The Firebird Rocket by Franklin W. Dixon

sandy soil on the opposite side of the fence.
    â€œOkay, let’s go!” Frank said.
    â€œWait. I lost a shoe!” Chet pleaded.
    Joe slapped his forehead. “What a time to pick!” He felt around in the darkness, found the shoe, and pushed it into Chet’s hand. “Tie it right this time,” he warned. “You’ll run like a lame duck with one shoe on and one off.
    Chet did and the boys slipped from the fence across the yard to the lighted window, which was open halfway. Carefully stationing themselves in the darkness to one side of the light, they peered into the room.
    A sofa stood against the wall, facing a big sideboard holding a number of decanters. In one corner a roll-top desk was open, revealing a series of pigeonholes filled with documents.
    Six men sat around a table. Frank craned his head to get a better look at them. Then he whispered excitedly, “There’s Tinted Glasses!”
    â€œAnd Salty, the friendly sailor who almost killed us with his cargo!” Joe added. “And there’s the guy who tried to scare us away from Cutler Ranch!”
    One of the men spoke, addressing Tinted Glasses. “I’ve got to hand it to you, Stiller. Everything’s worked out just as you said it would.”
    Stiller nodded. “Sure, Bruno. But it would be better if Salty had picked the Hardys off on the dock!”
    â€œI ’d them set up,” Salty declared. “They were lucky to get out of the way when I dropped that bale on them!”
    â€œWell, make sure you carry out your assignments without any slip-ups in the future!”
    â€œSure I will,” Salty said sullenly. “It’s my neck as well as yours, you know.”
    â€œThe next job is the most important of all,” Stiller continued. “It’s the last one. And everything’s riding on it.”
    â€œI’ll be glad when it’s over,” Bruno declared. “I want to get back to Wisconsin.”
    Stiller nodded. “I feel the same way. I’m tired of trailing the Hardys halfway around the world.”
    Salty chuckled. “Me, I’m luckier than you Yanks. Australia’s ’ome to me.”
    Stiller frowned. “Your captain doesn’t suspect you, does he?”
    â€œNo danger, mate. When you led the ‘ardys down to the docks and tipped me the wink, I just slipped ashore long enough to get ’em off your back and set ‘em up for the kill. All the skipper knows is, I’m an able seaman what knows ’ow to off-load cargo.”
    The door from the hall opened and a man and woman came in. The man was burly with long arms and large hands. The woman was short and dark with an intense expression. Both looked pleased as they shut the door.
    Stiller addressed the man, “Well, Cutler, have you got the final marching orders for us?”
    â€œI sure have,” Cutler grinned. “I’ve just been on the phone to Sydney. We’re to finish the job tonight!”

CHAPTER XIII
    Daring Escape
    â€œYou finally got clearance to dump him in the Outback?” Bruno said. “Good. The desert will take care of him.”
    Stiller gave a wolfish grin. “That’s right,” he chortled. “It’s as lethal as Death Valley back home in California.”
    â€œDr. Jenson will never see the Firebird fly,” Mrs. Cutler smirked.
    â€œRight. The boss will come here to extract the missing information, then we’ll dump him out among the snakes and lizards and leave the sun to finish the job.”
    The seedy man from Alice Springs shook his head doubtfully. “I’m not so sure that we’ll be home free after the job,” he spoke up. “I don’t like the idea of the Hardys being in Alice Springs. I tried to scare them off when they started to get nosy, but we can’t be sure it worked.”
    Cutler frowned. “Too bad this cowboy had to open his mouth about the ranch,” he