But it’s time we were getting home Emmy put in I’m afraid we couldn’t stay on the island more than a day That’s not long enough to solve a mystery she added with a smile even for my favorite detectives But we might find a clue for Gary Pam said Please let us try We certainly could use some help on the mystery said Mr Landon and Gary agreed The Hollisters turned pleading eyes on Indy All right he said but just for one night and one day Holly gave Indy a bear hug and the other children chorused excited thank-yous It’s not far from here Gary told them We can make Cliffport by sundown That’s where we get the ferry to the island While the other children chattered happily about the trip Sue wandered off to the far side of the room There she went up to a low perch on which sat a small owl Curious she moved closer almost touching it Then she put out a chubby finger and poked at the bird The owl toppled but only for a second As Sue cried out it spread its wings and flew around the room Oh It’s not stuffed the little girl exclaimed as the bird came to rest on her left shoulder The other Hollisters were startled but not Mr Landon or Gary That’s a tame screech owl the birdman said We call her Fluffy As he set the bird back on the perch he explained that he had found it injured on Wicket-ee-nock Island I think she fell out of the
Oh It’s not stuffed
nest he said I nursed her and fed her by hand That’s why she’s not afraid of you he added to Sue The little dark-haired girl reached out and petted the owl with one finger Indy watched her with a smile then turned to Gary We’d better be leaving Is your baggage ready Eagerly the boy led them to the next room where his things lay in a pile on the floor Besides suitcases and blankets his gear included a rope which he explained was for climbing steep rocky places and a bundle of long cardboard tubes tied together What are these Ricky asked Fireworks They’re flares replied Gary If a guller gets into a dangerous spot he uses those to signal for help They work like Roman candles Yikes exclaimed Ricky I wish I could fire one What’s this Gary asked Holly pointing to a large metal frame covered with net It looks like a big clam That’s a sea-gull trap Gary opened the halves of the clam all the way so that they met again back to back He secured them by fastening an attached metal rod across them You put this trap next to the nest he explained When the bird touches it the rod is released and half the net springs up and comes down over the gull Then we take him out How do you color him asked Holly You’d better wait and see us do it the boy said with a wink
the one-man police force in Cliffport carefully handed the sea gull over to Mr Landon man said While Gary Dale was putting his things into the well-loaded station wagon he told them that he had painted gulls on Wicket-ee-nock the year before The island’s owned by Cadwallader Clegg he said Who asked Ricky Cadwallader Clegg He’s a funny old fellow When all of Gary’s things were stowed away Pam As soon as he gets well I’ll turn him loose the I wish we could take Fluffy along Sue piped up I wish you could too replied Mr Landon with a smile The owl is strong enough now to forage for herself She really ought to be set free where I found her Oh said Holly we’d be glad to do it wouldn’t we Indy With a grin Indy agreed and Sue clapped her hands Mr Landon hurried inside and soon came out with the owl in a metal cage As he put it in the rear of the car he told Gary to bring the empty cage back The travelers said good-by and the station wagon started toward Cliffport A short time later Indy stopped at a roadside restaurant and they all had supper It was nearly sundown when they reached a road which led along the top of a steep cliff There’s Wicket-ee-nock declared Gary Across the gleaming water they could see the long dark
