"Good-bye, my dear, for the present," murmured Miss Townsend, "and I hope you and your mother and your brother will--be happy--here," she choked on the words and Nancy had an impression of impending tears. "We wouldn't have sold out, we _shouldn't_ have sold out, but for Elmer Townsend's foolishness." Back went the proud head until the lace collar on Sarah Townsend's neck was jerked out of place, a rare thing indeed to happen to that prim lady. "Good-bye," said Nancy gently, "and come again, Miss Townsend." "Yes, yes, dear, I shall." CHAPTER II DINNER DIFFICULTIES Nancy jerked her cretonne apron first one way and then the other. Then she kicked out a few steps, still pondering. When Nancy was thinking seriously she had to be acting. This brought her to the conclusion that she should hurry out to the porch and look after Miss Townsend, but she had decided upon that move too late, for the lady in the voile dress was just turning the corner into Bender Street. Nancy's face was a bed of smiles. They were tucked away in the corners of her mouth, they blinked out through her eyes and were having lots of fun teasing her two deep cheek dimples. She was literally all smiles. "What a lark! Won't Ted howl? The dog and the--the chimney secret," she chuckled. "And dogs know. You can't fool them." She came back into the store and gazed ruefully at the squatty stove that mutely stood guard. "I don't suppose mother will want that left there all summer," Nancy further considered. "It might just as well be put out in the shed, and the store would look lots better." She could not help thinking of Miss Townsend's strange visit. The lady was unmistakably worried, and her worry surely had to do with the Whatnot Shop. "But I do hope we don't run into any old spooky stories about this place," Nancy pondered, "for mother hates that sort of thing and so do I--if they're the foolish, silly kind," she admitted, still staring at the questionable fireplace. "What-ever can Miss Townsend want to be around here for? No hidden treasures surely, or she would say so and start in to dig them up," decided the practical Nancy. The clock struck one! "One o'clock!" she said this aloud. "Of course it isn't," laughed the girl. "That clock has been going since the moving and it hasn't unpacked its strike carefully. But, just the same, it must be eleven o'clock, and as for the morning's work! However shall I catch up?" One hour later Ted was in looking for lunch. He had been out "exploring" and had, he explained, met some fine fellows who were "brigand scouts." "I'm goin' to join," he declared. "They're goin' to let me in and I'm goin' to bring a lot of my things over to the den." "Den?" questioned Nancy. "Where's that?" "Secret," answered Ted. "An' anyhow, it isn't for girls." This was said in a pay-you-back manner that Nancy quickly challenged.