The Secret of the Old Clock · Chapter
XIX: A Risky Undertaking explained
Nancy spots the three robbers and decides to retrieve the Crowley clock from their van before notifying the marshal.
What happens
Nancy spots the three robbers and decides to retrieve the Crowley clock from their van before notifying the marshal. She finds the van locked in a barn behind the inn, locates the keys under the seat, and discovers the clock inside. As she grabs it, the robbers return, forcing her to lock the van and hide.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
Nancy reaches her emotional and psychological peak of terror and hopelessness here, as she shifts from frantic…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Courage in Adversity
Nancy risks her safety to retrieve the clock despite the imminent return of the robbers.
- Mystery and Detection
Nancy uses deduction to find the van keys and locate the hidden clock.
Characters to notice
- Nancy Drew
Takes a risky solo mission to recover the Crowley clock from the robbers' van.
- Abigail Rowen
Her description of the clock helps Nancy identify it.
Key passages
“I’ll never find it.”
Nancy despairs that the clock might be buried under the pile of stolen goods.
Expresses her anxiety about the search.
“I’m lost!”
Nancy realizes she is trapped when she hears the robbers returning.
Highlights the immediate danger she faces.
