045-The Mystery Of The Spiral Bridge by Franklin W. Dixon

Author:Franklin W. Dixon [Dixon, Franklin W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-08-07T14:26:20+00:00

"No."

The same question, whispered in passing, to Phil, Biff, and Tony also produced a negative reply.

After the evening meal was finished, Frank drew his brother aside. "We've got to do some sleuthing tonight," he said.

The Hardys sauntered amid the workmen lounging about, some smoking, others chatting in front of the bunk trailers. Frank sat on a tree stump while Joe flopped on a grassy knoll nearby. Soon they were casually approached by Tony.

"Hi, there," he said in a loud voice. "How do you like working here?" Then, in lowered tones, he added, "What took you both so long?"

In a nonchalant manner, but with a guarded voice, Frank explained that he and Joe had stopped to investigate the town of Boonton.

"We thought we'd give the rest of you fellows a chance to get settled on the job before we showed up,"

Joe put in, adding that they had checked in with Mr. Losi just before he had left for Bayport earlier that morning. The brothers had learned that no one named Felix was on the work force.

Frank told o£ the equipment they had brought. "We've got the binoculars, a nylon rope, and a miniature shortwave radio set hidden in a large cinder block under our bunk trailer."

"Good," Tony said with a smile. "The rest of us only brought muscles. And do we need 'em!"

As it grew dark, cool air settled down from the hills and the tired workers drifted away to turn in for the night.

Frank and Joe were billeted in a trailer away from the rest of their pals, with Frank's bunk located above Joe's. Near midnight the Hardys, careful not to awaken their bunk mates, sneaked outside and noiselessly made their way to the neighboring trailer, housing Angan and Deemer. Voices came from inside.

Joe stood on his brother's shoulders and peered through one of the windows. Angan was sleeping.

Deemer was sitting cross-legged on the floor, playing cards with two men. Willy Teeple looked on sleepily.

As one of the workmen turned his head, Joe ducked out of sight and dropped to the ground. The Hardys pressed close to the metal wall of the trailer and listened intently. The language of the card players was interspersed with many slang words which the boys had never heard before. It certainly was not the jargon of their Bayport High School crowd! The young sleuths made mental notes of the odd expressions.

Pair of bins; oiler; half stamp; clobby joint; long nit; bath in the canal; bice; baron.

"What kind of lingo is that?" Joe whispered.

Suddenly there was shuffling of feet and Deemer said in a loud voice, "Willy, you be the long nit tomorrow."

"They're breaking up!" Joe muttered. He and Frank hastened to their own bunks and quietly climbed in.

Next morning, as the Hardys dressed, Frank whispered to his brother, "Joe, I think I have it solved. I

remember Dad speaking about convict lingo, and some of those words last night sounded like jailbird slang."

"Good night!" Joe exclaimed. "We may be in a hornet's nest of ex-cons."

The

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