XXI
A Closed Door
"I THINK it was just poisonous of you not to let us know!" Hattie Maypouted. "I'd just have adored going to a police station!"
"But there wasn't time, Hattie May," I protested. "We just had to rushoff to catch the bus as soon as we thought of it."
"That's just an excuse," she declared. "You could have phoned me andI'd have come right away. I'll bet I could have managed thosepolicemen!"
"But they didn't need any managing! All we had to do was to show 'emthe picture."
Hamish, who had been lounging on the porch rail, gazing gloomily intospace, sighed heavily. "Well," he said, "I guess me and Hattie Maymight as well go back home. We don't seem to be much use round here."
"Nonsense, Hamish," I said. "You ought to be rejoicing that Michaeldoesn't have to go to court, instead of grousing around."
"Of course I'm glad he got off," Hamish returned with dignity. "But,considerin' everything, I don't think you ought to have taken animportant step like that without consulting me."
I began to feel annoyed. "Well," I sputtered, "you weren't so awfullyanxious to help Michael the night he was arrested. Why didn't you talkthen?"
Hamish looked more grieved than he had before. "Girls don't understand'bout such things," he said. "If I'd popped out of those bushes whenthey were taking Michael away, they'd simply have taken me along tooand asked questions later!"
"Well, don't let's argue," Eve said soothingly. "Michael's free--that'sthe main thing!"
Hamish did not answer. He drew a small square package from his pocketand eyed it sardonically. "Just money thrown away!" he muttered.
"What's that?" Eve asked dimpling. "A present for me!"
"No it isn't. It's a little contraption I picked up forMichael--thought it would help him while away the long hours ofhis--er--incarceration!"
"Hamish Lewis," I cried, "how can you talk in that cold-blooded,outrageous, unfeeling, mean manner?"
"Well you don't need to get excited, he isn't going, is he? But the waythings were day before yesterday, it certainly looked as if he was."
"What is it?" Eve broke in. "Do show me."
Hamish opened the package and shook out onto his palm several smallbrass rings looped together. "It's a puzzle," he explained. "The thingis to get all the rings onto this big one."
"Very appropriate for a man in jail!" Hattie May giggled.
Hamish glared at her and returned the puzzle to its box. "No one," hesaid, "ever appreciates anything I try to do!"
"Oh, come, Hamish, do cheer up," Eve urged. "I'm sure there are loadsof people who would just eat that puzzle up, so to speak. Folks withspare time on their hands like--" her glance strayed to the housebeyond the hedge--"like Captain Trout for instance."
Hamish brightened visibly. "Do you really think he'd like it?" he said."But I scarcely know the old bird! Wouldn't he think it kind of funnyif I went over and just said, 'By the way here's a present for you'?"
We all laughed. "What about the hair tonic?" I asked. "You were goingto give him that."
Hamish scowled. "That was different," he said shortly, "entirely adifferent matter!"
"I tell you," Eve said jumping up. "Let's all go over and make him acall. We ought to tell him about Michael's case being dismissed;perhaps he hasn't heard. Then Hamish can show him the puzzle and if hewarms to it----"
Hattie May was still pouting as we made our way around by the frontgate to the Captain's back door. To my surprise the door was closed,though the cloud of smoke which was issuing from the chimney seemed toindicate that the Captain was at home and doing some cooking.
Hamish was just about to knock when Eve caught his arm. "Listen!" shewhispered.
From behind the door came the sound of voices. One of them, slightlynasal, I recognized as the Captain's. The other was low-pitched andgruff. "He's got company," I whispered. "Maybe we'd better not botherhim just now."
Hamish looked disappointed. And we were still hesitating when the doorwas flung violently open and the Captain himself burst out. "Hot asblazes in there, Biscuits!" he sputtered. "Need some air----" Hestopped short as he became aware of our presence. "Well, well, well,bless my boots!" With that he turned and closed the door behind himwith a slam and advanced to the middle of the porch, where he stoodgazing at the street.
But the door had not closed before I had had a fleeting glimpse of afigure bent over the stove--a short thickset figure in a sailor'strousers and a sleeveless shirt.
"Something smells awfully good," Eve said by way of relieving theembarrassment which seemed to have seized us all. "We came over to tellyou about Michael," she added. "His case has been dismissed."
"You don't say--well, that's fine!" The Captain motioned us to seatsand began fumbling for his pipe. "Glad you dropped in; tell me allabout it."
While we told the story for the second time that morning, I wasconscious that the Captain's eyes strayed every now and then toward theclosed door as if he were fearful that it might open. All the time wetalked the clatter of pans and the sound of sizzling fat reached us andonce I distinctly heard a raucous cough.
It was after a particularly loud crash as if some large tin receptaclehad fallen to the floor that the Captain remarked with a nervouschuckle, "Got me a new cook. He thinks he's in a ship's galley, Iguess! Ha, ha!"
"It must be awfully hot cooking on a day like this," Hattie Mayremarked guilelessly. "I should think he'd want the door open."
The Captain shook his head positively. "Not a bit of it. He likes ithot--used to it. Tropics, you know; the hotter, the better! Why, wouldyou believe it, I actually had to go up attic last night and bring himdown a winter blanket? Said he had a chill!"
"Really!" exclaimed Hattie May. "The poor fellow!"
It was at this moment that the Captain's fear was realized. The doordid open but it was only a crack, just enough to let out a strong odorof frying grease borne on a cloud of smoke and, with it, the form ofDaisy June, her tail erect and her fur on end.
"Jumpin' Jericho!" exploded the Captain jumping to his feet. But beforehe could reach the door, it had slammed again, while the kittenstreaked across the grass and disappeared under a bush.
"I'm afraid we're keeping you from your dinner," Eve said, rising.
"Not a bit of it," the Captain assured her. But as if to give denial tohis assertion, at that moment a ship's gong was heard booming loudlyfrom within. Mechanically we all got to our feet. "Aunt Cal's awfullyannoyed with us when we don't come to dinner on time," Eve went onconversationally. "I really think you ought to go in, Captain."
"Well, well, that's too bad!" The Captain's polite protestationsfollowed us as we descended the steps and marched, in single file, tothe front gate. No one spoke till we had reached Aunt Cal's side porch.We seated ourselves in a row on the top step. It was Hattie May whobroke the silence. "Another mystery!" she exclaimed. "I guess Hamishand I'll stay the week out anyway."
"Fat chance," said Hamish, "of finding out anything with that door keptshut! And the Captain guarding it like a bally old sea dog or sumpin."
"I dare say," I said lightly, "that there's really no mystery at all.Perhaps the Captain simply considered that the seafaring gentleman fromthe tropics wasn't fit company for what he calls 'young ladies'."
Hattie May shook her head emphatically. "Nonsense! He was jumpy as arabbit! There's more to it than that."
"It did all seem a little--queer," Eve mused. "What do you think,Hamish?"
Hamish looked appeased at this deference to his opinion. "Well if youwant to know what I think," he stated significantly, "I think he'shiding someone!"
"Do you mean--Bangs?" I breathed. And we all stared at Hamish's roundsolemn face.
"That's what he calls himself!" he answered.
"Hamish, for Pete's sake, what are you driving at?" his sister burstout. "If you've got anything to tell why on earth don't you tell it?You're not in the secret service yet, you kn
ow! Stop acting like a 'G'man."
"Oh, all right, all right--make fun of me! Treat me 'sif I was Buddie,the Boy Detective, if you want to!" He got up stiffly and started downthe path toward his car.
"Hamish," called Eve softly, "please don't go yet. What are we going todo about this--this criminal next door? I'm scared stiff!"
He turned about and regarded her suspiciously. But the sincerity in herbrown eyes apparently reassured him. "Well," he said, coming back andreseating himself, "if you want my advice--I think the place oughta bewatched."
"If the man the Captain's hiding really is Bangs," Eve saidthoughtfully, "then I think we ought to tell Aunt Cal. She's veryanxious to have a talk with him."
"Oh, no, you mustn't do that--not yet!" Hamish returned quickly.
"But why not?" I protested.
"Oh, gosh, don't you see!" Hamish's impatience with the femaleintellect was apparent. "Don't you see that Bangs--or whatever his nameis--is the only person who can lead us to that treasure--or whateverhe's after at Craven House? If he's arrested, the game's up."
"Hamish is perfectly right," agreed Hattie May in mounting excitement."What we've got to do is to watch!"
"But why should the Captain be hiding the man if it is Bangs?" Idemanded. "It makes him guilty too in a way--what is it they callit--an accessory!"
"You can depend upon it," returned Hamish profoundly, "he has hisreasons."
Aunt Cal opened the door. "Dinner's ready," she said.
Hattie May and Hamish got up. "Keep your eye on the place as much asyou can," Hamish said in a whisper. "I'll be round as soon as it getsdark."
"You mean you're going to watch the house all night?" Eve asked.
"Sure. But don't say anything to your aunt yet. Not until tomorrowanyway. Promise?"
"We-ll, all right," Eve agreed reluctantly. "We promise."
------------------------------------------------------------------------