“Glad we met you,” said Jack, when the greetings were over. “Please stop, I want to ask you something.”
Then, when all had come to a halt by the road-side, he told the particulars of his meeting with Will Carey.
“He never returned that bracelet at all!” cried Flossie, indignantly. “He said it was in the box of chocolates—if he hadn’t said that I never should have taken the box—but when I opened it all there was in it were the candies and a note asking me to meet him for a row on the lake.”
“You are positive it wasn’t in the box?” asked Pepper.
“Yes, I am. I dumped all the chocolates into my lap, for I wanted my bracelet and not the candy. When I saw that he had fooled me I was so angry I threw the chocolates away.”
“No, he went away just as soon as he gave me the box.”
“You didn’t go rowing, I suppose,” said Jack.
“No, indeed! I tore up the note and didn’t answer it. Then I didn’t see him for a week. When I did I asked for the bracelet, and he began to tease me and said he had put it in the box of chocolates, under the tissue paper.”
“And you are perfectly positive it wasn’t in the box?” insisted Jack.
“Why, Jack, don’t you believe me?” asked Flossie, reproachfully.
“Yes, but I want to make certain there was no mistake. You looked through the box carefully?”
“I surely did. All that was in it besides the candy was a sheet of tissue paper and a tiny tin tongs. Oh, I am positive the bracelet was not there.”
“Well, I must confess I don’t know what there is to do,” said Jack, biting his lip meditatively. “He declares he gave the bracelet back. Even if you went to law, his word would be as good as yours.”
“Oh, we are not going to law!” cried Laura, horrified.
“I understand. But I don’t see how you are going to get the bracelet back.”
“Oh, what is it?” asked Flossie, eagerly.
“I don’t think I’ll mention it just now. I’ll tell you about it later,” was the reply. “But you can rest assured of one thing. If Will Carey has got that bracelet we’ll get it for you.”
“I think I know what Pep’s plan is,” broke in Andy. “And if so, I think it’s all right,” and he winked at his chum.
“I trust I get the bracelet soon,” said Flossie, soberly. “Every day I am afraid papa or mamma will ask me about it. And when they do I won’t know what to say! Oh, I wish I had never met that horrid Will Carey!”