“Isn’t that for Mrs. Marborough to decide?” Penny asked dryly. “The rock is on her land, you know.”
“To be sure, to be sure,” Mr. Franklin nodded, brushing aside the matter of ownership as if it were of slight consequence.
Mrs. Marborough had gone into the house for a coat. Reappearing, she followed Mr. Franklin and the two girls down the trail where the huge stone lay.
“Did you ever notice this rock?” Penny questioned the mistress of Rose Acres.
“Never,” she replied, “but then I doubt that I ever walked in this particular locality before.”
[63]
Jay Franklin stooped to examine the carving1, excitedly declaring that it was similar to the marking of the Gleason stone.
“And here are other characters!” he exclaimed, fingering well-weathered grooves2 which had escaped Penny’s attention. “Indian picture writing!”
“How do you account for two types of carving on the same stone?” Louise inquired skeptically.
“The Indian characters may have been added at a later date,” Mr. Franklin answered. “For all we know, this rock may be one of the most valuable relics3 ever found in our state! From the historical standpoint, of course. The stone has no commercial value.”
“I imagine the museum will want it,” Penny said thoughtfully.
“Exactly what I was thinking.” Mr. Franklin turned toward Mrs. Marborough to ask: “You would not object to the museum having this stone?”
“Why, no,” she replied. “It has no value to me.”
“Then with your permission, I’ll arrange to have it hauled to Riverview without delay. I’ll buy the stone from you.”
“The museum is entirely4 welcome to it.”
“There is a possibility that the museum will refuse the stone. In that event you would have the expense of hauling it away again. By purchasing it outright5, I can relieve you of all responsibility.”
Giving Mrs. Marborough no opportunity to protest, the real estate man forced a crisp two dollar bill into her unwilling6 hand.
[64]
“There,” he said jovially7, “now I am the owner of the stone. I’ll just run down to Truman Crocker’s place and ask him to do the hauling for me.”
The wind was cold, and after Mr. Franklin had gone, Mrs. Marborough went quickly to the house, leaving the girls to await his return.
“I knew something like this would happen,” Penny declared in annoyance8. “Now it’s Mr. Franklin’s stone, and the next thing we know, he’ll claim that he discovered it too!”
Louise nodded gloomily, replying that only bad luck had brought the real estate agent to Rose Acres that particular afternoon.
“I have a sneaking9 notion he came here to buy Mrs. Marborough’s house,” Penny said musingly10. “He thinks it would make a good tourist place!”
For half an hour the girls waited patiently. Neither Jay Franklin nor Truman Crocker appeared, so at last they decided11 it was a waste of time to remain longer. Arriving at home, shortly before the dinner hour, Penny found her father there ahead of her. To her surprise she learned that he already knew of the stone which had been discovered at Rose Acres.
“Information certainly travels fast,” she commented. “I suppose Jay Franklin must have peddled12 the story the minute he reached town.”
“Yes, he called at the Star office to report he had found a stone similar to the one unearthed13 at the Gleason farm,” Mr. Parker nodded.
[65]
“He found it!” Penny cried indignantly. “Oh, I knew that old publicity14 seeker would steal all the credit! Louise and I discovered that rock, and I hope you say so in the Star.”
“Franklin let it drop that he will offer the stone to the museum for five hundred dollars.”
“Well, of all the cheap tricks!” Penny exclaimed, her indignation mounting. “He bought that rock for two dollars, pretending he meant to give it to the museum. Just wait until Mrs. Marborough hears about it!”
“Suppose you tell me the facts,” Mr. Parker invited.
Penny obligingly revealed how she had found the rock by stumbling against it in descending15 a steep path to the river. Upon learning of the transaction which Jay Franklin had concluded with Mrs. Marborough, Mr. Parker smiled ruefully.
“Franklin always did have a special talent for making money the easy way,” he declared. “I’ll be sorry to see him cheat the museum.”
“Dad, you don’t think Mr. Kaleman will be foolish enough to pay money for that rock?” Penny asked in dismay.
“I am afraid he may. He seems convinced that the Gleason stone is a genuine specimen16.”
“You still believe the writing to be faked?”
“I do,” Mr. Parker responded. “I’ll stake my reputation upon it! I said as much to Jay Franklin today and he rather pointedly17 hinted that he would appreciate having me keep my theories entirely to myself.”
[66]
“I guess he doesn’t understand you very well,” Penny smiled. “Now you’ll be more determined18 than ever to expose the hoax19—if hoax it is.”
Mr. Franklin’s action thoroughly20 annoyed her for she felt that he had deliberately21 deceived Mrs. Marborough. Wishing to tell Louise Sidell what he had done, she immediately telephoned her chum.
“I’ve learned something you’ll want to hear,” she disclosed. “No, I can’t tell you over the ’phone. Meet me directly after dinner. We might go for a sail on the river.”
The previous summer Mr. Parker had purchased a small sailboat which he kept at a summer camp on the river. Occasionally he enjoyed an outing, but work occupied so much of his time that his daughter and her friends derived22 far more enjoyment23 from the craft than he did.
Louise accepted the invitation with alacrity24, and later that evening, driving to the river with Penny, listened indignantly to a colored account of how Jay Franklin would profit at the widow’s expense. She agreed with her chum that he had acted dishonestly in trying to sell the stone.
“Perhaps Mrs. Marborough can claim ownership even now,” she suggested thoughtfully.
[67]
“Not without a lawsuit,” Penny offered as her opinion. “She sold the rock to Mr. Franklin for two dollars. Remember his final words: ‘Now I am the owner of the stone.’ Oh, he intended to trick her even then!”
The car turned into a private dirt road and soon halted beside a cabin of logs. A cool breeze came from the river, but the girls were prepared for it, having worn warm slack suits.
“It’s a grand night to sail,” Penny declared, leading the way to the boathouse. “We should get as far as the Marborough place if the breeze holds.”
Launching the dinghy, Louise raised the sail while her chum took charge of the tiller. As the canvas filled, the boat heeled slightly and began to pick up speed.
“Now use discretion,” Louise warned as the dinghy tilted25 farther and farther sideways. “It’s all very well to sail on the bias26, but I prefer not to get a ducking!”
During the trip up the river the girls were kept too busy to enjoy the beauty of the night. However, as the boat approached Truman Crocker’s shack27, the breeze suddenly died, barely providing steerage way. Holding the tiller by the pressure of her knee, Penny slumped29 into a half-reclining position.
“Want me to steer28 for awhile?” Louise inquired.
“Not until we turn and start for home. We’ll have the current with us then, which will help, even if the breeze has died.”
[68]
Curiously30, Penny gazed toward Truman Crocker’s cabin which was entirely dark. High on the hillside stood the old Marborough mansion31 and there, too, no lights showed.
“Everyone seems to have gone to bed,” she remarked. “It must be late.”
Louise held her watch so that she could read the figures in the bright moonlight and observed that it was only a quarter past ten.
“Anyway, we should be starting for home,” Penny said. “Coming about!”
Louise prepared to lower her head as the boom swung over, but to her surprise the maneuver32 was not carried through. Instead of turning, the dinghy kept steadily33 on its course.
“What’s the idea?” she demanded. “Isn’t there enough breeze to carry us around?”
“I was watching that light up on the hill,” Penny explained.
Louise twisted in the seat to look over her shoulder.
“What light, Penny?”
“It’s gone now, but I saw it an instant ago. There it is again!”
Unmistakably, both girls saw the moving light far up the hill. As they watched, it seemed to approach the dark Marborough house, and then receded34.
“Probably someone with a lantern,” Louise remarked indifferently.
“But why should anyone be prowling about Mrs. Marborough’s place at this hour?”
“It does seem strange.”
Deliberately, Penny steered35 the sailboat toward the beach.
“I think we should investigate,” she declared firmly. “Everyone knows Mrs. Marborough lives alone. Someone may be attempting to break into the house!”
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1
carving
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| n.雕刻品，雕花 | |
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grooves
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| n.沟( groove的名词复数 )；槽；老一套；（某种）音乐节奏v.沟( groove的第三人称单数 )；槽；老一套；（某种）音乐节奏 | |
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relics
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| [pl.］n.遗物，遗迹，遗产；遗体，尸骸 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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outright
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| adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的 | |
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6
unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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jovially
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| adv.愉快地，高兴地 | |
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8
annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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sneaking
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| a.秘密的，不公开的 | |
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musingly
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| adv.沉思地，冥想地 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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peddled
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| （沿街）叫卖( peddle的过去式和过去分词 )； 兜售； 宣传； 散播 | |
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unearthed
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| 出土的（考古） | |
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publicity
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| n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告 | |
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descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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pointedly
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| adv.尖地，明显地 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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hoax
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| v.欺骗，哄骗，愚弄；n.愚弄人，恶作剧 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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derived
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| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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alacrity
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| n.敏捷，轻快，乐意 | |
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tilted
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| v. 倾斜的 | |
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bias
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| n.偏见，偏心，偏袒；vt.使有偏见 | |
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shack
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| adj.简陋的小屋，窝棚 | |
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steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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slumped
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| 大幅度下降，暴跌( slump的过去式和过去分词 )； 沉重或突然地落下[倒下] | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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maneuver
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| n.策略[pl.]演习；v.(巧妙)控制；用策略 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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receded
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| v.逐渐远离( recede的过去式和过去分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题 | |
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steered
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| v.驾驶( steer的过去式和过去分词 )；操纵；控制；引导 | |
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