Joe toppled over the railing into spacel

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Copyright Â© 1987, 1959, 1955, 1927 by Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Published by Grosset & Dunlap, Inc., a member of The Putnam &
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THE HARDY BOYSÂ® is a registered trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
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eISBN : 978-1-440-67315-3

2006 Printing

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CHAPTER I

The Speed Demon

FRANK and Joe Hardy clutched the grips of their motorcycles and stared in horror at the oncoming car. It was careening from side to side on the narrow road.

âHeâll hit us! Weâd better climb this hillsideâand fast!â Frank exclaimed, as the boys brought their motorcycles to a screeching halt and leaped off.

âOn the double!â Joe cried out as they started up the steep embankment.

To their amazement, the reckless driver suddenly pulled his car hard to the right and turned into a side road on two wheels. The boys expected the car to turn over, but it held the dusty ground and sped off out of sight.

âWow!â said Joe. âLetâs get away from here before the crazy guy comes back. Thatâs a dead-end road, you know.â

The boys scrambled back onto their motorcycles and gunned them a bit to get past the intersecting road in a hurry. They rode in silence for a while, gazing at the scene ahead.

On their right an embankment of tumbled rocks and boulders sloped steeply to the water below. From the opposite side rose a jagged cliff. The little-traveled road was winding, and just wide enough for two cars to pass.

âBoy, Iâd hate to fall off the edge of this road,â Frank remarked. âItâs a hundred-foot drop.â

âThatâs right,â Joe agreed. âWeâd sure be smashed to bits before we ever got to the bottom.â Then he smiled. âWatch your step, Frank, or Dadâs papers wonât get delivered.â

Frank reached into his jacket pocket to be sure several important legal papers which he was to deliver for Mr. Hardy were still there. Relieved to find them, Frank chuckled and said, âAfter the help we gave Dad on his latest case, he ought to set up the firm of Hardy and Sons.â

âWhy not?â Joe replied with a broad grin. âIsnât he one of the most famous private detectives in the country? And arenât we bright too?â Then, becoming serious, he added, âI wish we could solve a mystery on our own, though.â

Frank and Joe, students at Bayport High, were combining business with pleasure this Saturday morning by doing the errand for their father.

Even though one boy was dark and the other fair, there was a marked resemblance between the two brothers. Eighteen-year-old Frank was tall and dark. Joe, a year younger, was blond with blue eyes. They were the only children of Fenton and Laura Hardy. The family lived in Bayport, a small but thriving city of fifty thousand inhabitants, located on Barmet Bay, three miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean.

The two motorcycles whipped along the narrow road that skirted the bay and led to Willowville, the brothersâ destination. The boys took the next curve neatly and started up a long, steep slope. Here the road was a mere ribbon and badly in need of repair.

âOnce we get to the top of the hill it wonât be so rough,â Frank remarked, as they jounced over the uneven surface. âBetter road from there into Willowville.â

Just then, above the sharp put-put of their own motors, the two boys heard the roar of a car approaching from their rear at great speed. They took a moment to glance back.

âLooks like that same guy we saw before!â Joe burst out. âGood night!â

At once the Hardys stopped and pulled as close to the edge as they dared. Frank and Joe hopped off and stood poised to leap out of danger again if necessary.

The car hurtled toward them like a shot. Just when it seemed as if it could not miss them, the driver swung the wheel about viciously and the sedan sped past.

âWhew! That was close!â Frank gasped.

The car had been traveling at such high speed that the boys had been unable to get the license number or a glimpse of the driverâs features. But they had noted that he was hatless and had a shock of red hair.

âIf I ever meet him again,â Joe muttered, âIâll âIâllââ The boy was too excited to finish the threat.

Frank relaxed. âHe must be practicing for some kind of race,â he remarked, as the dark-blue sedan disappeared from sight around the curve ahead.

The boys resumed their journey. By the time they rounded the curve, and could see Willowville in a valley along the bay beneath them, there was no trace of the rash motorist.

âHeâs probably halfway across the state by this time,â Joe remarked.

âUnless heâs in jail or over a cliff,â Frank added.

The boys reached Willowville and Frank delivered the legal papers to a lawyer while Joe guarded the motorcycles. When his brother returned, Joe suggested, âHow about taking the other road back to Bayport? I donât crave going over that bumpy stretch again.â

âSuits me. We can stop off at Chetâs.â

Chet Morton, who was a school chum of the Hardy boys, lived on a farm about a mile out of Bayport. The pride of Chetâs life was a bright yellow jalopy which he had named Queen. He worked on it daily to âsoup upâ the engine.

Frank and Joe retraced their trip for a few miles, then turned onto a country road which led to the main highway on which the Morton farm was situated. As they neared Chetâs home, Frank suddenly brought his motorcycle to a stop and peered down into a clump of bushes in a deep ditch at the side of the road.

âJoel That crazy driver or somebody else had a crack-up!â

Among the tall bushes was an overturned blue sedan. The car was a total wreck, and lay wheels upward, a mass of tangled junk.

âWeâd better see if thereâs anyone underneath,â Joe cried out.

The boys made their way down the culvert, their hearts pounding. What would they find?

A close look into the sedan and in the immediate vicinity proved that there was no victim around.

âMaybe this happened some time ago,â said Joe, âandââ

Frank stepped forward and laid his hand on the exposed engine. âJoe, itâs still warm,â he said. âThe accident occurred a short while ago. Now Iâm sure this is the red-haired driverâs car.â

âBut what about him?â Joe asked. âIs he alive? Did somebody rescue him, or what happened?â

Frank shrugged. âOne thing I can tell you. Either he or somebody else removed the license plates to avoid identification.â

The brothers were completely puzzled by the whole affair. Since their assistance was not needed at the spot, they climbed out of the culvert and back onto their motorcycles. Before long they were in sight of the Mortonsâ home, a rambling old farmhouse with an apple orchard at the rear. When they drove up the lane they saw Chet at the barnyard gate.

âHi, fella!â Joe called.

Chet hurried down the lane to meet them. He was a plump boy who loved to eat and was rarely without an apple or a pocket of cookies. His round, freckled face usually wore a smile. But today the Hardys sensed something was wrong. As they brought their motorcycles to a stop, they noticed that their chumâs cheery expression was missing.

âWhatâs the matter?â Frank asked.

âIâm in trouble,â Chet replied. âYouâre just in time to help me. Did you meet a fellow driving the Queen?â

Frank and Joe looked at each other blankly.

âYour car? No, we havenât seen it,â said Joe. âWhatâs happened?â

âItâs been stolen!â

âStolen!â

âYes. I just came out to the garage to get the Queen and she was gone,â Chet answered mournfully.

âWasnât the car locked?â

âThatâs the strange part of it. She was locked, although the garage door was open. I canât see how anyone got away with it.â

âA professional job,â Frank commented. âAuto thieves always carry scores of keys with them. Chet, have you any idea when this happened?â

âNot more than fifteen minutes ago, because thatâs when I came home with the car.â

âWeâre wasting time!â Joe cried out. âLetâs chase that thief!â

âBut I donât know which way he went,â Chet protested.

âWe didnât meet him, so he must have gone in the other direction,â Frank reasoned.

âClimb on behind me, Chet,â Joe urged. âThe Queen canât go as fast as our motorcycles. Weâll catch her in no time!â

âAnd there was only a little gas in my car, anyway,â Chet said excitedly as he swung himself onto Joeâs motorcycle. âMaybe it has stalled by this time.â

In a few moments the boys were tearing down the road in pursuit of the automobile thief!

CHAPTER II

The Holdup

CHET MORTONâS jalopy was such a brilliant yellow that the boys were confident it would not be difficult to pick up the trail of the auto thief.

âThe Queenâs pretty well known around Bayport,â Frank remarked. âWe should meet someone who saw it.â

âSeems strange to me,â said Joe, âthat a thief would take a car like that. Auto thieves usually take cars of a standard make and color. Theyâre easier to get rid of.â

âItâs possible,â Frank suggested, âthat the thief didnât steal the car to sell it. Maybe, for some reason, he was making a fast getaway and heâll abandon it.â

âLook!â Chet exclaimed, pointing to a truck garden where several men were hoeing cabbage plants. âMaybe they saw the Queen.â

âIâll ask them,â Frank offered, and brought his motorcycle to a stop.

He scrambled over the fence and jumped across the rows of small plants until he reached the first farm hand.

âDid you see a yellow jalopy go by here within the past hour?â Frank asked him.

The lanky old farmer leaned on his hoe and put a hand to one ear. âEh?â he shouted.

âDid you see a fellow pass along here in a bright yellow car?â Frank repeated in a louder tone.

The farmer called to his companions. As they ambled over, the old man removed a plug of tobacco from the pocket of his overalls and took a hearty chew.

âLad here wants to know if we saw a jalopy come by,â he said slowly.

The other three farm hands, all rather elderly men, did not answer at once. Instead, they laid down their hoes and the plug of tobacco was duly passed around the group.

Frank grit his teeth. âPlease hurry up and answer. The car was stolen. Weâre trying to find the thief!â

âThat so?â said one of the men. âA hot rod, eh?â

âYes. A bright yellow one,â Frank replied.

Another of the workers removed his hat and mopped his brow. âSeems to me,â he drawled, âI did see a car come by here a while ago.â

âA yellow car?â

âNoââtwarnât yeller, come to think of it. I guess, anyhow, it was a delivery truck, if I remember rightly.â

Frank strove to conceal his impatience. âPlease, did any of youâ?â

âWas it a brand-new car, real shiny?â asked the fourth member of the group.

âNo, it was an old car, but it was painted bright yellow,â Frank explained.

âMy nephew had one of them things,â the farmer remarked. âNever thought they was safe, myself.â

âI donât agree with you,â still another man spoke up. âAll boys like cars and you might as well let âem have one they can work on themselves.â

âYouâre all wrong!â the deaf man interrupted. âLet the boys work on the farm truck. That way they wonât get into mischief!â He gave a cackling sort of laugh. âWell, son, I guess we ainât been much help to you. Hope you find the critter that stole your hot rod.â

âThanks,â said Frank, and joined the other boys. âNo luck. Letâs go!â

As they approached Bayport, the trio saw a girl walking along the road ahead of them. When the cyclists drew nearer, Frankâs face lighted up, for he had recognized Callie Shaw, who was in his class at Bayport High. Frank often dated Callie and liked her better than any girl he knew.

The boys brought their motorcycles to a stop beside pretty, brown-eyed Callie. Under one arm she was carrying a slightly battered package. She looked vexed.

âHi, Callie! Whatâs the matter?â Frank asked. âYou look as if your last friend had gone off in a moon rocket.â

Callie gave a mischievous smile. âHow could I think that with you three friends showing up? Or are you about to take off?â Then her smile faded and she held out the damaged package. âLook at that!â she exclaimed. âItâs your fault, Chet Morton!â

The stout boy gulped. âM-my fault? How do you figure that?â

âWell, dear old Mrs. Wills down the road is ill, so I baked her a cake.â

âLucky Mrs. Wills,â Joe broke in. âCallie, Iâm feeling terribly ill.â

Callie ignored him. âThat man in the car came along here so fast that I jumped to the side of the road and dropped my package. Iâm afraid my cake is ruined!â

âWhat man?â Joe asked.

âThe one Chet lent his car to.â

âCallie, thatâs the man weâre looking for!â Frank exclaimed. âChet didnât lend him the car. He stole it!â

âOh!â said Callie, shocked. âChet, thatâs a shame.â

âWas he heading for Bayport?â Joe asked.

âYes, and at the speed he was making the poor Queen travel, youâll never catch him.â

Chet groaned. âI just remembered that the gas gauge wasnât working. I guess the car had more gas in it than I thought. No telling where that guy may take my Queen.â

âWeâd better go to police headquarters,â Frank suggested. âCallie, will you describe this man?â

âAll I saw,â she answered, âwas a blur, but the man did have red hair.â

âRed hair!â Frank fairly shouted. âJoe, do you think he could be the same man we saw? The one who wrecked his own car?â

Joe wagged his head. âMiracles do happen. Maybe he wasnât hurt very much and walked to Chetâs house.â

âAnd helped himself to my car!â Chet added.

Frank snapped his fingers. âSay! Maybe the wrecked car didnât belong to that fellowââ

âYou mean heâd stolen it, too!â Joe interrupted.

âYesâwhich would make him even more desperate to get away.â

âWhatever are you boys talking about?â Callie asked.

âIâll phone you tonight and tell you,â Frahk promised. âGot to dash now.â

The boys waved good-by to Callie and hurried into town. They went at once to Chief Ezra Collig, head of the Bayport police force. He was a tall, husky man, well known to Fenton Hardy and his two sons. The chief had often turned to the private detective for help in solving particularly difficult cases.

When the boys went into his office they found the police chief talking with three excited men. One of these was Ike Harrity, the old ticket seller at the city ferryboat office. Another was Policeman Con Riley. The third was Oscar Smuff, a short, stout man. He was invariably seen wearing a checkered suit and a soft felt hat. He called himself a private detective and was working hard to earn a place on the Bayport police force.

âSmuffâs playing up to Collig again,â Joe whispered, chuckling, as the boys waited for the chief to speak to them.

Ike Harrity was frankly frightened. He was a timid man, who had perched on a high stool behind the ticket window at the ferryboat office day in and day out for a good many years.

âI was just countinâ up the morninâs receipts,â he was saying in a high-pitched, excited voice, âwhen in comes this fellow and sticks a revolver in front of my nose.â

âJust a minute,â interrupted Chief Collig, turning to the newcomers. âWhat can I do for you boys?â

âI came to report a theft,â Chet spoke up. âMy hot rod has been stolen.â

âWhy, it was one of those crazy hot rods this fellow drove!â Ike Harrity cried out. âA yellow one!â

âHa!â exclaimed Oscar Smuff. âA clue!â He immediately pulled a pencil and notebook from his pocket.

âMy Queen!â shouted Chet.

Chief Collig rapped on his desk for quiet and asked, âWhatâs a queen got to do with all this?â

Chet explained, then the chief related Harrityâs story for him.

âA man drove up to the ferryboat office and tried to hold up Mr. Harrity. But a passenger came into the office and the fellow ran away.â

As the officer paused, Frank gave Chief Collig a brief account of the wrecked blue sedan near the Morton farm.

âIâll send some men out there right now.â The chief pressed a buzzer and quickly relayed his orders.

âIt certainly looks,â Joe commented, âas if the man who stole Chetâs car and the fellow who tried to hold up the ferryboat office are the same person!â

âDid you notice the color of the manâs hair?â Frank asked Mr. Harrity.

Smuff interrupted. âWhatâs that got to do with it?â

âIt may have a great deal to do with it,â Frank replied. âWhat was the color of his hair, Mr. Harrity?â

âDark brown and short cropped.â

Frank and Joe looked at each other, perplexed. âYouâre sure it wasnât red?â Joe asked.

Chief Collig sat forward in his chair. âWhat are you driving at, boys? Have you some information about this man?â

âWe were told,â said Joe, âthat the guy who stole Chetâs car had red hair. A friend of ours saw him.â

âThen he must have turned the jalopy over to someone else,â Chief Collig concluded.

At this moment a short, nervous little man was ushered into the room. He was the passenger who had gone into the ferryboat office at the time of the attempted holdup. Chief Collig had sent for him.

The newcomer introduced himself as Henry J. Brown of New York. He told of entering the office and seeing a man run away from the ticket window with a revolver in his hand.

âWhat color was his hair?â Frank asked eagerly. âDid you notice?â

âI canât say I did,â the man replied. âMy eyes were focused on that gun. Say, wait a minutel He had red hair. You couldnât miss it! I noticed it after he jumped into the car.â

Oscar Smuff looked bewildered. âYou say he had red hair.â The detective turned to Mr. Harrity. âAnd you say he had dark hair. Somethinâ wrong somewhere!â He shook his head in puzzlement.

The others were puzzled too. Frank asked Mr. Brown to tell once more just when he had noticed the red hair.

âAfter the fellow leaned down in the car and popped his head up again,â the New Yorker replied.

Frank and Joe exchanged glances. Was it possible the red hair was a wig and the thief had put it on just before Mr. Brown had noticed him? The boys kept stillâthey didnât want any interference from Smuff in tracking down this clue.

Harrity and Brown began to argue over the color of the thiefâs hair. Finally Chief Collig had to rap once more for order. âIâll send out an alarm for both this holdup man and for Chetâs car. I guess thatâs all that can be done now.â

Undaunted by their failure to catch the thief, the Hardy boys left police headquarters with Chet Morton. They were determined to pursue the case.

âWeâll talk with Dad tonight, Chet,â Frank promised. âMaybe heâll give us some leads.â

âI sure hope so, fellows,â their friend replied as they climbed onto the motorcycles.

The same thought was running through Frankâs and Joeâs minds: maybe this mystery would turn out to be their first case!

CHAPTER III

The Threat

âYOUâRE getting to be pretty good on that motorcycle, Frank,â Joe said as the boys rode into the Hardy garage. âIâm not even scared to ride alongside you any more!â

âYouâre not scared!â Frank pretended to take Joe seriously. âWhat about meâriding with a daredevil like you?â

âWell,â Joe countered, âletâs just admit that weâre both pretty good!â

âIt sure was swell of Dad to let us have them,â Joe continued.

âYes,â Frank agreed. âAnd if weâre going to be detectives, weâll get a lot of use out of them.â

The boys started toward the house, passing the old-fashioned barn on the property. Its first floor had been converted into a gymnasium which was used after school and on week ends by Frank and Joe and their friends.

The Hardy home, on the corner of High and Elm streets, was an old stone house set in a large, tree-shaded lawn. Right now, crocuses and miniature narcissi were sticking their heads through the light-green grass.

âHello, Mother!â said Frank, as he pushed open the kitchen door.

Mrs. Hardy, a petite, pretty woman, looked up from the table on which she was stuffing a large roasting chicken and smiled.

Her sons kissed her affectionately and Joe asked, âDad upstairs?â

âYes, dear. Heâs in his study.â

The study was Fenton Hardyâs workshop. Adjoining it was a fine library which contained not only books but files of disguises, records of criminal cases, and translations of thousands of codes.

Walking into the study, Frank and Joe greeted their father. âWeâre reporting errand accomplished,â Frank announced.

âFine!â Mr. Hardy replied. Then he gave his sons a searching glance. âIâd say your trip netted you more than just my errand.â

Frank and Joe had learned early in their boyhood that it was impossible to keep any secrets from their astute father. They assumed that this ability was one reason why he had been such a successful detective on the New York City police force before setting up a private practice in Bayport.

âWe ran into some real excitement,â Frank said, and told his father the whole story of Chetâs missing jalopy, the wrecked car which they suspected had been a stolen one also, and the attempted holdup at the ferryboat office.

âChetâs counting on us to find his car,â Joe added.

Frank grinned. âThat is, unless the police find it first.â

Mr. Hardy was silent for several seconds. Then he said, âDo you want a little advice? You know I never give it unless Iâm asked for it.â He chuckled.

âWeâll need a lot of help,â Joe answered.

Mr. Hardy said that to him the most interesting angle to the case was the fact that the suspect apparently used one or more wigs as a disguise. âHe may have bought at least one of them in Bayport. I suggest that you boys make the rounds of all shops selling wigs and see what you can find out.â

The boys glanced at the clock on their fatherâs large desk, then Frank said, âWeâll have time to do a little sleuthing before closing time. Letâs go!â

The two boys made a dash for the door, then both stopped short. They did not have the slightest idea where they were going! Sheepishly Joe asked, âDad, do you know which stores sell wigs?â

With a twinkle in his eyes, Mr. Hardy arose from the desk, walked into the library, and opened a file drawer labeled âW through Z.â A moment later he pulled out a thick folder marked WIGS: Manufacturers, distributors, and retail shops of the world.

âWhy, Dad, I didnât know you had all this informationââ Joe began.

His father merely smiled. He thumbed through the heavy sheaf of papers, and pulled one out.

âBayport,â he read. âWell, three of these places can be eliminated at once. They sell only womenâs hair pieces. Now letâs see. Frank, get a paper and pencil. First thereâs Schwartzâs Masquerade and Costume Shop. Itâs at 79 Renshaw Avenue. Then thereâs Flintâs at Market and Pine, and one more: Ruben Brothers. Thatâs on Main Street just this side of the railroad.â

âSchwartzâs is closest,â Frank spoke up. âLetâs try him first, Joe.â

Hopefully the boys dashed out to their motorcycles and hurried downtown. As they entered Schwartzâs shop, a short, plump, smiling man came toward them.

âWell, you just got under the wire fellows,â he said, looking up at a large old-fashioned clock on the wall. âI was going to close up promptly tonight because a big shipment came in today and I never have time except after business hours to unpack and list my merchandise.â

âOur errand wonât take long,â said Frank. âWeâre sons of Fenton Hardy, the detective. Weâd like to know whether or not you recently sold a red wig to a man.â

Mr. Schwartz shook his head. âI havenât sold a red wig in months, or even rented one. Everybody seems to want blond or brown or black lately. But you understand, I donât usually sell wigs at all. I rent âem.â

âI understand,â said Frank. âWeâre just trying to find out about a man who uses a red wig as a disguise. We thought he might have bought or rented it here and that you would know his name.â

Mr. Schwartz leaned across the counter. âThis man you speak ofâhe sounds like a character. Itâs just possible he may come in to get a wig from me. If he does, Iâll be glad to let you know.â

The boys thanked the shopkeeper and were about to leave when Mr. Schwartz called, âHold on a minute!â

The Hardys hoped that the dealer had suddenly remembered something important. This was not the case, however. With a grin the man asked the boys if they would like to help him open some cartons which had arrived and to try on the costumes.

âThose folks at the factory donât always get the sizes marked right,â he said. âWould you be able to stay a few minutes and help me? Iâll be glad to pay you.â

âOh, we donât want any money,â Joe spoke up. âTo tell you the truth, Iâd like to see your costumes.â

Mr. Schwartz locked the front door of his shop, then led the boys into a rear room. It was so filled with costumes of all kinds and paraphernalia for theatrical work, plus piles of cartons, that Frank and Joe wondered how the man could ever find anything.

âHere is todayâs shipment,â Mr. Schwartz said, pointing to six cartons standing not far from the rear entrance to his shop.

Together he and the boys slit open the boxes and one by one lifted out a kingâs robe, a queenâs tiara, and a Little Bopeep costume. Suddenly Mr. Schwartz said:

âHereâs a skeleton marked size thirty-eight. Would one of you boys mind trying it on?â

Frank picked up the costume, unzipped the back, and stepped into the skeleton outfit. It was tremendous on him and the ribs sagged ludicrously.

âGuess a fat man modeled for this,â he remarked, holding the garment out to its full width.

At that moment there was a loud rap on the front door of the store. Mr. Schwartz made no move to answer it. âIâm closed,â he said. âLet him rap.â

Suddenly Frank had an idea. The thief who used wigs might be the late customer, coming on purpose at this hour to avoid meeting other people. Without a word to the others, he dashed through the doorway into the store and toward the front entrance.

He could vaguely see someone waiting to be admitted. But the stranger gave one look at the leaping, out-of-shape skeleton and disappeared in a flash. At the same moment Frank tripped and fell headlong.

Mr. Schwartz and Joe, hearing the crash, rushed out to see what had happened. Frank, hopelessly tangled in the skeleton attire, was helped to his feet. When he told the others why he had made his unsuccessful dash to the front door, they conceded he might have a point.

âBut you sure scared him away in that outfit,â Joe said, laughing. âHe wonât be back!â

The boys stayed for over half an hour helping Mr. Schwartz, then said good-by and went home.

âMonday weâll tackle those other two wig shops,â said Frank.

The following morning the Hardy family attended church, then after dinner Frank and Joe told their parents they were going to ride out to see Chet Morton. âWeâve been invited to stay to supper,â Frank added. âBut we promise not to get home late.â

The Hardys picked up Callie Shaw, who also had been invited. Gaily she perched on the seat behind Frank.

âHold on, Callie,â Joe teased. âFrankâs a wild cyclist!â

The young people were greeted at the door of the Morton farmhouse by Chetâs younger sister Iola, dark-haired and pretty. Joe Hardy thought she was quite the nicest girl in Bayport High and dated her regularly.

As dusk came on, the five young people gathered in the Mortonsâ kitchen to prepare supper. Chet, who loved to eat, was in charge, and doled out various jobs to the others. When he finished, Joe remarked, âAnd what are you going to do, big boy?â

The stout youth grinned. âIâm the official taster.â

A howl went up from the others. âNo workee, no eatee,â said Iola flatly.

Chet grinned. âOh, well, if you insist, Iâll make a little side dish for all of us. How about Welsh rabbit?â

âYouâre elected!â the others chorused, and Chet set to work.

The farmhouse kitchen was large and contained a group of windows in one corner. Here stood a large table, where the young people decided to eat. They had just sat down when the telephone rang. Chet got up and walked out in the hall to answer it. Within a minute he re-entered the kitchen, his eyes bulging.

âWhatâs the matter?â Iola asked quickly.

âIâIâve been th-threatened!â Chet replied.

âThreatened!â the others cried out. âHow?â

Chet was so frightened he could hardly speak, but he managed to make the others understand that a man had just said on the telephone, âYouâll never get your jalopy back. And if you donât lay off trying to find me or your car, youâre going to get hurt!â

âWhew!â cried Joe. âThis is getting serious!â

Callie and Iola had clutched their throats and were staring wild-eyed at Chet. Frank, about to speak, happened to glance out the window toward the barn. For an instant he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. But no! They were not. A figure was sneaking from the barn and down the lane toward the highway.

âFellows!â he cried suddenly. âFollow me!â

CHAPTER IV

Red Versus Yellow

BY THE time the Hardy boys and Chet had raced from the Mortonsâ kitchen, the prowler was not in sight. Thinking he had run across one of the fields, the three pursuers scattered in various directions to search. Joe struck out straight ahead and pressed his ear to the ground to listen for receding footsteps. He could hear none. Presently the three boys met once more to discuss their failure to catch up to the man, and to question why he had been there.

âDo you think he was a thief?â Joe asked Chet. âWhat would he steal?â

âSearch me,â the stout boy replied. âLetâs take a look.â

âI believe he was carrying something, but I couldnât see what it was,â Frank revealed.

The barn door had not been closed yet for the night and the boys walked in. Chet turned on the lights and the searchers gazed around.

âLook!â Frank cried suddenly.

He pointed to the floor below the telephone ex tension in the barn. There lay a manâs gray wig.

âThe intruderâs!â Joe exclaimed.

âIt sure looks so,â Frank agreed. âAnd something must have scared him. In his hurry to get away he must have dropped this.â

Frank picked up the wig and examined it carefully for a clue. âNo identifying mark in it. Say, I have an idea,â he burst out. âThat man phoned you from here, Chet.â

âYou mean heâs the one who threatened me?â

âYes. If you know how, you can call your own telephone number from an extension.â

âThatâs right.â

Chet was wagging his head. âYou mean that guy bothered to come all the way here to use this phone to threaten me? Why?â

Both Hardys said they felt the man had not come specifically for that reason. There was another more important one. âWe must figure it out. Chet, you ought to be able to answer that better than anybody else. What is there, or was there, in this barn to interest such a person?â

The stout boy scratched his head and let his eyes wander around the building. âIt wouldnât be any of the livestock,â he said slowly. âAnd it couldnât be hay or feed.â Suddenly Chet snapped his fingers. âMaybe I have the answer. Wait a minute, fellows.â

On the floor lay a manâs wig

He disappeared from the barn and made a bee-line for the garage. Chet hurried inside but was back in a few seconds.

âI have it!â he shouted. âThat guy came here to get the spare tire for the jalopy.â

âThe one you had is gone?â Frank asked.

Chet nodded. He suggested that perhaps the man was not too far away. He might be on some side road changing the tire. âLetâs find out,â he urged.

Although the Hardys felt that it would be a useless search, they agreed to go along. They got on their motorcycles, with Chet riding behind Joe. The boys went up one road and down another, covering the territory very thoroughly. They saw no parked car.

âNot even any evidence that a driver pulled off the road and stayed to change a tire,â Frank remarked. âNo footprints, no tool marks, no treads.â

âThat guy must have had somebody around to pick him up,â Chet concluded with a sigh.

âCheer up, Chet,â Frank said, as they walked back to the house. âThat spare tire may turn out to be a clue in this case.â

When the boys entered the kitchen again, they were met with anxious inquiries from Callie and Iola.

âWhat in the world were you doingâdashing out of here without a word?â Callie asked in a shaking voice.

âYes, whatâs going on? You had us frightened silly,â Iola joined in. âFirst Chet gets a threatening phone call, and then suddenly all three of you run out of the house like madmen!â

âCalm down, girls,â Frank said soothingly. âI saw a prowler, and we were looking for him, but all we found was this!â He tossed the gray wig onto a chair in the hall.

Suddenly there was a loud wail from Chet. âMy Welsh rabbit! Itâs been standing so long it will be ruined!â

Iola began to giggle. âOh, you men!â she said. âDo you suppose Callie and I would let all that good cheese go to waste? We kept that Welsh rabbit at just the right temperature and it isnât spoiled at all.â

Chet looked relieved, as he and the others took their places at the table. Although there was a great deal of bantering during the meal, the conversation in the main revolved around Chetâs missing jalopy and the thief who evidently wore hair disguises to suit his fancy.

Frank and Joe asked Chet if they might take along the gray wig and examine it more thoroughly. There might be some kind of mark on it to indicate either the maker or the owner. Chet readily agreed.

But when supper was over, Callie said to Frank with a teasing gleam in her eyes, âWhy donât you hot-shot sleuths examine that wig now? Iâd like to watch your super-duper methods.â

âJust for that, I will,â said Frank.

He went to get the wig from the hall chair, and then laid it on the kitchen table. From his pocket he took a small magnifying glass and carefully examined every inch of the lining of the wig.

âNothing here,â he said presently.

The hair was thoroughly examined and parted strand by strand to see if there were any identifying designations on the hair piece. Frank could discover nothing.

âIâm afraid this isnât going to help us much,â he said in disgust. âBut Iâll show it to the different wig men in town.â

As he finished speaking the telephone rang and Iola went to answer it. Chet turned white and looked nervous. Was the caller the man who had threatened him? And what did he want?

Presently Iola returned to the kitchen, a worried frown on her face. âItâs a man for you, Chet. He wouldnât give his name.â

Trembling visibly, Chet walked slowly to the telephone. The others followed and listened.

âYe-yes, Iâm Chet Morton. N-no, I havenât got my car back.â

There was a long silence, as the person on the other end of the line spoke rapidly.

âB-but I havenât any money,â Chet said finally. âIâWell, okay, Iâll let you know.â

Chet hung up and wobbled to a nearby chair. The others bombarded him with questions.

The stout boy took a deep breath, then said, âI can get my jalopy back. But the man wants a lot of money for the information as to where it is.â

âOh, Iâm glad youâre going to get your car back!â Callie exclaimed.

âBut I havenât got any money,â Chet groaned.

âWhoâs the man?â Frank demanded.

There was another long pause before Chet answered. Then, looking at the waiting group before him, he announced simply, âSmuff. Oscar Smuff!â

His listeners gasped in astonishment. This was the last thing they expected to hear. The detective was selling information as to where Chet would find his missing jalopy!

âWhy, that cheap so-and-so!â Joe cried out angrily.

Chet explained that Smuff had said he was not in business for his health. He had to make a living and any information which he dug up as a detective should be properly paid for.

Frank shrugged. âI suppose Smuff has a point there. How much does he want for the information, Chet?â

âHis fee is twenty-five dollars!â

âWhat!â the others cried out.

After a long consultation it was decided that the young people would pool their resources. Whatever sum they could collect toward the twenty-five dollars would be offered to Oscar Smuff to lead them to Chetâs car.

âBut make it very plain,â Frank admonished, âthat if itâs not your jalopy Smuff leads us to, you wonât pay him one nickel.â

Chet put in a call to Smuffâs home. As expected, the detective grumbled at the offer of ten dollars but finally accepted it. He said he would pick up the boys in half an hour and take them to the spot.

About this time Mr. and Mrs. Morton returned home. Chet and Iolaâs father was a good-looking, jolly man with his sonâs same general build and coloring. He was in the real-estate business in Bayport and ran the farm as a hobby.

Mrs. Morton was an older edition of her daughter Iola and just as witty and lighthearted. But when she learned what had transpired and that her son had been threatened, she was worried.

âYou boys must be very careful,â Mrs. Morton advised. âFrom what I hear about Smuff, this red-haired thief could easily put one over on him. So watch your step!â

Chet promised that they would.

âGood luck!â Callie called out, as Smuff beeped his horn outside the door. âAnd donât be too late. I want to hear the news before I have to go home.â

Frank, Joe, and Chet found Smuff entirely uncommunicative about where they were going. He seemed to enjoy the role he was playing.

âI knew Iâd be the one to break this case,â he boasted.

Joe could not resist the temptation of asking Smuff if he was going to lead them to the thief as well as to the car. The detective flushed in embarrassment and admitted that he did not have full details yet on this part of the mystery.

âBut it wonât be long before I capture that fellow,â he assured the boys. They managed to keep their faces straight and only hoped that they were not now on a wild-goose chase.

Twenty minutes later Smuff pulled into the town of Ducksworth and drove straight to a used-car lot. Stopping, he announced, âWell, here we are. Get ready to fork over that money, Chet.â

Smuff nodded to the attendant in charge, then led the boys down a long aisle past row after row of cars to where several jalopies were lined up against a rear fence. Turning left, the detective finally paused before a bright red car.

âHere you are!â said Smuff grandly, extending his right hand toward Chet. âMy money, please.â

The stout boy as well as the Hardys stared at the jalopy. There was no question but that it was the same make and model as Chetâs.

âThe thief thought he could disguise it by painting it red,â Smuff explained.

âIs that your guess?â Frank asked quietly.

Oscar Smuff frowned. âHow else could you figure it?â he asked.

âThen thereâll be yellow paint under the red,â Frank went on. âLetâs take a look to make sure.â

It was evident that Smuff did not like this procedure. âSo you doubt me, eh?â he asked in an unpleasant tone.

âAnybody can get fooled,â Frank told him. âWell, Chet, letâs operate on this car.â

The detective stood by sullenly as Frank pulled out a penknife and began to scrape the red paint off part of the fender.

CHAPTER V

The Hunt Is Intensified

âHEY!â Oscar Smuff shouted. âYou be careful with that penknife! The man who owns this place donât want you ruininâ his cars!â

Frank Hardy looked up at the detective. âIâve watched my father scrape off flecks of paint many times. The way he does it, you wouldnât know anybody had made a mark.â

Smuff grunted. âBut youâre not your father. Easy there!â

As cautiously as possible Frank picked off flecks of the red paint in a spot where it would hardly be noticeable. Taking a flashlight from his pocket, he trained it on the spot.

Joe, leaning over his brotherâs shoulder, said, âThere was light-blue paint under this red, not yellow.â

âRight,â Frank agreed, eying Smuff intently.

The detective reddened. âYou fellows trying to tell me this isnât Chetâs jalopy?â he demanded. âWell, Iâm telling you it is, and Iâm right!â

âOh, we havenât said youâre wrong,â Joe spoke up quickly. Secretly he was hoping that this was Chetâs car, but reason told him it was not.

âWeâll try another place,â Frank said, straightening up, and walking around to a fender on the opposite side.

Here, too, the test indicated that the car had been painted light blue before the red coat had been put over it.

âWell, maybe the thief put blue on and then red,â said Smuff stubbornly.

Frank grinned. âWeâll go a little deeper. If the owner of this establishment objects, weâll pay for having the fenders painted.â

But though Frank went down through several layers of paint, he could not find any sign of yellow.

All this time Chet had been walking round and round the car, looking intently at it inside and out. Even before Frank announced that he was sure this was not the missing jalopy, Chet was convinced of it himself.

âThe Queen had a long, thin dent in the right rear fender,â he said. âAnd that seat cushion by the door had a little split in it. I donât think the thief would have bothered to fix them up.â

Chet showed his keen disappointment, but he was glad that the Hardys had come along to help him prove the truth. But Smuff was not giving up the money so easily.

âYou havenât proved a thing,â he said. âThe man who runs this place admitted that maybe this is a stolen car. The fellow who sold it to him said he lived on a farm outside Bayport.â

The Hardys and Chet were taken aback for a moment by this information. But in a moment Frank said, âLetâs go talk to the owner. Weâll find out more about the person who brought this car in.â

The man who ran the used-car lot was very cooperative. He readily answered all questions the Hardys put to him. The bill of sale revealed that the former owner of the red jalopy was Melvin Schuster of Bayport.

âWhy, we know him!â Frank spoke up. âHe goes to Bayport Highâat least, he did. He and his family moved far away. Thatâs probably why he sold his car.â

âBut Mr. Smuff said you suspected the car was stolen,â Joe put in.

The used-car lot owner smiled. âIâm afraid maybe Mr. Smuff put that idea in my head. I did say that the person seemed in an awful hurry to get rid of the car and sold it very cheap. Sometimes when that happens, we dealers are a little afraid to take the responsibility of buying a car, in case it is stolen property. But at the time Mr. Schuster came in, I thought everything was on the level and bought his jalopy.â

Frank said that he was sure everything was all right, and after the dealer described Melvin Schuster, there was no question but that he was the owner.

Smuff was completely crestfallen. Without a word he started for his own car and the boys followed. The detective did not talk on the way back to the Morton farm, and the boys, feeling rather sorry for him, spoke of matters other than the car incident.

As the Hardys and Chet walked into the Morton home, the two girls rushed forward. âDid you find it?â Iola asked eagerly.

Chet sighed. âAnother one of Smuffâs bluffs,â he said disgustedly. He handed back the money which his friends had given to help pay the detective.

Frank and Joe said good-by, went for their motorcycles, and took Callie home. Then they returned to their own house, showered, and went to bed.

As soon as school was over the next day, they took the gray wig and visited Schwartzâs shop. The owner assured them that the hair piece had not come from his store.

âItâs a very cheap one,â the man said rather disdainfully.

Frank and Joe visited Flintâs and Ruben Brothersâ shops as well. Neither place had sold the gray wig. Furthermore, neither of them had had a customer in many weeks who had wanted a red wig, or who was in the habit of using wigs or toupees of various colors.

âTodayâs sleuthing was a complete washout,â Joe reported that night to his father.

The famous detective smiled. âDonât be discouraged,â he said. âI can tell you that one bit of success makes up for a hundred false trails.â

As the boys were undressing for bed later, Frank reminded his brother that the following day was a school holiday. âThatâll give us hours and hours to work on the case,â he said enthusiastically.

âWhat do you suggest we do?â Joe asked.

Frank shrugged. Several ideas were brought up by the brothers, but one which Joe proposed was given preference. They would get hold of a large group of their friends. On the theory that the thief could not have driven a long distance away because of the police alarm, the boys would make an extensive search in the surrounding area for Chetâs jalopy.

âWeâll hunt in every possible hiding place,â he stated.

Early the next morning Frank hurried to the telephone and put in one call after another to âthe gang.â These included, besides Chet Morton, Allen Hooper, nicknamed Biff because of his fondness for a distant relative who was a boxer named Biff; Jerry Gilroy, Phil Cohen, and Tony Prito. All were students at Bayport High and prominent in various sports.

The five boys were eager to co-operate. They agreed to assemble at the Hardy home at nine oâclock. In the meantime, Frank and Joe would lay out a plan of action.

As soon as breakfast was over the Hardys told their father what they had in mind and asked if he had any suggestions on how they might go about their search.

âTake a map,â he said, âwith our house as a radius and cut pie-shaped sections. I suggest that two boys work together.â

By nine oâclock his sons had mapped out the search in detail. The first recruit to arrive was Tony Prito, a lively boy with a good sense of humor. He was followed in a moment by Phil Cohen, a quiet, intelligent boy.

âPut us to work,â said Tony. âI brought one of my fatherâs trucks that he isnât going to use today.â Tonyâs father was in the contracting business. âI can cover a lot of miles in it.â

Frank suggested that Tony and Phil work together. He showed them the map, with Bayport as the center of a great circle, cut into four equal sections.

âSuppose you take from nine oâclock to twelve on this dial weâve marked. Mother has agreed to stay at home all day and act as clearing house for our reports. Call in every hour.â

âWill do,â Tony promised. âCome on, Phil. Letâs get going!â

The two boys were just starting off when Biff and Jerry arrived at the Hardy home on motorcycles. Biff, blond and long-legged, had an ambling gait, with which he could cover a tremendous amount of territory in a short time. Jerry, an excellent fielder on Bayport Highâs baseball team, was of medium height, wiry, and strong.

Biff and Jerry were assigned to the section on the map designated six to nine oâclock. They were given further instructions on sleuthing, then started off on their quest.

âWhereâs Chet?â Mr. Hardy asked his sons. âWasnât he going to help in the search?â

âHe probably overslept. Chetâs been known to do that,â Frank said with a grin.

âHe also might have taken time for a double breakfast,â Joe suggested.

Mrs. Hardy, who had stepped to the front porch, called, âHere he comes now. Isnât that Mr. Mortonâs car?â

âYes, it is,â Frank replied.

Chetâs father let him off in front of the Hardy home and the stout boy hurried to the porch. âGood morning, Mrs. Hardy. Good morning, Mr. Hardy. Hi, chums!â he said cheerily. âSorry to be late. My dad had a lot of phoning to do before he left. I was afraid if Iâd tried to walk here, I wouldnât have arrived until tomorrow.â

At this point Mr. Hardy spoke up. âAs I said before, I think you boys should work in twos. There are only three of you to take care of half the territory.â The detective suddenly grinned boyishly. âHow about me teaming up with one of you?â

Frank and Joe looked at their dad in delight. âYou mean it?â Frank cried out. âIâll choose you as my partner right now.â

âI have a further suggestion,â the detective said. âItâs not going to take you fellows more than three hours to cover the area youâve laid out. And thereâs an additional section I think you might look into.â

âWhatâs that?â Joe inquired.

âWillow Grove. Thatâs a park area, but thereâs also a lot of tangled woodland to one side of it. Good place to hide a stolen car.â

Mr. Hardy suggested that the boys meet for a picnic lunch at Willow Grove and later do some sleuthing in the vicinity. âThat is, provided you havenât found Chetâs jalopy by that time.â

Mrs. Hardy spoke up. âIâll fix a nice lunch for all of you,â she offered.

âThat sure would be swell,â Chet said hastily. âYou make grand picnic lunches, Mrs. Hardy.â

Frank and Joe liked the plan, and it was decided that the boys would have the picnic whether or not they had found the jalopy by one oâclock. Mrs. Hardy said she would relay the news to the other boys when they phoned in.

Chet and Joe set off on the Hardy boysâ motorcycles, taking the twelve-to-three segment on the map. Then Mr. Hardy and Frank drove off for the three-to-six area.

Hour after hour went by, with the searchers constantly on the alert. Every garage, public and private, every little-used road, every patch of woods was thoroughly investigated. There was no sign of Chetâs missing yellow jalopy. Finally at one oâclock Frank and his father returned to the Hardy home. A few moments later Joe and Chet returned and a huge picnic lunch was stowed aboard the two motorcycles.

When the three boys reached the picnic area they were required to park their motorcycles outside the fence. They unstrapped the lunch baskets and carried them down to the lake front. The other boys were already there.

âToo bad we canât go swimming,â Tony remarked, âbut this waterâs pretty cold.â

Quickly they unpacked the food and assembled around one of the park picnic tables.

âUm! Yum! Chicken sandwiches!â Chet cried gleefully.

During the meal the boys exchanged reports on their morningâs sleuthing. All had tried hard but failed to find any trace of the missing car.

âOur work hasnât ended,â Frank reminded the others. âBut Iâm so stuffed Iâm going to rest a while before I start out again.â

All the other boys but Joe Hardy felt the same way and lay down on the grass for a nap. Joe, eager to find out whether or not the woods to their right held the secret of the missing car, plunged off alone through the underbrush.

He searched for twenty minutes without finding a clue to any automobile. He was on the point of returning and waiting for the other boys when he saw a small clearing ahead of him. It appeared to be part of an abandoned roadway.

Excitedly Joe pushed on through the dense undergrowth. It was in a low-lying part of the grove and the ground was wet. At one point it was quite muddy, and it was here that Joe saw something that aroused his curiosity.

âA tire! Then maybe an automobile has been in here,â he muttered to himself, although there were no tire marks in the immediate vicinity. âNo footprints, either. I guess someone tossed this tire here.â

Remembering his fatherâs admonitions on the value of developing oneâs powers of observation, Joe went closer and examined the tire.

âThat tread,â he thought excitedly, âlooks familiar.â

He gazed at it until he was sure, then dashed back to the other boys.

âIâve found a clue!â he cried out. âCome on, everybody!â

CHAPTER VI

The Robbery

JOE HARDY quickly led the way into the swampy area as the other boys trooped along, everyone talking at once. When they reached the spot, Chet examined the tire and exclaimed:

âThereâs no mistake about it! This is one of the tires! When the thief put on the new one, he threw this away.â

âPerhaps the Queen is still around,â suggested Frank quickly. âThe thief may have picked this road as a good place to hide your jalopy until he could make a getaway.â

âIt would be an ideal place,â Chet agreed. âPeople coming to Willow Grove have to park at the gate, so nobody would come in here. But this old road comes in from the main highway. Letâs take a look, fellows.â

A scrutinizing search was begun along the abandoned road in the direction of the highway. A moment later Frank and Chet, in the lead, cried out simultaneously.

âHereâs a bypath! And here are tire marks!â Frank exclaimed. To one side was a narrow roadway, almost overgrown with weeds and low bushes. It led from the abandoned road into the depths of the woods.

Without hesitation Frank and Chet plunged into it. Presently the roadway widened out, then wound about a heavy clump of trees. It came to an end in a wide clearing.

In the clearing stood Chet Mortonâs lost jalopy!

âMy Queen!â he yelled in delight. âHer own license plates!â

His shout was heard by the rest of the boys, who came on a run. Chetâs joy was boundless. He examined the car with minute care, while his chums crowded around. At last he straightened up with a smile of satisfaction.

âShe hasnât been damaged a bit. All ready to run. The thief just hid the old bus in here and made a getaway. Come on, fellows, climb aboard. Free ride to the highway!â

Before leaving, the Hardys examined footprints left by the thief. âHe wore sneakers,â Frank observed.

Suddenly Chet swung open the door and looked on the floor. âYou mean he wore my sneakers. Theyâre gone.â

âAnd carried his own shoes,â Joe observed. âVery clever. Well, that washes out one clue. Canât trace the man by his shoe prints.â

âLetâs go!â Chet urged.

He jumped into the car and in a few seconds the engine roared. There was barely sufficient room in the clearing to permit him to turn the jalopy about. When he swung around and headed up the bypath, the boys gave a cheer and hastened to clamber aboard.

Lurching and swaying, the car reached the abandoned road and from there made the run to the main highway. The boys transferred to Tonyâs truck and the motorcycles, and formed a parade into Bayport, with Frank and Joe in the lead. It was their intention to ride up to police headquarters and announce their success to Chief Collig.

âAnd I hope Smuff will be around,â Chet gloated.

As the grinning riders came down Main Street, however, they noticed that no one paid any attention to them, and there seemed to be an unusual air of mystery in the town. People were standing in little groups, gesticulating and talking earnestly.

Presently the Hardys saw Oscar Smuff striding along with a portentous frown. Joe called out to him. âWhatâs going on, detective? You notice we found Chetâs car.â

âIâve got something more important than stolen cars to worryâHey, whatâs that?â Detective Smuff stared blankly, as the full import of the discovery filtered his consciousness.

The boys waited for Smuffâs praise, but he did not give it. Instead, he said, âI got a big mystery to solve. The Tower Mansion has been robbed!â

âGood night!â the Hardys chorused.

Tower Mansion was one of the show places of Bayport. Few people in the city had ever been permitted to enter the place and the admiration which the palatial building excited was solely by reason of its exterior appearance. But the first thing a newcomer to Bayport usually asked was, âWho owns that house with the towers over on the hill?â

It was an immense, rambling stone structure overlooking the bay, and could be seen for miles, silhouetted against the sky line like an ancient feudal castle. The resemblance to a castle was heightened by the fact that from each of the far ends of the mansion arose a high tower.

One of these had been built when the mansion was erected by Major Applegate, an eccentric, retired old Army man who had made a fortune by lucky real-estate deals. Years ago there had been many parties and dances in the mansion.

But the Applegate family had become scattered until at last there remained in the old home only Hurd Applegate and his sister Adelia. They lived in the vast, lonely mansion at the present time.

Hurd Applegate was a man about sixty, tall, and stooped. His life seemed to be devoted now to the collection of rare stamps. But a few years before he had built a new tower on the mansion, a duplicate of the original one.

His sister Adelia was a maiden lady of uncertain years. Well-dressed women in Bayport were amused by her clothes. She dressed in clashing colors and unbecoming styles. Hurd and Adelia Applegate were reputed to be enormously wealthy, although they lived simply, kept only a few servants, and never had visitors.

âTell us about the theft,â Joe begged Smuff.

But the detective waved his hand airily. âYouâll have to find out yourselves,â he retorted as he hurried off.

Frank and Joe called good-by to their friends and headed for home. As they arrived, the boys saw Hurd Applegate just leaving the house. The man tapped the steps with his cane as he came down them. When he heard the boysâ motorcycles he gave them a piercing glance.

âGood day!â he growled in a grudging manner and went on his way.

âHe must have been asking Dad to take the case,â Frank said to his brother, as they pulled into the garage.

The boys rushed into the house, eager to find out more about the robbery. In the front hallway they met their father.

âWe heard the Tower Mansion has been robbed,â said Joe.

Mr. Hardy nodded. âYes. Mr. Applegate was just here to tell me about it. He wants me to handle the case.â

âHow much was taken?â

Mr. Hardy smiled. âWell, I donât suppose it will do any harm to tell you. The safe in the Applegate library was opened. The loss will be about forty thousand dollars, all in securities and jewels.â

âWhew!â exclaimed Frank. âWhat a haul! When did it happen?â

âEither last night or this morning. Mr. Applegate did not get up until after ten oâclock this morning and did not go into the library until nearly noon. It was then that he discovered the theft.â

âHow was the safe opened?â

âBy using the combination. It was opened either by someone who knew the set of numbers or else by a very clever thief who could detect the noise of the tumblers. Iâm going up to the house in a few minutes. Mr. Applegate is to call for me.â

âIâd like to go along,â Joe said eagerly.

âSo would I,â Frank declared.

Mr. Hardy looked at his sons and smiled. âWell, if you want to be detectives, I suppose it is about as good a chance as any to watch a crime investigation from the inside. If Mr. Applegate doesnât object, you may come with me.â

A few minutes later a foreign-make, chauffeur-driven car drew up before the Hardy home. Mr. Applegate was seated in the rear, his chin resting on his cane. The three Hardys went outside. When the detective mentioned the boysâ request, the man merely grunted assent and moved over. Frank and Joe stepped in after their father. The car headed toward Tower Mansion.

âI donât really need a detective in this case!â Hurd Applegate snapped. âDonât need one at all. Itâs as clear as the nose on your face. I know who took the stuff. But I canât prove it.â

âWhom do you suspect?â Fenton Hardy asked.

âOnly one man in the world could have taken the jewels and securities. Robinson!â

âRobinson?â

âYes. Henry Robinsonâthe caretaker. Heâs the man.â

The Hardy boys looked at each other in consternation. Henry Robinson, the caretaker of the Tower Mansion, was the father of one of their closest chums ! Perry Robinson, nicknamed âSlim,â was the son of the accused man!

That his father should be blamed for the robbery seemed absurd to the Hardy boys. They had met Mr. Robinson upon several occasions and he had appeared to be a good-natured, easygoing man with high principles.

âI donât believe heâs guilty,â Frank whispered.

âNeither do I,â returned his brother.

âWhat makes you suspect Robinson?â Mr. Hardy asked Hurd Applegate.

âHeâs the only person besides my sister and me who ever saw that safe opened and closed. He could have learned the combination if heâd kept his eyes and ears open, which Iâm sure he did.â

âIs that your only reason for suspecting him?â

âNo. This morning he paid off a nine-hundred-dollar note at the bank. And I know for a fact he didnât have more than one hundred dollars to his name a few days ago. Now where did he raise nine hundred dollars so suddenly?â

âPerhaps he has a good explanation,â Mr. Hardy suggested.

âOh, heâll have an explanation all right!â sniffed Mr. Applegate. âBut it will have to be a mighty good one to satisfy me.â

The automobile was now speeding up the wide driveway that led to Tower Mansion and within a few minutes stopped at the front entrance. Mr. Hardy and the two boys accompanied the eccentric man into the house.

âNothing has been disturbed in the library since the discovery of the theft,â he said, leading the way there.

Mr. Hardy examined the open safe, then took a special magnifying glass from his pocket. With minute care he inspected the dial of the combination lock. Next he walked to each window and the door to examine them for fingerprints. He asked Mr. Applegate to hold his fingers up to a strong light and got a clear view of the whorls and lines on the inside of the tips. At last he shook his head.

âA smooth job,â he observed. âThe thief must have worn gloves. All the fingerprints in the room, Mr. Applegate, seem to be yours.â

âNo use looking for fingerprints or any other evidence!â Mr. Applegate barked impatiently. âIt was Robinson, I tell you.â

âPerhaps it would be a good idea for me to ask him a few questions,â Mr. Hardy advised.

Mr. Applegate rang for one of the servants and instructed him to tell the caretaker to come to the library at once. Mr. Hardy glanced at the boys and suggested they wait in the hallway.

âIt might prove less embarrassing to Mr. Robinson that way,â he said in a low voice.

Frank and Joe readily withdrew. In the hall they met Mr. Robinson and his son Perry. The man was calm, but pale, and at the doorway he patted Slim on the shoulder.

âDonât worry,â he said. âEverything will be all right.â With that he entered the library.

Slim turned to his two friends. âItâs got to be!â he cried out. âMy dad is innocent!â

CHAPTER VII

The Arrest

FRANK and Joe were determined to help their chum prove his fatherâs innocence. They shared his conviction that Mr. Robinson was not guilty.

âOf course heâs innocent,â Frank agreed. âHeâll be able to clear himself all right, Slim.â

âBut things look pretty black right now,â the boy said. He was white-faced and shaken. âUnless Mr. Hardy can catch the real thief, Iâm afraid Dad will be blamed for the robbery.â

âEverybody knows your father is honest,â said Joe consolingly. âHe has been a faithful employee âeven Mr. Applegate will have to admit that.â

âWhich wonât help him much if he canât clear himself of the charge. And Dad admits that he did know the combination of the safe, although of course heâd never use it.â

âHe knew it?â repeated Joe, surprised.

âDad learned the combination accidentally. It was so simple one couldnât forget it. This was how it happened. One day when he was cleaning the library fireplace, he found a piece of paper with numbers on it. He studied them and decided they were the safe combination. Dad laid the paper on the desk. The window was open and he figured the breeze must have blown the paper to the floor.â

âDoes Mr. Applegate know that?â

âNot yet. But Dad is going to tell him now. He realizes it will look bad for him, but heâs going to give Mr. Applegate the truth.â

From the library came the hum of voices. The harsh tones of Hurd Applegate occasionally rose above the murmur of conversation and finally the boys heard Mr. Robinsonâs voice rise sharply.

âI didnât do it! I tell you I didnât take that money!â

âThen where did you get the nine hundred you paid on that note?â demanded Mr. Applegate.

Silence.

âWhere did you get it?â

âIâm not at liberty to tell you or anyone else.â

âWhy not?â

âI got the money honestlyâthatâs all I can say about it.â

âOh, ho!â exclaimed Mr. Applegate. âYou got the money honestly, yet you canât tell me where it came from! A pretty story! If you got the money honestly you shouldnât be ashamed to tell where it came from.â

âIâm not ashamed. I can only say again, Iâm not at liberty to talk about it.â

âMighty funny thing that you should get nine hundred dollars so quickly. You were pretty hard up last week, werenât you? Had to ask for an advance on your monthâs wages.â

âThat is true.â

âAnd then the day of this robbery you suddenly have nine hundred dollars that you canât explain.â

Mr. Hardyâs calm voice broke in. âOf course I donât like to pry into your private affairs, Mr. Robinson,â he said, âbut it would be best if you would clear up this matter of the money.â

âI know it looks bad,â replied the caretaker doggedly. âBut Iâve made a promise I canât break.â

âAnd you admit being familiar with the combination of the safe, too!â broke in Mr. Applegate. âI didnât know that before. Why didnât you tell me?â

âI didnât consider it important.â

âAnd yet you come and tell me now!â

âI have nothing to conceal. If I had taken the securities and jewels I wouldnât be telling you that I knew the combination.â

âYes,â agreed Mr. Hardy, âthatâs a point in your favor, Mr. Robinson.â

âIs it?â asked Mr. Applegate. âRobinsonâs just clever enough to think up a trick like that. Heâd figure that by appearing to be honest, Iâd believe he is honest and couldnât have committed this robbery. Very clever. But not clever enough. Thereâs plenty of evidence right this minute to convict him, and Iâm not going to delay any further.â

In a moment Mr. Applegateâs voice continued, âPolice station? Hello ... Police station? ... This is Applegate speakingâApplegateâHurd Applegate.... Well, weâve found our man in that robbery.... Yes, Robinson.... You thought so, eh?âSo did I, but I wasnât sure.... He has practically convicted himself by his own story.... Yes, I want him arrested.... Youâll be up right away? ... Fine.... Good-by.â

âYouâre not going to have me arrested, Mr. Applegate?â the caretaker cried out in alarm.

âWhy not? Youâre the thief!â

âIt might have been better to wait a while,â Mr. Hardy interposed. âAt least until there was more evidence.â

âWhat more evidence do we want, Mr. Hardy,â the owner of Tower Mansion sneered. âIf Robinson wants to return the jewels and securities Iâll have the charge withdrawnâbut thatâs all.â

âI canât return them! I didnât take them!â Mr. Robinson defended himself.

âYouâll have plenty of time to think,â Mr. Applegate declared. âYouâll be in the penitentiary a long timeâa long time.â

In the hallway the boys listened in growing excitement and dismay. The case had taken an abrupt and tragic turn. Slim looked as though he might collapse under the strain.

âMy dadâs innocent,â the boy muttered over and over again, clenching his fists. âI know he is. They canât arrest him. He never stole anything in his life!â

Frank patted his friend on the shoulder. âBrace up, pal,â he advised. âIt looks discouraging just now, but Iâm sure your father will be able to clear himself.â

âIâIâll have to tell Mother,â stammered Slim. âThis will break her heart. And my sistersââ

Frank and Joe followed the boy down the hallway and along a corridor that led to the east wing of the mansion. There, in a neat but sparsely furnished apartment, they found Mrs. Robinson, a gentle, kind-faced woman, who was lame. She was seated in a chair by the window, anxiously waiting. Her two daughters, Paula and Tessie, twelve-year-old twins, were at her side, and all looked up in expectation as the boys came in.

âWhat news, son?â Mrs. Robinson asked bravely, after she had greeted the Hardys.

âBad, Mother.â

âTheyâre notâtheyâre notâarresting him?â cried Paula, springing forward.

Perry nodded wordlessly.

âBut they canât!â Tessie protested. âDad couldnât do anything like that! Itâs wrongââ

Frank, looking at Mrs. Robinson, saw her suddenly slump over in a faint. He sprang forward and caught the woman in his arms as she was about to fall to the floor.

âMother!â cried Slim in terror, as Frank laid Mrs. Robinson on a couch, then he said quickly to his sister, âPaula, bring the smelling salts and her special medicine.â

Perry explained that at times undue excitement caused an âattack.â âI shouldnât have told her about Dad,â the boy chided himself.

âSheâd have to know it sooner or later,â Joe said kindly.

In a moment Paula returned with the bottle of smelling salts and medicine. The inhalant brought her mother back to consciousness, and Paula then gave Mrs. Robinson the medicine. In a few moments the woman completely revived and apologized for having worried everyone.

âI admit it was a dreadful shock to think my husband has been arrested,â she said, âbut surely something can be done to prove his innocence.â

Instantly Frank and Joe assured her they would do everything they could to find the real thief, because they too felt that Mr. Robinson was not guilty.

The next morning, as the brothers were dressing in their room at home, Frank remarked, âThereâs a great deal about this case that hasnât come to the surface yet. Itâs just possible that the man who stole Chet Mortonâs car may have had something to do with the theft.â

Joe agreed. âHe was a criminalâthat much is certain. He stole an automobile and he tried to hold up the ticket office, so why not another robbery?â

âRight, Joe. I just realized that we never inspected Chetâs car for any dues to the thief, so letâs do it.â

The stout boy did not bring his jalopy to school that day, so the Hardys had to submerge their curiosity until classes and baseball practice were over. Then, when Mrs. Morton picked up Chet and Iola, Frank and Joe went home with them.

âIâll look under the seats,â Joe offered.

âAnd Iâll search the trunk compartment.â Frank walked to the back of the car and raised the cover. He began rooting under rags, papers, and discarded schoolbooks. Presently he gave a cry of victory.

âHere it is! The best evidence in the world!â

Joe and Chet rushed to his side as he held up a manâs red wig.

Frank said excitedly, âMaybe thereâs a clue in this hair piece!â

An examination failed to reveal any, but Frank said he would like to show the wig to his father. He covered it with a handkerchief and put it carefully in an inner pocket. Chet drove the Hardys home. They assumed that their father was in his study on the second floor, and rushed up there and into the room without ceremony.

âDad, weâve found a clue!â Joe cried. Then he stepped back, embarrassed, as he realized there was someone else in the room.

âSorry!â said Frank. The boys would have retreated, but Mr. Hardyâs visitor turned around and they saw that he was Perry Robinson.

âItâs only me,â said Slim. âDonât go.â

âHi, Slim!â

âPerry has been trying to shed a little more light on the Tower robbery,â explained Mr. Hardy. âBut what is this clue youâre talking about?â

âIt might concern the robbery,â replied Frank. âItâs about the red-haired man.â He took the wig from his pocket and told where he had found it.

Mr. Hardyâs interest was kindled at once. âThis seems to link up a pretty good chain of evidence. The man who passed you on the shore road wrecked the car he was driving, then stole Chetâs, and afterward tried to hold up the ticket office. When he failed there, he tried another and more successful robbery at the Tower.â

âDo you really think the wig might help us solve the Tower robbery?â asked Perry, taking hope.

âPossibly.â

âI was just telling your father,â Slim went on, âthat I saw a strange man lurking around the grounds of the mansion two days before the robbery. I didnât think anything of it at the time, and in the shock of Dadâs arrest I forgot about it.â

âDid you get a good look at him? Could you describe him?â Frank asked.

âIâm afraid I canât. It was in the evening. I was sitting by a window, studying, and happened to look up. I saw this fellow moving about among the trees. Later, I heard one of the dogs barking in another part of the grounds. Shortly afterward, I saw someone running across the lawn. I thought he was just a tramp.â

âDid he wear a hat or a cap?â

âAs near as I can remember, it was a cap. His clothes were dark.â

âAnd you couldnât see his face?â

âNo.â

âWell, itâs not much to go on,â said Mr. Hardy, âbut it might be linked up with Frank and Joeâs idea that the man who stole the jalopy may still have been hanging around Bayport.â The detective thought deeply for a few moments. âIâll bring all these facts to Mr. Applegateâs attention, and Iâm also going to have a talk with the police authorities. I feel they havenât enough evidence to warrant holding your father, Perry.â

âDo you think you can have him released?â the boy asked eagerly.

âIâm sure of it. In fact, I believe Mr. Applegate is beginning to realize now that he made a mistake.â

âIt will be wonderful if we can have Dad back with us again,â said Perry. âOf course things wonât be the same for him. Heâll be under a cloud of suspicion as long as this mystery isnât cleared up. I suppose Mr. Applegate wonât employ him or anyone else.â

âAll the more reason why we should get busy and clear up the affair,â Frank said quickly, and Joe added, âSlim, weâll do all we can to help your father.â

CHAPTER VIII

An Important Discovery

WHEN the Hardy boys were on their way home from school the next afternoon they noticed that a crowd had collected in the vestibule of the post office and were staring at the bulletin board.

âWonder whatâs up now?â said Joe, pushing his way forward through the crowd with the agility of an eel. Frank was not slow in following.

On the board was a large poster. The ink on it was scarcely dry. At the top, in enormous black letters, it read:

Â 

$1000 REWARD

Underneath, in slightly smaller type, was the following:

The above reward will be paid for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons who broke into Tower Mansion and stole jewels and securities from a safe in the library.

The reward was being offered by Hurd Applegate.

âWhy, that must mean the charge against Mr. Robinson has been dropped!â exclaimed Joe.

âIt looks like it. Letâs see if we can find Slim.â

All about them people were commenting on the size of the reward, and there were many expressions of envy for the person who would be fortunate enough to solve the mystery.

âA thousand dollars!â said Frank, as the brothers made their way out of the post office. âThatâs a lot of money, Joe.â

âIâll say it is.â

âAnd thereâs no reason why we havenât as good a chance of earning it as anyone else.â

âI suppose Dad and the police are barred from the reward, for itâs their duty to find the thief if they can. But if we track him down we can get the money. Itâll be a good sum to add to our college fund.â

âLetâs go! Say, thereâs Slim now.â

Perry Robinson was coming down the street toward them. He looked much happier than he had the previous evening, and when he saw the Hardy boys his face lighted up.

âDad is free,â he told them. âThanks to your father, the charge has been dropped.â

âIâm sure glad to hear that!â exclaimed Joe. âI see a reward is being offered.â

âYour father convinced Mr. Applegate that it must have been an outside job. And the work of a professional thief. Chief Collig admitted there wasnât much evidence against Dad, so they let him go. Itâs a great relief. My mother and sisters were almost crazy with worry.â

âNo wonder,â commented Frank. âWhatâs your father going to do now?â

âI donât know,â Slim admitted. âOf course, weâve had to move from the Tower Mansion estate. Mr. Applegate said that even though the charge had been dropped, he wasnât altogether convinced in his own mind that Dad hadnât had something to do with the theft. So he dismissed him.â

âThatâs tough luck. But your dad will be able to get another job somewhere,â Frank said consolingly.

âIâm not so sure about that. People arenât likely to employ a man whoâs been suspected of stealing. Dad tried two or three places this afternoon, but he was turned down.â

The Hardys were silent. They felt very sorry for the Robinsons and were determined to do what they could to help them.

âWeâve rented a small house just outside the city,â Slim went on. âItâs cheap and the neighborhood is kind of bad, but weâll have to get along.â

Frank and Joe admired Slim. There was no false pride about him. He faced the facts as they came, and made the best of them. âBut if Dad doesnât get a job, it will mean that Iâll have to go to work full time.â

âWhy, Slimâyouâd have to quit school!â Joe cried out.

âI canât help that. I wouldnât want to, for you know I was trying for a scholarship. Butââ

The brothers realized how much it would mean to their chum if he had to leave school. Perry Robinson was an ambitious boy and one of the top ten in his class. He had always wanted to continue his studies and go on to a university, and his teachers had predicted a brilliant career for him as an engineer. Now it seemed that all his ambitions for a high school diploma and a college education would have to be given up because of this misfortune.

Frank put an arm around Slimâs shoulders. âChin up,â he said with a warm smile. âJoe and I are going to plug away at this affair until we get to the bottom of it!â

âItâs mighty good of you fellows,â Slim said gratefully. âI wonât forget it in a hurry.â He tried to smile, but it was evident that the boy was deeply worried. When he walked away it was not with the light, carefree step which the Hardys associated with him.

âWhatâs the first move, Frank?â Joe asked.

âWeâd better get a full description of those jewels. Perhaps the thief tried to pawn them. Letâs try all the pawnshops and see what we can find out.â

âGood idea, even if the police have already done it.â Frank grinned. Then he sobered. âDo you think Applegate will give us a list?â

âWe wonât have to ask him. Dad should have that information.â

âLetâs find out right now.â

When the boys returned home, they found their father waiting for them. âI have news for you,â he said. âYour theory about the wrecked auto being stolen has been confirmed. Collig phoned just now and told me the true ownership had been traced by the engine number. Car belongs to a man over in Thornton.â

âGood. Thatâs one more strike against the thief,â Joe declared.

But a moment later the boys met with disappointment when they asked their father for a list of the stolen jewels.

âIâm willing to give you all the information I have,â said Fenton Hardy, âbut Iâm afraid it wonât be of much use. Furthermore, Iâll bet I can tell just what youâre going to do.â

âWhat?â

âMake the rounds of the pawnshops to see if any of the jewels have been turned in.â

The Hardy boys looked at each other in amazement. âI might have guessed,â said Frank.

Their father smiled. âNot an hour after I was called in on the case I had a full description of all those jewels in every pawnshop in the city. More than that, the description has been sent to jewelry firms and pawnshops in other cities near here, and also the New York police. Hereâs a duplicate list if you want it, but youâll just be wasting time calling at the shops. All the dealers are on the lookout for the jewels.â

Mechanically, Frank took the list. âAnd I thought it was such a bright idea!â

âIt is a bright idea. But it has been used before. Most jewel robberies are solved in just this mannerâby tracing the thief when he tries to get rid of the gems.â

âWell,â said Joe gloomily, âI guess that plan is all shot to pieces. Come on, Frank. Weâll think of something else.â

âOut for the reward?â asked Mr. Hardy, chuckling.

âYes. And weâll get it, too!â

âI hope you do. But you canât ask me to help you any more than Iâve done. Itâs my case, too, remember. So from now on, you boys and I are rivals!â

âItâs a go!â

âMore power to you!â Mr. Hardy smiled and returned to his desk.

He had a sheaf of reports from shops and agencies in various parts of the state, through which he had been trying to trace the stolen jewels and securities, but in every case the report was the same. There had been no lead to the gems or the bonds taken from Tower Mansion.

When the boys left their fatherâs study they went outside and sat on the back-porch steps.

âWhat shall we do now?â asked Joe.

âI donât know. Dad sure took the wind out of our sails that time, didnât he?â

âIâll say he did. But it was just as well. He saved us a lot of trouble.â

âYes, we might have been going around in circles,â Frank conceded.

Joe wagged his head. âIt looks as if Dad has the inside track on the caseâin the city, anyway.â

âWhat have you got in mind?â Joe asked.

âTo concentrate on the country. We started out to find the thief because he stole Chetâs car. Letâs start all over again from that point.â

âMeaning?â

âMr. Red Wig may have come back to the woods expecting to use Chetâs car again, andââ

âFrank, youâre a genius! You figure the guy may have left a clue by accident.â

âExactly.â

Fired with enthusiasm once more, the brothers called to Mrs. Hardy where they were going, then set off on their motorcycles. After parking them at the picnic site, the brothers once more set off for the isolated spot where the jalopy had been hidden.

Everything looked the same as it had before, but Frank and Joe examined the ground carefully for new footprints. They found none, but Joe pointed out six-inch circular marks at regular intervals.

Frank and Joe examined the circular marks

âTheyâre just the size of a manâs stride,â he remarked, âand I didnât notice them before.â

âI didnât either,â said Frank. âDo you suppose that thief tied pads onto his shoes to keep him from making footprints?â

âLetâs see where they lead.â

The boys followed the circular marks through the thicket. They had not gone far when their eyes lighted up with excitement.

âAnother clue!â Joe yelled. âAnd this time a swell one!â

CHAPTER IX

Rival Detectives

âMAYBE,â Frank said with a grin, âDad will take us into his camp when he sees these!â

âJust a minute,â Joe spoke up. âI thought we were rivals now, and you and I have to solve this mystery alone to earn the reward.â

Frank held up a manâs battered felt hat and an old jacket. âIf these belong to that thief, I think weâve earned the money already!â

He felt through the pockets of the jacket, but they were empty. âNo clue here,â he said.

âThis hat has a label, thoughâNew York City store,â said Joe.

âAnd the coat, too,â Frank added. âSame shop. Well, one thing is sure. If they do belong to the thief, he never meant to leave them. The labels are a dead giveaway.â

âHe must have been frightened off,â Joe concluded. âMaybe when he found that Chetâs jalopy was gone, he felt heâd better scram, and forgot the coat and hat.â

âWhat Iâd like to know,â Frank said, âis whether some hairs from that red wig may be in the hat.â

Joe grinned. âBright boy.â He carried the hat to a spot where the sunlight filtered down through the trees and looked intently at the inside, even turning down the band. âYowee! Success!â he yelled.

Frank gazed at two short strands of red hair. They looked exactly like those in the wig which the boys had found.

Joe sighed. âI guess weâll have to tell Dad about this. He has the wig.â

âRight.â

Frank and Joe hurried home, clutching their precious clues firmly. Mr. Hardy was still in his study when his sons returned. The detective looked up, frankly surprised to see them home so soon. There was the suspicion of a twinkle in his eyes.

âWhat! More clues!â he exclaimed. âYouâre really on the job.â

âYou bet we have more clues!â cried Frank eagerly. He told the boysâ story and laid the hat and jacket on a table. âWeâre turning these over to you.â

âBut I thought you two were working on this case as my rivals.â

âTo tell the truth,â said Frank, âwe donât know what to do with the clue weâve found. It leads to New York City.â

Mr. Hardy leaned forward in his desk chair as Frank pointed out the labels and the two strands of red hair.

âAnd besides,â Frank went on, âI guess the only way to prove that the thief owns these clothes is by comparing the hairs in the hat with the red wig. And Joe and I donât have the wig.â

With a grin the detective went to his files and brought it out. âChief Collig left this here.â

The strands of hair were compared and matched perfectly!

âYou boys have certainly made fine progress,â Mr. Hardy praised his sons. He smiled. âAnd since you have, Iâll let you in on a little secret. Chief Collig asked me to see what I could figure out of the wig. He says thereâs no makerâs name on it.â

âAnd there isnât?â Joe asked.

His fatherâs eyes twinkled once more. âI guess Colligâs assistants werenât very thorough. At any rate, I discovered thereâs an inner lining and on that is the makerâs name. Heâs in New York City and I was just thinking about flying there to talk to him. Now you boys have given me a double incentive for going.â

Frank and Joe beamed with pleasure, then suddenly their faces clouded.

âWhatâs the matter?â Mr. Hardy asked them.

Joe answered. âIt looks as if youâre going to solve the case all alone.â

âNothing of the sort,â the detective replied. âThe person who bought the wig may not have given his name. The hat may have been purchased a long time ago, and it isnât likely that the clerk who sold it will remember who bought it. The same with the jacket.â

Frank and Joe brightened. âThen the case is far from solved,â Frank said.

âAll these are good leads, however,â Mr. Hardy said. âThere is always the chance that the store may not be far from where the suspect lives. Though itâs a slim chance, we canât afford to overlook anything. Iâll take these articles to the city and see what I can do. It may mean everything and it may mean nothing. Donât be disappointed if I come back empty-handed. And donât be surprised if I come back with some valuable information.â

Mr. Hardy tossed the wig, coat, and hat into a bag that was standing open near his desk. The detective was accustomed to being called away suddenly on strange errands, and he was always prepared to leave at a momentâs notice.

âNot much use starting now,â he said, glancing at his watch. âBut Iâll go to the city first thing in the morning. In the meantime, you boys keep your eyes and ears open for more clues. The case isnât over yet by any means.â

Mr. Hardy picked up some papers on his desk, as a hint that the interview was over, and the boys left the study. They were in a state of high excitement when they went to bed that night and could not get to sleep.

âThat thief must be pretty smart,â murmured Joe, after they had talked long into the night.

âThe smarter crooks are, the harder they fall,â Frank replied. âIf this fellow has any kind of a record, it wonât take long for Dad to run him down. Iâve heard Dad say that there is no such thing as a clever crook. If he was really clever, he wouldnât be a crook at all.â

âYes, I guess thereâs something in that, too. But it shows that weâre not up against any amateur. This fellow is a slippery customer.â

âHeâll have to be mighty slippery from now on. Once Dad has a few clues to work on he never lets up till he gets his man.â

âAnd donât forget us,â said Joe, yawning. With that the boys fell asleep.

When they went down to breakfast the following morning Frank and Joe learned that their father had left for New York on an early-morning plane. Their mother remarked, âIâll be so relieved when he gets back. So often these missions turn out to be dangerous.â

She went on to say that her husband had promised to phone her if he wasnât going to be back by suppertime. Suddenly she added with a tantalizing smile, âYour father said he might have a surprise for you if he remains in New York.â

Mrs. Hardy refused to divulge another word. The boys went to school, but all through the morning could scarcely keep their minds on studies. They kept wondering how Fenton Hardy was faring on his quest in New York and what the surprise was.

Slim Robinson was at school that day, but after classes he confided to the Hardys that he was leaving for good.

âItâs no use,â he said. âDad canât keep me in school any longer and itâs up to me to pitch in and help the family. Iâm to start work tomorrow at a supermarket.â

âAnd you wanted to go to college!â exclaimed Frank. âItâs a shame!â

âCanât be helped,â replied Perry with a grimace. âI consider myself lucky to have stayed in school this long. Iâll have to give up all those college plans and settle down in the business world. Thereâs one good thing about itâIâll have a chance to learn supermarket work from the ground up. Iâm starting in the receiving department.â He smiled. âPerhaps in about fifty years Iâll be head of the firm!â

âYouâll make good at whatever you tackle,â Joe assured him. âBut Iâm sorry you wonât be able to go through college as you planned. Donât give up hope yet, Slim. One never knows what may happen. Perhaps the thief who did rob Tower Mansion will be found.â

Frank and Joe wanted to tell Slim about the clues they had discovered the previous day, but the same thought came into their mindsâthat it would be unfair to raise any false hopes. So they said good-by and wished him good luck. Perry tried hard to be cheerful, but his smile was very faint as he turned away from them and walked down the street.

âI sure feel sorry for him,â said Frank, as he and Joe started for home. âHe was such a hard worker in school and counted so much on going to college.â

âWeâve just got to clear up the Tower robbery, thatâs all there is to it!â declared his brother.

As they neared the Hardy home, the boysâ steps quickened. Would they find that their father had returned with the information on the identity of the thief? Or was he still in New York? And were they about to share another of his secrets?

CHAPTER X

A Sleuthing Trip

FRANK and Joeâs first stop was the Hardy garage. Looking in, they saw that only Mrs. Hardyâs car was there. Their father had taken his sedan to the airport and not brought it back.

âDadâs not home!â Joe cried excitedly. âNow weâll hear what the surprise is.â Dashing into the kitchen, he called, âMother!â

âIâm upstairs, dear,â Mrs. Hardy called back.

The boys rushed up the front stairway two steps at a time. Their mother met them at the door of their bedroom. Smiling broadly, she pointed to a packed suitcase on Frankâs bed. The boys looked puzzled.

Next, from her dress pocket, Mrs. Hardy brought out two plane tickets and some dollar bills. She handed a ticket and half the money to each of her sons, saying, âYour father wants you to meet him in New York to help him on the case.â

Frank and Joe were speechless for a moment, then they grabbed their mother in a bear hug. âThis is super!â Joe exclaimed. âWhat a surprise!â

Frank looked affectionately at his mother. âYou sure were busy todayâgetting our plane tickets and money. I wish you were going too.â

Mrs. Hardy laughed. âWhen I go to New York for a week end I want to have fun with you boys, not trot around to police stations and thievesâ hide-outs!â she teased. âIâll go some other time. Well, letâs hurry downstairs. Thereâs a snack ready for you. Then Iâll drive my detective sons to the airport.â

In less than two hours the boys were on the plane to New York City. Upon landing there, they were met by Mr. Hardy. He took them to his hotel, where he had engaged an adjoining room for them. It was not until the doors were closed that he brought up the subject of the mystery.

âThe case has taken an interesting turn, and may involve considerable research. Thatâs why I thought you might help me.â

âTell us what has happened so far,â Frank requested eagerly.

Mr. Hardy said that immediately upon arriving in the city he had gone to the office of the company which had manufactured the red wig. After sending in his card to the manager he had been admitted readily.

âThatâs because the name of Fenton Hardy is known from the Atlantic to the Pacific!â Joe interjected proudly.

The detective gave his son a wink and went on with the story. ââSome of our customers in trouble, Mr. Hardy?â the manager asked me when I laid the red wig on his desk.

ââNot yet,â I said. âBut one of them may be if I can trace the purchaser of this wig.â

âThe manager picked it up. He inspected it carefully and frowned. âWe sell mainly to an exclusive theatrical trade. I hope none of the actors has done anything wrong.â

ââCan you tell me who bought this one?â I asked.

ââWe make wigs only to order,â the manager said. He pressed a button at the side of his desk. A boy came and departed with a written message. âIt may be difficult. This wig is not a new one. In fact, I would say it was fashioned about two years ago.â

ââA long time. But stillââ I encouraged him,â the detective went on. âIn a few minutes a bespectacled elderly man shuffled into the office in response to the managerâs summons.

ââKauffman, here,â the manager said, âis our expert. What he doesnât know about wigs isnât worth knowing.â Then, turning to the old man, he handed him the red wig. âRemember it, Kauffman?â

âThe old man looked at it doubtfully. Then he gazed at the ceiling. âRed wigâred wigââ he muttered.

ââAbout two years old, isnât it?â the manager prompted.

ââNot quite. Yearân a half, Iâd say. Looks like a comedy-character type. Waitâll I think. There ainât been so many of our customers playinâ that kind of a part inside a year and a half. Letâs see. Letâs see.â The old man paced up and down the office, muttering names under his breath. Suddenly he stopped, snapping his fingers.

ââI have it,â he said. âIt must have been Morley who bought that wig. Thatâs who it was! Harold Morley. Heâs playinâ in Shakespearean repertoire with Hamlinâs company. Very fussy about his wigs. Has to have âem just so. I remember he bought this one, because he came in here about a month ago and ordered another like it.â

ââWhy would he do that?â I asked him.

âKauffman shrugged his shoulders. âAinât none of my business. Lots of actors keep a double set of wigs. Morleyâs playinâ down at the Crescent Theater right now. Call him up.â

ââIâll go and see him,â I told the men. And thatâs just what weâll do, Frank and Joe, after a bite of supper.â

âYou donât think this actor is the thief, do you?â Frank asked in amazement. âHow could he have gone back and forth to Bayport so quickly? And isnât he playing here in town every night?â

Mr. Hardy admitted that he too was puzzled. He was certain Morley was not the man who had worn the wig on the day the jalopy was stolen, for the Shakespearean company had been playing a three weeksâ run in New York. It was improbable, in any case, that the actor was a thief.

The three Hardys arrived at Mr. Morleyâs dressing room half an hour before curtain time. Mr. Hardy presented his card to a suspicious doorman at the Crescent, but he and his sons were finally admitted backstage and shown down a brilliantly lighted corridor to the dressing room of Harold Morley. It was a snug place, with pictures on the walls, a potted plant in the window overlooking the alleyway, and a rug on the floor.

Seated before a mirror with electric lights at either side was a stout little man, almost totally bald. He was diligently rubbing creamy stage make-up on his face. He did not turn around, but eyed his visitors in the mirror, casually telling them to sit down. Mr. Hardy took the only chair. The boys squatted on the floor.

âOften heard of you, Mr. Hardy,â the actor said in a surprisingly deep voice that had a comical effect in contrast to his diminutive appearance. âGlad to meet you. What kind of call is this? Social âor professional?â

âProfessional.â

Morley continued rubbing the make-up on his jowls. âOut with it,â he said briefly.

âEver see this wig before?â Mr. Hardy asked him, laying the hair piece on the make-up table.

Morley turned from the mirror, and an expression of delight crossed his plump countenance. âWell, Iâll say Iâve seen it before!â he declared. âOld Kauffmanâthe best wigmaker in the country âmade this for me about a year and a half ago. Where did you get it? I sure didnât think Iâd ever see this red wig again.â

âWhy?â

âStolen from me. Some low-down sneak got in here and cleaned out my dressing room one night during the performance. Nerviest thing I ever heard of. Came right in here while I was doing my stuff out front, grabbed my watch and money and a diamond ring I had lying by the mirror, took this wig and a couple of others that were around, and beat it. Nobody saw him come or go. Must have got in by that window.â

Morley talked in short, rapid sentences, and there was no mistaking his sincerity.

âAll the wigs were red,â he stated. âI didnât worry so much about the other wigs, because they were for old plays, but this one was being used right along. Kauffman made it specially for me. I had to get him to make another. But sayâwhere did you find it?â

âOh, my sons located it during some detective work weâre on. The crook left this behind. I was trying to trace him by it.â

Morley did not inquire further. âThatâs all the help I can give you,â he said. âThe police never did learn who cleaned out my dressing room.â

âToo bad. Well, Iâll probably get him some other way. Give me a list and description of the articles he took from you. Probably I can trace him through that.â

âGlad to,â said Morley. He reached into a drawer and drew out a sheet of paper which he handed to the detective. âThatâs the same list I gave the police when I reported the robbery. Number of the watch, and everything. I didnât bother to mention the wigs. Figured they wouldnât be in any condition to wear if I did get them back.â

Mr. Hardy folded the list and put it in his pocket. Morley glanced at his watch, lying face up beside the mirror, and gave an exclamation. âSuffering Sebastopol! Curtain in five minutes and Iâm not half made up yet. Excuse me, folks, but Iâve got to get on my horse. In this business âIâll be ready in a minuteâ doesnât go.â

He seized a stick of grease paint and feverishly resumed the task of altering his appearance to that of the character he was portraying at that eveningâs performance. Mr. Hardy and his sons left. They made their way out to the street.

âNot much luck there,â Frank commented.

âExcept through Mr. Morleyâs stolen jewelry,â his father reminded him. âIf thatâs located in a pawnshop, it may lead to the thief. Well, boys, would you like to go into the theater via the front entrance and see the show?â

âYes, Dad,â the brothers replied, and Joe added, âTomorrow weâll try to find out the name and address of the thief through his coat and hat?â

âRight,â the detective said.

The Hardys enjoyed the performance of The Merchant of Venice with Mr. Morley as Launcelot Gobbo, and laughed hilariously at his comedy and gestures.

The next morning the detective and his sons visited the store from which the thiefâs jacket and hat had been purchased. They were told that the styles were three years out of date and there was no way to tell who had bought them.

âThe articles,â the head of the menâs suit department suggested, âmay have been picked up more recently at a secondhand clothing store.â The Hardys thanked him and left.

âAll this trip for nothing.â Joe gave a sigh.

His father laid a hand on the boyâs shoulder. âA good detective,â he said, ânever sighs with discouragement nor becomes impatient. It took years of persistence to solve some famous cases.â

He suggested that their next effort be devoted to doing some research in the cityâs police files. Since Mr. Hardy had formerly been a member of the New York City detective force, he was permitted to search the records at any time.

Frank and Joe accompanied him to headquarters and the work began. First came a run-down on any known New York criminals who used disguises. Of these men, the Hardys took the reports on the ones who were thin and of medium height.

Next came a check by telephone on the whereabouts of these people. All could be accounted for as working some distance from Bayport at the time of the thefts, with one exception.

âIâll bet heâs our man!â Frank exclaimed. âBut where is he now?â

CHAPTER XI

Anxious Waiting

THE suspect, the Hardys learned, was out of prison on parole. His name was John Jackley, but he was known as Red Jackley because when caught before going to prison he had been wearing a red wig.

âHe lives right here in New York, and maybe heâs back home by this time,â Joe spoke up. âLetâs go see him.â

âJust a minute,â Mr. Hardy said, holding up his hand. âI donât like to leave Mother alone so long. Besides, in this type of sleuthing three detectives together are too noticeable to a crook. This Jackley may or may not be our man. But if he is, heâs probably dangerous. I want you boys to take the evening plane home. Iâll phone the house the minute the thief is in custody.â

âAll right, Dad,â his sons chorused, though secretly disappointed that they had to leave.

When they reached home, Frank and Joe learned that their mother had been working on the case from a completely different angle. Hers was the humanitarian side.

âI went to call on the Robinsons to try to bolster their spirits,â she said. âI told them about your trip to New York and that seemed to cheer them a lot. Monday Iâm going to bake a ham and a cake for you to take to them. Mrs. Robinson isnât well and can do little in the kitchen.â

âThatâs swell of you!â Frank said admiringly. âIâll go.â

Joe told them he had a tennis match to play. âIâll do the next errand,â he promised.

Monday, during a change of classes, Frank met Callie Shaw in the corridor. âHi!â she said. âWhat great problem is on Detective Hardyâs mind? You look as if youâd lost your best criminal!â

Frank grimaced. âMaybe I have,â he said.

He told Callie that he had phoned home at noon confidently expecting to hear that his father had reported the arrest of the real thief of the Applegate money and the exoneration of Mr. Robinson. âBut there was no word, Callie, and Iâm worried Dad may be in danger.â

âI donât blame you,â she said. âWhat do you think has happened?â

âWell, you never can tell when youâre dealing with criminals.â

âNow, Frank, youâre not trying to tell me your father would let himself get trapped?â Callie said.

âNo, I donât think he would, Callie. Maybe Dad hasnât returned because he still hasnât found the man he was looking for.â

âWell, I certainly hope that thief is caught,â said Callie. âBut, Frank, nobody really believes Mr. Robinson did it!â

âNobody but Hurd Applegate and the men who employ people. Until they find the man who did take the stuff, Mr. Robinson is out of a job.â

âIâm going over to see the Robinsons soon. Where are they living?â

Frank gave Callie the address. Her eyes widened. âWhy, thatâs in one of the poorest sections of the city! Frank, I had no idea the Robinsonsâ plight was that bad!â

âIt isâand itâll be a lot worse unless Mr. Robinson gets work pretty soon. Slimâs earnings arenât enough to take care of the whole family. Say, Callie, how about going over to the Robinsonsâ with me after school? Motherâs sending a ham and a cake.â

âIâd love to,â Callie agreed. The two parted at the door of the algebra teacherâs classroom.

As soon as the last bell had rung, Frank and Callie left the building together. First they stopped at the Shaw house to leave the girlâs books.

âI think Iâll take some fruit to the Robinsons,â Callie said, and quickly filled a bag with oranges, bananas, and grapes.

When the couple reached the Hardy home, Frank asked his mother if any messages had come. âNo, not yet,â she answered.

Frank said nothing to her about being concerned over his father, as he tucked the ham under one arm and picked up the cakebax. But after he and Callie reached the street, he again confided his concern to Callie.

âIt does seem strange you havenât heard anything,â she admitted. âBut donât forget the old saying, âNo news is good news,â so donât worry.â

âIâll take your advice,â Frank agreed. âNo use wearing a sour look around the Robinsons.â

âOr when youâre with me, either,â Callie said, tossing her head teasingly.

Frank hailed an approaching bus bound for the section of the city in which the Robinsons lived. He and Callie climbed aboard. It was a long ride and the streets became less attractive as they neared the outskirts of Bayport.

âItâs a shame, thatâs what it is!â declared Callie abruptly. âThe Robinsons were always accustomed to having everything so nice! And now they have to live here! Oh, I hope your father catches the man who committed that robberyâand soon!â

Her eyes flashed and for a moment she looked so fierce that Frank laughed.

âI suppose youâd like to be the judge and jury at his trial, eh?â

âIâd give him a hundred years in jail!â Callie declared.

When they came to the street where the Robinsons had moved they found that it was an even poorer thoroughfare than they had expected. There were small houses badly in need of paint and repairs. Shabbily dressed children were playing in the roadway.

At the far end of the street stood a small cottage that somehow contrived to look homelike in spite of the surroundings. The picket fence had been repaired and the yard had been cleaned up.

âThis is where they live,â said Frank.

Callie smiled. âItâs the neatest place on the whole street.â

Paula and Tessie answered their knock. The twinsâ faces lighted up with pleasure when they saw who the callers were.

âFrank and Callie!â they exclaimed. âCome in.â

The callers were greeted with kindly dignity by Mrs. Robinson. She looked pale and thin but had the same self-possession she had always shown at Tower Mansion.

âWe canât stay long,â Callie explained. âBut Frank and I just thought weâd run out to see how you all are. And we brought something for you.â

The fruit, ham, and cake were presented. As the twins ohed and ahed over the food, Mrs. Robinsonâs eyes filled with tears. âYou are dear people,â she said. âFrank, tell your mother I canât thank her enough.â

Frank grinned as Mrs. Robinson went on, âCallie, we shall enjoy this fruit very much. Many thanks.â

Paula said, âItâs a wonderful gift. Say, did you know Perry got a better job the second day he was at the supermarket?â

âNo. Thatâs swell,â Frank replied. âIt didnât take the manager long to find out how smart Slim is, eh?â

The twins giggled, but Mrs. Robinson said dolefully, âI wish my husband could find a job. Since no one around here will employ him, he is thinking of going to another city to get work.â

âAnd leave you here?â

âI suppose so. We donât know what to do.â

âItâs so unfair!â Paula flared up. âMy father didnât have a thing to do with that miserable robbery, and yet he has to suffer for it just the same!â

Mrs. Robinson said to Frank hesitantly, âHas Mr. Hardy discovered anythingâyet?â

âI donât know,â Frank admitted. âWe havenât heard from him. Heâs been in New York following up some clues. But so far thereâs been no word.â

âWe hardly dare hope that heâll be able to clear Mr. Robinson,â the woman said sorrowfully. âThe whole case is so mysterious.â

âIâve stopped thinking of it,â Tessie declared. âIf the mystery is cleared up, okay. If it isnâtâwe wonât starve, at any rate, and my father knows we believe in him.â

âYes, I suppose it doesnât do much good to keep talking about it,â agreed Mrs. Robinson. âWeâve gone over the whole matter so thoroughly that there is nothing more to say.â

So, by tacit consent, the subject was changed and for the rest of their stay Frank and Callie chatted of doings at school. Mrs. Robinson and the girls invited them to remain for supper, but Callie insisted that she must go. As they were leaving, Mrs. Robinson drew Frank to one side.

âPromise me one thing,â she said. âLet me know as soon as your father returnsâthat is, if he has any news.â

âIâll do that, Mrs. Robinson,â Frank agreed. âI know what this suspense must be like for you and the twins.â

âItâs terrible. But as long as Fenton Hardyâand his sonsâare working on the case, Iâm sure it will be straightened out.â

Callie and Frank were unusually silent all the way home. They had been profoundly affected by the change that the Tower Mansion mystery had caused in the lives of the Robinsons. Callie lived but a few blocks from the Hardy home, and Frank accompanied her to the door.

âSee you tomorrow,â he said.

âYes, Frank. And I hope youâll hear good news from your father.â

The boy quickened his steps and ran eagerly into the Hardy house. Joe met him.

âAny phone call?â

Joe shook his head. âMotherâs pretty worried that something has happened to Dad.â

CHAPTER XII

A Disturbing Absence

ANOTHER whole day went by. When still no word had come from Mr. Hardy, his wife phoned the New York hotel. She was told that the detective had checked out the day before.

Discouraged and nervous about the new mystery of their fatherâs disappearance, Frank and Joe found it almost impossible to concentrate on their studies.

Then, the following morning when Mrs. Hardy came to awaken them, she wore a broad smile. âYour father is home!â she said excitedly. âHeâs all right but has had a bad time. Heâs asleep now and will tell you everything after school.â

The boys were wild with impatience to learn the outcome of his trip, but they were obliged to curb their curiosity.

âDad must be mighty tired,â Joe remarked, as Mrs. Hardy went downstairs to start breakfast. âI wonder where he came from.â

âProbably he was up all night. When heâs working on a case, he forgets about sleep. Do you think he found out anything?â

âHope so, Frank. I wish heâd wake up and tell us. I hate to go back to school without knowing.â

But Mr. Hardy had not awakened by the time the boys set out for school, although they lingered until they were in danger of being late. As soon as classes were over, they shattered all records in their race home.

Fenton Hardy was in the living room, and as they rushed in panting, he grinned broadly. He looked refreshed after his long sleep and it was evident that his trip had not been entirely without success, for his manner was cheerful.

âHello, boys! Sorry I worried you and Mother.â

âWhat luck, Dad?â asked Frank.

âGood and bad. Hereâs the story: I went to the house where Red Jackley was boarding. Although he seemed to be an exemplary parolee, I decided to watch him a while and try to make friends.â

âHow could you do that?â

âBy taking a room in the same house and pretending to be a fellow criminal.â

âWow!â Joe cried. âAnd then?â

âJackley himself spoiled everything. He got mixed up in a jewel robbery and cleared out of the city. Luckily, I heard him packing, and I trailed him. The police were watching for him and he couldnât get out of town by plane or bus. He outwitted the police by jumping a freight on the railroad.â

âAnd you still followed?â

âI lost him two or three times, but fortunately I managed to pick up his trail again. He got out of the city and into upper New York State. Then his luck failed him. A railroad detective recognized Jackley and the chase was on. Up to that time I had been content with just keeping behind him. I had still hoped to pose as a fellow fugitive and win his confidence. But when the pursuit started in earnest, I had to join the officers.â

âAnd they caught Jackley?â

âNot without great difficulty. Jackley, by the way, was once a railroad man. Strangely enough, he worked not many miles from here. He managed to steal a railroad handcar and got away from us. But he didnât last long, for the handcar jumped the tracks on a curve and Jackley was badly smashed up.â

âKilled?â Frank asked quickly.

âNo. But heâs in a hospital right now and the doctors say he hasnât much of a chance.â

âHeâs under arrest?â

âOh, yes. Heâs being held for the jewel thefts and also for the theft from the actorâs dressing room. But he probably wonât live to answer either charge.â

âDidnât you find out anything that would connect him with the Tower robbery?â

âNot a thing.â

The boys were disappointed, and their expressions showed it. If Red Jackley died without confessing, the secret of the Tower robbery would die with him. Mr. Robinson might never be cleared. He might be doomed to spend the rest of his life under a cloud, suspected of being a thief.

âHave you talked to Jackley?â Frank asked.

âI didnât have a chanceâhe wasnât conscious.â

âThen you may never be able to get a confession from him.â

Fenton Hardy shrugged. âI may be able to. If Jackley regains consciousness and knows heâs going to die, he may admit everything. I intend to see him in the hospital and ask him about the Tower robbery.â

âIs he far away?â

âAlbany. I explained my mission to the doctor in charge and he promised to telephone me as soon as it was possible for Jackley to see anyone.â

âYou say he used to work near here?â Joe asked.

âHe was once employed by the railroad, and he knows all the country around here well. Then he became mixed up in some thefts from freight cars, and after he got out of jail, turned professional criminal. I suppose he came back here because he is so familiar with this area.â

âI promised to call Mrs. Robinson,â Frank spoke up. âOkay to tell her about Jackley?â

âYes, it may cheer her up. But ask her not to tell anyone.â

Frank dialed the number and relayed part of his fatherâs story. The accused manâs wife was overwhelmed and relieved by the news, but promised not to divulge the information. Just as Frank finished the call, the doorbell rang. Frank ushered in the private detective Oscar Smuff.

âYour pa home?â he asked.

âYes. Come in.â Frank led the way into the living room.

Smuff, although he considered himself a top-notch sleuth, stood in awe of Fenton Hardy. He cleared his throat nervously.

âGood afternoon, Oscar,â said Mr. Hardy pleasantly. âWonât you sit down?â

Detective Smuff eased himself into an armchair, then glanced inquiringly at the two boys. At once Mr. Hardy said, âUnless your business is very private, Iâd like to have my sons stay.â

âWell, I reckon thatâll be all right,â Smuff conceded. âI hear youâre working on this Applegate case.â

âPerhaps I am.â

âYouâve been out of town several days,â Smuff remarked cannily, âso I deduced you must be workinâ on it.â

âVery clever of you, Detective Smuff,â Mr. Hardy said, smiling at his visitor.

Smuff squirmed uneasily in his chair. âIâm workinâ on this case tooâIâd like to get that thousand-dollar reward, but Iâd share it with you. I was just wonderinâ if youâd found any clues.â

Mr. Hardyâs smile faded. He said, with annoyance, âIf I went away, it is my own business. And if Iâm working on the Tower robbery, that also is my business. Youâll have to find your own clues, Oscar.â

âWell, now, donât get on your high horse, Mr. Hardy,â the visitor remonstrated. âIâm just anxious to get this affair cleared up and I thought we might work together. I heard you were with the officers what chased this here notorious criminal Red Jackley.â

Mr. Hardy gave a perceptible start. He had no idea that news of the capture of Jackley had reached Bayport, much less that his own participation in the chase had become known. The local police must have received the information and somehow Smuff had heard the news.

âWhat of it?â Mr. Hardy asked in a casual way.

âDid Jackley have anything to do with the Tower case?â

âHow should I know?â

âWasnât that what you were warkinâ on?â

âAs Iâve told you, thatâs my affair.â

Detective Smuff looked sad. âI guess you just donât want to co-operate with me, Mr. Hardy. I was thinkinâ of goinâ over to the hospital where this man Jackley is and questioninâ him about the case.â

Mr. Hardyâs lips narrowed into a straight line. âYou canât do that, Oscar. He isnât conscious. The doctor wonât let you see him.â

âIâm goinâ to try. Jackleyâll come to some time and I want to be on hand. Thereâs a plane at six oâclock, and I aim to leave my house about five-thirty and catch it.â He thumped his chest in admiration. âDetectives donât have to show up for a plane till the last minute, eh, Mr. Hardy? Well, Iâll have a talk with Jackley tonight. And I may let you know what he says.â

âHave it your own way,â said Mr. Hardy. âBut if you take my advice youâll not visit the hospital. Youâll just spoil everything. Jackley will talk when the times comes.â

âSo there is somethinâ in it!â Smuff said triumphantly. âWell, Iâm goinâ over there and get a confession!â With that he arose, stumped out of the room, and left the house.

CHAPTER XIII

Teamwork

AFTER Smuff left the house, Mr. Hardy sat back with a gesture of despair. âThat man,â he said, âhandles an investigation so clumsily that Red Jackley will close up like a clam if Smuff manages to question him.â

At that moment the telephone rang. The boys listened excitedly as Mr. Hardy answered. âHello.... Oh, yes, doctor.... Is that so? ... Jackley will probably live only until morning? ... I can see him.... Fine.... Thank you. Good-by.â

The detective put back the receiver and turned to the boys. âIâll take that six-oâclock plane to Albany. But if Smuff goes too, it may ruin everything. The Albany police and I must question Jackley first.â

âWhenâs the next commercial flight after six?â Joe asked.

âSeven oâclock.â

âThen,â said Frank, âSmuff can take that one and question Jackley later. Come on, Joe. Letâs see what we can do to help Dad!â

âDonât you boys do anything rash,â their father warned.

âWe wonât.â

Frank led the way outdoors and started walking down the street.

âWhatâs on your mind?â Joe asked as they reached the corner.

âWe must figure out how to keep Detective Smuff in Bayport until seven oâclock.â

âBut how?â

âI donât know yet, but weâll find a way. We canât have him bursting into that hospital room and spoiling the chance of Dadâs getting a confession. Smuff might ruin things so the case will never be solved.â

âYouâre right.â

The brothers walked along the street in silence. They realized that the situation was urgent. But though they racked their brains trying to think of a way to prevent Detective Smuff from catching the six-oâclock plane, it seemed hopeless.

âLetâs round up our gang,â Joe suggested finally. âPerhaps theyâll have some ideas.â

The Hardys found their friends on the tennis courts of Bayport High.

âHi, fellows!â called Chet Morton when he saw Frank and Joe approaching. âYouâre too late for a game. Whereâve you been?â

âWe had something important to do,â Frank replied. âSay, we need your help.â

âWhatâs the matter?â asked Tony Prito.

âOscar Smuff is trying to win that thousand-dollar reward and get himself on the Bayport police force by interfering in one of Dadâs cases,â Frank explained. âWe canât tell you much more than that. But the main thing is, we want to keep him from catching the six-oâclock plane. Weâerâdonât want him to go until seven.â

âWhat do you want us to do?â Bill Hooper asked.

âHelp us figure out how to keep Smuff in Bayport until seven oâclock.â

âWithout having Chief Collig lock us up?â Jerry Gilroy put in. âAre you serious about this, Frank?â

âAbsolutely. If Smuff gets to a certain place before Dad can, the case will be ruined. And I donât mind telling you that it has something to do with Slim Robinson.â

Chet Morton whistled. âOh, ho! I catch on. The Tower business. If thatâs it, weâll make sure the six-oâclock plane leaves here without that nutty detective.â Chet had a special dislike for Smuff, because the man had once reported him for swimming in the bay after hours.

âSo our problem,â said Phil solemnly, âis to keep Smuff here and keep out of trouble ourselves.â

âRight.â

âWell,â Jerry Gilroy said, âletâs put our heads together, fellows, and work out a plan.â

A dozen ideas were put forth, each wilder than the one before. Biff Hooper, with a wide grin, went so far as to propose kidnaping Smuff, binding him hand and foot, and setting him adrift in the bay in an open boat.

âWe could rescue him later,â he said. The proposal was so ridiculous that the others howled with laughter.

Phil Cohen suggested setting the detectiveâs watch back an hour. That plan, as Frank observed, was a good one except for the minor difficulty of laying hands on the watch.

âWe might send him a warning not to take a plane before seven oâclock,â Tony Prito said, âand sign it with a skull and crossbones.â

âThatâs a keen idealâ Chet cried enthusiastically . âLetâs do it!â

âWait a minute, fellows,â Frank spoke up. âIf Smuff ever found out who wrote it, weâd be up to our necks in trouble. We could all be arrested!â

âI know!â Joe cried suddenly, snapping his fingers. âWhy didnât I think of it before? And itâs so simple, too.â

âWell, tell us!â Frank urged.

Joe explained that every once in a while he and Frank went down to Roccoâs fruit store to act as clerks while the owner went home to supper. He stayed open evenings until nine.

âRoccoâs is only a block from Smuffâs house. Smuff knows Frank and I go there, so he wouldnât be surprised to see us in the neighborhood. I suggest that the bunch of us meet casually down near the store and one boy after another stop Smuff to talk. Maybe we can even get him into the shop. You know Smuff loves to eat.â

âYou canât hate him for that,â Chet spoke up. âIâll be glad to invite him in and buy him an apple for his trip.â

âA fifteen-minute delay for Smuff is all we need,â Frank said.

âI think itâs a swell idea,â Biff spoke up. âAnd Iâm sure Mr. Rocco will co-operate.â

âWhoâs going to persuade him?â Phil asked.

âThatâs Frank and Joeâs department,â Jerry replied.

Rocco was a hard-working man who had come from Italy only a few years ago. He was a simple, genial person and had great admiration for the Hardy boys.

The whole group made their way toward the fruit store, but only the Hardys went inside. The others spread out to watch for Smuff, who was expected to leave his house soon. Each boy went over his part in the plan.

When Frank and Joe walked into the fruit store, they found the dark-eyed Rocco sorting oranges. âBuona sera,â he said. âGood evening. How you like my fix the place?â

âLooks swell,â Frank answered. âNew bins. Better lights.â Then he added, âHow does your neighbor Smuff like it?â

Rocco threw up his hands in a gesture of disgust. âOh, that man! He make me mad. He say I charge too much. He tell me I ought to go back to old country.â

âDonât pay any attention to him,â Joe advised. âSay, Mr. Rocco,â he went on, âyou look tired. Why donât you go home for an hour or so and let Frank and me take over here?â

âYou think I look tired? That worry my wife. Then Rosa say I must close up early.â Rocco sighed. âYou very kind boys. I do what you say. Come back six-thirty.â

As Rocco removed his apron, he said, âI fix trash in yard to burn. You do that?â

âGlad to.â

Rocco showed them a wire incinerator in the yard, then left the store. Five minutes later there was a whistle from the street. A signal from Jerry! Frank and Joe went to the front door to watch. Smuff was just backing his car out of the driveway. As prearranged, Phil hurried over and stopped him.

The detective and the boy apparently got into an argument, but it did not last long enough to satisfy Frank and Joe. The conversation took less than two minutes, then Smuff backed around into the street.

âHey, Frank,â said Joe, âI have an idea. Go light that trash. Make it a roaring fire!â

Without further explanation he dashed into the street, but Frank figured out what was in his brotherâs mind. He dashed through the store and into the yard. Quickly he lighted the papers in the incinerator in several places. The rubbish blazed lustily.

Joe was intently watching the scene down the street. Smuff was now being âinterviewedâ by Biff, and Chet came forward to urge Smuff to take some fruit with him on his trip. The detective hesitated, then shook his head and started off in his car.

Only five of the necessary fifteen-minute delay had elapsed! Joe hesitated no longer. Running down the street, he held up one hand for the oncoming car to stop.

âCome quick, Smuff!â he called out. âThereâs a fire back of Roccoâs!â

âWell, you put it out. Iâm in a hurry!â the detective told the boy tartly.

âYou mean youâd let all of Bayport burn down just because youâre in a hurry?â Joe pretended to scoff.

Smuff winced, but still did not move. Joe said, starting back to the store, âWell, Frank and I will have to take care of it alone.â

âWhereâs the fire?â Smuff cried out

This brought the detective to action. He realized he might be missing a chance to become a hero! In a flash he drove his car down the street and parked in front of the fruit store.

âWhereâs the fire?â Smuff cried out, nearly bumping into Frank who was dashing from the front door of Roccoâs.

âThe fireâisâback thereâin the yard.â Frank pretended to pant. âYou go look and see if we ought to turn in an alarm.â

Smuff dashed inside the store and hurried to the yard. By this time the Hardysâ friends had gathered in Roccoâs fruit store. They asked excitedly what was going on.

âFrank! Joe!â yelled Smuff from the rear of the store. âWhereâs Rocco? Whereâs a pail? Whereâs some water?â

CHAPTER XIV

The Confession

âRoccoâs not around,â Joe replied to Smuff. âThereâs water in the sinkâin the back. Shall I call the fire department?â

âNo, I can manage this,â Smuff declared. âBut whereâs a pail?â

Frank dashed into the back room and found a pail under the sink. He filled it with water and handed the pail to Smuff, who hurried to the yard. He doused the incinerator flames which hissed and crackled, then died.

âSome people have no sense,â Smuff commented. âThe idea of anyone starting a fire, then going off and leaving it! Iâll bet that was Roccoâs work! As for you boysâyou had to call me. Didnât have the savvy to put out a simple fire.â

âGood thing you were around,â Frank observed, suppressing a smile.

âIâll say it was,â Smuff agreed. âAnd Chief Collig is sure goinâ to hear about this.â

âOh, please donât tell him about us,â Joe spoke up, half closing his eyes so Smuff could not see the twinkle in them.

âI didnât mean that. Oscar Smuff is no squealer. I mean Collig is goinâ to hear what I did.â The detective chuckled. âOne more notch in my gun, as the cowboys say.â

Suddenly Smuff sobered and looked at his wrist watch. âOh, no!â he cried out. âTen minutes to six! I canât make my plane!â

âThatâs a shame,â Frank said consolingly. âBut cheer up, Smuff, thereâs a seven-oâclock plane for Albany. I wish you luck in your interview.â

Smuff stormed out of the fruit store and disappeared with his car. The Hardys and their friends burst into roars of laughter which did not stop until a woman customer came into the shop. All the boys but Frank and Joe left.

Rocco returned at six-thirty, pleased that so much fruit had been sold during his absence. âYou better salesman than Rocco.â He grinned widely.

The Hardys went home, well-satisfied with their dayâs work. The six-oâclock plane had left without Smuff. Their father could make his trip to the hospital without the annoying detectiveâs interference.

Fenton Hardy did not return home until the next afternoon. When the boys came from school they found him in high spirits.

âSolved the mystery?â Joe asked eagerly.

âPractically. First of all, Jackley is dead.â

âDid he confess?â

âYouâre not very sympathetic toward the poor fellow, Joe. Yes, he confessed. Fortunately, Oscar Smuff didnât show up while Jackley was talking.â

Frank and Joe glanced at each other and their father smiled quietly. âI have an idea,â he said, âthat you two sleuths know more about this Smuff business than you would care to tell. Well, anyhow, the Albany police and I had a clear field. I saw Jackley before he died and questioned him about the Tower robbery.â

âDid he admit everything?â

âJackley said he came to Bayport with the intention of robbery. He stole a car, smashed it up, and took Chetâs. Then he went to rob the ticket office. When he failed in that he decided to hang around town for a few days. He hit upon Tower Mansion as his next effort. Jackley entered the library with gloves on, opened the safe, and took out the jewelry and securities.â

âWhat did he do with the loot?â

âThatâs what Iâm coming to. It was not until Jackley knew he was at the point of death that he did confess to the Tower affair. Then he said, âYes, I took the stuffâbut I didnât dare try selling any of it right away, so I hid it. You can get all the stuff back easily. Itâs in the old towerââ

âThat was all he said. Jackley lost consciousness then and never regained it.â

âWhen did Smuff get there?â Joe asked eagerly.

âNot until after Jackley had gone into a coma,â Mr. Hardy replied. âWe both sat by his bed, hoping the man would awaken, but he died within an hour. Just where Jackley hid the loot in the old tower, he was never able to say.â

âDoes Smuff know what Jackley said?â

âNo.â

âIf the lootâs hidden in the old Applegate tower, weâll find it in no time!â Frank exclaimed.

âTower Mansion has two towersâthe old and the new,â Joe reminded him.

âWeâll search the old tower first.â

âThe story seems likely enough,â Mr. Hardy remarked. âJackley would gain nothing by lying about it on his deathbed. He probably became panicky after he committed the robbery and hid in the old tower until he was able to get away safely. No doubt he decided to hide the stuff there and take a chance on coming back for it some time after the affair had blown over.â

Joe nodded. âThat was why Jackley couldnât be traced through the jewels and the bonds. They were never disposed ofâtheyâve been lying in the old tower all this time!â

âI tried to get him to tell me in just what part of the tower the loot was hidden,â Mr. Hardy continued, âbut he died before he could say any more.â

âToo bad,â said Frank. âBut it shouldnât be hard to find the loot, now that we have a general idea where it is. Probably Jackley didnât hide it very carefully. Since the old tower has been unoccupied for a long time, the stuff would be safe there from snoopers.â

Joe jumped up from his chair. âI think we ought to get busy and go search the old tower right away. Oh, boy! Maybe we can hand old Mr. Applegate his jewels and bonds this afternoon and clear Mr. Robinson! Letâs go!â

âIâll leave it to you boys to make the search,â said Mr. Hardy with a smile. âThen you can have the satisfaction of turning over the stolen property to Mr. Applegate. I guess you can get along without me in this case from now on.â

âWe wouldnât have got very far if it hadnât been for you,â Frank declared.

âAnd I wouldnât have got very far if it hadnât been for you, so weâre even.â Mr. Hardyâs smile broadened. âWell, good luck to you.â

As the boys started from the study, Frank said, âThanks, Dad. I only hope the Applegates donât throw us out when we ask to be allowed to look around inside the old tower.â

âJust tell them,â his father advised, âthat you have a pretty good clue to where the bonds and jewels are hidden and theyâll let you search.â

Joe grinned. âFrank, weâll have that thousand-dollar reward before the day is over!â

The brothers raced from the house, confident that they were about to solve the Tower Treasure mystery.

CHAPTER XV

The Tower Search

WHEN the Hardy boys reached Tower Mansion at four oâclock the door was opened by Hurd Applegate himself. The tall, stooped gentleman peered at them through his thick-lensed glasses. In one hand he held a sheet of stamps.

âYes?â he said, seemingly annoyed at being disturbed.

âYou remember us, donât you?â Frank asked politely. âWeâre Mr. Hardyâs sons.â

âFenton Hardy, the detective? Oh, yes. Well, what do you want?â

âWeâd like to look through the old tower, if you donât mind. We have a clue about the robbery.â

âWhat kind of clue?â

âWe have evidence that leads us to believe the jewels and bonds were hidden by the thief in the old tower.â

âOh! You have evidence, have you?â The elderly man peered at the boys closely. âItâs that rascal Robinson, Iâll warrant, who gave it to you. He hid the stuff, and now heâs suggesting where you might find it, just to clear himself.â

Frank and Joe had not considered the affair in this light, and they gazed at Mr. Applegate in consternation. At last Joe spoke up.

âMr. Robinson has nothing to do with this,â he said. âThe real thief was found. He said the loot was hidden in the old tower. If you will just let us take a look around, weâll find it for you.â

âWho was the real thief?â

âWeâd rather not tell you, sir, until we find the stolen property, then weâll reveal the whole story.â

Mr. Applegate took off his glasses and wiped them with his handkerchief. He stared at the boys suspiciously for a few moments. Then he called out:

âAdelia!â

From the dim interior of the hallway a high feminine voice answered.

âWhat do you want?â

âCome here a minute.â

There was a rustle of skirts, and Adelia Applegate appeared. A faded blond woman of thin features, she was dressed in a fashion of fifteen years before, in which every color of the spectrum fought for supremacy.

âWhatâs the matter?â she demanded. âI canât sit down to do a bit of sewing without you interrupting me, Hurd.â

âThese boys want to look through the old tower.â

âWhat for? Up to some mischief?â

Frank and Joe feared she would not give her consent. Frank said quietly, âWeâre doing some work for our dad, the detective Fenton Hardy.â

âThey think they can find the bonds and jewels in the tower,â Hurd Applegate explained.

âOh, they do, do they?â the woman said icily. âAnd what would the bonds and jewels be doing in the old tower?â

âWe have evidence that they were hidden there after the robbery,â Frank told her.

Miss Applegate viewed the boys with obvious suspicion. âAs if any thief would be silly enough to hide them right in the house he robbed!â she said in a tone of finality.

âWeâre just trying to help you,â Joe put in courteously.

âGo ahead, then,â said Miss Applegate with a sigh. âBut even if you tear the old tower to pieces, you wonât find anything. Itâs all foolishness.â

Frank and Joe followed Hurd Applegate through the gloomy halls and corridors that led toward the old tower. He said he was inclined to share his sisterâs opinion that the boysâ search would be in vain.

âWeâll make a try at it, anyway, Mr. Applegate,â Frank said.

âDonât ask me to help you. Iâve got a bad knee. Anyway, I just received some new stamps this afternoon. You interrupted me when I was sorting them. I must get back to my work.â

The man reached a corridor that was heavily covered with dust. It apparently had not been in use for a long time and was bare and unfurnished. At the end was a heavy door. It was unlocked, and when Mr. Applegate opened it, the boys saw a square room. Almost in the center of it rose a flight of wooden stairs with a heavily ornamented balustrade. The stairway twisted and turned to the roof, five floors above. Opening from each floor was a room.

âThere you are,â Mr. Applegate announced. âSearch all you want to. But you wonât find anythingâof that Iâm certain.â

With this parting remark he turned and hobbled back along the corridor, the sheet of stamps still in his gnarled hand.

The Hardy boys looked at each other. âNot very encouraging, is he?â Joe remarked.

âHe doesnât deserve to get his stuff back,â Frank declared flatly, then shrugged. âLetâs get up into the tower and start the search.â

Frank and Joe first examined the dusty stairs carefully for footprints, but none were to be seen.

âThat seems queer,â Frank remarked. âIf Jackley was here recently youâd think his footprints would still show. Judging by this dust, there hasnât been anyone in the tower for at least a year.â

âPerhaps the dust collects more quickly than we think,â Joe countered. âOr the wind may get in here and blow it around.â

An inspection of the first floor of the old tower revealed that there was no place where the loot could have been hidden except under the stairs. But they found nothing there.

The boys ascended to the next floor, and entered the room to the left of the stair well. It was as drab and bare as the one they had just left. Here again the dust lay thick and the murky windows were almost obscured with cobwebs. There was an atmosphere of age and decay about the entire place, as if it had been abandoned for years.

âNothing here,â said Frank after a quick glance around. âOn we go.â

They made their way up to the next floor. After searching this room and under the stairway, they had to admit defeat.

The floor above was a duplicate of the first and second. It was bare and cheerless, deep in dust. There was not the slightest sign of a hiding place, or any indication that another human being had been in the tower for a long time.

âDoesnât look very promising, Joe. Still, Jackley may have gone right to the top of the tower.â

The search continued without success until the boys reached the roof. Here a trap door which swung inward led to the top of the tower. Frank unlatched it and pulled on the door. It did not budge.

âIâll help you,â Joe offered.

Together the brothers yanked on the stubborn trap door of the old tower. Suddenly it gave way completely, causing both boys to lose their balance. Frank fell backward down the stairway.

Joe, with a cry, toppled over the railing into space!

Frank grabbed a spindle of the balustrade and kept himself from sliding farther down the steps. He had seen Joeâs plunge and expected the next moment to hear a sickening thud on the floor five stories below.

âJoelâ he murmured as he pulled himself upright. âOh, Joelâ

To Frankâs amazement, he heard no thud and now looked over the balustrade. His brother was not lying unconscious at the bottom of the tower. Instead, he was clinging to two spindles of the stairway on the floor below.

Frank, heaving a tremendous sigh of relief, ran down and helped pull Joe to the safety of the steps. Both boys sat down to catch their breaths and recover from their falls.

Finally Joe said, âThanks. For a second I sure thought I was going to end my career as a detective right here!â

âI guess you can also thank our gym teacher for the tricks he taught you on the bars,â Frank remarked. âYou must have grabbed those spindles with flash-camera speed.â

Presently the boys turned their eyes upward. An expression halfway between a grin and a worried frown crossed their faces.

âMr. Applegate,â Joe remarked, âisnât going to like hearing we ruined his trap door.â

âNo. Letâs see if we can put it back in place.â

The boys climbed the stairway and examined the damage. They found that the hinges had pulled away from rotted wood. A new piece would have to be put in to hold the door in place.

âBefore we go downstairs,â said Joe, âletâs look out on the roof. We thought maybe the loot was hidden there. Remember?â

Frank and Joe climbed outside to a narrow, railinged walk that ran around the four sides of the square tower. There was nothing on it.

âOur only reward for all this work is a good view of Bayport,â Frank remarked ruefully.

Below lay the bustling little city, and to the east was Barmet Bay, its waters sparkling in the late afternoon.

âDad was fooled by Jackley, I guess,â Frank said slowly. âThere hasnât been anyone in this tower for years.â

The boys gazed moodily over the city, then down at the grounds of Tower Mansion. The many roofs of the house itself were far below, and directly across from them rose the heavy bulk of the new tower.

âDo you think Jackley might have meant the new tower?â Joe exclaimed suddenly.

âDad said he specified the old one.â

âBut he may have been mistaken. Even the new one looks old. Letâs ask Mr. Applegate if we may search the new tower, too.â

âItâs worth trying, anyway. But Iâm afraid when we tell him about the trap door, heâll say no.â

The brothers went down through the opening. They lifted the door into place, latched it, and then wedged Frankâs small pocket notebook into the damaged side. The door held, but Frank and Joe knew that wind or rain would easily dislodge it.

The boys hurried down the steps and through the corridor to the main part of the house.

Adelia Applegate popped her head out of a doorway. âWhereâs the loot?â she asked.

âWe didnât find any,â Frank admitted.

The woman sniffed. âI told you so! Such a waste of time!â

âWe think now,â Joe spoke up, âthat the stolen property is probably hidden in the new tower.â

âIn the new tower!â Miss Applegate cried out. âAbsurd! I suppose youâll want to go poking through there now.â

âIf it wouldnât be too much trouble.â

âIt would be too much trouble, indeed!â she shrilled. âI shanât have boys rummaging through my house on a wild-goose chase like this. Youâd better leave at once, and forget all this nonsense.â

Her voice had attracted the attention of Hurd Applegate, who came hobbling out of his study.

âNow whatâs the matter?â he demanded. His sister told him and suddenly his face creased in a triumphant smile. âAha! So you didnât find anything after all! You thought youâd clear Robinson, but you havenât done it.â

âNot yet,â Frank answered.

âThese boys have the audacity,â Miss Applegate broke in, âto want to go looking through the new tower.â

Hurd Applegate stared at the boys. âWell, they canât do it!â he snapped. âAre you boys trying to make a fool of me?â he asked, shaking a fist at them.

Frank and Joe exchanged glances and nodded at each other. They would have to reveal their reason for thinking the loot was in the new tower.

âMr. Applegate,â Frank began, âthe information about where your stolen stuff is hidden came from the man who took the jewels and the bonds. And it wasnât Mr. Robinson.â

âWhat! You mean it was someone else? Has he been caught?â

âHe was captured but heâs dead now.â

âDead? What happened?â Hurd Applegate asked in excitement.

âHis name was Red Jackley and he was a notorious criminal. Dad got on his trail and Jackley tried to escape on a railroad handcar. It smashed up and he was fatally injured,â Frank explained.

âWhere did you get your information then?â Mr. Applegate asked.

Frank told the whole story, ending with, âWe thought Jackley might have made a mistake and that itâs the new tower where he hid the loot.â

Hurd Applegate rubbed his chin meditatively. It was evident that he was impressed by the boysâ story.

âSo this fellow Jackley confessed to the robbery, eh?â

âHe admitted everything. He had once worked around here and knew the Bayport area well. He had been hanging around the city for several days before the robbery.â

âWell,â Applegate said slowly, âif he said he hid the stuff in the old tower and itâs not there, it must be in the new tower, as you say.â

âWill you let us search it?â Joe asked eagerly.

âYes, and Iâll help. Iâm just as eager to find the jewels and bonds as you are. Come on, boys!â

Hurd Applegate led the way across the mansion toward a door which opened into the new tower. Now that the man was in a good mood, Frank decided that this was an opportune time to tell him about the trap door. He did so, offering to pay for the repair.

âOh, thatâs all right,â said Mr. Applegate. âIâll have it fixed. In fact, RobinsonâOh, I forgot. Iâll get a carpenter.â

He said no more, but quickened his steps. Frank and Joe grinned. Old Mr. Applegate had not even reprimanded them!

The mansion owner opened the door to the new tower and stepped into a corridor. Frank and Joe, tingling with excitement, followed.

CHAPTER XVI

A Surprise

THE rooms in the new tower had been furnished when it was built. But only on rare occasions when the Applegates had visitors were the rooms occupied, the owner stated.

In the first one Frank, Joe, and Mr. Applegate found nothing, although they looked carefully in closets, bureaus, highboys, and under the large pieces of furniture. They even turned up mattresses and rugs. When they were satisfied that the loot had not been hidden there, they ascended the stairs to the room above. Again their investigation proved fruitless.

Hurd Applegate, being a quick-tempered man, fell back into his old mood. The boysâ story had convinced him, but when they had searched the rooms in the tower without success, he showed his disgust.

âItâs a hoax!â he snorted. âAdelia was right. Iâve been made a fool of! And all because of Robinson!â

âI canât understand it!â Joe burst out. âJackley said he hid the stuff in the tower.â

âIf that fellow did hide the jewels and bonds in one of the towers,â Applegate surmised, âsomeone else must have come in and taken themâmaybe someone working with him. Or else Robinson found the loot right after the robbery and kept it for himself.â

âIâm sure Mr. Robinson wouldnât do that,â Joe objected.

âThen where did he get the nine hundred dollars? Explain that. Robinson wonât!â

On the way back to the main part of the mansion, Hurd Applegate elaborated on his theory. The fact that the loot had not been found seemed to convince him all over again that Robinson was involved in some way.

âLike as not he was in league with Jackley!â the man stated flatly.

Again Frank and Joe protested that the ex-caretaker did not hobnob with criminals. Neverthe-: less, the Hardys were puzzled, disappointed, and alarmed. Their search had only resulted in implicating Mr. Robinson more deeply in the mystery.

Back in the hallway of the main house they met Adelia Applegate, who crowed triumphantly when she saw the search party returning empty-handed. âDidnât I tell you?â she cried. âHurd Applegate, youâve let these boys make a fool of you!â

She escorted the Hardys to the front door, while her brother, shaking his head perplexedly, went back to his study.

âWe sure messed things up, Frank,â Joe declared, as they walked toward their motorcycles. âI feel like a dud rocket.â

âMe too.â

They hurried home to tell their father the disappointing news. Fenton Hardy was amazed to hear that the stolen valuables had not been located in either tower. âYouâre sure you went over the place thoroughly?â

âEvery inch of it. There wasnât a sign of the loot. From the dust in the old tower, Iâd say no one had been there for ages,â Frank replied.

âStrange,â the detective muttered. âIâm sure Jackley wasnât lying. He had absolutely nothing to gain by deceiving me. âI hid it in the old tower.â Those were his very words. And what could he mean but the old tower of Tower Mansion? And why should he be so careful to say the old tower? Since he was familiar with Bayport, he probably knew that the mansion has two towers, the old and the new.â

âOf course, it may be that we didnât search thoroughly enough,â Joe remarked. âThe loot could be hidden under the flooring or behind a movable wall panel. We didnât look there.â

âThatâs the only solution,â Mr. Hardy agreed. âIâm still not satisfied that the stolen property isnât there. Iâm going to ask Applegate to permit another search of both towers. And now, I think your mother wants you to do an errand downtown.â

Mrs. Hardy explained what she wanted and Frank and Joe were soon on their motorcycles again. When the boys reached the business section of Bayport they found that Jackleyâs confession had already become known. The local radio station had broadcast it in the afternoon news program and people everywhere were discussing it.

Detective Smuff walked along the street looking as if he would bite the head off the first person who mentioned the case to him. When he saw the Hardy boys he glowered.

âWell,â he grunted, âI hear you got the stuff back.â

âI wish we had,â Frank said glumly.

âWhat!â the detective cried out, brightening at once. âYou didnât get it? I thought they said on the radio that this fellow Jackley had told your father where he hid it.â

âHe did. But how did the news leak out?â

âJackleyâs door wasnât closed all the time. One of the other patients who was walking by the room heard the confession and spilled it. So you didnât find the loot after all! Ha-ha! Thatâs a good one! Didnât Jackley say the stuff was hidden in the old tower? What more do you need?â

âWell, it wasnât there!â Joe retorted hotly. âJackley must have made a mistake!â

âJackley made a mistake!â Smuff continued cheerfully. âIt looks like the jokeâs on you fellows and your father!â The would-be sleuth went on down the street, chuckling to himself.

When Frank and Joe returned home they found that Mr. Hardy had been in touch with Hurd Applegate and had convinced him that a more detailed search of the towers would be advisable.

âBoys,â he said, âweâll go there directly after supper. I think weâd better not wait until tomorrow.â

At seven oâclock the detective and his sons presented themselves at the Tower Mansion. Hurd Applegate met them at the door.

âIâm letting you make this search,â he said as he led them toward the old tower, âbut Iâm convinced you wonât find anything. Iâve talked the case over with Chief Collig. Heâs inclined to think that Robinson is behind it all and Iâm sure he is.â

âBut how about Jackleyâs confession?â Mr. Hardy asked him.

âThe chief says that could be a blind. Jackley did it to protect Robinson. They were working together.â

âI know it looks bad for Robinson,â Mr. Hardy admitted, âbut I want to give the towers another close examination. I heard Jackley make the confession and I donât believe he was lying.â

âMaybe. Maybe. But Iâm telling you it was a hoax.â

âIâll believe that only if I donât find anything inside or outside either tower,â Mr. Hardy declared, his mouth set in a grim line.

âWell, come on, letâs get started,â Hurd Applegate said, unlocking the door leading to the old tower.

Eagerly the four set to work. They started at the top of the old tower and worked downward. Their investigation left no possibility untouched. All the walls were tapped for hollow sounds which might indicate secret hiding places. The floors were examined closely for signs of any recent disturbance to the wood. But the missing jewels and bonds were not located. Finally the group reached the ground floor again.

âNothing to do but go on to the new tower,â Mr. Hardy commented briefly.

âIâll have to rest and eat something before I do any more,â Hurd Applegate said wearily. He led the way to the dining room where sandwiches and milk had been set out. âHelp yourselves,â he invited. He himself took only crackers and milk when they all sat down.

After the brief stop for refreshment, the Hardys and the mansion owner turned their attention to the new tower. Again they searched carefully. Walls and partitions were tapped and floors were sounded. Every bit of furniture was minutely examined. Not an inch of space escaped the scrutiny of the detective and his helpers.

As the search drew to a close and the loot still had not been found, Mr. Hardy remarked, âIt certainly looks as if the stolen property was never hidden here by Jackley. And furthermore, thereâs no evidence that if he did hide it here, anyone came in to take it away.â

âYou mean,â said Frank, âitâs proof that Mr. Robinson did not come in here?â

âExactly.â

âMaybe not,â Mr. Applegate conceded. âBut it still doesnât prove he wasnât in cahoots with the thief!â

âIâm not going to give up this search yet,â Mr. Hardy said determinedly. âPerhaps the loot was hidden somewhere outside the old tower.â

He explained that it would be difficult to examine the grounds properly at night. âWith your permission, Mr. Applegate, my sons and I will return at sunrise tomorrow morning and start work again.â As the owner reluctantly nodded his assent, Mr. Hardy turned to Frank and Joe and smiled. âWe ought to be able to prove our point before schooltime.â

The boys, who had had no time to prepare any homework, reminded their father that a note from him to the principal would be a great help. The detective smiled, and as soon as they reached home he wrote one out, then said good night.

Frank and Joe felt as if their eyes had hardly closed when they opened them again to see their father standing between their beds. âTime to get up if you want to be in on the search,â he announced.

The boys blinked sleepily, then sprang out of bed. Showers awakened them fully and they dressed quickly. Mrs. Hardy was in the kitchen when they entered it and breakfast was ready. The sun was just rising over a distant hill.

âEverything hot this morning,â Mrs. Hardy said. âItâs chilly outside.â

The menu included hot applesauce, oatmeal, poached eggs on toast, and cocoa. Breakfast was eaten almost in silence to avoid any delay, and within twenty minutes the three Hardy sleuths were on their way.

âI see you put spades in the car, Dad,â Frank remarked. âI take it weâre going to do some digging.â

âYes, if we donât locate the loot hidden above ground some place.â

When the Hardys reached Tower Mansion they instituted their hunt without notifying the Applegates, who, they were sure, were still asleep. Everything in the vicinity of both towers was scrutinized. Boulders were overturned, the space under the summerhouse examined by flashlight, every stone in the masonry tested to see if it could be dislodged. Not a clue turned up.

âI guess we dig,â Frank stated finally.

He chose a bed of perennial bushes at the foot of the old tower where there had been recent planting, and pushed one of the spades in deep with his foot. The tool hit an obstruction. Excitedly Frank shoveled away the dirt around the spot. In half a minute he gave a cry of delight.

âA chest! Iâve found a buried chest!â

CHAPTER XVII

An Unexpected Find

THROWING out the dirt in great spadefuls, Frank uncovered the chest completely. It was about two feet long, six inches wide, and a foot deep.

âThe treasure!â Joe cried out, running up.

Mr. Hardy was at his sonâs heels and looked in amazement at Frankâs discovery. The boy lifted the chest out of the hole and instantly began to raise the lid on which there was no lock.

Everyone held his breath. Had the Hardys really uncovered the jewels and securities stolen from the Applegates? Frank flung back the lid.

The three sleuths stared at the contents. They had never been more surprised in their lives. Finally Joe found his voice.

âNothing but a lot of flower bulbs!â

The first shock of disappointment over, the detective and his sons burst into laughter. The contents of the chest were such a far cry from what they had expected that now the situation seemed ridiculous.

âWell, one thing is sure,â said Frank. âRed Jackley never buried this chest. I wonder who did?â

âI can answer that,â a voice behind them replied, and the Hardys turned to see Hurd Applegate, clad in bathrobe and slippers, walking toward them.

âGood morning, Mr. Applegate,â the boys chorused, and their father added, âYou see weâre on the job. For a couple of moments we thought we had found your stolen property.â

Hurd Applegateâs face took on a stem look. âYou didnât find my securities,â he said, âbut maybe you have found a clue to the thief. Robinson buried that chest full of bulbs. Thatâs what heâs done with Adeliaâs jewelry and my securities! Heâs buried them some place, but Iâd be willing to bet anything it wasnât on the grounds here.â

Frank, realizing the man was not in a good humor this morning, tried to steer the conversation away from the stolen valuables. âMr. Applegate,â he said, âwhy did Mr. Robinson bury these flower bulbs here?â

The owner of Tower Mansion gave a little snort. âThat manâs nutty about unusual flowers. He sent to Europe for these bulbs. They have to be kept in a cool, dark place for several months, so he decided to bury them. Heâs always doing something queer like that. Why, do you know what he tried to get me to do? Put up a greenhouse here on the property so he could raise all kinds of rare flowers.â

âThat sounds like a swell hobby,â Joe spoke up.

âSwell nothing!â Mr. Applegate replied. âI guess you donât know how much greenhouses cost. And besides, growing rare flowers takes a lot of time. Robinson had enough to do without fiddling around with making great big daisies out of little wild ones, or turning cowslips into orchids!â

Frank whistled. âIf Mr. Robinson can do that, heâs a genius!â

âGeniusâthatâs a joke!â said Mr. Applegate. âWell, go on with your digging. I want this mystery cleared up.â

It was decided that Mr. Hardy, with his superior powers of observation, would scrutinize the ground near both towers. Wherever it looked as if the ground had been turned over recently, the boys would dig at the spot. The chest of flower bulbs was carefully replaced and the dirt shoveled over it.

âHereâs a place where you might dig,â Mr. Hardy called presently from the opposite side of the old tower. When the boys arrived with their spades, he said, âI have an idea a dog dug up this spot and probably all youâll find is a beef bone. But we donât want to miss anything.â

This time Joeâs spade hit the object which had been buried. As his father had prophesied, it proved to be only a bone secreted by some dog.

The three Hardys transferred their work to the new tower. All this time Hurd Applegate had been looking on in silence. From the corners of their eyes, the Hardys could catch an expression of satisfaction on the elderly manâs face.

Mr. Hardy glanced at his wrist watch, then said, âWell, boys, I guess this is our last try.â He indicated another spot a few feet away. âYou fellows must get cleaned up and go to school.â

Undaunted by their failures so far, Frank and Joe dug in with a will. In a few moments they had uncovered another small chest.

âWow, this one is heavy!â Frank said as he lifted it from the hole.

âThen maybeâmaybe itâs the stolen property!â Joe exclaimed.

Even Mr. Applegate showed keen interest this time and leaned over to raise the lid himself. The box contained several sacks.

âThe jewels!â Joe cried out.

âAnd that flat-shaped sack could contain the securities!â Frank said enthusiastically.

Mr. Applegate picked up one of the circular bags and quickly untied the string wound about the top. His face took on a look of utter disgust. âSeeds!â he fairly shouted.

Mr. Hardy had already picked up the flat sack. He looked almost as disappointed as Mr. Applegate. âFlower catalogs!â he exclaimed. âThey seem to be in various foreign languages.â

Frank lifted the chest from the hole

âOh, Robinson was always sending for things from all over the world,â the Tower Mansion owner remarked. âI told him to destroy them. He paid too much attention to that stuff when he might have been doing something useful. I suppose he buried the catalogs, so I wouldnât find them.â

After a long breath the elderly man went on, âWell, weâve reached the end of the line. You Hardys havenât proved a thing, but youâve certainly torn up my house and grounds.â

The three sleuths had to admit this was true but told him they were still fired by two hopes: to clear Mr. Robinson of the charge against him, and to find the stolen property. As they put their spades back into the Hardy car, Mr. Applegate invited them into the house to wash and have a bite to eat.

âI guess you boys could do with a second breakfast,â he added, and the brothers thought, âMaybe at times Mr. Applegate isnât such a bad sort.â

They accepted the invitation and enjoyed the meal of waffles and honey. Their father then drove them to Bayport High.

Frank and Joe had no sooner stepped from the car than they heard their names called. Turning, they saw Iola Morton and Callie Shaw coming toward them.

âHi, boys!â

âHi, girls!â

âSay, did you hear what happened early this morning?â Callie asked.

âNo. School called off for today?â Joe asked eagerly.

âI wish it were.â Callie sobered. âItâs about Mr. Robinson. Heâs been arrested again!â

âNo!â The Hardys stared at Callie, thunder-struck. âWhy?â Frank demanded.

Iola took up the story, saying that she and Chet had heard the bad news on the radio that morning. They had stopped at the Robinsonsâ home, when their father brought them to school, to find out more about what had happened.

âIt seems that Chief Collig has an idea Mr. Robinson was in league with the thief Jackley, that man your father got the confession from. So he arrested him. Poor Mrs. Robinsonl She doesnât know what to do.â

âAnd Mr. Robinson had just managed to find another job,â Callie said sadly. âOh, canât you boys do something?â

âWeâre working on the case as hard as we can,â Frank replied, and told the girls about their sleuthing the evening before and early that morning. At that moment the school bell rang and the young people had to separate.

Frank and Joe were deeply concerned by what they had just heard. At lunch they met Jerry, Phil, Tony, and Chet Morton and told them the news.

âThis is tough on Slim,â Phil remarked.

âTough on the whole family,â Chet declared.

The boys discussed the situation from all angles and racked their brains for some way in which they could help the Robinsons. They concluded that only the actual discovery of the stolen jewels and bonds would clear Mr. Robinson of the suspicion which hung over him.

âThat means thereâs only one thing to do,â Frank said. âWe must find that loot!â

After school he and Joe played baseball for the required period, then went directly home. They had no heart for further sports activities. It was a dull, gloomy day, indicative of rain and this did not raise the boysâ spirits.

Frank, who was restless, finally suggested, âLetâs take a walk.â

âMaybe itâll help clear the cobwebs from our brains,â Joe agreed.

They told their mother they would be home by suppertime, then set off. The brothers walked mile after mile, and then, as they turned back, they were drawn as if by magnets to Tower Mansion.

âThis place is beginning to haunt me,â said Joe, as they walked up the driveway.

Suddenly Frank caught his brotherâs arm. âI just had an idea. Maybe Jackley in his deathbed confession was confused and meant some other robbery he committed. Besides, at some time in every mystery the most innocent-seeming people become suspect. What proof is there that the Applegates havenât pulled a hoax? For reasons of their own they might say that the things had been stolen from their safe. Donât forget that Dad didnât find any fingerprints on it except Mr. Applegateâs.â

âFrank, youâve got a point there. That man and his sister act so mean sometimes, I wouldnât put it past them to be trying to cheat the insurance company,â said Joe.

âExactly,â his brother agreed. âFor the moment, letâs play it this way. Weâll pretend theyâre suspects and do a little spying about this place.â

Instantly the boys left the roadway and disappeared among the shrubbery that lined it. Making their way cautiously, they moved forward toward Tower Mansion. The place was in darkness with the exception of three lighted rooms on the first floor.

âWhatâs your idea, Frank?â his brother whispered. âTo learn something that might tell us whether or not the Applegates are implicated in the robbery?â

âYes. Maybe weâll get a clue if we keep our eyes and ears open.â

The boys walked forward in silence. They approached the mansion from the end where the old tower stood. Somewhere, not far from them, they suddenly heard footsteps on the gravel walk. In a flash the brothers dodged behind a tree. The footsteps came closer and the boys waited to see who was approaching. Was it one of the Applegates, or someone else?

Before they could find out, the personâs footsteps receded and the boys emerged from their hiding place. Suddenly a glaring light was beamed directly on them.

It came from the top room of the old tower!

CHAPTER XVIII

A Startling Deduction

âDUCK!â Frank ordered in a hoarse whisper, quickly dropping to the ground.

Instantly Joe threw himself face down alongside his brother.

âYou think the person with the flashlight in the tower saw us?â Frank asked.

âHe could have, but maybe not. We sure went down fast.â

The strong flashlight was not trained on them again. It was beamed out a window of the tower in another direction, then turned off.

âWell, what say?â Joe asked. âShall we go on up to the mansion and continue our sleuthing?â

Frank was of the opinion that if they did, they might get into trouble. Even if they had not been recognized, the person in the tower probably had spotted them.

âIâd like to find out who was in the tower,â Joe argued. âItâs just possible that the Applegates donât know anything about him.â

Frank laughed quietly. âDonât let your imagination run away with you,â he advised.

As the boys debated about whether to leave the grounds or to go forward, the matter was suddenly taken out of their hands. From around the corner of the tower rushed a huge police dog, growling and barking. It apparently had scented the brothers and was bounding directly toward them.

Frank and Joe started to run pell-mell, but were unable to keep ahead of the dog. In a few moments he blocked their path menacingly and set up a ferocious barking.

âI guess weâre caught,â Frank said. âAnd I hope this old fellow wonât take a piece out of my leg.â

The two boys tried to make friends with the animal, but he would not let them budge.

âWell, what do we do now?â Joe asked in disgust as the dog continued to growl menacingly.

âWait to be rescued,â Frank replied tersely.

A moment later they saw a bobbing light coming in their direction and presently Mr. Applegate appeared. He looked at the boys in complete astonishment.

âYou fellows never give up, do you?â he remarked. âWhat have you been doingâmore digging?â

The brothers did not reply at once. They were embarrassed at having been discovered, but relieved that the man did not suspect what they had really intended to do. The owner of Tower Mansion took their lack of response to mean he was right.

âIâm just not going to have any more of my grounds ruined,â he said gruffly. âIâve borrowed this watchdog, Rex, and heâs going to keep everybody away. If you have any reason for wanting to see me, youâd better phone first, and Iâll keep Rex chained.â

âWho was up in the tower with a flashlight?â Frank asked the elderly man.

âMy sister. She got it into her head that maybe she was smarter than you fellows and could find the stolen stuff in the old tower, but she didnât!â Frank and Joe suppressed grins as he went on. âAnd then Adelia decided to flash that high-powered flashlight around the grounds, thinking we might have a lot of curious visitors because of the publicity. Apparently she picked you up.â

The boys laughed. âYes, she did,â Frank admitted. âBetween her and Rex, I guess you neednât worry about any prowlers.â

Frank and Joe said good night to Hurd Applegate and started down the driveway. This time the dog did not follow them. He remained at the manâs side until the Hardys were out of sight.

As they trudged homeward, Joe remarked, âThis seems to be our day for exciting events that fizzle out like wet fireworks.â

âYes. Nothing to show for all our work.â

At supper both Mr. and Mrs. Hardy laughed at the boysâ story of their encounter with the dog. Then they became serious when Frank asked his father if he thought there was a chance that the Applegates might be guilty of falsely reporting a robbery.

âItâs possible, of course,â the detective answered. âBut the Applegates are so well-to-do I canât see any point in their trying such a thing. I believe itâs best for us to stick to the original idea âthat someone really did take jewels and securities from the safe, and that the person was Jackley.â

As the boys were going to bed that night, Frank remarked to his brother, âTomorrow is Saturday and we have the whole day free. I vote we set ourselves the goal of solving the mystery before night.â

âA big order, but Iâm with you,â Joe replied with a grin.

They were up early and began to discuss what course of sleuthing they should follow.

âI think we ought to start off on a completely new tack,â Joe suggested.

âIn which direction?â Frank asked him.

âIn the direction of the railroad.â

Joe went on to explain that one thing they had not done was find out about Red Jackleyâs habits when he had worked around Bayport. If they could talk to one or more persons who had known him, they might pick up some new clue which would lead them to the stolen property.

âGood idea, Joe,â his brother agreed. âLetâs take our lunch and make an all-day trip on our motorcycles.â

âFine.â

Mr. Hardy had left the house very early, so his sons did not see him. When his wife heard the boysâ plan, she thought it an excellent one and immediately offered to make some sandwiches for them. By the time they were ready to leave she had two small boxes packed with a hearty picnic lunch.

âGood-by and good luck!â Mrs. Hardy called as the brothers rode off.

âThanks, Mother, for everything!â the young detectives chorused as they started off.

When Frank and Joe reached the Bayport railroad station, they questioned the stationmaster, and learned that he had been with the company only a year and had not known Red Jackley.

âDid he work on a passenger train?â the man asked.

âI donât think so,â Frank replied. âI believe he was employed as a maintenance man.â

âThen,â said the stationmaster, âIâd advise you to go out along the highway to the railroad crossings and interview a couple of old flagmen who are still around. Both of them seem to know everybody and everything connected with the railroad for the past fifty years.â He chuckled.

The boys knew of two grade crossings some miles out of town and now headed for them. At the first one they learned that the regular flagman was home ill and his substitute had never heard of Red Jackley. Frank and Joe went on.

At the next crossing they found old Mike Halley, the flagman there, busy at his job. His bright blue eyes searched their faces for a moment, then he amazed them by saying, âYouâre Frank and Joe Hardy, sons of the famous detective Fenton Hardy.â

âYou know us?â Frank asked. âI must confess I donât recall having met you before.â

âAnd you ainât,â the man responded. âBut I make it a rule to memorize every face I see in the newspapers. Never know when thereâs goinâ to be an accident and I might be called on to identify some people.â

The boys gulped at this gruesome thought, then Frank asked Halley if he remembered a railroad man named Red Jackley.

âI recollect a man named Jackley, but he wasnât never called Red when I knew him. I reckon heâs the same fellow, though. You mean the one that I read went to jail?â

âThatâs the man!â

âHe out of the pen yet?â Mike Halley questioned.

âHe died,â Joe replied. âOur dad is working on a case that has some connection with Jackley and weâre just trying to find out something about him.â

âThen what you want to do,â said the flagman, âis go down to the Bayport and Coast Line Railroad. Thatâs where Jackley used to work. He was around the station at Cherryville. That ainât so far from here.â He pointed in a northerly direction.

âThanks a million,â said Frank. âYouâve helped us a lot.â

The brothers set off on their motorcycles for Cherryville. When they came to the small town, a policeman directed them to the railroad station, which was about a half mile out of town. The station stood in a depression below a new highway, and was reached by a curving road which ran parallel to the tracks for several hundred feet.

The building itself was small, square, and very much in need of paint. A few nearby frame buildings were in a bad state of disrepair. An old wooden water tank, about seventy yards from one side of the station house, sagged precariously. At the same distance on the other side rose another water tank. This one, painted red, was of metal and in much better condition.

Frank and Joe parked their motorcycles and went into the station. A man in his shirt sleeves and wearing a green visor was bustling about behind the ticket window.

âAre you the stationmaster?â Frank called to him.

The man came forward. âIâm Jakeâstationmaster, and ticket seller, and baggage slinger, and express handler, and mail carrier, and janitor, and even rice thrower. You name it. Iâm your man.â

The boys burst into laughter, then Joe said, âIf thereâs anybody here who can tell us what we want to know, Iâm sure itâs you. But first, what do you mean youâre a rice thrower?â

The station agent guffawed. âWell, it donât happen often, but when a bride and groom comes down here to take a train, I just go out, grab some of the rice, and throw it along with everybody else. I reckon if thatâll make âem happy, I want to be part of the proceedinâs.â

Again the Hardys roared with laughter. Then Frank inquired if the man had known Red Jackley.

âI sure did,â Jake replied. âFunny kind of fellow. Work like mad one minute, then loaf on the job the next. One thing about him, he never wanted nobody to give him any orders.â

âDid you know that he died recently?â Frank asked.

âNo, I didnât,â the stationmaster answered. âIâm real sorry to hear that. Jackley wasnât a bad sort when I knew him. Just got to keepinâ the wrong kind of company, I guess.â

âCan you tell us any particular characteristics he had?â Frank questioned.

Jake scratched his head above his visor. Finally he said, âThe thing I remember most about Jackley is that he was a regular monkey. He was nimble as could be, racinâ up and down freight-car lad. ders.â

At that moment they heard a train whistle and the man said hurriedly, âGot to leave you now, boys. Come back some other time when I ainât so busy. Got to meet this train.â

The Hardys left him and Frank suggested, âLetâs eat our lunch and then come back.â

They found a little grove of trees beside the railroad tracks and propped their motorcycles against a large tree.

âIâm starved,â said Frank, seating himself under the tree and opening his box of lunch.

âBoy, this is good!â Joe exclaimed a moment later as he bit hungrily into a thick roast beef sandwich.

âIf Jackley had only stayed with the railroad company,â Frank observed as he munched a deviled egg, âit wouldâve been better for everyone.â

âHe sure caused a lot of trouble before he died,â Joe agreed.

âAnd heâs caused a lot more since, the way things have gone. For the Robinsons, especially.â

The boys gazed reflectively down the tracks, gleaming in the sun. The rails stretched far into the distance. Only a few hundred feet from the place where they were seated, the Hardys could see both water tanks: the dilapidated, weather-beaten wooden one, with some of the rungs missing from the ladder that led up its side, and the squat, metal tank, perched on spindly legs.

Frank took a bite of his sandwich and chewed it thoughtfully. The sight of the two water towers had given him an idea, but at first it seemed to him too absurd for consideration. He was wondering whether or not he should mention it to his brother.

Then he noticed that Joe, too, was gazing intently down the tracks at the tanks. Joe raised a cooky to his lips absently, attempted a bite, and missed the cooky altogether. Still he continued gazing fixedly in the same direction.

Finally Joe turned and looked at his brother. Both knew that they were thinking the identical thing.

âTwo water towers,â Frank said in a low but excited tone.

âAn old one and a newer one,â Joe murmured.

âAnd Jackley saidââ

âHe hid the stuff in the old tower.â

âHe was a railroad man.â

âWhy not?â Joe shouted, springing to his feet. âWhy couldnât it have been this old water tower he meant? He used to work around here.â

âAfter all, he didnât say the old tower of Tower Mansion. He just said âold towerâ!â

âFrank, I believe weâve stumbled on a terrific clue!â Joe said jubilantly. âIt would be the natural thing for Jackley to come to his former haunts after the robbery!â

âRight!â Frank agreed.

âAnd when he discovered that Chetâs jalopy was gone, he probably thought that the police were hot on his trail, so he decided to hide the loot some place he knewâwhere no one else would suspect. The old water tower! This must be the place!â

CHAPTER XIX

Loot!

LUNCH, motorcyclesâeverything else was forgotten ! With wild yells of excitement, Frank and Joe hurried down the embankment which flanked the right of way.

But as they came to a fence that separated the tracks from the grass and weeds that grew along the side, they stopped short. Someone on the highway above was sounding a car horn. Looking up, they recognized the driver.

Smuff!

âOh, good night!â Joe cried out.

âThe last person we want to see right now,â Frank said in disgust.

âWeâll get rid of him in a hurry,â Joe determined.

The boys turned around and climbed back up the embankment. By this time Oscar Smuff had stepped from his car and was walking down to meet the boys.

âWell, I found you,â he said.

âYou mean youâve been looking for us?â Frank asked in astonishment.

The detective grinned. With an ingratiating air he explained to the boys that he had trailed them for miles. He had seen them leave home on their motorcycles, and almost caught up with them at the Bayport station, only to lose them. But the stationmaster had revealed the Hardysâ next destination, and the aspiring sleuth had hastened to talk to the flagman, Mike Halley.

âHe told me Iâd find you here,â Smuff said, self-satisfaction evident in his tone.

âBut why do you want us?â Joe demanded.

âIâve come to make a proposition,â Smuff announced. âIâve got a swell clue about Jackley and that loot he hid, but I need somebody to help me in the search. How about it, fellows? If old Smuff lets you in on his secret, will you help him?â

Frank and Joe were astounded at this turn of events. Did the man really know something important? Or was he suddenly becoming clever and trying to trick the Hardys into divulging what they knew? One thing the brothers were sure of: they wanted nothing to do with Oscar Smuff until they had searched the old water tower.

âThanks for the compliment,â Frank said. He grinned. âJoe and I think weâre pretty good ourselves. Weâre glad you do.â

âThen youâll work with me?â Smuff asked, his eyes lighting up in anticipation.

âI didnât say yes and I didnât say no,â Frank countered. He glanced at Joe, who was standing in back of the detective. Joe shook his head vigorously. âTell you what, Smuff,â Frank went on. âWhen Joe and I get back to Bayport, weâll look you up. We came out here to have a picnic lunch and relax.â

Smuffâs face fell. But he was not giving up so easily. âWhen I drove up, I saw you running like mad down the bank. Do you call that relaxing?â

âOh, when you sit around awhile eating, your legs feel kind of cramped,â Joe told him. âAnyway, we have to keep in practice for the Bayport High baseball team.â

Smuff looked as if he did not know whether or not he was being kidded. But finally he said, âOkay, fellows. If youâll get in touch with me the first of the week, I can promise you a big surprise. Youâve proved you canât win the thousand-dollar reward alone, so we may as well each get a share of it. Iâve already admitted I need help to solve this mystery.â

He turned and slowly ambled up the embankment to his car. The boys waved good-by to the detective and waited until he was far out of sight and they were sure he would not return. Then Frank and Joe hurried down to the tracks, vaulted the fence, and ran pell-mell toward the old water tower.

âIf only we have stumbled on the secret!â Frank said enthusiastically.

âItâll clear Mr. Robinsonââ

âWe will earn the reward by ourselvesââ

âBest of all, Dad will be proud of us.â

The old water tower reared forlornly alongside the tracks. At close quarters it seemed even more decrepit than from a distance. When the boys glanced at the ladder with its many rungs missing, they wondered if they would be able to ascend to the top on it.

âIf Jackley climbed this ladder we can too,â said Frank as he stopped, panting, at the bottom. âLetâs go!â

He began to scramble up the rotted wood rungs. He had ascended only four of them when there came an alarming crack!

âCareful!â Joe cried out from below.

Frank clung to the rung above just as the one beneath him snapped under his weight. He drew himself up and cautiously put his foot on the next rung. This one was firmer and held his weight.

âHey!â Joe called up. âDonât break all the rungs! I want to come up too!â

Frank continued to climb the ladder as his brother began the ascent. When they came to any place where a rung had broken off, the boys were obliged to haul themselves up by main force. But finally Frank reached the top and waited until Joe was just beneath him.

âThereâs a trap door up here leading down into the tank,â Frank called.

âWell, for Peteâs sake, be careful,â Joe warned. âWe donât want any more accidents with trap doors.â

The boys climbed onto the roof of the tower, which swayed under their weight. Both fully realized their peril.

âWe canât give up now!â said Frank, and scrambled over the surface of the roof until he reached the trap door. Joe followed. They unlatched and raised the door, then peered down into the recesses of the abandoned water tank. It was about seven feet in depth and twelve in diameter.

Frank lowered himself through the opening, but clung to the rim until he was sure, from feeling around with his feet, that the floor would not break through. âItâs okay,â he told Joe, who followed his brother inside.

Eagerly the boys peered about the dim interior. The place seemed to be partly filled with rubbish. There was a quantity of old lumber, miscellaneous bits of steel rails, battered tin pails, and crowbars, all piled in helter-skelter fashion. At first glance there was no sign of the Applegatesâ stolen possessions.

âThe jewels and bonds must be here somewhere,â Joe declared. âBut if Jackley did put the stuff here, he wouldnât have left it right out in the open. Itâs probably hidden under some of this junk.â

Frank pulled out a flashlight and swung it around. In its glow Joe began to hunt frantically, casting aside the old pails and pieces of lumber.

One entire half of the tower was searched without result. Frank turned the flashlight to the far side and noted that a number of boards had been piled up in a rather orderly crisscrossed manner.

âJoe,â said Frank, âIâd say these boards hadnât been thrown here accidentally. It sure looks as if somebody had placed them deliberately to hide something underneath.â

âYouâre right.â

Like a terrier after a bone, Joe dived toward the pile. Hastily he pulled away the boards.

Revealed in the neat little hiding place lay a bag. It was an ordinary gunny sack, but as Joe dragged it out he felt sure that the search for the Applegate property had come to an end.

âThis must be it!â he exulted.

âThe Tower treasure!â Frank smothered a whoop of joy.

Joe carried the sack into the light beneath the trap door.

âHurry up! Open it!â Frank urged.

With trembling fingers Joe began to untie the cord around the sack. There were many knots, and as Joe worked at them, Frank fidgeted nervously.

âLet me try,â he said impatiently.

At last, with both Hardys working on the stubborn knots, the cord was untied and the bag gaped open. Joe plunged one hand into it and withdrew an old-fashioned bracelet of precious stones.

âJewelry!â

âHow about the securities?â

Again Joe groped into the sack. His fingers encountered a bulky packet. When he pulled it out, the boys exclaimed in unison:

âThe bonds!â

The bundle of papers, held together by an elastic band, proved to be the securities. The first of the documents was a negotiable bond for one thousand dollars issued by the city of Bayport.

âMr. Applegateâs property!â Frank cried out triumphantly. âJoe, do you realize what this means? Weâve solved the mystery!â

The brothers looked at each other almost unbelievingly, then each slapped the other on the back. âWe did it! We did it!â Joe cried out jubilantly.

Frank grinned. âAnd without old Smuff,â he said.

âNow Mr. Robinsonâs cleared for sure!â Joe exclaimed. âThatâs the best part of solving this mystery.â

âYouâre right!â

The boys rejoiced over their discovery for another full minute, then decided to hurry back to Bayport with the precious sack.

âYou go down first, Frank,â said Joe. âIâll toss the sack to you and then come myself.â

He picked up the bag and was about to hoist it to his shoulders when both boys heard a sound on the roof of the tower. They looked up to see an evil-looking, unshaven man peering down at them.

âHalt!â he ordered.

âWho are you?â Frank asked.

âThey call me Hobo Johnny,â the man replied. âThis here is my quarters and anything in it belongs to me. You got no right in my room. You canât take anything away. And tâanks for finding the wad. I never thought to look around.â

Joe, taken aback a moment, now said, âYou may sleep here, but this is railroad property. You donât own whatâs in this tower. Now go on down the ladder, so we can leave.â

âSo youâre going to fight, eh?â Hobo Johnny said in an ugly tone. âIâll see about that!â

Without warning the trap door was slammed shut and locked from the outside!

CHAPTER XX

The Escape

âLET us out of here!â Frank shouted at Hobo Johnny.

âYou canât get away with this!â Joe yelled.

The man on the water tower roof gave a loud guffaw. âYou think I ainât got no brains. Well, I got enough to know when Iâm well off. I ainât in no hurry to collect that treasure you found in the tower. A few days from now will be all right for me to sell it.â

âA few days from now?â Joe exclaimed, horrified. âBy that time weâll be suffocated or die of starvation.â

Frank put an arm around his impulsive brotherâs shoulder. In a low tone he said, âWe wonât do either, Joe. I donât think itâs going to be too hard to get out of here. If not by the trap door, weâll hack our way out through one side of the tank.â

Joe calmed down and both boys became silent. This seemed to worry Hobo Johnny, who called down, âWhatâre you guys up to?â

No answer.

âOkay. Iâm leaving you now, but Iâll be back for that treasure. Donât try any funny stuff or youâll get hurt!â

The man on the roof waited a few moments for an answer. Receiving none, he shuffled across the tower to the ladder.

âI hope he doesnât break all the rungs,â said Joe worriedly. âWe wonât be able to get down.â

Again Frank patted his brother on the shoulder. âI noticed an iron pipe running from the top of this tower to the bottom,â he said. âIf necessary, we can slide down the pipe.â

âHow long do you think we should wait before trying to break out of here?â Joe asked.

Before replying, Frank pondered the situation. Not knowing anything about Hobo Johnnyâs habits, he wondered how far away from the tower the man would go. If not far, the boys might find him waiting below and a tough person to handle. Finally, Frank decided that since the tramp had said he would return in an hour, he must be planning to go some distance away, perhaps to get a couple of his hobo friends to come back and help him.

âIâd say that if we leave in fifteen minutes weâll be safe,â was Frankâs conclusion.

Every second seemed like an hour, but finally when the fifteen minutes were up, the boys lifted a plank and tried to push up the trap door. It would not budge.

âWhere do we try next?â Joe questioned.

Frank was examining the seams around the trap door with the flashlight. Presently he pointed out a section where the wood looked completely dried out.

âIt shouldnât be too hard to ram a hole here, Joe. Then you can boost me up, so I can reach through and turn the handle on the lock.â

Joe picked up a crowbar and jabbed the sharp end between the edge of the trap door and the board next to it. There was a splintering sound. He gave the tool another tremendous push. The seam widened. Now he and Frank together wedged the end of the crowbar up through the opening.

In a few moments they had sprung the two boards far enough apart so that Frank, by standing on Joeâs shoulders, could reach his arm through the opening. He found the handle which locked the trap door and turned it. Joe pushed up the door with the plank.

The boys were free!

Frank pulled himself up through the opening and hurried to the edge of the roof. He looked all around below. Hobo Johnny was not in sight; in fact, there was no one to be seen anywhere.

âClear field ahead!â he announced.

Now the boys began to carry out their original intention of removing the stolen property from the old water tower. Frank went back to the trap door and Joe handed up the sack, then joined his brother on the roof. The older boy went down the ladder quickly and his brother tossed the treasure to him. Joe lost no time in following.

âWeâd better get away from here in a hurry!â Frank advised, and both boys sprinted to their motorcycles.

âLetâs divide this stuff. Itâll be easier to carry,â Frank suggested.

He opened the sack and handed Joe the bundle of securities, which the boy jammed into his pocket. Frank stuffed the sack containing the jewelry into his own side pocket. Then they hopped onto their motorcycles, stepped on the starters, and roared down the road toward Bayport. It was not until they were several miles from the old water tower that the Hardys relaxed. Grins spread over their faces.

âI donât know whoâs going to be the most surprisedâHurd or Adelia Applegate, or Chief Collig orââ

âI have another guessâDad!â said Frank.

âI guess youâre right,â Joe agreed. âAnd the most disappointed person is going to be one Oscar Smuff!â

âWhat clue do you suppose he wanted us to follow?â

âItâs my idea he didnât have any. He just wanted to hook on to us and then claim the glory if we found the treasure, so Collig would give him a job on the force.â

âWhere do you think we ought to take these valuables?â Joe asked presently.

The boys discussed this as they covered nearly a mile of ground and finally came to the conclusion that since Hurd Applegate had given their father the job of finding the stolen property, the detective should be the one to return it to the owners.

Half an hour later the brothers pulled into the Hardy driveway and soon were overwhelming their parents with the good news.

âItâs wonderfull Simply wonderful!â Mrs. Hardy cried out, hugging each of her sons.

Their fatherâs face wore a broad grin. âIâm certainly proud of you,â he said, and slapped Frank and Joe on the back. âYou boys shall have the honor of making the announcement to the Applegates.â

âHow about Chief Collig?â Frank asked. âAnd weâll report Hobo Johnny to him.â

âAnd weâll invite the Robinsons to hear the announcement,â Joe added.

The detective said he thought there should be a grand meeting at the Applegatesâ home of everyone involved with the tower mystery. He suggested that when the boys called up, they try to arrange such a meeting for that very evening.

Frank was selected to make the report to Hurd Applegate; the others could hear the elderly man exclaim in amazement. âI didnât think youâd do it!â he said over and over again.

Shouting for his sister, he relayed the message, then said, âAdelia wants me to tell you sheâs the most relieved woman in all of Bayport. She never did like any of this business.â

The Applegates readily agreed to a meeting at their home early that evening and insisted that Mr. Robinson be there. Mr. Hardy was to see to it that Chief Collig released the man at once.

âThis is going to be a lot of fun,â Frank declared at supper. âMother, I think you should come along? Will you?â

âIâd love to,â Mrs. Hardy replied. âIâd like to hear what the Applegates and Mr. Robinson and Chief Collig are going to say.â

âAnd Chet should be there too,â Joe said. âAfter all, it was his stolen car that gave us the clue to Red Jackley.â Chet was called and gave a whoop of delight. He agreed to meet the Hardy family at the Tower Mansion.

âThereâs one more person who ought to attend,â said Frank with a twinkle in his eye. âOscar Smuff. Iâd like to watch his face, too.â

âAt least we should tell him that the mystery has been solved,â Joe spoke up.

Frank waited until his father had phoned Chief Collig, who promised to release Mr. Robinson at once and bring him out to the Applegatesâ home. Then Frank called Detective Smuff. He could not resist the temptation to keep Smuff guessing a little longer, and merely invited him to join the conference for a big surprise.

At eight oâclock one car after another arrived at the Tower Mansion. When the Hardy family walked in they found all the Robinsons there. The twins rushed up to Frank and Joe and hugged them. Slim and his father shook the brothersâ hands fervently and Mr. Robinson said, âHow can I ever thank you?â

There were tears in his wifeâs eyes and her voice trembled as she added her appreciation for what the Hardy boys had done. âYouâll never know what this means to us,â she said.

Oscar Smuff was the last to arrive. Instantly he demanded to know what was going on. Frank and Joe had hoped to have a little fun with him, but Tessie and Paula, unable to restrain their enthusiasm, shouted, âFrank and Joe Hardy found the jewelry and the papers! Theyâre real heroes!â

As Frank and Joe reddened in embarrassment, Detective Smuff looked at them disbelievingly. âYou!â he almost screamed. âYou mean the Hardy boys found the treasure?â

As all the others nodded, Slim spoke up, âThis means that my father is completely exonerated.â

âBut how about that nine hundred dollars?â Smuff demanded suspiciously. âWhatâs the explanation of where your father got that?â

Mr. Robinson straightened up. âIâm sorry,â he said, âbut I must keep my promise to remain silent about that money.â

To everyoneâs amazement, Adelia Applegate arose and went to stand by the manâs side. âI will tell you where Robinson got that money,â she said dramatically. âAt my own suggestion I loaned it to him.â

âYou!â her brother shouted disbelievingly.

âYes, this was one time when I didnât ask your advice because I knew you wouldnât agree. I knew Robinson needed the money and I really forced him to borrow it, but made him promise to tell no one where he got it. Then when the robbery took place, I didnât know what to think. I was sick over the whole affair, and Iâm very, very glad everythingâs cleared up.â

Miss Applegateâs announcement astounded her listeners. Robinson stood up, shook her hand, and said in a shaky voice, âThank you, Miss Adelia.â

Hurd Applegate cleared his throat, then said, âIâd like to make an announcement. Will you all please sit down?â

After everyone had taken seats in the large living room of the mansion, the owner went on, âMy sister Adelia and I have been talking things over. This whole robbery business has taught us a great lesson. In the future weâre not going to be so standoffish from the residents of Bayport. Weâre going to dedicate part of our groundsâthe part with the pondâas a picnic and swimming spot for the townspeople.â

âSuper!â exclaimed Chet, and Mrs. Hardy said, âI know everyone will appreciate that.â

âI havenât finished,â Hurd Applegate went on. âI want to make a public apology to Mr. Robinson. Adelia and I are extremely sorry for all the trouble weâve caused him. Robinson, if you will come back and work for us, we promise to treat you like the gentleman you are. We will increase your salary and we have decided to build that greenhouse you want. Youâll have free rein to raise all the rare flowers you wish to.â

There was a gasp from everyone in the room. All eyes were turned on Mr. Robinson. Slowly he arose from his chair, walked over to Mr. Applegate, and shook his hand.

âNo hard feelings,â he said. âIâll be happy to have my old position back, and with the new greenhouse, Iâm sure Iâll win a lot of blue ribbons for you and Miss Adelia.â

As he returned to his chair, Mr. Applegate said, âThere is just one more item of businessâthe reward. The thousand-dollar reward goes to Frank and Joe Hardy, who solved the mystery of the Tower treasure.â

âA thousand bucks!â exclaimed Detective Smuff.

âDollars, Mr. Smuffâdollars!â Adelia Applegate corrected him severely. âNo slang, please, not in Tower Mansion.â

âOne thousand iron men,â Smuff continued, unheeding. âOne thousand round, fat, juicy smackers. For two high school boys! And a real detective like meââ

The thought was too much for him. He dropped his head in his hands and groaned aloud. Frank and Joe did not dare look at each other. They were finding it difficult to restrain their laughter.

âYes, a thousand dollars,â Hurd Applegate went on. âFive hundred to each boy.â

He took the two checks from a pocket and handed one each to Frank and Joe, who accepted them with thanks. Mr. Applegate now invited his guests into the dining room for sandwiches, cake, and cold drinks.

As Frank and Joe ate, they were congratulated over and over by the others in the room. They accepted it all with a grin, but secretly, each boy had a little feeling of sadness that the case had ended. They hoped another mystery would soon come their way, and one did at THE HOUSE ON THE CLIFF.

âLater, on the way home, Mr. Hardy asked his sons, âWhat are you fellows going to do with all that money?â

Frank had an instant answer. âPut most of it in the bank.â

And Joe added, âFrank and I for some time have wanted to build a crime lab on the second floor of our barn. Now we can do it. All right, Dad?â

The detective smiled and nodded. âAn excellent idealâ