Franklin W. Dixon

“ As the big boat drew nearer the boys saw that there were two men on board. Frank mentally checked over the various ice-boats he had seen on the bay and thought he recognized the approaching boat as belonging to Tad Carson and Ike Nash, two young men of unsavory repute in the city. They were loud-mouthed, insolent fellows who had never been known to do a day’s work, and it was a mystery how they had managed to raise sufficient money to buy the ice-boat in which they were now amusing themselves. ”

“ Hanleigh sat at the tiller. Within a few moments the boat was scudding down the bay. Hanleigh chuckled to himself as he thought of the way in which he had outwitted Ike Nash and Tad Carson.
The ice-boat sped on down the bay into the driving snow. The storm was increasing in fury. The wind hurtled the craft along at terrific speed. Hanleigh, although he had no experience in managing the boat, got along very well, and within a short time he saw the dark mass of Cabin Island looming out of the storm. ”

“ Bread and butter, canned peas and corn, an immense mince pie and tin cups of hot coffee went the way of the stew, and in due time the boys sat back, sighing that they could not manage another bite.
Chet beamed with satisfaction when the others complimented him on the meal. The boys sat about the table for a while, laying plans for the forthcoming week, and then they washed the dishes. After that, they explored the rambling old cabin and finally sprawled on rugs before the roaring fire.
“Listen to that wind!” exclaimed Joe. “It sure makes me glad to be indoors by a warm blaze.” ”

“ The mystery surrounding Hanleigh, John Sparewell, and the Bender postage stamp collection was gradually receding into the background. But to the Hardy boys it still remained a matter of great concern, especially to Frank. Each evening he sat down and puzzled over the strange cipher, vainly trying to solve the mystery it presented.
“Can’t you figure it out?” asked Joe.
“It beats me,” said Frank, flinging down his pencil. “Once in a while I think I’m on the right track, then something always happens and I find I’m farther away than ever.” ”

“ We’d better forget it,” muttered Chet sheepishly. “I can’t seem to get the hang of this steering business. I’d rather be just a passenger, anyway.”
“That suits everybody,” growled Biff. “When I go out ice-boating I don’t care to spend half of my time chasing the boat.”
Joe snickered. The recollection of Biff slipping and sliding across the ice in pursuit of the runaway craft, and then slipping and sliding with the boat in pursuit of him, appealed to Joe’s sense of humor. That snicker was like a match touched to gunpowder, for Frank also laughed, then Chet, and finally Biff himself had to grin. ”

“ The boys scrambled into the ice-boat. Before they started off, however, Frank looked back up against the lonely cabin, silhouetted at the top of the cliff against the dreary winter sky. The man who had driven them away was nowhere in sight.
“I can’t get it out of my head that there’s something strange about this business,” he said. “I’d like to know why he was so anxious to chase us away.”
“Aw, you see a mystery in everything,” scoffed Chet. “He’s just a cranky old chap who likes to show his authority. I’ll bet he even tries to boss the rabbits and the snowbirds on the island. Let’s go!” ”

“ If Hanleigh cares to spend his time prowling around this island, why should we worry, as long as we get our money?”
The Hardy boys and their chums glanced at one another in surprise.
Hanleigh!
The man who had ordered them away from Cabin Island on their previous visit! The man whom Elroy Jefferson had said wanted to buy the place!
“I don’t see why he won’t let us go up to the cabin with him,” grumbled Nash. “What does he want to keep secret from us?”
“That’s his business,” snapped Tad Carson. “If you go asking questions, then you’ll just spoil everything. Leave well enough alone.” ”

“ Ike and Tad surveyed the three lads who stood facing them, with fists ready. Like most bullies, they were cowards, and now that their bluff had been called they were not anxious to risk a battle that might prove the worse for them.
“You’ll find out what we’ll do about it,” growled Ike. “As for me, I wouldn’t waste my time thrashing you, although you need it mighty bad——”
“Sure,” agreed Tad Carson quickly. “I wouldn’t lower myself to lick you. Just a pack of babies, that’s all. You oughtn’t to be allowed out on the bay when you can’t handle a boat.” ”

“ The Escape Frank was so close to the man that he recognized him readily. He knew now that Hanleigh was the man who had stolen their supplies and hidden them, evidently to get the boys to leave the island. He knew that Hanleigh was the man who had lost the mysterious Sparewell notebook. He wanted to know more. If he raised the alarm now, the man would simply refuse to talk. ”

“ A Cry for Help When the Hardy boys and their chums awakened that morning they found that the storm of the night before had increased in fury to such an extent that the mainland was no longer visible.
The island was completely isolated. As far as the eye could reach, the boys could see nothing but swirling sheets of snow.
“Looks as if we’ll have to stay indoors to-day,” said Frank, as he lit the fire.
“A nuisance!” Chet grumbled. “I thought we could go out in the ice-boat this morning.”
“We’d probably get lost out in that storm. It certainly is blowing up a fine blizzard!” Biff remarked. ”

“ At the same time, the great tree went sweeping down past the side of the cabin. When it struck the chimney its downward course had been diverted.
The falling stones broke great holes in the roof of the cabin and came crashing down into the living room. A cloud of dust rose from the fireplace. A stone crashed to the floor, rebounded and smashed a pane of glass. It seemed as though the din would never end.
“Let’s get out of here!” Hanleigh was babbling, white with fear. “Let’s get out. We’ll be killed! The whole place is coming down about our ears.”
“We’re all right!” snapped Frank. “Be quiet!” ”

“ After a while, the boys saw the ice-boat emerge into the open bay and recede swiftly in the direction of Bayport.
“That’s that!” exclaimed Biff cheerfully.
“He didn’t have a leg to stand on, did he?” added Chet.
“I don’t think we’re through with Hanleigh yet,” said Frank thoughtfully. “He isn’t the sort to back down so easily at the first sign of fight. I have an idea that we’ll see him on Cabin Island again before very long.”
“Let him come,” said Chet. “We have the authority. All he has is nerve. Let’s put the ice-boats up in the bay and get our stuff unloaded.” ”

“ At last Frank gave a murmur of satisfaction and steered the craft toward a break in the cliff. Here there was a small ravine and against the background of snow the boys distinctly saw a path that wound up the sloping side of the ravine toward the cabin above.
“Thought there’d be a landing place here somewhere,” he said.
“Queer,” said Chet, eyeing the path. “Must be some one on that island.”
“There are footprints, sure enough.”
“It snowed three days ago. There must have been some one here since then,” Joe observed.
“Probably some other chaps came out here in an ice-boat,” said Frank carelessly. ”

“ And he has seen Hanleigh. The man was at his house the day we visited Mr. Jefferson.”
“Then how did Hanleigh get the notebook?” asked Biff.
“We’re not sure that Hanleigh was the man who stole our supplies,” replied Joe. “We think so, but we’re not sure.”
“It couldn’t be any one else,” scoffed Chet.
“I don’t know,” observed Frank. “For all we’re aware, there may be more than Hanleigh interested in this island. Perhaps we have a bigger fight on our hands than we imagine.”
“It’s certainly a mighty deep mystery,” Joe said. ”

“ Just wait. Something will turn up,” said Joe.
The next day, the boys were outdoors from morning until night, skimming over the surface of the bay in their ice-boats, skating on an improvised rink down by the shore, and enjoying themselves on the ski slide. Frank, for the time being, seemed to have dismissed the mystery of the notebook from his mind. That evening, as the boys sat in front of the fireplace, the Sparewell case was not even mentioned. It was a windy, stormy night and the cabin creaked in the gale.
“Must be a good, strong chimney to hold up in a wind like that,” remarked Chet. ”

“ Suddenly, Chet pointed ahead.
“Look at that ice-boat!” he exclaimed. “Must be a crazy man steering it.”
Away in the distance they could see a large craft, twisting and turning in an erratic fashion. It would speed in a straight course for a hundred yards or so, then it would commence to zigzag crazily, at times veering over until the sail was almost level with the ice.
“He’ll break his mast or his rudder,” opined Frank. “Then he won’t be so smart, when he finds himself stranded about three miles from town. A chap who will handle a boat like that doesn’t deserve to have one.” ”

“ He soon reached a point from where he could get a good view of the entire island. He could see Biff and Chet industriously exploring the shore lines.
A little distance away, in the snow beneath the trees, he caught sight of a line of fresh footprints.
He picked up the trail at once, and followed the marks in the snow.
They led him in and out among the trees, then veered and seemed to be directed toward the rocks.
“What am I thinking of?” said Frank, to himself. “I’m not following the man’s trail at all. I’m going back on it.” ”

“ Fenton Hardy shook his head in amusement.
“I thought you did very well. Surely you aren’t looking for more money.”
“Oh, we’re not looking for more. Still, if Mr. Jefferson feels hurt because he couldn’t show his appreciation, why, we wouldn’t turn down any offer,” and Joe grinned.
“I don’t know Mr. Jefferson,” said Frank. “What’s he like, Dad?”
“He is an antique dealer,” returned Mr. Hardy. “He is quite well known in his own field. He travels in Europe a great deal, buying antiques. Of late years he has kept very much to himself. ”

“ Even if you chaps go as far as the mainland, you will be able to hear a rifle shot. I’ll fire one shot into the air and that will be the signal to come back as quickly as you can. If he tries to get away, you can easily head him off in the ice-boat.”
This arrangement seemed to preclude any possibility of the stranger’s escape if he chanced to show up, so Joe, Chet and Biff trooped out. For the morning, they had decided to stay close to the cabin, “so there won’t be any risk of missing dinner,” as Chet explained, and amuse themselves by fishing through the ice. ”

“ The lads scrambled back into their ice-boat and in a few minutes they were sailing up the bay again, past the wreckage of the other craft. Ike Nash and Tad Carson were clumsily trying to put it to rights.
“That’ll teach ’em to go around scaring people,” observed Chet Morton virtuously, as they flashed by. He waved ironically at the marooned sportsmen, and was rewarded only by a shake of the fist from Ike Nash. ”

“ If he heads for those rocks, we’ll know we have our man.”
“That means that some one has to stay on the island all the time.”
“I think it would be best. We can take turns at that, so it shouldn’t spoil our outing. Somehow, I don’t think we’ll have very long to wait. The moment that man finds his notebook is gone, he’ll hurry back for it.”
The other boys agreed that Frank’s plan was about the best that could be devised toward laying the mysterious thief by the heels. They were tingling with excitement because their outing on Cabin Island had plunged them into the depths of a first-rate mystery. ”

“ The winter is no time of year to inspect an island.”
Hanleigh became angry.
“Will you two mind your own business!” he blustered. “Is it any concern of yours why I want to go to the island. I pay you well for carrying me there, and all you have to do is keep your mouths shut.”
“We won’t keep ’em shut,” remarked Nash, “unless we get more money than you have been giving us.”
“I’ve been paying you very well, I think. Ten dollars each is very good money for a trip that most boys would be glad to take just for the fun of it.”
“We don’t run the ice-boat just for our health,” said Carson. ”

“ I’ll tell you what we ought to do, fellows,” said Frank. “We should try and catch our friend Hanleigh off his guard. If we detour around through the woods, we can come out at the back of the cabin. He’ll never hear us coming through the snow. We’ll take a peep through one of the windows and see what it’s all about.”
“That’s a long way around,” grumbled Chet.
“It won’t take us far out of our way. The snow isn’t very deep. We can make it easily enough. ”