“Are we on the right track, Mr. Symarian?” Josh asked.
“I’m sorry,” said the teacher. “But I really cannot comment. I’m afraid that any advice from me at this point would simply negate your fine efforts.”
“Well,” Josh replied with a grin, “at least now we know that our efforts are fine.”
“Perhaps I have said too much already.” Mr. Symarian said. “These things must be handled delicately, or you hurt the spell.”
“Margaret Hamilton!” Jenny said.
“Pardon me?” the teacher said, “Why did you just say ‘Margaret Hamilton’?”
“She played the Wicked Witch of the West in ‘The Wizard of Oz’. You were quoting her.” Jenny explained. “You mean to tell me, after all your talk about the ‘classics’, that you don’t know who Margaret Hamilton was?”
“I am afraid my knowledge of Hamiltons runs more to Edith than to Margaret.”
“I would’ve bet ten bucks you were going to say Alexander,” Josh said.
“Sorry to disappoint,” the teacher sniffed. “In any case, I cannot see how this is relevant to our current situation. I believe that it would be best for me to remain silent until you have solved the riddle.”
“He didn’t get that one either,” Jenny said to Josh, grinning. “Maybe we really are better off doing this on our own.”