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Authors: Carolyn G. Keene
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and fast!”
Although Bess and George could not understand him, they knew he was angry about something.
Bess said, “Nancy, we’d better go.”
The cleaning man pointed to the door and motioned for the girls to leave. Fortunately Senor Tomás arrived just at that moment. When he heard about the altercation, he told his employee that the girls had his permission to survey the premises. They could stay as long as they wished. He added that the young detectives were trying to find clues to where the Hoaxters had gone.
“Do you know?” the manager asked him.
“No, I don’t,” the man replied. “And if I did, I wouldn’t tell anyone. When a fellow wants to keep something secret, other folks have no right to pry.”
“That’s enough from you!” the manager reprimanded him. “And leave the girls alone!”
The cleaning man looked sullen and continued to mop the floor. Nancy thanked Senor Tomás, who left with a nod. Together, the girls went through the various dressing rooms but found nothing to indicate the whereabouts of the Hoaxters.
“This place is big!” George remarked. “Why don’t we split up? That way we can cover more space.”
“Good idea,” Nancy agreed and the girls separated.
In a few minutes Nancy found herself on the stage. In the dim light it was difficult for her to spot anything the Hoaxters might have left. As she stood still, thinking about the mystery, something heavy suddenly crashed over her head. It almost knocked her to the floor!
Dizzily she struggled to extricate herself from the object and finally succeeded. Before her lay an oil painting that she had seen hanging on the wall during one of the Hoaxters’s routines.
As she thought of it around her neck like a hoop, Nancy chuckled. Then her face became grim. “That painting didn’t fall on me by accident!” she thought. “Someone deliberately jammed it down over my head!”
She looked in all directions but saw no one. “I’ll bet it was that disgruntled cleaning man,” she reasoned.
Just then a pretty Indian woman with a mop and bucket walked onto the stage. She stared at Nancy in amazement. Noticing her rumpled hair and disheveled blouse, she asked in Spanish what had happened.
Nancy explained and the Indian shook her head in sympathy. “That is very bad!” she declared. “I am glad you were not hurt.”
The woman introduced herself as Sara. Then the girl detective asked her if she had seen anyone on stage a few moments before.
“Yes,” Sara replied, “the maintenance man.”
“I thought it was he,” Nancy said.
She now questioned the woman about the Hoaxters’s sudden departure.
Sara said she had not heard why the troupe had disappeared. “I did not like them,” she added. “I think they were up to no good!”
“Have you any idea where they went?” Nancy asked.
Sara suddenly looked frightened. “I know, but they threatened to harm me if I told anyone!”
“Oh!” Nancy exclaimed. Here was a wonderful clue, the young sleuth thought, but how could she persuade Sara to tell her what it was?
10
A Setback Reversed
The cleaning woman began to mop the floor. Nancy was afraid that she would not reveal where the Hoaxters had gone. While the young detective tried to figure out how to persuade Sara, she picked up a dust cloth and wiped off the stage furniture.
Sara looked at her and smiled. Nancy smiled back. “Sara, if the Hoaxters have left, how can they harm you?”
The woman hesitated, then replied, “You are right. I overheard the men say they were going to Los Angeles. They realized I was standing close enough to hear their conversation, and accused me of eavesdropping. But I had no such intention. That was when they threatened to harm me if I told anyone.”
“I’m glad you did tell me,” Nancy said. “Los Angeles is a long way from here. I wouldn’t worry if I were you.”
Sara was relieved. She told Nancy that ever since seeing the men take wallets and handbags she
Although Bess and George could not understand him, they knew he was angry about something.
Bess said, “Nancy, we’d better go.”
The cleaning man pointed to the door and motioned for the girls to leave. Fortunately Senor Tomás arrived just at that moment. When he heard about the altercation, he told his employee that the girls had his permission to survey the premises. They could stay as long as they wished. He added that the young detectives were trying to find clues to where the Hoaxters had gone.
“Do you know?” the manager asked him.
“No, I don’t,” the man replied. “And if I did, I wouldn’t tell anyone. When a fellow wants to keep something secret, other folks have no right to pry.”
“That’s enough from you!” the manager reprimanded him. “And leave the girls alone!”
The cleaning man looked sullen and continued to mop the floor. Nancy thanked Senor Tomás, who left with a nod. Together, the girls went through the various dressing rooms but found nothing to indicate the whereabouts of the Hoaxters.
“This place is big!” George remarked. “Why don’t we split up? That way we can cover more space.”
“Good idea,” Nancy agreed and the girls separated.
In a few minutes Nancy found herself on the stage. In the dim light it was difficult for her to spot anything the Hoaxters might have left. As she stood still, thinking about the mystery, something heavy suddenly crashed over her head. It almost knocked her to the floor!
Dizzily she struggled to extricate herself from the object and finally succeeded. Before her lay an oil painting that she had seen hanging on the wall during one of the Hoaxters’s routines.
As she thought of it around her neck like a hoop, Nancy chuckled. Then her face became grim. “That painting didn’t fall on me by accident!” she thought. “Someone deliberately jammed it down over my head!”
She looked in all directions but saw no one. “I’ll bet it was that disgruntled cleaning man,” she reasoned.
Just then a pretty Indian woman with a mop and bucket walked onto the stage. She stared at Nancy in amazement. Noticing her rumpled hair and disheveled blouse, she asked in Spanish what had happened.
Nancy explained and the Indian shook her head in sympathy. “That is very bad!” she declared. “I am glad you were not hurt.”
The woman introduced herself as Sara. Then the girl detective asked her if she had seen anyone on stage a few moments before.
“Yes,” Sara replied, “the maintenance man.”
“I thought it was he,” Nancy said.
She now questioned the woman about the Hoaxters’s sudden departure.
Sara said she had not heard why the troupe had disappeared. “I did not like them,” she added. “I think they were up to no good!”
“Have you any idea where they went?” Nancy asked.
Sara suddenly looked frightened. “I know, but they threatened to harm me if I told anyone!”
“Oh!” Nancy exclaimed. Here was a wonderful clue, the young sleuth thought, but how could she persuade Sara to tell her what it was?
10
A Setback Reversed
The cleaning woman began to mop the floor. Nancy was afraid that she would not reveal where the Hoaxters had gone. While the young detective tried to figure out how to persuade Sara, she picked up a dust cloth and wiped off the stage furniture.
Sara looked at her and smiled. Nancy smiled back. “Sara, if the Hoaxters have left, how can they harm you?”
The woman hesitated, then replied, “You are right. I overheard the men say they were going to Los Angeles. They realized I was standing close enough to hear their conversation, and accused me of eavesdropping. But I had no such intention. That was when they threatened to harm me if I told anyone.”
“I’m glad you did tell me,” Nancy said. “Los Angeles is a long way from here. I wouldn’t worry if I were you.”
Sara was relieved. She told Nancy that ever since seeing the men take wallets and handbags she
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