When the Wheelers arrived at the Manor House that night, she could see lights on at a homey little farm house down the hill from their grand house. Surrounded by Crabapple trees, the house stood humble and solid, as if generations had lived and loved there. Honey hardly slept that night in her new bedroom. She had thoughts of what the neighbor kids would think of her. They would want her to come out and do things with them, but Miss Trask would have to tell them that she wouldn�t be able to, because she was sick. Then what good would this move be? What good is anything when you can�t have fun doing it? Finally, after a night�s worth of turmoil, she fell sound asleep.

The movers were busy early Friday morning and Miss Trask directed it as well. She checked in with Regan to see if he needed any more help with the horses, but as usual, he had everything under control. Mr. Wheeler had hired two men to help Regan move equipment, but when it came down to moving the horses themselves, Regan insisted that he do it himself. Honey slowly walked down the new staircase to see the vast array of organized chaos created by the movers. Holding Bud in her arms, she wandered into the dining room where her father and mother sat eating breakfast.

�Regan has the horses ready,� Honey�s father informed her, �and Jupe�s going to prance his way right out of the stables if I don�t go exercise him. Do you want to go for a ride with me?�

�Sure, Daddy,� Honey smiled, setting Bud down, and took her place at the dining room table. �Mother, are you coming too?�

�I�m afraid not, Honey,� Mrs. Wheeler said as she lightly spread jam on her English muffin with the dainty silver spread knife. �I rode Lady this morning, so you two should go and have a nice ride together. There�s much to be seen on this property.�

After eating breakfast, Honey and Mr. Wheeler changed into riding habits and met at the stables. Mr. Wheeler was already saddling Jupiter by the time Honey reached the stables and Regan had Strawberry all ready for her.

�Thanks, Regan,� Mr. Wheeler grinned appreciatively at the young groom.

�No problem, Mr. Wheeler,� Regan smiled back at his boss, patting Jupiter�s neck. The sun glinted off his red hair and his green eyes sparkled. He turned to Honey and checked to make sure she had measured the stirrups correctly. �You remember to keep your heels down, Miss,� he reminded her.

Honey smiled at the handsome groom, immediately straightening her heels, pointing them downward. �Yes Regan.�

Mr. Wheeler turned Jupiter around and grinned. Lifting the reigns a little, he lightly nudged his horse into a walk, and Honey followed. As they headed through the game preserve and around the hollow, Mr. Wheeler turned to his daughter and smiled.

The slim, young girl�s cheeks were rosy with delight. �Daddy, this is perfect! Are we really going to stay here?�

�I hope so. Your mother thinks the house is wonderful and is looking forward to many garden parties.� Honey simply nodded as her father spoke. Garden parties were such a bore sometimes! �We have decided to keep the penthouse in the city too, just in case.�

�In case of what, Daddy?� Honey asked looking wide-eyed at her father.

�Well, now Honey,� her father gripped Jupiter�s reigns strongly as he pulled his gelding to a stop. �You know you�re mother is a very delicate person. If the winter season is too rough on her, we might have to move back to the city. I�m not sure if roads are plowed this far out, and if I need to be somewhere due to my business, I�ll need to be there in a hurry. I�ll also need to hire a chauffer, since neither Regan or myself can be shoveling my car out every time I need to make a run into town.� He stopped as his daughter�s face fell. �Now, Honey,� he took a hold of her gloved hand, �I really shouldn�t have told you this, because nothing�s for certain yet. The only thing that I know is for certain, is that I saw some color in those cheeks of yours and I aim to keep it that way.�

�I know, Daddy,� Honey sniffed. �I guess I�m just afraid you�ll make me go back to that awful boarding school. I love the idea that I will be able to go to a real school and actually be able to do things with children my own age. Aside from Miss Trask, I felt so alone at Briar Hall.�

Mathew Wheeler understood loneliness at boarding school, but there really wasn�t any other alternative, since his business frequently took him across the nation and around the world, and that meant that both Mrs. Wheeler and himself were rarely ever at home.

Jupiter gruffly whinnied and pranced. �He wants to run, but I�m not going to let him. Not until I know the area more, and it�s too hot for that.� Mr. Wheeler and his daughter headed through the rest of the game preserve, admiring the big shady trees and catching a glimpse of a deer or other woodland creatures. �I met our new neighbor, Mr. Belden, while opening a secondary account at the First International Bank in Sleepyside yesterday afternoon. He tells me he has a daughter who is just about your age, so I�m sure the two of you will become friends.�

Honey smiled at the idea of having friends. Neighbor children out in the country would want to ride bikes and play games. I never learned to ride a bike, nor did I know any games, she thought, I could invite them over to the lake to swim, I suppose, but they probably swim all the time here. I�m afraid I�ll just be a big bore to the neighbors.�

Following the trail through the game preserve, they found themselves coming out on Glen Road. �This looks as if it could be another trail, Honey,� her father nodded his head toward a wide dirt path, but as they followed the trail, they came up to a small clearing where an old abandoned mansion stood.

�Oh my,� Honey exclaimed as she pulled back on the reigns a little to stop Strawberry. Mr. Wheeler pulled Jupiter to a halt and stared at the house for a while. �What a horrid looking house! Do you think anyone lives here?�

�Probably not,� her father replied. �It looks as though no one has lived here for years. The paint is all chipped, the yard has been let go, and it�� Mr. Wheeler stopped abruptly. �Honey, there is someone living here, so I think we ought to go. We�re trespassing.�

�How do you know someone�s living here?� Honey asked, her face turning a shade pale.

He didn�t answer her right away, but just stared at the house. �There�s mail in the mail box,� he said at last as he turned Jupiter around and headed back down the path.

�I d..didn�t notice any mail box,� Honey stared at the house and shivered. �Horrible looking place anyway.� She turned Strawberry around and followed her father down the path that looked like it might have been a driveway. Suddenly, this eerie feeling came over her, something that told her she was not welcome. She felt eyes staring at her and let a cold shiver run up her spine. Strawberry felt it too. Timidly, she turned her head to take a glance back at the house and looked right into the eyes of a face staring through a dirty window at her and her father. Honey immediately nudged Strawberry into a canter and hurried out. She resolved to not tell her father about it since he had already decided that someone was living there. That very well could have been the owner staring at them, or it could have been her imagination, since the window was dirty. Still, it was a creepy feeling.

Regan was straightening the last of the stable supplies when Mr. Wheeler and Honey rode up. �Regan, I didn�t let Jupe into a run today,� Mr. Wheeler explained handing the reigns over to the redheaded groom. �This July heat is just too much.�

�Maybe later on tonight, I can take the old boy out for a run,� Regan spoke softly at the enormous black horse while taking Strawberry from Honey.

Mr. Wheeler hurried up the front stairs and through the wide doorway as Honey lingered a few steps behind. Inside, Miss Trask was helping Mrs. Wheeler with her bookkeeping and sorting out agendas and schedules. Briefly, Miss Trask looked up from her work to meet Honey�s eyes, and smiled at the young girl.

The servants were putting the final touches on Honey�s bedroom when she walked in. Bud, following her in, happily jumped on her sofa and excitedly squirmed around. �Is my bathroom ready yet?� she asked the petite blond maid named Celia.

�Yes, Miss Honey, everything is ready for you,� Celia grinned at her. Her clothing had been put away, organdy curtains neatly hung, and her vanity was tidily set up for her.

�Thank you, Celia,� Honey spoke softly as she hugged the little maid, �I just know I�m going to be so happy here! You must simply go out for a walk, Celia, the trees are gorgeous, and everything�s so fresh and green. Not all dirty like the city.�

�Oh, Miss Honey, I�ve been out here before,� Celia blushed a bit as she told her, �you see, my fianc�, Tom, lives in Sleepyside and works at The Cameo, the theatre you know.�

�How perfectly wonderful for you, Celia,� Honey cried, hugging the maid again. �I had no idea!� Honey left the maid�s side to wash up from her ride through the countryside that morning. Celia had pulled out a light white linen sundress and laid it out for her to change into. �Daddy told me about the neighbors next door and how they have a daughter my age,� she said as she pulled nylons out of her cherry wood dresser and slipped them on. Wistfully, she slipped her dress on and buckled her sandals.

Celia stood there smiling at the honey-haired girl. Even though she seemed happier already, Honey was still awfully sickly looking. �Tom has already told me about the Beldens. He�s known them for a long time, and he says they are a nice family. So you should be able to get along with them just fine.�

�I hope so,� Honey said smiling at the petite maid and headed for the door. �Thank you, Celia!� Celia stood in the doorway watching the young girl hurry down the hallway and down the stairs, with Bud close at her heals.

As Honey strolled out across the lush green lawn, she caught sight of the cute little white farmhouse down in the hollow. She smiled as she saw an attractive looking woman with blond hair working in the garden. She looked as if she didn�t mind the work at all, and actually liked gardening. Suddenly the front door opened and banged shut again as a little blond boy, about five or six years old came racing across their yard with a red setter hound following close behind. His run was cut short when a blond girl ran out of the house after him and took his hand, and together, they walked through the gate and headed up Glen Road toward the Manor House.

Honey walked down the driveway to meet them half way, when all of the sudden she realized that she had never formally introduced herself before. She had always thought about what she would say, if she should meet somebody, but she never had the opportunity. She practiced a short introduction in her head before reaching the girl and boy. Buddy, sensing Honey�s guests, raced down the driveway to meet them before her. The other dog seemed to ignore Buddy and broke out into a run directly at Honey.

Fear struck a nerve inside her as she stood perfectly still and turned a pale white. She had never dealt with such an animal before and didn�t quite know what to expect. This wasn�t like Strawberry or Lady, whom she could handle, or Buddy, who might respond to a command, but this was different. He seemed to be barking furiously at her and running circles around her. Trying not to make eye contact with the dog, she looked right up into the eyes of the neighbor girl.

�Don�t pay any attention to him,� the young girl said upon seeing Honey�s expression. �He�s just showing off. He wouldn�t hurt a fly. I�m Trixie Belden. My kid brother and I live down in the hollow in that little white frame house, Crabapple Farm, you know.�

Trying to remember what she had prepared for her introduction, Honey stared from Trixie to the young boy, back and forth. The encounter with their dog gave her enough of a fright that she forgot what she was supposed to say. Suddenly she remembered.

�How do you do?� she said, holding out her slender hand. �My name is Honey, Honey Wheeler.� Trixie didn�t answer her right away, but just simply shook her hand. Oh no, she thinks I�m a priss! Here I am all dressed up in these silly old clothes while she�s allowed to wear dungarees! She�ll never want to do anything with me!

�Do you ride horseback?� Trixie asked, slightly looking past her new neighbor up to the stables where the young redheaded groom was tidying up around outside.

�Oh yes,� Honey smiled at her. �Do you?�

Trixie shook her head. �No, but I want to learn like anything. The only thing I have to ride is a babyish old bike. But I�m earning the money to buy a horse just as soon as I can.�

�A bike?� Honey asked her feeling her smile grow wider and wider. �I wish I had a bike. Mother wouldn�t let me have one in the city because of the traffic and the rest of the time I was at boarding school and camp where they�re not allowed.� Then an idea struck her and she timidly took a step towards Trixie. �I�ll teach you how to ride horseback, then perhaps you would show me how to ride a bike.�

Trixie�s eyes grew big and she bounced with delight so much that her short sandy-blond curls bounced with her. �That�s great! Let�s get started right away. I mean the horseback part. I can teach you how to ride a bike any time.� Turning to her younger brother Bobby, who was frolicking with Buddy, she insisted that he go home and play in the sand pile, but the little boy ignored his sister and looked up at Honey.

�Are you rich? Hey! What�s it like to be rich?� Bobby grinned up at her.

Honey, seeing Trixie�s embarrassment at such a question, simply smiled at him. �It�s not nice at all, Bobby. I can�t remember when I didn�t want to be like other people.� Turning to Trixie she explained, �When I was little, my nurses never let me play outside the way you and Bobby do. I was never able to go anywhere by myself for fear of getting kidnapped.� Feeling a load of depression sitting on her shoulders, she tearfully admitted to Trixie that she hardly ever saw her parents unless she was sick. �And now they�ve bought this big old place just for me. But what good is anything if you�re never allowed to have any fun?�

Trixie put her husky arm around Honey�s slender shoulders and said, �I never thought about it like that. I always thought it would be wonderful to have a lot of money.� Suddenly, Trixie�s face brightened as she turned Honey around and pointed across the hollow to where the rundown mansion stood. �See that big old gray and yellow house on the opposite hill? A crazy old man lives there all alone. Dad took him to the hospital this morning so this is a swell time to explore. I�ve always wanted to see what the inside of the house was like.�

Honey, shocked at what she just heard, gasped as she stared at her new neighbor. �Trixie Belden! You wouldn�t really break into somebody�s house and�and�� Her voice trailed off as she just realized what country people were like. They didn�t have any scruples when it came to other people�s belongings. They just came and went as they pleased. This is just as bad as people in the city!

Trixie merely grinned and said, �Of course not. Old Mr. Frayne would probably have me thrown in jail if I did such a thing. But there�s no reason why we couldn�t peek in through a window.� As if that is any different, Honey thought. �You know what they say in the village? They say there�s a half a million dollars hidden there. Let�s go!� Trixie took a hold of Honey�s arm and tugged it with delight.

�I wouldn�t go near that creepy old place,� Honey said, taking a stand. �And I don�t believe there�s any money hidden in there. The house is practically falling to pieces and it hasn�t been painted in ages.�

�How do you know that?� Trixie demanded from her. �You can�t see it that clearly from here.�

Honey explained how she and her father were there earlier that morning and when they realized they were trespassing, they turned around and came back home. Trixie�s face dropped as she bent over and pretended to tie her shoelace. It was obvious to Honey that Trixie was disappointed because her new friend wouldn�t go explore the mansion with her. She probably thinks I�m silly and nothing but a ninny, but I don�t care. That�s snooping and we could be arrested for that.

�Of course,� Trixie said coldly, �a lot of people think that Mr. Frayne went crazy after his wife died and lost all his money. Anyway, I�m going to look around there while Mr. Frayne�s in the hospital. You don�t have to if you don�t want to.�

Suddenly, a thought occurred to Honey. Mr. Frayne was in the hospital, so who was there at the mansion? �Are you sure he�s in the hospital?� she asked her new friend.

Trixie straightened up and looked at Honey as if to say, Of course I�m sure, you silly old nit, but instead, �Of course. Dad took him in early this morning. He�s not expected to live.�

�That�s funny, because Daddy and I were there about an hour ago. As we left, I got one of those creepy feelings you get when you know somebody is watching you. I looked back over my shoulder and saw a face at one of the windows.� Honey shivered slightly. �I�m sure that house is haunted!�

Trixie started laughing and accused her of making things up. Honey bit her lip and tried to come to her own defense. �Naturally, I don�t believe in ghosts,� Yes you do, silly, or you never would have said the house was haunted, �but I did see a face at the window.�

�Oh skip it,� Trixie said quickly, �if you�re really scared, I�ll explore up there myself some other time. Right now, I can hardly wait to get on a horse.�

So she does think of me as a wimp, just because I won�t go explore around in someone�s house with her. Maybe she�ll forget about it once she gets on a horse.

�Go on and change into some dungarees,� Trixie said giving her a little push.

Hating to admit it, Honey shamefacedly replied, �But I haven�t any dungarees. I always wear a habit and boots when I ride.�

�What difference does it make what you wear?� Trixie said, and then told Bobby to go home, but he protested.

�Bobby doesn�t have to go home, Trixie,� Honey said smiling. �He can stay here with my governess, Miss Trask. She won�t mind keeping an eye on him. She�s really very nice, you know.�

Just then, Miss Trask appeared around the bend in the driveway and caught sight of the two girls and Bobby, who was still frolicking with Buddy. �What have we here?� she asked. �So you�ve found some playmates already, Honey?�

Honey beamed at her governess and introduced Trixie and Bobby. �We were just about to go riding.� Honey kept smiling as Trixie meekly shook hands with her governess, but then Bobby spoke up.

�Hey,� the little boy said gesturing at Honey, �She said you�d keep an eye on me while they go �splore. Trixie�s s�posed to, you know, instead of weeding, but I won�t tell if you play games with me.�

Seeing Trixie�s embarrassment once again because of her little brother, Honey could only smile. Gee, it must be wonderful having a little brother, or any brother for that matter! Miss Trask simply extended her hand to the little boy and agreed to play games with him.

�Run along, Honey,� Miss Trask smiled at her, �and have a nice ride through the woods with your new friend.� Honey happened to notice Miss Trask�s smile of approval at the way Trixie was dressed. �Now that we�re in the country, you really ought to dress the way Trixie does. I�ll speak to your mother right away about getting you some blue jeans and loafers.�

Honey could barely believe her ears! Blue jeans? Loafers? Fantastic! �Oh Miss Trask, will you? You�re such an angel. Will you also ask her if I can have a bike, too? Trixie�s going to teach me how to ride one.� Miss Trask nodded and Honey bolted off toward the house to change back into her riding clothes.

Maybe Trixie�s not really all that bad after all. She just wants to do something with me, that�s all. Oh, I�m afraid I may not be of much fun. Reaching the top of the staircase and walking into her room, she couldn�t help but think about that face she saw, and how Trixie had made fun of her. She�s a friendly and outgoing person, but I know what I saw, and what I saw was a face staring at me. She tried not to think anymore of it while she dressed in her riding clothes.

When she reached the stables, Trixie was already walking Lady while Regan was instructing her. She could see the excitement in Trixie�s face as she remembered her excitement the first time she ever rode a horse by herself. Regan handed Lady�s reigns to Honey while he saddled up Strawberry. While guiding Trixie around the fenced in field, Honey learned about some of the legends of the area, like The Headless Horseman. Honey shuddered to think of such a thing. How frightening to see something as creepy and hideous as that barreling towards you on a big horse!

For a while, walked around the coral in silence. �Do I have to keep walking Lady forever?� Trixie asked her impatiently.

�I guess you could try trotting now,� Honey answered as she instructed her in picking up Lady�s speed. Trixie was doing just fine until her feet slipped out of the stirrups and the irons bounced into Lady�s sides, making her go faster. Next thing Honey knew, Trixie was laying on the ground, flat on her back, and Lady had stopped. Quickly, Honey hurried to steady Lady. I remember the first time I fell of a horse, and how I thought everyone would be laughing at me. �Everyone does that the first time, Trixie. Anyway, I�m glad you�re not hurt,� Honey said as Trixie scrambled to her feet and brushed the dirt off her clothes.

Just then Regan came into the corral, leading Strawberry over to Honey. She stuck her left foot in the stirrup and hoisted herself up on top of the beautiful strawberry roan. Honey blushed as she realized Trixie was watching her and asked Regan if she�d ever be that good. Perfect, Trixie�s a beginner and this is how I make her feel welcome: by showing off. She�s learning quickly, though, and I�ll try to be more supportive. If I keep showing her up, she may lose interest in horseback riding. From the way she was talking, it sounds as if she�s lived her whole life to ride.

Soon the girls were on their way. They walked down the hill of the Wheeler�s property towards their lake. �Oh boy!� Trixie shouted, �Now we can fish in the middle of the lake. You�re a lucky duck to live up here, Honey!�

�I don�t know how to fish,� Honey replied, �and I wouldn�t touch a horrible squirming worm for anything!� Sissy! She�s never going to do anything with me if I keep on acting like a wimp all the time! Honey vowed to herself that she would try to be more willing to do things with her new friend without reacting all the time.

Quickly, Trixie came to her rescue and said that she�d handle the worms. They talked about winter activities that Trixie and her brothers could do up at Honey�s house with her. She told Honey about the previous years when Trixie and her older brothers, Brian and Mart, would go sledding down the hill and ice-skating on the lake. Soon they were deep into the woods and, against Honey�s will, heading for the old rundown mansion. When they arrived at the boundary line between the game preserve and Old Mr. Frayne�s property, Trixie slid out of the saddle and suggested they go through the underbrush.

�I wouldn�t dare crawl through that underbrush,� Honey said as she expertly dismounted. �It�s probably alive with snakes!� Snakes! Snakes had always been a frightening thought to Honey as she had many dreams about them. Trixie paid no attention to her and went under the hedge. Honey, forcing herself to follow Trixie, picked her way through. Trixie was rambling about Mrs. Frayne and a summer home, but when she mentioned something about a copperhead, Honey stopped dead in her tracks.

�Copperhead! Are there copperheads around here?�

�Sure� Trixie said as she shrugged and kept going.

�I can�t stand snakes,� Honey shivered, �and copperheads are poisonous. I wouldn�t want to be bitten.�

�You won�t be.� Trixie kept pushing ahead as if Honey�s fear of snakes didn�t concern her.

Slap! A vine came swinging around and smacked Honey right on the face. �Didn�t you just say that Mrs. Frayne got bitten?�

�That was in the summerhouse, and that seems to have disappeared. Anyway, it was one of those things that happen once in a lifetime.�

�Once is enough,� Honey said with a nervous giggle. It happens �once in a lifetime� because once is all you get. Honey proceeded to pick her way through the hedge, cautious of snakes, and taking ginger steps. Suddenly, the underbrush erupted with loud squawking as something black and angry flapped against Honey�s legs. Screaming in terror, she frantically reached for Trixie�s arm.

Honey wasn�t the only one startled, as Trixie stopped dead in her tracks and stood still with freight. Then, Trixie relaxed and started to laugh. �Its just Queenie, Mr. Frayne�s game hen. Come on!� With Honey still clinging to her, Trixie led them through the hedge into the clearing where the rundown mansion stood. �You know, Honey it�s a good thing we got out of there when we did. In another minute, she would have flown in our faces. Good thing you had your boots on too, or else she would have scratched your legs plenty.�

�Oh please, Trixie,� Honey pleaded, �let�s go back home. She may come back any minute.�

Trixie started laughing, and Honey felt a little ashamed at herself for being scared of a hen. �Don�t be such a fraidy-cat, Honey. She wouldn�t have come near us if she hadn�t thought we were after her eggs. She must have a nest somewhere around here. Don�t worry though. Queenie won�t come back.� Trixie ran up to a window and peeked in, while Honey reluctantly followed.

Knowing full well that she should take a stand against Trixie�s actions, a small inkling inside made her curiosity well up. Why would someone who has enough money to live in such a big house, not take care of it? Who could stand to live in such a mess? I guess I�d go crazy as well if I lived here. The walls inside were covered with mold, and there was junk all over the place. The room was piled high with old newspapers, tin cans, and cardboard cartons. Stacked on tables were dirty bottles and jars.

�I�ll bet those boxes and cans and jars are all full of money,� Trixie whispered. �I wish we dared go inside.�

Looking at all the junk and the mold, made Honey think of two things: spiders and rats. She looked around and realized that this window faced the driveway, and very well could have been the window she had seen the ghostly face.

Trixie�s face fell when Honey protested. �Did you really and truly see someone, Honey? Are you sure you weren�t just imagining?�

�Cross my heart and hope to die. Someone or something was staring at Daddy and I.�

Trixie looked thoughtful. �It might have been a tramp, and one way to find out is if any of the doors or windows are unlocked. If there are, we ought to lock them to make sure nobody breaks in here while Mr. Frayne is in the hospital.�

While Trixie ran up the front steps and checked the doorknob, Honey began to see Trixie�s point, but was still hesitant to just break in, even with good intentions. Trixie ran around the house and tried each of the windows. They were all locked except for the first window on the east side of the house. That one opened rather easily.

�I�ll have to go in and lock it from the inside,� Trixie said as she hoisted herself through the window.

�Then how will you get out again?� Honey demanded. She hoped that this wouldn�t work. She really wanted to be going for a walk, or learning to ride a bike, but instead, she was helping her new friend break into an old man�s house.

�The key to the back door is probably in the lock,� Trixie said quietly through the window to Honey. �After I�ve checked all the windows, I�ll let myself out that way, then lock the back door from the outside and give Dad the key to keep for Mr. Frayne. Come on in and help me.�

�I don�t think we ought to go in,� Honey said again, �It�s against the law.�

Trixie�s expression changed from a smile to one of irritation and exasperation. �I�m not breaking any law, I�m only doing what any neighbor would do for another. If Mr. Frayne were conscious, he�d probably ask us to make sure his house was all locked up.� She looked up at the hedge behind Honey. �You�d better climb inside. That hen might come back any minute.�

Glancing fearfully over her shoulder, Honey nodded at Trixie. �I guess you�re right. It wouldn�t be neighborly to leave the place unlocked.� Trixie had sold her on the idea of coming inside by saying that she�s only doing the neighborly thing, but she felt Trixie was trying too hard by mentioning Queenie again. Honey remembered that Trixie reassured her that Queenie wouldn�t come back, now she said that she would. Even still, she didn�t want another encounter with the hen. Honey gingerly climbed up on the window ledge and swung her legs inside. Then a thought occurred to her. What if the tramp is still inside?

Trixie shrugged when Honey asked her about it. �Then we�ll tell him to get out or we�ll call the police. Come on, let�s be sure the key is in the back door before we check the windows.�

Trixie�s plan sounded logical, so Honey followed her through the cluttered room, which had once been a luxurious study. The paintings on the walls were covered with thick dust, and the large roll-top desk was covered in white fuzzy mold. The house was quiet. Too quiet. Honey stopped instantly as she heard Trixie gasp in surprise. What? What was it? The tramp? She knew that a field mouse didn�t bother Trixie, so it must be something else, something more dangerous. Honey followed her gaze through the filthy living room, to a beaten old mattress lying on the floor, and on that mattress, was a tall, redheaded boy sound asleep. In his hand was a shotgun, and beside his head was a silver christening mug.

Honey began shaking as she realized who this person was. �That must be the face I saw this morning!� she gasped.

�At least it wasn�t a ghost,� Trixie giggled at Honey, then turning back to the boy she whispered, �I wonder who in the world he could be? He must be about Brain�s age. Fifteen, don�t you think?�

How can she be so calm? Honey absentmindedly nodded, even though she wasn�t really paying attention to Trixie�s statement. �Suppose he wakes up and finds us here? He might shoot us with that awful looking gun.�

Trixie�s eyes zeroed in on the shotgun, but decided to take a closer look. The christening mug looked interesting to her, and it might have an inscription on it. Honey became paralyzed as she watched Trixie creep towards the boy. Suddenly, a floorboard creaked, sending a startled Trixie into a tall stack of books. The books swayed back and forth for the longest two seconds in history, and with a loud crashing sound, fell to the floor, releasing mounds of dust. Within an instant, the boy went from sound asleep to sitting up, aiming the gun right at the two girls. He showed no sign of friendliness, nor did he put the gun down when he saw it was two harmless girls. Honey stared into his suspicious green eyes and opened her mouth slightly to say something, but only silent air came out.

Finally, she found her voice. �Oh, please don�t shoot us!� she sobbed. �We didn�t mean to spy on you. Really we didn�t!�

Frowning, the redheaded boy set his jaw and glared at the two trespassers. �What are you doing here? You have no business in this house.�

You�re right, we don�t. We�ll be leaving now. Good day. But Honey stood stock-still.

�Neither have you!� Trixie said hotly to the young boy. Honey could barely believe her ears and eyes. Trixie! What are you doing? You�re talking back to a boy who is going to shoot us!!! �This place belongs to Mr. James Winthrop Frayne, our neighbor. My father took him to the hospital this morning. We were just checking to be sure all the doors and windows were locked. But you,� she narrowed her eyes and said tartly through her teeth, �seem to have moved right in!�

Without taking his eyes off the girls for one second, he slowly got to his feet, still aiming the gun at them. �Which hospital? Why?� He wasn�t too sure of them.

�The Sleepyside Hospital,� Trixie put her hands on her hips. �He�s got pneumonia and he�s half starved too. Not,� she added with a shake of her head that made her curls bounce, �that it�s any of your business, but the doctors don�t think he�ll get well.�

At Trixie�s remarks to the boy, Honey desperately wanted to turn and run right through the window that she came in through, but when he dropped his shoulders and laid the gun down, she sensed something different in his stature at the time, but he didn�t let his guard down.

�I thought he was dead,� he said looking down at his gun. �When I got here this morning, and found the place filled with junk, I figured Uncle James must have died a long time ago.�

�Uncle James!� Trixie blurted out. �Was, or I mean is Mr. Frayne your uncle?�

He didn�t say anything, but just simply reached down next to the mattress and picked up the silver christening cup that Trixie had tried to read before. He held it up to Trixie so she could see the inscription clearly.

�James Winthrop Frayne II,� she read, sounding rather surprised.

The boy felt as if he should explain. �You see, I walked most of the way from Albany to find him, but I guess I got here too late.� He looked around as if he was scoping the place out. �Well, I�ll stick around for a while anyway. There�s a vegetable patch outside, and plenty of chickens and rabbits.� Then he narrowed his eyes and looked from Trixie to Honey and back again, and said fiercely, �And if you girls tell anyone I�m here, I�ll fix you good.�

Honey stood there glued to the floor. She was at a loss for words. He�he just threatened to kill us! Trixie, we really should get out of here!

�We�re not tattletales!� Trixie countered his threat. She�s not the least bit frightened of him. She�s treating him as if he were just a harmless little field mouse.

At last, Honey found her voice. �What about your father and mother?�

His threatening voice turned into one of sorrow. �I haven�t any family except Uncle James.� Now a look of hurt and dismay come across his face. �I�ve got a stepfather if you can call him that. And if he finds out where I am, he�ll drag me back to his farm and beat me and make me slave from morning till night without pay.� As he spoke, he raised his voice and became more determined and adamant, and tensely gripped the handle of the mug until his knuckles turned stark white. �I tell you I won�t go back and nobody�s going to make me. See?�

All the while he spoke, Honey began to feel sympathy well up inside her for him. Sure she felt a little abused at times because of Miss Lefferts, and having to live at Briar Hall, and stay at all those silly girl�s camps, she never had to endure routinely beatings, slave work, nor did she have abusive parents. She began to feel thankful for the parents she did have. Sure they might have been gone most of the time, but at least they never beat her mercilessly.

Honey could stand it no longer. Impulsively, she cried, �Of course you don�t have to go back. You can come home and live with my family. My father�ll adopt you. I�ve always wanted a brother and Daddy�s got lots of money so you can have a horse and a dog and anything else you want. Nobody�ll ever beat you again!�

Trixie interrupted her and offered to have him stay with them because she has brothers already his age. But Trixie, you have brothers already. What about me? I don�t have any. What I wouldn�t give for a little brother like Bobby, or an older one like him!

The boy just laughed at the girls� remarks. �Gee you two are being funny,� he sneered. �Arguing over who�s going to have me. Stop your kidding! One would think you really meant it.�

�But I do mean it!� both girls shouted at once.

The boy�s sarcastic grin sobered as he realized the girls were serious. �I believe you do. Nobody�s been nice to me since my mother died two years ago and I guess I�ve forgotten how to act with decent people.� He gave the girls a welcoming smile, something he hadn�t done for two years, and extended his hand. �Shake. My name�s Jim. What�s yours?�

Trixie firmly gripped his hand. �I�m Trixie Belden, and I live down in the hollow at Crabapple farm.�

Honey let her hand go limp in his, as if she was expecting him to lightly kiss it, as she had seen gentlemen do to her mother and other high society women. Instead he vigorously shook it just like he did Trixie�s. �And I�m Honey Wheeler. I just moved into the large house on the hill.�

Author�s Notes: The dialogue between Honey, Trixie, and Jim is NOT mine. Some of it was copied and some of it was paraphrased out of Secret of the Mansion. The only difference was that this is all from Honey�s point of view, not Trixie�s. I�m not too worried about it, though, since I�m not making any profit off of this. All the names in this chapter are not mine, I don�t own them. My deepest and sincerest apologies for any infringement rights I might trample on, and all that sorts of stuff. J Oh, by the way, there is no Carol Parker Academy for Girls in Southampton, NY. I made that up.

Thanks to Mary for proof reading! You�re a doll!