Part 3 (1/2)
Penny nodded sympathetically and walked back to make her report to Salt.
”No luck?” he demanded.
”Guess twice,” she laughed. ”The old bridgeman just took it for granted I was one of the wedding guests. It will be all right for us to go over in the guest launch as soon as it arrives.”
Salt gazed ruefully at his clothes.
”I don't look much like a guest. Think I'll pa.s.s inspection?”
”Maybe you could get by as one of the poor relations,” grinned Penny.
”Pull your hat down and straighten your tie.”
Salt shook his head. ”A business suit with a grease spot on the vest isn't the correct dress for a formal wedding. You might get by but I won't.”
”Then should I try it alone?”
”I'll have to get those pictures somehow,” stated Salt grimly.
”Maybe we could hire a boat of our own,” Penny suggested. ”Of course it wouldn't look as well as if we arrived on the guest launch.”
”Let's see what we can line up,” Salt said, swinging open the car door.
They walked to the river's edge and looked in both directions. There were no small boats to be seen. The only available craft was a large motor boat which came slowly downstream toward the open drawbridge. Penny caught a glimpse of the pilot, a burly man with a red, puffy face.
Salt slid down the bank toward the water's edge, and hailed the boat.
”Hey, you, Cap'n!” he called. ”Two bucks to take me across the river.”
The man inclined his head, looked steadily at Salt for an instant, then deliberately turned his back.
”Five!” shouted Salt.
The pilot gave no sign that he had heard. Instead, he speeded up the boat which pa.s.sed beneath the drawbridge and went on down the river.
CHAPTER 3 _GIFT TO THE BRIDE_
”Perhaps he didn't hear you,” said Penny, peering after the retreating boat.
”He heard me all right,” growled Salt as he scrambled back up the high bank.
Noticing a small boy in dirty overalls who sat at the water's edge fis.h.i.+ng, he called to him: ”Say, sonny, who was that fellow, do you know?”
”Nope,” answered the boy, barely turning his head, ”but his boat has been going up and down the river all morning. That's why I can't catch anything.”
The boat rounded a bend of the river and was lost to view. Only one other craft appeared on the water, a freshly painted white motor launch which could be seen coming from the far sh.o.r.e.
”That must be the guest boat now,” remarked Penny, shading her eyes against the glare of the sun. ”It seems to be our only hope.”