CHAPTER XVII
A Daring Attempt
Judy hoped Blackberry would head straight for the main road where hewould be apt to find someone who might read the note attached to hiscollar. Time was of the utmost importance. Horace must feel, as shedid, that it was rapidly running out.
“This story is burning a hole in my pocket,” he said now. “I’ve _got_to get it to the _Herald_. Well, at least we’re trying—”
“Trying what?” cried Judy. “We’re just standing here on the coal piledoing nothing. I don’t call that trying.”
“Maybe not,” Horace said, “but it is serving. ‘He also serves who onlystands and waits.’”
“You and your quotations! Maybe it is serving, but I don’t like it.Maybe you like the thought of someone finding a big story in yourpocket after you’re dead, but I like the thought of being alive a lotbetter—even with empty pockets. Why is your story so important,anyway?” asked Judy. “What, exactly, did Dick Hartwell tell you?”
“He told me plenty,” replied Horace. “Enough to convict the whole Falcogang of extortion as well as robbery. His story should solve Lorraine’sproblem—”
“Bother Lorraine!” exclaimed Judy. “If it hadn’t been for her and herchildish idea that she could wish away her troubles in the fountain wemight not have come here—”
“And Dick Hartwell might not have been found.”
Judy hadn’t thought of that. But what was the good of finding him ifthere was no way to help him? Blackberry was, as Dick had pointed out,only a cat. The note attached to his collar might be lost ordisregarded, probably the latter. Even if he delivered it to the rightpeople it might be much too late. As for Lorraine’s problem, Judyannounced that, whatever it was, it couldn’t compare with the problemof life and death that she and Horace and Dick were facing here insidethe tunnel with the water rising.
“Perhaps not,” Horace admitted, “but it is pretty serious. Dick told methat one of the signatures he forged was that of ArthurFarringdon-Pett!”
“It was!” This information really surprised Judy. “That would meantrouble for him, wouldn’t it? I suppose Dick was forced to copy it?”
“Yes, it was one of the first names Falco gave him,” Horace explained.“He didn’t think it was too serious until he learned how it was beingused. It wasn’t on a bond or anything of value, Dick told me. It wasonly on a sales contract.”
“I see. And how was it being used?”
“Dick didn’t say. Shall we go back and ask him?”
“We did promise to come back.”
Judy knew they had to keep that promise before the water rose muchhigher. It continued to pour in from the broken pipes. Apparentlywhoever had turned it on had no intention of shutting it off. Dick hadsaid the fountain was controlled from the tower.
“Horace,” Judy suddenly remembered, “you didn’t mention the tower inyour note.”
“I didn’t think of it,” he admitted.
“That’s all right,” Judy told him. “I didn’t think of it either untiljust now. Whoever finds the note will figure out something. I hopeBlackberry doesn’t go back to the Brandt house with it. Oh, Horace!Suppose he goes back to that room where we found him and just sitsthere staring at those fish!”
“They should remind him of us. Seriously,” Horace pointed out, “he isonly a cat. We can’t expect him to have human intelligence.”
“We have it. We know the fountain is turned off from the tower. If wecould get out there—”
“We can’t, sis. There’s no use thinking about it.”
“I’d like to see it once more, anyway,” Judy said. “I’d like to standup there behind those cupids and look out at the back of the waterfall.I’d like to make a wish or say a prayer or something before we go backto where Dick is. Please, Horace!”
“Well, okay,” he agreed. “I’ll boost you up there if you think it willdo any good. You might yell for help once more while you’re at it.Maybe we can still make ourselves heard.”
“We can try. Even if the crooks hear us, it’s better than nobody.”
Horace wasn’t so sure of that.
“But anyway,” he said, “you’ll be safer up there than down here. Thewater is getting deeper all the time.”
Judy climbed down from the coal pile and waded bravely into the waterwith Horace following close behind her. They were surprised to find thewater almost warm.
“You see what does it,” Horace pointed out as they passed the furnace.
Judy heard it sputter as if protesting against the water that waspouring into it through the eye-like grate. It came out warm, but thatwouldn’t last long for the fire would soon be out. Then, thought Judywith a shudder, cold and darkness would descend upon them. The waterwould creep up, unseen, until it covered them....
“Oh, Horace!” she cried, clinging to him. “I can’t bear to think ofwhat will happen. It’s colder now—and so swift!”
The drain, they saw as they approached it, was still clear. Waterrushed down it in a whirlpool. It was all they could do to keep theirfooting. But finally they were past the worst of it. Daylight came infaintly from the opening overhead.
“Lift me, Horace!” Judy said at last. She had to raise her voice abovethe roaring noise from the fountain which was now directly above them.“Do you think anyone can hear me if I stand up there behind the cupidsand call for help?” she shouted.
Horace doubted it and told her so.
“Down here there’s an echo, but up there your voice would be drownedout by the roar of the fountain. It’s haunted all right. I never expectto hear anything more frightening than that roaring water above us.”
“It scares me, too,” Judy admitted, “but not as much as the water fromthat broken pipe. If you lift me up we might yell together, me from upthere and you from down here. Then, if nobody hears us, there’s onemore thing I might try. You won’t stop me, will you?”
“That depends on what you have in mind,” Horace told her. “You’re theonly sister I have. Don’t try anything impossible.”
“I won’t,” Judy promised, “not if I’m sure I can’t make it. But I’m apretty strong swimmer. I think I can dive through that cascade and getto the rim. Now lift me up!”
“No!” Horace protested. “It’s too dangerous. What if you don’t make it?The fountain will knock the breath out of you and suck you under.”
“I don’t think so,” Judy said. “Besides, I’m so cold now that being alittle colder won’t matter, and I’m already soaking wet. Please,Horace, I’ll have to try it.”
“I don’t like it a bit,” Horace said. “But what can I do? I’ll lookafter Dick Hartwell and keep his head above water if it comes to that.He wouldn’t make the effort to save himself.”
“No,” Judy answered, “I suppose he wouldn’t.”
Suddenly she threw her arms around her brother’s neck and kissed him.
“Cut it out!” he exclaimed. “This isn’t a last farewell. Go ahead,climb up on my shoulder. I’m getting used to it by now. When you seethe water you may change your mind—”
“And yell for help!” Judy finished. “I think we ought to yell, anyway,don’t you?”
Horace needed no urging. He waited until Judy was standing behind thecupids with the waterfall all around her. Then, while she called,“Help! Help! Help!” from her high perch, he joined in from below. Theyboth shouted and called until they were hoarse, but nobody answered.
“Is it because nobody hears us or because nobody cares?” Judy wondered.
Then, suddenly, she remembered what her grandmother had once told her.“There’s always Someone who cares.” This thought renewed the determinedspirit within her.
“Go back!” she called down to her brother. “I’ll yell to you as soon asI’m safe. Oh, Horace! It will be harder for you waiting down there withthe water pouring in than it will be for me going through it.”
“Pick yourself up fast,” he shouted. “G
et to the edge of the pool andthen yell good and loud. I’ll be listening!”
“I will! I’ll make it. I’m sure I will.”
Judy kicked off her wet shoes and threw them to test the force of thewater. They immediately disappeared in the foam. Now she was not sosure.
“Suppose it does knock me out,” she thought with a shiver. She had lefther coat behind to cover Dick Hartwell. For a moment she stood there inher sweater and slacks, hesitating. Then, hurling herself forward withall her strength, she plunged into the fountain.
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The Haunted Fountain Page 18