Free The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene

Through the tall trees Nancy caught a glimpse of cabins and tents. Beyond, the blue lake sparkled and glimmered in the sunlight.
    As Nancy drove into the camp, a group of girls gathered about her car. Helen came running out of a cabin to greet her chum.
    "Girls, it's Nancy Drew!" she exclaimed joyfully and made introductions. Nancy did not know any of the campers, but in no time they made her feel warmly welcome.
    "Nancy," said Helen, "park your car back of the dining hall, then come have lunch."
    "That sounds wonderful." Nancy laughed. "I'm nearly starved!"
    First, she was escorted to the main building where she met Aunt Martha, the camp director, and registered.
    "May she stay with me?" Helen asked.
    "Certainly, dear. And I hope you have a splendid time, Nancy."
    "I'm sure I shall, Aunt Martha."
    As the two girls walked off Nancy told Helen about selling the charity-dance tickets and gave her the money paid by Mr. Topham.
    "He surely was generous!" Helen commented in surprise. Then she smiled wryly. "I have a feeling he did it more for social prestige than sympathy for the cause."
    Nancy scarcely had time to deposit her suitcase under her cot and freshen up after the long ride when lunch was announced by the ringing of a bell. Campers hurried from all directions to the dining hall. The food was plain but appetizing and Nancy ate with zest.
    The meal over, she was rushed from one activity to another. The girls insisted that she join them in a hike. Then came a cooling dip in the lake. Nancy enjoyed herself immensely, but the Crowley mystery was never far from her mind.
    "I must find out where the Tophams' cottage is located," she reminded herself. "And next, manage to go there alone."
    Nancy's opportunity to accomplish the first part of her quest came when Helen suggested about five o'clock, "How about going for a ride around the lake in the camp launch? There's just time before supper."
    "Wonderful!" Nancy accepted readily. "By the way, can you see many of the summer cottages from the water?"
    "Oh, yes. Lots of them."
    Helen led her friend down to a small clock and with four other girls climbed into the launch, a medium-sized craft.
    As one of the campers started the motor, Helen remarked, "It's always a relief to us when this engine starts. Once in a while it balks, but you never know when or where."
    "Yes," spoke up a girl named Barby. "And when you're stuck this time of year, you're stuck. There are hardly any cottagers up here yet, so their boats are still in winter storage."
    As the little launch turned out into the lake, Nancy was entranced with the beautiful sight before her. The delicate azure blue of the sky and the mellow gold of the late afternoon sun were reflected in the shimmering surface of the water.
    "What a lovely scene for an oil painting!" she thought.
    As they sped along, however, Nancy kept glancing at the cottages, intermingled with tall evergreen trees that bordered the shore line.
    "The Tophams have a bungalow up here, haven't they?" she questioned casually.
    "Yes, it's across the lake," Helen replied. "We'll come to it soon."
    "Is anyone staying there now?"
    "Oh, no, the cottage is closed. It's being looked after by Jeff Tucker, the caretaker. He's the tallest, skinniest man I've ever seen outside a circus."
    "Is it hard to get to the place?"
    "Not if you go by launch. But it's a long way if you take the road around the lake." Helen looked at her friend. "I didn't know you were particularly interested in the Tophams, Nancy."
    "Oh, they're not friends of mine, as you know," Nancy returned hastily. "I was merely curious."
    After a time, as the launch slowed down and chugged along close to shore, Helen pointed out a wide path through the woods. At the end of it stood a large, rambling white cottage.
    "That's the Topham place," she said.
    Trying not to appear too eager, Nancy looked intently at the bungalow. She made a quick mental note of its location.
    "Tomorrow I'll visit that place and try to solve