“I think not,” smiled her father. “You always were a little impatient, Penny.”
Eagerly Penny awaited the arrival of evening and another adventure at Blue Hole Lake. She and Salt arranged to leave the office at four o’clock, hoping to reach the farmhouse early enough to observe what preparations Webb made for exploding Mr. Johnson’s mine.
But at three, Salt was sent on an important assignment.
“I’ll get back as soon as I can,” he promised Penny, pausing beside her desk. “I may be a little late, but we’ll still make it.”
“I’ll be right here waiting,” Penny grinned.
At ten minutes past four Salt returned. Thinking he might have pictures to develop before he would be free to leave, Penny did not rush him by going back to the photography room right away. When she had typed her last story of the day and brought it to the editor’s desk for inspection, she gathered up her purse and hat.
“Leaving early, aren’t you?” Elda inquired in a loud voice so that everyone would notice.
“That’s right,” Penny replied, without explaining her special mission.
Not wishing to leave the city without ample funds, she first went downstairs to cash a pay check at the company treasurer’s window. He gave her the crisp five dollar bills, joking with her about skipping town with so much money.
Penny tucked the bills into her purse and was turning to go back upstairs again, when through the window she saw a man coming down the alley from the rear of the Star building. Recognizing him as Mr. McClusky, the deep sea diver she had assisted, she darted to the window and rapped to attract his attention.