"How about dropping us off at the island?" Jack inquired. "If we had some gasoline--"
"We'll take care of you on the return trip," the captain promised. "No time now. We have a hundred passengers to unload at Osage."
Penny followed Sally along the wet deck to a companionway and down the stairs to the private quarters of the captain and his daughter.
"Osage is a town across the river," Sally explained briefly. "Pop and I make the run every hour. This is our last trip today, thank Jupiter!"
The cabin was warm and cozy, though cramped in space. Sally gave Mr. Parker one of her father's warm sweaters to put on over his sodden garments, offered Penny a complete change of outer clothing, and deliberately ignored Jack's needs.
"You may return the duds later," she said, leading Penny to an adjoining cabin where she could change her clothes. "How long do you folks expect to stay at Shadow Island?"
"Two weeks probably." Penny wriggled out of the limp dress.
"Then we'll have time to get better acquainted. You'll be here for the trophy race too!" Sally's dark eyes danced and she added in a very loud voice: "You'll be around to see Jack get licked!"
"In a pig's eye!" called Jack through the thin partition of the cabin. "Why, that old sailboat of yours is just a mess of wormwood!"
"It was fast enough to win the brass lantern trophy!" Sally challenged, winking at Penny. In a whisper she explained: "I always get a kick out of tormenting Jack! He's so cocky and sure of himself! It does him good to be taken down a peg."
"Tell me about the race," urged Penny. "It sounds interesting--especially your feud with Jack."
"Later," promised Sally carelessly. "Right now I want to get you something warm to drink before we dock at Osage. Here, give me those wet clothes. I'll dry them for you, and send them to Shadow Island tomorrow."
Rejoining Jack and Mr. Parker, the captain's daughter conducted the party to a food bar in the passenger lounge.
"Hot Java," she instructed the counter man. "And what will you have to go with it? Hamburgers or dogs? This is on the house."
"Make mine a dog with plenty of mustard," laughed Penny, enjoying the girl's breezy slang.
"Nothing for me except coffee," said Jack stiffly. "I'll pay for it too."
Mr. Parker decided upon a hamburger. Food, especially the steaming hot coffee, revived the drooping spirits of the trio. Even Jack thawed slightly in his attitude toward Sally.
Sipping the brew from a thick China mug, Penny's gaze roved curiously about the lounge. The room was poorly furnished, with an ancient red carpet and wicker chairs. Passengers were absorbed with newspapers, their fretful children, or the River Queen's supply of ancient magazines.
The lounge however, was scrupulously clean, and every fixture had been polished until it shone like gold. Sam Barker, whose father before him had sailed a river boat, was an able, efficient captain, one of the best and most respected on the waterfront.
Attached to an overhead beam near the food bar, swung an ancient brass lantern. The body was hexagonal in shape, its panes of glass protected by bars of metal. A two-part ornamental turret was covered with a hood from which was attached the suspending ring.
"That lantern came from an old whaling boat nearly a century ago," Sally explained. "For many years it was kept in the Country Club as a curio. Then two seasons ago, it was offered as a trophy in the annual Hat Island sailboat race held here."
"I won the lantern the first year," Jack contributed. He pointed to his name and the date engraved on the trophy's base.
"The second year, I upset the apple cart by winning," Sally added with a grin. "The race next week will decide who keeps the lantern permanently."
"Providing it isn't stolen first!" Jack cut in pointedly. "Sally, why must you be so stubborn about hanging it here on the River Queen? Every Tom, Dick, and Harry rides this old tub."
"Don't call the River Queen a tub," drawled Sally, her tone warning him he had gone far enough. "And as for our passengers--"
"What I mean," Jack corrected hastily, "is that you can't vouch for the honesty of every person who rides this ferry."
"I'm not in the least worried about the lantern being stolen," Sally retorted. "I won it fairly enough, didn't I?"
