The Mystery on Cobbett's Island

front of the big triple mirror in the fitting room.
    “Not bad at all,” repeated Mrs. Belden, smiling with relief to see that her daughter wasn’t going to be a tomboy all her life. “I like it a lot, and I know your father will approve of your choice, dear.”

    The whole Belden family was up at dawn the next day. Reddy seemed to sense the excitement and kept running around the house, getting in everybody’s way and even refusing to eat the food Mrs; Belden put down for him. In the midst of all the confusion, Bobby came down the stairs trailing a well-stuffed laundry bag behind him.
    “I wanna go to the iling, too. I’m big enough, and I’ll learn to swim, too!” he cried. “See, I’m all packed.” And he began pulling an assortment of toys from the bag.
    Trixie caught him up in her arms and gave him a warm hug. “Of course you’re a big boy, and now that you go to school, you can go to the new pool and learn to dive and swim and everything. I’ll miss you, Bobby, but someone has to stay home and take care of Reddy and feed the chickens and look after Moms and Dad. I’ll bring you a present when I come home. Now, will you please help me carry this big suitcase outside?”
    “Okeydokey. See, I’m strong enough to carry it all by myself,” he said, quickly forgetting his disappointment in his efforts to prove his strength.
    “Here they come,” called Brian as the Wheelers’ big station wagon turned into the driveway.
    Jim jumped out to help Trixie with her bag, and after the other luggage had been put in the rack on top of the car, he managed, by some unobtrusive maneuvering, to seat himself next to her on the backseat. Brian, Di, and Mart took the middle section, and Miss Trask and Honey sat up front. There was much shouting of good-byes and admonitions of “Don’t forget to write!” as they drove off.
    “I have a feeling that this vacation is going to be just wonderful,” said Trixie as she settled back, “and as I said to Honey, I hope it will be a quiet one!”
    “Well, that’s what you may want, Trixie, but I’ve noticed that you have a strange way of stirring up excitement wherever you are,” Jim answered.
    And, sure enough, excitement began to brew before the Bob-Whites were more than two hours on their way. After crossing the Whitestone Bridge and reaching the end of the parkway, they stopped at a roadside stand to stretch their legs and have a bite to eat. The radio over the lunch counter was turned on, and just as they were about finished with their food, the announcer interrupted the broadcast for a bulletin: A storm that had been raging well off the coast of Long Island and Connecticut had suddenly veered inland and was due to hit the mainland that afternoon. Small-craft warnings had been issued, and people were advised to take precautions against heavy winds and tides.
    “Gleeps,” said Trixie worriedly, “we’d better get going before it hits the island!”
    “I’m wondering if we ought to turn back,” added Miss Trask apprehensively. But she was soon overruled by all six Bob-Whites, who pointed out that it wasn’t even raining yet and they had only fifty miles to go. Their arguments seemed reasonable, so everyone hurried out to the car and piled in.
    As they drove east, they noticed that the wind was picking up and the sky was getting darker and darker. Rain began to fall and was soon coming down in great sheets. Miss Trask, who was an excellent driver, had to slow down almost to a crawl because it was so difficult to see, even with the windshield wipers going at full speed. But after what seemed an age to all of them, Honey caught sight of a big sign. She wiped the steam from the window so she could read. “Cobbett’s Island, three miles ahead. We’re almost there,” she cried excitedly. Everyone was so tense that nothing more was said until they reached Greenpoint, the town from which the ferry left. Miss Trask followed little signs through side streets leading to the ferry slip, and those sitting next to the windows began rubbing off the steam that had collected, eager for their first glimpse of the ferry. A big man wearing bright yellow foul-weather gear beckoned them to come ahead. Miss Trask cautiously drove up the ramp and onto the large, white ferry, which bore the name Island Queen on its side.
    Jim expressed what everyone had been secretly thinking when he said, “Gosh, I’m glad it’s a big boat. I was afraid it might be a kind of oversized