Guilt of the Brass Thieves

  CHAPTER 5 UNWANTED ADVICE

  "Just having an early morning snack?" Mrs. Bevens, the cook, inquired.

  "Why, no," stammered Penny. "That is--." Confronted with the empty milkbottle, a chicken skeleton, and two empty food dishes, it seemed futileto deny such incriminating evidence. Though tempted to speak of Jack, shedecided it would not be sporting of her.

  "Young people have such healthy appetites," the cook sighed. "I hadcounted on that chicken for luncheon. But never mind. I can send to themainland for something else."

  Feeling like a criminal, Penny fled to her room.

  "I could tar and feather Jack!" she thought furiously. "If he ever getsup, I'll make him explain to the cook."

  The breakfast bell rang at eight o'clock. When Penny joined the groupdownstairs, she was surprised to see Jack in a fresh suit, looking littlethe worse for having been out all night.

  "What time did you get in, Jack?" his father inquired pointedly.

  "Well, now I just don't remember," the boy answered, winking at Penny.

  "_How_ did you get in, might be a better question. If I recollectcorrectly, all of the doors were locked last night at midnight."

  Penny, decidedly uncomfortable, would have confessed her part, had notJack sent her a warning glance. As everyone went in to breakfast, thematter was allowed to rest.

  Ravenously hungry, Penny ate two waffles and several pieces of bacon.Observing the butler's amazed gaze upon her, she guessed that the cookhad told him of the chicken episode.

  Breakfast over, she managed to get Jack into a corner.

  "Listen," she said indignantly, "why don't you tell your parents exactlywhat happened. Mrs. Bevens thinks I ate up all the chicken."

  "Does she?" Jack chuckled. "That's rich! Don't you dare give me away!"

  "You give me a pain!" Penny retorted, losing all patience. "If I weren'ta guest in your house, I think I might slug you!"

  "Go ahead," Jack invited, unruffled. "You're a little spitfire just likeSally! Oh, by the way, how about a trial run in the _Spindrift_?"

  "Not the new sailboat?"

  Jack nodded, his face animated. "She was delivered yesterday and issmooth as silk. The mast may need to be stepped back a notch or so, butotherwise she's perfect for the race. Want to sail with me?"

  "I'd love to," Penny said, forgetting her resentment.

  Hand in hand they ran down the path to the docks. _The Spindrift_, builtto Mr. Gandiss' specifications, at a cost of nearly two thousand dollars,was a magnificent boat. Sixteen feet from bow to stern, its new coat ofwhite was satin smooth, and its metalwork gleamed in the morning sun.

  "She's fast," Jack declared proudly. "Sally Barker hasn't a chance to winthat race!"

  "Will she have a new boat?"

  "No, the captain can't afford it. She'll have to sail _Cat's Paw_ again."In all honesty, Jack added: "It's a good boat though. Captain Barkerbuilt it himself."

  Together they put up the snowy white mainsail, and Jack shoved off fromthe dock. Heading upstream, the boy demonstrated how close to the windthe _Spindrift_ would sail.

  "She's good in a light breeze too," he declared. "No matter what sort ofweather we get for the race, I figure I'll win."

  "There's an old saying that pride goeth before a fall," Penny remindedhim. "Also one about not counting your chickens."

  "Poultry never interested me," Jack grinned, his eyes on the peak of themainsail. "I'll win that brass lantern trophy from Sally if it's the lastact of my life."

  Penny, who had sailed a boat for several seasons in Riverview, hoped thatJack would offer her the tiller. Oblivious to her hints, he kept the_Spindrift_ heeling along so fast that water fairly boiled behind therudder. Jack was a good sailor and knew it.

  Observing the _River Queen_ plying her usual course, the boy deliberatelysteered to cross her path. As Penny well knew, by rules of navigation theferryboat was compelled to watch out for the smaller boat. With apparentunconcern, Jack forced the _Queen_ to change courses.

  As the boats passed fairly close to each other, Sally appeared at therailing. A bandana handkerchief covered her hair and she wore slacks anda white sweater. Watching the _Spindrift_ with concentration, she cuppedher hands and shouted:

  "If you sail near Hat Island, better be careful, Jack! The river level isdropping fast this morning. There's a shoal--"

  "When I need advice from you, I'll ask for it!" Jack replied furiously,turning his back to the ferry.

  Sally waved derisively and disappeared into the pilot house.

  "Why aren't you two nicer to each other?" Penny demanded suddenly. "Itseems to me you deliberately try to wave a red flag at her. For instance,sailing across the _River Queen's_ bow--"

  "Oh, I just intend to show Sally she can't push me around! Let's gohome."

  Suddenly tiring of the sport, Jack let out the mainsail, and the boatglided swiftly before the wind. Approaching a small island tangled withbushes and vines, Penny noted that the water was growing shallow. Shecalled Jack's attention to the muddy bottom beneath them.

  "Oh, it's deep enough through here," the boy responded carelessly. "Imake the passage every day."

  "What island are we passing?"

  "Hat. The water always is shoal here. Just sit tight and quit scowling atme."

  "I didn't know I was," Penny said, sinking back into the cushions.

  The _Spindrift_ gently grazed bottom. Dismayed, Penny straightened up,peering over the side. The boat was running hard into a mud bank.

  "About! Bring her about, Jack!" she cried before she considered how hemight take the uninvited advice.

  "The water is deep enough here," Jack answered stubbornly. "It's only atiny shoal. We'll sail through it easily."

  Penny said nothing more, though her lips drew into a tight line.

  Jack held to his course. For a moment it appeared that the boat wouldglide over the shoal into deeper water. Then the next instant they werehard aground. The sail began to flap.

  "We're stuck like a turtle in a puddle," commented Penny, not withoutsatisfaction.

  "We'll get off!" Jack cried, seizing a paddle from the bottom of theboat.

  He tried to shove away from the shoal, but the wind against the big sailresisted his strength.

  "You'll never get off that way," Penny said calmly. "Why not take downthe sail? We're hard aground now."

  Jack glared, and looked as if he would like to heave the paddle at her.

  "Okay," he growled.

  Winds which came from the head of Hat Island were tricky. Before Jackcould lower the sail, the breeze, shifting slightly, struck the expanseof canvas from directly aft.

  "Look out, Jack!" Penny screamed a warning. "We're going to jibe!"

  Jack ducked but not quickly enough. With great violence, the wind swungthe sail over to the opposite side of the boat, the boom striking him astunning blow on the back of the head.

  Moaning with pain, he slumped into the bottom of the _Spindrift_.