The Whispering Statue by Carolyn Keene Read Free Book Online Page B

held the following day. “Debbie, I hope you can take the afternoon off.”
    Nancy said she had to work until four o’clock but that she would come directly back to the yacht club. “Ned can pick me up at the shop.” She sighed. “I suppose we girls lost our chance to be in any of the races after smashing one of your boats.”
    “I have a surprise for you,” Dick said. “Top Job has been repaired and is waiting for you sailors. You can make the last race. Bess and George, you can use it in earlier races. How about it?”
    Bess told Dick that she did not plan to enter any of the races, but that George and her friend Burt might take part.
    “We’ll be there early to get in a little practice,” George remarked.
    Nancy regretted that Ned would have no time to try out the sailboat, but she consoled herself with the thought, “Winning isn’t everything. We’ll have a lot of fun and the competition will be great.”
    When the girls reached their bedroom, Nancy said she had thought of a little scheme. Perhaps she could trap Mr. Basswood!
    “Goodness, what is it?” Bess asked.
    Nancy said she would call Mrs. Merriam and get the titles of a couple of books on astrophysics which Mr. Basswood was to sell for her. “Then I want Ned to come down to the shop and ask Mr. Basswood if he has the two volumes. There might be a clue in his answer.”
    She called Mrs. Merriam, who went to consult her list. She came back to the phone and said there were two volumes, System of the World by Sir Isaac Newton and De Orbim Coelestium Revolutionibus by Nicolaus Copernicus.
    “But I’m afraid they’ve been sold,” Mrs. Merriam said. “I was to get ten dollars each as my share.”
    “Thank you,” said Nancy, and told the woman what she planned to do.
    “I hope it works.” Mrs. Merriam sighed.
    Nancy reported what had taken place in the cellar of the shop earlier in the evening, and added, “I’m sure your hunch about Mr. Basswood cheating you is correct”
    “I think it’s wonderful what you’re doing,” Mrs. Merriam remarked. “Please keep me posted.”
    “I will.”
    The following morning Nancy received a phone call to report for work early. When she rang the shop’s doorbell, no one came to answer it. She glanced at her watch. It was five minutes to ten.
    For a fleeting second Nancy wondered if no one was there. On a hunch she walked around to the back entrance and peered into the basement. It was dark. She returned to the front of the building and rang again. This time the door was opened by Mr. Atkin. He did not say good morning or make any comment.
    Nancy greeted him cheerfully and added, “It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it? A wonderful day for the yacht club races.” Mr. Atkin was still silent.
    At that moment Mr. Basswood stepped from his office and remarked that Nancy was very prompt. She replied, “Saturday should be a big one in sales for the shop.”
    “It usually is. Well, suppose you get to work. Find a dustcloth in the rear room and do some cleaning.”
    Half an hour later the first customers came in. While Nancy was showing a woman some statuettes, she noticed the front door being opened. Ned Nickerson walked in. He glanced in her direction, but as planned, gave no sign of recognition. She in turn ignored him.
    He signed the register, then asked for Mr. Basswood. Mr. Atkin looked a bit annoyed but went to get the shop owner.
    “Good morning, sir,” Ned said. “I’m interested in astrophysics. I was told to get two certain volumes. Since you deal in rare books, I thought you might happen to have copies. They’re Newton’s System of the World and Copernicus’s De Orbim Coelestium Revolutionibus.”
    Nancy heard Mr. Basswood say, “I don’t have them here but I can get them for you.” He looked Ned up and down as if appraising him as a purchaser of expensive books.
    “Great!” Ned said. “How much would they be?”
    “Twenty-eight dollars apiece and a bargain at that.”
    Both Nancy and Ned