PRINTED IN U. S. A.
TREADING WATER, THE GIRL SHOUTED FOR HELP.
“Guilt of the Brass Thieves” ([See Page 170])
Dedicated
to
ASA WIRT
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE [1 ADRIFT] 1 [2 THE BRASS LANTERN] 10 [3 A “PROBLEM” BOY] 18 [4 THROUGH THE WINDOW] 28 [5 UNWANTED ADVICE] 36 [6 SWEEPER JOE INFORMS] 43 [7 NIGHT SHIFT WORKER] 52 [8 OVERHEARD IN THE GATEHOUSE] 62 [9 SALLY’S HELPER] 70 [10 OVERTURNED] 79 [11 A QUESTION OF RULES] 88 [12 NIGHT PROWLER] 95 [13 THE STOLEN TROPHY] 108 [14 TRAPPED] 117 [15 UNDER THE SAIL] 124 [16 SILK STOCKINGS] 131 [17 BASEMENT LOOT] 141 [18 OVER THE BALCONY] 150 [19 FLIGHT] 157 [20 A DESPERATE PLIGHT] 165 [21 RESCUE] 172 [22 CAPTAIN BARKER’S COURAGE] 179 [23 FIRE!] 187 [24 DREDGING THE RIVER] 195 [25 THE RACE] 204
CHAPTER
1
ADRIFT
“This is the limit! The very limit!” Giving his leather suitcase an impatient kick, Anthony Parker began to pace up and down the creaking old dock.
His daughter Penny, who stood in the shadow of a shed out of the hot afternoon sun, grinned at him with good humor and understanding.
“Oh, take it easy, Dad,” she advised. “After all, this is a vacation and we have two weeks before us. Isn’t the river beautiful?”