some very unfortunate news. Tony has run away!”
“Run away!” the girls exclaimed.
Dan said Mr. Rocco had discovered the boy early that morning with a drawing pad and pencil, making sketches instead of hoeing rows of corn.
“His uncle became enraged. He tore the pad to bits and then gave Tony a terrible beating.”
“How awful!” Junie said. “I don’t blame the poor boy for running away!”
Nancy asked Dan to inquire of the man if he knew where Tony had gone. In response the laborer lifted his arm and pointed toward the Flockhart property.
“We must go after him!” Nancy declared at once. “I’ll walk in the direction this man pointed out.”
Junie said, “Not alone! After what has happened it would be too dangerous! Dan, how about your going with Nancy? I’ll return to your car and drive it home. May I have the keys?”
Dan agreed. He and Nancy set off at a fast pace. They began to run in the direction where Tony was supposed to have gone. Presently the two searchers crossed the boundary between the Rocco farm and Triple Creek.
It seemed to Nancy that there were sheep everywhere but no sign of the boy Tony. Once they stopped to ask a shepherd, but the man declared he had not seen the child.
The couple walked on and presently came to a small ravine with a stream of water at the base. There were no animals in the area, and Nancy assumed that the shepherds tried to keep their flocks away from the dangerous spot.
Suddenly she stopped short. Dan looked at her and said, “Is something the matter?”
“Listen!” she urged. “I heard something.”
They both listened and Dan said, “It could be a lamb crying.”
Nancy replied, “Yes, it could be. But it sounds more like a child sobbing. Let’s head in that direction!”
By listening carefully, the couple decided that it was a human cry coming from near the water at the foot of the ravine. Carefully they descended the steep embankment. In a few minutes they found Tony huddled in a heap and sobbing beside a large rock.
“Tony! Tonyl” Nancy exclaimed as she ran toward the boy.
He lifted his tear-stained face and blinked as if he could not believe that Nancy Drew had found his hiding place. He smiled wanly first at her and then at Dan. Then politely he got up and shook hands with each of them.
Dan spoke to him in Italian, repeating what he had heard from the workman on the Rocco farm. Tony replied and Dan translated for Nancy.
“The story is true. Tony says he cannot stand any more of his uncle’s cruel treatment. He wants to go to Italy to find his own family.”
Nancy suggested that Dan ask him if he knew who they were and if any of them were living. Dan did so and the reply was, “Somebody must be and wouldn’t be so mean to me!”
Nancy was touched. What should she do? Take Tony home with her? Or perhaps she should deliver the boy to State Police headquarters. But they might return him to his uncle!
Then Nancy’s eyes glistened as she thought of something. “Dan, I have an idea about what we should do about Tony!”
CHAPTER XV
Secret Notes
“WHAT is your great idea about helping Tony?” Dan asked Nancy.
Excited, she told him of a plan she had suddenly devised. “How would it be if we take him to Eezy for tonight?”
Dan agreed that this would be better than leaving the boy out in the open. “Then what?” he asked.
“We’ll get Tony to write a note to his uncle. He can assure Mr. Rocco that he’s safe and happy.”
Dan urged Nancy to continue. So far he liked her plan.
“I think the note should also say that Tony will return home if his uncle will promise to tell him where the rest of the boy’s family is and send him back to Italy.”
Dan remarked that this sounded fair enough, but would Rocco keep his word? Then he added, “What about Tony’s desire to draw? Isn’t it wrong for Mr. Rocco to keep him from doing this?”
Nancy agreed, but said, “I think that solution can come later. We’d better
“Run away!” the girls exclaimed.
Dan said Mr. Rocco had discovered the boy early that morning with a drawing pad and pencil, making sketches instead of hoeing rows of corn.
“His uncle became enraged. He tore the pad to bits and then gave Tony a terrible beating.”
“How awful!” Junie said. “I don’t blame the poor boy for running away!”
Nancy asked Dan to inquire of the man if he knew where Tony had gone. In response the laborer lifted his arm and pointed toward the Flockhart property.
“We must go after him!” Nancy declared at once. “I’ll walk in the direction this man pointed out.”
Junie said, “Not alone! After what has happened it would be too dangerous! Dan, how about your going with Nancy? I’ll return to your car and drive it home. May I have the keys?”
Dan agreed. He and Nancy set off at a fast pace. They began to run in the direction where Tony was supposed to have gone. Presently the two searchers crossed the boundary between the Rocco farm and Triple Creek.
It seemed to Nancy that there were sheep everywhere but no sign of the boy Tony. Once they stopped to ask a shepherd, but the man declared he had not seen the child.
The couple walked on and presently came to a small ravine with a stream of water at the base. There were no animals in the area, and Nancy assumed that the shepherds tried to keep their flocks away from the dangerous spot.
Suddenly she stopped short. Dan looked at her and said, “Is something the matter?”
“Listen!” she urged. “I heard something.”
They both listened and Dan said, “It could be a lamb crying.”
Nancy replied, “Yes, it could be. But it sounds more like a child sobbing. Let’s head in that direction!”
By listening carefully, the couple decided that it was a human cry coming from near the water at the foot of the ravine. Carefully they descended the steep embankment. In a few minutes they found Tony huddled in a heap and sobbing beside a large rock.
“Tony! Tonyl” Nancy exclaimed as she ran toward the boy.
He lifted his tear-stained face and blinked as if he could not believe that Nancy Drew had found his hiding place. He smiled wanly first at her and then at Dan. Then politely he got up and shook hands with each of them.
Dan spoke to him in Italian, repeating what he had heard from the workman on the Rocco farm. Tony replied and Dan translated for Nancy.
“The story is true. Tony says he cannot stand any more of his uncle’s cruel treatment. He wants to go to Italy to find his own family.”
Nancy suggested that Dan ask him if he knew who they were and if any of them were living. Dan did so and the reply was, “Somebody must be and wouldn’t be so mean to me!”
Nancy was touched. What should she do? Take Tony home with her? Or perhaps she should deliver the boy to State Police headquarters. But they might return him to his uncle!
Then Nancy’s eyes glistened as she thought of something. “Dan, I have an idea about what we should do about Tony!”
CHAPTER XV
Secret Notes
“WHAT is your great idea about helping Tony?” Dan asked Nancy.
Excited, she told him of a plan she had suddenly devised. “How would it be if we take him to Eezy for tonight?”
Dan agreed that this would be better than leaving the boy out in the open. “Then what?” he asked.
“We’ll get Tony to write a note to his uncle. He can assure Mr. Rocco that he’s safe and happy.”
Dan urged Nancy to continue. So far he liked her plan.
“I think the note should also say that Tony will return home if his uncle will promise to tell him where the rest of the boy’s family is and send him back to Italy.”
Dan remarked that this sounded fair enough, but would Rocco keep his word? Then he added, “What about Tony’s desire to draw? Isn’t it wrong for Mr. Rocco to keep him from doing this?”
Nancy agreed, but said, “I think that solution can come later. We’d better
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