Read The Haunted Showboat Online
Authors: Carolyn Keene
Tags: #Mardi Gras, #Women Detectives, #Detective and Mystery Stories, #Girls & Women, #Showboats, #Carnival, #Mystery & Detective, #Juvenile Fiction, #Adventure and Adventurers, #Detectives, #Mysteries & Detective Stories, #Fiction, #Haunted Places - Louisiana - New Orleans, #River Boats, #Women Sleuths, #Adventure Stories, #New Orleans (La.), #Drew; Nancy (Fictitious Character), #Haunted Places, #Mystery and Detective Stories
The Haunted Showboat (14 page)
Uncle Rufus was waving his arms and muttering
Nancy mentioned the fact that perhaps some people were using a record player there.
“Maybe so.” Uncle Rufus nodded. “But none of my people,” he denied stoutly. “Maybe I do know somethin’, though, that might help you. Last night when I was out paddlin’ I stopped to listen to an ole owl. He’s wisdom, you know, an’ I thought I might learn somethin’ from him.”
Uncle Rufus went on to say that a short distance from him he had heard two men speaking. He was sure from their accents that they were white men from the North.
“What they said was kind o’ queerlike. One said, ‘I guess the old gal hasn’t any pirate gold after all.’ The other man said, ‘I’m goin’ to keep at her till I find out!’ ”
Uncle Rufus asked Nancy if she could figure out what they meant, but the young detective shook her head. “That’s a hard one,” she said. Then she asked, “Uncle Rufus, would it be possible for you to watch the showboat for a few nights? If you learn anything, come to the Havers’ home and tell me.”
The voodoo doctor smiled. “That will be easy detective work,” he said, chuckling. “Is that all you want me to do, Miss Nancy?”
“That’s all for now. And thank you very much.”
She hurried back to the car and told the others what the old man was doing. “He’s a great character in these parts,” Donna Mae said. “It’s said that Uncle Rufus has brought about a good many cures.”
When the girls reached Sunnymead, George was waiting for them on the patio. Donna Mae went off to find Alex, and George gestured that she would like Nancy and Bess to follow her at once to the second floor.
“I wonder what’s up,” Nancy thought as she mounted the staircase.
George led the way into Nancy’s bedroom and closed the door. “Well, I think I’ve really picked up a good clue,” she said.
Excitedly George went on to say that she had spent almost an hour with Alex. “I got him to talk about New York, his travels and his education. He showed me a lot of pictures.”
“But what’s the clue?” Bess asked impatiently.
George looked intently at the two girls as she replied, “I think Alex Upgrove is a fake!”
“What!” Nancy and Bess exclaimed.
“I mean it,” George went on. “In our talk I tried to trip him and I think I succeeded. He contradicted himself several times. I’m convinced he’s either posing as Alex Upgrove from New York or else his name is Alex Upgrove, but he’s claiming a position of wealth and social standing to which he isn’t entitled.”
George opened a bureau drawer and brought out a picture. “Much as I hate flattery, I used some of it on Alex and got him to let me borrow this picture.” She made a wry face. “I think he believes I have a crush on him.”
Nancy and Bess stifled giggles, then looked at the photograph. It showed a group of students at Oxford University.
George pointed to one in the rear row. “That’s Alex Upgrove,” she explained. “Is he the man who’s going to marry Donna Mae or did he help himself to this picture of someone who looks very much like him?”
“Well, it certainly looks like him,” Bess said.
“Yes, it does,” said Nancy. Then she snapped her fingers. “I have an idea. You remember Mrs. Bartolome telling us that Mr. de la Verne is an Oxford graduate and has always kept up his interest in the university?”
“Yes,” said George, “but Alex would have been at Oxford long after Mr. de la Verne. How could he identify the person in this picture?”
“I know it’s a long shot,” said Nancy. “But Mr. de la Verne may have other pictures or records of Oxford graduates. Let’s go see him, with the excuse that we’re returning Mrs. Farwell’s ornamental hairpin.”
Nancy looked at her wrist watch. “If we hurry, girls, we can just make the trip before dinner. Come on!”
CHAPTER XIX
A Missing Suspect
TO AVOID meeting Alex or any of the Haver family, Nancy, Bess, and George slipped quietly down the back stairs and left the mansion. They hurried to their car and drove to Mrs. Farwell’s home.
Nancy rang the bell and Mr. de la Verne opened the door. He bowed, then said:
“This is an unexpected pleasure.
Please
come in.”
Please
come in.”
The girls stepped inside and Nancy introduced the elderly man to her friends. After greeting them, he indicated a small living room filled with beautiful antique mahogany furniture. When they were seated, Nancy drew the jeweled hairpin from her purse.
“I came to return this,” she said.
Henry de la Verne hesitated a moment, then arose. “My sister is not too well today, but I will see if she is able to join us.”
He was gone fully five minutes, but at last returned with Mrs. Farwell. Though her face was lined and her eyes slightly dulled because of her failing health, she was still a very pretty woman. The girls were touched by the affectionate and chivalrous manner with which her brother treated her. The callers arose and he introduced them. Mrs. Farwell nodded her head graciously as each girl was named.
“I found one of your valued possessions, Mrs. Farwell,” said Nancy. “I’m so happy to be able to return it to you.”
Louvina Farwell took the proffered hairpin and stared at it for several seconds. Then she stood up very straight, gave a little toss of her head, and looked directly at the girl detective. To Nancy’s astonishment, the woman’s eyes indicated she was perfectly rational.
“Do sit down again, my dears,” urged Mrs. Farwell. After her brother had helped seat her in a chair, the woman asked, “And where did you find my missing heirloom, Nancy?”
“On the old showboat, the
River Princess.”
River Princess.”
“How very odd!” Louvina remarked. “I feel so sorry about the
River Princess.
Henry and I had such wonderful times on it when we were children. It is too bad that storm and flood ruined it.”
River Princess.
Henry and I had such wonderful times on it when we were children. It is too bad that storm and flood ruined it.”
“Would you like to see the
River Princess
restored and moved out of the bayou?” George asked.
River Princess
restored and moved out of the bayou?” George asked.
“Indeed I would,” Mrs. Farwell replied promptly. “And I would like to see performances given on it again.” She turned to her brother. “Wouldn’t it be fun, Henry, to go to one of those old-time shows again?”
“Yes, it would,” Henry replied. He gave Nancy a surprised glance, as if to say, “I was all wrong about the effect on my sister of the restoration of the
River Princess.”
River Princess.”
Nancy, encouraged by the friendly trend of the conversation, asked impulsively, “Before your grandfather owned the showboat, did pirates ever pilot her?”
“Oh, no,” Henry answered quickly. Then, as his sister started to speak, he tried to switch to another topic of discussion.
But Louvina would not be diverted from the pirate story. She laughed as if in recollection and her eyes lost some of their dimness. She said, “Nancy, my dear, no pirate ever owned the
River Princess.
But there was a story that several of them hid a chest of gold coins under a bulkhead of the showboat during the time my grandfather owned it. This happened when no one was aboard.”
River Princess.
But there was a story that several of them hid a chest of gold coins under a bulkhead of the showboat during the time my grandfather owned it. This happened when no one was aboard.”
“Oh, how exciting!” Bess burst out. “Did they return to get them?”
“Not that anyone ever knew,” Mrs. Farwell replied. “As a matter of fact, some very disparaging remarks were made about my wonderful grandfather—people said that he was in league with the pirates.”
“Why, how dreadful!” said Bess.
“It certainly was,” Mr. de la Verne agreed. “Well, now that my sister has told you of our family skeleton, I’ll finish the story. I myself looked for that pirate gold many times before the
River Princess
was abandoned, but it never came to light.”
River Princess
was abandoned, but it never came to light.”
Nancy was convinced now that at last she had discovered the reason for the showboat’s being “haunted.” At the present time, someone who had learned of the old story was trying to find the pirate gold—and did not intend to have anyone interfere with his endeavor!
“Just today,” Nancy said aloud, “I asked Uncle Rufus to watch the
River Princess
at night and report to me anything strange he saw going on there. He overheard a remark in which I think you’ll be interested.”
River Princess
at night and report to me anything strange he saw going on there. He overheard a remark in which I think you’ll be interested.”
The young detective told about the two men in the canoe and their mention of pirate gold.
“I’m sure they’ll never find it,” said Henry de la Verne, “because the whole story probably was made up by some showboat rivals of my grandfather’s.”
Louvina backed up her brother in this theory. Then, suddenly, she said, “I am very tired. If the girls will excuse me, I think I’ll go to my room and lie down.”
“Oh, please do,” said Nancy quickly. “But Mr, de la Verne, may we stay a little longer and talk to you? I want to ask you some questions about Oxford University.”
“I shall be happy to answer them,” the elderly man said with enthusiasm. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He assisted his sister from the room but returned shortly.
Briefly, Nancy told about Alex Upgrove, and that his engagement to Donna Mae Haver was to be announced at a ball the Havers were giving.
“Here is a picture of Alex taken at Oxford. I was wondering if you could find him in your directory of graduates.”
The elderly man took the photograph. Then he ushered the visitors into an adjoining room which was lined with bookshelves, and pulled out several volumes. Presently he announced to the girls that an Alex Upgrove from New York City was indeed a graduate of Oxford University.
Mr. de la Verne then looked through a volume of pictures. This book was put back on the shelf, and he took down another. Presently he exclaimed:
“I’ve found what you’re looking for!”
The girls eagerly crowded around him and looked at the group photograph. It was exactly like the one which George had borrowed from Alex Upgrove. But the face of the man who stood in the place indicated for Alex was not that of the man they knew at Sunnymead.
“George, you were right about Alex being a fake!” Bess cried out.
“This is very unfortunate,” said Mr. de la Verne.
Nancy raised her head thoughtfully. As she stared out a window, she was startled by a face framed in one of the panes.
Alex Upgrove!
When the young man realized that Nancy had caught him spying, he took to his heels and sprinted out of sight. Nancy alerted the others and the three girls dashed from the house after him. A few minutes later the roar of a car some distance away told them that he had escaped.
“I’ll bet he’ll never show up at Sunnymead again,” George predicted.
“Well, that’s fine with me,” Bess declared. “And I’m glad for Donna Mae’s sake that he’s been found out. Maybe now she’ll come to her senses and be her former self!”
They returned to the house and apologized to Mr. de la Verne for their hasty exit.
“I’m sorry you didn’t catch up with that pretender,” he said. “I will notify the university of what has happened. While you were gone, I studied the photograph you brought, under a magnifying glass. There has been a very clever photographic substitution.”
“This Alex Upgrove, if that’s his name,” said George, “must be after big stakes to have gone to so much trouble.”
“I’ll bet he’s after the pirate gold,” Bess ventured.
The girls thanked Mr. de la Verne for his help, then said good-by and hurried back toward Sunnymead.
“How in the world are we ever going to tell Donna Mae the truth?” Bess asked apprehensively.
“Maybe we won’t have to,” Nancy suggested. “She may find out about Alex herself.”
When the girls drove into the parking area of the Havers’ estate, they gave gasps of surprise and delight. On the patio with Donna Mae were three boys—tall, athletic, brown-eyed Ned Nickerson; blond, heavy-set Burt Eddleton, and rangy-built, green-eyed Dave Evans. The girls hurried to greet them.
“We convinced the university we ought to look over the football situation down here for next year,” Ned said with a laugh after greetings were over.
“And it happened to coincide with a midyear vacation.” Burt grinned.
In the conversation which followed, Nancy noticed that Donna Mae was unusually charming and gracious. She exhibited such happiness that the other girls were sure she had heard nothing adverse yet about Alex Upgrove. And how they hated to tell her!
Suddenly Donna Mae announced, “Dinner will be served soon. We won’t wait for Alex. He had to go out and said he might be detained.”
The girls exchanged quick glances but made no comment. Excusing themselves, they hurried upstairs to change into flowered bouffant dresses.
“For the sake of Ned, Burt, and Dave,” said Nancy, as she and the others started downstairs, “I suggest that we be as gay as possible during dinner. If Alex doesn’t show up later on, then we’ll have to tell Donna Mae what we’ve learned about him.”
Though at times it was difficult for the three girls to play their lighthearted parts, they succeeded very well. But later, on the terrace, Colonel and Mrs. Haver brought up the subject of Alex.
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