Carolyn Keene - Mystery of Crocodile Island

While they were waiting, Nancy asked how Mr. Gonzales was. The manager replied, "He's still unconscious, but a doctor is with him. He's in a room down the hall."

Bess decided to go there and see if she could find out anything further. Nancy and George remained in the lobby. When the police officers arrived, the manager introduced them as Parks and Joyce.

"This young lady saw a man with a bag of clubs running away. She'll give you the details," the manager said.

The girl detective described how the suspect had fled in a car, adding that she had managed to see the license plate. "Headquarters has the number."

"Yes, we know it," Parks said. "Can you tell us anything else about the man?"

"Yes," Nancy replied. "I think he's the same person who was spying on me and my friends while we were watching the crocodiles at the Easton estate. He was peering at us from behind some mangroves, so I caught only a glimpse of his face. He had shoulder-length black hair and beady eyes. He might be a half-breed Indian. I'm afraid that's all I can tell you about him."

"That's more than people usually notice," Officer Joyce complimented her, "Thank you for the information."

While he had been talking, Lieutenant Parks picked up the manager's phone and called headquarters. He asked the sergeant on duty to look up the license number Nancy had given him.

"It's urgent," she heard him say.

They all waited for an answer, which came in a few minutes. When the manager heard the name of the owner, he showed utter astonishment. "That's my name! It's my car! It must have been stolen!"

Immediately he called the parking-lot attendant, who phoned back in a few minutes. "Your car is not here! I didn't notice anyone take it. I'm sorry, sir."

The manager hung up. Just then another phone rang. The call was for the officers. Lieutenant Parks picked up the instrument. He said, "That's good. You say the suspects got away?"

The officer put down the phone and reported to his listeners that a few minutes earlier the car had been found abandoned about five miles from the club.

"In that case," Joyce said, "we'll have to depend on this girl's description to nab the fellow. We're to look for a man with a bag of golf dubs. He has long black hair, beady eyes, and could be a half-breed Indian."

While this conversation had been going on, Bess had been waiting outside the room where Mr. Gonzales was for the doctor to appear. In a few minutes he came outside. She asked how the patient was.

"He has regained consciousness," the physician reported, "but has a racking headache. I've ordered an ambulance to take him to the hospital. No one is to see him, either here or at the hospital."

Bess said thank yon, turned, and hurried back to repeat this message to Nancy and George. She heard Lieutenants Parks and Joyce discussing the case. Parks declared that he was sure the suspect would have dumped the golf clubs as soon as possible. As to his being a half-breed Indian, there were so many of them around that it would be almost impossible to identify the man they were looking for.

Joyce shrugged, "I guess we're at a dead end on this case."

Nancy spoke. "Maybe not," she said. Then, turning to the manager, she requested, "Will you see if Colombo has returned?"

CHAPTER XVIII Snakes

The manager, Mr. Burley, learned that Colombo was back and sent for him. He asked him to meet Nancy, Bess, and George in the tropical garden.

"Did something happen?" he questioned, when they met and sat down. He looked worried.

"I'll say it did," George replied. "Mr. Gonzales was hit on the head with a golf ball, which was deliberately aimed at him. It knocked him out and now he's in the hospital."

Colombo stood up, walked in a circle, and spoke Spanish so fast that the girls could not understand him. Finally he sat down again and said, "That is very bad. Please tell me more about it."

Nancy took up the story, and when she finished describing the attacker, Colombo said, "He sounds like a man named Sam Yunki, who used to be a caddy at this club. Then he worked at Crocodile Island a short time. I don't know where he is now."

"When he was at the island," Nancy asked, "was he one of the workmen who was close to Mr. Gimler?"

"Yes, he was. Very close. I'm sure Yunki's the one who threw the golf ball at Mr. Gonzales. He's an excellent shot."

"Did you know him well?" Bess inquired.

"No," Colombo replied. "I was never allowed to be near him."

"That's understandable," George said. "Gimler and his partner wouldn't have wanted you to become a pal of his."

Nancy went into the clubhouse to tell this latest news to Mr. Burley. When she told him about Sam Yunki, he said, "I remember hearing about him. He was surly and uncooperative. That is—unless people paid him handsomely or tipped him generously."

Nancy asked Mr. Burley if he knew that Yunki had worked at Crocodile Island after leaving the dub.

"No, I didn't," he said. "I heard he left here unexpectedly and no one knew where he went, not even the other caddies. Well, I'll notify the police at once."

Nancy rejoined her friends, who said Colombo had already gone back to work. As the three girls walked to the parking lot, George said, "We really picked up a good clue!"

When they reached home, their hostess was smiling. "I have another message for you girls," she said. "Nancy, your friend Ned called again. I invited the three boys to come down as soon as they could. It didn't take them long to make up their minds. They'll be at the Miami airport this afternoon."

Nancy gave the woman at hug. "How sweet of you to invite them! You know we wanted to farm them out as bodyguards for Mr. Gonzales, but now he won't need them. He's in the hospital."

"What!" Mrs. Cosgrove cried out in alarm.

Nancy and the girls told her about the day's events.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Mrs. Cosgrove said. "I hope Mr. Gonzales isn't seriously hurt."

Bess said, "We'll call tomorrow and find out. The doctor said they would need to make some tests."

Nancy, Bess, and George went upstairs to get ready. They gave their hair special attention and put on pretty dresses before going to meet the boys.

Miami airport was crowded, but the girls had no trouble finding the athletes from Emerson College. At once the couples paired off to exchange kisses. Then, while the boys were collecting their baggage and later as they all rode to the Cosgrove home, the girls told them of their adventures to date.

"I'm relieved that you've made such progress in your sleuthing," Ned teased. "We didn't want to come here to join a wild-goose chase."

George said, "I haven't seen any geese around, but there are crocodiles, alligators, snakes, fish that climb trees—"

"Oh, stop your kidding," Burt interrupted.

"You'll see," George told him.

A few minutes later the young people reached the Cosgrove house. After dinner, Dave said, "Danny, what do you think our chances are of getting onto Crocodile Island? I can't wait to see a crocodile. Nancy told us that recently it has been closed to visitors."

Danny offered, nevertheless, to take them all in the skiff the following morning and try to land on the key. "It may be open," he added cheerfully.

The seven young people set off early and headed directly to Crocodile Island. Nancy suggested that if visitors were allowed ashore, Ned, Burt, and Dave should go without the girls.

"No one there knows you, so you could look around without making the owners suspicious. Perhaps you can pick up some clues we've missed."

Unfortunately the planned visit did not take place. When they reached the island, prominently displayed signs prohibited visitors. Furthermore, there was no activity around the place.

This lack of activity puzzled Nancy. "I can't understand it," she said. "I wonder if something happened."