The House on the Cliff

CHAPTER XI

Cliff Watchers

"FRANK!" Joe exclaimed. "I think you've hit it! That man had no reason to act the way he did unless

he's covering up something."

"Something like smuggling, you mean," said Chet. "He must be Snattman or one of his gang."

"And," Frank went on, "the fact that he was in that cove must mean he has some connection with the

house on the cliff."

"Snattman, king of the smugglers!" Tony whistled. "You guys really get in some interesting situations!"

"I'll bet that he's one of the fellows who chased Jones that day in the motorboat," Joe cried.

"And tried to kill him," Frank continued the thought.

"Let's get away from here!" Chet urged.

"Why should we go now?" Frank demanded.

"We've stumbled on something important. That hidden pond may be the smugglers' base."

"But if they use the house how do they get to it?" Tony asked. "Those cliffs up from the pond were

mighty steep."

"There must be some other way that we couldn't see," Joe said. "What say we hang around here for a

while and find out what we can?"

Tony caught the Hardys' enthusiasm and agreed to keep the motorboat in the vicinity of the cliff.

"That fellow may be keeping his eye on us and we don't want him to know that we're watching the

place," Frank observed. "Let's run back to the bay and cruise up and down a while, then return."

Chet sighed. "I'm glad none of you argued with that armed man."

"Right," Joe replied. "As it is, he must think we were simply out for a cruise and wandered into that tunnel

by mistake."

"Yes," his brother agreed. "If he'd known we're hunting for Dad, he might have acted very differently."

In the late afternoon Tony took the Napoli back to the suspected shore spot. Keeping well out from the

breaking waves, he cruised along the cliff. The boys kept a sharp eye on the location of the tunnel. As the

boat passed it they were just able to distinguish the narrow opening in the rocks.

"I won't be able to go in there after a while," Tony remarked. "The tide's coming in. At high tide I'll bet

that tunnel is filled with water."

Suddenly Tony swung his craft so hard to the right that the other boys lost their balance.

"Sorry, fellows," he said. "Saw a log-oh!"

He shut off his engine in a flash and leaned over the gunwale. His companions picked themselves up and

asked what had happened.

"Propeller started to foul up with some wire on that log." Tony began to peel off his clothes. "Get me

some pliers, will you?"

Frank opened a locker and found a pair. Taking them, Tony dived overboard. A minute later he

reappeared and climbed in. "I'm lucky," he said. "Just plain lucky. Two seconds more and all that wire

would have been wound around the prop and the log would have knocked it off."

"Good night!" Chet exclaimed. "It would have been a long swim home."

Joe slapped Tony on the back. "Good work, boy. I'd hate to see the Napoli out of commission."

Chet and Frank hauled the log aboard, so it would not damage any other craft. "This is a fence post with

barbed wire!" Chet said. "Wowee! It's good you spotted that log, Tony."

Tony dressed, then started the engine. He cruised around for more than an hour, but the boys saw no

sign of life about the base of the cliff. They could see the Pollitt house, but to their amazement no lights

appeared in it as twilight came.

"How much longer do you think we should stay out here?" Chet asked. "I'm getting hungry."

"I have a few pretzels and a candy bar, but that's not much for four of us," Joe remarked.

"Aha!" crowed Tony. "I have a surprise for you! I stowed away a little food before we took off." With

that he pulled a paper bag from the locker and passed each boy a large sandwich, a piece of chocolate

cake, and a bottle of lemon soda.

"You deserve a medal," Chet remarked as he bit into a layer of ham and cheese.

"You sure do!" Frank agreed. "I think we should stay right here for a while and watch. It's my guess the

smugglers will be on the job tonight. Don't forget that the Marco Polo is docking tomorrow morning."

"I get it," said Chet. "If she lays offshore or steams in slowly, it'll give AH Singh a chance to drop the

stolen drugs overboard to Snattman."

"Correct," said Frank.

Tony looked intently at the Hardys. "Is it your idea to keep Snattman from meeting Ali Singh? But what

about your father? I thought we came out here to get a line on how to rescue him."

The brothers exchanged glances, then Joe said, "Of course that's our main purpose, but we hope that we

can do both."

Twilight deepened into darkness and lights could be seen here and there through the haze. The cliff was

only a black smudge and the house above was still unlighted.

Suddenly the boys heard a muffled sound. Tony slowed the Napoli and they listened intently.

"Another motorboat," Tony whispered.

The sound seemed to come from near the cliff. Straining their eyes in that direction, the four were at last

able to distinguish a faint moving light.

"Can you head over that way, Tony?" Frank asked in a low voice. "And could you take a chance on

turning off our lights?"

"Sure. Here goes. The wind's blowing from the land, so our engine won't be heard from the shore."

The boys were tense with excitement as the Napoli moved slowly toward the light. As the boat crept

nearer the cliff, they could barely distinguish the outline of a motorboat. The craft seemed to be making its

way carefully out of the very face of the cliff.

"It must have come from that tunnel!" Joe whispered to Frank.

"Yes."

The Napoli went closer, in imminent danger of being discovered or of being washed ashore onto the

rocks. Finally the other boat slowed to a crawl. Then came the faint clatter of oars and low voices. The

motorboat had evidently met a row-boat.

The next moment, with an abrupt roar, the motorboat turned and raced out to sea at an ever-increasing

rate of speed.

"Where can it be going?" said Tony, in amazement. "Out to meet the Marco Polo?"

"Probably," Frank replied, "and we'd never catch it. I wonder where the rowboat's going."

The four boys waited in silence for several minutes. Then the rattle of oars came again. This time the

sound was closer. The rowboat was coming toward them!

"What'll we do now?" Tony asked.

"Turn off your engine," Frank whispered. Tony complied.

Through the gloom suddenly came snatches of conversation from the rowboat. "-a hundred pounds-"

they heard a man say harshly, and then the rest of the sentence was lost. There was a lengthy murmur of

voices, then, "I don't know. It's risky-"

The wind died down just then and two voices could be heard distinctly. "Ali Singh's share-" one man was

saying.

"That's right. We can't forget him," the gruff voice replied.

"I hope they get away all right."

"What are you worryin' about? Of course they'll get away."

"We've been spotted, you know."

"It's all your imagination. Nobody suspects."

"Those boys at the house-"

"Just dumb kids. If they come nosin' around again, we'll knock 'em on the head."

"I don't like this rough stuff. It's dangerous."

"We've got to do it or we'll end up in the pen. What's the matter with you tonight? You're nervous."

"I'm worried. I've got a hunch we'd better clear out of here."

"Clear out!" replied the other contemptuously. "Are you crazy? Why, this place is as safe as a church."

The man laughed sardonically. "Haven't we got all the squealers locked up? And tonight we make the big

cleanup and get away."

"Well, maybe you're right," said the first man doubtfully. "But still-"

His voice died away as the boat entered the tunnel.

Joe grabbed Frank's arm. "Did you hear that? All the squealers locked up? I'll bet Dad's one of them and

he's a prisoner somewhere around here."

"And this is the hide-out of Snattman and the other smugglers he was after," Frank added.

"I don't like this," Chet spoke up. "Let's leave here and get the police."

Frank shook his head. "It would take so long we might goof the whole thing. Tell you what. Joe and I will

follow that rowboat through the tunnel!"

"How?"

"On foot or swim. I don't think it's deep along the edges."

"You mean Chet and I will wait here?" Tony asked.

"No," Frank answered. "You two beat it back to Bayport and notify the Coast Guard. Tell them we're

on the track of smugglers and ask them to send some men here."

"And tell them our suspicions about AH Singh and the Marco Polo," Joe added. "They can radio the

captain to keep an eye on him."

"Okay," said Tony. "I'll do that. First I'll put you ashore."

"Don't go too close or you'll hit those rocks and wreck the boat," Frank warned. "Joe and I can swim to

shore. Then we'll work around into the tunnel and see what we can find. If we do discover anything, we'll

wait at the entrance and show the men from the Coast Guard where to go when they get here."

Tony edged the boat in as close to the dark shore as he dared without lights. Quickly Frank and Joe

took off their slacks, T shirts, sweaters, and sneakers. They rolled them up, and with twine which Tony

provided, tied the bundles on top of their heads. Then they slipped over the side into the water. The

Napoli sped off.

Frank and Joe were only a few yards from the rocks and after a short swim emerged on the mainland.

"Well, here goes!" Joe whispered, heading for the tunnel.