“I’ll tell you what to do,” said Frank. “Let Joe and me go ashore. Then we’ll try to follow those men in the boat and see where they go. If we let them slip out of our hands now we may lose them altogether.” “And shall I wait?” “No. You go back to Bayport and get help—lots of it.” “The police?” “The federal men. Tell them we’re on the track of the smugglers. If Joe and I discover anything we’ll wait here at the entrance to the cove and put the police on the right track when they get here.” “Good!” said Tony. “I’ll put you ashore right away.” “Don’t go too close or you’ll wreck the boat. Joe, I guess you and I will have to swim ashore. Then we’ll go around into the cove and find out all we can.” Tony edged the boat in as close to the gloomy shore as he could, and then, with a whispered farewell, the Hardy boys slipped over the side into the water. They were only a few yards from the rocks and after a short swim they emerged, dripping, on the mainland. They looked back. They could see the dim shape of the motorboat as it turned away and then they could hear its dull chugging as Tony Prito turned the craft back in the direction of Bayport. “Now!” whispered Frank. “Now for the smugglers!” CHAPTER XVI THE SECRET PASSAGE It was very dark. “I wish we had a light,” whispered Joe. “I have a flashlight in my pocket. But we can’t use it now. Those men may be still around.” “Wouldn’t the water spoil it?” “No; I have it in a waterproof case. We can feel our way around these rocks until we get into the cove.” Cautiously, the boys made their way along the treacherous rocks. Once Joe lost his footing and slipped into the water with a splash. Instantly both boys remained motionless, fearing the sound had attracted the attention of the men in the cove. But there was not a sound. Joe was ankle-deep in water, but he clambered up on the rocks again and they continued their journey. They had landed at a point some twenty-five yards away from the entrance to the cove, but the rocks were so treacherous and the journey was so difficult that the distance seemed much longer. “It must be Snackley and his gang, all right,” whispered Frank, as they went on through the night. “Didn’t you hear one of those men use a Chinese name?” “He said something about Li Chang’s share.” “Li Chang is probably the fellow who brings the dope to the coast. They bring the stuff into this cove by motorboat and rowboat and it is distributed from here. Dad said Snackley was smuggling dope.” “It must have been Snackley who ordered us away from here. He seemed like a leader of some kind.” “Five thousand dollars reward if we lay our hands on him!”