Free Mystery of Crocodile Island by Carolyn G. Keene Page B

on at Crocodile Island and if his partners are dishonest.”
    This reassured Colombo and he talked freely about the hardship he had suffered and the things he had observed.
    “I’m in real trouble,” he finished. “I’ve been trying to find a job but haven’t been successful. I’m running out of money, but I’m afraid to contact my relatives for fear of being tracked down by Gimler.”
    “Perhaps I can help,” Mr. Gonzales offered. “I heard the other day that one of the men in the club kitchen is quitting. Wait here, and I’ll see what I can find out.”
    He went to the lobby to talk to the manager, and returned a few minutes later with a smile on his face.
    “You’re in luck, Colombo,” he said. “Do you know how to prepare seafood?”
    Colombo grinned. “I did that in New Orleans. But I never cut up a crocodile!”
    Nancy laughed, and Mr. Gonzales asked Colombo to come along with him to see the head chef in the kitchen.
    “We won’t be long,” he told Nancy.
    Within ten minutes the two were back with a third man, who proved to be the pastry chef. Mr. Gonzales said that this man had finished his work and was about to drive home. He would take Colombo with him.
    The cook went to get his car. Meanwhile, Nancy was told that Colombo had been given the job and was to report for work the next morning.
    Colombo said, “I certainly appreciate what you’ve done for me.”
    Mr. Gonzales patted him on the back. “We’re glad to help, and thank you for some good clues. If you think of anything else about the Crocodile Ecology Company, leave a note for me at the desk.”
    “I will,” Colombo promised, then hurried out side, where the pastry chef was waiting for him.
    When Nancy returned to the Cosgroves’ home, no one was there. She knew where a key was hidden and went to get it. As she entered the hall, Nancy saw a note from George lying on the table. It said that Danny and the girls had gone to the small local Naval Station with the bottle George had found in the water. “Maybe we can find out about it without going to Key West,” George had written.
    At this moment, George was telling her story to a friendly young captain named Smith. He agreed that the old note appeared to be authentic and said he would try to verify its contents.
    He stood up and went to a shelf containing books and registries. George meanwhile walked around his small office and glanced at photographs on the wall. Suddenly she stopped in front of a group picture of sailors. One of the faces looked familiar!
    “Bess,” George said, excited, “come here a moment. Doesn’t this man remind you of someone?”
    “Matt Carmen or Breck Tobin!” Bess answered. “Only the sailor’s a lot younger.”
    As Captain Smith turned around, George asked who the sailor was.

CHAPTER XII
    Child in Danger
     
     
     
    CAPTAIN Smith turned over the picture George had pointed out. He read the names on the back and said, “This fellow is Giuseppe Matthews. I’ll look up his record.”
    After a search in several volumes, he came across the item. “Matthews went AWOL,” Captain Smith explained, “and was never heard from again. Why did you ask about him?”
    George replied, “We’ve met a man who looks very much like the one in this picture. He’s older, but there’s a strong resemblance.”
    “Where did you see him?” Captain Smith asked.
    “Out in the bay, near Crocodile Island. If he’s the same person, he’s using a different name now.”
    “What is it?” Smith inquired.
    “Matt Carmen or Breck Tobin,” George answered. “We were never introduced so we don’t know which name goes with whom.”
    “You realize, of course, that we’re still looking for Matthews,” Captain Smith said. “And that we’ll have to arrest him when we find him. Can you tell me where these men live?”
    For a moment George hesitated. “What if one of them is the wrong person?” she asked. “I wouldn’t want to get anyone in trouble.”
    “If