“Well, if we knew we wouldn’t be standing here answering your idiotic questions,” replied Nelson. After which he and Bob, each having sat on Tom, regained some of their equanimity.
“You don’t suppose anyone has swiped her, do you. Nel?” Bob asked anxiously.
“Looks like it,” was the answer. “Only—how could they get in to start the engine?”
“Are you sure you locked the door?”
“Positive. And here’s the key. And the only other one is in the cabin, unless Dan has it; he had it a couple of days ago.”
“They might have burst the locks, I suppose,” said Bob. But Nelson looked doubtful.
“They might break the padlock on the hatch, but the door lock is a pretty stiff one to get at. I suppose they might have picked it, though.”
“Maybe they didn’t start the engine,” said Tom. “Maybe they just towed her away as she was.”
“That’s right, Tommy!” exclaimed Bob. “That’s just about it. If she’s been stolen that’s the way they’ve done it. Besides, even if anyone could get the door open Barry wouldn’t let them stay in the engine room long enough to turn the wheel over. He’d scare ’em out in no time. He wouldn’t let anyone but you or Tommy or me go down those stairs.”
“Or Dan,” suggested Tom thoughtfully.