“That you, Penny?” called Mr. Parker anxiously. “We were getting mighty worried about you. What kept you here so long?”
“This and that,” replied Penny, opening the gate. “It will take too long to tell. We need help and need it fast!”
As rapidly as she could, she related the essential facts of Jay Highland’s flight, apparently to the river docks.
“Salt, streak for the nearest phone and turn in a police alarm!” Mr. Parker ordered.
“It may be too late to overtake Highland,” Penny said anxiously. “But if we don’t catch him, the Hawthorne sapphire will be lost!”
“Don’t bother about the suitcase under the dock,” Rhoda interposed. “Just get Mr. Ayling, my grandmother and all those poor folks out of the monastery. That’s the important thing.”
“Salt can come back here and wait until police open up the monastery,” Mr. Parker said, thinking fast. “Jerry and I will try to pick up Highland’s trail!”
“I’ll send another squad to the river,” Salt promised, starting off at a run toward Vernon Eckenrod’s cabin across the fields.
“Highland and Winkey are heading for Dock Fourteen,” Penny said. “Dad, I’ll go with you to point it out.”
“The suitcase really doesn’t matter,” Rhoda interrupted again. “You see, the sapphire—”