Indy at the other end of the store cried out Mr Hollister Th e others raced to where Indy stood beside a table on which was a sign reading PROSPECTORS MA TERIAL Two of our best Geiger counters are missing the Indian said Mr Hollister whistled softly Geiger counters picks and axes he said It looks as if some would-be uranium prospectors helped themselves Shall I call the police Dad Pete asked Yes son Have Offi cer Cal come right away if he can Pete hurried to the offi ce telephone and dialed the police department He asked for Offi cer Cal a young policeman who had helped the Hollisters solve other mysteries since they had moved to Shoreham Th e lieu tenant who answered informed Pete that Offi cer Cal was touring the town in a prowl car Our Trading Post has been robbed Pete said I’ll send Cal over right away was the answer Th e children waited anxiously In a few moments a police car pulled up in front of the store and a good looking offi cer stepped out Hurrying into the store he said Th e lieutenant contacted me by radio You say you’ve been robbed Th at’s too bad Some valuable articles were taken Pete told him After hearing the story Offi cer Cal said Th is looks like the job of two people He began an examination of the premises First he looked at the front door lock Th is is strange he said It hasn’t been forced Th e thief used a key you mean Pete asked 11
Apparently came the reply But how they found one to fi t is a mystery After learning what articles were missing the po liceman stepped inside his car and radioed headquar ters He reported the robbery then added Send over our fi ngerprint expert What can we do to help Pam asked as Offi cer Cal returned to the store He suggested that they question local merchants who had opened their shops earlier that morning Ask them if they saw any suspicious-looking characters prowling around Pete and Pam eagerly took up the assignment Let’s try the service station Pete said It opens early Before they reached the gas pumps at the next cor ner they noticed two boys walking toward them Ugh Joey Brill and Will Wilson Pam remarked Joey a frowning boy of Pete’s age but larger con tinually made trouble for the Hollisters Will Wilson his friend also played mean tricks whenever he saw the chance As the two boys approached Joey cried out I just heard you reported a burglary at your place He smirked What’s the big idea of making up a story about a fake robbery It was no fake Pam said indignantly and Pete doubled up his fi sts His sister nudged him and whis pered Don’t fi ght Maybe Joey and Will can help us Pete got the hint Were you fellows around here early this morning 12
passed your store on our bikes unusual store door We did go fi shing about six Joey remarked We Pete asked the boys if they had seen anything Oh sure Joey continued A man standing by your Are you certain Pam asked excitedly Of course Will added We thought this fellow looked suspicious Joey went on so we trailed him Where did he go Into a house at 16 Walnut Street Joey answered He went in and didn’t come out Th anks Joey Pete said He and his sister hurried off Walnut Street lay at the fringe of the business dis trict and was not far away Here’s Walnut Street Pete said as they turned a corner And there’s number 16 across the road Th e children ran up the steps and rang the doorbell A little old lady with gray hair and a sweet face who held a cat under each arm answered After the chil dren had introduced themselves Pete said We’re look ing for a man who came in here around six o’clock this morning Th e old lady’s eyes widened Came in here she exclaimed Th at’s what we were told Pete said Goodness oh dear the woman said wringing her hands It must have been a burglar I’ll go call the police 13
