He turned to Nancy. "In the meantime, I'll warn Miss Wilkin not to let anybody into the museum without proper credentials. By the way, Nancy, you haven't told me how you first became interested in it?"

The young detective explained that her father was a lawyer and had a case which indirectly involved the museum. "I don't know what it is specifically, but Dad asked me to try to find out something about the mystery, so I came up here."

At that moment Mr. Schneider's phone rang. He excused himself and answered the call. He listened a moment and then declared, "You can't do that!"

He listened a few minutes, frowning deeply. Finally he said, "Well, if you insist, but I'll have to figure it out. I'll send you a check for the amount I owe you."

He said good-by and put the phone down. "That was Miss Wilkin," he explained. "She has resigned!"

"What!" Glenn exclaimed.

Nancy told the insurance man that Miss Wilkin had complained last evening of not feeling well. "Maybe she's ill," the young detective said.

"Possibly," Mr. Schneider replied, "but I believe this mystery you've been talking about is partly responsible for her sudden resignation. Why, that museum has been her pet for years! Something must have frightened the woman dreadfully to make her leave in such a hurry."

Nancy remarked that perhaps Miss Wilkin knew more about the strange events there than she cared to tell. "I think I'll go see her. Where does she live?"

Mr. Schneider replied, "Miss Wilkin said she was calling from somewhere else-that she had left town and did not know when she would return."

Nancy sat lost in thought. Here was a new angle to the mystery! Was Miss Wilkin involved in the strange affair?

The young detective was brought out of her reverie by a remark from Mr. Schneider. "Miss Wilkin didn't go to the museum this morning so the place is closed. That's unfortunate. I guess it will have to remain shut until we can get someone else to act as hostess."

A sudden idea flashed into Nancy's mind. "Mr. Schneider," she said, "I have two girl friends staying at Emerson with me while we work on the mystery. Would you consider letting us pinch-hit for Miss Wilkin?"

Mr. Schneider thought about the offer for several seconds, then said, "That's very good of you, but frankly I wish we could invite a scientist to try finding an explanation to what has been going on."

Nancy told him that perhaps Professor t.i.tus could come.

"Excellent idea," Mr. Schneider said. "Can you call him from here?"

Nancy nodded. In a few minutes she had Professor t.i.tus on the line. He readily accepted the invitation to work at the museum for a while. Mr. Schneider was delighted to hear this.

"The sooner I get back the better," Nancy said. "Thank you for seeing us. My friends and I will try to do a good job for you."

He smiled. "And solve that mystery," he replied.

He took a key from a filing cabinet and an architect's drawings of the museum. "These should help you," he said, "but do be careful. I don't want you to injure yourself again."

Nancy promised. Then she and Glenn said good-by and left the insurance office. They went back to the airfield and Glenn took Nancy to Emerson. As they parted, he held her hand and added, "Any time you need me, let me know and I'll come flying in."

She smiled her appreciation and said, "I'll do just that."

She phoned Bess and George and they came to pick her up. When they heard about their new a.s.signment, the cousins were excited, but Bess was leery of the job.

"Goodness only knows what may happen to us!"

"Don't be chicken," George said to her. "All this is not only going to solve the mystery but also capture the real villain."

"That's right," Nancy said quietly, "and in turn lead us to Ned."

CHAPTER XVI.

Astonishing Discovery

THAT evening the young people discussed every angle of the tangled mystery but always came back to the subject of Ned Nickerson. Where was he?

Burt said, "I'm sure Crosson, or whoever kidnapped Ned, knows that two hiding places are under surveillance. He'd be stupid to return to either one."

George spoke up. "Then where would he go?"

"I wish I knew!" Burt replied. "But I feel strongly that Crosson may ditch the copter somewhere and hide out in a new place with Ned."

Dave remarked with a groan that this would mean practically starting all over again to solve the mystery.

"Yes," Bess agreed. "Oh dear! We haven't any dues left to follow. What are we going to do?"

Up to now Nancy had said nothing. An idea was formulating in her mind, however.

Finally George said, "Nancy Drew, what's whirling around in that brain of yours? You have the kind of faraway look you get when you're planning to go off on a new tack."

Nancy smiled. "I admit I'm thinking about a another approach to the mystery. Give me time. If nothing comes of my plan, I don't want to be shown up before you other detectives!"

Her friends laughed and Bess asked, "On how many occasions have you been wrong? I can't think of any."

Dave said, "Nancy's hunches usually turn out to be right, but at times"-he paused-"she has some harrowing experiences before drawing her mystery to a conclusion!"

Pretty soon everyone began to yawn and finally good nights were exchanged. Burt told the girls that he and Dave had an appointment after Sunday chapel services the next day. "We may not see you in the morning. You're going to the museum, aren't you?"

Nancy nodded and said if anything unusual or exciting happened she would telephone the boys.

Directly after breakfast the following morning the girls tidied their room, then drove off to pick up Professor t.i.tus. After greeting them all he climbed into the front seat with Nancy, who headed for the chapel. When the service was over they drove directly to the Anderson Museum.

Professor t.i.tus turned to Nancy. "Are you going to solve the mystery today?" he asked with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Why not?" she bantered. Then, becoming serious, she added, "The authorities haven't captured Zapp Crosson with Ned and we all think that the kidnapper has a new hideout."

"And we haven't the vaguest idea where it is," Bess spoke up, "although I personally suspect Nancy has a hunch."

Nancy made no comment and in a little while they reached the museum. She unlocked the front entrance and they all went in. Professor t.i.tus snapped on the hall light.

"Nancy," he said, "suppose you give us each a job to do. I am not very well acquainted with the exhibits here. Perhaps I should familiarize myself with them in order to be able to answer any questions visitors might ask."

Nancy said that she had formulated a plan of action for the group, but it had more to do with solving the mystery than it did with visitors.

"I suggest that Bess sit here at the hall desk where Miss Wilkin used to be. Bess, you take the admission money and hand each caller one of these visitors' maps of the building."