The Mysterious Caravan by Franklin W. Dixon

Author:Franklin W. Dixon [Dixon, Franklin W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781101657317
Publisher: Penguin Group US
Published: 1975-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XII

Sign of the Ju-Ju Man

MR. HARDY waited a few more minutes, then turned on the engine, and was just about to drive away when three sets of headlights zipped down the road. Approaching Mary’s Quick Stop, the lights were turned off and the cars proceeded more slowly.

“Jumping Catfish!” Joe declared. “It’s the police!”

The silhouette of their domes became visible as the squad cars blocked the Hardys’ exit. A number of men jumped out with flashlights illuminating the detective and the boys.

“What happened to you?” Mr. Hardy demanded as he stepped out of his car.

Chief Collig, who was in the lead, looked embarrassed. “We thought it was Tom and Mary’s Diner down the road about a half mile.”

“Oh, nuts,” Frank said in disgust. “I wondered whether Kennedy got the message fouled up.”

“He’s new on the force.” Collig tried to apologize. He turned to the other men, including three agents from the FBI and told them that obviously a mistake had been made in the location.

“Well, the kidnappers are gone now,” Mr. Hardy said. “That way.” He pointed. “We have the hostage, safe and sound. He’ll be available for questioning later.”

“Fine. We’ll get a statement from him tomorrow,” Chief Collig said, and the police took off in the direction of the kidnap car.

On the way back to Bayport, the grateful William described his ordeal. When he had reached New York, two men who claimed to be operatives for Mr. Hardy duped him into thinking that Frank and Joe were waiting in the city.

“They did not look at all like criminals,” the boy said.

“Not all of them do,” Mr. Hardy said. “Then what happened?”

William described how they had entered a small hotel, where he had been seized, bound, and gagged. “They pushed me into a closet near the reception desk. After about an hour, I was taken into a car and driven a long way to what seemed like the country. A quiet place, with not much traffic.”

“They probably hid you near Bayport,” Mr. Hardy surmised. “Did you overhear anything?”

“They talked about the mask. The reason why they want it so badly is that according to a legend they heard, the clue to the treasure on the Africanus Rex was on a mask. It seems that it was the secret hidden in the captain’s cabin.”

“Right!” Joe said. “We arrived at the same conclusion!”

“They forced Ali to tell them about the inscriptions,” William went on. “Then they tried to figure out what they meant, but could not.”

“We did!” Joe said. He explained how the lines on the beard actually traced the route of the ancient Sahara caravans.

“That was very clever!” William said in admiration.

“Wouldn’t it be great to go treasure hunting in Africa?” asked Joe as they approached Elm Street.

“You know, that’s a super idea,” Frank said. “We could take William with us. His knowledge of Swahili might come in handy!”

“You must be jesting,” the Jamaican said. “Aren’t they, Mr. Hardy?”

“Stranger things have happened,” the detective replied. “We’ll talk more about it later.”

Mrs.

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