"It means he's crazy! The horses get crazy in the mountains from eating a weed by that name. That's the way with Mr. Longworth; he's been eating loco weed."
When the girls separated for the night they had made their plans to start the next day at eleven o'clock for a hike. That would give them plenty of time to hear anything that the detective might find out.
That evening Bet received a message from Mrs. Gordon. During the talk she told Bet that Phil was worrying himself sick over the theft of the fan.
"I know Phil wouldn't do it, Bet," his mother exclaimed.
"Of course he wouldn't. We girls have never blamed him, not even for a second. It's that silly detective! Don't worry about it. We'll find it, somehow!"
Bob Evans had gone away the day after the party and when he came back and heard the accusation against Phil, he was ready to fight.
"The very first person I met when I got off the train told me that Phil had stolen the fan belong to Colonel Baxter," he told Joy.
"No friend of mine would accuse Phil. The whole thing is ridiculous!"
"Why Edith Whalen said he was going to arrested within twenty-four hours!"
"Lots she knows about it! But if that detective had his way, he might be. I can't imagine anyone paying a man to be so stupid. We girls have told him again and again that Phil had nothing to do with it."
"Has Phil been asked up to the Manor since that happened?" asked Bob.
"No, I don't think so. He's been up several times but it has been with the detective or Chief Baldwin."
"Then you girls ought to ask him to go with you, just to show him and everybody else chat you don't believe a word of all this gossip! Phil wouldn't steal! I'd trust him with anything!"
But while Bob stormed and determined to clear his friend in some way, his efforts were not successful. He made it a point to have Phil with him wherever he went, but that did not clear the boy of suspicion.
The girls, as well as Bob, were anxious to do something for their friend, but as the fan had disappeared and there was no evidence left, they seemed to be getting nowhere. Bet and her chums were desperate.
The girls looked forward to the hike in the snow as a diversion that would rest their tired nerves and help them to see more clearly on their return.