Saboteurs on the River Part 17

"A good idea if we can get away with it," Penny approved. "I judge though, that if we start off, the waiter will pursue us with the bill."

"Couldn't we just explain?"

"We can try. Anyway, it will be interesting to see what will happen."

Before leaving the table, Penny scribbled a hasty note which she left for Jerry on his plate. It merely said that the girls would wait for him in the foyer. Choosing a moment when their own waiter was occupied at another table, they sauntered across the room and out into the hall.

"That wasn't half as hard as I thought it would be," chuckled Penny. "But where's Jerry?"

The foyer was deserted. Noticing a stairway which led to a lower level, the girls decided that the telephones must be located below. They started down, but soon realized their mistake for no light was burning in the lower hall.

"We're not supposed to be down here," Louise murmured, holding back.

"Wait!" whispered Penny.

At the far end of the dingy hall she had glimpsed a moving figure. For just a second she thought that the young man might be Jerry. Then she saw that it was Burt Ottman.

"What do you suppose he's doing down here?" she speculated. "He seems to be familiar with all the nooks and crannies of this place."

Burt Ottman had not seen or heard the girls. They saw him pause at the end of the hall and knock four times on a closed door. A circular peep-hole shot open and a voice muttered: "Who is it?"

The girls heard no more. Someone touched Penny on the shoulder from behind. With a startled exclamation, she whirled around to face the head waiter.

"So sorry, Mademoiselle, to have frightened you," he said blandly. "You have taken the wrong stairway."

"Why, yes," stammered Penny, trying to collect her wits. "We were looking for the public telephones."

"This way please. You will find them in the foyer. Just follow me."

Penny and Louise had no choice but to obey. They wondered if the head waiter knew how much they had seen. His expressionless face gave them no clue.

"We were waiting for our friend," Louise remarked to cover her embarra.s.sment.

"The young man who escorted you here?"

"Yes," nodded Louise. "He went to telephone and we haven't seen him since."

The waiter had reached the top of the stairs. He turned and looked directly at the girls as he said: "The young man left here some minutes ago."

"He left!" Penny exclaimed incredulously. "But the bill wasn't paid."

"Oh, yes, the young gentleman took care of it."

"Why, Jerry didn't have enough money," Penny protested, unable to grasp the situation. "You're sure he left the cafe?"

"Yes, Mademoiselle."

"And didn't he leave any message for us?"

"I regret that he did not," the waiter replied. "As young ladies without escorts are not permitted at The Green Parrot, I suggest that you leave at once."

"You may be sure we will," said Penny. "I simply can't understand why Jerry would go off without saying a word to us."

The head waiter conducted the girls to the exit, bowing as he closed the door in their faces. Rather bewildered, they huddled together on the stone steps. Rain had started to fall once more and the air was unpleasantly cold.

"We certainly got out of that place in a hurry," Louise commented. "If you ask me, it was a shabby trick for Jerry to go off and leave us.

Especially when he knew we didn't have the price of a taxi."

"Lou," said Penny soberly, "I don't believe that Jerry did desert us."

"But he disappeared! And the head waiter told us that he left."

"Something happened to Jerry when he went to telephone--that's certain,"

replied Penny, thinking aloud.

"Then you believe he was forcibly ejected?"

"No one could have tossed Jerry out of The Green Parrot without a little opposition."

"Jerry's quite a sc.r.a.pper when he's aroused," Louise agreed. "We didn't hear any sound of scuffling. What do you think became of him?"

"I don't know and I'm worried," confessed Penny. Taking Louise's arm, she guided her up the stone steps to the street. "The thing for us to do is to get home and tell Dad everything! Jerry may be in serious trouble."

CHAPTER 13 _A VACANT BUILDING_

Hastening to a main street, Penny and Louise waited many minutes for a bus. Finally as a taxi cruised past they hailed it, knowing they could obtain cab fare when they reached home.

"Let's go straight to my house," Penny said, giving the driver her address. "Dad should be there by this time. I know he'll be as worried about Jerry as we are."

A few minutes later the taxi drew up in front of the Parker home. Lights burned in the living room and the girls were greatly relieved to glimpse the editor reading in a comfortable chair by the fireplace.

"Dad, I need a dollar sixty for cab fare!" Penny announced, bursting in upon him.

"A dollar sixty," he protested, reaching for his wallet. "I thought you and Louise went to a picture show. What have you been doing in a taxicab?"

"I'll explain just as soon as I pay the driver. Please, this is an emergency."

Mr. Parker gave her two dollars and she ran outside with it. In a moment she came back with Louise.

"Now, Penny, suppose you explain," suggested Mr. Parker. "Has walking become an outmoded sport or are you trying to save wear and tear on rayon stockings?"

"Dad, Louise and I never went to the Rialto Theatre," Penny said breathlessly. "We've been at The Green Parrot!"

"_The Green Parrot!_"