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Authors: Carolyn G. Keene
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grinned. “I can siphon off enough to get you to the first gas station,” he said. “I can’t give you any more than that. I’m going deeper into the desert and don’t dare run short.”
Nancy thanked him for the help and said, “You’re a life saver. Two of us tried pushing the car for a mile and that was enough. Our friend in the car has a sprained ankle.”
“That’s what I call hard luck,” the young man said.
He had already hopped from his car and was now opening the trunk. In a few moments he took out a narrow piece of hose and measured the distance between Nancy’s gas tank and his own. The hose did not quite reach, so he drove his car closer, then measured again.
“It’s long enough now,” he said. “Well, here goes.” He grinned. “Open your tank and we’ll get started with this life saving job.”
Nancy unscrewed the cap and he did the same on his car. Then he inserted the hose into his gasoline tank and squeezed the air out of the hose with his fingers. He put the open end into Nancy’s tank and the fluid began to flow.
He called to Bess to watch the gas gauge. When it reached a little above the empty mark, he removed the hose.
The young man refused to take any money, saying, “This is my good deed for the day.” He wished the girls luck and drove off.
The rest of their journey was quick. Nancy stopped at a filling station, then went directly to the Anderson home.
The boys were there and Ned said, “The Andersons are taking us to a hotel to dinner. I’m sure you’ll want to shower and change to something suitable. See you later.”
The girls scooted off to their rooms. Twenty minutes later they reappeared, refreshed and ready for the dinner party.
The group was going to the hotel in several cars. Nancy and her friends set off first in the one she had rented. When they reached the lavish hostelry, the young people waited in the large lobby for the others to arrive.
“This place is ostentatiously furnished,” George said. “I like things simpler.”
“It’s too noisy to suit me,” Bess commented. “This town never goes to bed, I hear.”
In a few minutes Nancy and her friends noticed that telephone operators were paging various guests and announcing telephone calls for them.
Bess giggled. “How would you like to have that name?” she asked, repeating the call for Miss Shirley Rainbow.
A few moments later there was a call for Mr. Bill Verythin. The next few were simple names like Smith and Jones.
Presently the operator called out, “Miss Rosemary Bluebird! Call for Rosemary Bluebird!”
Nancy and her friends were laughing by this time.
“I’m sure,” said Ned, “that these are names of people who are here incognito; perhaps famous persons like movie stars.”
The others agreed and continued to listen eagerly for the next one. Suddenly Nancy, Bess, and George were electrified to hear a familiar name called out.
“Phone call for Miss Antler! Important call for Miss Antler. Will Miss Antler please answer the phone nearest her?”
The girls looked at one another and Nancy said, “Miss Antler? Antler? That was the name of the person Mrs. Wabash told us to try to find while we’re here!”
Ned asked, “Do you suppose she has something to do with the desert secret?”
“I think so,” Nancy replied. “Mrs. Wabash said she would be very helpful to us. Let’s hunt for her!”
The hotel was large and there were so many telephones that it was hard to know where to start.
“This is going to be a real job,” George commented.
Nancy suggested that the group separate and scatter to various places in the lobby.
“If you see a young woman at a phone, try to find out if she’s Miss Antler.”
The six young sleuths hurried away to begin their search.
CHAPTER XI
New Clues
MEN were making calls from most of the telephones in the lobby, but there were a few women. Bess and George had no luck with the women they approached. Burt and Dave, too, were
Nancy thanked him for the help and said, “You’re a life saver. Two of us tried pushing the car for a mile and that was enough. Our friend in the car has a sprained ankle.”
“That’s what I call hard luck,” the young man said.
He had already hopped from his car and was now opening the trunk. In a few moments he took out a narrow piece of hose and measured the distance between Nancy’s gas tank and his own. The hose did not quite reach, so he drove his car closer, then measured again.
“It’s long enough now,” he said. “Well, here goes.” He grinned. “Open your tank and we’ll get started with this life saving job.”
Nancy unscrewed the cap and he did the same on his car. Then he inserted the hose into his gasoline tank and squeezed the air out of the hose with his fingers. He put the open end into Nancy’s tank and the fluid began to flow.
He called to Bess to watch the gas gauge. When it reached a little above the empty mark, he removed the hose.
The young man refused to take any money, saying, “This is my good deed for the day.” He wished the girls luck and drove off.
The rest of their journey was quick. Nancy stopped at a filling station, then went directly to the Anderson home.
The boys were there and Ned said, “The Andersons are taking us to a hotel to dinner. I’m sure you’ll want to shower and change to something suitable. See you later.”
The girls scooted off to their rooms. Twenty minutes later they reappeared, refreshed and ready for the dinner party.
The group was going to the hotel in several cars. Nancy and her friends set off first in the one she had rented. When they reached the lavish hostelry, the young people waited in the large lobby for the others to arrive.
“This place is ostentatiously furnished,” George said. “I like things simpler.”
“It’s too noisy to suit me,” Bess commented. “This town never goes to bed, I hear.”
In a few minutes Nancy and her friends noticed that telephone operators were paging various guests and announcing telephone calls for them.
Bess giggled. “How would you like to have that name?” she asked, repeating the call for Miss Shirley Rainbow.
A few moments later there was a call for Mr. Bill Verythin. The next few were simple names like Smith and Jones.
Presently the operator called out, “Miss Rosemary Bluebird! Call for Rosemary Bluebird!”
Nancy and her friends were laughing by this time.
“I’m sure,” said Ned, “that these are names of people who are here incognito; perhaps famous persons like movie stars.”
The others agreed and continued to listen eagerly for the next one. Suddenly Nancy, Bess, and George were electrified to hear a familiar name called out.
“Phone call for Miss Antler! Important call for Miss Antler. Will Miss Antler please answer the phone nearest her?”
The girls looked at one another and Nancy said, “Miss Antler? Antler? That was the name of the person Mrs. Wabash told us to try to find while we’re here!”
Ned asked, “Do you suppose she has something to do with the desert secret?”
“I think so,” Nancy replied. “Mrs. Wabash said she would be very helpful to us. Let’s hunt for her!”
The hotel was large and there were so many telephones that it was hard to know where to start.
“This is going to be a real job,” George commented.
Nancy suggested that the group separate and scatter to various places in the lobby.
“If you see a young woman at a phone, try to find out if she’s Miss Antler.”
The six young sleuths hurried away to begin their search.
CHAPTER XI
New Clues
MEN were making calls from most of the telephones in the lobby, but there were a few women. Bess and George had no luck with the women they approached. Burt and Dave, too, were
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