good-bye pat and went up the steps to the terrace.
    Trixie waved to him and trotted off down the driveway. I wish I dared tell Dad about the dogs and the deer, she thought dismally. I wish I could tell him that I despise Ben Riker. I wish — oh, she suddenly interrupted herself, I forgot to ask Dad to shut Reddy inside the house.
    But it was too late now, for the harum-scarum Irish setter had disappeared.
    I hope Reddy’s on the trail of a rabbit, as usual, she thought unhappily.
    When they turned into the Wheelers’ driveway, Susie, without any urging at all, began to gallop, and when she reached the stable, she stopped so short that Trixie almost fell off. Susie had obviously made up her mind that she had already had all of the exercise she needed that day. Until Trixie kicked her smartly with both heels, she refused to budge, and even then she stayed in one spot, bucking and rearing.
    Regan came out of the tack room and handed Trixie a quirt. “Give her a good switching,” he ordered. “She’s got a stubborn streak.” He grinned. “Like some kids around here whose names I won’t mention.”
    Trixie knew better than to disobey Regan, but she hated to whip any horse and especially Susie, who was usually so docile. One smart tap on her hindquarters did the trick, however, and in another minute Trixie had joined Honey on the path that led into the northern part of the game preserve.
    “I thought you’d never come,” Honey complained as they trotted along between the evergreens. “I’m suffering from an awful guilty conscience already. Patch came all the way home with me, but he turned and ran right off again.”
    “So did Reddy,” Trixie said. “But we can’t do anything about that now, Honey. We’ve got to go out and patrol.”
    “I saw Mart,” Honey said after a long silence. “He’s working on the clubhouse roof. He says it takes only two people to repair the few feeding stations that were damaged. Brian and Jim are much better at that sort of thing.”
    “Where are they?” Trixie asked nervously. “I don’t particularly want to see them, but I hope they’re working on the other side of the road.”
    “They’re not,” Honey said dismally. “According to what Mart said, I gather they’re working very close to that Thing you found.”
    Trixie forced herself to laugh, although she didn’t feel a bit cheerful. “Knowing your sense of direction, my guess is that Brian and Jim are working several acres away from the Thing.”
    Honey didn’t even smile. After another long silence, she said, “What are we going to do with Ben when he arrives? Mother’ll have a fit if we ignore him, but we can’t let him patrol with us. If we did, he’d demand part of the pay.”
    “And we certainly don’t want him fooling around