Boy's Cinema (1939-40)

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Every Tuesday "Terry," she said tremulously, "I'll be afraid for yoiu* safety every moment of evei'y day as long as Boroff and his Rang are at large. Surely there must be some way of tracking him down and smashing the organisation that he's running." The Coast Guard lieutenant addressed her in a reassuring tone. "Don't worry about me, Jean," he told her. " I can look after myself. And as for tracking down Boroff—well, I've got a hunch that I intend to play." He paused and leaned closer to her. " I didn't have much chance to carry out a searching investigation of the Carfax's hold," he went on. "But one thing I learned. I learned that most of the cargo had been looted from that hold, and, though I've nothing definite to go on, it's occurred to me that the old kelp plant a little to the north of the point where the Carfax went down would make a handy lay-out for anybody who was interested in salvaging the freight from the wrecked steamer." •You mean that kelp plant not far from Pier-Port?" Snapper McGee queried. "Yes, the kelp plant not far- from Pier- Port," Terry breathed, directing a shrewd glance at the Pi-ess photographer. "And that's significant, too—^considering it was at Pier-Port I met up with those three rats who were in charge of that shipment of distintegration gas." "But, Terry," Jean interposed, "that kelp plant's been deserted for years, hasn't it?" The revenue officer shook his head. "No," he replied. "Someone by the name of Anderson took it over recently, I understand, and started up in business manufacturing iodine from seaweed. But —I wonder whether it really is iodine that's being made there." There was a silence, and then Snapper spoke again. "Say, I'm gonna take a few shots of that kelp plant," he announced. " Til have a whole set of pictures ready for the ' Chronicle,' in case a story breaks." Jean rounded on him. "Oh, no, you won't," she declared firmly. "If Boroff's gang does happen to be established there, you don't want to make them suspicious, do you? And you can bet they would be suspicious if they saw you hanging around with your camera It was at that juncture that she was interi-upted by Terry. There was a thoughtful expression on the Coast Guard lieutenant's handsome countenance. "Wait a minute, Jean," he said. "I think Snapper's hit on a smart idea with- out realising it. Listen, suppose you ring up that kelp plant and ask for an inter- view, on the pretext that you're writing up a feature article for your paper?" The girl frowned. "What good would that do?" she mur- mured. "If youi- request is turned down," was Terry's response, "then we'll have a pretty good notion that there's something phoney about the plant—something this fellow Anderson doesn't want strangers to know about." "And if I'm granted an interview?" Jean asked. " If you're granted an interview there still may be something phoney about that kelp plant," Terry stated, "and Snapper and I will go along with you and give the place the once-over. Snapper can take pictures while I'm nosing around. You can explain my presence by mentioning that I'm off duty and decided to keep you company on your assignment." THE INTERVIEW ABOUT the time that Terry Kent was proposing to Jean Norman that she should ring up the kelp plant near Pier- 0 I Port, a group of men were holding a con- *" ference in an office which was located in that manufactory. One of those men was Boroff, alias Anderson, and with him were his assistant chemist Rackerby, Krohn the Morovanian BOY'S CINEMA agent, Thorg, Dcgado, and a thin-lipped, slit-cycd individual known at Sloan. While Thorg stood mutely in the back- gixjund, the others were discussing the incidents which had occurred earlier on in the vicinity of the reef that the Carfax had fouled. For a full report on those incidents had been made by Degado and Thorg, the lattcr's account of his struggle with Terry having necessarily been com- municated in dumb-show since he lacked the faculty of speech. " Well, the bulk of the arnatite that the Carfax was carrying is now safely in our possession, at any rate," Boroff was saying. "But it is a pity Kent survived Thorg's attack. You are sure, Degado, that he did survive?" "" Positive," was the reply. " We saw his men haul him aboard the cutter. We were lyin' low behind the crest of the reef at the time. Then we sneaked back into the cabin-launch, and when the cutter had sheered off and was out of earshot we started up the motor and headed for home." Boroff pursed his lips. "And Kent didn't bring up any of the arnatite with him?" he interrogated. "No," Degado rejoined, "but he must have seen that a wliole lot of cargo was missin' from the Carfax' after-hold. In other words, he must be wise to the fact that somelMDdy's been salvagin' " He was interrupted just then by the ringing of a phone on a desk near by, and, signing to his associates to keep quiet, Boroff turned to the instrument, picked up the receiver and spoke into the mouth- piece inquiringly. His confederates noted that he was care- ful to affect a disguised voice which had no resemblance to his normal tone. Nor did he lapse into his usual manner of sp)eech during the conversation that en- sued, and from this circumstance the other men in the room gathered that the person at the other end of the wire was 19 not a member of his organisation. But they had no idea as to who that penon might bo, and gleaned little or nothing from Boroff's remarks—until the rogne made a statement that not only served to enlighten them, but .sent a shock of alarm through them. "Believe me. Miss Norman," Boroff said, talking suavely into the phone, "I .shall be delighted to co-operate with the Press, and you may rest assured that you and your friends will be very welcome here." With that he hung up the receiver and turned to his awe-stricken accomplices, and as he did so Rackerby stumbled cloee to him. "Newspaper reporters?" the assistant chemist blurted in scared accents. "Com- ing here?" Boroff eyed him complacently. "Our attractive acquaintance. Miss Jean Norman, of the ' Chronicle,' is anxious to write an article on the extraction of iodine from kelp," he explained. "She asked for an interview, and mentioned that she would like to bring a Press photographer along with her—and also her fiance." "Kent?" Degado ejaculated. Boroff glanced at him and nodded. "Yes—Kent, Degado." "And you told that girl she would be welcome?" Krohn struck in, gaping at him. "Boroff, are you mad?" "Not at all." came the response. "What would you have had me do? Refuse her request, and risk arousing saspicion? After all, we are supposed to be engaged in a straightforward and honest enterprise here " Rackerby interrupted him. "But the arnatite!" he cried. "It's in the laboratory—stacked in those boxes that were brought up from the Carfax. Once Kent sets eyes on them " Boroff silenced him with a gesture. 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