The Hooded Hawk Mystery Part 11

"Tell him," Frank said, "that we have a prisoner for him. He can book Ragu for a.s.sault on you today and Joe a week ago, and attempted robberies of the falcon. If Collig can't get a confession out of him, we'll call in the FBI."

126 At the mention of Federal authorities, Ragu visibly slumped. But it was obvious that his lips had been sealed, probably by fear.

The group waited until they saw the Bayport patrol car turning into the Morton driveway.

Then, with Frank and Chet holding their prisoner firmly by the arms, they started toward the police car.

Chief Collig and Patrolman Sm.u.f.f climbed out of the car. As they eyed the hawk, Frank explained the circ.u.mstances of the arrest, and told Sm.u.f.f that Ragu was the "deeply tanned"

thief they had been looking for.

Before Sm.u.f.f or the chief had a chance to reply, Frank suddenly cried out: "Joe, there's a pigeon! It's winging from the same direction as the other pigeons we've spotted. Let the hawk loose!"

Hearing this, Ragu tore himself free from the grip of Patrolman Sm.u.f.f and dashed toward Joe and the hunting hawk. He s.n.a.t.c.hed at the leash but was quickly subdued. When he began to rave and rant like a wild man, the Hardys were sure Ragu must know that the pigeon was carrying a message or more rubies!

Joe unhooded the falcon, which spotted the pigeon, took off into the air, and climbed toward it.

Meanwhile, Ragu continued to cry out oaths in both English and a foreign tongue. Frank commented on his actions to the police and added: 127 "Chief, I'm sure Ragu is guilty of a lot more than he's admitting."

"I'll keep him in jail until he talks," the officer said.

"We'll be in to prefer charges against him sometime tonight," Frank said.

"Good enough," Chief Collig agreed.

Sm.u.f.f hustled Ragu into the patrol car and the three rode away. Frank and Chet whirled around then and tried to spot the falcon.

Joe, hands shading his eyes, was following the flight of the bird. The peregrine and its prey had moved off over the wooded area and a moment later the pigeon was lost to view.

The Hardys' hearts sank. Had the pigeon escaped?

CHAPTER XVII.

Intercepted Ransom.

"the hawk mustn't lose that pigeon!" Joe cried.

As the boys stared hopefully, the peregrine poised for a second, then dived like a miniature rocket. At once Frank, Joe, and Chet ran across the fields, their eyes still following the hawk.

Suddenly, through a rift in the trees, they could see both birds.

"The hawk's got her!" Frank cried a moment later, as both birds dropped into the woods.

"Come on!" Joe shouted gleefully, starting to run.

All three boys fully expected to locate at once the spot where the pigeon and hawk had fallen. When they did not immediately find them, Chet and the Hardys spread out and searched the bushes for some time, but without success.

"Do you think the hawk carried the pigeon off?" Chet asked.

"I doubt it," Frank replied. "That's not usually what a hawk does."

128.

129 "Then your falcon's got to be here some place," Chet said.

The next moment they heard the whirring of the helicopter and hurried to a clearing, where they could spot the aircraft. They saw Simons, his helicopter window slid back, beckoning for them to follow him.

The boys nodded and moved along the edge of the woods, guided by their friend in the sky. Presently he turned the craft and flew directly over the trees. Now Simons whirled up, then lowered quickly.

Frank interpreted the maneuver. "Simons is trying to tell us the birds are right around here."

Joe held out his gloved hand and whistled sharply. There was a movement in the brush a few yards ahead of the boys. Then they spotted the peregrine falcon and her quarry.

The younger Hardy moved in slowly and picked up the falcon and the mangled pigeon.

The boys were sobered by the sight, but in a moment shook off the mood and Chet asked: "Why don't you fellows feed your bird at home?"

"This time she earned a meal," Joe said, spotting a telltale red container fastened to one of the pigeon's legs.

Frank removed the capsule and opened it. As he shook it gently, two rubies fell out into his hand.

"More ransom payments!" he declared.

"Looks as though you're right," Chet said in awe.

130 Excitedly the three boys headed back toward the Morton farm. The helicopter was still hovering overhead when they came out into the clearing. As Simons brought it down low, Joe held up the hawk and waved their thanks. Then the pilot headed for the airport to keep another appointment.

When Frank and Joe reached their car they said good-by to Chet and drove home.

After putting the falcon in the garage and setting the alarm, the boys went indoors. A message was waiting for them from Jeff Kane, their father's operative. He had shadowed the captain and crew members of the Daisy K, Daisy K, and had investigated their reputations, but and had investigated their reputations, but could find nothing suspicious in their activities. He learned that Captain Flont ruled them with an iron hand and they seemed to fear him.

"If anything crooked is going on," Frank said to Joe, "it's well concealed, that's sure."

Joe put through another call to the home of Rahmud Ghapur, who answered at once.

When the Hardys informed him that they had made two important discoveries for Mr. Delhi, the importer asked that the boys not reveal them on the phone.

"I'll pa.s.s along your message to Mr. Delhi," Ghapur promised. "He'll probably want to fly up to Bayport sometime tonight."

"We'll be waiting for him."

The Indian arrived about eight o'clock, and as before, he and the boys went up to Mr.

Hardy's study.

As the maharajah's cousin settled himself in a 131 chair, Frank unwrapped the two rubies and explained how the Hardys had gotten them.

Mr. Delhi examined them, then finally said: "These are very valuable gems and cut exactly like some of the ransom rubies. I could almost swear that they are part of those payments. This poses a serious problem."

He looked from one boy to the other and they felt that something had displeased him. "I do not want to seem ungrateful," Delhi said, "but if these are part of the ransom, and are not received by the fiends who are holding Prince Tava, he may come to harm. You did not realize this phase of the matter, I am sure."

Frank and Joe were thunderstruck. They had not thought of this angle!

"I'm afraid we didn't," Frank replied. "But we may be close enough to these kidnapers to catch them before they attempt anything drastic."

The Hardys told Delhi of the lodge in the woods and the possible flight of the prince with his captors.

Then Frank showed him the sandalwood scent box which Ahmed had found at the lodge. Tenderly, Delhi cupped the box in his hands.

"My new friends," he said with emotion, "you have made a wonderful discovery. This box was given Prince Tava by the maharajah at a ceremony I witnessed myself several years ago. May I keep it now?"

132 "Of course," Frank replied.

"It-it brings back such happy memories. And Prince Tava will be so delighted when I return it to him."

Delhi stopped and his expression changed abruptly. "This hunting lodge," he said, "you have someone watching it at all times?"

The Hardys rea.s.sured him on this point. Then they concluded with the story of the man who had purchased carrier pigeons from Mr. Newton under the name Bhagnav.

"My name!" Delhi exclaimed in amazement. "But not one of my relatives has ever been in this coun-try."

"We thought he was an impostor," Frank said.

"What did this man look like?" Delhi asked.

"We were told he was tall, slender, handsome-about twenty-six years of age. He had a scar under his chin which stood out because it was lighter than the skin on the rest of his face."

The Indian n.o.bleman weighed this information, his brow furrowed. Then he pursed his lips and said, "The description sounds vaguely familiar. But it is not someone with whom I have been in regular contact. I shall speak to my friend Ghapur about this. Perhaps he will recognize the man. In any case, I'm sure the impostor is an enemy, trying to discredit my family's name."

Joe changed the subject. "Does the name Ragu mean anything to you?" he asked.

133 Mr. Delhi thought this over, then said no. "Can you describe him?" he asked.

But the description of a swarthy, short, heavy-set man did not help.

Frank said, "Ragu works here on a fis.h.i.+ng boat called the Daisy K. Daisy K. Right now, though, Right now, though, he is in our local jail. We promised to go there tonight and prefer charges. Will you come with us and see if you know Ragu?"

"I shall be glad to go," he said. "But I suggest, in case we should be followed, that we try to throw off any pursuers."

Driving to police headquarters that night, Frank took every precaution to be sure that no one trailed them.

They learned, when they arrived, that Chief Collig was at home for a late dinner, but would return in a few minutes. The sergeant on duty a.s.sisted them in filing charges against Ragu. When the boys explained the reason for Mr. Delhi's presence, he took the callers down to the cell where Ragu was being held. On the way he said that the prisoner had refused to admit anything.

When Ragu saw the Hardys, his face twisted into a snarl. He was about to say something, but suddenly his glance rested upon Mr. Delhi. A look of awe and fright spread over his face and he staggered backward.

"It's Prince Bhagnav of Hatavab!" he almost screamed.

134 Mr. Delhi gazed at the prisoner, who seemed hypnotized that a n.o.bleman of his country had come to see him.

The prince said to the boys, "I do not know this fellow, but evidently he recognizes me from newspaper photographs or public functions."

Following up the advantage of the prisoner's discomfiture, Frank asked him whether he was ready to talk. Ragu acted as if he had not heard the boy. Gla.s.sy-eyed, he dropped to his knees and touched his forehead to the floor before the n.o.bleman's feet.

Mr. Delhi spoke to the sailor in his native tongue and Ragu climbed to his feet. As he seated himself on a corner of his bunk, Chief Collig arrived. After the police chief was introduced to Prince Bhagnav, the boys turned the ransom rubies over to the officer for safekeeping.

When Ragu saw the gems he gasped but made no comment.

The police chief then ordered the jailer to unlock the cell door. They all went inside.

Forming an arc about the prisoner, they began to question him.

Ragu remained defiant and unco-operative, but the Hardys felt he was almost frightened enough to make a full confession.

Chief Collig asked him to give the reason for his attempted thefts of the falcon and the threats to Chet and the Hardys, then added, "And tell us all you know about the operations of the Daisy K." Daisy K."

Again the mention of Flont's s.h.i.+p had a visible 135 effect on the first mate. Eyes wide, he stared at Chief Collig for a long moment. Then, abruptly, his shoulders sagged and he looked at the floor.

All further questions about Captain Flont or the Daisy K Daisy K aroused no response. aroused no response.

Finally, Mr. Delhi went directly to the crux of the matter and asked Ragu probing questions about the smuggling of aliens from India into the United States, and more particularly about the kidnaping of Prince Tava.

Ragu looked up, eyes flas.h.i.+ng, and uttered one brief phrase. Mr. Delhi nodded, then turned to the others.

"Ragu wishes to talk to me alone," he said.

The boys and the police chief left the cell and waited at the end of the corridor.

Ten minutes later Mr. Delhi called, "It is settled."

When the others returned to the cell, Mr. Delhi said, "Ragu has convinced me that he knows only a little about what is going on. But he is willing to tell us that much."

The Hardys listened in eager antic.i.p.ation. A break in the case at last!

CHAPTER XVIII.

Attack in the Night chief collig called in a police stenographer to take down Ragu's statement. As Mr. Delhi nodded to Ragu, the Daisy K's Daisy K's first mate began his story. first mate began his story.