CHAPTER XIII The Missing Book
"Gone," Anne echoed blankly. "Oh, it must be there."
"It isn't," Madge insisted. "Oh, I knew something would happen to it!"
"Let me look."
Madge stepped back to permit Anne to take her place at the chimney. Bothwere trying desperately to remain calm, attempting to make themselvesbelieve the book had only been misplaced.
"You're right, it's not here," Anne murmured, after feeling carefullyalong the ledge. "You don't suppose either your aunt or uncle could haveput it away?"
Madge shook her head doubtfully. A conviction that the book had beendeliberately stolen was growing in her mind.
"We can soon find out," she replied.
They rushed back to the house. Mrs. Brady had finished her nap and wassewing. The girls found her in the living room and incoherently pouredout their story.
"Now, don't get excited," she advised kindly. "The book will turn up. Mr.Brady hasn't been near the cabin, but one can't be sure about Bill. He'sinto everything. Why not question him?"
Frantic with anxiety, they hurried to the old workman's cabin. He deniedtaking the key.
"What would I be doin' with it anyhow?" he demanded crossly. "Afterbuildin' that fireplace and luggin' all that heavy stone, I'd be rightwell pleased if I never saw the place agin."
"Then who did take the key?" Madge fairly wailed. "Someone used it andput it back in the wrong place."
Bill shrugged and would have retreated into the cabin had not Madgehalted him with an abrupt question.
"Have you seen anyone prowling about the new cabin or actingsuspiciously? I know you're something of a detective. Perhaps you noticedClyde Wendell or one of the guests acting strangely."
Bill could not resist this direct appeal to his vanity. He assumed animportant pose and his brows came together in a thoughtful pucker.
"I wasn't aimin' to mention it," he informed regally, "'cause Mr. Brady'swarned me mor'n once not to talk about the guests--"
"This is different," Madge urged impatiently. "Tell us everything. It'svery important and time means everything!"
Bill's blue eyes opened wider. Here was something which smacked ofmystery. He decided to make the most of it.
"I been watchin' that guy Wendell fer a long time," he reported. "Mysuspicions was aroused when he kept trying' to pump me."
"What sort of questions did he ask?"
"Most everything. About the fishin' and the like. He asked about whetherMiss Fairaday stayed alone nights and if she'd sold any of her books andthings. He'd pester me when I was tryin' to work on the new fireplace.Come to think of it, he even asked me where the key to the cabin waskept!"
Bill had intended to tell a good story. He was surprised to find that bycudgeling his memory he had no need to call upon imagination to furnishinteresting details.
"When did Clyde ask about the key?" Madge questioned.
"Lemme see," Bill scratched his head thoughtfully. "Las' night."
It was all clear to Madge now. The book had been hidden only the previousafternoon. She had sensed then that someone was hiding in the bushes nearthe cabin. Undoubtedly, Clyde Wendell had witnessed everything.
"Anne, Clyde was after your book from the very first!" she cried."Probably his own formula is worthless, and he hoped to get possession ofyour Father's work and claim it as his own."
"But if he saw us hide the book, why didn't he take it last night?"
"I think he did try. I heard someone in the kitchen during the night.When I went down to get the key, he must have heard me coming and duckedinto his bedroom which is on the first floor. Oh, if only I'd kept thatkey instead of returning it to the cupboard!"
"It was all my fault. I chose the hiding place."
"Clyde won't get away. We'll make him give the book back."
Old Bill had been listening attentively to the conversation which he onlypartially understood. Now he decided it was time to add his startlingcontribution.
"Guess you'll have to ketch him first. He checked out mor'n an hour ago."
"Checked out?" Madge asked sharply.
"He cleaned out bag and baggage while you was over to the island. Ioffered to row him across the lake but he said he'd do it himself. Guesshe was afraid he'd have to give me a quarter."
"Which way did he go, Bill?"
"He said a car was to meet him across the lake and take him on to Luxlow.I would have watched only I was snowed under with work."
"We must go after him! Bill, get over to the lookout as fast as you canand ask one of the rangers to come here. Get Jack if he's there. Tell himit's urgent."
Bill moved away with alacrity and the girls flew to the house to acquaintMrs. Brady with the startling news. As Madge had guessed, she knewnothing of the chemist's departure. A survey of his room disclosed thathe had taken all his luggage. He had gone without paying his bill.
"If only your uncle were here!" Mrs. Brady expressed indignantly. "Andwhere is Mr. Brownell?"
"You saw him this morning, didn't you, Anne?" Madge asked.
"Why, no," the other returned in surprise. "He never came to the islandunless it was after I left."
"Men are always gone when you need them!" Mrs. Brady exclaimedimpatiently. "The best we can do is to telephone to Luxlow and try tohave someone stop Clyde there."
She rushed away to the telephone and just then the girls saw a boatrounding the point of the mainland. Mr. Brownell drew up to the wharf.His face brightened as he saw Anne, but realizing that something wasamiss, he made no attempt to engage her in conversation.
A few minutes later Bill returned with Jack French in the latter's canoe.The ranger had gleaned most of the facts from the old workman. He askedMadge and Anne only a few, terse questions. Mr. Brownell listenedintently to the excited discussion.
"So Wendell got away with the formula?" he broke in. "I knew there wassomething queer about the whole deal but I couldn't figure it out.Ranger, I'll pay you well if you bring him back."
"I'll do what I can," Jack told him quietly, "and pay doesn't enter intoit. We're not sure which way he went."
"Even if he did say he was going to Luxlow, I'd guess he headed forBryson," Madge interposed. "If he reached there by afternoon he could geta train out for New York. His Luxlow connections would be very poor."
"He was askin' me about the Elf Lake portage only yesterday," Billvolunteered.
"But if he did go the other way, we'll lose him," Anne said anxiously, asthe ranger moved toward his canoe.
"I'm striking for Elf Lake," Jack said crisply. "Mr. Brownell, you go toLuxlow and try to head Clyde off there. Bill can drive you in."
The plan was instantly adopted. Jack sprang into his canoe but Madge wasdirectly behind.
"Let me go too! You can make faster time with two paddling."
Jack hesitated briefly, then nodded. Madge slid into the bow and caughtup a paddle. Anne gave the canoe a shove, wading far out into the water.
"Oh, I hope you catch him!" she shouted. "Paddle for all you're worth!"
Jack and Madge cut directly across the lake, taking a course straight asa die. Madge realized that to overtake the chemist they must travel atdouble his speed. She had a muscular arm and made each stroke count.Several times the ranger warned her to take it easier.
They passed Black Rock, coming at last to the first portage marked by thebirches. Abandoning the canoe they started unencumbered through theforest, for Jack knew where a Forest Service canoe had been hidden at ElfLake. Twice he paused to examine the trail.
"He came this way all right."
Emerging from among the trees at Elf Lake, they scanned the water. Therewas no sign of a boat or canoe. Jack frowned. Apparently, the chemist hadtraveled fast.
A moment later, the frown changed to a distinct scowl as he searched thebushes in vain for the hidden government canoe. Almost at once he notedthe long marks on the sand, disclosing where it had been dragged to thewa
ter.
"Clyde's made off with our canoe! Now we are in it!"
Madge's eye fastened upon an unpainted rowboat abandoned upon the sand.
"It's a regular tub and probably leaks like a sieve," she announced, "butit's our only hope."
They found the oars and quickly launched the boat. All of Madge's direpredictions were found true. She bailed steadily to keep the boat afloat.
"We're losing time," Jack said gruffly. "Wendell has a fast canoe now."
"But he's a dub at paddling," Madge added hopefully. "We have a chance ofovertaking him at the Rice Lake portage."
"It's a short one and we're a good ways behind."
The prospect of portaging the boat was discouraging. They both knew thatunless they overtook the chemist by the time he reached Rice Lake, theylikely would lose him. Once he had covered the second portage, a shortpaddle would take him to Bryson, a city of sufficient population to offerprotection.
"Look here," Jack said as they grounded the boat at the extreme end ofElf Lake. "We'll never overtake him if we try to tote this old tub. Iknow a shortcut through the forest but it's hard going even withoutdunnage. What do you say?"
Madge hesitated. She realized that if they left the boat behind, theymust overtake Clyde at the end of the portage or lose him entirely.
"It's a long chance," Jack said, reading her thoughts, "and the trail istoo hard for you."
Madge shook her head stubbornly.
"No," she returned with firm decision. "I'll manage to keep up. We'llleave the boat behind and try the shortcut!"