Louise Sidell was washing the breakfast dishes when Penny walked boldly in at the back door.

“Don’t you ever answer doorbells, Lou?” she demanded. “I stood around front for half an hour, ringing and ringing.”

“Why, hello, Penny. I didn’t hear you at all,” apologized Louise. “The radio is on too loud. I see you reached home last night.”

Penny picked up a towel and began to dry dishes. “Oh, yes, and did I have a day!”

“What happened after you left Andover?”

“It’s a long story, so I’ll begin at the end. Last night, coming home with Jerry we stopped at a cafe along the river. Guess whom we saw!”

“Knowing your luck, I’d say Charlie Chaplin, or maybe the Queen of England.”

“This particular cafe wasn’t quite their speed, Lou. Jerry and I saw that same boatman I told you about!”

“The fellow you saw cruising about the Kippenberg estate? What’s so remarkable about that?”
[114]

“It just happens I’ve dug up other evidence to show he may know something about Grant Atherwald’s disappearance,” Penny revealed proudly. “Jerry and I overheard a conversation. It seems this man and a companion of his are mixed up with another fellow named Aaron Dietz.”

“Which doesn’t make sense to me,” complained Louise, scrubbing hard at a sticky plate.

“Aaron Dietz was a former associate of James Kippenberg. Dad said he probably knew more about the Kippenberg financial affairs than any other person. Oh, I tell you, Jerry feels pretty sick because we didn’t follow the men last night! Dad assigned him to try to pick up the trail today. He’s chartered a motor boat and will patrol the river.”

“If you don’t mind,” said Louise patiently, “I’d like to hear the first part of the story now. Then I might know what this is all about.”

Talking as fast as she could, Penny related everything which had happened since she had taken leave of her chum at Andover.

“Which brings me to the point of my visit,” she ended her tale. “How about going out there with me this morning?”

“To the Kippenberg estate?” Louise asked eagerly.

“Yes, we may not be able to get across the river, but I mean to try.”
[115]

“You know I’m wild to visit the place, Penny!”

“How soon can you start?”

“Just as soon as these stupid dishes are done. And I ought to change my dress.”

“Wear something dark which won’t attract attention in the bushes,” advised Penny. “Now get to working on yourself while I finish the dishes.”

Louise dropped the dishcloth and hurried upstairs. When she returned ten minutes later, her chum was swishing the last of the soapsuds down the sink drain. Another five minutes and they were in Penny’s battered car, speeding toward Corbin.

The sun rode high in the sky by the time they came within view of the drawbridge. Noticing that a press car from a rival newspaper was parked at the end of the road, Penny drew up some distance away. She could see two reporters talking with the old watchman.

“Evidently, they’re having no luck in getting over to the estate,” she remarked.

“Then what about us?”

“Oh, we have our own private taxi service,” Penny chuckled. “At least I hope so.”

Taking a circuitous route so they would not be noticed by the bridgeman, the girls went down to the river’s edge. Far up the stream Penny saw the familiar rowboat drifting with the current. At her signal the small boy seized his oars and rowed toward shore.
[116]

“I was here at eight o’clock just as you said,” he declared. “That fellow up there by the bridge offered me a dollar to take him across the river. I turned him down.”

“Good,” approved Penny.

“Do you want to go across the river now?” the boy asked.

“Yes, please.” Penny stepped into the boat and made room for Louise. “Keep close to the bank until we are around the bend. Then I’ll show you where to land.”

“I guess you’re afraid someone will see you,” the boy commented.

“Not exactly afraid,” corrected Penny. “But this way will be best.”

The boat moved quietly along the high bank, well out of sight of those who stood by the drawbridge.

“The cops were here this morning,” volunteered the boy as he pulled at the oars.

“You saw them visit the estate?” Penny questioned.

“Sure, there were four of ’em. They drove up in a police car and they made old Thorndyke let the bridge down so they could go across.”

“Are the policemen at the estate now?”

“No, they left again in about an hour. What do you suppose they wanted over there?”
[117]

“Well, now, I couldn’t guess,” replied Penny. “Like as not they only wished to ask a few questions. Are the Kippenbergs at home?”

“I saw Mrs. Kippenberg drive away right after the police left.”

“And her daughter?”

“I guess she must be still there. Anyway, she wasn’t in the car.”

The boat rounded the bend, and Penny pointed out a place on the opposite shore where she wished to land.

“Shall I wait for you?” the boy asked as the girls stepped from the craft.

“Yes, but not here,” directed Penny. “You might row back to the opposite shore and keep watch from there. We ought to be ready to leave within at least an hour.”

The roof top of the Kippenberg house could be seen towering above the tall trees. But as the two girls plunged into the bushes which grew thickly along the shore they lost si............