CHAPTER XXVII. RANSACKING THE OLD RUIN
It was midmorning when the girls, busy about their simple householdtasks, heard a hallooing out on the beach. Nann took off her apron,smiling brightly at her friend. "Good, there are the boys!" sheexclaimed, hurrying out to the front porch to meet them. Dories followedwith their tams and sweater-coats.
"We've put up a lunch," Nann told the newcomers. "Miss Moore said that wemight stay over the noon hour. We have told her all about the mystery weare trying to fathom and she was just ever so interested." They werewalking toward the point of rocks while they talked.
Gib leaned forward to look at the speaker. "Say, Miss Dori," heexclaimed, "Miss Moore's been here sech a long time, like's not she knewol' Colonel Wadbury, didn't she now?"
"No, she didn't know him," Dories replied. "He was such an old hermit hedidn't want neighbors, but she did hear the story about his daughter'sreturn and how cruel he had been to her. Aunt Jane wasn't here the yearof the storm. She and her maid were in Europe about that time, so shereally doesn't know any more than we do."
"We didn't start coming here until after it had all happened," Dick putin.
"I'm so excited." Nann gave a little eager skip. "I almost hope the pilotof the seaplane has not found the deed and that we may find it and giveit to him."
"So do I!" Dick seconded. Over the rugged point they went, each timebecoming more agile, and into the punt they climbed when Gib, barefootedas usual, had waded out and rowed close to a flat-rock platform. The tidewas in and with its aid they floated rapidly up the channel in the marsh."Shall we enter by the front or the back?" Nann asked of Dick.
"The front is nearer our landing place," was the reply. "Let's give theold salon a thorough ransacking. I feel in my bones that we are going tomake some interesting discovery today, don't you, Gib?"
"Dunno," was that lad's laconic reply. "Mabbe so."
A few moments later they were standing under the twisted chandelierlistening to the faint rattle of its many crystal pendants. Nann made asuggestion: "Let's each take a turn in selecting some place to look forthe deed, shall we?"
"Oh, yes, let's," Dories seconded. "That will make sort of a game of itall."
Dick held the flashlight out to the older girl. "You make the firstselection," he said.
Nann took the light and, standing still with the others under thechandelier, she flashed the bright beam around the room. "There's abroken door almost crushed under the sagging roof." She indicated thefront corner opposite the one by which they had entered. "There must havebeen a room beyond that. I suggest that we try to get through there."
But Dick demurred. "I'm not sure that it would be wise," he told her."The roof might sag more if that door were pulled away." They heard anoise back of them and turned to see Gib making for the entrance. "I'llbe back," was all that he told them. When, a moment later, he did return,he beckoned. "Come along out," he said. "There's a way into that tharroom from the outside."
He led them to a window, the pane of which had been broken, leaving onlythe frame. They peered in and beheld what had been a large bedroom. Aheavy oak bed and other pieces of furniture to match were pitched at allangles as the rotting floor had given way. Dick stepped back and lookedcritically at the sagging roof, then he beckoned Gib and together theytalked in low tones. Seeming satisfied with their decision, they returnedto the spot where the girls were waiting. "We don't want you to run anyrisk of being hurt while you are with us," Dick explained. "We want totake just as good care of you as if you were our sisters." Then heassured them: "We think it is safe. Gib showed me how stout thecross-beam is which has kept the roof from sagging farther."
And so they entered the room through the window. For an hour theyransacked. There was no evidence that anyone had been in that room sincethe storm so long ago. "Queer, sort of, ain't it?" Gib speculated,scratching his ear. "Yo'd think that pilot fellar'd a been all over theplace, wouldn't yo' now?"
"Let's go back to the front room again and let Dori choose next for aplace to search," the ever chivalrous Dick suggested.
A few seconds later they again were under the chandelier. Dories, asinterested and excited now as any of them, took the light and flashed itabout the room, letting the round glow rest at last on the hugefireplace. "That's where I'll look," she told the others. "Let's see ifthere is a loose rock that will come out and behind which we may find abox with the deed in it."
Nann laughed. "Like the story we read when we were twelve or thirteenyears old," she told the boys. But though they all rapped on the stonesand even tried to pry them out, so well had the masonry been made, eachrock remained firmly in place and not one of them was movable.
"Now, Dick, you have a turn." Dories held the flashlight toward him, buthe shook his head. "No, Gib first."
The red-headed boy grinned gleefully. "I'll choose a hard place. I reckonol' Colonel Wadbury hid that thar deed somewhar's up in the attic underthe roof." Dories looked dismayed. "O, Gib, don't choose there, for wegirls couldn't climb up among the rafters." But Nann put in: "Of course,dear, Gib may choose the loft if he wishes. But how would you get there?"
Gib had been flashing the light along the cracked, tipped ceiling of theroom. Suddenly his freckled face brightened. "Come on out agin." Hesprang for the low opening as he spoke. Then, when they were outside, hepointed to the spot where the roof was lowest. "Yo' gals stay here wharthe punt is," he advised, "while me 'n' Dick shinny up to whar thechimney's broke off. Bet yo' we kin git into the garrit from thar. Betyo' we kin."
Dick was gazing at the roof appraisingly. "O, I guess it's safe enough,"he answered the anxious expression he saw in the face of the older girl."If our weight is too much, the roof will sag more and close up ourentrance perhaps, but we can slide down without being hurt, I am sure ofthat."
The girls sat in the punt to await the return of the boys, who, after afew moments' scrambling up the sloping roof, actually disappeared intowhat must have once been an attic.
"I never was so interested or excited in all my life," Nann told herfriend. "I do hope we will find that deed today, for tomorrow will beSunday, and I feel that we ought to remain with your Aunt Jane and putthings in readiness for our departure on Monday."
"Yes, so do I." Dories glanced up at the roof, but as the boys were notto be seen, she continued: "I am interested in finding the deed, ofcourse, but I just can't keep my thoughts from wandering. I am so gladthat Mother will not have to keep on sewing. She has been so wonderfultaking care of Peter and me the way she has ever since that long ago daywhen father died." Then she sighed. "Of course I wish she hadn't been tooproud to accept help from Aunt Jane." But almost at once she contradictedwith, "In one way, though, I don't, for if I had lived in Boston allthese years, I would never have known you. But now that you are going tolive in Boston, how I do wish that Mother and Peter and I were to livethere also."
"Maybe you will," Nann began, but Dories shook her head. "I don't believeMother would want to leave her old home. It isn't much of a place, butshe and Father went there when they were married, and we children wereborn there." Then, excitedly pointing to the roof, Dories exclaimed:"Here come the boys, and they have a packet of papers, haven't they?"
Nann stepped out of the punt to the mound as she called, "O, boys, haveyou found the deed?"
"We don't know yet," Dick replied, but the girls could see by his glowingexpression that he believed that they had.
They all sat in the punt, which had been drawn partly up on the mound andwhich afforded the only available seats. Dick and Nann occupied the widestern seat, while Dories and Gib in the middle faced them. Dickunfastened the leather thong which bound the papers and, closing hiseyes, just for the lark of it, he passed a folded document to each of hiscompanions. Then he opened them as he said laughingly:
"Just four. How kind of old Colonel Wadbury to help us with our game!Now, Nann, report about yours first. Is it the Wetherby deed?"
After a
moment's eager scrutiny, Nann shook her head. "Alas, no! It'ssomething telling about shares in some corporation," she told them.
"Well, we'll keep it anyway to give to our pilot friend," Dick commented.
"Mine," Dories said, "is a deed, but it seems to be for this Siquaw Pointproperty."
Dick reported that his was a marriage license, and Gib dolefully addedthat his was some government paper, the meaning of which he could notunderstand. He handed it to Dick, who, after scrutinizing it, said:"Well, at least one thing is certain, it isn't the deed for which we aresearching." Then, rising, he exclaimed: "Now it's my turn. I want to goback to the salon. I had a sort of inspiration awhile ago. I thought Iwouldn't mention it until my turn came."
They left the punt and followed the speaker to their low entrance in thewall. Although they were curious to know Dick's plan, no one spoke untilagain they stood beneath the rattling chandelier. At once the boy flashedthe round light toward the corner where the piercing eyes under shaggybrows seemed to be watching them. Then he went in that direction. Doriesshuddered as she always did when she saw that stern, unrelenting oldface. "Why, Dick," Nann exclaimed, "do you suspect that the picture ofthe old Colonel can reveal the deed's hiding-place?"
The boy was on his knees in front of the painting. "Yes, I do," he said."At least I happened all of a sudden to remember of having heard ofvaluable papers that were hidden in a frame back of a painting. That iswhy I wanted to look here." He had actually lifted the large painting inthe broken frame. Dories cried out in terror: "O, Dick, how dare youtouch that terrible thing? He looks so real and so scarey." The boyaddressed evidently did not hear her. Handing the flashlight to Nann, heasked her to hold it close while he tore off the boards at the back.
For a tense moment the four young people watched, almost holding theirbreath.
"Wall, it ain't thar, I reckon." Gib was the first to break the silence.
"You're right!" Dick placed the painting from which the frame had beenremoved against the wall and was about to step back when the rottingboards beneath him caved in and he fell, disappearing entirely. Doriesscreamed and Gib, taking the light from Nann, flashed the glow from itdown into the dark hole. "Dick! Dick! Are you hurt?" Nann was callinganxiously.
After what seemed like a very long time, Dick's voice was heard: "I'm allright. Don't worry about me. Gib, see if there isn't a trap-door orsomething. I seem to have fallen into a vault of some kind." Then afteranother silence, "I guess I've stumbled onto steps leading up." A secondlater a low door in the dark corner opened and Dick, smiling gleefully,emerged, covered with dust and cobwebs. "Give me the light and let's seewhat this door is." Then, after a moment's scrutiny, "Aha! That vault wasmeant to be a secret. The door looks, from this side, like part of thepaneling."
"Oh, Dick!" Nann cried exultingly. "_That's_ where the Wetherby deed is.Down in that old vault."
"I bet yo' she's right." Gib stooped to peer into the dark hole.
"Can't we all go down and investigate?" Nann asked eagerly.
Dick hesitated. "I'd heaps rather you girls stayed out in the punt," hebegan, but when he saw the crestfallen expression of the adventurousolder girl he ended with, "Well, come, if you want to. I don't supposeanything will hurt us."
Although Dories was afraid to go down, she was even more fearful ofremaining alone with those pictured sharp grey eyes glaring at her, andso, clinging to Nann, she descended the rather rickety short flight ofsteps. The flashlight revealed casks which evidently had containedliquor, and a small iron box. "That box," Dick said with conviction,"contains the Wetherby deed." He was about to try to lift it when Nanngrasped his arm. "Hark," she whispered. "I heard someone walking. Itsounds as though it might be someone in that library or den where thedesk was."
They all listened and were convinced that Nann had been right. "It's thatpilot chap, I reckon," Gib said. But Dick was not so sure. "Please,Nann," he pleaded, "you and Dories go out to the punt and wait, while Giband I discover who is prowling around. I didn't hear an airplane passoverhead, but then, of course, he might have come in from the sea as hedid before."
The girls were glad to get out in the sunlight. They stood near the puntwith hands tightly clasped while the boys went around to the back toenter the opening in the wall of the den. It seemed a very long whilebefore Nann and Dories heard voices.
Then three boys approached them. A tall, slender lad, dressed after thefashion of aviators, with a dark handsome face lighted with interest, waslistening intently to what Dick was telling him.
The girls heard him say, "Of course, I knew someone else was visiting mygrandfather's home, especially after I found the painting of mymother----" He paused when he saw the girls, and Nann was sure that theboys had neglected to tell him that they were not alone. Dick, in hisusual manly way, introduced Carl Ovieda. Dories thought the newcomer thenicest looking boy she had ever seen. At once Dick made a confession. "Iknow that we ought not to have done it, Mr. Ovieda. We read the note bookthat we found, hoping that it would throw some light on the mystery."
"I'm glad you did!" was the frank reply. "The truth is, I was gettingrather desperate. You see, Mother and Sister are to arrive tomorrow fromoverseas, and I did so want to have the deed of Grandma Wetherby's oldhome to give to Mother. The place has been vacant for years, but thetaxes have been paid. Of course no one would dispute our right to livethere, but there couldn't be a clear title without having the deedrecorded."
Gib asked a question in his usual indifferent manner, but Nann knew howeager he really was to hear the answer, "Air they comin' in that tharPhantom Yacht, yer mother and sister?"
The newcomer looked at the questioner as though he did not understand hismeaning; then turning toward Nann and Dories he asked, "What is thePhantom Yacht?"
Nann told him. Then the lad, with a friendly smile, answered Gib: "No,indeed. That yacht was sold, Mother told me, when we returned toHonolulu. That is where we have lived nearly all of our lives, but eversince my father died, Mother has longed to return to her own homecountry."
Nann, glancing at Dick, realized that he was very eager to speak, but wascourteously waiting until the others were finished, and so she said: "Mr.Ovieda, I believe Dick wishes to tell you of an iron box in which he isalmost sure the lost deed will be found."
The dark, handsome face lightened. Turning to the boy at his side, heinquired: "Have you really unearthed an iron box? Lead me to it, I beg."
"We'll wait in the punt," Nann told the three boys. Dories knew how hardit was for her friend to say that, since she so loved adventure.
However, it was not long before a joyful shouting was heard and the threeboys appeared creeping through the low opening. Carl Ovieda waved afolded document toward them. "It is found!" Never before had three wordscaused those young people so much rejoicing. After they had each examinedthe paper, yellowed with age, and Carl had assured them that he and hismother and sister would never be able to thank them enough for theservice they had rendered, Nann exclaimed: "I don't know how the rest ofyou feel, but I am just ever so hungry."
"I have a suggestion to make," Dories put in. "Let's all go back to thepoint of rocks and have a picnic." Then, as the newcomer demurred, thepretty young girl hastened to say, "Oh, indeed we want you, Mr. Ovieda."
The tall, handsome youth went to the place where he had left his smallportable canoe and paddled it around.
"Miss Dories," he called, "this craft rides better if there are two init. May I have the pleasure of your company?"
Blushing prettily, Dories took Carl's proffered hand and stepped in thecanoe. Nann, Dick and Gib, in the punt, led the way.
Half an hour later, high on the rocks, the five young people ate the goodlunch the girls had prepared and told one another the outstanding eventsof their lives. "I'm wild to meet your sister, Mr. Ovieda," Dories toldhim. "Does she still look like a lily, all gold and white. That was theway Gib's father described her."
The tall lad nodded. "Yes, Sister is a very pretty blonde. She has iri
sblue eyes and hair like spun gold, as fairy books say. I want you all tocome to our home in Boston just as soon as we are settled." Hisinvitation, Nann was pleased to see, included Gib as well as the others.That embarrassed lad replied, with a hunch of his right shoulder, "Dunnoas I'll ever be up to the big town. Dunno's I ever will."
"You're wrong there, Gib!" Dick exclaimed in the tone of one who could nolonger keep a most interesting secret. "You know how you have wished andwished that you could have a chance to go to a real school. Well, Dad hasbeen trying to work it so that you might have that chance, and, justbefore I came away, he told me that he had managed to get a scholarshipfor you in a boys' school just out of Boston. Why, what's the matter,Gib? It's what you wanted, isn't it?"
It was hard to understand the country boy's expression. "Yeah!" heconfessed. "That thar's what I've been hankerin' fer. It sure is." Then,as a slow grin lit his freckled face, he exclaimed: "It's hit me sosudden, sort of, but I reckon I kinder feel the way yo're feelin'," henodded toward the grandson of old Colonel Wadbury, "as though I'd found adeed to suthin, when I'd never expected to have nuthin' not as long asI'd live."
The girls were deeply touched by Gib's sincere joy and they told him howglad they were for his good fortune. Then Carl Ovieda sprang to his feet,saying that he was sorry to break up the party, but that he must bewinging on his way. He held out his hand to each of the group as he badethem good-bye, turning, last of all, to Dories, to whom he said: "I shalllet you know as soon as we are settled. I want you and my sister to begood friends."