Dan Carter, Cub Scout, and the River Camp Page 13

  CHAPTER 13 Identifying a Prisoner

  After laying the trail for the other Cubs to follow, Dan had spent someminutes watching the old hotel at the far end of the island. He too hadobserved Jacques standing at the window. Greatly excited by thediscovery, he left a note for the Cubs and then hastened back to camp toreport.

  However, neither Mr. Hatfield nor Midge's father was there, havingcrossed the river a few minutes earlier.

  Dan nervously paced the camp, wondering what he should do. Far across theisland, he could hear an occasional shout from the Cubs as they noisilyfollowed the trail he had marked.

  After awhile, the boy became aware of the approach of a high-poweredspeedboat. Turning to look, he was astonished to see that a Webster Citypolice patrol boat was beaching on the island.

  As he went down to the water's edge, a sergeant and plainclothesmanstepped out of the boat.

  "Is this the Cub camp?" the sergeant inquired.

  "Yes, sir, it is," Dan replied. He wondered what had brought police tothe island at such an early hour, or for that matter, at any hour.

  "We're looking for a Mr. Hatfield."

  "He isn't here just now. But I expect him back in a half hour or so."

  "Mr. Holloway?"

  "They're together."

  "We came to take one of the boys back to the station with us," thesergeant explained. "A kid by the name of Dan Carter. Is he around?"

  Dan drew in his breath, and answered uneasily: "I'm Dan Carter. Why doyou want me? What have I done now?"

  "Why, nothing--not a thing," the police officer reassured him. "Weren'tyou one of the youngsters who saw the operator of a motorboat that struckMr. Holloway's sailboat?"

  "That's right. But how did you know?"

  "Oh, we check up," the sergeant replied with a friendly grin. "Rememberthe blindman?"

  "I did tell him about the crash," Dan recalled. "He passed theinformation on to you?"

  "Right. You saw the men in that boat?"

  "Yes, but not plainly. The boat was running without lights."

  "Think you could identify any of the men if you saw 'em again?"

  "One of them, I might."

  "Describe him."

  "Well, he was short and muscular--heavily built. His jaw was sort ofsquare and his face puffy. I couldn't see the color of his hair, butwould say he was on the dark side."

  "That's a pretty fair description, Dan," the sergeant praised. "You'reobserving."

  "Actually, I think I saw him twice," Dan replied. "Once in the boat andthen again on shore talking to a little fellow with a paper bag. 'PaperBag Eddie', they called him."

  The police sergeant and plainclothesman exchanged a quick glance.

  "Kid, you're the one we need to help us," the latter said. "Now this isthe set-up. We've picked up a man we think may have been mixed up in thefur robbery. Also, he may be the one that rammed Mr. Holloway's boat. Wewant you to identify him."

  "I don't know if I can," Dan said doubtfully. "I'll be glad to try."

  Excited at the prospect before him, Dan scribbled a note for Mr. Hatfieldand the Cubs. This he placed under a pile of stones on the beach where hewas certain it would be seen. He then boarded the police boat and wasferried across the river.

  At the police station, Dan was told to wait in an ante-room. He sat down,thumbing through the pages of a magazine. Policemen went in and out, butsave for an occasional glance at the boy, no one paid any attention tohim.

  Dan began to wonder if he had been entirely forgotten.

  After awhile, he arose and wandered out into the first floor corridor. Ashe stood there watching men and women pass through from James St. toWhitehill Ave., he suddenly stiffened.

  Through the revolving doors came Paper Bag Eddie. The man was alone. Hishat had been pulled low over his eyes, and his coat collar was high, buthe carried the familiar paper sack.

  A policeman, recognizing the man, stopped him for a moment.

  "Hello, Eddie," he said, eyeing him guardedly. "What brings you here?"

  "The measles," Eddie retorted, his thin lips curling into a sneer. "Yougot nothing on me, copper. It's a free corridor, ain't it?"

  "Just keep moving, Eddie."

  "I'm here to pay a traffic fine," the man replied. "Any law against it?"

  "Go ahead," the policeman said. "Just make it snappy and get out. Wedon't want you loitering around here."

  Eddie eyed the police officer insolently, but made no reply. Passing Dan,he entered a door which bore a sign: "Pay Traffic Fines Here."

  However, he did not remain three minutes inside the room. No sooner hadthe policeman stepped into one of the court rooms, than Eddie emergedinto the corridor again.

  His fox-like eyes darted back and forth, noting that no other policemenwere anywhere in sight.

  This ascertained, he sidled over to Dan.

  "You're here to identify a man you're supposed to have seen in amotorboat," his purring voice said. "Get this! You never saw the guybefore."

  Taken by surprise, Dan stared at Eddie and made no reply.

  "Have some popcorn?" the man invited.

  Dan shook his head, and made uncomfortable by those dark boring eyes,moved a step back against the wall.

  Eddie had opened the bag. Now he thrust it directly under the boy's eyes.Dan saw then that it contained not popcorn, but a 32-caliber revolver.

  "You never saw the guy before," Eddie repeated. "If you forget--you'llhear from me. I got a way of taking care of my friends and them thatain't."

  Two policemen had emerged from one of the offices. Dan turned to signalto them. Before he could do so, Eddie wheeled and departed by way of therevolving doors.

  "You're Dan Carter?" one of the policemen called, noticing the boy."They're waiting for you."

  "That man who was talking to me!" Dan exclaimed. "Did you notice him?"

  Neither of the policemen had seen Eddie.

  "He threatened me," Dan revealed. "Warned me not to identify someone inthe line-up. And he had a revolver."

  Now very much interested, the policemen went outside the building to lookup and down the street. Paper Bag Eddie was nowhere to be seen.

  "Probably hailed a taxi and made a quick getaway," one of the officerssaid. "Listen, Dan. Don't pay any attention to what he told you. It wasall bluff. You go in there and identify your man if you can."

  "I intend to," Dan announced, his face grim. "He can't scare me."

  "Good!" the policeman approved. "Now follow me."

  Dan was led through a series of corridors and up an elevator to an innerroom. There he was introduced to Detective Jim Blackwell and SergeantAmos Davis.

  "Now in a moment, several men will walk across a lighted stage in frontof you," Sergeant Davis explained. "You'll be behind this screen,protected from their view. Don't say anything, but look closely at eachman. If you recognize any of them, tell me later. Got it?"

  Dan nodded. His heart pounded with excitement. He had made up his mind toidentify the motorboat operator if he possibly could.

  But he couldn't forget about Eddie and the revolver in the paper bag.Somehow he had a feeling that the threat had not been entirely bluff.

  The stage now was flooded with blinding light. One at a time, six menwalked into Dan's range of vision.

  The first three he had never seen before and resembled no one he had everknown. Dan gave them scarcely a second glance.

  At sight of the fourth man in the line-up, he stiffened. Although thefellow tried to look unconcerned, Dan could see that he was worried. Heknew him instantly as the sailor he had seen talking to Paper Bag Eddie.

  Also, he was reasonably certain that the man was the same one who hadoperated the motorboat.

  "He's the one!" Dan whispered.

  "Sure?"

  "Almost positive."

  The men in the line-up were taken away and the stage darkened. Dan thenwas led to an adjoining room where he was questioned as to hisidentific
ation and other information.

  Dan told the entire story, including his suspicions that Jabowski mightbe supplying the river pirates with gasoline.

  He related also how Jacques had disappeared from the Cave undermysterious circumstances, the theft of the coded message, and finally, ofseeing the boy again on the island.

  "It gave me a real shock to see him standing there at the window," heended the account. "I tried to signal him, but I don't think he saw me.After awhile, he stepped back out of sight. I figure though that Jabowskiis holding him there against his will."

  "You've given us some good tips, kid," the police officer praised Dan."Maybe we'll drop around at the island and give it a thorough goingover."

  "A raid on the hotel?"

  "You might call it that."

  "Whatever you do, don't arrest any of the Cubs that are camped on theisland," Dan said anxiously.

  His remark amused the officer. "You figure we can't tell a Cub from acrook?" he chuckled.

  "I didn't mean that, sir," Dan replied, flushing.

  "We'll look out for your friends," the officer reassured him. "Don't youworry."

  Orders were given for squad members to contact Mr. Manheim, the islandowner, and then to proceed to the old hotel for a search of the premises.

  "We'll take you along with us, Dan," the officer told him. "You'll beneeded to point out this boy Jacques who is being held a prisoner, yousay."

  In the squad car, the boy was driven to Mr. Manheim's office. As hisaccusations were repeated, the island owner bristled with anger.

  "Tommy rot!" he exploded. "My man Jabowski is to be trusted completely!This boy must be out of his head! Such gratitude. And after all I've donefor the Cubs!"

  After storming about for awhile, Mr. Manheim agreed to accompany policeto the island. During the swift boat ride across the river, he refused tospeak to Dan.

  At the Cub camp, Mr. Hatfield and Midge's father both had returned.Already they had received a report from Brad and the other boys. But tosee Dan arrive with a squad of policemen was something of a surprise.

  "I hope you're making no mistake," Mr. Hatfield remarked to the boy afterhe had been informed that the hotel was to be searched. "Mr. Manheimlooks as angry as a hornet! If you should be wrong--"

  "All the Cubs saw Jacques at the window," Brad said, coming to Dan'sdefense. "The boy must be somewhere on the island."

  While the Cubs and their leaders approached the hotel by an overlandroute, police made a swift motorboat descent upon the building, tying upat the old dock.

  Accompanied by Mr. Manheim, they presented themselves at the front door.There was no response to their knock.

  "I should have a key," Mr. Manheim said, searching for it in his pocket."Don't know what became of it. I've not used it in six months."

  Just then an upstairs window opened and Jabowski looked down on thegroup.

  "What d'you want?" he demanded. Then, recognizing his employer, he saidquickly: "Oh, it's you, Mr. Manheim."

  "Open the door," the island owner ordered. "Police insist on searchingthe place."

  "I'll be right down," the caretaker replied, leaving the window.

  A moment later he unlocked the front door, staring curiously at themembers of the police squad.

  "Sorry, our orders are to search the place," one of the officersapologized. "Mind if we look around?"

  "Go ahead," Jabowski shrugged. "I only work here."

  By this time all the Cubs had reached the hotel. However, except for Dan,Mr. Hatfield would not allow them inside the building.

  The lobby of the old hotel had been converted into a makeshift livingroom. Scantily furnished with a few cast-off pieces of rickety furniture,the floor was unswept and the windows dirty.

  Climbing a flight of squeaky stairs, the policemen began a systematicsearch of the bedrooms. Nearly all were empty and unfurnished.

  "Jacques was in the room to the right of the corridor," Dan said,pointing it out.

  The officer thrust open the door. A boy who had been lying on an unmadebed, quickly got to his feet. Fully dressed, he stared first at Dan andthen at the policemen.

  "This the boy?" the officer demanded.

  "Yes, it's Jacques," Dan answered as the youth stood mute.

  Mr. Manheim and Jabowski had followed the policemen into the bedroom.

  "Your name, boy?" the police officer questioned.

  "Jacques--Jacques Jabowski."

  "Jabowski? You're related to the caretaker?"

  "He's my nephew," Jabowski answered before the boy could speak. "Anythingwrong with that?"

  The police officer fixed Dan with an annoyed glance. "You didn't mentiona relationship, kid."

  "Well, I didn't know," Dan said in embarrassment. "That is, I'd heardJabowski had a nephew, but I never once thought of his being Jacques. Theboy was taken away from the Cave, and when I saw him here--"

  "You jumped to wild conclusions," Mr. Manheim cut in furiously.

  "Jacques will tell you I take good care of him and provide him witheverything he needs," Jabowski added.

  "But you've kept him a prisoner," Dan accused.

  "That's not so," Jabowski denied. He gazed hard at his nephew. "You tell'em, Jacques. Are you held a prisoner here?"

  Jacques remained silent.

  "Answer up," Jabowski ordered harshly.

  "No!" the boy replied, his face sullen.

  "Jacques don't like it much here in this country," his uncle explained."He came over from France six months ago and is learning to speakEnglish."

  "You see," Mr. Manheim broke in again. "This entire situation has beenmisunderstood. Everything is in order here. I foolishly gave the CubScouts permission to camp on my island and they've allowed theirimaginations to run riot."

  "If any mistake has been made, it was entirely mine," Dan said. "But Ican't understand--"

  He gazed at Jacques who was looking at him with a strange expression inhis eyes. It seemed to Dan that the boy wanted to speak, that he wastrying to make something known, and yet was afraid. Dan decided toquestion him.

  "Jacques," he said earnestly. "Why did you leave the Cave? Who took youaway?"

  "You came here of your own free will, Jacques," his uncle replied,putting words in the boy's mind. "Wasn't that it? Tell the officers."

  "Yes," Jacques replied, his eyes downcast. "_Oui_."

  Obviously disgusted by the turn of events, the policemen made a quick andcasual inspection of other rooms in the old hotel.

  "Everything seems to be in order here," they informed Mr. Manheim. "Sorryto have caused you annoyance."

  Mr. Hatfield and Dan also apologized to the island owner. However, he wasin no mood to accept an explanation or to forgive.

  "I made a mistake allowing the Cubs to come here," Mr. Manheim declared."You've spread damaging rumors about the island."

  "If that's the way you feel, we'll leave at once," the Cub leaderreplied. "An error of judgment was made, but under the circumstance, Idon't feel Dan should be too severely criticized."

  The island owner and Mr. Hatfield now stood on the sagging veranda,surrounded by Cubs. A few splatters of rain drove into their faces.

  "I'll not ask you to break camp with a storm coming on," Mr. Manheimsaid. "If you'll leave by tomorrow morning, that will be satisfactory."

  "We'll endeavor to depart before that. I'll contact the mainland asquickly as I can and have a launch come to pick up our equipment."

  "Suit yourselves," Mr. Manheim shrugged. "I'm not driving you away.You're free to stay until tomorrow morning. After that, I'll consider ita favor if you'll not bring the Cubs here again."

  "Rest assured we will remain away, Mr. Manheim."

  "Another thing. I've changed my mind about selling the camp site. Youreadily can see that it would never work out to have Cubs or Scouts here.There would be constant friction."

  "On that point I could give you an argument, Mr. Manheim. However, Irealize you've made up your mind, so I'll say no more."

&nb
sp; Leaving Mr. Manheim with Jabowski, the discouraged Cubs trudged back tocamp with their leaders. Rain now was falling steadily, adding to thegloom of the boys.

  "Brace up, Dan," Brad said as the two sought the shelter of a tent. "Itwasn't exactly your fault."

  "Sure it was," Dan insisted. "I've messed things up for fair. Mr.Hatfield's being mighty decent about it, but I can see he's bothered. Andthe Scouts will blame us for cutting them out of their camp site."

  "Who wants this old island anyhow? We've had plenty of trouble since wecame here."

  "All caused by our own wild imagination, as Manheim puts it! Brad,Jacques was hiding the truth from the police! I'm sure of it. He'scompletely under the thumb of that uncle of his."

  "Maybe so, but if we can't prove it, what's the good in knowing? We'll beleaving here as soon as this rain lets up."

  Dan nodded gloomily. Already Mr. Hatfield and Midge's father were makingarrangements to have a launch sent from the yacht club. The moment thatthe storm cleared, he knew an order would be given to strike the tents.

  "Brad, if we could talk to Jacques alone, maybe we could get somethingout of him," he proposed suddenly.

  "Jabowski wouldn't let us within a mile of the kid."

  "Not if he could help himself."

  Brad regarded Dan speculatively. "You're suggesting that we try to seehim when Jabowski isn't around, Dan?"

  "That's the general idea. If we could get to him he might talk. I'vemessed things up for the Cubs and I'd like to square myself if I could."

  Brad thought over the proposal. "How'd we get to him?" he asked.

  "We'd have to watch the place and sneak in whenever we got the chance."

  "I don't think it will work," Brad said slowly. "But I'm willing to try.Shall we tell the other Cubs?"

  "Let's not, Brad. The idea may flop. Let's just slip away."

  "I'll leave a note for Mr. Hatfield," Brad said, scribbling on the pageof a notebook he took from his pocket. "If anything should happen that wedon't get back right away, he might worry."

  The older boy left the message in plain view on his bed. Buttoningthemselves into their slickers, the pair then quitted the tent.Unnoticed, they followed the shore for a distance, and then slicedthrough the dunes to the woodland surrounding Jabowski's place.

  As upon the first occasion they had viewed the old hotel, it appearedcompletely deserted. This time, however, the boys were not deceived.

  "Jabowski and his nephew both are inside probably," Brad said. "Our onlychance is to lie in wait until we see Jabowski leave. Then we might tryto get in. We're taking a fearful chance though."

  For three quarters of an hour, the two Cubs shivered in their inadequateshelter of bushes. Rain continued to fall. During the entire time, no oneentered or left the hotel.

  "We can't stick here forever," Brad said at length. "Mr. Hatfield will besending a searching party after us."

  "I guess my idea was a bum one again," Dan admitted, brushing a mop ofdamp hair from his eyes. "Want to leave?"

  "Let's make a tour around the hotel first," Brad said.

  Keeping out of sight, the pair crept through the bushes, completelycircling the old building. No one was visible at any of the windows.

  Finally they came to the river. Thrusting through a particularly densethicket, Brad abruptly halted.

  "Hello?" he muttered. "What's this?"

  Progress was barred by an accumulation of brush and debris. Pulling someof it aside, Brad saw a dark opening leading back under the rise ofground.

  "Gosh, Dan," he murmured in awe. "This looks like the entrance to the oldtunnel Mr. Hatfield told us about."

  "It sure does," Dan agreed excitedly. "And someone's found it ahead ofus. The sand which blocked the entrance was dug out, and then the openinghidden with all this brush!"

  "Let's find out where it goes!"

  With no thought of personal danger, the boys pulled away enough debris topermit them to squeeze through into the dark tunnel.

  In years past it had been bricked over, but now water oozed through manybreaks in the walls and low ceiling.

  "This must lead to the old hotel," Dan said, groping his way along thedamp wall. "Maybe we'll get in after all!"

  Before the boys had gone very far they came upon four sturdy sawhorseswhere a boat obviously had been allowed to rest while being painted.Varnish and cans of half-used paint remained, but the boat had beenremoved.

  "Dan, I get it all now!" Brad exclaimed. "That boat which struck Mr.Holloway's sailing craft was painted and outfitted here in the tunnel!"

  "And painted to resemble Mr. Manheim's speedboat!"

  "That's the way I dope it, Dan. Let's see what lies further on."

  Highly excited by their discovery, the two boys moved rapidly on down thetunnel. Presently, a series of ten stone steps led up to a small brickedroom which they judged must be directly beneath the hotel.

  But to the disappointment of the Cubs, the room was empty save for a fewempty boxes, from which all markings carefully had been removed.

  "Dan, you know what I think!" Brad exclaimed, taking care to keep hisvoice low-pitched so that it would not carry to the rooms above. "Thisroom has been used for the storage of loot!"

  "The furs stolen from the warehouse!"

  "It wouldn't surprise me. Why, it was a perfect set-up! The crookssnatched the stuff and made a quick dash across the river. No one becamesuspicious, because the boat looked exactly like Manheim's."

  "They unloaded the boxes here, and then if police checked the boat, ofcourse they'd find nothing!"

  "Exactly! Then after the theft blew over and police weren't watching thewaterfront as closely, they moved the stuff out and disposed of it."

  "Brad, I was right after all! Jabowski is mixed up in this!"

  "Maybe so, but we have no proof," Brad brought him up short. "While we'repretty certain in our own minds what happened, the evidence isn'tconclusive. All we have here is a few empty boxes. It doesn't establishanyone's guilt."

  "That's true," Dan admitted unwillingly. "If we went to the police withthis, they'd probably give me the jolly ha-ha again."

  "Let's see where this tunnel comes out," Brad proposed.

  Quitting the bricked room, the boys followed a dark passageway until theycame to a solid oak door. It was locked.

  "This is the end," Brad whispered. "The door must enter the hotel.Jabowski may go back and forth, but he'd never admit it."

  "What do you think we should do?"

  "We'll tell Mr. Hatfield, of course. He may go to the police, but I doubtit. The Cubs already are in Dutch with Mr. Manheim. If we make any moreaccusations we can't prove, he'll have a right to be furious."

  "But this we can prove," Dan argued. "The tunnel is here."

  "That's the unfortunate part, Dan. It always has been here. We can't tiea thing onto Jabowski or those other fellows unless police should catch'em red-handed."

  "Fine chance of that!"

  "They may try to pull another job. What was the date on that codedmessage?"

  "The 24th. I remember because it's the day of our Pack swimming meet."

  "That date may have significance," Brad speculated. "But it's not for usto decide. Let's get out of here now and give Mr. Hatfield all the facts.Then he can take the responsibility."

  Dan knew that the older boy's advice was sound and should be followed.But it was with a sinking heart that he followed Brad through the damptunnel to the river.

  He was willing to bet that neither the Cub leader nor police would favoranother raid on the island. His attempt to straighten out matters hadfailed! Time had run out.

  Through his bungling, the Cubs would lose their island camp. And therewasn't a thing he could do.