Part 11 (1/2)
The banter flew back and forth until the meal was finished. Then Chet put out the fire and the boys packed for the return trip. Camping in the salty sea air seemed to give them extra energy. They sang their way along the top of the cliff, where they picked up the digging tools and made the long descent to the fisherman's house.
Mrs. Donachie came out to greet them. ”Oh, I'm so glad all you boys returned safely from those awful caves,” she said.
”We're still in one piece.” Joe grinned. ”Is Johnny here? We're returning his tools.”
”He's out fis.h.i.+ng,” the woman said. ”I'll tell him you stopped by.”
The boys said good-by and headed for their cars. ”Come back when you please,” Mrs. Donachie called after them.
The Bayporters waved good-by and drove quickly back to Rockaway, where they pulled up in front of the general store. Frank led the way inside.
Mr. Tuttle, the proprietor, was sitting behind the counter, his chair tipped back. ”Well, what did I tell you?” he greeted them, shaking his head vigorously. ”You got into trouble at the caves, so you came back!”
”Who said anything about trouble?” Chet demanded.
”Well, you've got somethin' on your minds.” The whiskered man squinted. ”I can tell by the way you barged in here.”
”To tell you the truth,” Frank said, ”we have. I wonder if you could direct us to the town engineer's office.
We'd like to study some public maps and surveys.”
The old fellow raised himself expansively and snapped his suspenders. ”Seein' that I'm the mayor of Rockaway,” he said, ”I can show you to the archives.” With a flourish of his right hand, he indicated a door in the back of the store.
”In there?” asked Joe.
”That's the office of the mayor and the town engineer,” the storekeeper said.
The boys followed him into the room. To their surprise they found it neatly arranged, with a desk, a filing cabinet, and large survey maps on the walls. These showed the adjoining countryside, complete with service lines of all kinds.
Frank and Joe studied the maps carefully as Biff and Chet looked over their shoulders.
”No, I can't see any electrical conduits or water lines,” said Frank as his finger followed the area from the cliffs to the Palais Paris. ”Joe, you may have a good hunch about that place. I've got an idea.”
When Mayor Tuttle asked about their interest in the maps, Frank deftly turned the question aside, saying what a good campsite they had in Rockaway.
After buying more supplies, the boys drove to the campsite.
”Hey, Frank, what's this big idea of yours?” Joe asked impatiently.
Frank grinned. ”Gather round and listen. It may work.” He said that Joe and Chet would be dispatched to Bayport, while he and Biff continued sleuthing in Rockaway. ”Your mission,” he told his brother, ”will be to get Callie and Iola to apply for waitress jobs at the Palais Paris.”
CHAPTER XIV.
Startling News JOE whistled. ”A great idea, Frank. The girls can be our undercover agents.”
”Exactly,” Frank said. He turned to Chet ”Maybe you can convince Iola she should do this for Hardy and Sons.”
”I think she'd do it just for Joe,” Chet said, and guffawed.
”All right, all right,” Joe said, ”let's go.” He called over his shoulder. ”Find out about that cap, Frank!”
He and Chet hopped into the jalopy and drove away. Two hours later they pulled into the driveway of the Morton farmhouse.
Iola and Mary Todd hastened out to greet them. Mary, although happy to see the boys, had a wistful air.
Joe realized she was disappointed that her brother had not been found, and wished he had good news for her.
When the four young people had gathered in the cool s.p.a.cious living room, Joe asked Iola, ”Will you get Callie Shaw to come right over?”
”I'll phone her now. Why?”
”Tell you later.”
While they waited for Callie, tall frosty gla.s.ses of lemonade were served by Iola, who grew more curious with each cool sip. Twenty minutes later Callie Shaw arrived. She was a good-looking blond girl whom Frank Hardy often dated.
”Hi, everybody,” she said, her eyes sparkling. ”Why the mysterious summons?”
”Yes, Joe Hardy,” Iola put in. ”Don't keep us in suspense any longer.”
With a dramatic gesture Joe began. ”We have something exceptional to ask you girls.”
”I know! You want us to go on a picnic at the caves,” Callie said hopefully.
Joe shook his head. ”We want you and Iola to apply for waitress jobs at the Palais Paris.”
”So you can spy on what's going on there,” Chet burst in.
Dumfounded, the three girls listened raptly to the story of the boys' adventures.
”You mean you want us to help you on a detective case?” Iola said happily. ”Oh, we'd love to!”
A determined look crossed Mary's pretty face. ”If Callie and Iola are going to help you boys find my brother, I want to help, too.”
”But-but-” Chet started to protest.
”No buts about it,” Mary said emphatically. ”All three of us girls will be detectives!”
Mary's enthusiasm amused Joe and Chet. But Callie and Iola were delighted to have her join them in applying for waitress jobs at the Palais Paris.
”We'll call ourselves the three musketeers!” Iola said proudly.
”Ugh!” said Chet. ”I can just see you now dueling with steak knives.”
Iola gave her brother a withering look, then turned to Joe with a bright smile. ”What do you want us to do when we get there? Shall we go under a.s.sumed names?”
”To answer your second question first,” said Joe. ”You and Callie give your names, but I don't think Mary should use her last one-just in case these people have read about her brother's disappearance.”