018-The Twisted Claw by Franklin W. Dixon

Author:Franklin W. Dixon [Dixon, Franklin W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-08-07T14:27:12+00:00

Back in their room Frank Hardy brought forth the old, yellowed pirate book in which he had marked a chapter. For the greater part of an hour Joe read eagerly.

"Great guns, I can hardly believe all this!" he exclaimed suddenly, jumping up. "It's the most fantastic thing I ever heard of!"

"I'm sure," said Frank, "that somehow those smugglers have secured a copy of the book and have followed the idea of that chapter!"

"Sounds impossible, but I've a hunch you're right," agreed Joe. "Golly, think of it! A pirate captain plans to build a fleet of ships and start a world-wide smuggling ring!"

He thumbed through the pages of the book again, pausing now and then to read aloud to himself.

"Did you see all that about the claw?"

"Certainly did! Here it is. Tells how every member of his band would be branded with a 118 The Twisted Claw twisted claw mark and would be tortured to death if he should do anything disloyal."

"I agree with you, Joe, it all sounds impossible. But we've found two men with the strange imprints on their fingers, and Chet says the Black Parrot is only one of a lot of ships with parrot names!"

The boys speculated on their strange discovery until supper time, when they went down to the hotel dining room. Over pea soup, beefsteak and fried potatoes they discussed the problem of how long they should wait in town for the schooner to dock, if indeed she did plan to anchor there.

"We'd better stay around here for a week," Frank suggested. "If she doesn't show up then, we'll have to figure out what to do next."

"In the meantime, Frank, what do you say we go to a movie tonight?"

Frank agreed heartily, and shortly after supper the boys seated themselves in a stuffy little moving picture theatre. Suddenly Joe caught his breath as a tall, thin figure brushed past them on its way down the aisle.

"Frank! Isn't that-isn't that Pierre?" whispered the younger Hardy excitedly.

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