The Mystery of the Fire Dragon by Carolyn Keene Page A

for,” Captain Gray stated. “If it is an unfinished one with the tail going straight down, it is apt to be off center or wobbly. If it’s a completed ‘y,’ it’s even easier to spot.”
    Nancy studied the y’s on the two different samples of writing. “It’s very evident,” she said. “This is fascinating.” Then her brow furrowed. “Captain Gray, do you agree that Chi Che is being held against her will?”
    “I would say yes,” the officer answered. “Furthermore, she probably was taken away somewhere else before any members of the gang even thought of sending this note. For that reason, they had to forge it.”
    “Shall I take this letter back to Mr. Soong?” the young detective asked. “He may become suspicious, and that’s what we’re trying to avoid.”
    The officer nodded. “We have made good photostats of it. Take the letter back, but suggest to Mr. Soong that it might be accidentally thrown away in the hospital and would be safer with you. Then suppose you return it to me.”
    Nancy smiled understandingly and left. She found Grandpa Soong sitting up in bed, writing. He did not object to her suggestion about the letter, so she took it back to police headquarters.
    “I think I’ll drop in at Stromberg’s Bookshop and see how Lily Alys is making out,” Nancy told Captain Gray. “Perhaps she has picked up a clue already!”
    Nancy hurried to the shop. There were several customers who were being assisted by both Mr. Stromberg and Lily Alys. Nancy gave no sign of recognizing the Chinese girl who presently came up to her and asked:
    “May I help you?”
    “Yes,” Nancy replied. “I’m looking for a book on the geology of New York State. Do you happen to have one in stock?”
    “I think we have,” Lily Alys said. “Will you come over this way, please?”
    The young clerk found the volume. “Is there something else?” she asked sweetly.
    “I’m not sure.” Nancy looked around. “The shop is fascinating. I’d like to browse a little.”
    “Very well,” Lily Alys said. “Let me know if you find anything else you wish to buy.”
    In an undertone which no one else in the shop could hear, the Chinese girl said quickly, “On the third shelf of the travel books is a volume about Asia which contains an article on Hong Kong. Inside the book I found a piece of dragon stationery.”
    “Was there anything written on it?” Nancy asked.
    “The paper looked blank on both sides. But maybe you can find something.”
    Quickly Lily Alys went over to the desk, made out a sales slip for the book on geology, then went up to another customer. In the meantime, Nancy wandered around glancing at various volumes. Finally she came to the travel section and found the book which Lily Alys had mentioned.
    She took it from the shelf, and began to look through the volume. Presently she came to a chapter on Hong Kong. But there was no piece of stationery among the leaves!
    “Someone has taken it out,” Nancy thought. “I wonder who. Mr. Stromberg? Or someone who is using the bookshop to leave or collect secret messages? Or maybe the sheet was only a mark to indicate something in the chapter,” she deduced. “I think I’ll buy this book.”
    She walked back toward the desk with it and told Lily Alys that she would purchase the book about Asia as well as the other. As Nancy said this, Mr. Stromberg abruptly left the customer on whom he was waiting and rushed to Nancy’s side.
    “That book is not for sale!” he informed her in a sharp tone of voice.
    Nancy looked at the man in amazement. “Not for sale?” she repeated. “It was on the shelf.”
    “Nevertheless, that volume is not for sale!” Mr. Stromberg cried excitedly. “Give it to me!” Without waiting for her to do so, he snatched it from her hand.
    Nancy pretended to be shocked by his action. “Why, is something the matter with the book?”
    “Yes—uh—it’s out of date. You’ll have to wait until the revised edition is