"Oh, she isn't wanted by the authorities," Nancy hastened to say. "A relative died and left her some money."

"Ah-ha! That's a jib of another cut." Joe grinned. "Yes, Nancy Smith Drew used to room with my missus in New York. She kept a roomin' house then.

"Well, well, I'm glad Miss Drew come into some money, for she was hard up, that she was. Studying for the stage, and a fine figure of an actress she'd 'a' made. Tall and beautiful with a fine deep voice."

Nancy was excited. "Where is Nancy Smith Drew now?"

Sailor Joe went on, "She couldn't get to sign with no theater, and at last she left us to go to some beach with a family as a governess."

Nancy was wildly elated at this clue. "When Was this?" she asked.

"Oh, that was maybe ten-no, not that long. Let me see now. I remember I brought her back a souvenir and she was gone when I docked. What did I bring her? You'd never guess. A little monkey! I got it from a Portuguese-down in Brazil. I'd made a voyage to Rio in-Why, I remember now. It was just eight years ago next spring that Miss Drew left us."

Eight years ago! Nancy's heart sank.

"Do you remember the name of the family she went with?" she asked.

Sailor Joe pursed his lips and frowned. Presently he said, "English folks, I think. Name of Hilt something, or was it Washington? You know what? I gave that monkey to a man in exchange for a pair of boots."

As the old man burst into laughter again, Nancy felt more encouraged than ever, now that she had found another clue. Her thoughts were interrupted by an exclamation from Joe.

"Ahoy! Here comes the missus now. I know her step on the quarterdeck."

He jumped to his feet and rushed to open the door for Mrs. Skeets. Her arms were loaded with bundles.

"Brisket corned beef is what you'll get for supper because it's the cheapest cut in the market," the woman announced.

"Salt horse again!" exclaimed her husband. "Well, never mind. We got company."

Mrs. Skeets walked into the living room and saw Nancy. "Humph! It's you, is it!" She sniffed.

Without another word she pa.s.sed through to the rear of the house and it was some minutes before the woman returned.

"Did you bring the money?" she asked.

"Hey, what's all this palaverin' about?" Joe demanded in annoyance.

"This is the young lady who's responsible for the disappearance of the letter from your sister that had ten dollars in it. I went around to her house. I suppose you've got the money with you?"

Joe looked from his wife to Nancy in bewilderment. "But this young lady didn't steal the money, did she?"

"I'm askin' no questions," Mrs. Skeets said stiffly. "All I want is our ten dollars."

Nancy smiled at Sailor Joe. "I'm glad you don't think I stole the money," she said. "Of course I didn't. A batch of letters was taken from our house, and your wife seems to think that a letter from your sister was among them."

"Well, I ain'tgoin' to let you pay one cent," Joe roared. "Not even a stevedore would agree to that."

"Nevertheless I made a bargain with your wife," Nancy told him. "I said I would give her the ten dollars in exchange for some information about Nancy Smith Drew."

"You see?" Mrs. Skeets said loftily. "Well, a bargain's a bargain. Let me see the ten dollars and then I'll talk."

Nancy took the money from her purse and held it up. She told the woman of the conversation that she had had with her husband. "I understand that Nancy Smith Drew was engaged as a governess by some English people several years ago."

"That's right, but Joe told you too much.

'Course this was a long time ago and I don't think it'll do you much good tryin' to find Nancy Smith Drew there. The name of the people was Wilson and they wa.s.stayin' at the Breakers Hotel somewhere on Cape Cod."

Nancy turned over the ten-dollar bill and started for the door. "Thank you both for the information. I shall try hard to find this other Nancy Drew. Mrs. Skeets, ask your husband to tell you about her inheritance."

As soon as Nancy reached home, she consulted the long-distance operator in order to dial the Breakers Hotel on Cape Cod. Finally she was given the number and put in the call. The man who answered said the place was closed for the winter. He was only the caretaker.

"I'm trying to locate people named Wilson who perhaps spend the summers there," Nancy said. "Could you give me their winter address?"

"No," the man replied. "I don't know the names of the summer guests and all the hotel's books are locked up. Maybe if you call next summer you can find out."

Nancy put down the phone and stared into s.p.a.ce. Once more she had run into a stone wall. How should she proceed now?

As she sat lost in thought, the phone rang. She picked up the instrument and said, "h.e.l.lo."

"Hi, Nancy!"

"Ned!"

"How's everything?" Ned Nickerson asked.

"You mean about the weekend? Just fine. Bess and George and I are driving up on Friday. We'll come right to Omega Chi Epsilon House. Okay?"

"That's what I was going to ask you to do. You girls will be staying here."

"Ned," Nancy said, "I'm busy solving two new mysteries."

She went on to give him a detailed account of Edgar Nixon, the stolen mail, and finally the mysterious letter which had come from England for Nancy Smith Drew.

At the end she laughed and said, "Of course I expect your help."

It was Ned's turn to chuckle. "I might be able to help you sooner than you think. You know there's to be a play Friday night-one of Shakespeare's. The dramatic society engaged a coach to come out from New York especially for it. She's a woman-and her name is N. Smith Drew!"

CHAPTER VII.

The Wrecked Car

"OH, Ned, do you mean it?" Nancy exclaimed. "Will you find out if the coach's first name is Nancy?"

He promised to do this and then added, "You'll be able to meet her Friday night. If she is Nancy Smith Drew, I won't tell her about the inheritance. I'll leave that for you."

Ned said he would call Nancy back as soon as he found out. "I won't leave the house until you do!" she told him.