Part 12 (1/2)
”But why should anyone be prowling about Mrs. Marborough's place at this hour?”
”It does seem strange.”
Deliberately, Penny steered the sailboat toward the beach.
”I think we should investigate,” she declared firmly. ”Everyone knows Mrs. Marborough lives alone. Someone may be attempting to break into the house!”
CHAPTER 9 _MYSTERIOUS PROWLERS_
”Oh, Penny, there must be a perfectly good reason for that moving light,”
Louise protested as the boat grated on the sand. ”You only want an excuse for going to the Marborough place!”
”Perhaps,” her chum acknowledged with a grin. ”Jump out and pull us in, will you please?”
”My ankles are nice and dry and I like them that way,” Louise retorted.
”If it's all the same, you do the jumping.”
”All right, I don't mind--much.” With a laugh, Penny gingerly stepped from the dinghy into shallow water. She pulled the boat farther up onto the sh.o.r.e so that her chum was able to climb out without wetting her feet. Together they furled the sail and removed the steering apparatus which they hid in the nearby bushes.
”I don't see a light now,” Louise protested after their various tasks had been completed. ”Must we climb that steep hill?”
”We must,” Penny declared firmly, taking her by the hand. ”Something may be wrong at Mrs. Marborough's and we ought to find out about it.”
”You just love to investigate things,” Louise accused. ”You know as well as I do that there's not likely to be anything amiss.”
”Someone may be prowling about the grounds! At any rate, my feet are cramped from sitting so long in the boat. We need exercise.”
Finding a trail, the girls climbed it until they were within a hundred yards of the Marborough mansion. Emerging from behind a clump of lilac bushes they suddenly obtained an un.o.bstructed view of the yard.
”There's the light!” Penny whispered. ”See! By the wis.h.i.+ng well!”
To their knowledge the girls had made no unusual sound. Yet, apparently the person who prowled in the yard was aware of their approach. As they watched, the lantern was extinguished. Simultaneously, the moon, which had been so bright, moved under a dark cloud.
For several seconds the girls could not see the shadowy figure by the well. When the moon again emerged from behind its s.h.i.+eld no one was visible in the yard.
”Whoever was there has hidden!” Penny whispered excitedly. ”Louise, after we leave he may attempt to break into the house!”
”What ought we to do?”
”I think we should warn Mrs. Marborough.”
”The house is dark,” Louise said dubiously. ”She's probably in bed.”
”Wouldn't you want to know about it if someone were prowling about your premises?”
”Yes, of course--but--”
”Then come on,” Penny urged, starting through the tangle of tall gra.s.s.