Free The Moonstone Castle Mystery by Carolyn G. Keene Page B

man jumped into a motorboat tied alongside the girls’ rented runabout and roared off.
    Nancy came to a full stop on the dock. It would be useless to try to pursue the man; he had too much of a head start. Bess and George ran up to her.
    “Who was he?” Bess asked. “Why were you chasing him?”
    The young sleuth explained that as Mr. Judd was about to start his story, she had seen the top of the head of an eavesdropper just outside the window. “I got a better look at him as he jumped into his boat. I think he’s the man you said followed me in River Heights—the one who was following George here in Deep River. He’s the man I said looked familiar.”
    “He seems determined to find out what we’re doing,” Bess remarked.
    “I’ll say he is,” George agreed. “So far as I’m concerned, he’s definitely an enemy.”
    “And maybe he’s one of the kidnapers,” Bess suggested. “Why don’t we follow him? He might lead us to Mr. Wheeler.”
    George scoffed at this idea. “That’s exactly what he wouldn’t do,” she said, laughing. “Anyhow, we wouldn’t be able to overtake him now.”
    Nancy nodded. “Let’s go back and hear Mr. Judd’s story,” she suggested.
    Inside the cottage once more, she described the eavesdropper and their past encounters with him. “Have you any idea who he might be?”
    Mr. Judd shook his head, and Nancy begged him to tell the story which had been interrupted.
    “While I was on a train running direct from New York City to Deep River some fifteen years ago,” he began, “I specially noted three passengers in one of the cars—a man, a woman, and a very pretty little girl between two and three years old. When I had some free time I stopped to talk to her. She said her name was Joanie and she was going to stay with her other granny.”
    Nancy, Bess, and George listened intently. This was indeed interesting!
    “Joanie made a remark that I have never forgotten. She said her granddaddy and grandmommy she was with were going far away to tell people about God.”
    “Missionaries?” Bess queried.
    “I suppose so,” said Mr. Judd. “Well, the little girl and her grandparents got off in Deep River and I never saw any of them again. Months later, when I heard about Mrs. Horton and her grown-up granddaughter named Joanie, I remembered about those folks on the train. I kept thinking about that grown-up girl getting all the money and thought I ought to tell Mr. Wheeler the story.”
    George blurted out, “You told this to Mr. Wheeler all that time ago and he didn’t do anything about it?”
    “As I said before, he just laughed at me. I felt kind of silly and never mentioned the story again to anyone. Now, maybe, Mr. Wheeler has changed his mind and wants to hear about it in more detail.”
    “No doubt,” Nancy agreed. “Can you give us the details?”
    “The little girl had big, blue eyes and blond curls.”
    Nancy excitedly opened her purse and took out the picture of young Joanie Horton at the age of two. “Is this the child?” she asked.
    It was now Mr. Judd’s turn to look astounded. “It certainly looks like her,” the ex-conductor said. “Of course it was a long time ago, but this is just about the way I remember little Joanie.”
    Mr. Judd asked Nancy to explain her connection with the Horton family. “Actually, it’s my father’s case,” she replied, knowing that it might be unwise to reveal her part in the investigation. “I expect my dad to come to Deep River in a little while. He’ll probably come to call on you very soon.”
    This evasive answer seemed to satisfy Mr. Judd, and before he had a chance to say anything more, Nancy arose, thanked him, and said the girls must leave.
    “I certainly hope they find Mr. Wheeler soon,” Mr. Judd called, as his visitors went toward the dock.
    When the girls were seated in the runabout, Nancy’s face wore a broad grin. “This is the best clue yet!” she exclaimed.
    “It’s simply marvelous!” said Bess.