NANCY DREW MYSTERY STORIES
THE BUNGALOW MYSTERY
BY
CAROLYN KEENE
AUTHOR OF
“THE SECRET OF THE OLD CLOCK,”
“THE HIDDEN STAIRCASE,” ETC.
_ILLUSTRATED BY_
RUSSELL H. TANDY
NEW YORK
GROSSET & DUNLAP
PUBLISHERS
Copyright, 1930, by
GROSSET & DUNLAP, INC.
CONTENTS
I RACING THE STORM
II A DESPERATE STRUGGLE
III A NEW FRIEND
IV A VISITOR
V LAURA’S GUARDIAN
VI HOMEWARD BOUND
VII A CLOSE CALL
VIII LAURA’S STORY
IX NANCY’S PLAN
X THE MYSTERIOUS BUNGALOW
XI ORDERED AWAY
XII NANCY BIDES HER TIME
XIII A NARROW ESCAPE
XIV STARTLING REVELATIONS
XV A FAMILIAR FACE
XVI WHAT NANCY DISCOVERED
XVII A DESPERATE SITUATION
XVIII LEFT TO STARVE
XIX IN PURSUIT
XX NANCY’S DARING ACTION
XXI LAURA BEGINS TO WORRY
XXII A CHANCE MEETING
XXIII A BAD TURN
XXIV STUMPY’S FATE
XXV LAURA’S GRATITUDE
CHAPTER 1
RACING THE STORM
“Don’t you think we should turn back, Helen? It’s getting dreadfully
dark out here on the lake and I don’t like the look of those big black
clouds.”
As Nancy Drew addressed her chum, Helen Corning, she gazed anxiously up
at the sky and then out across a long expanse of water to the distant
shore.
The two girls were spending several days at a camp located on Moon Lake,
and on this particular afternoon they had slipped away for a delightful
motorboat outing. They had cruised aimlessly about for several hours,
enjoying the lake scenery and, particularly, a cool, refreshing breeze
which brought them relief from an unseasonably torrid day, for it was
early summer.
Now, as Nancy studied the sky for the first time, she was alarmed to
notice that it had become overcast.
“Helen, I’m afraid there’s going to be a storm,” she announced. “They
come up so quickly on Moon Lake.”
“You’re right,” Helen agreed uneasily. “It does look threatening. I
didn’t realize we were so far from shore. We’d better get back to camp
as fast as we can.”
“I guess we were having too good a time to notice the weather,” Nancy
said.
She gave the steering wheel a turn and headed the motorboat toward the
eastern shore. Although it was not yet dusk, darkness seemed to be
closing in upon the lake. It was with difficulty that the girls
distinguished the shore line. The water, which only a few minutes before
had been a smooth, clear blue, lashed about the little boat in angry,
inky waves.
Helen studied the sky nervously.
“We’d better make full speed ahead, Nancy,” she advised. “We’re a long
way from camp, and that big cloud is rolling up fast.”
Nancy Drew was of the same opinion. One hasty glance at the cloud in
question had assured her that there was no time to be lost if they were
to beat the storm. Even before Helen had made the suggestion, she had
opened the throttle to the fullest extent. The motorboat fairly leaped
through the water, dashing spray into the faces of the two girls.
“Why didn’t we start back a few minutes earlier?” Helen groaned. “We’ll
be drenched to the skin before we reach shore!”
“I’m afraid we shall,” Nancy admitted. “I wonder if there are any
oilskins aboard?”
“They may be under the seat. I’ll look and see if I can find them.”
A moment later Helen triumphantly brought out a mass of sticky yellow
garments. She quickly slipped into a coat, and then relieved her chum at
the wheel, giving her an opportunity to don the oilskins.
Hastily, Nancy pulled a southwester down over her curly, golden bob, and
struggled into a coat several sizes too large for her. She was not an
instant too soon, for suddenly a streak of forked lightning cut across
the sky, momentarily disclosing a thick mass of ugly clouds. The
lightning was followed by an ominous crack of thunder, which caused the
girls to cower involuntarily.
“That was close,” Helen murmured uncomfortably.
“It’s just a taste of what’s coming!” Nancy cried. “The storm is almost
on us!”
The wind, which had been steadily freshening, now began to blow in
earnest. It struck the boat with a force which caused Nancy to grasp the
railing for support. Huge waves swept down upon the little craft,
threatening to bury it.
Another dazzling flash of lightning illuminated the sky, and
simultaneously a deluge of rain descended upon the unfortunate girls.
“Oh, this is terrible!” Helen wailed. “I can’t see to steer!”
Nancy sprang to a position directly behind her chum and peered ahead
into the darkness. As though by magic, the shore line had vanished. The
blinding rain made it impossible to see more than a few feet beyond the
bow.
“Hold to your present course!” she advised, shouting to make herself
heard above the noise of the storm. “It can’t rain like this for long.”
The gallant little motorboat plowed defiantly through the waves, but the
steady chug of its engine did not comfort the two girls. They knew that
they were miles from camp, and should anything go wrong with the motor
they would be entirely at the mercy of the waves. Nancy recalled that
she had noticed only one fishing boat on the lake during the afternoon,
and the knowledge that in case of an accident cries for help would go
unheard did not add to her peace of mind. However, so long as the engine
continued to labor faithfully, there was no need to worry.
“How much gasoline have we left?” Helen inquired anxiously.
“Oh, at least half a tank, Helen. We shan’t need to worry on that
score.”
After a time the rain ceased to fall in torrents and a drizzle set in.
However, the storm was by no means over, for the wind continued to blow
a full gale and every instant it seemed to Nancy Drew and Helen Corning
that the waves became higher.
“If only we could see where we’re going!” Helen complained.
She had endeavored to maintain a straight course for the camp, but there
was no way of estimating the amount of drift, and she had no idea how
far they were from shore.
A jagged ribbon of lightning illuminated the path ahead. Catching her
breath, Nancy Drew leaned forward and peered into the inky water. What
she saw froze her with horror. Directly ahead, floated a big log!
“About!” Nancy cried frantically.
Helen, too, had seen the log which lay in the path of the motorboat, and
the sight held her in a paralysis of fright. She “froze” to the wheel.
“About!” Nancy shouted again.
Helen gave the wheel a vicious turn. The boat responded, but not quickly
enough. The log loomed up in the water ahead. With a splintering crash,
the boat struck it.
The sudden impact of the blow threw Nancy Drew backwards. She went
sprawling into the bottom of the boat. Helen, who still clung to the
steering wheel, screamed in fright.
“Nancy, are you hurt?” she demanded fearfully.
Nancy did not reply, but hastily scrambled to her feet. With difficulty
she managed to stand, for the boat listed sharply to the right.
Instantly, she saw that the collision with the log had torn a jagged
hole in the side of the craft. Water was pouring in through it.
“Quick!” Nancy ordered sharply. “We must bail or we’ll sink!”
She sprang forward, and, tearing off her coat, tried to stuff it into
the hole. Helen caught up a rusty pail which had been kept on hand for
fish bait, and began to bail. She worked madly, but in spite of her
efforts, the water came in faster than she could dip it out.
“Oh, it’s no use!” she groaned. “We’re sinking!”
Nancy, too, realized that they could not hope to stop the leak. The boat
was doomed, and they with it unless aid came to them quickly.
“Shout for help!” she ordered. “Someone may hear us.”
Cupping their hands to their lips, the girls shouted again and again.
“Help! Help!” they screamed desperately.
There was no answer. The wind howled derisively in their ears, mocking
them in their plight.
“Oh, what shall we do?” Helen demanded hopelessly.
Already the two girls were standing in water over their ankles, and each
instant the boat was settling lower. A big wave bore down upon them, and
Nancy, who saw it coming, realized that it meant the end.
A deluge of water poured in over the sides.
“We’re lost!” Helen cried. “We’re lo——”
The words ended in a choking gurgle as the waters closed over her head.