The Haunted Showboat by Carolyn Keene Page B

debarked.
    Some distance from the dock, at the end of a small flower garden, stood a modest house. A few lights gleamed in the windows and a small lamp at the door was turned on.
    As the rowboat reached the dock, Louvina stood up. Taking a step forward, she bent down to kiss her companion. Then, as he helped her, she stepped to the dock.
    In a sweet, musical voice she said, “Thank you so very much, Henry. The show was delightful, wasn’t it? Have a good night’s sleep, dear. And do come over soon. I’ll be expecting you.”
    “Yes, honey, I will.”
    Without another word the woman tripped girlishly up the walk through the garden and entered the house.
    “ ‘Henry’ doesn’t live here after all,” Nancy told herself.
    The elderly gentleman sat staring after Louvina. When she turned off the door light, he stepped from the rowboat and tied the painter to a post. Then he, too, started up the walk.
    “Oh, please wait a minute!” Nancy called to him. “I’d like to talk with you.”
    Charles pulled up to the dock and she stepped out of the canoe. The elderly man, startled, turned around. A look of fright gave way to one of amazement upon seeing a smiling girl standing there.
    “I’m sorry if I frightened you,” Nancy said. “Please forgive me. I just wanted to ask you—”
    Henry did not seem to be paying attention. He was staring at his costume. Embarrassed, he interrupted her to say, “Please pardon my attire. There’s a special reason why I’m wearing it!”
    By this time Charles was also standing on the dock. He apologized for his and Nancy’s intrusion, then said, “It’s very important that we talk to you. This is Nancy Drew from River Heights. I’m Charles Bartolome. I live not very far from here. Perhaps you know my family.”
    “Yes, I do. Now what do you wish to ask me?” the elderly man inquired.
    Nancy began to talk. First she told him about having seen him and his companion at the River Princess. Henry looked startled.
    “The River Princess is on Colonel Haver’s property, as you may know,” she said. “He has asked me to try to solve the mystery of it. Can you tell me why people think the showboat is haunted?”
    Henry looked searchingly at the girl’s face.
    Then he smiled. “I’ll tell you the whole story.”

CHAPTER XVI
    Lost in the Bayou
     
     
    “MY NAME,” said the elderly man in the Colonial costume, “is Henry de la Verne. Louvina is my twin. Her married name is Mrs. Claibourne Farwell. She is a widow now.”
    As he paused, Nancy suggested kindly, “Shall we sit down?”
    “Perhaps that would be best,” said Mr. de la Verne. He led Nancy and Charles to a quaint little summerhouse in the garden.
    After they were seated on a bench across from his, the man went on:
    “This will no doubt surprise you, but our grandfather owned the River Princess. As children, Louvina and I spent a great deal of time on her.” Again Mr. de la Verne paused and smiled reflectively, as if this brought back happy memories.
    Charles remarked, “It must have been a great deal of fun, sir, for you and your sister.”
    “Indeed it was,” Henry agreed. “Louvina loved to play actress and try on the various costumes. She always planned to act on the River Princess when she was older, but never had a chance. There was a great storm and flood which drove the showboat to her present location and she was abandoned. Our grandfather died of shock and injuries he received during the storm.”
    “How tragic!” Nancy murmured, deeply touched.
    “Yes, it was, and the whole thing made a tremendous impression on my sister. She was very upset about the fate of our beloved grandfather and showboat, but as Louvina grew older, the family thought she had forgotten the episode. She married happily and lived a very normal life.
    “But after Mr. Farwell’s sudden death several years ago,” Mr. de la Verne went on, “Louvina’s mind began to play tricks on her. She started living more and more with her