Carolyn Keene - Mystery of Crocodile Island

She and Ned were terrified when they realized that they were being taken out of the country with no chance to call for help. They tried to keep calm and figure out some way to outwit these men.

The prisoners listened attentively when the men resumed their conversation. One said, "I had no idea when we went into shipping stolen cameras with Gimler and Sacco that we could make so much money. I don't know why we ever bothered with the small amount we got out of the Crocodile Ecology Company."

The other man said, "You forget, Williams, that we needed a cover. I'd say we just got out of there in time. That nosey girl detective and her friends are just too smart."

In spite of their predicament, Nancy and Ned smiled at this remark.

Williams said, "Nothing to worry about now, Captain Frederick, We're rid of the bunch."

The men talked about what they were going to do with all the money they had made.

Frederick said, "I'll show those relatives of mine in Mexico what I can do, even if they thought I was a no-good." He laughed raucously. "How easy the whole operation was! We stole a lot of cameras from the factory in Connecticut and bought a whole lot of others cheap on the black market. And sold them at a three hundred percent profit."

Nancy and Ned almost suffocated in the lockers but did not dare miss a word. They learned that the cameras were shipped out at night to a freighter going south. Then they were transferred to The Whisper , which carried them to the submarine. Then The Whisper returned to the key, which was home base. Whenever the submarine came there, the periscope would be hoisted. If any visitors were on the island, an alarm would be sounded and the sightseers sent away.

Williams said, "It's too bad we couldn't fill that order for five hundred cameras. If the buyer in Mexico had only given us a little more time, we wouldn't have had any trouble."

The men were silent for a while, then Williams said, "We won't be tying up for some time. I think I'll put away this rope we're not using. It's in the way."

He stepped to the locker in which Nancy was hiding and yanked open the door. The girl detective tried to slump to the floor so she would not be seen, but it was impossible.

Upon spotting her, Williams cried out a volume of expletives. He reached in roughly, grabbed Nancy's arm, and pulled her out into the passageway.

The captain also exclaimed and then said to Nancy, "How did you get here?"

She did not answer.

"I said, how did you come aboard this sub?" the captain demanded.

Still Nancy made no reply.

"I'll make you answer!" Frederick cried out, exasperated, and grabbed hold of her with both arms. He was so strong that she thought he would crush her ribs.

At this second a voice said, "Let her alone!"

Ned!

The sub's captain let go of Nancy and stared at the young man. "Who are you?"

Ned said nothing. By this time Williams and Frederick were jabbering loudly and arguing with each other about what they should do with their stowaways.

"We can't take them into Mexico!" Williams said.

"You're right," the captain agreed. "What do you suggest? That we go topside, open the hatch, and push them out into the water?"

Ned spoke up. "You'd better not do that," he said, then decided to try a bluff. "Did you know that we're being followed by helicopters?"

The men looked stunned. Williams rushed to raise the periscope above the water. After turning it in various directions, he said, "I don't see any helicopter."

The captain, angry, yelled at Ned, "You were just trying to bluff us. Well, we're not going to fall for it."

After a pause Williams said, "I have an idea, Captain. We both like money. Whv don't we hold these two snoopers for ransom?"

Captain Frederick thought this over and finally agreed it was not a bad idea. "Just how can we work it?" he wondered.

"I'll think of something," his fellow officer said. "Give me time."

Nancy and Ned were glad of the temporary reprieve. Their thoughts went back to Crocodile Island. Where were the rest of their friends? Had they found Nancy's note? If so, had they done anything about it?

All this time the two couples had been very busy. George and Burt had finally startled Stryker and Jackson, who were hiding in the jungle. They managed to corner them, then talked to the men from a distance.

"It's no use to try getting away," George called. "All the others on this island have left. They didn't even wait to take you along. Now you have nothing. They have the money and won't dare come back here because of the police. In feet, there are policemen on the island now, hunting for you."

"What?" Stryker exclaimed, then gave a sneering smile. "You're trying to trick us!"

Burt spoke up. "It's no trick. You don't have a chance."

The couple continued to coax the men to come out of hiding, but several more minutes went by before they consented to do so. Burt told them to walk ahead. He and George would follow.

All the way to the pier on the other side of the island the couple was very watchful in case the men should try to get away. Apparently the fugitives felt beaten because they did not attempt to run or fight.

When the two captives saw the officers on the pier, they knew Burt and George had been telling the truth. The captives raised no objection when they were placed under arrest.

Some time before this, Bess and Dave, having found no trace of the suspects, had started back toward the pier. As they were making their way along the waterfront, Bess grabbed Dave's arm.

"Look! There are Nancy and Ned! Nancy is writing something on a leaf."

The couple were too far away to distinguish what it might be, but started to run forward as fast as they could over the mangrove roots.

When they reached the note, Bess and Dave read it quickly. Going aboard. Couple one.

"Going aboard what?" Dave asked.

He and Bess ran faster. A few moments later they saw Nancy and Ned hurry across the pier.

Bess exclaimed, "There's the sub! Oh my goodness, they're climbing down inside! We must stop them!"

Before the couple could get near enough to shout to their friends, they saw two men dash from the main building and get onto the submarine. Quickly they descended and closed the hatch. The ship submerged and took off.

Bess was in tears. "Oh, Dave, what's going to happen now to Nancy and Ned?"

Dave wasted no time in conversation. "Where's the office?"

"I'll show you," Bess said and the two sped off to the little building.

The door was open. Dave looked around for what he wanted to use, then began to send a radio message to the Coast Guard. In as few words as possible, he described what had taken place on Crocodile Island.

Within seconds a return message was received. Two Coast Guard cutters would be sent out at once. One would go directly to Crocodile Island. The other would go after the submarine.

"We will also send out two helicopters. Try to have someone tell them which direction the sub and the speedboat took," the Coast Guard operator said.

About this time the two policemen who had gone into the jungle returned. They were amazed to hear what had happened and thanked Dave for sending out the alarm. The officer had hardly finished speaking when they saw the two suspects being ushered into the area by George and Burt

Patman and his companion looked astounded. "You caught them?"

George could not help quipping, "Yes, and with no guns!"

The officers gave the two prisoners a long look, then advised them of their rights to seek legal counsel. The two men exchanged worried glances but did not answer.

"Where does the sub go?" Patman asked. No reply.

Bess felt that treating the men gruffly was accomplishing nothing. She tried a softer, more kindly approach.