George a little later, maybe we can come up with
some plan” she thought.
There had been a letter from Mr. Drew, in-
forming Nancy that he had returned home. “At
least Dad’s making progress on his case!” she
said to herself.
Then Nancy hurried off to the barn where the
“city slickers,” as Reuben called them, were to
have a milking lesson.
“It’s no trick at all!” Bess insisted. “Give me
that pail and I’ll show you just how it’s done.”
Reuben handed over the bucket, and Bess
marched determinedly up to the cow.
“Nice bossy,” she murmured, giving the ani-
mal a timid pat on the neck.
The cow responded with a suspicious look and
flirt of her tail. As Bess set down the milking
stool, the cow kicked it over.
Bess sprang back in alarm. “You can’t expect
me to milk a vicious cow!” she exclaimed.
Joanne and Reuben exploded with laughter.
“Primrose is an extremely smart cow,” Reuben
drawled. “She won’t stand being milked except
from the side she’s used to!”
Reluctantly Bess picked up the overturned
stool and went around to the left side. The cow
leisurely moved herself sideways.
“I give up! Here, you try it, George.”
“Oh, no, Bess. I wouldn’t spoil your fun for
anything!”
After a great deal of maneuvering, Bess suc-
ceeded in handling the whole procedure to the
satisfaction of Primrose. Nancy came last, and
she, too, was a bit awkward. When Reuben finally
sat down to do the milking, the girls watched him
with admiration. “It just takes practice,” he said,
smiling.
That evening Mrs. Salisbury and Mr. Abbott
had their usual disagreement and both retired
early. Mrs. Byrd soon followed, leaving the girls
alone on the porch.
“Do you think there will be any activity on the
hill tonight?” George asked suddenly.
“I’m not sure,” Joanne answered. “But it’s a
good clear night and the moon is full, so the
setting is perfect for it.”
“I’m dying to see what those nature enthu-
siasts look like,” added Bess. “Just so they don’t
come too close!”
It was a lovely evening and Nancy had been
only half listening to the chatter. She remained
silent and thoughtful. The letter addressed to
the Black Snake Colony was still very much on
her mind.
“What’s up, Nancy?” Bess finally asked, no-
ticing her friend’s silence.
“Three guesses,” Nancy replied with a laugh.
“I’m still curious about that envelope I had in
my hands this afternoon. I’m almost certain that
blurred postmark read Riverside Heights.”
“Even if it did,” George remarked, “it could
have been written by almost anyone and simply
mailed in Riverside Heights.”
“I suppose you’re right,” Nancy agreed. “I
guess I’m trying too hard. But let’s walk over
toward the hill.”
The four girls started off. They crossed one
field in front of the house and were just climbing
a rail fence to the next one when Nancy cried
out:
“Am I seeing things? Look! Over there on that
hill!”
Following her gaze, the girls were astonished to
see shadowy white figures flitting about in the
moonlight.
“Ghosts!” Bess exclaimed.
“Ghosts nothing,” George retorted. “There’s
no such animal!”
“Don’t be alarmed,” Joanne said with a smile.
“I imagine the members of the nature cult are
having one of their festive airings by the light of
the moon!”
The girls watched the cult members go
through their mystic rites.
“They’re not doing much of anything,” Nancy
observed, “except napping around.”
Within ten minutes the ceremony apparently
was concluded. The white figures clustered to-
gether for a moment, then moved off across the
hillside.
“I wonder where they’re heading,” Nancy
mused. “Back to their tents?”
Joanne had been watching intently. Now she
shook her head. “I don’t think so. I forgot to tell
you-the cave has another opening on the slope
of the hill, near the river. The colony members
are going in that direction.”
Immediately Nancy’s curiosity was aroused.
Did this mean the white-robed group intended to
go into the cave itself? If so, why? To continue
the ceremony?
“It certainly was a short performance,” Bess
remarked as the mysterious “dancers” vanished
from sight. “I wonder if the ritual has any sig-