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up there without everyone knowing it.”
    “Yes, we need to do that,” Celia agreed.
    “And I suppose you girls need us boys to go with you in case you run into a ghost or something up there,” Jonathan teased.
    “Oh, you and Joe can go with us, but we’re not afraid of that attic. We’ve been up there lots of times,” Mandie replied.
    “And there aren’t any ghosts up there, either,” Celia added.
    “What about the light someone sees up there now and then?” Joe asked. “There must be someone up there to do that.”
    “Well, with that long cord hanging from the ceiling with the light bulb attached to the end of it for a light, it’s pretty dark up there in spots, and someone could hide in there,” Mandie agreed. “But I wouldn’t be afraid. After all, it’s in the school with other people in the house.”
    “I wonder when your grandmother will check out the stores in town to see if someone has seen Miss Hope,” Celia said in a whisper so that Mrs. Taft wouldn’t hear her.
    “I promise to ask some questions while we’re at the farm so we’ll know what her plans are. Then we’ll know what to plan ourselves,” Mandie promised.
    “If Miss Prudence has already had all these places checked out, more than once according to what she said, what good is it going to do us to go behind whoever did it? I don’t think we’ll learn anything new,” Jonathan said.
    “Well, for one thing, if Miss Hope is still in town she might go to a store or someplace after that person had checked it out,” Mandie said.
    “Yes, I suppose that’s a possibility,” Jonathan agreed.
    Mrs. Taft turned to look back at Mandie and said, “I believe we are nearing the farm. Now, Amanda, please don’t go running off somewhere out here. I don’t know how long we will stay, and I don’t want to have to waste time looking for you.”
    “Yes, ma’am,” Mandie replied. “I’ll be sure I’m some place where you can find me.”
    The property line of the farm fence came up along the road, and soon thereafter Ben pulled the rig to a stop at the gate, jumped down, opened it, and got back in to drive through. He stopped inside, got down to close the gate, and then drove the rig on toward the house.
    A huge old log cabin sat in the middle of a colorful flower garden edged with green shrubbery and gigantic trees. A wide porch ran the length of the front of the house and then turned toward the back down the left side.
    “So this is the farm,” Jonathan said, looking around as Ben parked the rig and everyone stepped down into the yard. “Must be an awfully big one.”
    “Oh, it is,” Mandie said, holding Snowball in her arms. “And they grow everything that can be grown in this part of the country.”
    Mrs. Taft and Uncle Ned walked ahead toward the porch. The young people followed.
    Just as they reached the steps, the front door came open and a huge old woman came out of the house to greet them.
    “Lawsy mercy, if it ain’t Miz Taft herself,” the woman said. “Welcome.”
    “Thank you, Aunt Pansy,” Mrs. Taft said. “How are you?”
    “I’se jes’ fine. Y’all come in de house now, ya hear?” the woman said, stepping back and motioning for everyone to go in.
    Snowball wriggled in Mandie’s arms, trying to get down, but she held him tight.
    “Let dat cat down in de house,” Aunt Pansy told her. “He ain’t gwine run away long as Fido is in de kitchen.” She laughed.
    Mandie unfastened his leash from his collar and set him down. He ran ahead of everyone into the house. “Snowball, please don’t get into any trouble now,” she said. Then she turned and introduced her friends, “Aunt Pansy, you know Celia here, and that’s Jonathan there and Joe there.”
    “Pleased to meet y’all, now. Git on into de house,” Aunt Pansy said.
    As soon as the woman turned to follow Mrs. Taft inside, Jonathan whispered to Mandie, “She sure is a big woman.”
    “Yes, and every ounce full of goodness,” Mandie