Read (#26) The Clue of the Leaning Chimney for Free Online Page A

porcelains in China. The purpose of his trip was to study American pottery methods.”
    “Did Eng Lei make pottery, too?” Nancy asked.
    Her father shook his head. “Not at the time the Engs left China, at any rate. She was only twelve years old then. That means she’s about seventeen now.”
    “When did they disappear?” Nancy asked, interested at once in hearing about a girl so close to her own age.
    “That’s coming. Eng Moy continued to write to Mr. Soong,” Mr. Drew explained. “Eng described tours they had taken through pottery plants in several cities in the United States. Each succeeding letter was postmarked a little closer to River Heights. Finally Mr. Soong received a letter saying they would visit him the following week.”
    The lawyer paused.
    “And they didn’t come?” Nancy asked.
    “No. That was four and a half years ago. Mr. Soong hasn’t heard from the Engs since!”
    “Maybe something happened so they couldn’t write.”
    “That’s what Mr. Soong would like to find out,” Mr. Drew replied. “He came to my office today because he had received a letter from a relative in China. Mr. Soong supposed the Engs had returned to the Orient without paying him the promised visit. He had been a bit perplexed when his letters to China were never acknowledged.”
    “Sounds very strange,” said Nancy.
    “He learned something from the letter he received today,” said Mr. Drew. “The relative wrote that the Engs never had returned to China and the United States immigration authorities could not account for it.”
    “Then the Engs are probably still in this country,” Nancy reasoned.
    “Seems that way,” her father agreed. “Mr. Soong fears his friends have met with—well, let’s call it foul play.”
    “What do you suspect happened to them?” Nancy asked.
    “I don’t suspect anything yet,” Mr. Drew replied. “But there are several reasons why some aliens want United States authorities to lose track of them. Espionage is one. Receiving and selling smuggled goods is another.”
    “Not a friend of Mr. Soong’s!” said Nancy, shocked.
    Her father smiled dryly, “You’re probably right, but that doesn’t solve the mystery.”
    Nancy looked at her father searchingly, then asked how she might help on the case.
    Mr. Drew smiled affectionately. “As soon as I get a clue, I’ll put you to work on it.”
    “Thanks, Dad.” Nancy looked at her watch and gave a start. “My goodness, I must run or I’ll be late for Helen’s birthday dinner!”
    She dashed upstairs to dress. A few minutes later Nancy hurried down, blew a kiss to her father, and waved good-by to Mrs. Gruen.
    “Wait a moment,” the housekeeper said. “You worry me, Nancy,” she said. “It will be late when you leave the Townsend house and I don’t like your coming home alone.”
    “I’ll soon settle this,” Mr. Drew declared. “Hannah, I’ll drive my daughter and her friends to Helen’s and go back for them.”
    Twenty minutes later he dropped Bess, George, and Nancy across town. Mr. Townsend teased the girls with a “Glad you made it. I’d begun to think I’d have to eat four pieces of birthday cake!”
    Helen smiled and said, “If I know Nancy, she probably was tracking down some villain.”
    “That’s right.” Nancy laughed. “A new way to say ‘Happy Birthday.’ ”
    Helen took the girls’ coats and handbags upstairs to her room.
    In a few minutes Mrs. Townsend called everyone into the dining room. As Nancy was about to follow, she noticed an exquisite vase on the desk near a window. She lifted the vase carefully and examined the porcelain.
    It was in a lovely shade of brown, showing a peach tree at the edge of a sparkling blue lake. An ancient Chinese, attired in a richly brocaded robe, sat under the tree beside a deer.
    Nancy studied the bottom of the base. Painted with small, black brush strokes were several Chinese symbols. They seemed to be the same as one set of characters she had copied from