Nan looked up from her place on the floor into the anxious faces of the girls around her. “I’m as baffled as you are,” she admitted. “I can’t really tell whether anyone has touched the things in my trunk or not. The underwear—slips—stockings—blouses” she touched each pile of things as she named it,—“pajamas, and even the dresses, are folded the same and in the same places as they were when I packed. I’m sure of that.
“Still, when that case flew open, I had a peculiar feeling that someone besides myself had been through it and touched everything there.”
“Ugh.” Bess shuddered. “Don’t say things like that, Nan. They give me the creeps.”
“Me too,” Grace was really pale. “Especially when I remember the expression on that hunchback’s face when he asked for you.”
“What are you going to do about it?” Rhoda inquired. Generally calm, Rhoda was seriously worried now. The red-headed man had looked mean.
“Yes, what are you going to do?” Bess repeated the question. She was more troubled than any of the rest, because she had more reason than they to be suspicious.
“Come, Nan,” Amelia urged, as Nan sat, silently considering. “You’ve got to do something.”
“Oh, girls, I don’t know what to do,” Nan finally burst forth. “It can’t be reported. The whole thing would sound silly. The purser would probably pat us on the back, tell us to be good, and warn us not to read so many detective stories. I’m afraid that there is just nothing to do but keep quiet and see what happens next, if anything. After all, it might have been a very innocent mistake.”
Laura snickered. “I only hope no innocent mistakes come walking into my cabin,” she said. Then she grew serious. “Really, Nan, I’m not generally a fraidy-cat, but if I were you, I would be careful and watch out for red-headed men. I can’t for the life of me see why anyone in the world would be after you, but strange things do happen.”
“I will be careful,” Nan agreed. “Now, I wonder what that gong was I heard a few minutes ago.”