The Message In The Hollow Oak Part 10

"Sorry, ladies," he said. "I don't know what possessed this contraption. She just got stubborn. Been through here many times. But now when I have pa.s.sengers, she starts to act up. You two all right?"

"Yes, I am," Nancy replied, "but soaked."

"Me too," Julie Anne added.

"I reckon you'll dry out soon, it's so hot," Clem predicted. "Want to give me a hand with this thing? We'll see if we can right her."

The old car was not heavy and though it took the combined strength of its three pa.s.sengers they finally managed to set the vehicle on its four wheels. Clem climbed into the driver's scat and tried to start the motor. Dead! Its owner stepped out. As he scratched his head in perplexity, the farmer realized his hat was gone.

"Sailed on downstream, I reckon," he said with a sigh.

"And our lunch too," Julie Anne stated ruefully. "I guess we'll have to give up our sleuthing for today."

Nancy had been looking toward the sh.o.r.e. "Perhaps we can push the car back to the embankment, and after it dries out, the motor will start," she said hopefully.

"You may be right," Clem agreed. He heaved a sigh. "It's a long walk home and a long way to the bridge that goes across this stream. Anyhow it don't take cars. All right, let's pus.h.!.+"

One girl got on each side of the old car, while Clem pushed the front end and guided the steering wheel. The going was rough and the car balked at the rocks. By the time they finally reached the embankment, all of them were exhausted and flopped to the ground for a rest.

Water poured from the car. When the flow slackened, Clem opened the hood. "We'll let the sun work on this," he announced. Nevertheless he took some rags from a compartment and began sopping water from the engine.

"I predict," he said, "that this old buggy will be runnin' within half an hour."

"I certainly hope so," Julie Anne replied. She was now walking up and down letting the breeze blow through her hair and clothing.

Meanwhile Nancy had been looking around. She spotted a huge oak on the far side of the stream. Though the tree was in full leaf and looked healthy, and probably was not hollow, she wondered if there might be a lead plate on it.

"I won't be satisfied until I make certain," the young sleuth thought, and pointed out the oak to Julie Anne and Clem. "I think I'll wade over there and look."

"But you're already partially dry," Julie Anne reminded her.

She knew this would not deter Nancy and she was right. The curious young detective stepped down into the stream and made her way across. To her disappointment, she found that the tree had no lead plate on it nor any carvings or other marks.

"Well, I can't pick up a clue every time," Nancy said to herself, and recrossed the stream.

By this time Clem had dried off the motor and the many wires leading from it. Hopefully he climbed into the driver's seat and turned on the ignition. The enginer sputtered and a stream of water shot out of the exhaust. Coughing and sputtering, the motor kept going, and in three minutes purred normally.

"Yea!" Nancy and Julie Anne cried out.

The two girls got into the back seat and Clem took off. Presently Nancy asked if he knew how to go about arranging a towboat trip.

"Yep," said Clem. "I know just the fellow who can fix you up. He's an old geezer, a retired towboat captain. Lives just outside o' Cairo, about four miles up the bank u' the Ohio. You can't miss it-small white house with red trim. Name's Nathaniel Hornbeck."

"Do you have his phone number?" Nancy asked.

Clem grinned as he swerved around a hole in the dirt road. "He don't have one. You just knock on the door. He's glad for company. Sorry I disappointed you today," Clem added, "but sometime I'll come around and take you on the rest of the journey to find the hollow oak."

"Great," Nancy said. "Just let us know."

By the time they reached the dig, the trio was thoroughly dry but disheveled looking. Nancy and Julie Anne hurried into the farmhouse to change their clothes. No one was around and they a.s.sumed the diggers were busy in the excavation.

When the girls came outside, they met Theresa coming from the dig, holding something in her hand. She looked at the girls and beamed. "I've made a marvelous find!" she exclaimed.

The archaeologist opened her fingers to reveal an ancient Indian necklace of river pearls and a sh.e.l.l bracelet.

"These had been in a deerskin pouch," she told the girls. "Of course the pouch had disintegrated but we're saving the fragments. I'm taking these treasures to our lab."

During the rest of the day Nancy kept wondering why Ned wanted to talk to her. Since Art was not free to go into Walmsley she could not telephone, but he promised to take her the next morning.

They set off early. When they reached town, Art said he would shop while Nancy was busy. Once more she tried Ned and finally found him.

"Hi!" she said. "I'm glad I located you."

Ned Nickerson chuckled. "I was beginning to think you'd forgotten me. Have you solved the mystery?"

"No, but I have an interesting lead."

"Good. Nancy, how would you like three hearty young men and two smart girls to join you?"

Nancy almost shouted for joy. "You mean you and Burt and Dave and George and Bess can come here?"

Ned said this was exactly what he meant. "You say the word and we'll hop a plane."

"Come as soon as you can," she urged. "Fly to St. Louis and take a helicopter from there. My interesting clue is that pirates stole the treasure which Pere Franois was carrying and hid it in a cave along the Ohio River. It the story is true, there's a good chance the treasure has never been found because all the pirates were lost in a storm."

Enthusiastically she told about the Ohio River towboat trips. "Would you and the others like to take one and hunt for the treasure?"

"Sounds great," he replied. "Suppose you make all the arrangements and then call me when you want us to start. Only don't make it too long. I'm itching to get out there."

Tingling with happiness, Nancy came out of the phone booth. Just then Art rode up. Excitedly she asked, "Would you possibly have time to dash into Cairo and back?"

He looked at his wrist watch. "Yes, if we hurry. What's up?"

Nancy swung onto the motorcycle and it roared down the road. She told Art the news that her friends were going to fly out to help solve the mystery.

When Art made no comment, she said, "You'll like them. I know you will."

He had become glum, but replied, "At any rate I'll like Bess and George."

The remark amused Nancy, but as time went on and Art did not respond to her remarks as he usually did, she became puzzled. Then suddenly Nancy wondered, "Could Art be jealous of Ned?"

Deciding the thought was ridiculous, she put it out of her mind. It was true she and Art had been together a good deal the past few days but the friends.h.i.+p was casual.

As they neared Cairo after a ride with an almost one-sided conversation, Nancy decided that her hunch had been right. Art had hardly spoken the whole time. Obviously he was not thrilled by Ned's expected arrival! An idea of how to take care of the situation came to her.

"Art," she said, "do you think you and Julie Anne could get away from the dig for a few days and go on the towboat trip with the rest of us? I'd love to have you come."

Art brightened considerably. "I'm sure we could get permission. Thanks a lot."