“I don’t exactly know where those kidnapped flyers have been taken,” he explained to Terry and Prim. “But they are out with the fishermen. Bud told Joe that he had hired a launch to take them out. I think the boys are safe enough. The fishermen are all decent people, they wouldn’t do them any harm.”
“Oh, is that so, Dan? What about old Mackey Jones? He isn’t exactly what I’d call decent!”
“That’s right, Sally. He doesn’t amount to much, but we don’t know whether the boys are on his boat. How could Bud Hyslop be able to pick out the only crook among the fishermen?” asked Dan.
“I guess Jim Heron could tip him off to anything of that sort that was needed. But how are we going to find out where Mackey Jones is fishing? Sometimes they’re miles and miles away. What we want to find out is whose launch took them out.”
Dan jumped to his feet. “I have it,” he exclaimed. “Why didn’t I think of it before? Old Spencer was the man who told me to come up here and get this job. Likely as not he took them out in his motor launch. I’ll go and see him right now.”
“All right, Dan,” said Terry quietly. “You go and see if you can get the information out of this man, Spencer. Here’s five dollars. Promise more, if you have to and get back as soon as you can. We want to take-off in the planes before these men wake up.”
The boy hurried away and in half an hour had returned with the information. He also had the five dollars which he offered to Terry but she refused it. Old Spencer had taken the boys out to Mackey Jones’ fleet and as Bud had short-changed him he said he’d have nothing more to do with the scheme. And Dan could not persuade the stubborn old salt to make the trip and bring the boys back.
“That’s all right, Dan,” said Terry. “Joe Arnold might have caught on and beat him there. You come along with us and we’ll fly out to that fishing fleet and bring the boys back ourselves.”
“Gee!” exclaimed the astonished Dan. “I don’t know about that! I’ve always wanted to go up in one of them planes, but lots of them crash around here.”
“If we’re going to go, Terry, let’s get started. Joe and Bud will be waking up soon,” said Prim.