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“How are they?”
    “They’ve been vacationing in California,” said Nancy, “but they’re coming home tomorrow.” She chuckled. “Won’t they be surprised when I tell them I have two mysteries they can help me solve!”
    Helen grinned. “It’s my guess they won’t be a bit surprised!”
    Presently Jim turned onto the side road which led to the lake. When they reached it, the setting sun had turned the water to a golden color. A few sailboats, silhouetted against the red sky, were heading toward shore.
    “What a lovely scene!” Nancy exclaimed.
    The road circled the lake and at one point branched onto a drive which led up the wooded hillside. The Comings’ modern house was nestled among the trees and rocks at the top, overlooking the water. The drive wound around it to a large flagstoned area, surrounded by shrubs. Jim parked the car there.
    “The front door is in the back,” Helen said with a laugh as she led the way to it and rang the bell.
    The door was opened by a middle-aged houseman with red hair. He wore neat dark trousers and a white jacket.
    “Hello, Morgan,” Helen said cheerfully. “How are you?”
    “All right, thank you,” he answered, but did not smile. Nancy wondered if he, too, was worried about the strange happenings here.
    Mrs. Corning hurried into the hall to greet her guests. She was a pretty woman, with short fluffy white hair, and just as petite as Helen. She took them into the big living room with a huge picture window.
    Mr. Corning rose from a chair. He was a tall man with a bold, aristocratic nose. Though he had to use a cane to support his frail-looking body, his dark eyes were alert and usually sparkled with humor. But now, Nancy noted, there was a strained expression on his face.
    “What is frightening the Cornings?” Nancy wondered.
    She had no hint until after dinner when the group returned to the living room. As the girls seated themselves in deep pumpkin-colored chairs, Mrs. Corning went to the picture window. She began to draw the soft beige draperies, shutting out the dark wooded hillside below and the few lights of houses on the opposite shore.
    “Oh, please leave the curtains open, Gram,” said Helen. “Let’s watch for the thing tonight. After all, that’s what Nancy’s here for.”
    “Thing?” Nancy repeated, leaning forward in her chair. “Please tell me about it.”
    “Of course,” said Mr. Corning. As his wife opened the curtains again, he began, “One night about two weeks ago, my wife and I were sitting here enjoying the view when we saw a large circle of blue fire at the bottom of the hill.”
    “Blue fire!” Nancy exclaimed.
    Mr. Corning nodded. “Yes, it’s a circle about as big as a car wheel and glows with an eerie blue fire. It’s approximately seven feet off the ground.”
    “Sounds weird,” Helen remarked.
    “How long did it last?” Nancy asked.
    “About five minutes—then vanished. The next night it came again—this time closer.”
    “We’ve seen the thing every night since,” put in Mrs. Corning. “It has come nearer each time. Somehow, I feel it is a threat.”
    “In the meantime,” her husband went on, “there have been strange happenings in the house. I want to show you something.” He arose unsteadily, then suddenly gasped. Seizing the chair back with one hand, he pointed with his cane out the huge window.
    “There’s that spooky blue flame again!”
    Nancy leaped to her feet. In the darkness of the woods, not far below the house, glowed a large blue fiery circle.
    “Helen! Jim!” Nancy exclaimed. “Let’s go see what it is!”
    “Be careful!” Mrs. Corning urged as the young people dashed from the room. The trio let themselves out the main door.
    “Helen and I will go to the right,” Nancy whispered. “Jim, you take the left. When we’re even with the light, let’s close in on it.”
    As Jim slipped away in the darkness, the girls went quietly down through the woods. The blue circle continued to burn