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Authors: Franklin W Dixon
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CASEFILE5
"I guess it would be hard to break in and say we just wandered by."
''On the other hand, Stan's hfe is at stake here," Joe pointed out, eyeing his brother over CaUie's head. ''And it's not like we're going to take anything."
Cailie studied first one Hardy then the other. She knew better than to argue when she saw that determined look in their eyes. "Okay, but hurry." She glanced at the edges of the woods in case Galen appeared and caught them in the act. "And remember, this is quick and unofficial. Whatever we see stays right where it was."
It took only moments for Frank to work the door lock with the slender pick he kept in his wallet. He heard the final tumbler click into place. Then, motioning for Cailie and Joe to follow, he went inside.
"What a dump," Joe said the instant they were inside the small, dimly lit cabin. It definitely could use a cleaning, Frank saw. Dirty clothes, books, and newspapers covered every flat surface. The tiny kitchen had dishes stacked to the rim of the sink. The windows were tightly shut, preventing any fresh mountain air coming into the rooms.
"Look for anything that might connect Galen to the bombing at the sawmill," Frank told the others, moving through the living room toward a tiny bedroom and bathroom off a short hall.
"Especially Buster's key ring," Joe added,
Deadfall
opening several cabinets in the living room. "That would clinch it for sure."
Frank entered Galen's bedroom and saw several sets of camouflage pants and shirts tossed around. If anyone in Crosscut could be associated with camouflage, Galen was certainly the one.
At the bottom of Galen's closet, though, Frank found something even more interesting: a small door that concealed a hidden compartment beneath the floor. Inside were two boxes of blasting caps, several coils of waterproof fuse, some well-thumbed military handbooks, and a demolition instruction manual.
"Joe! Callie!" Frank called. "Come here!"
"You come here!" Joe called back from the living room. "This guy has enough weapons to supply the National Guard!"
Frank hurried out of the bedroom to find Joe standing over a hole in the floor near the living room fireplace. Several floorboards lay nearby. "Let's see, there's one pump shotgun and a high-powered rifle," Joe said, peering down into the hole.
"And some boxes of ammo and several pistols," Frank added, kneeling beside Joe. "It looks like our friend Galen is getting ready to start a war."
"All he needs is the dynamite," Callie said.
"Wait till you see what's in the bedroom." Frank described to the other two what he had found.
THE HARDY BOYS CASEFILES
"Whew," Joe said. **This guy really sounds crazy."
''I guess he might be capable of committing murder—and framing Uncle Stan," Callie agreed sadly.
''Let's put everything back the way we found it," Frank said hastily. ''We don't want Galen to know he's been found out. I want to report this to the sheriff so he can bring this guy in for questioning."
"You really think he'd notice something missing in this mess?" Joe asked.
"Hey, look at your room at home!" Frank replied, only half kidding. "And still you know every time I borrow a pair of socks from your dresser."
Frank, Joe, and Callie worked quickly to restore Galen's cabin to its original state. As they worked, Frank fought down a feeling of nervousness about what they'd been up to. One thing was sure—agoing through Galen's personal belongings was not something he wanted to be caught doing.
"Okay, out!" he ordered Callie and Joe, hustling them toward the door as soon as the last dirty shirt was back in place. Frank backed out after them, careful to lock the door.
"Wait!" Joe said just as Frank felt the lock click. "I think I left the car keys on the mantel."
"You're kidding." Frank was incredulous, but Joe only shrugged sheepishly. "They're not in my pocket," he said.
Deadfall
Shaking his head, Frank moved to the window and shined his flashlight through the glass. "I don't
"I guess it would be hard to break in and say we just wandered by."
''On the other hand, Stan's hfe is at stake here," Joe pointed out, eyeing his brother over CaUie's head. ''And it's not like we're going to take anything."
Cailie studied first one Hardy then the other. She knew better than to argue when she saw that determined look in their eyes. "Okay, but hurry." She glanced at the edges of the woods in case Galen appeared and caught them in the act. "And remember, this is quick and unofficial. Whatever we see stays right where it was."
It took only moments for Frank to work the door lock with the slender pick he kept in his wallet. He heard the final tumbler click into place. Then, motioning for Cailie and Joe to follow, he went inside.
"What a dump," Joe said the instant they were inside the small, dimly lit cabin. It definitely could use a cleaning, Frank saw. Dirty clothes, books, and newspapers covered every flat surface. The tiny kitchen had dishes stacked to the rim of the sink. The windows were tightly shut, preventing any fresh mountain air coming into the rooms.
"Look for anything that might connect Galen to the bombing at the sawmill," Frank told the others, moving through the living room toward a tiny bedroom and bathroom off a short hall.
"Especially Buster's key ring," Joe added,
Deadfall
opening several cabinets in the living room. "That would clinch it for sure."
Frank entered Galen's bedroom and saw several sets of camouflage pants and shirts tossed around. If anyone in Crosscut could be associated with camouflage, Galen was certainly the one.
At the bottom of Galen's closet, though, Frank found something even more interesting: a small door that concealed a hidden compartment beneath the floor. Inside were two boxes of blasting caps, several coils of waterproof fuse, some well-thumbed military handbooks, and a demolition instruction manual.
"Joe! Callie!" Frank called. "Come here!"
"You come here!" Joe called back from the living room. "This guy has enough weapons to supply the National Guard!"
Frank hurried out of the bedroom to find Joe standing over a hole in the floor near the living room fireplace. Several floorboards lay nearby. "Let's see, there's one pump shotgun and a high-powered rifle," Joe said, peering down into the hole.
"And some boxes of ammo and several pistols," Frank added, kneeling beside Joe. "It looks like our friend Galen is getting ready to start a war."
"All he needs is the dynamite," Callie said.
"Wait till you see what's in the bedroom." Frank described to the other two what he had found.
THE HARDY BOYS CASEFILES
"Whew," Joe said. **This guy really sounds crazy."
''I guess he might be capable of committing murder—and framing Uncle Stan," Callie agreed sadly.
''Let's put everything back the way we found it," Frank said hastily. ''We don't want Galen to know he's been found out. I want to report this to the sheriff so he can bring this guy in for questioning."
"You really think he'd notice something missing in this mess?" Joe asked.
"Hey, look at your room at home!" Frank replied, only half kidding. "And still you know every time I borrow a pair of socks from your dresser."
Frank, Joe, and Callie worked quickly to restore Galen's cabin to its original state. As they worked, Frank fought down a feeling of nervousness about what they'd been up to. One thing was sure—agoing through Galen's personal belongings was not something he wanted to be caught doing.
"Okay, out!" he ordered Callie and Joe, hustling them toward the door as soon as the last dirty shirt was back in place. Frank backed out after them, careful to lock the door.
"Wait!" Joe said just as Frank felt the lock click. "I think I left the car keys on the mantel."
"You're kidding." Frank was incredulous, but Joe only shrugged sheepishly. "They're not in my pocket," he said.
Deadfall
Shaking his head, Frank moved to the window and shined his flashlight through the glass. "I don't
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