Part 3 (1/2)
The boys' alarm clock rang just as the sun was rising. Frank and Joe dressed, ate a quick breakfast and gathered their supplies, among which were the Christmas gifts they had received.
Chet and Biff were waiting outside the Hardys' boathouse when the brothers drove up. ”Hey!” Joe exclaimed as he and Frank hopped out to meet them. ”What's all that?” He pointed to a pile of packages on the ground.
”Our Christmas presents!” Biff replied.
”I got super binoculars,” Chet crowed. ”And look! A portable ultraviolet light for identifying rocks and minerals.”
”How about this?” Biff broke in, holding up a large box. ”Barbells! I have the weights, too. And-”
”Fellows!” Frank interrupted. ”We'll never fit all this stuff onto the Seagull!”
”I see you and Joe brought some of your Christmas loot,” Chet grumbled.
”Only what's really needed,” Frank insisted. ”Snow shoes and a camera. Chet, your binoculars will be great! The rest will have to stay in Bayport.”
Biff and Chet gave in grudgingly. ”My father drove us here,” said Biff. ”But you'll have to drive us back to drop these things off.”
”Sure. First let's put the food in the Seagull,” Frank said. The boys did so, then Joe locked the boathouse. The four went off in the convertible and the extra items were returned to the Morton and Hooper homes.
As Frank once more reached the harbour parking area, a startled expression crossed his face. ”Didn't you lock up before we left?” he asked Joe.
”Sure I did!” Joe gulped. All four boys stared in disbelief at the area between the parked cars and the Hardys' boathouse.
Their supplies which had been in the Seagull were scattered in all directions over the ground!
CHAPTER V.
Two Suspects STUNNED, the boys could only stare at one another. Frank turned to Joe and declared, ”This reminds me of the damage at Mr Jefferson's place last night!”
”It's too similar to be just coincidence,” Joe agreed. ”And yet, I can't think of any logical connection between the two break-ins. Who's our suspect, in either case?”
”What are you two talking about?” Chet asked impatiently.
Joe quickly told of the incident at Mr Jefferson's house.
”Goodness! That sounds a lot worse than this mess,” said Chet. ”Who'd do such a thing?”
”Search me.” Joe frowned thoughtfully. ”Maybe someone who wants revenge on Mr Jefferson ransacked his house - then found out Frank and I are going to work on his mystery, so the same creep did this to spite us.”
”But who?” Chet persisted uneasily.
”What about the wise guy we met on Cabin Island?” Biff put in. ”The one who tried to get tough.”
Joe shrugged and threw a glance at his brother. ”Any hunches, Frank”'
Frank nodded. ”I've been wondering about that big fellow myself. We found out his name, by the way its Hanleigh. He's been trying to buy the island from Mr Jefferson.”
Suddenly Joe gave a start. ”Say! We ought to check the boathouse! Maybe-” He stopped in mid-sentence and sprinted off. The others followed, catching up to Joe as he unlocked the door and stepped inside.
A chorus of groans came from the boys as they looked from the broken window to the ice-yacht. The sail lay unfurled on the floor and had been slashed. It was completely useless!
”I'd like to get my hands on the skunk who did this!” Biff stormed angrily.
Joe was furious. ”Some nerve - smas.h.i.+ng his way in!”
Just then a voice spoke from the doorway. ”Hi, fellows! What's going on?”
The four turned to see their friend Tony Prito. Tony, a slender, dark-haired youth of Italian descent, stared at the damage with astonishment in his black eyes.
”Hi, Tony,” Joe said dejectedly. ”We were gone for a short time and just got back to find this mess!”
Tony shook his head. ”Tough break! I heard about your trip and came down to see you off.”
”Any chance you could join us?” Frank asked. ”We'd be glad to sail back for you.”
”No, but thanks,” Tony replied. ”I promised Dad I'd help him out during Christmas vacation and drive one of the trucks.” Mr Prito was a busy building contractor in Bayport.
Despite the unpleasant situation, Chet could not resist a joke. ”What's going on in construction this time of year? You building an igloo?”
The others chuckled, and Tony said, ”When I pulled up in Dad's truck, I noticed Ike Nash and Tad Carson running down the road from here.”
”Ike and Tad again!” Joe exclaimed.
The Hardys' minds filled with questions. Were Ike and Tad the malicious visitors? Did they seek revenge for the damage to the Hawk by disabling the Hardys' ice-yacht? Or was there a more sinister motive?
”They're not going to stop us,” Joe said determinedly. ”Come on! We'll just have to stow all our gear onto the Gull again.”
”And we need to make repairs,” Frank added. ”Chet and Biff, will you take our car and pick up the spare sail in our garage? In the meantime, Joe and I will repack.”
”Right,” Chet agreed, taking the ignition key which Frank handed him.
”On the way,” Joe put in, ”why not buy us four police whistles? We may need them for signalling on the island.”
”And we'd better replace that windowpane,” Frank said.
”Don't worry about the gla.s.s,” Tony said. ”I have some spare in the truck. I'll fix the window.”
Frank and Joe resumed packing the Seagull, while Tony worked on the boathouse window.
As Frank arranged the supplies, he noticed that the seat belts had been cut.
”That's tough,” said Joe. ”We have no spares.”
The boys worked in silence for a while. Then Frank said, ”Joe, this case troubles me. I can't help wondering if there may be something more behind Johnny Jefferson's disappearance than his grandfather suspects.”