The Deserted Yacht Part 10

Before they had been in the air an hour, Madge noticed that they were running into heavy clouds. Rex too, studied the sky a trifle anxiously though he flashed the girls a rea.s.suring smile. Soon the little plane was hemmed in. A sudden gust of wind sent the ship careening to a dizzy angle.

A flash of jagged lightning cracked across the black void beyond the propeller. Rex put the plane into a steep climb in an attempt to get above the storm.

For an endless minute it seemed that the clouds were everywhere. Then the plane rose above them into the warm sunlight. The girls looked down, gazing upon a solid floor of clouds. They felt snug in the c.o.c.kpit and enjoyed watching nature's fireworks from a safe gallery seat.

For a time they flew blind. Presently they saw a break in the clouds and plunged down to find themselves beyond the storm center. The air was choppy and now and then the ship made dizzy drops. Fortunately, neither of the girls were troubled with air sickness though Enid was not sorry when Bay City was sighted ahead.

Approaching the beach, Rex throttled the motor and sent the amphibian into a glide. It rapidly lost speed, "stalled" a few inches above the water and settled upon the surface with scarcely a jolt, skimming slowly toward sh.o.r.e. Rex held the nose high for the water was still rough.

As the plane came in, two airport attendants waded out and grasped the wings, steadying the ship until Rex brought it to a standstill.

Arrangements were made to have the plane refueled, and then the three friends left the field. A taxicab carried them to the Burnett summer home at the edge of the city.

They dismissed the driver at the huge iron gate which marked the entrance of the grounds, telling him to return for them in an hour.

"Our caretaker should be around here somewhere," Enid said. "I imagine we're locked out."

Rex rattled the gate and to his surprise it opened. They entered the grounds.

"What a beautiful estate!" Madge exclaimed admiringly.

Enid did not share her enthusiasm for she was looking at the untrimmed gra.s.s, the weedy flower beds, the scraggy hedge.

"It doesn't look as though the place has been touched in weeks. Wait until I find that caretaker! He thinks he can shirk just because we're away."

She walked determinedly up the gravel path, Madge and Rex following. Enid rapped firmly on the front door but there was no response.

"He must be somewhere around the grounds," she declared. "I'll use my own key."

"Perhaps the door is unlocked," Madge suggested.

Enid turned the k.n.o.b and to her surprise the door opened. She stepped aside to permit the others to enter.

"Why, look what has happened!" Madge, who was the first to cross the threshold, cried. "The place is all upset!"

It was obvious that the Burnett living room had been ransacked. Shelves had been emptied of their contents, furniture moved, objects littered over the floor.

"It looks as though we've been robbed," Enid said quietly, surveying the wreckage. "It's a foregone conclusion, everything of value is missing, but we may as well look around."

They went from one room to the other. While everything appeared to have been disturbed, silverware, valuable paintings and rugs had not been taken. In fact, Enid could not find that anything actually was missing.

"I'm afraid to go to Father's room," she confessed. "He keeps his most treasured art pieces there, and I know they'll be gone."

She led the way upstairs and flung open the door of her father's chamber.

"I knew it!" she exclaimed. "Just look at the place!"

A valuable vase lay upon the floor, smashed into bits. Books had been torn from the wall cases and various articles of curious design were scattered about.

"At least they didn't take everything," Madge commented. "Can you tell what is missing, Enid?"

"Not without taking a complete inventory. Some of Father's most valued antiques are here though. I can't understand it."

"Perhaps your trusted caretaker has skipped out with some of the things he most fancied," Rex suggested.

Enid's face tightened.

"Wait until I find him! He's responsible for this, although I have no thought that he actually took the things. More than likely he simply went away and left the house unguarded, thinking that we would never know the difference."

"Have you employed him long?" Rex asked.

"No, Father engaged him only the week before we left here."

Madge had been moving slowly about the room, examining the many objects scattered about. She saw old clocks, odd pieces of jewelry, grotesque vases, and articles from nearly every country.

"It's peculiar that all these things were left," she mused aloud. "I wonder what the thief was after? Enid, where is the Zudi Drum Bowl?"

In the excitement, Enid had entirely forgotten the one object of most importance. Her face disclosed her chagrin.

"Why, I expected to find it here in Father's room."

"Then it must be gone. At least I haven't seen anything that resembles the description you gave me."

"Oh, if it's been taken, what in the world shall I do?"

"It may be here," Madge comforted. "We haven't thoroughly searched yet."

They hastily straightened the room, returning many of the antiques to their shelves. While they looked in every conceivable place, the Zudi Drum Bowl was not found. At length, Enid sank down in a chair, burying her face in her hands.

"Oh, it's no use. I know it's gone! That's why nothing else was taken.

The thieves were after the Zudi Drum."

Rex tried to cheer her but with poor success.

"That drum seems to be in great demand," Madge commented thoughtfully.

"It must be valuable."

"Oh, it is," Enid responded gloomily, "but I doubt if it would bring as high a price as some of the things that weren't taken. Of course, it had to disappear just when it might have bought Father's release."

Madge remained quiet for a few minutes, then suddenly asked:

"Are you certain the Zudi Drum was kept in this room?"

"I don't see where else it could be."

"I should have thought your father would have been afraid of it being stolen. Doesn't he have any other place where he keeps his valuables?"

At Madge's words, a startled expression came into Enid's eyes. She sprang to her feet.

"Why didn't I think of it before? Father may have put that drum in the wall safe!"