They crossed the river in the motorboat, making an appointment to meet again at four o’clock. After Jack had gone, Penny set off for the River Queen’s dock where a sizable group of passengers awaited the ferry.
Soon the Queen steamed in, her bell signaling a landing. Passengers crowded the railing, eager to be the first off. A crewman stood at the wheel, and Sally was nowhere to be seen.
As the boat brushed the dock, sailors leaped off to make fast to the dock posts. Captain Barker, annoyed because the passengers were pushing, bellowed impatient orders to his men: “All right, start that gangplank forward! Lively! Are you going to sleep over it all day?”
Then, seeing Penny, he raised his hand in friendly greeting.
“Is Sally aboard?” she called to him.
“No, she went up the shore a ways—didn’t say where,” the captain replied, waving his hand upriver. “Ought to be back here any minute.”
Sally, however, did not appear, and the Queen pulled away without her. Penny loitered on the dock for twenty minutes. The sun was hot and with nothing to do, time lay heavy upon her. It lacked a half hour before the River Queen would return, and fully two hours before she was due to meet Jack. For lack of occupation, she walked upriver along the docks.
Buildings were few and far between. There were several fish houses, a boat rental place and the half-deserted amusement park. The beach beyond made easy walking, so Penny kept on. With quickening interest she saw that she was approaching a two-story building which appeared to stand on stilts over the water. Close by was a large, smoothly cemented area with overhead lights.
“That’s the Harper place!” Penny recognized it. “With the dance area adjoining.”
She moved on along the beach. Drawing closer to the building, she passed a clump of bushes fringing the sand. The leaves stirred slightly though there was no breeze. Penny failed to notice the movement.