Part 7 (1/2)
Nancy, mainly concerned about the kindly baker, did not answer immediately. Finally she suggested they ask the baker's a.s.sistant if she knew of anyone who understood Swedish.
The woman gladly called several people, but none were at home. Nancy even phoned her father to see if he could recommend someone. But Mr. Drew was not at his office.
The girls were a little discouraged, but Nancy said, ”We can still work on the mystery. My car should be finished by this time. If it is, we can drive over and visit Honey and her mother.”
”That's a swell idea!” Bess and George chorused.
When they reached the garage, the girls were overjoyed to find the convertible ready. ”Looks almost as good as new!” Nancy said, pleased. ”I'll write a check for the amount.”
To her chagrin, she had forgotten her checkbook.
”That's all right,” the mechanic said. ”I'm very busy, anyhow. I'll make out the bill later and drop it off at your home.”
”Fine,” Nancy said with a smile. Then she and the cousins phoned their homes from an outside booth to report their destination. A few minutes later they set off on the highway for Sandy Creek.
Nancy slowed as she drove past the Raybolt estate. The girls glanced at the charred ruins of the once-beautiful mansion.
”I wish we had time to stop and talk to the men investigating the cause of the fire,” Nancy said. ”But we'd better get to the Swensons' first.”
About ten miles farther on, Nancy came to a sawhorse across the road. ”Detour!” George groaned. ”It must've been put up yesterday.”
”It isn't very long,” Bess declared optimistically. ”I can see the end of it.”
The road had been closed to permit the construction of a new steel bridge. The bypa.s.s wound down into a valley, crossing the Muskoka River a quarter of a mile south.
”We'll lose time on this dirt road,” Nancy remarked, turning into the detour. ”Poor car! It'll be lucky to get through without jolting to pieces.”
The road was ungraded and recent rains had left it rutty. In addition, it was narrow, with hardly any places wide enough for two cars to pa.s.s. Even though Nancy drove slowly, the ride was a b.u.mpy one.
”Good way to break a spring-on a road like this!” she declared.
”Or a bone!” Bess added wryly.
A moment later the girls became aware of a loud, insistent honking behind them.
”Big truck right in back of you, Nancy,” George observed.
”I know. Well, the driver will just have to wait. He can't pa.s.s me on this narrow stretch.”
But the blowing of the truck's horn continued until Nancy became irritated, then indignant.
”What is the matter with that man?” Nancy increased her speed, hoping to leave the impatient driver behind. But he speeded up, keeping close to the convertible. Honk! Honk!
Honk!
”If he doesn't s-stop that, I'll s-scream!” Bess complained. ”And if we g-go any faster, I'll l-lose all my teeth.”