The Mystery on the Mississippi

convinced. “That sounds pretty unlikely... kind of crazy, really. I just hope they know where to pick him up when the time comes.”
    “If anyone is interested in what I think,” Jim said, taking a long drink from a steaming mug of chocolate, “I think that we may be in on a pretty big case. It may even be an international thing.”
    “If the federal agents know so much, why did they let the Coast Guard take Bob off so quickly without questioning him?” Honey asked.
    Trixie laughed. “With all the indictments they had against him, they knew where they’d find him when they got around to questioning him, didn’t they, Honey?”
    “Jeepers, I didn’t think of that. I’m glad to hear you laugh, though, Trixie. My, but this chocolate tastes good. I’m hungry, too. We might as well order some bacon and waffles and eggs, don’t you think? We have to wait right here for Daddy, anyway.”

    They were eating ravenously when Mr. Wheeler and Mr. Brandio came in. The early sun was shining brightly outside, and the motel was alive with morning activity. The coffee shop had begun to fill up. Mr. Wheeler took a stool next to Trixie. Mr. Brandio sat on the other side. “Tell us about it, Trixie,” Mr. Wheeler said quietly.
    Trixie’s eyes lowered to her plate. She didn’t answer. She seemed to be summoning courage to tell him.
    “Speak up!” Mr. Wheeler urged. “Honey has told me, of course, that you went swimming in the pool before daylight, all alone. That was very unwise. You know that now, so I’ll say no more about it. How you survive the dangers you get into, I’ll never know. Honey told me of the drain. Just tell Mr. Brandio and me about the man you think you saw running away from the pool.”
    When Trixie had told them, Mr. Wheeler rose abruptly and went to the telephone in the corner of the coffee shop. The Bob-Whites watched him as he talked. They saw him nod, shake his head, listen for a long time, then place the receiver back on the hook.
    “The man I talked with said he wished you were all back in New York. I must say I agree with him. .If it weren’t for the big meeting coming up today—”
    “Don’t let that influence you,” Mr. Brandio said hastily.
    “Oh, please, Mr. Wheeler, we’ll do anything you think we should do.” Trixie was contrite. “You don’t need to worry about me. I’ve certainly had my lesson. Tell us what you think we should do.”
    “I do want to attend that meeting,” Mr. Wheeler said thoughtfully. “What would you think about moving the Bob-Whites to another motel, maybe to a downtown hotel, Mr. Brandio?”
    Mr. Brandio considered the question for a while, then said, “I’m not sure that would be a good idea. The manager here will be more alert. He seemed quite concerned when we talked to him a few minutes ago in the office. Of course, we can’t tell him about Lontard or those papers.”
    “Not without permission from the authorities,” Mr. Wheeler said. “They assured me, though, that they’re right on the job, and I’m sure they have their eye on Lontard.”
    “They sure had their eyes closed last night,” Mart said.
    “I guess they thought that, once we were locked in, we’d stay locked in for the night,” Trixie said. “I’m sorry.”
    “Heck, we can find plenty to do right here at the motel,” Dan said, “if Trixie will agree to lay low and not take any more risks.”
    “Oh, I will, Mr. Wheeler, I will. I’ll be just as careful as I can be. We won’t move from here till it’s time for us to leave for New York.”
    Mart groaned aloud and hit the counter with his fist. “I did want to go to Hannibal,” he said under his breath.
    “Hannibal?” Mr. Brandio repeated, his face light-ingup.
    “Oh, don’t pay any attention to him, sir,” Brian said hastily. “We sort of wanted to see Mark Twain’s country, you know—where Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn used to hang out. Mart’s been especially hipped on the subject, but that’s unimportant now.”
    “I’m not so sure it is,” Mr. Brandio answered. “Don’t you see,” he said to Mr. Wheeler, “they’d be miles from this area around the factories.”
    “How could they possibly go, after the rugged experience Trixie’s had?” Mr. Wheeler was dubious.
    Trixie interrupted hastily. “I’m fine! I’m just as good as ever. Nobody needs to worry one bit about how I feel. It never takes very long for me to snap back.”
    Mr. Wheeler smiled. “I should know that by this time. That