Hardy Boys Mystery Series by 42

Author:42 [42]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Published: 2010-08-23T01:11:53.736000+00:00

CHAPTER XI

Surprise Tactics

"hang on!" Frank shouted, holding the throttle hard ahead.

The plane banked sharply on its side. As the towering black-green spruce trees

loomed up at them, the three passengers braced themselves for a collision.

But the old craft responded instantly and slipped across the trees, riding on

the left wing. The boys could hear the boughs scrape the underside of the

plane. The floats jerked as they were caught momentarily, then released by the

tree-tops.

Frank righted the plane, pulling back hard on the stick. The craft was in the

clear!

"Whew!" He let out his breath slowly, blinking as his taut nerves relaxed.

"That was a tight one!" He could hear sighs of relief from his companions.

94

Surprise Tactics 95

Joe leaned forward in his seat and gripped Frank's shoulder. "Pretty fancy

flying, brother!" he said, and Chet and Caribou added their praise.

"It was a good workout," Frank said modestly. "Now back to the search."

He circled the aircraft over the lake again, staying higher this time. Grimly

Joe pointed to the submerged logs on each side of the wrecked plane. They were

roped together.

"Those logs were put there deliberately," he said. "Someone went to a lot of

trouble to booby-trap us!"

"The thieves know we hunt for them," Caribou muttered. "We must be very

careful!"

The plane cruised over the lake and wooded area again. There was no one in

sight, nor was there any trace of a plane.

"Wonder where the gang found that wreck?" Joe mused.

"It could have been abandoned somewhere in these woods," Frank suggested. "And

they dragged it out onto the lake."

"That would have been a tough job," Chet remarked.

"Let's get back to Fort Smith and report this to the Mounties," Frank

suggested. "Maybe they know something about it."

The others agreed, and they headed back to town. As they approached the

landing, Frank radioed ahead for clearance. When he set down

96 The Viking Symbol Mystery

he taxied straight to the RCMP jetty. They went at once to the office.

Corporal Fergus was there and listened intently to their story.

"Could that abandoned plane have been found in the woods, Corporal?" asked

Frank.

"One was wrecked up there in the bush some time ago," Fergus replied. "Whoever

dragged it out to the lake must know the area well."

"Why?" Chet asked.

"Not too many people were familiar with the location of that wreck," the

corporal answered.

"Would Abner Dulac be familiar with that territory, Caribou?" Frank asked

suddenly.

"Oui." Caribou nodded. "That Dulac run his traplines through there many

times."

Page 33

"I've been trying to figure out why Dulac trailed us from Edmonton," Frank

said. "One reason could be he's mixed up with the rune stone theft."

"Sounds possible," Joe agreed. "And he either was on his way to warn his

buddies about us, or wanted to stop our sleuthing cold-or both."

"He is a snake. He would do it," Caribou declared angrily.

Corporal Fergus said he would send several Mounted Police up to the area of

the abandoned plane to look around. If they reported anything suspicious, he

would let the Hardys know.

When the brothers and their friends started back along the jetty toward their

craft, Joe sudSurprise Tactics 97

denly stopped. "There's a guy nosing around our plane."

Quickly the three boys ran down the jetty.

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