Part 14 (1/2)

147 ”He said you were to report to him as soon as you came in.”

The boys hastened off. They could not imagine what the director wanted with them.

”Hope it doesn't mean trouble,” said Frank. ”Maybe Boots has been talking to him.”

But it did not mean trouble. The director was a kindly, twinkling-eyed man who shook hands with them in the friendliest manner. He said a gentleman was there to see them. It was against the rules for the workers to have callers, but he was making an exception this time.

'' I know your father well,'' he smiled. '' Fine man. And I understand you boys are following in his footsteps, and already are working on some case out here. After you see your caller, look me up again.”

Tim 0 'Brien, the person waiting to see them, was the new night watchman from the road construction job. Honesty was written on hia broad features.

”Young Mr. Ames asked me to stop in to see you on my way home for some sleep,” he told the boys. ”But actually I won't sleep, for that's what I did all night, when I was supposed to be guardin' the stuff out there,” he added ruefully.

”d.i.c.k says he thinks you were drugged,” spoke up Frank.

”I guess so. That stuff I smelled was the foulest thing anybody ever had near him.”

148 '' What was it like ?'' asked Joe.

”Nothing alive,” the watchman answered. ”More like a dead animal that hadn't been buried.''

”But that shouldn't have put you to sleep for so many hours,” said Frank. ”I believe the thief who did it used the strange stuff first, then followed it up with ether or something else that wasn't noticeable to you, but put you to sleep.”

'' Clever,'' grunted 0 'Brien. ' ' ' But if I ever lay my hands on the guy-” He did not p.r.o.nounce But if I ever lay my hands on the guy-” He did not p.r.o.nounce his threat. Instead, he stood up and said good-by to the boys. ”If you catch him, let me know.”

After he had gone, the Hardys returned to the S. E. F. Director. He was reading a label on a small bottle he held in his hand. It had seeds inside.

”Here's something interesting,” he remarked. ”I'll admit these seeds don't look look interesting, but they're fifty years old, and I'm about to plant some of them.”

”They won't grow, will they?” asked Joe.

”I expect them to. And ten years from now we'll plant some more of them.”

The boys thought he was joking. They had never thought a seed could grow after fifty years. But the director a.s.sured them that it was quite possible, and that it was one of the most important experiments being carried on at the farm.

149 ”It only goes to show that plant life is practically indestructible,'' remarked the man. '' A grain of wheat taken from an Egyptian tomb actually grew after being buried for five thousand years!”

The boys were impressed. Each day they were gaming a better understanding of the important work of experimental farming.

”We were told something about the African lily pollen the other morning,” said Joe.

'' Oh, yes-that stuff. Smells!'' laughed the director.

”Would it be possible for us to get a sample?” asked Frank, who had been mulling over an idea in his mind.

”Yes, indeed,” beamed the man, ”as long as you don't waste it playing tricks on your friends.” He took a pad of paper from his pocket and scribbled a few words on it. '' Here's an order on the laboratory sample room. The clerk will give you some of the evil-smelling stuff.”

Frank and Joe found their way to the laboratory. The clerk in the sample room glanced at the order slip.

”African lily pollen, eh? Sure, I can fix you up with some of that. There's a whole bottle of it right here.''

He turned away, ran his fingers along one of the crowded shelves. Then his hand paused at an empty s.p.a.ce.

150 ”Why-why, it's gone!” he exclaimed. ”I can't understand this.”

”Maybe somebody took it to use for an experiment,” Frank suggested.

But the clerk said that would have been impossible without a written order. And no order had been filed for the African lily sample. The man was upset and frantically searched all the shelves, on the chance that the bottle might have been misplaced. But it was not there.

”I can't understand it,” the clerk said.

But the Hardy boys could. As they returned to the director to tell him, Frank remarked : ”I'm sure someone stole that sample to use on the watchman.”

”And that someone,” declared Joe with conviction, ”was Boots 1”

CHAPTER XVIII.

A MYSTERIOUS APPOINTMENT.

the Hardy boys hurried back to tell the director the bottle of pollen was missing. The man was not unduly disturbed.

”Probably the clerk put it on the wrong shelf. Or maybe someone needed the sample in a hurry and the clerk was off duty at the time, so the bottle went out without being entered in the records. I have some of the stuff in my private office, anyhow. Come along and I '11 let you have some of it.”

On the way Frank ventured an inquiry about Boots.

”An interesting character,” he remarked innocently. ”We were working with him the first day we came here.”

”Oh yes-Boots. Very interesting fellow,” said the director. '' He was hired by us, because he knows a good deal about rice culture, and the information was valuable to us in our underwater farming.”

”Where did he learn about rice?” asked Joe.

”He was s.h.i.+pwrecked on an island somewhere in the Orient, I believe. He's had quite a history. Bather gruff in his manner, but he's a good workman and honest.”

151.

152 The Hardy boys were a little surprised by this high recommendation of Boots. As they waited for the director to locate the bottle, a figure pa.s.sed beneath one of the open office windows. The fellow had been lurking there and had heard the entire conversation.

”Those two boys are gettin' awful smart,” he muttered as he went off.

”Here you are, my boy. Here's the horrible African lily pollen,” smiled the director, coming back with a tiny vial. '' Don't let any of it get on your clothes, or you'll both be as unpopular as a pair of polecats!''

Smiling, the boys thanked him and promised to take good care of the rare stuff. They were glad, nevertheless, that the director did not ask them why they wanted it.

”Just as soon as we finish work this afternoon,” resolved Frank, ”we'll look up O'Brien and find out if this is what he smelled last night. And if it is------”

”If it is,” Joe declared, ”I think we'll have a first-rate clue to that robbery. With Mr. Boots right in the middle of it, I don't care what the director says about him.”