Read Online Lantern Sam and the Blue Streak Bandits by Michael D. Beil - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Michael D. Beil
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at stake here. The conductor, Mr.… Nockley, was it?”
“Nock
wood
,” said Clarence.
“Yes, yes. My apologies. Interesting name. As I was saying, Mr. Nockwood seems to be forgetting what is on the line here.”
Clarence stood up in protest and pointed his finger at the judge. “You’ve only talked to a handful of people on the train—there still may be someone who saw, or heard, something important. Someone who saw the salesman talking to another passenger. For instance, the young man that you spoke to—”
“The Shipley kid? Why should we believe anything he says?” the judge blustered. “Boy like that, he’d say anything to get his name in the papers, I’ll bet.”
Reverend Perfiddle touched Mrs. Strasbourg on her arm. “The boy’s story is a bit fishy. I wasn’t present for the interview, but Judge Ambrose filled me in on the important details. Claims to have been a friend of your daughter’s.”
“A bit
fishy
!” I hissed at Sam, struggling to keep my voice down. “Say anything to get my name in the papers! I never—”
“Easy, kid,”
said Sam.
Clarence, biting his lip in frustration, sat back down. He took a deep, calming breath and continued. “Well, then, what about the criminals that she recognized? Don’t you think that could be important? Have you even considered the possibility that she was right?”
Mrs. Strasbourg pulled her arm away from Reverend Perfiddle. “Wh-what … criminals? Ellie recognized someone? How? Who?”
“According to young Mr. Shipley,” Ambrose said, “your daughter told him that she recognized two criminals, a man and a woman, from their photographs in the post office. I think he’s lying, trying to put us off the trail of the real kidnapper. It’s obvious that he’s protecting someone. As a judge, I see cases like this all the time. Young man from … well, the wrong side of the tracks meets a pretty little girl from a good family …”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. That behemoth was accusing me of helping the kidnappers! Just as I was about to leave my hiding place and defend my honor, Sam reached up and put a paw on my leg, extending a singleclaw into the first few layers of skin.
“Don’t. It’s not worth it. Not yet, anyway.”
“Now wait just a second,” said Clarence. “Surely you don’t suspect the boy merely because he’s not from a wealthy family. And I don’t think it’s fair—or accurate—to say that he’s from ‘the wrong side of the tracks.’ He simply reported what his friend told him. We should be praising him for coming forward, rather than questioning his character.”
“Perhaps,” said Ambrose, chomping on his soggy cigar.
“But what if Ellie was right,” Mrs. Strasbourg argued, “and she
did
recognize these people? She does have a remarkable memory. Perhaps she did see a picture of them somewhere. One of them might still be on the train. I think that Mr. Nockwood is right. We have to keep looking. Please, Judge Ambrose—for Ellie.”
Clarence nodded, pleased that she was taking a firm stand.
Julia looked at Mrs. Strasbourg. “Excuse me, ma’am.”
“What is it, Julia? Do you know something?”
“Yes, ma’am. It’s true … what the judge said about Ellie seeing the pictures at the post office. I’m sorry; I let her go inside every week, right after her piano lesson. She said it was for a game she was playing. I didn’t think there wasany harm in it.” She started to cry, and Mrs. Strasbourg touched her gently on the arm.
Clarence checked his pocket watch and turned to Ambrose. “There—you see? You can’t ignore what the boy said. Dinner service will begin soon. I can arrange to have you seated at table three. You’ll be able to see everyone who comes into the dining car. I’d be happy to find you a pad of paper to take notes.”
Ambrose glared at Clarence. “To the dining car, then,” he grumbled.
Despite Clarence’s best efforts to keep Ellie’s disappearance
“Nock
wood
,” said Clarence.
“Yes, yes. My apologies. Interesting name. As I was saying, Mr. Nockwood seems to be forgetting what is on the line here.”
Clarence stood up in protest and pointed his finger at the judge. “You’ve only talked to a handful of people on the train—there still may be someone who saw, or heard, something important. Someone who saw the salesman talking to another passenger. For instance, the young man that you spoke to—”
“The Shipley kid? Why should we believe anything he says?” the judge blustered. “Boy like that, he’d say anything to get his name in the papers, I’ll bet.”
Reverend Perfiddle touched Mrs. Strasbourg on her arm. “The boy’s story is a bit fishy. I wasn’t present for the interview, but Judge Ambrose filled me in on the important details. Claims to have been a friend of your daughter’s.”
“A bit
fishy
!” I hissed at Sam, struggling to keep my voice down. “Say anything to get my name in the papers! I never—”
“Easy, kid,”
said Sam.
Clarence, biting his lip in frustration, sat back down. He took a deep, calming breath and continued. “Well, then, what about the criminals that she recognized? Don’t you think that could be important? Have you even considered the possibility that she was right?”
Mrs. Strasbourg pulled her arm away from Reverend Perfiddle. “Wh-what … criminals? Ellie recognized someone? How? Who?”
“According to young Mr. Shipley,” Ambrose said, “your daughter told him that she recognized two criminals, a man and a woman, from their photographs in the post office. I think he’s lying, trying to put us off the trail of the real kidnapper. It’s obvious that he’s protecting someone. As a judge, I see cases like this all the time. Young man from … well, the wrong side of the tracks meets a pretty little girl from a good family …”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. That behemoth was accusing me of helping the kidnappers! Just as I was about to leave my hiding place and defend my honor, Sam reached up and put a paw on my leg, extending a singleclaw into the first few layers of skin.
“Don’t. It’s not worth it. Not yet, anyway.”
“Now wait just a second,” said Clarence. “Surely you don’t suspect the boy merely because he’s not from a wealthy family. And I don’t think it’s fair—or accurate—to say that he’s from ‘the wrong side of the tracks.’ He simply reported what his friend told him. We should be praising him for coming forward, rather than questioning his character.”
“Perhaps,” said Ambrose, chomping on his soggy cigar.
“But what if Ellie was right,” Mrs. Strasbourg argued, “and she
did
recognize these people? She does have a remarkable memory. Perhaps she did see a picture of them somewhere. One of them might still be on the train. I think that Mr. Nockwood is right. We have to keep looking. Please, Judge Ambrose—for Ellie.”
Clarence nodded, pleased that she was taking a firm stand.
Julia looked at Mrs. Strasbourg. “Excuse me, ma’am.”
“What is it, Julia? Do you know something?”
“Yes, ma’am. It’s true … what the judge said about Ellie seeing the pictures at the post office. I’m sorry; I let her go inside every week, right after her piano lesson. She said it was for a game she was playing. I didn’t think there wasany harm in it.” She started to cry, and Mrs. Strasbourg touched her gently on the arm.
Clarence checked his pocket watch and turned to Ambrose. “There—you see? You can’t ignore what the boy said. Dinner service will begin soon. I can arrange to have you seated at table three. You’ll be able to see everyone who comes into the dining car. I’d be happy to find you a pad of paper to take notes.”
Ambrose glared at Clarence. “To the dining car, then,” he grumbled.
Despite Clarence’s best efforts to keep Ellie’s disappearance
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