"What's up?" he demanded. "Atom bomb ticking in the library or something?"
Barby made a heroic effort to be casual. "I just thought you might be interested. The houseboat is anchored in North Cove."
Rick was very much interested! North Cove was between Spindrift and Whiteside pier. He felt a tingle of excitement. Was the enemy closing in?
"Did you see it?" he asked.
"No, but Dad did. He went over to pick up the morning papers, and there it was. It must have gone by during the night."
"Thanks, Barby," Rick said absently. His mind was already exploring the possibilities. The houseboat had taken up the ideal position for watching comings and goings from Spindrift. The cove was even close enough so the sound of the Sky Wagon's engine could be heard clearly.
Yet, according to Steve, the people on it were ordinary enough. There was nothing suspicious about them, except that they had the only pram in the area. He wondered if perhaps the pram had nothing to do with the attack on Duke and Jerry. After all, people on houseboats had to land once in a while, for shopping.
In the same moment, he realized that Whiteside was closed tight on Sunday evenings. There was nothing to be bought. That was when the attack had taken place.
He ate breakfast with minimum conversation, only vaguely conscious that the others were watching him with interest, aware that he was chewing over the problem in his own fashion.
After breakfast, Scotty broke in. "Well, what's all the high-brain activity leading up to?"