CHAPTERPAGE
I[A Cold Draft]1
II[A Fire]15
III[A Scrap of Film]27
IV[Booby Trap]39
V[The Missing Ounces]50
VI[Unexpected Caller]60
VII[An Exploded Theory]75
VIII[A Package Changes Hands]84
IX[One More Link]94
X[Nothing to Sneeze At]109
XI[A Scheme for Attack]121
XII[Cornered]132
XIII[A Desperate Plan]143
XIV[Heading for Deep Waters]157
XV[Catapult]166
XVI[With the Help of Fire]174
XVII[Robbed by the Waves]183
XVIII[The Iron Box Again]193
XIX[Out of the Sky]202
XX[Front-Page News]209

THE MYSTERY OF THE IRON BOX

CHAPTER I

A COLD DRAFT

The loud-speaker’s bellow died away and there was an answering stir in the big terminal building of the airport. People began to move toward the wide windows that overlooked the landing field. Soon there was a thick wall of humanity packed against the rail that protected the glass.

“Too jammed up here. Let’s go outside.” The young man who spoke was slender and slightly more than medium height. Over a neat gray flannel suit he wore a tan trench coat which hung well from broad shoulders. His black hair looked even blacker than usual in the brilliant glare of the well-lighted room.

His companion towered over him by almost half a foot. A trench coat, also tan, dropped from massive shoulders that hinted of tremendous power. He lifted his left hand to look at his wrist watch. “On time,” he said. Then, using his shoulders as a wedge, he gently forced a path to the doors. His flaming red hair stood out above the crowd like a beacon.