The Bombay Boomerang Read online

  Frank nodded. “Rousing and final. He carried out his assignment so well that flowers would have been appropriate if that carpet hadn’t come along in time to offer you a lift.”

  “Don’t I know it! I can still feel myself going down the hatch in a perfect swan dive!”

  “Then there’s the question—”

  Frank never got to state the question. A tremendous thump on the door brought both boys to their feet. Racing to the door, they wrenched it open and caught a glimpse of a furtive figure disappearing into the elevator.

  A heavy, circular, wooden object, propped up against the door, toppled forward, tripping them up.

  “This looks familiar,” Joe observed as he tilted it on edge and rolled it into the room.

  “It should,” Frank answered grimly. “That’s the top of the cask Dad was in when the thugs dropped him into the harbor. They must have found it down on the dock. Do you realize what this means?”

  “This!” Joe pointed to a message painted across the wood with a spray gun. It said:PUNKS! SO YOUR OLD MAN IS ALIVE!

  WE WILL GET HIM, AND YOU TOO!

  Joe touched the lettering with his finger. “This paint job wasn’t done too long ago. It’s hardly dry.”

  “It was probably done after your unsuccessful trip into the cargo hold. I wonder when they found the lid!”

  “We’d better call Dad and tell him that his escape has been discovered.”

  “First let’s clear out of this place or—” Another sound at the door brought them to their feet again, ready for action. Since they had left the door ajar, they expected a band of thugs to come storming in on them. Frank seized a chair and swung it in front of him. Joe prepared to use his favorite karate technique.

  A hand pushed the door wide open. Two figures stood on the threshold.

  “Relax!” a familiar voice exclaimed.

  “No need to break up the furniture just because we’re here,” said another.

  Phil Cohen and Tony Prito!

  Joe grinned at their pals from Bayport. “Boy, are we glad to see you! We were expecting to tango with some rather unfriendly partners.”

  “Including,” Phil guessed, “the strong-arm pair from our home town?”

  “The same. But what brings you here just when the death-defying Hardys were about to go into their act?” Frank asked.

  “Your father,” Tony explained. “Indirectly, anyhow. He told us he had left you here to case an Indian freighter. After we talked to him, it seemed cruel to let you handle this problem by yourselves, especially since you might be eyeball-to-eyeball with an entire gang. So we decided to give you some shock troops support.”

  “We can use it!” Frank said, then told his friends about the enemy’s latest strike against Joe.

  “Seems as if we’re going to get a piece of real good action!” Phil declared.

  “You might. But first tell us the latest news from Bayport. How’s Chet doing?”

  Tony chuckled. “We would have brought him along, but he’s too busy with his boomerangs. In fact, he’s such a success that he’s going into business, selling them to a local hardware store. There’s no lack of customers. The kids have a boomerang club, and they’re tossing those things like crazy all over the landscape!”

  “Not only the landscape,” Phil said with a laugh. “So many of them keep whirling off-course in Bayport that the glaziers are doing a bang-up business replacing broken windows. Quite a few hats have been knocked off, too. No injuries, however, as far as we’ve heard.”

  Finally Frank called the meeting to order. “Phil and Tony, suppose you stay here in the hotel room. Joe and I will go down the fire escape to avoid any thugs who might be lurking in the lobby. We must phone a warning to Dad that his cover’s been blown for a second time. Then the four of us will hold a council of war concerning our tactics. Agreed?”

  “Agreed.”

  Frank and Joe descended the fire escape without incident, located a pay phone booth, and called their Bayport contact again. No one was home at the Hardy house, however, and the neighbor promised to pass the warning on to Fenton Hardy as soon as he returned.

  The boys went back to the hotel and circled around to the rear. Suddenly Joe nudged Frank and pointed upward. A man was climbing up the fire escape toward their room! He moved cautiously, casting covert glances at the tenth-floor window.

  The Hardys exchanged silent signals. Joe ran around to the lobby. Seizing the house phone, he told Phil and Tony of the approaching prowler. Frank started up the fire escape at top speed, but the man, with a long head start, reached the open window before him and edged himself through into the room.

  As Frank mounted, he heard sounds of a struggle. Phil and Tony had jumped the intruder, and he was giving them a battle royal. Breaking loose, he scrambled back over the window ledge, regained the fire escape, and started down.

  Only then did he become aware that Frank was on his way up to meet him. He turned to retreat up the fire escape. Frank brought him down with a flying tackle on the ninth-floor landing.

  High above the street, they grappled with one another on the iron platform. Frank’s powerful adversary threw him on his back and began to pound his head against the iron grating. In a desperate attempt to break the man’s grip Frank wedged a hand under his chin.

  Clutched in deadly embrace the two rolled toward the edge of the landing, and toward nine stories of empty space beneath them!

  CHAPTER XV

  Sailor Suspect

  FRANK grabbed one of the bars of the fire escape to keep from going over the edge. Wrenching himself free, he scrambled to his feet and met his opponent with a one-two combination of punches. The man keeled over backward and lay motionless.

  “Cold as a clam,” Frank thought. “It’s good he left me that opening or I might be on a long jump to the street.”

  He turned to the other three who had joined him on the landing. “Let’s tote our visitor inside and hear what he has to say for himself.”

  They carried the man into their room and placed him on one of the beds. As he gradually returned to consciousness, his body twitched and he mumbled in a foreign language. He was young, no more than twenty, the boys estimated.

  They searched him and found a carved dagger of a type common in the Orient.

  “He’s from India,” Phil observed, studying the youth’s skin and regular features.

  “And that must be Hindustani he’s speaking,” Tony said. “It’s no language I ever heard.”

  “Correct on all counts,” Joe asserted. “I’ve seen this man before. He was aboard the Indian freighter. Remember, Frank? He was in that line-up we inspected.”

  Frank pinched his lower lip thoughtfully. “Yes, I thought I recognized the face during our tussle on the fire escape. This can only mean one thing. He’s in cahoots with the guy that tried to throw you down into the cargo hold, Joe. Maybe others are involved too—including our friend Agopal.”

  Joe nodded grimly. “I was hoping that it had been an outside job, but now the whole crew is suspect.”

  “You should have your answer in just a moment,” Tony spoke up. “Our friend appears to be coming to.”

  The man groaned and opened his eyes. Obviously the four faces staring sternly down at him frightened him. He moved over to the wall before sitting up.

  “Who are you?” he stammered, looking at Phil and Tony.

  “Suppose you tell us who you are,” Joe said firmly.

  “My name is Nathoo Keeka. I belong to the crew of the Nanda Kailash. We finished unloading here in Baltimore and were given shore leave.”

  “What have you got against me and my brother?” Frank demanded. “You’re going to stay where you are until you tell us the truth!”

  The Indian sailor hesitated. He seemed to be debating with himself about how much he should tell. At last he spoke.

  “I will tell you the truth, no matter what you may decide to do with me. There is nothing the least bit dishonorable in my conduct.”<
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  “Oh, no?” Tony exploded. “What’s so high-minded about armed robbery with a dagger?”

  “Robbery was not my intention,” Keeka protested indignantly. “I am no thief. I am a faithful worshipper of the high god Krishna!

  “You!” He pointed an accusing finger at Frank and Joe. “You are the guilty ones. You have committed a sacrilege!”

  The four boys were dumbfounded.

  “Come again?” Joe suggested weakly.

  “You two have desecrated a statue of Krishna. For that you must be punished. I am but the unworthy instrument of divine vengeance!”

  “There’s a crazy kind of sense coming out here,” Frank muttered, pulling up a chair. He waved the others back to give the man more breathing room.

  “Now listen to me,” he advised their prisoner. “That’s an absurd charge. We haven’t been near a statue of Krishna or any other Hindu god. Who told you that story?”

  “Another man on the dock described the incident. He swore he saw you deface the image. I must vindicate the honor of the god who is sacred to me!”

  “Tell us about the man who spun this yarn,” Phil urged. “Who was he? What did he look like?”

  “I do not know his name. He was an Indian seaman I met on the dock.”

  Nathoo Keeka proceeded to give a detailed description of a man in a plaid work shirt who had set him on the trail of the Hardy boys.

  “The sneaky character aboard ship!” Frank burst out. “The one who followed us around the Nanda Kailash and yanked that rope that tumbled Joe into the hold!”

  “You mean he is an enemy of yours?” Nathoo asked in amazement. “He insisted that he had no interest in you personally. He was concerned, he said, about nothing except punishing you for the sacrilege you committed.”

  “Why didn’t he punish us himself?” Joe inquired.

  “He told me he was not a Hindu.”

  “Then why does he want to avenge a Hindu god?”

  Nathoo Keeka looked troubled. He folded his hands across his chest. “I see that I have been grossly deceived. My profound apologies to both of you. It is fortunate that you stopped me. I shall offer no resistance if you wish to summon the police to take me to jail.”

  The boys held a hurried consultation. Believing the story, they decided to be lenient with their unexpected visitor.

  Frank spoke for the group. “Don’t worry, Nathoo. Your explanation has convinced us that this is not a case for the police. Instead of prosecuting you, we’d like you to help us.”

  “I will be glad to do anything you say.”

  “The sailor who deceived you is a criminal. You don’t want him to go free, do you?”

  The seaman shook his head.

  “Neither do we. But this thing is bigger than one man. A gang is involved, and we could use another hand to help break it up.”

  Frank gave Nathoo a general account of the mercury thefts. The Indian quickly grasped the problem. “Mercury? My freighter often carried cargoes of it. I have helped load and unload the flasks many times. Not as easy as you might think. They are heavy.”

  “That’s right,” Joe agreed. “But they seem to lose their weight somewhere between the ship and their destination. That’s why we would like your cooperation.”

  “How? I am merely a sailor aboard the freighter. How can I possibly help solve an American crime?”

  “We’re not so sure that it’s strictly American. Anyhow, we have to start at the spot where the stuff comes into the country. It would be extremely useful if you could keep us posted regarding events aboard ship, so we can follow the mercury from the moment it is being unloaded.”

  Keeka seemed doubtful. “Wouldn’t it be better to have the help of one of the officers?”

  “Not at all,” Frank replied. “We need a man who can mingle with the crew and the workmen on the dock.”

  “You fit the bill, Nathoo,” Joe urged. “Besides, you know one member of the gang. You might find a lead there. How about it?”

  Nathoo Keeka reacted to the plea with a simple word. “Okay!”

  After a minute he continued, “My country and yours will be better off for the capture of these criminals. And I will have the satisfaction of settling my account with the deceiver who hoped that I would murder you!”

  Frank stood up. “That’s fine, Nathoo. Here’s your dagger. Now let’s get out of here.”

  Since the Hardys had paid in advance, they did not have to go to the lobby. The five climbed through the window and descended the fire escape. Walking rapidly through a maze of streets and alleys, they headed for another hotel. Frank was sure they had not been followed.

  All the while the boys kept up an animated conversation with their new friend. It had nothing to do with crime or criminals, but with the fascination of India.

  “I’m interested in the god Krishna,” Phil declared. “Tell us more about him.”

  “The great god Krishna,” Nathoo Keeka intoned gravely, “is the deity who preserves the universe. He is the hero of our epics. He is the teacher of kindness and brotherhood. You can see why he is so important in Hindu religion. The life of our people would be entirely different if we did not worship the mighty preserver of all things.”

  Frank cast a glance at the Indian’s serious face as he continued:

  “I was obeying our commandment against sacrilege when I tried to kill you. If you had really been guilty, I would not have felt a twinge of remorse!”

  Tony felt slightly uncomfortable at Nathoo’s last statement and changed the subject with a quip.

  “When I think of India, I have visions of tigers and elephants and maharajahs. That’s what I’ll be looking for if I ever go there!”

  Nathoo Keeka laughed. “Tigers and elephants are there in the jungle. The maharajahs still exist, even though they are not as powerful as they used to be. My friend, come to India and we will hunt the tiger together!”

  Joe mentioned the Taj Mahal. “Ah, there you have our masterpiece!” Keeka declared. “The Taj Mahal in Agra, built by the Great Moguls, who invaded India. But then, so much in our country was put there by invaders.

  “My home city Bombay was only a small fishing village a few centuries ago. Then the British came. They needed a big seaport to handle merchantmen from Europe, and Bombay provided the site.”

  Frank judged this the right moment to spring a surprise question on their informant.

  “What do you know about the Bombay Boomerang?” he asked sharply.

  “Why, we have plenty of boomerangs in Bombay. The people of southern India used them for hunting. Today, however, they are mainly considered objects of art, sacred relics, and cherished heirlooms. Antique dealers do a thriving business in them, especially to American tourists. Our—”

  “I’m not talking about boomerangs in general,” Frank interrupted. “I’m talking about the Bombay Boomerang.”

  “Bombay Boomerang? I don’t know what you mean. No single weapon has a special place in our tradition.” Nathoo stopped and broke into a grin. “Perhaps you refer to the Bombay Batarang? That is another freighter en route from India. She will dock at Baltimore this afternoon!”

  CHAPTER XVI

  Boomerang or Batarang?

  THE boys gaped in astonishment. They had been convinced that Bombay Boomerang was the phrase that had come through the phone in Commander Wenn’s office.

  Was it possible that the words had been Bombay Batarang? the Hardys wondered.

  “What’s all this boomerang stuff about?” Phil inquired.

  “Just a phrase we picked up. Thought it meant something,” Frank replied.

  He pulled Joe aside and they let the others go ahead. “What do you make of this?” he asked.

  “Don’t know. Admiral Rodgers, too, is sure that the intruders said Bombay Boomerang.”

  “That was before we heard about the ship,” Frank countered. “Maybe the Pentagon tape should be checked again. Suppose the gang intends to slip the Super S on board the Batarang for a trip
out of the country?”

  “We don’t have time to go back to the Pentagon, not with the freighter docking here this afternoon. Let’s check out the Batarang as soon as she comes in.”

  “Since there are five of us, we could divide forces, one group to go aboard, the other to patrol the docks,” Frank mused.

  “Right. But remember, all this is classified information. We can’t tell the others much about it.”

  “They don’t have to know the details,” Frank decided. “And we can give them a general idea of what we’re after.”

  They found a suitable hotel and checked in. Then Frank called a conference and outlined their plan. Phil and Tony were eager and ready for action, and Nathoo Keeka spoke up excitedly.

  “I can help. I have friends on the ship. We could visit them.”

  Joe was enthusiastic. “That’s great, Nathoo. I’ll go with you.”

  “Me, too,” Phil volunteered.

  “Fair enough,” Tony said. “Three on board and two ashore. That leaves Frank and me to patrol the docks. Suit you, Frank?”

  “Sure thing. Nathoo knows the ship and we’ll familiarize ourselves thoroughly with the docks. That way we should get a pretty good idea of what’s going on.”

  The five went down to the dock to acquaint themselves with the area, streets, warehouses, fences, and the ships at anchor.

  “Not much doing on Saturday afternoon,” Frank remarked. “Wonder who’s responsible for that eyesore.” He pointed to pile of junk. “Look at that Chevy. Vultures sure have done a job on it. Not a door or a wheel left.”

  “Not even a window,” Joe added. “Well, there’s the Bombay Batarang at the pier. We’d better go aboard.”

  “Don’t forget,” Frank warned, “that you three are to rendezvous with us here on the dock this evening. If you don’t show up on time, we’ll have to assume that you’ve run into’trouble and come for you. Maybe we’ll even call the police.”

  “Why don’t you give us more time?” Joe asked. “Let’s say till the early-morning hours. We might be able to find out something by talking to the crew when they’re off duty tonight.”