The Mystery on the Mississippi

wish I weren’t so gabby.”
    “You’re not,” Honey said warmly. “You’re just friendly. Everybody loves you for it. As for worrying about Mrs. Aguilera—I wish you wouldn’t. I think I know people pretty well, and I’d trust her with anything. She’s so motherly. Now the boys are calling us. Hear them?”
    “Yes. We must be getting pretty close to Cairo.
    And, Honey, you may think Mrs. Aguilera is motherly and all that, but she’s not one bit like my mom. Say, I kind of hate to get to the end of our trip, don’t you?”
    “Kind of,” Honey said slowly.
    Trixie opened the bag, shoved her pajamas and slippers inside, and added a kit with her brush, comb, and lipstick. “I know just what you mean. When Pierre Lontard jumped overboard—and I’d stake my life that’s who it was—then our work on board this towboat seemed to be finished.”
    She stopped packing, looked intently at Honey, and continued, “This may be the biggest case we’ve ever worked on —if we can prove those papers in my purse have something to do with the space program, and if we can follow up that Pierre Lontard. Jeepers, Honey, think what it will mean to our agency. Do you have anything to put in this bag?”
    “A few things.” Honey paused a moment. “Aren’t the engines slowing down?”
    “Yes. We must be at Cairo.”
    “Then we must hurry. Captain Martin said he’d have a harbor boat come out to take us to shore. They aren’t going up to the wharf with the Princess. All the barges in this tow are headed for New Orleans.”
    Trixie helped Honey add her possessions to the bag. She checked her purse to make sure the papers were safe. “It doesn’t seem as though we’ve been here more than a few hours, and think of the things that have happened! I love the Catfish Princess. I can’t hear the engines at all now. Let’s find the boys.”
    Politely and cordially, the Bob-Whites said goodbye to Captain Martin and all the other officers and crew members who had been so gracious to them on their cruise.
    “You all come and visit us again. Now, see that you do!” Captain Martin told them. “When you get off the tug, go through Fort Defiance State Park to the motel, where you’re supposed to meet the car. You can’t miss the motel. It’s right on the main street. Good-bye, now.”
    Mr. and Mrs. Aguilera stood watching, and Paul and Deena waved wistfully from the boat’s rail as the water widened between the Catfish Princess and the chugging tug.

Bob-White Luck • 7

    I WONDER WHICH way we’re supposed to go now,” Jim said when the group reached the river’s edge. He picked up one of the bags and motioned for Brian to take the other one.
    “Straight through that park.” Mart pointed confidently. “I’m sure the Heartland Motel is not far from the edge of it; just a few blocks, maybe.”
    “Then we won’t need a taxi.” Trixie took the scarf from around her sandy curls and stuffed it in her sweater pocket. “It’s hot here, isn’t it? It was so cool on the river. I hated to leave the Catfish Princess. ”
    “Me, too,” Honey said. “We didn’t have time to know Deena at all.”
    “Or Paul,” Mart added. “Do you want Dan and me to carry the bags now?”
    Brian shook his head. Jim said, “No, thanks,” and he swung the small suitcase he was carrying into his other hand.
    After a few minutes of walking in silence, Jim called out, “We’re practically there now. See the sign up ahead? I wonder why they call the motel ‘Heartland.’ ”
    “Because it’s in the Middle West... heart of the land,” Mart said pompously.
    Dan sighed. “I wish the time would come when you wouldn’t know all the answers, Mart.”
    “Can I help it if I’m just naturally bright? What’s bothering you, Dan? Your face is as long as a sad alligator’s.”
    “It’s nothing. It’s just that I can’t help wondering about that sneaky Lontard. I wonder if it really was Lontard who stowed away. I wonder where he’s going to turn up next.”
    “Captain Martin didn’t think there was a stowaway on board,” Mart said bluntly.
    Dan rubbed his head ruefully. “He would have if someone had practically knocked his block off making for the rail.”
    “Maybe he drowned,” Mart suggested cheerfully.
    Trixie shuddered.“Oh, I hope not. Mart, you’re bloodthirsty. I’ve been thinking about the same thing as Dan has, though. Of course Pierre Lontard swam to shore, and we haven’t seen the last of him. Since we