“I’ve done all I can for Agent Sims,” Detective Kitimat said. “He’s pretty badly mauled, and he needs medical attention right away.”

  With the Hardy boys’ help, Agent Martin stood up. “Help me make a stretcher out of some of those stronger branches,” he said. “I’ll pull him back down the trail until we’re far enough away that a helicopter won’t be heard by our friends up there.”

  “We’ll go with you,” Joe said.

  “No, you won’t,” Agent Martin said. “We’re prepared for this.”

  “What do you mean?” Frank asked.

  “This mission has to be carried out,” Agent Martin said. “It’s up to the three of you to make sure it is.”

  Frank and Joe looked at each other and then at Detective Kitimat.

  “We can do it,” Frank assured Agent Martin. “We’ll make sure the Wilkersons get to Hidden Mountain, and we’ll make sure that the phony FBI agents don’t.”

  Agent Martin handed Frank an envelope. “If you aren’t able to separate them before you reach Hidden Mountain, then you’re to open this envelope and follow the instructions.”

  11 Saving the Wilkersons

  Using branches, Frank, Joe, and Detective Kitimat were able to put together a strong stretcher. They knew it would hold Agent Sims while Agent Martin pulled him far enough back through the forest that Agent Martin could radio for a helicopter and not be heard by the Wilkersons or the two phony FBI agents.

  “This thing is amazing,” Agent Martin said as they all helped lift Agent Sims onto it. “How did you do it?”

  “Native Americans used to use these when they were traveling too,” Joe told him. “Frank and I spent a summer learning how to make them.”

  “You learned well,” Agent Martin said.

  “Thanks,” the Hardys said.

  Frank and Joe loaded Agent Sims’s equipment onto the end of the bearer, then helped Agent Martin fasten himself to the front, so that he’d be using his body to pull it.

  “I know this mission is in good hands,” Agent Martin said. “I’m sure it’ll come to a successful conclusion.”

  “We won’t let you down,” Joe told him.

  “When you’ve captured those two phony agents, just radio in the helicopter using this number.” Agent Martin handed Detective Kitimat a piece of paper. “Our men are waiting at the airport in Dawson Creek and are ready to pick those two guys up.”

  Frank noticed that Agent Martin didn’t mention the envelope again. He’s probably hoping we won’t have to use the instructions inside, he decided.

  Within minutes Agent Martin was pulling his load back down the trail. The Hardys and Detective Kitimat waited until they could no longer hear them, then they returned to where they had left their gear and sat down.

  “We should probably try to get some sleep,” Detective Kitimat said, “but I’m wide awake and still a little nervous about that bear.”

  “So am I,” Joe said. “What if that tranquilizer doesn’t work?”

  “Well, while we’re waiting to see, I suggest that we finalize our plans to separate the phony agents from the Wilkersons,” Frank said. Joe nodded.

  For the next several minutes, they all sat together, mulling over all kinds of possible scenarios for what would take place in the next few hours.

  Finally Joe said, “I don’t see any other option except to rejoin those two phony FBI agents and pretend that we’ve been lost all this time, trying to find them.”

  “That was what I was thinking too,” Frank said. “I’ve racked my brain and can’t come up with any other great ideas.”

  Detective Kitimat didn’t say anything, but the boys could tell that he wasn’t quite sure that was a good idea.

  “We’ll be careful,” Joe told him. “Frank and I are pretty good actors.”

  “I just thought of something, Joe,” Frank said. “If we could get to Darren while they’re all asleep and tell him what’s going on, he could relay that to his parents. Then you and I could just pretend that we stumbled onto their camp and take it from there.”

  “That might work better, Frank,” Joe said. “That way we’d have the Wilkersons in on the plan right away.”

  “That’s what I was thinking,” Frank said.

  Detective Kitimat nodded. “I think that sounds much better. If, as you said, you don’t think those two phony FBI agents have any inkling that they’re being followed, then you just might be able to pull it off,” he said. “If you’re in camp with them, you’ll have a much better chance of separating them from the Wilkersons—then I can capture them and call in the FBI.”

  “We’ve got to keep them from reaching Hidden Mountain,” Joe said. “This is the only way I think we can do that.”

  Joe looked at his watch. “We have about three hours until dawn,” he said. “We should get started right away.”

  “I agree,” Frank said.

  The three of them stood up, put on their backpacks, and headed back down the trail toward where the boys were sure the Wilkersons and the phony FBI agents had stopped for the night.

  “We’ll have to use this penlight,” Frank said. “We can’t see without it.”

  “We’ll just have to hope that they think they’re home free and are not concerned that anybody else is in the woods,” Joe said. Suddenly he stopped. “I hadn’t really thought about this, Frank. I wonder what they think happened to us. They may be worried that we’ll show up.”

  “I think I read them right, Joe,” Frank said. “Those two aren’t concerned about anybody but themselves.”

  “They probably think you two are lost in the wilderness and have been eaten by bears by now,” Detective Kitimat said. “From your description of them, they don’t sound too bright.”

  “They’re not,” Joe said.

  For the next hour they used the penlight to help them see their way through the forest. Just as they got to the edge of the clearing of the camp, Frank turned it off.

  “Well, I guess this is where we leave you,” he said to Detective Kitimat. “I wish I hadn’t lost that walkie-talkie when I sprung that net trap.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Joe,” Detective Kitimat said. “I don’t plan to be so far away from you that I won’t be able to hear loud talking.”

  “That sounds like a good idea,” Frank told him.

  He and Joe headed to their left so they could skirt the small clearing where the Wilkersons and the two phony agents were spending the night. Within minutes they could see into their camp—but it wasn’t what they were expecting.

  The clearing wasn’t as large as the Hardy boys had hoped it would be. The Wilkersons were sleeping under the overhang of a large outcropping of rock. The two phony FBI agents had positioned themselves so that if the Wilkersons tried to walk into the clearing, they’d have to pass by one of the men.

  “Clever,” Joe said. “These two guys may be smarter than we gave them credit for.”

  “Agreed,” Frank whispered. “They probably told the Wilkersons that they could have the protected sleeping spaces, while they stayed out in the open—when the whole time, there was a reason for it.”

  “Yeah. They’re not going to take a chance on the Wilkersons suddenly thinking they’re not on the up-and-up and trying to get away” Joe said. “How are we going to implement this plan now?”

  “Well, I think this is a good time to try out that rope we bought for mountain climbing,” Frank said. “We should be able to rappel down that outcropping of rock right beside where Darren is sleeping, wake him up, and tell him what’s going on. He can then relay the information to his parents. After that we can pretend that we just walked into the camp, saw everybody was there, and went right to sleep so we wouldn’t wake them up—and that we planned to explain everything in the morning.”

  Joe mulled over what he had just heard. “Well, it’s just crazy enough to work,” he agreed.

  Slowly the Hardy boys worked their way up the other side of the clearing. The rocks had only been exposed in the clearing, probably due to some centuries-old flood, Frank thought. Back in the forest itself, the rocks were still under the soil. When Frank and Joe reached the summit, they had a bird’s-eye view of the clearing below.

  “This should be a piece of cake,” Joe said. “We’ve got enough rope that we can loop it around one of the trunks of these trees, go down the rocks using the two ropes, and then pull it down with us after we’re on the ground.”

  “Exactly,” Frank said. “There’s no way those two phony agents will know how we got there.”

  Joe looped the rope around the closest tree to the side of the outcropping, evened it out, then, holding onto both ropes, he started down the side of the rocks.

  When Joe was down a few feet, Frank grabbed hold of the ropes and started down after Joe.

  The rope was long enough that when Joe reached the end of it, he was only about a foot off the ground. He jumped the rest of the way and landed soundlessly on the soft grass just outside the overhang—about two feet from where Darren was sleeping.

  Joe looked up and saw Frank slowly working his way down the side of the rocks. He hadn’t realized how much the campfire lit up the area. Frank was visible to anyone who might happen to look up. Joe held his breath.

  Finally Frank made it down far enough that he could jump, then Joe took hold of one of the ropes and slowly began pulling it down toward them. It caught in a sharp rock, but Joe didn’t want to jerk it, thinking that it might send one of the rocks down on the sleeping Wilkersons. Finally, by shaking out the rope, he was able to get it loose. When he had the complete rope in his hands, he wound it up and put it back in his pack.

  “Now let’s go let Darren in on what’s happening,” Frank whispered.

  The Hardys got as close to Darren as they could before Frank started shaking his shoulders.

  Darren finally opened his eyes. When he saw the Hardy boys standing over him, he opened his mouth—but Joe immediately clamped a hand over it.

  “Don’t say anything, Darren” Joe whispered. “Just listen carefully. Okay?” Darren nodded.

  Frank quickly told him that the two men in camp with them were phony FBI agents, and he and Joe were there to make sure the Wilkersons made it to Hidden Mountain.

  “We’re going to try to separate the two men from you and your family,” Joe added. “We have a detective friend of our father’s nearby, ready to take them into custody.”

  “But we have to work this just right so we don’t jeopardize your family,” Frank said.

  “I understand,” Darren whispered. “It sure is great to see you two.”

  “It’s great to see you too, Darren!” Frank whispered.

  “Now, we need you to tell your parents what’s going on,” Joe said. “But hurry, because those men might wake up any minute. We’re going to sneak out, so it’ll look like we just stumbled onto you guys while you were sleeping and rejoined the trip to the location of the ultra-secret Witness Protection Program.”

  “Are you sure they’ll believe you?” Darren whispered.

  Frank shrugged. “I guess we’ll find out in the morning,” he said.

  The Hardys made themselves comfortable just outside the overhang. They watched as Darren crawled over to his parents, woke them, and whispered what Frank and Joe had just told him.

  After a few minutes Darren crawled back over to where the Hardy boys were lying.

  “Dad was already starting to think that something was wrong, but he didn’t know what to do about it,” Darren told them. “He trusts you two now, and he’s glad you’ve come.”

  “What do you mean ‘now’?” Frank asked.

  “He’s the one who cut me off when I was talking over the shortwave radio,” Darren explained. “It was in the cabin when we rented it, and the owner said we could listen to it, but that we couldn’t call out because we weren’t licensed. I called out anyway, though, hoping I’d reach you guys.”

  “You did,” Joe said. “That’s why we’re here.”

  “Dad unplugged it right in the middle of my message, because he didn’t trust anybody,” Darren said.

  “We didn’t see a shortwave radio in the cabin,” Frank said. “What happened to it?”

  “Dad locked it up in a shed behind the cabin,” Darren said.

  Just then one of the phony FBI agents stirred. When it looked as though he wasn’t going to wake up, Darren said, “See you in the morning.”

  The sun woke Joe. When he opened his eyes, both phony FBI agents—Willy and Jersey—were standing over him and Frank, looking completely puzzled.

  “Hey, guys! We thought we’d never find you!” Joe said. He sat up and yawned. “We looked everywhere.”

  “Why’d you run off?” Jersey demanded.

  By now, Frank was awake. “We didn’t run off,” he said sleepily. “We got lost, and then a bear chased us for miles.”

  Willy laughed.

  “It wasn’t funny,” Joe said. “We could have been killed.”

  “Mom, Dad! It’s Frank and Joe!” Darren shouted. “Hey, guys! You’ve come to join us after all.”

  “Yeah!” Joe shouted over to him. “We told you we were planning to run away from home!”

  “This is cool!” Frank said. “We’re going to live the rest of our lives in the wilderness.”

  The two phony FBI agents looked at each other and shrugged. Joe could tell that they were unsure what to do next.

  “Everybody up!” Jersey shouted. “There are people waiting for us at Hidden Mountain.”

  The Hardys looked at each other. They had been right. When the Wilkersons first encountered the two phony FBI agents, they were probably so glad to see them that they told them everything. It was only afterward that they had begun suspecting something was wrong.

  Jersey was looking at a piece of paper.

  “What’s that?” Joe asked, looking over his shoulder.

  “It’s the map to Hidden Mountain,” he said. He grinned at Joe. “Mr. Wilkerson had it. I told him that it might be better if I kept it, since we were supposed to make sure they made it there safely.” The man’s look gave Joe chills.

  “That’s a good idea,” Joe said, unconvincingly.

  Joe hurried over to where Frank was repacking their gear. “I don’t know if they really believe us or not,” he said, “but they probably won’t try anything in front of the Wilkersons.”

  “Probably not,” Frank said, “but we need to watch our backs because I wouldn’t put it past them to set up some kind of accident for us.”

  “Yeah,” Joe said. He suddenly wondered just how much longer he and Frank would be able to stay alive.

  12 Danger on the Trail

  While Willy and Jersey were arguing about their gear and who was to carry what, and Mrs. Wilkerson and Darren were busy putting out the campfire, Mr. Wilkerson managed to maneuver himself close enough to Frank and Joe that he was able to explain some of what had transpired since they had left Bayport.

  A government agent had come to the Wilkersons’ house one night, disguised as a door-to-door salesman, and he’d told them that they had to leave that night. He’d said that the crime syndicate figures who had been after them for years had finally traced them to Bayport, and since this was their fourth relocation, the United States government required them to go into the ultra-secret Witness Protection Program if they wanted further protection. That would mean relocating to Hidden Mountain, in the northern part of British Columbia. Mr. Wilkerson explained that the government shared the location with the Canadian government.

  “He told us that once we’re there, though, we couldn’t leave,” Mr. Wilkerson whispered.

  Frank and Joe were stunned. Was that what was in the envelope that Agent Martin told them not to open unless they weren’t able to keep the two phony agents from reaching Hidden Mountain?

  “Why didn’t the FBI agents tell us that?” Joe said. “If we can’t stop these two phony FBI agents before we get there, we’ll never be able to return to Bayport?”

  When Mr. Wilkerson didn’t answer, Frank said, “Well, that’s all the more reason we have to succeed!”

  “Hey! We could use some help over here!” Jersey shouted to them.

  “I’ll help you!” Joe called. He, Frank, and Mr. Wilkerson hurried over to where the two men were trying to get the gear together. “Man, this is exciting!” Joe said. “We were talking about all the things we plan to do when we get to Hidden Mountain.”

  That seemed to mollify Willy and Jersey.

  “If Jersey and Willy reach Hidden Mountain, they’ll do away with everyone there,” Frank whispered to his brother and Mr. Wilkerson. “We have a plan to stop them, but we’ll need your help to implement it.”

  “You know we’ll do what we can, Frank,” Mr. Wilkerson whispered.

  “Hey—we’re ready!” Jersey shouted. “Cut the chatter, and let’s get started.”

  “He must think we’re really dumb,” Frank whispered. “No FBI agent would talk like that.”

  “Well, we can’t let them know we’re too bright,” Mr. Wilkerson said as he hefted the pack onto his back. “We just let them talk—that seems to satisfy them.”

  “Good idea,” Frank said.

  Finally everyone was ready, and, with Mr. Wilkerson in the lead, they started walking through the forest again.

  “We can’t take this much time getting ready every morning,” Jersey said to no one in particular. “We need to get to Hidden Mountain.”

  “Frank and I will help with the gear tomorrow morning,” Joe said with a pleasant smile. “That’ll probably save us all some time.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Jersey said. He didn’t sound as though he realized that Joe was letting them know that he felt they were slow because of Willy and Joe’s ineptitude.

  The Hardys and Darren were behind Mr. Wilkerson. Mrs. Wilkerson was just ahead of Willy and Jersey, and was keeping them occupied with stories about how life in the Witness Protection Program differed from city to city. From the short snatches of conversation that Joe could hear, he knew that she was making it all up—but her stories seemed to fascinate Willy and Jersey.