The Whispering Statue by Carolyn Keene Page B

safety. “Don’t work for Mr. Basswood unless Bess and George come and check on you every so often.”
    “All right, Dad. Anyway, I don’t think I’ll be there much longer. Mr. Basswood says Mr. Atkin is leaving the hospital very soon and will be back to work. By the way, Dad, where are you calling from?”
    “Washington, D. C. I’m still working on my case here.” He chuckled. “You’ll probably get home before I do and solve this whole mystery yourself.”
    “I hope you’re right,” Nancy said, laughing. “And I’m glad that so far no one has seen through my disguise.”
    Mr. Drew said good-by and Nancy turned to talk to Bess and George. They had changed their clothes and were ready to go downstairs.
    “I’ll meet you as soon as I take off these dusty clothes and put on fresh ones. Oh, I guess my wig needs a good brushing too.”
    Fifteen minutes later she joined Bess and George in the lobby of the club. They were talking with Dick.
    “We may borrow Dick’s car tomorrow,” Bess announced.
    Dick spoke up. “I won’t need it. If I have to go to town, I’ll use the truck.”
    “I certainly appreciate the offer, Dick,” said Nancy. She grinned at him. “You’re always coming to our rescue. We ought to take time out to do something for you.”
    “Debbie Lynbrook, you’ve just said exactly the right thing. You can do something for me right now.”
    “What’s that?” Nancy asked.
    Dick explained that he had reserved one of the Ping-pong tables in the recreation room, hoping the girls would join him in a doubles match.
    George beamed. “That’s a groovy way of paying a debt.”
    The four young people went downstairs. After a toss of paddles, the partners turned out to be Dick and George against Nancy and Bess. At the end of two games the score stood one to one. Dick complimented all the girls on their playing.
    “You’re champs,” he said.
    Bess called to him, “You’re terrific yourself, but Debbie and I are going to win this game.”
    There were long volleys and some breath-taking net shots. But in the end Nancy and Bess won the game.
    “We told you so!” Bess gloated.
    But the next game went to Dick and George. After half an hour of hard, fast playing the score stood even, but in the final game Dick and George scored the twenty-first point and were declared the victors.
    Bess flopped into a chair. “I’m absolutely pooped,” she said.
    Dick looked at her. “Would a sundae with fudge sauce revive you? I hear that’s one of your favorite dishes.”
    “It sure would,” Bess replied. “It’s a beautiful idea. Let’s go!”
    The four went into the club’s snack shop. Over the loudspeaker came the announcement, “Miss Debbie Lynbrook is wanted on the phone.”
    Nancy excused herself and went to a telephone on the wall of the shop.
    “This is Mr. Basswood,” the caller said. “Miss Lynbrook, I want you here at nine o’clock tomorrow morning.”
    Nancy hesitated. If she worked all day, she would not be able to drive to Pittville and Pitman to continue her sleuthing. And she was determined not to give that up!
    “Did you hear me?” Mr. Basswood asked impatiently.
    “Yes,” Nancy replied. “I’ll be there at nine, but I’ll have to leave at two-thirty.”
    Mr. Basswood’s voice was icy as he said, “All right, but I’ll expect you to forgo your lunch hour. Good-by.”
    As Nancy returned to her friends, she frowned a little and said to herself, “What an old grouch he is!”
    A little later Dick said he must leave. The girls continued to talk. Nancy told the cousins about her phone call from Mr. Basswood. “But I’ll be able to leave at two-thirty. Suppose we drive directly to Pittville then.”
    “It’s only about twenty miles from here,” Bess said.
    When the girls were ready to go upstairs, Nancy said, “You don’t mind if I stay down here a little while? I’d like to stroll outside and do some thinking.”
    “We don’t mind,” Bess assured her. “But don’t