Read Online Drew 17 - The Mystery of the Brass-Bound Trunk by Carolyn Keene - Free Book Online
Authors: Carolyn Keene
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pants seem much shorter than the ones for that gray suit over there.”
“Maybe he supplies his whole gang with outfits,” Rod suggested.
When the trunk was empty, Nancy tapped all sides of it. Then she tried the bottom, pressing hard on every inch. Suddenly she smiled. “I think this is a false bottom!” she announced.
“Really?” George asked in a hoarse whisper. “Can you tell for sure?”
“It sounds that way,” Nancy replied and studied the flowered paper that lined the entire trunk.
“Bess, would you mind bringing me my Bash-light?” she requested.
Bess hurried into one twenty-eight to get Nancy’s light from a drawer. She handed it to the young sleuth, who immediately beamed the flashlight on the flowered paper.
“There’s a well-disguised seam here,” Nancy said, pointing. “Maybe I can get the paper off without ruining it.”
“How?” George asked.
Nancy said, “Let’s try soaking it to see if we can loosen it.”
Bess asked, “Why bother?”
Nelda answered, “We don’t want to alert the owner that we have tampered with his property, even though we suspect him.”
By this time, George had obtained a Turkish towel from the bathroom, soaked it, and brought it to Nancy. The plan worked and in a few minutes the girl detective was able to peel off the flowered paper from the bottom of the trunk.
The others crowded around to look at what was underneath. They stared in surprise.
“A wooden tray!” Bess exclaimed. “With a lid!”
“Which doesn’t open,” Nancy said in disappointment, as she and Rod tried it unsuccessfully. Suddenly Nancy held up her hand. “Shh!”
There was complete silence for a few seconds.
“What is it?” George whispered.
“I thought I heard a noise outside. I don’t know whether it was here or at the door of cabin one twenty-eight!”
“What shall we do?” Bess asked.
“I think I’d better investigate,” Rod decided. “You stay here and be very quiet.”
“Wouldn’t it be better if I went out to look?” Nancy said. “You could be right behind me and back me up in case of trouble.”
“Okay,” Rod agreed, and the two tiptoed into cabin one twenty-eight through the connecting doors. Nancy opened the door and looked out into the corridor. There was no one in sight!
“I could have sworn I heard someone out here!” Nancy said. “Whoever it was must have hurried off while we were discussing what to do!”
“Well, let’s get back to the trunk,” Rod sug gested. They locked the door again and joined the others, who had discovered a series of small holes across the top of the tray.
“This trunk has a false bottom!” Nancy exclaimed.
“They must be keyholes,” Nancy suggested. “Now what are we going to do?”
Nelda answered, “Why don’t we call my uncle? I’m sure he can help us.”
The others agreed and urged her to call the captain at once.
He answered immediately, but said he was in bed. His niece told him what Nancy had discovered in the mystery trunk.
“Amazing!” he replied, “This should be investigated further. I’ll be right down!”
CHAPTER X
Dutch Dials
CAPTAIN Detweiler arrived in a short time. He gazed for several seconds at the hidden tray Nancy had discovered. He was as eager as the others to open it and learn what it contained.
Nancy asked him about Lou, the locksmith. “We’ve had no luck trying to open it. Do you trust him fully?”
The captain smiled. “I’ve known Lou for many, many years. He’s as honest and faithful as a good Dutch windmill.”
He turned to Rod Havelock. “Please go down and get Lou. Tell him I want him up here right away with a bag of tools and devices to open locks, unusual locks, that is.”
“Shall I wake him if he’s asleep?” the assistant purser asked.
“Yes. It’s very important, but he’s not to mention it to anyone.”
Havelock left at once. He did, indeed, find the locksmith sound asleep. After hearing the urgent message, Lou dressed quickly and
“Maybe he supplies his whole gang with outfits,” Rod suggested.
When the trunk was empty, Nancy tapped all sides of it. Then she tried the bottom, pressing hard on every inch. Suddenly she smiled. “I think this is a false bottom!” she announced.
“Really?” George asked in a hoarse whisper. “Can you tell for sure?”
“It sounds that way,” Nancy replied and studied the flowered paper that lined the entire trunk.
“Bess, would you mind bringing me my Bash-light?” she requested.
Bess hurried into one twenty-eight to get Nancy’s light from a drawer. She handed it to the young sleuth, who immediately beamed the flashlight on the flowered paper.
“There’s a well-disguised seam here,” Nancy said, pointing. “Maybe I can get the paper off without ruining it.”
“How?” George asked.
Nancy said, “Let’s try soaking it to see if we can loosen it.”
Bess asked, “Why bother?”
Nelda answered, “We don’t want to alert the owner that we have tampered with his property, even though we suspect him.”
By this time, George had obtained a Turkish towel from the bathroom, soaked it, and brought it to Nancy. The plan worked and in a few minutes the girl detective was able to peel off the flowered paper from the bottom of the trunk.
The others crowded around to look at what was underneath. They stared in surprise.
“A wooden tray!” Bess exclaimed. “With a lid!”
“Which doesn’t open,” Nancy said in disappointment, as she and Rod tried it unsuccessfully. Suddenly Nancy held up her hand. “Shh!”
There was complete silence for a few seconds.
“What is it?” George whispered.
“I thought I heard a noise outside. I don’t know whether it was here or at the door of cabin one twenty-eight!”
“What shall we do?” Bess asked.
“I think I’d better investigate,” Rod decided. “You stay here and be very quiet.”
“Wouldn’t it be better if I went out to look?” Nancy said. “You could be right behind me and back me up in case of trouble.”
“Okay,” Rod agreed, and the two tiptoed into cabin one twenty-eight through the connecting doors. Nancy opened the door and looked out into the corridor. There was no one in sight!
“I could have sworn I heard someone out here!” Nancy said. “Whoever it was must have hurried off while we were discussing what to do!”
“Well, let’s get back to the trunk,” Rod sug gested. They locked the door again and joined the others, who had discovered a series of small holes across the top of the tray.
“This trunk has a false bottom!” Nancy exclaimed.
“They must be keyholes,” Nancy suggested. “Now what are we going to do?”
Nelda answered, “Why don’t we call my uncle? I’m sure he can help us.”
The others agreed and urged her to call the captain at once.
He answered immediately, but said he was in bed. His niece told him what Nancy had discovered in the mystery trunk.
“Amazing!” he replied, “This should be investigated further. I’ll be right down!”
CHAPTER X
Dutch Dials
CAPTAIN Detweiler arrived in a short time. He gazed for several seconds at the hidden tray Nancy had discovered. He was as eager as the others to open it and learn what it contained.
Nancy asked him about Lou, the locksmith. “We’ve had no luck trying to open it. Do you trust him fully?”
The captain smiled. “I’ve known Lou for many, many years. He’s as honest and faithful as a good Dutch windmill.”
He turned to Rod Havelock. “Please go down and get Lou. Tell him I want him up here right away with a bag of tools and devices to open locks, unusual locks, that is.”
“Shall I wake him if he’s asleep?” the assistant purser asked.
“Yes. It’s very important, but he’s not to mention it to anyone.”
Havelock left at once. He did, indeed, find the locksmith sound asleep. After hearing the urgent message, Lou dressed quickly and
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