On the Trail of Ollie Jacobs

Thanks to the generosity of Elroy Jefferson and Hurd Applegate, the Hardy boys were quickly released on bail. The two old stamp collectors scoffed when the lads sought to thank them.

" We're not giving away fifty thousand dollars, " declared Hurd Applegate. " We know you won't run away. And we know that when your case comes to trial you'll be able to prove your innocence. So why should we let you stay in jail when you don't deserve it? "

" Especially after what you did for us in the past, " said Mr. Jefferson. " We're glad we can return the favor."

That night, at home, the boys discussed the case with their father. Owing to the arrest of his sons, Fenton Hardy had been told by the authorities that his services in the airport mystery would no longer be required. This was a bitter blow, although he realized that the officials were justified in their action. But he resolved to continue the investigation on his own account.

" I'll do all I can to clear you, " he promised. " And you must do all you can to clear yourselves. As it stands, they haven't a very strong case against you, but it's strong enough to be unpleasant. Our big chance lies in capturing the real robbers."

" I'm sure that evidence was planted by Giles Ducroy, " declared Frank.

" Just wait until I get my hands on that skunk! " added Joe.

" I'm afraid you won't lay your hands on hire very easily, " said their father. " I wanted to have a few words with him myself, but he seems to have disappeared."

" Disappeared! " exclaimed Frank, in surprise.

Mr. Hardy nodded assent. " He hasn't been seen around Bayport for several days."

" How about Newt Pipps and Ollie Jacobs? " asked Frank. " Are they still in town? "

Fenton Hardy seemed somewhat surprised at mention of these two names.

" Is that who Ducroy has been hanging around with? " he asked. " A bad gang! No, now that you mention it, Pipps and Jacobs have cleared out too. They haven't been seen in Bayport for more than a week."

" That looks bad, " said Joe. " If they weren't up to something queer they wouldn't have cleared out."

" I'll tell you where you may be able to find that pair, " said Mr. Hardy. " Do you know the Raven Roadhouse out on the Claymore Road? "

" I've heard of the place, " admitted Frank. " It's supposed to be a mighty tough hangout, isn't it? "

" Bad enough. Well, I've been checking up on Ollie Jacobs and Newt Pipps and I've learned that they make that place their headquarters. If you make inquiries there you may be able to find something about them."

" We'll make the inquiries, all right! " declared Frank. " I'm sure they know something about this business. What do you say, Joe? Let's go out there right now and see what we can learn."

" I'm with you."

" Better be careful, " advised Fenton Hardy. " This roadhouse is a tough place and Jacobs and Pipps will likely have some friends there, so don't give yourselves away."

" We'll watch our step, " promised Frank. " Don't worry. We've got to clear up those mail robberies to clear ourselves, and I think the quickest way to go about it is to follow up the Ducroy gang. If they're not mixed up in it from the start I'm a mighty bad guesser."

The Hardy boys lost no time preparing for their journey out to the Eaven Roadhouse, which was located some five miles from Bay-port. Within half an hour they had said goodbye to their parents and had clambered into their roadster.

They drove down High Street, on through the business section of Bayport, and out to the highway. Frank was at the wheel.

" It was certainly mighty white of Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Applegate to go bail for us, " he said.

" They're real friends, " Joe agreed. " The least we can do now is to clear up this business and show them that their confidence in us wasn't misplaced."

" We'll do the best we can, although it doesn't look very easy right now. That gang didn't miss any bets in planting the evidence against us."

" All the more reason why we should get them, and get them right. After what we heard in the cabin, I don't think there's much doubt that Ducroy and his crowd had something to do with the robberies."

" Well, " said Frank, " we'll go easy, and with any luck we ought to get some clues that we can follow up."

They thought they would get to the road-house quickly, but a quarter of a mile on came to a detour sign. The road ahead was closed for repair.

" Just our luck, " grumbled Frank. " I know this road was open yesterday."

" We've got to go around the old Rundle farm, " answered his younger brother. " That's a dirt road, too, all the way."

" Hope it isn't muddy. It used to have some pretty bad mud holes in it when it rained."

Fortunately for the Hardy boys, the detour road proved dry. The worst of the holes had been filled with cracked stone, so they got through without much difficulty.

In due time the Hardy boys approached the Raven Roadhouse. It was a long, rambling building, set back some distance from the road and approached by a winding driveway.

" I guess the best plan is simply to go in and ask about them, " said Frank.

He drove up to the front of the roadhouse. There were no guests present at this hour of the day. A fat man was lounging indolently against a veranda pillar.

The boys got out of the car.

''Too early, '' grunted the fat man. ''The fun doesn't start here until after dark."

" We're not guests, " returned Frank. " We're looking for somebody."

A guarded expression crossed the fat man's face.

" Who? " he asked abruptly.

Frank looked at Joe. ''I don't know whether we should tell him or not."

Joe, taking his cue, looked dubious. " We weren't supposed to tell. Still, it mightn't do any harm."

Frank looked around mysteriously. Then he lowered his voice:

" Have you seen Newt or Ollie around lately? "

The fat man regarded him shrewdly.

" Why do you want to know? "

" We have a message for him."

" Who from? "

Frank shrugged. " Why should we tell you? "

The fat man was silent. Then he said:

" Is it from Sam? "

" Maybe. I'm not talking."

The fat man seemed impressed.

" Well, you know how to keep your mouth shut anyway, " he said. " And that's more than lots of people know. I guess you're regular, all right. Well, I can put you in touch with Ollie Jacobs."

" How about Newt? "

" He's not here. I don't know where he is right now.''

" Where is Ollie, then? "

" Down the road. You know where Greenfield village is, eh? "

Frank nodded. " About two miles farther down the road."

" Well, that's where you'll find Ollie. He's at the hotel. The clerk will find him for you."

" Thanks. We'll go on to Greenfield, then."

" If you'd like to wait here, " suggested the fat man, " Ollie should be back in an hour or so."

The Hardy boys had no desire to wait. They were on the trail of the elusive Ollie Jacobs and it did not suit their purpose to meet him face to face at the Raven Roadhouse. They thanked the fat man, got back into the car and drove away.

Within a few minutes they reached Greenfield. It was a meagre little village with a few Unprosperous-looking stores and a ramshackle hotel.

" We'll have to go easy here, " said Frank. " It won't do to have Ollie Jacobs see us."

" What should we do? Wait out in front of the hotel? "

" He would probably see us first. No, I think it would be better to go inside and take a look around. Once we locate him we can keep out of sight and then follow him later."

They parked the roadster in front of the hotel and went inside. The Clerk, a seedy little man with shifty eyes, regarded them with suspicion. By way of explaining their presence, the Hardy boys bought some newspapers and a few chocolate bars, then sat down in the lounging chairs in the main office.

" We'll just sit tight for a while, " whispered Frank. " If Ollie Jacobs is in the hotel, he'll probably pass through here on his way out."

The words were no sooner out of his mouth than Joe gave his brother a sharp nudge and hastily began to unfold one of the newspapers. Frank glanced up. Coming down the stairs was Ollie Jacobs.

The man did not see the boys, or at least did not recognize them, for Frank quickly lowered his head, then he, too, spread out a newspaper so that it concealed him from view. Thus, to the man descending the stairway, the two lads appeared intent on the papers, and their faces were completely hidden.

Another man was coming down the stairs a few steps behind Ollie Jacobs. When the pair reached the office, instead of going toward the door, they sauntered over and sat down a few feet from the Hardy boys.

Frank and Joe were trembling with excitement. Behind the newspapers they were safe from observation.

" I won't go a cent over eight thousand, and that's final, " they heard Ollie Jacobs saying.

" We'll split the difference, " returned the other man, in a wheedling tone. " Make it nine thousand dollars cash."

" Nothing doing! I'll give you eight thousand dollars. Take it or leave it."

" An airplane for eight thousand dollars! " exclaimed the other. " I can't do it. I'd be losing money."

Ollie Jacobs laughed. " Even at eight thousand, you'll be making a good profit."

" Eighty-five hundred, " pleaded the bargainer.

" I've made my offer and I won't raise it a nickel. I'll give you eight thousand dollars in cash the moment the airplane is turned over to us. You have the machine within five miles of here, you say. Well, I can have the money within half an hour and we'll close the deal. So make up your mind, for I can't be wasting time. If I can't buy your airplane I can easily find another one."

Ollie Jacobs got up from his chair. The other man rose quickly and seized him by the arm.

" All right. All right, " he said hastily. " It's just downright robbery, but I'll sell you the plane for eight thousand. I won't be mafo ing a cent."

" That's your lookout, " returned Jacobs coolly. " You don't have to sell it."

" I'll have the plane ready for you at my farm. As soon as you turn over the money, the machine is yours."

" The money will be in your hands within half an hour. Are you going to the farm now? " said Jacobs.

" I'll go there right away and get the plane in shape."

" Be sure you have the tanks full of gas. I want everything to be in perfect running order. That's the only condition of sale. I want the plane to be in readiness."

" You can step right in it and start flying the minute you buy it, " insisted the other man. " And you're getting a bargain, let me tell you. There isn't a better machine on the market. If you bought that plane from the factory it would cost you fifteen or twenty thousand dollars."

" A new plane would cost that much. Yours isn't worth five. It's an old crate, almost falling to pieces. You've been flying it for more than four years now. Well, the deal is made. You go to the farm and get the machine ready. I'll be over to take possession in half an hour."

The two men went out the door and descended the steps. Apparently Ollie Jacobs did not notice the roadster belonging to the Hardy boys, for, after halting for a moment on the sidewalk, he strode briskly down the street in a direction opposite to that taken by his companion.

Frank lowered his newspaper and looked at Joe.

" What do you make of that? " he demanded.

" Ollie Jacobs buying an airplane! That fellow never had eight thousand dollars of his own in all his life."

" He seems to have it now, " said Frank " There's something in the wind."

" I think we'd better follow him."

They sprang to their feet.

" There's no time to lose, " Frank agreed. " I'd like to know what Ollie Jacobs is planning to do with that plane! "