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17 - Hardy Boys The Mystery of Cabin Island by Franklin W Dixon · Hardy Boys: The Mystery of Cabin Island

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  Speaker 1: The Public Domain, Chapter seventeen. The Escape. Frank was so
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  Speaker 1: close to the man that he recognized him readily. He
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  Speaker 1: knew now that Hanley was the man who had stolen
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  Speaker 1: their supplies and hidden them, evidently to get the boys
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  Speaker 1: to leave the island. He knew that Hanley was the
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  Speaker 1: man who had lost the mysterious Sparewell notebook. He wanted
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  Speaker 1: to know more. If he raised the alarm now, the
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  Speaker 1: man would simply refuse to talk. Frank waited until the
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  Speaker 1: fellow had vanished among the trees. Then he turned and
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  Speaker 1: made his way toward the cabin by a shortcut. He
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  Speaker 1: wanted to reach the place first and warn Joe so
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  Speaker 1: that they could better observe the man's actions without raising
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  Speaker 1: an immediate alarm. If he thinks we don't see him,
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  Speaker 1: he may give himself away, Frank reasoned. He reached the
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  Speaker 1: cabin unobserved Hanley had not yet emerged from the trees.
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  Speaker 1: Frank found Joe standing at the window, looking down toward
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  Speaker 1: the rocks. I saw him. He's coming this way. Who
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  Speaker 1: is he demanded Joe eagerly. Hanley, I thought, so all along?
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  Speaker 1: Is he coming here? I think so? Look, Joe, here's
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  Speaker 1: my plan I think he intends to come here. He
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  Speaker 1: imagines we're all out hunting for him. Let's hide and
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  Speaker 1: find out what he wants. How about Check and Biff.
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  Speaker 1: They're away down at the far ends of the island.
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  Speaker 1: We can capture Hanley anytime we want. Where shall we hide?
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  Speaker 1: They looked around hastily. If Hanley came to the cabin,
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  Speaker 1: they knew the man would probably search the place high
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  Speaker 1: and low for the notebook, which was his probable objective
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  Speaker 1: in returning to the island. We'll have to stay outside.
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  Speaker 1: No use running any risks. We'd better hide in the
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  Speaker 1: bushes until we see him come in here. Then we
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  Speaker 1: can creep up and watch him through the back window.
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  Speaker 1: Frank decided. They left the cabin and ran across to
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  Speaker 1: a heavy clump of bushes only a few yards away.
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  Speaker 1: There they crouched, waiting for a while. Nothing happened. Then
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  Speaker 1: they heard a snapping and crackling of branches far over
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  Speaker 1: to one side. In a few moments, Hanley came into view.
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  Speaker 1: He looked cautiously from side to side, then advanced swiftly
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  Speaker 1: toward the door of the cabin. There was a smile
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  Speaker 1: of satisfaction upon his swarthy face. It was quite evident
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  Speaker 1: that he believed the lads had departed to search for him. Swiftly,
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  Speaker 1: he stepped into the cabin. Frank and Joe came out
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  Speaker 1: of their hiding place. They sped quickly over to the
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  Speaker 1: window and peeped inside. Hanley had paused uncertainly in the
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  Speaker 1: middle of the room. He was looking at the fireplace.
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  Speaker 1: He stepped toward it, then apparently changed his mind, for
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  Speaker 1: he paused, shook his head, and turned toward the kitchen.
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  Speaker 1: They heard him rummaging about there for a few minutes,
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  Speaker 1: and in a little while he returned that he was
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  Speaker 1: searching for something. Soon came evident he went over to
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  Speaker 1: the beds and flung blankets, pillows, and even mattresses on
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  Speaker 1: the floor. With an expression of disgust, he began going
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  Speaker 1: through the boy's packsacks. If he's looking for the notebook,
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  Speaker 1: he might as well quit now, whispered Frank, where is
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  Speaker 1: it in my pocket? Hanley made a thorough search of
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  Speaker 1: the cabin. He rummaged through the bureau in the desk,
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  Speaker 1: and as his search went on with no success, he
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  Speaker 1: apparently lost his temper, for he flung things on the
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  Speaker 1: floor and stamped angrily about let's rush him before he
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  Speaker 1: wrecked the cabin, whispered Joe, but Frank restrained his brother. Wait.
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  Speaker 1: Hanley came over toward the window. The boys ducked out
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  Speaker 1: of sight. They could hear the man talking to himself.
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  Speaker 1: They listened, and they heard him mutter, well, they won't
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  Speaker 1: be able to read that cipher anyway, so I guess
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  Speaker 1: it's all right. Frank and Joe nudged one another. Hanley
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  Speaker 1: was certainly searching for the Sparewell notebook. The man went
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  Speaker 1: away from the window. They heard a crash, as in
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  Speaker 1: a fit of vicious temper. The man swept off a
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  Speaker 1: few of the little ornaments someone had placed above the fireplace.
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  Speaker 1: If he's going to start smashing things, I guess we'd
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  Speaker 1: better take a hand, remarked Frank. The boys stole around
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  Speaker 1: the side of the cabin. Then they stepped suddenly across
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  Speaker 1: the threshold. With an exclamation of surprise. Hanley swung around,
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  Speaker 1: facing them. Good day, mister, Hanley said, Frank, I see
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  Speaker 1: that you have decided to pay us a little call.
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  Speaker 1: The man said nothing. He merely glared at the boys.
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  Speaker 1: They could see that he was estimating his chances of escape,
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  Speaker 1: but they barred the doorway. Why don't you wait until
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  Speaker 1: we're all at home, asked Joe. You boys have no
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  Speaker 1: right here anyway, growled the intruder. Did you ask mister
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  Speaker 1: Jefferson about it? Inquired Frank sweetly. I came back here
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  Speaker 1: to look for something I lost the other day? What
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  Speaker 1: other day? The day you came stole all our supplies.
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  Speaker 1: I don't know anything about your supplies. I mean the
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  Speaker 1: day I was here when you Fellows first arrived. Haven't
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  Speaker 1: you been here since? No, I'm pretty sure you have,
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  Speaker 1: mister Hanley. What was the idea of hiding our food supplies?
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  Speaker 1: I don't know anything about your food supplies, I tell you,
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  Speaker 1: shouted the man in exasperation. I haven't been here since
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  Speaker 1: the last time you saw me. Well, I suppose we'll
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  Speaker 1: have to take your word for it, said Frank with
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  Speaker 1: a shrug, although I don't believe you for a minute.
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  Speaker 1: What was it you lost? Perhaps we can help you
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  Speaker 1: my pocketbook, growled Hanley, after a moment's of silence. Your pocketbook?
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  Speaker 1: Was there much money in it? About fifty dollars. You
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  Speaker 1: don't blame me for coming back to look for it,
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  Speaker 1: do you, sneered Hanley? Not at all. Where did you
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  Speaker 1: lose it? I don't know, somewhere on the island, not
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  Speaker 1: down among the rocks, by chance, I wasn't down there.
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  Speaker 1: Are you sure it wasn't a notebook, asked Frank quietly,
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  Speaker 1: the shot told. Hanley's fists clenched. No, it wasn't a notebook,
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  Speaker 1: he said thickly. Well, if it wasn't a notebook, I
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  Speaker 1: guess we can't help you. Why sure you didn't lose
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  Speaker 1: a notebook. I don't know anything about a notebook. That's
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  Speaker 1: too bad. If it had been a notebook you lost
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  Speaker 1: instead of a pocketbook, we'd be able to help you.
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  Speaker 1: We did find a notebook, and we have been wondering
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  Speaker 1: whom it belonged to? What kind of notebook? Why should
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  Speaker 1: you ask, said Frank. If you didn't lose one, you
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  Speaker 1: shouldn't be concerned. I think you'd better sit down, mister Hanley.
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  Speaker 1: We have a few things to talk over with you
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  Speaker 1: before we turn you over to the police. Hanley went pale.
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  Speaker 1: The police, he gasped, why of course you don't suppose
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  Speaker 1: we're going to let you get away with this? Do
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  Speaker 1: you have no right here? You are trespassing on the island,
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  Speaker 1: you break into our cabin and go through all our belongings,
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  Speaker 1: just like a common burglar. What did you expect You
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  Speaker 1: won't turn me over to the police, declared Hanley. No.
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  Speaker 1: Hanley advanced toward them. Get out of my way, he ordered.
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  Speaker 1: The boys stood their ground just a minute, said Frank,
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  Speaker 1: we have rifles here. If you try to make a getaway,
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  Speaker 1: we won't be afraid to shoot. Hanley hesitated. That's just
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  Speaker 1: a bluff, he said, weakly. Try it and see, I'll
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  Speaker 1: try it, roared Hanley. He made a sudden lunge. Frank
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  Speaker 1: reached out to seize him and grab the man's arm,
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  Speaker 1: but Hanley shook himself free, plunged forward and collided with Joe.
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  Speaker 1: The boys were taken by surprise. Joe struggled desperately, but
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  Speaker 1: Hanley was a grown man and much stronger. He sent
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  Speaker 1: Joe reeling back against the wall. Frank flung himself upon
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  Speaker 1: the man and tried to trip him up. Hanley struck
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  Speaker 1: out viciously with his fist. It caught Frank full in
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  Speaker 1: the face. He was obliged to relinquish his hold. Before
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  Speaker 1: he knew it, Hanley had dashed toward the door. The
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  Speaker 1: man leaped across the threshold and out into the snow.
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  Speaker 1: Frank recovered himself quickly. He ran toward the wall and
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  Speaker 1: took down the little rifle. Joe, in the meantime, raced
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  Speaker 1: out of the cabin in pursuit of the fugitive. Stop
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  Speaker 1: or I'll shoot, Frank shouted. But the man evidently realized
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  Speaker 1: that Frank would not make use of the rifle. He
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  Speaker 1: turned and shook his fist in their direction. With a
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  Speaker 1: yell of defiance, he disappeared among the trees. Frank raised
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  Speaker 1: the rifle and fired two shots into the air. His
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  Speaker 1: aim was partly to frighten Handley and partly to warn
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  Speaker 1: Chet and Biff. Joe turned pursuit was futile. The heavy
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  Speaker 1: snow hampered his footsteps. No use chasing him, shouted Frank.
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  Speaker 1: Perhaps Chet and Biff will catch him. It doesn't matter.
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  Speaker 1: We know that he is the fellow who had the notebook,
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  Speaker 1: and that's the main thing. End of Chap You're seventeen