CHAPTER XIX

The Spy in the Shadows

"the cab's stoppingF' said Joe excitedly, five minutes later.

"Mrs. Harrison" got out in front of a rooming house about six blocks from the hotel. She paid the driver and hurried up the steps.

After she had gone inside, Joe stood guard while Frank rushed to a store on the corner and telephoned police headquarters. When he said a suspect in the express carton racket had been cornered, he was told that a detective would be sent to the rooming house at once.

"We had a call a few minutes ago that that woman was at the hotel," the officer reported. "She moves fast."

"Aunt Gertrude must have called the police," Frank thought to himself.

Within three minutes a squad car pulled up at the

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curb and a tall, rawboned man from headquarters jumped out. Quickly the boys introduced themselves and said they would like to go into the house with him.

"Come on!" agreed the detective.

The only occupant of the rooming house at the moment besides the owner was "Mrs. Harrison" herself. They found her packing a trunk, in a room that was in a state of wild disorder. She looked up in alarm.

"Planning a trip, lady?" asked the Bridgewater detective, showing his badge. "Let's have a look at some of this baggage."

"I haven't done anything. You're making a mistake."

The man pounced on a bundle of papers the woman tried to hide behind her back. They were tied with faded ribbon. Written across the top paper were the words:

Family papers. Property of Gertrude Hardy.

That settled it, so far as the detective was concerned. In spite of the woman's protests, he made a thorough search of the room. Papers, letters, old books and pictures, antique jewelry and heirlooms, some of them from Aunt Gertrude's carton, were brought to light. In fact, even a cutout section of the carton itself was found, containing Miss Hardy's name and Bayport address.

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"Sorry, lady, but you'll have to come down to headquarters with me," the detective said.

Under examination at police headquarters the woman maintained a stubborn silence. She refused to tell how the carton had come into her possession and denied that she had ever been in Bayport. Nevertheless, she was locked up on a charge of theft. Before she was led away, "Mrs. Harrison" turned furiously on the Hardy boys.

"Your aunt will be sorry for this!" she screamed. "She double-crossed me! I warned her not to talk! I'll get even with her if it takes me the rest of my life!"

Frank and Joe smiled to themselves. Miss Hardy was working on the case in her own way!

The Bridgewater chief of police thanked the boys for their help, gave them permission to take home the piece cut from the carton, and said that the police would let their aunt know when she could claim her property.

"It's a lucky break for us, getting that 'Harrison' woman behind bars," he added. "After she's had time to think the matter over, she'll probably start talking. Then we'll nab the rest of the gang."

After they left the police station, Frank and Joe drove around in search of their aunt. Failing to find her, they went to the railroad station. The train for Bayport had just pulled out.

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They hurried home, reaching the house about ten minutes before their aunt arrived. When she walked in, both boys were innocently absorbed in the afternoon newspaper. The cutout section from the carton was lying on the living-room table.

"Back so soon, Aunt Gertrude!" exclaimed Joe. "We thought you planned to be away several days."

"I transacted my business sooner than I expected." Miss Hardy was taking off her hat when her eyes fell on the section of carton. She blinked, took off her spectacles, put them back on again. Then she gasped. "Where did this come from?"

"We found it in Bridgewater," replied Joe calmly.

"You what?" Aunt Gertrude turned crimson.

"Expressman here gave us a tip," Frank explained. "We rushed over and nabbed a woman in a rooming house."

Aunt Gertrude gave both boys a steady look. They knew she was wondering whether they had seen her in Bridgewater. She said nothing, however, and went to her room.

"It isn't often we see Aunt Gertrude blush," laughed Joe. "She's dying to ask us questions, but she's afraid. What do you suppose is in those letters? She must have wanted them mighty badly."

"I'll bet they're old love letters," grinned Frank. "Dad said Aunt Gertrude was engaged at one time."

The brothers found it difficult to think of their

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goodhearted aunt as a figure of romance, but Mr. Hardy had often told them that his sister was very popular and had had many admirers. Conversation on the topic was interrupted by a telephone call from Mr. McClintock.

"What has a man got to do to get a freighter reservation?" he demanded testily. "Bring along a letter from the President and an order from the Maritime Commission? I've been doing all I can to get tickets but I haven't had any luck."

The boys were secretly amused. Now Mr. McClintock was finding out for himself how difficult it was to get reservations!

"If we don't get tickets pretty soon," he said, "I'm going to hire a strong-arm man and see what he can do. I was down at the docks and heard someone say there'll be a freighter docking at Bayport tomorrow morning. Get down there early and meet the boat," he ordered.

Following instructions, the boys went to the water front before breakfast, arriving just as a big freighter came slowly up Barmet Bay. As it approached the dock the Hardys were amazed to see it was the Hawk.

"Wonder why she came back so soon," Joe remarked. "She couldn't have sailed very far."

"Maybe she's in for repairs," Frank replied. "Say, perhaps Captain Sharp will be in a better frame of mind this time and give us passage."

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But when the Hawk was moored, and Captain Sharp came ashore, he looked as hard-mouthed and surly as ever. Nevertheless, the boys decided to speak to him. They walked up, smiling.

"Welcome back, Captain," said Frank. "Carrying any passengers this time?"

The man squinted at them.

"Hm! I'll say you two are persistent," he grunted. "Didn't I tell you I don't want any passengers?"

"We hoped you might have changed your mind."

"Well, I haven't," snapped Captain Sharp. "And don't bother me again!"

He brushed past them, but Joe followed. "All right, we won't mention it again, but I'd like to ask you something else. Have you ever seen or heard of a ghost ship, a phantom freighter, out beyond Bar-met Shoals?"

Captain Sharp glared at the boy. "Are you trying to make a fool out of me?" he rasped. "Phantom freighter! Do I look like a man who believes in ghosts and fairy tales?"

"There's been talk around here . . ." began Joe, when Captain Sharp interrupted him fiercely.

"That will be enough of your impudence, young fellow. Get out of my way!" He pushed Joe rudely aside and strode off down the pier.

The brothers decided to eat breakfast at a diner

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along the water front, thinking perhaps they could pick up some information about a passenger freighter. They had no luck, so started for home. On the way they passed Klack's agency.

"What say we go in and see if we can find out anything about that telephone call Gallic overheard?" Frank suggested.

"Good idea," his brother agreed. "If Klack's there, I'm going to-"

"Take it easy," Frank advised. "We don't want anyone to know we suspect-"

"Sh!" whispered Joe.

He had noticed a man near them who seemed to be listening. The fellow flopped down on a bench outside the agency.

At the same moment Captain Sharp, hurrying up the street, turned into the place. The boys followed, but he did not speak to them. Addressing the girl, he said:

"I want to hire another cook. Mine jumped ship."

The girl nibbled at the end of her pencil. "Well, I dunno," she mumbled. "Haven't had many cooks in here looking for jobs lately. If you can wait until Mr. Klack comes back-"

"Wait?" growled the man. "I want to hire a man and I want him right now!"

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The shabbily dressed fellow who had been lounging on a bench just outside the door, got up and sidled inside to Captain Sharp.

"I'm your man, skipper," he said. "How much does the job pay?"

Captain Sharp looked him over from head to foot. He asked a few brusque questions about the fellow's experience, and a bargain was struck.

"Go down to the Hawk and report to the mate," the captain ordered.

As the man shambled out, the girl said, "It ain't right for you to come in here and hire a man without payin' a fee to Mr. Klack."

"I asked you to get me a man, didn't I?" growled Sharp. "Now shut up!" He stormed out of the office.

The girl, furious, looked at the boys. "You here again?" she cried.

Frank, having heard Klack was away, merely asked her if she had booked passage yet for his party. She replied in a bored manner, as if repeating a lesson, that there were no reservations for them; that Mr. Klack was out of town; and that they would have to wait until he got back.

"Let me know when he returns," said Frank. He rather thought from the look on the girl's face that she would do nothing of the sort.

Reaching home, the boys had a conference with

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their father, and told about the return of the Hawk.

"Captain Sharp is in on something crooked, I believe," said Fenton Hardy. "I don't know what it is, but I think his freighter should be watched. As for Klack, I can tell you why he's out of town. I've just learned that the FBI has become interested in his activities."

"You think he's in hiding?" Frank asked.

"Yes."

"On the Hawk?"

*

"No," replied the detective. "The Hawk could be searched too easily."

Joe had been standing near a front window. He happened to glance out, and saw something that made him step back quickly.

"We're being watched!" he cried.

Mr. Hardy and Frank came toward the window, not close enough to be seen, but close enough to look out. Across the road, in the shadow of a house, stood a poorly dressed man gazing toward the Hardy residence.

"Why, that's the man Captain Sharp hired in Klack's office!" exclaimed Frank.

"It sure is," affirmed Joe. "He's no cook. He was following us before Captain Sharp spoke to him in Klack's office. He had already hired him-to spy on us!"