"What kind?"

"Vanilla," Bess replied with a twinkle. "With hot fudge sauce."

"Coming right up," said Eddie.

Nancy and George said they would take the same. As they were being served, Cecily came from the booth and sat down at the table.

Eddie stared at her. "I'm glad you came in," he said. "The record you ordered is here." He grinned. "You owe me a dollar."

Cecily in turn stared at him in amazement. "I've never been in your shop before," she said. "This is the second time I've been mistaken for another girl. I'd certainly like to meet her!"

Eddie looked bewildered. "Well, if you say so, it must be true." He shook his head. "But you two girls sure look alike."

"Where does the girl live?" Nancy asked.

Eddie shrugged. "She didn't say. Just told me she'd be back. Say, the record's nifty-Niko Van Dyke's latest."

His listeners were astounded. Cecily cried out, "Niko's record! Why, he-I-" She did not finish the sentence.

The girls did not explain to Eddie, but Nancy asked if he would mind playing the record. "And if you have another, I'll buy it."

"I have plenty now. They sell like hot cakes. I can't keep 'em on hand long." He went into a back room.

Cecily was blinking furiously, on the verge of tears. She explained to the girls that she had failed again to reach the Waynes or Niko. "I'm so worried," she said. "He may be really angry. I wish I could see him!"

Nancy said soothingly, "I am sure you will soon."

Eddie came back with a record and played it for them. The girls listened intently to the Flying Dutchmen's number and at the end voted it an excellent piece.

"It's Niko's best," said Eddie. "He must be making a pile of money!"

A pained expression came over Cecily's face and George quickly suggested she have some ice cream. "Thanks, but I'm-I'm not hungry," said the red-haired girl.

When the others had finished eating, Nancy picked up the record and they left. George, who was ahead of the others, stopped to look in a shop next door. It was called the Gift Emporium. She called her friends' attention to the display window. In it, hanging as a wall plaque, was an ornamental iron bird.

"This gives me an idea," said George. "Let's ask if there's an ironmonger around here. He might still have some information in old files of an iron bird having been made long ago for Pudding Stone Lodge."

Cecily brightened at once. "That's a great idea, George," she said. "We can start inquiring tomorrow."

After this, Cecily acted more like her animated self and conversation was lively and cheerful on the way home.

As they were about to unlock the door to the cottage, Bess, who was facing the lake, gave a scream. "Listen! Look!"

The others turned in her direction. They could hear a ship's bell ringing! Up at the misty end of the lake, the girls were startled to see an old-time excursion launch, brightly lighted. It moved slowly, as if against a buffeting wind.

Passengers, dressed in clothes of the early 1900's, walked about freely. They were talking and laughing.

"The phantom ship!" Cecily said in a hushed voice.

The girls' hearts began to beat faster. Could they believe their eyes? Was the story true? But where did the ghost ship come from?

Bess stuttered nervously, "I-I h-hope it doesn't come down here!"

Suddenly from the phantom craft came a scream of terror. The launch began to list. The next second all the lights went out and the boat vanished!

CHAPTER VII.

The Bull's-Eye Window

BESS shrieked as the phantom launch disappeared underwater. "I've-I've never believed in ghosts," she said shakily, "but now I'm afraid I do!"

George looked at her scornfully. "Ghosts, nothing! There must be some logical explanation."

Cecily had little to say except that she was mighty glad the girls were with her. "I would have been terrified staying here alone!" she added. "I don't blame Henry Winch a bit for wanting to move."

Nancy suggested they go to bed early. "I don't believe the ghost ship will bother us," she said reassuringly.

The young sleuth did not say anything to the others but determined to get up early and investigate the far end of the lake to see if she could pick up any dues to the weird apparition. She awoke at daylight, dressed quickly, and slipped out of the cottage. Nancy followed the path along the water, and crossed the beach below the lodge. Then she set off through the woods. As she reached the area of fog, Nancy saw a swampy stretch before her.

"It won't hurt me to slosh through," she said to herself gamely. Holding her shoes, she waded in. "Why, the water's warm!" Her theory that there were probably hot springs in that section of the lake had proved to be correct.

The swamp was about three hundred feet long. It was more treacherous than Nancy had bargained for and she found herself floundering and slipping until she was soaking wet. The girl detective smiled.

"This is a crazy procedure," she told herself. "I haven't picked up one single clue, and what a mess I am!"

Nevertheless, Nancy pushed on and after a while reached dry land. The trees were thick here, but just beyond them was a large, relatively cleared area, with scrubby bushes and tall grass as well as a few saplings.

In the center of the clearing stood the tumble-down remains of an old-fashioned bandstand. Nancy examined the platform and the storage area underneath, but found nothing to suggest an answer to the phantom ship.

Disappointed, she turned back and reached the cottage just as the other girls were getting up. They stared at her.

Nancy grinned. "Yes, I know I'm a sight. But it was all in the cause of trying to solve the mystery of that phantom ship. However, I learned absolutely nothing." She added laughingly, "It must rise out of the water, after all."

The others knew she was teasing and were sorry she had found no explanation. Cecily remarked, "I'll never feel completely safe here until that mystery is cleared up. Nancy, do you have some theory about it?"

The girl detective shrugged. "I've been wondering about those people at Pudding Stone Lodge. This ghost-ship business started after they moved there."

"You mean they could be connected in some way with the mirage or whatever it is?" asked George.

Nancy looked thoughtful. "It's a possibility. Anyhow, I'd like to do some investigating in the area of the lodge. Please don't mind if I skip helping with the dishes."

"Do you think you'll be safe alone?" Cecily asked fearfully.

Nancy assured her she would be and said she might be able to hide among the trees better if she were alone. She changed into dry clothes, and directly after eating, set off.

This time, Nancy chose a vantage point on the side of the house which faced the lake. Her attention was drawn to a third-floor window, called a bull's-eye window because of its roundness and small size.