The Clue of the Hissing Serpent
Page 12
“Those are water taxies,” Hawkins explained. “They take passengers to Tai Pak.” He hailed one of the little boats.
The boys noticed that some small open craft were rowed by children. They circled among the fleet of water taxies, begging coins from the more affluent passengers.
“Is that what you meant by a good place to make money?” Chet asked Kim-Kim.
The Chinese nodded and called out to several friends he had recognized.
Just then a squad car arrived with four policemen. While the boys hopped into the water taxi Captain Hawkins had hailed, they took another and soon everyone was headed for the floating restaurant.
The Hardys were amazed at the dexterity of the women, who maneuvered their boats through the traffic without even the slightest collision.
Finally they reached the huge double-deck eating place, colorfully festooned with lights and lanterns. They went aboard and Hawkins suggested that the boys check topside, while the police scoured the main deck.
The Americans were amazed at the size of the restaurant. Scores of tables occupied every foot of the deck. Waiters, carrying large trays, moved through the guests with acrobatic ease.
A broad center staircase led up to the second deck, which was equally crowded.
“Let’s split up,” Frank suggested. “If you spy Fong, don’t make a scene. Just run down and call Captain Hawkins.”
The clatter of dishes, the laughter of the diners, and the swiftly moving waiters made concentration difficult. In addition, the savory smell of Chinese cooking made Chet hungry. Nonetheless they spaced out and carefully passed table after table.
Suddenly Joe’s eyes fell on Fong. He was seated in a secluded booth next to the wall, talking with another man. Fong glanced nervously at his watch, while his eyes roved the room.
Joe snatched a handkerchief and held it to his face. Then he edged closer, trying to get a look at Fong’s companion.
He turned and Joe recognized him. It was the friendly Choy Bokl
A waiter touched Joe’s elbow. “Can I help you find a place?”
“No, thank you. Not now.”
At that moment Chet hurried to Joe’s side. “I see him!” he whispered, and swung his cast in the direction of the booth.
It hit the back of a chair with a sharp crack. The diner sitting there turned around in surprise. At the same time Joe noticed Fong and Choy Bok rise. They had realized that the boys were after them!
“Run down and get the captain!” Joe told Chet. As he hurried off, Frank and Kim-Kim appeared.
“Come on!” Joe cried. “They’re getting away!”
The young detectives raced among the tables, trying not to knock into the annoyed patrons.
“There they go! Up the steps!”
The fugitives fairly flew up a small metal stairway onto the roof of the restaurant, and without a moment’s hesitation, dived over the railing into the water below.
The Hardys saw them surface and climb into a water taxi.
“After them!” Frank cried out. He and Joe, followed by Kim-Kim, plunged into the bay. They came up next to a surprised taxiwoman and wriggled into her boat. Kim-Kim gave orders in Chinese, and the woman set off after Fong’s craft.
“We’re losing them!” Joe said. “Faster, pleasel”
“Don’t worry, I help,” Kim-Kim said.
He called out to his little beggar friends, who responded with excited cries. Rapidly they began to surround the getaway taxi. With much banging and shouting, they had its path blocked within a few minutes.
It was boxed in so tightly that escape was impossible. The police arrived in another boat with Chet to arrest the two stony-faced fugitives.
Meanwhile, the Hardys emptied their pockets of all their change and tossed the coins to the beggar boys, who grinned and cheered.
“Good job, Kim-Kim,” Frank praised the little Chinese.
An hour later everyone met at headquarters. The Hardys were congratulated, and as interrogation of Jervis, Fong, and Choy Bok proceeded, loose ends of the mystery were tied up.
A cablegram from Mr. Hardy had arrived only minutes before. It said that Eggleby had been caught in the States with Radley’s help. He and Jervis had been trying to set up another jewelry operation in Texas, but when Eggleby was caught, Jervis quickly left the country.
Jervis admitted knocking out Mr. Hardy at the Treat Hotel and putting the explosive charge in the boy’s tail pipe on orders of Fong. And it was Jervis who shot at Krassner in the balloon fight. Fong and Eggleby were with him at the time.
“You idiot!” Fong muttered. “Why don’t you keep your mouth shut?” But the angry gang leader could not do anything to stop his former confederate from telling everything. As he and Choy stood by with suppressed anger, Jervis provided the answer to the serpent gang’s interest in Conrad Greene.
“They ran a world-wide gambling operation,” Jervis said, “and were trying to frighten the American champion into losing the match because they had placed all bets on his Korean opponent. The phone tap was meant to find out Greene’s strategy, and when that did not work, he was kidnapped and threatened.”
“Was he taken to Bayport Harbor?” Joe asked.
“No. We drove him to Fong’s apartment not far from there.”
“Why did you want to ship the Ruby King via the Queen Maru?” Frank inquired. “Is Captain Ono part of your gang?”
“No. He’s clean,” Jervis said.
“Who went into Krassner’s home to steal the King?” Frank asked.
“Fong and Eggleby. They took the antique to the shack in the woods, but when your two buddies arrived, they quickly drove off in Fong’s car. Later Gerard Henry had the King wrapped in the rug and took it to Bayport Airport.”
“What gave you the idea of using the serpent balloon to harass Krassner?” Joe asked.
“Fong knew Krassner was an avid balloonist,” Jervis continued. “He also was well aware that Krassner feared the serpent symbol. The balloon seemed a logical idea to unnerve him.”
“But he wouldn’t hand over the King, even though you threatened to ruin his reputation,” Joe said.
“No. He held out. When we put the pressure on Moy Chen-Chin, Mrs. Krassner cooperated without her husband’s knowledge.”
“Well, I’m sure glad Krassner is exonerated,” Chet said. “I always liked him.”
“I’m just sorry we couldn’t retrieve the King undamaged,” Joe put in. “Without its jewels the chess piece is probably worthless.”
“Fong knows where the rubies are. Ask him!” Jervis said.
“I know nothing,” the Oriental said as his face contorted in an arrogant sneer.
“Where does Fong live?” Frank asked Jervis.
The man shrugged. “He’s been staying with Choy Bok ever since he arrived.”
“Why don’t we look in Choy’s apartment?” Joe suggested. “We know where it is!”
“Good idea,” Captain Hawkins said.
An hour later a search party with a warrant arrived at Choy’s high-rise apartment. There was no sign of Mrs. Choy. The police combed the place until one of them yelled, “Captain, come here!” In the pocket of Mrs. Choy’s dressing gown was a sack of gems!
Captain Hawkins invited the boys and Kim-Kim to dinner that night and thanked them for smashing the serpent gang. “Please return the Ruby King to its rightful owner,” he said. “It won’t be hard to restore it to its original beauty.”
“You go back to United States?” Kim-Kim asked, his eyes sad.
“We’ll have to. The case is solved,” Joe said. Little did he know then that soon they would be involved in another one, The Mysterious Caravan.
Chet put an arm around his little friend. “We must leave. But we have a surprise for you. Frank and Joe have decided that part of their fee rightfully belongs to you because of your help!”
Kim-Kim’s eyes lit up. “Me good detective!”
“A friend of ours,” Chet went on, “will come to Hong Kong so
on for the big chess championship. His name is Conrad Greene. He’ll give you your reward. You just tell Captain Hawkins where he can get in touch with you.”
“Speaking about the chess match,” Joe said, “now that all the pressure is off, Conrad might win it, and with it the Ruby King!”
“And old Mr. Greene won’t have to worry any more,” Frank added with a smile. “The King was buried not by its owner, but by Fong’s men. The curse is lifted!”