Mystery of Crocodile Island - Carolyn Keene [46]
Nancy and Ned almost suffocated in the lockers but did not dare miss a word. They learned that the cameras were shipped out at night to a freighter going south. Then they were transferred to The Whisper, which carried them to the submarine. Then The Whisper returned to the key, which was home base. Whenever the submarine came there, the periscope would be hoisted. If any visitors were on the island, an alarm would be sounded and the sightseers sent away.
Williams said, “It’s too bad we couldn’t fill that order for five hundred cameras. If the buyer in Mexico had only given us a little more time, we wouldn’t have had any trouble.”
The men were silent for a while, then Williams said, “We won’t be tying up for some time. I think I’ll put away this rope we’re not using. It’s in the way.”
He stepped to the locker in which Nancy was hiding and yanked open the door. The girl detective tried to slump to the floor so she would not be seen, but it was impossible.
Upon spotting her, Williams cried out a volume of expletives. He reached in roughly, grabbed Nancy’s arm, and pulled her out into the passageway.
The captain also exclaimed and then said to Nancy, “How did you get here?”
She did not answer.
“I said, how did you come aboard this sub?” the captain demanded.
Still Nancy made no reply.
“I’ll make you answer!” Frederick cried out, exasperated, and grabbed hold of her with both arms. He was so strong that she thought he would crush her ribs.
At this second a voice said, “Let her alone!”
Ned!
The sub’s captain let go of Nancy and stared at the young man. “Who are you?”
Ned said nothing. By this time Williams and Frederick were jabbering loudly and arguing with each other about what they should do with their stowaways.
“We can’t take them into Mexico!” Williams said.
“You’re right,” the captain agreed. “What do you suggest? That we go topside, open the hatch, and push them out into the water?”
Ned spoke up. “You’d better not do that,” he said, then decided to try a bluff. “Did you know that we’re being followed by helicopters?”
The men looked stunned. Williams rushed to raise the periscope above the water. After turning it in various directions, he said, “I don’t see any helicopter.”
The captain, angry, yelled at Ned, “You were just trying to bluff us. Well, we’re not going to fall for it.”
After a pause Williams said, “I have an idea, Captain. We both like money. Why don’t we hold these two snoopers for ransom?”
Captain Frederick thought this over and finally agreed it was not a bad idea. “Just how can we work it?” he wondered.
“I’ll think of something,” his fellow officer said. “Give me time.”
Nancy and Ned were glad of the temporary reprieve. Their thoughts went back to Crocodile Island. Where were the rest of their friends? Had they found Nancy’s note? If so, had they done anything about it?
All this time the two couples had been very busy. George and Burt had finally startled Stryker and Jackson, who were hiding in the jungle. They managed to corner them, then talked to the men from a distance.
“It’s no use to try getting away,” George called. “All the others on this island have left. They didn’t even wait to take you along. Now you have nothing. They have the money and won’t dare come back here because of the police. In fact, there are policemen on the island now, hunting for you.”
“What?” Stryker exclaimed, then gave a sneering smile. “You’re trying to trick us!”
Burt spoke up. “It’s no trick. You don’t have a chance.”
The couple continued to coax the men to come out of hiding, but several more minutes went by before they consented to do so. Burt told them to walk ahead. He and George would follow.
All the way to the pier on the other side of the island the couple was very watchful in case the men should try to get away. Apparently the fugitives felt beaten because they did not attempt to run or fight.
When