The Message In The Hollow Oak Part 25

"Bob is a ham," Todd Smith spoke up. "He fools around with short-wave radio all the time."

"Then," Ned said, "we can be pretty sure the message was genuine." He turned to Nancy. "What do you think we should do about this?"

"I'm afraid," she said, "the abductors will move Bob before the police can track down the spot from which he beamed his message."

Art and Todd offered to ride to town on the motorcycle and telephone the police for news.

Nancy said, "How about calling the radio station and the ham? Maybe you'll learn more."

"We'll do that," Art promised.

When the group heard the motorcycle coming back, everyone rushed outdoors. "What did you find out?" several of them asked.

"I got in touch with the ham," Art answered. "He thinks Bob beamed his message from somewhere in southern Illinois in an open area."

"That's where we are!" Julie Anne exclaimed.

Theresa said, "I suggest a day off tomorrow so most of you can try to find Bob. I will stay here with four others to guard our dig and the lab."

The young archaeologists planned to start out early the next morning, dividing the territory. Nancy thought that her group should go back to the quarry and start from there.

Good-nights were being said when they became aware of an old car driving in. As soon as it stopped, Clem Rucker stepped out.

"Howdy, folks," he greeted everyone. "I was in town this evenin' and picked up a letter for you, Nancy, in my box. Funny thing, it was mailed right in Walmsley yesterday. Must be from somebody you know around here."

Since the young detective knew no one in the area except Roscoe Thompson and this was not his handwriting, her curiosity was aroused. She tore open the letter and glanced through it. A frown creased her forehead. She read aloud:

"'Bob Snell is our prisoner. We will release him after you give us the contents of the hollow oak plus five thousand dollars. Leave them tomorrow morning before seven o'clock in the abandoned well house one mile west of the quarry. Do not notify the police or you will regret it.' The note is not signed."

"Oh!" Julie Anne exclaimed. "This is dreadful!"

"Now we really have something to work on," George remarked. Nancy nodded.

Julie Anne said, "Nancy, surely you aren't going to give those abductors five thousand dollars!"

"Of course not. Even if I could, I wouldn't." She suggested that they leave a dummy sack containing paper and a few stones in the well house.

At once Claire Warwick spoke up. "I'm sure the whole thing will be a wild-goose chase. Nothing has convinced me that Bob was really abducted. He probably is just playing a joke on us. You're wasting your time. It is more important to stay here and dig."

With that she went into the farmhouse without saying good night to anyone.

Bess turned to Nancy. "You don't think there could be any truth in her conclusion, do you?"

"No," Nancy replied. "Bob wouldn't play such an idiotic joke."

"That's right," Art added. "He's too nice a guy to worry his parents and friends."

"We must get this note to the police," said Theresa, and Nancy agreed, despite the warning against doing so.

"I'll run you down to State Police Headquarters on the highway," said Clem. "Hop in."

Nancy, Ned, and Theresa accepted his offer and thirty minutes later the four were seated before the desk of a brisk young police captain. He studied the note carefully, then listened intently to Nancy's plan about leaving the dummy sack.

"This ransom note could be a hoax," he said, "but we'll check it. Miss Drew, I think that you and your friends should deliver the sack as you suggested. I'll keep my men hidden in the woods. If the kidnappers think the police are around they won't go through with the deal."

The details were arranged and everyone agreed, though Theresa was concerned about the danger.

"Don't worry," Nancy said confidently. "We'll be cautious."

Next morning everybody was up very early. Nancy and her friends from home ate a quick breakfast, then piled into the truck, taking the dummy sack which the boys had fixed the night before. The others waved good-by and called, "Good luck!"

A short distance from the quarry, Ned parked the truck. Then the three couples headed in a westerly direction. Burt and George walked a little to the left of Nancy and Ned, while Dave and Bess went to the right.

The instructions in the letter proved to be correct. Exactly one mile from the quarry they came upon an old well house. It had originally been part of a farm home but now there were only ruins of a burned house and barn.

"The abductors certainly chose a secluded spot for the ransom," Nancy said.

She and Ned hurried forward. The other two couples watched from a distance, then they all converged. Cautiously Nancy and Ned led the way to the small, shadowy well house. It was empty. As Ned laid down the sack of paper and stones, Nancy looked around. On the far side she noticed a crumpled paper on the floor. Nancy picked it up to see if anything was on it.

"A message from Bob!" she cried. "Listen! 'Was a prisoner here but am being moved. I don't know where. Hollow oak not located.' "

"What a find!" Ned exclaimed. "I wonder how long ago he wrote this."

"Let's hope," George put in, "that we're so hot on the trail, those kidnappers haven't been able to take Bob far away."

Everyone was excited and now began to hunt outside for clues to the direction the kidnappers had gone. Dave was the first to spot two sets of footprints leading in a northeasterly direction. Did the prints belong to two abductors who might have been carrying Bob, or to Bob and one abductor?

"I believe one set is Bob's," Nancy remarked.

"We must follow them, of course," said Ned, "but somebody ought to stay here and stake out the well house."

George and Burt volunteered to keep watch. "I'll bark like a dog," said Burt, "if the kidnappers show up."

"Okay," Ned replied. "Besides, you'll be safe enough because the police are supposed to be hiding around here." He frowned. "They're doing a good job, if they are. There's not a sign of them."

Nancy set off with her friends. A short distance away the footprints ended but tire tracks took their place. The two couples followed them. The marks went straight for some distance, then curved abruptly around a hill.

Not knowing what might confront them on the other side of it, the four young people went ahead cautiously, single file. Ned had insisted upon taking the lead in case there was any trouble. When they reached the far side, they saw an empty car parked in a clearing.

On a hunch that someone would soon come for it, Nancy suggested, "Let's retrace our steps and spy around the side of the hill."

In a few minutes their caution was rewarded. They could hear voices. Soon three men approached on foot. The watchers gasped.

In the center was Bob Snell, blindfolded and gagged!

On either side of him were the fake museum guards who had come to the farmhouse.

"Don't try any funny work, young man!" one of them said in a harsh voice.