Book 2, Ch. 10

The House on the Cliff

Chapter 10: A Watery Tunnel

 

 

 

 

Early next morning finds the teen sleuths down at the waterfront to get an update from Pretzel Pete. He’s heard that the Marco Polo is docking at 5 am tomorrow, and suspected smuggler Ali Singh is on her crew! More anxious than ever, Frank and Joe are soon out on the ocean with Chet and Tony in the Napoli. Eagerly searching the rocky cliff below the Pollitt house for a secret entrance, the boys fail to notice the dangerous rocks jutting out from below. But Tony’s expert steering narrowly saves them from a collision! Breathing a sigh of relief, Frank suddenly spots an opening in the cliff! The Napoli easily slips through the long narrow tunnel, revealing a large pond surrounded by thicketed cliffs. But they’re not alone! Eyeing them cruelly from the shore, a sinister man shouts “Get out!”, backing up his command with a pistol. Quickly retreating through the tunnel, the detectives question the man’s strong response. Could this have been Snattman himself?

Book 2, Ch. 9

The House on the Cliff

Chapter 9: Plan of Attack

 

 

 

 

Frank slyly asks for a drink and his plan works. He is taken into the kitchen, and he examines the cap as he passes it hanging by the door. On the way back out, the cap is gone. Frank leads the teen detectives away from the house, then tells them he’s sure the cap belongs to his father. Even worse, it is covered with bloodstains! Alarmed, the boys return and confront Red and his two cohorts. Red admits he found the cap on the road, but he knows nothing else about it! Remounting their motorcycles, the detectives speed back to Bayport, where Chief Collig says he will notify the State Police, since the Pollitt place is located outside of Bayport. Later that evening, Frank and Joe reassure their mother that Mr. Hardy will be found. The boy sleuths ponder the clues they have about the smuggling outfit and the house on the cliff. Could the smugglers be connected to the old Pollitt place? How would they reach the house from the harbor below? The boys decide they will get Tony’s motorboat and find out!