Part 4 (1/2)

”My Aunt!” she exclaimed, leaping out of bed. ”All this good time wasted!”

With the speed of a trained fireman, Penny wriggled into her clothes. She gave her auburn hair a quick brush but took time to slap a little polish on her saddle shoes before bounding down the stairs to the kitchen.

”Is that you or a gazelle escaped from the zoo?” inquired Mrs. Weems who was was.h.i.+ng dishes at the sink.

”Why didn't you bounce me out of bed two hours ago?” asked Penny. ”I have an important business engagement for this morning.”

”You're not going to the river again, I hope!”

”Oh, but I must, Mrs. Weems.” Penny opened the refrigerator and helped herself to a bowl of strawberries and a Martha Was.h.i.+ngton pie.

”You're not breakfasting on that,” said the housekeeper, taking the dishes away from her. ”Oatmeal is what you need. Now why must you go to the river?”

”Someone has to salvage the sailboat. Besides, I lost a valuable object last night--”

The telephone jingled, and Penny darted off to answer it. As she had antic.i.p.ated, the call was from Louise Sidell, who in a very husky voice asked her how she was feeling.

”Fit as a fiddle and ready to go bottle hunting!” Penny replied promptly.

”And you?”

”I hurt in all the wrong places,” Louise complained. ”What a night!”

”Why, I enjoyed every minute of it,” Penny said with sincerity. ”If you're such a wreck I suppose you won't care to go with me to the river this morning. By the way, what did you do with that blue bottle?”

”I haven't the slightest idea. I'm sure I had it in my hand when we reached sh.o.r.e, but that's the last I remember.”

”Well, never mind, if it's anywhere on the beach I'll find it,” Penny said. ”Sure you don't want to tag along?”

”Maybe I will.”

”Then meet me in twenty minutes at Ottman's dock. Signing off now to gobble a bowl of oatmeal.”

Without giving Louise a chance to change her mind, Penny hung up the receiver and returned to the kitchen. After fortifying herself with oatmeal, a gla.s.s of orange juice, bacon, two rolls and sundry odds and ends, she started off to meet Louise. Her chum, looking none too cheerful, awaited her near Ottman's dock.

”Why did you ask me to meet you at this particular place, Penny?” she inquired. ”It was a block out of my way.”

”I thought we might rent one of Ottman's boats and row down to the bridge. It will be easier than walking along the mud flats.”

”You think of everything,” Louise said admiringly. ”But where's the proprietor of this place?”

Boats of all description were fastened along the dock, but neither Burt Ottman nor his sister were visible. Not far from a long shed which served as ticket office and canoe-storage house, an empty double-deck motor launch had been tied to a pier. An aged black and white dog drowsed on its sunny deck.

”Guess the place is deserted,” Penny commented. After wandering about, she sat down on an overturned row boat which had been pulled out near the water's edge.

The boat moved beneath her, and an irate voice rumbled: ”Would you mind getting off?”

Decidedly startled, Penny sprang to her feet.