Saboteurs on the River Part 6

Sara nodded her head grimly. "It has," she agreed. "Didn't you see the morning paper?"

"Why, no."

"Then wait a minute." Sara turned and vanished into the boat shed. A moment later she reappeared, carrying a copy of the _Star_.

"Read that," she directed, thrusting the black headlines in front of Penny's eyes. "Now do you understand why I feel that you're no friend of mine?"

CHAPTER 5 _HELD ON SUSPICION_

Penny gazed at the _Riverview Star's_ front page headline which proclaimed:

"BURT OTTMAN ARRESTED AS SUSPECT IN BRIDGE DYNAMITING."

The opening paragraph of the news story, was even more dismaying. It began:

"Acting upon information provided by Miss Penelope Parker, police today arrested Burt Ottman, owner of the Ottman Boat Dock, charging him with partic.i.p.ation in the Friday night dynamiting of Thompson's bridge."

Penny hastily scanned the remainder of the story and then protested: "But I never even mentioned your brother's name to police, Miss Ottman! Why, I certainly didn't think that he had any connection with the dynamiting."

"You certainly didn't think, period," Sara replied, though in a less severe tone. "You told police that the motorboat used in the dynamiting was one of our boats."

"Well, it looked like it to me. Perhaps I was mistaken."

"You weren't mistaken. The boat definitely was one of ours. It was stolen from here about a month ago."

Penny drew a deep breath. "Then in that case, I don't see why suspicion should fall upon your brother."

"Didn't you tell police that a young man corresponding to his description was handling the boat?"

"Indeed I didn't."

"Then it must have been the watchman who provided the description," Sara corrected. "At any rate, police identified the boat as ours, and arrested Burt. They have him at the station now."

"It never occurred to me that anyone would suspect your brother," Penny said soberly. "Why, everyone along the river knows him well. It should be easy for him to prove his innocence."

"True, it should be," Sara replied bitterly. "The arrest angered Burt, and he made matters worse by refusing to answer questions the police asked him."

"Oh, that was a mistake."

"Yes, but Burt has a great deal of pride. The police never should have arrested him."

"I certainly agree with you," declared Penny, for she could not envision young Ottman as a saboteur. "Can't your brother prove where he was last night at the time of the explosion?"

"That's just it." Sara looked troubled as she reached to take the newspaper. "He refuses to offer any alibi."

"But you must know yourself where your brother spent his time."

"I wish I did. He left here about seven o'clock and didn't return home until early this morning--just a half hour before the police came to arrest him."

"Oh!"

"All the same, Burt had no connection with the dynamiting," Sara said quickly. "He frequently stays out late at night. I've never questioned him, for it was none of my affair."

Penny scarcely knew what to reply. "I can understand now why you're provoked at me," she said after a moment. "But I a.s.sure you I had no intention of involving your brother with the police. I certainly never gave them his description."

Sara smiled and in a charming gesture extended her hand.

"I'm sorry I talked as I did to you," she apologized. "Forget it, will you?"

"Of course," Penny agreed generously. "And if there's anything I can do to help--"

The float creaked and both girls turned to see Bill Evans coming toward them.

"Hi!" he greeted the girls impartially. "Miss Ottman, wonder if I can get you to help me?"

"I suppose you're having trouble with that motor of yours again," sighed Sara. "Or should I say yet?"

"I've lost it in the river," Bill confessed sheepishly. "Blamed thing cost me sixty dollars second-hand too!"

"In the river!" gasped Penny. "What did you do, get peeved and toss it overboard?"

The saddened young man shook his head. "Guess I didn't have it fastened on very well. Anyhow, just as I was leaving the dock, off she fell into about ten feet of water."

"I hope you buoyed the spot," said Sara.

"Yes, I marked it with a floating can. Some of the boys have been trying to get 'er up for me, but no luck. If you can do it, I'll pay five dollars."

"Well, I'm pretty busy," Miss Ottman said in a hara.s.sed voice. "Burt's not here and it keeps me jumping to run the launch and rent the canoes.

But I'll see what I can do this afternoon."

"Thanks," Bill replied gratefully, turning away. "Thanks a lot."

When the young man was beyond hearing distance, Penny spoke again of Burt Ottman's unfortunate arrest.

"I'm sorry about everything, Miss Ottman," she said earnestly. "If you wish, I'll talk to the police and a.s.sure them that so far as I know, the saboteur did not resemble your brother. It was too dark for me to really see him."

"I'll feel very grateful if you will speak a good word for Burt," Sara responded. She sank down on an overturned bucket and pressed a hand to her temple. "Oh, my head's splitting! Everything's been coming at me so fast. The police were here questioning me and they twisted my remarks all around. I'll have to raise bail for Burt, but where the money is coming from I don't know."

The last of Penny's resentment toward the girl faded away. From the jerky way Sara spoke, she knew that her thoughts were darting from one perplexing problem to another.

"I don't know what I'm doing or saying today," Sara said miserably. "If you can forgive me--"

"Of course! I don't blame you a bit for speaking to me the way you did.

May I borrow a sponge for a minute?"