CHAPTER VI.


For the second time Nyoda got the garage man at Wellsville on the long
distance phone. This conference only deepened the puzzle. He declared
solemnly that no car even remotely resembling the Striped Beetle had
been in his establishment and no party of girls such as we described.
He was as much in the dark as we were about the trunk. Had we been
carrying Gladys's trunk ever since we left home? we asked ourselves.
No, for we had opened ours several times on the road. We gave it up
when the puzzle threatened to addle our brains, and prepared to start
away on our journey. Margery felt well again and ready to travel. We
were standing in the street around the Glow-worm, and through gaps
between houses we could see Mrs. Moffat's house down on Main Street. We
saw a boy in the uniform of a telegraph messenger come along Main
Street and stop at her house.

"Maybe the Frog's sending her some more mysterious messages," said
Sahwah, idly.

But in a moment the boy ran down the steps again and retraced his steps
up Main Street. As he passed the street where we were he looked down,
and then he came toward us. "Which one is Miss Elizabeth Kent?" he
asked.

Nyoda stepped forward and he handed her the telegraph envelope. Nyoda
tore it open and a look of blank astonishment came over her face as she