Inside Cover, 1932 edition.
Inside illustrations.
Text Differences
1. In the 1932 text some of the pages of the diary are missing.
2. In the 1932 text it's Nancy that remembers a baker than can translate Swedish. In the 1962 text, it's Hannah that remembers.
3. Nancy gets slapped by Mrs. Raybolt in the 1962 text, but not in the 1932 text.
Synopsis. SPOILERS!
Chapter 1
1932: The girls had gone to a carnival and are now having a picnic. They had met a girl named Honey at the carnival. Honey is five. They are on their way home when they hear an explosion. They drive to the home to help.
1990: Mr. Swenson is missing. He was to send money to his wife and child. His mail could have been stolen. Nancy and the girls go on a picnic after they had gone to a carnival. They had met a girl named Honey at the carnival. Honey is five. They are on their way home when they hear an explosion. They drive to the home to help. A man runs away from Nancy. It's the Raybolt home. Nancy finds a book by the doghouse.
Chapter 2
1932: A man runs away from Nancy. It's the Raybolt home. Nancy finds a book by the doghouse.
1990: Nancy catches a guy driving her car. He claims he is moving it out of danger. Nancy's car gets hit by another car and is damaged. A Mr. Weston is the driver. The same young guy that moved her car is directing traffic. It's Ned. He goes with them to a garage. Nancy finds out that the neighbors do not like the Raybolts at all.
Chapter 3
1932: Nancy catches a guy driving her car. He claims he is moving it out of danger. Nancy's car gets hit by another car and is damaged. A Mr. Weston is the driver. The same young guy that moved her car is directing traffic. It's Ned. He goes with them to a garage. Nancy finds out that the neighbors do not like the Raybolts at all.
1990: Nancy likes Ned. They return home. Mr. Drew knows about Felix Raybolt who is also called Foxy Felix. He has a bad reputation and cheats people out of money. The book Nancy found is a diary written in Swedish. Ned calls; he found a ring at the fire and will bring it to her.
Chapter 4
1932: Nancy likes Ned. They return home. Mr. Drew knows about Felix Raybolt who is also called Foxy Felix. He has a bad reputation and cheats people out of money.
1990: Hannah knows someone who can translate the diary, a baker in town. Nancy finds an electronic diagram in the diary. Ned shows Nancy the ring, which is engraved in Swedish. Ned tells her explosives in the house were set off, possibly by remote control. People are having a hard time finding Mr. Raybolt.
Chapter 5
1932: She examines the diary and finds out that some pages are missing. The book Nancy found is a diary written in Swedish. Ned calls; he found a ring at the fire and will bring it to her.
1990: She finds part of an address in the diary for the Swensons. She visits her father; still no trace of Raybolt. The baker has to go to the hospital so there is no one to translate the diary. Nancy is going to the Swensons but has to take a detour. A big truck is behind them and they both go onto a rickety bridge.
Chapter 6
1932: Ned shows up with the ring. He says the firemen think a defective wire started the fire. Nancy remembers that the corner baker can read Swedish.
1990: The truck passes them. They get to the Swensons. Honey shows them a picture of her father; he was the guy Nancy saw running form the exploded house. Honey says her father is an inventor. Nancy meets Honey's mother and plans to buy food for them as they are very poor.
Chapter 7
1932: The girls go to see the baker but he and his family are out on a picnic. Nancy finds an address in the diary. Nancy talks to her father. They return to the baker's but there's an ambulance there.
1990: The mother says her husband was cheated out of his patents. Nancy meets Ned and he eats dinner with them. Honey's father's guilt seems to increase the more Nancy finds out about him.
Chapter 8
1932: The baker has been injured. Nancy is going to the Swensons but has to take a detour. A big truck is behind them and they both go onto a rickety bridge.
1990: Mrs. Swenson names Raybolt as the man who cheated her husband. An envelope has been left for Nancy at her home.
Chapter 9
1932: The truck passes them. They get to the Swensons. Honey says her father made some toys for her. Nancy meets Honey's mother and plans to buy food for them as they are very poor.
1990: It's the bill for her car repairs. The guy that hit her owns an electronics factory. Mrs. Raybolt has been found. The girls go to an inn to talk to her. An old woman arrives and faints. She says she thinks her husband burned to death in the fire. She says Felix went to the house that night and expected physical violence. The police warn Nancy that a dangerous criminal may be hiding in the area. They are driving and see a man by the road.
Chapter 10
1932: Swenson's wife tells Nancy that he's an inventor. They meet Ned and he joins them for dinner. Mrs. Swenson tells Nancy about Raybolt.
1990: They go past the guy and don't stop. They find a shack and ask directions. No one is there although Nancy thinks she had heard something. They get to the factory and give the guy the bill for the car repairs. He knows Raybolt and doesn't like him. She sees Mr. Swenson at the plant.
Chapter 11
1932: Nancy returns home and examines the diary.
1990: They follow him but lose him. Ned calls and they go to a party.
Chapter 12
1932: The bill for the car repairs had been left in the morning. The guy that hit her owns an electronics factory. Mrs. Raybolt has been found. The girls go to an inn to talk to her. An old woman arrives and faints.
1990: She hears about mail being stolen. She confronts Swenson at the factory. He's going under another name. He had sent his wife two money orders but they never arrived. He calls Raybolt a thief. He admits being at the house but says he had an appointment. He admits losing his diary. Nancy sees a cruel-looking man.
Chapter 13
1932: Ned arrives. The girls talk to Mrs. Raybolt. She says her husband had an appointment and expected physical violence. Officers arrive to talk to Mrs. Raybolt. An official tells the girls about a dangerous criminal in the vicinity.
1990: The guy grabs her. Bess and George arrive and he finally lets go of her. Later the girls get something to eat. Nancy goes to see the postmaster, then they see a movie and return to the postmaster. A bunch of crooks are rounded up for stealing mail.
Chapter 14
1932: They go past the guy and don't stop. They find a shack and ask directions. No one is there although Nancy thinks she had heard something. They get to the factory and give the guy the bill for the car repairs.
1990: They pick Swenson up at the factory. She shows him the diary. He thinks Raybolt had illegal explosives in his house. The police stop their car and arrest Swenson for arson. The girls have to go to the police station.
Chapter 15
1932: He knows Raybolt and doesn't like him. She sees Mr. Swenson at the plant.
1990: The girls are questioned. Mrs. Raybolt shows up and slaps Nancy, then demands that the police arrest Nancy.
Chapter 16
1932: They follow him but lose him.
1990: They buy some clothes for Honey and return home where Ned is waiting. They take stuff to Honey and Nancy talks to her father. They both think Mr. Raybolt is hiding.
Chapter 17
1932: The girls go shopping. They return to the factory to find Swenson.
1990: He father is working for a client that thinks Raybolt had stolen his invention. Raybolt may have been seen. They check a housing development and then find a shack nearby. They visit Swenson in jail.
Chapter 18
1932: Nancy talks to Swenson. He admits hating Felix Raybolt. He talks about the diary. The girls go to a movie. She hears two men talking about arresting Swenson.
1990: The baker is okay and will translate the diary. He does and it proves an invention was Swenson's. Nancy talks to her father.
Chapter 19
1932: She overhears them talk about catching him at the factory. She picks him up there, but a police car approaches.
1990: Nancy plans to set a trap for Raybolt. He had a secret hiding place for stuff in his home. The girls go to the ruined house.
Chapter 20
1932: The police take Swenson into custody and the girls have to go to the station.
1990: Nancy sees someone; it's Raybolt. Ned and Mr. Drew arrive and they capture him. He confesses to having explosives. Mrs. Raybolt admits their plan to destroy the house and claim the insurance money.
Chapter 21
The police grill Swenson. Swenson admits to being at the house. The girls are questioned. Mrs. Raybolt arrives. Nancy tells Mrs. Raybolt that she's sure her husband will be found. (No slapping event.)
Chapter 22
Nancy gets Weston to hold Swenson's position for him. The girls go to dinner. Nancy mets Ned. Nancy talks to her father. She goes to talk to Swenson.
Chapter 23
She thinks she knows where Mr. Raybolt can be found. The girls go to the ruined house and hide. She catches Mr. Raybolt at the house.
Chapter 24
Mr. Drew and Ned arrive, joining George and Bess who don't know where Nancy has gone to. Nancy cries for help as Raybolt tries to flee, but he's caught. They take Raybolt to a hotel for the night. The next morning Mrs. Raybolt shows up and is ultra-nasty. Still, they take him to jail and admits the fire was his fault and that Swenson had nothing to do with it. He also admits planning to collect the insurance money.
Chapter 25
Witnesses line up to testify against Raybolt. She meets the Raybolts and tells Mr. Raybolt she has proof he cheated Swenson. He promises to make restitution as long as he doesn't have to go to prison. They eventually move away, Mr. Raybolt not going to trial or to prison.
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