Guilt of the Brass Thieves by Mildred Augustine Wirt (unputdownable books txt) 📕

“It looks like it,” the other retorted sarcastically. “I can’t afford to lose that boat.”

The girls could hear running footsteps on the pier and boardwalk near the dance pavilion. Sally dared to peep from beneath the canvas again.

“They’re after a motorboat!” she reported tensely. “Harper has one he keeps locked in a boathouse.”

“How close are we to the bend in the river?”

“About twenty yards.”

The swift current was doing its best for the girls, swinging their boat toward the bend. Once beyond it, they would be temporarily hidden from the pier. But the current also was tending to carry them farther and farther from shore.

“Do we dare row?” Penny asked nervously.

“Not yet. Harper is having trouble getting the engine of his boat started,” Sally reported. “We’ll be safe for a minute or two. We’re getting closer to the bend.”

To the nervous girls, the boat scarcely seemed to move. Then at last it passed the bend and they were screened by willow trees and bushes.

“Now!” Sally signalled in a tense whisper.

Throwing off the sail, they seized oars and paddled with all their strength.

“Quiet!” Sally warned as Penny’s oar made a splash. “Sounds carry plainly over the water.”

The blast of a motorboat engine told them that Harper and his companion had started in pursuit. Only a minute or two would be required for them to round the bend.

Throwing caution to the winds, Sally and Penny dug in with their oars, shooting their craft toward shore. The boat grated softly on the sand. Instantly, the girls leaped out, splashing through ankle-deep water.

As Sally was about to start across the beach, Penny seized her hand.

“We mustn’t leave a trail of footprints this time!” she warned.

Treading a log at the water’s edge, Penny walked its length to firm ground which took no visible shoe print. Sally followed her to a clump of bushes where they crouched and waited.

Barely had they taken cover when the motorboat came into view, heading for the little cove. There Claude Harper recaptured the runaway rowboat, tying it to the stern of the other craft.

Suddenly Penny was dismayed as she realized that in their flight, a most important detail had been overlooked.

“The oars!” she whispered. “They’re wet!”

“Maybe the men won’t see,” Sally said hopefully. “We left them half covered by the canvas.”

Intent only upon returning to the pier, Claude Harper and his companion failed to notice anything amiss. Apparently assuming the boat had been carelessly tied and had drifted away under its own power, they were not suspicious.

“That was a narrow squeak,” Penny sighed in relief as the motorboat with the other craft in tow finally disappeared around the bend. “The oars will quickly dry in the sun, so I guess we’re safe.”

Now that they were well out of trouble, the adventure seemed fun. Penny glanced at her wristwatch, observing that it was past four o’clock.

“Jack will be waiting for me,” she said to Sally. “I’ll have to hurry.”

“We’ll have plenty of time,” Sally returned carelessly. “You usually can count on Jack being half an hour late for appointments.”

Walking swiftly along the deserted shore, the girls discussed what they had overheard at the Harpers.

“We stirred up a big fuss and didn’t learn too much,” Penny said regretfully. “All the same, it looks as if the Harpers and Sweeper Joe are mixed up in this brass business together.”

“They spoke of having something stored in the basement. That is what interests me. Oh, Penny, if only we could go back there sometime when the Harpers are gone and really investigate!”

“Maybe we can.”

Sally shook her head. “Ma Harper almost never goes away from home. But sometimes she has streams of visitors from Osage—mostly women. I’ve often wondered why.”

“Factory girls?”

“No, they’re housewives and every type of person. I think Mrs. Harper must be selling something to them, but I never could figure it out.”

The River Queen was at the far side of the river, so Sally, for lack of occupation, walked on with Penny to the dock where she was to meet Jack. Greatly to their surprise, he was there ahead of them, and evidently had been waiting for some length of time.

Seeing the girls, he slowly arose to his feet.

“Well, Jack, what did you learn at the factory?” Penny asked eagerly.

“Why, not much of anything.”

“You mean you weren’t able to find out the name of the man who dropped his badge aboard the Queen?” Penny asked incredulously.

“Of course you learned the name if you really tried,” Sally added. “Every single badge used at your factory would be recorded!”

Thus trapped, Jack said lamely: “Oh, I learned his name all right. Take it easy, and I’ll tell you.”

Puzzled by Jack’s behavior and his evident reluctance to reveal what he had learned, Penny and Sally sat down beside him on the dock. At their urging he said:

“Well, I traced the number through our employment office. The badge was issued to a worker named Adam Glowershick.”

Neither of the girls ever had heard of the name, but Sally, upon studying the picture again, was sure she recalled having seen him as a passenger aboard the River Queen.

“He’s a punch press operator,” Jack added.

“And he’s the man you thought you knew?” Penny asked curiously.

“Yes. As I told you, I’ve seen him at the Harpers.” Jack acted ill at ease.

The girls exchanged a quick glance. But they did not tell Jack of their recent adventure.

“Well, why don’t we have the fellow arrested?” Sally demanded after a moment of silence. “I’m satisfied he stole the brass lantern. He probably came aboard for money, and unable to get into the safe, took the trophy for meanness.”

“Or he may be mixed up with the gang of factory brass thieves,” Penny supplied.

“You can’t prove a case against a man, because he might have dropped the badge anytime he happened to be a passenger aboard the ferry,” Jack said. “It would do no good to have him booked on suspicion.”

“Is he a friend of yours?” Sally asked significantly.

“Of course not!”

“Jack is right about it,” Penny interposed hastily. “We need more information before we ask police to make an arrest. Any other news, Jack?”

“Nothing startling. But you know that detective your father brought here from Riverview?”

“Heiney?”

“Yes, he reported today that Sweeper Joe contacted him again, offering to sell a large quantity of brass. An appointment has been made for the delivery Friday night. If it proves to be stolen brass, then he’s trapped himself.”

“Can they prove it’s the same brass?”

“Heiney numbers and records every piece he buys. He should be able to establish a case.”

Knowing that her father had intended to keep the junkman’s activities a secret, Penny was disturbed by Jack’s talking in public. Evidently he had gleaned this latest information from his father. She was even more troubled by his attitude toward Adam Glowershick.

Presently saying goodbye to Sally, she and Jack returned to Shadow Island. A strange boat was tied up in the berth usually occupied by the Spindrift. Since the sailboat was nowhere along the dock, it was evident that Mr. Gandiss, his wife, and Mr. Parker had gone for an outing on the river.

“We seem to have a visitor,” Penny remarked.

Jack said nothing, but intently studied the man who slouched near the boathouse, hat pulled low to shade his eyes from the sun glare.

“Why, isn’t that the same fellow whose picture was on the factory badge!” Penny exclaimed. “Adam Glowershick!”

“Careful or he’ll hear you,” Jack warned, scowling. “I know this man. He’s here to see me.”

Penny gazed again at the stranger who had dark bushy hair and prominent cheekbones. “If that isn’t Glowershick, it’s his twin!” she thought, and asked Jack if he had the factory badge with him.

“No, I haven’t,” he answered irritably. “Furthermore, I wish you would cut out such wild speculation. He’ll hear you.”

Jack brought the boat in. Leaping ashore, he asked Penny to fasten the ropes. “I’ll be back in a minute,” he flung at her as he strode off.

It took time to make the craft secure. When Penny glanced up from her work, Jack and the stranger had disappeared behind the boathouse.

“Queer how fast Jack ducked out of here,” she thought.

More than a little annoyed by the boy’s behavior, Penny started up the gravel path to the house. Midway there she heard footsteps, and turning, saw Jack hastening after her.

“Penny—” he began diffidently.

She waited for him to go on.

“I hate to ask this,” he said uncomfortably, “but how are you fixed for money?”

“I have a little. Dad gave me a fairly large sum to spend when we came here.”

“Could you let me have twenty dollars? It would only be a loan for a few days. I—I wouldn’t ask it, only I need it badly.”

“Dad only gave me twenty-five, Jack.”

“I’ll pay you back in just a few days, Penny. Honest I will.”

“I’ll help you out of your jam,” Penny agreed unwillingly, “but something tells me I shouldn’t do it. Your parents—”

“Don’t say anything to them about it,” Jack pleaded. “My father gives me a good allowance, and if he knew I had spent all of it ahead, he’d have a fit.”

Penny went to her room for the money, returning with four crisp five dollar bills. She had planned to buy a new dress but now it must wait.

“Thanks,” Jack said gratefully, fairly snatching the money from her hand. “Oh, yes, another favor—please don’t mention to my folks that anyone was here today.”

“Who is the man, Jack?”

“Oh, just a fellow I met.” The boy started moving away. Penny, however, pursued him down the path.

“Not so fast, Jack. Since I have a financial interest in your affairs now, it’s only fair that I ask a few questions. Did you meet this man at the Harpers?”

“What if I did?”

“Now you’re in debt to him and he’s pressing you for money. You don’t want your parents to know.”

“Something like that,” Jack muttered, avoiding her steady gaze.

“I don’t like being a party to anything I fail to understand. Jack, if you expect me to keep quiet about this, you’ll have to make a promise.”

“What is it?”

“That you’ll not go to the Harpers’ again.”

“Okay, I’ll promise,” Jack agreed promptly. “The truth is, I’ve had enough of the place. Now, is the lecture concluded?”

“Quite finished,” Penny replied.

With troubled eyes she watched Jack return to the boathouse and hand her money to the bushy-haired stranger.

“Maybe that fellow isn’t Glowershick,” she thought, “but he certainly looks like the picture. If Jack should be mixed up with those brass thieves—”

Penny deliberately dismissed the idea from her mind. A guest of the Gandiss’ family, she could not permit herself to distrust Jack. He was inclined to be wild, irresponsible and at times arrogant, yet she had never questioned his basic character. Even though it disturbed her to know that he had given money to the stranger, she refused to believe that he was dishonest or that he would betray his father’s trust.

If Penny hoped that Jack would offer a complete explanation for his actions, she was disappointed. After the stranger had gone, he deliberately avoided her. And that night at dinner, he had very little to say.

When the meal was finished, Jack roved restlessly about the house, not knowing what to do with himself. “I hope you’re planning on staying home tonight,” his mother commented. “Lately, you’ve scarcely spent an evening here.”

“There’s nothing to do on an island,” Jack complained. “I thought I might run in to town for an hour or so.”

He met Penny’s gaze and amended hastily: “On second thought, I guess I won’t. How about an exciting game of chess?”

The evening was dull, heightened only by Mr. Gandiss’ discussion of the latest difficulties at the factory. Another large quantity of brass had disappeared, he revealed to Mr. Parker.

“Perhaps our detectives will solve the mystery eventually,” he