before nightfall."

"Oh, it is quite early yet," declared Cecilia falsely, for the
mantel clock pointed to six.

"I'll hurry," promised Wren. "You see, this is the important part
of it all. When we lived with grandpa he made a beautiful table -
I even helped him to make it. There were tiny pieces of wood all
inlaid with anchors, oars and sea emblems. I used to dip them in
the hot glue for grandpa. Well, there were some secret drawers in
that table, and grandpa told me that if anything should happen to
him we must explore the table. Well, we went away - it was the
time of my own father's death - and when we came back the table
was gone."

"Who took it?" demanded Cecilia sharply.

"Everything was sold - at auction - and no one could tell us
anything about the table."

"You see," said Mrs. Salvey, "Wren thinks if we can find that
table we will come into our own. Father was very fond of
daughter, and the other relatives were so numerous that when the
estate was equally divided it left very little for us. We thought
the table might contain a will - "

"I know it did," declared Wren. "Didn't grandpa show it to me
once? And now I want you each to sign the promise in my book. I
shall read it over for you."