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telephone number of the hotel and their room numbers.
    â€œHave you found Vern’s nickel?” Aunt Gertrude asked.
    â€œWe haven’t had time to look yet,” Frank said. “Maybe we’ll get to it this afternoon.”
    â€œAll right. I’m glad that this time it’s just a simple mystery, and you’re not involved with criminals.”
    â€œYes, Aunt Gertrude. Say hello to Mom.”
    When Frank hung up, Joe raised his eyebrows. “Dad isn’t there?”
    â€œNo. He’s on some kind of secret mission. I wish we’d been able to talk to him, so we could discuss our next move. ”
    â€œThat’s simple,” Chet said. “We call the police and tell them about that warehouse.”
    â€œThat may not be a good idea just yet. If they raid the place, all they’ll get is the small fry. We want the kingpin of the operation!”
    â€œMaybe it’s Big Harry,” Chet said.
    â€œI doubt it.”
    â€œSo how do we get the chief?” Vern asked.
    â€œWe could stake the place out and photograph everyone who goes in or out with our pocket cameras,” Joe suggested.
    â€œGood idea,” Frank agreed. “The big boss is bound to show up eventually and when he does, we’ll have some real evidence to turn over to the police. ”
    All four agreed that this was the best plan. They decided to watch the warehouse in shifts. Frank and Chet were to take the first one, while Joe and Vern would check up on the Liberty Head nickel. They all drove to the warehouse and parked a block away. Getting out of the car, the boys scouted the area.
    No one was in sight as they approached the front of the building. A number of empty wooden crates and cardboard boxes were piled near the entrance. While the others kept watch, Frank picked out a large shipping carton that had contained a refrigerator. He used his pocketknife to make a door in the back of it, cutting only the top, bottom, and left side, and then bent the right side so that the door could be opened and closed. He set a small wooden crate into the carton to serve as a seat, then put a hole at eye level.
    â€œThis’ll make a great ‘guard house’ for me in front,” he declared, turning to his friends. “Now let’s find a place for Chet to hide in back of the building. ”
    They began walking toward the alley to pick a safe spot when suddenly Frank, who was in the lead, motioned for everyone to move out of sight. Big Harry was parking behind the warehouse. The sedan’s radiator was caked with dried mud, but none of the occupants seemed to have been injured in the accident. They all got out and went into the building.
    Frank watched them, gingerly peeking around the corner.
    â€œWhat’s going on?” Joe whispered.
    â€œNothing now,” Frank said. He moved forward and motioned for the others to follow him. “The hoods who chased us just got back and went inside. None of them seemed to be hurt.”
    As they neared the sedan, Vern said, “Those guys must have had a tow truck rescue them. They couldn’t have backed out on their own. They were nose-first in that mud bank.”
    There was a small shed right across from the rear door of the warehouse on the other side of the alley. They found it unlocked and went in. It was empty. A dirt-encrusted window faced the building. When Chet scraped clean a spot about the size of a silver dollar, he had a perfect view of the door.
    Handing him his pocket camera, Joe said, “Snap pictures of everyone going in or out. Okay?”
    â€œWhen are you guys coming to relieve us?” Chet asked.
    â€œSoon as Vern and I finish our business,” Joe told him. “Shouldn’t be later than one o‘clock.”
    â€œYou mean we have to wait until then for lunch?”
    â€œIt’s not going to hurt you,” Vern chided him.
    Chet grimaced. “You skinny guys can talk, but it takes sustenance