Read The Clue in the Old Stagecoach for Free Online Page A

hurtling down toward the policemen and beckoned them to come forward. “The hijackers!” she told them when they arrived, and pointed.
    The officers gave one look, then ran pell-mell down the hillside. The three girls joined the chase. They had almost reached the foot of the slope when suddenly from somewhere in the woods came an unusual whistle. When the two hijackers heard it, they took to their heels and disappeared among the trees in the opposite direction.

    “The hijackers!” Nancy warned
    Instantly the officers gave chase. Nancy did not follow. Instead, she said to her friends, “Let’s try to find that whistler. He must be a pal of the hijackers.”
    They could hear crashing in the undergrowth not far from them, and took off in pursuit. But presently the sounds stopped and they could see no one. Finally the girls gave up.
    “We’d better return and guard the old stagecoach,” Nancy said. The others nodded.
    When they got back, Nancy remarked, “One thing has been proved. There are at least three people involved in the theft of the stagecoach. I wonder who the third person is.”
    George was staring at the ax and the saw which the hijackers had dropped in their haste to get away. “These might be good clues,” she remarked. “Fingerprints and that sort of stuff. We’d better not touch them.”
    “That’s right,” Nancy agreed.
    In a little while the policemen returned, admitting defeat in their pursuit of the hijackers.
    Officer Starr smiled. “At least we saved the stolen property,” he said, “thanks to you girls.”
    “Let’s right the stagecoach and see what damage has been done to the other side,” Nancy suggested.
    Five pairs of strong arms soon set the vehicle back on its wheels. To everyone’s delight, practically no damage had been caused.
    “This means that the hijackers didn’t let it roll off the cliff and land here,” said Nancy. “Those men must have brought it down the hillside. If they did,” she added, smiling broadly at the two policemen, “the five of us should be able to drag it back up.”
    The two officers looked at her dubiously but finally consented to try. Bess and George stood on one side of the pole, Nancy on the other. As they grabbed hold, Bess giggled. “This isn’t a one-horse shay. It’s a three-horse stagecoach!”
    Starr and Gavin grinned, then got behind the vehicle and started to shove it. The trip up the slope was an arduous one, but finally the group reached the top. From there out to the main road the task of moving the stagecoach was not difficult.
    “I’ll be happy to deliver the stagecoach to Mrs. Pauling,” Nancy offered.
    “All right,” said Officer Starr. “Gavin and I will report to headquarters about those hijackers and do more searching for them.”
    While he radioed to headquarters, Officer Gavin got some heavy rope from his car. The pole of the old stagecoach was firmly tied to the rear bumper of Nancy’s convertible.
    “If it weren’t against the law to ride in a trailer,” said Bess, “I’d certainly climb into the old stagecoach.”
    The three girls finally set off, with Nancy driving very slowly. Motorists along the road stared in amazement and amusement at the sight. Finally Nancy pulled into the Pauling driveway and parked in front of the house.
    Mrs. Pauling, who was just coming out of the front door, stared in utter astonishment. Then she cried out, “You found it! Do come inside the house and tell me all about it!”
    At that moment George looked at her wrist watch and exclaimed, “Bess, our tennis match is at three o’clock. We’d better dash right off!”
    Since it was only twelve thirty, Mrs. Pauling insisted that the girls stay long enough to have lunch. Then she asked whether Nancy would have to go too.
    “Not yet,” the young sleuth confessed. “As a matter of fact, I’d like to stay and examine the old stagecoach.”
    “Fine. I’ll drive you back to Merriweather later.”
    While lunch was being