marina was a man named Herb Chelski. As the bell on the door announced the entry of the Hardys, he looked up from a crab net he was inspecting on the counter.
âWhat kind of boat do you want?â he inquired. âI have boats for the bay and the deep sea, and any kind of fishing boat you can mention. Except whale fishing,â he added with a laugh. âIf youâre after Moby Dick, forget it.â
âWeâre not after Moby Dick,â Frank told him. âWeâre after Clifford Hunter.â
Chelski stopped laughing. âOh, the navy guy who disappeared. I told the FBI everything I know.â
âWeâre cooperating with the FBI,â Joe stated. âWeâre working for the Pentagon.â
The Hardys produced their credentials, which Chelski scrutinized carefully. âOkay,â he said finally. âIâll tell you how it was. Hunter owns a sailboat that he keeps docked here. He rents the space by the month. I got to know him pretty well. I thought he was a nice guy. Whatâs he done?â
âI wish we could tell you,â Frank replied. âBut we canât. Itâs top-secret navy stuff.â
âI understand. Well, I was here when Cliff came for his sailboat. He surprised me because it was a weekday and he usually takes his boat out on weekends. Besides, there was something funny about him this time.â
âIn what way?â Joe inquired.
âHe didnât seem to be himselfâacted nervous, if you know what I mean. But it didnât affect his sailing. He handled the boat as expertly as ever.â
âAnd that was the last you saw of him?â Frank wanted to know.
âYes. When he didnât come back, I figured he was on one of his longer trips down the bay. But when the FBI started asking questions, I realized Cliff was in some kind of trouble.â
âCan you give us a description of Hunterâs sailboat?â
âSure. A thirty-three footer with a sail, and a motor for emergencies. The name Bay Queen is painted in green letters on the stern.â
âIâd like to write down his address, too,â Joe said. Chelski gave it to him, then the boys left the marina and strolled down the dock.
âI can understand why Hunter was nervous,â Joe commented. âIâd be nervous too if I had just stolen a top-secret document from the navy.â
Frank suddenly gripped Joeâs arm. âLook there!â He pointed to a small, wizened figure walking along the dock ahead of them.
âEd Bryle!â Joe marveled. âWhere did he come from?â
âHe doesnât know weâre here. Letâs brace him.â
The Hardys applied their detective training to capturing their suspect. Joe stayed on Bryleâs trail to make sure they would not lose him. Frank slipped around the dock and stepped out in front of the former farmhand. Joe at the same time closed in from the rear.
Bryle started when he saw Frank. He turned as if to run, but Joe was too near for him to get away.
âHello, Bryle!â Frank said.
âLong time no see,â Joe added.
Bryle flushed red and blinked his eyes. His voice shook. âWhat do you guys want?â
âA few answers,â Frank replied. âWhat are you doing in Chesapeake Crossing?â
Bryle looked sullen. âI work at the marina. You got any complaints?â
âWe heard you left the Hammerley farm,â Joe stated.
âSo? I got a better job here. Any objections?â
âNot as long as you return the Galloping Rider. Remember? The weather vane you snatched at Joshua Korboâs auction.â
âYou must be nuts!â Bryle snarled. âI wasnât at no auction.â
âCome on, Bryle, we saw you!â Frank said. âYou probably stole the Galloping Rider and hid it at the auction when Korbo wasnât looking. Then you came back to sneak it out during the bidding.â
âAnd you only got
C. J. Cherryh
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