Swamp Island

  CHAPTER 12 _A JOB FOR PENNY_

  Penny gazed at Salt in grim despair. "I was so sure Jerry would be here,"she murmured. "What can we do now?"

  "We've run down every clue," he replied gloomily. "If he isn't at thehospital, I'm afraid it's a case for the police."

  "But Mark was so sure he had seen Jerry tonight. Try once more, Salt."

  "Okay, but it's useless. He's not here."

  Again Salt hammered on the door with his fist. He was turning away when asleepy voice called: "Who's there?"

  "Jerry is in there!" Penny cried. "Thank goodness, he's safe!"

  "Open up, you lug!" ordered Salt.

  A bed creaked, footsteps padded across the carpet and the door swungback. Jerry, in silk dressing gown, blinked sleepily out at them.

  "What do you want?" he mumbled. "Can't you let a fellow catch forty winkswithout sending out the riot squad?"

  "How are you feeling, Jerry, my boy?" Salt inquired solicitously.

  "Never felt better in my life, except I'm sleepy."

  "Then what made you walk out of the hospital?"

  "I don't like hospitals."

  "We ought to punch you in the nose for making us so much trouble," Saltsaid affectionately. "Here we spent half the night searching the swampfor you!"

  Jerry's face crinkled into a broad grin. "The swamp! That's good!"

  "Didn't you ask a taximan at the hospital how much it would cost to gothere?" Penny reminded him.

  "Sure, but I decided not to go."

  "You got a nerve!" Salt muttered. "Climb into your clothes and we'll takeyou back to your cell."

  "Oh, no, you don't!" Jerry backed away from the door. "I'm no more sickthan you are, and I'm not going back to the hospital!"

  "You're an advanced case for a mental institution!" the photographersnapped. "Maybe you don't know Danny Deevers is out to get you and hemeans business!"

  "I'm not worried about Danny."

  "Maybe you don't think he cracked you on the head tonight at thetheater?"

  "I've been thinking it over," Jerry replied slowly. "Probably it wasDanny, but I doubt he'll dare show his face again. Police are too hot onhis trail."

  "Says you!" snorted Salt. "By the way, why were you so interested ingoing to the swamp tonight? Any clues?"

  "Only the information you and Penny gave me."

  "We learned a little more this evening," Penny informed him eagerly. "Andwe have a photograph we want you to identify."

  The story of their findings at Caleb Corners and beyond, was brieflytold. Salt then showed Jerry the picture of the ancient car which hadbeen involved in the traffic accident.

  "This older man is Danny Deevers," Jerry positively identified him afterstudying the photograph a minute. "I don't recognize the driver of thecar."

  "We're almost sure he's one of the Hawkins' boys," Penny declared. "Youknow, the swamper we told you about."

  Jerry nodded. "In that case, putting the finger on Deevers should be easyfor the police. The Hawkins family could be arrested on suspicion. Likeas not, Deevers is hiding in the swamp just as Penny suspected!"

  "If he is, it won't be easy to capture him," commented Salt. "They say aman could hide there a year without being found. And if the Hawkins' boyis arrested, he'll naturally lie low."

  Jerry thoughtfully studied the photograph again. "That's so," headmitted. "Anyway, our evidence is pretty weak. We couldn't pin anythingon either of the Hawkins' boys on the strength of this photograph."

  "It would only involve Mrs. Jones," contributed Penny. "Why turn it overto the police?"

  "Well, it would relieve us of a lot of responsibility. Tell you what! Iknow the Chief pretty well. Suppose I give the picture to him and ask himto go easy on Mrs. Jones? I think he would play along with us."

  "Sounds like a good idea to me," approved Salt. "The police can watch theHawkins place and maybe learn Danny's hideout without tipping theirhand."

  The matter of the photograph settled, he and Penny turned to leave.

  "We'll send the hospital ambulance after you, Jerry," Salt said by way offarewell. "Better get into some duds."

  "I'm not going back there!"

  "It's no use trying to make him," said Penny who knew from experiencethat the reporter could be stubborn. "But do be careful, won't you,Jerry?"

  "Sure," he promised. "And thanks to both of you for all your trouble!"

  The hour now was well past midnight. Saying goodbye to Jerry, Penny hadSalt take her directly home.

  Quietly she slipped into the house and upstairs to her own room withoutdisturbing Mrs. Weems.

  However, next morning, explanations were in order, and as was to beexpected, the housekeeper did not look with approval upon the trip to theswamp.

  "Your motives may have been excellent," she told Penny, "but yourjudgment was very poor. Even with Salt as an escort you shouldn't havegone."

  To make amends, Penny stayed close at home that morning, helping with anironing. At noon when her father came for luncheon, she eagerly plied himwith questions about the Danny Deevers case.

  "There's nothing new to report," Mr. Parker said. "He's still at large.The _Star_ has posted a $10,000 reward for his capture."

  "Ten thousand!" echoed Penny, her eyes sparkling. "I could use thatmoney!"

  Mr. Parker carefully laid down his knife and fork, fixing his daughterwith a stern gaze.

  "You're to forget Danny Deevers," he directed. "Just to make certain youdo, I've arranged with Mr. DeWitt to give you a few days' work at theoffice. Kindly report at one-thirty this afternoon for your firstassignment."

  "Oh, Dad! Of all times--I had plans!"

  "So I figured," her father replied dryly. "Mr. DeWitt, I trust, will keepyou busy until after Danny Deevers has been rounded up by the police."

  Penny knew that protests were quite useless, for when her father reallyset down his foot, he seldom changed his mind. At another time, she wouldhave welcomed an opportunity to work at the _Star_ office, but this dayshe regarded it as nothing less than punishment.

  As her father had predicted, Penny was kept more than busy at the office.There were telephones to answer, obituaries to write, wire stories toredo, and a multitude of little writing jobs which kept her chained to adesk.

  Penny pounded out page after page of routine copy, her face becominglonger and longer. Whenever the shortwave radio blared, she listenedattentively. Never was there any news to suggest that police were eventaking an interest in Danny Deevers' escape.

  "Oh, they're working hard on the case," Jerry assured her when she talkedit over with him. "You'll hear about it in good time."

  "Everyone treats me as if I were a child!" Penny complained. "Just wait!If ever I get any more information, I'm keeping it under my hat!"

  For two long days she worked and suffered in the newspaper office. Thenlate one afternoon, Mr. DeWitt beckoned her to his desk.

  "You act as if you need a little fresh air," he said. "Take a run over tothe Immigration Office. See a man named Trotsell. He'll tell you about aboy who entered this country illegally. They're looking for him now."

  "I'll hippety-hop all the way!" Penny laughed, glad to escape from theoffice.

  At the Immigration Building, Mr. Trotsell, an official of brisk mannerand crisp speech, gave her the facts of the case in rapid-fire order.

  "The boy is only sixteen," he said. "His name is Anthony Tienta and hewas befriended by G.I.'s in Europe. Early in the war, his parents werekilled. Anthony was put in an orphan's asylum by Fascists. He and anotherlad escaped to the mountains. For six months they lived in a cave onberries and what they could pilfer."

  "Interesting," commented Penny, "but what is your connection with thecase?"

  "I'm coming to that. When G.I.'s entered Italy, Anthony left his mountainhideout to become a guide. He learned English and later joined anAmerican division as a mascot. When the war ended, Anthony soughtpermi
ssion to come to this country and was turned down repeatedly."

  "So he stowed aboard a troopship?"

  "Yes, we don't know yet how he eluded Immigration officials in New York.Somehow he slipped into the country. Later he was traced to a farm inMichigan. We were closing in on him, when someone tipped him off and hefled. We know he's somewhere in this state."

  "Near here?"

  "It's very possible. We thought if a story appeared in the paper, someonewho has seen the boy may report to us."

  "Do you have a picture of him?"

  "Unfortunately, no. He is sixteen, with dark eyes and dark, curly hair.The lad is athletic and very quick witted. His English is fairly good,heavily sprinkled with G.I. slang."

  "I'll write the story for you," Penny promised as she arose to leave."The truth is, though, my sympathy is with Anthony."

  "So is mine," replied the official. "However, that does not change thelaw. He entered this country illegally and must be returned to Italy."

  Penny left the office and was midway to the newspaper office when shebumped squarely into her friend, Louise Sidell, who had been downtownshopping.

  "Oh, Lou!" she exclaimed. "I called you twice but you weren't at home.Did Bones ever find his way back?"

  Louise shook her head. "He never will either. Those men probably kept himon the island. I'm going out there tomorrow."

  "To the island?"

  "If I can get Trapper Joe to take me. My father says I may offer himtwenty-five dollars to help me get Bones back."

  "It was entirely my fault, Lou. I'll pay the money."

  "You needn't."

  "I want to," said Penny firmly. "I've earned a little money the past twodays at the newspaper office."

  The two girls walked together to the next corner.

  "What time are you starting for Trapper Joe's tomorrow?" Penny asked.

  "I'd like to leave right after breakfast. Any chance you could take me inyour car?"

  "I was thinking the same thing," grinned Penny. "It may take a littledoing--but yes, I'm sure you can count on me! I'm long overdue for a datemyself with Old Man Swamp!"