Part 12 (2/2)
Frank looked worried. ”I'm afraid so. It's a big island,” he added grimly. ”I hope we're not too late.”
CHAPTER XVII.
The Dangerous Climb ”JOE!” Frank called repeatedly as he slowly circled the island searching for his brother. The young sleuth had nearly reached the cliff when his shouts were answered by a faint cry.
”Here! Over here!” Then silence.
Frank thought the sounds had come from a clump of tangled underbrush and hastened to it. Pulling aside the snowy branches, he saw Joe. The blond boy was so numb that he could barely move his lips. Quickly Frank untied the cords on his brother's ankles and wrists.
”Think you can walk?”
”I'll try,” came the faint reply.
Joe leaned heavily on his brother and the pair made their way haltingly towards the cabin. When they drew near, Frank shouted, ”Biff! Hurry!”
The muscular youth came sprinting outside and together he and Frank carried Joe into the living-room and placed him on the sofa. Chet, heaving a sigh of relief, rushed to get a blanket.
After a few minutes, Joe felt stronger. Presently he drank a cup of hot cocoa, then said, ”I'm okay.”
Just then he noticed Ike and Tad, standing glumly next to the fireplace. Joe grinned. ”Did you have a nice warm wait in the woodshed, fellows?” As they scowled, Joe told his story without mentioning why he had gone to the cliff or what he had found there.
When Joe had finished, Biff strode over angrily to Ike and Tad. ”What's Hanleigh after on Cabin Island?”
”That's what we wanted to find out,” Ike answered. ””Say, won't you guys give us a lift to Bayport so we can find the Hawk?”
”Are you kidding?” Chet retorted scornfully. ”You expect a ride in the Hardys' ice-bus after you tried twice to wreck it?”
”How did Hanleigh find out we were going to stay on Cabin Island?” Joe queried.
”We were picking him up down the road when he spotted you packing the Seagull,” Tad explained.
”Hanleigh eavesdropped on you near the boathouse and heard your plans.”
”We've just been doing his dirty work,” Ike said sourly.
”You could have injured someone seriously throwing that log at the Seagull,” Frank said. ”Mr Jefferson was knocked out.”
”Don't blame me. I wasn't there!” Ike whined.
”It's true,” Tad admitted. ”Hanleigh and I wore masks. It was his idea to disable your boat.”
”But how could you be sure we would be coming out in the Seagull at that time?” Joe asked.
”We were on our way to the island when we saw you,” Tad replied. ”Hanleigh changed his mind about the trip and decided to ram you. He made me take him ash.o.r.e to pick up a log. Then we lay in wait near the inlet. We didn't realize you had the old man until too late.”
Despite further intensive questioning, Ike and Tad stuck to their statement that they knew nothing of Hanleigh's quest on Cabin Island, nor had they seen a boy answering Johnny Jefferson's description.
Finally the troublemakers departed, grumbling, to walk home.
As soon as the door had closed behind them, Joe swung off the couch. ”Fellows,” he said, ”I've something to tell you.”
”And about time!” exclaimed Frank. ”I've been burning with curiosity. Why did you ask Mr Jefferson about the hot springs?”
”And what were you doing on the cliff?” Chet put in.
Joe interrupted. ”Take it easy. Let me explain. I think I know where Johnny Jefferson is.”
”Where?” chorused the others.
”In a cave in the cliff.”
”How do you figure that?” Biff asked.
Joe told about spotting the patch of dark ground from the cabin roof. ”At first I figured there was a hot spring melting the snow. Later it occurred to me that, instead, there might be a cave under the spot. If someone built a fire in it and there were crevices in the roof leading to the surface, the smoke would come up and the heat would melt the snow.”
Frank's eyes flashed with excitement. ”Great deduction, Joe!”
”I got only as far as the circle of stones,” Joe went on. ”Smoke was coming up, so I'm sure somebody was in the cave-probably Johnny. But Hanleigh knocked me out even before I could look for the entrance.”
”Then he dragged you to a place where you could freeze waiting to be rescued,” Biff put in grimly.
”The mouth of the cave is probably in the cliff face!” Frank declared. He jumped up and started pulling on his parka. ”Come on! We'll surprise Johnny and bring him back here!”
”Wait!” exclaimed Chet. ”First lunch!”
After a quick snack, the boys headed for the cliff. On the way, Frank told his brother about the meeting with Yussef.
Joe whistled. ”Hanleigh's a sharp operator, all right. I wish I could've made him admit he was after the medals. He was plenty upset when he found out we had the book and the coded message. I'm sure he hasn't solved the cipher yet,” Joe added.
When the boys reached open ground at the top of the cliff, they were met by an icy blast from the bay.
Frank glanced anxiously at the leaden sky.
”Storm coming,” he muttered.
Joe showed them the sheltered spot in the circle of stones. No smoke was rising.
”The fire must have gone out,” Frank commented.
”Since the cave is right under here,” said Chet, ”the way down may be nearby.”
”Let's look for footprints leading to the edge of the cliff,” Biff suggested.
”It won't be much use,” Frank said, shaking his head. ”This wind will have swept them away.”
<script>