The Mystery on the Mississippi

behind, they ran down the plank-straight into the arms of the authorities! They were immediately handcuffed and hustled aboard a waiting Coast Guard boat.
    Mr. Wheeler, Mr. Brandio, and the four boys took gentle charge of the two girls. They were so deeply affected that they couldn’t say a word. All they seemed to want to do was to touch Trixie and Honey, unbelievably still alive.
    “You’re safe!” Mr. Wheeler repeated over and over.
    For once, words failed Mart.
    “We’ve brought a doctor with us,” Mr. Brandio finally said. “Are the girls all right?” he asked the Coast Guard medical officer.
    “We’re... all... right, Daddy,” Honey said, tears of joy running down her cheeks. “It was awful, though! It was awful, Daddy. I fainted. Trixie was so much braver.” She collapsed in her father’s arms.
    “All they did was... tie... our... arms... and... legs... and put gags in our mouths... and leave us overnight that way,” Trixie said, her voice gaining strength.
    “All they did was what ?” Mart cried.
    White-faced, Jim declared in a cold voice, “Killing’s far too good for them!”
    “Even the electric chair!” Brian added grimly.
    “They should get that—at least!” Dan said sternly. “They kidnapped Trixie and Honey.”
    Trixie, trembling with relief at their miraculous rescue, asked, “How did you know where to look for us, Mr. Wheeler?”
    “It’s a long story, dear. Right now it must wait. I must be sure neither of you has been permanently harmed. Doctor?” Mr. Wheeler’s voice trembled as he waited for the doctor’s answer.
    “I can see no sign of serious harm,” the officer reported. “They are suffering from shock and from the pain of the tight bonds and gags. I’d like to take them to the hospital. Our boat is waiting out there.”
    “Not a hospital!” Trixie cried. Honey echoed the, cry. “All we want, Mr. Wheeler, is to go back to the motel, then take the plane home. I want to see my mom. So does Honey. We thought we’d never see them again in this world.”
    “We will do as you wish, dear,” Mr. Wheeler said gently, tears in his dark eyes. “That is, we will do almost as you wish. You must rest for a while in the hospital. Honey fainted, you know. Yesterday morning, you almost drowned. I shall have a difficult time explaining my negligence to your parents, Trixie, and to your mother, Honey. We’ll go home just as soon as we possibly can. I wish with all my heart that we had never come here.”
    Trixie, truly repentant, said quickly, “You don’t know how much I wish we never had gone in that car with Mr. and Mrs. Aguilera. You told me to leave it to the authorities. Can you ever forgive me? It was all my fault and not Honey’s at all.”
    “It was not all your fault,” Honey insisted. “You thought you were doing what the authorities wanted when Mrs. Aguilera gave you that phony note from Chief Ogilvie. Even then you suspected her. I was so dumb I thought she really liked us. If it’s anybody’s fault, it’s mine.”
    “Let’s not talk about faults right now,” Mr. Wheeler insisted. “I’m just so thankful that you two girls are safe. I say it again: I’m sorry I brought you out here.”
    At that, a listening Coast Guard seaman spoke. His voice was emphatic. “It’s a terrible thing that has happened to these girls. They’ve been frightened cruelly. Think, though, what it will mean to their country!”
    “Oh, were those people... that Pierre Lontard... really trying to steal plans from the airplane factories? Were they, Mr. Brandio?” Trixie asked.
    “Here’s the answer to that, miss,” the seaman answered. “Come over here, and I’ll show you!”
    The two girls walked haltingly across the deck. The seaman lifted a plank. There, packed as close together as possible, were guns—hundreds of guns!
    “Guns?” Trixie asked, awed. “What would anyone who was stealing space secrets want with so many guns?”
    Mr. Brandio answered. “This time this trio wasn’t after space secrets. It’s an even bigger thing you girls have helped to uncover. Those guns were meant to stir up trouble in South America! We believe there are thousands more like them cached up and down the Mississippi River. Those cryptograms will lead to other secret stores.”
    “Then that map really was important?” Trixie asked excitedly.
    “Important? It was the most important piece of paper the federal investigators have picked up in many years,” an officer