through it.
Had I just broken through the wall?
A gentle click let me know this was not the case.
Leading from the passageway to the outside, a door-shaped section of the brick had swung gently open.
Luckily, I had discovered another secret door, this one completely by accident.
Another secret door!
The wet ground sucked hungrily at my shoes as the brick door behind me swung closed again. The shape of the door disappeared
into the wall, making it nearly impossible to discover.
A scratching sound brought my attention back to the wall. I listened closely.
Someone was clawing at the secret door, trying to get it to open.
What should I do?
I decided I was better off standing my ground. Turning to the door, I adopted a defensive stance my father had taught me.
Click! I heard the secret door's lock unlatch—
The door was swinging open—I held my breath and braced myself for the worst—
“G. Codd!”
Out of the darkness, a face framed by blond hair came into view. It was Judge! The door closed behind her. She rushed to me
and took my hand. “you scared me to death. What would I tell your parents if you'd gone missing, too?”
I couldn't stop grinning in relief. “Judge, you're the cat's pajamas! I was sure I was being followed by the villain.”
Judge leaned in close, her voice turning deadly serious as she said, “You were, G. Codd. And so was I.”
“What?” I managed to ask.
“I heard footsteps chasing me through the passage,” she whispered. “There is a third person in there, right on my heels.”
We both turned to the secret door and waited for Judge's mysterious pursuer to join us.
With a click, the secret door swung open!
Long, terrifying seconds passed as Judge and I kept our positions.
Who would emerge from the secret passage? Would we be able to subdue him or her? Would the person have a weapon and attack
us?
The wind whistled, clouds blew overhead, distant waves crashed against the island's shore. But no one opened the hidden door.
“Whoever it was must have turned back,” Judge said. I didn't know whether to be disappointed or relieved. We had no way of
opening the door from this side, so we turned our thoughts to the investigation.
The hidden airstrip!
June 13, 1925
2:10 PM
“G. Codd, what did you discover?” Judge asked.
I described the items I had found in the tower's broadcast room. I told her I thought they'd been used to trick the guests
into thinking they were watching the plane land.
“You mean John might not even have landed at all? He could be lost at sea or…” Her voice trailed off.
Not knowing what to say, I glanced around. We were somewhere behind the mansion. Tall, dark pine trees loomed over us, their
branches whipping in the wind. Suddenly we heard a strange flapping noise coming from the forest.
“What's that?” Judge asked.
I don't know,” I said, “but I think we'd better go and find out.” Cautiously we made our way through the dim light under the
trees.
“Look—up ahead—I think there's a clearing,” Judge said softly.
We broke through the trees and found ourselves standing on the edge a long, grassy field. I took in the wind socks flapping
in the wind, and the trees that had been cleared to create a long, rectangular space.
“It's a hidden airstrip!” I said. The questions in my mind quadrupled as I looked down toward the end of the runway. I could
barely see the outline of a large objects sitting there.
Judge and I went to take a look. A tarp made of camouflage material covered a giant lump underneath. By now it was pretty
clear what the lump was.
Together, we pulled at the wet tarp—and found ourselves face to propeller with an aircraft.
“Another plane!” I cried. I noticed it was the same model as JENNY, John's airplane. “Did you know about this?”
“No,” Judge answered. “I've been here many times and I never even knew there was another airstrip. From the looks of those
stumps, the trees
Had I just broken through the wall?
A gentle click let me know this was not the case.
Leading from the passageway to the outside, a door-shaped section of the brick had swung gently open.
Luckily, I had discovered another secret door, this one completely by accident.
Another secret door!
The wet ground sucked hungrily at my shoes as the brick door behind me swung closed again. The shape of the door disappeared
into the wall, making it nearly impossible to discover.
A scratching sound brought my attention back to the wall. I listened closely.
Someone was clawing at the secret door, trying to get it to open.
What should I do?
I decided I was better off standing my ground. Turning to the door, I adopted a defensive stance my father had taught me.
Click! I heard the secret door's lock unlatch—
The door was swinging open—I held my breath and braced myself for the worst—
“G. Codd!”
Out of the darkness, a face framed by blond hair came into view. It was Judge! The door closed behind her. She rushed to me
and took my hand. “you scared me to death. What would I tell your parents if you'd gone missing, too?”
I couldn't stop grinning in relief. “Judge, you're the cat's pajamas! I was sure I was being followed by the villain.”
Judge leaned in close, her voice turning deadly serious as she said, “You were, G. Codd. And so was I.”
“What?” I managed to ask.
“I heard footsteps chasing me through the passage,” she whispered. “There is a third person in there, right on my heels.”
We both turned to the secret door and waited for Judge's mysterious pursuer to join us.
With a click, the secret door swung open!
Long, terrifying seconds passed as Judge and I kept our positions.
Who would emerge from the secret passage? Would we be able to subdue him or her? Would the person have a weapon and attack
us?
The wind whistled, clouds blew overhead, distant waves crashed against the island's shore. But no one opened the hidden door.
“Whoever it was must have turned back,” Judge said. I didn't know whether to be disappointed or relieved. We had no way of
opening the door from this side, so we turned our thoughts to the investigation.
The hidden airstrip!
June 13, 1925
2:10 PM
“G. Codd, what did you discover?” Judge asked.
I described the items I had found in the tower's broadcast room. I told her I thought they'd been used to trick the guests
into thinking they were watching the plane land.
“You mean John might not even have landed at all? He could be lost at sea or…” Her voice trailed off.
Not knowing what to say, I glanced around. We were somewhere behind the mansion. Tall, dark pine trees loomed over us, their
branches whipping in the wind. Suddenly we heard a strange flapping noise coming from the forest.
“What's that?” Judge asked.
I don't know,” I said, “but I think we'd better go and find out.” Cautiously we made our way through the dim light under the
trees.
“Look—up ahead—I think there's a clearing,” Judge said softly.
We broke through the trees and found ourselves standing on the edge a long, grassy field. I took in the wind socks flapping
in the wind, and the trees that had been cleared to create a long, rectangular space.
“It's a hidden airstrip!” I said. The questions in my mind quadrupled as I looked down toward the end of the runway. I could
barely see the outline of a large objects sitting there.
Judge and I went to take a look. A tarp made of camouflage material covered a giant lump underneath. By now it was pretty
clear what the lump was.
Together, we pulled at the wet tarp—and found ourselves face to propeller with an aircraft.
“Another plane!” I cried. I noticed it was the same model as JENNY, John's airplane. “Did you know about this?”
“No,” Judge answered. “I've been here many times and I never even knew there was another airstrip. From the looks of those
stumps, the trees
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