The Hooded Hawk Mystery (10 page)

“That was just to make you get the hawk,” Ragu answered. He watched Joe sullenly as he took the gauntlet from Chet and wristed the falcon.

“I know someone who will pay me well for a trained bird,” Ragu went on.

“You'll have to give a better reason than that,” Frank told him. “How did you know we would have the falcon out here?”

“I—I was hiding in your back yard this afternoon and overheard you making plans to bring the hawk here.”

“Keep talking,” said Joe.

“I've told you all I know,” the sailor insisted.

“It will go easier with you if you tell the truth,” Frank said. “What do you know about the smuggling and kidnapping rackets around here?”

Ragu winced but remained silent. Joe burst out, “I'm sure you can tell plenty about Captain Flont and the
Daisy K.”

The sailor's muscles twitched nervously. “Let me go!” he shouted. “I don't know anything.”

The boys marched the man to the kitchen porch. Frank and Joe kept a close watch on him while Chet went to phone Chief Collig.

“Tell him,” Frank said, “that we have a prisoner for him. He can book Ragu for assault on you today and Joe the other day, and attempts to steal the falcon.”

The group waited until they saw the Bayport patrol car turning into the Morton driveway. Then, with Frank and Chet holding the sailor firmly by the arms, they started toward the police car.

Chief Collig and Patrolman Smuff climbed out. As they eyed the hawk, Frank explained the circumstances of the capture, and told Smuff that Ragu was the thief they had been looking for.

Before Smuff or the chief had a chance to comment, Frank suddenly cried out:

“Joe, there's a pigeon! It's winging from the same direction as the other ones we've spotted. Let the hawk loose!”

Hearing this, Ragu began to cry out oaths in his native language. The Hardys were sure he must know that the pigeon was carrying a message or more rubies!

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

“Chief, I'm sure Ragu is guilty of a lot more than he's admitting,” Joe said.

“It seems that way,” the officer said.

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

“Good enough,” Chief Collig agreed.

Smuff hustled Ragu into the patrol car and the three rode away.

The boys, shading their eyes, were 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 bird escaped?

 

 

 

 

“THE hawk mustn't lose that pigeon!” Joe cried.

As the boys watched tensely, the peregrine poised for a second, then dived like a miniature rocket. 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 it!” Frank exclaimed a moment later as the two birds dropped into the woods.

“Come on!” Joe shouted, starting to run.

When the boys did not immediately find the spot where the pigeon and the hawk had fallen, they spread out and searched the bushes for some time, but without success.

“Your falcon's got to be here some place,” Chet said.

Just then they heard the whirring of the helicopter and hurried to a clearing, where they could spot the aircraft. They saw Simons beckon 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. “He's 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.

“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.

“More of the ransom gems!” he declared.

Excitedly the trio ran toward the Morton farm. The helicopter was still hovering overhead when they came out into the clearing. Joe 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 burglar alarm, the boys went into the house. A message was waiting for them to phone Jeff Kane. He had shadowed the captain and crew members of the
Daisy K,
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 for sure.”

Joe put through another call to Rahmud Ghapur, who answered at once. When he told Mr. Ghapur that the Hardys had two important pieces of information for Mr. Delhi, the importer asked that Joe not reveal them on the phone.

“I'll pass 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 he and the boys went to Mr. Hardy's study.

As Mr. Delhi settled himself in a chair, Frank unwrapped the two rubies and the ring, and explained how the Hardys had gotten them. Mr. Delhi examined them, then finally said:

“I could almost swear that these are some of the ransom rubies. 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 Tava, he may come to harm.”

Frank and Joe were thunderstruck.

“I'm afraid we didn't realize that,” Frank replied. “But we may be close enough to these kidnappers to catch them before they attempt anything drastic.”

The Hardys told Delhi about the goshawk and the hunting lodge in the woods and the possible flight of Tava with his captors.

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

“My friends,” he said with emotion, “this box was given to Tava by his father at a ceremony I myself witnessed. May I keep it until Tava is found?”

“Of course,” Frank replied.

Delhi asked, “You have someone watching this hunting lodge at all times?”

The Hardys reassured 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 real name!” Delhi exclaimed. “But not one of my relatives has ever been in this country.”

“We thought he was an impostor,” Frank said.

“What does this man look like?” Delhi asked.

“We were told he is tall, slender, handsome— about twenty-five years old. He has a prominent scar on his chin.”

As the Indian weighed this information, his brow furrowed. Then he said, “The description sounds vaguely familiar. I shall speak to Rahmud Ghapur about this. Perhaps he will recognize the man. In any case, I'm sure the impostor is an enemy.”

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

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 fishing boat called the
Daisy K.
Right now, though, he is in 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, 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 assisted them in filing charges against Ragu. When the boys explained the reason for Mr. Delhi's presence, he took the callers to the cell where Ragu was being held. On the way the sergeant said that the prisoner had been informed of his rights, had refused a lawyer, and had admitted nothing.

When Ragu saw the Hardys he stared at them balefully. 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.

“Mr. Bhagnav!” he cried.

Mr. Delhi gazed at the prisoner, then said to the boys, “I do not know this man, but apparently 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 did not answer.

Just then Collig arrived. After the police chief was introduced to Mr. 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 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 uncooperative, but the Hardys felt he was almost frightened enough to make a full confession.

Chief Collig asked him to explain the reasons for the 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.”

Again the mention of Flont's ship had a visible 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
aroused no response.

Finally Mr. Delhi asked Ragu probing questions about the smuggling of aliens from India into the United States, and more particularly about the kidnapping of Tava Nayyar.

Ragu looked up, eyes flashing, and uttered one brief phrase in his native language. 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 little. But he is willing to tell us that much.”

 

 

 

 

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

“First, I know nothing about any smuggling of my countrymen into the United States. I—I did join the group that was planning a kidnapping. But you must believe me—I did not know until too late who the victim was going to be.”

“But you know that kidnapping is a criminal act!” the police chief said severely. “Just what was your part in it?”

“A very small one,” Ragu insisted. “I ran errands. Once a man that came to our ship gave me a letter. He told me to deliver it to the Bayport Hotel.”

“What was the name of the man who came to the
Daisy K?”
Chief Collig broke in. “And what did he look like?”

“I do not know his name,” Ragu said emphatically. “He was short, and had brown hair. The man at the hotel was called Mr. Louis.”

Frank and Joe exchanged knowing glances. Mr. Louis probably was the “L” mentioned in the note Chet had found attached to the downed carrier pigeon.

“How did you expect to get paid for the job, if you didn't know the name of the man who hired you?” Frank asked Ragu.

“He promised to pay me with a ruby ring. It was left in a secret place,” Ragu replied. “The only time I wore it was when I came to your house to take the falcon. After that, I was afraid and sold the ring. You know about that.”

Frank confirmed this, then Joe asked, “Who hired you to steal our falcon?”

“I don't know that, either,” Ragu replied. “I got a phone call at my rooming house. An unfamiliar voice said if I could steal the falcon, I would receive another ruby in payment.”

“What part do the pigeons play in this racket?” Frank asked the prisoner.

“They carry messages, but I don't know where they go. And I don't know what the notes say.”

Chief Collig turned to Mr. Delhi and asked him if he had any further questions. He had none.

Frank spoke up. “Ragu, tell us about Captain Flont and his activities. He's more than a fishing boat captain, isn't he?”

Ragu bit his lip. He looked at Mr. Delhi, then settled back on his cot.

“I don't know much about Captain Flont,” he said. “I've only worked for him a short time.”

No amount of persuasion could elicit any further information from the first mate. It was evident, as Kane had learned, that the crew of the
Daisy K
was afraid of their captain.