Cherry Ames Boxed Set 9-12
Page 47
“To think I didn’t even know it was stolen!” Mrs. Julian said.
“I’m glad you didn’t know.” Cherry smiled at her. “Besides, I think you’re getting it back right now, as a kind of Christmas present.”
During the recital of facts, one of the plain-clothes men, Briggs, went through the Ottos’ and Dance’s suitcases. From Otto’s largest suitcase Briggs lifted out the familiar hand-painted music box.
“Is this it, Mrs. Julian?” the police captain asked.
“Oh, yes, yes, it is! I’m so happy and relieved to see it again, Captain.”
“Well, Madam, you can thank this young nurse.”
Mrs. Julian turned to Cherry. “Cherry—Captain Donnelly—what about the suspicions of me?”
“You are now absolved of any question of guilt,” the police captain told her. He explained briefly. Of the four thefts, Otto and Dance had been responsible for three. Who took the Ming vase was still not finally established, but by process of elimination, the police believed the notorious shoplifter, in New York at that time, to be the thief. Two salespersons and a supervisor had recalled seeing the shoplifter in Thomas and Parke on that day. A Ming vase, answering the right description, had surreptitiously been offered to a gallery dealer in Boston only last week. The police were working on leads and expected to apprehend the shoplifter soon.
“As for ourselves—?” Dance said blandly.
“As for you gentlemen, and you, Mrs. Otto,” said Captain Donnelly, “you are now under arrest!”
A police lieutenant opened the door and escorted them out. Over his shoulder Otto made one last gibe:
“You will never trace Eric Fox or the highboy.”
“Certainly we will. A teletype went out ten minutes ago to the British police and customs agents.”
Captain Donnelly escorted Cherry, Tom, and Mrs. Julian to the door. He thanked all of them, and Cherry in particular, for their fine help.
The three of them rather dazedly went out into the quiet street. Church bells were ringing, and it was starting to snow.
“I had almost forgotten that it’s Christmas Eve,” Cherry said. “Merry Christmas, Tom! Merry Christmas, Mrs. Julian!”
“Cherry, you’ve given me a wonderful Christmas gift,” said Mrs. Julian. “So have you, Tom Reese. I can’t quite realize yet that I’m free of all suspicions!”
Tom smiled and smiled. “I’m not much good at making speeches, but I feel pretty happy myself. Mrs. Julian, how about coming to the party with us?”
“I’ve had enough excitement for one evening! If you’ll just put me in a cab—”
Anna Julian kissed Cherry good-by. Cherry and Tom waved until the taxi turned the corner.
“I’m so glad for her,” Cherry kept saying. “So glad. I can hardly wait to tell Gwen and Aunt Kathy—she’s at No. 9 this evening, too—and all the crowd.”
“Tell me something,” Tom said.
“Anything!”
“Are you and I ever going to have our Christmas Eve date?”
“Right now, sir.”
“Then hop in.” Tom held open the door of another taxi. “It’s about time! We’re going to have a wonderful evening, or I’ll know the reason why!”
Off they drove to No. 9.
Cherry felt very happy. This evening she’d enjoy the party and being with Tom. Early tomorrow she would fly home to Hilton, for gifts and a feast and a family visit.
“It’s beginning to feel like Christmas Eve,” Cherry told Tom. “You know, now that we have the mystery solved and out of the way, I can really say Merry Christmas!”
CHERRY AMES, CAMP NURSE
TITLES BY HELEN WELLS
Cherry Ames, Student Nurse
Cherry Ames, Senior Nurse
Cherry Ames, Army Nurse
Cherry Ames, Chief Nurse
Cherry Ames, Flight Nurse
Cherry Ames, Veterans’ Nurse
Cherry Ames, Private Duty Nurse
Cherry Ames, Visiting Nurse
Cherry Ames, Cruise Nurse
Cherry Ames, Boarding School Nurse
Cherry Ames, Department Store Nurse
Cherry Ames, Camp Nurse
Cherry Ames, At Hilton Hospital
Cherry Ames, Island Nurse
Cherry Ames, Rural Nurse
Cherry Ames, Staff Nurse
Cherry Ames, Companion Nurse
Cherry Ames, Jungle Nurse
Cherry Ames, The Mystery in the Doctor’s Office
Cherry Ames, Ski Nurse Mystery
CHERRY AMES NURSE STORIES
CHERRY AMES
CAMP NURSE
By
HELEN WELLS
Copyright © 1957 by Grosset & Dunlap, Inc.
Copyright © renewed 2007 by Harriet Schulman Forman
Springer Publishing Company, LLC
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of Springer Publishing Company, LLC.
Springer Publishing Company, LLC
11 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036-8002
www.springerpub.com
Acquisitions Editor: Sally J. Barhydt
Series Editor: Harriet S. Forman
Production Editor: Carol Cain
Cover design: Takeout Graphics, Inc.
Composition: Apex Publishing, LLC
07 08 09 10/ 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Wells, Helen, 1910–
Cherry Ames, camp nurse / by Helen Wells.
p. cm. — (Cherry Ames nurse stories)
Summary: When Cherry Ames spends the summer working as a nurse at a girls’ camp, she follows a trail that ultimately leads to the true perpetrator of a series of robberies for which an innocent man has been under suspicion.
ISBN-13: 978-0-8261-0417-5 (alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 0-8261-0417-7 (alk. paper)
[1. Nurses—Fiction. 2. Camps—Fiction. 3. Robbers and outlaws—Fiction. 4. Mystery and detective stories.] I. Title.
PZ7.W4644Ccf 2007
[Fic]—dc22 2007017066
Printed in the United States of America by Bang Printing
Contents
FOREWORD
I
SUMMER BEGINS
II
A PUZZLING REQUEST
III
P.E.P. STANDS FOR PURDY
IV
A DANCE AND A SCARE
V
THE SECOND MOVE
VI
FACELESS CLUE
VII
LOOK OUT FOR TROUBLE
VIII
A LESSON FOR KATY
IX
STRANGE STORY
X
CHERRY LENDS A HAND
XI
NIGHT WATCH
XII
PURSUIT
XIII
TALL MAN’S ISLAND
XIV
EVENTS WEEK
Foreword
Helen Wells, the author of the Cherry Ames stories, said, “I’ve always thought of nursing, and perhaps you have, too, as just about the most exciting, important, and rewarding, profession there is. Can you think of any other skill that is always needed by everybody, everywhere?”
I was and still am a fan of Cherry Ames. Her courageous dedication to her patients; her exciting escapades; her thirst for knowledge; her intelligent application of her nursing skills; and the respect she achieved as a registered nurse (RN) all made it clear to me that I was going to follow in her footsteps and become a nurse—nothing else would do. Thousands of other young readers were motivated by Cherry Ames to become RNs as well. Through her thought-provoking stories, Cherry Ames led a steady stream of students into schools of nursing across the country well into the 1960s and 1970s when the series ended.
Readers who remember enjoying the
se books in the past will take pleasure in reading them again now—whether or not they chose nursing as their life’s work. Perhaps they will share them with others and even motivate a person or two to choose nursing as a career path.
My nursing path has been rich and satisfying. I have delivered babies, cared for people in hospitals and in their homes, and saved lives. I have worked at the bedside and served as an administrator. I have published journals, written articles, taught students, consulted, and given expert testimony. Never once did I regret my decision to enter nursing.
During the time that I was publishing a nursing journal, I became acquainted with Robert Wells, brother of Helen Wells. In the course of conversation I learned that Ms. Wells had passed on and left the Cherry Ames copyright to Mr. Wells. Because there is a shortage of nurses here in the US today, I thought, “Why not bring Cherry back to motivate a whole new generation of young people? Why not ask Mr. Wells for the copyright to Cherry Ames?” Mr. Wells agreed, and the republished series is dedicated both to Helen Wells, the original author, and to her brother, Robert Wells, who transferred the rights to me. I am proud to ensure the continuation of Cherry Ames into the twenty-first century.
The final dedication is to you, both new and old readers of Cherry Ames: It is my dream that you enjoy Cherry’s nursing skills as well as her escapades. I hope that young readers will feel motivated to choose nursing as their life’s work. Remember, as Helen Wells herself said: there’s no other skill that’s “always needed by everybody, everywhere.”
Harriet Schulman Forman, RN, EdD
Series Editor
CHERRY AMES, CAMP NURSE
CHAPTER I
Summer Begins
“I,” SAID A LIGHT, CLEAR VOICE, “AM A MOUNTAINEER! And I know who you are.”
Cherry jumped. “Yes, I’m going to be camp nurse.” She smiled at a pretty blond girl of about eleven who stood in the train aisle. “You don’t look much like a mountaineer to me,” she added, laughing.
“Confidentially, I’m Sue Howard, and there’s the rest of the Mountaineers—my cabin mates, I mean. ‘Mountaineers’ is our unit name.” The girl waved to a group in the seats further up the aisle. Then she sat down beside Cherry in the temporarily vacant seat. “We’re all dying to meet you, Miss Ames.”
Cherry held out her hand—a cool, strong, immaculate nurse’s hand. “How do you do, Sue Howard? How did you know my name?”
“We heard about you from Aunt Bet and Uncle Bob.”
“Oh, of course.”
Aunt Bet and Uncle B. B. Wright were the directors of Camp Blue Water for girls and its brother camp, Thunder Cliff.
Cherry had met Mr. and Mrs. Wright through a neighbor when she had been at home in Hilton, Illinois, for an Easter visit with her family. The neighbor, Mrs. Pritchett, who lived three houses down the tree-shaded block, had known all four Ameses for years and could remember Cherry and Charlie in their twin baby carriage.
“Someone who likes children and who likes the outdoors,” the Wrights had said, “is the kind of nurse we want,” and Cherry certainly qualified. Her mother felt, and Cherry agreed, that this job would be a good change of pace from her recent nursing work in a big city department store. Besides, she’d always enjoyed working with children.
Interviews in New York followed. Dr. Robert Lowell, the camp physician, and his wife (who was a nurse herself) both approved Cherry’s qualifications—and liked her. The Wrights did, too.
So here she was on the last Saturday in June, her luggage holding a summer’s supply of nursing equipment and crisp white uniforms, riding into the mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania in a train jammed with lively campers.
Sue went on, “I hope you don’t think I—well, sounded awfully forward, Miss Ames, speaking to you like that, but I’m an old camper, you see. So’s all my cabin, except Katy Osborn. She’s new.” Sue’s forehead wrinkled when she said Katy’s name, as if she were doubtful or baffled. “I thought maybe we could be a great help to you. I mean, show you around and explain how we do things at Camp Blue Water.”
“Thanks ever so much. It would be a help. And I’d love to meet the other Mountaineers.”
“Oh, good!” Sue said. “‘I’ll bring them over—”
As Sue left, Aunt Bet came down the aisle. She was a sympathetic young woman with a smile like a sunburst.
“Hello, Cherry, has anyone brought you sandwiches and milk yet?”
The camp director said that they just had a basket lunch on the train for the two-hundred-odd girls, their counselors, and the boys and young men counselors belonging to the boys’ camp—Thunder Cliff.
“It gets too complicated to do more than that,” Mrs. Wright said, “but supper at camp will make up for it. My husband went ahead with the service staff last week. They’ll have everything ready for us.” Aunt Bet smiled at three very small girls who were entertaining themselves by making faces. She turned back to Cherry. “Three of our Midgets. Have you met many of our girls yet?”
“I’m in the process, Mrs. Wright. They’re a fine group, aren’t they? I’m really looking forward to spending the summer with them.”
“Wait until you see the girls in action,” Aunt Bet said proudly.
“They seem to be plenty active right now,” Cherry said, laughing. “I’ve already helped Dr. Lowell treat a skinned knee and hiccups. And, oh yes, I refereed a fast spelling bee. Loved it. I hope I’ll do lots more than nursing.”
“Of course you will. I think the girls are going to love you, Cherry. Anyone who looks as pretty as you do—” and Aunt Bet rose, with an extra smile for Cherry’s rosy brunette good looks. A counselor at the end of the car was beckoning, and Aunt Bet went toward her.
That was the girls’ head counselor, Kay Rogers, down there with Aunt Bet, Cherry remembered. She had met Kay a few days ago at the Wrights’ apartment, at a staff meeting. Cherry had met most of the counselors for both camps then. She recalled that day as a friendly confusion of faces, voices, handshakes, and instructions.
A few persons had been outstanding, among them the boys’ head counselor, Reed Champion. Cherry hoped to become better acquainted with the likable young man.
And now, this bright morning, a crowd of young figures flitted around her. The older girls exchanging snapshots were Seniors. The eleven-to-thirteen group, Cherry knew, were called the Intermediates, and they were the peppiest ones. Juniors—the eight to tenners—and the Midgets—the littlest ones—made up the other age groups.
“Well, here we are, Miss Ames,” Sue announced, coming back up the aisle, five or six more young faces looming up behind her. “You said you wanted to meet the Mountaineers.”
“I do! But first, I’d like you all to call me Cherry.”
“Oh, thanks. We were going to, anyway, pretty soon,” Sue said. Then, changing the subject with no preliminaries at all, she asked, “Miss Ames, I mean Miss Cherry, did you ever nurse a criminal?”
“Don’t go asking silly questions,” said a plump little girl. “I’m Mary Alice Burton, Miss Ames, since some people don’t perform introductions. Such as my old friend Sue.”
“I’m Ding, that’s short for Margery Page.” This girl had cropped hair and an impish smile. “Did you ever nurse a criminal? We have a serious reason for asking.”
Before Cherry could answer, Sue made a point of formal introductions.
“Dot and Dee Smith. They’re twins, though you’d never believe it, except for looking exactly alike.”
Dot and Dee had reddish hair, and were alike as two freckles. “Stale old joke,” the taller twin protested.
“I have a twin brother,” Cherry said with a grin, “but people can tell us apart.”
Sue and Ding whooped with laughter. The Smith sisters looked delighted, and Mary Alice chuckled.
“The reason people can tell Charlie and me apart,” Cherry said, deadpan, “is because my twin is blond and I’m dark.”
She thought for a moment of her brother, and her parents, and their
comfortable gray frame house in Hilton. Except for that very good visit with them at Easter, she’d scarcely seen her family for months. Why had she chosen to spend the summer away from them? Cherry felt a pang of homesickness.
“Why, I’m as bad as any other new camper,” Cherry thought. That reminded her of Sue’s earlier remark.
“Sue, didn’t you say there’s a new girl in your cabin this summer? Where’s Katy?”
There was a brief silence. Then Sue said politely that perhaps Katy would decide to join them later.
“Is she in hiding? Nothing criminal, I hope,” Cherry teased.
Sue was flustered. She picked up a newspaper.
“Speaking of criminals, Miss Cherry, and we were, before—would you please look at this article?”
Lil Baker, one of the counselors, called to Cherry, “Don’t let my girls pester you with that newspaper story. They’re mad for mysteries.”
“So am I,” said Cherry. “Let’s see what’s so interesting.” As Sue handed her the newspaper, Cherry asked, “What’s so special here?”
“Well, the man they suspect did it—” Sue hesitated. “A few people think they’ve seen him passing through the towns near our camp.”
“A mystery on our own doorstep!” Cherry exclaimed.
“Could be. Please hurry up and read it, Miss Cherry,” she said, pointing to a headline:
NEW CLUE IN NEW YORK LOAN COMPANY ROBBERY
As she read the news article Cherry noticed that the twins wandered away, and then Mary Alice murmured, “Excuse me,” and left. Presently Ding scampered off, but Sue waited doggedly beside Cherry. So it was Sue who was the mystery hound.
“What do you think?” Sue asked.
“Let me finish the whole article first.”
The case was one Cherry had read about, but now an unexpected new angle had cropped up. Two weeks ago a lone man had robbed a loan company in New York City. He had entered unobtrusively late on a rainy Friday afternoon when the loan company office was crowded. He must have known that Friday the fourteenth (the date nearest the fifteenth) was the semimonthly date on which people came to pay off their loans—a day when a great deal of cash was being received in the loan office.