"You'll be home early?"

"I hope so," Penny answered earnestly. "If for any reason I fail to appear, don't search in any of the obvious places."

Leaving her father to ponder over the remark, she hastily quitted the house. A clock chimed nine o'clock as she reached the Sidell house, and a moment later her chum joined her in the yard.

"I had trouble getting away," Louise reported. "Mother asked a thousand questions."

"Did you bring the flashlight?"

"Yes, here it is. My, but it's a dark night!"

"All the better for our purpose," Penny said cheerfully.

A single light burned in the kitchen window of the Marborough house as the girls presently approached it. The garden was shrouded in damp, wispy mist and the unkempt grounds never had appeared more desolate.

"Penny, must we go through with this?" Louise asked, rapidly losing enthusiasm for the venture.

"I'll admit the idea doesn't look quite as attractive as it did this afternoon," her chum replied. "All the same, I'm going through with it!"

"What can you hope to find down in that well?"

Penny did not answer. Walking ahead of Louise, she noiselessly crossed the yard to the old wishing well. Flashing her light into the circular interior, her courage nearly failed her. However, she gave no indication of it to her companion.

"Better be careful of that light," Louise warned. "That is, unless you want Mrs. Marborough to come out and catch us."

Penny switched off the flashlight and thereafter worked in darkness.

Taking the silken ladder from its case, she fastened the two iron hooks over the stone ledge. Next, she lowered the ladder into the well, listening until she heard a faint splash in the water below.

"Now you stay here and keep watch," she instructed briskly. "I'll be down and back again before you know it!"

"The ladder may break," Louise said pessimistically, seating herself on the stone ledge of the well. "Silk deteriorates with age, and those braided strands never did look strong."

"They once held one of Riverview's most notorious apartment-house burglars," Penny returned with forced cheerfulness. She climbed over the ledge, gazing down into the dark well. "It's safe enough--I hope."

"In case you slip and fall, just what am I to do?"

"That's your problem," Penny chuckled. "Now hand me the flashlight. I'm on my way."

Despite their banter, both girls were tense and worried. By daylight, a descent into the well had seemed to Penny an amusing stunt; but now as she cautiously descended into the damp, circular pit, she felt that for once in her life she had ventured too far.

"What do you see?" Louise called softly from above. "Anything?"

Reminded of the work before her, Penny clung with one hand to the swaying ladder, while with the other she directed the flashlight beam about the circular walls. The sides were cracked in many places and covered with a slimy green moss.

"What do you see, Penny?" Louise called again. "Are any of the bricks loose?"

"Not that I can discover," Penny answered, and her voice echoed weirdly.

Intrigued by the sound she tried an experimental yodel. "Why, it's just like a cave scene on the radio!"

"In case you've forgotten, you're in a well," Louise said severely.

"Furthermore, if you don't work fast, Mrs. Marborough will come out here!"

"I have to have a little relaxation," Penny grumbled.

Descending deeper into the well, she resumed her task of examining the walls. There were no loose bricks, nothing to indicate that anything ever had been hidden in the cavern. Reaching the last rung without realizing it, she stepped not into s.p.a.ce, but water.

Surprisingly her foot struck a solid foundation.

Hastily pulling herself back on the ladder, Penny shouted the information to her chum.

"Lou, the water isn't more than a foot and a half deep! There's an old boot or something of the sort floating around. You don't catch me drinking any more of this water. No sir!"

There was no reply from above.

"Louise!" Penny called, flashing her light upward.

"Quiet!" came the whispered response. "I think someone is coming!"

"Mrs. Marborough?" Penny gasped, thoroughly alarmed.

"No! Two men! They're turning in at the gate!"

Penny began to climb the silken ladder with frantic haste.

"You never can get out without them seeing you!" Louise hissed. "I'm ducking out!"

"Don't you dare!"

"They'll see me if I don't. Stay where you are Penny, and I'll come back after they go. Oh, the ladder! It's sure to give you away!"

In the emergency, Penny's mind worked with rapidity. Lowering herself into the well several rungs, she deliberately stepped into the water. To her relief it came just below her knees.

"Quick! Pull up the ladder!" she instructed.

The two men were so close that Louise dared not obey. Instead she loosed the iron hooks and dropped the ladder into the well. Penny barely was able to catch it and prevent a loud splash.

"Of all the tricks--" she muttered, but Louise did not hear. She had fled into a clump of bushes.

Penny huddled against the slimy wall, listening intently. Thinking that she heard footsteps, she switched out the flashlight.

"This is the place all right," a masculine voice said. "Wonder if the old lady is at home?"

"There's a light showing."

The voices faded away, and Penny drew a deep sigh of relief. Impatiently she waited for Louise to come to her aid. After several minutes she realized why her chum delayed, for she again heard voices.

"The old lady must be inside the house. Funny she wouldn't come to the door. They say she's a queer one though."