A PRISONER
When Nancy Drew opened her eyes it was to realize that Mary Mason and
the two men were bending over her. She was lying on an old couch and
the gag had been removed from her mouth so that she could breathe more
easily.
"She's coming around," Bud observed in relief, as Nancy regained
consciousness. "I thought for a minute I'd strangled her."
"It would have been better for us if you had," Mary said coldly.
"We're in a mess, that's sure," Tom Tozzle agreed, peering intently
down upon Nancy. "She's the one that followed me to Winchester."
"And you don't know who she is?" Mary demanded.
"Never set eyes on her until to-day."
"Then I'll tell you. Nancy Drew! The daughter of Carson Drew, the
famous criminal lawyer. Does that signify anything to you?"
"She's been listening to everything we said," Tom Tozzle muttered
unpleasantly. He bent down and grasped Nancy roughly by the arm. "What
did you hear? Out with it!"
Nancy knew that it would be useless to pretend she had not overheard
the plot, so she boldly defied her captors.
"I heard enough to put you all behind the bars," she informed them
daringly.
"Not much you won't!" Mary cried. "After we get through with you,
you'll not go snooping into other folk's business again!" She turned to
her brother and Tom Tozzle. "We've got to get rid of her. If we let her
go she'll tell the police everything she knows and they'll be down on
us in a jiffy."
"That's right," Tom agreed. "We'll see that she doesn't get away."
"Not on your life!" Bud put in.
Nancy realized that the situation was desperate. From what she knew
of the character of her captors, she did not doubt that they would be
merciless in their treatment of her. If only she could think of a way
to escape! She must work quickly or it would be too late.
Suddenly she remembered a simple trick which her father had told her
was used frequently by detectives. It was an old device, but she
thought it might work in this instance. At least it was worth trying.
Half rising from the couch, she riveted her eyes on a spot directly
behind her captors and gave a low cry of mingled surprise and joy.
Thinking that Nancy must have left a helper outside who had come to her
aid, the three confederates wheeled about.
Like a flash, Nancy Drew was up from the couch. She dashed across the
room toward the door. With a cry of rage, the three were after her.
"Don't let her get away!" Mary screamed.
Nancy grasped the handle of the door, but at the same instant Tom
Tozzle reached out and caught her by the arm, giving her wrist a cruel
turn.
"None of your tricks!" he snarled.
"Tie her up before she tries to get away again," Mary directed.
"I'll get a rope," Bud cried.
He ran into the storeroom and returned a moment later with a heavy
cord. Nancy's hands were then tied securely behind her and she was
again flung down on the couch.
"I guess you'll not get away this time," Tom laughed evilly.
As Nancy felt the cord cutting into her flesh, she realized that her
chances of escape were slim indeed. Tom Tozzle had done his work far
better than had Stumpy Dowd, the rascal who had once imprisoned her in
an abandoned cottage. Then, by dextrous twisting and squirming, she
had managed to loosen her bonds, but this time she felt that there
was no chance of doing this. The cords would not give an inch, and the
slightest movement on her part brought excruciating pain.
"What are we going to do with her?" Bud demanded practically.
"Leave her here and let her starve," Mary suggested cruelly. "It would
serve her right for meddling."
"Somebody might find her," Tom objected. "Then she'd be sure to set the
police after us."
"That's so," Mary agreed. "Maybe we'd better take her along in the
motorboat."
"She'll be a nuisance," Bud protested.
"We can drop her off at an old cabin I know of," Tom put in. "No one
would think of looking there for her."
"How far is it from here?" Mary asked.
"About forty miles."
"Maybe that's as good a place as any," the girl admitted, after a
moment's thought.
"Sure it is," Tom urged. "We can leave her there until we decide what
to do with her."
"If we play our cards right there ought to be some extra money in this
deal," Bud observed slyly. "Old man Drew should come across heavily to
save his only daughter."
"My father won't pay you a cent!" Nancy broke in furiously. "He'll
track you down and see that you all land in prison!"
"Not much he won't!" Tom sneered. "He'll be only too glad to fork over
the cash when we get through with him."
Nancy subsided, for she realized that she only wasted breath by arguing
with her captors. How worried her father would be when he learned that
she had been kidnapped! She did not doubt that in his anxiety for her
safety he would turn over any sum demanded by the conspirators. She
felt sick at heart to think that she had brought so much trouble upon
her father. If only she had used more caution and had brought the
police with her when she visited the Mason house!
"Well, let's be getting out of here," Tom Tozzle said to his two
companions. "It's late, and we ought to be on our way."
Mary Mason glanced anxiously out of the window.
"It's storming worse than ever," she announced uneasily. "I don't like
to start now."
"We've got to," Bud insisted.
"But the river is so high. I can hear the water pounding against the
dock."
"It's going to storm all night," Tom broke in. "It won't do us no good
to wait."
"I suppose you're right," Mary gave in reluctantly. "I'll get the
things ready."
She went to the kitchen, returning in about ten minutes with a package
which she dropped down on the table.
"There's enough food to last us a couple of days if necessary," she
informed her companions.
"Then I guess everything's ready," Tom said with a critical glance
about the room. "The motorboat is loaded with gas and is a r'aring to
go. She'll ride this storm like a bird."
Now that the time of departure had arrived, Tom Tozzle was in high
spirits. The storm held no terrors for the veteran riverman, but rather
offered a challenge which he was eager to accept. Mary and Bud Mason
did not share his enthusiasm for the adventure.
As Nancy Drew thought of what was in store for her, she shuddered. She
knew that it was dangerous to attempt a journey on the river during
the storm, and the reckless gleam in Tom Tozzle's eye told her that he
would probably prove a foolhardy pilot. Her unpleasant meditation was
rudely interrupted as Bud grasped her by the shoulders and pulled her
to her feet.
"Hold on there," Tom cried. "We can't take her that way. She'll let out
a yell the minute she gets outside."
"Gag her," Mary directed.
"Oh, please don't put that thing in my mouth again," Nancy pleaded. "I
promise I won't cry out for help."
"Gag her," the girl repeated coldly, paying not the slightest attention
to Nancy's plea.
Tom Tozzle brought out the hateful gag from his pocket, and, in spite
of Nancy's vigorous protests, it was jammed down her throat.
"Don't put it in too tight," Bud warned. "We don't want her to pass out
on us again."
Tom Tozzle went to the back door and looked out into the storm.
"The coast is clear," he announced. "Not a person in sight. We can make
it now."
A heavy shawl was thrown over Nancy and the two men grasped her
firmly by the arms. She was half-dragged, half-carried down the
steep path which led to the river. Reaching the dock, she was shoved
unceremoniously into the motorboat. The others climbed in. Tom started
the motor and Bud cast off the rope.
Nancy Drew heard the angry roar of the river as the boat moved slowly
away from the dock. The dreadful journey had begun.