“You’re completely crazy!” accused Mr. Parker. “Just how would you arrange to have the clock strike thirteen?”
“I’ll take care of that part, Dad. All I’ll need is a hammer.”
“To use on the caretaker, Charley Phelps, I suppose,” Mr. Parker remarked ironically.
“Oh, no,” Penny corrected, “I propose to turn all the strong-arm work over to you and your gang of reporters. Naturally, Phelps will have to be removed from the scene.”
“What you propose is absolutely impossible,” the editor declared. “Even so, I’ll admit that I find your idea rather fascinating.”
“This is no time for being conservative, Dad. Why, the Hoods must know you are out to break up their organization. Every day you wait lessens your chance of getting the story.”
“I realize that only too well, Penny. I pinned quite a bit of hope on Clem Davis. His failure to appear puts everything in a different light.”
“Why not test what he told us?” Penny argued. “It will be easy to learn if the striking of the clock is a signal to call the Hood meeting. If the men should come, we’ll have them arrested, and run a big story tomorrow morning!”
“Coming from your lips it sounds so very simple,” Mr. Parker smiled. “Has it occurred to you that if we fail, we’ll probably breakfast at the police station?”
“Why worry about that?” grinned Penny. “You have influence.”