The Mysterious Caravan Read Free Page A

ready. If you don’t come now, those eggs will taste like scuba flippers!”
    They hurried back into the beach house to find their meal still warm enough for total enjoyment. Nothing was said to Chet until they had finished,and he kept looking from one boy to the other until the question finally came.
    â€œWhy did you spill the beans, Chet?” Biff demanded. “You didn’t have to tell those guys we found the mask.”
    â€œI didn’t say anything about the mask,” Chet protested.
    â€œYou indicated we found something.”
    â€œDon’t scold him,” Frank said. “Remember, he was asleep when we decided to keep this a secret”.
    â€œThanks,” Chet said. “Frank, you want some more eggs?”
    The boys laughed and Joe said, “Don’t forget, Chet, button your lip from now on, okay?”
    William had been silent for a while, but when he finished his coffee he put down the cup and said, “I think there may be trouble ahead.”
    â€œYou mean those men?” Tony asked.
    â€œThey looked like ruffians to me! Jamaicans do not like that kind of treasure hunter working off our shores.”
    â€œThey were pretty high-handed,” Phil agreed.
    â€œLet’s find out everything we can about the mask today,” Frank suggested. “I noticed a museum next to the post office.”
    â€œIt is a good one, too,” William said. “The museum has a fine collection of shipwreck relics and old records.”
    â€œWill you go with us?” Joe asked.
    â€œI wish to be excused,” the Jamaican said. “I promised my grandfather to visit him today. He lives a way up the beach from here.”
    â€œOkay. Will we see you later?”
    â€œOf course. Since you are leaving for home tomorrow, I would like to spend as much time with you as possible.”
    â€œWilliam, can I go with you?” Chet asked. You told me about your grandfather and I’d like to meet him.”
    â€œCertainly. He will be delighted. But I suggest that we find a better hiding place for that mask before we all leave.”
    They looked around until Tony located two loose floorboards in the kitchenette near the sink. Frank and Joe pried them up enough to slip the mask underneath.
    Chet and William lingered to finish the chores while the others walked along the beach. Half a mile farther on, they headed inland until they reached the center of town. The streets were narrow and lined with shops catering to the tourist trade.
    Main Street gave onto a small park dominated at one end by an ancient cannon. To the right were the municipal buildings. The Bayporters went straight to the museum. After they explained their mission to the curator, an intense middle-aged woman, she took a great interest in the Americans.
    â€œSo many ships were sunk off Jamaica,” she said. “English, Spanish, Dutch. And many lives were lost.”
    â€œWere there any Arab ships?” asked Joe.
    The woman thought for a moment. “No. But I do recall that a Portuguese slave ship, the
Africanus Rex
, was lost some time in the early seventeenth century. It carried an Arab Barbary crew.”
    The curator added with a smile, “It’s interesting that you should mention this, because some of the slaves escaped to shore and became free men.” She glanced over Frank’s shoulder. “Is that man looking for you?”
    The Hardys whirled to see George Aker’s back as he tried to slip out unobserved.
    â€œQuick, keep a tail on him, Phil,” Frank said. “Biff, Tony, you help out, too.”
    The boys dashed out while the Hardys thanked the curator for her assistance.
    â€œYou’ve really given us quite a bit of help,” Joe said. “By the way, is anything known about a death mask lost on one of your beaches?”
    â€œI never heard of anything like that.”
    Frank and Joe hurried from the museum. Partway down the block they noticed