The Whispering Statue Page 5

  CHAPTER VIII

  The Race

  THE three girls were aghast when Dick fell through the open cellar window of Basswood’s shop.

  “What’ll we do?” George asked.

  “We’d better run!” Bess replied promptly. “Come on!”

  Nancy had stretched out her arms to push the cousins away from the window in case the men looked up. In a moment, however, she inched forward and peered down. If Dick had been hurt, she would certainly go to help him!

  “But if he’s all right,” she said to herself, “Bess and George and I had better get away from here as quickly as possible.”

  Dick had landed on a pile of newspapers evidently used for packing books. When the two men heard the thud they turned quickly. Dick stood up and looked at them sheepishly. He gave no explanation of his sudden entrance.

  “He’s all right,” Nancy thought. “I’m sure he can get out of this predicament himself.”

  She told this to the other girls and the three scooted away.

  “Where shall we wait for Dick?” George asked.

  “I vote for the soda shop,” Bess said.

  Nancy remarked that it was possible when Dick did not see them around, he would figure they had gone back to the yacht club. “Then we’d miss a ride home.”

  “I guess you’re right,” Bess conceded. “But a soda sure would taste good right now.”

  The girls went directly to the parking lot where Dick had left his car. They climbed in.

  Ten minutes later he appeared. “Hi! I thought I’d find you here.”

  As he swung himself into the driver’s seat, Nancy said, “Tell us what happened. How did you get away from Basswood and Atkin?”

  The young man grinned. “Mostly by keeping still. They asked me what I was doing at the window, and I just shrugged. Then they tried to find out what I had overheard. Again I shrugged. ‘Nothing important,’ I told them.”

  As Dick paused, George begged him to go on. “You haven’t told us yet how you got away from Mr. Basswood.”

  “That older man finally said to me, ‘I guess you thought we were burglars.’ I just laughed and they took it for granted that he had hit upon the truth. The other man told me to go out the way I had come in. Then they slammed the window shut and locked it.”

  The three girls laughed and Dick asked, “What kind of a detective would I make?”

  “Excellent,” Nancy replied.

  “Then maybe that’s what I’ll take up when I finish college,” the young man said.

  As they neared the yacht club, Dick reminded his passengers that the boat races would be held the following day. “Debbie, I hope you can take the afternoon off.”

  Nancy said she had to work until four o’clock but that she would come directly back to the yacht club. “Ned can pick me up at the shop.” She sighed. “I suppose we girls lost our chance to be in any of the races after smashing one of your boats.”

  “I have a surprise for you,” Dick said. “Top Job has been repaired and is waiting for you sailors. You can make the last race. Bess and George, you can use it in earlier races. How about it?”

  Bess told Dick that she did not plan to enter any of the races, but that George and her friend Burt might take part.

  “We’ll be there early to get in a little practice,” George remarked.

  Nancy regretted that Ned would have no time to try out the sailboat, but she consoled herself with the thought, “Winning isn’t everything. We’ll have a lot of fun and the competition will be great.”

  When the girls reached their bedroom, Nancy said she had thought of a little scheme. Perhaps she could trap Mr. Basswood!

  “Goodness, what is it?” Bess asked.

  Nancy said she would call Mrs. Merriam and get the titles of a couple of books on astrophysics which Mr. Basswood was to sell for her. “Then I want Ned to come down to the shop and ask Mr. Basswood if he has the two volumes. There might be a clue in his answer.”

  She called Mrs. Merriam, who went to consult her list. She came back to the phone and said there were two volumes, System of the World by Sir Isaac Newton and De Orbim Coelestium Revolutionibus by Nicolaus Copernicus.

  “But I’m afraid they’ve been sold,” Mrs. Merriam said. “I was to get ten dollars each as my share.”

  “Thank you,” said Nancy, and told the woman what she planned to do.

  “I hope it works.” Mrs. Merriam sighed.

  Nancy reported what had taken place in the cellar of the shop earlier in the evening, and added, “I’m sure your hunch about Mr. Basswood cheating you is correct”

  “I think it’s wonderful what you’re doing,” Mrs. Merriam remarked. “Please keep me posted.”

  “I will.”

  The following morning Nancy received a phone call to report for work early. When she rang the shop’s doorbell, no one came to answer it. She glanced at her watch. It was five minutes to ten.

  For a fleeting second Nancy wondered if no one was there. On a hunch she walked around to the back entrance and peered into the basement. It was dark. She returned to the front of the building and rang again. This time the door was opened by Mr. Atkin. He did not say good morning or make any comment.

  Nancy greeted him cheerfully and added, “It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it? A wonderful day for the yacht club races.” Mr. Atkin was still silent.

  At that moment Mr. Basswood stepped from his office and remarked that Nancy was very prompt. She replied, “Saturday should be a big one in sales for the shop.”

  “It usually is. Well, suppose you get to work. Find a dustcloth in the rear room and do some cleaning.”

  Half an hour later the first customers came in. While Nancy was showing a woman some statuettes, she noticed the front door being opened. Ned Nickerson walked in. He glanced in her direction, but as planned, gave no sign of recognition. She in turn ignored him.

  He signed the register, then asked for Mr. Basswood. Mr. Atkin looked a bit annoyed but went to get the shop owner.

  “Good morning, sir,” Ned said. “I’m interested in astrophysics. I was told to get two certain volumes. Since you deal in rare books, I thought you might happen to have copies. They’re Newton’s System of the World and Copernicus’s De Orbim Coelestium Revolutionibus.”

  Nancy heard Mr. Basswood say, “I don’t have them here but I can get them for you.” He looked Ned up and down as if appraising him as a purchaser of expensive books.

  “Great!” Ned said. “How much would they be?”

  “Twenty-eight dollars apiece and a bargain at that.”

  Both Nancy and Ned blinked at this. According to Mrs. Merriam’s statement, Mr. Basswood had told her she would get ten dollars apiece. She should receive twenty-one for each!

  Nancy was afraid that Ned would say the price was too high and not order the books. She wanted Mrs. Merriam to examine them to see if they had come from her collection. Ned must buy them! Quickly the young detective sidled over to Mr. Basswood.

  Ned was saying, “Well, I don’t know. That’s a lot of money for me to shell out.”

  Very gently Nancy stepped on one of Ned’s toes and hoped he would get the message that he was to pay any price the shop owner asked.

  “Are the volumes in good condition?” Ned asked.

  “Oh yes,” Mr. Basswood replied.

  “Then I’ll take the books,” Ned said. “I’m staying at the yacht club. Please deliver them there when you get them. The money will be waiting at the desk.”

  Ned glanced around the shop and remarked that the objects for sale were certainly attractive. “But I can’t spend any more today.” He laughed. “I’m broke after buying those books.” He said good-by to Mr. Basswood and left.

  Nancy realized she had to give some excuse for having walked up to Mr. Basswood. She said sweetly, “My customer can’t seem to make up her mind between two of the statuettes. Perhaps you can point out some things about them I don’t know.”

  Mr. Basswood talked to the woman
. He finally helped her make up her mind, but she said, “This was the one the young lady was recommending all along.”

  The shop owner made no comment and walked off. Nancy worked hard during the day, but promptly at four o’clock she said good-by to Mr. Basswood and his assistant and hurried away. As prearranged, Ned met her at the town parking lot and they hurried to the yacht club in his car.

  “Thanks, Ned, for buying the books. If the ones you receive are from Mrs. Merriam’s collection, Mr. Basswood is making a tremendous profit instead of only his commission.”

  “Wow!”

  Nancy dashed into the yacht club to change her clothes and met Ned at the dock. A race was in progress.

  Bess and Dave stood there. They said hello to Nancy, and Dave added, “George and Burt are in that leading boat!”

  Nancy felt a thrill of excitement. Their craft was tacking in barely ahead of a red one.

  Bess began to jump up and down and scream. “George! Burt! Come in! Hurry! Come in!”

  Nancy, Ned, and Dave took up the cry. But suddenly their hearts sank. The rival sailboat was pulling ahead! It had caught a freshening breeze at exactly the right angle.

  The next second Burt took advantage of the same strong wind and tacked swiftly to starboard. George worked the tiller in perfect harmony and once more the Sailfish shot ahead.

  “Come in! Beat ’em!” cried Dave.

  The race was a photo finish, but George and Burt were declared the winners.

  “You were superb!” Bess exclaimed.

  There were congratulations from all sides, then the chairman announced that they were ready for the final race. The contestants scurried to their craft, eager and hopeful. Nancy was to be at the tiller.

  As Nancy and Ned took their positions, a boy came running. He called out to the watching crowd, “Telegram for Miss Nancy Drew!”

  Instinctively Nancy started to rise, but Ned pulled her back and hissed into her ear, “Sit still, Debbie Lynbrook!”

  CHAPTER IX

  Foul!

  AT Ned’s command Nancy quickly sat down in the sailboat. She had nearly given away the show! Playing the part of Debbie Lynbrook was difficult. It was so natural to respond as Nancy Drew!

  “I mustn’t make another mistake,” she thought. “But I wonder who sent the telegram. It probably was a trap. I’m glad I didn’t get caught in it!”

  On shore Bess and George had heard the messenger call out Nancy’s name for a telegram.

  “We must do something!” George told her cousin.

  Burt and Dave were still discussing the race and had not noticed the boy. Quickly George said to them, “We’ll be right back. Wait here!”

  Bess followed her as she headed for Mr. Ayer. The yacht club manager had just joined the group on the beach. Quickly George pointed out the messenger and suggested that the manager take the telegram. Then they hurried back to their escorts.

  “What’s up?” Burt asked.

  George whispered an explanation. The four young people watched as Mr. Ayer made his way to the messenger and signed for the telegram. The boy went off.

  Boats were approaching the starting line. Top Job sailed near the committee boat and Nancy and Ned learned there was to be a one-minute warning gun—and then the start.

  “Do you have a stop watch?” Nancy asked him.

  “No, but I have a second hand on my watch.”

  “Good,” said Nancy. “How much time do we have?”

  The gun sounded and Ned checked his watch. “If you head for the left side of the line, you should just about make it at the gun.”

  “Do you see George? I wonder about that telegram,” Nancy said.

  Ned did not reply. Instead he exclaimed, “Nancy, look at that blue boat! It’s heading straight at us!”

  “I think it’ll be okay,” said Nancy. “He’s on a port tack and we have the right of way.”

  “Fifteen seconds until the gun,” said Ned, looking at his watch.

  Nancy leaned forward, watching the blue boat. “We’d better warn the skipper,” she said. “Starboard tack, starboard tack!” she yelled.

  “Nancy,” warned Ned, “that blue boat is heading straight at us!”

  “He has to give way,” Ned cried out. But the boat with its two sailors kept coming.

  Nancy said under her breath, “I’d better fall off a little and give way.”

  They veered, missing the blue boat by inches. Ned yelled to the other skipper, “Protest! We’re protesting the start!”

  The gun roared and Nancy and Ned headed up again and went over the line after the blue boat.

  “Looks as if we’ll be at the Protest Meeting after the race,” said Ned. “I’m going to fly the protest flag.”

  “Oh, we may win anyway,” said Nancy. “I didn’t care for their sailing manners, though, and I’m sure they know better. They probably think we won’t protest, but we will. It’s the right thing to do.”

  There was a good steady wind. The course was around two buoys and then in. The boats were spread out. Nancy was sailing well and Top Job passed the blue boat. It was moving up, though, with two other craft close behind.

  As they headed toward the finish line, Ned said, “That guy behind us is putting up the spinnaker, Nancy. Where’s ours?”

  “Quick! Look under the deck. There’s another sail bag there,” Nancy replied quickly.

  “Nothing here.” Ned sighed. “Let’s go wing and wing since we’re before the wind, and hope for the best.”

  “We may be better off. Setting a spinnaker is always tricky business,” said Nancy. “We’ll do well wing and wing, especially since you’re crewing.”

  The blue boat was gaining now, as its spinnaker filled. Nancy and Ned were watching closely. Suddenly the spinnaker began to wobble and Ned yelled, “Look, Nancy, they’re in trouble! The spinnaker is fouling around the stay.”

  The two boats were almost even, but Top Job started pulling ahead. The people in the blue craft were obviously anxious and angry.

  “They certainly gave us nasty looks,” said Nancy. “Guess the wind is too gusty for them to handle.”

  “They lost their cool—that’s all,” Ned retorted.

  Top Job edged ahead. Ned was working the jib sheets with ease now. The gun sounded and Ned shouted, “We won, we won!”

  Nancy grinned. “And without a protest.”

  “But we could have won more easily if we hadn’t been fouled,” Ned insisted.

  “It doesn’t matter,” Nancy said. “I think Top Job is a nifty little boat.”

  “I guess so,” said Ned, “and you’re a nifty little skipper!”

  “Thanks,” said Nancy, laughing.

  The winners were congratulated by the chairman and told that they would be awarded silver trophies later. There was loud applause by Dick and the other onlookers who realized that Nancy and Ned had been fouled at the start.

  As the couple walked away, Nancy said, “Now let’s find out about that telegram.”

  She located Bess and George, who told her Mr. Ayer had it. When the excitement over the race had died down, Nancy made her way to the manager’s office. As she had suspected, the telegram was indeed a hoax. The sheet inside the envelope was blank!

  Nancy smiled. “Whoever sent this did not find out anything,” she said. “The trick to make me answer the call didn’t work.”

  Mr. Ayer was visibly disturbed. He asked, “How are you progressing with the case?”

  She gave him a brief résumé.

  Although pleased with her progress, he admitted being worried. “I’m sure that the person who sent the telegram suspects Nancy Drew is in Waterford. It may be the same man who telephoned your house. If so, he is very determined to find you. I’m alarmed about what he may try next. Nancy, do take every precaution possible.”

  The young detective nodded, and asked if she might use his office telephone to call Mrs. Merriam. “When Ned’s books arrive, I’d like her to come over and examine them to see if the
y’re part of her collection.”

  Mr. Ayer said he would be very glad to cooperate. “If Mrs. Merriam is willing to drive over here, I’ll let her know when the books arrive.”

  Nancy made the call and the woman said she would be happy to come to the yacht club. She congratulated Nancy that her ruse had worked.

  “Of course I may be wrong,” Nancy told her, “so don’t be surprised if this turns out to be a false lead.”

  That evening all the guests at the yacht club were invited to participate in an after-dinner gala celebration for the victors in the afternoon races. The recreation room was gaily decorated with purple and pink bunting, the club colors. A peppy band was playing and soon there were many dancers on the floor.

  At ten o’clock the drum rolled, the music stopped, and everyone watched as the chairman of the racing committee stepped up to the microphone on the band platform. Two boys carried up a small table on which stood silver cups—the awards to the winners of the races. George and Burt were called forward and each received their prizes. There was loud applause because of the dose race they had had.

  Debbie Lynbrook and Ned were last. The cups they received were slightly larger and Mr. Ayer mentioned the participants’ marvelous sportsman-ship in coming in first. Everyone in the room knew they had made no protest about the foul and the clapping was tremendous.

  Many people crowded around the couple and congratulated them. “It was a great race,” several said.

  Nancy was fearful she might be recognized by somebody because she was not wearing her sunglasses. She let her long black hair fall closer around her face, almost covering her cheeks.

  “I must get out of here,” Nancy thought.

  She was relieved when the music began again and she and Ned could dance. As the lights were dimmed, bright moonlight streamed through the windows.

  “Let’s stroll outside,” Ned suggested. “It’s a beautiful night.”

  Nancy was happy to go because she felt very uneasy about possible identification by someone in the club.

  “Where would you like to walk?” she asked Ned, gazing out over the calm water in the bay.