"Okay," Nancy and Bess agreed. "You lead us, George."

They dived beneath one another, as if barely missing a crash, reared up out of the water, made comical faces, and disappeared beneath the surface all in perfect rhythm to the music. The crowd along the sh.o.r.e clapped and shouted.

"Pretty neat," called out a red-haired boy.

When the names of the finalists were read, there was no question but that the three girls from River Heights were among those chosen for the water ballet.

"Will you please come see the director about costumes?" the swimming instructor requested. He had been the final judge.

As Nancy and her chums stood talking with the social director, a bellhop came to tell Nancy she was wanted on the telephone. She hurried off, wondering who might be calling-her father, Ned Nickerson, Hannah Gruen-

Nancy found herself completely thunderstruck when the voice at the other end of the line said, "Nancy, this is Audrey Monteith. How are you?"

The young sleuth said she was fine. With frigid politeness she asked, "How are you and Ross? And why did you leave Merriweather in such a hurry?"

"Oh, we feel much better," Audrey replied. "We couldn't stand the camp another minute. Such food! We felt positively ill most of the time."

"Where are you staying now?" Nancy inquired.

"Oh, at a very fashionable, exclusive resort," Audrey answered, but did not give the name of the place. Quickly she went on, "Nancy, you're just the person to help Ross and me. We've stumbled onto a little mystery we'd like you to solve."

"I'm very busy," Nancy said. "There wouldn't be time for me to-"

"Why, I'm surprised," said Audrey. "I didn't think you ever turned down a chance to solve a mystery. And this is a pretty keen one."

"What is it?" Nancy asked.

Audrey Monteith said it concerned a deserted farmhouse located only half a mile out of Francisville. "It's on Tulip Road which runs off Main Street. It wouldn't take you long, I'm sure. Please come meet us day after tomorrow. Later, Ross and I will take you to lunch in town."

Nancy hesitated. Her first hunch was that this was some kind of a trap and she did not propose to be caught in it.

But she argued with herself, "If I don't go, I may be cheating myself and the police out of picking up a clue about the Monteiths' recent actions. This deserted farmhouse they're talking about might have something to do with the old stagecoach!"

"All right, I'll meet you Monday morning," Nancy promised.

"Let's make it eleven thirty," Audrey said.

Nancy agreed, then asked, "Where can I get in touch with you, if I find it necessary to change the date?"

Audrey did not answer the question directly. She said, "If you don't show up by twelve o'clock I'll call you at the lodge." She hung up.

Later on, when Nancy was alone with Bess and George, she told them about the phone call. The cousins were worried and advised caution. Bess added, "Surely you're not going alone?"

Nancy laughed. "Not unless you two walk out on me," she said.

George made a face at Nancy. "You know perfectly well we'd never do that."

Nancy said she would notify the police of the appointment. While talking with the chief, she learned that the department had not been able to find the suspicious couple.

"I'll have a man or two hidden near that farmhouse to watch proceedings," the chief said. "Then later they can follow the Monteiths."

Late Monday morning the girls set off. The deserted farmhouse proved to be easy to find. Nancy turned into the lane and parked near the dilapidated weather-beaten building. As the girls stepped out of the convertible, she said:

"Just in case the Monteiths are planning to trick us, let's watch all directions at once. We can sit down here on the walk with our backs to one another."

"Suits me," George agreed. "Say, I wonder where the police are. They're certainly well hidden."

In five minutes it was eleven thirty, but the Monteiths had not arrived. After ten minutes had gone by, George spoke up, "I'm afraid there is some trick to this."

"Yes," said Bess, "I'm beginning to think the Monteiths just wanted to be sure of knowing where you were, Nancy. They're working some scheme miles from here-maybe at the Zucker farm."

Nancy frowned. At ten minutes to twelve she felt inclined to agree with her friends. "I'll wait until twelve and then we'll leave," she said disgustedly.

The words were hardly out of her mouth when the earth began to shake. "Another explosion!" George cried.

As the girls jumped to their feet, the dilapidated farmhouse suddenly began to fall apart! They fled in terror. Just in time they got beyond the crashing structure.

"Your car, Nancy!" George exclaimed.

The convertible was struck by pieces of flying wood and broken gla.s.s. A few bricks from the chimney had landed in the rear seat. But there was no major damage.

"Thank goodness we're all right," said Nancy.

After the girls collected their wits, they went over and began to clean out the car. Bess found a polishing cloth and set to work shining up the scratched and nicked spots.

"I wonder what happened to the police," George said. "Seems to me they'd come out of hiding now."

Bess clapped a hand to her cheek. "Oh, you don't suppose they were inside the building!" she cried in horror.

"No," said Nancy. "They were to hide nearby. It's my guess that since they can see we're all right, they won't bother to let us know where they are. I think they'll stay here a long time in case the Monteiths show up. It's possible Ross and Audrey won't come until after we girls have left."

The three friends began to discuss the explosion. It had been very similar to the previous one and there was no doubt in their minds but that the same people had perpetrated both of them.

"Do you think the Monteiths knew it was going to happen?" Bess asked. "And they're mean enough to have sent us here, hoping we'd be injured?"

"I certainly wouldn't put it past them," George answered.

Even Nancy felt that this guess on Bess's part might well be true. Then she tried to shake off the thought. "Perhaps the Monteiths didn't keep the date because they were tipped off about the police. We'll wait a little longer."

But though the girls waited until twelve thirty, Ross and Audrey did not drive up. Even then Nancy said that she might hear from them again by telephone. George, however, was skeptical that this would ever happen.

The girls left and headed for the center of town. "I want to talk to Art Warner and see what he may have learned about AbnerLangstreet," said Nancy.

Bess and George waited in the car, while Nancy went to see the young lawyer. To her astonishment, Judd Hillary sat in the reception room.

He glanced at Nancy malevolently. "You came to see Mr. Warner? Well, you can't do it, Nancy Drew! I got a previous appointment. And it'll take several hours!"

CHAPTER XVII.