The Mystery Of The Laughing Shadow Part 12

"Chief, we do have some idea where they are, I think," he said slowly. "First, the h.o.a.rd must be in the mountains on the estate somewhere. Second, Mr. Harris has a car and a truck. Third, it's almost certain he plans to get the h.o.a.rd tonight. His various ruses to get us out of the way were not designed to hold us for long, just to delay us."

"But how does all that help us, Jupiter?" Ted said, puzzled.

"It means that he is planning to use a road, and the road is almost certainly on the estate. It probably goes into the mountains, and isn't very far from here," Jupiter explained eagerly. "We can rule out the road to the house, and the road to the lodge. So what other roads are there? ... Miss Sandow can tell us."

"By golly, Jupiter, I think you're right," said Reynolds.

The Chief turned to Aunt Sarah, while Mr. Andrews, Ted and Worthington all stared out into the night towards the eastern mountains.

"What other roads are there, Miss Sandow?" Reynolds asked.

"Well," the fragile, little lady said, blinking her eyes as she thought, "I haven't been around the estate much in recent years, but -"

Ted suddenly interrupted, "Look! Over there! A light see? It's flashing."

They all looked towards the mountains. No one breathed. They waited. Then the faint point of light flashed again - low in the sky, just above the nearest trees.

"It's an SOS!" Jupiter cried. "I bet it's Bob and Pete. They're probably being held prisoner up there."

"About five miles away, I'd say," Chief Reynolds said "And just about where the foothills of the high mountains begin."

"Due east, also, Chief," Worthington pointed out.

The pinpoint of light flashed once more.

"What is out there, Miss Sandow?" Jupiter asked excitedly.

"Why, I'm not sure," Aunt Sarah said. "It's been so long. Wait now, yes, my father had an old cabin on the east range. My goodness, I'd forgotten all about that. No one goes out there any more."

"How do we reach it, ma'am?" asked Mr. Andrews.

"Well, there is a road - rather narrow. It goes on into the high mountains. The road runs just below the cabin. You see, it's built on a mesa on top of a cliff. It's quite hard to reach."

"Just where Mr. Harris would hold prisoners," Jupiter observed.

They all stared in the direction of the light, but it did not flash again. Though they waited expectantly, there were no more signals.

"Something must have happened." Mr. Andrews looked worried.

"Let's head for that cabin," Chief Reynolds said "There's no time to lose."

The Rolls-Royce led the way with Jupiter, Chief Reynolds, Ted and Mr. Andrews in the back seat. The police car came behind, carrying the Chief's men, except for one who was left behind to guard Miss Sandow. They raced along the highway until they reached the dirt side road described by Miss Sandow.

As they entered the mountain road, they turned off their lights. In the dark they had to proceed more slowly, though the moonlight outlined everything in its ghostly glow.

Soon they were at the very bottom of the towering mountains.

Both cars drew to a stop and everyone got out.

Jupiter pointed upwards to where a small cabin was clearly visible, bathed in moonlight and nestled on a kind of mesa.

"There it is!"

"There's no light now," Mr. Andrews whispered.

"We'll work our way up carefully. It could be a trap," Chief Reynolds said.

"Hurry, Chief. Bob and Pete may be in immediate danger," Mr. Andrews said urgently.

"They may be in worse danger if we're spotted too soon," the Chief pointed out.

"Stay back, Jupiter. Harris is a dangerous man."

Jupiter nodded reluctantly, and stayed behind as the Chief and his men started up the steep, narrow path that led up to the mesa. A sudden commotion to the right made them all stop. Worthington and Mr. Andrews, who had been standing near the Rolls-Royce, were struggling with a short, powerful man.

"The dark men!" Jupiter cried.

"Bring him here, men!" Chief Reynolds commanded his policemen.

Two of the policemen joined Worthington and Mr. Andrews and dragged the struggling Natches to where the Chief and Jupiter were waiting. When the Yaquali saw Jupiter, he stopped struggling, and an eager smile spread across his dark face.

"You Jupiter, no? I Natches. Friend. Yaquali friend. I escape."

"We'll decide if you're a friend," Chief Reynolds said ominously. "You attacked these boys?"

"Si. Mistake. I think they amigos amigos of bad man Harris. I am wrong, tell other boys. of bad man Harris. I am wrong, tell other boys.

They believe."

"You've seen Bob and Pete?" Mr. Andrews cried. "Where are they? Tell us!"

Natches looked around in despair. "Evil one-Harris-take them. My brother Nanika, too. Already have little brother Vittorio prisoner. I escape."

Chief Reynolds sighed. "You'd better start at the beginning and explain just what this is all about."

"Just a minute, Chief," Jupiter interrupted. "I bet they speak Spanish ... Do you?"

he asked, turning toward Natches.

The Indian nodded eagerly.

"Then tell us in Spanish," Jupiter said. "Both Chief Reynolds and I can understand it."

Natches started to tell his story again. But this time he could tell it much faster. They all listened closely, expressing considerable indignation over the treacherous Harris.

"You say he has four of your boys?" Jupiter asked. "Of course! I've been very dumb.

He's using Yaquali boys. It's the answer to Magnus Verde's riddle. And all the time we've been saying that his words were, 'It's in the eye of the sky where no one can find it' 'It's in the eye of the sky where no one can find it' " "

"Well, wasn't that his message?" Chief Reynolds asked.

"No, sir, it wasn't. His words were, 'It's in the eye of the sky where no man can find it.' No man No man, you see. He meant that no man could find it, but a boy could!"

"A boy?" Chief Reynolds exclaimed.

"Exactly, sir. Indians are small, and in those days they were smaller. Magnus Verde's band hid their h.o.a.rd where only a boy could get to it. Some cave with a very narrow opening."

"You mean that Harris figured out the true meaning and went to the Yaquali village to get four boys who would be small enough to make the climb and get into the cave?"

"That's right," Jupiter said. "He knew they were expert climbers."

"That means it's up high somewhere," the Chief a.n.a.lysed, shaking his head.

"But I don't know why that narrow opening would stop him. He could drill the entrance larger, or dynamite it."

"No, I don't think so," Jupiter said. "In the first place that might collapse the cave and bury the gold forever. In the second place Harris is trying to steal the h.o.a.rd. He couldn't risk drilling or blasting right out in the open."

Mr. Andrews interrupted. "Can't we figure it out later? Right now the important thing is to rescue the boys. Do you know where Harris took them, Natches?"

Natches pointed along the road towards the higher mountains. "That way. On the road in truck."

"That's deep into the mountains," Chief Reynolds said. "We could look for days. If we wait till morning we can get helicopters."

"Morning could be too late!" Mr. Andrews cried.

"We can't just blunder around, Mr. Andrews. That could endanger the boys' lives more."

Jupiter had been silent during the discussion. Suddenly he turned to Natches.

"Mr. Natches, can you track them?"

"Track?" Natches said. "Si, of course. I track easy."

Chief Reynolds cried, "Come on, then! I only hope we're in time."

Natches began to trot along the road in the moonlight. The others followed in silence.

Mr. Harris stood beside Bob and Pete in a desolate canyon deep in the moonlit mountains. Both boys had been securely tied with heavy ropes.

"Fools! I should have dealt with you at once. Well, won't be long now."

Sanders appeared quietly from the shadows.

"The Yaqualis are ready, boss."

"Good," Harris said. "That fat friend of these fools is undoubtedly raising a hue and cry right now. It isn't wise to underestimate him. He's a clever boy. We must work fast.

Follow me, Sanders."

Bob and Pete watched the two villains fade into the silver shadows of the box-like canyon. To their left, Nanika groaned weakly where he lay trussed hand and foot.

"What do we do now?" Pete asked.

"I hope Harris is right, and Jupe is looking for us."

"Maybe he saw our signal."

"We didn't have much time to send it," Bob said without too much hope. "And even if he saw it he'd go to the cabin. How will they ever find us in the dark?"

"I don't know, but they'd better," Pete said. "I've got a hunch we won't be around by daylight!"

Before Bob could answer, Harris and Sanders reappeared. The fake vegetarian seemed pleased with himself. He nodded to Sanders, who bent down and untied Bob.

"Up with you," Harris snapped at Bob. "Sanders, you're sure you know what to do?"

"I know, boss."

"Good. This should take no more than a few hours with the four boys working. Be alert, Sanders. We've almost got the h.o.a.rd."

Harris pushed Bob before him, and together they vanished into the night up the canyon. Pete stared after them with an uneasy feeling. Why had Harris taken Bob with him?

Pete had a vague idea where they were. Although the deep box canyon had no name, it was at the base of the towering bulk of Indian Head Mountain, deep in the mountains at the edge of the Sandow Estate. The road and the truck were more than a mile away.

How would anyone ever find them?

"Sanders?" Pete said. "Harris will leave you -"

"You be quiet," Sanders growled. "The boss knows what he's doing."

Pete lapsed into a defeated silence. The injured Nanika moved and struggled up to a sitting position. The broad, powerful Yaquali looked around wildly. Pete tried to smile rea.s.suringly at Nanika, but he could say nothing. The Indian spoke no English. If Pete was to do anything, he would have to do it alone. But what could he do? Sanders sat only a few feet away, holding a rifle and watching the two prisoners intently. Pete stared all around, looking desperately for some clue that would suggest a possible course of action.

Suddenly he blinked. He must be seeing things!

Shadowy figures seemed to be rising up all around the small canyon. He shouted: "Here I am! Help! We're here!"

The figures all began to run towards him. Sanders jumped up, looked frantically at the men rushing towards him, and then dropped his rifle and ran into the darkness.

"Get that man!" Chief Reynolds cried.

Moments later Jupiter, Mr. Andrews and Worthington were crowding round Pete, trying to untie the ropes. Natches ran to Nanika and quickly untied his brother. Two of Chief Reynolds's men came back with Sanders, who was still struggling to get away.

"Where's Mr. Harris?" Jupiter asked Pete.

"He went up the canyon towards Indian Head Mountain," Pete said, "and he's got Bob with him!"

Mr. Andrews looked despairing. "He still has Bob?"

Chief Reynolds glared at the surly-looking Sanders. "Where is Harris, you? What's he done with Bob and those Indian boys?"