PRINTED IN U. S. A.
SUDDENLY PENNY’S EYES FELL UPON THE UPPERMOST LINE OF THE FRONT PAGE.
“The Secret Pact” ([See Page 53])
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE [1 ABOARD THE GOODTIME] 1 [2 THE RIVER’S VICTIM] 11 [3 THE OCTOPUS TATTOO] 19 [4 A PROSPECTIVE TENANT] 27 [5 COBWEBS AND RUST] 36 [6 HEADLINES AND HEADACHES] 45 [7 PETER FENESTRA] 54 [8 THE STORM CAVE] 62 [9 A FALLEN TREE] 70 [10 A WORD TO THE WISE] 77 [11 MR. JUDSON’S DAUGHTER] 85 [12 OLD HORNEY] 91 [13 PAPER PROBLEMS] 101 [14 AN EMPTY BEDROOM] 109 [15 INFORMATION FROM TILLIE] 116 [16 BEHIND THE LILACS] 123 [17 THE ART OF TATTOO] 131 [18 PAULETTA’S EXPLANATION] 138 [19 MRS. WEEMS’ REPORT] 150 [20 PICNIC BY MOONLIGHT] 159 [21 ELLIS SAAL’S CUSTOMER] 167 [22 GHOSTS OF THE PAST] 176 [23 PENNY’S PLIGHT] 185 [24 A BARRIER OF FLAMES] 193 [25 SAILORS’ REVENGE] 201
CHAPTER
1
ABOARD THE GOODTIME
A blanket of fog, thick and damp, swirled about the decks of the excursion steamer, Goodtime, cautiously plying its course down the river. At intervals, above the steady throb of the ship’s engines, a fog horn sounded its mournful warning to small craft.
“I hope we don’t collide with another boat before we make the dock,” remarked Louise Sidell who stood at the railing with her chum, Penelope Parker.
“That would be a perfect ending for an imperfect day,” returned Penny, fitting her coat collar more snugly about her throat.
“An imperfect day! I call it a miserable one. Rain and fog! Rain and fog! It’s made my hair as straight as the shortest distance between two points.”