CHAPTER 17 _A SEARCH FOR JERRY_
After leaving the Kippenberg estate, Penny and Louise motored to Corbin.More from curiosity than for any other reason they dined at the ColonialHotel, finding the establishment as luxurious as the old watchman hadintimated. A full hour and a half was required to eat the fine dinnerwhich was served.
"Our friend, the gardener, does have excellent taste in food," remarkedLouise. "What puzzles me is where does he get the money to pay for allthis?"
"The obvious answer is that he's not a gardener."
"Maybe he has rooms here too, Penny."
"I've been wondering about it. I mean to investigate."
Louise glanced at her wristwatch. "Do you think we should take the time?"she asked. "It will be late afternoon now before we reach home."
"Oh, it won't take a minute to inquire at the desk."
Leaving the dining room, the girls made their way to the lobby. When thedesk clerk had a free moment Penny asked him if anyone by the name ofPeter Henderson had taken rooms at the hotel.
"No one here by that name," the man told her. "Wait, I'll look to besure."
He consulted a card filing system which served as a register, andconfirmed his first statement.
"The man I mean would be around sixty years of age," explained Penny. "Heworks as a gardener at the Kippenberg estate."
"Perhaps you have come to the wrong hotel," said the clerk aloofly. "Wedo not cater to gardeners."
"Only to people who employ gardeners, I take it."
"Our rates start at ten dollars a day," returned the clerk coldly.
"And does that include free linen and a bath?" Penny asked with pretendedawe.
"Certainly. All of our rooms have private baths."
"How wonderful," giggled Penny. "We thought this might be one of thoseplaces with a bath on every floor!"
Suddenly comprehending that he was being made an object of sport, theclerk glared at the girls and turned his back.
Penny and Louise went cheerfully to their car, very much pleased withthemselves for having deflated such a conceited young man. They droveaway, and late afternoon brought them to Riverview, tired and dusty fromtheir long trip.
After dropping her chum off at the Sidell home, Penny rode directly tothe newspaper office. Finding no parking place available on the street,she ran her car into the loading area at the rear of the building, nosinginto a narrow space which had just been vacated by a paper-laden truck.
"Hey, you lady," shouted an employee. "You can't park that scrap ironhere. Another paper truck will be along in a minute."
Penny switched off the engine.
"I guess you're new around here," she said, climbing out. "The next truckisn't due until five-twenty-three."
"Say, who do you think you are, tellin' me--?"
The employee trailed off into silence as another workman gave him a sharpnudge in the ribs.
"Pipe down," he was warned. "If the boss' daughter wants to park herjitney in the paper chute it's okay, see?"
"Sure, I get it," the other mumbled.
Penny grinned broadly as she crossed the loading area.
"After this, you might mention my automobile in a more respectful tone,"she tossed over her shoulder. "It's not scrap iron or a jitney either!"
Riding up the freight elevator, Penny passed a few remarks with thesmiling operator and stepped off at the editorial floor. She noticed asshe went through the news room that Jerry Livingston's desk was vacant.And because the waste basket was empty, the floor beside it free frompaper wads, she knew he had written no story that day.
Penny tapped lightly on the closed door of her father's private officeand went in.
"Hello," he said, glancing up. "Just get back from Corbin?"
"Yes, Louise and I had plenty of excitement, but I didn't dig up anyfacts you'll dare print in the paper."
"Did you meet Jerry anywhere?"
"Why, no, Dad."
"The young cub is taking a vacation at my expense, running up a bigmotorboat bill! He should have been back here three hours ago."
"Oh, be reasonable, Dad," said Penny teasingly. "You can't expect him totrace down those men just in a minute."
"It was a wild chase anyway," the editor growled. "I let him do it moreto please you than for any other reason. But that's beside the point. Hewas told to be back here by four o'clock at the latest, even if he hadnothing to report."
"Jerry is usually punctual, Dad. But I suppose being on the river hecouldn't get here just when he expected."
"He's probably gone fishing," Mr. Parker declared.
He slammed down the roll top on his desk and picked up his hat.
"Will you ride home with me?" Penny invited. "Leaping Lena would behighly honored."
"It's a mighty sight more comfortable on the bus," her father replied."But then, I can stand a jolting."
As they went out through the main room he paused to speak with DeWitt,leaving an order that he was to be called at his home as soon as JerryLivingston returned.
Mr. Parker raised his eyebrows as he saw where Penny had left the car.
"Haven't I told you that the trucks need this space to load and unload?"he asked patiently. "There is a ten cent parking lot across the street."
"But Dad, I haven't ten cents to spare. The truth is, I spent almostevery bit of my allowance today over at Corbin."
"NO!" said Mr. Parker firmly. "NO!"
"No what?"
"Not a penny will you get ahead of time."
"You misjudge me, Dad. I had no intention of even mentioning such apainful subject."
They drove in silence for a few blocks and then Penny indicated thegasoline gauge on the dashboard.
"Why, it's nearly empty!" she exclaimed. "We won't have enough to reachhome!"
"Well, get some," said Mr. Parker automatically. "We don't want to stallon the street."
A flip of the steering wheel brought the car to a standstill in front ofa gasoline pump.
"Fill it up," ordered Penny.
While Mr. Parker read his newspaper, the attendant polished thewindshield and checked the oil, finding it low. At a nod from Penny headded two quarts.
"That will be exactly two fifty-eight."
Penny repeated the figure in a louder tone, giving her father a nudge."Wake up, Dad. Two fifty-eight."
Absently, Mr. Parker reached for his wallet. Not until the attendantbrought the change did it dawn upon him that Penny had scored once more.
"Tricked again," he groaned.
"Why, it was your own suggestion that we stop for gasoline," Pennyreminded him. "I shouldn't have minded taking a chance myself. You see,the gauge is usually at least a gallon off."
"Anyway, I would rather pay for it than have you siphon it out of mycar."
"Thanks for the present," laughed Penny.
Dinner was waiting by the time they reached home. Afterwards, Pennyhelped Mrs. Weems with the dishes while her father mowed the lawn.Hearing the telephone ring he came to the kitchen door.
"Was that a call for me?" he asked.
"No, Dad, it was for Mrs. Weems."
"Strange DeWitt doesn't call," Mr. Parker said. "I believe I'll telephonehim."
After Mrs. Weems had finished with the phone he called the newspaperoffice only to be told that Jerry Livingston had not put in anappearance.
"At least he might have communicated with the office," Mr. Parker said ashe hung up the receiver.
He went back to lawn mowing but paused now and then to stare moodilytoward the Kobalt river which wound through the valley far below theterrace. Penny finished drying the dishes and went outside to join him.
"You're worried about Jerry, aren't you?" she asked after a moment.
"Not exactly," he replied. "But he should have been back long ago."
"He never would have stayed away without good reason. We both know Jerryisn't like that."
"No, he's either run into a big story, or he's in trouble. When I senthim away this morning, I didn't look upon the assignment as aparticularly dangerous one."
"And yet if he met those two seamen anything could have happened. Theywere tough customers, Dad."
"I could notify the police if Jerry isn't back within an hour or two,"Mr. Parker said slowly. "Still, I hate to do it."
"Where did Jerry rent his boat, Dad?"
"I told him to get one at Griffith's dock at twenty-third street."
"Then why don't we go there?" suggested Penny. "If he hasn't come in wemight rent a boat of our own and start a search."
Mr. Parker debated and then nodded. "Bring a heavy coat," he told her."It may be cold on the river."
Penny ran into the house after the garments and also took a flashlightfrom her father's bureau drawer. When she hurried outdoors again herfather had backed his own car from the garage and was waiting.
At the twenty-third street dock, Harry Griffith, owner of the boat house,answered their questions frankly. Yes, he told them, Jerry Livingston hadrented a motor boat early that morning but had not returned it.
"I been worryin' about that young feller," he admitted, and then with aquick change of tone: "Say, you're not Mr. Parker, are you?"
"Yes, that's my name."
"Then I got a letter here for you. I reckon maybe it explains what becameof the young feller."
The boatman took a greasy envelope from his trousers pocket and gave itto the editor.
"Where did you get this, Mr. Griffith?"
"A boy in a rowboat brought it up the river about two hours ago. He saidthe young feller gave him a dollar to deliver it to a Mr. Parker. But thekid was mixed up on the address, so I just held it here."
"Dad, it must be from Jerry," said Penny eagerly.
As her father opened the envelope, she held the flashlight close. In analmost illegible scrawl Jerry had written:
"Following up a hot tip. Think I've struck trail of key men. Taking offin boat. Expect to get back by nightfall unless Old Man Trouble catchesup with me."
Mr. Parker looked up from the message, his gaze meeting the frightenedeyes of his daughter.
"Oh, Dad," she said in a tone barely above a whisper, "it's long afterdark now. What do you think has become of Jerry?"