Part 37 (1/2)

Jerry and Penny did not have long to wait before there came a loud crash against the cabin door. The two seamen were trying to break through the flimsy panel.

”Bring a light, Flora,” called one of the men.

Penny and Jerry flattened themselves against the closet wall, waiting.

A panel splintered on the outside cabin door, and a heavy tramping of feet told them that the men had entered the room.

”No one in here, Gus.”

”It's just as we thought. Flora locked the door and lied out of it.”

”I didn't! I didn't!” cried the girl. ”Someone else must have done it while I was at the store. The door was unlocked when I went away.”

”There's no one here now.”

”I--I thought I heard voices while we were coming down the river.”

”In this cabin?”

”Yes, just a low murmur.”

”You imagined it,” the man told her. ”But I'll take a look in the closet to be sure.”

He walked across the cabin toward the hiding place. Penny and Jerry braced themselves for the moment when the door would be flung open. They had trapped themselves and now faced almost certain capture.

CHAPTER 23 _AT THE HIDE-OUT_

Before the man could pull open the closet door, a booming voice called impatiently from sh.o.r.e:

”Say, are you coming? We have plenty of work ahead of us tonight.”

Distracted from his purpose, the searcher turned aside without glancing into the closet. With his companion and the girl, he left the cabin.

Penny and Jerry waited at least five minutes. When all was silent above, they stole from their hiding place. From the window they a.s.sured themselves that the wharf was deserted.

”What do we do now, start after the police?” Penny questioned.

”Let's make certain Atherwald is here first. We can't afford to be wrong.”

A path led through the timber. As they followed it, Jerry and Penny saw a moving lantern some distance ahead. They kept it in sight until the three men and Flora disappeared into a cabin.

Stealing on through the darkness, Penny and Jerry crept to the screen door. Peering in, they saw a barren room containing a table, a cook stove and double-deck bunks.

”Get supper on, Flora,” one of the men ordered curtly.

”Am I to cook anything for the prisoner?” she asked in a whining voice.

”Not unless he decides to talk. I'll find out if he's changed his mind.”

The man who had been called Aaron crossed the cabin to an adjoining room.