“Nothing to report, sir. No fires sighted.”
“Any sign of the hi-jackers? They’re reported to have headed into your patrol area.”
Diethelm spoke clearly and in a detached manner. “No sign of ’em anywhere,” he replied. “Inform the highway patrol, they may as well lift the road block. That’s right, sir. I’ve checked the area thoroughly. No sign of ’em.”
Chapter 20
TREACHERY
JUDY and Kathleen scarcely could believe that they had heard the ranger’s radio message correctly.
For a stunned moment, they sat in dead silence, unable to comprehend what had transpired.
Diethelm wore the inconspicuous pine tree badge of the forest rangers, but he had never seemed friendly or helpful as had the other Forest Service men.
Judy had sensed the man’s antagonism almost from the first moment of their meeting. Until this night, however, she had never actually distrusted him.
Now, as the meaning of his message to headquarters penetrated her brain, she realized that he deliberately had given false information to his superior officers. Information which would aid the hi-jackers, who awaited the lifting of the road block to rush their stolen cargo across the state line!