out!”
“If it’s inside the fence, the owner probably won’t want to sell the clay, anyway,” Mr. Drew reminded his daughter. “Well, look around if you wish. But be careful. Don’t go there alone.”
“All right,” she promised.
Carson Drew took a paper from his pocket and said, “I have a clue, too. It’s about the Engs.”
“What is it?” Nancy asked eagerly.
“I received a phone call from San Francisco this afternoon,” Mr. Drew explained, “and my secretary wrote down this report.” He settled back in his chair and continued:
“It says that when the Engs arrived in San Francisco, on their trip to the United States, they were met at the dock by a man named David Carr.
“Carr was sales representative for the West Coast Trading Company, a San Francisco importing house,” Mr. Drew went on. “He and Eng Moy apparently were acquainted as the result of business dealings. When the Engs left San Francisco on their tour of United States pottery plants, Carr went with them.”
“Does the report mention what David Carr looks like?” Nancy asked.
“No. The report says there doesn’t appear to be any photograph or description of him available. Even the officials of the importing company can’t furnish any clues. It seems that Carr did practically all his work for them in China; contacted them by mail. Then, about the time he met the Engs in San Francisco, he dropped out of sight.”
“Maybe Carr has something to do with the Engs’ disappearance,” Nancy speculated.
“Could be,” her father agreed. He put the report away. “Anyway, it’s a clue to work on.”
As Nancy pondered, she glanced idly at a New York City newspaper which lay on her father’s desk. Suddenly a small black headline caught her eye. She picked up the paper and scanned the story, then read it to her father.
It described a robbery that had taken place in New York. An ancient Chinese tea jar, dating from the Sung dynasty, had been stolen from the delivery truck of the Sen-yung Oriental Gift Shop on Madison Avenue.
“That’s the place where Mr. Townsend bought the vase for his wife; the one stolen during the party!” Nancy exclaimed. “I’ll bet there’s some connection between the two robberies!”
She decided to put in a long-distance call to the gift shop the following morning and find out if the thief had been arrested.
“He may be the same person who stole Mrs. Townsend’s vase!” Nancy cried excitedly.
Mr. Drew smiled. “Why not call the New York police tonight?” he suggested. “I’ll do it for you if you like.”
In a few minutes he had the desired information. The thief was still at large.
“How would you like to go to New York and talk to the owner of the gift shop yourself?” Mr. Drew suggested. “You’ll get more information that way. Besides, you’ll be able to spend a few days with Aunt Eloise.”
“It’s a deal!” exclaimed Nancy as she hugged her father. She had put off visiting her father’s sister, Miss Eloise Drew, for far too long. “I’ll catch the morning plane if I can get a reservation,” she decided.
Fortunately, when she telephoned the airport, she was able to get a seat. Then she wired her aunt, telling of her time of arrival.
She slipped into bed with her head full of anticipation. New York always held a thrill for her!
Nancy was awakened the next morning by a small, cold nose sniffing her hand. She sat up to see Togo, her little fox terrier, squatting on her suitcase, his eyes fixed on her anxiously. His stubby tail began to wag while he whimpered pleadingly.
“No, Togo.” Nancy yawned. “You can’t come.”
She rose and dressed quickly. Two hours later Nancy boarded the plane to New York. The trip was smooth and pleasant. A moment after the plane landed, Nancy saw her aunt, a tall, attractive woman of middle age.
Miss Drew, whom Nancy strikingly resembled, possessed a charming grace which marked her as a woman of unusual intelligence.
Eloise Drew knew
“If it’s inside the fence, the owner probably won’t want to sell the clay, anyway,” Mr. Drew reminded his daughter. “Well, look around if you wish. But be careful. Don’t go there alone.”
“All right,” she promised.
Carson Drew took a paper from his pocket and said, “I have a clue, too. It’s about the Engs.”
“What is it?” Nancy asked eagerly.
“I received a phone call from San Francisco this afternoon,” Mr. Drew explained, “and my secretary wrote down this report.” He settled back in his chair and continued:
“It says that when the Engs arrived in San Francisco, on their trip to the United States, they were met at the dock by a man named David Carr.
“Carr was sales representative for the West Coast Trading Company, a San Francisco importing house,” Mr. Drew went on. “He and Eng Moy apparently were acquainted as the result of business dealings. When the Engs left San Francisco on their tour of United States pottery plants, Carr went with them.”
“Does the report mention what David Carr looks like?” Nancy asked.
“No. The report says there doesn’t appear to be any photograph or description of him available. Even the officials of the importing company can’t furnish any clues. It seems that Carr did practically all his work for them in China; contacted them by mail. Then, about the time he met the Engs in San Francisco, he dropped out of sight.”
“Maybe Carr has something to do with the Engs’ disappearance,” Nancy speculated.
“Could be,” her father agreed. He put the report away. “Anyway, it’s a clue to work on.”
As Nancy pondered, she glanced idly at a New York City newspaper which lay on her father’s desk. Suddenly a small black headline caught her eye. She picked up the paper and scanned the story, then read it to her father.
It described a robbery that had taken place in New York. An ancient Chinese tea jar, dating from the Sung dynasty, had been stolen from the delivery truck of the Sen-yung Oriental Gift Shop on Madison Avenue.
“That’s the place where Mr. Townsend bought the vase for his wife; the one stolen during the party!” Nancy exclaimed. “I’ll bet there’s some connection between the two robberies!”
She decided to put in a long-distance call to the gift shop the following morning and find out if the thief had been arrested.
“He may be the same person who stole Mrs. Townsend’s vase!” Nancy cried excitedly.
Mr. Drew smiled. “Why not call the New York police tonight?” he suggested. “I’ll do it for you if you like.”
In a few minutes he had the desired information. The thief was still at large.
“How would you like to go to New York and talk to the owner of the gift shop yourself?” Mr. Drew suggested. “You’ll get more information that way. Besides, you’ll be able to spend a few days with Aunt Eloise.”
“It’s a deal!” exclaimed Nancy as she hugged her father. She had put off visiting her father’s sister, Miss Eloise Drew, for far too long. “I’ll catch the morning plane if I can get a reservation,” she decided.
Fortunately, when she telephoned the airport, she was able to get a seat. Then she wired her aunt, telling of her time of arrival.
She slipped into bed with her head full of anticipation. New York always held a thrill for her!
Nancy was awakened the next morning by a small, cold nose sniffing her hand. She sat up to see Togo, her little fox terrier, squatting on her suitcase, his eyes fixed on her anxiously. His stubby tail began to wag while he whimpered pleadingly.
“No, Togo.” Nancy yawned. “You can’t come.”
She rose and dressed quickly. Two hours later Nancy boarded the plane to New York. The trip was smooth and pleasant. A moment after the plane landed, Nancy saw her aunt, a tall, attractive woman of middle age.
Miss Drew, whom Nancy strikingly resembled, possessed a charming grace which marked her as a woman of unusual intelligence.
Eloise Drew knew
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