Mildred A. Wirt

“ Although Old Noah’s living quarters were more comfortable than the bird room, they provided less privacy. Wessler and his companion remained on the floor, and not a word could the girls speak without being overheard.
Old Noah soon appeared. In a much better mood, he chatted with the two men. Finding them uncommunicative, he picked up his banjo and began to sing spirituals to its accompaniment. His voice, as cracked as the fingers which strummed the strings, drove Breneham into a near frenzy.
“There’s a limit to what a guy can stand,” he said meaningly to Wessler. ”

“ By bus the girls rode to a point near the river. Without approaching Ottman’s Dock, they crossed the Big Bear over Thompson’s bridge which had just been opened to pedestrian traffic only. Making their way along the eastern shore, they came at last to the mouth of Bug Run.
“It looks like rain to me,” Louise declared, scanning the fast-moving clouds. “Just our luck to be caught in a downpour.”
“Maybe we can take refuge in the ark,” Penny laughed, leading the way up the meandering stream. “That is, if we can find it.”
Trees and bushes grew thick and green along either bank of the run. ”

“ Louise demanded uneasily as Penny interrupted herself.
“Lou, I have a corking idea! See how those tree limbs arch over the roof of the shack? Why, that old maple is built to our order!”
“I don’t follow you.”
“You will in a minute if you’re a good climber!” chuckled Penny. “We can get up that tree and onto the roof. Even if it shouldn’t have a skylight we can see through, at least we can hear what’s being said.” ”

“ Behold the rainbow which rolleth back the scroll of destiny! Never again will the flood come. Never again will destruction envelop the earth and all its creatures.”
“How about it Noah?” Mr. Parker asked impatiently. “If I make all arrangements will you leave the ark?”
The old man did not hesitate. “Yes, I will go,” he said. “My mission here is finished. I am content.”
[211]
Penny and her father did not annoy the old man with material details, but slipped quietly away from the ark. Glancing back, they saw that Noah still stood at the railing, his face turned raptly toward the fading rainbow. ”

“ The mists were lifting as Penny and Louise sailed slowly past the Ottman Dock toward their own snug berth. Sara, in blue slacks, a red bandana handkerchief over her head, was trying to start a stubborn outboard motor. ”

“ A powerful beam of light played over the water, cutting a bright path.
“Help! Help!” screamed Louise, waving an arm.
“Halt or I’ll fire!” rang out the terse command from the bridge.
“Halt?” cried Penny, too exasperated to consider the significance of the order. “That’s what we’d like to do, but we can’t!”
[9]
The searchlight came to rest on the overturned sailboat. The girls were so blinded that for a moment they could see nothing. Then the searchlight shifted slightly to the left, and they were able to distinguish a short, stoop-shouldered man who peered over the railing of the bridge. ”

“ Bill Evans, watching from shore, called a friendly warning: “If you’re planning to sail down river, better not get too close to Thompson’s bridge! The new regulations say seventy-five feet.”
“We’ll give it a wide berth,” responded Penny. She sailed the boat out through the slip into the main channel of the Big Bear river. When well beyond the dock she commented sadly: “Poor old Bill. Always giving advice. Guess he can’t help it.”
“His boat’s just a leaky tub,” replied Louise. “I hear it sunk twice while tied up to the dock. One has to feel sorry for him and treat him with kindness.” ”

“ Louise warned nervously.
Crouching low behind their shelter, the girls waited. They could hear a steady tramp, tramp of feet coming up the stream on their side of the bank.
“That’s not Sara,” murmured Penny. “She doesn’t walk like an elephant. What’ll we do if it should be a saboteur?”
“I’m scared,” Louise chattered, hugging her chum’s arm.
The footsteps came closer. Peering out through the screen of underbrush, the girls saw a young man coming straight toward their hiding place. In his hand he carried a safety-cap gasoline can. ”

“ After testing the cabin door, she sat down again beside Louise. The girls did not sleep but they fell into a drowsy, half-stupefied state. Then suddenly they were aroused by the sound of low voices just outside the porthole.
“It’s an old man coming,” they heard Wessler mutter. “Must be Noah.”
“What’ll we do with him?” the other demanded.
“Wait and see how he acts,” Wessler advised. “He’s such a simple old coot he may not suspect anything. If he makes trouble we’ll have to lock him up.”
A silence ensued and then the girls heard heavy footsteps on the gangplank. ”

“ The young people ate as slowly as they could so they would have an excuse for remaining as long as they desired.
“What time is it, Jerry?” Penny asked anxiously.
“Ten after nine,” he answered, looking at his watch.
A bell jingled, and the young people knew that another customer had arrived. Craning their necks to see around the palm tree, they watched the dining room entranceway. In a moment a young man entered and was greeted by the head waiter. Jerry and the girls stared, scarcely believing their eyes.
“Why, it’s Burt Ottman!” Penny whispered. ”

“ By no stretch of the imagination could they think that Sara Ottman meant her words as a joke. But what had her so aroused? While it was true that Penny had solved many local mysteries, she never had been boastful of her accomplishments. In fact, she was one of the most popular girls in Riverview.
“Are you sure you haven’t a fever, Miss Ottman?” Penny demanded, her own eyes blazing. “I certainly fail to understand such an outburst.”
“Of course you do,” the other mocked. “You’re not used to talk coming straight from the shoulder. Why are you here anyhow?”
“To rent a boat.” ”

“ Without giving Louise a chance to change her mind, Penny hung up the receiver and returned to the kitchen. After fortifying herself with oatmeal, a glass of orange juice, bacon, two rolls and sundry odds and ends, she started off to meet Louise. Her chum, looking none too cheerful, awaited her near Ottman’s dock.
“Why did you ask me to meet you at this particular place, Penny?” she inquired. “It was a block out of my way.”
“I thought we might rent one of Ottman’s boats and row down to the bridge. It will be easier than walking along the mud flats.” ”

“ THROUGH THE SKYLIGHT
Greatly excited to learn that the old watchman and the waiter of The Green Parrot were fellow conspirators, Penny strained to catch their words. She heard the waiter reply:
“You’ve done good work, Oaks. All you have to do now is sit tight for a few more hours. We’ll give you a five hundred dollar bonus if the job comes off right.”
“That won’t do me any good if I end up in jail.”
“Nothing will go wrong. Everything has been planned to the last detail.”
“I’m already in bad with the police,” the old watchman whined. ”

“ Wessler and his companion, Breneham, stepped from the shadows.
“Good evening, Noah,” the waiter greeted him politely. “Looks like rain, doesn’t it?”
The remark concerning the weather was all that was needed to dull the old man’s perceptions. Forgetting that the ark had been invaded by strangers during his absence, he lowered an armload of groceries to the railing, and peered intently up at the sky.
“No man knoweth the hour, but when the thunder of the Lord strikes, the rain will descend. All creatures of the earth shall perish—yes, all except those who seek refuge here. ”

“ The walls of the room had been whitewashed and the floor was clean.
“What a life Old Noah must lead!” Louise whispered to Penny. “Why, it must be worse than being a zoo keeper!”
In a moment the old fellow reappeared. Beckoning to the girls, he led them up a little flight of stairs to the second floor of the ark.
“This is my bird room,” he said, opening a door.
“Hello, Noah!” croaked a brilliantly colored parrot, fluttering on her perch. “You old rascal! Polly wants a slug o’ rum!”
[58]
Noah glanced quickly at the girls. “I am humble and ashamed,” he apologized. “But the bird means no evil. ”

“ Decidedly worried, the girls shouted many times. There were no boats near, not even the motor craft they had observed a few minutes earlier. The swift current seemed to be swinging them directly toward Thompson’s bridge.
“A watchman always is on guard there night and day,” Penny commented, scanning the arching structure of steel. “If the old fellow isn’t asleep he should see us as we drift by.”
Louise was too cold and miserable to answer. However, she rather unwillingly held the blue bottle while Penny swam and tried to guide the overturned boat toward shore. ”

“ Scrambling out of the dinghy, the girls made it fast to the dock and transferred to the other boat. Sara opened the throttle, and they shot away, leaving behind a trail of churning foam. Out through the slip they raced, rounding a channel buoy at breakneck speed.
“You can certainly handle a boat,” Penny said admiringly.
“Been at it since I was a kid,” Sara grinned. “I could cruise this river blindfolded.”
They passed the floating barge, observing that a Coast Guard cutter was proceeding up river to take it in tow. Turning upstream, Sara swung the boat toward shore. ”

“ Penny returned reasonably. “We were reaching for a floating bottle—oh, my Aunt! Where is that bottle, Louise? Don’t tell me we’ve lost it!”
Her chum was given no opportunity to reply, for at that moment a motorboat roared down the river at high speed. Its throttle was wide open, and it appeared to be racing straight toward the bridge.
“Halt!” shouted the watchman, jerking a weapon from a leather holster. “Halt!”
The pilot did not obey the command. Instead, to the amazement of the watchers, he leaped from the cockpit and swam for the opposite shore. ”

“ Lou, that old man is Carl Oaks! He and our waiter friend have a prisoner inside the cabin.”
“A prisoner! My gracious! Then they must be saboteurs!”
“They’re planning to blow up the Seventh Street Bridge at one o’clock,” Penny went on tersely. “And they aim to blame it all on Burt Ottman!”
“He’s not one of the outfit then?”
“Seemingly not. They have him trussed up inside a closet. Lou, you’ve got to hot-foot it to town and bring the police!”
“Come with me,” Louise pleaded, frightened at the mere thought of going through the dark woods alone.
“One of us ought to stay and keep watch. ”

“ Louise suggested, eager to be off.
Before Penny could reply, both girls were startled to see a stranger emerge from among the bushes along the shore. He wore a raincoat, a broad-brimmed hat which dripped water, and a bright badge gleamed on his chest.
“I’m Sheriff Anderson,” he announced, coming close to the ark. “Is Dan Grebe aboard?”
“Do you mean Old Noah?” Penny asked doubtfully.
“Most folks call him that. An old man who’s lost his buttons, but harmless. He’s been maintaining a public nuisance here with his ark.”
As the sheriff started to come aboard, Old Noah himself stepped out on deck. ”

“ Sara said dubiously. “Something might go wrong. I never would get over it if I lost the boat.”
“You won’t lose the boat,” promised Penny. “It’s really important that we catch those two men, Sara. From what Old Noah said, they may be connected with the bridge dynamiting.”
“What makes you think that?”
[148]
“Because Old Noah found a cache of dynamite somewhere near here.”
“He won’t tell us its location,” added Louise.
“If it should develop that the men are saboteurs, we might learn something which would help your brother’s case,” Penny said persuasively. “How about it, Sara?” ”