Hawaiian Sea Hunt Mystery

Thomas Brewster took the letter. He read it rapidly, then reread it. His frown showed how deep his concentration was. Without a word, he handed the letter to Mahenili. The Hawaiian read it.

The two boys watched their parents. Finally Biff spoke.

“Is it important, Dad? I thought it might be.”

“Very important, Biff. Wouldn’t you say so, Hank?”

“Unbelievably so.”

Biff looked questioningly at his father.

“This is the letter Dr. Weber mentioned; the letter he received from Jim Huntington. It tells of a find Jim made in New Zealand – a fabulous mining discovery.”

“And that’s why he was coming here to meet you and Dr. Weber?” Biff asked.

“That’s right, son.”

“Then whoever it was attacked me tonight, or kidnaped Dr. Weber, would know where the find was, too?”

“Not exactly, Biff. They’d know of it, but not where it was. Huntington was bringing samples of the ore, and details of its location, with him.”

“That information, then, must still be in his sunken sloop,” Biff said.

Tom Brewster nodded his head.

“We’ll have to find it, won’t we, Dad?” the boy asked eagerly.

“We’re surely going to try.”

There was silence for several minutes. Everyone’s mind was filled with thoughts.

“Dad.” It was Biff who broke the silence. “Don’t you think we can read good news in my finding this letter?”

“How do you mean, Biff?”

“Well, wouldn’t you think from this that Dr. Weber must still be alive?”

“Why do you say that, Biff?” Hank Mahenili asked.

“Well, sir, whoever grabbed him, since they didn’t find the letter, must figure Dr. Weber knows what Mr. Huntington discovered, and they’re holding him until he tells them about it, or tells them where the letter is. They couldn’t know that the location isn’t described in the letter.”

“But how would they know anything about it if they hadn’t seen the letter?” Li piped up.

“They have their ways,” Tom Brewster replied. “The doctor probably told someone else about Huntington’s coming here. Not that he would have said why. But Huntington’s explorations are well known. Whoever kidnapped Dr. Weber would know that a meeting between Dr. Weber, Huntington, and me could lead to something of tremendous value.”

“And what is that, Dad? Can you tell me?”

“I could, Biff, but I don’t think I will – not yet. The fewer people who know what Huntington discovered, the better. And it would be safer for you, too, not to know.”

“You mean, Dad…” Biff paused.

“Yes, Biff, you’re in this now right up to your young neck. It could easily be figured that you now know as much as Dr. Weber, since you found the letter. That makes you a target, too.”

Biff found it difficult to swallow the lump which had suddenly come into his throat.

CHAPTER VIII

The Police Call

“Did you get a good look at your attacker, Biff?” Tom Brewster asked his son.

“Gee, Dad. He came at me too fast. And it was fairly dark in the room.”

“I was wondering. Perez Soto – you know, the man I pointed out to you at the dinner – well, he wasn’t at the reception afterward. I thought he might have followed you boys.”

“I don’t think so, Dad. Perez Soto is a good-sized man. Husky. This fellow I had the hassle with was smaller, I think.”

“And that Mr. Perez Soto,” Li added, “he was wearing a white dinner jacket. This man wasn’t.”

“He could have changed, son,” Hank Mahenili pointed out.

“Li’s right, though,” Biff said. “I think we both will agree that it wasn’t Perez Soto.”

“All right, boys. Better get to bed. It’s late, and tomorrow’s going to be a big day.”

It was a big day, and it ended with a bang.

The engineering conference had wound up the night before with the dinner at which Biff’s father spoke. This day, the day following, Hanale Mahenili had invited a selected group from among those who had attended the conference to a luau at his house. The prospect of going to the luau, the traditional Hawaiian feast, especially one cooked by a native of the island, was exciting.

Hank Mahenili had been up early to get things under way. He was going to supervise the cooking of the luau personally. It took all day to prepare a luau properly, and when Hank Mahenili did something, he did it right.

Biff and Li helped with the early preparations. They dug a deep pit in which a pig would be roasted.

“Anything else we can do, sir?” Biff asked.

“Not now, Biff,” his Hawaiian friend replied.

“Then how about a swim, Li?” Biff inquired.

“Want to try real surfing this morning?” Li asked.

“Do I! Let’s go.”

Since Biff had arrived, the boys had swum before breakfast, after breakfast, and practically all their free time. Li was an expert swimmer, especially under water. At first, Biff became worried when his new friend dived and seemed to remain under water long past the safety point. But always, Li’s laughing face would break the water just when Biff was about to dive for him.

Biff and Li hit the water and swam out into the ocean with powerful strokes. Biff was just a bit faster than Li. They took the plunge first to loosen up their muscles and became accustomed to the water. Next they tackled the surfboards.

Li swam most of the way back under water.