CHAPTER 25 _A BOW IN THE CLOUD_
In the radio room of the _Eloise III_, Mr. Parker, Jerry, and the threegirls hovered at the elbow of Commodore Phillips who sat at theradio-telephone.
"I've done all I can," the Commodore said, putting aside the instrument."The Coast Guard station has acknowledged our message. Now we must wait."
The _Eloise_ which had picked up Mr. Parker's party, was heading at fullsteam toward the Seventh Street Bridge. Unmindful of the rain, the youngpeople went out on deck. Huddling in the lee of the cabin, they anxiouslywatched and listened.
"It's one fifteen," said Mr. Parker, glancing at his watch. "Any minutenow--"
A loud report sounded over the water.
"The bridge!" gasped Louise. "It's been dynamited!"
"No, no!" exclaimed the Commodore impatiently. "That was gunfire! TheCoast Guard boat has gone into action!"
A moment later those aboard the _Eloise_ saw a flash of fire and heardanother loud report.
"You may rest easy now," said the Commodore, relaxing. "With the CoastGuard on the job, that saboteur hasn't a chance. If he escapes with hislife he'll be lucky."
Penny sagged weakly against the railing of the _Eloise_. Now that sheknew the bridge would be saved, she felt completely exhausted from thelong period of suspense.
"Wessler can't be the only one involved in this plot," she heard herfather say. "There must be others."
"Oh, there are!" Penny cried, recovering her strength. "Carl Oaks is amember of the outfit! He's waiting at a shack not far from the ark. AndBurt Ottman is held a prisoner there!"
"Burt!" Sara exclaimed in horror. "Oh, why didn't you tell me!"
"In the excitement it just passed out of my mind," Penny confessed. "Iforgot about everything except saving the bridge!"
Once more Commodore Phillips busied himself on the radio telephone, thistime contacting Riverview police. Before he left his desk he learned thata squad had been dispatched to the shack in the woods. Likewise, amessage soon came from the Coast Guard station, informing him that JardWessler had been captured.
"Oh, I can't wait to see Burt," Sara declared, anxiously pacing the deck."He may be seriously hurt."
To ease the girl's mind, Commodore Phillips put the entire party ashorenot far from the entrance to Bug Run. Hastening through the woods, Mr.Parker and the young people reached the shack only a few minutes afterthe arrival of police.
"What became of Carl Oaks?" the newspaper owner asked a sergeant. "Didyou get him?"
The policeman indicated a downcast figure who sat handcuffed inside thepatrol car. Oaks, he explained, had been captured without a struggle.
"And Burt Ottman?" Mr. Parker inquired.
"They're taking him to the ambulance now."
Four men came out of the shack bearing the injured young man on astretcher. Pale but conscious, he grinned as Sara tearfully bent overhim.
"I'm okay, Sis," he mumbled. "Feelin' swell."
Sara was allowed to ride with her brother to the hospital. Remainingbehind, Mr. Parker, Jerry and the girls, tried to learn from policeofficers if Burt had made any statement.
"Sure, he was able to spill the whole story," one of the men told them."Seems he set out to prove that he was innocent of any association withthe saboteurs. Instead of cooperating with police, he went to work on hisown. He investigated an organization known as the American ProtectiveSociety. That put him on the trail of a head waiter at The Green Parrot,a foreigner by the name of Jard Wessler."
"I understand now why Burt acted so queer about that billfold he lostalong the river," Penny commented. "He didn't want me to know that he wasmeeting one of the saboteurs at the Parrot."
"How many were involved in the dynamiting plot?" Mr. Parker asked.
"Twelve or thirteen. According to Ottman, Jard Wessler is the brains ofthe group. By pretending to go along with them, the kid gathered a lot ofevidence."
"But at first the saboteurs tried to throw the guilt on Burt," Pennyprotested.
"True," nodded the policeman. "They used a boat stolen from the Ottmandock, and they planted evidence to make it appear that Burt was theguilty one."
"Then why would they take up with him later?" Penny asked in perplexity.
"They never did. One of the saboteurs met him at The Green Parrot to tryto learn how much the kid knew. Young Ottman was slugged over the headwhen he tried to get into a basement room where the gang held theirmeetings."
"I guess that explains why we found Burt lying outside in the alley," Mr.Parker remarked. "It's a pity he couldn't have told us what he wasattempting to do."
"The kid did get a lot of evidence," resumed the officer. "With theinformation he's given us, we expect to mop up the entire gang."
"Louise and I found him a prisoner here at the shack," Penny remarkedslowly. "I suppose in seeking evidence, he tangled with the saboteursagain."
"Yes, young Ottman was foolhardy. He was caught spying a second time andthey slugged him. Lucky for him his injuries aren't likely to proveserious."
Mr. Parker and Jerry asked many more questions, knowing the story wouldrate important play in the _Riverview Star_. Turning Penny and Louiseover to Mr. Sidell who belatedly joined the party, the two newspaper menrushed off to scoop rival papers.
"Dad didn't even take time to say he was glad we escaped from thosesaboteurs!" Penny complained to Louise. "Isn't that a newspaper man foryou!"
Before another hour had elapsed, reporters and photographers from otherpapers swarmed the woods. Louise and Penny were quizzed regarding thecapture of the three saboteurs. Determined that the _Star_ should printan exclusive story, they had very little to say.
Hours later, at home, Penny learned that police had lost no time inacting upon information provided by Burt Ottman. The entire group of menknown to be associated with Jard Wessler had been arrested at aFourteenth Street club. A complete confession had been signed by CarlOaks who claimed that he was not a member of the gang, but had been hiredto do as instructed.
"Well, the _Star_ scooped every paper in town," Mr. Parker remarked, ashe put aside the front page. "That's not important, however, compared tosaving the Seventh Street Bridge."
"How about your daughter?" Penny asked, rumpling his hair. "Aren't youone speck glad about saving me?"
"I've been reserving a special lecture for you," he said, pretending tobe stern. "Young ladies who go running about at night--"
"Never mind," laughed Penny, "If Lou and I hadn't done our prowling, Iguess you wouldn't have any old Seventh Street Bridge!"
Actually Mr. Parker was very proud of his daughter and showed it in manyways. He would not allow Mrs. Weems to scold her for the night'sescapade. Learning that she was worried about Old Noah, he promised totalk to Sheriff Anderson and do what he could for the old fellow. Thenext morning, he and Penny started off to see Noah, stopping enroute atthe hospital.
"Oh, I'm so glad you came!" Sara Ottman greeted them at her brother'sbedside. "Burt and I owe you so much. I've been very unpleasant--"
"Not at all," corrected Penny. "Anyway, I like folks who aren't afraid tospeak their minds."
From Burt Ottman, Mr. Parker and his daughter heard a story much like theone previously told them by the police. The young man rapidly had gainedin strength and was much cheered because he had been cleared inconnection with the bridge dynamitings.
"How did you learn that Jard Wessler was a saboteur?" Mr. Parker askedhim.
"Accident," admitted Burt. "Even before the bridge was blasted, I hadseen the fellow around the docks. One day I overheard him talking toBreneham, and what they said made me suspicious. After getting involvedin the mess myself, I made it my business to investigate. I managed tomeet one of the saboteurs at the Parrot, but he proved too shrewd forme."
"You woke up in the alley," Penny recalled.
"Yes, after that I watched a place I'd learned about on FourteenthStreet. Figured I
had all the dope. But as I started for the police,someone hit me with a blackjack. That's the last I remember until I cameto at the woods shack."
Penny and her father were pleased to know that the young man wasrecovering from his injuries.
After chatting with him for a time, they left the hospital and proceededtoward the ark in the mud flats.
"I confess I don't know what to say to Noah," Mr. Parker declared as theyapproached the gangplank. "Sheriff Anderson insists the ark is a nuisanceand must go."
Penny paused at the edge of the stream. It had started to rain once more,and drops splattered down through the trees, rippling the quiet water.
"Poor Noah!" she sighed. "He'll be unwilling to leave his home or hisanimals. This ark never can be floated either."
"I'll be glad to pay for his lodging elsewhere," Mr. Parker offered."Naturally, he'll have to forsake his pets."
Crossing the gangplank, Penny called Old Noah's name. There was noanswer. Not until she had shouted many times did the old fellow come upfrom the ark's hold. His arms were grimy, his clothing wet from the waistdown.
"Why, Noah!" Penny exclaimed, astonished by his appearance.
"All morning I have labored," the old fellow said wearily. "The commotionlast night excited Bess, my cow. The critter kicked a hole in the ark.Water has poured in faster than I can pump it out."
"Well, why not abandon this old boat?" Mr. Parker proposed, quick toseize an opportunity. "Wouldn't you like to live in a steam-heatedapartment?"
"With my animals?"
"No, you would have to leave them behind."
Old Noah shook his head. "I could not desert my animals. At least not mydogs and cats, or my birds or fowls. As for cows and goats, they are aburden almost beyond my strength."
"A little place in the country might suit you," suggested Penny brightly.As Noah showed no interest, she added: "Or how would you like a big bus?You could take your smaller pets and tour the United States!"
Old Noah's dull blue eyes began to gleam. "I had a truck once," he said."They took it away from me after I had made a payment. I've alwayshankered to see the country. But it's not to be."
"Oh, a truck might be arranged," declared Penny, grinning at her father.
"It's not that." Old Noah leaned heavily on the railing of the ark. "Youmight say I made a covenant to keep this place of refuge. The Great Floodsoon will be upon us--"
"There will be no flood," interrupted Mr. Parker impatiently.
"I'd be happy to leave this ark if only I could believe that," sighedNoah. "I'm getting older, and it's a great burden to care for so manyanimals. But I must not shirk my duty because I am tired."
Penny knew that the old man could not be influenced by mere words.Glancing at the sky, she saw that although rain still fell, the sun hadstraggled through the clouds. Above the trees arched a beautiful rainbow.
"Noah!" she cried, directing his attention to it. "Don't you remember theBible quotation: 'And I do set my bow in the cloud and it shall be for atoken of a covenant between me and the earth.'"
"'And the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh,'"Noah whispered, his fascinated gaze upon the rainbow.
"There, you have your sign, your token," Mr. Parker said briskly.
"Yes, yes," whispered the old man. "This is the hour for which I longhave waited! Behold the rainbow which rolleth back the scroll of destiny!Never again will the flood come. Never again will destruction envelop theearth and all its creatures."
"How about it Noah?" Mr. Parker asked impatiently. "If I make allarrangements will you leave the ark?"
The old man did not hesitate. "Yes, I will go," he said. "My mission hereis finished. I am content."
Penny and her father did not annoy the old man with material details, butslipped quietly away from the ark. Glancing back, they saw that Noahstill stood at the railing, his face turned raptly toward the fadingrainbow. As the last trace of color disappeared from the sky, he bowedhis head in worshipful reverence. A moment he stood thus, and then,turning, walked with dignity into the ark.
"Poor old fellow," said Penny.
"I suppose you mean Noah," chuckled Mr. Parker. "But I deserve sympathytoo. Haven't I just been knicked to the tune of an expensive truck?"
"You don't really mind, do you, Dad?"
"No, it's worth it to have the old fellow satisfied," Mr. Parkerresponded. "And then, the ark brought me a big story for the _Star_."
Penny walked silently beside her father. With the saboteurs in jail, BurtOttman free, and Old Noah's future settled, she had not a worry in theworld. Rounding a bend of the stream, she glimpsed a shining blue bottlecaught in the backwash of a fallen log. Eagerly she started to rescue it.
"Don't tell me you expect to collect every one of those messages!"protested Mr. Parker.
"Every single one," laughed Penny, raking in the bottle. "You see, lastnight I lost a very pretty cameo pin. Until I find it, I'll never admitthat the case of the saboteurs is closed!"
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