The Secret of the Golden Pavillion (4 page)

The officer now addressed the window washer. He asked if Abe knew Jake. The workman vigorously denied this and said haughtily, “I want you to know, Officer, that I’m an honest man. I do my work and take care of my family. I never have anything to do with hoods.”

The window washer admitted, however, that the previous night he had received a mysterious phone call. “I think the voice was the same one as the man who rented the ladder. He told me I was goin’ to be punished for tellin’ Nancy Drew what I did. I called Miss Drew this morning and asked her to come over, so that I could tell her this. I was afraid she might be in some danger.”

“I certainly appreciate your kindness,” said Nancy with a smile. “But, Abe, please be careful yourself.”

The policeman took Jake off in the patrol car. Nancy and George walked to the next corner where they parted.

“Watch your step!” George warned her chum as she started toward the shopping area.

Upon reaching home, Nancy found Hannah Gruen putting a large suitcase on a scales. The housekeeper heaved a great sigh. “Can’t take this much. They’ll charge extra on the plane.” Then she asked, “What did the window washer want to tell you?”

When Nancy finished the story, the housekeeper gasped, “Oh, Nancy, you may be in terrible danger. Couldn’t we just go to Honolulu without getting mixed up with a lot of underhanded people?”

Nancy gave Hannah an affectionate squeeze. “Let’s not start worrying so early,” she suggested. “But I guess what I’d better start worrying about is my own packing.”

The young detective went into her bedroom, opened her closet door, and began selecting the dresses she would take.

“This white cotton will be good, and a couple of lightweight sweater suits,” Nancy said to herself.

She also chose a yellow, a pale blue, and a red-and black-flowered sunback costume. Then her mind began to wander from the subject at hand.

“I believe I’ll invite Mr. and Mrs. Sakamaki to dinner this evening,” she told herself. “They probably know many Polynesian legends. They might be able to remember one that has to do with water or sleep or death.”

She hurried to the telephone and called the Hawaiians. Both were delighted to accept the invitation and arrived promptly at seven o’clock. When Nancy brought up the subject of the legends, Mr. Sakamaki said:

“It’s possible that the legend about Pele, the Sleeping Goddess of the Volcano, may help you. According to the Islanders, Pele now sleeps a good deal, and awakens only once in a while to produce a volcano. But in ancient times she was very active. Some ten thousand years ago, while trying to find a permanent home on Oahu Island, she built two mountain peaks, Koko Head and Koko Crater from a great crack she caused in the Koolau Range. The legend goes on to say that the goddess was completely satisfied and went to sleep on the island.

“However, other stories are told that she sleeps in Kilauea Crater on Hawaii Island, but awakens to put on a fiery display at nearby Mauna Loa.”

When dinner was over and everyone had gathered in the living room, Mr. Sakamaki asked if the Drews would mind turning on their television to the newscast to hear the weather forecast for the next day.

Nancy turned on the television set and tuned it to the proper channel. The telecast had barely started when the announcer electrified the Drews with a news bulletin which he said had just been received by the station.

“Word has come,” he began, “of a plane in trouble over the Pacific. It is one which was chartered by a group of students from Emerson College.”

“Oh, Dad!” Nancy cried out fearfully. “That’s the plane that Ned and Dave and Burt are onl”

THE NEWS that the plane carrying the Emerson College boys over the Pacific was in trouble stunned Nancy. Mr. Drew, though fearful, tried to cheer his daughter by saying that pilots often accomplished miraculous feats with their craft. But as time went on even the lawyer had to admit that the reports were most discouraging.

“We mustn’t give up hope, though,” he said.

Mr. and Mrs. Sakamaki left in a little while. They expressed the fervent hope that the chartered plane would make a safe landing.

Nancy and her father, seated near Hannah Gruen, decided to turn on a radio, so they could get almost continuous reports.

“Do you think I should call Bess and George?” Nancy asked her father.

“Perhaps you shouldn’t worry them,” Mr. Drew replied.

The words were hardly out of his mouth when the three heard footsteps on the front porch, then the ringing of the doorbell. Nancy hurried to answer.

“Bess! George!” she cried out.

“Oh, Nancy, you’ve heard the news?” Bess asked, her voice trembling.

Nancy nodded as the three girls walked into the living room. Bess and George spoke to Mr. Drew and Hannah Gruen, then sat down to look and listen to the television and radio. Hour after hour went by with everyone’s hopes dimming. At dawn Mr. Drew suggested that the girls go to bed.

“I couldn’t sleep,” said Nancy.

“Nor I,” George and Bess agreed simultaneously.

At that moment a radio announcer said, “We interrupt this program for a special bulletin. Word has just been received that the plane carrying the students from Emerson College has landed at the Los Angeles airport. Everyone is safe.”

“Hypers!” George cried out.

“Oh, isn’t that wonderful!” Nancy exclaimed.

Bess said nothing. Tears of joy stood in her eyes. But she joined in the jubilation which fol lowed. Everyone hugged everyone else, and then Hannah hurried to the kitchen and prepared a snack consisting of hot chocolate and toast.

“And now for some sleep,” said Nancy, yawning, as she put down her empty cup. “Girls, you’d better stay here.”

“You won’t have to ask me twice,” George replied wearily. She telephoned home, and then Bess called her family.

While the girls were preparing for bed, Bess kept staring into space and had little to say. Finally Nancy asked her what the trouble was.

“Maybe I’m a sissy,” her friend replied, “but after what happened to the boys I’m not sure I want to fly to Honolulu.”

Nancy, catching a look of disdain in George’s eyes quickly winked at her, then said, “After you’ve had a good sleep, Bess, I’m sure you’ll feel better about the whole thing.”

Nancy’s prediction proved to be true. When Bess awakened in the late morning, she laughed at her own fears. “I wouldn’t miss this trip for anything in the world,” she declared.

Immediately after brunch the cousins left. Nancy decided to drive downtown and shop for another small suitcase. As she was about to leave the house, the telephone rang. Police Captain McGinnis was calling her.

“Would you mind coming down to my office?” he asked. “I think you’ll be interested in something we’ve found out.”

“I’ll be there in a few minutes,” the young sleuth answered.

When she reached police headquarters, Captain McGinnis told her that detectives had uncovered evidence which might link the thief who had entered her home to a rather unusual nationwide gang.

“We don’t actually know any of the members,” the officer went on. “But we’ve been told they call themselves the Double Scorps.”

“Double Scorps?” Nancy said. “Is there any special significance to that name?”

“It stands for Scorpions,” Captain McGinnis replied. “From what we have found out, they always work in pairs and they’re a bad lot.”

He opened a large ledger-type book on his desk. “There are a number of unexplained local robberies on our blotter,” he said. “One is of particular interest. A man’s ancient Chinese ring of great value was taken from the home of Mr. Homer Milbank.”

The officer looked up and smiled at Nancy. “I thought perhaps you’d like to help us,” he said.

Nancy lifted her eyebrows. “Me? Captain McGinnis, you know I’m going to Honolulu.”

“That’s just the point,” the officer told her. “Mr. Milbank bought the ring in Honolulu. There is just a possibility it may find its way back there. In any case, the
modus operandi
points to members of the Double Scorps gang.”

“I see,” said Nancy. “What did the ring look like?”

From his ledger Captain McGinnis took a photostat of a crude drawing of the ring. He said Mr. Milbank had had it made for the police. The officer handed the paper to Nancy who studied it closely for several seconds. Suddenly she leaned forward excitedly.

“Captain McGinnis,” she began, “I’m familiar with two of these four symbols. They’re not Chinese but Polynesian. Look at this one.” She pointed. “It stands for water, and this other one indicates sleep or death.”

It was the officer’s turn to show amazement. “I knew I was asking the right person to help me,” he said, grinning. “And I’d like to bet that you can tell me within a few hours what those other two symbols stand for.”

Smiling, Nancy arose. “You may be right,” she replied. “I’ll even try to cut the time in half.”

Leaving Captain McGinnis mystified, Nancy drove at once to the home of Professor Wharton and showed him the drawing.

After looking at the photostat a moment, he said that Nancy was correct in her supposition about all the symbols on the ring being Polynesian. “It probably was carved right in the Hawaiian Islands. These other two symbols stand for woman and tapa. You probably know that tapa is a cloth made from the bark of a variety of mulberry tree which grows on the Islands.”

Nancy returned to police headquarters and reported to Captain McGinnis what she had learned.

“Fine work, Nancy,” he said.

For several minutes the two discussed the odd fact that the ring was the only article stolen from the Milbank home.

In a teasing tone he said, “Of course I expect you to find the answer to that question.”

Nancy stood up, saluted, and with a chuckle answered, “Aye, aye, Captain, I shall try my best!”

As she drove toward home, a sudden thought came to Nancy. Her dog Togo must be cared for while she and her father and Hannah were away!

“I’ll take him to that lovely boarding home for dogs out in the country,” she said to herself.

At home Nancy found a message from her father, saying he had secured reservations for two days later. Since the next day would be a busy one for her, she decided to take Togo to the boarding home at once.

Nancy called Togo. When he did not come, she asked the housekeeper where the terrier was.

“Why, I don’t know,” Hannah replied.

She and Nancy went outside. They whistled and called repeatedly. Still Togo did not come.

“But he never strays away from our property!” Nancy declared.

“No, never,” Hannah agreed.

Nancy and the housekeeper stared at each other, worry in their eyes. Something must have happened to little Togo!

“HANNAH, when did you last see Togo?” Nancy asked the housekeeper.

“Oh, about an hour ago. He barked to go outside and I let him.”

Nancy hurried into the house to call the River Heights’ dog pound. The warden there frequently cruised around the streets in a small caged truck and picked up stray dogs.

“Something might have lured Togo into the street and perhaps the dog warden took him away,” Nancy said to herself.

But after she gave a full description of the little terrier, the warden informed her that the pet was not at the pound. Nancy began to worry more than ever. With a heavy heart she came outside again and told Hannah what she had learned.

“I’m going to ask our neighbors if any of them saw Togo,” she said.

“Oh, I do hope you find him. Togo is such a dear and lots of company.”

Nancy went from house to house. But one person after another gave her a negative reply. Finally, however, she got a clue from a little boy who was riding a tricycle.

“Sure I saw your dog,” the lad said. “He went away in a car.”

“A car?” Nancy asked. “Whose car?”

“I don’t know,” the boy answered. “It stopped in front of your house just before I rode past. A man got out and called to Togo. He was on your front lawn. The man had a bone and your dog came to get it. Then the man picked him up and took him away in the car.”

Nancy was stunned. A dognaper! She asked the child what the man looked like, but he had not noticed his face.

“Don’t you know who he was?” the boy asked.

“No, I don’t,” Nancy answered. “But whoever he is, he’s a mean person.”

“Did he steal Togo?” the little boy asked excitedly.

“I’m afraid so,” Nancy replied sadly. “Well, thank you for the information, Tommy.”

When she reached home, she said to Hannah, “I have a terrible feeling that one of the Double Scorps took Togo. Perhaps he hoped by doing this to keep us from going on the trip—or, at least, delay us.”

During the afternoon Nancy made further inquiries and reported the incident to Captain McGinnis. But evening came and there still was no clue to the whereabouts of her stolen pet.

For the second night Nancy Drew slept but little. She and Togo were fast friends and the thought of perhaps losing him forever made her very unhappy. Then suddenly she sat up in bed. Had she heard a whine and a short bark, or had she imagined them both?

“No, I’m not dreaming!” Nancy said to herself, as she detected the sounds again.

Grabbing up a robe and slippers she quickly put them on and leaped down the front stairway two steps at a time. Then she raced to the kitchen door and opened it. Togo dashed in and she swept him up in her arms.

“Oh, you blessed little thing! You’re back!” Nancy cried, hugging her pet. “How I wish you could talk and tell me who took you! But never mind. You’re home now, and no dognaper will ever get you again!”

She noticed that both the terrier’s license and collar were missing. She gave her pet an extra squeeze. “You broke loose and got away from that dreadful man, didn’t you?” she asked.