The Mystery of the Aztec Warrior (6 page)

“I remember the men you speak of,” she said with a smile, straightening the many-colored apron she wore. “The man from your country bought a handsome bracelet from me—a man's bracelet. It was studded with turquoise—a great bargain.”

The young sleuths were grateful for the information. To show their appreciation they bought two bracelets that looked old enough to have been worn by Aztec women. Their mother and Aunt Gertrude, they decided, would be pleased to receive them as souvenir gifts.

Suddenly the Mexican woman's face clouded. “The American was a very nice man, but I did not like his companion. He had a wicked face and I saw him buy a large knife.”

The Hardys were startled and asked for further identification. She said he was short and rather stout. The brothers again thanked the woman. Feeling that they now had a clue for the police, they started back to their taxi.

Suddenly the woman called out, “When you find your friend, I hope you will not laugh at him. He put the bracelet on his arm and said he was going to wear it all the time.”

The Hardys figured that Jack was using the bracelet as identification in case the Hardys should pick up his trail.

“Did you notice which way the men went from here?” Joe asked.

“No. I'm sorry.”

The taximan drove them to headquarters where they dismissed him. Chief Diaz was surprised to see his visitors so soon again and commended them on their sleuthing ability.

“That turquoise bracelet is a fine clue,” he said.

The boys returned to their hotel. To their surprise Chet was not in the room, but propped against the mirror of the bureau was a note:

“Mystery solved. Have gone to get the Aztec warrior. Will bring him to our room.”

“IF Chet Morton can prove to me that he has found the Aztec warrior,” said Joe, pacing the floor of his hotel room, “I'll give him a big fat five-dollar bill!”

Frank was staring out the window. “It would be worth a lot more. I just can't believe it!”

The brothers speculated excitedly about their pal's discovery. They did not dare leave the room for fear Chet might return, and they most certainly wanted to be on hand if the mystery had been solved!

Nearly an hour went by when a soft tap came on the door. Both brothers ran to open it. As they swung the door wide, Frank and Joe stared in disbelief.

The figure strode into the room. As the light from the window fell on him, Frank and Joe's amazement turned to hilarity. They burst into guffaws of laughter, spun in half circles, and dropped onto the bed.

“Chet Morton, you loon!” Frank exclaimed. “Where did you get that outfit?”

“I guess we deserve having a joke played on us.” Joe chuckled.

Chet Morton did not even smile. He stood looking at his chums with a hurt expression on his face. “This isn't funny,” he said. “I figured the best way to get a lead on the living Aztec warrior was to wear this costume in the street and attract attention. Everybody will be asking questions and then we can ask some in return.”

“You're likely to be taken to the funny farm,” said Joe.

Slowly Chet removed the helmet. As he laid it on the bureau, he said, “I guess you fellows don't like my idea, and I thought it was such a good one. You don't know what a hard time I had finding a costume store that was open and carried this getup. And I paid a whole week's rental on it!” he added woefully.

“That's too bad,” said Frank, grinning. “Maybe you ought to buy the costume and take it home. It sure would make a hit in Bayport.”

“Okay. I will.”

The stout boy was saved from further needling by the ringing of the telephone. Frank answered and learned that the call was from police headquarters. “Can you come right down?” Chief Diaz asked. “Your friend Jack Wayne is here.”

“Really!” Frank exclaimed. “That's great. We'll be there pronto.”

When he reported the news to the other boys, they were astounded. Joe remarked, “Mighty efficient police force, I'd say!”

The Hardys helped Chet out of his costume, then the trio raced downstairs to the hotel entrance. Frank flagged a taxi and soon they were hurrying into police headquarters.

“Jack!” the Hardys cried out joyfully upon seeing the pilot.

There were hearty handshakes, then Frank and Joe asked for the full story of the kidnapping and release.

Their lean, tanned friend looked haggard but produced a broad grin. Pointing to the silver-and-turquoise bracelet on his arm, he said, “This did it. If you fellows hadn't uncovered the clue, I might still be the prisoner of those lowdown weasels! The police quizzed people who saw me wearing it and trailed me to the house where I was tied up.

“Nobody else was there and those crooks haven't been captured yet. The only one whose face I ever saw was the man who climbed into your father's plane at the Bayport airfield, poked a gun into my ribs, and ordered me to take off. I didn't have any choice, but I was sure you Hardys would trail us.”

As Jack Wayne paused, Frank said, “It's a lucky thing we saw your handkerchief signal this morning.”

“Yes. My abductors threatened to harm me if I tried to escape, so I used that method to warn you that you were being followed.”

While the chief took a phone call, the pilot added in a whisper, “The gang is after the Aztec warrior object, and my kidnapper tried to find out from me where it is. He said it's worth a fortune.”

When the chief finished his call, Jack went on, “The kidnapper—I never did learn his name—directed me to land on a field at an abandoned farm outside this city. A group of masked men met us and put me in a car. Then we came into the city, and I was forced into a house. There I was made to answer a lot of questions about you Hardys. I probably shouldn't have bragged that I knew you would come after me.

“Then, the hijacker took me out to a taxi, and we drove to the big airport to watch you come in. We kept you in sight to find out where you were going. Suddenly the traffic forced us to pass your taxi. I decided to try that handkerchief signal to alert you.”

“It did,” said Joe. “And that man with a badge who jumped into our taxi—we thought at first he was a detective—probably intended to kidnap us too.”

“I know about him,” said Jack. “He's one of the gang. He was in another taxi. As soon as he saw my warning signal to you, he got out of his taxi and stopped your driver. I was looking back and sure was glad when I saw you fellows hop out.”

“Why were you taken to the Lagunilla Market?” Joe asked.

“So you wouldn't be able to pick up our trail and find out where I was being held,” the pilot replied. “The men thought you'd probably quiz our driver, so we changed taxis at the Lagunilla Market. While we were there, the kidnapper purchased one of the wickedest-looking knives I've ever seen.

“I managed to persuade him to let me buy the bracelet. I wore it, hoping you fellows could trace me.” Jack gave a broad grin. “And you did, thank goodness!”

Chet, who had been silent up to this time, reminded the pilot that he had said he knew only his kidnapper. “Would you recognize the man who got in our taxi if you saw him again?”

“I couldn't see his face,” said Jack. “By the way, the hijacker told me he had tried to break into Mr. Moore's home, but that you'd stopped him.”

“We didn't get a very good look at him,” said Frank. “He's short and dark. What else can you tell us about him?”

“The outstanding thing about him is that his teeth are quite crooked and overlapping.”

The Hardys and Chet further learned that a man referred to as Jimenez seemed to be the leader of the group.

Chief Diaz spoke up. “He and his friends may be hard to capture. I feel sure none of them will return to the house where we found you, Señor Wayne. The gang probably had a lookout, and when we tracked you down, he no doubt warned those scoundrels and they got away in a hurry.”

The officer promised that his department would continue their search. In the meantime, if the pilot was ready, they would drive him to his plane, which the police had learned was still where it had been landed. “I understand you wish to get back to Bayport as soon as possible.”

“That's right,” Jack replied.

While the chief was making arrangements, the pilot whispered to the boys, “I'm sorry I couldn't find out more about the Aztec warrior—both the thing and the man.”

Frank spoke up, “Jack, you've done a great job and given us some important clues. It's too bad you had to be kidnapped in the process, but it sure is paying off.”

After Jack had left in the police car, the boys talked over what their next move should be. They decided to go at once to the University of Mexico and try to talk to someone connected with the archaeological department about Senor Tatloc. Since the buildings were some distance out of town, they took a taxi.

Along the way were beautiful new homes, most of them a delicate shade of pink concrete. All were set among rolling lawns and gardens of profuse, bright-colored flowers.

As the taxi drew near the university buildings, Chet leaned out the window and gaped in amazement. “Boy, look at that!” he exclaimed, gazing at the beautiful, intricate mosaic work which formed the walls of the huge library.

One side showed a gigantic figure—half of it representing the Indian background of Mexico, the other its Spanish influence.

At the administration building Frank asked the driver to stop while he went inside to inquire if he could see a staff member of the archaeological department. He was given directions to the nearby home of Professor Rincon. The boys found it and requested the taxi driver to wait for them.

Professor Rincon was a friendly, scholarly person who said he knew Senor Maxli Tatloc well, and identified him as one of the two men in the photographic prints. “I have not seen him in a long time, however. Tatloc is a very retiring person and moves often. I believe he has no permanent residence.

“Tatloc is greatly sought after but hard to find. He spends practically all his time at various ruins and has dug up some very interesting relics. It is strange, but he never bothers to deliver these himself either to government or private museums. He always sends them by messengers.”

Frank said the boys were eager to locate Tatloc. “But evidently we'll have a hard time doing it,” he said, smiling.

“I'm afraid so,” said the professor, “because there are not only the well-known ruins but also many still to be unearthed.”

“Thank you very much,” said Joe. “I guess we'd better get started on our hunt.”

Professor Rincon wished the boys luck. “If you find Señor Tatloc, please give him my best regards and tell him I should like him to speak before some of my classes.”

The three boys went back to their waiting taxi. Frank looked at his wristwatch. “Too late to see any ruins today,” he remarked with a sigh, “but tomorrow let's hire a car and go to the closest ruin, Teotihuacan.”

“Isn't that the place where Mr. Moore took a picture of his friend in costume?” Chet asked.

“Yes.”

The Hardys and Chet spent the evening studying the various pictures they had brought and a list of all ruins which were accessible by car.

“If we don't have any luck, we'll try the less accessible ones later,” Joe said.

Chet was particularly interested in the Teotihuacan ruins, originally the religious center of the Toltecs and later invaded by the Aztecs.

“This Pyramid of the Sun sure looks high,” he remarked. “You fellows aren't going to make me climb to the top of that to hunt for a clue to Senor Tatloc, are you?”

The Hardys grinned, and Joe said, “I promise it'll take a few pounds off you. But then, I'm not sure you could get to the top without puffing to death.”

“Listen, I have more extra wind in my lungs than anybody on the Bayport High football team,” Chet declared.

“You're absolutely right,” said Frank. “And that's why you're elected to climb to the top first and tell us if there's anything worth going up there to look at!”

Chet retaliated by picking up a pillow and heaving it at Frank's head.

“So you want to get in practice, eh?” Joe asked. “Okay, here goes!”

For a few minutes pillows flew back and forth until Frank advised the boys to quit before the pillows burst and spread their contents all over the room. Shortly afterward, they went to bed.

Directly after breakfast Monday morning the three chums went to an automobile rental agency. They chose a convertible and headed for Teotihuacan.

As it neared noontime, Chet smiled and smacked his lips. “Let's stop at the Grotto restaurant,” he suggested.

Frank turned off the road and went to the famous restaurant in a mammoth cave. The Bay-porters found it to be a unique eating place, and thought of the time when some ancient Indian tribe had lived there.

Chet was about to order a second tamale when Frank cautioned him, “Remember, we have a long climb ahead.” Reluctantly, Chet changed his mind.

When the boys' car reached the area of the great four-sided pyramids with their hundreds of shallow steps, the three young visitors stared in wonder. The area was teeming with groups of diggers in various phases of uncovering further buried ruins.

“Wow!” Joe exclaimed. “We expected to find a ghost city—and instead it's crowded with archaeologists.”