The Corner House Girls on a Houseboat Part 14

"The idea of any men daring to use our hallway to commit a robbery!"

cried Mrs. Stetson. "Father, you'd better see if any more of the villains are hiding. I'm sure I'll not sleep a wink this night."

"I'll take a look," said the grocer. "That hall door often blows open, though. The lock needs fixing. It would be easy for any one to slip into the lower hall from the street and wait there."

"That's what they probably did," said Agnes. "And it was just by accident that we went up to the doorway to raise the umbrella. The men must have seen us, and, though they couldn't have known what was in the box, they took it anyhow. Oh, it's too bad! Our trip is spoiled now!"

and she was on the verge of tears.

"Don't worry, my dear," advised Mrs. Stetson. "We'll get the police after them. Father, you must telephone at once. And you must have a look in those vacant rooms upstairs."

"I will," promised the grocer, and then began a period of activity. A clerk and a porter from the grocery downstairs made a careful examination of the upper premises, but, of course, discovered no more thieves. And, naturally, there were no traces of the men who had robbed Ruth and Agnes.

The telephone soon put the police authorities of Milton in possession of the facts, and Special Officer Buckley, was soon "on the job," as he expressed it. He came, a burly figure in rubber boots and a glistening rubber coat, to the Stetson apartment, there to hear the story first-hand from Ruth and Agnes. With him also came Jimmy Dale, a reporter from the Milton _Morning Post_.

Jimmy had been at the police headquarters when word of the robbery was telephoned in, and he, too, "got on the job."

All the description Ruth and Agnes could give of the men was that they were rough and burly and not very well dressed. But it had all taken place so quickly and in such obscurity amid the mist of the rain that it was difficult for either girl to be accurate.

Then as much as was possible was done. Several other special officers were notified of the occurrence, and the regular police force of Milton, no very large aggregation, was instructed to "pick up" any suspicious characters about town.

Mr. Stetson confirmed the statement made by Myra that two men who claimed to have recently returned from the Klondike had been to look at the vacant flat the day before. In appearance they were rather rough, the grocer said, though he would not call them tramps by any means.

There might be a possible connection between the two, it was agreed. Mr.

Howbridge was notified by telephone, and called in his automobile for the two girls, who, after some tea, felt a little more composed.

"But, oh my lovely jewelry!" exclaimed Agnes. "It's gone!"

"And mine," added Ruth. "There were some things of Dot's and Tessie's in the box, too, and mother's wedding ring," and Ruth sighed.

"The police may recover it," said the lawyer. "I am glad neither of you was harmed," and his gaze rested anxiously on his wards.

"No, they barely touched me," said the older girl. "One of them just grabbed the box and ran."

"The other one gave me a shove," declared Agnes. "If I had known what he was up to he wouldn't have got away so easily. I haven't been playing basket ball for nothing!" she boasted.

"Well, I think there is nothing more to be done," said their guardian.

"While there is no great rush, I think the sooner we get started on our houseboat trip the better. So if you'll come with me, I'll take you home, we can gather up the last of the baggage and make a quick trip to the _Bluebird_. I have the side curtains up and the rain is stopping, I think."

"Oh, are we going on the trip--_now_--after the robbery?" asked Ruth doubtfully.

"Yes. Why not?" inquired the lawyer, with a smile. "You can do nothing by staying here, and if the men should be arrested I can arrange to bring you back to identify them. I know how bad you feel, but the trip will be the best thing in the world for you, for it will take your mind from your loss."

"Yes, Ruth, it will!" agreed Agnes, for she saw that her sister was much affected.

"Well, we'll go back home, anyhow," a.s.sented Ruth. And after they had thanked the Stetson's for their hospitality the two sisters left in charge of Mr. Howbridge. As he had said, the rain was stopping, and when they reached the Corner House the sun was out again, glistening on the green leaves of the trees.

"It's a good omen," declared Agnes.

Of course there was consternation at the Corner House when the story of the robbery was told. But even Aunt Sarah Maltby agreed with Mr.

Howbridge that it would do Ruth and Agnes good to make the houseboat trip. Accordingly, after the two robbed ones had calmed down a little more, the last belongings were gathered together, Dot and Tess, who had considerably mussed their clothes playing tag around the furniture, were straightened out, good-bys were said over and over again, and then, in Mr. Howbridge's automobile, the little party started for the _Bluebird_.

"Where's Neale?" asked Agnes, as they neared the ca.n.a.l.

"He'll meet us at the boat," said the lawyer. "I just received a letter from his uncle, the circus man, which contains a little information about the boy's father."

"Has he really returned from the Klondike?" asked Ruth.

"I believe he has. But whether he has money or is as poor as when he started off to seek his fortune, I don't know. Time will tell. But I am glad the sun is out. It would have been rather gloomy to start in the rain."

"If it had not rained those men never would have gotten our jewel box!"

declared Agnes. "It was only because we were confused by the umbrella in the hard shower that they dared take it."

"Don't think about it!" advised Mr. Howbridge.

They reached the _Bluebird_, to find Neale waiting for them with smiling face.

"I only wish we could start under gasoline instead of mule power!" he cried gayly.

"Time enough for that!" said Mr. Howbridge, with a smile. "Is Hank on hand?"

"He's bringing out the hee-haws now," said Neale, pointing down the towpath, while Dot and Tess laughed at his descriptive name for the mules.

The driver was leading them from the stable where they had taken shelter from the downpour, and they were soon hitched to the long towing rope.

"It 'minds me of the time I came from Scotland," murmured Mrs. MacCall as she went up the "bridge," as the gangplank of a ca.n.a.l boat is sometimes called.

"All aboard!" cried Neale, and they took their places on the _Bluebird_.

Mr. Howbridge had arranged for one of his men to come and drive back the automobile, and there was nothing further to be looked after.

"Shall I start?" called Hank, from his station near the mules, after he had helped Neale haul up the gangplank which had connected the houseboat with the towpath.

"Give 'em gas!" shouted the boy through his hands held in trumpet fashion.

The animals leaned forward in their collars, the rope tauted, pulling with a swishing sound up from the water into which it had dropped. The _Bluebird_ began slowly to move, and at last they were on their way.

Ruth, Agnes and the others remained on deck for a while, and then the older folk, including Neale, went below to get things "shipshape and Bristol fashion." Dot and Tess remained on deck under the awning.

"Don't fall overboard!" cautioned Mrs. MacCall to the small sisters.

"We won't!" they promised.

It was about ten minutes later, during which time the _Bluebird_ was progressing slowly through the quiet waters of the ca.n.a.l, that Agnes heard shouts on deck.

"Hark!" she exclaimed, for they were all moving about, getting matters to rights in the cabins.

"What is it?" asked Ruth.

"I thought I heard Tess calling," went on Agnes.