The Ghost at Skeleton Rock by Franklin W. Dixon Read Free Book Online Page A

prisoner.
    â€œLearn anything?” Inspector Moon asked the detective.
    â€œNo,” he replied. “He won’t even tell us his name.”
    â€œAny identification?” the inspector queried.
    â€œNot even a driver’s license. Only thing that might help is this tattoo.” The detective pulled up the prisoner’s sleeve to show a pineapple tattoo on his left forearm.
    â€œHmm. It’s not much to go on,” the inspector said, “but check the files. Anything else?”
    â€œYes, sir. This prisoner was carrying these in his pocket, together with a ticket to Mexico.”
    With a baffled look, the detective held up a pair of doll’s glass eyes! Instantly the Hardys realized they were just like the dummy’s eyes which had contained uncut diamonds!

CHAPTER VIII
    Spanish Code
    FRANK and Joe were excited. Here was a definite clue that tied the Eastern City holdup men to the Hugo dummy racket!
    â€œI’d like to speak to you privately,” Frank said to the police inspector. “And bring the doll’s eyes along, please.”
    When they were alone in a rear office, Frank declared, “These doll’s eyes prove the man you’re holding and his gang are mixed up in the case Dad’s working on!”
    â€œAnd what about the boxes of Variotrycin in the brief case?” Joe asked.
    Inspector Moon looked thoughtfully at both boys and said that he would follow through on this angle in a few minutes, then he held up the doll’s eyes to the light.
    â€œNo diamonds here,” he announced. “These eyes are empty. But we still have plenty to hold Mr. Pineapple on. Maybe he’ll change his mind later about talking.”
    Inspector Moon asked the boys to wait while he tried to find out about the Variotrycin. He telephoned first to Watkins Pharmacy. The boys could hear both sides of the conversation.
    â€œThat stuff’s pretty new,” Mr. Watkins told the inspector, “and very expensive. Far as I know, the Lexo Drug people that make it won’t be supplying it in quantity until they can lower the price.”
    â€œWhere is Lexo Drug?”
    Mr. Watkins said the company had a plant in Hartsburg. “If you have a prescription, I could put in a special order—”
    â€œNo, thanks,” the inspector interrupted.
    Hartsburg was less than a hundred miles from Bayport. Inspector Moon then placed a long-distance call to the company.
    â€œI’d like to speak to the plant manager,” he told the switchboard girl.
    A man’s gruff voice came on the line. “McCardle speaking.”
    Inspector Moon introduced himself and said, “I’m calling to find out if any shipments of Variotrycin have been stolen recently.”
    The plant manager asked with a sharp note of interest, “Who did you say you were?”
    â€œInspector Moon of the Eastern City Police Department.”
    Mr. McCardle cleared his throat, then said that a special messenger carrying a consignment of their new product had been attacked and robbed late the day before.
    â€œWhere?”
    â€œNot far from here.”
    â€œHave you contacted your local police?” Inspector Moon asked.
    â€œNo. We just heard about the robbery. But I’ll do so right away,” McCardle replied.
    He asked why the inspector had called him, and was told about the boxes in the brief case. “Well, we hope that you find the thief!” the manager said, then said good-by.
    Inspector Moon turned to the Hardys. “How about you fellows helping on this?”
    â€œWe will!” the young sleuths promised.
    Before leaving headquarters, Frank asked if he and his brother might borrow the doll eyes for further examination. Inspector Moon readily agreed.
    The boys taxied back to the airport. Before the group took off for Bayport, Tony telephoned his father to tell what had happened. As he returned to the others, he said, “Lucky break! Dad says I can have