a stunning blow
to the solar plexus. Packy grunted for breath, then came back viciously
with several well-aimed punches that staggered Tom.

As the young inventor stumbled backward, Packy dived for his gun. Though
still groggy, Tom managed to kick the weapon out of reach. Before Packy
could straighten up, Tom followed with a sweeping uppercut that caught
him squarely on the chin.

Packy went down like a felled tree!

Tom picked up the gun before his groaning victim could recover. By this
time, Bud had pounded his own opponent into submission. Within a few
moments, both thugs were lined up against the wall of the cabin. Their
wrists were tightly strapped behind them with their own belts.

"Oh ... thank goodness!" Sandy gasped.

Tom gave the girls a reassuring grin. "Are you two all right?"

"I g-guess so." Phyl gave a nervous smile.

Now that the tables were turned, it was the thugs' turn to "march."
The boys herded them warily back down the hillside toward the road,
where Bud had parked his red convertible. Sandy and Phyl followed close
behind.

[Illustration: _Tom and Bud hurled themselves at the thugs_]

Like all cars belonging to the Swifts' key personnel, Bud's was equipped
with a two-way shortwave radio. Tom switched it on and radioed Shopton
Police Headquarters. Chief Slater promised to send a squad car at once.

Minutes later, they heard it approaching. Two husky police officers
leaped out as the car braked to a halt, and took charge of the
prisoners. Scowling and sullen, they were driven off to jail.

"Well," said Bud jokingly, "what about that relaxing hike we were
starting?"

Phyl sighed. "I'm afraid you two boys just can't get away from
_in_ventions and _ad_ventures."

Sandy added, "I suggest we go home for a nice safe dinner."

Later, at the Swifts' house, Tom received a telephone call from Chief
Slater. He reported that the two prisoners were known hoodlums from a
nearby city.

"They claim they were hired for this job last night by a stranger who
spoke with an accent," Slater went on. "According to their story, they
never even got a look at his face, and they had no idea he was an enemy
agent."

"Sounds reasonable," Tom agreed. "It's not likely Mirov's Brungarian
henchmen would endanger their whole setup by taking any cheap gunmen
into their confidence."

Chief Slater also reported that Len Unger was still at large. "But the
FBI will probably pick him up soon," he added.

"I sure ho