The Secret of the Unseen Treasure

that I have quite an overwhelming superiority with photographic apparatus.”
    Dan and Honey were waiting on the lawn near the B.W.G. station wagon. Bobby dashed toward them and crashed into Dan, who then tumbled backward on the grass.
    “Wow!” Dan shouted. “Did you see that tackle by the junior linebacker?”
    Bobby yelled with delight and charged again. Dan took a stance, only to be tumbled over once more.
    On the way to Mrs. Elliot’s, Dan told Bobby about twin fawns he had seen on the Wheeler game preserve. Bobby told Dan about a dragon he had seen behind the Beldens’ shed.
    Dan laughed. “What an imagination!”
    “It runs in the family,” Mart commented dryly. “With some members,” he added, glancing at Trixie, “it’s really running wild today. So watch out.”
    “Oh?” Dan inquired with a smile. “I thought this was just a photographic expedition.”
    “It is,” Mart said. “But it’s also a reconnaissance mission. Now Trixie thinks there’s buried treasure at the Elliot place.”
    “I didn’t say that!” Trixie declared. “You were the one who said that at lunch.”
    “I just happened to say the words before you could,” Mart said. “As I recall, your mouth was full at the time.”
    “Treasure!” Honey said excitedly. “Is that what you meant about doing some digging?” Trixie told Honey and Dan about the conversation at lunch—omitting the part about Mrs. Elliot’s loan. “Moms said that Mr. Elliot was doing well with his business. But when he died, there was hardly anything left for Mrs. Elliot. And Dad said that Mr. Elliot didn’t put any money in the bank. That’s when Mart said that maybe the money was hidden at the Elliots’.”
    “I was just babbling,” Mart said. “Listen, Trixie: Mrs. Elliot digs up that whole place every spring. If there was money buried there, don’t you think she would have found it by now?”
    “Mart has a point there, Trixie,” Honey said. “Maybe it’s hidden in one of the buildings,” Trixie persisted.
    “Mrs. Elliot probably uses the shed every day during the summer,” Honey pointed out. “So if it was hidden there, she would have found it, too.”
    Mart snorted. “If it is hidden in the shed, then whoever tried to set that fire sure didn’t know about it!”
    “Of course not,” Trixie stated. “If he knew about the hidden money, then why would he steal the Social Security checks?”
    “Hey! Slow down a minute,” Dan said. “You lost me back there. Trixie, are you saying that the man who tried to set the fire is the same man who stole the checks?”
    “Yes,” Trixie said.
    “Do you have any proof of that?” Dan asked in a serious tone.
    “Well... no,” Trixie admitted. “Just that the check thief and the arsonist both ended up at the same place: Mrs. Elliot’s.”
    “That doesn’t mean a thing,” Dan snapped. He was no longer as easygoing as he had been minutes before. “Besides, from what you told us, the check thief only went as far as the Hartmans’.”
    Honey made a sign for Trixie to keep quiet. “Dan’s right,” she said in a soothing tone. “There’s probably no connection at all.”
    Trixie, Honey, and Mart exchanged glances. Mart shrugged his shoulders.
    When Dan swung the station wagon onto Mrs. Elliot’s drive, he seemed relieved that they had arrived. As they were piling out, Mrs. Elliot appeared on the porch.
    “Well, hello,” she said. “What a nice surprise. Bobby! I’ve hardly seen you since you were a baby.”
    “I’m all growed up now,” Bobby said with pride.
    “So you are, so you are.” Mrs. Elliot came down the steps. “I was expecting Max, and when I heard your car, I thought he’d come back.” Her gaze sought Honey. “Does your mother need to buy some more flowers?” Honey shook her head. “Mother’s out of town again with my father.”
    “Oh,” Mrs. Elliot said, attempting to hide her disappointment.
    “We did come about flowers, though,” Trixie said quickly. “Have you heard about the flower photography contest sponsored by the White Plains paper? There are going to be prizes. We t hink you should enter; you’ve got such beautiful flowers.”
    “Thank you, Trixie.” Mrs. Elliot smiled wanly. “But I don’t own a camera. Even if I did have one, I wouldn’t know how to use it.”
    “Moms said she was pretty sure you didn’t have one. We brought my father’s camera. Mart’s a real expert with it—”
    Mart interrupted. “Remember, you said