must have been scared off by the noise, Frank thought, because I donât see or hear another living creature out here. âMaybe we should check in with Dad,â he whispered to his brother.
âGood idea,â Joe said, âassuming he hasnât fallen back to sleep.â Joe switched on the CB, adjusting the gain to cut down the hiss. As he was about to transmit, a manâs voice cut in on the channel.
âYou headinâ out?â the voice said.
After a pause, a second voice said, âRoger that. The jobâs done, and we got a good one. Think Iâll take the rest of the night off.â
âOkay,â the first voice said. âCatch you at the place.â
âRoger that,â the second voice said. âOut.â
Joe waited a few seconds to see if there would be any more talk, then turned the radio off. âAre you thinking what Iâm thinking?â he asked his brother.
âYou mean, maybe those were the voices of the cactus thieves?â Frank said.
âThatâs exactly what I was thinking.â
âWhat channel was that?â Frank asked.
âChannel ten,â Joe said. âLetâs remember it.â
When they returned to the motor home a few minutes later, they filled Fenton in on their late-nighthike and told him what theyâd heard over the CB.
He suggested they not jump to conclusions about whether the voices had come from the cactus thieves. âIâm sure lots of truckers go up and down the highway through the park,â he said, âor it could have been local workers heading home from their jobs. Weâll tell Grish about it tomorrow.â
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After breakfast the next morning they drove to the head rangerâs office and let themselves in. Grish was talking to a man who looked like a real live cowboy. He was tall and wiry, and wore a broad-brimmed ten-gallon hat. Joe noticed that his face was deeply lined from years in the sun.
Grish waved to them as he finished his conversation with the cowboy. âIâm usually here in the office until six or seven,â he said to the man, âalthough the sign says we close at five. We need to work together to keep those cattle of yours out of the park.â
âYouâre right,â the man said. âWeâll have to see what we can do.â He nodded to the Hardys as he walked out.
After the man was gone, Grish said, âGood morning. I trust you all slept well?â
âIt was okay,â Fenton said. âA lot of coyote howling, just as you said.â
âDidnât I tell you?â Grish said. âFor me itâs like a lullaby. I drop off to sleep almost as soon as I hearit. So are you ready to check out some of our scenic wonders?â
âNot yet,â Frank said. âWe need to tell you that our next-door neighbor, Professor Townsend, may have something to hide.â
Grish grew serious. âWhat do you mean?â
Frank told him about their encounter with Townsend and how the professor had gotten rid of the cactus limb.
Grish nodded. âHmm,â he said. âI guess I need to have a talk with him.â
âHeâs at his campsite now,â Joe said, âbut I think he and his daughter are getting ready to go somewhere. They were putting some things in their truck when we left.â
Grish stood up. âIâd better move on this, then,â he said. âIâll have to meet with you later.â
âNo problem,â Joe said, thinking heâd tell the ranger about the previous nightâs activities when he next saw him. He and Frank and Fenton got into the car and went back to the campground. They were waiting at the picnic table when Grish arrived. Professor Townsend, with Diane seated beside him, was backing the truck out of the parking space.
Grish jumped out of his truck and held up a hand for Townsend to stop. Townsend rolled down his window.
Carolyn Keene, Franklin W. Dixon