seaward side, where the growth was sparse, the boys checked the sides of the steep hill for
caves. They saw none.
'It doesn't look very hopeful,' Joe said at last. 'If Biff and Chet were brought here, they've probably been carried off by now.'
'The robbers might still be using this place,' Jerry insisted. 'It's a perfect hideout.'
'They could have come here with the loot from the bank,' Tony added, 'and used the phony hermit to scare off intruders.'
'Perhaps the gang is using the island merely as a stopping-off place,' Frank suggested. 'With this hill right in the middle, a lookout could spot boats approaching from miles away.'
'Of course!' Joe took him up eagerly. 'That's how the hermit happened to be waiting for us yesterday.
Today is different. Don't forget that boat we saw pulling away. Chet and Biff may have been put aboard!'
'Right,' said Joe. 'Let's climb to the top of the hill and determine how far we can see.'
Sparked by the new idea, the four boys attacked the steep hill at the center of the island. They worked their way among the rocks and pulled themselves upward by means of the short, tough
brush.
'What a rough climb!' Jerry gasped.
As they climbed higher, the vegetation became too flimsy to use as support, and the hill's cone became even steeper. Still the boys pressed upward, panting, with Frank in the lead. Finally he clambered onto a flat, wind-swept area at the top-about twenty feet across-and threw himself
down to rest.
Joe's head popped into view over the edge, and then Jerry's. Suddenly, from below them, came
a sharp cry.
'Tony!' yelled Joe and Jerry together.
Sitting up, Frank saw a cloud of dust and stones tumbling and bouncing down the hill. A whole
section of ground slid like a carpet along the steep slope, with Tony in the middle of it!
Frank, Joe, and Jerry slid in pursuit, bracing their feet hard against the slope like skiers!
Partly covered by loose earth, Tony Prito lay on his back where the hillside leveled off. He
grinned up weakly at his three chums.
'You okay, Tony?' Joe cried anxiously.
'Think so. Can't seem to get up, though.'
'Where are you hurt?' Frank asked.
'Ankle,' Tony answered, rising to one knee.
Immediately a wince of pain crossed his face and he sank back again. Quickly Frank and Joe
lifted their comrade to a standing position.
'Try now, Tony,' Jerry urged. 'Put just a little weight on it.'
Though Tony's left leg appeared sturdy enough, the right one buckled at any pressure.
'It might be a fracture,' Frank said. 'We'll get you to a doctor, Tony.'
While Jerry steadied the injured boy, Frank and Joe made a chair for him by interlocking their hands.
Then they lifted Tony, who braced himself with one arm across each brother's shoulder.
Slowly the little procession made its way down to the level of the plateau. Moving more rapidly now, they followed the path around to the mainland side of the island.
Once among the scrub oaks and pines, the trail became too narrow for three persons to move
abreast.
Frank and Joe had to kick their way through the brush on each side as they advanced.
When they neared the beach at last, a small pine clump hindered Frank's progress. He kicked
out determinedly.
'Hey, what's that?' cried Tony from his perch.
A dark garment, struck by Frank's foot, flopped into the path!
'A sailor's pea jacket,' Jerry reported, stooping down. 'And here are some more, under this pine brush.'
'Pea jackets?' Frank exclaimed. 'That's what the bank robbers wore!'
CHAPTER XVIII
Hidden Watchers
'THE bandits have been here!' Frank exclaimed. 'Fellows, we're on the right track after all!'
'Wait till Chief Collig sees these pea jackets!' Joe exulted. 'Pick 'em up, Jerry. Boy, what a bundle of clues!'
Jerry gathered the five bulky, damp jackets in his arms and staggered forward. Almost
immediately a low-hanging oak branch snagged one of the coats and pulled it from his grasp.
'We'll never get to the boats at this rate,' he despaired.
Frank, however, was more interested at this moment in the number of jackets. 'There were
only four robbers,' he pointed out. 'Who wore the fifth coat?'
'The driver of the getaway car, probably,' Joe said. 'Here, Jerry! We'll put Tony down for a minute. Why don't each of us put on a coat and you can carry the other one. That'll make it
easier.'
Swiftly the boys donned the jackets. Now Jerry moved ahead without difficulty, and the Hardys
followed with Tony as fast as they could.
When they reached the top of the bluff that overlooked the cove where the boats lay hidden,
the party
paused for breath. Here was a fresh obstacle! Tony had to be lowered down the steep slope to
the level of the beach!
'We'll slide him down,' Frank decided. 'Joe, you stay just below Tony, and keep his injured ankle from striking anything. Jerry and I can make a sling of our belts and lower him from one level to another.'
Slowly the injured boy was brought from foothold to foothold, down to the sand. When they
reached the boats, Tony's face was drawn and pale.
'Gosh, Tony-did we bump you too much coming down?' Frank asked solicitously.
'No, it's not your fault, fellows,' their friend protested bravely. 'My ankle's just starting to throb a little.'
'Swelling, too,' Frank noted with a frown. 'Here, Joe, let's get him into the Sleuth. I'll head it for the Coast Guard dock as fast as I can. You and Jerry follow in the Napoli.'
In another moment the Sleuth's powerful engine roared to life. Hastily stripping off the pea
jacket, Frank bent over the wheel. Tony sat beside him, suffering in silence. The sleek craft sped across open water toward Bayport.
Meanwhile, Joe and Jerry threw the other pea jackets into the Napoli. Starting her engine, Joe piloted the slower speedboat out of the cove and along the island shore.
'Joe!' Jerry pointed to a boat coming around the island toward them.
'Oh, boy, this is trouble!' Joe exclaimed. 'Hang on!'
He brought the wheel around hard. The Napoli swerved and ran in straight toward shore.
Jerry gasped. 'You're running aground!'
Joe did not answer. He had noticed a narrow fissure which cut through the bluffs, making a tiny V-shaped opening in the shoreline. He ran the Napoli straight into the small slot of water,
crashing through low-growing brush at its edges.
'Quick, Jerry,' he directed, shutting off the motor, 'grab some of these pine branches and pull them down on top of us!'
Clutching the sticky, sweet-smelling limbs, the boys crouched low and waited. Soon the slow,
regular throb of a boat's motor could be heard. The strange brown boat, carrying two men,
came into view.
The craft seemed to move with maddening slowness. Luckily the two men in it kept looking
forward.
From his place of concealment, Joe studied them carefully. The one in the stern was a short,
