CHAPTER 14 _VOICE FROM THE CAVE_
From a distance Penny and Louise had marked well the spot where Mrs.Deline had buried the package. But as they approached the drift fence allof the dunes seemed strikingly similar in appearance. They could notagree as to the exact mound which contained the hidden package.
"It was buried in this one, I think," Penny said, starting to dig. "Mrs.Deline certainly did a good job of covering her tracks."
"You're wasting time working on that dune," Louise insisted. "I'll getbusy over here and turn up the package in nothing flat."
Selecting a mound of sand several feet from Penny, she began to dig witha will. The mysterious package proved elusive. Scarcely had the girlsstarted work than a few raindrops splattered down.
"Oh, it's going to storm!" Louise exclaimed, turning startled eyes towardthe dark sea.
The rain came down faster and faster. Faced with a choice of abandoningthe search or being drenched, the girls decided to make a dash for thehotel.
As they darted up the steps at the Crystal Inn, they were surprised tosee Mrs. Deline sitting on the veranda. A spyglass lay in her lap.Whether she had been watching the sea or their own antics they had no wayof knowing.
"Have you seen my father, Mrs. Deline?" Penny asked, shaking theraindrops from her flying hair.
"Indeed, I don't keep track of his whereabouts," Mrs. Deline repliedcoldly. "By the way, did you find what you were searching for in thesand?"
The question caught Penny off guard. She stammered a few words which onlycaused the widow to smile in a knowing, amused way.
"I don't mind telling you what I buried in the sand," she resumed. "Itmay save you a little trouble. The package contained nothing but fishbones."
"Fish bones!"
"Yes, I had just visited my friend, Jim McCoy, at the lighthouse. It'smost difficult to bury anything there because of so many rocks. He askedme to dispose of the scraps for him."
"Oh," Penny murmured, completely deflated.
"I've been watching you girls through the spyglass," Mrs. Deline went on."It really was amusing."
"I can imagine," Penny agreed grimly. "Oh, well, I'm glad to provide alittle amusement for this dead place."
She and Louise retreated until they were screened from the widow by apotted palm.
"I guess she scored on you that time, Penny," Louise commented. "So wewasted our strength digging for garbage!"
"You needn't rub it in."
"But it's all so silly. Why don't we try to like Mrs. Deline, Penny?"
"I'll leave that job up to you. Furthermore, how do I know she wastelling the truth? Maybe she just handed us that story so we wouldn't goon digging in the dunes!"
"That's so!" Louise acknowledged. "Mrs. Deline isn't the type to be doinggracious little jobs for anyone."
"If Jim McCoy asked her to bury a package of garbage, she would havedisposed of it long before she did," Penny reasoned. "Instead, she walkedquite a distance down shore. Then she seemed to select a particular dune,as if by pre-arrangement."
"You think she may have hidden something there expecting another personto pick it up?"
"That's my theory, Lou. Oh, I wish this rain would let up."
Restlessly Penny walked to a window. The rain showed signs of slackening.And as she watched, a taxi drew up in front of the hotel. JerryLivingston leaped out.
"Wait for me!" he instructed the driver. "I'll be right back."
Penny and Louise managed to block Jerry's path as he came hurrying intothe hotel.
"Hello, girls," he greeted them offhanded. "Want to go for a drive intothe country?"
"We certainly do," Penny accepted for both. "What's our destination?"
"Tell you on the way," Jerry answered.
He disappeared into an elevator, but was back in the lobby within a fewminutes. Taking Penny and Louise each by an elbow, he escorted them tothe waiting cab.
"In a way, this is a secret trip," he said after he had given directionsto the driver. "Ever see a radio monitoring truck?"
"Never even heard of one," Penny replied. "What is it?"
"Well, we have a truck equipped so that our instruments pick up thedirection from which any short wave broadcast is sent. It's not generallyknown that the Army's at work here, so whatever you girls see you mustkeep under your sunbonnets."
The taxi sped along the country road, following a route that wasunfamiliar to the girls. By the time it drew up several miles from SunsetBeach the rain had ceased.
"Tumble out," Jerry said, opening the cab door. "This is the end of theline."
He went ahead, breaking a hole in the tall hedge at one side of the road.Eagerly the girls followed him through the gap. In a clearing just beyonda clump of saplings stood what appeared to be an ordinary covered Armytruck.
An enlisted man came toward Jerry and the girls, saluting smartly.
"Are you picking up any signals?" Jerry asked him.
"Nothing yet, sir. The weather hasn't been very favorable."
"You've had your equipment set up here two days now?"
"Right, sir."
"It's not likely we'll get anything today or tonight," Jerry replied."Oh, well, we'll have to have patience. Sooner or later the station willgo on the air again, and then we'll learn its location."
Louise and Penny were curious to learn more about the monitoring truck.Jerry took them inside, introduced them to the officers, and showed themthe radio apparatus.
"Our truck is equipped with rotating antennae," he explained. "Wheneverthe unknown station starts to broadcast we'll be able to swing our loopstoward the signals. Then we chart the signals and where the linesintercept, the station is located."
"As you explain it, Jerry, finding any radio station is a simple matter."
"It is, providing the station doesn't move in the meantime.Unfortunately, Mr. Voice from the Cave is an elusive fellow."
"You have no idea who the man may be?"
"No, he's known to FBI agents only as B4 which is a code number."
"What is the purpose behind the broadcasts?" Louise inquired. "Enemypropaganda?"
"We know that the station is enemy owned and operated," Jerry replied."So far that's about all we do know, for we've been unable to break thecode. We suspect that persons connected with the station may be aidingGerman prisoners to escape from the country."
"Prisoners originally held in Canada?" Penny inquired.
"Yes, they've been aided by a ring of very clever spies."
Penny was silent as she thought over the information. There were manyquestions she longed to ask.
"Jerry--" she began, but just then there came an interruption.
In the Army truck an officer had adjusted his earphones. His attitude ashe listened was one of tense expectancy.
"Picking up any signals?" Jerry demanded.
The other man nodded. "Something's coming in! Yes, it's our friend, theVoice. In just a minute we should know exactly where the station islocated."
Jerry and the girls remained in the truck, eagerly awaiting a report fromthe efficient men who manned the radio direction finders.
"Okay, we've got it charted!" came the terse announcement a moment later.
"Where's the station located?" Jerry demanded eagerly. "Let's see thechart."
It was thrust into his hand. Jerry stared at the intercepting lines andthen at a map of the district.
"Why, the station seems to be located along the shore!" he exclaimed."Apparently in one of the caves--Crystal Cave I'd judge."
"That's the cave where Louise and I were!" Penny exclaimed. "But we sawno shortwave radio apparatus. Only crazy old Skagway who was playing atune on the stalagmites."
"All the same, direction finders don't lie. The broadcast came fromCrystal Cave! But that doesn't mean the station will be there fifteenminutes from now."
"What's to be done?" Penny asked. "Can't the Voice be caught bef
ore hehas a chance to move his portable outfit?"
"A message already has been sent to Headquarters. Army men should be ontheir way to the cave now."
"Jerry, we're not far from Crystal Cave ourselves!" Penny exclaimed, hereyes dancing with excitement. "Can't we go there too?"
"We can and will!" Jerry laughed. "But if we expect to catch our friend,the Voice, there's no time to lose. Come along, girls, if you'retraveling with me."