Free The Great Airport Mystery by Franklin W. Dixon Page B

have better luck.”
    The boys, feeling somewhat let down, drove off. Frank suggested they go to the camera shop and examine the photographs Mr. Freeman was keeping for them.
    â€œIt’s a long shot,” he said, “but maybe those pictures will tell us something.”
    The boys arrived just as Mr. Freeman was opening his shop. He went to the wall safe, opened it, and handed them the negatives and prints. Joe picked up a magnifying glass from the counter. Mr. Freeman handed Frank another.
    Meticulously the Hardys studied each of the aerial photographs. Several minutes passed before Joe suddenly cried out, “Look at this!”
    Frank took the print and peered at it through his glass. Joe pointed to the rectangular pasture over which they had flown low before the engine of their aircraft had failed. “What do you see in the pasture area?”
    Frank moved his magnifying glass slowly for a better focus. “I don’t notice anything special,” he announced. “Unless you mean those three parallel lines running through the center of the pasture. They appear to be ruts, or grooves.”
    â€œExactly!” Joe said. “What are they?”
    â€œThe lines could have been made by a three-wheeled farm tractor,” Frank answered.
    â€œOr maybe a small airplane!” Joe suggested.
    â€œI wonder,” said Frank, then added, “Randy Watson told us the pasture was too short for any airplane to operate out of.”
    â€œI know. That’s what has me baffled.”
    Mr. Freeman, who had been watching the boys with interest, began glancing at some of the photographs. He asked in what locality the pictures had been taken. When the Hardys told him, his face broke into a wide smile.
    â€œI thought I recognized the area,” he remarked. “When I was a boy, spelunking was one of my favorite pastimes. I used to go there a lot.”
    â€œSpelunking?” Frank asked curiously. “You mean you went exploring caves in that area?”
    â€œOh, yes,” Mr. Freeman answered, obviously pleased at recollecting some of his childhood activities. “There are several fine caves to be found in those hills. However, it’s been so many years since I was there, I wouldn’t be able to locate any of them now.”
    â€œHow large are the caves?” Frank asked, with increasing interest.
    â€œThe ones I explored were rather small,” the shop owner explained. “I promised my parents I wouldn’t tackle anything too deep. So I can’t say just how large the bigger caves are.”
    The boys thanked Mr. Freeman for his help, then started for home. Both were excited at learning of caves being in the area where they had seen Bush Barney. Perhaps, they speculated, the thieves were using a cave to hide their loot!
    â€œThere might even be one near the pasture we flew over!” Joe exclaimed. “And if I’m right about the deep grooves having been made by the wheels of a small plane, maybe it’s possible the pasture is being utilized as a makeshift runway after all!”
    â€œI have an idea!” said Frank. “Why don’t we rent a helicopter and get a really close look at that area? But first let’s go home and tell the folks about our change of plans.”
    Mrs. Hardy was elated to see her sons and to learn that their plane trip had been canceled.
    Aunt Gertrude wore a self-satisfied grin. “Good thing,” she said. “Now you boys will have time for a lunch that will make up for the breakfast you raced through this morning.”
    The Hardy family sat down to a meal of delicious homemade soup, followed by hamburgers, then gingerbread topped with applesauce and whipped cream. While they were eating, Frank and Joe related their conversation with Mr. Freeman, and told of their theory concerning a cavern hideout.
    Mr. Hardy was interested at once. “A cave would be perfect for storing stolen merchandise,” he