The sergeant was astonished.
“Found ’em? Where?”
“We’ll tell you all about it later. In the meantime, get as many men out here as you can.”
The sergeant disconnected abruptly. Frank had a mental picture of the activity that would follow in Bayport police circles on receipt of the news.
Jack Dodd was eagerly waiting for information.
“You mean to say you’ve actually found the thieves!” he exclaimed joyfully. “Then that means Dad and I will be cleared!”
“I hope so,” Frank told his chum.
Briefly, the Hardy lads explained how they had hidden in the locker of the roadster, how the car had been driven away by one of the thieves, how they had overheard the conversation of the gang in the cave, how they had been captured and how they had escaped.
The Dodd household had been aroused, and Mr. Dodd came hurrying downstairs, half dressed. When he learned what had happened he hustled into the rest of his clothes and produced an ancient rifle from the back shed.
“I want to be in on this,” he said grimly. “Those thieves have caused us more trouble than enough, and I’d like to get some of my own back.”
Jack snatched up a flashlight.
“We’d better go out and watch the gully roads,” Frank said.
“I know the road they drive out!” exclaimed Jack. “It’s just a little below the end of our lane. There’s an abandoned road that used to lead back to that old right of way, but I don’t see how they reach it, for there’s a fence to cross.”
“Probably they take down the bars and drive through the field,” said Mr. Dodd. “Now that you mention it, I always did think part of that fence looked pretty rickety.”
They left the house and hurried down the lane toward the main road.
“We’d better split up,” Frank suggested. “I have a revolver—it’s Joe’s, by the way—and Mr. Dodd has a rifle. Jack has a flashlight and so has Joe. Two of us can watch the first gully.”
“You and Joe know the place where you came out onto the Shore Road,” said Jack. “You’d better watch there. Dad and I will take the upper gully.”
“Good! We’ll just keep watch until the police arrive.”
They separated at the end of the lane. Frank and Joe hurried off down the road, while the Dodds went in the opposite direction. When the boys reached the gully that led down to the beach they settled down to wait.
Because they were impatient and because they realized that the gang would doubtless scatter to points of safety as soon as their escape was discovered, it seemed to them that the police were a long time in coming. In reality it was not long, because the desk sergeant had lost no time in sending out the alarm.
The roar of approaching motorcycles and the drone of a speeding motor car were the first intimations of the arrival of the police and the state troopers. Even before the machines came into view their clamor could be heard.
Then dazzling headlights flashed over the rise. Frank ran out into the road, waving the flashlight, and in a few moments the first motorcycle skidded to a stop.
“Where are they?” shouted a trooper.
“There are two ways in. We have two men watching the other gully. If you’ll put some of your men up there on guard, we can take you down to the beach from here.”
The other motorcycles came up, and finally an automobile which was crowded with police officers. Everybody talked at once. The first trooper, however, quickly took charge of the impending raid, and in decisive tones he gave his orders.
“Johnson, take three policemen and go on up to the other gully. These lads say you’ll find a farmer and his son on guard. They have a flashlight, so you can’t miss them. Watch that gully and grab anyone who comes out.”
One of the troopers got back onto his motorcycle. All but three of the policemen scrambled out of their car. The motorcycle leaped forward with a roar, and the automobile followed close behind.
“All right,” said the trooper. “We’ll leave one man here to watch the road in case any of them slip through our fingers. The rest of us will go on down this gully.”
“Callahan, stay on duty here,” ordered the sergeant in charge of the police officers.
Callahan, a burly policeman, saluted. His face, revealed for a moment in the glare of a flashlight, showed that he did not relish the assignment, evidently preferring to go where there was promise of some excitement.
“All right, boys. Lead the way!”
Frank and Joe went across the grass beside the road and plunged into the undergrowth at the entrance of the gully. Their hearts were pounding with excitement. The moment of success was at hand.
Behind them trooped nine stalwart officers, heavily armed.
Down the sloping gully they went. The trooper in charge fell in step beside Frank and the boy explained the situation that lay ahead.
“Two openings to the caves, eh?” said the trooper. “Well, we have them cornered. That is, if the birds haven’t flown.”
They came to the beach. Their boots clattered on the rocks as the men hurried forward.
At length the bushes that concealed the entrance to the first tunnel were in sight.
XXII
The Roundup
“This is the place!” Frank Hardy excitedly told the officer in charge of the party. “The tunnel is right behind those bushes.”
“Mighty well hidden,” the trooper commented. “Do you think you can find the other opening?”
“It’s farther down the beach.”
“I think I could find it,” volunteered Joe.
“Take three of these men and watch that part of the beach, at any rate.” The trooper detailed three men to accompany Joe. “I’ll wait until I see your flashlight signal,” he said. “When you find the place where they drive the cars out, turn the light on and off. Then wait for my whistle.”
Joe and the men with him hurried on down the beach. The others waited in silence near the entrance to the
