The paper had been torn in half, and the remainder of the strange message was missing!

CHAPTER III.

Ghost in the Cave

As Nancy reread the mysterious words, Bess Marvin approached the table.

"Thank goodness the last customer has gone!" she exclaimed, pulling off her ap.r.o.n.

"Uh-huh," Nancy replied, her mind on the strange message.

"You're not listening!" Bess accused. "What is it you're reading, Nancy?"

"A paper I found on the ground after one of my customers left. He was an elderly man, Bess, and he said he had come to Candleton to find a bell that had been made by Paul Revere!"

Nancy handed the paper to her friend to read and waited for her comments.

"Do you suppose the man thinks the gems are hidden in the Revere bell? Why, it's another mystery, Nancy!"

"Not so loud," the young detective warned with a quick glance around her. "If the contents of this paper should become known, some dishonest person in Candleton might start buying all the old bells around and selling them at a fancy profit."

"What is an x.x.x bell, Nancy?"

"I don't know, but my guess is the three X's might be the trademark of the maker."

"Wouldn't it be marvelous if we could find one ourselves!"

"That's an idea," Nancy said with a smile as she folded the paper. "We should return this to the customer who lost it. I wish I knew his name."

Neither Dora nor Mrs. Chantrey could provide any information about the elderly man. They were sure he had never been to the Salsandee Shop before.

"If the paper is valuable and belongs to him, he'll come back here to look for it," Nancy reasoned.

Mrs. Chantrey sealed the message in an envelope and dropped it into a desk drawer, instructing Dora to give it to the stranger should he call. Then, grateful to the girls for their efficient help, she insisted they stop work and return to her house.

"I'll go with you," she declared. "Dora will be able to take care of the few customers who may drop in between now and closing time. But first we'll have some dinner."

The moon was rising as the three girls later walked along the beach with their hostess. Farther up White Cap Bay they glimpsed a light-house, and Mrs. Chantrey pointed out Whistling Oyster Cove and Bald Head Cliff.

"Such picturesque names!" George remarked, stooping to pick up an odd-shaped sh.e.l.l. "Is fishing the chief occupation here, Mrs. Chantrey?"

"I'd say the making of salt-water taffy is!" She chuckled. "But seriously, there's one interesting spot you must visit," Mrs. Chantrey went on. "Mother Mathilda's Candle Shop."

"Did those lovely ones at the Salsandee Shop come from there?" Bess inquired.

"Yes. You may have noticed they're lightly perfumed."

As Bess and George asked questions about the village and its inhabitants, Nancy remained unusually quiet. She was concerned about her father's absence. Deep in thought, she was startled when her hostess suddenly asked about him.

"When will Carson arrive in Candleton, Nancy? We were expecting him this morning."

"I thought he'd be here before us," she replied. "Dad telephoned before I left River Heights and said he was taking a plane from New York."

Although Mr. Drew was a busy man, and Nancy realized that he might have been delayed by unexpected business, he had never failed to let her know of a change in plans.

"Now don't worry about your father," Mrs. Chantrey said quickly. "Perhaps there's a message at home."

Nancy brightened at the suggestion. But when they reached the house, June Barber said that no word had come. Even though Nancy was greatly concerned, she decided that she could not allow worry over her father's absence to spoil the evening for Bess and George.

"Tomorrow we must explore White Cap Bay," she said. "Mrs. Chantrey, in your letter you mentioned a mystery along the sh.o.r.e."

Her hostess smiled. "It concerns the cave at the base of Bald Head Cliff. My advice to you would be to avoid the spot."

"Please tell us why," Nancy urged.

"I've never been there myself," Mrs. Chantrey continued, "but townspeople say it's spooky and dangerous. According to the tale, Bald Head Cave is inhabited by a ghost. I don't believe in ghosts, but the fact remains that some unhappy accidents have occurred in that area. Several persons nearly drowned, and one man lost his life."

"How do the accidents happen?" Nancy asked.

"It's said the ghost causes water to rush out of the cave. He tolls a warning bell whenever people are near, and if they don't leave at once, the water engulfs them."

Bess shivered. "If the ghost were human, he'd drown too. So the thing must be supernatural."

"How long has this been going on?" Nancy asked.

"I don't know exactly," Mrs. Chantrey replied. "But not for long. From what I hear, I judge the cave has always been there, but not the ghost nor the rushing water nor the tolling bell."

"Has the cave been explored?" George asked.

"A few venturesome men have tried it but learned nothing."

The story excited Nancy's curiosity. She thought about it late into the night, and concluded there must be some logical explanation for the phenomenon. As Nancy dropped off to sleep, she told herself that the only way to find out was to go there herself and investigate.

In the morning, however, Nancy forgot about exploring the cave. No message had come from her father and she was unable to hide her alarm. She called her home in River Heights. Hannah Gruen had heard nothing from Mr. Drew and she in turn became worried.

A call to the lawyer's office brought no rea.s.surance. Mr. Drew's secretary was on vacation, and the girl who was taking her place said she thought he had gone to Candleton.

"And there was no word from New York?"

"None at all."

Discouraged, Nancy thanked her and hung up.

"Perhaps he's been in an accident," she told her friends.

"Now do stop worrying, Nancy," Bess said kindly. "If your father had been in an accident, someone in River Heights would have been notified."