Read Online The Mystery on the Mississippi by Julie Campbell - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Julie Campbell
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the barges in this tow are headed for New Orleans.”
Trixie helped Honey add her possessions to the bag. She checked her purse to make sure the papers were safe. “It doesn’t seem as though we’ve been here more than a few hours, and think of the things that have happened! I love the Catfish Princess. I can’t hear the engines at all now. Let’s find the boys.”
Politely and cordially, the Bob-Whites said goodbye to Captain Martin and all the other officers and crew members who had been so gracious to them on their cruise.
“You all come and visit us again. Now, see that you do!” Captain Martin told them. “When you get off the tug, go through Fort Defiance State Park to the motel, where you’re supposed to meet the car. You can’t miss the motel. It’s right on the main street. Good-bye, now.”
Mr. and Mrs. Aguilera stood watching, and Paul and Deena waved wistfully from the boat’s rail as the water widened between the Catfish Princess and the chugging tug.
Bob-White Luck • 7
I WONDER WHICH way we’re supposed to go now,” Jim said when the group reached the river’s edge. He picked up one of the bags and motioned for Brian to take the other one.
“Straight through that park.” Mart pointed confidently. “I’m sure the Heartland Motel is not far from the edge of it; just a few blocks, maybe.”
“Then we won’t need a taxi.” Trixie took the scarf from around her sandy curls and stuffed it in her sweater pocket. “It’s hot here, isn’t it? It was so cool on the river. I hated to leave the Catfish Princess. ”
“Me, too,” Honey said. “We didn’t have time to know Deena at all.”
“Or Paul,” Mart added. “Do you want Dan and me to carry the bags now?”
Brian shook his head. Jim said, “No, thanks,” and he swung the small suitcase he was carrying into his other hand.
After a few minutes of walking in silence, Jim called out, “We’re practically there now. See the sign up ahead? I wonder why they call the motel ‘Heartland.’ ”
“Because it’s in the Middle West... heart of the land,” Mart said pompously.
Dan sighed. “I wish the time would come when you wouldn’t know all the answers, Mart.”
“Can I help it if I’m just naturally bright? What’s bothering you, Dan? Your face is as long as a sad alligator’s.”
“It’s nothing. It’s just that I can’t help wondering about that sneaky Lontard. I wonder if it really was Lontard who stowed away. I wonder where he’s going to turn up next.”
“Captain Martin didn’t think there was a stowaway on board,” Mart said bluntly.
Dan rubbed his head ruefully. “He would have if someone had practically knocked his block off making for the rail.”
“Maybe he drowned,” Mart suggested cheerfully.
Trixie shuddered.“Oh, I hope not. Mart, you’re bloodthirsty. I’ve been thinking about the same thing as Dan has, though. Of course Pierre Lontard swam to shore, and we haven’t seen the last of him. Since we couldn’t go all the way to New Orleans, I’ll be glad when we get back to St. Louis. Even if Captain Martin didn’t think a man jumped overboard, I know it was a man Honey and I saw swimming. It wasn’t any buoy. That man was Pierre Lontard, too. He’ll show up again. You just watch and see if he doesn’t.”
“I hope I watch and see the car we’re to meet here,” Brian said as he put down the suitcase he was carrying and brushed the perspiration from his forehead. “Do you think we should go inside the motel?”
“Of course,” Jim answered. “Whoever’s going to meet us wouldn’t be waiting around for us at the door. They’d be inside someplace. Here, Dan, you take this bag now, and I’ll go and look.” Jim held the door open for the girls.
“We’ll wait over here in the lobby for you,” Trixie told him. “I hope we can get started back right away.” The Bob-Whites found seats facing the street. “That park we walked through was pretty,” Trixie said.
Trixie helped Honey add her possessions to the bag. She checked her purse to make sure the papers were safe. “It doesn’t seem as though we’ve been here more than a few hours, and think of the things that have happened! I love the Catfish Princess. I can’t hear the engines at all now. Let’s find the boys.”
Politely and cordially, the Bob-Whites said goodbye to Captain Martin and all the other officers and crew members who had been so gracious to them on their cruise.
“You all come and visit us again. Now, see that you do!” Captain Martin told them. “When you get off the tug, go through Fort Defiance State Park to the motel, where you’re supposed to meet the car. You can’t miss the motel. It’s right on the main street. Good-bye, now.”
Mr. and Mrs. Aguilera stood watching, and Paul and Deena waved wistfully from the boat’s rail as the water widened between the Catfish Princess and the chugging tug.
Bob-White Luck • 7
I WONDER WHICH way we’re supposed to go now,” Jim said when the group reached the river’s edge. He picked up one of the bags and motioned for Brian to take the other one.
“Straight through that park.” Mart pointed confidently. “I’m sure the Heartland Motel is not far from the edge of it; just a few blocks, maybe.”
“Then we won’t need a taxi.” Trixie took the scarf from around her sandy curls and stuffed it in her sweater pocket. “It’s hot here, isn’t it? It was so cool on the river. I hated to leave the Catfish Princess. ”
“Me, too,” Honey said. “We didn’t have time to know Deena at all.”
“Or Paul,” Mart added. “Do you want Dan and me to carry the bags now?”
Brian shook his head. Jim said, “No, thanks,” and he swung the small suitcase he was carrying into his other hand.
After a few minutes of walking in silence, Jim called out, “We’re practically there now. See the sign up ahead? I wonder why they call the motel ‘Heartland.’ ”
“Because it’s in the Middle West... heart of the land,” Mart said pompously.
Dan sighed. “I wish the time would come when you wouldn’t know all the answers, Mart.”
“Can I help it if I’m just naturally bright? What’s bothering you, Dan? Your face is as long as a sad alligator’s.”
“It’s nothing. It’s just that I can’t help wondering about that sneaky Lontard. I wonder if it really was Lontard who stowed away. I wonder where he’s going to turn up next.”
“Captain Martin didn’t think there was a stowaway on board,” Mart said bluntly.
Dan rubbed his head ruefully. “He would have if someone had practically knocked his block off making for the rail.”
“Maybe he drowned,” Mart suggested cheerfully.
Trixie shuddered.“Oh, I hope not. Mart, you’re bloodthirsty. I’ve been thinking about the same thing as Dan has, though. Of course Pierre Lontard swam to shore, and we haven’t seen the last of him. Since we couldn’t go all the way to New Orleans, I’ll be glad when we get back to St. Louis. Even if Captain Martin didn’t think a man jumped overboard, I know it was a man Honey and I saw swimming. It wasn’t any buoy. That man was Pierre Lontard, too. He’ll show up again. You just watch and see if he doesn’t.”
“I hope I watch and see the car we’re to meet here,” Brian said as he put down the suitcase he was carrying and brushed the perspiration from his forehead. “Do you think we should go inside the motel?”
“Of course,” Jim answered. “Whoever’s going to meet us wouldn’t be waiting around for us at the door. They’d be inside someplace. Here, Dan, you take this bag now, and I’ll go and look.” Jim held the door open for the girls.
“We’ll wait over here in the lobby for you,” Trixie told him. “I hope we can get started back right away.” The Bob-Whites found seats facing the street. “That park we walked through was pretty,” Trixie said.
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