Mystery At Devil's Paw Part 8

"Too bad Ted Sewell isn't here," Frank remarked. "We figured he might want to come along to hunt for his dad."

"Stick around for another twenty-four hours," Tony urged. "Ted ought to show up pretty soon."

The Hardys agreed to wait at least until the following morning. The delay proved worth while since Ted arrived on the island that evening.

As the boys sat around the campfire, Ted reported glumly that he still had had no word on his father. He was amazed to hear about the latest developments in the mystery, and when Frank told about their plans, he eagerly agreed to go up the Kooniak with them.

"I've always wanted to take a trip into British Columbia!" Ted said. "We'll need rifles and ammunition, though. That's bear country!"

Frank and Joe, although their father had care90 fully trained them in the proper use of firearms, never carried weapons when working on their cases. However, since they had already had two brushes with bears the Hardys could see the wisdom of Ted's words.

"I guess you're right," Frank agreed. "Joe and I don't have guns, though."

"I have a Springfield that I bought from Army surplus," Ted informed them. "Makes a swell hunting rifle! Maybe that'll do for the bunch of us. But you fellows should have some practice before we leave."

After supper, the boys set up a row of empty cans on rocks. Ted then brought out his rifle, which he carried in his boat, as well as several clips of ammunition. To his amazement, both Frank and Joe proved to be excellent marksmen, drilling their target cleanly on every shot.

"You don't need practice!" Ted exclaimed. "You're experts!"

Frank grinned. "I guess Dad's a pretty good teacher."

The rest of the evening was spent in discussing the details of their river trip. It was decided that after picking up Fleetfoot at the Haida village, they would follow the Kooniak at least as far as the Indian grave houses.

The next morning Tony insisted that he would be all right alone on the island. But Chet decided to stay with him. "In case there are any 91 more gun-happy fish poachers around, you'd better have company," the stout boy declared. "I'd probably sink the canoe, anyhow," he added jokingly.

Then Chet suggested they pick some blueberries for breakfast. The others agreed eagerly. So while Tony heaped wood on the campfire and started the bacon frying, the Hardys, Chet, and Ted hiked across the island. On the way Chet suddenly let out a cry of delight.

"Hey, look! Wild celery!" He reached down, pulled up one of the leafy green stalks, and started to bite into it.

Ted paled. "Chet! Stop!" he yelled.

CHAPTER XI.

A Fiery Missile with a lightning grab, Ted yanked the stalk out out of Chet's mouth before his teeth could of Chet's mouth before his teeth could sink into it.

"Hey! What's the big idea?" Chet protested.

"That stuff isn't celery," Ted explained. "It's deadly poisonous water hemlock!"

"P-p-poisonous!" Chet gulped and clutched his throat. "G-good night! And th-thanks!" Chet gulped and clutched his throat. "G-good night! And th-thanks!"

"Don't let it spoil your breakfast," Joe comforted the frightened boy. "We'll pick those blueberries and do some real eating!"

Chet cheered up at this appetizing prospect, and the boys soon returned to camp with a fine haul of berries. After breakfast Tony radioed the Fish and Wildlife Service for news of Robbins and Sewell.

"No word on either of them yet," Tony reported as he took off his earphones. "But the operator pa.s.sed on a message from the Bayport police."

"What is it?" Joe shouted.

"They've learned that Romo Stransky has a twin brother named Remo-and he's he's a spy a spy too!"

"Hear that?" Chet crowed triumphantly. "I told you I wasn't seeing things! Remo must be the one I saw at Seattle-Tacoma airport!"

"He probably followed us to Juneau, too," Joe added. "What's more, he may have left one of those star-and-circle heelmarks here on the island."

Frank went even further with a deduction. "I'll bet Remo was Robbie's pa.s.senger!" The others agreed. As they prepared for the trip upriver, Frank went on, "You know, fellows, if we're lucky enough to find the helicopter, we might be able to fly it back."

"Suppose the gas tank's empty!" Joe cautioned.

"It most likely will be," Tony said. "But you could carry enough fuel in the canoe to get the copter back to Juneau."

Ted Sewell looked doubtful. "The canoe will be plenty loaded as it is, with all our duffel."

"You're right," Frank agreed. "We'd need an extra canoe."

"Which means another trip back to Juneau," Joe pointed out.

In spite of further delay, Frank's companions realized his suggestion was a wise one.

"Okay,"

94 Ted said after a short discussion. "We're all in favor. Let's draw straws for the job."

The task fell to Ted and Joe. Embarking in the Hardys' motorboat, they waved good-by and headed up the coast. When they arrived in Ju-neau, the boys purchased as many tins of gasoline as they felt could be safely carried. On Ted's suggestion, they also stopped at a sportsmen's outfitting store and bought two rifles for Frank and Joe. After the supplies had been loaded aboard, Joe rented another canoe which he fastened to the stern of the motorboat.

As they refreshed themselves with sandwiches and milk at a nearby lunch counter, Joe set his gla.s.s down hard.

"Something wrong?" Ted asked.

"Wow!" Joe exclaimed. "Why didn't I think of that before?"

Ted looked baffled. "Of what?"

"The Turner couple Robbie rescued from the glacier," Joe replied in a low voice. "They might have a clue about Robbie's mysterious pa.s.senger."

Ted brightened. "That's a smart hunch, Joe! Come on!"

The two boys hurried to the Juneau Hospital, where Joe inquired whether they might see Mr. and Mrs. Turner.

The receptionist nodded pleasantly and consulted the register. "They're in Room 214.

You may take the elevator."

95 In Room 214 Joe and Ted found William Turner in bed, with his leg in a cast. Mrs.

Turner, her right arm in a sling, was seated in a chair reading to her husband. Both were delighted to receive visitors.

After Joe had introduced Ted, Mrs. Turner said, "So nice of you boys to come. Where's Frank?"

Joe explained. Then Mr. Turner said, "Hope you boys didn't wait long on the glacier before the pilot returned."

"As a matter of fact, he never did get back," Joe replied.

The couple looked dismayed. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry!" Mr. Turner said. "Robbins did did develop some kind of trouble on the way into Juneau-with his steering rotor, I think. But he told us it could be fixed."

Joe gave them the details of Robbie's disappearance.

"Oh, dear," exclaimed Mrs. Turner, "I wish we could help!"

"Perhaps you can," said Joe. "Did you notice some clue as to who his pa.s.senger was?"

The couple thought in silence. Joe prodded their memory. "Did you see anyone speak to Robbie when you landed at the seaplane base?"

"Only a couple of mechanics who were working on a plane nearby," Mrs. Turner replied.

"One of them called an ambulance for us."

96 Joe then asked whether they had noticed anything suspicious on their glacier expedition.

"I'm afraid not," Turner replied. "You see, ever since I retired three years ago, Clara and I have made a hobby of paleontology."

Ted was interested to hear this. "I guess there are a lot of prehistoric animal bones around our Alaskan glaciers," he remarked. "I know prospectors have come across the remains of ancient woolly mammoths. But I've never seen any myself."

Forgetting his unfortunate accident, entirely, Turner brightened and talked about the finds he and his wife had made. "As a matter of fact," he went on, "we believe the earliest life on this planet developed right here in North America."

"The first human beings too?" Joe asked.

"That's hard to say," Turner replied. "However, I believe the Indians originated on this continent."

"I thought they were supposed to have come over from Asia."

"That's the opinion of most scientists," Turner conceded. "Personally, I think, it was the other way around. I think they trekked from here to Asia via the land bridge over the Bering Straits. Later, there probably was travel back and forth."

"Is there any evidence to support that theory?" Joe asked.

"Yes, a good deal. There are similarities be97 tween the American Indians and Asiatics both in features and customs. Also, they both used the bow and arrow, and have many common root words in their languages."

Excitedly now, Joe queried, "How about their ornaments and jewelry? Is there any chance the Alaskan Indians might have brought jade carvings back from Asia?"

Mr. Turner nodded. "Very possible, I should say." After hearing about the boys' planned trip up the Kooniak River, he said, "Why not keep alert for traces of prehistoric animals? You might stumble on some valuable finds."

"What should we look for?" Ted inquired.

"Well, a white streak in gray rock might indicate a bone fossil," Turner replied. "Or a depression in the rock could be a dinosaur's footprint. Either one could lead you to a prehistoric skeleton."

"We'll remember that!" Joe promised, as the boys got ready to leave.

They quickly strode to the dock and shoved off in the heavily laden motorboat, with the canoe trailing behind.

As soon as the two boys reached the island, Joe told Frank of the conversation at the hospital. Frank was pleased to learn that the Turners supported his theory about the jade piece.

Not long after supper, the boys turned in, hoping for a good night's sleep before embarking up 98 the Kooniak next morning. Soon the camp was wrapped in silence.

But Frank was restless. Turning and tossing in his sleeping bag, he kept reviewing in his mind the baffling events that had happened since the Hardys had arrived in Alaska.

99 "Were those fish poachers mixed up in this mystery?" he wondered. "And what about Robbie? . . . Looking for that gang in this wilderness may turn out to be a lot more than we bargained for."

Unable to sleep, Frank rose and pulled on his 100 slacks, socks, and loafers. The luminous hands on his watch pointed to 12:20. He strolled toward the water, listening to the sighing of the night breeze in the tall pines.

Suddenly another sound broke the stillness-the soft plash of an oar, then a clink clink of of metal containers rattling against one another! Frank strained his eyes in the darkness, every sense alert. The next second he shouted: "Wake up, fellows! Someone's stealing our canoe and gasoline!"

As Frank raced toward the dock, Joe, Chet, Ted, and Tony burst out of their tents and sprinted in their bare feet. Too late! The noise of a motor roaring into action told them the intruder was making a clean getaway!

Reaching the water's edge, Frank saw their ca> noe and gasoline untouched! The raider's boat kicked up a violent wake as it streaked off. Suddenly the strange man stood upright and hurled something toward the island. As the object struck the little wooden dock next to the canoe, it burst with a dull thud and yellow flames shot high into the air!

Frank's face blanched in the blinding glare. "It's a fire bomb!" he yelled.

CHAPTER XII.

Dinosaur Detective "tony, get our axes!" Frank commanded as the dock burst into flame. To the others he cried, "Follow me!"

As Tony dashed back to camp, Frank kicked off his loafers and plunged into the water.

With his jackknife, he slashed the lines holding the boats.

"Chet, take our motorboat! Ted, pilot yours!"

Joe, meanwhile, was frantically attaching the canoes by towlines to the crafts. "Okay!

Take off!"

Chet and Ted revved up their motors and sped into the middle of the river. The Hardys, seared by the heat from the fiery dock, beached Tony's boat at a safe distance, then hastily scrambled ash.o.r.e.

Tony was already hacking at the dock timbers. "There's an axe and a hatchet for you fellows!" he called.

Half the wooden structure was a crackling ma.s.s 101 102 of flames. Shielding their faces as best they could, the three boys quickly cut away the remaining supports. Then Frank levered up the planking with his axe.