Part 9 (1/2)
”Good advice,” Biff remarked. ”lola wouldn't like her, anyway.”
Tony's fortune told of an impending discussion with a stocky, dark man. ”My dad probably,” Tony joked. ”He'll have a few things to say if I get home late!”
Chet was looking indignantly at his paper. ”Huh! Mine says, beware! You eat too much!”
98 His friends burst out laughing. ”Better not finish that cooky,” Frank said with mock gravity.
”You guys don't understand,” the stout boy a.s.serted. ”I just need lots of food energy for all the work I do!”
His words were greeted with fresh merriment. ”Listen! I'll bet you're too out of condition to balance on the rail of this junk!” Joe dared him.
”Is that so? Just watch!” Chet boasted.
Before anyone could advise caution, the chunky lad climbed up on the gunwale. He teetered precariously, arms outstretched. The next moment Chet gave a wild yell and toppled overboard. Feet first, he hit the water with a mighty splash and disappeared beneath the surface. His friends held their sides and quaked with merriment.
”For Pete's sake!” Joe said. ”I didn't think he'd really try that stunt.”
Chet bobbed to the surface. Sputtering, he pulled himself up, grabbed the Hai Hau's Hai Hau's bowline, then to his comrades' complete astonishment, swam rapidly to sh.o.r.e. Das.h.i.+ng up onto the beach, Chet hitched the line around a gnarled old tree stump.
”Okay, this'll show you guys!” he shouted. ”If you want to get back to Bayport, you'll either have to untie this end of the rope or leave it behind.”
”That rope's valuable,” Frank commented, and added, grinning, ”Looks as if the joke's on us!”
99 Joe started to doff his T s.h.i.+rt and slacks in order to swim ash.o.r.e. Just then a car's headlight beams swept off the road and blazed between the trees. It was a jeep which plunged across the sandy beach. A moment later it ground to a halt and four masked men leaped out!
”Hey, what's going on?” Tony exclaimed, utterly astounded.
The crew of the Hal Hau Hal Hau stared dumfounded for a moment as the men raced toward stared dumfounded for a moment as the men raced toward Chet.
”They must be after the junk!” Frank gasped. ”If they're armed-good night! Chet!” he shouted. ”Run!”
The stout boy did not run away, but he suddenly spun into action and untied the bowline.
”Don't wait for me!” he yelled, and hurled the line out into the water.
As the four a.s.sailants closed in on Chet, Joe declared he was going to jump overboard and help Chet.
Biff deterred him. ”Those men are after the boat. If they don't get it, they'll let Chet go.”
Although the Hardys were skeptical, they listened to their friend's advice. Frank immediately began issuing orders.
”We'll leave, then sneak back and pick up Chet.”
While the other boys hauled in the anchor and the dripping bowline, he ran aft and gunned the outboard into life. Two of the masked men 100 plunged into the water and swam swiftly toward the junk. But the Hai Hau Hai Hau was already was already backing speedily out of the cove, beyond their reach. An unintelligible snarl echoed across the water, and the two swimmers returned to sh.o.r.e.
”Put out the lanterns!” Frank directed Tony.
Once clear of the cove, he rounded a spit of land, cut the motor gradually, and let the junk drift through the darkness toward a concealing clump of trees and shrubbery.
”Now what?” Jim Foy asked in a whisper.
”You stay aboard and guard the junk!” said Frank, grabbing a waterproof flashlight. ”The rest of us will go over the side and rescue Chet!”
Swiftly but silently the Hardys, Biff, and Tony lowered themselves into the water. A few quick strokes brought them to sh.o.r.e. Then they plunged through the trees like darting shadows, hoping to circle around and take the masked a.s.sailants from the rear, if they were still there.
As the boys emerged in sight of the beach, they saw the four men dragging Chet, still kicking and squirming, toward their car.
”They're kidnaping him to hold as a hostagel” Joe exclaimed.
”Make plenty of noise,” Frank whispered to his companions. Out loud he shouted, ”Take 'em, gang!”
Yelling like Indians on the warpath, the boys burst from cover. Chet's captors whirled around.
101 The stout lad seized his chance, pulled himself free, and unleashed a flurry of blows.
A second later Frank, Joe, Biff, and Tony waded in, fists swinging! A brief but wild melee followed. Confused and taken off guard, the masked men turned and fled toward the jeep.
Biff made a flying tackle and grabbed one by the ankle, but the fellow kicked himself free and went tearing after his companions.
”Stop 'em!” Joe yelled as the jeep's engine roared.
At that moment a vivid bolt of lightning arced across the cove. Simultaneously a deafening crack crack split the air. The boys halted in their chase as a single thought struck their split the air. The boys halted in their chase as a single thought struck their mind.
Had the Hai Hau Hai Hau been struck by lightning? been struck by lightning?
CHAPTER XI.
A Peculiar Theft.
”COME on!” Frank urged the others. ”Let's check on the Hai Haul” Hai Haul”
The boys darted back across the beach. They were about to take a short cut through the grove of trees when Frank suddenly halted. He grabbed Joe's arm and pointed to the water's edge.
”Look! There's what was. .h.i.t!”
By his flashlight he showed the others where a tree had been split apart by the bolt of lightning.
Tony shuddered. ”Whew! If the lightning had hit just the other side of the cove-no more Hai Haul”
Relieved, the five companions made their way across the narrow spit of land enclosing the cove. When they emerged through the cl.u.s.ter of trees and brush, they saw the junk lying safely offsh.o.r.e.
”Oh, you beauteous doll!” Tony gave a mimicking hugging gesture.
102.
103 Jim Foy hailed the boys as they swam back and climbed aboard. ”Nice going, fellows!