038 Mystery at Devil's Paw by Franklin W. Dixon

Author:Franklin W. Dixon [Dixon, Franklin W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XI

A Fiery Missile

WITH a lightning grab, Ted yanked the stalk out of Chet’s mouth before his teeth could sink into it.

“Hey! What’s the big idea?” Chet protested.

“That stuff isn’t celery,” Ted explained. “It’s deadly poisonous water hemlock!”

“Poisonous!” Chet gulped and clutched his throat.

“Don’t let it spoil your breakfast,” Joe comforted him. “We’ll pick those blueberries and do some real eating.”

Chet cheered up at this appetizing prospect, and the boys soon returned to camp with a fine haul of berries. After breakfast Tony radioed the Fish and Wildlife Service for news of Robbins and Sewell.

“No word on either of them yet,” Tony reported as he took off his earphones. “But the operator passed on a message from the Bayport police.”

“What is it?” Joe shouted.

“They’ve learned that Romo Stransky has a twin brother named Remo—and he’s a spy too!”

“Hear that?” Chet crowed triumphantly. “I told you I wasn’t seeing things! Remo must be the one I saw at Seattle-Tacoma airport!”

“He probably followed us to Juneau, too,” Joe declared. “What’s more, he may have left those star-and-circle heelmarks here on the island.”

Frank went even further with a deduction. “I’ll bet Remo was Robbie’s passenger!” The others agreed. As they prepared for the trip upriver, Frank went on, “You know, fellows, if we’re lucky enough to find the helicopter, we might be able to fly it back.”

“Not if the gas tank’s empty!” Joe cautioned.

“It most likely will be,” Tony said. “But you could carry enough fuel in the canoe to get the copter back to Juneau.”

Ted Sewell looked doubtful. “The canoe will be plenty loaded as it is, with all our duffel.”

“You’re right,” Frank agreed. “We’d need an extra canoe.”

“Which means another trip back to Juneau,” Joe pointed out.

In spite of further delay, Frank’s companions realized his suggestion was a wise one. “Okay,” Ted said after a short discussion. “We’re all in favor. Let’s draw straws for the job.”

The task fell to Ted and Joe. They embarked in the Hardys’ motorboat and headed up the coast. When they arrived in Juneau, the boys purchased as many tins of gasoline as they thought could be safely carried.

On Ted’s suggestion, they also stopped at a sportsmen’s outfitting store and bought two rifles for Frank and Joe. After the supplies had been loaded aboard, Joe rented another canoe which he fastened to the stern of the motorboat.

They were having sandwiches and milk at a nearby lunch counter when Joe suddenly set his glass down hard.

“Something wrong?” Ted asked.

“Wow!” Joe exclaimed. “Why didn’t I think of that before?”

Ted looked baffled. “Of what?”

“The Turner couple Robbie rescued from the glacier,” Joe replied in a low voice. “They might know something about his mysterious passenger.”

Ted brightened. “That’s a good hunch, Joe! Come on!”

The two boys hurried to the Juneau Hospital, where Joe inquired whether they might see Mr. and Mrs. Turner. The receptionist nodded pleasantly and consulted a card file. “They’re in Room 214. You may take the elevator.”

In Room 214 Joe and Ted found William Turner in bed, with his leg in a cast.

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