Free The Secret of the Caves by Franklin W. Dixon Page A

was lying beneath an overhang. I must have been out for a few minutes.”
    â€œA few minutes!” Chet exclaimed. “We’ve been hunting for you over an hour.”
    Biff looked incredulous, and shook his head in dismay when told about the stolen supplies.
    â€œBoy! What a mess we’re in,” he said as his companions helped him out of the cavern.
    They returned to the outer cave and fell fast asleep. When morning came, a diligent inspection of their quarters failed to reveal any clues as to the thief.
    â€œWe’re out of luck, that’s all,” Frank concluded. “Our light-fingered friend fooled us neatly.”
    â€œAt least the storm is over,” said Biff, who was feeling better.
    From the cave they could see the sun shining on the blue waters of the sea. As Chet unlimbered his metal detector he moved it over a rocky part of the floor. “Hmm. That’s funny,” he said.
    â€œDid you find a pirate’s chest?” Joe grinned.
    â€œNo. But I hear a buzzing noise. Maybe this thing’s broken.” He moved outside and began to swing the disk back and forth over the beach.
    All at once Chet dropped his detector, fell to his knees, and dug furiously in the sand. His astonished companions watched from the cave entrance.
    Finally the stout boy pulled something out and held it aloft in his right hand. “Ha! I told you!” he shouted.
    â€œWhat is it?” Biff asked as he, Frank, and Joe hurried over.
    â€œA pistol. Probably a pirate’s. Or maybe from the sunken ship.”
    â€œBy golly, Chet, I have to hand it to you,” said Frank as he examined the piece and wiped wet sand from it. “Hey, wait! This isn’t old.”
    â€œYou’re right!” Joe burst in. “It’s hardly rusted at all.” He handled the weapon. “Looks like a Smith and Wesson.”
    â€œBut see the marking,” Biff said. “Made in Spain.”
    Chet looked wisely at his companions. “What do you make of it, boys?”
    â€œPerhaps this very pistol caused all the shooting we’ve heard about,” Biff offered.
    Chet beamed. “Well, fellows, I guess I found a mystery. Want to solve it?”
    â€œAnd leave the trail of Todd and Quill?” Joe asked. “Nothing doing!”
    â€œJust a minute,” Frank put in. “How do we know Cadmus Quill didn’t drop the pistol?”
    â€œWow!” Joe clapped a hand to his forehead. “That’s a pretty wild guess for you, brother.”
    â€œYou’re dreaming, Frank!” Chet chimed in.
    Biff, too, thought Frank’s guess was farfetched, and added, “Enough of deductions. How about some chow? I’m famished.” He looked hopefully up the ravine, but Chet, for once, was more excited about detecting than eating.
    â€œPlease, fellows,” he begged, “let’s go a little way up the beach yet. Who knows what I’ll find!”
    â€œOkay,” Frank agreed. “Only a quarter of a mile. Then we turn back.”
    The sandy shore wound about the face of a great bluff of black rock, and when the boys had skirted this precipice they were confronted by a dark opening at the base of the cliff just a few yards away.
    â€œAnother cave!” Frank exclaimed.
    Chet gave a cheer and ran ahead with his detector.
    When they were just in front of the entrance the boys halted with exclamations of surprise.
    Tacked on a board stuck in the sand beside the cave mouth was a tattered sheet of paper. Scrawled in heavy black letters were the words No Trespassing.
    The companions looked at the sign in astonishment, then Chet grinned. “By order of the Rockaway chief of police, no doubt. Maybe somebody put it here for a joke,” he said. “Let’s take a peep inside.”
    Frank was first to reach the cave and peer inside. Then he turned back to the others. “This sign isn’t a joke,” he said quietly. “Somebody does