Part 8 (1/2)
”Yes, one came early in the evening. Then this morning when Mrs. Breen opened the door, she found still another. You don't suppose any of the members of the Palette Club did it, do you? We shouldn't like to accept charity--”
”I'll ask the girls if you want me to,” Penny offered hastily. ”If any of them did, nothing was said about it to me.”
”Maybe the old well granted your wish, Rhoda,” Louise added. ”You know, folks say it has a reputation for doing good deeds.”
The ringing of the school bell brought the conversation to an abrupt end.
However, as Louise and Penny went to their seats, the latter whispered:
”Who do you suppose left that second basket on the Breen doorstep?”
”Probably one of the other club members had the same idea you did,”
Louise responded. ”Anyway, the Breens will be well fed for a few days at least.”
At recess Penny made a point of questioning every member of the Palette Club. Not one of the girls would admit having carried the basket to the trailer park, but all were agreed that Rhoda should be invited to join the art organization. Without exception, they liked the girl after becoming acquainted with her.
”The mystery deepens,” Penny commented to Louise as they wandered, arm in arm, about the school yard. ”If no one in the Palette Club prepared the basket, then who did do it?”
”I guess we'll have to attribute it to the old wis.h.i.+ng well after all,”
Louise chuckled. ”Let me see your ears, my pet.”
”What for? Don't you think I ever wash them?”
”I merely want to see if they've grown since we were at the Marborough place. Why, goodness me, I believe they are larger!”
Before Penny could think of a suitable retort, Rhoda joined the girls.
Curious to learn more of the two Texas men who had arrived in Riverview, they gave the newcomer every opportunity to speak of it. As she remained uncommunicative, Penny brought up the subject by mentioning that two strangers had asked her how they might locate the trailer family.
”Yes, they found us all right,” Rhoda replied briefly. ”Mr. Coaten came to see Ted.”
”An old friend, I suppose,” Louise remarked.
”Not exactly. I can't figure out just why he did come here.”
Rhoda frowned and lapsed into silence. Penny and Louise did not question her further, and a few minutes later recess ended.
The affairs of the Breen family concerned Penny only slightly. Although she kept wondering why Mr. Coaten and his companion were in Riverview, she gave far more thought to the stone which had been dug up on the Gleason farm. Directly after school she proposed to Louise that they drive into the country and interview the farmer.
”I don't mind the trip,” her chum said, ”but why are you so interested in an old rock?”
”Oh, Dad thinks the whole story may be a hoax. I'd like to learn the truth, if I can.”
Mindful that in the past Penny had brought the _Riverview Star_ many an important ”scoop,” Louise was very willing to accompany her on the trip.
Four-thirty found the two girls at the Gleason farm in conversation with the old farmer.
”I've been pestered to death ever since that rock was found here,” he told them somewhat crossly. ”There's nothing new to tell. I was plowing in the south field back of the barn, when I turned it up. I didn't pay much attention until Jay Franklin come along and said the writing on it might interest the museum folks. He gave me a couple of dollars, and paid to have old man Crocker haul it to town.”
”I didn't know Jay Franklin had an interest in the stone,” Penny remarked. ”You say he gave you two dollars for it?”
”That's right,” the farmer nodded. ”I was glad to have the rock hauled off the place.”