by Roy J. Snell
CHAPTER III THE HITCH-HIKER
Just as Florence was speaking, she and Jo Ann saw the car that had beenfollowing whiz by them with only the two men in civilian clothes in it.
"Oh, there goes the mystery man!" Jo Ann exclaimed. "He's going theLaredo road. I wish I could follow and see if anything happens to him."
Miss Prudence spoke up quickly: "We're not going to follow anybody who'sexpecting to be murdered any minute. We'd better go the Brownsville road.Back to that filling station and ask if the road's good."
Jo Ann obediently backed the car to the filling station, though a queerfeeling now possessed her that she ought to have kept on the Laredo road."I can't help feeling as worried over that man as if I'd known him for along time," she told herself. "I wonder if I'll ever see him again."
By this time Miss Prudence was talking to the service-station man aboutthe road.
"I think the road's okay, but"--he nodded toward a man in uniform--"he'llknow. He's a coast guard and goes back and forth often that way. He'swaiting to catch a ride to Brownsville now."
Miss Prudence inspected the tall blond young man closely, then remarkedlow-voiced, "It might be a good idea to have him go with us: coast guardsare used to protecting people."
"I hope she asks him to ride with us," Jo Ann whispered to Florence. "Hemight know about the mystery man, since he's been riding in the car withhim."
The next moment Miss Prudence gestured to the coast guard, who promptlyhurried over to the car and in answer to her questions began praising theroad and the beauty of the valley.
"Californians could learn how to boost higher and better from him," JoAnn thought, smiling. "Miss Prudence'll be sure to go now."
She was right. Miss Prudence promptly decided to go to Brownsville andasked the coast guard to accompany them. To make room for him on thefront seat, she ordered Carlitos and Florence to exchange places.
"You're the sandwich filling now," Jo Ann laughingly told Carlitos, as heslipped in beside her.
Carlitos smiled doubtfully. From the expression on her face he knew shemust be joking, but he could not understand the point.
After she had explained it to him, she told the curious coast guardbriefly how it was that Carlitos, though an American by birth, was justbeginning to speak English. The guard, proud of his newly learnedSpanish, began talking in that language to Carlitos, much to his joy andto Miss Prudence's disapproval.
At the first break in their conversation Jo Ann quickly recounted to theguard the strange telephone conversation she had overheard in the hoteland ended tentatively, "I believe that man I overheard was one of thosemen whose car you were in."
"You're probably right," the guard replied. "I'd never seen either ofthose men before they picked me up, but they told me they'd been chasingsome smugglers who'd been bringing in dope and gold across the Mexicanborder. I shouldn't like to be in those men's shoes. Those smugglersbelong to a desperate gang who're as cold-blooded as snakes. They'd assoon kill anyone as not."
"With as many officers as we have, it looks as if they could stop thatsmuggling," Jo Ann replied.
The guard shook his head. "Easier said than done. When we get toBrownsville, I'll show you just one of the smugglers' many tricks--howsome of the boldest bring dope and gold across the bridge there, closelyguarded as it is. Smugglers have whole bags of such tricks."
"Be sure to show us that. It'll be interesting to find out first handabout smugglers."
Though it was dark when they reached Brownsville, Jo Ann reminded theguard of his promise as he was about to get out of the car near theInternational Bridge.
"Sure, I'll show you if you want to see," he answered. "It's black aspitch under the bridge now, and you'll get a better idea of how thesmuggling's done."
Jo Ann turned to Miss Prudence and rapidly explained that the guard wasgoing to show them how some of the smuggling was carried on across theborder.
Miss Prudence raised her eyebrows in disapproval. "I hardly think yougirls need any information along such lines. Of course, it's probably alittle interesting--in a way--to see how smuggling could be carried onright under our custom officials' noses, but----"
Jo Ann smiled to herself. Miss Prudence was as curious to know aboutsmuggling methods as she was. "She'll consent--after she objects awhile."
Jo Ann was right. Finally, after protesting a few more minutes, MissPrudence gave her permission, and all five followed the guard below thebridge. Blinded by the sudden change from the lighted street, theystumbled along in the darkness, half terrified at their daring.
"The river's very low now," the guard explained. "Anyone can manage tocrawl down the bank and get out a long way under the bridge and hide.Just before the smuggler, coming from the Mexican side, nears theappointed place, he whistles his signal to his confederate waiting underthe bridge, then tosses his package over the railing to him."
"There might be some of those smugglers here this very instant," MissPrudence whispered nervously. "Let's go back."
"They might think we're spying on them and shoot us," added Peggy.
Jo Ann heard the amused note in the guard's voice as he answered, "Therewon't be any smuggling going on this early in the evening."
"But it's pitch dark," Miss Prudence put in.
"And terribly scary," added Florence, grabbing Jo Ann by the arm. "Comeon."
Even though Jo Ann was reluctant to leave this fascinating spot, she toofelt more comfortable when they climbed back up the bank and out on thelighted sidewalk again. Her thoughts centered once more on the mysteryman whose work kept his life endangered by smugglers.
"I hope he breaks up that gang of smugglers without losing his life," shetold herself.
After they had said good-by to the coast guard, they went to the nearesthotel.
"The first thing we've got to do now," Jo Ann said while they were beingwhisked up in the elevator, "is to phone Lucile and tell her we're here."
"She'll be sure to invite us to her house to dinner tonight," put inPeggy, her eyes shining with anticipation.
"Won't it be nice to be together again?" added Florence.
As soon as Jo Ann had succeeded in getting Lucile on the telephone, Peggyand Florence listened eagerly to the one-sided conversation and tried toguess the other side.
Lucile's eager voice came back quickly in answer to Jo Ann with aninvitation for all five to spend the night at her home. "You've arrivedat the right moment," she went on. "Edna is visiting me and I'm having alittle dinner party for her tonight."
Jo Ann refused the first part of the invitation, explaining that they hadalready secured their rooms at the hotel. "We'll be delighted to come toyour dinner party, though," she added.
Miss Prudence broke in quickly with an emphatic, "Tell her it'll beimpossible for me and Carlitos to come. I'm too tired to go another stepanywhere. If they'll come after you girls and bring you back, it'll beall right for you to go without me."
Jo Ann relayed this message to Lucile, ending, "We'll be ready when youget here."
