spot where Bud had disappeared, there came a loud splash! The light

?" the trooper sn

the elderly man snapped

ushed to the spot. "And not even covere

t the lid's gone. Didn't expect to have a bu

e shone his flashlight into the well-shaft. Bud was spla

hand!" he

o touch Bud's finger tips. To make matters wors

he trooper orde

t got

d up to his full six-foot-two.

ng that the trooper's patience might have b

rope or something else to

later he returned with a length of clothesline. The trooper lowered it i

apologetically. "Guess

own fault for not watching where I was going. Besides, you can't bl

wary eye at the trooper. "I'll go get y

tate trooper. The owner, a paunchy unshaven bachelor named Pete Latty

ion of junk. Most of it was covered with dust, but Tom noticed a large packing crate that l

doing?" Latty

second later his eyes widened as he saw a

his discovery. "Where does this lead to?"

ug. "I didn't think it was worth mentioning. You'd better n

e'll take a look,

your own risk!"

ow dirt-walled room below was about six feet square. On the floor, at the

aulin to see what was inside. The contents made him gas

d Latty peering down at him-the trooper openm

ed. I keep 'em hidden for safety, but sometimes

ng the guns. He pulled it out. His heart gave a leap of exci

ame aloud and added casually, "What'

t's right," t

he bent down to drop the trap door, Tom flashed the

t to handcuff him, the man's face turned pasty white. He pulled free from the trooper's grasp

hopeless. Tom quickly brought

e you don't know it," the young inventory said coldly, "your fri

th the cops or I'd never have done it," he quavered. "Narko offered me some doug

ou known this Na

lieve me, I'd never laid eyes on him before.

fficer, let's take him in," Tom said. To the still

office at Shopton police headquarters. Captain R

d. "They examined his house, the garage, two sheds out back, and every inch of the grounds. But there's no

onfirmation. "So that c

oned their search of the Shopton area without turning up any in

hat his men would continue

," Slater added. "The country owes you a vote of thanks, Tom. A bunch of

in Rock agreed. "It was

. Bud borrowed clean clothes from Tom. Then they sat down to enj

on the radio, interspersed with eager qu

n. "We interrupt this broadcast to b