The Secret of Skull Mountain (15 page)

The man of the mountain was gone, but a hard-faced man lounged beside the crevice which led to the mountaintop. It was the fellow who had thrown the can into the surf. Dr. Foster stood trembling by the kiln, plainly too frail to help the boys.

“Four of them, and four of us,” Frank figured, “and one is armed—maybe the others.” He decided it would be best to stall and wait for Chet to arrive with the police. “When he doesn't find us at the shack, he'll lead them here,” Frank thought.

As Joe finished talking, Stoper turned to Kleng with a sneer. “These kids are smarter than you and your whole bunch of bunglers.”

Kleng's face grew red. “Don't worry. Nobody else'll find that opening!”

“Unless they told somebody where it is,” Stoper said smoothly. Then he barked at Frank, “Where's that fat kid?”

“Yeah,” said a hoarse voice. It was the man lounging at the crevice. “Maybe he's running for the cops right this minute. Want me to try to head him off?”

“Hold it, Hank,” Stoper ordered, and turned to the man with the revolver. “Did you let one get away, Fox?” he asked sarcastically.

The man's eyes flashed. “You think you're a big wheel from Chicago, Stoper, but all you've done so far is talk. How'd you like to sit all night on the mountain with a rifle and—”

“Don't give me that!” Stoper broke in. “Where were you when the Hardys dropped their floats in the reservoir?”

Fox blustered “We didn't think anybody would go down there that night. The hermit reported that the engineers had left the mountain!”

“Shut up you two!” barked Kleng. “You're wasting time!” He poked Joe in the chest. “You—where's the fat boy?”

“He's not on the mountain,” Joe replied.

“Then forget him,” Kleng said to his companions. He signaled Fox, who gave Bob a push.

“March!” The four were herded into the small dimly lighted rock chamber which adjoined the cavern. They were ordered to lie down on the damp floor. Their hands and feet were securely tied, then the men left.

The minutes dragged on. The Hardys and the engineers discussed their situation, then subsided into worried silence, each occupied with his own thoughts. What were Kleng's plans for them? Suppose he acted before Chet and the police arrived? One thing was certain: Kleng would not allow them to go free and expose him and his gang.

Suddenly the prisoners heard footsteps and a moment later Hawkins appeared, thrusting Dr. Foster before him. Directing the scientist to lie on the floor, the sailor quickly tied his hands and feet.

As soon as Hawkins clomped out of the room, Frank turned to the white-haired man. He appeared to be near the breaking point. “What happened?”

The scientist grimaced. “Stoper would wait no longer. They forced me to talk. I had to tell them there was no cesium in the ore they brought me to test. Now they will get rid of all of us.”

His voice quavered. “No doubt you're all won dering why I'm mixed up with those men. This is the story.”

Several years ago, he told them, before Tarnack Dam had been blueprinted, he had prospected for cesium on Skull Mountain. He had read the geological theory of the subterranean passage but thought it fanciful. One day, however, while poking along the hillside, then densely forested, he had come upon the mouth of the channel.

“I explored the tunnel with great excitement,” the scientist said, “and discovered deposits of ore which contained cesium.”

He coughed, chilled by the damp floor, then continued. “Deep inside the mountain, I found the cavern, and the cleft running clear to the top of the ridge! Gentlemen, what awe I felt when I saw this ancient natural wonder!” He paused, remembering the experience.

“How do Kleng and Stoper fit into this?” Joe asked.

Their hands and feet were securely tied

Kleng, Dr. Foster explained, had been recommended to him as a man who could raise money to work the deposits in the tunnel. The scientist had told the plumber he was not positive that there was enough cesium to make it worth mining, but he wanted to test more of the ore and find out.

Kleng had been tremendously interested in the project, and had persuaded Dr. Foster to show him the tunnel. But the plumber had failed to raise the money, and plans for testing the deposits had to be abandoned.

“Then, about five weeks ago,” the scientist went on, “I received a telegram from Kleng. He told me a group of men had agreed to put up the money for the project, and permission to mine the tunnel had been granted by the Coastal Power and Light Company. I know now that was a lie. Kleng insisted that I come to Bayport at once.”

Dr. Foster's voice became bitter. “When I got here, I found that I was not only to analyze ore from the tunnel, but also some from the slopes of the reservoir. Kleng's men brought it in at night and camouflaged their digging with low shrubs.”

“The rats!” Bob said. “To keep the valley clear to mine the cesium, Kleng had to keep the reservoir from filling up.”

“Yes,” said Dr. Foster. “I saw what their scheme was. Then I discovered I was a prisoner! I knew they would dispose of me as soon as the tests were finished, so I insisted they bring me a kiln.”

The boys looked puzzled and Dr. Foster explained. “The gang thought it was necessary for the tests. Of course it was not. I used the kiln to stall for time and make smoke, which I hoped someone would see and investigate.”

“But how could the gang hope to get away with the mining operation?” Dick asked, puzzled.

“The Chicago syndicate is powerful,” the scientist said. “They control an engineering company which was to mine the ore under the pretense of cutting away the reservoir banks to solve the escaping water problem. Stoper said this firm would have no trouble getting the job from the Coastal Power and Light Company.”

“Did Hawkins build the lock?” Frank asked.

Dr. Foster nodded. “The old sailor was incensed at the prospect of losing his home because of the water project, and Kleng found him a willing ally in his scheme to divert the water to the sea.”

“Does Potato Annie fit into the picture?” asked Bob.

Dr. Foster said that she had helped the gang for the same reason, supplying them with vegetables from her garden.

“What about the shaggy old guy?” Frank asked.

“Yes,” Joe said grimly. “We've plenty of things to settle with him!”

Dr. Foster coughed gently. “I can well imagine how you feel about Tom Darby,” he said, “but I hope you won't hold him responsible for all of his actions. He's devoted to me, and terrified of the others. Kleng threatened to send him back to the county poor farm if he did not obey orders. Otherwise, I'm sure he would have helped me escape.”

“What do you know about him?” Dick asked.

Tom Darby, the scientist said, had run away from the county poor farm in the adjoining state and ever since had been living like a hermit.

“I met Tom on my first trip to Skull Mountain,” Dr. Foster declared. “He was half starved and nearly naked. But when I tried to help him, he ran away.

“Later, I won the old fellow's confidence, and from then on, Tom couldn't do enough for me. When I returned this summer, he was still here. He lived in the tunnel and had been subsisting pretty much on vegetables which he sneaked from Annie's garden. She was afraid of him, but Hawkins and the other squatters gave him regular handouts.”

Dr. Foster's eyes twinkled. “It was Tom's idea to frighten you with skulls. Kleng told Tom anything he did to scare you away from the mountain would be of great help to me!”

“Tom must think an awful lot of you, sir,” Joe said ruefully. “He did his best to get rid of us!”

Dick interrupted. “Smashed equipment, boulders, an explosion, a fire—”

“Sweeper supplied Tom with the dynamite,” the scientist said, “but the gang was angry because he did not plant it close enough to really hurt you. Then Kleng took over and set fire to your shack. Tom Darby wouldn't stoop to such things. He was sorry about the landslide, for he only meant to frighten you with the boulder.” Dr. Foster sighed. “If we get out of here alive, I will take Tom with me. My brother has a large estate where the poor fellow can have a cottage to himself and be well taken care of.”

The scientist stopped speaking, for at that moment Kleng came in carrying a lantern. He looked around at them with a thin smile. “Foster's probably told you our job is finished,” he said harshly. “But before we leave, I'm going to fix it so you won't be able to tell your story to the cops.”

Suddenly he shouted over his shoulder, “Hawkins! Get the dynamite!”

The prisoners stiffened and a cold chill ran down Frank's spine.

Kleng's voice grew silky. “That's right, fellows. Hawkins is going to dynamite the mouth of the tunnel and dose it up. You'll be buried alive!”

HORRIFIED at the threat, the prisoners stared at one another, speechless. Kleng had left the room. They could hear him in the adjoining cavern instructing Hawkins in the use of the dynamite.

Frank thought of the crevice. “We still have a chance!” he whispered to the others. “If we can break out of these ropes, we'll climb the shaft and escape through the top of the mountain!”

But Kleng's next words stifled that hope. “After you've blasted the mouth of the tunnel,” he told Hawkins, “come back here and set off another charge to plug the shaft. That'll seal everything nice and tight.”

“Aye, cap'n,” the sailor replied. “But how are we to get away?”

“Up the shaft, you fool. Stoper, Hank, Fox, and I will go ahead while you blow the tunnel. You'll follow up this shaft and then blast it. Now get going.”

The prisoners heard the sailor's footsteps recede. Then there was silence. Frantically they struggled with their bonds. They rolled close to one another, their fingers tearing at each other's ropes, but the strands were wet from the damp floor and resisted their attempts to untie them.

“There must be some way out of this!” Bob said desperately.

He lifted his wrists to a jagged edge of rock and tried to saw through the binding hemp, but soon gave up, exhausted.

At that moment Tom Darby slipped into the small chamber, his arms piled with firewood. He stared at the prisoners, then dropped his load of wood and knelt beside Dr. Foster.

“Tom!” the scientist exclaimed. “Hurry, Tom! Untie me!”

The shaggy-haired man cast a terrified glance over his shoulder, then began fumbling with the rope. Frank and Joe and the two engineers looked on, hardly daring to breathe.

Suddenly a stocky figure appeared in the opening—Kleng! As the boys cried a warning, he grabbed a piece of firewood and struck the hermit on the head. The old man slumped to the floor, unconscious!

Kleng glanced at the rope which secured the scientist's wrists. He gave a satisfied grunt, then went out. A moment later the prisoners heard the four men start up the shaft toward the top of the mountain.

“There they go,” Dick said tensely. “Pretty soon Hawkins will follow them, and then—” Everyone knew what he meant.

Suddenly Joe thought of his water canteen. He rolled his body toward the hermit and sat up. Twisting his bound wrists, he managed to unscrew the cap of the canteen on his hip. He tilted the flask so that water splashed on Darby's face.

The hermit stirred. His eyelids fluttered weakly. Joe splashed the bearded face again. The hermit looked at him, dazed.

“You've done it, Joe!” Frank exclaimed excitedly.

Dick turned to the scientist. “Hurry, Dr. Foster! Make Tom untie these ropes!”

Within a few minutes the hermit had freed Dr. Foster's hands and feet. Then the two men set to work on the others. Soon all the prisoners stood free.

“Come on, Dick!” Bob urged. “We must stop Hawkins before he seals the tunnel opening!”

“I'm with you!” his assistant replied. They raced through the cavern and into the lantern-lighted tunnel.

‘We'll follow Kleng and Stoper!” Joe yelled after them. He ran to the shaft which sloped toward the mountaintop. “Come on, Frank!”

“Joe—wait! That's no good! Fox has a gun!”

“But we can't let them get away!”

“They won‘t!” Frank signaled to Dr. Foster and Tom Darby to follow him and went quickly to the kiln. Pointing toward the pile of green firewood, he said, “Feed the fire and get up plenty of smoke. We'll give 'em a taste of their own medicine!”

“Great!” exclaimed Joe, then snapped his fin gers. “Ropes!” He dashed to the side chamber, picked up the discarded bonds, and stuffed them in his pockets.