The Clock Strikes Thirteen

  CHAPTER 11 _PENNY'S CLUE_

  "The nightshirt riders!" Jerry exclaimed. "Duck down, everyone!"

  Penny and the six lads from the Riverview Home crouched low, watching theapproach of the two riders.

  "One of those men may be Clem Davis, but I doubt it!" muttered Jerry."They're here to destroy the crated cantaloupes!"

  "Jerry, we can't let them get away with it!" Penny exclaimed. "Why notpelt them with melons when they get closer?"

  "Okay," he agreed grimly, "we'll give 'em a spoiled cantaloupe blitz.Gather your ammunition, gang, and get ready!"

  Screened from the approaching horsemen by trees and bushes, the youngpeople hastily collected a few over-ripe cantaloupes which were smallenough to throw with accuracy.

  Unaware of the barrage awaiting them, the two hooded men rode into theyard.

  "Now!" Jerry gave the signal. "Let 'em have it!"

  Taking careful aim, he hurled his own melon with all his strength. Itfound its mark, striking one of the men with stunning force, nearlycausing him to fall from the saddle.

  Penny and the boys from the orphans' home concentrated their efforts onthe other horseman. While many of their shots were wild, a few went true.One struck the horse which reared suddenly on her hind legs, unseatingthe rider.

  "Give it to him!" Jerry shouted, observing that the fallen man wasunhurt.

  Handicapped by lack of ammunition, there followed a brief lull in thebattle, as the young people sought to replenish their stock. Seizing theopportunity, one of the night riders galloped away. The other man, whohad lost his horse, scrambled into the cab of the loaded melon truck.

  "He's going to drive off!" Penny cried. "Let's stop him!"

  She and Jerry ran toward the truck, but they were too late. The giantmotor started with a roar, and the heavy vehicle rolled out of the yard.

  Just then, Mrs. Davis came running from the cabin.

  "My melons!" she screamed. "They've taken my melons! Oh, I was afraidsomething like this would happen!"

  "Maybe I can overtake that fellow," Jerry called to her. "Ride herd onthese kids until I get back!"

  As he ran toward his own car, Penny was close at his heels. She slid intothe seat beside him and they raced down the lane.

  "Which way did the truck go?" Jerry demanded. "I was so excited I forgotto notice."

  "It turned right. No sign of it now, though."

  "The fellow is running without lights to make it harder for us to followhim."

  Jerry and Penny both were hopeful that they could overtake the truck,which carried a heavy load. However, they had been delayed severalminutes in getting started, and as the miles fell behind them, theycaught no glimpse of the man they pursued.

  "He must have turned off on that little side road we passed a quarter ofa mile back," Penny declared in discouragement. "Switch off the engine aminute."

  Bringing the car to a standstill, Jerry did as instructed. Both listenedintently. From far over the hills they thought they could hear themuffled roar of a powerful motor.

  "You're right, Penny! He turned off at that side road!" Jerry exclaimed,backing the coupe around. "We'll get him yet!"

  Retracing their route, they started down the narrow rutty highway. Fiveminutes later, rounding a sharp bend, they caught their first glimpse ofthe truck, a dark object silhouetted in the moonlight. Only for a momentdid it remain visible, and then, descending a hill, was lost to view.

  "We're gaining fast," Jerry said in satisfaction. "It won't be long now."

  The coupe rattled over a bridge. For no reason at all it began to bump, aloud pounding noise coming from the rear of the car.

  "Gracious! What now?" Penny exclaimed.

  "A flat," Jerry answered tersely. "Just our luck."

  Pulling up at the side of the road, he jumped out to peer at the tires.As he had feared, the left rear one was down.

  "We'll probably lose that fellow now," he said irritably.

  With Penny holding a flashlight, the reporter worked as fast as he couldto change the tire. However, nearly fifteen minutes elapsed before thetask had been accomplished.

  "We may as well turn back," he said, tossing tools into the back of thecar. "How about it?"

  "Oh, let's keep on a little farther," Penny pleaded. "If we drive fast wemight still overtake him."

  Without much hope, they resumed the pursuit. Tires whined a protest asthey swung around sharp corners, and the motor began to heat.

  "This old bus can't take it any more," Jerry declared, slackening speedagain. "No sense in ruining the car."

  Penny had been watching the road carefully. They had passed no bisectinghighways, so she felt certain that the truck could not have turned off.On either side of the unpaved thoroughfare were lonely stretches of swampand woods.

  "Let's not turn back yet," she pleaded. "We still have a chance."

  "Okay," Jerry consented, "but don't forget we have six orphans waitingfor us at the Davis place."

  The car went on for another eight miles. Then came a welcome stretch ofpavement.

  "We must be getting near the state line," Jerry remarked. "Yeah, there itis."

  Directly ahead was a tiny brick building with an official waiting toinspect cars which passed beyond that point. A series of markers warnedthe motorist to halt at the designated place.

  As Jerry drew up, a man came from the little building.

  "Carrying any shrubs, plants or fruit?" he began but the reporter cut himshort.

  "We're following a stolen truck!" he exclaimed. "Has a red truck loadedwith cantaloupes gone through here tonight?"

  "I checked one about fifteen minutes ago."

  "Fifteen minutes!" Jerry groaned. "That finishes us."

  "The trucker could have reached Claymore by this time," the inspectorresponded. "Once in the city you wouldn't have much chance to pick himup. I have the truck license number though. If you'll give me all thefacts, I'll make a report to Claymore police."

  There was no point in pursuing the thief farther. Accordingly, Penny andJerry provided the requested information, and then drove to the Davisfarm. Regretfully, they told Mrs. Davis of their failure to trace themelon thief.

  "I've lost my crop, the truck--everything," she said in a crushed voice."What's the use trying anyhow? A body would be smarter to go along with'em than to try to fight."

  "I take it you have a pretty fair idea who it was that came heretonight?" Jerry said shrewdly. "Who are these Hoods?"

  "I don't dare tell you," the woman answered fearfully. "You saw what theydid tonight. They threw the blame of the Preston fire on Clem. They'll doworse things if I don't keep mum."

  "You want to help your husband, don't you?" Penny inquired.

  "Of course I do! But I know better than to talk."

  "You've been warned?" Jerry pursued the subject.

  "Yes, I have. Now don't ask me any more questions. I've told you too muchalready."

  "I just want to know one thing," Jerry said relentlessly. "Did yourtrouble start because you and your husband refused to join the HollowayCooperative?"

  "Maybe it did," the woman answered, her voice barely above a whisper. "Iain't saying."

  It was apparent to Jerry and Penny that they could expect no assistancefrom Mrs. Davis. Although the events of the night had convinced them thatClem Davis was innocent, others would not share their opinion. They feltthat by shielding the guilty parties, Mrs. Davis was adopting a verystupid attitude.

  "Come along, Penny," Jerry said with a shrug. "Let's be moving."

  Six reluctant orphans were rounded up from the hay loft where aboisterous game of hide and seek was in progress.

  "I can jam four into my coupe if you can handle the other two in yourcar," Jerry remarked to Penny. "If they make you any trouble, just tootthe horn twice, and I'll come back and settle with 'em!"

  "Oh, we'll get along fine," she smiled. "Come along, boys."
r />   "Here's a souvenir to remember the night by," Jerry said. From the groundhe picked up two melons which he handed to the orphans. "Just don't sockthe matron with them when you get back to the Home!"

  "Jerry, let me see one of those melons!" Penny exclaimed suddenly. "Theyfell from the truck, didn't they?"

  "I guess so," Jerry responded, surprised by her display of interest."What about 'em?"

  "I'll show you."

  Turning on the dash light of the car, Penny held the melon in its warmglow. Slowly, she turned it in her hands.

  "There!" she said, pointing to a tiny triangle shaped marking on thecantaloupe. "This may prove a clue which will lead to the capture of thethief!"

  "I don't get it," answered Jerry. "What clue?"

  "Why, this stamping on the melon!" she replied excitedly. "The Hoods mustintend to sell that load of cantaloupes. If they do, we may be able totrace the shipment."