Saboteurs on the River Part 14

"I wish I could think so. He's innocent, but to prove it is another matter."

"Can't your brother provide an alibi? Where was he at the time of the dynamiting?"

"I don't know," Sara admitted, frowning. "Burt's peculiar. I tried to talk things over with him, but he says it's a disagreeable subject. He hasn't told me where he was Friday night."

Burt's appearance in the doorway of the shed brought the conversation to an abrupt end. Before Penny could speak to him, a group of small boys ran along the bank some distance away.

"_Saboteur! Saboteur!_" they shouted jeeringly, pointing at Burt. One of the lads threw a clod of dirt which struck a moored rowboat.

"You see how it is!" Sara cried wrathfully.

"Don't take things so seriously," Burt advised, though his own eyes burned with an angry light. "They're only youngsters."

"I can't stand much more," Sara cried, running into the shed, and closing the door.

Burt busied himself cleaning the clod of dirt from the rowboat. "Don't mind Sara," he said. "She's always inclined to be high strung."

"I'm sorry about everything," said Penny quietly. "Mr. DeWitt believes you will be cleared."

Burt straightened, staring at the far sh.o.r.e. "Wish I felt the same way.

Unless the real saboteur is caught, the police intend to tag me with the job."

"They can't convict you without evidence. Oh, by the way, did you ever lose a leather billfold?"

The question surprised Burt. He hesitated before he answered: "What made you ask me that?"

"I found an old one along the river. No money or any identification in it. Just a card which said: 'The Green Parrot. Tuesday at 9:15.'"

"The Green Parrot!"

"You've heard of the place?"

"Oh, I've heard of it," Burt answered carelessly. "That's all. I never was there. Sorry I can't claim the billfold."

As if uneasy lest he be questioned further, the young man picked up a coil of rope and walked away. Penny waited a moment and then left the dock.

"I'm just a nuisance around there," she thought unhappily. "I'd like to help, but Sara and Burt won't let me."

The following two days pa.s.sed without event so far as Penny was concerned. There were no developments regarding the bridge dynamiting case and the story was relegated to an inside page of the Star. However, recalling her promise to Carl Oaks, she did speak to her father about finding him a new job.

"What does that fellow expect?" Mr. Parker rumbled irritably. "Jerry tells me he's a ne'er-do-well. Why doesn't he like his job as watchman on the coal barge?"

"Well, it's too dirty."

"Carl Oaks is lucky to get any job in this town," Mr. Parker answered.

"Jerry had a hard time inducing anyone to take him on. Along the waterfront he has a reputation for s.h.i.+ftlessness."

"In that case, just forget it, Dad. I don't like the man too well myself."

Penny promptly forgot about Carl Oaks, but many times she caught herself wondering what had happened to Old Noah and his ark. Since she and Louise had visited the place, it had rained every day. The water was slowly rising in the river and there was talk that a serious flood might result.

On Tuesday night, as Penny and Louise paid their weekly visit to the Rialto Theatre, it was still raining. The gutters were deep with water and to cross the street it was necessary to walk stiffly on their heels.

"We've had enough H_{2}O for one week," Penny declared, gazing at her splashed stockings. "Well, for screaming out loud!"

A green taxicab, turning in the street to pick up a fare, shot a fountain of muddy water from its spinning wheels. Penny, who stood close to the curb, was sprayed from head to foot.

"Just look at me!" she wailed. "That driver ought to be sent to prison for life!"

The taxi drew up in front of the Rialto Theatre. A well-dressed man in brown overcoat and felt hat who waited at the curb, opened the cab door.

"To the Green Parrot," he ordered the driver.

"Where's that, sir?"

The pa.s.senger mumbled an address the girls could not understand. He then slammed shut the cab door and the vehicle drove away.

"Lou, did you hear what I heard?" Penny cried excitedly.

"I certainly did!"

Penny glanced quickly about. Seeing another taxicab across the street, she hailed it.

"Come on, Louise," she urged, tugging at her chum's hand.

Louise held back. "What do you intend to do?"

"Why, we're going to follow that taxi!" Penny splashed through the flooded gutter toward the waiting cab. "This is a real break for us! With luck we'll learn the location of The Green Parrot!"

CHAPTER 11 _PURSUIT BY TAXI_

"Keep that green taxi in sight!" Penny instructed her own cab driver as she and Louise leaped into the rear seat.

"Sure," agreed the taxi man, showing no surprise at the request.

Thrilled, and feeling rather theatrical, Penny and Louise sat on the edge of their seats. Anxiously they watched the green cab ahead. Weaving in and out of downtown traffic, it cruised at a slow speed and so, was not hard to follow.

Louise gazed at the running tape of the taxi meter. "Do you see that ticker?" she whispered. "I hope you're well fortified with spare change."

"I haven't much money with me. Let's trust that The Green Parrot is somewhere close."

"More than likely it's miles out in the country," Louise returned pessimistically.

The green cab presently turned down a narrow, little-traveled street not many blocks from the river front. As it halted at the curb, Penny's driver glanced at her for instructions.