Part 16 (1/2)

”We'll tell you all about it on the way home,” Nancy said, as Ned took her arm and helped her into the car.

Burt and Dave grinned. ”Why didn't you two tell us you were going to ride around all of Lancaster County by yourselves on a horse?”

”How were we to know?” Ned joked.

As they rode toward the Glick farm, Nancy surprised the others by saying that she and Ned had actually come to the dance hours before.

”You heard about our little accident,” she said. ”Well, Ned and I chased the horse and caught him. We were so close to the dance that we thought we'd just ride him there and make arrangements to pick up the carriage later.

”After we tethered the horse and were walking to the barn, we noticed an Amish carriage and a black horse some distance away from the others. My curiosity got the better of me and I decided to take a look. No one was in the carriage, but in the back was some furniture that looked like the stolen Follett pieces.”

”What!” Bess and George cried in unison.

Nancy smiled. ”At least I thought so, and later I found out I was right. Well, we waited around to see if Roger Hoelt was in the vicinity. In a few minutes a man came sneaking around the side of the barn, as if he had been spying on the dancers.”

”I guess he was looking for you, Nancy,” Burt put in. ”Was he Roger Hoelt?”

”No. The man came to the carriage, got in, and drove off.”

Ned chuckled. ”And you know Nancy!” he said. ”She decided he was a pal of Hoelt's. And of course she wanted to follow him. So we did!”

He told the rest of the story and the others listened in amazement.

Upon reaching the Glicks', they found that the cobbler and his wife were still up. The couple were overjoyed to see Nancy and Ned and insisted on hearing the whole story.

When it was finished, Mrs. Glick said, ”How good that you are safe. And you must be hungry. We will have a little bite to eat. You will all sleep better.”

As she started toward the stove, Mr. Glick raised his hand. ”That is good, Mama,” he said. ”But first, we will say a prayer of thanks for the safe return of our guests.”

The group bowed their heads and he said a short prayer in German. At its conclusion everyone kept his head bowed in silence for nearly a minute. Each, in his own words, added a personal thanks for the safe return of Nancy and Ned. Then, after they had all eaten a hearty midnight snack, everyone went to bed.

After breakfast the following morning, the boys announced that they must leave for their summer jobs. Each declared that he had crowded a lot of fun and excitement into the short visit.

”I'm sorry you can't stay long enough to solve the whole mystery, Ned,” Nancy said. ”You've been a big help.”

After the girls had waved good-by to the boys from the lane, they went into the house to help Mrs. Glick with the household ch.o.r.es. As they worked, Nancy remarked that she wanted to start out soon and continue the search for Roger Hoelt.

Mrs. Glick's face fell. ”I was hoping you would go to Mrs. Stoltz's quilting with me,” she said. ”It is for her daughter.”

When Nancy asked her about the ”quilting,” Mrs. Glick explained that an Amish woman spends many years before her marriage making articles for her new home.

”You mean that they know ahead of time whom they are going to marry?” Bess asked, wide-eyed.

The woman laughed. ”Oh, no,” she said. ”But Amish people like to be ready for the future. After a girl is asked in marriage, it is not long before the wedding takes place. She has to have her dowry ready.” Mrs. Glick looked steadfastly at the three girls. ”Have you made no preparations for your weddings?”

The girls blushed scarlet and confessed that they had not even thought of a dowry. Mrs. Glick shook her head sadly. ”You should not stay leddich too long,” she said.

Noting her listeners' puzzled expressions, she translated, ”That means not married. Ned, Burt, and Dave are such nice yuungmaane.”

”Yes,” said Bess, ”they are nice young men, but none of us is ready to marry yet.”