"Can I make it?" Nancy wondered. She leaped for the wall and scrambled up just as the two hounds arrived. Breathlessly she dropped to the other side. Five minutes later she came to the car. To her amazement and delight George was huddled on the back seat. She was half asleep.
"George!"
The girl sat bolt upright. "Nancy!"
"I'm so sorry I left you," Nancy apologized, then asked, "Where's Bess?"
"Gone to get your father. What in the world happened to you?"
"Plenty. But first, tell me what time Bess left."
"It seems hours ago. It's a long walk to a bus or a phone. Somebody should be here any minute, though."
As the girls sat in the car, they told each other their adventures.
"After Bess left," George concluded, "I heard a noise in the distance. I hid in the bushes near the gate. Mr. Hector drove out. While he was locking the gate, I peeked into his car to see if you were there. I really expected you to be lying on the floor, bound and gagged!"
"I was a prisoner, all right, but not tied up."
"I'd like to find the boy who took my clothes," George said grimly.
"Did you recognize him?"
"I never saw him before. He was about twelve years old. But I'd like to wring his neck."
"I spotted him from the tower," Nancy said. "He looked like Teddy Hooper, but I'm not sure."
George changed the subject. "Where do you suppose that man in the tower came from. No one besides Hector drove in here."
"He must have entered from the beach, the way the boy did," Nancy replied.
Headlights cut the darkness. Was it Carson Drew? Or was Daniel Hector returning?
The two girls ducked out of sight. The car stopped and Bess alighted.
"Why, George is gone!" she exclaimed.
"No, she isn't," her cousin spoke up, coming out of hiding.
Nancy was already running to the car from which her father had stepped. In an instant she was in his arms.
"Why, Dad, you're trembling!" she said.
"Nancy, Nancy, I'm so glad to see you. You gave me such a fright. Where-?"
"I'm sorry I made a mess of things," his daughter apologized. "But maybe you'll forgive me when you hear what happened."
"Tell me about it on the way back. Bess can drive George and herself home in your car. We'll follow them, and you can take the car the rest of the way."
On the drive to River Heights Mr. Drew listened to Nancy's story without comment. "I'm convinced," she concluded, "that a group is searching for something at Heath Castle. The walls there aren't crumbling from age. They're being tampered with!"
"I agree it looks mighty suspicious," Mr. Drew said. "And Daniel Hector seems to be involved. But suppose you put the whole case out of your mind until you've had a square meal."
Upon reaching home, Nancy went directly to the kitchen. Hannah Gruen, who had been nearly beside herself with worry, embraced the girl.
"You poor child!" she said. "I'll fix you a warm supper right away."
Hannah hastened to prepare the meal. Too hungry to wait, Nancy helped herself to a glass of milk and a few cookies. As she ate and drank, she related her adventure to the housekeeper.
"Oh, Nancy!" Mrs. Gruen sighed. "Your love of mystery will prove your undoing! You must be more careful."
Mr. Drew said, "I think you'd better stay away from Heath Castle."
"Oh, Dad!" she protested.
"Why not forget the whole affair for a few days?"
"But time is so short-"
"As it happens, I'm going away on a little trip, Nancy. I thought you might enjoy coming along."
Nancy shook her head. "If you'll excuse me, Dad, I believe I'd rather stay here and try to solve the mystery of Juliana."
"I'm sorry," Mr. Drew said, his eyes twinkling. "I thought Hampton might prove of interest to you, especially since it was the town where Juliana Johnson was advised to go."
Nancy could scarcely believe her ears. "Say that again, Dad!"
"I was talking with Dr. Gibson in Henryville today," Mr. Drew revealed. "I learned he was Juliana's physician. In fact, he told her to take the trip from which she never returned."
"Tell me more!"
"There's not much to tell. Juliana was thin and run-down, so the doctor advised her to take a vacation. He suggested she slip off to a quiet place without letting anyone know where she was going."
"Did the doctor know where she went?"
"No, but he had suggested Hampton. At the time of her disappearance, the police tried to locate her there, but were unsuccessful."
"Oh, Dad, I give in," Nancy said excitedly. "I'll go with you!"
"I rather thought you would," Mr. Drew said with a smile.
"When do we leave?"
"Tomorrow morning. Better pack tonight!"
CHAPTER XIn Search of a Clue
When Nancy appeared in the kitchen the next morning, Hannah Gruen said cheerily, "Good morning. There's a letter for you I think you'll want to see right away."
Nancy went to the hall table to get it. A glance at the handwriting caused her pulse to quicken. The letter was from Ned Nickerson!
Nancy eagerly opened the envelope. She missed her special friend who had gone to South America on a school project.
Ned wrote, "I'm doing some interesting work, but I miss you and the fun we had solving mysteries. I'll bet you're head over heels in one this very minute!"
"Right you are, Ned!" Nancy smiled happily as she tucked the letter away for another reading. Mr. Drew came downstairs and said they should eat at once and then leave. Nancy suggested that they stop at Mrs. Fenimore's house. She wanted to ask a question about Juliana.
"All right," Mr. Drew agreed.
Mrs. Fenimore said she was happy to see Nancy again and pleased to meet her father.
"We're en route to Hampton," Mr. Drew explained. "I've given your sister's strange disappearance considerable thought. Apparently she abandoned her career very suddenly."
"Oh, Juliana loved her work!" Mrs. Fenimore protested. "Of course, she was tired, but a few weeks' rest should have restored her to good health."
Nancy remarked. "But after leaving here, Juliana never danced again-at least not under her own name. She may be doing some other kind of work. Did your sister have any special aptitudes for something besides dancing?"
Mrs. Fenimore shrugged. "She loved gardening."
There was nothing more the woman could tell the Drews, so Nancy and her father said good-bye.
"You know," the lawyer commented as he led the way to the car, "Juliana may have married."
"But, Dad, she was engaged to Walter Heath!"
"True. Well, perhaps in Hampton we'll find a clue to her disappearance."