Part 15 (1/2)

Joe grinned. ”I've got news for you, Johnny - we've cracked the code.”

As the boy exclaimed in delight, Hanleigh groaned and put his head on the table.

”As soon as the storm dies down, we'll start hunting,” Frank said. ”If the collection is here, we'll find it.”

They remained in the kitchen for warmth and managed to s.n.a.t.c.h a couple of hours' sleep. The rest of the night pa.s.sed fitfully.

Shortly after daybreak, Frank awoke and stretched his aching muscles. Noticing that the wind had abated, he opened the door to the big room. Things were topsy-turvy and under a blanket of snow. ”The fireplace of the chimney first,” he thought. Returning to the kitchen, he awakened the others. ”Rise and s.h.i.+ne, fellows! We have some treasure hunting to do, remember ?”

After a quick breakfast, Frank said, ”Joe - Biff, how about giving me a boost up the fireplace chimney?”

Frank turned on his flashlight and started to crawl into the fireplace.

At that moment the front door burst open. Two men stepped in.

”Hold it!” said a sharp voice. ”You're under arrest! All of you!”

CHAPTER XX.

The Hazardous Search WHIRLING in astonishment, the boys saw two sternfaced harbour policemen striding towards them through the debris in the living-room.

The Hardys recognized them as Lieutenant Daley and Officer Thorne.

”We're taking you all into custody!” barked Daley. ”Where's the stolen ice-yacht?”

At that moment Hanleigh appeared at the kitchen door. ”What's going on?” he asked, then gasped at the sight of the policemen. Despite his injured leg, he bolted for the back door.

Frank and Joe dashed forward and seized him. ”Here's your thief, Lieutenant Daley,” Joe said as they hustled the big man into the living-room.

The officer stared, astonished, upon recognizing the brothers. ”The Hardys!” Daley exclaimed. ”Didn't know you at first. You all look a little beat up.”

Joe introduced the others. ”We've been roughing it and trying to solve a couple of mysteries.”

”They solved them, too,” Chet put in proudly.

Johnny Jefferson stepped forward. ”That's true,” he said. ”Frank and Joe and their pals have been working on a case for my grandfather, Elroy Jefferson.”

”Then you must be Johnny Jefferson!” Lieutenant Daley exclaimed.

”Yes, the Hardys found me.”

”Well, I'll be a frozen rookie!” Officer Thorne burst out. ”We've been on the lookout for you!”

”Leave it to the Hardys,” said Daley, tilting back his hat and scratching his head. ”A couple of chips off the old block. How's your dad?”

”Fine,” Frank replied, then told their story which included the wrecking of the Hawk. Handcuffs were snapped on Hanleigh.

”You can't take me to jail,” he argued. ”I'm a sick man.”

”You'll be taken care of,” Daley said firmly.

”By the way,” Joe spoke up, ”who accused us of stealing the ice-yacht?”

Lieutenant Daley explained that an anonymous phone call to headquarters had reported the theft, and revealed that the culprits were hiding on Cabin Island.

”Ike or Tad made that call, no doubt,” Frank said.

Biff grinned. ”Those two would be burned up if they knew they'd done us a favour tipping off the police.”

Chet gave a wry chuckle. ”Those guys will have a real surprise when they see the Hawk.”

Daley added, ”We didn't want to bother Mr Jefferson until we found out what was going on here, so we came straight over.”

Hanleigh declared he was unable to walk. The police were unsympathetic. ”You seemed to manage okay when you were trying to get away,” Daley said. ”So you certainly can hike across the cove to where our squad car is parked.”

The lieutenant smiled at Johnny. ”We'll tell your grandfather you're safe and in good hands.”

Johnny pleaded that he himself wished to surprise his grandfather. ”Besides, I want to take him his medals. I know the Hardys can find them.”

”We'll give it a good try,” Frank promised.

The two policemen agreed to keep the secret, and left with their prisoner, who complained bitterly as he was escorted from the cabin.

Without further delay the boys gathered round the hearth. ”Now for the rosewood box!” exclaimed Joe, and went for a metal tape measure he had seen in the toolbox.

”What do you look for first?” Biff asked.

”A loose stone, nine feet up the front,” Frank replied. He ducked into the soot-blackened fireplace and stood up. ”Lucky it's a wide chimney,” he remarked, picking up his flashlight. ”Well, here goes. Give me a boost, somebody.”

Biff crouched down in the fireplace and Frank sat astride his broad shoulders. Slowly Biff stood up, grasping his friend's legs. Frank unwound the tape, and with the aid of his flashlight, found the nine-foot level. He marked this off with chalk and handed the tape to Biff.

Then Frank began testing the stones in order from right to left. All felt tightly in place, but suddenly Frank touched a joint of cement which crumbled beneath his fingers.

”This looks much lighter in colour,” he observed, ”as if too much sand was used in the mix.”

”Any luck?” cam Joe's eager voice from below.

”Not yet. But I've come across something I want to investigate.”

”Need help?”

”You can hold this light.”

Joe squirmed in beside Biff and took the flashlight from his brother. Frank drew out his penknife and inserted the blade tip into the cement, which surrounded a large oblong stone. The substance fell off readily. Frank then grasped the rock and pulled hard. It gave a little.

”Hey!” exclaimed Joe. ”What's cooking?”