Chapter 11 The Clue of the Tapping Heels by Carolyn Keene
A Sinister Sailor
Nancy felt Ned grasp her hand, but the next instant they were separated as their bodies hurtled into the cold water. They were thrown clear of the vessel and came to the surface surrounded by other struggling passengers.
The Drew girl glanced about anxiously for Ned although she knew he was a good swimmer. She was relieved to see him aiding a middle-aged woman who had served as chaperon for the college group. A number of men and women were swimming toward shore which was close by, but many more were trying to aid those who could not keep afloat.
Nancy saw a girl entangled in a deck chair, her head under water. Swimming to the victim, she quickly aided her by showing her how to hold the floating chair so that it would support her until a small boat could pick her up.
Glancing at the Goodtime, Nancy was surprised to see that it had not completely turned turtle. Having relieved itself of the great weight, it had steadied and remained upright, although with a pronounced list. Captain Staff, determined to stay with the vessel to the last, could be seen on the bridge, still shouting orders.
Not far away Nancy saw the other river steamer which had been struck. It did not appear to be damaged much, and small boats were putting off from it to pick up the screaming victims.
Gazing back at the Goodtime, the girl was startled to see a sudden flash of fire which seemed to come from near the bridge. There was a loud explosion, followed a moment later by a lesser report. Captain Staff either jumped or was hurled overboard by the force of the blast.
The man’s body struck the water only a short distance from Nancy, who was horrified to observe that he had dived head-first into the wooden arm of a floating deck chair. As the officer remained motionless, the girl swam to him, grasping his coat. She realized that he had been stunned by the blow he had received. His face was burned.
Nancy supported the body as she signaled for one of the boats to pick her up. However, she had a long, tiring wait before a craft came alongside. Once during the interval Captain Staff’s lips moved. She heard him mutter:
“If you find my son—tell him—there’s money for him.”
Finally the captain was pulled into one of the boats. The craft was overcrowded with victims so that it rode low in the water. The Drew girl, fearing that it might sink under such a heavy weight, refused to climb aboard and swam to shore.
An ambulance rushed Captain Staff, whose condition was serious, to a nearby hospital. Doctors who had volunteered their services treated those with minor injuries at the scene of the accident, performing artificial resuscitation upon several who were taken from the water unconscious.
Nancy, well trained in first aid work, helped the doctors as best she could, going from one person to another. She heard many of them blaming Captain Staff for the accident.
“There was no excuse for two boats crashing into each other in broad daylight,” affirmed one. “I hope they jail Captain Staff for his negligence.”
Nancy overheard members of the crew commenting upon the accident. With the exception of the deckhand Penello, the men held that Captain Staff had been blameless.
“I was more at fault than the Cap’n,” said one of them. “At the time of the crash I was takin’ my trick at the wheel.”
“Didn’t you see the other boat?” asked his companion.
“Sure I did, and I tried to give her a good berth, but somethin’ was wrong with the steerin’ wheel. I tell you someone must have tampered with the mechanism.”
“Tell that one to the authorities!” jeered Penello. “The steering wheel was O.K.”
Nancy wondered how the man could be so certain of his statement. She noticed that he went from one member of the crew to another, talking bitterly against Captain Staff. There was an air of smug satisfaction about him as if he were rather pleased at the outcome of affairs.
“That fellow knows more about the accident than he lets on,” Nancy thought shrewdly.
The girl recalled the scene she had witnessed between Captain Staff and the deckhand. Had Penello not been caught in a room where he had no business to be? The more she thought about it, the more certain she became that he had tampered with the steering wheel mechanism.
Nancy determined to keep an eye upon the man, but for the time being she was occupied helping the victims of the accident. All were wet and cold and many were suffering from shock. Fortunately, so far as could be told by the first count, no lives had been lost.
As Nancy did not mind her own discomfort, she remained at the dock as long as she could be of aid. Then Ned took her home, where she changed into fresh clothing and then met two newspaper reporters who came to interview her.
The girl was very careful to say nothing which would implicate Captain Staff in any way. She was tempted to tell what she knew of Penello, but decided to remain silent until she had gained more evidence.
After a while the men went away but Nancy was not left alone for long. Friends and neighbors kept coming to see her or phoning to ask her for an account of the accident.
Among the latter was her chum George, who was very worried. When assured over the wire that Nancy was all right, she added:
“I had planned to ask you if I might stay over night with you. The folks will be away. But if you’re ill——”
“Never felt better,” Nancy laughed. “Only I’m tired of being interviewed, and I’d like to get away from the house for a little while. Suppose you meet me in front of the Santo movie. Hannah has to leave now—her cousin sent for her to take care of her baby until tomorrow—so it will be fun for you and me to have dinner downtown.”
After leaving a note for her father, who was not to arrive home until about ten, to call for her at the moving picture theatre, Nancy hurried to the business section of River Heights. She spied George waiting for her in front of the Santo. She also glimpsed someone else, and without waiting to explain anything to her chum, she grasped her by a hand and hurried down the street.
“Come quickly,” Nancy urged.
She had caught a glimpse of a man in a sailor’s uniform. He was the swarthy Penello! Intuition told Nancy that perhaps this would be her chance to find out more about this fellow whom she suspected of being responsible for the boat disaster.
“Wh-where are you taking me?” George gasped as Penello turned down a side street which led toward the river.
“I don’t know,” replied Nancy, who wondered herself. “If he goes down into the Front Street district, I guess we better not follow him.”
However, the man slowed down presently and stood in front of a flashily painted building which bore a sign, “Egyptian Temple of the Stars.” The girls, surmising that he intended to enter the place, could not figure out his delay in doing so. To avoid suspicion they were forced to cross the street and look into the window of a flower shop.
“Maybe he’s waiting for someone,” suggested George.
She was right. In a few minutes a man coming from the opposite direction joined him. Nancy was so startled she could hardly speak.
“He’s the freckle-faced colored man!” she gasped.