Hardy Boys Mysteries - 015 The Sinister Signpost by Franklin W. Dixon

Author:Franklin W. Dixon [Dixon, Franklin W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub

CHAPTER XIII

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS

in the meantime Frank and Joe Hardy made a discovery. They had proceeded through the woods for about two hundred yards when they came upon an open place. In the middle of it stood a large cabin. Dusk had now descended, and the boys had Tittle fear of being seen as they crouched beneath the trees on the outskirts of the tiny clearing.

“I think the cabin is empty,” said Joe. “Let’s go and make sure.”

Frank was more cautious, however. “We’ll wait a few minutes,” he said.

The boys were glad that they delayed. A moment later a light sprang up in one of the cabin windows, and against the glare a figure suddenly appeared. They could see the man only in silhouette, but both boys gave an involuntary gasp of surprise.

“Vilnoff!” whispered Joe excitedly.

The black shadow against the window blind was very much like that of Vilnoff. As they watched, they saw the man’s arm raised. In his hand he held an object that resembled another hand.

“Just like the model we found beside Vilnoff’s house,” Frank whispered.

The boys crept across the clearing until they got

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THE CABIN IN THE WOODS 101

closer to the cabin. They could now hear voices from within the building. Crouching beneath the window, they listened closely but could hear no sound. They did, however, smell the odour of food cooking.

Suddenly a man’s voice said, “I’ll take their supper up to ‘em.”

Then there came a clattering of dishes and the sound of footsteps as if someone were ascending a flight of stairs. The boys had noticed a window in the upper part of the cabin. A light suddenly appeared from it.

“How long is I got to stay heah, boss?” grumbled a plaintive voice. “Doggone if I wants to be cooped up in dis place much longer.”

It was the voice of a Negro.

The Hardy boys immediately thought of the coloured man who had been with the horse van on the road to Spurtown. Was he being kept a prisoner in this remote place?

“I’m going to climb up there and have a look,” whispered Frank.

“Careful,” warned his brother. “If we’re caught now it will spoil everything.”

The logs at the end of the cabin afforded a precarious foothold, and Frank began making his way up toward the window. Once he almost fell, but recovered himself in time and managed to grab at a jutting log. From there he swung himself over to the window-sill, and peered through the glass.

What met his eyes was an attic room, sparsely furnished with two cots, a small table, and some empty boxes. .On one of the small beds someone lay sleeping.

102 THE SINISTER SIGN POST

Two men were standing beside a table. One of them was coloured; the other, who was just putting down a supper tray, was white. Frank had never seen him before but he thought he recognized the Negro as the driver of the van.

“Ah wants to go home,” he was saying. “Fse gettin’ tired of stayin’ in dis yeah place.

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