CHAPTER X

Wing Signal

the boys were dumfounded. "What do you mean our dad escaped?" Joe asked. "How?"

"I don't know. I wasn't here."

Frank believed that Wilkes was telling the truth. But where could their father be? And why hadn't he been in touch with them?

The Hardys tied Wilkes securely to a chair. Then Frank, Joe, and Chet settled down to wait out the storm.

While the wind and rain beat against the lighthouse, Frank and Joe questioned Wilkes further. Their prisoner said he did not know the whereabouts of Hexton, nor just what sort of an operation he was running.

"I'm a new man in the outfit. The magician hasn't taken me into his confidence," he added.

"So you're just learning the UGLI business," Frank remarked. Wilkes nodded.

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He admitted that the metal drums which the Hardys had spotted contained airplane fuel, but now were empty. This was confirmed by Joe's thorough search as soon as the rain subsided and the sun burst through the broken clouds.

"Okay, Wilkes," Frank said tersely when his brother returned. "You told the truth about the drums. What about the helioplane?"

The man's jaw dropped. "Wh-what'd you mean-helioplane?"

"You know all right!" Joe said. "So far, we've made things easy for you, Wilkes, but if you don't tell the whole story, we'll have you charged as an accomplice to a kidnapping!"

"No, no!" he whined, blanching a sickly white. "I saw the plane land here twice. Both times it stayed a few minutes, then took off again."

"Were there any passengers aboard?"

"Just one guy wearing some kind of uniform." The man began to perspire freely. "Hexton will kill me if he finds out I told you."

"Don't worry about him," Chet said. "The Hardys will take care of that crooked magician."

Just then they heard an airplane and rushed outside. Looking up, they saw their own plane coming in from the west. It dived and made a low pass over the islet

"The signal!" Frank exclaimed. "Vordo and Bleeker must be on their way back!"

"Let's wait and nab 'em," Joe suggested.

78 The Secret Agent on Flight 101

Frank was about to answer when Jack Wayne headed in toward the islet again. He made another low pass, but this time the boys saw a small object drop from the plane. It bounced along the rocky surface and rolled to a stop close by. It was a metal box with a message inside:

Vordo and Bleeker on way back! Have two other men with them. Believe they are armed. Suggest you leave immediately. Head north before turning toward mainland to avoid their boat.

"Let's get out of here fast!" Chet said.

"I don't like the idea of running," Frank said, "but the odds are against us. We'll go back to the mainland and notify the police."

Pushing the reluctant Wilkes before them, the boys hastened to their motorboat. Luckily it was undamaged by the storm. A quick check of the fuel, however, showed they could not take the northerly course Jack had suggested.

"We have just enough gas to make shore," Frank announced.

"What about Vordo and his men?" Chet asked.

"Maybe we'll be able to slip by without their noticing us," Frank answered.

Wilkes became arrogant at hearing that his cohorts were on their way back. "You'd better leave me behind if you know what's good for you," he growled.

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"Nothing doing," Joe retorted angrily. "And don't try to attract the attention of your buddies. I'm sure they'd reward you for having talked," he added sarcastically.

This frightened Wilkes. He slumped down.

While Jack circled overhead, the boys made a beeline for the coast. A little more than half an hour had passed, when Jack throttled the engines on and off several times.

"Is he having trouble?" Chet asked.

The pilot gunned the engines again.

"No!" Joe exclaimed. "He's signaling us!" Joe pointed to a small object in the distance, moving across the water. "That must be Vordo!"

Frank quickly turned the motorboat onto a different course as the approaching boat drew steadily closer. In it were four men. The pilot, a tall, massive fellow, was unmistakably Vordo. He was steering directly toward the boys' boat.

"They've seen us!" Joe cried.

Frank attempted some evasive maneuvers, while still heading for the mainland. But the other boat was faster. Although Frank spun his wheel sharply in a series of turns to port and starboard, their pursuers continued to gain.

Finally Vordo bore down, but as he did, Frank pointed skyward and yelled, "Look up there!"

Jack roared down in a screaming dive and pulled out directly in front of the powerboat. Then, just as a collision seemed imminent, Jack

80 The Secret Agent on Flight 101

pulled up, missing Vordo and his men by inches. Vordo veered out of the way but Jack repeated his maneuver.

The Hardys and Chet momentarily forgot their predicament as they admired Jack's flying skill. At times he came so close to the surface that little water spouts were generated by the whirling propellers.

"Wow!" chortled Chet. "Vordo's getting discouraged."

"I'd say he's scared to death-and who wouldn't be. Attaboy, Jack!" Joe grinned.

Again and again Jack Wayne made close passes at the powerboat, forcing Vordo and his cohorts farther away from the boys. By the time the three sleuths neared the mainland, their pursuers were lost from sight. Jack then flew high above the boys, waggling his wings in salute.

Upon reaching shore, the Hardys turned Burly Wilkes over to the authorities. A police helicopter was immediately dispatched to the islet. Soon a report was radioed in from the copter. The island was deserted, and a search of the surrounding area had revealed no clues to the suspects.

Frank asked an officer if he might make a phone call to Ty Carter's airfield. Moments later he had Jack Wayne on the wire.

"Thanks for getting us out of this one," Frank said. "That was great flying."

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The pilot chuckled. "I don't mind a little exercise now and then."

"Did you notice where Vordo was headed?"

"They took a northerly course, but I couldn't trail them because my fuel ran low. Sorry. I did give the police the lead."

Frank asked Jack to meet them at the hotel. "We'll stay at least another day, in case something turns up. Better bring the car you rented."

Next morning the Hardys received a telephone call from Ty Carter. He said a helioplane had just landed at his field.

"What's the registration number?" Frank asked excitedly.

When Carter told him, Frank noted that it was identical with that of the helioplane they had chased.

"I don't think it'll be staying here long," the man continued. "The pilot is sitting in the cockpit. Apparently he expects some passengers to show up any minute."

"Can you delay their take-off for a while?" Frank asked.

"I don't know. The guy seems to be in a great hurry. But I'll try."

Jack Wayne and the boys drove to the airport immediately and ran to the operations shack.

"They're taxiing out for take-off right now," Carter told them. He pointed through the window

82 The Secret Agent on Flight 101

at the helioplane as it moved slowly toward the active runway. "I couldn't delay them any longer. The pilot asked that his plane be refueled. I told my line boys to take their time about it. But the pilot's passengers arrived."

"Vordo and his gang!" Joe exploded.

"Let's head them off!" Frank urged.

The boys dashed to their car and drove out after the taxiing aircraft. Moments later the car came to an abrupt halt, bogged down in a stretch of marshy ground just off the airport taxiway.

"Oh nuts!" Chet blurted.

"They're getting away!" Joe shouted.

Frank jumped out and chased after the helioplane. His companions followed. He was the first to reach the craft, just as it lined up for take-off. He recognized three of the passengers-Vordo, Bleeker, and the steward Timken. Frank lunged at the plane, but stumbled, lost his balance, and fell across the tail. The aircraft was moving so fast he could not let go.

Joe, Chet, and Jack, who had continued the chase, now stopped in their tracks and watched in horror.

The plane continued its take-off run, with Frank clinging desperately to the taill