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CHAPTER 7. Cry for help






 

CHET stood rooted to the spot. He kept staring straight ahead. The other boys looked but could see no sign of the ghost.

Finally Joe said, “You sure talked yourself into that one, Chet.”

“What do you mean? ”

“Mr. Hanleigh planted the idea in your mind and your old brain conjured up a ghost for you, ” Joe explained.

Chet looked scornful. “Is that so? Well, you’re wrong, Joe Hardy. I saw a ghost.”

Frank winked at his brother to stop his needling. To Chet he said, “Let’s get to the cabin - and some food.”

The trudge was continued without any further evidence of a ghost. When the boys reached the living room of the cabin, Joe lighted a large oil lamp that stood on the table, and a mellow glow spread over the room.

Chet declared he felt better, but added, “Honest, fellows! I did see this white thing - moving l-like a ghost! “

Frank spoke up. “Okay. Biff and I will go out and take a good look around while you and Joe put away our things and start supper.”

“Fine idea! ” Joe agreed. “I was thinking that we ought to appoint Chet cook, anyway. Then we’ll never miss a meal! ”

Chet brightened at once. “Kitchen, here I come! ” he said with enthusiasm.

Frank and Biff rummaged among the gear for flashlights before leaving the cabin.

“This’ll be a good chance to go over the island thoroughly, ” Frank remarked to his brother. “I still have a hunch that Johnny Jefferson may have come here.”

“You could be right, ” Joe agreed. “If we’re lucky, maybe you’ll pick up a clue.”

“Be on your guard, ” Chet cautioned as Frank and Biff started out the door.

“Don’t worry, we’ll keep our eyes open - especially for spooks! ” Biff called back over his shoulder.

When the two boys had left, Joe went into the kitchen, opened the back door, and discovered the woodshed Mr. Jefferson had mentioned. It was an enclosed lean-to and had a door that locked with an outside bolt.

Joe carried enough wood into the cabin to stoke both the living-room fireplace and the cooking-stove. Soon the cabin began to warm up and Joe and Chet removed their heavy parkas.

Chet lighted the oil lamp which stood on the kitchen table and unpacked enough of the food for several meals. “I’ll leave the rest in the boxes, ” he said, and set them on the bottom shelf in the cupboard.

Meanwhile, Frank and Biff had decided to separate in order to scout the w-hole area more quickly. Each was to search half the island, then meet the other boy at the boathouse.

“Watch out for white things! ” Biff warned jokingly.

“You mean like snowballs? ” Frank returned with a grin. “Seriously, Chet may not have imagined that spook - so don’t take any chances, Biff. If you spot anything suspicious, give a blast on that police whistle.”

“Wilco! ”

The two boys started off in different directions. Frank trudged through the crusted snow, playing his flashlight beam ahead of him among the pines and underbrush. The wind had picked up, its icy chill stinging his face to a raw numbness.

As Frank plodded on through the dusk, he stopped to listen as each new sound caught his ear. Once he was sure he had heard someone cough and hurried in its direction. Nobody was in sight. But just then, an owl flew past, and Frank jumped back startled.

“I’m getting as jittery as Chet, ” Frank berated himself. He squared his shoulders and went on, beaming his light.

Half an hour later the two searchers met at the boathouse. “Any luck, Biff? ”

“None, Frank. Cabin Island evidently has visitors only in the daytime. How about you? ”

“I didn’t find a clue, but I-“ Frank stopped speaking as an object on the ground caught his attention. He bent over to pick it up.

“Wow! ” said Biff. “A model of an ice-yacht.”

“And expertly carved, ” Frank remarked, examining the intricately made model.

“Do you think Tad or Ike or Hanleigh lost this? ” Biff asked. “Or could it belong to Mr Jefferson? ”

Frank examined the little boat, then declared, “It probably belongs to some very recent visitor to the island. The wood doesn’t look as though it has been exposed to the elements very long. In fact, it seems to be newly carved.”

“Anyway, it’s a beauty, ” Biff commented. “Why don’t you take it along and put it on the cabin mantel? ”

It was fully dark by the time Frank and Biff reached the cabin and reported that they had found no one on the island.

“Well, I’m willing to forget the ghost, now that we’re about to eat, ” Chet called from the kitchen.

“How long before chow’s ready? ” Frank asked. “The wind has started to blow pretty hard. I’d like to take the Seagull around to the boathouse.”

“You have time, ” Chet replied. “But hurry.”

Frank showed Joe and Chet the ice-yacht model, then set it on the mantel before stepping outside and hurrying to the shore. Quickly he jumped into the ice-yacht and trimmed the sail. The instant the brake was released, the craft glided off like a phantom and in a short time Frank reached the boathouse. It was unlocked and empty. The boy stored the boat inside, then tramped back to the cabin.

There he found Joe and Biff staring at the massive stone chimney. “We’re trying to figure out what interested Hanleigh, ” Joe remarked.

“Beats me, ” Biff added.

Chet interrupted from the kitchen. “Chow time! ” he called, and ushered his friends to the table on which stood bowls of steaming beef stew. There was plenty of creamy milk and a big basket of warm, crusty bread.

“Delicious! ” exclaimed Biff after tasting the stew. “I’ll bet that ghost was just hungry and hoping for an invitation! ”

“It’s an old family recipe, ” Chet boasted.

“You mean an old family can opener? ” Joe rejoined. “I saw all those cans you brought! ”

“I had to add special spices, though, and salt and pepper, ” Chet said defensively. “That’s what makes it taste so good.”

When the meal was finished, Biff was elected dishwasher. “Scrub hard and you’ll develop your boxing biceps, ” Chet teased. Frank volunteered to help, and soon the kitchen was in order.

The wind was howling louder now, but the interior of the cabin was snug. The boys sat in front of the briskly burning logs in the fireplace and listened to the creaking of low branches against the cabin.

“I wish we could learn what Hanleigh hopes to gain by coming to this place, ” Joe mused, “or by purchasing it.”

“One thing I’m convinced of, ” said Frank. “He wasn’t studying the fireplace just for its artistic look.”

“He’s certainly nervy with other people’s property, ” Biff remarked.

Frank nodded. “I keep wondering if it was he who ransacked the Jefferson home.”

“Again, the question is why? ” Joe said.

“I’d think you guys would be more worried about that ghost I saw pussyfooting around here, ” Chet spoke up plaintively.

“What’s more important, ” said Frank, “is that we don’t forget the mystery we’re supposed to solve, to find Johnny Jefferson. Joe and I believe he’s hiding in this area.”

Joe added, “I’ve a hunch this mystery will be solved near Bayport. Johnny is bound to run out of money, and if he looks for a job, somebody will become suspicious because he’s so young.”

“Besides, ” Frank said, “if we stick to our theory that Johnny is searching for the stolen medals, we can be pretty sure he hasn’t given up. Not if he’s as keen on sleuthing as his grandfather says he is. As far as we know, no one has located Mr. Jefferson’s collection or the servant suspected of stealing it.”

Biff looked puzzled. “I’m glad we’re going to stay. But what’s this talk about stolen medals and a suspected servant? You’ve been holding out on us.”

“Yes, explain! ” Chet gave the Hardys a sideways look. “I have a feeling that once again you two have taken me along on a double-headed mystery! ”

The brothers related the story of the missing rosewood box and the priceless collection of honorary medals. As Joe told of the suspect, and of Johnny Jefferson’s desire to be a detective, the storm suddenly grew in violence. Snow hissed against the windows and the sashes rattled ominously.

Then, in the distance, the boys heard a muffled crash.

“A big tree must have gone down! ” Joe exclaimed.

Frank looked at the fire. “Let’s each bring in an armload of logs before we go to bed. This is going to be a long, cold night.”

The four donned their parkas and took flashlights. Pushing hard, they managed to open the back door and hurried to the woodshed. Abruptly the boys stopped and listened intently. Through the darkness and the wind-driven sleet and snow came a faint cry.

“Help! ”

 






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