Kitabı oku: «Hawaiian Sea Hunt Mystery», sayfa 4

CHAPTER XI
Wharf Rats

Biff’s father had concluded his conversation.

“Now you all know as much as I do. Now we move into action. Biff, you and Li will be our ground forces. Li’s father and I will take over the naval side.”

“You mean we’re not going to the Big Island with you?” Biff was dismayed.

“No, Biff. I want you and Li to roam about Hana. You both had a good look at Perez Soto. I’m sure you could describe him. Make a few inquiries. See if anyone of his description has been in Hana recently. Hana is a very big place. I’m sure he was here yesterday – probably met with Tokawto, to Tokawto’s misfortune.”

“We’ll check on him, too. We’ll stop by the police station,” Biff replied.

“Hank,” Mr. Brewster went on, “our job is to rent a boat. A yawl, about thirty feet. Biff and I can sail, and I’m sure you and Li have handled boats all your lives. I don’t want a captain or a crew. Just a boat. Think we can rent one here?”

“I’m positive we can, Tom.”

“All right then. Boys, you start your investigation. You’re pretty good at it. But be careful. Meet us back here in time for lunch. I hope we can sail tonight.”

Biff and Li went to their room and changed into shorts. Then they went out to explore Hana.

The mid-morning sun was bright. The sky was clear. It was a beautiful day on the Island of Maui. The boys covered the small business section, stopping in a few stores, and asking if anyone had seen a man answering to the description of Perez Soto. They were becoming discouraged as noon approached.

“Let’s go to the police station, Li. See how Tokawto’s condition is,” Biff suggested.

They learned that the wounded man was still much the same. It would be a close thing if he lived.

Leaving the police station, Biff had an idea. “Look, Li,” he said, frowning. “We’re going about this thing all wrong. If Perez Soto kidnaped Dr. Weber and took him to Hawaii, he’d have to have a boat, wouldn’t he?”

“Sure, Biff, sure.”

“Then let’s head for the docks and find out if anyone looking like Perez Soto has rented a boat in the last week or so.”

“Good idea, Biff.”

They headed for the waterfront. Suddenly Biff turned to his friend.

“Don’t look back, Li,” he muttered, “but I think we’re being followed. Just walk along as we’re doing now. When we get to the middle of the next block, you leave me. We’ll shake hands, then you cross the street. Go into one of the stores. Find a place where you can see out but can’t be seen from the street. Keep a sharp lookout.”

Li’s face showed his excitement. “I get you, Biff. You want me to see if someone keeps on following you.”

“That’s right. I’m going to continue on down the street another few blocks. Then I’ll cut back and meet you in front of one of those stores. Look sharp, now.”

The boys solemnly shook hands. Biff clapped Li on the shoulder. “Be seeing you,” he called loudly when Li had reached the middle of the street. Then Biff continued his “sight-seeing” walk along Hana’s main street.

He desperately wanted to look behind him, but he knew that to do so would spoil his plan. He walked three blocks, stopping every so often to stare into a window. If he was being followed, he wanted to give Li plenty of time to spot his pursuer.

Toward the end of the street, where the business section left off and the residential section began, Biff cut across the street, then started slowly back to his rendezvous with Li on the opposite side.

He saw Li in front of a small store, standing under a brightly colored awning.

“Well, did you see anything?” Biff asked.

“I think so, Biff. But I don’t know for sure. There was a man, maybe one hundred feet behind you. Every time you stopped, he’d stop, too, and sort of step into a doorway, in case you looked back, I guess.”

“Then I was being followed!”

“Gee, Biff. I thought so at first. But then this man turned into a side street before you reached the end of your walk.”

“How could you tell that, from inside that store?”

“Oh? Well, I stepped out on the sidewalk, so I could see better. Once you got down to the next block, I couldn’t see you through the window any more.”

Biff smiled. “I was being followed, all right, Li.”

“But how can you be sure? This man didn’t keep on following you.”

“You know why, Li? Because when you stepped out on the sidewalk, the man spotted you. He had seen you with me, and knew you had planted yourself in the store just to check and see if he was following me.”

Li’s face fell. “Gee, I’m some detective! Charlie Chan would box my ears, as he was always doing with No. 1. Son. I’m sorry, Biff.”

“Don’t let it get you down. Let’s go find out about boats.”

If Li had flunked his first detective test, he more than redeemed himself on his second.

At the waterfront, the boys spotted several signs announcing boats for hire.

“Let me see if I can find a kamaaina,” Li suggested. “I could talk to him. He might even know my family, then I could find out a lot.”

“Go ahead, Li. Good idea. I’ll take a walk out on that dock and wait for you.”

Biff stood on the end of the pier, scaling small sea shells into the water. He could see Li going from place to place. At a nearby dock, Li took much longer than at the other places where he had inquired. Biff could see him talking to an old Hawaiian, bent of body, wearing a floppy sun hat. He saw Li look in his direction and signal for him to come over.

Proud excitement shone from Li’s face as Biff came up.

“I’ve got big news, Biff,” Li exclaimed. “This kamaaina has told me just what we want to know. He’s an old man, speaks no English, but he says he knew my father’s family many years ago.”

“Yes, but what about Perez Soto?”

“I’m coming to that. The oldtimer says he didn’t rent any boat last week, but at that dock up there – ” Li pointed to a dock about one hundred feet down the shore – “a malihini– that means a newcomer – rented a big power boat about five days ago. He can’t remember the exact day. He’s old, I guess, and kind of forgetful. But he thinks it was on a Monday. That would be – ”

Last Monday! That was the day Dr. Weber had disappeared!

“Good going, Li,” Biff exclaimed. “And you described Perez Soto?”

“I sure did. And the kamaaina says he thinks it was the same man. The man came to him, first, but he didn’t have any boat big enough to suit this man.”

“Well, Li, I think we’re getting somewhere. I want to try one more thing before we go back. I want to make sure I was being followed. I think it’s important to know if any of Perez Soto’s men are still in Hana.”

“Why would they be,” Li demanded, “if Perez Soto and the doctor are on the Big Island?”

“Don’t forget about Tokawto. I’m sure Perez Soto would want to know if Tokawto recovers enough to talk.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I’ve got a trick up my sleeve. If someone is following me, it might be because he thinks I might still have that letter.” Biff took out his address book and tore paper from the back of it. “You know he might be just stupid enough to think I was still carrying the letter with me.”

“Guess he’d have to be plenty lolo for that, Biff.”

“Plenty lolo? What does that mean?”

“It means dumb or stupid,” Li replied.

Biff grinned. He took a pencil and scribbled a word on the paper. Then he stuck the paper in his hip pocket, on top of his handkerchief.

“We’ll walk over to that boathouse,” Biff said. Halfway there, he stopped, pulled out his handkerchief, and wiped his forehead. As he did so, the paper fell to the ground.

“Come on,” he muttered. The boys entered the boathouse. They pretended to examine the boats, allowing themselves several minutes.

“Guess we’ve given our pursuer long enough, if we are being followed,” Biff decided.

They came back out of the boathouse and retraced their steps. At the spot where Biff had pulled out his handkerchief, he stopped again, and looked carefully about him.

“We’ve been followed, all right. The paper is gone,” Biff said to Li.

“What did you write on that paper, Biff?”

“‘Lolo,’” Biff said, and the boys burst out laughing.

Time had slipped by much faster than Biff and Li realized. It was midaftenoon when they got back to the hotel.

“Guess I’ve been so excited I forgot about eating,” Li said, “but am I ever hungry now!”

“I could eat my way through another luau, Li,” Biff agreed.

At the front desk of the hotel, they found a message from their fathers.

“We’re checking out the boat,” Biff’s father had written, “and getting supplies. Wait for us.”

Biff and Li had a late lunch, took a small siesta, then had a refreshing swim in the hotel’s pool. It was growing dark when Mr. Brewster and Hank Mahenili came back.

“We’ve got the boat, Biff. And it’s a real honey. As trim a craft as you’d ever want to see.”

“Where is it, Dad?” Biff wanted to see the boat.

“Tied up at the municipal wharf. Know where that is?”

“We sure do. We were down there this afternoon. I wonder how we missed you.”

Biff then told his father and Mr. Mahenili what he and Li had learned.

“I felt sure it would be Perez Soto. And he rented a powerful cabin cruiser?” Mr. Brewster asked.

“That’s right, Dad. Li’s kamaaina friend thinks it was the Monday Dr. Weber disappeared.”

“It all adds up. We can’t get to Hawaii fast enough now.”

“Are we leaving tonight?” Biff asked.

“About ten o’clock. Have to wait until then for supplies to be delivered.”

“Gee, is it all right if Li and I dash down to the dock and look at the boat?”

“Sure. You’ll have time. But don’t stay too long. We’ll be having dinner in an hour.”

Biff and Li started for the door.

“Hey!” Mr. Brewster called. “Don’t you think you ought to know the boat’s name? It’s the Easy Action.”

It was growing dark when Biff and Li reached the dock. There was the trim craft, painted a bright white, with a golden arrow trimming its sides. Its two masts swayed gently from side to side in the gently rolling water.

“She’s a beauty, all right,” Biff said to Li as they approached the boat. “Come on, let’s go aboard.”

Biff felt Li’s hand on his arm, restraining him.

“Hold it, Biff,” Li said in a whisper. “I think I saw someone on the boat. Let’s duck behind these pineapple crates.”

The boys secreted themselves. They peered intently at the yawl’s portholes. There was barely enough light to see.

“There, did you see that!”

Biff nodded his head. They had seen a white-clad figure flash by one of the portholes.

CHAPTER XII
Bomb Away

For several moments Biff and Li remained absolutely quiet and motionless. They knew someone was on the boat. But what was he doing?

“Could he be one of the men bringing supplies to the boat?” Li whispered at last.

Biff shook his head. “No. I don’t think so. You’d see activity on the deck, too, and a truck somewhere nearby. No, we’ve got to investigate what that character is doing.”

“I’ve got an idea, Biff.”

“Let’s have it, Li.”

“Well, look, you know how well I can swim under water. Suppose I slip into the water on this side of the wharf. Then I’ll swim under it, and I can come up right beside the boat. I’ll move along from porthole to porthole and see if I can find out what’s going on in the boat.”

“Sounds okay to me. Good thing we changed into shorts. Be careful not to make any noise.”

“Me, Biff? I’ll be as quiet as a fish.”

He was, too. There wasn’t even the faintest “ker-plop” as Li lowered himself over the edge of the dock and sank into the water.

Biff waited tensely. From behind his stack of pineapple crates, he could get a good view of the starboard side of the yawl. He could see right to the water line and the four portholes just above it.

Moments became minutes, and it seemed to Biff that the minutes were stretching out much too long. Had Li met some obstruction beneath the dock? Biff’s worry was increasing. Finally, he noticed a circle of lightly rippling water near the bow of the boat. In the center of the circle, he could just spot Li’s head.

He watched as his friend slowly raised himself by the boat’s starboard gunnel until his head was even with the porthole. Noiselessly, Li dropped back into the water and took two strokes toward the stern. Now he peered into the second porthole. He repeated the process at the third porthole and moved on to the fourth. The fourth must be the one, Biff figured, that was in the small compartment where the yawl’s auxiliary engine was located.

Li took a longer time at this porthole. Biff watched him intently through the growing darkness. A slight movement on the boat caused him to raise his eyes. He gasped.

Directly over Li stood a man with a small nail keg raised over his head. He was ready to smash it down on Li’s head.

“Li! Look out! Duck!”

The Hawaiian boy submerged just as the keg struck the water at the exact spot where his head had been.

“Jeepers,” Biff thought, “I hope Li got far enough under.”

The keg hurler was running along the deck toward the boat’s bow. Here he could leap on the dock and make his getaway.

Biff went into action. He jumped from behind the crates, reached the boat in six fast strides, and leaped aboard just as the prowler reached the bow.

Biff grabbed at the man. His arms encircled him, and Biff in turn felt the man’s arms squeeze him in a bearlike hug. Biff exerted every ounce of his strength, trying to force the man over backward, trying to free himself of the man’s crushing grip.

He heard a noise from directly behind the man. Looking over his shoulder, Biff saw the dripping figure of Li scramble aboard. Li didn’t hesitate. He threw himself at the man, striking him just at the knees from the rear. “Clipping,” flashed through Biff’s mind. Unfair in football, but in a fight like this there’d be no fifteen-yard penalty.

The impact of Li’s body forced the man to release his grip. As he did, Biff stepped backward. His feet became entangled in a coil of rope. He lost his balance, toppling backward. His feet hit the raised gunnel, and the next moment he was flying through the air. He felt himself falling, a sickening feeling, as if he were falling from a great height. He wasn’t, though. He was falling from the bow, six feet to the water. But he was falling backward and had no time sense of the distance.

He hit the water with a splash. His broad back smacked the water with the noise of a loud handclap. Biff could feel his back sting from the impact.

He turned over and looked up. There was the bow of the boat, directly overhead. There was Li, looking down at him.

“You all right, Biff?” There was a strange sound in Li’s voice. For a moment, Biff was angered. The strange sound was Li trying to hold back his laughter. Biff’s sense of humor came to his rescue. He must have been a funny sight, thrashing around in the water on his back like a beached porpoise.

“Yep. I’m all right,” he called. “I’ll swim to midships. You can give me a hand up.”

Once back aboard, Biff’s first concern was about the prowler.

“Oh, him,” Li said. “When you made your backward bellywhopper, that guy took off. He raced down the dock. He’s long gone by now.”

Biff rubbed the small of his back with his left hand. “That hurt. And here you are laughing at me.”

“You were funny, Biff,” Li laughed. “And that sting won’t last long.”

“Guess you’re right. Hey, let’s see if we can find out what our visitor was doing on board.”

First the boys explored the deck of the boat. They opened the sail-chest and inspected the sails. They hadn’t been touched. They carefully examined the yawl’s rigging. Both knew that an important rope could be cut just far enough through so that it would hold in a mild wind, then snap in a heavy one, just when it was most badly needed. No evidence of any tampering with the rigging.

“Let’s go below. That’s where the prowler was when we got here. He must have been doing his dirty work down there,” Biff said.

A careful search of the cabins, each with two berths, revealed nothing.

“Hey, look at this!” Li called. He was in the engine compartment, a small space between the forward cabin and the galley. “Doesn’t it look to you as if this has been moved recently?”

Li pointed to the wooden cover which housed the engine. It was sitting slightly askew.

“We’ll take a look underneath.” Biff took one side of the housing, Li the other.

“Careful now. Heave gently.”

They removed the housing.

“Must be a flashlight around here somewhere. Have to have one if we’re going to find anything.”

Li found one in the tool chest.

Biff took it and directed its beam of light on the top of the engine.

“Nice little engine. A four-cylinder Indian Marine. Ought to shove us along around eight or ten knots.”

He placed the light’s beam over the engine, inch by inch. Suddenly he brought the light’s rays to a fixed spot. Biff bent low.

“Never saw anything like this on one of these engines. Take a look, Li.”

Li bent down beside Biff.

The boys were looking at a crudely made object, resembling a small tin can. It was roughly attached just below the engine’s carburetor.

“Let’s get out of here,” Biff said, swallowing. His throat had become dry and tight. “That thing’s a bomb – a homemade bomb.”

Li was already heading back to the cockpit.

“Alloo there! Ship ahoy!” came a cry from the dock.

Biff and Li burst on deck just as his father and Mr. Mahenili started to step aboard.

“Stay back, Dad! Stay back! There’s a bomb on the boat!” Biff yelled.

Breathlessly, the boys told their fathers of spotting the prowler on board, of the brief tussle, and the results of their investigation.

“It’s a good thing we came down,” Tom Brewster said. “You were late. We thought you might have run up against something.”

“We sure did, Dad,” Biff assured him.

“I’ll have to investigate. Can you tell me exactly where this thing you think is a bomb is located?”

“You’re not going on board, are you, Dad?” Biff asked, his voice filled with anxiety.

“I think it will be all right. I have an idea that bomb isn’t intended to go off while the boat’s still in harbor.”

“But, Dad, it might,” Biff protested.

“Biff, I’ve handled dynamite and other types of explosives in my work. I was also in the bomb demolition service in the army. I can handle it. You stay back, though, all of you, until I give you an all-clear. Now just where is this thing you found?”

“Directly under the carburetor,” Biff replied.

“Here, you’ll need this.” He handed his father the flashlight.

They watched Mr. Brewster’s head disappear as he moved down the steps from the cockpit to the first cabin.

“I think we’d better follow your father’s orders, boys,” Hank Mahenili said. “We’ll put a little distance between us and the boat – just in case.”

The three moved an anchor rope’s length from the stem of the boat.

The minutes went by. The waiting became almost unbearable. Biff couldn’t control the feeling of fear gnawing at the pit of his stomach. Any moment, he expected to hear the dull thud of an explosion. He expected to see the boat burst open, sending wood and debris flying through the air.

Minutes ticked on. Each one seemed an hour to Biff. At last, he saw his father emerge from the cockpit.

“I’ve got it. It’s all right.”

Biff ran to where his father stood. It may have been all right, but Biff could tell by the beads of perspiration standing out on his father’s forehead and by his soaked shirt, that it had been a ticklish job.

“It’s a bomb, all right. Perez Soto is playing for keeps,” Mr. Brewster said grimly. He wiped his forehead. “It’s a simple thing, really. Anyone with Perez Soto’s experience, or mine, for that matter, could make it.”

“But when was it set to go off?” Biff asked.

“That would depend on when and how long we used the auxiliary engine. See this timer?”

The three leaned forward for a closer look, peering warily at the infernal machine Biff’s father held in his hand.

“This timer, which is hooked up to the detonator, is fixed so it starts in motion when the engine is started. It cuts out when the engine is out. Very clever, actually, even though it is simple.”

“When would the timer fire the charge?” Biff asked.

“I’d judge after about an hour, perhaps two – no more – after the engine had been running.”

“We’d be out in the middle of the ocean by then.” Biff looked at Li and Mr. Mahenili. Both shook their heads.

“Worse than that, Biff, if I’ve got it figured right.”

“How, Dad?”

“Well, Perez Soto would know that we’d use the engine to get us out of the harbor. Maybe a twenty-minute run. Then we’d go to sail. And we’d use sail every minute we could. But then – this is the really devilish clever part of his plan.” Mr. Brewster paused. He turned to Li’s father.

“Didn’t you tell me that there are some dangerous reefs off Ka Lae?”

“You bet there are,” Mr. Mahenili said. “And the water’s shark-infested, too.”

“Well, to search the coast along there for Huntington’s sunken sloop, we’d have to use the engine. Couldn’t take a chance with sail on those ragged coral reefs.”

“I’m beginning to catch on, Dad,” Biff said soberly.

“I expected you would.”

“We’d have to use the engine, as you said. And right in the midst of those reefs, and those sharks, bang! The boat would have blown up – ”

“And that would have been the end of us,” Thomas Brewster said quietly. He tossed the deactivated bomb overboard.

“Rest in pieces,” Biff said fervently.