The Deserted Yacht Page 5

  CHAPTER V A Puzzling Case

  Both girls could plainly see where the motor boat had been tied. Only astub end of rope remained.

  "Those kidnappers must have cut it loose last night when they carriedFather off!" Enid cried. "Now how are we to get ashore?"

  "We might swim," Madge suggested seriously, measuring with her eye thedistance to the wharf. "I think I could make it."

  "Well, I couldn't, and anyway, I have a better idea."

  Enid brought out a distress flag which had been stored away and hung itwhere it would be seen by a passing ship. While they awaited rescue,Madge prepared food from the generous assortment of tin goods she foundin the kitchen. Enid was induced to eat. The food seemed to revive herand she declared it was the most delicious she had ever tasted. The colorgradually flooded back into her cheeks.

  Madge asked a great many questions and in turn related her experiencewith the boatman. She was a trifle disappointed when the matter waspassed off lightly.

  "So many longshore-men and waterfront derelicts are like that," Enid toldher. "You can't trust some of them out of your sight. It's a wonder hedidn't run off with your suitcase."

  The girls maintained a faithful watch but no ships passed near the yacht.They were about to despair when Madge noticed a black and red amphibiantaxiing toward shore.

  "Oh, I hope the pilot sees our signal!" she exclaimed. "He's not lookingthis way."

  Frantically, they waved their hands to attract his attention. They fearedthey had failed, for the plane maintained its course. Then suddenly itswerved and the pilot returned their greeting.

  "Why, it's Rex Stewart!" Enid cried, observing the amphibian's wingmarkings. "And he's coming this way."

  Madge did not inquire as to the identity of the young man mentioned, butfrom the poppy color which swiftly mounted Enid's cheeks, she surmisedthat he was a very special friend.

  Rex Stewart had known and admired Enid for many years. He was the son ofa prominent, ultra-conservative Cheltham Bay lawyer but had inheritednone of his father's staid viewpoints. It was the private opinion of theStewart family that he was too reckless, and far too interested inaviation for his own good. Rex liked fast horses and speedy motorboats;he owned his own amphibian and was an excellent pilot. He made friendseasily and kept them. And, rather to the surprise of everyone, he stoodhigh in the sophomore class of Ardmore College.

  The plane continued toward the yacht, slackening its speed as itapproached. While still far enough away to be in no danger of crashingthe propeller or wings against the side of the ship, Rex idled theengine, allowing the plane to drift.

  "Anything wrong?" he called out.

  Trying to make themselves heard above the roar of the engine, Madge andEnid finally succeeded in conveying the idea that they wished to be takenashore.

  "I don't see how he'll ever get us aboard," Enid said despairingly. "I'lltell him to go on in and send a boat back after us."

  She shouted the message across the water, but Rex was unwilling to leave.Deliberately, taking every precaution, he edged the amphibian in close tothe yacht. Anxiously the girls watched him maneuver. The bay wasunusually quiet and Rex maintained perfect control, yet they realizedthat the slightest miscalculation of distance or an unexpected roll ofthe yacht might result in a crumpled wing.

  As he succeeded in making contact, the girls hastily lowered themselvesinto the front cockpit. Madge obtained only a fleeting impression of theyoung pilot's face, for it was half-masked with goggles and helmet. Hewas not handsome but his eyes were friendly and there was a quality abouthim that was most likable.

  "You shouldn't have risked your plane to take us off," Enid protestedafter she had introduced Madge.

  "I knew what I was about," Rex returned, smiling broadly. "Sit tight nowand we'll run in to the beach."

  He opened the throttle and the amphibian skimmed lightly over the water.In a few minutes they drew near the shore where a flagman signalled themin. Rex beached the plane and aided the girls in alighting.

  "Now tell me what's wrong," he commanded.

  Enid poured out her story with Madge adding additional details. Rexlistened in amazement, and when they had finished promptly agreed thatthe wisest thing was to notify the authorities without delay.

  "It doesn't sound like an ordinary case of kidnapping to me," hedeclared, and then as Enid's face grew even more distressed, he addedquickly: "Don't worry. The police will find your father."

  "If it's a case of money, I can arrange with Father's banker," Enidreturned earnestly. "I'll give any amount they say--anything to securehis release."

  "Don't do anything rash," Rex advised. "Better let the police deal withthose men. You know how your father is too, Enid. He'd never give in aninch."

  "No, I realize Father would never allow himself to be ransomed if hecould help it. That's what may make it so hard. He'll defy those men andrefuse to communicate with me. They may do terrible things to him."

  "Don't think about it," Rex admonished, taking her arm and steering hertoward the roadside. "I'll go with you to the police."

  He helped the girls into a taxicab and during the ride to the policeheadquarters, did his best to cheer Enid. She leaned her head backagainst the cushion and scarcely spoke.

  "You really believe the police can find him?" she murmured once.

  "Why, of course," Rex assured her heartily, but over her head he shotMadge a glance which told her that he considered the situation moreserious than his words indicated.

  At the police station, the girls were asked a great many questions butRex made everything easy for them. He knew several policemen and it waslargely due to his efforts that one of the best detectives on the force,a man by the name of Randall, was assigned the case.

  They all drove to the beach in a police car and Rex made two trips to theyacht in his amphibian. Randall and another detective who accompaniedhim, were conducted to Mr. Burnett's stateroom which the girls had leftundisturbed. The two men looked about but at the end of theirinvestigation admitted they had found no new clues.

  "It may have been an inside job," Randall said to Enid. "How many mendoes your father employ?"

  "Three sailors and a cook. He does his own piloting."

  "And you say that last night when the kidnapping occurred, you and yourfather were alone."

  "Why, yes, Father had given our employes forty-eight hours shore leave."

  "Wasn't that rather unusual?"

  "No, we frequently stay here alone," Enid declared. "All of the men butone live at Cheltham Bay and whenever we anchor Father usually gives thema day or so off duty."

  The detective digested this information in silence. He conferred with hiscompanion and then questioned Enid again.

  "Did your father keep large sums of money or valuables aboard?"

  "Not to my knowledge. He was always afraid of being robbed."

  "Have you heard him express any such fear recently, Miss Burnett?"

  "N-o." Enid hesitated and then went on: "But I will say he hasn't actedexactly like himself the past month."

  "In what way do you mean?"

  "Well, for one thing he purchased a revolver. He seemed to be afraid ofsomething. I can't say what it was. He always laughed when I askedquestions."

  "H-m," the detective meditated. "And where did he keep the revolver?"

  "It was in the desk."

  "It's not there now," Randall informed. "You heard no shots fired, MissBurnett?"

  "Oh, no. Only the struggle as I told you."

  "It's possible your father recognized his assailants and inself-protection they were forced to kidnap him," Randall suggestedthoughtfully. "Their real motive may have been robbery."

  "Then why didn't they take Mr. Burnett's pocketbook?" Madge askedpointedly.

  "They may have overlooked it."

  Madge made no reply although she took scant stock in such a theory. Itseemed to her that the detectives were conducting only a ro
utineinvestigation, that their interest in the case was only perfunctory. AndMr. Randall's next words deepened this impression.

  "There's no need to worry, Miss Burnett. We'll find your father but itmay take time. If it's a case of kidnapping for ransom, you're sure tohear within a few days at most. In the meantime, we'll do all we can, andkeep in close touch with you."

  Rex carried the detectives back to the mainland after they had completedtheir investigation and then returned to The Flora. He found Enid sadlyin need of someone to cheer her.

  "I don't know how I'll stand it," she declared unhappily. "I'll go crazyjust sitting and waiting. If only I could do something!"

  Rex and Madge exchanged quick, significant glances. They had both beendisappointed at the outcome of the police investigation. They realizedfar better than did Enid, that it might be a long wait indeed before wordwas received from Mr. Burnett.

  "We will do something," Madge said quietly, slipping her arm protectinglyabout her friend's shoulders. "I don't know how, but someway we'll manageto trace your father! And when we find him I think the police will learnthat it isn't a case of ordinary kidnapping!"