Chapter 23 The Quest of the Missing Map by Carolyn Keene
Little Palm Island
Pressed for an explanation, Nancy told how she had seen Snorky stealing away from the galley.
“I believe he’s trying to keep us from reaching Little Palm Island,” she ended her tale wearily.
While Mrs. Chatham and the girls made Nancy comfortable in bed, Ned and Bill Tomlin sought the captain. The three of them searched the ship. Finding Snorky hiding in the hold, they demanded a reason for his conduct.
“I ain’t done nothin’,” the fellow whined. “I wasn’t within a mile of the galley.”
“We’ll test the truth of that,” said Captain Stryver.
He then ordered a sailor to bring a sample of every dish of food which was to be served for dinner. Commanded to eat, Snorky sullenly obeyed, refusing only to taste a bowl of split pea soup.
“Throw the soup overboard,” the captain instructed the cook. “As for this fellow, we’ll lock him up until we reach port.”
Before being taken away, Snorky was questioned by the captain. The sly sailor would give no reason for his past actions, insisting only that he had put nothing harmful in the food.
“I wanted to steer the Primrose myself,” he said, but no one believed him.
After Snorky was locked up, a thorough search was made of his belongings. No evidence was found against him other than the sickening white powder. Nancy did not swerve from her original theory, however, that the man was working for someone interested in obtaining the treasure.
During the remainder of the day all went well aboard the Primrose. Just at dusk the vessel came within view of Little Palm Island. Through the binoculars it appeared as a tiny crescent-shaped spot of green, its sandy shores lined solidly with gently waving palms.
“Oh, what a lovely place!” Nancy exclaimed enthusiastically. “May we go ashore at once, Captain Stryver?”
“The sea’s pretty rough,” he answered. “I’ll not be able to take the Primrose in much closer.”
“Can’t a small boat be launched?”
“We’ll see,” the man returned, smiling at the girl’s eagerness. “Too soon to tell yet.”
The Primrose nosed her way cautiously ahead and at length dropped anchor a safe distance from the pounding surf. After considerable debate it was decided that Captain Stryver, Ned, Bill Tomlin, and two sailors should row ashore to make a preliminary investigation. Nancy and her chums were disappointed to be left behind, but they realized that it might be dangerous to adopt any other plan.
Anxiously those aboard the Primrose watched the little craft row away. Nancy was busy following its progress through the binoculars when a sailor came hurriedly on deck to report that Snorky had escaped from his prison room.
“He’s nowhere in sight, either,” the seaman added. “Looks as if he must have jumped overboard and swum to shore.”
“In these shark-infested waters!”
“You wouldn’t catch me trying it,” the sailor replied. “That Snorky’s as crazy as they come.”
Nancy’s uneasiness increased, for she reasoned that the missing sailor undoubtedly had friends waiting for him on Little Palm Island. She feared that Captain Stryver’s party might be waylaid. Therefore, it was a great relief to everyone aboard the Primrose when less than an hour later the small boat was observed returning.
“What’s the report?” Nancy eagerly asked Ned as he climbed on deck.
“This side of the island seems to be deserted. We did find considerable evidence of digging, though.”
“Oh, Ned! That means someone has reached the spot ahead of us!”
“Afraid so, Nancy.”
“Snorky has escaped, too. That makes our position here even worse. Somehow he got away from his guard and jumped overboard.”
A conference was called immediately in Captain Stryver’s cabin. It was agreed that action must be taken at once or the treasure might be lost forever.
“There’s only one thing to do,” the captain said gruffly. “Snorky must be recaptured. I propose that we make up a party and go after him.”
Leaving only one sailor behind to guard the Primrose, all the men except Mr. Smith set off for the island. Mrs. Chatham, Mrs. Smith, Nancy and the other girls remained on deck, anxiously watching the boat through the spyglass. They saw it make a safe landing. Then the men vanished behind a fringe of palms.
“It will be dark soon,” Mrs. Chatham said nervously. “Oh, I do wish they would return!”
“Listen!” cried Nancy suddenly. “I thought I heard someone shout!”
“So did I!” agreed Bess who stood beside her. “Something must have happened!”
In a moment the group saw several men appear on the beach. Seizing the binoculars, Nancy adjusted the powerful glasses to her eyes.
“What do you see?” demanded Ellen who had hastened to the railing.
“They’ve caught Snorky!” Nancy exclaimed. “Another man, too. I can’t see his face clearly.”
“That’s great!” laughed Bess in relief. “Now it will be safe for us to go ashore.”
“Who is the man in the white tropical outfit?” Mrs. Chatham asked, for she had observed another person join the group on the beach.
“He looks slightly familiar, but I can’t recall where I’ve seen him,” Nancy returned, focusing the glasses on the man in white. “His big hat is pulled low over his face.”
As she watched intently she could tell that the newcomer was arguing with Captain Stryver. She could not be certain, but she thought he might be ordering the Primrose party away from the island. Her observation was confirmed a few minutes later when Ned and a sailor rowed back to the yacht.
“That fellow in white—Mr. Heyborn—claims he owns the island,” the youth told her. “He says he’ll permit no landing and no digging. Captain Stryver is trying to make him listen to reason. So far he’s had no luck.”
“But there has been considerable digging on the island already,” Nancy said in quick protest.
“The fellow claims he knew nothing about it. I came back here to get you and Ellen. We’ve caught Snorky and another man who may be the one that robbed the Smith home of the treasure map.”
Obtaining Mrs. Chatham’s permission, Nancy and Ellen rowed to the island with Ned. The man in white had vanished before their arrival, but one glance satisfied them that Snorky’s companion was Spike Doty. His glaring eyes convinced Nancy he was the same person who had “haunted” the music cottage.
“Mr. Heyborn, the owner of the island, has volunteered to look after the prisoners,” Captain Stryver remarked dubiously. “Shall we accept his offer?”
“Wouldn’t it be wiser to take the men to the Primrose?” Nancy asked before anyone else could speak.
“My own thought,” nodded the captain. “Somehow I don’t entirely trust Mr. Heyborn.”
He lowered his voice, for the man in tropical white was returning. By this time darkness was coming on. Although Nancy tried her best, she could not obtain a good view of the newcomer’s face. Whenever she drew near him, he would turn away slightly.
“Well, have you made up your mind?” he asked the captain testily. “You’re leaving these men with me?”
“No, we’ve decided to take them aboard the Primrose,” Captain Stryver answered.
“It will only make you trouble,” the island owner replied, evidently displeased. “Why not let me look after the prisoners for you? A supply boat touches here in a few days and they can be put aboard that.”
To Nancy’s relief Captain Stryver firmly declined the offer. Permission was asked to refill the water casks of the Primrose at a spring. To this the unpleasant Mr. Heyborn reluctantly consented.
“I can give you no other privileges here,” he warned. “Above all, I’ll have no digging. Now please leave.”
“You’re not acting very fair,” Ned could not refrain from saying. “Mrs. Chatham has spent a lot of money getting to this island. We’ll do no damage.”
“Please let us search,” Ellen pleaded. “It means so much to Mrs. Chatham and my family.”
“I’ll have no digging,” the man repeated irritably.
Ned and Ellen would have pressed the matter further had not Nancy given them a warning glance.
“I can see your viewpoint,” she said to the owner. “Well leave at once.”
Her friends stared at her aghast. A few minutes later, on their way to the yacht, they demanded an explanation.
“I’ll tell you why I agreed with him,” Nancy returned evenly. “It was to throw him off the track. Not for a minute do I believe that Mr. Heyborn is the owner of Little Palm Island!”
“You think he’s an impostor?” Ned asked in amazement.
“I certainly do. He must be a pal of Snorky and Spike.”
“Then he means to get the treasure for himself!” Ellen gasped, thoroughly alarmed. “We must do something to stop him. But what?”
“I have a little plan,” Nancy said with assurance. “As soon as we reach the Primrose I’ll tell you all about it.”