The Clue of the Gold Doubloons
Page 1
Contents
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1 City of Pirates
2 A Golden Clue
3 Ransacked!
4 Suspicion Onboard
5 A Crew of Thieves
6 A Daring Heist
7 Shaky Alibis
8 A Close Shave
9 A Fishy Assailant
10 A Message in Blood
11 A Narrow Miss
12 A Chance Encounter
13 Cat and Mouse
14 A Daring Rescue
1. City of Pirates
“I love the Inner Harbor,” Nancy Drew announced as
she and her friend George Fayne strolled along the
bustling brick walkway that surrounded Baltimore's
Patapsco River.
“I agree,” George said. An Orioles baseball cap
covered her curly brown hair, and the two girls were
dressed for the warm weather in shorts, tennis shoes,
and T-shirts.
It was a gorgeous September Monday. The sun
sparkled off the water, and a breeze ruffled Nancy's
reddish blond hair. Tour boats were docked along the
wharf area, and small pleasure boats dotted the river.
“I'm dying to spend some time sightseeing,” Nancy
said.
George laughed. “I don't think we're going to have
much time to sightsee. Andrew, Daniel, and their film
will keep us plenty busy.”
“True.” Nancy stopped to watch a juggler toss balls
into the air. The Inner Harbor was crowded with
tourists visiting one of Baltimore's biggest attractions.
The harbor had once been a polluted industrial area.
Now it was a 240-acre complex of museums,
interesting shops, excellent restaurants, and high-tech
offices.
“Andrew's determined to keep on schedule,” Nancy
added as they continued on their way. “He says we'll be
finished filming in a week. Maybe we'll have some free
time then.”
Andrew and Daniel Wagner were the twenty-four-
year-old owners of the fledgling film company Seeing
Double Productions. During the summer, George and
Nancy had taken a filmmaking course. The twin
brothers had taught one of the workshops. After the
course ended, Nancy and George had talked to them.
They'd discovered the twins were working on a
documentary about pirates. Nancy had been intrigued
with the subject as well as with filmmaking.
She and George had volunteered to join the small
group, first helping to write the documentary. When
the script for Robbers of the High Seas was finished,
George was chosen to play the part of Anne Bonny, a
famous eighteenth-century female pirate. Nancy had
enjoyed the more technical side, so Andrew had
enlisted her as his assistant director.
“Too bad Bess couldn't be here,” George said when
they passed Harborplace, two glass-enclosed pavilions
filled with shops and restaurants.
Bess had just started a part-time job and didn't want
to leave River Heights.
“Maybe it's good she's not here,” Nancy said
jokingly. “We might find out the real meaning of shop
until you drop.' “
“So where is the Swift Adventure?” George asked.
Nancy pulled out a travel brochure. “Pier Three. If I
remember correctly, the aquarium is on the other side
of the Trade Center. The Maritime Museum is beyond
that, and that's where the Swift Adventure is docked.”
A week earlier Andrew had received permission to
use the Swift Adventure to film many of the scenes. To
save money, the two brothers were also staying on the
ship.
Earlier Nancy and George had checked into the
Harborside Hotel. Selena Ramirez, the only
professional actress hired to be in the documentary,
was also staying at the Harborside.
Nancy wasn't sure where the rest of the cast and
crew were bunking. In fact, she wasn't sure who the
rest of the cast and the crew were. All she knew was
that a group had arrived two days earlier to prepare the
ship for filming.
When she and George reached the other side of the
Trade Center, Nancy spotted three tall masts. “We
must be headed in the right direction,” she said.
“I hope we get to see the aquarium again,” George
said when they passed the unusual buildings that
housed more than six hundred different types of sea
creatures. “Last time we were here, we were too busy
with a case to see all the animals.”
“Let's put it at the top of our sight-seeing list,”
Nancy agreed. Seconds later the two girls crossed a
wooden bridge to Pier Three.
“There's the ship.” Stopping on the pier, Nancy
tilted her head back to check out the Swift Adventure,
a square-rigged galley that had been built in the early
1700s. It had three tall masts. The sails were unfurled
and tied back so that the complicated system of masts,
yards, ladders, and rigging was exposed.
While working on the script, Nancy and George had
researched seventeenth- and eighteenth-century ships.
They had learned that pirates captured or stole many
kinds of boats but preferred small, fast vessels, like
galleys, that could overtake the heavier cargo ships.
George gave a low whistle. “The ship's perfect for
the film. I'm so glad the twins are getting to use it.”
“They're paying for the use,” Nancy reminded her
friend. “The historical society that maintains it is
charging a pretty hefty fee.”
Just then a round, pixieish face peered over the edge
of the ship's railing. Nancy waved.
“It's Janie!” Nancy told George, referring to Janie
Simms, the film's production manager. The petite
brunette had been with the project from the very
beginning, raising money, scheduling filming, and
locating equipment.
Janie waved back. “Ahoy, mates!”
Nancy grinned, then hurried after George, who was
heading up the pier to the gangplank. A group of
tourists was converging on the ship from the other
direction.
“The Swift Adventure is being used to film Robbers
of the High Seas,” a guide was saying as he led the
group up the gangplank. “We may still tour parts of the
ship, but please stay on the outside of the ropes so we
don't disturb the film crew.”
George shot Nancy a puzzled look. “I didn't realize
we were going to have spectators,” she whispered as
they followed the group up the gangplank to the waist
of the ship, which was the lower area between the
foredeck and the quarterdeck.
Chattering excitedly, the tourists followed their
guide toward the foredeck. Nancy and George headed
&
nbsp; to the stern. Stepping over the low rope, they climbed
up the ladder to the raised quarterdeck, which was
filled with milling people. Some carried equipment.
Some were setting up lights and cameras.
Nancy recognized several people. There was Harold
Oates, who had taught one of their classes on lighting
and sound, and Lian Chu, a cameraperson. Nancy also
spotted Janie, who was intently discussing something
with a pretty woman with long jet-black hair.
“There're Andrew and Daniel,” George said,
pointing to the middle of the quarterdeck. “We'd
better ask them what they want us to do.”
The twins were standing beside the towering
mizzenmast. Daniel was waving something in the air.
Andrew had his fists planted on his hips. Nancy
couldn't hear what the brothers were saying, but from
their gestures, she could tell they were arguing.
“I guess we'd better check in,” Nancy said. “Though
it looks as if they're having one of their artistic
disagreements.'“
When they'd worked with the twins on the script,
Nancy and George had quickly learned that even
though Daniel and Andrew were identical in looks,
their personalities were quite different.
Daniel was an actor. He was going to play a
character named Calico Jack Rackham in the film. He
usually spoke in a booming voice accompanied by
dramatic hand gestures, as if he were always onstage.
He wore loose-fitting Hawaiian-print shirts, sandals,
and baggy shorts. His brown hair was pulled back into
a short ponytail, and a gold earring glittered in one
earlobe.
Andrew got more involved in the business end of
filmmaking, and he tended to worry about practical
matters. He usually wore polo shirts, tailored slacks,
and deck shoes. His hair was trimmed neatly around
his ears. He kept several pens in his shirt pocket, and
this afternoon he carried a clipboard thick with papers.
As Nancy drew nearer, she could clearly hear what
the twins were saying. “I refuse to use this musket!”
Daniel was shouting. “It looks like Eli bought it at a toy
store.”
“That's because he did buy it at a toy store,” Andrew
shouted back. “For five bucks. A replica from the Prop
Shop costs fifty dollars. No one watching the film will
know the difference.”
Cupping her hand around one side of her mouth,
George whispered to Nancy, “Do you get the feeling
our ship isn't so shipshape?”
Suddenly, Andrew spotted them. “Nancy! George!”
He waved them over. “Am I glad you finally made it.
We need some sanity around here.” He flung an arm
around Nancy's shoulder. “Nancy, tell Daniel I cannot
afford museum-quality props.”
“George.” Daniel put his arm around George's
shoulder. “Tell Andrew if he wants this film to look
authentic, he can't use props from a toy store.”
“Uh,” George began. She glanced at Nancy, and the
two started laughing.
With a look of pretend disgust, Andrew smacked his
clipboard against his thigh. “Even my assistant director
doesn't take me seriously.” Then he smiled and gave
Nancy's shoulder a squeeze. “Glad you're here. This
place is a zoo!”
“What can we do to help?” Nancy asked.
Andrew pulled a piece of paper from his clipboard.
“Here's a list to get you started. George, you—”
“Oh no, George is mine,” Daniel stated firmly. “I'm
taking her below-decks to get her fitted into her
costume.” Furrowing his brow, he frowned at George.
“Have you got your lines ready, Anne Bonny?”
“ If there's a man among ye, ye'll come out and fight
like the men ye are to be,' ” George recited.
Nancy laughed. “She's been practicing ever since we
left River Heights.”
“Great!” Daniel beamed at George. “I'll introduce
you to Eli Wakefield, who's in charge of costumes as
well as props.” He shot Andrew a disgusted look. “Eli
does a great job, considering the stingy budget he's got
to work with.”
“We're lucky there's any money left in the budget,”
Andrew retorted, “after you ordered those so-called
authentic gold doubloons, which cost a fortune.”
That set them off again, giving Nancy a chance to
glance at her list. There were at least twenty things she
was supposed to do.
“Daniel!” A gruff voice broke into Nancy's thoughts.
A huge grizzly bear of a guy was striding toward them.
With his pitch-black beard, bushy brows, and scraggly
long hair, he looked like a real pirate.
“What's with this script?” the guy said, smacking
some rolled-up papers against his palm. “You've turned
Blackbeard into a wimp!”
“Karl, the documentary is partially funded by
educational television,” Daniel explained. “We're
hoping it will be shown in schools all over the United
States. We had to keep it clean.”
Karl snorted. “Clean? This has been positively
sanitized.” Unrolling the papers, he read, “ Pirates,
prepare for battle.' That sounds like somebody's granny
talking. Not the fearsome—”
“Nancy.” Andrew steered Nancy away from Daniel
and Karl. “Ignore those two. First thing you need to do
is help Janie with Selena.”
Nancy glanced over at the two women, who were
standing at the railing of the stern. The dark-skinned
woman with Janie was gorgeous. Her short-shorts,
platform sandals, and halter top accented her long legs
and curvaceous figure, and her waist-length hair
gleamed like polished ebony.
“Selena is turning into a major problem.” Andrew
rolled his eyes. “I just hope hiring her is worth the
aggravation and money. Anyway, Janie's about had it
with Selena's demands. Maybe you can smooth things
over.”
“How am I supposed to—” Nancy began, but
Andrew was striding away, hollering to a woman laying
a sheet of plywood on the deck. “Lian! Don't put that
camera track there. We're shooting on the starboard
side.”
For a second Nancy pressed her fingertips to her
forehead. The place was a zoo.
“Men's clothes! You've got to be kidding!” A shrill
voice made Nancy turn her attention back to Janie and
Selena. “You want to hide this work of art in baggy
pants and shirt?” Spreading her arms wide, the actress
twirled in a circle. Instantly, several guys stopped what
they were doing to stare.
Nancy glanced at Janie, whose face was flushed red.
Andrew was right, Nancy thought. The production
manager looked as if she were ready to explode.
Plastering a welcoming smile on her face, Nancy
rushed over, her hand outstretched. “Selena, I'm
Nancy Drew, the assistant director.” She pumped the
woman's arm. “I couldn't
help overhearing your
complaint, and I want to say that your acting will be so
fantastic, every director will notice you.”
Selena arched her perfectly plucked brows. “Hmm.
You have a point, Ms. Drew. A dynamite body and an
award-winning performance. A deadly combination.”
“Deadly,” Janie echoed, flashing Nancy a smile of
thanks.
Just then someone jostled Nancy.
“Sorry. Sorry.” Smiling apologetically, Harold Oates
bustled past carrying a shotgun microphone. Harold
was as tall and gangly as a giraffe, and with the long
microphone in his arms, he appeared even more
awkward.
Suddenly, someone yelled, “Heads up!”
Snapping her head back, Nancy looked skyward. A
heavy coil of rope was hurtling toward deck—straight
for Harold Oates.
“Harold, get out of the way!” she cried.
Startled, Harold glanced up. When he saw the rope,
he raised one arm to shield his face. The long
microphone tipped sideways, throwing him off balance,
and he fell against the wooden railing.
With a loud crack, the railing broke. Nancy tried to
grab him, but she wasn't fast enough. Arms flailing,
Harold toppled through the broken railing, landing
with a splash in the muddy water below.
2. A Golden Clue
Nancy rushed to the broken railing. The brown water
closed over Harold, and he disappeared from her view.
“He can't swim!” Janie shouted in Nancy's ear. By
now several crew members had run over to the railing.
Nancy searched for signs of Harold in the water, but
it was as if the muddy river had swallowed him.
Without hesitating, she stuck her list of chores in her
pocket and kicked off her tennis shoes. “I'm going in
after him.”
“No!” Janie grabbed her arm. “It's too dangerous.”
“We don't have any choice,” Nancy cried. “Harold
may have bumped his head or injured himself. We
don't have time to run off the ship to the wharf.”
Taking a breath, she peered over the side of the
ship. It was about twenty feet to the water.
Not much higher than a high diving board, Nancy
thought. Before anyone could stop her, she stepped