never heard of
any family. Why--"

"Look out!"

On the heels of Scotty's cry, Rick caught a glimpse of his pal hurling
Cap'n Mike headlong. He jumped forward, glancing up, just as the great
fish scoop opened over his head. He put all of his energy in a forward
leap to safety, but too late!

Cascading thousands of menhaden crushed him violently to the floor.

CHAPTER VII

Search for a Clue

As Rick fell to the floor, he twisted sideways and managed to bring up
one arm to protect his head. In an instant he was buried in a great,
heavy, slippery mass of fish. His nostrils filled with the oily
stench, and when he opened his mouth to breathe, he closed it again on
a fish tail. He spat it out, and then, furious, he struggled against
the slimy weight, got his hands and feet under him and heaved. Fish
cascaded from his arched back and he broke clear just as Scotty
reached for him.

"You all right?" Scotty gasped.

"Yes."

Cap'n Mike, hurled clear by Scotty's rush, was getting to his feet.

Scotty departed on a dead run.

Rick collected his thoughts and yelled, "Hey! Wait! Where're you
going?"

"After Kelso," Scotty called back over his shoulder.

Rick didn't know what had happened, but evidently Scotty did and was
doing something about it. He ran after his friend, brushing off dirt
from his clothes as he did so. He heard Cap'n Mike call, "Wait for
me!" but he didn't pause.

At the entrance to the pier, Rick caught up with Scotty who was
looking up and down the street, his face flushed with anger.

"He's gone. No use looking for him because he could hide anywhere
around here. But we'll catch up with him one of these days, and when
we do ..."

"What's it all about?" Rick demanded.

"Carrots tripped that scoop on us. I don't know how, but I know he did
it."

Cap'n Mike came up behind them in time to hear Scotty. "He's the one,
all right. There's an emergency trip on those scoops, set in the wall.
It's in case the operator loses control. Then the scoop can be dumped
without having all that weight smash against the end of the track and
break things. Young Kelso must have punched the trip."

"He sure did." Rick sniffed angrily. "And I smell like ten days in a
bait pail. Scotty, we've got to get home and get out of these clothes.
I can't stand myself."

"Check," Scotty replied. "Well, I guess that wraps up the
investigation for the night, Cap'n."

Cap'n Mike nodded. "I want to be around when you