The Incident At Skull Crossing By Caitlyn N. Kratts

The Ocean waters were blue and beautiful as the Napoli and the Sleuth set out at sea with its passengers, Frank and Joe Hardy, two detective boys with a detective father named Fenton Hardy, Iola Morton, and Callie Shaw on the Sleuth and Chet Morton, Biff Hooper, and Tony Prito on the Napoli.  A day out in the ocean was a perfect way to spend one of the first days of summer.  They looked back at Bayport as the boats pulled away from the dock.  The sun was out and made everything you touched on the boat steaming hot.  Little Bayport grew smaller and smaller every time someone looked back at it.  Finally, when they were far out in the ocean Chet Morton replied over the roaring waves, “When are we going to eat?”  The question was not unusual for Chet Morton.  He was always hungry.   Chet had insisted on bringing a cooler full of food on the trip.  Iola and Callie helped Chet pass out the sandwiches and water bottles over the two boats.  “So how far are we going out?” Biff Hooper asked.    “A little bit further.  I think a storm is coming.  We want to back before the storm hits so that we don’t get caught in it.” Frank Hardy replied.  The sky was starting to turn dark.  Clouds were drifting slowly in over the entire ocean.  Everyone was finished eating when a loud clap of thunder shock the earth around them.  The waves shook the boats violently.  Rain started to pour and lightning colored the sky.  “Hold on to sides!” Joe Hardy shouted over the violent storm.  With one flash of lightning, the Napoli was hit.  Flames erupted and Chet, Biff, and Tony jumped in the water to save themselves.  The boys pulled themselves onto the Sleuth and Frank started the motor.  The boat went sailing through the waves.  Finally, after an hour or so, the storm gave in the water was calm again.  “Good thing the storm is over.” Callie replied.  The Motor was working perfectly until it gave a loud wheeze and the boat stopped in its tracks.  “The motor died.  Looks like we will have to just wait until we see an island.  We will just direct the boat by trying to row it with our hands.” Frank said.  After drifting around for a little bit, Joe stood up.“Look!  An island!  Straight ahead!” He yelled.  In the distant, was an island with a skull carved out of stone.  They reached the island safely.  “This island scares me” Iola said clutching her purse tightly.  The island was foggy and full of trees.  “How are we going to get off this island?” Chet asked.  “I don’t know.  Could be days!” Frank replied.  They walked around for a little bit, trying to figure out what to do.   Then the sound of rushing water interrupted their thoughts.  They followed the noise up to a gigantic waterfall.  Joe looked down.  “Looks like a long fall.  Stay close.”  There was no way across the treacherous waterfall except an old, frail bridge over the top.  Frank led the way; followed by everyone else, taking gentle, steady steps in order to distract danger.  All of a sudden there was a loud crack and that signaled everyone to run the rest of the way.  As soon as they reached the other side the bridge collapsed.  Iola sighed in relief.  “Good thing we made it across! Or we would have fallen on all those pointed rocks at the bottom.” She said.  “I don’t think the pointed rocks would have been anything compared to other things that must live in the water.  I’m talking about Alligators and snakes and stuff like that!” Chet replied back to his sister.  Chet gasped and pulled out the cooler.“I just remembered!  I saved the cooler back when the Napoli burned down!  Now we can eat!  I’m starving!”  So everyone sat on the ground and ate some sandwiches and drank some water and then they set out to see if there was anything on the island that could get them back to Bayport; a boat or something.  Hours went by but they didn’t come across anything unusual.  Until they came across a sign.  It said in faded letters ‘Skull Crossing: Beware!  The curse of Stony eyed Sam is put anyone who has washed up on the shore.  Stony eyed Sam was a hanged pirate that still haunts these grounds.  Stay away if you know what is good for you! At the end of the sign, there was faded picture of skull.“Do you think it’s true?  The curse?” Callie asked.  She looked around at the others who just shrugged.“I have no clue if there is a curse or not.  All I know is that something strange is going on here and I want to know what.”  Frank started walking straight and the others followed.  That was when there was a loud noise back at the water.  They all looked and saw a big boat near by.  They cheered.  “We’re saved!” Iola squealed.  “Hooray!” shouted Callie.“Yes!” yelled Chet.  That was when they heard voices.  “Come on!  We need to get the rubies up to the hideout!” said a female voice.“I’m hurrying, I’m hurrying!” Said a male.  Behind the tree, you could make out a man black hair slicked back and pencil-thin mustache and a lady with blonde hair and blood-red lipstick.  “Wait” the lady stopped dead in her tracks. “I heard something”“Probably just the wind or an animal.” The man replied to her.  “No.  I heard voices.”  Frank, Joe, Iola, Callie, Chet, Tony, and Biff ducked behind a bush.  The woman walked forward.  Frank and Joe stood up.“We’re Frank and Joe Hardy, sons of the great detective, Fenton Hardy.”  Frank told them.  The woman sneered but then her face went pale.  “And Fenton Hardy would be me” someone replied behind Frank and Joe.  They turned around to see their father standing behind them.“Take them away guys.”  Chief Collig, the chief of police and Oscar Smuff, followed by other police men took the two bad guys away.  “How did you find us, Mr. Hardy?” Biff asked.  “I was on a case here when I saw the Sleuth out on shore so I decided to investigate the island.  We were here to capture the two crooks, Rufus McGready and Delilah Gabs.  And it looks like you kids found them first!”  Everyone went home on the boat and Rufus and Delilah went to jail.  A big party was thrown at the Hardy’s house for the kids were all back safely.                                         The End