Тайна загадочной лестницы [with w_cat] | страница 9

[106] "I can hardly wait for Monday to come," she murmured to herself as she fell asleep.

[107] The following morning she and her father attended church together. Hannah said she was going to a special service that afternoon and therefore would stay at home during the morning.

[108] "I'll have a good dinner waiting for you," she announced, as the Drews left.

[109] After the service was over, Mr. Drew said he would like to drive down to the waterfront and see what progress had been made on the new bridge. "The railroad is going ahead with construction on the far side of the river," he told Nancy.

[110] "Is the Wharton property on this side?" Nancy asked.

[111] "Yes. And I must get to the truth of this mixed-up situation, so that work can be started on this side too."

[112] Mr. Drew wound among the many streets leading down to the Muskoka River, then took the vehicular bridge across. He turned toward the construction area and presently parked his car. As he and Nancy stepped from the sedan, he looked ruefully at her pumps.

[113] "It's going to be rough walking down to the waterfront," he said. "Perhaps you had better wait here."

[114] "Oh, I'll be all right," Nancy assured him. "I'd like to see what's being done."

[115] Various pieces of large machinery stood about on the high ground—a crane, a derrick, and hydraulic shovels. As the Drews walked toward the river, they passed a large truck. It faced the river and stood at the top of an incline just above two of the four enormous concrete piers which had already been built.

[116] "I suppose there will be matching piers on the opposite side," Nancy mused, as she and her father reached the riverbank. They paused in the space between the two huge abutments. Mr. Drew glanced from side to side as if he had heard something. Suddenly Nancy detected a noise behind them.

[117] Turning, she was horrified to see that the big truck was moving toward them. No one was at the wheel and the great vehicle was gathering speed at every moment.

[118] "Dad!" she screamed.

[119] In the brief second of warning, the truck almost seemed to leap toward the water. Nancy and her father, hemmed in by the concrete piers, had no way to escape being run down.

[120] "Dive!" Mr. Drew ordered.

[121] Without hesitation, he and Nancy made running flat dives into the water, and with arms flailing and legs kicking, swam furiously out of harm's way.

[122] The truck thundered into the water and sank immediately up to the cab. The Drews turned and came back to the shore.