by Mabel Maney
Frank and Joe exchanged puzzled glances. Whatever did Nancy mean? "It must be something that happens to girls, like that other thing," a wide-eyed Joe whispered. Frank nodded.
"We'll put our heads together and come up with a plan!" Uncle Nelly and Willy chorused. But a whole pot of coffee later, they were no closer to a solution. Joe found his mind wandering to the luscious-looking strawberry chiffon pie on the sideboard. Willy grinned, got up and cut generous slices for all. "Uncle Nelly always said you were a good cook, but this pie really takes the cake," Joe crowed in appreciation.
"As my dear mother always said, `The way to a man's heart is through his stomach,' " Willy joked, adding, "Why, when we were first courting, I used to-" He abruptly stopped as he was seized with a sudden inspiration. "Do you remember that terrible fight we had right before our first-year anniversary, Nelson?" Willy asked his chum.
Uncle Nelly nodded. How could he forget the worst day of his life?
"Your uncle and I had a terrible row over some silly little thing," Willy explained. "We didn't speak for one whole day, and I was frantic with worry that our romance had ended. Know what I did?"
"What, Willy?" the boys cried eagerly. Golly, they loved hearing stories about when their favorite uncle was a lad.
"I marched downtown and got a stylish haircut, selected a nice new suit, gave my shoes a lick and a promise and strolled up and down in front of Nelson's shop with a sailor chum of mine, pretending to be engrossed in the lad's conversation. Of course my heart was beating a mile a minute with eager anticipation. And I don't remember a word my young friend said, for I was too busy sneaking looks inside the shop to see if Nelson noticed I was out with someone new."
Uncle Nelly laughed as he remembered that long-ago day. "And I was busy peeking at them from between the slats of a lovely Queen Anne headboard, heartsick that I may have lost my Willy forever!"
"What happened next?" the boys gasped excitedly.
"Why, I raced out and begged Willy's forgiveness, and when he admitted it was all a set-up, I was so relieved that I instantly forgot what it was we had quarreled about," Uncle Nelly cried. "And the rest is history!
"Since then we've only quarreled over the little domestic matters all couples bicker over," he added.
"And then rarely, if ever," Willy interjected. "For we've learned that a couple must compromise in order to sail the seas of happy matrimony. For example," he explained earnestly, "Nelson wanted to make the front rooms into a showcase for his fine collection of Queen Anne furniture, but I'm more of a Rococo Revival man myself. So we compromised and used pieces from both collections."
"I thought the daybed Uncle Nelly was tied to was a Queen Anne," Joe hooted triumphantly. The Case of the Neoclassic Nightstand had trained Joe's already-sharp eye for the widely-flared Spanish feet typical of that period.
"I appreciate the suggestion, but if Cherry finds me with another girl it will only convince her I've fallen back on my old ways," Nancy lamented. "That will toll the death knell to our romance for sure! I'm afraid it's no use, fellows. I've lost her for good." Nancy buried her head in her hands and let out a girlish wail. "This has never happened to me before! Whatever shall I do?" she cried.
"You could become a nun," Joe said helpfully. "Girls with broken hearts are always finding solace in convents." Joe stopped talking when he realized his brother was staring at him in the queerest manner. "Well, it happens in the movies all the time," he explained.
Frank had to chuckle. His brother Joe was the dreamer of the two; always whiling away his Saturday afternoons at the cinema. He liked musical romances best of all!
"I don't think I could join a convent," Nancy admitted, "as it means wearing the same outfit day after day."
She sighed. "For a minute there at the Dog Show, I thought Cherry might had fallen for me all over again."
"You mean you were there when the poodles were kidnapped?" Uncle Nelly shivered.
"I helped rescue them," Nancy admitted. "During the search I could tell Cherry was drawn to me again, as I was behaving like the sober, sane, sensible Nancy Clue she had loved from afar."
"That's it!" Willy cried. He looked at the three young chums. "Who is Cherry, really?" he quizzed them.
The three sleuths looked puzzled.
"A nurse?" Joe guessed tentatively.
"A nice nurse," Frank corrected him.
"The nicest nurse you'll ever meet?" Nancy offered.
"No," Willy crowed. "She's Nancy's number one fan!"
"She was until she got a good look at the real Nancy Clue," Nancy corrected him. "It's hopeless," she sighed dejectedly.
Willy took her tear-stained face in his large rough hands and gave her a good, hard look. "That's not the Nancy Clue I know so well, from magazine articles, newspaper accounts and word on the street. Nancy, we all make mistakes. You've got to forget about your past and move ahead."
"Gaily forward!" Uncle Nelly shouted.
"Batten down the hatches!" Frank urged.
"Man the torpedoes!" Joe cried in delight.
Nancy smiled tentatively. "Do you really think I could rekindle Cherry's infatuation with Nancy Clue, the detective, and eventually make her fall in love with Nancy Clue, the girl?"
"Absolutely!" the fellows cried.
"Oh, it's a grand idea," Uncle Nelly hooted. "A much better idea, Nancy, than buying a new frock, restyling your hair and making Cherry jealous. Although," he mused, "the new short, soft waves they're showing in the city would be fetching on you."
For the first time since she had arrived at the merry little cottage, Nancy looked truly hopeful. She took her compact from her purse, powdered her pert, but shiny nose and ran a quick comb through her tangled titian hair. "I must find a mystery to solve-and fast," she declared as she leapt up from the table and headed for the door. She threw her trenchcoat over her ill-fitting frock. "Quick!" she cried impatiently. "Can anyone point me toward the nearest haunted house? Do you know of anyone with any missing heirloom jewelry? How about a stolen clock?"
"But Nancy, you already have a mystery to solve," Willy pointed out. "According to news reports, the six missing poodles may have been found safe and sound and reunited with their tearful owners, but the fiend who snatched them is still at-large. You must bring this man to justice!"
"That's it!" Nancy cried. "I've been too befuddled to realize I had the answer right in front of me all along! Oh, thank you Willy! Thank you, Uncle Nelly!"
"Go home, take a bath, put your hair up, slip into your nicest lightweight summer sleuthing outfit, and find that poodlenapper," Uncle Nelly instructed. "I guarantee that before you know it, you'll have that man behind bars and have become the apple of Cherry's eye!"
Nancy pulled her detective's notebook from her purse, but before she could begin listing possible clues, she scrunched up her face in frustration. "Oh, no, I just remembered we're having a birthday party this afternoon for Hannah. I can't start on a case now!"
Uncle Nelly refused to give up. "Then have your little party. Willy and I will stop by later and announce that another poodle has been kidnapped. That way, the mystery will start on a dramatic note."
Nancy quickly agreed to the scheme. She hopped in her car and raced home to change into her prettiest party outfit. "Jackie may be a big handsome girl with a warm smile and a magnificent physique, but I'll bet I can show her a thing or two when it comes to detective work!" Nancy smiled confidently as she drove off.
* * *
CHAPTER 14
* * *
Captured!
Uncle Nelly's eyes twinkled with delight, "So halfway through the festivities, Willy and I will arrive and announce that a standard black poodle was just snatched from the corner of Main and Vine. Nancy will jump on the case, and eventually reclaim her rightful place as River Depth's greatest sleuth-"
"-and Cherry's favorite date," Willy excitedly cut in.
"What if Jackie realizes Willy and Uncle Nelly are lying?" Joe then asked worriedly. "Jackie
's the law, and if she discovers they've reported a false crime, Nancy will look bad and lose Cherry for sure. Plus, we could get into big trouble." Stalwart Joe Hardly wasn't so concerned about putting himself in danger, but he was worried about the Hardly boys losing their reputation as straight-shooters.
"We've got to try," the others chorused.
Frank checked his radium glow-in-the-dark wristwatch, and gasped when he saw the time. "We've less than two hours until the party starts, and we've still got to bathe and change into festive outfits." Luckily the boys had had the foresight to throw a suitcase with their new sharply-tailored, wrinkle-free French slacks and short-sleeved Dynel shirts in cool summery colors in the trunk of their jalopy.
"There are clean fluffy towels and a finely honed razor in the washroom when you're ready," Willy told the boys as they raced to their car to get their luggage.
"Why don't we gather some flowers for Hannah while we're outside?" Frank suggested to his brother. Joe eagerly agreed.
"How exciting to be in the middle of an adventure!" Uncle Nelly was all atitter as he helped Willy clear the table and rinse the good china. Then a worrisome look crossed his face. "Whatever will we wear?" he cried.
Uncle Nelly went to the bedroom to select just the right outfits for their roles as dognapping witnesses and party guests while Willy hopped in the tub. But before Nelly could decide between light, carefree summer suits or more somber blue slacks outfits, there came a knock at the door. He went downstairs and opened the door to two rather gruff-looking strangers; one a tall, thin man wearing a darkcolored trenchcoat and the other a burly fellow clad in an ill-fitting shiny black sharkskin suit.
"I'm sorry gentlemen, you'll have to come back tomorrow," Uncle Nelly demurred. But the men insisted that they were anxious to purchase antiques, so Uncle Nelly, never one to lose a sale, let them in.
"Who is it?" Willy called from upstairs.
"We've got customers," Uncle Nelly answered. "My partner is in the tub," Uncle Nelly grinned, "so I'll be your hostess today. Now what can I show you gentlemen? A lovely Queen Anne settee with scrolled legs and shell-carved knees? An elegant nineteenth-century Turkish frame chair upholstered in a luscious shade of cerise?" But all he drew were blank stares. Why, it was as if the men had no idea what he was talking about! Uncle Nelly concluded that he had two novices on his hands. "Is there anything in particular you're looking for?" he asked.
"Yeah, something really old," the burly man quickly replied. "Maybe something that's been stuck away in a closet. Got any closets here?" he asked as he looked around the lovely living room.
"Only the shallowest clothes closet," Uncle Nelly admitted ruefully. "And let me tell you, it's been quite vexing not to have sufficient storage. All our summer outfits are stuffed into a Japanese-inspired wardrobe with inlay flowers of yellow that once belonged to the actress Lillian Russell. But that's not for sale," he added hastily. "My nephew Joe simply adores it and I've promised not to let it leave the family. Now if it's a bureau you're after, we've got an ft^ellent example of Early American craftmanship in our shop in New York City. I could have it shipped here."
"We'll need something today," the man insisted.
"We're getting ready to go to a party," Uncle Nelly confided. "I'm afraid it's not a good time to browse."
"Say, how long will you be gone?" the thin man in the trenchcoat piped up. "Maybe we'll just come back after your party."
Just then Willy came downstairs with a yellow terry cloth robe wrapped around his strong frame and a rubber shower cap on his head. He had overheard Nelly's exchange with his two rather stubborn customers.
"My friend asked you to leave," Willy said sternly. "You can come back tomorrow."
"We'll get what we've come for now," the tall thin man jeered at Willy.
Willy grew red-faced with anger. "You get your nasty old selves out of our house," he ordered. "We haven't time, besides which, you are tracking mud all over my good rug. Now get out!"
The burly man in the ill-fitting suit shot Willy a sinister stare, reached in his pocket and took out a gun. He pointed the death-dealing.45 caliber pistol right at Willy!
"Hold it right there, buddy," he sneered. "One more move and it will be your last!"
Within minutes, the two thugs had tied Uncle Nelly and Willy back-to-back on two cane-bottom straightback chairs, and had used kerchiefs to gag the shaken chums. Willy fumed under his warm rubber shower cap and tried to struggle free, but it was no use. These men knew their knots!
* * *
CHAPTER 15
* * *
A Dramatic Entrance
"The calla lilies are in bloom and the ascending Aurora English roses are ripe for the picking," Joe announced as he stepped through the cottage door with his arms full of delicate white lilies and beauteous roses atop prickly stems. At the sound of Joe's voice, the gunman whirled around.
"No, not Joe!" Willy thought in anguish. The powerful man struggled to his feet, and staggering under the weight of his chum and the two cane-bottom straightback chairs, swung around and knocked the dark-suited gunman off balance, causing him to drop his weapon.
"What the-" the thin man yelled as he dove for his cohort's gun. Joe moved quickly, smacking him across the cheek with the thorny stems, leaving long bloody lines across his ferretlike face. The man shrieked in pain, pushed past Joe and took off down the porch. Joe gave chase, but before he could catch him, the man hopped in a dark sedan and sped away. The license plate of the vehicle was covered with mud, rendering it wholly unidentifiable. What's more, the front right tires of both Joe's jalopy and Uncle Nelly's trim coupe had been slashed!
When Joe raced inside, he found the remaining thug bound to a chair.
"Nice work, lad," Willy said, giving Joe a hearty slap on the back.
"That was a remarkable feat of strength," Joe shot back in awe.
Uncle Nelly swelled with pride. My, his chum Willy was strong!
Frank returned holding a nice arrangement of bellflowers and spring beauties, only to see the other fellows grinning widely whilst gazing at the trussed-up man. He smiled and rolled his eyes. "We really don't have time for more games," Frank chuckled as he lay his summery floral bouquet on the tea table. "We've got a party to go to!"
"This man was going to shoot Willy," Joe hurriedly explained. "And his accomplice got away, and slashed our tires so I couldn't follow!"
"I should have known right off that they were criminals up to no good," Uncle Nelly gasped. "Under normal circumstances, I'd hardly think ignorance of antiques a crime, but in this case-! "
An angry cloud covered Frank's face. "Who are you?" he demanded of the man.
"I'm not afraid of you, Frank Hardly," the man spat out angrily.
Willy grabbed the rude man by his poorly-constructed lapels and shook him soundly. "Answer the boy," he instructed, his face red with anger.
"Don't hurt me!" the man pleaded with the powerful Willy. "I'll tell you what you want to know. We're working for MM-," was all the man managed to stammer out before fainting from fright.
"He must mean Mad Dog MacDougal, the notorious furniture thief!" the young sleuths chorused. "He must have escaped while serving his sentence at the state pen for that davenport heist in Chicago," Joe said knowingly.
"I'd better check his pockets and make sure we've relieved him of all his weapons," a cautious Frank declared. The eagleeyed lad had spotted a suspicious bulge in the burly man's trousers! Joe's pulse quickened as he watched Frank frisk the fellow. Soon a satisfied smile spread over Frank's fair face, and he uttered a low exclamation.
"What is it?" Joe cried eagerly.
"It's long and hard and-why, it's a tube containing architectural plans of our charming cottage," Frank gasped, open-mouthed.
"They were planning to probe every nook and cranny of this place for our most private treasures," Uncle Nelly realized. He shivered at the idea of the two men handling their things.
"We've got to call Police Chief Mike O
'Malley and report this immediately," the boys chorused. A fast five minutes later, the boys were falling all over themselves, telling the story to the handsome young officer in the trim-fitting blue uniform who was perched on their love seat, a thoughtful expression on his rugged face and a dainty teacup balanced on his muscular right thigh.
The chief furrowed his handsome brow as Frank explained his theory about Mad Dog MacDougal. "You're probably right, Frank," the chief praised the lad. "The architectural plans fit Mad Dog's modus operandi to a tee." The chief proclaimed that as soon as he got back to the station house he'd run a check on Mad Dog's whereabouts. "Another Hardly success story," he praised them. "Boys, you're going to put me out of business."
Frank beamed. That was high praise indeed coming from Lake Merrimen's beloved Chief of Police!
The chief shook his head. "What a summer! First, someone sees a ghost in your cottage, then a family from Oshkosh says there's a sea monster with fiery red eyes swimming in the lake; there's an attempted poodlesnatching from the Dog Show and now antique thievery! And Lake Merrimen used to be such a quiet little municipality!"
"A sea monster!" Joe cried eagerly. "Tell us more!"
"Joe, there's no such thing as sea monsters," Frank admonished his gullible brother.
"Just another case of sunstroke, I imagine," Chief O'Malley said with a good-humored sigh.
"Another piece of cake?" Uncle Nelly proffered a tray stacked with delicious delicacies.
The chief threw up his hands in protest. "I've got to keep in fighting trim so I can chase after criminals," he grinned, slapping his washboard-flat stomach with one strong hand.
"And sea monsters!" Frank laughed. "Right, Joe?"
Joe said nothing. He was too busy picturing the handsome young officer wrestling a muscular man to the ground; his biceps bulging as he pinned the fellow's wrists, sweat breaking out on his strong brow as he used his beefy thighs to grip the squirming fellow around the hips and hold him tight. Joe suddenly gave a low moan and threw down his plate. "Too much chocolate cake!" he hurriedly explained as he hunched over and made a hasty exit from the room.
