THE full import of Bess's words dawned on Nancy and George. There was no doubt, they realized with despair, that Nancy's convertible had been stolen!

"You've been hexed again," Bess added dolefully.

"Whether it was a hex or not, it's certainly bad luck," Nancy agreed. "I'll bet Roger Hoelt is responsible for this. He couldn't get me to leave this area, so he thought of another trick. Without a car it will be more difficult for us to find his hideout."

"But that isn't going to stop you, is it?" George asked at once.

"Of course not!" Nancy said, tossing her head vehemently. "It gives me an even better reason for finding him. I'm sure my car is at the Hoelt hideout."

"Why not rent another one?" Bess suggested.

Nancy said it was an excellent suggestion, but first she would notify the police. It was possible that the car thief was not Roger Hoelt but a local prankster. If so, the police might easily locate the convertible. It might even have been abandoned on some nearby road.

By now, all the Glicks had a.s.sembled and were aghast to hear the story. Henner felt particularly bad that Nancy was having more trouble. He shyly took one of her hands in his own.

"Nancy," he said, "to make up for what I did yesterday I want to help you now."

The little boy had such a pleading look in his eyes that Nancy gave him a loving hug. "I'll try to figure out how you can a.s.sist me," she replied.

Henner said he already had an idea. His face brightened as he said it was not too far to the schnitz. "I'll drive you there with our horse and carriage," he said.

"That might be a good solution," Nancy said, smiling. "But first I'll report the theft."

She hurried into the house and called State Police headquarters. Within half an hour an officer arrived and took down all the data. He also inspected the area where the car had been parked.

Presently the officer picked out a set of footprints intermingled with several others, which he declared were those of a man wearing shoes that were different from those of the Amish. "Have you any idea of whom they might belong to?" the trooper asked Nancy.

She hesitated. "I can only guess," she replied. "I think to Roger Hoelt, whom you already know about. I suspect he's somewhere in this area and is trying to prevent me from locating him."

The officer said he would add this theft incident to the list of suspected charges against Roger Hoelt. As he stepped into his car, he promised to get in touch with Nancy as soon as he had a lead on her stolen convertible.

The family had breakfast. Afterward, Mrs. Glick said the girls were to do no more housework. "You have too much on your minds already," she stated firmly.

Nancy began to grow restless after another hour had pa.s.sed by and no word had come from the State Police. Finally she said that with Mrs. Glick's approval, she would like to accept Henner's offer to drive her to the schnitz in the carriage.

"Of course," Mrs. Glick said. "And I shall also go with you. It may be dangerous and you should have an older person along. If Papa did not have to be so careful since his accident, I would ask him to go."

"I'll be there, ain't?" Henner exclaimed. "I'll protect everyone! I'm strong!"

His mother looked at him for several seconds, apparently debating whether the boy was old enough to accompany them on what might be a hazardous mission. Finally she smiled. "You are getting to be a big boy. I believe you might help us. Yes, Henner, you may go."

Henner whooped with delight and dashed from the house to hitch up the horse. Within ten minutes he was calling to his pa.s.sengers. Becky followed the group outside with a wistful expression. Her mother had already laid out some work for the girl to do.

"And besides," Mrs. Glick said, "you must fix a good lunch for Papa, Becky."

George and Bess got into the rear seat of the carriage. Henner took the reins, with his mother beside him and Nancy on the left end. They followed GroeszdawdiEsch's directions.

Soon they reached a side road that was full of ruts, and the carriage settled into a deep one. The horse plodded along at a snail's pace. About five-hundred yards farther on, the road took a sharp turn to the left.

Henner guided the horse around the corner, but in so doing forgot about the groove, which did not turn in their direction. The front wheels pulled out of the rut and settled into another pair of carriage tracks. The rear wheels remained in the former rut. At this instant a rabbit leaped in front of the horse. Frightened, the horse sprang up, giving the carriage such a hard jerk that the left wheel came off.

Mrs. Glick had helped her startled son rein in the horse by the time the carriage had settled in a tilted position on the road.

"So druzzel!" Mrs. Glick cried as everyone got out to survey the damage.

Henner, feeling he was again to blame, began to cry. His mother comfortingly said she doubted that the accident could have been avoided.

"But," Henner sputtered, "I was trying so hard to be helpful to Nancy. First I hurt her with my slingshot and now I cannot drive her to the schnitz. I am a failure, ain't?"

"Don't say that, Henner," Nancy said. "You have been most helpful to me and my friends since we have been here."

"You are not responsible for this mishap," his mother explained. "This is a dreadful road. Something should be done about it."

After examining the wheel, Mrs. Glick announced that it would be impossible for them to put it back on the carriage. It was a job for a wheelwright.

"What are we going to do?" Bess asked.

Mrs. Glick looked thoughtful for a few moments, then said that the Beiler farm was just across the fields. Turning to Nancy, she suggested that she and Henner ride the horse over there and try to borrow a carriage.

"Henner," his mother said, "you know Michael Beiler in school. I'm sure his family will help."

"Ya," replied the small boy, and began to unhitch the horse. When this was done, he and Nancy got on the animal's back and started off.

It was a mile's ride across the fields to the Beiler farm. Coming in sight of it, Nancy and Henner noticed many carriages and people around. Uprights for a new building were being put in place.

"It is a barn-raising," Henner explained. "Michael's papa had a bad fire and a barn burned down."

Then, proudly, Henner went on to say that in Amish country neighbors always helped one another to erect new buildings. "This way we are the money in," he said. "And a barn-raising is fun. Everybody gets a lot to eat."

There was a great bustle of activity in the Beiler barnyard. Some of the Amish farmers were bringing up lumber, others were lifting beams into place. In the short time since Nancy had first noticed the barn-raising from the fields, a great deal of construction had been done.

"It will be ready for the floor by dinnertime," said Henner, jumping to the ground.

Nancy also alighted from the horse and tried to get several different workers' attention. But everyone seemed to be too busy to tell her where she might find Mr. Beiler.

As she wondered where Mr. Beiler might be, Nancy saw that Henner had spied Michael Beiler and had run up to see his playmate. Just then one of the workers cried out, "Heist nus!"

Nancy watched, fascinated, as several of the men began to hoist a heavy beam with their hands. But the next moment her interest changed to horror. The beam tipped, slipped from the men's grip, and began to fall directly toward Henner and Michaell

CHAPTER XVIII.

Another Hex

WITH lightning speed Nancy dashed forward to Henner and Michael. Fortunately, the falling beam hit a crosspiece, which slowed its descent. The momentary delay gave Nancy a chance to push both boys out of the way and jump to safety herself.