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on Long Island . But no one’s ever found a
bit of it. I can only assume that he never actually buried it. Maybe he spent
it all, heh-heh .”
    Professor Conroy was obviously enjoying himself. “There are Dutch
treasure legends, too,” he went on. “With ghosts! A long time ago, a Dutch ship
laden with treasure sank in the Hudson .
The survivors knew where the treasure should have been, but because of shifts in
the channel and shoreline of the river, they were never able to find it. But
they swore to continue looking. Rumor has it that at low tide, when the moon is
full, their ghosts still wander up and down in search of the gold, while a
white hound howls at their shadowy wraiths.”
    By this time, the singing had petered out and the group around the
campfire grew hushed. The professor’s rumbly, eerie voice made the stories seem
truly scary. Honey shivered. Trixie was sorry she’d even asked. She didn’t
really believe in ghosts, but still....
    “ Ooooo Ooooooo ,”
Mart wailed spookily. Trixie jumped as the others laughed. “Let’s tell ghost
stories around the campfire,” Mart said.
    “Let’s not and say we did,” Honey answered nervously. “Besides, it’s
getting late. I should be getting back home. We all have to get to work early
tomorrow.”
    “Absolutely right, Miss Wheeler,” said the professor. “We should all
pack it in. Early day tomorrow for us chaps, too.”
    Everyone stood up, and while they were stretching, collecting guitars and
cases, and pouring sand on the fire, Trixie seized another chance to ask
Professor Conroy about Charles Miller.
    “Why, yes, Miss Belden,” he answered cautiously. “I did talk with
Charles Miller about that little contretemps this morning. I’ve decided to have
Charles supervise the work only on the burial ground. As student head of the
dig, he should be spending his time on the most important area. The village
site has far less significance—not that you girls should feel bad about being
assigned there.”
    “But what about—” Trixie started. Professor Conroy went right on
talking. “Charles is an exceptional student—one of the best I’ve ever had. But
he has money problems, and that sometimes makes him bad-tempered. I don’t think
you girls should worry about Charles. I’m sure he’ll be around to apologize to
you tomorrow.”
    Trixie nodded her head, but she felt wary. Apologize? I’ll believe it when I see it, she thought glumly.
    Noticing that the other Bob-Whites were saying good-night to everyone,
Trixie quickly excused herself and caught up with them.
    “There wasn’t one speck of food at this gathering,” Mart grumbled as
they walked home. “I suppose it’s too late to make a little side visit to your
refrigerator, Honey.”
    “I’m afraid so, Mart,” Honey said with a laugh. “Will you live?”
    “I doubt it.”
    The group split up at the clubhouse, and Honey ran up her driveway. Dan
walked Di back to her house, and then he went on to Mr. Maypenny’s .
The three young Beldens made their way home to
Crabapple Farm.
    As they walked, Trixie thought about everything she’d learned tonight.
One thing stuck out in her mind—Charles Miller needed money, badly. Instead of
calming her suspicions, that fact pointed to just one thing— Charles’s guilt. Graduate students aren’t known for being
burglars, Trixie thought, but most students aren’t as poor as Charles Miller is,
either. And then there was that mysterious conversation with Harry in the
woods, and the newspaper article, and Charles’s hostility toward her and Honey.
It was all pretty suspicious—and pretty confusing, too.
    By the time they arrived home, Trixie was too tired to think about
Charles Miller anymore. Slowly, she made her way up the stairs to her room,
thankful that it was bedtime. Tomorrow would be another long day.



6 * A Mysterious Accident
     
    When Trixie got to the second floor
of the hospital the next day, she made a startling discovery.
    As she