Part 7 (2/2)
The Napoli was a rangy, powerful craft with graceful lines and was the pride of Tony's life. The boat moved slowly out into the waters of Barmet Bay and then gathered speed as it headed toward the ocean.
”Rough water,” Frank remarked as breaking swells. .h.i.t the hull. Salt spray dashed over the bow of the Napoli as it plunged on through the white-caps. Bayport soon became a speck nestled at the curve of the horseshoe-shaped body of water. Reaching the ocean, Tony turned north. The boys could see the white line of the sh.o.r.e road rising and falling along the coast. Soon they pa.s.sed the Kane farm. Two miles farther on they came within sight of the cliff upon which the Pollitt house stood. It looked stark and forbidding above the rocks, its roof and chimneys silhouetted against the sky.
”Pretty steep cliff,” Tony observed. ”I can't see how anyone could make his way up and down that slope to get to the house.”
”That's probably why n.o.body has suspected the place of being a smuggling base,” Frank replied. ”But perhaps when we look around we'll find an answer.”
Tony steered the boat closer toward the sh.o.r.e, so that it would not be visible from the Pollitt grounds.
Then he slackened speed in order that the sound of the engine would be less noticeable, and the craft made its way toward the bottom of the cliff.
There were currents here that demanded skilful navigation, but Tony brought the Napoli through them easily, and at last the boat was chugging along close to the face of the cliff.
The boys eagerly scanned the formidable wall of rock. It was scarred and seamed and the base had been eaten away by the incessant battering of waves. There was no indication of a path.
Suddenly Tony turned the wheel sharply. The Napoli swerved swiftly to one side. He gave it power and the craft leaped forward with a roar.
”What's the matter?” Frank asked in alarm.
Tony gazed straight ahead, tense and alert. Another s.h.i.+ft of the wheel and the Napoli swerved again.
Then Chet and the Hardys saw the danger. There were rocks at the base of the cliff. One of them, black and sharp, like an ugly tooth, jutted out of the water almost at the boat's side. Only Tony's quick eye had saved the Napoli from hitting it!
They had blundered into a veritable maze of reefs which extended for several yards ahead. Tony's pa.s.sengers held their breaths. It seemed impossible that they could run the gantlet of those rocks without tearing out the bottom of the craft.
But luck was with them. The Napoli dodged the last dangerous rock, and shot forward into open water.
Tony sank back with a sigh of relief. ”Whew, that was close!” he exclaimed. ”I didn't see those rocks until we were right on top of them. If we'd ever struck one of them we'd have been goners.”
Frank, Joe, and Chet nodded in solemn agreement. Then, suddenly, Frank cried out, ”Turn back! I think I saw an opening!”
Tony swung the boat around. The opening which Frank had spotted was a long, narrow tunnel. It led right through the cliff!
”This might be the secret entrance!” Joe exclaimed.
”I think it's large enough for the boat to go through,” said Tony. ”Want me to try it?”
Frank nodded tensely. ”Go ahead.”
The Napoli slipped through the opening and in a few moments came out into a pond of considerable extent. The boys looked about expectantly. Steep slopes covered with scraggly trees and bushes reached to the water's edge. But there was no path or indication that any human being ever came down to the pond.
Suddenly Frank gave a gasp of surprise and said, ”Look to my right, fellows.”
Among the thickets at the base of the steepest slope stood a man. He was very tall, his face was weather-beaten, and his lips thin and cruel. He stood quietly, looking at the boys without a shadow of expression on his sinister face.
Upon realizing he had been observed, the man shouted, ”Get out of here!”
Tony throttled the engine and Frank called, ”We aren't doing any harm.”
”I said 'Get out!' This is private property.”
The boys hesitated. Instantly the man, as though to back up his commands, reached significantly toward the holster of a revolver.
”Turn that boat around and beat it!” he snapped. ”And don't ever come back here! Not if you know what's good for you.”
The boys realized that nothing would be gained by argument. Tony slowly brought the boat around.
”Okay,” Joe called cheerfully.
The stranger did not reply. He stood gazing fixedly after them, his left hand pointing to the exit, his right tapping the gun holster, as the motorboat made its way out through the tunnel.
”Looks as if he didn't want us around,” remarked Tony facetiously, as soon as the Napoli was in open water again.
”He sure didn't!” Frank exclaimed. ”I expected him to start popping that gun at any moment!”
”He must have an important reason. Who and what do you suppose he is?” Tony asked in bewilderment.
”Fellows,” Frank said thoughtfully, ”I think that man might have been Snattman!”
CHAPTER XI.
Cliff Watchers ”FRANK!” Joe exclaimed. ”I think you've hit it! That man had no reason to act the way he did unless he's covering up something.”
”Something like smuggling, you mean,” said Chet. ”He must be Snattman or one of his gang.”
”And,” Frank went on, ”the fact that he was in that cove must mean he has some connection with the house on the cliff.”
”Snattman, king of the smugglers!” Tony whistled. ”You guys really get in some interesting situations!”
”I'll bet that he's one of the fellows who chased Jones that day in the motorboat,” Joe cried.
”And tried to kill him,” Frank continued the thought.
”Let's get away from here!” Chet urged.
”Why should we go now?” Frank demanded.
”We've stumbled on something important. That hidden pond may be the smugglers' base.”
”But if they use the house how do they get to it?” Tony asked. ”Those cliffs up from the pond were mighty steep.”
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