CHAPTER 20 _NYMPHS OF THE SEA_
"How you expect to get Mrs. Deline to go swimming with us is beyond me!"Louise opined as she and Penny left the hotel, their bathing suitsswinging over their arms. "It's none too warm today. She dislikes us bothintensely. Furthermore, she never swims."
"Any other reasons?" Penny asked cheerfully.
"That should be enough."
"Just wait and watch," Penny chuckled. "I just hope she doesn't suspectwe've been prowling in her room. If she got wise to that she'd report usto the hotel management."
Before leaving the hotel the girls had taken care to drop the room key inthe chair where Mrs. Deline had left it. They were confident that no onehad seen them take the key or enter the room.
The widow remained as the girls last had seen her. She was sitting on abench facing the sea, her gaze fixed on the deep blue line of thehorizon. As the girls passed beside her, she looked up, frowningslightly.
"We're on our way to the bath house," said Penny, her tone implying thatthe matter was one of great importance.
"Really?" Mrs. Deline's voice barely was polite.
"Wouldn't you like to come with us?" Louise invited cordially.
The invitation took Mrs. Deline by surprise. "No, thank you," shedeclined. "I can't swim."
"We'll teach you," offered Penny.
"You're too kind. I don't care for the water. I particularly detest coldwater."
"The air is warming up," Penny tried to encourage her. "Why not try itwith us?"
"Nothing could induce me."
Louise nodded grimly, as much as to say that she had known how it wouldbe. Penny would not give up. She decided to adopt drastic measures.
"No, I didn't suppose you would go into the water," she said. "You'reprobably afraid you'll get salt water on that lovely skin of yours, ormuss up your hair."
"Oh!" gasped Mrs. Deline. "The very idea!"
"Isn't that the reason?" Penny pursued ruthlessly. "You have to protectyour beauty?"
"No, it's not the reason!" Mrs. Deline snapped. "If I had a bathing suit,I'd show you!"
"You can use mine," Penny said promptly. "Louise has an extra one she'lllet me have."
Mrs. Deline looked trapped and angry. She sprang to her feet.
"All right, I'll go swimming!" she announced. "If I catch pneumonia Isuppose you'll be satisfied!"
"Oh, you'll love the water once you're in," Penny said sweetly. "The bathhouse is this way."
Mrs. Deline spent so long getting into the borrowed suit that the girlsbegan to fear she had outwitted them. But just as they were ready to giveup, the woman came out of the dressing room. Penny's suit was a size toosmall for her so that she looked as if she had been poured into it. Herlegs were skinny, her hips bulged. She still wore the elephant charm.
"Don't I wish Dad could see her now!" Penny muttered. "What adisillusionment!"
Ignoring the girls, Mrs. Deline walked stiffly toward the surf. A waverolled in, wetting her to the knees. Mrs. Deline shrieked and backedaway.
"It's freezing!" she complained.
"You have to get wet all at once," Penny instructed kindly. "This way."
She seized Mrs. Deline's hand and pulled her toward the deeper water.
"Let me go!" Mrs. Deline protested, trying to shake free. "Stop it!"
Penny held fast to her hand. A big roller broke over their heads. Mrs.Deline sputtered and choked and struggled.
"Oh, this is dreadful!" she whimpered.
"You have to watch for the waves and jump just as they strike you," Pennylaughed. "Now!"
She leaped, but the widow mistimed the roller. It struck her a resoundingwhack on her shoulders and head.
"Oh! Oh!" she moaned.
"Here comes another!" warned Louise. "A big one too!"
Mrs. Deline broke away from Penny. She started to run for shore. The bigroller overtook her, sweeping her from her feet.
This was the opportunity that Penny awaited. Pretending that she too hadlost her balance, she allowed the tide to carry her straight into Mrs.Deline. For an instant they both were beneath the surface of the water.
Penny worked fast. Clutching Mrs. Deline as if in terror, she yanked hardat the slender chain that held the green elephant charm. It snapped andthe jade piece came off into her hands. Deftly she thrust the charm intothe front of her bathing suit. Then she popped up above the water,winking at Louise.
Mrs. Deline scrambled to her feet, clutching at the broken chain.
"See what you've done!" she accused Penny. "You pulled it apart. Mybeautiful charm has fallen into the water!"
"Let me help you look for it," Louise offered, darting forward.
As the pair were groping about on the sandy floor, another wave rolledin. Penny neglected to warn Mrs. Deline. It struck her from behind,toppling her over on her face. Her cap slipped awry and she swallowedsalt water.
"Oh, I can't stand any more of this!" she spluttered. "It was cruel ofyou to get me to come into the surf! Now I've lost my charm, and it wasall your fault, Penny Parker."
"I'll buy you another ornament," the girl offered. Seeing Mrs. Deline'sdistress she felt a bit ashamed of herself.
"Another ornament!" the widow mocked. "I don't want another! I want theone I've lost. It's of vital importance to me to keep it."
Mrs. Deline made another futile search for the charm.
"It's been washed away," she cried. "I'll never find it now!"
Glaring furiously at Penny, she turned and fled to the bath house.
"Did she really lose the charm?" Louise demanded the moment the girlswere alone. "Or did you get it, Penny?"
Penny answered by producing the green elephant charm from the front ofher bathing suit where she had hidden it.
"Easy as taking candy from a babe," she chuckled. "My, but was shehopping mad!"
"You may not be laughing if your father hears about this," Louise warned."He's apt to look at matters from a different angle than we do."
Penny skipped through the shallow water and sat down on the beach wellbeyond the reach of the waves. Louise flopped beside her. Eagerly theyexamined the jade green trinket.
"Looks like any ordinary charm to me," Louise remarked. "No specialcarving."
"It should open," Penny said. "The first night when Mrs. Deline and Ishared a room, I was sure I saw her close it."
Louise turned the charm over and pried at it with a hairpin.
"It does have a back lid!" she exclaimed excitedly. "Penny, I think it'sgoing to open!"
"I'll say magic words while you work," Penny laughed. "Furthermore, I'llkeep watch of the bath house. We don't want Mrs. Deline to pop out hereand see us."
Louise pried again at the lid of the charm. It gave suddenly.
Inside the tiny cavity was a folded piece of paper. While Louise staredin delighted awe, Penny gained possession. With nervous haste sheunfolded the paper. She gazed at it a moment and her face fell.
"Why, I can't make anything of the writing!" she declared indisappointment. "The words don't make sense."
"Just a mess of letters," Louise agreed, peering over her shoulder.
The girls were decidedly let-down for they had gone to much trouble andrisk to obtain the jade ornament. But Penny's disappointment did not lastlong. As she stared at the paper, its significance dawned upon her.
"Why, this is important, Lou!" she cried. "Maybe we've stumbled intosomething big!"
"How do you mean?"
"Don't you see?" Penny demanded triumphantly. "The letters, of thismessage must comprise a secret code! If only we can break it down we maylearn all we need to know about Mrs. Deline and her strange friends!"