Penny shook her head and laughed. “Getting started always is quite a trick,” she replied. “Sit tight! We have a stiff breeze tonight.”
Penny and her father wore no protective goggles. The sharp wind stung their eyes even though they kept their heads low.
“How’ll we know when we get to the warehouse?” Mr. Parker shouted. “I can’t see anything!”
“Just trust me,” laughed Penny. “All I worry about is stopping this bronco when we get there!”
The boat was moving with the speed of an express train. Penny made her decisions with lightning-like rapidity, twice steering to avoid open stretches of water. She was worried, but had no intention of letting her father know.
The boat raced on. Then far ahead loomed the dark outline of a building.
“That’s the warehouse!” shouted Mr. Parker. “Don’t go past it!”
Penny gradually slowed the Icicle. Approaching shore, she slacked the main sheet and shot up into the wind. By using her overshoes for brakes, she finally brought the boat to a standstill not far from the warehouse.
“Well done, skipper,” praised Mr. Parker.
Scrambling from the boat, they glanced anxiously about. A dim light shone from inside the warehouse. Not far from its side entrance stood a truck. There were no other vehicles, no sign of the expected police car.