The Whispering Statue Read Online Free PDF Page A

think it’s hopeless. There’s a lot of mud down there.” Soon George also gave up but Nancy was persistent.
    “One more dive,” she said. “Then I’ll quit too.”
    This time her groping hands found the rope on the deck of the schooner. Her lungs almost bursting, she made her way to the top of the water.
    As she grabbed the marker, Bess cried out, “You found it!”
    She and George took the rope and secured the mast of the sailboat to the marker.
    Bess was concerned about Nancy, who was shivering. “Are you all right?” she inquired.
    “I’ll be okay in a few minutes,” she replied. “The old lungs took a beating.”
    George declared that hereafter when they went sailing they should carry skin-diving equipment with them. The next second she cried out, “Oh, here comes somebody in a Boston Whaler!”
    To the girls’ delight the newcomer was Dick. “Gee, I’m sorry,” he said. “When that sudden blow came up, I figured you might have some trouble.”
    “You’re a real lifesaver, Dick!” Bess exclaimed gratefully.
    The girls pulled themselves into the Whaler while Dick anchored the sailboat. When he learned of Nancy’s determination to save the craft, he shook his head in disbelief.
    “Boy, you’re something!” he said. “I don’t think I’d have had the courage to try it.”
    Nancy smiled. “Do me a big favor, Dick. Promise you won’t tell a single soul about this.”
    “Okay, Debbie. I’ll have to report what happened to the sailboat, of course, but I’ll keep your brave deed a secret.”
    “Thanks,” Nancy murmured.
    Dick added, “Don’t feel bad about this. Even the best sailors have accidents. Frankly I don’t think the repair job on this Wee Scot will be expensive.”
    Nancy insisted she would pay for any damage and Dick replied, “We’ll see about that.”
    When the girls reached the yacht club, Nancy quickly changed into a pink sports dress, and then went to Mr. Ayer’s office. She told him about the accident to the sailboat and insisted upon reimbursing the yacht club for necessary repairs.
    The manager smiled. “I see that your adventures in Waterford have already started.”
    “I hope the others will have a happier ending,” Nancy replied. “Mr. Ayer, I’ve heard about the whispering statue that was stolen from here. Where did it stand?”
    He said that it had been in the center of the narrow lawn at the front of the club facing the bay.
    “Were there any clues to the thieves?” the young detective queried.
    “None whatever. I have the feeling that the police gave up in despair trying to find the thieves and the statue.”
    Mr. Ayer said he himself had never seen the marble figure, since he had not come to the club until a year ago when it was ready to open.
    “I’m told the statue was very beautiful. Do you know the story about it?”
    Nancy repeated what Mrs. Merriam had said: that the statue looked like the wife of the original owner of the property, that she never overcame her homesickness for her native land Italy, and that she had died while in her twenties.
    “Mr. Ayer, did you ever hear any theories on why the statue whispered?”
    “No, I never have.” He chuckled. “Do you intend to try finding the marble lady?”
    “Yes, although I have another job to do for my father. But I’d like to see the exact spot where the statue stood. Would you mind showing it to me?”
    “Not at all.”
    He led the way to the front lawn and pointed to an oversized flower urn containing petunias. “We covered the spot with this,” he said, “but I suppose it’s a poor substitute for a beautiful marble piece. The whispering statue would be a great addition to the yacht club. I wish you luck in trying to find it.”
    As the manager excused himself to go back to his office, Bess and George joined Nancy. She told them what she had just learned and suggested that the girls make a thorough search of the area.
    The three friends separated and began a minute hunt for any