Hardy Boys Mystery Series by 48

Author:48 [48]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Published: 2010-08-23T01:10:59.883000+00:00

CHAPTER XI

Over the Waves

joe took the glasses to confirm Frank's suspicion. No doubt about it! The face was that

of the bogus Hallbjornsson!

"Captain Magnusson," Frank said, "there's a wanted man on the Tekl"

"The entire trawler is wanted," the captain replied with a grim smile. "She's poaching in

Icelandic waters."

He dispatched a radio message commanding the Tek to stop. Then he took the

binoculars and watched. Suddenly he gave an exclamation in Icelandic. The trawler was

turning about and racing toward the open sea!

"She's trying to get away!" Frank cried out.

If Captain Magnusson was startled by the poacher's action, he did not show it. Calmly

he gave the order for full speed ahead.

95

96 The Arctic Patrol Mystery

Much to the surprise of Frank and Joe, the fleeing boat had exceptional speed.

Churning up a greenish-white wake, it high-tailed straight west. But it was no match for the

Thor. The cutter gained with every minute.

Finally the ships came side by side. Captain Magnusson, using a bullhorn, ordered the

fleeing boat to stop for boarding. "You are under arrest!" he thundered.

Beckoning to the Hardy boys and two seamen, he boarded the poacher and was met by

her irate skipper, who declared in broken English, "You cannot stop us. It is illegal!"

"You are in Icelandic fishing waters," Captain Magnusson replied evenly. "And you are

not Icelandic."

"I am thirteen miles off your shore!"

"Only ten by my calculations. And my calculations are what count." Magnussen asked

curtly, "Why did you flee when I radioed for you to stop?"

"I did not hear your message."

"Then you should get your radio repaired. What you did was dangerous; you could have

been shot."

The captain accompanied the poacher to his bridge, where he obtained the fishing

boat's registration and other vital details. Then Magnusson said, "I think you are harboring a

fugitive from Iceland and will conduct a search."

Over the Waves 97

The poacher glared at him in rage. "How dare you! You cannot do this!"

"But we will," Magnussen retorted. He motioned to Frank and Joe, along with his two

crewmen. The four conducted a painstaking search for the fugitive, expecting to see

Mussel-man pop out of a closet or jump out of a locker at any moment. But the baldheaded

spy could not be found.

"Maybe he's hiding in some kind of a container," Frank said.

"You mean under the boat?" Joe asked.

"It's possible."

Although they searched the sides of the boat for any telltale line leading under the water,

their efforts were fruitless.

"Come on. We'll give the crew's quarters one more look," Frank said.

The bunks were thoroughly checked to see if anyone was hiding under a false mattress.

Each mattress was thumped, but all were genuine. No Musselman!

The crewmen left. Frank and Joe gave the last bunk one more look. A small bit of paper

stuck between the wall and the blanket caught Frank's eye. He plucked it from its hiding

place.

"Holy crow! Joe, look at this!" It had been torn from an Icelandic newspaper.

"It's our ad!" Joe exclaimed. "The one Musselman answered!"

98 The Arctic Patrol Mystery

"See, we were right!" Frank said. "He was on this boat!"

"One thing is sure," Joe muttered. "That crook isn't here now, and if he is, he certainly is

well hidden.

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