Carolyn Keene - The Clue in the Jewel Box

“Mrs. Alexandra, a new acquaintance, has invited Dad and me to a special dinner party. We are to take her grandson, Francis Baum, to see her for the first time. It’s thrilling, Ned! He’s supposed to be a missing prince-”

“Wish he’d stay missing,” Ned muttered. “Well, how about tomorrow afternoon?”

“Fine, if you’ll get me home in time to dress for the dinner party.”

“All right, we’ll take in the carnival,” Ned said. “Everything from fortune-telling to the roller coaster.”

The following afternoon the two arrived at the carnival grounds. They mingled with the crowd, enjoying the various amusements.

Finally Ned bought tickets for the roller coaster. As the car dashed madly down each incline, Nancy held her breath and clung to Ned. He enjoyed this so much that he suggested a second ride.

“No, let’s try something else,” Nancy pleaded. “How about the Ferris wheel?”

“Too tame.”

“After that wild ride I crave something mild.”

“Then up we go,” Ned gave in reluctantly.

He bought tickets, and they sat down in one of the cars. Soon the giant wheel began to turn. It moved very slowly. The motor which rotated it made a loud, racking noise.

“Terrible!” Ned complained. “Sounds as if it’s going to fall apart!”

“It’s pokey, too,” Nancy admitted. “Oh, well, the torture won’t last long.”

Just then the Ferris wheel came to a grinding halt. The car in which Nancy and Ned were seated remained stationary at the very top. Minutes elapsed, but still the wheel did not start.

“What’s the matter with this thing?” Ned demanded, peering over the side.

Below, he could see two men working over the machinery. Persons in the lower cars close to the ground were being helped out.

“We’re stuck up here!” Ned exclaimed.

“THEY’LL fix it soon,” Nancy said. “In the meantime, let’s enjoy the view.”

“The sun’s hot and I’m thirsty.”

“We might ask one of the men to pass us up some cool drinks,” Nancy suggested.

“Now that’s a cool idea,” Ned said, grinning.

He called to the men below, asking them to send up both food and drink by means of long poles, which could be handed from car to car. Other trapped passengers took up the cry.

At first the request was looked upon as a joke, but as time wore on and the wheel did not move, Ned asked a second time. Others added their pleas, and finally they were answered.

After another hour had elapsed, Ned teased Nancy, “Still enjoying the view?”

“It’s getting monotonous,” she said, shifting into a more comfortable position. She glanced at her watch worriedly. “If I don’t get home soon, I’ll be late for Mrs. Alexandra’s dinner.”

Ned replied soberly, “Wish I could do something.”

“I asked Francis Baum to come to our house at six-thirty,” Nancy put in restlessly. “Katherine Kovna has been invited, too,” she added, and told Ned about the designer.

“I guess the workmen expect to get the machinery fixed any minute now,” Ned said a little later to encourage her. “Cheer up!”

Nancy settled back into her seat again, forcing herself to remain calm. Her gaze roved to the curious crowd which had gathered some distance away to stare at the motionless Ferris wheel. As she idly watched, a wiry built man, who walked with short, quick steps, edged close to another man. Deftly he removed a wallet from the hip pocket of the unsuspecting victim and turned to slip away in the crowd.

“Ned!” Nancy exclaimed, clutching his hand. “I just saw a pickpocket take a man’s wallet! We must do something!”

“What can we do?”

Together they shouted, trying to attract the attention of someone on the ground. But other trapped passengers were making so much noise that no one paid any attention.

“It’s no use now,” Nancy said. “The pickpocket’s gone, and we’ll probably be here forever! Oh-”

Suddenly the Ferris wheel began to move. The cars jerked violently.

“Here we go!” Ned exclaimed jubilantly.

The next instant the cars raced downward at a breath-taking speed. The machinery was completely out of control!

The Ferris wheel made a complete revolution, stopping with a terrific jerk. Once more the car in which Ned and Nancy were imprisoned stopped at the top.

“That was horrible!” Nancy exclaimed.

In the car beneath them two little girls began to whimper with fear. The younger child stood up and started to unfasten the safety bar.

“I won’t stay on this thing another minute!” she screamed hysterically.

Nancy, thoroughly alarmed, leaned far over. She spoke to the frightened children soothingly.

“Just look!” Nancy said cheerfully. “A photographer has come to take your picture.”

The prospect of having their pictures taken on the Ferris wheel took the children’s minds off their predicament. They sat down again and even smiled as the shutter clicked.

A moment later the Ferris wheel started to revolve. Everyone sat tense, fearful of another wild ride. But this time the cars moved slowly and one by one came to a stop. The passengers alighted.

“At last!” breathed Nancy as she and Ned were released. “If we hurry, I can still reach home in time to change for dinner.”

“Just a minute!” interposed the photographer.

Before Nancy could duck her head, he had snapped the picture.

“The nerve of that guy!” Ned exclaimed.

Nancy laughed to cover her irritation. “I really must get home!”

The couple soon reached the Drew house.

“I wish you had been invited to the dinner, Ned,” Nancy said regretfully.

“All I ask is that you don’t pay too much attention to that prince.” He chuckled. “I’ll pick you up for Helen’s picnic. ‘Bye.”

As he drove away, a taxi drew up nearby. Katherine Kovna, dressed in a white evening gown with matching coat and beaded bag, alighted at the curb. She was alone because Helen and Jim Archer, although invited, had been unable to accept.

“Am I early?” Katherine inquired.

“You’re exactly on time,” Nancy replied. “I’m the offender. But it won’t take me long to change.”

After explaining briefly what had occurred, she led Katherine into the house. Mr. Drew was just coming down the stairway, very handsome in his navy-blue dinner jacket and bow tie.

“Nancy, what delayed you?” he asked.

Again Nancy offered her excuses. Mrs. Gruen, entering the room, urged her to hurry.

“Isn’t Francis Baum here?” Nancy asked as she took the stairs two steps at a time.

“Not yet,” her father answered.

Nancy was ready in record time. As she surveyed herself in a long mirror, she decided that the pale tangerine gown was attractive and appropriate.

“Baum still hasn’t arrived,” Mr. Drew said when Nancy appeared. “Are you sure he understood he was to come to our house?”

“Oh, yes, Dad. I called him this morning.”

Mrs. Gruen, who stood at the front door, said, “Someone’s coming down the street. He’s dressed in sports shirt and slacks, though.”

“Then it couldn’t be Mr. Baum,” Nancy replied. “He’d be wearing dinner clothes.”

“All the same, it looks like him. He has a suitcase and a German shepherd dog!”

“A dog!” Nancy’s face darkened. “I can’t believe he brought that animal! I told him that his grandmother is afraid of large dogs.”

Darting to the window, she saw that the young man approaching was indeed Francis Baum.

“Guess I’m a little late,” he remarked, stepping into the hall.

“Why did you bring the dog?” Nancy asked.

“Can’t I take him along?”