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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b20dc2c --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #69988 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/69988) diff --git a/old/69988-0_2023-08-02.txt b/old/69988-0_2023-08-02.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 26f5b08..0000000 --- a/old/69988-0_2023-08-02.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,6205 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of The house on the cliff, by Franklin W. -Dixon - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: The house on the cliff - -Author: Franklin W. Dixon - -Illustrator: Walter S. Rogers - -Release Date: February 8, 2023 [eBook #69988] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HOUSE ON THE CLIFF *** - - - - - - THE HARDY BOYS - - THE HOUSE - ON THE CLIFF - - By FRANKLIN W. DIXON - - AUTHOR OF - THE HARDY BOYS: THE TOWER TREASURE - THE HARDY BOYS: THE SECRET OF THE OLD MILL - - _ILLUSTRATED BY_ - WALTER S. ROGERS - - NEW YORK - GROSSET & DUNLAP - PUBLISHERS - - Made in the United States of America - - GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK - - Copyright, 1927, by - GROSSET & DUNLAP - - - - - [Illustration: "WE'VE FOUND THE PASSAGE!" (Chapter XVII)] - - - - - CONTENTS - - - I THE HAUNTED HOUSE - - II THE STORM - - III EMPTY TOOL BOXES - - IV THE CHASE IN THE BAY - - V THE RESCUE - - VI SNACKLEY - - VII BOUND AND GAGGED - - VIII THE STOLEN WITNESS - - IX THE STRANGE MESSAGE - - X THE VAIN SEARCH - - XI THE CAP ON THE PEG - - XII POINTED QUESTIONS - - XIII A PLAN OF ATTACK - - XIV PRIVATE PROPERTY - - XV SMUGGLERS - - XVI THE SECRET PASSAGE - - XVII THE CHAMBER IN THE CLIFF - - XVIII A STARTLING DISCOVERY - - XIX CAPTURED - - XX DIRE THREATS - - XXI QUICK WORK - - XXII INTO THE HAUNTED HOUSE - - XXIII RESCUE - - XXIV THE ROUND-UP - - XXV THE MYSTERY EXPLAINED - - - - - THE HARDY BOYS: - - THE HOUSE ON THE CLIFF - - - - - CHAPTER I - - THE HAUNTED HOUSE - - -Three powerful motorcycles sped along the shore road that leads from -the city of Bayport, skirting Barmet Bay, on the Atlantic coast. It was -a bright Saturday morning in June, and although the city sweltered in -the heat, cool breezes blew in from the bay. - -Two of the motorcycles carried an extra passenger. All the cyclists -were boys of about fifteen and sixteen years of age and all five were -students at the Bayport high school. They were enjoying their Saturday -holiday by this outing, glad of the chance to get away from the torrid -warmth of the city for a few hours. - -When the foremost motorcycle reached a place where the shore road -formed a junction with another highway leading to the north, the -rider brought his machine to a stop and waited for the others to -draw alongside. He was a tall, dark youth of sixteen, with a clever, -good-natured face. His name was Frank Hardy. - -"Where do we go from here?" he called out to the others. - -The two remaining motorcycles came to a stop and the drivers mopped -their brows while the two other boys dismounted, glad of the chance to -stretch their legs. One of the cyclists, a boy of fifteen, fair, with -light, curly hair, was Joe Hardy, a brother of Frank's, and the other -lad was Chet Morton, a chum of the Hardy boys. The other youths were -Jerry Gilroy and "Biff" Hooper, typical, healthy American lads of high -school age. - -"You're the leader," said Joe to his brother. "We'll follow you." - -"I'd rather have it settled. We've started out without any particular -place to go. There's not much fun just riding around the countryside." - -"I don't much care where we go, as long as we keep on going," said -Jerry. "We get a breeze as long as we're traveling, but the minute we -stop I begin to sweat." - -Chet Morton gazed along the shore road. - -"I'll tell you what we can do," he said suddenly. "Let's go and visit -the haunted house." - -"Polucca's place?" - -"Sure. We've never been out there." - -"I've passed it," Frank said. "But I didn't go very close to the place, -I'll tell you." - -Jerry Gilroy, who was a newcomer to Bayport, looked puzzled. - -"Where is Polucca's place?" - -"You can see it from here. Look," said Chet, taking him by the arm and -bringing him over to the side of the road. "See where the shore road -dips, away out near the end of Barmet Bay. Do you see that cliff?" - -"Yes. There's a stone house at the top." - -"Well, that's Polucca's place." - -"Who is Polucca?" - -"Who _was_ Polucca, you mean," interjected Frank. "He used to live -there. But he was murdered." - -"And that's why the place is supposed to be haunted?" - -"Reason enough, isn't it?" said Biff Hooper. "I don't believe in -ghosts, but I'll tell the world there are some funny stories going -around about that house ever since Polucca was killed." - -"He must have been a strange fellow, anyway," commented Jerry, "to -build a house in such a place as that." - -Indeed, the Polucca place had been built on an unusual site. High above -the waters of the bay it stood, built close to the edge of a rocky and -inhospitable cliff. It was some distance back from the road, and there -was no other house within miles. The boys had traveled a little more -than three miles since leaving Bayport, and the Polucca place was at -least five miles away. It could hardly have been seen, had it not been -for its prominent position on top of the cliff, silhouetted clearly -against the sky. - -"He _was_ a strange fellow," Frank observed. "No one knew very -much about him. He didn't welcome visitors. In fact, he always kept a -couple of vicious dogs around the place, so nobody cared to hang around -there if they weren't invited." - -"He was a miser," came from Joe Hardy. - -"He may have been. At least that was the theory. Everybody said Polucca -had a lot of money, but after his death there wasn't a nickel found in -the house." - -"Felix Polucca always said he wouldn't trust the banks," put in Biff -Hooper. "But if he had any money I don't know where he made it, for he -didn't work at anything and he mighty seldom came into the city." - -"Perhaps he inherited it," Jerry suggested. - -"Maybe. He must have had money at some time, to build that house. It's -a great, rambling stone place that must have cost thousands." - -"Is anybody living there now?" - -The others shook their heads. "No one has lived there since the murder -and I don't think any one ever will," said Frank Hardy. "The house is -too far out of the way, for one thing, and then--the stories that have -been going around--" - -"Well, I won't say I believe any place is haunted, but the Polucca -place is certainly strange. There have been queer lights seen there -at night. On stormy nights, particularly. And once a motorist had a -breakdown near there, so he went up to the house for help. He didn't -know anything about the history of the place. He got the scare of his -life!" - -"What happened?" - -"He decided when he went into the front yard that the place was -deserted, and he was just going to turn away when he saw an old man -standing at one of the upper windows, looking at him. He called out, -and the old man went away, and although the motorist hunted all through -the house he didn't find any trace of the old chap. So he left that -place as quickly as he could." - -"I don't blame him," remarked Jerry. "But the house sounds interesting. -I'm game to visit it." - -"So am I!" declared the others. - -"Lead on!" laughed Chet. "It'll be a brave ghost that will tackle the -whole five of us." - -Jerry clambered on behind Chet, and Biff mounted Joe's motorcycle. The -machines roared, and the little cavalcade started on its way down the -shore road toward the house on the cliff. - -Instead of being an aimless trip, the outing had now assumed all the -aspects of an adventure. With the exception of Jerry, the boys had all -passed by the Polucca place at one time or another, but none had ever -ventured off the main road to explore the deserted place. - -The lane leading into the Polucca grounds, never kept in good repair -even during the owner's lifetime, was now almost indiscernible and was -overgrown with weeds and bushes. The house itself was hidden from the -roadway by trees. Most people gave the place a wide berth, whether -they believed in ghosts or not, for the stories that had been told -of the rambling stone building since the murder of Felix Polucca two -years before were sufficient to indicate that there had been strange -happenings in the old house. Whether or not they were of supernatural -origin was a matter of debate. - -The murder of Felix Polucca had been particularly brutal. He was an -old Italian, suspected, as Frank said, of being a miser. He was very -eccentric in his ways and most people considered that he was not quite -sound mentally. - -Be that as it may, Bayport was shocked one morning to learn that the -old man had been found dead in the kitchen of his house, his body -riddled with bullets. The motive, apparently, was robbery, for although -it was popularly believed that the old man possessed a great deal of -money that he kept with him in the house, it was never found, in spite -of the most diligent search. - -This was the gloomy history of the place the Hardy boys and their -chums were now about to visit and explore. To add to the atmosphere of -excitement that had possessed them from the moment the old house was -mentioned, as they drew closer to the cliff, the sun retired behind a -cloud and the sky gradually became darker. - -Frank glanced up. Although the sky had been bright and clear when the -party left Bayport, clouds had gathered in the east and it was plain -that a storm was gathering. - -"Looks as if we'll have to go into the Polucca place whether we want to -or not," he called out to the others. "It's going to rain." - -In a little while they came to the lane that led to the haunted house. -In spite of the fact that it was overgrown with weeds and bushes, the -boys were able to drive down the faintly defined roadway until at last -a rusty iron gate barred their progress. - -Frank, who was in the lead, got off his machine and kicked the gate -open, the rusty chains clanking dismally as they fell from the staples. -Then the party went on into the grounds. - -Under the lowering sky that heralded the approaching storm, the grounds -of the Polucca place were far from inviting. Dank, tall grass grew -beneath the unkempt trees, and thistles and weeds sprouted up in the -very center of the roadway. A rising wind stirred among the branches of -the trees and the waving grasses rustled mournfully. - -"Creepy sort of a place," muttered Jerry. - -"Wait till you see the house," Chet advised. - -Not one of them could restrain a slight shiver of apprehension when at -last they came in view of the old stone building. It was framed in a -mass of trees, bushes, and weeds that threatened to engulf it from all -sides. Weeds obscured the front door. Bushes grew up level with the -sills of the vacant downstairs windows. Trees on either side and beyond -the house extended trailing branches down over the roof. A shutter hung -by one hinge from an upstairs window, and banged with every passing -gust of wind. - -A deathlike silence hung over the old building. Under the black clouds -that now filled the entire sky it was imbued with an atmosphere of -gloom and terror. - -"Come on!" said Frank. "Now that we're here we may as well go through -the place." - -"Haven't seen any ghosts yet," laughed Chet, with an effort at being -light-hearted. But in spite of himself, his tone seemed forced. - -They left the motorcycles beneath a tree and advanced toward the old -stone building. The front door was almost off its hinges, and it swung -creakingly open at Frank's touch. - -Frank stepped boldly into the hallway. The interior of the house was -veiled in gloom, for the rear windows were boarded up, but the lads -could see that everything was deep in dust. A staircase was before -them, leading to the upper stories of the building. To the left, was a -closed door. - -"This must be the parlor," said Frank, as he flung the door open. - -The room was empty. A stone fireplace was at one side, and as the boys -came into the room a rat scuttled out of the fireplace and raced across -the floor, disappearing through a hole in the wall. The sound made -every one jump, for the boys' nerves were at a tension on account of -the forbidding atmosphere. - -"Just a rat!" said Frank. - -His voice had the effect of calming the others. - -They stood hesitantly in the middle of the deserted parlor. Joe went -over to the window and looked out, but the view from the front window -of the Polucca place was so lonely and gruesome, in its aspect of -tangled trees and weeds and undergrowth under the lowering darkness of -the sky, that he came back. - -"Where shall we go next?" said Chet. - -"Nothing much to see around here," said Frank, disappointed. "It's -just an ordinary, dirty, old, deserted house. Let's explore upstairs, -anyway--" - -At that moment there was a startling interruption. - -A weird shriek, quavering as if with terror, rang out from the upper -part of the haunted house! - - - - - CHAPTER II - - THE STORM - - -That shriek was the most fearful and uncanny sound the boys had ever -heard. There was a diabolical malignance about it, like the scream of -some blood-thirsty animal, yet there was no mistaking the fact that it -was uttered by a human being. - -As the quavering notes died away, the bare walls of the old house flung -back the echoes so that the shriek seemed to be repeated again and -again, but on a smaller scale. - -The boys stared at one another, aghast. For a moment they were -dumbfounded. Then Jerry muttered: - -"I'm getting out of here!" and with that, he started for the door. - -"Me too!" declared Biff Hooper, and Chet Morton followed him as he -rushed for the doorway. - -"What's the big idea?" asked Frank, standing his ground. "Let's stay -and find what this is all about." - -Joe, seeing his brother remain where he was, made no move to follow the -others, although it was plain that the weird shriek had unnerved him. - -"You can stay," flung back Jerry. "I'm not. This place is haunted, and -I don't mean maybe!" - -The three boys hastened through the doorway out into the hall and lost -no time in regaining the front yard. Frank and Joe Hardy listened to -their retreating footsteps. Frank shrugged his shoulders. - -"I guess it gave them a pretty bad scare," he said to his brother. "We -may as well go with them." - -"I guess so," replied Joe, greatly relieved. They were alone in the -gloomy and deserted old house, and as they stepped into the hallway Joe -cast a cautious glance up the stairway. But there was nothing to be -seen. The upper floor was veiled in shadow. The house was in silence -that seemed even heavier than before. - -When the two Hardy boys got outside they found the others waiting for -them in the shelter of some trees about a hundred yards from the house. -The three were discussing the strange occurrence in excited tones, and -when the Hardy boys came up to them Jerry said: - -"I don't have to be convinced any further. The place is haunted, sure. -No other way to explain it." - -"There's not much sense in running away from a sound," remarked Frank -lightly. "If we had seen something, it might be different. I don't -believe in ghosts and I'd like to get to the bottom of this. It's -foolish to run away. Let's go back." - -Chet Morton and Biff Hooper looked a trifle ashamed of themselves -because of their precipitous flight from the house while the Hardy boys -had remained. - -"I got the scare of my life," Chet confessed. "Just the same, I'm game -to go back if you want to." - -"How about you, Biff?" - -Biff Hooper scratched his head reflectively. "I'm none too anxious to -go back in there again," he admitted. "Not that I'm scared, of course!" -he added hastily. "But I don't see where we'd learn anything, anyway." - -"Well, Joe and I are going back. That's settled," declared Frank. "We -want to get to the bottom of this mystery." - -"Mysteries are your meat!" observed Biff. "Well, when you come to think -of it, this is a good chance for a little detective work." - -He alluded to the fact that the Hardy boys were amateur detectives of -some renown in Bayport. They came by their gift naturally, for their -father, Fenton Hardy, had been for years on the detective staff of the -New York police. Of late years he had been living in Bayport conducting -a private detective service of his own with great success. He was known -from one end of the country to the other as an exceptionally brilliant -investigator. - -Frank and Joe Hardy, his sons, were ambitious to follow in their -father's footsteps, although their mother wished them to prepare -themselves for medicine and the law respectively. But the lure of -Fenton Hardy's calling was persistent, and the two boys were bent on -proving to their parents that they were capable of becoming first-class -detectives. - -They had given proof of this already by helping their father in a small -way on a number of cases, but their first big success had been achieved -when they solved the mystery of a jewel and bond robbery from Tower -Mansion in Bayport. The story of this has been related in the first and -preceding volume of this series, "The Hardy Boys: The Tower Treasure," -wherein was recounted how the Hardy boys solved the mystery of the -robbery when the Bayport police and even Fenton Hardy himself were -baffled. - -"I'd rather tackle a good mystery than eat," laughed Frank. "And here -is one right to hand. Let's go back." - -Biff Hooper did not care to seem guilty of cowardice by staying behind -while his companions returned to the house, and he was on the point of -a reluctant consent when the matter was suddenly solved for them all by -a downpour of rain. - -Storm clouds had been gathering in the sky for the past hour and there -had been dull rumblings of thunder. Now an uneasy wind stirred the -branches of the trees and rustled dismally among the undergrowth. -There was a spatter of raindrops, and then the storm broke in abrupt -violence. Rain poured down in sheets. - -"The motorcycles!" cried Frank. - -Turning up their coat collars, the boys ran through the thick grass -until they reached the place where their machines had been parked. - -"I saw an old shed near the house," called out Joe. "We can put the -bikes under cover." - -There was an abandoned wagon shed near the rear of the house, and -toward this refuge the lads trundled the heavy motorcycles. Although -the shed was almost falling to pieces, the roof was still in fairly -good condition and the machines were safe from the downpour. - -"Come on," said Frank, when the motorcyles had been placed under cover. -"Let's go back into the house." - -He led the way, running across the open space from the shed, through -the driving rain, and Joe followed. The others, after a moment of -hesitation, came after them. - -The back door of the house was open and the lads ran up the steps into -the shelter of the building. They were in a room that had evidently -been used as a kitchen, and although rain came in slanting streaks -through the open windows, the glass of which had long since been -shattered, they were at least sheltered from the downpour that had -assumed redoubled violence. The rain drummed on the roof of the old -house and poured from black skies on the near-by wagon shed. Thunder -rolled and rumbled threateningly, and every once in a while a sheet of -lightning tore a band of lurid light across the gloom. - -Chet took off his cap, which was drenched, and tried to dry it out. The -others stood by the window, looking out at the terrific downpour. - -Then came the second shriek! - -It rang out suddenly, at a time when none of the lads was talking and -it was a replica of the first--a quavering, long drawn out yell, that -seemed to freeze the blood in their veins. - -No sooner had it died away than there came a terrific clap of thunder, -and then the rain seemed to beat down on the roof of the old house in a -frenzy. - -In the gloomy, dusty kitchen, the boys stared at one another. - -Frank broke the silence. - -"I'm going to find out about this!" he declared firmly, striding over -to the door that led to the interior of the house. - -"Me too," said Joe. - -Taking heart by the Hardy boys' example, the others crowded at their -heels. - -Frank flung open the door and strode into the room beyond. It was a -very gloomy chamber, for the one window was boarded up, but when their -eyes became accustomed to the meager light the boys saw that a door on -the far side of the room led into a hallway. It was evidently not the -hallway that they had already been in at the front of the house, but -presumably one that led to a side door. - -"Nothing here," said Frank, "I'd like to find those stairs. That yell -came from the upper part of the house." - -The boys made their way across the room. Outside they could hear the -sweep of the rain and the steady rumblings of the thunder, for the -storm was now at its height. Through the chinks of the boards over the -window they could occasionally see the lurid glare of lightning. - -Suddenly there was a blast of wind that seemed to shake the entire -house. A sharp, violent noise immediately behind them made every boy -jump with surprise. - -They wheeled about. - -The door behind them had been blown shut. Biff Hooper, who was nearest, -grasped the knob and tried to open it. He wrenched and tugged at the -door, but it remained obstinate. - -"We're locked in!" he muttered. - -"We can get out, all right," said Frank. "There must be a door in this -side hall." - -He walked across the room and entered the hallway. - -At the same instant a maniacal howl rang through the old house. The -hollow echoes magnified its volume. - -A flash of lightning illuminated the startled faces of the five boys. -With one accord they rushed into the hallway. It was a narrow place, -heavy with dust, and their feet thudded heavily on the mouldy flooring. - -Crash! - -At the far end of the hall they had a glimpse of falling plaster that -fell in a great heap to the floor. A dense cloud of dust arose and -filled the narrow chamber. - -"Run for your lives!" yelled Frank. - -But no sooner were the words out of his mouth than there came a -ripping, crackling sound from overhead. Immediately above them, a large -part of the ceiling, disturbed no doubt by the vibrations of their -feet as they ran into the hall, had given way. A wide crack that showed -in the plaster quickly became wider, and then, with a terrific roar, -half the hall ceiling came tumbling down upon the lads. - -They were buried in dust and lathes and plaster that came upon them in -such an avalanche that they were thrown to the floor. The splintering -of wood and ominous crackling that followed, indicated that more of -the ceiling was about to go, and then came a roar even louder than the -first, as another avalanche of débris rolled down upon them. - -Was the Polucca house falling in? - - - - - CHAPTER III - - EMPTY TOOL BOXES - - -When he was knocked off his feet by the impact of falling débris, Frank -Hardy crouched down, protecting his head as well as possible, until the -downfall was over. Although a great deal of rubbish descended, it was -not heavy material and when at last the rain of plaster and splintered -lathes had ceased Frank knew that he was uninjured, although he was -almost buried in the heap and half smothered by the thick dust that -rose all about him. - -He managed to get to his feet, fighting his way clear of the rubbish, -and the first sight that met his eyes was an arm, sticking out of the -débris near by. He seized the outstretched hand and dragged the owner -to safety, discovering that it was his brother Joe. - -By this time the others were beginning to extricate themselves, and -within a few minutes all five boys, covered with dust from head to -foot, had scrambled out to the clear floor in the middle of the hall. -No one was injured, although Joe and Jerry complained of bruises about -the head and shoulders. - -"Let's get out of here!" exclaimed Chet, as soon as he could get his -breath. "I'm not going to fool around this house any longer." He looked -about him for some means of escape. - -"I don't think it's very healthy myself," Frank agreed. He saw a door -at the side of the hall and, going over, tried to open it. - -But the door was locked fast, and although he kicked at it and shoved -against the panels with all his strength he was unable to budge it. - -"There's a window," declared Joe. "Let's break our way out." - -The window was boarded over, but the glass was already shattered, so -Chet and Jerry, picking up rocks that had tumbled down in the débris -from the walls and ceiling, pounded at the boards. - -"We'd better keep moving," advised Biff Hooper. "Perhaps the rest of -the place will start caving in on us." - -There was a splintering sound as one of the boards fell loose, -revealing the rain-soaked trees and bushes outside. Another onslaught -with the rocks and another board fell away, leaving a space sufficient -to admit of the passage of a human body. - -"Gee, that looks good to me!" - -"Let's get out of here quick!" - -"That suits me!" - -"Don't lose any time--this whole building may be coming down!" - -As the last words were uttered the boys heard another crash behind -them. It was so close that it made all of them jump. - -"Hurry up, everybody!" yelled Biff Hooper. - -"Can't get out any too fast for me," returned Jerry. - -"You said it!" muttered Chet. - -One by one the boys scrambled up on the window sill and squeezed their -way out between the boards until at last all were standing outside the -old house. The storm was still raging. Rain poured down in a drenching -torrent. - -"Now let's get as far away from this place as we can travel!" said -Jerry. "Somebody is going to get killed if we stick around here much -longer." - -He was pale with fright and it was plain that the strange experiences -of the past hour had completely unnerved him. - -"That's the way I feel about it," agreed Biff Hooper. "I'm not a bit -comfortable around here. Let's beat it." - -"I'd like to find out what is wrong with the place," persisted Frank -doggedly. - -"You couldn't drag me back in there with a team of horses," objected -Chet. "Let's clear out. I've had enough of it." - -"Come on," urged Jerry. "There's no use going back. The whole place -will cave in on us if we aren't careful. And, anyway, there's something -fishy about the house." - -Frank saw that the others were determined on leaving, in spite of the -pouring rain, so, reluctantly, he gave in, and the five boys hastened -around the side of the house over to the shed where they had left the -motorcycles. - -"We can at least stay in the shed until the rain goes over," he said. - -"Not on your life," declared Chet Morton. "I'm going to put as much -distance between little me and that haunted house as I can. That place -gets on my nerves." - -And with that he began tinkering with the machine, preparatory to -starting it. - -Frank and Joe decided that no good would be served by arguing the -matter, so they prepared to leave with the others, although they -privately resolved to return to the Polucca place at the earliest -opportunity, to investigate the mystery of the house on the cliff more -thoroughly. - -Jerry and Biff Hooper took their places, and in a few minutes the three -motorcycles drove slowly out of the shed and across the yard toward the -lane. - -It was then that they heard the laugh! - -From the haunted house came a harsh, mocking laugh that rang out in -peals of derisive merriment. It continued for several seconds, and -could be heard quite plainly even above the noise of the engines and -the drumming of the rain on the roof. - -Then it stopped, abruptly. - -The boys looked at one another. - -"Did you hear some one laugh?" asked Frank, unable to believe his ears. - -"You bet I did!" exclaimed Chet. "And that _does_ settle it. I'm -leaving here right away." - -"That was the most nerve-racking laugh I ever heard in my life," -declared Jerry. "Let's get out of here, quick." - -"Somebody's playing a joke on us!" Frank said angrily. "I'm going back." - -"Joke, nothing! That place is haunted. Come on." - -And with a roar, Chet's motorcycle leaped forward as he headed down -the lane toward the main road. Joe, after looking behind and motioning -to his brother to stay with the party, followed him. Soon the three -motorcycles were speeding down the lane. - -And from the haunted house came peal after peal of that same demoniacal -laughter, as though mocking their flight. Then, as they rode on -through the streaming rain and the haunted house was lost to sight -among the wet and sodden trees, the laughter died away. - -When they reached the main road the boys turned their motorcycles in -the direction of Bayport and for more than five minutes the machines -rocked and swerved as they sped along through the muddy ruts. The boys -were soaked to the skin and water dripped from the peaks of their caps -into their eyes. The rain poured down with redoubled violence and the -others could scarcely see Chet's machine through the misty downpour. -Chet was making such good time back to Bayport that they found it -difficult to keep up with him. - -Frank Hardy was still dissatisfied. He had really wanted to remain -behind and probe the mystery of the house on the cliff further. He held -no stock in the ghost theory. The shrieks and the mocking laugh, he was -sure, were of human origin. But what could have been the motive? It may -have been that some boys had been in the house when they arrived and -had simply seized the opportunity to play a joke on them. - -"In that case," he muttered to himself, "the story will be all over the -Bayport high school by Monday and we'll be kidded within an inch of our -lives for running away. We should have stayed behind." - -Something told him, however, that this was no ordinary schoolboy prank. -The incident of the fallen ceiling had unnerved him slightly. It was -only by good luck that none of them had been seriously hurt. Of course, -it may have been entirely accidental, but it seemed to have happened at -a strangely opportune time. Then the recollection of the shrieks and -the mocking laugh came back to him again and he shivered as he recalled -the maniacal intensity of the tones. - -"If it was any fellow like ourselves he was a mighty good actor," Frank -said to himself. "I've heard of a person's blood running cold, but I -never knew what it meant until I heard those yells." - -Suddenly his motorcycle began, as he termed it, "acting up." It -coughed, lurched, back-fired explosively, and then the engine died. - -"What a fine time for a breakdown," Frank said, as he dismounted. - -Joe drew up alongside. "What's the matter?" he called. - -"Engine broke down." - -"Gosh, aren't you lucky!" exclaimed Joe, grinning. "There's a shed over -at the side of the road. Bring it over under cover." - -He pointed to a tumble-down shed near by. Frank realized that it might -take some time to discover the trouble, so he trundled the motorcycle -over to the refuge his brother had indicated. In the meantime, Chet -Morton had looked back, to find that the others were not following -him, and had decided to return. The roar of his machine could be heard -through the rain as he rode back toward them. - -In the shelter of the shed, Frank first of all took off his coat and -cap, which were dripping wet, and hung them up on a projecting board. -Then, as Joe and Jerry stood by, glad of the chance to get in out of -the rain, he rolled up his sleeves and prepared to find the source of -the trouble. - -They could hear Chet calling for them, as he drove along the road in -the rain. - -"Thinks we're lost," laughed Joe. He went over to the front of the -shed and hailed their companion. "Come on up here!" he shouted. "Had a -breakdown." - -Grumbling audibly, Chet dismounted and came over toward the shed. - -In the meantime, Frank had opened the tool box of his motorcycle. - -The others were startled by a sudden exclamation. Frank was staring at -the tool box, with a bewildered expression on his face. - -"My tools!" he exclaimed. "They're gone!" - -The other boys crowded around. The tool box was empty. - -"Did you have them when you left Bayport?" asked Joe. - -"Of course I did. I never go anywhere without them. Who on earth could -have taken them?" - -"You can have mine," offered Joe, going over to his own motorcycle. -He snapped open the tool box on his machine and then gave a shout of -astonishment. - -"Mine are gone too!" - - - - - CHAPTER IV - - THE CHASE IN THE BAY - - -The boys stared at one another in bewilderment. - -"I know my tool box was full when I left home," said Frank. - -"And so was mine," came from Joe. "I was using the pliers just before -we started out." - -"Where could they have gone?" - -"They must have been stolen while the motorcycles were in the shed at -the Polucca place," Chet suggested. - -"It's the only time they could have been taken," declared Frank. "It -was the only time they were left unguarded." - -Joe was frankly puzzled. - -"But we didn't see any one around the place," said Jerry. - -"No--but there was some one there. We heard those shrieks and the -laugh. Some one stole those tools while we were in the house." - -"It's some kind of a practical joke, that's what I'm beginning to -think," declared Frank. "Let's go back and get those tools." - -"Not on your life," objected Jerry decisively. "This is a little too -much. First of all we hear those shrieks, and then the house almost -comes down around our ears, and now we find that the tools have been -stolen by somebody we didn't see. We're safer away from there." - -Biff Hooper nodded agreement. - -"That's what I think. There's something queer about that house. We'll -get into trouble if we go butting in any more." - -"But we want our tools!" - -"Good night!" Chet exclaimed. "Perhaps mine are gone too." He ran out -of the shed over to the road and hastily examined the tool box on his -machine. Then he straightened up with an audible sigh of relief. - -"Thank goodness, they're here! Guess whoever took the others figured he -had enough." - -"I'm going back!" declared Frank. - -"If you do, you'll have to excuse me," Chet said. "You're welcome to -use my tools to fix up your machine, but I won't go back with you." - -"Me neither," chimed in Jerry and Biff simultaneously. - -Frank and Joe were silent. They wanted to go back to the Polucca place -and investigate the matter further, but they did not want to break up -the party, so they decided it would be better policy to remain with -their companions. - -"All right," Frank said. "Lend me a pair of pliers and I'll have this -trouble fixed up in no time." - -He went over to Chet's motorcycle and got the desired tools. Then he -began to tinker with his machine. It was only a minor defect, and a few -minutes' work sufficed to repair the damage. In the meantime it was -apparent that the rain was letting up, and by the time the Hardy boys -took their motorcycles out of the shed and regained the road, it had -died away to a mere drizzle. - -"This has been some holiday!" Chet muttered, as he mounted his machine -again. "I'm going home. Jerry, you and Biff had better come up to our -place for dinner. How about you and Joe, Frank?" - -"Thanks just the same, but we couldn't. We promised to be back home -this afternoon." - -"There's a side road that turns off here that makes a nice short-cut to -our farm. I guess I'll go that way. There should be room for three on -this bike, with a little crowding." - -Jerry and Biff Hooper clambered on the motorcycle with Chet Morton -and started off. The Hardy boys followed on their own machines until -they reached the side road, about a hundred yards away. There the -others left them, after shouting good-bye. Frank and Joe watched Chet's -motorcycle, heavily loaded, disappear into the mists that hovered over -the road, and then they prepared to continue their journey back to -Bayport. - -The shore road dipped at that point and wound down along the edge -of the bay in a deep spiral, which brought them at one point almost -back to the cliff at the top of which the Polucca place was located, -although by now they were nearer the water's edge. From there the road -sloped directly down to the shore, then ran along the edge of the bay -and in toward the city. - -Frank looked up toward the top of the cliff that loomed high above -them. They could not see the Polucca place from where they were, as it -was on the high ground and almost masked by trees, but the mystery of -the place still preyed on their minds. - -"I'd like to go back there yet," said Frank suddenly. "That affair of -the tools has me guessing." - -"Me too. But I think we'd better go on home. We can come back some -other time and look for them." - -"One minute I think it was only a practical joke of some kind. And -the next minute I think it's something a whole lot deeper than that. -There's something strange going on up there." - -"There were sure a lot of strange things going on when we struck the -place--that's certain. I can hear those shrieks yet." - -"Well, I guess you're right, Joe. We may as well go on home. But I'd -like to get to the bottom of it." - -"Whoever stole those tools made quick work of it. We weren't in the -house very long." - -"It proves that it wasn't a ghost, anyway." - -"I never did believe in the ghost theory. No, some human being took -those tools. And he was watching us, too. He saw us put the bikes in -the shed and he took the tools while we were in the house." - -"Unless they were taken after we left the bikes under the trees in the -first place." - -"He wouldn't have had time. We only stepped into the front room and -then we all came out after that first shriek. No, the tools were taken -when the bikes were in the shed." - -The boys rode on. The rain had ceased now, but the road was greasy and -they had to call on all their skill to keep from skidding as they drove -down the steep road toward the bay, so they did not talk again until -they reached the more level highway at the shore. - -A sound out in the bay attracted Frank's attention and he looked out -over the rolling sweep of waters. He could see a powerful motorboat -plunging through the waves about a quarter of a mile out. It was just -coming into view around the base of the cliff, and as Frank looked he -saw the nose of still another boat emerging into sight. Each craft was -traveling at high speed. - -"Looks like a race!" remarked Joe. - -The Hardy boys stopped their motorcycles and watched the two boats. But -it was soon apparent that this was no friendly speed contest. The boat -in the lead was zigzagging in a peculiar manner, and the pursuing craft -was rapidly overhauling it. The staccato roar of the powerful boats was -borne to the lads' ears by the wind. - -"See! The other boat is chasing it!" Frank exclaimed. He had caught -sight of the figures of two men standing in the bow of the pursuing -craft. They were waving their arms frantically. - -The first boat turned as though it were about to head inshore at the -cliff and then, apparently, the helmsman changed his mind, for at once -the nose of the boat pointed out into the open bay again. But the -moment of hesitation had given the pursuers the chance they wanted, and -swiftly the gap between the racing craft grew smaller and smaller. - -The Hardy boys saw that there was but one man in the foremost craft. -He was bent over the wheel. In the other boat they caught sight of one -figure who had snatched up an object that appeared to be a rifle. To -their amazement they saw him aim at the man in the leading craft. Then, -across the water, they heard the sharp report. - -The lone figure in the first boat dropped out of sight. Whether he had -been hit or not the boys could not tell. But the craft did not slacken -speed. Instead, it still continued to race madly through the waves. - -But the pursuers rapidly drew closer until at last the boats were -running side by side. They were so close together that it appeared as -if a collision were imminent. - -"The whole crowd of them will be killed if they aren't careful!" -muttered Frank. - -Then, just when it seemed that both boats must crash together, the -pursuing craft, as though it had given up the chase, veered abruptly -away and headed out toward the middle of the bay. - -The speed of the other boat decreased. The roar of its exhaust became -intermittent. - -"Engine trouble!" suggested Joe. - -But there was more than engine trouble. - -With startling violence, a sheet of flame leaped high into the air from -the motorboat. There was a stunning explosion and a dense puff of -smoke. Bits of wreckage were thrown high into the air, and in the midst -of it all the Hardy boys, horrified, saw the figure of the man they had -noticed before, as he was hurled into the water. - -The whole boat was swiftly ablaze. Hardly had the wreckage begun to -fall back into the water with spasmodic patterings and splashes than -the craft was in flames from bow to stern. - -"Look!" shouted Frank. "He's still alive!" - -The man of the boat had been killed by neither the rifle shot nor the -explosion. - -They could see him struggling in the water not far from the blazing -craft. His head was a dark oval above the water and he was slowly -trying to swim ashore. - -"He'll never make it!" gasped Joe. - -"We'll have to try to save him!" answered his brother. - - - - - CHAPTER V - - THE RESCUE - - -The Hardy boys knew that they had no time to lose. - -It was evident from the struggles of the man in the water that he was -not an expert swimmer. So far, he had not seen the boys, but they could -hear him shouting for help, possibly thinking, however, that it was in -vain, for it was a lonely part of the bay and the nearest farmhouse, -outside of the deserted Polucca place, was more than half a mile down -the road. - -"Quick!" shouted Frank. "I see a rowboat up on the shore." - -His sharp eyes had discerned a small boat almost hidden in a little -cove some distance away at the bottom of a steep declivity that was -the beginning of the cliff. It could not be reached by going along -the shore, and the boys saw that they would have to go along the high -ground and then descend to it, for a huge rock that jutted out of the -deep water cut the cove off from the more open part of the beach. - -They left their motorcycles on the side of the road and hurried back up -the slope, then cut down across a narrow strip of weeds and grass until -they came to the top of the declivity. They could still see the victim -of the explosion struggling in the waves. The man had seized a piece of -wreckage and was able to remain afloat, but the boys knew it was only a -matter of time before his strength would give out. - -"Looks to be almost all in," remarked Frank. - -"I wonder if he's anybody we know," came from his brother. - -"It isn't likely." Frank reached out suddenly and caught hold of Joe's -arm. "Look out there or you may break a leg." - -"It certainly is mighty slippery," answered Joe, as he managed to -regain his footing. He had come close to going heels over head on the -rocks. - -Slipping and scrambling, they made their way down the slope toward -the little cove. Rocks went rolling and tumbling ahead of them. The -distance was only a few yards, but the slope was steep and a false step -might result in broken bones. - -But they reached the bottom in safety and there they came upon the -rowboat. It was battered and old, but evidently still seaworthy. - -"Into the water with her!" said Frank. - -They seized the boat and the keel grated on the shingle as the little -craft was launched. Swiftly, they fixed the oars in the locks and then -they scrambled into their places. - -They began to row with strong, steady strokes out toward the man in the -bay. He had seen them, and was now shouting to them to hurry. - -"He'd be better off if he kept quiet," Joe said. "He's only wasting his -strength." - -Evidently this thought occurred to the victim of the wreck, or else he -was becoming weaker, for his cries died away and the boys did not hear -him again. - -Frank thought he may have gone beneath the waves, and he cast a quick -look around. But the fellow was still in view, clinging desperately to -his bit of wreckage. - -The motorboat in the background was still blazing fiercely. Flames were -shooting high in the air and the craft was plainly doomed. A great -pillar of smoke was rolling into the sky from the burning boat. - -As for the other motorboat, Frank could hear the roar of its exhaust as -it continued its flight out into the bay. For a while he could see its -dim shape, when he turned around once in a while, but then the fleeing -boat disappeared into the mist and the gloom. - -The boys exerted all their strength and the little rowboat fairly -leaped over the waves. Both were good oarsmen and it was not long -before they had drawn close to the man in the water. - -But it looked as though they would be too late. - -When they were only a few yards away Frank looked around, to shout -encouragement to the victim of the wreck. Even as he looked, he saw the -man wearily give up his grasp on the piece of wreckage to which he had -been clinging. Frank had a glimpse of the white face and the despairing -eyes and then the man sank slowly beneath the waves. - -"He's drowning, Joe!" shouted Frank, as he bent to his oar again. - -With a mighty effort they brought the boat close by the place where the -man had gone down. - -Frank leaped to the side of the boat and peered down into the depths. -He began taking off his coat, preparatory to diving to the rescue. - -Then the fellow came to the surface again, gasping for breath, but so -weak that he could scarcely make a struggle. He emerged from the water, -right beside the boat and Frank leaned over, grasping him by the hair. -This sufficed to prevent the man from sinking for the second time, and -Frank managed to get a grip on the collar of his coat. - -Then, with Joe helping and in imminent danger of upsetting the boat, he -managed to drag the stranger to the side of the craft. - -The fellow was a dead weight, for he had lapsed into unconsciousness -when Frank seized him, but somehow they contrived to get him into the -boat, and there he lay, sprawled helplessly, more dead than alive. - -"We'd better get him to shelter some place and revive him," said Joe. -"We can't do much for him here." - -"How about that farmhouse down the bay?" - -"The very place. Where is it?" - -They finally located the farmhouse, a snug little building back off the -main road some distance down the bay. It meant considerable rowing, but -there was a life at stake. - -The blazing motorboat near by was a roaring mass of flames. Then it -began to sink beneath the waves. There was a great hissing sound and a -heavy cloud of steam as the craft sank lower and lower into the water, -its blazing embers blackening to the touch of the sea. Swiftly, at -last, the boat disappeared. Its stern seemed to hesitate for a moment, -and then it slid quickly down into the waves and the only trace was a -widening pool of oil and scattered wreckage on the surface of the water. - -But the Hardy boys were too busy to give more than passing notice to -the spectacle. Their immediate problem was to get the stranger under -shelter. - -Frank decided that there was no necessity for first aid. The man had -been conscious when he rose from the water the first time, so there -could not be much water in his lungs. He had simply given in to -exhaustion and fatigue resulting from his long struggle in the waves. - -They headed the boat down the bay, in a direct line with the little -farmhouse, which they could see nestling among the trees. They had -already spent much energy in rowing out to the rescue of the stranger, -but they fell to the new task with a will. Rowing with machine-like -precision, they felt the little boat respond to every effort, and it -fairly leaped along. This time they had the wind and the waves with -them and they made good time. - -The man they had rescued lay face downward in the bottom of the boat. -He was a slim, black-haired fellow. His clothes, which of course were -soaked with water, were cheap and worn, the sleeves being frayed at the -cuffs. They could not see his face, but they judged him to be young. He -was still unconscious. - -Frank let Joe take his oar for a moment, and crouched down beside -the stranger. He turned the man over and the limp form lolled about -as helplessly as a bag of salt. As they had surmised, he was a young -fellow, with sharp, clean-cut features. He wore a cheap shirt, open at -the throat. - -Frank pressed his ear to the fellow's chest and listened for signs of -life. Finally he straightened up, with a mutter of satisfaction. - -"His heart's beating all right," he told Joe. "He's alive, at any rate. -Just all in. He'll come to after a while." - -He returned to his oar and the little boat skimmed over the waves on -toward the farmhouse in the distance. - -The boys rowed until the muscles of their arms were aching, but at last -they drew near the shore and finally the pebbles grated underneath the -keel. Frank leaped out and dragged the boat part way up on the beach. -Then, between them, they carried the unconscious man up the rocky shore -toward the farmhouse. - -They found a path that led through a field up to the back door of the -house, and although their burden was heavy they managed to carry the -still figure, limp and motionless, across the field. - -A gaunt, kindly-faced woman came hurrying out of the house at their -approach, and from the orchard near by came a man in overalls. The -farmer and his wife had seen them. - -"Laws! what's happened now?" asked the woman, wide-eyed, as they came -up to her. - -"This man was mighty nearly drowned out in the bay," explained Frank. -"We saw your house--" - -"Bring him in," boomed the farmer. "Bring him indoors." - -The woman ran ahead of them and held the door open. With the farmer -giving aid, the boys carried the unconscious man into the house and -placed him on a couch in the comfortably furnished living room. The -farmer's wife glanced dubiously at the stream of water that dripped -from the victim's clothes, for she was a tidy soul and she had just -scrubbed the floor that morning, but her better nature overcame her -housewifely instincts and she hastened out to the kitchen to prepare a -hot drink. - -"Best rub his hands," suggested the farmer. He was a burly man with a -black beard. "It'll bring the blood back to his cheeks. One of you take -off his boots and we'll wrap his feet up in warm flannels." - -For the next five minutes the house was a scene of excitement as -the farmer and his wife bustled about and the Hardy boys rubbed -industriously at the hands and feet of the unconscious man, trying to -restore him to consciousness. At last there was a sign of reviving life. - -The man on the couch stirred feebly. His eyelids fluttered. His lips -moved, but no words came. Then the eyes opened and the man stared at -them, as though in a daze. - -"Where am I?" he muttered faintly. - -"You're safe," Frank assured him. "You're with friends." - -"Pretty--near--cashed in--didn't I?" - -"Yes, you pretty nearly drowned. But you're all right now." - -"It was Snackley!" said the stranger, as though talking to himself. -"Snackley got me--the rat!" - - - - - CHAPTER VI - - SNACKLEY - - -At that moment the farmer's wife appeared, bringing a drink of hot -ginger and water, which the man on the couch gulped down gratefully. - -"We'll put him in the spare room, Mabel," decided the farmer. "He needs -a good warm bed more'n anything else just now. I'll look after him, if -these boys here will help me." - -"I--I think I was shot--" muttered the stranger. He motioned weakly -toward his side. - -Frank leaned over. - -"Why, there's blood on his coat!" he exclaimed. - -A hasty examination showed that the stranger was right. There was a -bullet wound in his right side. It was evidently not serious, merely a -flesh wound, but it had bled freely and the man was weakened. - -Gently, the boys helped removed his clothing, and with warm water and a -sponge the farmer bathed the wound. The bullet had passed right through -the fellow's coat after searing a path across his side. Disinfectant -was then applied, the stranger gritting his teeth with pain, and after -that the bandages were put in place. - -"Now we can put him to bed. Can you walk, stranger?" - -The man made an effort to rise, and then fell back weakly upon the -couch. - -"I'm afraid--I can't!" - -"All right, then, we'll carry you. Give me a hand with him, lads." - -Between them, they carried the wounded man upstairs into a plain but -comfortably furnished room. Here he was put to bed and covered with -warm blankets. With a sigh of relief, he closed his eyes. - -"He's weak from loss of blood. That's mostly what's the matter with -him," the farmer said. "We'll let him have a good sleep." - -They left the room, and when they went out into the kitchen again the -Hardy boys told the farmer and his wife of the strange adventure they -had just been through. The farmer listened thoughtfully. - -"Queer!" he observed. "Mighty queer!" Then, glancing significantly at -his wife, he said: "What d'you think of it, Mabel?" - -"I think the same as you, Bill, and you know it. Most like it's been -another of them smuggling mix-ups." - -The farmer nodded. "I've an idea it's somethin' like that." - -"Smuggling!" exclaimed Frank. - -"Sure! There's quite a bit of smuggling goes on around Barmet Bay, you -know. Leastways, there has been in the past few months. That's been -_my_ suspicions, anyway. I've seen too many motorboats out in the -bay of late, and I've heard too many of 'em prowlin' around at night. -If it's not smugglin' it's some other kind of unlawful business." - -"Do you think this fellow may have been shot in some kind of a -smugglers' quarrel?" - -The farmer shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe. I ain't sayin' nothin'. It ain't -safe to say anythin' when you don't know for certain. But I wouldn't be -a mite surprised." - -Mr. and Mrs. Kane, as they introduced themselves, were just about to -have dinner, and they invited the Hardy boys to stay. This the lads -were glad to do, as they were very tired by their exertions of the -morning, and were already feeling the pangs of hunger. - -They sat down to the simple but ample meal, typical farm fare of roast -beef and baked pork and beans, with creamy mashed potatoes, topped -off with a rich lemon pie, frothy with meringue, and fragrant coffee. -During the meal they discussed the strange affair of the bay. The Hardy -boys did not mention their experiences at the Polucca place, for they -had learned that one of the chief requisites of a good detective is to -keep his ears open and his mouth shut and to hear more than he tells. -At that, one mystery was enough for one dinner. - -"I'd like to find out more about this affair," said Frank, when the -meal was concluded and Mr. Kane sat back luxuriously in his chair and -puffed at his pipe. "Perhaps that fellow is awake now." - -"Wouldn't do any harm to see. You might ask him some questions. I'm -just as curious about it as you are yourself." - -They went upstairs. The stranger was sleeping when they looked into the -room, but the slight noise they made awakened him and he gazed at them -dully. - -"Feeling better?" Joe asked. - -"Oh, yes," replied the stranger weakly. "I must have lost a lot of -blood, though." - -"That was when they shot at you just before the boat blew up," said -Frank. - -The man in the bed nodded, but said nothing. - -"What's your name, stranger?" asked Mr. Kane bluntly. - -The man in the bed hesitated a moment. - -"Jones," he said, at last. - -It was so evidently a false name that the Hardy boys glanced at one -another, and the farmer scratched his chin doubtfully. - -"How come you to be in such a mess as this?" he asked, at last. "What -were they shootin' at you for?" - -"Don't ask me, please," said the mysterious Jones. "I can't tell you. I -can't tell you anything." - -"I suppose you know these young fellers saved your life?" - -"Yes--I know--and I'm very grateful. But don't ask me any questions. I -can't tell you anything about it." - -"You won't even tell them? Not after they saved your life?" - -Jones shook his head stubbornly. - -"I can't explain anything about it. Please go away. Let me sleep." - -Frank and Joe signaled to the farmer that it would be best if they -withdrew, so they left the room and closed the door. When they went -back downstairs the farmer was grumbling to himself. - -"I'm hanged if he ain't the most close-mouthed lad I've ever seen!" he -declared. "You saved his life and he won't tell you why he come to be -racin' around the bay in a motorboat with fellows shootin' at him." - -"He must have some good reason. It's his own business, after all," -reflected Frank. "We can't force him to explain anything." - -"He's in with them smugglers, that's what he is!" declared Mr. Kane, -with conviction. - -"I guess we had better be getting back home. Do you mind keeping him -here? We can have him moved to a hospital." - -The farmer shook his head. - -"Smuggler or not, he stays here until he gets better. Nobody ever said -Bill Kane turned a sick man out of doors, and nobody ever will. He -stays here until he gets better." - -"We'll come back in a day or so and see how he is getting along," Joe -promised. - -"He'll have the best of care here. Whether it's smugglin' or not that -he's been mixed up in, it doesn't matter. My wife and I will look after -him." - -The Hardy boys arranged to have the rowboat returned to its mooring -place, then took their leave of the good-hearted farmer and his wife -and made their way out to the road. Then they went back to the place -where they had left their motorcycles, and in a short while were -speeding again on their return to Bayport. - -"That fellow is certainly a queer stick," remarked Joe, as he and his -brother motored toward home. - -"I'll say he is!" answered Frank. "There's something mighty queer about -all this, and don't you forget it!" - -It was mid-afternoon when they turned their motorcycles into the -driveway beside the Hardy home, and after they had put the machines in -the garage they went into the house. They found their father, Fenton -Hardy, in his den just off the library. He was never too busy to talk -to his sons, and when they came in he put down the papers he was -studying and leaned back in his chair. - -"Well, what have you two been up to to-day?" he inquired, smiling. - -"We've had a real adventure, this time, dad," Frank told him. "We were -out to the old Polucca place with some of the fellows." - -"That's the haunted house, isn't it? See any ghosts?" - -The boys looked at one another. "No, we didn't see any ghosts, -exactly," said Joe. "But--" - -"You don't mean to tell me you heard some!" Fenton Hardy threw back his -head and laughed with delight. - -"You may laugh; but some mighty queer things happened out there," -insisted Joe. - -Whereupon the brothers told their father of the strange experiences at -the deserted farmhouse. But Mr. Hardy refused to take them seriously. - -"Some of your school chums playing a joke on you," he said, dismissing -the affair. "They'll be laughing their heads off about it right now." - -"But how do you account for the tool boxes being robbed?" - -"They just did that to make it a little more mysterious. Probably they -will hand you back your tools at school on Monday, just to prove their -story." - -This aspect of the situation had not occurred to the boys. They began -to look a bit sheepish. If it had been the work of practical jokers it -was only natural that they would seek something definite whereby to -prove the fact that they had been at the farmhouse. - -"Gosh, we'll never hear the end of it, if that's the case," sighed Joe. -"Oh, well, we'll just have to take it in good part. But we didn't tell -you about what happened on the way home. Tell him about it, Frank." - -"Another adventure?" - -"A real one. No practical joke about this." - -Frank thereupon told their father about the two motorboats in Barmet -Bay, about the chase and the resulting explosion. He modestly -underestimated their own part in the rescue of the victim of the wreck, -but Fenton Hardy nodded his head in satisfaction as the story went on. - -"Good work! Good work!" he muttered. "You saved the fellow's life, -anyway. And it looks as though you've stumbled on a mysterious bit of -business in that motorboat chase. What did the man say his name was?" - -"Jones," answered Frank doubtfully. - -Fenton Hardy raised his eyebrows. "Of course--there are lots of Joneses -in the world. It _might_ be his real name. But more than likely it -isn't. Would he tell you anything about the reason for the chase? Did -you question him?" - -"He wouldn't tell us anything at all. We made a few inquiries, but he -said he couldn't explain." - -"Still more mysterious," reflected the detective. "Do you think he will -talk when he gets better?" - -"I'm afraid not. He seemed quite determined not to tell us anything -about himself or about the men who were chasing him." - -"Don't you remember, Frank?" exclaimed Joe. "When we brought him into -the house, just as he became conscious again. What was it he said?" - -"Oh, yes! I had forgotten. He said, 'Snackley got me, the rat!' -Whatever that meant." - -"Snackley!" exclaimed Fenton Hardy, starting up. "Are you sure he said -Snackley? Are you sure that was the name?" - -"I'm certain. Aren't you, Joe?" - -"Yes, that was the name, all right." - -"Well that _does_ give us something to work on," the detective -said. "Probably you have never heard of Snackley, but I have." - -"Who is he?" asked Frank. - -"Ganny Snackley is a noted criminal. He is a smuggler--one of the -leaders of a ring of smugglers who bring in opium and other drugs from -the Orient. Is it possible that he is bringing drugs into the country -at Barmet Bay?" - - - - - CHAPTER VII - - BOUND AND GAGGED - - -The Hardy boys were astonished by this information. Their father, -tapping a pencil quickly on the desk, leaned forward in his chair. - -"You may have stumbled on some information of great value," he said to -them quietly. "I need hardly tell you that it is best to keep it to -yourself. If Ganny Snackley is operating in this vicinity it will be a -great feather in our cap to catch him." - -"It's an unusual name," remarked Frank. "I'll bet that's the Snackley -our man meant, all right." - -"And the farmer said there was smuggling going on in the Bay," Joe -pointed out. - -"Of course, there always has been more or less smuggling carried on in -Barmet Bay. But it's been on a small scale. Ganny Snackley and his gang -are international smugglers. The last I heard of him he was operating -up on the New England coast. But probably things grew too hot for him -and he moved down here. He seems to have dropped completely out of -sight for the past six months or so." - -"Perhaps this man Jones, at the farmhouse, will talk later on." - -"I'm going out there to interview him," said Fenton Hardy. "I'll wait -a few days until he is feeling better. Of course the matter is one for -the United States authorities, and as I haven't been assigned to the -case I can't do very much. But perhaps I'll get some information I can -use at some other time." - -"Joe and I will go out to-morrow and see how he is getting along." - -"Do so. But don't ask any questions. Don't let him think you are -suspicious of him. Otherwise he'll be liable to sneak away as soon as -he can, and we'll lose him altogether. He is under an obligation to you -now because you saved his life, so it will seem quite natural for you -to come back to see him. If you think he is recovering quickly, let me -know and I'll go out right away and talk to him. If you think he will -be there for several days yet, we'll just let him stay until he feels -better." - -"Perhaps he is a detective himself," Frank suggested. - -"That had occurred to me," admitted Mr. Hardy. "If that's the case, -I'll keep out of the affair. It's just probable that he is a Secret -Service man who discovered Snackley's hang-out and was shot for -his pains. That would explain why he wouldn't tell you anything -about himself. But there's always the possibility that he is one of -Snackley's enemies; and in that case I may be able to persuade him to -talk." - -Fenton Hardy asked the boys more questions about their adventure, but -beyond a few trivial details they were unable to throw any further -light on the mystery. However, it was decided that they should go back -to the Kane farmhouse on the following day, which was Sunday, and -report on the condition of the mysterious Mr. Jones. - -With that they left their father, spending the rest of the afternoon in -eager discussion and speculation concerning the strange events of the -day. It had been an eventful holiday for them, and although they went -over the incidents time and again they were unable to arrive at any -solution of the puzzling affair in Barmet Bay. As for the happenings -at the house on the cliff, they were inclined to accept their father's -theory that some practical joker had been to blame. - -Next morning, after church, they took the motorcycles out of the garage -and prepared to ride out to the Kane farmhouse, there to make inquiry -as to the condition of the man they had rescued on the previous day. - -"Remember!" warned their father. "Don't ask him too many questions or -he'll get suspicious. Just find out how long he is likely to remain at -the farm. If his injuries aren't very serious he'll be leaving in a day -or so and we want to check up on him." - -The boys promised to follow the detective's instructions. Unlike the -day previous, this Sunday was clear and bright, and the rain of the -afternoon before had laid the dust so that they enjoyed their journey -out along the shore road. - -"It would be a bad joke on us if Mr. Jones left before we got there," -remarked Joe. - -"I don't think he will. That wound in his side was enough to keep him -laid up for a few days. And, anyway, he lost so much blood yesterday -that it would take him a while to get back his strength." - -"I hope he isn't a detective." - -"Why?" - -"It would be great if we could get a chance to do some work on this -case ourselves. If Ganny Snackley is in this neighborhood and the -government detectives don't know of it, we would help dad land him." - -"It _would_ be a great chance," admitted Frank. "But I think we'll -find our friend Jones is a detective. That is, if we ever find out -anything definite about him. Why else should Snackley and his men try -to kill him? For there's no doubt they left him for dead." - -"Perhaps he was another smuggler that they wanted to get rid of." - -"Maybe. But I think it's most likely he is a Secret Service man." - -At length they arrived at the lane leading from the main road to the -farmhouse. As their motorcycles roared down the drive they watched for -some sign of life about the place. But there was no one in the orchard -or in the barnyard. No one came out of the house. The place appeared to -be deserted and, although it was a warm day, the doors were closed. - -"This is queer," remarked Frank, as they brought their motorcycles to -a stop and left them in the shade of a large tree near the back of the -house, "Mr. and Mrs. Kane couldn't have gone away and left Jones there -alone, could they?" - -The boys went up to the door and rapped. - -There was no answer. - -"Try the front door," Joe suggested. - -After a number of futile efforts, they went to the front door of the -farmhouse. But here, although they banged on the panels, there was -likewise no response. - -"They must have gone out," said Joe. - -"But what about Jones? They wouldn't leave him here alone. I can't -understand this." - -They went to the back door and rapped again and again. Still there was -no answer. Frank tried the doorknob and found that the door swung open. - -"They didn't lock the place up, anyway," he said. "Let's go in. If -Jones is upstairs we'll go up and see him. Mr. Kane won't mind. -Probably they didn't expect callers to-day." - -They went into the kitchen and here they were surprised by the scene -of disorder that greeted their gaze. The previous day they had been -impressed by the neatness of the room, for Mrs. Kane was evidently the -soul of tidiness. Now the kitchen looked as though an earthquake had -shaken it. - -Pots and pans were strewn about the floor. The table had been -overturned. A chair lay upside down in a corner. A few cups and saucers -lay in shattered bits beside the stove. The wood-box had been upset and -the wood was scattered about. One window curtain had been partly torn -from its fastenings. - -"What on earth has happened here!" Frank exclaimed, in profound -astonishment. - -"Looks as if a cyclone came through." - -"There's something queer about this! There's been a fight or a struggle -of some kind here. Let's see what the rest of the house looks like." - -The Hardy boys rushed into the next room. There an unexpected sight -met their eyes. - -Mr. and Mrs. Kane were seated in chairs in the middle of the room. They -were unable to move, unable to speak, scarcely able to make a struggle. - -The farmer and his wife were bound and gagged, tied to their chairs! - - - - - CHAPTER VIII - - THE STOLEN WITNESS - - -Swiftly, the Hardy boys rushed over to Mr. and Mrs. Kane and began to -release them. The farmer and his wife had been trussed up by strong -ropes and they had been so well gagged that they had been unable to -utter a sound. It was only a matter of a few minutes, however, before -their bonds were loosened and the gags removed. - -"Thank goodness!" exclaimed Mrs. Kane, with a sigh of relief, as the -gag was taken away. Her husband, spluttering with rage, rose from his -chair and hurled the ropes to one side. - -"What happened?" asked the boys, in amazement. - -For a moment Mr. and Mrs. Kane were unable to give a coherent account -of their experience, owing to the strain they had undergone, but at -last the farmer stumbled over to the window and pointed down the shore -road. - -"They went that way!" he roared. "That way! Follow them!" - -"Who?" - -"The rascals that tied us up. They took Jones away with them." - -"Kidnapped him?" - -"Yes--kidnapped him! There were four of them. They broke in here and -tied up my wife and me. Then they went upstairs and carried Jones away -with them. They dumped him into an automobile and made a getaway." - -"Four men!" - -"Four of the ugliest looking scoundrels you ever laid eyes on." - -"How long ago?" asked Frank quickly. - -"They didn't leave ten minutes ago. If you had been here just a few -minutes earlier you would have met the whole crowd of them." The farmer -was angry and excited. "But there's time yet. You can catch 'em. They -went down the shore road." - -"Come on, Joe!" shouted Frank. "Let's chase them. They've kidnapped -Jones." - -Joe needed no urging. The Hardy boys left the farmer and his wife -rubbing their chafed wrists and ankles and hastened out of the house -over to their motorcycles. Within a few seconds the staccato roar of -the powerful machines broke out on the still air, and then they went -rocking and swaying down the lane out on to the shore road. - -"Some high-handed proceeding, I'll say," yelled Frank, to make himself -heard above the roaring of the motorcycles. - -"Those rascals ought to be in prison," returned his brother. - -The boys followed in the direction the farmer had indicated. Frank then -recollected that just before they had turned in toward the Kane farm -he had seen a cloud of dust down the main road, evidently caused by a -speeding automobile, but he had thought nothing of it at the time, for -traffic along the shore highway occasioned no comment, especially on -Sunday. - -"If we had only been a little earlier!" he groaned. - -"We'll catch up to them. They haven't much of a start. Maybe we can -follow them to some town and have the whole gang arrested." - -The motorcycles roared along at top speed. Both the Hardy boys were -skilful drivers, and for a while Frank was able to follow the course -of the car they were pursuing by watching the fresh tread mark in the -dust. But when the road came to the place where it intersected with -the road leading up to the Morton farm the tread mark became lost, as -evidently another car had turned out of the side road in the meantime -and obliterated the fresh tread here and there. - -They passed the lane that led into the Polucca place and continued on -down the shore road until they came to a hilltop that commanded a view -of a wide stretch of country. Here they could see the road winding and -dipping for a distance of more than a mile, until it was lost to sight -in a grove of trees. But there was no sign of the automobile they were -seeking. - -"They've given us the slip, I guess," said Frank, as he brought his -motorcycle to a stop. - -"They had a good start and they weren't letting the grass grow under -their feet, either. Think we should keep on?" - -"There's not much use. We'd better go back to the farmhouse and hear -what Mr. and Mrs. Kane have to say about this." - -They turned their motorcycles about and headed back toward the farm. On -the way they discussed the mysterious kidnapping. - -"Evidently those men in the other motorboat saw us rescue Jones, or -else they heard that he had been taken to the farmhouse," remarked Joe. -"They must be desperate characters." - -"I wonder what will happen to poor Jones now," said Frank gravely. -"They tried to kill him in the first place. This time--" - -"Do you think they'll murder him?" - -"It looks like that. They didn't show him any mercy out in the bay. -They left him for dead that time. Now they'll make sure of it." - -Joe shuddered. "If they were going to kill him they'd hardly go to -all that bother of kidnapping him," he pointed out. "Perhaps they just -want to keep him out of the way. Perhaps they were afraid he would tell -about their chasing him and setting fire to his motorboat." - -"They were mighty anxious to get their hands on him, when they would -come to the house in broad daylight and tie up Mr. and Mrs. Kane. Gee, -it's lucky we came along when we did! They might have been left there -for hours without being able to get loose." - -When they got back to the farmhouse they found that the farmer and his -wife had somewhat recovered from their harrowing experience, although -they were still unnerved. Mrs. Kane, ever the true housewife, was -already beginning to tidy up the kitchen and living room, for the -intruders had upset everything in the struggle. - -"We lost them," said Frank. - -Kane nodded. - -"I didn't think you'd catch them," he said. "They left here in too much -of a hurry. But I hoped you would. They had a big, high-powered car and -they didn't waste any time getting away." - -"There were four of them, you said?" - -"Four. Ugly villains." - -"What did they look like?" - -"I didn't get much of a chance to see. It all happened too quick. One -of them came to the door--he was a tall chap with a thin face--and -asked if I was looking after a man who was almost drowned yesterday. -I said that I was, so he told me he had come to take him away, that -he was a brother of the fellow. I got kind of suspicious, and asked -him his name. But in the meantime I had stepped outside the door, and -before I knew it, some one jumped at me from behind. I put up a fight -as best as I could, but the others came at me from around the corner of -the house where they had been hidin' and before I knew it I was tied -up. Then they tied up my wife and left us in the livin' room while they -went upstairs." - -"Did Jones put up a fight when they took him away?" - -"He tried to. He hollered for help, but of course I couldn't do nothin' -and he was too weak to fight much himself. They carried him downstairs -and put him in the automobile. Then they drove away." - -"There must be more to this affair than we imagine," reflected Frank. -"It's getting serious when they break into a private home like this." - -"You bet it's gettin' serious!" exclaimed the farmer. "It'll be mighty -serious for them if they try it again." He motioned to the table where -a shotgun was lying. "I've got that gun loaded and waitin' for the -next gang that tries anything like that. I only wish I'd had it ready -this morning." - -"I don't think you'll have any cause to use it," Frank said -reassuringly. "It was Jones they were after. They won't bother you -again." - -"They'd better not." - -"I think the best thing we can do, Joe, is to go right back to Bayport -and let dad know about this." - -"Good idea. We can't do anything by staying here." - -"You boys said yesterday that your name was Hardy, eh?" said the -farmer. "Ain't any relation to Fenton Hardy, are you?" - -"He's our father." - -"The detective?" - -The Hardy boys nodded assent. - -"Good!" exclaimed Kane. "You go right back and tell him about this. If -any one can get to the bottom of this affair it's him. I hate to see -them rascals getting away scot-free." - -Frank and Joe bade good-bye to the farmer and his wife and returned -to their motorcycles. They promised to call again at the Kane farm -as soon as they had any further information, and Mr. Kane, in turn, -gave his promise to notify them if there were any further trace of the -kidnappers or of the mysterious Jones. - -When they returned to Bayport the boys lost no time in reaching home. -Fenton Hardy was enjoying one of his rare afternoons of leisure in -reading, but he put his book aside when the boys rushed into the -library. - -"Did Mr. Jones talk?" he asked quickly, seeing by their expressions -that something unusual had happened. - -"We didn't have a chance to see him!" exclaimed Joe. - -"What's the matter? Did he clear out?" - -"He was kidnapped!" - -"Kidnapped!" - -"Four men broke into the farmhouse and took him away," said Frank -hurriedly. - -Then he proceeded to tell the story of the strange events of the -morning at the Kane farm, prompted occasionally by Joe. - -Mr. Hardy was deeply interested. - -"There's only one theory I can think of," he said, at last. "This -Jones, or whatever his name is, must have belonged to a gang and either -squealed on them or threatened to do so. They tried to get rid of him -and he escaped in the motorboat, but they thought they had finished him -in the explosion. Then they found out that you had rescued him, so they -went to the farmhouse and took him away before he had a chance to talk." - -"Do you think they are smugglers?" - -"Probably. While you were away this morning I called up one of the -government authorities in the city, and he told me that they believe -smugglers are operating in Barmet Bay on a big scale." - -"Did you tell him about Snackley?" - -Mr. Hardy smiled. "Not yet. That information, I thought I would keep -to myself for the time being. But I wonder if Snackley can be here. It -begins to look like it. He is the kind who wouldn't stop at anything -from kidnapping to murder." - -"Do the authorities suspect him of being around here?" - -"I imagine so. The man I was talking to mentioned the fact that the -smugglers they are after are in the drug line. And Snackley is king of -the dope smugglers on the Atlantic coast." - -"Gee! I wish we could land him." - -"Of course," said Fenton Hardy, "no one has asked us to work on this -case, and I don't believe in working for nothing--" - -"You mean you won't help?" asked Joe, in disappointment. - -Fenton Hardy's eyes twinkled as he went on. - -"I don't believe in working for nothing," he repeated. "But if we ever -caught this man Snackley it would be worth our while." - -"Why?" - -"The reward." - -"Is there a reward offered for him?" - -"There has been a standing reward of five thousand dollars offered for -Snackley's capture for some time. And if he is operating in Barmet Bay, -as I suspect, it's just possible that we might be able to collect that -reward." - -"Good!" exclaimed Frank. "Let's go after it!" - - - - - CHAPTER IX - - THE STRANGE MESSAGE - - -The Hardy boys expected that the next day would find them busy on -a more detailed investigation of the circumstances surrounding the -mysterious kidnapping. But, to their surprise, when they came down to -breakfast next morning they found that their father had gone away. - -Mrs. Hardy could not enlighten them. - -"He went out early this morning and didn't say when he would be back. -But he didn't take any baggage with him, so I imagine he hasn't gone -very far. He'll probably be back some time to-day." - -Mrs. Hardy was accustomed to the comings and goings of her husband, -and nothing surprised her. She realized that his profession demanded -that he do many things that were mysterious enough on the surface but -reasonable enough when the time came to explain them. But the boy were -taken aback, for they had looked forward to seeing their father in the -morning and had hoped that he would lay a plan of campaign before them. -They went to school in disappointment. - -On the way they met Callie Shaw and Iola Morton, two girls who were -particular friends of the boys. Callie Shaw, a brown-eyed, brown-haired -girl was an object of special enthusiasm with Frank, who was apt to -cast an appreciative eye upon the other sex, while Iola, a plump, dark -girl, a sister of Chet Morton's, was "all right, as a girl," in Joe's -reluctant opinion. - -Chet had told his sister about the affair at the Polucca place on the -previous Saturday, and she, in turn, had told Callie. - -"Well, how are the ghost-hunters this morning?" asked Callie. - -"Fine," replied Frank, with a smile. - -"What a brave bunch of boys you all are!" exclaimed the girl. "Running -away from an empty house!" - -"That house wasn't empty!" put in Joe warmly. "I suppose you think our -motorcycle tools walked away!" - -"Somebody played a pretty good practical joke on you. Just wait till -you get to school. Whoever played that trick will be sure to tell -everybody." - -"Oh, well, we can stand it. If Chet Morton hadn't been with us at the -time I would have blamed him. It's like one of his pet ideas." - -"He can prove an alibi this time," said Iola. "He was right with you, -and by the way he talked when he got home I think he was as badly -frightened as any one." - -But when the boys reached school they found that although news of their -experience at the house on the cliff had preceded them, no one was -laying claim to having originated the joke. Chet and the other boys -had told of the escapade, but although they momentarily expected that -some practical jester would come forward and take credit for the whole -affair, nothing of the sort happened, and when noon came it was as much -a mystery as ever. - -"I'm beginning to think it wasn't a joke at all," admitted Joe, on -the way home. "Believe me, if it had been a trick played on us the -fellow who did it wouldn't have lost any time coming around to have the -horselaugh." - -"It was a little too well done to be a joke. I think some one started -this ghost rumor just to keep people away from the Polucca place." - -"If everybody gets the same reception we got, I don't blame 'em for -staying away. What with weird yells and shrieks, with walls falling in -and tool boxes being robbed, it's a mighty active ghost they have on -the job." - -"I wonder--could it have anything to do with the smugglers, Joe?" - -The Hardy boys looked at one another. - -"There's a thought!" exclaimed Joe. "We had two mighty strange things -happen to us on the same day. Perhaps they _have_ something to do -with each other." - -"It might be only a coincidence. But when you come to think of it, that -house on the cliff would be a mighty handy hang-out for smugglers if -they could keep strangers away. And what better way than by starting a -story that the place is haunted?" - -"Gosh, I never thought of that! I wonder what dad thinks of it." - -"Perhaps he's at home now. We'll mention it to him." - -But when they returned home for lunch they found that Fenton Hardy had -not come back. Neither was he at home when school closed for the day; -and when the Hardy boys went to bed that night there had not been the -slightest word from their father nor any indication of where he had -gone. In spite of the fact that they were accustomed to these sudden -absences, the lads felt vaguely uneasy. - -"I don't know why," said Frank next morning, "but I have a sort of -feeling that everything isn't all right." - -"I've been feeling that way myself. Of course, dad has often gone away -from home like this without telling where he was going, and he has -always turned up all right. But this time--" - -"Well, we'll just have to wait and see. He knows his own business best, -and it's ten chances to one we're worrying over nothing, but I have a -sort of a hunch that there's a nigger in the woodpile." - -Mrs. Hardy, however, was not alarmed. - -"Oh, he'll walk into the house when we're least expecting him," she -laughed reassuringly. "You boys are just anxious to get to work on the -Snackley case. Perhaps that's what he's working on now, he'll probably -come back with a lot of information." - -"We'd rather he'd let us in on that," returned Joe. - -"And keep you out of school! Oh, no. He doesn't mind letting you do -detective work as long as it's in your spare time." - -So the Hardy boys had to make the best of it. They concealed their -impatience during the remainder of the week, doing their school work -faithfully. The following week was the start of vacation, and the lads -were deep in examinations for several days so that they had not much -time to think of detective activities. - -But on Friday afternoon the mystery of their father's absence took a -strange turn. - -They came back from school to find their mother sitting in the living -room, carefully examining a note that she had evidently just received. - -"Come here, boys," she said, as they came into the room. "I want you to -look at this and tell me what you think of it." - -She handed the note over to Frank. - -"What is it?" he asked, quickly. "Word from dad?" - -"It's supposed to be." - -The Hardy boys read the note. It was written in pencil on a torn sheet -of paper and the handwriting seemed to be that of Fenton Hardy. The -note read: - - "I won't be home for several days. Don't worry." - -It was signed by the detective. That was all. There was nothing to -indicate where he was, nothing to show when the note had been written. - -"When did you get this?" asked Frank. - -"It came in the afternoon mail. It was addressed to me, and the -envelope had a Bayport postmark." - -"What is there to worry about?" Joe asked. "It's better than not -hearing from him at all." - -"But I'm not sure that it's from him." - -"Why?" - -"Your father has an arrangement with me that he would always put a -secret sign beneath his signature any time he had occasion to write -to me like this. He was always afraid of people forging his name to -letters and notes like this and perhaps getting papers or information -that they shouldn't. So we arranged this sign that he would always put -beneath his name." - -Frank snatched up the note again. - -"And there's no sign here. Just his signature." - -"It _may_ be his signature. If it isn't, it is a very good -forgery. And it may have been that he forgot to put in the secret sign, -although it isn't like him to do that." - -Mrs. Hardy was plainly worried. - -"If he didn't write it, then who did?" asked Joe. - -"Your father has many enemies. There are relatives of criminals whom he -has had arrested and there are criminals who have served their terms -and have been released. If there has been foul play the note might be -meant to keep us from being suspicious and delay any search." - -"Foul play!" exclaimed Frank. "You don't think something has happened -to dad?" he added, his face showing his alarm. - -"The fact that he didn't put the secret sign underneath his name makes -me anxious. What other object could any one have in sending us a note -like that, if not to keep us from starting a search for him?" - -"Well, whether he wrote that note or not, we _will_ start a search -for him," declared Frank firmly. "He merely said not to worry about -him. He didn't order us not to look for him. If he really did write -the note he can't say we were disobeying instructions. And then, the -absence of the secret sign makes it all different." - -"I'll say we'll look for him!" cried Joe. "Vacation starts next week, -and we'll have plenty of time to hunt for him." - -"Wait until then, at any rate," Mrs. Hardy advised. "Perhaps he will -return in the meanwhile." - -But as she glanced at the note again and once more regarded the -signature, strangely lacking its secret sign, her forebodings that -Fenton Hardy had met with foul play increased. - - - - - CHAPTER X - - THE VAIN SEARCH - - -Fenton Hardy was still missing when the summer vacation began. - -There had been no word from him. Never, in all his years of detective -work, had he vanished from home so completely and for such a length -of time. He was an intensely considerate man and his first thought -was always for his wife and boys. Occasionally it was necessary for -him to leave home suddenly on trips that would keep him away for some -length of time, sometimes it seemed wiser to keep the knowledge of his -whereabouts to himself. But he always managed to communicate with Mrs. -Hardy to assure her of his safety. - -But this time, with the exception of the dubious note, there had been -no such assurance. From the moment he had left the house on the morning -after the kidnapping at the Kane farmhouse he had vanished as utterly -as though the earth had swallowed him up. - -The Hardy boys questioned many people in and around Bayport, but no -one recollected having seen their father on the day in question. At the -railway station they ascertained the fact that the detective had not -bought a train ticket that day or any day since. The agent admitted -it was barely possible that Fenton Hardy might have taken a train and -paid his fare on board, but said it was not likely. Inquiries at the -steamboat office brought a similar response. The detective had not been -seen. - -None of the local police officers remembered having seen Mr. Hardy -that morning. The detective was a well-known figure in Bayport and it -seemed strange that no one had seen him about the streets of the city, -in spite of the fact that he had left home at an early hour. The boys -questioned every one who was likely to have seen him, even to milkmen -who might have been on their routes at that time, but the further they -pursued their inquiries the deeper the mystery became. - -One of the boys greatly interested in the disappearance of Mr. Hardy -was Perry Robinson. Perry was the son of Henry Robinson, who had once -gotten into difficulties over the disappearance of some valuables, as -related in "The Tower Treasure." All of the Hardys had done much for -the Robinson family, and the Robinsons were correspondingly grateful. - -"I saw your dad on the street one day, boys," said Perry. "He waved -his hand to me." - -"When was that?" demanded Frank quickly. - -"Oh, a day or two before you say he disappeared. Gee, fellows, I wish I -could help you!" went on Perry. - -"Well, keep your eyes open and if you learn anything let us know," said -Joe, and to this Perry readily agreed. - -Shortly after the boys had had their talk with Perry Robinson they ran -into a number of their girl friends. One of these girls had likewise -seen Mr. Hardy, but after considerable questioning the boys came to the -conclusion that the meeting had taken place several days before their -father's disappearance. - -"Oh, I'm so sorry this happened," said one of the girls, and the others -nodded in sympathy. - -The Hardy boys extended the search beyond the city. It occurred to them -that their father might have gone out to the Kane farm, and they made -their way to that place. But the farmer and his wife said no one had -called at the house since the eventful Sunday of the kidnapping. - -"They've left us in peace, praise be!" declared Mrs. Kane. "No one's -been near the house since those rascals went away." - -The boys gave the kindly couple a description of their father, but Mr. -Kane could not recollect having seen any one resembling Mr. Hardy near -the farm at any time within the past week. He had been working in the -fields, he said, and would probably have noticed any strangers on the -road. - -So the boys returned to Bayport, puzzled and downhearted over the -failure of their search. They could not imagine where Fenton Hardy -could have gone if he had not been near the Kane farm. - -"Something has happened to him, I'm sure," said Frank. "It isn't like -dad to stay away this long without sending some word." - -"Perhaps he _did_ write that note." - -"He would have explained a little more. And he would have put in the -secret sign." - -The fact that the Hardy boys were searching for their father gradually -became known throughout Bayport, and one evening a thick-set, -broad-shouldered man presented himself at the front door of the Hardy -home and asked for the boys. Mrs. Hardy bade him step inside and he -waited in the hall, nervously twisting his cap in his hands. - -When Frank and Joe came out the stranger introduced himself as Sam -Bates. - -"I'm a truck driver," he told them. "The reason I came around to see -you was because I heard you were lookin' for your father." - -"Have you seen him?" asked Frank eagerly. - -Sam Bates shuffled his feet and looked dubiously at the floor. - -"Well, I have and I haven't, you might say," he observed. "I _did_ -see your father quite a few days ago, but where he is now, I couldn't -tell you, for I don't know." Sam was evidently not a man of gigantic -intellect. He spoke slowly and painstakingly and his most obvious -statements were delivered with the gravity suitable to pearls of wisdom. - -"Where did you see him?" - -"I'm a truck driver, see?" - -"Yes, you told us that," said Frank impatiently. "But where did you see -our father?" - -Sam Bates was not to be hurried. He had a story to tell and he was -bound to tell it. - -"I'm a truck driver, see?" he repeated. "Mostly I drive just in and -around Bayport, but sometimes they give me a run out to some of them -villages. That's how I come to be out there that morning." - -"Out where?" - -"I'm comin' to that. I just forget what day it was, but I think it was -about a week from last Monday. I know it was just after Sunday because -when I went home to dinner that day the wife was washin' clothes and -dinner was late and I had to eat it out on the back steps anyway for -the kitchen was all in a mess. You know how it is on wash day." - -Sam Bates regarded them wistfully, as though hoping for some expression -of sympathy and understanding. But the Hardy boys were eager for -information, and impatient with the worthy truck driver's circuitous -method of telling his story. - -"But what has this got to do with our father?" demanded Joe. - -"I'm comin' to that, see? Give me time. Give me time. As I was sayin', -I'm pretty sure it was on a Monday, for it was wash day, and the wife -never washes except on Monday. I mean she never washes clothes except -on Monday. She herself, why, she washes _every_ day, of course. -Anyway, it was Monday." - -"That was the day dad disappeared," prompted Frank. - -"You don't say! Well, I saw him that day." - -"Where?" - -"I'm comin' to that. As I was sayin', it was Monday, and when I went -down to the garage the boss, he says to me, says he, 'Sam, I want you -to run a truckload of furniture down the shore road.' So I said, 'Well, -boss, I guess that's what I'm here for,' so he told me that this here -load of furniture had to go to one of them farmhouses away down near -the Point. So we loaded the truck and I filled her up with gas and away -I went. It must have been about nine o'clock by then I guess." - -"And you went down the shore road?" - -"Sure. And it was a nice mornin' for drivin' too. Anyway, I went out -past the Tower Mansion--you know, Hurd Applegate's place, them people -you and your father got back the Tower treasure for--and I was drivin' -along without a care in the world and whistlin' away, quite happy-like, -when I sees that I was comin' near that haunted house up on the cliff. -You know the place--where old Polucca was murdered." - -"The Polucca place!" - -"Yeah! Well, anyway, I was comin' by there and I didn't drive slow -either, for they say there's ghosts in that place and I ain't takin' no -chance with nothin' like that, so the truck was going along at quite a -clip, when what should I see but a man walkin' along the road." - -"Dad!" - -"Yeah, it was your father. Well, anyway, nobody ever said Sam Bates -wouldn't give a guy a lift, so I slows down a bit and I says, 'Hey! -D'you want a ride?' just like that, see? Then this guy turned around -so I seen who it was. I didn't know until then, see? So when I seen -who it was I said, 'Good day, Mr. Hardy, would you like a lift?' but -he thanked me and said he was just takin' a little walk. So I drove on -past him and the last I seen of him he was walkin' along beside the -road." - -"Did he go down the lane to the Polucca place?' - -"I dunno whether he did or not. He hadn't quite reached the lane when -I seen him last. But I didn't meet him on my way back, so I don't know -where he went. Matter of fact, I didn't think nothin' more of it until -this mornin' when a bunch of the boys were sittin' around the garage -talkin' and one of them said that you two lads had been huntin' all -over the city for your old man--I mean your father--and you couldn't -find him. So I says to myself, 'Sam, mebbe you can tell 'em somethin' -they don't know.' So I just thought I'd come up." - -"And we're very grateful to you," Frank assured him. "You've given us -some valuable information. We didn't know whether our father had gone -out of the city or not. Now I think we'll know where to look for him." - -"Ain't any chance of him nosin' around that Polucca place, is there?" -asked Bates. "It's a mighty good place to stay away from if everythin' -you hear is true. It's haunted, that place is." - -"Oh, that wouldn't matter to him. But I'm glad you told us about seeing -him. It gives us a better idea of where to look for him." - -"Well, I'm glad if I've helped any. Guess I'll be goin' now," said Sam -Bates, putting on his cap. "I hope your dad shows up all right." - -The Hardy boys thanked him warmly and Bates shambled away, his hands in -his pockets. - -Mrs. Hardy came into the hallway. - -"Any news?" she asked anxiously. - -"We have a clue, anyway," Frank told her. "That fellow says he saw dad -on the shore road the morning he left here." - -"Where was he?" - -"Near the old Polucca place." - -"The house on the cliff?" - -Frank nodded. - -Mrs. Hardy looked grave. "Surely he couldn't have gone there and -disappeared!" she said. - -"I can't imagine why he would go to the house on the cliff, anyway," -observed Joe. - -"Oh, I know now!" Mrs. Hardy exclaimed. "I had forgotten all about it. -I intended to tell you boys, but somehow it slipped my mind. Now that -you mention the Polucca place, I remember." - -"What was it?" - -"Your father discovered something about Snackley, the smuggler. It -seems that Snackley was related to Felix Polucca, the miser." - -"Related to him!" - -"He was a cousin or nephew, or something of the sort. One of the -government men told him that. So your father had an idea that Polucca -must have been visited by Snackley at some time or another and that -Snackley must have got the idea of using Barmet Bay for his smuggling -operations at that time." - -"Whew!" exclaimed Joe. "Now we're getting on the right track. Dad must -have gone up to the house on the cliff to investigate." - -"Why didn't we think of searching there before! Dad put two and two -together and figured that there might be some connection between the -queer things that happened at the Polucca place the day we visited -it and the case of that fellow Jones whom we rescued. Then, when he -learned that Snackley was related to Polucca, he was sure of it. It's -as clear as daylight. But what on earth could have happened to him?" - -"Let's go up to the Polucca place and find out." - -But Mrs. Hardy interposed. Her lips were firm. - -"Promise me you won't go alone." - -"Why not, mother? We can look after ourselves." - -"If anything has happened to your father, I don't want you to run the -same risk." - -"But we _must_ go up there and look the place over again." - -"Get some of the boys to go with you." - -"I guess it would be safer," agreed Joe. "We can round up a bunch of -the fellows and go up there to-morrow morning. We'll search that place -from top to bottom this time." - -Mrs. Hardy gave her consent to this plan and the boys thereupon set out -to find their chums and tell them of the proposed trip. Although two -or three of the boys backed out when they learned that the destination -was to be the haunted house, the majority were willing enough, and by -nightfall all was in readiness for the journey on the morrow. - - - - - CHAPTER XI - - THE CAP ON THE PEG - - -Next morning the searching party set out. - -Jerry Gilroy had not got over the scare he had received on the -remarkable Saturday of the boys' first visit to the house on the cliff -and he did not show up. But Chet Morton and Biff Hooper appeared, with -Phil Cohen and Tony Prito, two more of the Hardy boys' chums at the -Bayport high school. Chet had his motorcycle and the party left the -Hardy home shortly after breakfast, each machine carrying two. - -Before they left, Frank explained the situation fully to the others. - -"We know that dad was last seen near the Polucca place and we have -every reason to believe that he left here with the intention of -searching the house. He hasn't shown up since and no person has seen -him, so there may have been foul play." - -"If there is any trace of him around the Polucca place we'll find it," -declared Chet. "It will take a mighty lively ghost to scare us away -this time." - -The three motorcycles went out of Bayport past the Tower Mansion, -sped along the shore road. There was little talk among the boys. Each -realized that this was not a pleasure outing but a serious mission -and each recognized the importance of it. The Hardy boys had every -confidence in their companions. Chet and Biff, they knew, would not -be as easily frightened on this occasion, and as for Phil and Tony, -they were noted at school for their fearless, at times even reckless, -dispositions. - -They passed the Kane farmhouse, nestling among the trees, and at last -came in sight of the gloomy cliff that rose from Barmet Bay and at the -summit of which perched the rambling stone house where the miser, Felix -Polucca, had met his death. - -"Lonely looking place, isn't it?" remarked Phil, who was sharing -Frank's motorcycle. - -"It was an ideal place for a murder. When Felix Polucca lived there, I -doubt if he had more than two or three visitors in a year." - -"How did he get his food and supplies?" - -"He used to drive into the city about once a week in a rattly old -buggy, with a horse that must have come out of the Ark. The poor animal -looked as if it hadn't had a square meal in a lifetime. Polucca must -have been a little bit crazy. How he lived alone up there all the -time, nobody could understand. He worked hard enough and he made the -farm pay. No one could drive a better bargain when it came to selling -his hay and grain." - -Phil looked with interest at the old gray house that could be seen more -clearly now that they were approaching it. When they were still some -distance from the lane, however, Frank brought his motorcycle to a stop -and signaled to the others to do likewise. - -"What's the idea?" Chet asked. - -"We'd better sneak up on the place quietly. If we go any farther -they'll hear the motorcycles--that is, if there is any one at the -place. We'll leave them here under the trees and go ahead on foot." - -The motorcycles were accordingly hidden in a clump of bushes beside the -road and the six boys went on toward the lane. - -"We'll separate here," Frank decided. "Three of us will take one side -of the lane and the rest will take the other side. Keep to the bushes -as much as possible and when we get near the house lay low for a while -and watch the place. When I whistle we can come out from under cover -and go on up to the house." - -"That's a good plan," approved Tony. "Joe and Biff and I, we'll go on -the left side of the road." - -"Good. Chet and Phil and I will take the other side. Remember to keep -out of sight of the house as much as possible." - -The boys entered the lane, then separated according to the agreement -they had made. One group plunged into the weeds and undergrowth at the -edge of the lane on one side while the others pushed into the bushes -at the opposite side. In a few minutes each group was lost to view and -only an occasional snapping and crackling of branches indicated their -presence in the heavy undergrowth that flanked the lane. - -Frank advanced cautiously. The brushwood was much deeper than he -had anticipated and they made slow progress, for he was desirous -of creeping up on the house with as little noise as possible. The -undergrowth was thick and hampered their movements. They made their way -forward, step by step, keeping well in from the lane, and after about -ten minutes Frank raised his hand as a warning to the others. - -Through the dense thickets he had caught a glimpse of the house. - -They went on cautiously until they reached the edge of the bushes and -there they crouched behind the screen of leaves, peeping out at the -gloomy old stone building in the clearing. - -But at the first glance, an expression of surprise crossed Frank's -face. - -The Polucca house was evidently occupied! - -The weeds that had overgrown the yard on their last visit had been -completely cleared away, the grass had been cut and the tumble-down -fence had been repaired. The gate, which had been hanging by one hinge, -had been fixed and the grass along the pathway had been trimmed. - -A similar change had overtaken the house. - -There was glass in all the windows and the boards had been removed. The -front door had been repaired and the steps had been mended. Smoke was -rising from the kitchen chimney. - -"There must be some one living here," whispered Chet. - -Frank was puzzled. - -He had not heard that any one had taken the Polucca house. On account -of the unenviable fame of the place it was hardly likely that a new -tenant could move in without arousing considerable comment in Bayport. -But this had evidently happened. - -For a while the boys remained at the edge of the bushes watching the -place. Then they saw a woman come out to the clothesline at the back of -the house. She carried a basket of clothes, and these she began hanging -up on the line. Shortly afterward a man came out, strode across the -yard to the woodshed and began chopping wood. - -The boys looked at one another in consternation. - -They had expected to find the same sinister and deserted place they had -visited previously. Instead, they had arrived on a scene of domestic -peace and comfort. They could not understand it. - -"Not much use staying in hiding," whispered Frank. "Let's get together -and walk right up and question these people." - -He gave a low whistle, then emerged from the bushes into the lane. His -companions followed. In a short time they were joined by Joe and the -other boys. - -All were deeply puzzled by the remarkable change that had come over the -Polucca place. - -"This beats anything I ever heard of," declared Joe. "It looks as if -some farmer has taken the place, but it's queer we hadn't heard of it. -Everybody in Bayport would be talking about it if they knew some one -had nerve enough to take over the Polucca farm." - -"I'm not satisfied yet," Frank said. "We'll go up and question these -people." - -Accordingly, the six boys walked boldly out of the lane and across the -yard. The man in the woodshed saw them first and put down his axe, -staring at them with an expression of annoyance on his face. The woman -at the clothesline heard their footsteps and turned, facing them, her -hands upon her hips. She was hard-faced and tight-lipped, with gaunt -features. She was not prepossessing and her untidy garb did not impress -the boys favorably. - -"What do you want?" demanded the man, emerging from the woodshed. - -He was short and thin with close-cropped hair, and he was in need of a -shave. His complexion was swarthy and he had narrow eyes under coarse, -black brows. His manner was far from polite as he advanced upon the -boys. - -At the same time another man came out of the kitchen and stood on the -steps. He was stout and red-haired and had a thick mustache. As he -stood there in his shirt-sleeves he glared pugnaciously at the sextette. - -"Yeah, what's the big idea?" he asked. - -"We didn't know any one was living here," explained Frank, edging -over to the kitchen door. He wanted to get a look inside the house if -possible. - -"Well, there is," said the red-haired man. "We're livin' here now, -and I can't see that it's any of your business. What are you snooping -around here for?" - -"We aren't snooping," said Frank quietly. "We are looking for a man who -has disappeared from Bayport." - -"Humph!" grunted the woman. - -"What makes you think he might be around here?" asked the red-headed -man. - -"He was last seen in this neighborhood." - -"What's his name?" - -"Hardy." - -"What does he look like?" - -"Tall and dark. He was wearing a grey suit and a grey cap." - -"Ain't been nobody around here since we moved in," said the red-headed -man gruffly. - -"No, we didn't see him," snapped the woman. "You boys had better go and -look somewhere else." - -There was nothing to be gained by arguing with the unsociable trio, -so the boys started to leave. But Frank, who had edged close to the -open door during the course of the conversation, had glanced into the -kitchen and something had caught his eye. - -It was a gray cap, hanging on a peg! - - - - - CHAPTER XII - - POINTED QUESTIONS - - -Frank thought quickly. He must ascertain the truth! - -The cap, he was almost sure, was the one his father had worn on the -morning he had left home. But he wanted to look at it closely, because -he knew he might be mistaken and that it would not do to make any -accusations unless he were sure of his ground. - -"I'm very thirsty," he said quickly. "Do you mind if I have a drink?" - -Redhead and the woman looked at one another without enthusiasm. It -was plain that they wished to get rid of their visitors as soon as -possible. But they could not refuse such an innocent and reasonable -request. - -"Come into the kitchen," said Redhead grudgingly. - -This was just what Frank wanted. He followed the man into the kitchen -of the Polucca place. Redhead pointed to a water tap. A dipper was -hanging from a nail near by. - -"Go ahead," he grunted. - -Frank went over to the tap and as he did so he passed the cap on the -peg. He took a swift look at the cap. - -He had made no mistake. It was his father's. - -Then he received a shock that almost stunned him. For a second he -almost stopped in his tracks, but then he recollected himself and moved -mechanically on toward the tap. - -He had seen bloodstains! - -On the lower edge of the cap were three large stains, reddish in color. -They could have been made by nothing but blood. - -In a daze, Frank turned on the water, filled the dipper and drank. -At last he turned away, conscious that Redhead had been eyeing him -carefully all the time. - -"Thanks," he said, and again cast a glance at the peg. - -The cap was gone! - -Redhead had undoubtedly snatched it away and hidden it. Frank gave no -sign that he noticed anything amiss, and walked out of the kitchen into -the yard, where he rejoined the others. - -"I guess we may as well be going," he said. - -"You might as well," snapped the woman. "There's been no strangers -around here." - -"We're sorry we troubled you," said Joe. "Good-bye." - -Redhead grunted a curt farewell. The woman and the other man said -nothing as the boys turned away and retraced their steps out to the -lane. For a while they walked on in silence and then, when they were -out of sight of the house, Frank turned to the others. - -"Do you know why I went into the kitchen?" he asked. - -"Why?" they demanded eagerly, and Joe put in: - -"I thought there was something fishy about the way you asked for that -drink. What did you see?" - -"I saw dad's cap hanging on a peg!" - -This caused an immediate sensation. Phil Cohen whistled in amazement. - -"Then he _has_ been here! They were lying!" - -"Are you sure it was dad's cap?" asked Joe. - -"Positive. I'd recognize it anywhere. And more than that, there were -bloodstains on it." - -"Bloodstains!" - -Frank nodded. - -The boys looked at one another in silence. - -"This is serious," declared Joe finally. "We can't let them get away -with this." - -"I'll say we can't," agreed Chet. "Let's go back." - -"I was going to argue it out right there and then, but I thought I'd -better tell the rest of you first so that you'd know what it was all -about," Frank explained. - -"He may have been--" Joe left the sentence unfinished. - -"He may have been murdered," said Frank firmly. "And we're going to -find out about it." - -"What do you think we'd better do?" - -"I think we'd better go back and tell them we saw that cap and ask how -it got there. That'll force a showdown. They don't like us any too well -as it is, so we won't have to be over polite to them." - -The boys held a council, and it was unanimously agreed that the matter -should not be dropped. Each was of the opinion that the trio now -occupying the house on the cliff were far from savory and that the -fact of Fenton Hardy's cap being seen in the kitchen was a clue of -first-rate importance. - -"He snatched the cap away when my back was turned," went on Frank. - -"That shows there is something wrong," Chet affirmed. "We'll go back -and tackle him right away." - -"No time like the present. Let's go." - -The boys accordingly started back down the lane toward the house. When -they emerged into the yard again they found the two men and the woman -standing together by the shed, talking earnestly. The boys were almost -up to them before the woman caught sight of them and spoke warningly to -the red-headed man. - -"What do you want now?" demanded Redhead, in a surly manner, as he -advanced. - -"We want to know about that cap in the kitchen," said Frank firmly. - -"What cap? There's no cap in there." - -"There isn't now--but there was. It's a grey cap and it was hanging in -there when I went in for a drink." - -"I don't know anythin' about no cap," persisted Redhead. - -"Perhaps you want us to ask the police up to help us find out," put in -Tony Prito cheerfully. - -Redhead glanced meaningly at the woman. The other man stepped forward. - -"I know the cap he means," he said. "It's mine. What about it?" - -"It isn't yours, and you know it," declared Frank. "That cap belongs to -the man we're looking for." - -"I tell you it _is_ my cap," snapped the swarthy man, showing his -yellow teeth in a snarl. "Don't tell me I'm lying." - -Redhead stepped forward diplomatically. - -"You're mistaken, Klein," he said. "I know the cap they mean. That's -the one I found on the road a few days ago." - -"You found it?" asked Frank incredulously. - -"Sure, I found it. A grey cap--with bloodstains on it." - -"That's the one. But why did you hide it when I went into the kitchen?" - -"Well, to tell the truth, them bloodstains made me nervous. I didn't -know but what there might be some trouble come of it, so I thought I'd -better keep that cap out of sight." - -"Where did you find it?" Joe demanded. - -"About a mile from here." - -"On the shore road?" - -"Yes. It was lying right in the middle of the road." - -"When was this?" - -"A couple of days ago--just after we moved in here." - -"Let's see the cap," suggested Chet Morton. "We want to make sure of -this." - -Redhead moved reluctantly toward the kitchen. The woman sniffed. - -"I don't see why you're makin' all this fuss about an old cap," she -said. "Comin' around at this hour of the day disturbin' honest folk." - -"We're sorry to disturb you, ma'am," said Joe. "But this is a serious -matter." - -Redhead emerged from the house holding the cap in one hand. He tossed -it over to the boys. They examined it eagerly. - -Frank turned back the inside flap and there he found what he was -looking for--the initials F.H. imprinted in indelible ink on the -leather band. - -"It's dad's cap, all right." - -"I don't like the look of those bloodstains," said Joe, in a low voice. -"He must have been badly hurt." - -To tell the truth, the inside of the cap gave evidence that the wearer -had been severely injured, for the bloodstains were of large extent. -The boys examined them gravely. - -"Are you sure you found this on the road?" Frank asked doubtfully. - -"You don't think I'd lie about it, do you?" - -"We can't very well contradict you. I don't mind telling you that we're -going to turn this over to the police. This man has disappeared, and -by the appearance of this cap he has met with foul play. If you know -anything about it you'd better speak up now." - -"He doesn't know anything about it," shrilled the woman angrily. "Go -away and don't bother us. Didn't he tell you he found the cap on the -road? Why should he know anythin' more about it than that?" - -"We're going to take the cap with us." - -"Take it," snapped Redhead. "I don't want it." - -The boys turned away. Nothing further was to be gained by questioning -the trio in the yard, and at any rate the lads had gained possession -of the cap. - -"We'd better go," said Frank in a low voice. - -They went back toward the lane. As they entered it they cast a last -glance back at the yard. - -The woman and the two men were standing just where they had left them. -The woman was motionless, her hands on her hips. Redhead was standing -with his arms folded and the swarthy man was leaning on the axe. - -All three were gazing intently and silently after the departing boys. - - - - - CHAPTER XIII - - A PLAN OF ATTACK - - -Back in Bayport the boys discussed their visit to the house on the -cliff from all angles. - -None was satisfied with the explanation the red-headed man had given -about the presence of the bloodstained cap in the house. - -"I'm sure he knows more about it than he cares to tell," declared Frank. - -"The other chap started to claim it at first, and then he stepped in -with his story," Chet pointed out. - -"That's the most suspicious part of it. And then, when I went into the -kitchen in the first place, why should he have hidden the cap?" - -"It's a mighty mysterious thing," Joe said. "The fact that dad has -disappeared and the fact that there are bloodstains on that cap--" - -"We ought to turn it over to Chief Collig," suggested Phil. - -The boys looked at one another doubtfully. Chief of Police Collig was a -fat, pompous official who had never been blessed by a super-abundance -of brains. His chief satellite and aide-de-camp was Oscar Smuff, a -detective of the Bayport police force. As Chet was fond of remarking, -"If you put both their brains together you'd have enough for a -half-wit." - -"I don't think it would do much good," said Frank. "But it wouldn't -do any harm either. Collig might be able to throw a scare into them, -anyway, if he went up to that house and began asking questions." - -The boys, therefore, trooped down to the police station and, after -stating their business to the desk sergeant, were admitted to the -chief's private office. They found Chief Collig and Detective Smuff -deep in a game of checkers. - -"It's your move, Smuff," said the chief. "What is it, boys?" he -demanded, looking up. - -Frank, producing the bloodstained cap, explained how and where it had -been found. Smuff, in the meantime, scratched his head diligently for a -while, then captured one of his opponent's kings. - -Chief Collig grunted, whether in disappointment at the loss of the king -or in acknowledgment of the information about the cap, the boys could -not say. - -"So it's Fenton Hardy's cap, eh?" asked the chief. - -"It's his, all right." - -"And what do you think has happened to him?" - -"We don't know. That's what we want you to help find out. But, by the -look of this cap, we're afraid there's been foul play." - -"Just a minute, Smuff--just a minute." The chief contemplated the -checkerboard for a few minutes, then made a move. He settled back in -his chair. "Now try and beat _that_!" he said, and looked up at -the boys again. "What do you want me to do?" he inquired. - -"Help us find him." - -The chief regarded them benevolently. - -"Mebbe he'll show up in a day or so." - -"He's been missing long enough already," protested Joe. "We want you to -go up to the Polucca place and question those people. They know more -about the affair than they care to tell." - -"The Polucca place!" exclaimed the chief, pursing his lips. "We-ll, you -see, it ain't in the city limits." - -"But Fenton Hardy is a Bayport citizen." - -"What d'you think about it, Smuff?" - -"Just a minute--it's my move." Smuff meditated over the checkerboard -for a while, made his move, then looked up judicially. "To tell you the -truth, chief," he said, "I think we'd be just as well stayin' away from -that Polucca place. There's been queer stories about it." - -"That's what I think," agreed the chief. - -"Do you mean to say you won't help us look for him?" exclaimed Frank. - -"Oh, we'll keep our eyes open," the chief promised. "But he'll show up -all right. He'll show up. Don't worry." - -"He'll never show up if we wait for the Bayport Police Department to -get into action," declared Chet warmly. - -"Is _that_ so?" said Chief Collig, nettled. - -"Of course, chief," said Frank smoothly, "if you're afraid to go up -to the Polucca place just because it's supposed to be haunted, don't -bother. We can tell the newspapers that we believe our father has met -with foul play and that you won't bother to look into the matter, but -don't let us disturb you at all--" - -"What's that about the newspapers?" demanded the chief, getting up from -his chair so suddenly that he upset the checkerboard over Smuff's lap. -"Don't let this get into the papers." The chief was constantly afraid -of publicity unless it was of the most favorable nature. - -"The taxpayers mightn't like it," suggested Joe. "They pay you to -enforce the law and if they know you're afraid to go up to the Polucca -place--" - -"Now, now," said the chief nervously. "Who said anythin' about being -afraid of the Polucca place? Can't you take a joke? Of course I'll go -up and investigate this--at least I'll send Smuff up--" - -"Who, me?" demanded Smuff, in alarm. - -"Smuff and me, we'll go up together." - -"I'm doggone sure I won't go up alone," declared Smuff. - -"Well, as long as we're sure you'll investigate, we won't say anything -to the newspapers," said Frank, and Chief Collig breathed a sigh of -relief. - -"That's fine. That's fine," he said. "Smuff and me, we'll go up there -first thing to-morrow morning and if we find out anything we'll let you -know." - -But although Chief Collig and Detective Smuff duly departed from -Bayport the next morning in an exceptionally noisy and decrepit -flivver, with Smuff perched nervously at the wheel, they returned -before noon with the news that they had been able to discover nothing -further regarding Fenton Hardy. They had, they said, called at the -house, but the people there had given a reasonable explanation as to -the finding of the cap. - -"Real nice people, they were too," added Chief Collig. "The man said he -found the cap on the road, and why should he tell a lie about it? So -Smuff and me, we came away." - -"Yes," agreed Smuff profoundly, "we came away." - -"In a hurry," suggested Joe sarcastically. - -Collig and Smuff looked uncomfortable. To tell the truth they had been -so impressed by the fearful stories they had heard of the house on -the cliff that they had stayed no longer than was necessary. They had -merely asked a few perfunctory questions of Redhead, had received his -explanation of the finding of the cap, and had then hastened from the -farm as quickly as was consistent with dignity. - -"We've done our duty," declared Chief Collig. "No man can do more." - -And with that the boys had to be content. - -But they were not satisfied. - -"There's some connection between this smuggling outfit and the house on -the cliff," declared Frank. "This man Snackley is mixed up in all this, -I'm sure." - -"Didn't mother say he was related to Felix Polucca?" - -"Yes--and isn't it likely that he inherited the Polucca farm after -the old miser died? Perhaps that's what encouraged him to move his -smuggling operations here." - -"Perhaps Snackley was one of the two men we saw at the farm." - -"I wouldn't be surprised," said Frank. "But what I'm thinking of is -this--where did these two motorboats come from that day Jones was -shot? We didn't see them out in the bay. They seemed to come right out -from under the cliff." - -"Do you mean you think there is a secret harbor in there?" - -"There might be. Look at it this way. Snackley was the man who "got" -Jones that day, as he said. Snackley was related to Polucca, and may -now own the farm. Snackley has been smuggling in Barmet Bay from some -base that the government men have been unable to find. Perhaps that -base is the Polucca farm." - -"But it's on top of the cliff!" - -"There may be a secret passage from the house to some hidden harbor at -the foot of the cliff." - -"Gosh, Frank, it sounds reasonable!" - -"And perhaps that explains why the kidnappers got away with Jones so -quickly that day. If they left the Kane farmhouse just a little while -before we did, we should have been able to get within sight of them, -anyway. But we didn't." - -"You mean they turned in at the Polucca place?" - -"Why not? Probably Jones is hidden there right now. That is--if they -haven't killed him," he added hesitatingly. - -"But what could have happened to dad?" - -"That's what we're going to find out. What do you say to asking Tony if -his father will lend us his motorboat and let us investigate the foot -of that cliff?" - -"What do you expect to find?" - -"We'll find out if there's any place where motorboats could be hidden. -And if we get any information we can turn it over to the government -officials and have the Polucca place raided. Then we'll get some -satisfaction out of it, anyway, and perhaps find out what happened to -dad." - - - - - CHAPTER XIV - - PRIVATE PROPERTY - - -The Hardy boys explained their plan to Tony Prito, who promised to ask -his father about the motorboat provided they allowed him to go with -them. - -"I wouldn't miss it for anything," he said. "You let me come along on -this trip with you and I'll see that we get the boat." - -"We wouldn't go without you, Tony," promised Frank. - -"I'll have the boat to-morrow afternoon. Be at the boathouse." - -Tony was as good as his word. When Frank and Joe appeared at the little -boathouse, one of a long row of ramshackle buildings along the shore, -next afternoon, they found Tony clad in a greasy suit of overalls, -tinkering with the engine. He was of a mechanical turn of mind and -could never see an engine of any kind without investigating its most -intricate machinery. - -"She'll run as smoothly as a sewing machine," he declared, looking up. -"We can start any time." - -"Your father let you have the boat, all right." - -"You bet. I told him it was to help find your father, and he was almost -going to quit work and come along with us." - -The boys got into the motorboat, which was a rangy, powerful craft with -graceful lines, and the engine was soon roaring. The boat, which was -called the _Napoli_ in honor of Mr. Prito's birthplace in Italy, -moved slowly out into the waters of the bay and then gathered speed as -it headed toward the gloomy cliffs at the northern extremity of Barmet -Bay. - -It was already late in the afternoon. The sky was overcast and the bay -was rough. The salt spray dashed over the bows of the _Napoli_ as -it plunged on through the breakers. Bayport soon became a smoky haze -on the hillside. The boys could see the white line of the shore road -rising and falling on the coast to the north and at last they came -within sight of the Kane farm, nestled among the trees. - -The cliff upon which the Polucca place stood was stark and sheer -against the background of ocean and sky, and at the top they could see -the grove of trees and the roof and chimneys of the haunted house. - -"Lonely looking place," remarked Joe. - -"Pretty steep cliff," Tony observed. "I can't see how any one could -make his way up and down that slope to get to the house." - -"That's just why nobody has thought of the possibility of the place as -a smuggling base," said Frank, "It doesn't look possible. But perhaps -when we look around we'll find that things are different." - -Tony steered the boat closer in toward the shore so that it would not -be visible from the Polucca place. Then he slackened speed so that the -roar of the engine would not be so noticeable, and the craft made its -way along toward the bottom of the cliff. - -There were currents here that demanded skilful navigation, but Tony -brought the _Napoli_ through them easily and at last the boat was -surging along close to the face of the cliff. The boys scanned the -formidable wall of rock eagerly. - -It was scarred and seamed and at the base had been eaten away by the -battering of the waves. Time passed, and there was no indication of a -path and the lads were disappointed. - -The cliff jutted up out of very deep water and rose to a great height. -From the boat they were unable to see the Polucca place, for it was set -in a short distance from the edge of the cliff. The face of the steep -rock was uncompromising. There seemed to be no foothold for man or -beast. It was just an unscalable, craggy wall. - -Suddenly Tony bore down on the wheel. The _Napoli_ swerved swiftly -to one side and at the same time the engine roared as the craft leaped -ahead. - -Frank and Joe looked quickly around. - -"What's the matter?" they asked, in alarm. - -But Tony was gazing fixedly ahead. He was tense and alert. Another -shift of the wheel and the _Napoli_ swerved again. - -Then the Hardy boys saw the danger. - -There were rocks at the base of the cliff. One of them, black and -sharp, like an ugly tooth, jutted out of the water almost immediately -at the side of the boat. Only Tony's quick eye had saved them from -striking against it. They had blundered into a veritable maze of reefs -which extended for several yards ahead. - -They held their breath. - -It seemed impossible that they could run the gauntlet of those rocks -without tearing the bottom out of the craft. But Tony's steermanship -was marvelous. The motorboat threaded its way accurately among the -jutting rocks. There was always the chance that a submerged reef might -rip through the hull of the craft, but they had to take chances on that. - -But luck was with them. The _Napoli_ dodged the last ugly rock, -and shot forward into open water. - -Tony sank back with a sigh of relief. - -"Whew, that was close!" he exclaimed. "I didn't see those rocks until -we were right on top of them. If we'd ever struck one of them we would -have been goners." - -The Hardy boys believed him. Angry waves dashed against the base of the -cliff. They would not have lived more than a few minutes if they had -been wrecked in this place. They would have been battered to pieces -against the rocks. - -Suddenly, before them, they saw an opening in the side of the cliff. It -was a long, narrow cove. - -The entrance was like the neck of a bottle, widening as it led into the -cliff, and it was over-shadowed by jutting rocks. It had been quite -invisible up to this time, and the boat had gone only a few yards -further before it became invisible again, so well was the opening -hidden by the rocks. - -"Here's a find!" exclaimed Frank, in excitement. "Let's turn back and -see where this goes to." - -Tony swung the boat around and the craft slowly made its way back -toward the hidden cove. Soon the opening in the cliff came into view -again. - -"It's just large enough for the boat to go through," said Tony. "Want -me to try it?" - -Frank nodded. - -"Go ahead." - -The nose of the boat turned toward this strange bay and then the -_Napoli_ began to enter the cove. - -"Maybe I won't be able to get out again," said Tony suddenly. He looked -ahead. But the passage widened into a bay of considerable extent, quite -sufficient in size to enable him to turn the craft around once he had -entered. So he continued. - -But the cove proved uninteresting. The sides were steep, although dense -bushes grew about the base of the slopes, but there was no path, no -trail, no indication that any human being had ever been in the place. -Being protected from the wind, the water was calm. The echoes of the -motorboat's engine were flung back from every side in a roaring volume. - -Suddenly Frank gave a gasp of surprise! - -Standing among the thickets at the base of the steepest slope, was a -man. - -He was very tall and he wore a black felt hat, the wide brim of which -obscured the upper part of his face. His countenance was tanned and -weatherbeaten, his lips were thin and cruel. He wore a short black -jacket, and he stood with his hands plunged into the side-pockets and -his feet spread wide apart, in the manner of a seaman. - -He was standing there quietly, gazing at them without a shadow of -expression on his sinister face, as motionless as a statue. - -When he saw that he was observed he called out: - -"Leave this place!" - -Tony throttled down the engine. The three boys stared at the man in the -black hat as though he were an apparition. - -"Leave this place!" he repeated, in a curiously metallic voice. - -"We aren't doing any harm," replied Frank. - -"Not now," said the stranger. "But don't land here." - -"Why?" - -"You don't have to ask why. This is private property. You can't land -here. You'd better leave at once." - -The boys hesitated. As though to emphasize his commands, the man in -the black hat reached suddenly into his pocket and whipped out a -wicked-looking revolver. Then he folded his arms, tapping the barrel of -the revolver against one shoulder very deliberately. - -"Turn that boat around and get out of here!" he snapped. "Don't come -back. Don't ever come back. Don't ever try to land here. This is -private property. If you ever _do_ land here you'll be shot." - -The boys were unarmed. They realized that nothing would be gained by -argument. Tony slowly brought the boat around. - -"Good-bye," shouted Joe cheerfully. - -The stranger did not reply. He stood there, gazing fixedly after them, -his arms still folded, still tapping the revolver against his shoulder -as the motorboat made its way out of the strange bay, out into open -water. - -"Looks as if he didn't want us around," remarked Tony, as soon as the -_Napoli_ was out of the cove. - -"I'll say he didn't!" exclaimed Frank. "What a wicked-looking customer -he was! I expected to see him start popping at us with that gun of his -before we got out." - -"I don't want to run into _him_ again," Joe declared. "He sure -gave us our orders. And he meant 'em, too." - -"I wonder who he is," said Tony. - -"Do you think--Fellows! do you think it could have been Snackley?" -shouted Frank. - - - - - CHAPTER XV - - SMUGGLERS - - -The thought struck Frank Hardy like a thunderbolt! - -The appearance of the stranger had been so sinister, he was so -evidently a lawless and desperate man who was accustomed to being -obeyed, and his presence in this place indicated too clearly that he -had some connection with the house on the cliff, that Frank's deduction -seemed quite logical. - -"Snackley!" exclaimed Joe. "It _must_ be him." - -"The head of the smugglers!" - -"I've never seen a picture of Snackley and I've never heard him -described," said Joe. "But that fellow looks just as I had pictured -Snackley would look." - -"He's a leader of some kind--you can tell that by his manner," put in -Tony Prito. - -"He's the fellow who chased Jones that day in the motorboat." - -"And he'll chase us, too," declared Tony, "if we don't get away from -here pretty quick." - -"Why should we go now?" demanded Frank. "We've stumbled on something -important. That may be the smugglers' cove." - -"But how do they get to the house if you think they have anything to do -with the Polucca place?" asked Tony. "Those cliffs in there are mighty -steep." - -"There must be some way that we don't know of. What do you say we hang -around here for a while and see what we can do?" - -Tony became infected with the enthusiasm of the Hardy boys and he -readily agreed to keep the motorboat in the vicinity of the cliff, -although it was decided that they should not remain too near, but -cruise up and down the shore in case the sharp-eyed man should be -watching them. - -"It was a good thing we didn't put up an argument with that fellow," -said Frank, at last. - -"I'll say it was!" Tony agreed emphatically. "We didn't have much -chance to argue with that revolver he had." - -"I don't mean that. He may think we were just out for a cruise and -accidentally wandered into that cove. If he knew we were hunting for -dad he might have acted very differently." - -"That's true, too," said Joe. "Well, we won't go home just yet." - -It was late in the afternoon. The sky was overcast and twilight was -falling. A cold wind blew in from the sea. - -The motorboat went some distance down the shore and then they turned -and, keeping well out in the bay, went on up past the cliff once again. -They kept a sharp eye on the location of the cove, and in spite of -the fact that they knew just where it was they were scarcely able to -distinguish the narrow opening in the rocks. - -"No wonder the place hasn't been heard of more often!" Frank said. "It -looks like an unbroken wall of rock from this far out." - -"You've got to be careful around here, Tony," cried Joe. "First thing -you know we'll hit the rocks and be smashed." - -"That's right," added Frank. "It's pretty dangerous so close to the -cliff." - -"You leave it to me," came from their schoolmate. "I know how to handle -this boat." - -It was true, Tony did know how to handle the motorboat; yet several -times they came perilously close to the rocks over which the waves were -dashing. In fact, once there came a slight bump followed by a grating -sound which made the hearts of all the boys leap into their mouths. - -"Narrow squeak, that," admitted Tony. "I guess I'd better keep out a -little farther, after all." - -"I certainly should," answered Frank. - -Although they cruised around for more than an hour, they saw not the -slightest sign of life either about the base of the cliff or on the -Polucca place, which, keeping well out from shore as they did, they -could plainly distinguish. As the gloom deepened they felt that it was -almost useless to continue, but Frank decided that they should wait a -while longer. - -"These fellows aren't likely to move around much in daylight. Night is -the time for their operations," he pointed out. "We'll hang around for -a while longer." - -Twilight deepened into darkness and the lights of Bayport could be -seen as a yellow haze through the mist at the distant extremity of the -bay. The cliff was but a dark smudge in the night and the waves broke -against the rocks with a lonely sound. - -Suddenly, through the darkness, they heard a muffled sound. Their own -boat was running along quietly and they listened. - -"Another boat," remarked Tony, in a whisper. - -It was, indeed, another motorboat, and it was near the base of the -cliff. At last they could distinguish a faint light, and toward this -light they began to move slowly. - -They were tense with excitement. Everything might depend on the events -of the next few minutes. - -When they had gone in toward the cliff as far as they dared, creeping -up from the west, they could make out the gloomy outline of the other -motorboat, which was making its way slowly out of the very face of the -cliff itself. - -At first they could not imagine how the craft had got in so close nor -where it was coming from. They crept up closer, at imminent danger of -discovery, and at imminent danger of being washed ashore on the rocks. -Then, finally, they heard the other boat slow down, heard the faint -clatter of oars, then voices. - -After that, with an abrupt roar that startled them, the other motorboat -suddenly plunged on out into the bay. They could hear it threshing on -its way out toward sea at an ever-increasing rate of speed. - -"Where is it going?" said Tony, in amazement. - -Frank cautioned for silence. - -"There's a rowboat around here," he whispered. "Lay low." - -They waited in silence and at last they heard the rattle of oars again. - -This time the sound was closer. - -The rowboat was drawing near. - -Fortunately the wind was from the sea and it blew the sounds toward -them, at the same time keeping the men in the boat from hearing the -muffled murmur of their own craft. - -The rattle of oars continued and at last the boys could see the dim -shape of the boat through the gloom. Finally they could distinguish the -words of the dark figures in the craft. At a sign from Frank Tony cut -off the engine for the time being. - -But they could not make out complete sentences. The wind would whisk -toward them a fragment of speech and then the rest of the words would -be drowned. - -"--three hundred pounds--" they heard a harsh voice saying, and then -the rest of the sentence was lost. - -A dull murmur of voices. Finally-- - -"I don't know. It's risky--" - -The wind died for a moment and then through the gloom the boys saw that -the rowboat was heading directly in toward the face of the cliff. It -was not many yards away and as it passed by they heard the harsh voice -again. - -"Li Chang's share--" he was saying. - -"No, we mustn't forget that," they heard a gruff voice reply. - -"I hope they get away all right." - -"What are you worrying about? Of course they'll get away." - -"We've been watched, you know." - -"It's all your imagination. Nobody suspects." - -"Those boys at the house--" - -"Just kids. If they come nosing around again we'll knock one of 'em on -the head." - -"I don't like this rough stuff. It's dangerous." - -"We've got to do it or we'll end up in the pen. You can't be -white-livered in this game. What's the matter with you to-night? You're -nervous." - -"I'm worried. I've got a hunch that we'd better clear out of here." - -"Clear out!" replied the other contemptuously. "Are you crazy? Why, -this place is as safe as a church. We can make a big clean-up before -they know we're in this part of the country at all." - -"Well, maybe you're right," said the first man doubtfully. "But still--" - -His voice died away as the boat went on into the cove. - -The boys could hear the rattle of oars and then a dull swishing of -bushes, a muttered voice, and then silence fell. - -The boys looked at one another through the gloom. - -"Smugglers!" exclaimed Frank. - -"Sounds mighty like it," replied Tony. "What do you think we should do?" - -"Follow them." - -"Sure," Joe agreed. "Follow them right into the cove." - -But Tony demurred, though as he spoke he started up the engine again. - -"Count me out," he said. "I don't like that talk about being knocked on -the head. I may be foolish, but I'm not _that_ foolish." - -"There are three of us." - -"And we don't know how many more of them. And they're grown men. I -don't want to be trapped in that cove. Besides, the motorboat makes too -much noise. They'd hear us coming and then we'd be done for." - -This phase of the matter had not occurred to the Hardy boys, but they -saw that it was reasonable. In the darkness it would be risky entering -the narrow passage to the cove and then, as Tony said, it was probable -that their approach would be heard. - -"I hate to let them get away when we've got such a clue as this," said -Frank. "There's no doubt they are smugglers. The men in that motorboat -probably are going out to a ship for a cargo of smuggled goods, or else -they have delivered a cargo and are on their way back." - -"But where on earth did the motorboat come from!" exclaimed Joe. "There -wasn't any boat in the cove when we were in there." - -"Probably well hidden," said Frank. "There were a lot of bushes growing -close down to the water's edge, I noticed. They'd have some sort of a -hiding place fixed up." - -"But where did all those men come from?" - -"That's what we're going to find out. There must be some connection -between this cove and the house on the cliff. I'm going ashore." - -"Somebody's got to stay with the motorboat," said Tony. "I'm not afraid -to go in there, and if it comes to a dare, I will go, although I don't -want to be killed. But we can't leave the boat here, that's certain." - -"I'll tell you what to do," said Frank. "Let Joe and me go ashore. Then -we'll try to follow those men in the boat and see where they go. If we -let them slip out of our hands now we may lose them altogether." - -"And shall I wait?" - -"No. You go back to Bayport and get help--lots of it." - -"The police?" - -"The federal men. Tell them we're on the track of the smugglers. If Joe -and I discover anything we'll wait here at the entrance to the cove and -put the police on the right track when they get here." - -"Good!" said Tony. "I'll put you ashore right away." - -"Don't go too close or you'll wreck the boat. Joe, I guess you and I -will have to swim ashore. Then we'll go around into the cove and find -out all we can." - -Tony edged the boat in as close to the gloomy shore as he could, and -then, with a whispered farewell, the Hardy boys slipped over the side -into the water. They were only a few yards from the rocks and after a -short swim they emerged, dripping, on the mainland. They looked back. -They could see the dim shape of the motorboat as it turned away and -then they could hear its dull chugging as Tony Prito turned the craft -back in the direction of Bayport. - -"Now!" whispered Frank. "Now for the smugglers!" - - - - - CHAPTER XVI - - THE SECRET PASSAGE - - -It was very dark. - -"I wish we had a light," whispered Joe. - -"I have a flashlight in my pocket. But we can't use it now. Those men -may be still around." - -"Wouldn't the water spoil it?" - -"No; I have it in a waterproof case. We can feel our way around these -rocks until we get into the cove." - -Cautiously, the boys made their way along the treacherous rocks. -Once Joe lost his footing and slipped into the water with a splash. -Instantly both boys remained motionless, fearing the sound had -attracted the attention of the men in the cove. But there was not a -sound. - -Joe was ankle-deep in water, but he clambered up on the rocks again and -they continued their journey. - -They had landed at a point some twenty-five yards away from the -entrance to the cove, but the rocks were so treacherous and the -journey was so difficult that the distance seemed much longer. - -"It must be Snackley and his gang, all right," whispered Frank, as they -went on through the night. "Didn't you hear one of those men use a -Chinese name?" - -"He said something about Li Chang's share." - -"Li Chang is probably the fellow who brings the dope to the coast. -They bring the stuff into this cove by motorboat and rowboat and it is -distributed from here. Dad said Snackley was smuggling dope." - -"It must have been Snackley who ordered us away from here. He seemed -like a leader of some kind." - -"Five thousand dollars reward if we lay our hands on him!" - -They had now reached the place where the seemingly solid coast line -was broken by the indentation of the cove. They had feared that the -cliff might be too steep at this point, but they found that it sloped -gradually to the water and that there was a narrow ledge on which they -could walk, one behind the other. - -Here, they realized, the dangerous part of the adventure began. - -It was very lonely in the shadow of the steep cliffs, and the -loneliness was intensified by the distant moaning of the surf and the -beat and wash of the waves against the reefs. Far in the distance they -could see the reflection of the lights of Bayport through the mist and -once or twice they could hear the murmur of Tony's motorboat as it sped -away down the bay. - -"I hope they bring back lights and guns with them," muttered Frank. - -"Who?" - -"The police." - -"Don't worry. If they get word that Snackley is cornered they'll send -out a squad of militia." - -The boys rounded the point and began to make their way directly along -the shore of the cove. Dense thickets and bushes grew right to the -water's edge and the boys were afraid of making too much noise, as they -realized that the two men they had heard talking in the boat might be -close by--perhaps even waiting to pounce upon them in the darkness. - -Their hearts beat quickly with the knowledge of the risk they were -running, but neither lad thought of turning back. They were not -thinking of the smugglers alone--they were thinking of their father. - -When they reached the first of the thickets they paused. They knew that -the crackling of the branches would betray their whereabouts if there -was any one within hearing distance. For a while they did not know just -what to do. Then Frank began to lower himself from the rock on which -he was standing into the water. - -"If it isn't too deep we can wade around," he whispered. - -The water, fortunately, was shallow, and did not come up to his knees. -He signaled to Joe to follow, and Joe accordingly slipped quietly down -into the water beside him. - -Then, without a word and moving as slowly as possible, Frank went on, -wading through the water, close to the outstretched branches that -overhung the shore. - -It seemed as though they were wading at the bottom of a deep pit, -for the high walls of rock ranged all about them and after they had -penetrated into the cove some little distance the entrance was lost to -view, being hidden by an angle of the cliffs. When they looked up they -could see the gloomy greyness of the night sky above. - -The cove was still in deep silence, so finally Frank concluded that the -men who had entered the place in the boat had retired to some secret -hiding place. Inasmuch as they could not hope to discover anything -without a light, he withdrew the flashlight from its case, and then -switched it on. - -The yellow beam of light revealed the pallid leaves of the bushes by -the shore and the naked walls of rock above. But although Frank turned -the flashlight in every direction about the cove there was no sign of -the rowboat in which the two men had arrived. - -It had vanished utterly. - -Although the lads were prepared for the disappearance of the smugglers, -they were not prepared for the disappearance of the rowboat. But they -searched for it in vain. The light revealed nothing of the craft. - -"I wonder where they hid it!" whispered Frank. - -They began a systematic search of the bushes around the cove, remaining -as quiet as possible, but although they made almost a tour of the place -it was soon evident that the boat had not been beached under cover of -any of the thickets. - -"It must be hidden in a cave of some kind," Frank decided at last. "And -that's where the smugglers are." - -Once again they began a search of the bushes. - -They were still wading in the water and their feet were now very cold, -but they searched patiently and carefully, brushing aside the branches, -peering into the bushes, but it seemed they were to find nothing but -the uncompromising rocks and moss beyond. - -At last, however, as they were approaching a part of the cove which -they had not visited before, Frank, who was in the lead, stumbled -suddenly forward. His groping feet had failed to encounter bottom and -he had lost his balance. - -With great presence of mind, he kept the flashlight high in the air. -He had stepped into a deep hole, and although he was up to his neck -in water he kept his arm raised, keeping the flashlight free of the -wetness. - -"Here! Take the light," he gasped, in a hoarse whisper. - -Joe leaned over and grasped the flashlight. - -"Deep water here," muttered Frank, as he tried to scramble back into -the shallows. - -But the hole into which he had fallen was a sudden drop and it was -necessary for Joe to grasp his brother's outstretched hand before he -could regain the shallow water. At length, soaked to the skin, Frank -again stood beside his brother. - -"Good thing it wasn't any deeper," he remarked. - -"The bottom is pretty level around here. It's funny there should be a -deep hole like that." - -Frank gave a sudden exclamation. - -"I know how that came to be there," he whispered. "That's a channel! -See how close it is to the shore. The water shouldn't be so deep right -there." - -"Why should it be a channel?" - -"To let that motorboat get into shore--or the rowboat. They'd run -aground otherwise. Give me the light. I'll bet we've found where that -boat was hidden." - -He played the flashlight on the surface of the water and then they -could see clearly that the bottom of the cove was broken by a deep -channel at that point, several feet in width, leading directly toward a -clump of bushes at the shore. - -Keeping well to the side of the channel and in the shallow water, the -Hardy boys made their way over to the bushes. - -Then, when the beam of the flashlight was cast on the dense covert of -branches, the mystery was clear. - -Beyond the bushes was a dark opening in the rock - -"A cave!" exclaimed Frank, in a suppressed tone. - -It was so cleverly concealed that it could not have been seen in the -clear light of the day except at close quarters. The glare of the -flashlight, however, cast the dark opening into prominence behind the -screen of leaves. - -This, then, was the explanation of the boat's disappearance. There was -a channel in the cove enabling the smugglers to row the boat directly -into this cave in the rock. This also probably explained the presence -of the motorboat. - -"They went in here," said Joe. - -"We'll explore it." - -Having gone so far, there was no going back. The boys were fully -determined to keep on the track of the smugglers. They did not know -what lay behind the darkness of that silent and mysterious opening in -the rock. But they meant to find out, no matter what the risks. - -Cautiously, they advanced into the bushes, which gave way protestingly -before them. The branches whipped their faces. The water was still -shallow, for there was a narrow ledge along the side of the channel -and, moreover, it was now low tide. - -At last the bushes closed behind them. The Hardy boys were standing in -the entrance to a secret passage, pressed close against the rocky wall -of the cave. - - - - - CHAPTER XVII - - THE CHAMBER IN THE CLIFF - - -Frank switched on the flashlight. - -The beam illuminated the depths of the dark passage. Far ahead of the -brothers they glimpsed a grey shape just above the surface of the -glistening water. - -For a moment they were startled, then they recognized that the grey -shape was nothing more than the rowboat that had passed by them in the -darkness outside the cove. It had been drawn up close to a natural -wharf hewn out of the solid rock. It swayed to and fro with the motion -of the water. - -The boys made their way forward along the ledge, which was wide enough -for one person to walk on, until at last the ledge widened out and -proved to be a path leading to the wharf. - -There was not a sound in the passage but the drip-drip of water from -the gloomy walls. - -The Hardy boys stole quietly forward along the wharf, passed the boat, -and then looked about them. - -Frank played the beam of the flashlight all about the place until at -last the glare revealed a dark opening immediately ahead. - -It was a crude arch in the rock and beyond it he could see a steep -flight of wooden steps. - -His heart was pounding with excitement. There was no doubt now that -they had discovered the smugglers' secret. - -"We've found it," he whispered to Joe. "We've found the passage. This -must be directly underneath the house on the cliff." - -"We'll have to go quietly." - -The light cast strange shadows through the gloomy passage in the rocks. -Water dripped from the walls. Water dripped from their clothing. They -tiptoed quietly forward beneath the archway until they reached the -flight of steps. - -Then, quietly, almost stealthily, they began to ascend. - -The place was in a deathlike silence. It was as if they were in a tomb. -So quiet was the strange stairway in the cliff that the boys could -hardly believe that men had been there but a short while before. - -Step by step they ascended the stairs, and at last Frank's flashlight -showed that they were approaching a door. It was set directly in a -frame in the wall of rock at which the stairs ended. The passageway -curved above them in a rocky ceiling. - -They stood on the steps outside the door. - -Should they enter? - -They did not know what lay beyond. They might be entering the very -haunt of the smugglers. In fact, this was most probable. And in that -event they would not have a chance of escape. - -For a while they remained there, not knowing whether to retreat or go -on. - -Then Frank stepped forward. He pressed his ear against the door and -listened intently. - -There was not a sound. - -He peered around the sides of the door to see if he could catch a -glimpse of light. There was only darkness. At length he decided that -there was no one immediately beyond the door and he made up his mind to -go ahead. - -He whispered his decision to Joe, who nodded. - -"I'm with you." - -The door was opened by a latch, and Frank tried it cautiously. At first -it was obstinate. - -Then, with an abrupt clatter that echoed from wall to wall and seemed -to the ears of the boys to create a hideous and deafening uproar, the -latch snapped and the door swung open. - -They did not immediately cross the threshold. Perhaps their approach -had been heard. Perhaps the smugglers lay in wait for them beyond. So -they remained there in silence for several minutes, listening for the -slightest sound. - -However, it became apparent that the dark chamber was empty, so Frank -switched on the flashlight. - -The vivid beam cut the darkness and revealed a gloomy cave in the very -center of the cliff, hewn out of the rock. It had been a natural cave, -just as the tunnel in the cliff had been a natural passageway, but -the roof had been bolstered up by great beams and the sides had been -chipped away while the floor had been leveled. It was a secret chamber -in the heart of the rock. - -The light revealed the fact that this chamber was used as a storeroom, -for there were huge boxes, bales and packages distributed about the -floor and piled against the walls. - -"Smuggled goods!" exclaimed Frank. - -His suspicions seemed verified by the fact that the majority of the -boxes bore labels of foreign countries. Chinese characters were -scribbled across them in practically every case. - -Seeing that the chamber was unoccupied, the boys stepped through the -doorway and looked about them. The flashlight illuminated the murky -corners of the cave. - -"This must be where they store all the stuff," Joe said, as he -inspected one of the boxes. - -"There must be another opening that leads to the top of the cliff. They -probably bring the stuff up to the house and then dispose of it from -there." - -"You'd think they would keep it at the Polucca place instead of down -here." - -"Probably they are afraid the house might be raided at some time or -another. That's why they keep the goods hidden in this place. It would -be mighty hard for any one to find it here." - -"But how do they get the stuff out of here? There's no doorway that I -can see." - -The light of the flashlight played upon the walls. - -No doorway, no opening of any kind, was revealed. - -"That's strange," said Frank. "There must be some way out." - -They began to move about the chamber. Across some of the bales of goods -had been thrown rich bolts of silk, while valuable tapestries were also -lying carelessly on the floor. In one corner were three or four boxes -piled on top of one another. Frank accidentally knocked the flashlight -against one of these and it gave forth a hollow sound. - -"It's empty," he said. - -An idea struck him that perhaps these boxes had been piled up to -conceal some passage leading out of the secret chamber. He mentioned -his suspicion to Joe. - -"But how could they pile the boxes up there after they went out?" his -brother questioned. - -"This gang are smart enough for anything. Let's move these boxes away." - -He seized the topmost box. It was very light and he removed it from the -top of the pile without difficulty. - -"I thought so!" exclaimed Frank, with satisfaction. - -For the light revealed the top of a door which had hitherto been hidden -from view. - -The boys lost no time in moving the rest of the boxes, and the entire -door was soon in sight. Then the boys discovered how it was possible -for the boxes to be piled up in such a position in spite of the fact -that the smugglers had left the chamber and closed the door behind them. - -Attached to the bottom of the door was a small wooden platform that -projected out some distance over the floor of the cave and on this -platform the boxes had been piled. - -"They are kept there all the time, as a blind," he said. "Whenever any -one leaves the cave and closes the door the boxes swing in with the -platform and it looks as though they were piled up on the floor." - -The ingenuity of the contrivance won their reluctant admiration. - -"What shall we do?" asked Joe, looking through the doorway into the -darkness beyond. "Go ahead?" - -"We've come this far, and there's no sense in turning back. Let's go." - -Frank stepped on into the passage beyond. He had hardly switched on the -flashlight, revealing a crude flight of stairs that led from the rocky -landing, before he stiffened and laid a warning hand on his brother's -arm. - -"Voices!" he whispered. - -They listened. - -They heard a man's voice in the distance. They could not distinguish -what he was saying, for he was still too far away, but gradually the -tones grew louder. Then, to their alarm, they heard footsteps. - -Hastily, they retreated into the secret chamber. - -"Quick! The door," snapped Frank. - -They closed the door quietly. - -"Now the boxes. If they come in here they'll notice that the boxes have -been moved. Quick." - -Swiftly the Hardy boys began to pile the empty boxes back on the -platform that projected from the bottom of the door. They worked as -quietly as possible and as they worked they heard the footsteps on the -stairs drawing closer and closer. - -Finally, the topmost box was in place. - -"Out the other door." - -They sped across the floor of the chamber toward the door that led to -the stairs they had just recently ascended, but hardly had they reached -it before they heard a rattle at the latch of the door on the opposite -side of the cave. - -"We haven't time," whispered Frank. "Hide." - -The beam of the flashlight revealed a number of boxes close by the -door. Over these boxes had been thrown a heavy bolt of silk, the folds -of which hung down to the floor. They scrambled swiftly in behind the -boxes, pressing themselves close against the wall. They did not have -more than time to hide themselves and switch out the light before they -heard the other door open. - -"There's a package of dope in that shipment that came in last night," -they heard a husky voice saying. "We'll bring it upstairs, for Burke -says he can get rid of it for us right away. No use leaving it down -here." - -"Right," they heard some one else reply. "Anything else to go up?" - -"No. We won't start moving the rest of this until the end of the week. -It's too dangerous. Let Burke take out the shipment he has, along with -this dope, and then we'll lay low for a few days. I'm getting a bit -nervous." - -"What does the big boss think about it?" - -"That's his idea too. Here--wait till I switch on that light." - -There was a click, and suddenly the chamber was flooded with light. The -cave had been wired for electricity. - -The Hardy boys crouched in their hiding place. Their hearts were -pounding madly. - -Would they be discovered? - -Footsteps slowly approached the boxes behind which they were concealed! - - - - - CHAPTER XVIII - - A STARTLING DISCOVERY - - -The Hardy boys were tense with a realization of their peril. - -The strong electric light that hung from the center of the ceiling -cast such a vivid illumination that they were sure they would be seen, -particularly when they found that the boxes behind which they were -hidden were spaced some distance apart. But for the folds of silk that -hung down over the opening they would certainly have been seen. - -"Here's some of that special silk," they heard the first man say. -"Perhaps I'd better bring it up too. Burke was saying he could handle -some more silk." - -"We're done for!" thought Frank. "If he ever comes close enough to pick -up that silk he'll see us, sure." - -But the other man objected. - -"What's the use? You won't get any more thanks for carrying all that -stuff upstairs, even if Burke does take it. And if he doesn't, you'll -just have to cart it all the way down again. My motto in this gang is -to do just what Snackley tells me and no more." - -"I guess you're right. We'll just bring up the dope." - -To the relief of the boys the man turned away and went back to the -other side of the chamber. They could hear a rustling sound. Then came -the words: - -"Well, we've got it. Let's go back up." - -The switch snapped and the cavern was steeped in darkness immediately. -It was a darkness immeasurably welcome to the lads crouched behind the -boxes. They began to breathe more easily. They heard the door close and -then they could hear the footsteps of the two men as they ascended the -stairs in the passageway. - -When the footsteps could be heard no more, Frank switched on the -flashlight with a sigh of relief. - -"That was a close call. Gosh, but I was sure they had us." - -"We wouldn't have had any chance with that pair. You can bet your life -they carry guns." - -"Well, let's follow them." - -"I'm with you. We know we're on the right track." - -"And we know we're liable to blunder right into the whole den of -smugglers if we don't watch our step. It's going to be ticklish from -now on." - -"It can't be any more ticklish than it has been. I lived about ten -years while that pair was in here." - -They crossed the chamber and again opened the door. Cautiously, they -stepped out on the landing, closed the door behind them, and again -confronted the flight of steps. - -"I'll go first," said Frank. "Stick close behind me." - -He decided to turn out the flashlight, because it was barely possible -that the smugglers might have a guard at the top of the stairs, in -which event their approach would be discovered. So, in the inky -blackness, they ascended, step after step. - -They reached the top of the first flight of stairs and then they found -themselves upon a crude landing of planks which ran along the side of -the rock wall for some distance until it ended in another flight of -steps. - -Here the boys stopped again to listen. All was as silent as the tomb -save for the distant pounding of the sea upon the cliff. - -"I don't hear a sound," whispered Joe, - -"Come on," came from his brother. - -The passage through the rock was of considerable depth, and they went -on up countless steps until their limbs were weary. They had never -realized that the cliff was so high until now. - -But at length they reached the final landing and there they were -confronted by another door. This door, they assumed, either led out -into the open or into some cave just below the surface of the ground. -Perhaps, thought Frank, it even led into the cellar of the Polucca -house. - -The boys pressed close to the door, taking care to make no noise, and -listened. - -They heard not a sound. - -Still, with the caution arising from their previous narrow escape, they -decided to wait a little while longer. As later events proved, it was -well that they did. - -For a while they could hear nothing from beyond the door and there was -no indication that any one was there. But, after listening intently for -as long as five minutes, they heard a queer shuffling sound and then a -sigh. That was all. - -"Some one there!" breathed Frank, in a low whisper. - -Joe nodded in the darkness. - -They did not know what to do. It seemed apparent that there was some -one beyond the door. Possibly a sentry. If there was only one man -it might be possible to attack him and disarm him, although it was -scarcely possible that they could do this without noise and without -attracting the attention of the smugglers. - -The problem was solved for them. - -A door thudded in the distance. Then there was a muffled murmur of -voices, growing in volume, and a trampling of feet. - -"I tell you this nonsense has gone far enough. He'll sign, and he'll -sign right now, or I'll know the reason why." - -The boys started. For the voice was none other than the voice of the -man who had ordered them out of the cove that afternoon. - -"That's the stuff, chief!" returned some one. "Make him sign and -promise to keep his mouth shut." - -"If he doesn't he'll never live to tell about it, that's one thing -sure!" snapped the first man coldly. - -There was the sound of a switch being snapped, and then the boys could -see a yellow beam of light beneath the door at their feet. From the -sounds they judged that three or four men had entered the room beyond. - -"Well, he's still here," said the man who had been addressed as -"chief." He strode across the room and the boys could hear a chair -scrape on the board floor. "You'll find that this is an easier place to -get into than it is to get out of." - -A weary voice answered him. The tones were low. The boys could not make -out the words. - -"You're a prisoner here and you'll be a prisoner here until you die -unless you sign that paper." - -Again the weary voice spoke, but, as before, the tones were so low that -the words were indistinguishable. - -"You won't sign, eh? We'll see about that!" - -"Wait till he goes hungry for a few days and then he'll think -differently," put in one of the other men. There was a hoarse laugh -from his companions. - -"Yes, you'll be hungry enough before we're through with you. I can -promise you that," said the harsh voice. "Are you going to sign?" - -"No," they heard the prisoner in the other room answer. - -Who was this man who was evidently held captive by the smugglers in the -underground room? The same thought was in the mind of each boy as he -listened to the conversation. - -"You know too much about us. You've found out too much, and we'll never -let you get out of here to use your information. You may as well get -that straight. You've read that paper. If you don't sign it you will -starve." - -The prisoner evidently did not reply. - -"Give him a taste of the hot iron," suggested one of the smugglers. - -"No, nothing like that. It's too crude. I'm giving him his chance. He -can sign this paper now or take the consequences." - -Still there was no reply. - -"Getting obstinate, are you? Won't you even answer me!" The leader of -the gang was evidently getting angry. Suddenly he shouted out: - -"Sign this paper, Hardy, or you'll starve--as sure as my name is -Snackley!" - - - - - CHAPTER XIX - - CAPTURED - - -The worst fears of the Hardy boys were realized. - -They had been unable to distinguish clearly the voice of the prisoner -until then, for it had been muffled by the intervening door, but all -along they had suspected that it was their father. Now they knew, and -they knew also that he was a captive of Snackley, the head of the gang -of smugglers. - -Joe gave a perceptible start, but Frank laid a warning hand upon his -brother's arm. Now, of all times, there was need for caution. - -They listened. - -"I won't sign it," replied Fenton Hardy clearly. - -Snackley replied: - -"You heard what I said. Sign or starve." - -"I'll starve." - -"You'll think differently in a day or so. You're pretty hungry now, -Hardy, but you'll be a lot hungrier later on. And thirsty, too. You'll -be ready to sell your soul for a drop of water or a bite to eat." - -"I won't sign." - -"After all, we're not asking very much. You've discovered a number of -things that we want you to forget about. It won't hurt you to go back -to Bayport and say that you couldn't find out anything about us. Nobody -knows where you have been." - -"I've found out all I wanted to know about you, Snackley. I've got -enough evidence to send you to the penitentiary for the rest of your -life. And I have more than that." - -"What do you mean--more than that?" - -"I know enough to have you sent to the electric chair." - -There was a sudden commotion in the room and two or three of the -smugglers began talking at once. - -"You're crazy!" shouted Snackley, but there was a current of uneasiness -in his voice. "You're crazy. You don't know anything about me." - -"I know enough to have you sent up for murder." - -"All the more reason why you're not going to get out of here without -signing this paper. You can count yourself lucky you have even this -chance of getting out alive. By all rights we should knock you on the -head and heave you over the cliff into the sea." - -"I won't sign." - -"Don't be foolish. All we ask you to do is to agree that you won't make -use of the information you have. I admit that you've stumbled on some -of our secrets, and we can't afford to turn you loose and have the -federal agents about our ears in no time." - -"You must trust me very much. What is to prevent me from signing that -paper and then going back on my word?" asked Fenton Hardy curiously. - -"We know you too well, Hardy. We know that if you signed that promise -you would keep it." - -"Exactly. And that is why I won't sign it. I wouldn't be doing my duty -if I agreed to any scheme that would protect you." - -"How about your family? Are you doing your duty to them by being so -obstinate?" - -There was silence for a while. Then Fenton Hardy answered slowly: - -"They would rather know that I died doing my duty than have me come -back to them as a protector of smugglers and criminals." - -"You have a very high sense of duty," sneered Snackley. "But perhaps -you'll think better of it after a while. Are you thirsty?" - -There was no reply. - -"Are you hungry?" - -Still no answer. - -"You know you are. And you'll be hungrier and thirstier before we are -through with you. We'll put food and water in your sight but you won't -be able to reach it. You'll die of thirst and starvation--unless you -sign that paper." - -"I'll never sign it." - -"All right. Come on, men. We'll leave him to himself and give him time -to think about it." - -Footsteps resounded as Snackley and the others began to leave the room, -and finally they died away and a door banged. - -Fenton Hardy was left alone. - -Joe made a sudden move toward the door, but Frank restrained him. - -"Not just yet," he cautioned. "They may have left some one to guard -him." - -So the boys waited, listening intently at the door. - -But there were no further sounds from within the room. At length, -satisfied that his father had indeed been left alone, Frank fumbled for -the latch of the door. - -Noiselessly, he managed to open it. He pressed in on the door until it -was open about an inch, then he peeped through the aperture. - -He found himself on the threshold of a sort of cellar, a damp and -mouldy chamber, of about the same size as the storage room in the -heart of the cliff, with the difference that whereas the first room -was a cave in the rock, this place had been dug out of the earth. It -was floored with planks and a lone electric light cast a yellowish -illumination over the scene. There was a crude table and a few chairs, -while in one corner stood a small camp-bed. - -On this bed he spied his father. - -Fenton Hardy was bound hand and foot to the cot, so tightly trussed up -that he was unable to move more than a few inches in any direction. -He was lying flat on his back, staring up at the muddy ceiling of -his prison. On a chair beside the cot was a large sheet of paper, -presumably the document the smugglers were asking him to sign. - -The detective did not hear the door open. As Frank looked at him he was -conscious of a change in the appearance of his father, a change that -shocked him extremely. For Fenton Hardy was thin and pale, his cheeks -were sunken and he looked like a man who was famished for want of food. - -Frank opened the door a little wider and tiptoed into the room. Joe -followed quietly. - -They knew that there was danger of the smugglers returning at any -moment. They knew that they must work swiftly and quietly if they were -to effect the release of their father. - -A slight sound attracted Fenton Hardy's attention and he slowly turned -his head. When his gaze rested on the figures of the two boys who were -stealing across the floor toward him he almost uttered an exclamation -of amazement but he managed to check the involuntary utterance, -although his face lighted up with relief. - -Quickly, the Hardy boys reached his bedside. Frank drew out his -pocketknife and, without a word, without even a whisper, began to hack -at the ropes that bound his father. But the knife was dull and the -ropes were heavy. - -Joe had lost his knife in the water soon after they had left Bayport, -and although he searched about the room, he was unable to find one, so -he set himself to the laborious business of trying to untie the knots. - -Every moment was precious. At any second, the boys knew, they might -hear the footsteps of the approaching smugglers. They worked with -frantic caution, working against time. - -Frank hacked at the ropes, but the dull blade seemed to make little -progress. Joe fumbled at the obstinate knots until his fingernails were -broken, but he could scarcely loosen the strands. - -Minutes passed--slowly and agonizingly. Fenton Hardy could give no -assistance. He had to lie there in silence, not daring even to -encourage the lads by a whisper. The silence was broken only by the -heavy breathing of the two boys, by the scarcely audible sound of the -knife against the ropes. - -At last the knife cut through one of the ropes and Fenton Hardy's feet -were free. Frank pulled the ropes away, but a loose end fell on the -floor with a light sound. - -Slight as the noise was, it seemed to them almost deafening, in view of -the necessity for silence. Desperately, Frank prepared to set to work -to cut through the ropes that bound Fenton Hardy's arms. And, even as -he reached over with the knife, they heard a sound that sent a thrill -of terror through them. - -It was a heavy footstep beyond the door through which the smugglers had -recently disappeared! - -Some one was approaching the underground room. - -Frank strained at the knife, but the ropes were stubborn. The dull -blade made little impression at first. But at last the rope began to -give, and finally, as Fenton Hardy gave a mighty effort, it snapped, -and the detective was free. - -But the footsteps on the stairs had drawn nearer and it was followed by -others. The smugglers were returning. - -"Quick!" whispered Frank, as he flung the ropes aside. - -"I--I can't--hurry!" gasped out Fenton Hardy. "I've been here too--too -long." He could hardly utter the words. His face showed his exhaustion. - -"But we've got to hurry, dad!" came excitedly from Frank. "See if you -can't make it." - -"I'll--I'll do my--my best," returned his father. - -"If those fellows come back let's fight for it," put in Joe desperately. - -"You bet we'll fight," answered Frank in a voice that meant a great -deal. - -Fenton Hardy got to his feet as hastily as he could, but when he stood -up on the floor he reeled and would have fallen had not Joe grasped his -arm. He had been lying bound to the cot for so long and he was so weak -from hunger that a fit of dizziness had attacked him. It soon passed, -however, and the three hastened toward the door through which the Hardy -boys had entered. - -But the smugglers were very close now. The Hardys could hear the coarse -voices just outside the other door. - -There was no chance of escape. - -Just as the Hardy boys and their father crossed the threshold the door -on the opposite side of the room was flung open. - -Frank had a confused glimpse of the dark man, Snackley, whom they had -seen in the cove that afternoon, with half a dozen rough men crowding -behind him. Then he saw Snackley whip a revolver from his pocket. - -The chief of the smugglers was filled with astonishment, but he did not -lose his presence of mind. The weapon was leveled at Frank before he -had time to close the door. - -Snackley did not speak. He pressed the trigger and the revolver roared, -the echoes crowding on one another in that narrow space. The bullet -chipped into the wood of the door. - -Frank ducked. Joe, who was in the lead, flung himself to one side. -Fenton Hardy stumbled out on to the landing at the top of the stairs. - -"Come back!" roared Snackley, plunging across the room. "Come back or -I'll fire again!" - -As the smuggler drew closer Frank crouched for a spring, and then -leaped directly at Snackley. He struck out at the man's wrist and the -revolver flew out of the rascal's grasp, skidding across the floor into -a corner. - -Then they grappled, and so sudden had been Frank's attack that the -smuggler was taken by surprise and he reeled up against the wall. But -his companions rushed to his rescue. Frank was swiftly overpowered and -dragged away, while other smugglers, with drawn revolvers, pursued Joe -and Fenton Hardy out on to the landing. Being unarmed, they were forced -to submit, otherwise they would have been shot without mercy. - -The struggle was short. The menacing revolvers gave the smugglers the -upper hand. - -Within five minutes Fenton Hardy was bound to the cot again while the -Hardy boys were seated, trussed up and unable to move, on two chairs -near by. They were captives of the smugglers! - - - - - CHAPTER XX - - DIRE THREATS - - -Snackley, once he had recovered from his first consternation and -surprise, was in high humor. - -"Just in time!" he chuckled, rubbing his hands with satisfaction. "Just -in time! If we'd been a few minutes later they'd have been away from us -altogether." - -The Hardy boys were silent. They were sick with disappointment. It had -seemed that escape was certain, and then, in a twinkling, the tables -had been turned and now they were all worse off than they had been -before. - -"What will we do with 'em, chief?" asked one of the men. - -The voice sounded familiar to the boys and they looked up. Not -altogether to their surprise, they saw that the fellow was none other -than Redhead, whom they had seen at the Polucca place the day Frank -discovered his father's cap. - -"Do with them?" exclaimed Snackley. "That's quite a problem. We have -three on our hands now, where we had only one. We have to make three -people keep their mouths shut instead of only one. We have three people -to keep guard over now." - -"We ought to do what I wanted to do in the first place," declared -Redhead doggedly. "As long as Hardy is alive, he's dangerous." - -"You mean we should get rid of him?" - -"Sure, we ought to get rid of him--and get rid of those boys of his, -too." - -"That's easier said than done," returned Snackley, but with a sinister -look at the man on the cot. - -"I should think you had enough on your conscience already, Snackley!" -exclaimed Fenton Hardy. "But I suppose you're hardened enough for -anything," he added bitterly. He was thinking more of his sons and -their possible fate than of himself. - -"Don't you bother about my conscience," sneered Snackley; but a shadow -crossed his face. "What do you know about me, anyhow?" he demanded -roughly. - -"I know all about what happened to Felix Polucca. He had a big treasure -hidden in that house on the cliff and you got it, and then you started -to use the place for your smuggling operations." - -"O, shut up!" Snackley snapped. "I'm going to fix you, and those kids -of yours, too! Just wait and see!" - -Four of the smugglers had been whispering among themselves at the -back of the room during this talk between the chief smuggler and the -detective, and now one of these men stepped forward. - -"Got a word to say to you, chief," he began, addressing Snackley. - -"What is it now?" The chief smuggler's voice was surly. - -"It's about what's to be done with these three, now we have 'em -prisoners," returned the man hesitatingly. "Of course, your business -is your own and we're not asking any questions about what happened to -Felix Polucca, but we're in this game of smuggling, see? We don't stand -for anything that's too red-handed." - -"That's the truth!" put in another of the men. - -"Kind of chicken-hearted," sneered Snackley. "You look out or I'll fire -the lot of you!" - -"No, you won't, chief," replied the first man who had addressed him. -"We've helped in this smuggling, and we're going to have our full share -of what's coming to us." - -"We've got another plan about those three prisoners," put in a fellow -who had not yet spoken. "I think it would work out grand." - -"What plan?" questioned the chief smuggler briefly. - -"We've been talking about Li Chang." - -"What about him?" - -"Turn 'em over to Li Chang. He's sailing back to China in the morning. -Have 'em put on board his ship." - -Snackley scratched his head for a moment. Evidently the idea caught his -fancy. - -"Not bad," he muttered. "I hadn't thought of Li Chang. Yes, he'd be -able to look after them. He'd see to it that they never returned," and -he grinned grimly. - -"He'd probably dump 'em overboard before they got to China at all," -declared Redhead smugly. "Li Chang doesn't like to feed passengers if -they can be got rid of." - -"So much the better. We won't be responsible." - -"Leave it to Li Chang. The old villain would just like to have three -white men in his power. He'll attend to them." - -Snackley reached over and picked up the document from the floor, where -it had fallen in the struggle. He glanced at it and then tore it into -pieces. - -"We won't need this. You've lost your chance, Hardy. If you had signed -it you would have been free by now. But you'll never be free--not with -three of you knowing our secret. It's too risky. You'll all be turned -over to Li Chang. He brought in a little cargo this week and his ship -is to sail in the morning. You will go with him." - -Fenton Hardy was silent. He had resolved not to plead for his own -safety. - -"Well," said Snackley, "haven't you anything to say?" - -"Nothing. Do as you wish with me. But let the boys go." - -"We'll stick with you, dad," said Frank quickly. - -"We sure will!" added Joe. - -"You certainly will," declared Snackley. "I'm not going to let one of -you have the chance of getting back to Bayport with your story." - -The chief of the smugglers stood in the center of the room for a while, -contemplating his captives with a bitter smile. Then he turned suddenly -on his heel. - -"Well, they're safe enough," he said to Redhead. "We have that business -with Burke to attend to. You two," he said, speaking to two of his men, -"had better go down to the cove and take the rowboat out. Signal to -Li Chang that we need the motorboat sent in at once. The rest of you -come and help load Burke's truck. If any nosey policeman came along and -found it in the lane we'd be done for." - -"How about them?" asked Redhead, indicating the prisoners. - -"They're safe enough. But I guess we'd better leave one guard, anyway. -Malloy, you stay here and keep watch." - -Malloy, a surly and truculent fellow in overalls and a ragged sweater, -nodded and sat down on a box near the door. This arrangement seemed to -satisfy Snackley, and after warning Malloy not to fall asleep on the -job and to see to it that the prisoners did not escape, he left the -room, followed by Redhead and the other smugglers, with the exception -of two who left by the other door. Their footsteps could be heard as -they went down the flight of stairs leading to the bottom of the cliff. - -A heavy silence fell over the room after the departure of the -smugglers. Malloy crouched gloomily on the box, gazing blankly at the -floor. The butt of a revolver projected from his hip pocket. - -Frank strained against the ropes that bound him to the chair. But the -smugglers had done their task well. He could scarcely budge. - -"We're done for, I guess," he heard Joe say. - -Frank seldom gave up heart, but this time he could see no ray of hope. - -"I'm afraid so. Looks as if we'd be with Li Chang by morning." - -"But we don't want to go to China, Frank!" - -"We may never get to China, Joe. Didn't you hear what they said? For -all we know, that rascally Chinaman, whoever he is, may heave us -overboard when he gets well out in the ocean." - -"You fellows shut up," growled Malloy. "Shut up, I tell you, or I'll -make it hot for you," and he tapped his revolver suggestively. - -After that an ominous silence fell between the prisoners. Frank and Joe -were downhearted. It looked as if their fate were sealed. - - - - - CHAPTER XXI - - QUICK WORK - - -The Hardy boys glanced over at their father on the cot. - -To their surprise they saw that he was smiling. Frank was on the point -of asking him what he found in the situation to smile at when he caught -a warning glance. He looked over at the guard. - -Malloy was not bothering with the prisoners. He was not even looking -in their direction. Instead, his head was already beginning to nod, as -though he were going to sleep. - -Snackley had made a poor selection when he chose Malloy as guard. The -man had been up the entire previous night helping bring in the shipment -of smuggled goods from Li Chang's vessel, and he had had no sleep that -day. He was very tired. Sleep stole upon him without his being aware of -it. - -Several times he straightened up and rubbed his eyes, but eventually he -would bow his head again and give in to the luxury of a little doze. - -In the meantime, Mr. Hardy was busy. He had profited by his previous -experience. - -When the smugglers seized him and attempted to tie him to the bed for -the second time he had made use of a trick frequently employed by -magicians and professional "escape" artists, who guarantee to escape -from ropes and strait-jackets. He had expanded his chest and held his -muscles rigid, keeping his arms as far away from his sides as possible, -so that later, when he relaxed, he found that the ropes did not bind -him as tightly as his captors had intended. - -This gave him a small leeway. He found that the ropes were especially -slack about his right wrist, so he began to work laboriously to free -himself. For a long time he thought it would be impossible, and the -rope chafed his wrist, but at last he managed to slide his hand free. - -Joe and Frank watched this performance with amazement, and new hope -came into their eyes as they saw their father slowly groping for one of -the knots. The detective fumbled at it for a while. It was slow work, -for he had but one hand free, but in their haste the smugglers had not -tied the knot as firmly as they should, and before long Fenton Hardy -had loosened it to such an extent that soon the ends of the rope fell -away. - -His arms were now free, so he braced himself against the sides of the -bed and struggled to release his feet. They had not been bound so -securely, being simply tied down under one strand of rope about the -cot, and after silently struggling for a few minutes he was able to -work his way free. - -The detective's next move was to take off his boots, which he did -swiftly and quietly, placing them noiselessly on the bed. Then he crept -out onto the floor and began to steal over toward the guard. - -Malloy was half asleep, but the detective had not gone more than two -yards before a slight sound, a slight creaking of the floor, warned the -guard that something was amiss. - -He turned, blinking. - -A look of intense amazement crossed Malloy's face and he opened his -mouth to yell for help, but Fenton Hardy leaped across the intervening -space and hurled himself upon the smuggler before the guard had time to -utter more than a muffled gasp. - -He clapped one hand over Malloy's mouth and bore the guard to the -floor, where they rolled over and over in a desperate and silent -struggle. Although Fenton Hardy was weakened by his imprisonment and -privation and although the smuggler was strong and wiry, the detective -had the advantage of a surprise attack, and Malloy had no time to -collect his faculties. - -Joe and Frank watched the battle in an agony of suspense. It was, they -knew, their last hope. - -Fenton Hardy still kept his hand over the other man's mouth, although -Malloy was gasping and gurgling and making frantic efforts to call out -for help. The detective dug his knee into Malloy's stomach and when the -smuggler tried to wriggle out of the way he snatched for the revolver. - -Their hands closed about the butt of the weapon at the same instant. - -The struggle was short and bitter. - -Malloy tugged at the revolver, trying to draw it from his pocket. -Fenton Hardy dug his knee sharply against the man and Malloy loosened -his grasp, with a groan of pain. The detective snatched the revolver -free and then flung himself back, leveling the weapon at Malloy. - -"Not a word out of you!" he whispered. - -Malloy's hands rose in the air. He did not utter a sound. He was -sitting helplessly on the floor, his mouth opening and closing as he -painfully drew breath. He was beaten. - -The detective spied a knife in a leather sheath at the smuggler's belt -so he reached forward and seized the weapon. - -Then, still keeping Malloy covered with the revolver, he walked slowly -backward until he reached Joe's side. Without removing his eyes from -the smuggler, Fenton Hardy bent down and sliced at the ropes that bound -his son. - -The knife was sharp and the ropes soon fell apart. Joe leaped from the -chair, casting aside the rope ends, and took the proffered knife. Then, -while his father still covered Malloy, he went over to Frank and set -him free. - -Still without saying a word, Fenton Hardy motioned toward the bed and -indicated by signs that the smuggler was to lie down on the cot. A -gesture of refusal on the part of Malloy was met by a vigorous forward -thrust of the revolver and the smuggler hastily retreated. - -The ropes on the bed had not been cut, so they were still available for -trussing up Malloy just as Mr. Hardy had been bound. The boys did the -job with neatness and despatch and they even gagged the smuggler with -his own handkerchief and one of the ropes from the chairs. - -Within five minutes their erstwhile guard was lying helpless on the -bed, bound hand and foot and gagged so firmly that only a muffled and -subdued muttering escaped him. - -"What now?" asked Frank, in a low tone. - -"We can't go out by the cove," replied his father. "There are two men -down there now signaling to the motorboat. We'd better go upstairs." - -"Where does that lead to?" - -"Outside. It will bring us into the shed near the house." - -Fenton Hardy moved over toward the door. - -"We haven't any time to lose," he said. "I have the revolver. If we -meet any one--" - -He opened the door cautiously and peeped out. There was no one beyond. -There was nothing but a flight of steps leading upward into darkness. - -The detective went forward, his sons following close at his heels. - -Step by step they made their way on up in the darkness, for Joe had -closed the door behind them and Frank did not dare make use of the -flashlight. - -At last Fenton Hardy came to a stop. He was fumbling at something -immediately above. - -Then the boys saw a faint opening which grew larger above them and -resolved itself into a square of grey light against which the head and -shoulders of their father were fully silhouetted. Fenton Hardy had -raised the trapdoor that concealed the entrance to the underground -caves and passages. - -Mr. Hardy looked out carefully. There was no sign of the smugglers. -He proceeded to the very top of the steps, then moved clear of the -stairway. - -Frank and Joe followed, rising out of the ground like mysterious -spirits of the earth, and the three stood in the shelter of the shed. - -It was a dark night and the trees were moaning in the wind from the -sea. Immediately before them rose the gloomy mass of the house on the -cliff. There were no lights. - -In the direction of the lane they could hear dull sounds, no doubt from -the truck that the smugglers were loading with goods which were to be -disposed of by the man called Burke. - -"Safe so far," whispered the detective to his sons. - -They moved out of the shed, after closing the trapdoor, and stood in -the shadows. - -"We can't go by way of the lane," whispered Frank. - -"There's a prisoner in the cellar of that house," said Fenton Hardy. "I -hate to go without setting him free." - -"A prisoner?" - -"I heard them talking about him." - -"Why can't we go to town for help?" - -"Once they find us gone they'll clear out." - -"But three of us can't do much against this gang. They'll just capture -us all again." - -The detective considered this for a moment. At last he sighed. - -"Yes, the risk is too great!" he said. "And I've let you take too many -risks already. We'd better go back to town." - -Having arrived at this decision, they moved slowly across the grass of -the yard, heading toward the bushes that flanked the lane. The great -bulk of the old stone house loomed heavily and darkly in the night. - -Then, suddenly, they heard a harsh sound that struck terror into their -hearts--the clatter of the trapdoor being raised! - - - - - CHAPTER XXII - - INTO THE HAUNTED HOUSE - - -A hoarse shout came through the darkness. - -"Chief! Redhead! They've got away. Watch for 'em!" - -Some one was scrambling through the opening in the shed, bellowing in a -frantic voice, warning the other smugglers of the escape. - -"Into the house!" snapped Fenton Hardy. He began to run swiftly across -the yard toward the big gloomy house. Frank and Joe followed. - -The man in the shed saw the moving figures. - -The darkness was pierced by a flash of crimson and a revolver barked -three times. - -From the lane came sounds of running feet. A man was shouting: - -"What is it? What's the matter?" - -"They've got away! Hardy and them boys! They've escaped. Look! There -they are now--running across the yard!" - -The revolver spoke again. But the shots were wild, for the detective -and his sons were soon lost to view in the shadows of the house. - -With the uproar growing in volume behind them, they fled for the -shelter of the building. It was their only refuge. If they attempted -to escape to the road they would be almost certain of meeting some of -the smugglers. They could not go back down the passageway. If they -retreated they would be driven to the verge of the cliff. - -Fenton Hardy sped around to the back door and flung it open. The -fugitives raced into the kitchen and closed the door behind them. - -Out of the darkness came a frightened voice. - -"Who's there?" - -It was so sudden and unexpected that their pulses leaped. - -They made no answer. - -"Who's there, I say? Is it you, Redhead?" - -Still they did not reply. Fenton Hardy crept through the darkness in -the direction of the voice. - -"Speak! Quick! Speak, or I'll fire!" - -The boys heard a sudden, scrambling sound. Their father had thrown -himself upon the other man. The boys rushed in on the two struggling -figures. - -There was a deafening roar and a streak of flame. The man of the house -had been armed with a shotgun, and in the struggle it had exploded. - -Fortunately, the Hardy boys were not standing in the path of the shot. -But the noise had attracted the attention of the smugglers outside the -house, and in a few seconds the back door was flung open. - -"They're in here!" some one yelled. "They're in the house!" - -Fenton Hardy flung to one side the man with whom he had been struggling. - -"Upstairs!" he called out to the two boys and ran on into the next room. - -A feeble light was burning, a candle standing in its own grease near -the bottom of the staircase. Up these stairs they fled, Joe pausing -long enough to extinguish the candle. The room was plunged into -darkness just as the first of the smugglers rushed through the doorway. - -Fenton Hardy waited at the top of the stairs until the boys joined him. - -Somebody in the room below lit a match. - -The detective fired directly at the spluttering light. There was a -muttered exclamation. The match was immediately extinguished by the -smuggler who had been so incautious as to reveal his whereabouts in -this manner. A whispered conversation followed. - -"He's at the top of the stairs!" said one of the smugglers. "We can't -rush him. He's got a revolver." - -"Only one?" - -"Yes. The kids aren't armed." - -"Wait till he uses up his ammunition. Then we'll get him." - -There was another whispered colloquy and then the smugglers apparently -withdrew toward the doorway leading into the kitchen. Then, in a -moment, a perfect fusillade of shots broke out. - -But Fenton Hardy and the boys had withdrawn past the turn in the -staircase and were well protected. They could hear the uproar of -gunfire as the smugglers riddled the staircase with bullets. - -"That should have finished 'em!" they could hear Snackley saying. "If -they're on the stairs at all they're as dead as mutton by now." - -"Best be careful," muttered one of the men. "Hardy has a gun." - -"Where did he get it?" - -"From the guard. They tied him up." - -"Lucky they didn't get away altogether. Wait till I talk to Malloy!" - -"He was tied fast to the bed when we came back up the stairs. They had -taken his gun and gagged him. He said they had just gone, so we made -after them and came up through the trapdoor. They were just getting out -of the shed when we saw 'em." - -"What a fine chase we would have had if they had got out into the -woods. Well, we have 'em trapped now." - -Whispers followed. The boys listened. Once they heard some one say: - -"The back stairs--" - -Frank turned to his father. - -"They're going to rush us by the back stairs!" - -"I hadn't thought of that," said Mr. Hardy. "I wonder if there is any -way of reaching the attic." - -Frank took the flashlight from his pocket and switched it on. Just a -few yards away he could distinguish a flight of stairs leading up to -a trapdoor in the ceiling. At the same time he could hear a stealthy -noise at the bottom of another flight of steps that led to the kitchen. - -"Hurry!" he whispered, and the three moved silently down the hall until -they reached the steps. - -Joe went up first and Frank followed with the light, while Fenton -Hardy stood at the bottom of the steps to cover their retreat with the -revolver. - -When Joe reached the trapdoor he pushed at it. At first it proved -stubborn and would not open. There was an anxious moment while he -strove to force it open but in spite of all his efforts it would not -budge. - -"What's the matter?" asked Frank from below. - -"It won't open." - -Frank went on up the few remaining steps and added his efforts to those -of his brother. Together they shoved at the trapdoor, and at last it -moved, then opened, falling back with a loud crash. - -There was a yell from the stairs. - -"Hurry up, men! They're getting into the attic." - -A rush of thudding footsteps followed as the smugglers raced up the -steps. Joe scrambled through the opening and Frank followed. Fenton -Hardy was only half way up the steps, however, when the first smugglers -reached the hallway. The detective fired directly at them. - -The smugglers who were in the lead fell back in a desperate attempt to -reach cover, and in so doing they collided with those behind. For a -few moments confusion prevailed, and Fenton Hardy took advantage of it -to spring up the few remaining steps, scramble through the opening and -fling the trapdoor back into place. - -The Hardys found themselves in the inky darkness of the attic. Frank -switched on the flashlight, and in its glare they saw that they were in -a dusty chamber immediately below the roof. Old boxes and rubbish lay -about. - -"Where did they go?" they heard one of the smugglers ask. - -"Into the attic," replied another. "Now we've got them where we want -them." - -"That's what you said last time." - -"They can't get out of there. We've got them cornered." - -Snackley's voice broke in. - -"Hardy!" he shouted. - -Mr. Hardy did not answer. - -"Listen, Hardy!" went on Snackley. "We'll give you one minute to come -down out of there." - -Still no answer. - -"The floors are thin, Hardy! We can fire right through 'em. You can't -get out. We have you cornered. Better come down." - -Frank flashed the light from side to side. It was evident that the -smuggler spoke the truth. They were indeed cornered. - -An interval of silence followed. Then came: - -"Your last chance, Hardy!" - -Frank flashed the light upon his father. Mr. Hardy was inspecting the -chamber of the revolver. He held out the weapon with a gesture of -despair. There were no more shells. - -A shot sounded from below and a bullet ripped its way savagely through -the flooring but a foot or so away from where the three sat. Another -bullet tore through the wood of the trapdoor. - -The Hardys sprang back and, making as little noise as possible, pressed -themselves against the sloping walls of the attic, keeping as far away -from the trapdoor as they could. - -A few more shots resounded. The bullets were unpleasantly close. - -Then Snackley spoke again. - -"What do you think of it now, Hardy? Are you and your boys ready to -come down?" - -They did not answer, for they knew that if they did their voices would -reveal where they were standing and might bring a bullet. When they did -not reply Snackley spoke to his men. - -"Let 'em have a few more!" - -An angry chorus of revolver shots followed. In the midst of the -uproar some of the smugglers secured a long pole and pushed against -the trapdoor with it. Before those above could avert the danger the -trapdoor was flung wide open. It fell back with a crash. - -A hand appeared through the trapdoor, holding a revolver, and then the -head and shoulders of one of the smugglers followed. He peered into the -darkness, holding the weapon in readiness. Some one had switched on a -light in the hall so that the man's figure could be clearly seen. - -"Come out of it!" he snapped, pointing the revolver directly at the -dim figure of Frank. "Come out of it, or I'll shoot!" - -Further resistance was useless. - -With sinking heart Frank advanced toward the edge of the opening in the -floor, while Joe and Fenton Hardy followed, with arms upraised. The -smuggler backed his way down the steps, still keeping them covered, -until he reached the bottom of the stairs. - -The Hardys descended, conscious of an array of leveled revolvers that -covered every movement. They saw Snackley standing in the forefront of -the crowd. They were captured again. - - - - - CHAPTER XXIII - - RESCUE - - -Snackley stepped forward. - -"So!" he sneered. "You pretty nearly got away with it, didn't you?" - -The captives did not answer. They were sick with disappointment. Just -when escape had been within their grasp the smugglers had outwitted -them. - -"You bit off a little more than you could chew when you stacked up -against me," bragged Snackley. - -"What'll we do with 'em, chief?" asked one of the man. - -"Take them back to the cave. We'll get them out to Li Chang right away. -If they get away again there'll be trouble for you. Keep an eye on -them." - -"Shouldn't we tie them up?" - -"There's no rope. It doesn't matter. Put a bullet through the first one -that makes a false move. You hear that?" he said, turning to Fenton -Hardy. "The first one that tries to escape gets a bullet through him." - -The three were surrounded by the smugglers. The light shone on their -evil, bearded faces and glittered on the drawn revolvers. Fenton -Hardy's useless weapon had been snatched from him. - -"Downstairs!" snapped Snackley. "Get downstairs with you." - -He prodded Frank with the barrel of his revolver as he spoke. The Hardy -boys moved toward the stairs, their father in the rear. One of the -smugglers went ahead in case the prisoners should by chance make some -desperate break for freedom. - -When they reached the lower room they paused while the man ahead lit a -match. The electric light had been broken. Hardly had the match flared -than there came the sound of thudding feet through the kitchen and the -back door banged noisily. - -Some one rushed into the room, gasping for breath. The light revealed -him to be another of the smugglers. - -"Police!" he exclaimed, in terror. "They're coming down the lane!" - -A babel of voices followed. The smugglers came tumbling down the stairs -in their haste. With one bound Snackley leaped forward and seized the -man by the collar. - -"What!" he exclaimed. "What's that you say? Police?" - -"Down the lane!" gasped the man. "They came down the road in a car and -they're closing in on the house. I saw them." - -With a yell, Snackley flung the man to one side. - -"Down into the cave!" he roared. "Quick!" - -Confusion prevailed. In the resulting uproar the match went out and the -room was plunged into darkness. - -Frank resolved on a daring move. He was standing directly beside one -of the smugglers, and as soon as the light went out he sprang at the -fellow, dashing the revolver from his grasp. It clattered on the floor. - -"Help!" roared the fellow, as they grappled together. - -Fenton Hardy had also been watching for his chance, and he sprang -through the darkness at Snackley. He collided heavily with the chief of -the smugglers and they rolled on the floor in a desperate struggle. - -It was impossible to distinguish friend from enemy in the darkness. -Joe plunged into the midst of the surging figures and his fist smashed -against the face of one of the smugglers, who gave a howl of pain. - -Then, outside the house, another uproar burst forth. - -Some one was banging on the front door. Men could be heard shouting to -one another. - -Snackley made a desperate effort and managed to get to his feet. -He struck out with both fists and managed to break free from the -detective. He whirled to one side, stumbled out into the kitchen, and -then reached the back door. He flung the door open. - -Almost instantly a dark figure appeared in the doorway. It was the -figure of a man in the uniform of a state trooper with drawn revolver -and Snackley shouted the warning to the smugglers in the other room. - -"The police!" he roared. "Every man for himself! Make your getaway!" - -The trooper shot through the doorway at him, but Snackley dodged to one -side. There was a rush of footsteps from the other room as the rest of -the smugglers raced out into the kitchen. The officers tried to hold -them back, but they were too many for him and he was hurled against the -wall. - -Utter confusion prevailed. The place was in absolute darkness and -out in the yard shots, shouts and hoarse imprecations mingled in an -indescribable uproar. - -One of the smugglers managed to reach the shed. He flung open the -trapdoor and descended the steps. Some of his companions followed, and -in the darkness and excitement their escape was unnoticed. - -Half a dozen police officers were in the yard. They had been attracted -to the house by the sound of the shots when the Hardys were pursued by -the smugglers, and they had planned to surround the place. They would -have succeeded in capturing the entire gang had it not been for the man -on guard outside. - -Back in the living room of the house Frank was still struggling with -his antagonist. The man was strong and heavy, a rough-and-tumble -fighter, and the boy soon found that he had his hands full. They -struggled desperately in the darkness, the smuggler frantic with the -fear of capture, Frank grimly resolved that the man should not get away. - -Fenton Hardy headed toward the door leading into the kitchen. Just then -a figure brushed by him. He made a grab for the man, but the fellow -evaded him and raced toward the other side of the room. - -The detective gave chase. The fugitive kicked open a door and ran -toward the front of the house. Mr. Hardy could follow him quite easily -by the sound of his footsteps. - -The fugitive scurried into a front room and banged the door behind -him. Mr. Hardy launched himself against the door, which had a lock -that snapped when the door shut. For a moment he was balked. Then he -stepped back a few paces and rushed at the door, plunging against it -with his shoulder. The woodwork splintered. Another rush, and the door -fell open. The detective reeled into the room. - -His fugitive had disappeared. - -But the room was faintly lighted, as there was a wide window, and in -the gloom the detective could see a dark patch in the floor. It was a -trapdoor leading evidently to the cellar. - -He went down through the opening, finding a flight of stairs which he -descended. He could hear footsteps receding through the darkness but he -made his way across the uneven floor of the cellar. - -The detective stopped and listened. He heard the hurrying footsteps as -the smuggler went on to the far end of the cellar. Then, to his great -surprise, he heard a voice. In the distance he saw a faint glow of -light. Then he saw that the cellar was divided into two parts and that -the fugitive had entered a small room. - -He crept closer. - -"What's happening?" he heard some one say in a weak voice. - -"Everything," snarled a voice which he recognized as that of Snackley. -The detective's heart leaped. "Everything is happening. The police are -here." - -"The police!" - -"Yes--the police--state troopers, federal officers and all. But don't -think you're going to have a chance of squealing on us. I'm going to -fix you, as I should have done a long while ago." - -The other voice rose, replete with terror. - -"No! No! You won't do that, Snackley! Let me live!" - -Fenton Hardy crept swiftly over to the door. He saw Snackley standing -by a small cot in a cell-like room. On the cot crouched a haggard man -whose hands were handcuffed behind him. His feet were shackled to one -leg of the iron cot. - -Snackley, with a grim look of cruelty on his face, was raising a heavy -club he had picked up. - -There was no time to lose. The detective sprang through the doorway. - -He plunged at Snackley just as the smuggler raised the club to strike. - -Snackley reeled against the wall, with Fenton Hardy at his throat. -Desperately, the smuggler tried to raise the weapon, but the detective -had seized his wrist. They swayed to and fro, stumbling about on the -muddy floor. Mr. Hardy had the advantage in that he had taken Snackley -by surprise. He pinned the smuggler against the wall, twisting his -wrist. The club fell to the floor. - -Snackley plunged forward and they lost their footing, rolling about -in the mud. Suddenly, Fenton Hardy wrenched his arm free, sprawled -over and managed to seize Snackley's revolver. He pressed it against -Snackley's side. - -The smuggler gave in. He flung his arms above his head. - -"I'm licked," he muttered sullenly. - -They got slowly to their feet, Fenton Hardy keeping a watchful eye on -the captive. Upstairs they could hear the uproar continuing as the -police still gave battle to the smugglers. - -"Upstairs!" snapped the detective curtly. Without taking his eyes off -Snackley he said to the man on the cot. - -"We'll come back for you later--Mr. Jones." - - - - - CHAPTER XXIV - - THE ROUND-UP - - -The Hardy boys, in the meantime, were in the thick of the struggle. - -Frank fought desperately with the smuggler he had assailed in the -living room of the house, while Joe raced across the yard toward the -trapdoor leading to the underground caves. He found that although three -of the smugglers had been captured by officers in the yard and that -as many more were fighting to escape, none of the police had as yet -learned of the trapdoor down which some of the men had disappeared. - -With a shout to a near-by officer who had just succeeded in clapping -the handcuffs on one of the smugglers, Joe made his way down the -stairs. He heard the officer running over to the edge of the trap and -saw the gleam of the flashlight. - -"Some of them got out this way!" Joe shouted back to the officer. - -The man called to one of his companions and then footsteps clattered -on the stairs as Joe went on. - -He reached the door that opened into the chamber where his father had -been a prisoner, but on entering the room he found it empty. There were -evidences of hasty flight and the door on the far side of the room was -wide open. - -"Secret passages, eh!" exclaimed one of the officers, as he came into -the room. He was a state trooper in uniform. - -Joe led the way out through the opposite door and down the stairs -that led toward the bottom of the cliff. The trooper who had spoken -illuminated the way with his flashlight and they clattered on down the -stairs until they reached the storage room. Here, everything was in -confusion. The escaping smugglers had evidently endeavored to take with -them what goods they could, probably the smaller packages containing -drugs, for boxes and parcels were overturned and strewn about the floor. - -"You seem to know this place pretty well," said one of the troopers, as -Joe led the way across to the opposite door and stepped out onto the -landing. - -"I've been here before--got in this way," he answered. "There's a water -cave below this passage. They've probably made their getaway in the -boat." - -They hastened down the passageway and came at last to the cave. As Joe -expected, the boat was gone. - -"They got away," he said, in disappointment, as the trooper turned the -flashlight on to the channel between the rocks. - -There was a shout from the darkness of the cove. - -"Give us a light!" they heard. - -Joe gave a shout of joy. It was Tony Prito's voice! - -Then Joe and the troopers with him heard the steady beat of a motorboat. - -Joe seized the flashlight and ran out along the path leading to the -entrance of the cave. - -The motorboat was not many yards away. Tony had been searching for the -channel. - -"Right this way!" Joe called out. "Head toward the right of the cave -and you'll be in deep water. A little further! Good!" - -As the motorboat drew nearer he saw that it was filled with men and -that a rowboat was being towed behind. - -"We got 'em," cried Tony exultantly. "They were just getting out of the -cove in the boat when we came up." - -"Who is with you?" asked Joe. - -"Police. The rest of them went up the shore road in a car." - -"We've caught the whole gang then. They raided the house and got the -rest of the smugglers. We thought these fellows had made a getaway." - -"No chance. Although it was mighty close. They pretty nearly slipped -out of the cove right under our noses." - -The boat came to a stop beside the natural wharf of rock. One or two of -the officers, revolvers in hand, clambered out. Three of the smugglers -had been captured while trying to escape from the cove in the rowboat. - -"If they'd got out we would never have caught them," said Joe. "They -were heading out toward a ship." - -"A ship!" exclaimed one of the officers, a burly man in plain clothes. -He stepped forward. "Did they say anything about a ship?" - -"A man named Li Chang has a ship lying in wait outside the bay," said -Joe. "I heard them talking about it." - -"Good!" exclaimed the burly man. "Now we'll capture the whole outfit." -He turned to Tony. "I suppose your boat is good for another little run." - -"I'll say it is, sir!" - -"I want as many officers as we can spare," said the burly man. "We'll -go out and find that ship. Li Chang, did you say?" he added, turning to -Joe. - -"That was the name." - -"I know his ship. We've been trying to catch that villain for years. -Darst, go on up and see how the rest of the men made out at the house -on the cliff and take as many officers as they can spare. There's a -passage up through the rocks, I take it?" - -"Regular staircase all the way, sir," remarked Darst, one of the -raiding officers. - -"Good! Don't lose any time." - -The three smugglers were taken out of the boat and handcuffed, then -escorted up the stairs, while the burly man, who was the chief of a -squad of federal agents undertaking a drive against the smugglers on -that part of the coast, remained with the motorboat. - -Within a short time Darst returned with three more officers. He -reported that a clean sweep had been made at the house. - -"They have 'em all handcuffed and sittin' in the kitchen," he said. -"Mr. Hardy got Snackley--" - -"Snackley?" exclaimed the federal man. "Is it _his_ gang?" - -"Yes, sir. He got Snackley in the cellar. One of his sons tackled -Redhead Blount, one of Snackley's sidekicks, and held him down until -the police came in. When we brought our three in, that finished the -round-up." - -"It does, so far. We're going out and grab Li Chang from that ship and -that'll clean everything up." - -The officers got into the motorboat and Joe clambered in beside Tony -Prito, who was at the wheel. The craft backed out of the channel into -the deeper water of the cove, then sped out into Barmet Bay. - -"Once we get out of the bay we should see her lights," said the federal -officer. "Li Chang probably has his ship anchored just off the coast." - -This proved to be the case. The lights of the vessel were soon descried -and the motorboat sped toward it through the night. - -When the boat drew alongside, the federal man roared out: - -"Ahoy, there!" - -A voice answered in Chinese. - -"Speak English!" roared the officer. "Throw over a ladder or we'll open -fire on you." - -"Who there?" - -"The police." - -Jabbering voices and running footsteps suddenly created a commotion. -One of the troopers fired his revolver into the air and very promptly a -ladder was lowered over the side of the vessel. - -"That's better!" said the federal man, as he clambered up over the -rail, revolver in hand. "I'll just talk to your skipper for a minute." - -The capture of Li Chang was without incident. When he was told that -Snackley and the gang were captured, the Chinaman, who was a small, -wizened little fellow with a villainous countenance, blandly submitted -to arrest and consented to be taken ashore. There were only two or -three members of the crew aboard, the others having shore leave; so two -of the federal men were left in charge of the ship until relief could -be sent from Bayport, and the motorboat made its way back to the cove. - -The round-up was complete. Snackley's smuggling gang had been -completely broken up. - - - - - CHAPTER XXV - - THE MYSTERY EXPLAINED - - -The Hardy boys were the heroes of Bayport when the news of the capture -of Snackley and his men spread throughout the city next day. As for -Tony Prito, he was the envy of all the chums of the two lads. - -"Tony had all the luck," bemoaned Chet Morton, as the boys were all -sitting in the barn back of the Hardy home next afternoon. This barn, -which had been fitted up as a gymnasium, was a meeting place for the -lads on occasions of importance. - -"We had to have a motorboat," said Frank. "Believe me, I was wishing -more than once that the whole crowd was along." - -"And you'll get the reward for capturing Snackley?" asked Phil Cohen. - -"Not all of it. Dad gets half. Joe and I split the rest." - -"You haven't any kick coming. What's going to happen to Snackley?" - -"He'll probably go to the electric chair," answered Frank soberly. - -"Why?" - -"He murdered Felix Polucca, the miser." - -"Murdered him?" - -"Yes. Dad found that out in his investigations. Dad suspected all along -that there was some connection between Snackley and the house on the -cliff, especially when he found that Snackley and Polucca had been -related. He went out to find out what he could, but the smugglers saw -him and captured him." - -"What about that fellow they had imprisoned in the cellar?" questioned -Biff Hooper. "Didn't you say Snackley was just going to kill him when -your father saved him?" - -"That was the young fellow we saved in the bay that day. The young chap -who told us his name was Jones. It wasn't his real name, at all. His -name is Yates and he was one of the smugglers." - -"Why was Snackley chasing him that day?" asked Perry Robinson. - -"It seems that Yates got angry because he didn't get his full share of -the money from the last smuggling trip, so he threatened to tell the -police on Snackley. The smugglers locked him up, but he got away in one -of the motorboats, so they chased him and ran him down. They thought -to have killed him in the explosion or else drown him, but Joe and I -managed to bring him ashore. We left him at the Kane farmhouse, but the -smugglers came along next day and kidnapped him. They kept him prisoner -in the cellar of the Polucca place after that." - -"I still can't understand about those yells and shrieks we heard the -first day we were out at the farmhouse," put in Phil Cohen. - -"That was just to frighten us away. One of the men in the gang is a -sort of half-wit and they had him posted there to frighten people off -by yelling and shrieking whenever any one showed up around the place. -He was the chap who stole our tools from the motorcycles," explained -Frank. - -"But after our visit there," added Joe, "they thought it was too -dangerous and that there might be an investigation, so they put Redhead -and his wife and one of their men there to pose as renters of the -place." - -"So there weren't any ghosts after all," exclaimed Jerry Gilroy. - -"Nary a ghost," laughed Frank, "Snackley explained everything this -morning in a confession. The whole gang is locked up, even to Li Chang. -Yates, the young fellow they had kept prisoner so long, told the whole -story first. He turned state's evidence and told how long the smuggling -had been going on, how Snackley had made use of the house on the cliff -after killing Polucca, how he fixed up the tunnels in the cliff--he -told everything. It seems that Polucca had the smuggling idea in the -first place and he spent years fixing up those caves and tunnels. When -everything was ready, he called in Snackley, but Snackley didn't like -to share with any one who had a right to a voice in the affair, so he -killed the old man, took his money, and brought the smuggling gang in -there." - -"Yates told all that?" - -"He told so much of it that Snackley saw there was no use bluffing any -longer, so he admitted the whole story." - -"Gosh!" sighed Chet. "Just my luck! I was there in time to get scared -to death by that half-wit, and there in time to get bawled out and -chased off the farm by Redhead and his wife, but I missed out on all -the fun at the last." - -"Not much fun about it," declared Joe. "It didn't seem funny to us when -the smugglers caught us in the cave just as we were getting dad free." - -"And it wasn't any fun hiding in that attic with the bullets coming -through the floor, nineteen to the dozen," added Frank. "I thought -every minute was going to be my last." - -"No, I guess it wasn't any too funny then," admitted Chet. "You -deserve every cent you get out of the reward." - -"We'll treat the whole gang to a feed as soon as we collect," Joe -promised. - -"Whee!" shouted Chet, turning a handspring. "Now you're talking!" - -The Hardy boys kept their word. Soon after they had received their -share of the reward, which was presented to them with many glowing -words and congratulations from the federal authorities who had long -been trying to put Snackley behind the bars, they gave a dinner in the -barn that eclipsed any similar "feed" in the history of Bayport. - -"I hope the Hardy boys solve a mystery every week," said Chet, as he -confronted his third dish of ice-cream. "And I hope they celebrate -every success the same way." - -The Hardy boys were not destined to solve a mystery every week, but -it was not long before they were plunged into a maze of events which -were fully as exciting as those which led to the finding of the tower -treasure and those that followed their first visit to the house on the -cliff. The story of their adventures will be told in the next volume of -this series, called, "The Hardy Boys: The Secret of the Old Mill." - -Tony Prito, conscious of the envying glances of the other lads because -he had participated in the eventful climax to the mystery of the house -on the cliff, scooped up the last of his ice-cream and said: - -"Once I wanted my father to buy an automobile and he bought a motorboat -instead. Now he wants to sell the boat and buy an automobile. Just let -him try it! That boat gave me more fun in one day than I'd ever had -since we came to the States." - - - THE END - - * * * * * - - MYSTERY STORIES FOR BOYS - - By FRANKLIN W. DIXON - - THE HARDY BOYS: THE TOWER TREASURE - THE HARDY BOYS: THE HOUSE ON THE CLIFF - THE HARDY BOYS: THE SECRET OF THE OLD MILL - - (Other Volumes in Preparation) - - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HOUSE ON THE CLIFF *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™ -concept and trademark. 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Dixon—A Project Gutenberg eBook - </title> - <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> - <style> - -body { - margin-left: 10%; - margin-right: 10%; -} - - h1,h2,h3 { - text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ - clear: both; -} - -p { - margin-top: .51em; - text-align: justify; - margin-bottom: .49em; -} - -hr { - width: 33%; - margin-top: 2em; - margin-bottom: 2em; - margin-left: 33.5%; - margin-right: 33.5%; - clear: both; -} - -hr.tb {width: 45%; margin-left: 27.5%; margin-right: 27.5%;} -hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} -@media print { hr.chap {display: none; visibility: hidden;} } -hr.full {width: 95%; margin-left: 2.5%; margin-right: 2.5%;} - -.blockquot { - margin-left: 5%; - margin-right: 10%; -} - -table { - margin-left: auto; - margin-right: auto; -} -table.autotable { border-collapse: collapse; } -table.autotable td, -table.autotable th { padding: 4px; } - -.tdl {text-align: left;} -.tdr {text-align: right;} -.tdc {text-align: center;} - -.smcap { font-variant:small-caps; } - -.center {text-align: center;} - -.caption {font-weight: bold;} - -x-ebookmaker-drop {display: none;} - -/* Images */ - -img { - max-width: 100%; - height: auto; -} -img.w100 {width: 100%;} - -.figcenter { - margin: auto; - text-align: center; - page-break-inside: avoid; - max-width: 100%; -} - -div.titlepage { - text-align: center; - page-break-before: always; - page-break-after: always; -} - -div.titlepage p { - text-align: center; - text-indent: 0em; - font-weight: bold; - line-height: 1.5; - margin-top: 3em; -} -.illowp47 {width: 47%;} -.x-ebookmaker .illowp47 {width: 100%;} - -.ph1 { text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; } -.ph1 { font-size: medium; margin: .83em auto; } - - </style> -</head> -<body> -<p style='text-align:center; font-size:1.2em; font-weight:bold'>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The house on the cliff, by Franklin W. Dixon</p> -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online -at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: The house on the cliff</p> -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Franklin W. Dixon</p> -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Illustrator: Walter S. Rogers</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: February 8, 2023 [eBook #69988]</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</p> - <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; text-align:left'>Produced by: Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net</p> -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HOUSE ON THE CLIFF ***</div> - -<div class="titlepage"> - -<div class="figcenter x-ebookmaker-drop"> - <img src="images/illusc.jpg" alt=""> -</div> - -<hr class="chap"> - -<h2>THE HARDY BOYS</h2> - -<h1>THE HOUSE -ON THE CLIFF</h1> - -<h2>By FRANKLIN W. DIXON</h2> - -<p><span class="smcap">Author of<br> -The Hardy Boys: The Tower Treasure<br> -The Hardy Boys: The Secret of the Old Mill</span></p> - -<p><i>ILLUSTRATED BY</i><br> -<span class="smcap">Walter S. Rogers</span></p> - -<p>NEW YORK<br> -GROSSET & DUNLAP<br> -PUBLISHERS</p> - -<p>Made in the United States of America</p> - -<p>GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK</p> - -<p>Copyright, 1927, by<br> -GROSSET & DUNLAP</p> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap"> - - -<div class="figcenter illowp47" id="frontis" style="max-width: 19.75em;"> - <img class="w100" src="images/frontis.jpg" alt=""> - <div class="caption">"WE'VE FOUND THE PASSAGE!" (Chapter XVII)</div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap"> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak">CONTENTS</h2> -</div> - -<table class="autotable"> -<tr><td class="tdr">I</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#CHAPTER_I"><span class="smcap">The Haunted House</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">II</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#CHAPTER_II"><span class="smcap">The Storm</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">III</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#CHAPTER_III"><span class="smcap">Empty Tool Boxes</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">IV</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV"><span class="smcap">The Chase in the Bay</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">V</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#CHAPTER_V"><span class="smcap">The Rescue</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">VI</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI"><span class="smcap">Snackley</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">VII</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII"><span class="smcap">Bound and Gagged</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">VIII</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII"><span class="smcap">The Stolen Witness</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">IX</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX"><span class="smcap">The Strange Message</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">X</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#CHAPTER_X"><span class="smcap">The Vain Search</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">XI</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI"><span class="smcap">The Cap on the Peg</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">XII</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII"><span class="smcap">Pointed Questions</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">XIII</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII"><span class="smcap">A Plan of Attack</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">XIV</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV"><span class="smcap">Private Property</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">XV</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#CHAPTER_XV"><span class="smcap">Smugglers</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">XVI</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI"><span class="smcap">The Secret Passage</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">XVII</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII"><span class="smcap">The Chamber in the Cliff</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">XVIII</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII"><span class="smcap">A Startling Discovery</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">XIX</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIX"><span class="smcap">Captured</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">XX</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#CHAPTER_XX"><span class="smcap">Dire Threats</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">XXI</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXI"><span class="smcap">Quick Work</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">XXII</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXII"><span class="smcap">Into the Haunted House</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">XXIII</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIII"><span class="smcap">Rescue</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">XXIV</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIV"><span class="smcap">The Round-Up</span></a></td></tr> -<tr><td class="tdr">XXV</td><td class="tdl"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXV"><span class="smcap">The Mystery Explained</span></a></td></tr> -</table> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak">THE HARDY BOYS:</h2> -</div> - -<H2>THE HOUSE ON THE CLIFF</H2> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I</h2> -</div> - -<h3><span class="smcap">The Haunted House</span></h3> - - -<p>Three powerful motorcycles sped along the shore road that leads from -the city of Bayport, skirting Barmet Bay, on the Atlantic coast. It was -a bright Saturday morning in June, and although the city sweltered in -the heat, cool breezes blew in from the bay.</p> - -<p>Two of the motorcycles carried an extra passenger. All the cyclists -were boys of about fifteen and sixteen years of age and all five were -students at the Bayport high school. They were enjoying their Saturday -holiday by this outing, glad of the chance to get away from the torrid -warmth of the city for a few hours.</p> - -<p>When the foremost motorcycle reached a place where the shore road -formed a junction with another highway leading to the north, the -rider brought his machine to a stop and waited for the others to -draw alongside. He was a tall, dark youth of sixteen, with a clever, -good-natured face. His name was Frank Hardy.</p> - -<p>"Where do we go from here?" he called out to the others.</p> - -<p>The two remaining motorcycles came to a stop and the drivers mopped -their brows while the two other boys dismounted, glad of the chance to -stretch their legs. One of the cyclists, a boy of fifteen, fair, with -light, curly hair, was Joe Hardy, a brother of Frank's, and the other -lad was Chet Morton, a chum of the Hardy boys. The other youths were -Jerry Gilroy and "Biff" Hooper, typical, healthy American lads of high -school age.</p> - -<p>"You're the leader," said Joe to his brother. "We'll follow you."</p> - -<p>"I'd rather have it settled. We've started out without any particular -place to go. There's not much fun just riding around the countryside."</p> - -<p>"I don't much care where we go, as long as we keep on going," said -Jerry. "We get a breeze as long as we're traveling, but the minute we -stop I begin to sweat."</p> - -<p>Chet Morton gazed along the shore road.</p> - -<p>"I'll tell you what we can do," he said suddenly. "Let's go and visit -the haunted house."</p> - -<p>"Polucca's place?"</p> - -<p>"Sure. We've never been out there."</p> - -<p>"I've passed it," Frank said. "But I didn't go very close to the place, -I'll tell you."</p> - -<p>Jerry Gilroy, who was a newcomer to Bayport, looked puzzled.</p> - -<p>"Where is Polucca's place?"</p> - -<p>"You can see it from here. Look," said Chet, taking him by the arm and -bringing him over to the side of the road. "See where the shore road -dips, away out near the end of Barmet Bay. Do you see that cliff?"</p> - -<p>"Yes. There's a stone house at the top."</p> - -<p>"Well, that's Polucca's place."</p> - -<p>"Who is Polucca?"</p> - -<p>"Who <i>was</i> Polucca, you mean," interjected Frank. "He used to live -there. But he was murdered."</p> - -<p>"And that's why the place is supposed to be haunted?"</p> - -<p>"Reason enough, isn't it?" said Biff Hooper. "I don't believe in -ghosts, but I'll tell the world there are some funny stories going -around about that house ever since Polucca was killed."</p> - -<p>"He must have been a strange fellow, anyway," commented Jerry, "to -build a house in such a place as that."</p> - -<p>Indeed, the Polucca place had been built on an unusual site. High above -the waters of the bay it stood, built close to the edge of a rocky and -inhospitable cliff. It was some distance back from the road, and there -was no other house within miles. The boys had traveled a little more -than three miles since leaving Bayport, and the Polucca place was at -least five miles away. It could hardly have been seen, had it not been -for its prominent position on top of the cliff, silhouetted clearly -against the sky.</p> - -<p>"He <i>was</i> a strange fellow," Frank observed. "No one knew very -much about him. He didn't welcome visitors. In fact, he always kept a -couple of vicious dogs around the place, so nobody cared to hang around -there if they weren't invited."</p> - -<p>"He was a miser," came from Joe Hardy.</p> - -<p>"He may have been. At least that was the theory. Everybody said Polucca -had a lot of money, but after his death there wasn't a nickel found in -the house."</p> - -<p>"Felix Polucca always said he wouldn't trust the banks," put in Biff -Hooper. "But if he had any money I don't know where he made it, for he -didn't work at anything and he mighty seldom came into the city."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps he inherited it," Jerry suggested.</p> - -<p>"Maybe. He must have had money at some time, to build that house. It's -a great, rambling stone place that must have cost thousands."</p> - -<p>"Is anybody living there now?"</p> - -<p>The others shook their heads. "No one has lived there since the murder -and I don't think any one ever will," said Frank Hardy. "The house is -too far out of the way, for one thing, and then—the stories that have -been going around—"</p> - -<p>"Well, I won't say I believe any place is haunted, but the Polucca -place is certainly strange. There have been queer lights seen there -at night. On stormy nights, particularly. And once a motorist had a -breakdown near there, so he went up to the house for help. He didn't -know anything about the history of the place. He got the scare of his -life!"</p> - -<p>"What happened?"</p> - -<p>"He decided when he went into the front yard that the place was -deserted, and he was just going to turn away when he saw an old man -standing at one of the upper windows, looking at him. He called out, -and the old man went away, and although the motorist hunted all through -the house he didn't find any trace of the old chap. So he left that -place as quickly as he could."</p> - -<p>"I don't blame him," remarked Jerry. "But the house sounds interesting. -I'm game to visit it."</p> - -<p>"So am I!" declared the others.</p> - -<p>"Lead on!" laughed Chet. "It'll be a brave ghost that will tackle the -whole five of us."</p> - -<p>Jerry clambered on behind Chet, and Biff mounted Joe's motorcycle. The -machines roared, and the little cavalcade started on its way down the -shore road toward the house on the cliff.</p> - -<p>Instead of being an aimless trip, the outing had now assumed all the -aspects of an adventure. With the exception of Jerry, the boys had all -passed by the Polucca place at one time or another, but none had ever -ventured off the main road to explore the deserted place.</p> - -<p>The lane leading into the Polucca grounds, never kept in good repair -even during the owner's lifetime, was now almost indiscernible and was -overgrown with weeds and bushes. The house itself was hidden from the -roadway by trees. Most people gave the place a wide berth, whether -they believed in ghosts or not, for the stories that had been told -of the rambling stone building since the murder of Felix Polucca two -years before were sufficient to indicate that there had been strange -happenings in the old house. Whether or not they were of supernatural -origin was a matter of debate.</p> - -<p>The murder of Felix Polucca had been particularly brutal. He was an -old Italian, suspected, as Frank said, of being a miser. He was very -eccentric in his ways and most people considered that he was not quite -sound mentally.</p> - -<p>Be that as it may, Bayport was shocked one morning to learn that the -old man had been found dead in the kitchen of his house, his body -riddled with bullets. The motive, apparently, was robbery, for although -it was popularly believed that the old man possessed a great deal of -money that he kept with him in the house, it was never found, in spite -of the most diligent search.</p> - -<p>This was the gloomy history of the place the Hardy boys and their -chums were now about to visit and explore. To add to the atmosphere of -excitement that had possessed them from the moment the old house was -mentioned, as they drew closer to the cliff, the sun retired behind a -cloud and the sky gradually became darker.</p> - -<p>Frank glanced up. Although the sky had been bright and clear when the -party left Bayport, clouds had gathered in the east and it was plain -that a storm was gathering.</p> - -<p>"Looks as if we'll have to go into the Polucca place whether we want to -or not," he called out to the others. "It's going to rain."</p> - -<p>In a little while they came to the lane that led to the haunted house. -In spite of the fact that it was overgrown with weeds and bushes, the -boys were able to drive down the faintly defined roadway until at last -a rusty iron gate barred their progress.</p> - -<p>Frank, who was in the lead, got off his machine and kicked the gate -open, the rusty chains clanking dismally as they fell from the staples. -Then the party went on into the grounds.</p> - -<p>Under the lowering sky that heralded the approaching storm, the grounds -of the Polucca place were far from inviting. Dank, tall grass grew -beneath the unkempt trees, and thistles and weeds sprouted up in the -very center of the roadway. A rising wind stirred among the branches of -the trees and the waving grasses rustled mournfully.</p> - -<p>"Creepy sort of a place," muttered Jerry.</p> - -<p>"Wait till you see the house," Chet advised.</p> - -<p>Not one of them could restrain a slight shiver of apprehension when at -last they came in view of the old stone building. It was framed in a -mass of trees, bushes, and weeds that threatened to engulf it from all -sides. Weeds obscured the front door. Bushes grew up level with the -sills of the vacant downstairs windows. Trees on either side and beyond -the house extended trailing branches down over the roof. A shutter hung -by one hinge from an upstairs window, and banged with every passing -gust of wind.</p> - -<p>A deathlike silence hung over the old building. Under the black clouds -that now filled the entire sky it was imbued with an atmosphere of -gloom and terror.</p> - -<p>"Come on!" said Frank. "Now that we're here we may as well go through -the place."</p> - -<p>"Haven't seen any ghosts yet," laughed Chet, with an effort at being -light-hearted. But in spite of himself, his tone seemed forced.</p> - -<p>They left the motorcycles beneath a tree and advanced toward the old -stone building. The front door was almost off its hinges, and it swung -creakingly open at Frank's touch.</p> - -<p>Frank stepped boldly into the hallway. The interior of the house was -veiled in gloom, for the rear windows were boarded up, but the lads -could see that everything was deep in dust. A staircase was before -them, leading to the upper stories of the building. To the left, was a -closed door.</p> - -<p>"This must be the parlor," said Frank, as he flung the door open.</p> - -<p>The room was empty. A stone fireplace was at one side, and as the boys -came into the room a rat scuttled out of the fireplace and raced across -the floor, disappearing through a hole in the wall. The sound made -every one jump, for the boys' nerves were at a tension on account of -the forbidding atmosphere.</p> - -<p>"Just a rat!" said Frank.</p> - -<p>His voice had the effect of calming the others.</p> - -<p>They stood hesitantly in the middle of the deserted parlor. Joe went -over to the window and looked out, but the view from the front window -of the Polucca place was so lonely and gruesome, in its aspect of -tangled trees and weeds and undergrowth under the lowering darkness of -the sky, that he came back.</p> - -<p>"Where shall we go next?" said Chet.</p> - -<p>"Nothing much to see around here," said Frank, disappointed. "It's -just an ordinary, dirty, old, deserted house. Let's explore upstairs, -anyway—"</p> - -<p>At that moment there was a startling interruption.</p> - -<p>A weird shriek, quavering as if with terror, rang out from the upper -part of the haunted house!</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II</h2> -</div> - -<h3><span class="smcap">The Storm</span></h3> - - -<p>That shriek was the most fearful and uncanny sound the boys had ever -heard. There was a diabolical malignance about it, like the scream of -some blood-thirsty animal, yet there was no mistaking the fact that it -was uttered by a human being.</p> - -<p>As the quavering notes died away, the bare walls of the old house flung -back the echoes so that the shriek seemed to be repeated again and -again, but on a smaller scale.</p> - -<p>The boys stared at one another, aghast. For a moment they were -dumbfounded. Then Jerry muttered:</p> - -<p>"I'm getting out of here!" and with that, he started for the door.</p> - -<p>"Me too!" declared Biff Hooper, and Chet Morton followed him as he -rushed for the doorway.</p> - -<p>"What's the big idea?" asked Frank, standing his ground. "Let's stay -and find what this is all about."</p> - -<p>Joe, seeing his brother remain where he was, made no move to follow the -others, although it was plain that the weird shriek had unnerved him.</p> - -<p>"You can stay," flung back Jerry. "I'm not. This place is haunted, and -I don't mean maybe!"</p> - -<p>The three boys hastened through the doorway out into the hall and lost -no time in regaining the front yard. Frank and Joe Hardy listened to -their retreating footsteps. Frank shrugged his shoulders.</p> - -<p>"I guess it gave them a pretty bad scare," he said to his brother. "We -may as well go with them."</p> - -<p>"I guess so," replied Joe, greatly relieved. They were alone in the -gloomy and deserted old house, and as they stepped into the hallway Joe -cast a cautious glance up the stairway. But there was nothing to be -seen. The upper floor was veiled in shadow. The house was in silence -that seemed even heavier than before.</p> - -<p>When the two Hardy boys got outside they found the others waiting for -them in the shelter of some trees about a hundred yards from the house. -The three were discussing the strange occurrence in excited tones, and -when the Hardy boys came up to them Jerry said:</p> - -<p>"I don't have to be convinced any further. The place is haunted, sure. -No other way to explain it."</p> - -<p>"There's not much sense in running away from a sound," remarked Frank -lightly. "If we had seen something, it might be different. I don't -believe in ghosts and I'd like to get to the bottom of this. It's -foolish to run away. Let's go back."</p> - -<p>Chet Morton and Biff Hooper looked a trifle ashamed of themselves -because of their precipitous flight from the house while the Hardy boys -had remained.</p> - -<p>"I got the scare of my life," Chet confessed. "Just the same, I'm game -to go back if you want to."</p> - -<p>"How about you, Biff?"</p> - -<p>Biff Hooper scratched his head reflectively. "I'm none too anxious to -go back in there again," he admitted. "Not that I'm scared, of course!" -he added hastily. "But I don't see where we'd learn anything, anyway."</p> - -<p>"Well, Joe and I are going back. That's settled," declared Frank. "We -want to get to the bottom of this mystery."</p> - -<p>"Mysteries are your meat!" observed Biff. "Well, when you come to think -of it, this is a good chance for a little detective work."</p> - -<p>He alluded to the fact that the Hardy boys were amateur detectives of -some renown in Bayport. They came by their gift naturally, for their -father, Fenton Hardy, had been for years on the detective staff of the -New York police. Of late years he had been living in Bayport conducting -a private detective service of his own with great success. He was known -from one end of the country to the other as an exceptionally brilliant -investigator.</p> - -<p>Frank and Joe Hardy, his sons, were ambitious to follow in their -father's footsteps, although their mother wished them to prepare -themselves for medicine and the law respectively. But the lure of -Fenton Hardy's calling was persistent, and the two boys were bent on -proving to their parents that they were capable of becoming first-class -detectives.</p> - -<p>They had given proof of this already by helping their father in a small -way on a number of cases, but their first big success had been achieved -when they solved the mystery of a jewel and bond robbery from Tower -Mansion in Bayport. The story of this has been related in the first and -preceding volume of this series, "The Hardy Boys: The Tower Treasure," -wherein was recounted how the Hardy boys solved the mystery of the -robbery when the Bayport police and even Fenton Hardy himself were -baffled.</p> - -<p>"I'd rather tackle a good mystery than eat," laughed Frank. "And here -is one right to hand. Let's go back."</p> - -<p>Biff Hooper did not care to seem guilty of cowardice by staying behind -while his companions returned to the house, and he was on the point of -a reluctant consent when the matter was suddenly solved for them all by -a downpour of rain.</p> - -<p>Storm clouds had been gathering in the sky for the past hour and there -had been dull rumblings of thunder. Now an uneasy wind stirred the -branches of the trees and rustled dismally among the undergrowth. -There was a spatter of raindrops, and then the storm broke in abrupt -violence. Rain poured down in sheets.</p> - -<p>"The motorcycles!" cried Frank.</p> - -<p>Turning up their coat collars, the boys ran through the thick grass -until they reached the place where their machines had been parked.</p> - -<p>"I saw an old shed near the house," called out Joe. "We can put the -bikes under cover."</p> - -<p>There was an abandoned wagon shed near the rear of the house, and -toward this refuge the lads trundled the heavy motorcycles. Although -the shed was almost falling to pieces, the roof was still in fairly -good condition and the machines were safe from the downpour.</p> - -<p>"Come on," said Frank, when the motorcyles had been placed under cover. -"Let's go back into the house."</p> - -<p>He led the way, running across the open space from the shed, through -the driving rain, and Joe followed. The others, after a moment of -hesitation, came after them.</p> - -<p>The back door of the house was open and the lads ran up the steps into -the shelter of the building. They were in a room that had evidently -been used as a kitchen, and although rain came in slanting streaks -through the open windows, the glass of which had long since been -shattered, they were at least sheltered from the downpour that had -assumed redoubled violence. The rain drummed on the roof of the old -house and poured from black skies on the near-by wagon shed. Thunder -rolled and rumbled threateningly, and every once in a while a sheet of -lightning tore a band of lurid light across the gloom.</p> - -<p>Chet took off his cap, which was drenched, and tried to dry it out. The -others stood by the window, looking out at the terrific downpour.</p> - -<p>Then came the second shriek!</p> - -<p>It rang out suddenly, at a time when none of the lads was talking and -it was a replica of the first—a quavering, long drawn out yell, that -seemed to freeze the blood in their veins.</p> - -<p>No sooner had it died away than there came a terrific clap of thunder, -and then the rain seemed to beat down on the roof of the old house in a -frenzy.</p> - -<p>In the gloomy, dusty kitchen, the boys stared at one another.</p> - -<p>Frank broke the silence.</p> - -<p>"I'm going to find out about this!" he declared firmly, striding over -to the door that led to the interior of the house.</p> - -<p>"Me too," said Joe.</p> - -<p>Taking heart by the Hardy boys' example, the others crowded at their -heels.</p> - -<p>Frank flung open the door and strode into the room beyond. It was a -very gloomy chamber, for the one window was boarded up, but when their -eyes became accustomed to the meager light the boys saw that a door on -the far side of the room led into a hallway. It was evidently not the -hallway that they had already been in at the front of the house, but -presumably one that led to a side door.</p> - -<p>"Nothing here," said Frank, "I'd like to find those stairs. That yell -came from the upper part of the house."</p> - -<p>The boys made their way across the room. Outside they could hear the -sweep of the rain and the steady rumblings of the thunder, for the -storm was now at its height. Through the chinks of the boards over the -window they could occasionally see the lurid glare of lightning.</p> - -<p>Suddenly there was a blast of wind that seemed to shake the entire -house. A sharp, violent noise immediately behind them made every boy -jump with surprise.</p> - -<p>They wheeled about.</p> - -<p>The door behind them had been blown shut. Biff Hooper, who was nearest, -grasped the knob and tried to open it. He wrenched and tugged at the -door, but it remained obstinate.</p> - -<p>"We're locked in!" he muttered.</p> - -<p>"We can get out, all right," said Frank. "There must be a door in this -side hall."</p> - -<p>He walked across the room and entered the hallway.</p> - -<p>At the same instant a maniacal howl rang through the old house. The -hollow echoes magnified its volume.</p> - -<p>A flash of lightning illuminated the startled faces of the five boys. -With one accord they rushed into the hallway. It was a narrow place, -heavy with dust, and their feet thudded heavily on the mouldy flooring.</p> - -<p>Crash!</p> - -<p>At the far end of the hall they had a glimpse of falling plaster that -fell in a great heap to the floor. A dense cloud of dust arose and -filled the narrow chamber.</p> - -<p>"Run for your lives!" yelled Frank.</p> - -<p>But no sooner were the words out of his mouth than there came a -ripping, crackling sound from overhead. Immediately above them, a large -part of the ceiling, disturbed no doubt by the vibrations of their -feet as they ran into the hall, had given way. A wide crack that showed -in the plaster quickly became wider, and then, with a terrific roar, -half the hall ceiling came tumbling down upon the lads.</p> - -<p>They were buried in dust and lathes and plaster that came upon them in -such an avalanche that they were thrown to the floor. The splintering -of wood and ominous crackling that followed, indicated that more of -the ceiling was about to go, and then came a roar even louder than the -first, as another avalanche of débris rolled down upon them.</p> - -<p>Was the Polucca house falling in?</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III</h2> -</div> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Empty Tool Boxes</span></h3> - - -<p>When he was knocked off his feet by the impact of falling débris, Frank -Hardy crouched down, protecting his head as well as possible, until the -downfall was over. Although a great deal of rubbish descended, it was -not heavy material and when at last the rain of plaster and splintered -lathes had ceased Frank knew that he was uninjured, although he was -almost buried in the heap and half smothered by the thick dust that -rose all about him.</p> - -<p>He managed to get to his feet, fighting his way clear of the rubbish, -and the first sight that met his eyes was an arm, sticking out of the -débris near by. He seized the outstretched hand and dragged the owner -to safety, discovering that it was his brother Joe.</p> - -<p>By this time the others were beginning to extricate themselves, and -within a few minutes all five boys, covered with dust from head to -foot, had scrambled out to the clear floor in the middle of the hall. -No one was injured, although Joe and Jerry complained of bruises about -the head and shoulders.</p> - -<p>"Let's get out of here!" exclaimed Chet, as soon as he could get his -breath. "I'm not going to fool around this house any longer." He looked -about him for some means of escape.</p> - -<p>"I don't think it's very healthy myself," Frank agreed. He saw a door -at the side of the hall and, going over, tried to open it.</p> - -<p>But the door was locked fast, and although he kicked at it and shoved -against the panels with all his strength he was unable to budge it.</p> - -<p>"There's a window," declared Joe. "Let's break our way out."</p> - -<p>The window was boarded over, but the glass was already shattered, so -Chet and Jerry, picking up rocks that had tumbled down in the débris -from the walls and ceiling, pounded at the boards.</p> - -<p>"We'd better keep moving," advised Biff Hooper. "Perhaps the rest of -the place will start caving in on us."</p> - -<p>There was a splintering sound as one of the boards fell loose, -revealing the rain-soaked trees and bushes outside. Another onslaught -with the rocks and another board fell away, leaving a space sufficient -to admit of the passage of a human body.</p> - -<p>"Gee, that looks good to me!"</p> - -<p>"Let's get out of here quick!"</p> - -<p>"That suits me!"</p> - -<p>"Don't lose any time—this whole building may be coming down!"</p> - -<p>As the last words were uttered the boys heard another crash behind -them. It was so close that it made all of them jump.</p> - -<p>"Hurry up, everybody!" yelled Biff Hooper.</p> - -<p>"Can't get out any too fast for me," returned Jerry.</p> - -<p>"You said it!" muttered Chet.</p> - -<p>One by one the boys scrambled up on the window sill and squeezed their -way out between the boards until at last all were standing outside the -old house. The storm was still raging. Rain poured down in a drenching -torrent.</p> - -<p>"Now let's get as far away from this place as we can travel!" said -Jerry. "Somebody is going to get killed if we stick around here much -longer."</p> - -<p>He was pale with fright and it was plain that the strange experiences -of the past hour had completely unnerved him.</p> - -<p>"That's the way I feel about it," agreed Biff Hooper. "I'm not a bit -comfortable around here. Let's beat it."</p> - -<p>"I'd like to find out what is wrong with the place," persisted Frank -doggedly.</p> - -<p>"You couldn't drag me back in there with a team of horses," objected -Chet. "Let's clear out. I've had enough of it."</p> - -<p>"Come on," urged Jerry. "There's no use going back. The whole place -will cave in on us if we aren't careful. And, anyway, there's something -fishy about the house."</p> - -<p>Frank saw that the others were determined on leaving, in spite of the -pouring rain, so, reluctantly, he gave in, and the five boys hastened -around the side of the house over to the shed where they had left the -motorcycles.</p> - -<p>"We can at least stay in the shed until the rain goes over," he said.</p> - -<p>"Not on your life," declared Chet Morton. "I'm going to put as much -distance between little me and that haunted house as I can. That place -gets on my nerves."</p> - -<p>And with that he began tinkering with the machine, preparatory to -starting it.</p> - -<p>Frank and Joe decided that no good would be served by arguing the -matter, so they prepared to leave with the others, although they -privately resolved to return to the Polucca place at the earliest -opportunity, to investigate the mystery of the house on the cliff more -thoroughly.</p> - -<p>Jerry and Biff Hooper took their places, and in a few minutes the three -motorcycles drove slowly out of the shed and across the yard toward the -lane.</p> - -<p>It was then that they heard the laugh!</p> - -<p>From the haunted house came a harsh, mocking laugh that rang out in -peals of derisive merriment. It continued for several seconds, and -could be heard quite plainly even above the noise of the engines and -the drumming of the rain on the roof.</p> - -<p>Then it stopped, abruptly.</p> - -<p>The boys looked at one another.</p> - -<p>"Did you hear some one laugh?" asked Frank, unable to believe his ears.</p> - -<p>"You bet I did!" exclaimed Chet. "And that <i>does</i> settle it. I'm -leaving here right away."</p> - -<p>"That was the most nerve-racking laugh I ever heard in my life," -declared Jerry. "Let's get out of here, quick."</p> - -<p>"Somebody's playing a joke on us!" Frank said angrily. "I'm going back."</p> - -<p>"Joke, nothing! That place is haunted. Come on."</p> - -<p>And with a roar, Chet's motorcycle leaped forward as he headed down -the lane toward the main road. Joe, after looking behind and motioning -to his brother to stay with the party, followed him. Soon the three -motorcycles were speeding down the lane.</p> - -<p>And from the haunted house came peal after peal of that same demoniacal -laughter, as though mocking their flight. Then, as they rode on -through the streaming rain and the haunted house was lost to sight -among the wet and sodden trees, the laughter died away.</p> - -<p>When they reached the main road the boys turned their motorcycles in -the direction of Bayport and for more than five minutes the machines -rocked and swerved as they sped along through the muddy ruts. The boys -were soaked to the skin and water dripped from the peaks of their caps -into their eyes. The rain poured down with redoubled violence and the -others could scarcely see Chet's machine through the misty downpour. -Chet was making such good time back to Bayport that they found it -difficult to keep up with him.</p> - -<p>Frank Hardy was still dissatisfied. He had really wanted to remain -behind and probe the mystery of the house on the cliff further. He held -no stock in the ghost theory. The shrieks and the mocking laugh, he was -sure, were of human origin. But what could have been the motive? It may -have been that some boys had been in the house when they arrived and -had simply seized the opportunity to play a joke on them.</p> - -<p>"In that case," he muttered to himself, "the story will be all over the -Bayport high school by Monday and we'll be kidded within an inch of our -lives for running away. We should have stayed behind."</p> - -<p>Something told him, however, that this was no ordinary schoolboy prank. -The incident of the fallen ceiling had unnerved him slightly. It was -only by good luck that none of them had been seriously hurt. Of course, -it may have been entirely accidental, but it seemed to have happened at -a strangely opportune time. Then the recollection of the shrieks and -the mocking laugh came back to him again and he shivered as he recalled -the maniacal intensity of the tones.</p> - -<p>"If it was any fellow like ourselves he was a mighty good actor," Frank -said to himself. "I've heard of a person's blood running cold, but I -never knew what it meant until I heard those yells."</p> - -<p>Suddenly his motorcycle began, as he termed it, "acting up." It -coughed, lurched, back-fired explosively, and then the engine died.</p> - -<p>"What a fine time for a breakdown," Frank said, as he dismounted.</p> - -<p>Joe drew up alongside. "What's the matter?" he called.</p> - -<p>"Engine broke down."</p> - -<p>"Gosh, aren't you lucky!" exclaimed Joe, grinning. "There's a shed over -at the side of the road. Bring it over under cover."</p> - -<p>He pointed to a tumble-down shed near by. Frank realized that it might -take some time to discover the trouble, so he trundled the motorcycle -over to the refuge his brother had indicated. In the meantime, Chet -Morton had looked back, to find that the others were not following -him, and had decided to return. The roar of his machine could be heard -through the rain as he rode back toward them.</p> - -<p>In the shelter of the shed, Frank first of all took off his coat and -cap, which were dripping wet, and hung them up on a projecting board. -Then, as Joe and Jerry stood by, glad of the chance to get in out of -the rain, he rolled up his sleeves and prepared to find the source of -the trouble.</p> - -<p>They could hear Chet calling for them, as he drove along the road in -the rain.</p> - -<p>"Thinks we're lost," laughed Joe. He went over to the front of the -shed and hailed their companion. "Come on up here!" he shouted. "Had a -breakdown."</p> - -<p>Grumbling audibly, Chet dismounted and came over toward the shed.</p> - -<p>In the meantime, Frank had opened the tool box of his motorcycle.</p> - -<p>The others were startled by a sudden exclamation. Frank was staring at -the tool box, with a bewildered expression on his face.</p> - -<p>"My tools!" he exclaimed. "They're gone!"</p> - -<p>The other boys crowded around. The tool box was empty.</p> - -<p>"Did you have them when you left Bayport?" asked Joe.</p> - -<p>"Of course I did. I never go anywhere without them. Who on earth could -have taken them?"</p> - -<p>"You can have mine," offered Joe, going over to his own motorcycle. -He snapped open the tool box on his machine and then gave a shout of -astonishment.</p> - -<p>"Mine are gone too!"</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV</h2> -</div> - -<h3><span class="smcap">The Chase in the Bay</span></h3> - - -<p>The boys stared at one another in bewilderment.</p> - -<p>"I know my tool box was full when I left home," said Frank.</p> - -<p>"And so was mine," came from Joe. "I was using the pliers just before -we started out."</p> - -<p>"Where could they have gone?"</p> - -<p>"They must have been stolen while the motorcycles were in the shed at -the Polucca place," Chet suggested.</p> - -<p>"It's the only time they could have been taken," declared Frank. "It -was the only time they were left unguarded."</p> - -<p>Joe was frankly puzzled.</p> - -<p>"But we didn't see any one around the place," said Jerry.</p> - -<p>"No—but there was some one there. We heard those shrieks and the -laugh. Some one stole those tools while we were in the house."</p> - -<p>"It's some kind of a practical joke, that's what I'm beginning to -think," declared Frank. "Let's go back and get those tools."</p> - -<p>"Not on your life," objected Jerry decisively. "This is a little too -much. First of all we hear those shrieks, and then the house almost -comes down around our ears, and now we find that the tools have been -stolen by somebody we didn't see. We're safer away from there."</p> - -<p>Biff Hooper nodded agreement.</p> - -<p>"That's what I think. There's something queer about that house. We'll -get into trouble if we go butting in any more."</p> - -<p>"But we want our tools!"</p> - -<p>"Good night!" Chet exclaimed. "Perhaps mine are gone too." He ran out -of the shed over to the road and hastily examined the tool box on his -machine. Then he straightened up with an audible sigh of relief.</p> - -<p>"Thank goodness, they're here! Guess whoever took the others figured he -had enough."</p> - -<p>"I'm going back!" declared Frank.</p> - -<p>"If you do, you'll have to excuse me," Chet said. "You're welcome to -use my tools to fix up your machine, but I won't go back with you."</p> - -<p>"Me neither," chimed in Jerry and Biff simultaneously.</p> - -<p>Frank and Joe were silent. They wanted to go back to the Polucca place -and investigate the matter further, but they did not want to break up -the party, so they decided it would be better policy to remain with -their companions.</p> - -<p>"All right," Frank said. "Lend me a pair of pliers and I'll have this -trouble fixed up in no time."</p> - -<p>He went over to Chet's motorcycle and got the desired tools. Then he -began to tinker with his machine. It was only a minor defect, and a few -minutes' work sufficed to repair the damage. In the meantime it was -apparent that the rain was letting up, and by the time the Hardy boys -took their motorcycles out of the shed and regained the road, it had -died away to a mere drizzle.</p> - -<p>"This has been some holiday!" Chet muttered, as he mounted his machine -again. "I'm going home. Jerry, you and Biff had better come up to our -place for dinner. How about you and Joe, Frank?"</p> - -<p>"Thanks just the same, but we couldn't. We promised to be back home -this afternoon."</p> - -<p>"There's a side road that turns off here that makes a nice short-cut to our -farm. I guess I'll go that way. There should be room for three on this -bike, with a little crowding."</p> - -<p>Jerry and Biff Hooper clambered on the motorcycle with Chet Morton -and started off. The Hardy boys followed on their own machines until -they reached the side road, about a hundred yards away. There the -others left them, after shouting good-bye. Frank and Joe watched Chet's -motorcycle, heavily loaded, disappear into the mists that hovered over -the road, and then they prepared to continue their journey back to -Bayport.</p> - -<p>The shore road dipped at that point and wound down along the edge -of the bay in a deep spiral, which brought them at one point almost -back to the cliff at the top of which the Polucca place was located, -although by now they were nearer the water's edge. From there the road -sloped directly down to the shore, then ran along the edge of the bay -and in toward the city.</p> - -<p>Frank looked up toward the top of the cliff that loomed high above -them. They could not see the Polucca place from where they were, as it -was on the high ground and almost masked by trees, but the mystery of -the place still preyed on their minds.</p> - -<p>"I'd like to go back there yet," said Frank suddenly. "That affair of -the tools has me guessing."</p> - -<p>"Me too. But I think we'd better go on home. We can come back some -other time and look for them."</p> - -<p>"One minute I think it was only a practical joke of some kind. And -the next minute I think it's something a whole lot deeper than that. -There's something strange going on up there."</p> - -<p>"There were sure a lot of strange things going on when we struck the -place—that's certain. I can hear those shrieks yet."</p> - -<p>"Well, I guess you're right, Joe. We may as well go on home. But I'd -like to get to the bottom of it."</p> - -<p>"Whoever stole those tools made quick work of it. We weren't in the -house very long."</p> - -<p>"It proves that it wasn't a ghost, anyway."</p> - -<p>"I never did believe in the ghost theory. No, some human being took -those tools. And he was watching us, too. He saw us put the bikes in -the shed and he took the tools while we were in the house."</p> - -<p>"Unless they were taken after we left the bikes under the trees in the -first place."</p> - -<p>"He wouldn't have had time. We only stepped into the front room and -then we all came out after that first shriek. No, the tools were taken -when the bikes were in the shed."</p> - -<p>The boys rode on. The rain had ceased now, but the road was greasy and -they had to call on all their skill to keep from skidding as they drove -down the steep road toward the bay, so they did not talk again until -they reached the more level highway at the shore.</p> - -<p>A sound out in the bay attracted Frank's attention and he looked out -over the rolling sweep of waters. He could see a powerful motorboat -plunging through the waves about a quarter of a mile out. It was just -coming into view around the base of the cliff, and as Frank looked he -saw the nose of still another boat emerging into sight. Each craft was -traveling at high speed.</p> - -<p>"Looks like a race!" remarked Joe.</p> - -<p>The Hardy boys stopped their motorcycles and watched the two boats. But -it was soon apparent that this was no friendly speed contest. The boat -in the lead was zigzagging in a peculiar manner, and the pursuing craft -was rapidly overhauling it. The staccato roar of the powerful boats was -borne to the lads' ears by the wind.</p> - -<p>"See! The other boat is chasing it!" Frank exclaimed. He had caught -sight of the figures of two men standing in the bow of the pursuing -craft. They were waving their arms frantically.</p> - -<p>The first boat turned as though it were about to head inshore at the -cliff and then, apparently, the helmsman changed his mind, for at once -the nose of the boat pointed out into the open bay again. But the -moment of hesitation had given the pursuers the chance they wanted, and -swiftly the gap between the racing craft grew smaller and smaller.</p> - -<p>The Hardy boys saw that there was but one man in the foremost craft. -He was bent over the wheel. In the other boat they caught sight of one -figure who had snatched up an object that appeared to be a rifle. To -their amazement they saw him aim at the man in the leading craft. Then, -across the water, they heard the sharp report.</p> - -<p>The lone figure in the first boat dropped out of sight. Whether he had -been hit or not the boys could not tell. But the craft did not slacken -speed. Instead, it still continued to race madly through the waves.</p> - -<p>But the pursuers rapidly drew closer until at last the boats were -running side by side. They were so close together that it appeared as -if a collision were imminent.</p> - -<p>"The whole crowd of them will be killed if they aren't careful!" -muttered Frank.</p> - -<p>Then, just when it seemed that both boats must crash together, the -pursuing craft, as though it had given up the chase, veered abruptly -away and headed out toward the middle of the bay.</p> - -<p>The speed of the other boat decreased. The roar of its exhaust became -intermittent.</p> - -<p>"Engine trouble!" suggested Joe.</p> - -<p>But there was more than engine trouble.</p> - -<p>With startling violence, a sheet of flame leaped high into the air from -the motorboat. There was a stunning explosion and a dense puff of -smoke. Bits of wreckage were thrown high into the air, and in the midst -of it all the Hardy boys, horrified, saw the figure of the man they had -noticed before, as he was hurled into the water.</p> - -<p>The whole boat was swiftly ablaze. Hardly had the wreckage begun to -fall back into the water with spasmodic patterings and splashes than -the craft was in flames from bow to stern.</p> - -<p>"Look!" shouted Frank. "He's still alive!"</p> - -<p>The man of the boat had been killed by neither the rifle shot nor the -explosion.</p> - -<p>They could see him struggling in the water not far from the blazing -craft. His head was a dark oval above the water and he was slowly -trying to swim ashore.</p> - -<p>"He'll never make it!" gasped Joe.</p> - -<p>"We'll have to try to save him!" answered his brother.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V</h2> -</div> - -<h3><span class="smcap">The Rescue</span></h3> - - -<p>The Hardy boys knew that they had no time to lose.</p> - -<p>It was evident from the struggles of the man in the water that he was -not an expert swimmer. So far, he had not seen the boys, but they could -hear him shouting for help, possibly thinking, however, that it was in -vain, for it was a lonely part of the bay and the nearest farmhouse, -outside of the deserted Polucca place, was more than half a mile down -the road.</p> - -<p>"Quick!" shouted Frank. "I see a rowboat up on the shore."</p> - -<p>His sharp eyes had discerned a small boat almost hidden in a little -cove some distance away at the bottom of a steep declivity that was -the beginning of the cliff. It could not be reached by going along -the shore, and the boys saw that they would have to go along the high -ground and then descend to it, for a huge rock that jutted out of the -deep water cut the cove off from the more open part of the beach.</p> - -<p>They left their motorcycles on the side of the road and hurried back up -the slope, then cut down across a narrow strip of weeds and grass until -they came to the top of the declivity. They could still see the victim -of the explosion struggling in the waves. The man had seized a piece of -wreckage and was able to remain afloat, but the boys knew it was only a -matter of time before his strength would give out.</p> - -<p>"Looks to be almost all in," remarked Frank.</p> - -<p>"I wonder if he's anybody we know," came from his brother.</p> - -<p>"It isn't likely." Frank reached out suddenly and caught hold of Joe's -arm. "Look out there or you may break a leg."</p> - -<p>"It certainly is mighty slippery," answered Joe, as he managed to -regain his footing. He had come close to going heels over head on the -rocks.</p> - -<p>Slipping and scrambling, they made their way down the slope toward -the little cove. Rocks went rolling and tumbling ahead of them. The -distance was only a few yards, but the slope was steep and a false step -might result in broken bones.</p> - -<p>But they reached the bottom in safety and there they came upon the -rowboat. It was battered and old, but evidently still seaworthy.</p> - -<p>"Into the water with her!" said Frank.</p> - -<p>They seized the boat and the keel grated on the shingle as the little -craft was launched. Swiftly, they fixed the oars in the locks and then -they scrambled into their places.</p> - -<p>They began to row with strong, steady strokes out toward the man in the -bay. He had seen them, and was now shouting to them to hurry.</p> - -<p>"He'd be better off if he kept quiet," Joe said. "He's only wasting his -strength."</p> - -<p>Evidently this thought occurred to the victim of the wreck, or else he -was becoming weaker, for his cries died away and the boys did not hear -him again.</p> - -<p>Frank thought he may have gone beneath the waves, and he cast a quick -look around. But the fellow was still in view, clinging desperately to -his bit of wreckage.</p> - -<p>The motorboat in the background was still blazing fiercely. Flames were -shooting high in the air and the craft was plainly doomed. A great -pillar of smoke was rolling into the sky from the burning boat.</p> - -<p>As for the other motorboat, Frank could hear the roar of its exhaust as -it continued its flight out into the bay. For a while he could see its -dim shape, when he turned around once in a while, but then the fleeing -boat disappeared into the mist and the gloom.</p> - -<p>The boys exerted all their strength and the little rowboat fairly -leaped over the waves. Both were good oarsmen and it was not long -before they had drawn close to the man in the water.</p> - -<p>But it looked as though they would be too late.</p> - -<p>When they were only a few yards away Frank looked around, to shout -encouragement to the victim of the wreck. Even as he looked, he saw the -man wearily give up his grasp on the piece of wreckage to which he had -been clinging. Frank had a glimpse of the white face and the despairing -eyes and then the man sank slowly beneath the waves.</p> - -<p>"He's drowning, Joe!" shouted Frank, as he bent to his oar again.</p> - -<p>With a mighty effort they brought the boat close by the place where the -man had gone down.</p> - -<p>Frank leaped to the side of the boat and peered down into the depths. -He began taking off his coat, preparatory to diving to the rescue.</p> - -<p>Then the fellow came to the surface again, gasping for breath, but so -weak that he could scarcely make a struggle. He emerged from the water, -right beside the boat and Frank leaned over, grasping him by the hair. -This sufficed to prevent the man from sinking for the second time, and -Frank managed to get a grip on the collar of his coat.</p> - -<p>Then, with Joe helping and in imminent danger of upsetting the boat, he -managed to drag the stranger to the side of the craft.</p> - -<p>The fellow was a dead weight, for he had lapsed into unconsciousness -when Frank seized him, but somehow they contrived to get him into the -boat, and there he lay, sprawled helplessly, more dead than alive.</p> - -<p>"We'd better get him to shelter some place and revive him," said Joe. -"We can't do much for him here."</p> - -<p>"How about that farmhouse down the bay?"</p> - -<p>"The very place. Where is it?"</p> - -<p>They finally located the farmhouse, a snug little building back off the -main road some distance down the bay. It meant considerable rowing, but -there was a life at stake.</p> - -<p>The blazing motorboat near by was a roaring mass of flames. Then it -began to sink beneath the waves. There was a great hissing sound and a -heavy cloud of steam as the craft sank lower and lower into the water, -its blazing embers blackening to the touch of the sea. Swiftly, at -last, the boat disappeared. Its stern seemed to hesitate for a moment, -and then it slid quickly down into the waves and the only trace was a -widening pool of oil and scattered wreckage on the surface of the water.</p> - -<p>But the Hardy boys were too busy to give more than passing notice to -the spectacle. Their immediate problem was to get the stranger under -shelter.</p> - -<p>Frank decided that there was no necessity for first aid. The man had -been conscious when he rose from the water the first time, so there -could not be much water in his lungs. He had simply given in to -exhaustion and fatigue resulting from his long struggle in the waves.</p> - -<p>They headed the boat down the bay, in a direct line with the little -farmhouse, which they could see nestling among the trees. They had -already spent much energy in rowing out to the rescue of the stranger, -but they fell to the new task with a will. Rowing with machine-like -precision, they felt the little boat respond to every effort, and it -fairly leaped along. This time they had the wind and the waves with -them and they made good time.</p> - -<p>The man they had rescued lay face downward in the bottom of the boat. -He was a slim, black-haired fellow. His clothes, which of course were -soaked with water, were cheap and worn, the sleeves being frayed at the -cuffs. They could not see his face, but they judged him to be young. He -was still unconscious.</p> - -<p>Frank let Joe take his oar for a moment, and crouched down beside -the stranger. He turned the man over and the limp form lolled about -as helplessly as a bag of salt. As they had surmised, he was a young -fellow, with sharp, clean-cut features. He wore a cheap shirt, open at -the throat.</p> - -<p>Frank pressed his ear to the fellow's chest and listened for signs of -life. Finally he straightened up, with a mutter of satisfaction.</p> - -<p>"His heart's beating all right," he told Joe. "He's alive, at any rate. -Just all in. He'll come to after a while."</p> - -<p>He returned to his oar and the little boat skimmed over the waves on -toward the farmhouse in the distance.</p> - -<p>The boys rowed until the muscles of their arms were aching, but at last -they drew near the shore and finally the pebbles grated underneath the -keel. Frank leaped out and dragged the boat part way up on the beach. -Then, between them, they carried the unconscious man up the rocky shore -toward the farmhouse.</p> - -<p>They found a path that led through a field up to the back door of the -house, and although their burden was heavy they managed to carry the -still figure, limp and motionless, across the field.</p> - -<p>A gaunt, kindly-faced woman came hurrying out of the house at their -approach, and from the orchard near by came a man in overalls. The -farmer and his wife had seen them.</p> - -<p>"Laws! what's happened now?" asked the woman, wide-eyed, as they came -up to her.</p> - -<p>"This man was mighty nearly drowned out in the bay," explained Frank. -"We saw your house—"</p> - -<p>"Bring him in," boomed the farmer. "Bring him indoors."</p> - -<p>The woman ran ahead of them and held the door open. With the farmer -giving aid, the boys carried the unconscious man into the house and -placed him on a couch in the comfortably furnished living room. The -farmer's wife glanced dubiously at the stream of water that dripped -from the victim's clothes, for she was a tidy soul and she had just -scrubbed the floor that morning, but her better nature overcame her -housewifely instincts and she hastened out to the kitchen to prepare a -hot drink.</p> - -<p>"Best rub his hands," suggested the farmer. He was a burly man with a -black beard. "It'll bring the blood back to his cheeks. One of you take -off his boots and we'll wrap his feet up in warm flannels."</p> - -<p>For the next five minutes the house was a scene of excitement as -the farmer and his wife bustled about and the Hardy boys rubbed -industriously at the hands and feet of the unconscious man, trying to -restore him to consciousness. At last there was a sign of reviving life.</p> - -<p>The man on the couch stirred feebly. His eyelids fluttered. His lips -moved, but no words came. Then the eyes opened and the man stared at -them, as though in a daze.</p> - -<p>"Where am I?" he muttered faintly.</p> - -<p>"You're safe," Frank assured him. "You're with friends."</p> - -<p>"Pretty—near—cashed in—didn't I?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, you pretty nearly drowned. But you're all right now."</p> - -<p>"It was Snackley!" said the stranger, as though talking to himself. -"Snackley got me—the rat!"</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI</h2> -</div> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Snackley</span></h3> - - -<p>At that moment the farmer's wife appeared, bringing a drink of hot -ginger and water, which the man on the couch gulped down gratefully.</p> - -<p>"We'll put him in the spare room, Mabel," decided the farmer. "He needs -a good warm bed more'n anything else just now. I'll look after him, if -these boys here will help me."</p> - -<p>"I—I think I was shot—" muttered the stranger. He motioned weakly -toward his side.</p> - -<p>Frank leaned over.</p> - -<p>"Why, there's blood on his coat!" he exclaimed.</p> - -<p>A hasty examination showed that the stranger was right. There was a -bullet wound in his right side. It was evidently not serious, merely a -flesh wound, but it had bled freely and the man was weakened.</p> - -<p>Gently, the boys helped removed his clothing, and with warm water and a -sponge the farmer bathed the wound. The bullet had passed right through -the fellow's coat after searing a path across his side. Disinfectant -was then applied, the stranger gritting his teeth with pain, and after -that the bandages were put in place.</p> - -<p>"Now we can put him to bed. Can you walk, stranger?"</p> - -<p>The man made an effort to rise, and then fell back weakly upon the -couch.</p> - -<p>"I'm afraid—I can't!"</p> - -<p>"All right, then, we'll carry you. Give me a hand with him, lads."</p> - -<p>Between them, they carried the wounded man upstairs into a plain but -comfortably furnished room. Here he was put to bed and covered with -warm blankets. With a sigh of relief, he closed his eyes.</p> - -<p>"He's weak from loss of blood. That's mostly what's the matter with -him," the farmer said. "We'll let him have a good sleep."</p> - -<p>They left the room, and when they went out into the kitchen again the -Hardy boys told the farmer and his wife of the strange adventure they -had just been through. The farmer listened thoughtfully.</p> - -<p>"Queer!" he observed. "Mighty queer!" Then, glancing significantly at -his wife, he said: "What d'you think of it, Mabel?"</p> - -<p>"I think the same as you, Bill, and you know it. Most like it's been -another of them smuggling mix-ups."</p> - -<p>The farmer nodded. "I've an idea it's somethin' like that."</p> - -<p>"Smuggling!" exclaimed Frank.</p> - -<p>"Sure! There's quite a bit of smuggling goes on around Barmet Bay, you -know. Leastways, there has been in the past few months. That's been -<i>my</i> suspicions, anyway. I've seen too many motorboats out in the -bay of late, and I've heard too many of 'em prowlin' around at night. -If it's not smugglin' it's some other kind of unlawful business."</p> - -<p>"Do you think this fellow may have been shot in some kind of a -smugglers' quarrel?"</p> - -<p>The farmer shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe. I ain't sayin' nothin'. It ain't -safe to say anythin' when you don't know for certain. But I wouldn't be -a mite surprised."</p> - -<p>Mr. and Mrs. Kane, as they introduced themselves, were just about to -have dinner, and they invited the Hardy boys to stay. This the lads -were glad to do, as they were very tired by their exertions of the -morning, and were already feeling the pangs of hunger.</p> - -<p>They sat down to the simple but ample meal, typical farm fare of roast -beef and baked pork and beans, with creamy mashed potatoes, topped -off with a rich lemon pie, frothy with meringue, and fragrant coffee. -During the meal they discussed the strange affair of the bay. The Hardy -boys did not mention their experiences at the Polucca place, for they -had learned that one of the chief requisites of a good detective is to -keep his ears open and his mouth shut and to hear more than he tells. -At that, one mystery was enough for one dinner.</p> - -<p>"I'd like to find out more about this affair," said Frank, when the -meal was concluded and Mr. Kane sat back luxuriously in his chair and -puffed at his pipe. "Perhaps that fellow is awake now."</p> - -<p>"Wouldn't do any harm to see. You might ask him some questions. I'm -just as curious about it as you are yourself."</p> - -<p>They went upstairs. The stranger was sleeping when they looked into the -room, but the slight noise they made awakened him and he gazed at them -dully.</p> - -<p>"Feeling better?" Joe asked.</p> - -<p>"Oh, yes," replied the stranger weakly. "I must have lost a lot of -blood, though."</p> - -<p>"That was when they shot at you just before the boat blew up," said -Frank.</p> - -<p>The man in the bed nodded, but said nothing.</p> - -<p>"What's your name, stranger?" asked Mr. Kane bluntly.</p> - -<p>The man in the bed hesitated a moment.</p> - -<p>"Jones," he said, at last.</p> - -<p>It was so evidently a false name that the Hardy boys glanced at one -another, and the farmer scratched his chin doubtfully.</p> - -<p>"How come you to be in such a mess as this?" he asked, at last. "What -were they shootin' at you for?"</p> - -<p>"Don't ask me, please," said the mysterious Jones. "I can't tell you. I -can't tell you anything."</p> - -<p>"I suppose you know these young fellers saved your life?"</p> - -<p>"Yes—I know—and I'm very grateful. But don't ask me any questions. I -can't tell you anything about it."</p> - -<p>"You won't even tell them? Not after they saved your life?"</p> - -<p>Jones shook his head stubbornly.</p> - -<p>"I can't explain anything about it. Please go away. Let me sleep."</p> - -<p>Frank and Joe signaled to the farmer that it would be best if they -withdrew, so they left the room and closed the door. When they went -back downstairs the farmer was grumbling to himself.</p> - -<p>"I'm hanged if he ain't the most close-mouthed lad I've ever seen!" he -declared. "You saved his life and he won't tell you why he come to be -racin' around the bay in a motorboat with fellows shootin' at him."</p> - -<p>"He must have some good reason. It's his own business, after all," -reflected Frank. "We can't force him to explain anything."</p> - -<p>"He's in with them smugglers, that's what he is!" declared Mr. Kane, -with conviction.</p> - -<p>"I guess we had better be getting back home. Do you mind keeping him -here? We can have him moved to a hospital."</p> - -<p>The farmer shook his head.</p> - -<p>"Smuggler or not, he stays here until he gets better. Nobody ever said -Bill Kane turned a sick man out of doors, and nobody ever will. He -stays here until he gets better."</p> - -<p>"We'll come back in a day or so and see how he is getting along," Joe -promised.</p> - -<p>"He'll have the best of care here. Whether it's smugglin' or not that -he's been mixed up in, it doesn't matter. My wife and I will look after -him."</p> - -<p>The Hardy boys arranged to have the rowboat returned to its mooring -place, then took their leave of the good-hearted farmer and his wife -and made their way out to the road. Then they went back to the place -where they had left their motorcycles, and in a short while were -speeding again on their return to Bayport.</p> - -<p>"That fellow is certainly a queer stick," remarked Joe, as he and his -brother motored toward home.</p> - -<p>"I'll say he is!" answered Frank. "There's something mighty queer about -all this, and don't you forget it!"</p> - -<p>It was mid-afternoon when they turned their motorcycles into the -driveway beside the Hardy home, and after they had put the machines in -the garage they went into the house. They found their father, Fenton -Hardy, in his den just off the library. He was never too busy to talk -to his sons, and when they came in he put down the papers he was -studying and leaned back in his chair.</p> - -<p>"Well, what have you two been up to to-day?" he inquired, smiling.</p> - -<p>"We've had a real adventure, this time, dad," Frank told him. "We were -out to the old Polucca place with some of the fellows."</p> - -<p>"That's the haunted house, isn't it? See any ghosts?"</p> - -<p>The boys looked at one another. "No, we didn't see any ghosts, -exactly," said Joe. "But—"</p> - -<p>"You don't mean to tell me you heard some!" Fenton Hardy threw back his -head and laughed with delight.</p> - -<p>"You may laugh; but some mighty queer things happened out there," -insisted Joe.</p> - -<p>Whereupon the brothers told their father of the strange experiences at -the deserted farmhouse. But Mr. Hardy refused to take them seriously.</p> - -<p>"Some of your school chums playing a joke on you," he said, dismissing -the affair. "They'll be laughing their heads off about it right now."</p> - -<p>"But how do you account for the tool boxes being robbed?"</p> - -<p>"They just did that to make it a little more mysterious. Probably they -will hand you back your tools at school on Monday, just to prove their -story."</p> - -<p>This aspect of the situation had not occurred to the boys. They began -to look a bit sheepish. If it had been the work of practical jokers it -was only natural that they would seek something definite whereby to -prove the fact that they had been at the farmhouse.</p> - -<p>"Gosh, we'll never hear the end of it, if that's the case," sighed Joe. -"Oh, well, we'll just have to take it in good part. But we didn't tell -you about what happened on the way home. Tell him about it, Frank."</p> - -<p>"Another adventure?"</p> - -<p>"A real one. No practical joke about this."</p> - -<p>Frank thereupon told their father about the two motorboats in Barmet -Bay, about the chase and the resulting explosion. He modestly -underestimated their own part in the rescue of the victim of the wreck, -but Fenton Hardy nodded his head in satisfaction as the story went on.</p> - -<p>"Good work! Good work!" he muttered. "You saved the fellow's life, -anyway. And it looks as though you've stumbled on a mysterious bit of -business in that motorboat chase. What did the man say his name was?"</p> - -<p>"Jones," answered Frank doubtfully.</p> - -<p>Fenton Hardy raised his eyebrows. "Of course—there are lots of Joneses -in the world. It <i>might</i> be his real name. But more than likely it -isn't. Would he tell you anything about the reason for the chase? Did -you question him?"</p> - -<p>"He wouldn't tell us anything at all. We made a few inquiries, but he -said he couldn't explain."</p> - -<p>"Still more mysterious," reflected the detective. "Do you think he will -talk when he gets better?"</p> - -<p>"I'm afraid not. He seemed quite determined not to tell us anything -about himself or about the men who were chasing him."</p> - -<p>"Don't you remember, Frank?" exclaimed Joe. "When we brought him into -the house, just as he became conscious again. What was it he said?"</p> - -<p>"Oh, yes! I had forgotten. He said, 'Snackley got me, the rat!' -Whatever that meant."</p> - -<p>"Snackley!" exclaimed Fenton Hardy, starting up. "Are you sure he said -Snackley? Are you sure that was the name?"</p> - -<p>"I'm certain. Aren't you, Joe?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, that was the name, all right."</p> - -<p>"Well that <i>does</i> give us something to work on," the detective -said. "Probably you have never heard of Snackley, but I have."</p> - -<p>"Who is he?" asked Frank.</p> - -<p>"Ganny Snackley is a noted criminal. He is a smuggler—one of the -leaders of a ring of smugglers who bring in opium and other drugs from -the Orient. Is it possible that he is bringing drugs into the country -at Barmet Bay?"</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII</h2> -</div> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Bound and Gagged</span></h3> - - -<p>The Hardy boys were astonished by this information. Their father, -tapping a pencil quickly on the desk, leaned forward in his chair.</p> - -<p>"You may have stumbled on some information of great value," he said to -them quietly. "I need hardly tell you that it is best to keep it to -yourself. If Ganny Snackley is operating in this vicinity it will be a -great feather in our cap to catch him."</p> - -<p>"It's an unusual name," remarked Frank. "I'll bet that's the Snackley -our man meant, all right."</p> - -<p>"And the farmer said there was smuggling going on in the Bay," Joe -pointed out.</p> - -<p>"Of course, there always has been more or less smuggling carried on in -Barmet Bay. But it's been on a small scale. Ganny Snackley and his gang -are international smugglers. The last I heard of him he was operating -up on the New England coast. But probably things grew too hot for him -and he moved down here. He seems to have dropped completely out of -sight for the past six months or so."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps this man Jones, at the farmhouse, will talk later on."</p> - -<p>"I'm going out there to interview him," said Fenton Hardy. "I'll wait -a few days until he is feeling better. Of course the matter is one for -the United States authorities, and as I haven't been assigned to the -case I can't do very much. But perhaps I'll get some information I can -use at some other time."</p> - -<p>"Joe and I will go out to-morrow and see how he is getting along."</p> - -<p>"Do so. But don't ask any questions. Don't let him think you are -suspicious of him. Otherwise he'll be liable to sneak away as soon as -he can, and we'll lose him altogether. He is under an obligation to you -now because you saved his life, so it will seem quite natural for you -to come back to see him. If you think he is recovering quickly, let me -know and I'll go out right away and talk to him. If you think he will -be there for several days yet, we'll just let him stay until he feels -better."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps he is a detective himself," Frank suggested.</p> - -<p>"That had occurred to me," admitted Mr. Hardy. "If that's the case, -I'll keep out of the affair. It's just probable that he is a Secret -Service man who discovered Snackley's hang-out and was shot for -his pains. That would explain why he wouldn't tell you anything -about himself. But there's always the possibility that he is one of -Snackley's enemies; and in that case I may be able to persuade him to -talk."</p> - -<p>Fenton Hardy asked the boys more questions about their adventure, but -beyond a few trivial details they were unable to throw any further -light on the mystery. However, it was decided that they should go back -to the Kane farmhouse on the following day, which was Sunday, and -report on the condition of the mysterious Mr. Jones.</p> - -<p>With that they left their father, spending the rest of the afternoon in -eager discussion and speculation concerning the strange events of the -day. It had been an eventful holiday for them, and although they went -over the incidents time and again they were unable to arrive at any -solution of the puzzling affair in Barmet Bay. As for the happenings -at the house on the cliff, they were inclined to accept their father's -theory that some practical joker had been to blame.</p> - -<p>Next morning, after church, they took the motorcycles out of the garage -and prepared to ride out to the Kane farmhouse, there to make inquiry -as to the condition of the man they had rescued on the previous day.</p> - -<p>"Remember!" warned their father. "Don't ask him too many questions or -he'll get suspicious. Just find out how long he is likely to remain at -the farm. If his injuries aren't very serious he'll be leaving in a day -or so and we want to check up on him."</p> - -<p>The boys promised to follow the detective's instructions. Unlike the -day previous, this Sunday was clear and bright, and the rain of the -afternoon before had laid the dust so that they enjoyed their journey -out along the shore road.</p> - -<p>"It would be a bad joke on us if Mr. Jones left before we got there," -remarked Joe.</p> - -<p>"I don't think he will. That wound in his side was enough to keep him -laid up for a few days. And, anyway, he lost so much blood yesterday -that it would take him a while to get back his strength."</p> - -<p>"I hope he isn't a detective."</p> - -<p>"Why?"</p> - -<p>"It would be great if we could get a chance to do some work on this -case ourselves. If Ganny Snackley is in this neighborhood and the -government detectives don't know of it, we would help dad land him."</p> - -<p>"It <i>would</i> be a great chance," admitted Frank. "But I think we'll -find our friend Jones is a detective. That is, if we ever find out -anything definite about him. Why else should Snackley and his men try -to kill him? For there's no doubt they left him for dead."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps he was another smuggler that they wanted to get rid of."</p> - -<p>"Maybe. But I think it's most likely he is a Secret Service man."</p> - -<p>At length they arrived at the lane leading from the main road to the -farmhouse. As their motorcycles roared down the drive they watched for -some sign of life about the place. But there was no one in the orchard -or in the barnyard. No one came out of the house. The place appeared to -be deserted and, although it was a warm day, the doors were closed.</p> - -<p>"This is queer," remarked Frank, as they brought their motorcycles to -a stop and left them in the shade of a large tree near the back of the -house, "Mr. and Mrs. Kane couldn't have gone away and left Jones there -alone, could they?"</p> - -<p>The boys went up to the door and rapped.</p> - -<p>There was no answer.</p> - -<p>"Try the front door," Joe suggested.</p> - -<p>After a number of futile efforts, they went to the front door of the -farmhouse. But here, although they banged on the panels, there was -likewise no response.</p> - -<p>"They must have gone out," said Joe.</p> - -<p>"But what about Jones? They wouldn't leave him here alone. I can't -understand this."</p> - -<p>They went to the back door and rapped again and again. Still there was -no answer. Frank tried the doorknob and found that the door swung open.</p> - -<p>"They didn't lock the place up, anyway," he said. "Let's go in. If -Jones is upstairs we'll go up and see him. Mr. Kane won't mind. -Probably they didn't expect callers to-day."</p> - -<p>They went into the kitchen and here they were surprised by the scene -of disorder that greeted their gaze. The previous day they had been -impressed by the neatness of the room, for Mrs. Kane was evidently the -soul of tidiness. Now the kitchen looked as though an earthquake had -shaken it.</p> - -<p>Pots and pans were strewn about the floor. The table had been -overturned. A chair lay upside down in a corner. A few cups and saucers -lay in shattered bits beside the stove. The wood-box had been upset and -the wood was scattered about. One window curtain had been partly torn -from its fastenings.</p> - -<p>"What on earth has happened here!" Frank exclaimed, in profound -astonishment.</p> - -<p>"Looks as if a cyclone came through."</p> - -<p>"There's something queer about this! There's been a fight or a struggle -of some kind here. Let's see what the rest of the house looks like."</p> - -<p>The Hardy boys rushed into the next room. There an unexpected sight -met their eyes.</p> - -<p>Mr. and Mrs. Kane were seated in chairs in the middle of the room. They -were unable to move, unable to speak, scarcely able to make a struggle.</p> - -<p>The farmer and his wife were bound and gagged, tied to their chairs!</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII</h2> -</div> - -<h3><span class="smcap">The Stolen Witness</span></h3> - - -<p>Swiftly, the Hardy boys rushed over to Mr. and Mrs. Kane and began to -release them. The farmer and his wife had been trussed up by strong -ropes and they had been so well gagged that they had been unable to -utter a sound. It was only a matter of a few minutes, however, before -their bonds were loosened and the gags removed.</p> - -<p>"Thank goodness!" exclaimed Mrs. Kane, with a sigh of relief, as the -gag was taken away. Her husband, spluttering with rage, rose from his -chair and hurled the ropes to one side.</p> - -<p>"What happened?" asked the boys, in amazement.</p> - -<p>For a moment Mr. and Mrs. Kane were unable to give a coherent account -of their experience, owing to the strain they had undergone, but at -last the farmer stumbled over to the window and pointed down the shore -road.</p> - -<p>"They went that way!" he roared. "That way! Follow them!"</p> - -<p>"Who?"</p> - -<p>"The rascals that tied us up. They took Jones away with them."</p> - -<p>"Kidnapped him?"</p> - -<p>"Yes—kidnapped him! There were four of them. They broke in here and -tied up my wife and me. Then they went upstairs and carried Jones away -with them. They dumped him into an automobile and made a getaway."</p> - -<p>"Four men!"</p> - -<p>"Four of the ugliest looking scoundrels you ever laid eyes on."</p> - -<p>"How long ago?" asked Frank quickly.</p> - -<p>"They didn't leave ten minutes ago. If you had been here just a few -minutes earlier you would have met the whole crowd of them." The farmer -was angry and excited. "But there's time yet. You can catch 'em. They -went down the shore road."</p> - -<p>"Come on, Joe!" shouted Frank. "Let's chase them. They've kidnapped -Jones."</p> - -<p>Joe needed no urging. The Hardy boys left the farmer and his wife -rubbing their chafed wrists and ankles and hastened out of the house -over to their motorcycles. Within a few seconds the staccato roar of -the powerful machines broke out on the still air, and then they went -rocking and swaying down the lane out on to the shore road.</p> - -<p>"Some high-handed proceeding, I'll say," yelled Frank, to make himself -heard above the roaring of the motorcycles.</p> - -<p>"Those rascals ought to be in prison," returned his brother.</p> - -<p>The boys followed in the direction the farmer had indicated. Frank then -recollected that just before they had turned in toward the Kane farm -he had seen a cloud of dust down the main road, evidently caused by a -speeding automobile, but he had thought nothing of it at the time, for -traffic along the shore highway occasioned no comment, especially on -Sunday.</p> - -<p>"If we had only been a little earlier!" he groaned.</p> - -<p>"We'll catch up to them. They haven't much of a start. Maybe we can -follow them to some town and have the whole gang arrested."</p> - -<p>The motorcycles roared along at top speed. Both the Hardy boys were -skilful drivers, and for a while Frank was able to follow the course -of the car they were pursuing by watching the fresh tread mark in the -dust. But when the road came to the place where it intersected with -the road leading up to the Morton farm the tread mark became lost, as -evidently another car had turned out of the side road in the meantime -and obliterated the fresh tread here and there.</p> - -<p>They passed the lane that led into the Polucca place and continued on -down the shore road until they came to a hilltop that commanded a view -of a wide stretch of country. Here they could see the road winding and -dipping for a distance of more than a mile, until it was lost to sight -in a grove of trees. But there was no sign of the automobile they were -seeking.</p> - -<p>"They've given us the slip, I guess," said Frank, as he brought his -motorcycle to a stop.</p> - -<p>"They had a good start and they weren't letting the grass grow under -their feet, either. Think we should keep on?"</p> - -<p>"There's not much use. We'd better go back to the farmhouse and hear -what Mr. and Mrs. Kane have to say about this."</p> - -<p>They turned their motorcycles about and headed back toward the farm. On -the way they discussed the mysterious kidnapping.</p> - -<p>"Evidently those men in the other motorboat saw us rescue Jones, or -else they heard that he had been taken to the farmhouse," remarked Joe. -"They must be desperate characters."</p> - -<p>"I wonder what will happen to poor Jones now," said Frank gravely. -"They tried to kill him in the first place. This time—"</p> - -<p>"Do you think they'll murder him?"</p> - -<p>"It looks like that. They didn't show him any mercy out in the bay. -They left him for dead that time. Now they'll make sure of it."</p> - -<p>Joe shuddered. "If they were going to kill him they'd hardly go to -all that bother of kidnapping him," he pointed out. "Perhaps they just -want to keep him out of the way. Perhaps they were afraid he would tell -about their chasing him and setting fire to his motorboat."</p> - -<p>"They were mighty anxious to get their hands on him, when they would -come to the house in broad daylight and tie up Mr. and Mrs. Kane. Gee, -it's lucky we came along when we did! They might have been left there -for hours without being able to get loose."</p> - -<p>When they got back to the farmhouse they found that the farmer and his -wife had somewhat recovered from their harrowing experience, although -they were still unnerved. Mrs. Kane, ever the true housewife, was -already beginning to tidy up the kitchen and living room, for the -intruders had upset everything in the struggle.</p> - -<p>"We lost them," said Frank.</p> - -<p>Kane nodded.</p> - -<p>"I didn't think you'd catch them," he said. "They left here in too much -of a hurry. But I hoped you would. They had a big, high-powered car and -they didn't waste any time getting away."</p> - -<p>"There were four of them, you said?"</p> - -<p>"Four. Ugly villains."</p> - -<p>"What did they look like?"</p> - -<p>"I didn't get much of a chance to see. It all happened too quick. One -of them came to the door—he was a tall chap with a thin face—and -asked if I was looking after a man who was almost drowned yesterday. -I said that I was, so he told me he had come to take him away, that -he was a brother of the fellow. I got kind of suspicious, and asked -him his name. But in the meantime I had stepped outside the door, and -before I knew it, some one jumped at me from behind. I put up a fight -as best as I could, but the others came at me from around the corner of -the house where they had been hidin' and before I knew it I was tied -up. Then they tied up my wife and left us in the livin' room while they -went upstairs."</p> - -<p>"Did Jones put up a fight when they took him away?"</p> - -<p>"He tried to. He hollered for help, but of course I couldn't do nothin' -and he was too weak to fight much himself. They carried him downstairs -and put him in the automobile. Then they drove away."</p> - -<p>"There must be more to this affair than we imagine," reflected Frank. -"It's getting serious when they break into a private home like this."</p> - -<p>"You bet it's gettin' serious!" exclaimed the farmer. "It'll be mighty -serious for them if they try it again." He motioned to the table where -a shotgun was lying. "I've got that gun loaded and waitin' for the -next gang that tries anything like that. I only wish I'd had it ready -this morning."</p> - -<p>"I don't think you'll have any cause to use it," Frank said -reassuringly. "It was Jones they were after. They won't bother you -again."</p> - -<p>"They'd better not."</p> - -<p>"I think the best thing we can do, Joe, is to go right back to Bayport -and let dad know about this."</p> - -<p>"Good idea. We can't do anything by staying here."</p> - -<p>"You boys said yesterday that your name was Hardy, eh?" said the -farmer. "Ain't any relation to Fenton Hardy, are you?"</p> - -<p>"He's our father."</p> - -<p>"The detective?"</p> - -<p>The Hardy boys nodded assent.</p> - -<p>"Good!" exclaimed Kane. "You go right back and tell him about this. If -any one can get to the bottom of this affair it's him. I hate to see -them rascals getting away scot-free."</p> - -<p>Frank and Joe bade good-bye to the farmer and his wife and returned -to their motorcycles. They promised to call again at the Kane farm -as soon as they had any further information, and Mr. Kane, in turn, -gave his promise to notify them if there were any further trace of the -kidnappers or of the mysterious Jones.</p> - -<p>When they returned to Bayport the boys lost no time in reaching home. -Fenton Hardy was enjoying one of his rare afternoons of leisure in -reading, but he put his book aside when the boys rushed into the -library.</p> - -<p>"Did Mr. Jones talk?" he asked quickly, seeing by their expressions -that something unusual had happened.</p> - -<p>"We didn't have a chance to see him!" exclaimed Joe.</p> - -<p>"What's the matter? Did he clear out?"</p> - -<p>"He was kidnapped!"</p> - -<p>"Kidnapped!"</p> - -<p>"Four men broke into the farmhouse and took him away," said Frank -hurriedly.</p> - -<p>Then he proceeded to tell the story of the strange events of the -morning at the Kane farm, prompted occasionally by Joe.</p> - -<p>Mr. Hardy was deeply interested.</p> - -<p>"There's only one theory I can think of," he said, at last. "This -Jones, or whatever his name is, must have belonged to a gang and either -squealed on them or threatened to do so. They tried to get rid of him -and he escaped in the motorboat, but they thought they had finished him -in the explosion. Then they found out that you had rescued him, so they -went to the farmhouse and took him away before he had a chance to talk."</p> - -<p>"Do you think they are smugglers?"</p> - -<p>"Probably. While you were away this morning I called up one of the -government authorities in the city, and he told me that they believe -smugglers are operating in Barmet Bay on a big scale."</p> - -<p>"Did you tell him about Snackley?"</p> - -<p>Mr. Hardy smiled. "Not yet. That information, I thought I would keep -to myself for the time being. But I wonder if Snackley can be here. It -begins to look like it. He is the kind who wouldn't stop at anything -from kidnapping to murder."</p> - -<p>"Do the authorities suspect him of being around here?"</p> - -<p>"I imagine so. The man I was talking to mentioned the fact that the -smugglers they are after are in the drug line. And Snackley is king of -the dope smugglers on the Atlantic coast."</p> - -<p>"Gee! I wish we could land him."</p> - -<p>"Of course," said Fenton Hardy, "no one has asked us to work on this -case, and I don't believe in working for nothing—"</p> - -<p>"You mean you won't help?" asked Joe, in disappointment.</p> - -<p>Fenton Hardy's eyes twinkled as he went on.</p> - -<p>"I don't believe in working for nothing," he repeated. "But if we ever -caught this man Snackley it would be worth our while."</p> - -<p>"Why?"</p> - -<p>"The reward."</p> - -<p>"Is there a reward offered for him?"</p> - -<p>"There has been a standing reward of five thousand dollars offered for -Snackley's capture for some time. And if he is operating in Barmet Bay, -as I suspect, it's just possible that we might be able to collect that -reward."</p> - -<p>"Good!" exclaimed Frank. "Let's go after it!"</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX</h2> -</div> - -<h3><span class="smcap">The Strange Message</span></h3> - - -<p>The Hardy boys expected that the next day would find them busy on -a more detailed investigation of the circumstances surrounding the -mysterious kidnapping. But, to their surprise, when they came down to -breakfast next morning they found that their father had gone away.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Hardy could not enlighten them.</p> - -<p>"He went out early this morning and didn't say when he would be back. -But he didn't take any baggage with him, so I imagine he hasn't gone -very far. He'll probably be back some time to-day."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Hardy was accustomed to the comings and goings of her husband, -and nothing surprised her. She realized that his profession demanded -that he do many things that were mysterious enough on the surface but -reasonable enough when the time came to explain them. But the boy were -taken aback, for they had looked forward to seeing their father in the -morning and had hoped that he would lay a plan of campaign before them. -They went to school in disappointment.</p> - -<p>On the way they met Callie Shaw and Iola Morton, two girls who were -particular friends of the boys. Callie Shaw, a brown-eyed, brown-haired -girl was an object of special enthusiasm with Frank, who was apt to -cast an appreciative eye upon the other sex, while Iola, a plump, dark -girl, a sister of Chet Morton's, was "all right, as a girl," in Joe's -reluctant opinion.</p> - -<p>Chet had told his sister about the affair at the Polucca place on the -previous Saturday, and she, in turn, had told Callie.</p> - -<p>"Well, how are the ghost-hunters this morning?" asked Callie.</p> - -<p>"Fine," replied Frank, with a smile.</p> - -<p>"What a brave bunch of boys you all are!" exclaimed the girl. "Running -away from an empty house!"</p> - -<p>"That house wasn't empty!" put in Joe warmly. "I suppose you think our -motorcycle tools walked away!"</p> - -<p>"Somebody played a pretty good practical joke on you. Just wait till -you get to school. Whoever played that trick will be sure to tell -everybody."</p> - -<p>"Oh, well, we can stand it. If Chet Morton hadn't been with us at the -time I would have blamed him. It's like one of his pet ideas."</p> - -<p>"He can prove an alibi this time," said Iola. "He was right with you, -and by the way he talked when he got home I think he was as badly -frightened as any one."</p> - -<p>But when the boys reached school they found that although news of their -experience at the house on the cliff had preceded them, no one was -laying claim to having originated the joke. Chet and the other boys -had told of the escapade, but although they momentarily expected that -some practical jester would come forward and take credit for the whole -affair, nothing of the sort happened, and when noon came it was as much -a mystery as ever.</p> - -<p>"I'm beginning to think it wasn't a joke at all," admitted Joe, on -the way home. "Believe me, if it had been a trick played on us the -fellow who did it wouldn't have lost any time coming around to have the -horselaugh."</p> - -<p>"It was a little too well done to be a joke. I think some one started -this ghost rumor just to keep people away from the Polucca place."</p> - -<p>"If everybody gets the same reception we got, I don't blame 'em for -staying away. What with weird yells and shrieks, with walls falling in -and tool boxes being robbed, it's a mighty active ghost they have on -the job."</p> - -<p>"I wonder—could it have anything to do with the smugglers, Joe?"</p> - -<p>The Hardy boys looked at one another.</p> - -<p>"There's a thought!" exclaimed Joe. "We had two mighty strange things -happen to us on the same day. Perhaps they <i>have</i> something to do -with each other."</p> - -<p>"It might be only a coincidence. But when you come to think of it, that -house on the cliff would be a mighty handy hang-out for smugglers if -they could keep strangers away. And what better way than by starting a -story that the place is haunted?"</p> - -<p>"Gosh, I never thought of that! I wonder what dad thinks of it."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps he's at home now. We'll mention it to him."</p> - -<p>But when they returned home for lunch they found that Fenton Hardy had -not come back. Neither was he at home when school closed for the day; -and when the Hardy boys went to bed that night there had not been the -slightest word from their father nor any indication of where he had -gone. In spite of the fact that they were accustomed to these sudden -absences, the lads felt vaguely uneasy.</p> - -<p>"I don't know why," said Frank next morning, "but I have a sort of -feeling that everything isn't all right."</p> - -<p>"I've been feeling that way myself. Of course, dad has often gone away -from home like this without telling where he was going, and he has -always turned up all right. But this time—"</p> - -<p>"Well, we'll just have to wait and see. He knows his own business best, -and it's ten chances to one we're worrying over nothing, but I have a -sort of a hunch that there's a nigger in the woodpile."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Hardy, however, was not alarmed.</p> - -<p>"Oh, he'll walk into the house when we're least expecting him," she -laughed reassuringly. "You boys are just anxious to get to work on the -Snackley case. Perhaps that's what he's working on now, he'll probably -come back with a lot of information."</p> - -<p>"We'd rather he'd let us in on that," returned Joe.</p> - -<p>"And keep you out of school! Oh, no. He doesn't mind letting you do -detective work as long as it's in your spare time."</p> - -<p>So the Hardy boys had to make the best of it. They concealed their -impatience during the remainder of the week, doing their school work -faithfully. The following week was the start of vacation, and the lads -were deep in examinations for several days so that they had not much -time to think of detective activities.</p> - -<p>But on Friday afternoon the mystery of their father's absence took a -strange turn.</p> - -<p>They came back from school to find their mother sitting in the living -room, carefully examining a note that she had evidently just received.</p> - -<p>"Come here, boys," she said, as they came into the room. "I want you to -look at this and tell me what you think of it."</p> - -<p>She handed the note over to Frank.</p> - -<p>"What is it?" he asked, quickly. "Word from dad?"</p> - -<p>"It's supposed to be."</p> - -<p>The Hardy boys read the note. It was written in pencil on a torn sheet -of paper and the handwriting seemed to be that of Fenton Hardy. The -note read:</p> - -<div class="blockquot"> - -<p>"I won't be home for several days. Don't worry."</p> -</div> - -<p>It was signed by the detective. That was all. There was nothing to -indicate where he was, nothing to show when the note had been written.</p> - -<p>"When did you get this?" asked Frank.</p> - -<p>"It came in the afternoon mail. It was addressed to me, and the -envelope had a Bayport postmark."</p> - -<p>"What is there to worry about?" Joe asked. "It's better than not -hearing from him at all."</p> - -<p>"But I'm not sure that it's from him."</p> - -<p>"Why?"</p> - -<p>"Your father has an arrangement with me that he would always put a -secret sign beneath his signature any time he had occasion to write -to me like this. He was always afraid of people forging his name to -letters and notes like this and perhaps getting papers or information -that they shouldn't. So we arranged this sign that he would always put -beneath his name."</p> - -<p>Frank snatched up the note again.</p> - -<p>"And there's no sign here. Just his signature."</p> - -<p>"It <i>may</i> be his signature. If it isn't, it is a very good -forgery. And it may have been that he forgot to put in the secret sign, -although it isn't like him to do that."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Hardy was plainly worried.</p> - -<p>"If he didn't write it, then who did?" asked Joe.</p> - -<p>"Your father has many enemies. There are relatives of criminals whom he -has had arrested and there are criminals who have served their terms -and have been released. If there has been foul play the note might be -meant to keep us from being suspicious and delay any search."</p> - -<p>"Foul play!" exclaimed Frank. "You don't think something has happened -to dad?" he added, his face showing his alarm.</p> - -<p>"The fact that he didn't put the secret sign underneath his name makes -me anxious. What other object could any one have in sending us a note -like that, if not to keep us from starting a search for him?"</p> - -<p>"Well, whether he wrote that note or not, we <i>will</i> start a search -for him," declared Frank firmly. "He merely said not to worry about -him. He didn't order us not to look for him. If he really did write -the note he can't say we were disobeying instructions. And then, the -absence of the secret sign makes it all different."</p> - -<p>"I'll say we'll look for him!" cried Joe. "Vacation starts next week, -and we'll have plenty of time to hunt for him."</p> - -<p>"Wait until then, at any rate," Mrs. Hardy advised. "Perhaps he will -return in the meanwhile."</p> - -<p>But as she glanced at the note again and once more regarded the -signature, strangely lacking its secret sign, her forebodings that -Fenton Hardy had met with foul play increased.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X</h2> -</div> - -<h3><span class="smcap">The Vain Search</span></h3> - - -<p>Fenton Hardy was still missing when the summer vacation began.</p> - -<p>There had been no word from him. Never, in all his years of detective -work, had he vanished from home so completely and for such a length -of time. He was an intensely considerate man and his first thought -was always for his wife and boys. Occasionally it was necessary for -him to leave home suddenly on trips that would keep him away for some -length of time, sometimes it seemed wiser to keep the knowledge of his -whereabouts to himself. But he always managed to communicate with Mrs. -Hardy to assure her of his safety.</p> - -<p>But this time, with the exception of the dubious note, there had been -no such assurance. From the moment he had left the house on the morning -after the kidnapping at the Kane farmhouse he had vanished as utterly -as though the earth had swallowed him up.</p> - -<p>The Hardy boys questioned many people in and around Bayport, but no -one recollected having seen their father on the day in question. At the -railway station they ascertained the fact that the detective had not -bought a train ticket that day or any day since. The agent admitted -it was barely possible that Fenton Hardy might have taken a train and -paid his fare on board, but said it was not likely. Inquiries at the -steamboat office brought a similar response. The detective had not been -seen.</p> - -<p>None of the local police officers remembered having seen Mr. Hardy -that morning. The detective was a well-known figure in Bayport and it -seemed strange that no one had seen him about the streets of the city, -in spite of the fact that he had left home at an early hour. The boys -questioned every one who was likely to have seen him, even to milkmen -who might have been on their routes at that time, but the further they -pursued their inquiries the deeper the mystery became.</p> - -<p>One of the boys greatly interested in the disappearance of Mr. Hardy -was Perry Robinson. Perry was the son of Henry Robinson, who had once -gotten into difficulties over the disappearance of some valuables, as -related in "The Tower Treasure." All of the Hardys had done much for -the Robinson family, and the Robinsons were correspondingly grateful.</p> - -<p>"I saw your dad on the street one day, boys," said Perry. "He waved -his hand to me."</p> - -<p>"When was that?" demanded Frank quickly.</p> - -<p>"Oh, a day or two before you say he disappeared. Gee, fellows, I wish I -could help you!" went on Perry.</p> - -<p>"Well, keep your eyes open and if you learn anything let us know," said -Joe, and to this Perry readily agreed.</p> - -<p>Shortly after the boys had had their talk with Perry Robinson they ran -into a number of their girl friends. One of these girls had likewise -seen Mr. Hardy, but after considerable questioning the boys came to the -conclusion that the meeting had taken place several days before their -father's disappearance.</p> - -<p>"Oh, I'm so sorry this happened," said one of the girls, and the others -nodded in sympathy.</p> - -<p>The Hardy boys extended the search beyond the city. It occurred to them -that their father might have gone out to the Kane farm, and they made -their way to that place. But the farmer and his wife said no one had -called at the house since the eventful Sunday of the kidnapping.</p> - -<p>"They've left us in peace, praise be!" declared Mrs. Kane. "No one's -been near the house since those rascals went away."</p> - -<p>The boys gave the kindly couple a description of their father, but Mr. -Kane could not recollect having seen any one resembling Mr. Hardy near -the farm at any time within the past week. He had been working in the -fields, he said, and would probably have noticed any strangers on the -road.</p> - -<p>So the boys returned to Bayport, puzzled and downhearted over the -failure of their search. They could not imagine where Fenton Hardy -could have gone if he had not been near the Kane farm.</p> - -<p>"Something has happened to him, I'm sure," said Frank. "It isn't like -dad to stay away this long without sending some word."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps he <i>did</i> write that note."</p> - -<p>"He would have explained a little more. And he would have put in the -secret sign."</p> - -<p>The fact that the Hardy boys were searching for their father gradually -became known throughout Bayport, and one evening a thick-set, -broad-shouldered man presented himself at the front door of the Hardy -home and asked for the boys. Mrs. Hardy bade him step inside and he -waited in the hall, nervously twisting his cap in his hands.</p> - -<p>When Frank and Joe came out the stranger introduced himself as Sam -Bates.</p> - -<p>"I'm a truck driver," he told them. "The reason I came around to see -you was because I heard you were lookin' for your father."</p> - -<p>"Have you seen him?" asked Frank eagerly.</p> - -<p>Sam Bates shuffled his feet and looked dubiously at the floor.</p> - -<p>"Well, I have and I haven't, you might say," he observed. "I <i>did</i> -see your father quite a few days ago, but where he is now, I couldn't -tell you, for I don't know." Sam was evidently not a man of gigantic -intellect. He spoke slowly and painstakingly and his most obvious -statements were delivered with the gravity suitable to pearls of wisdom.</p> - -<p>"Where did you see him?"</p> - -<p>"I'm a truck driver, see?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, you told us that," said Frank impatiently. "But where did you see -our father?"</p> - -<p>Sam Bates was not to be hurried. He had a story to tell and he was -bound to tell it.</p> - -<p>"I'm a truck driver, see?" he repeated. "Mostly I drive just in and -around Bayport, but sometimes they give me a run out to some of them -villages. That's how I come to be out there that morning."</p> - -<p>"Out where?"</p> - -<p>"I'm comin' to that. I just forget what day it was, but I think it was -about a week from last Monday. I know it was just after Sunday because -when I went home to dinner that day the wife was washin' clothes and -dinner was late and I had to eat it out on the back steps anyway for -the kitchen was all in a mess. You know how it is on wash day."</p> - -<p>Sam Bates regarded them wistfully, as though hoping for some expression -of sympathy and understanding. But the Hardy boys were eager for -information, and impatient with the worthy truck driver's circuitous -method of telling his story.</p> - -<p>"But what has this got to do with our father?" demanded Joe.</p> - -<p>"I'm comin' to that, see? Give me time. Give me time. As I was sayin', -I'm pretty sure it was on a Monday, for it was wash day, and the wife -never washes except on Monday. I mean she never washes clothes except -on Monday. She herself, why, she washes <i>every</i> day, of course. -Anyway, it was Monday."</p> - -<p>"That was the day dad disappeared," prompted Frank.</p> - -<p>"You don't say! Well, I saw him that day."</p> - -<p>"Where?"</p> - -<p>"I'm comin' to that. As I was sayin', it was Monday, and when I went -down to the garage the boss, he says to me, says he, 'Sam, I want you -to run a truckload of furniture down the shore road.' So I said, 'Well, -boss, I guess that's what I'm here for,' so he told me that this here -load of furniture had to go to one of them farmhouses away down near -the Point. So we loaded the truck and I filled her up with gas and away -I went. It must have been about nine o'clock by then I guess."</p> - -<p>"And you went down the shore road?"</p> - -<p>"Sure. And it was a nice mornin' for drivin' too. Anyway, I went out -past the Tower Mansion—you know, Hurd Applegate's place, them people -you and your father got back the Tower treasure for—and I was drivin' -along without a care in the world and whistlin' away, quite happy-like, -when I sees that I was comin' near that haunted house up on the cliff. -You know the place—where old Polucca was murdered."</p> - -<p>"The Polucca place!"</p> - -<p>"Yeah! Well, anyway, I was comin' by there and I didn't drive slow -either, for they say there's ghosts in that place and I ain't takin' no -chance with nothin' like that, so the truck was going along at quite a -clip, when what should I see but a man walkin' along the road."</p> - -<p>"Dad!"</p> - -<p>"Yeah, it was your father. Well, anyway, nobody ever said Sam Bates -wouldn't give a guy a lift, so I slows down a bit and I says, 'Hey! -D'you want a ride?' just like that, see? Then this guy turned around -so I seen who it was. I didn't know until then, see? So when I seen -who it was I said, 'Good day, Mr. Hardy, would you like a lift?' but -he thanked me and said he was just takin' a little walk. So I drove on -past him and the last I seen of him he was walkin' along beside the -road."</p> - -<p>"Did he go down the lane to the Polucca place?'</p> - -<p>"I dunno whether he did or not. He hadn't quite reached the lane when -I seen him last. But I didn't meet him on my way back, so I don't know -where he went. Matter of fact, I didn't think nothin' more of it until -this mornin' when a bunch of the boys were sittin' around the garage -talkin' and one of them said that you two lads had been huntin' all -over the city for your old man—I mean your father—and you couldn't -find him. So I says to myself, 'Sam, mebbe you can tell 'em somethin' -they don't know.' So I just thought I'd come up."</p> - -<p>"And we're very grateful to you," Frank assured him. "You've given us -some valuable information. We didn't know whether our father had gone -out of the city or not. Now I think we'll know where to look for him."</p> - -<p>"Ain't any chance of him nosin' around that Polucca place, is there?" -asked Bates. "It's a mighty good place to stay away from if everythin' -you hear is true. It's haunted, that place is."</p> - -<p>"Oh, that wouldn't matter to him. But I'm glad you told us about seeing -him. It gives us a better idea of where to look for him."</p> - -<p>"Well, I'm glad if I've helped any. Guess I'll be goin' now," said Sam -Bates, putting on his cap. "I hope your dad shows up all right."</p> - -<p>The Hardy boys thanked him warmly and Bates shambled away, his hands in -his pockets.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Hardy came into the hallway.</p> - -<p>"Any news?" she asked anxiously.</p> - -<p>"We have a clue, anyway," Frank told her. "That fellow says he saw dad -on the shore road the morning he left here."</p> - -<p>"Where was he?"</p> - -<p>"Near the old Polucca place."</p> - -<p>"The house on the cliff?"</p> - -<p>Frank nodded.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Hardy looked grave. "Surely he couldn't have gone there and -disappeared!" she said.</p> - -<p>"I can't imagine why he would go to the house on the cliff, anyway," -observed Joe.</p> - -<p>"Oh, I know now!" Mrs. Hardy exclaimed. "I had forgotten all about it. -I intended to tell you boys, but somehow it slipped my mind. Now that -you mention the Polucca place, I remember."</p> - -<p>"What was it?"</p> - -<p>"Your father discovered something about Snackley, the smuggler. It -seems that Snackley was related to Felix Polucca, the miser."</p> - -<p>"Related to him!"</p> - -<p>"He was a cousin or nephew, or something of the sort. One of the -government men told him that. So your father had an idea that Polucca -must have been visited by Snackley at some time or another and that -Snackley must have got the idea of using Barmet Bay for his smuggling -operations at that time."</p> - -<p>"Whew!" exclaimed Joe. "Now we're getting on the right track. Dad must -have gone up to the house on the cliff to investigate."</p> - -<p>"Why didn't we think of searching there before! Dad put two and two -together and figured that there might be some connection between the -queer things that happened at the Polucca place the day we visited -it and the case of that fellow Jones whom we rescued. Then, when he -learned that Snackley was related to Polucca, he was sure of it. It's -as clear as daylight. But what on earth could have happened to him?"</p> - -<p>"Let's go up to the Polucca place and find out."</p> - -<p>But Mrs. Hardy interposed. Her lips were firm.</p> - -<p>"Promise me you won't go alone."</p> - -<p>"Why not, mother? We can look after ourselves."</p> - -<p>"If anything has happened to your father, I don't want you to run the -same risk."</p> - -<p>"But we <i>must</i> go up there and look the place over again."</p> - -<p>"Get some of the boys to go with you."</p> - -<p>"I guess it would be safer," agreed Joe. "We can round up a bunch of -the fellows and go up there to-morrow morning. We'll search that place -from top to bottom this time."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Hardy gave her consent to this plan and the boys thereupon set out -to find their chums and tell them of the proposed trip. Although two -or three of the boys backed out when they learned that the destination -was to be the haunted house, the majority were willing enough, and by -nightfall all was in readiness for the journey on the morrow.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI</h2> -</div> - -<h3><span class="smcap">The Cap on the Peg</span></h3> - - -<p>Next morning the searching party set out.</p> - -<p>Jerry Gilroy had not got over the scare he had received on the -remarkable Saturday of the boys' first visit to the house on the cliff -and he did not show up. But Chet Morton and Biff Hooper appeared, with -Phil Cohen and Tony Prito, two more of the Hardy boys' chums at the -Bayport high school. Chet had his motorcycle and the party left the -Hardy home shortly after breakfast, each machine carrying two.</p> - -<p>Before they left, Frank explained the situation fully to the others.</p> - -<p>"We know that dad was last seen near the Polucca place and we have -every reason to believe that he left here with the intention of -searching the house. He hasn't shown up since and no person has seen -him, so there may have been foul play."</p> - -<p>"If there is any trace of him around the Polucca place we'll find it," -declared Chet. "It will take a mighty lively ghost to scare us away -this time."</p> - -<p>The three motorcycles went out of Bayport past the Tower Mansion, -sped along the shore road. There was little talk among the boys. Each -realized that this was not a pleasure outing but a serious mission -and each recognized the importance of it. The Hardy boys had every -confidence in their companions. Chet and Biff, they knew, would not -be as easily frightened on this occasion, and as for Phil and Tony, -they were noted at school for their fearless, at times even reckless, -dispositions.</p> - -<p>They passed the Kane farmhouse, nestling among the trees, and at last -came in sight of the gloomy cliff that rose from Barmet Bay and at the -summit of which perched the rambling stone house where the miser, Felix -Polucca, had met his death.</p> - -<p>"Lonely looking place, isn't it?" remarked Phil, who was sharing -Frank's motorcycle.</p> - -<p>"It was an ideal place for a murder. When Felix Polucca lived there, I -doubt if he had more than two or three visitors in a year."</p> - -<p>"How did he get his food and supplies?"</p> - -<p>"He used to drive into the city about once a week in a rattly old -buggy, with a horse that must have come out of the Ark. The poor animal -looked as if it hadn't had a square meal in a lifetime. Polucca must -have been a little bit crazy. How he lived alone up there all the -time, nobody could understand. He worked hard enough and he made the -farm pay. No one could drive a better bargain when it came to selling -his hay and grain."</p> - -<p>Phil looked with interest at the old gray house that could be seen more -clearly now that they were approaching it. When they were still some -distance from the lane, however, Frank brought his motorcycle to a stop -and signaled to the others to do likewise.</p> - -<p>"What's the idea?" Chet asked.</p> - -<p>"We'd better sneak up on the place quietly. If we go any farther -they'll hear the motorcycles—that is, if there is any one at the -place. We'll leave them here under the trees and go ahead on foot."</p> - -<p>The motorcycles were accordingly hidden in a clump of bushes beside the -road and the six boys went on toward the lane.</p> - -<p>"We'll separate here," Frank decided. "Three of us will take one side -of the lane and the rest will take the other side. Keep to the bushes -as much as possible and when we get near the house lay low for a while -and watch the place. When I whistle we can come out from under cover -and go on up to the house."</p> - -<p>"That's a good plan," approved Tony. "Joe and Biff and I, we'll go on -the left side of the road."</p> - -<p>"Good. Chet and Phil and I will take the other side. Remember to keep -out of sight of the house as much as possible."</p> - -<p>The boys entered the lane, then separated according to the agreement -they had made. One group plunged into the weeds and undergrowth at the -edge of the lane on one side while the others pushed into the bushes -at the opposite side. In a few minutes each group was lost to view and -only an occasional snapping and crackling of branches indicated their -presence in the heavy undergrowth that flanked the lane.</p> - -<p>Frank advanced cautiously. The brushwood was much deeper than he -had anticipated and they made slow progress, for he was desirous -of creeping up on the house with as little noise as possible. The -undergrowth was thick and hampered their movements. They made their way -forward, step by step, keeping well in from the lane, and after about -ten minutes Frank raised his hand as a warning to the others.</p> - -<p>Through the dense thickets he had caught a glimpse of the house.</p> - -<p>They went on cautiously until they reached the edge of the bushes and -there they crouched behind the screen of leaves, peeping out at the -gloomy old stone building in the clearing.</p> - -<p>But at the first glance, an expression of surprise crossed Frank's -face.</p> - -<p>The Polucca house was evidently occupied!</p> - -<p>The weeds that had overgrown the yard on their last visit had been -completely cleared away, the grass had been cut and the tumble-down -fence had been repaired. The gate, which had been hanging by one hinge, -had been fixed and the grass along the pathway had been trimmed.</p> - -<p>A similar change had overtaken the house.</p> - -<p>There was glass in all the windows and the boards had been removed. The -front door had been repaired and the steps had been mended. Smoke was -rising from the kitchen chimney.</p> - -<p>"There must be some one living here," whispered Chet.</p> - -<p>Frank was puzzled.</p> - -<p>He had not heard that any one had taken the Polucca house. On account -of the unenviable fame of the place it was hardly likely that a new -tenant could move in without arousing considerable comment in Bayport. -But this had evidently happened.</p> - -<p>For a while the boys remained at the edge of the bushes watching the -place. Then they saw a woman come out to the clothesline at the back of -the house. She carried a basket of clothes, and these she began hanging -up on the line. Shortly afterward a man came out, strode across the -yard to the woodshed and began chopping wood.</p> - -<p>The boys looked at one another in consternation.</p> - -<p>They had expected to find the same sinister and deserted place they had -visited previously. Instead, they had arrived on a scene of domestic -peace and comfort. They could not understand it.</p> - -<p>"Not much use staying in hiding," whispered Frank. "Let's get together -and walk right up and question these people."</p> - -<p>He gave a low whistle, then emerged from the bushes into the lane. His -companions followed. In a short time they were joined by Joe and the -other boys.</p> - -<p>All were deeply puzzled by the remarkable change that had come over the -Polucca place.</p> - -<p>"This beats anything I ever heard of," declared Joe. "It looks as if -some farmer has taken the place, but it's queer we hadn't heard of it. -Everybody in Bayport would be talking about it if they knew some one -had nerve enough to take over the Polucca farm."</p> - -<p>"I'm not satisfied yet," Frank said. "We'll go up and question these -people."</p> - -<p>Accordingly, the six boys walked boldly out of the lane and across the -yard. The man in the woodshed saw them first and put down his axe, -staring at them with an expression of annoyance on his face. The woman -at the clothesline heard their footsteps and turned, facing them, her -hands upon her hips. She was hard-faced and tight-lipped, with gaunt -features. She was not prepossessing and her untidy garb did not impress -the boys favorably.</p> - -<p>"What do you want?" demanded the man, emerging from the woodshed.</p> - -<p>He was short and thin with close-cropped hair, and he was in need of a -shave. His complexion was swarthy and he had narrow eyes under coarse, -black brows. His manner was far from polite as he advanced upon the -boys.</p> - -<p>At the same time another man came out of the kitchen and stood on the -steps. He was stout and red-haired and had a thick mustache. As he -stood there in his shirt-sleeves he glared pugnaciously at the sextette.</p> - -<p>"Yeah, what's the big idea?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"We didn't know any one was living here," explained Frank, edging -over to the kitchen door. He wanted to get a look inside the house if -possible.</p> - -<p>"Well, there is," said the red-haired man. "We're livin' here now, -and I can't see that it's any of your business. What are you snooping -around here for?"</p> - -<p>"We aren't snooping," said Frank quietly. "We are looking for a man who -has disappeared from Bayport."</p> - -<p>"Humph!" grunted the woman.</p> - -<p>"What makes you think he might be around here?" asked the red-headed -man.</p> - -<p>"He was last seen in this neighborhood."</p> - -<p>"What's his name?"</p> - -<p>"Hardy."</p> - -<p>"What does he look like?"</p> - -<p>"Tall and dark. He was wearing a grey suit and a grey cap."</p> - -<p>"Ain't been nobody around here since we moved in," said the red-headed -man gruffly.</p> - -<p>"No, we didn't see him," snapped the woman. "You boys had better go and -look somewhere else."</p> - -<p>There was nothing to be gained by arguing with the unsociable trio, -so the boys started to leave. But Frank, who had edged close to the -open door during the course of the conversation, had glanced into the -kitchen and something had caught his eye.</p> - -<p>It was a gray cap, hanging on a peg!</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII</h2> -</div> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Pointed Questions</span></h3> - - -<p>Frank thought quickly. He must ascertain the truth!</p> - -<p>The cap, he was almost sure, was the one his father had worn on the -morning he had left home. But he wanted to look at it closely, because -he knew he might be mistaken and that it would not do to make any -accusations unless he were sure of his ground.</p> - -<p>"I'm very thirsty," he said quickly. "Do you mind if I have a drink?"</p> - -<p>Redhead and the woman looked at one another without enthusiasm. It -was plain that they wished to get rid of their visitors as soon as -possible. But they could not refuse such an innocent and reasonable -request.</p> - -<p>"Come into the kitchen," said Redhead grudgingly.</p> - -<p>This was just what Frank wanted. He followed the man into the kitchen -of the Polucca place. Redhead pointed to a water tap. A dipper was -hanging from a nail near by.</p> - -<p>"Go ahead," he grunted.</p> - -<p>Frank went over to the tap and as he did so he passed the cap on the -peg. He took a swift look at the cap.</p> - -<p>He had made no mistake. It was his father's.</p> - -<p>Then he received a shock that almost stunned him. For a second he -almost stopped in his tracks, but then he recollected himself and moved -mechanically on toward the tap.</p> - -<p>He had seen bloodstains!</p> - -<p>On the lower edge of the cap were three large stains, reddish in color. -They could have been made by nothing but blood.</p> - -<p>In a daze, Frank turned on the water, filled the dipper and drank. -At last he turned away, conscious that Redhead had been eyeing him -carefully all the time.</p> - -<p>"Thanks," he said, and again cast a glance at the peg.</p> - -<p>The cap was gone!</p> - -<p>Redhead had undoubtedly snatched it away and hidden it. Frank gave no -sign that he noticed anything amiss, and walked out of the kitchen into -the yard, where he rejoined the others.</p> - -<p>"I guess we may as well be going," he said.</p> - -<p>"You might as well," snapped the woman. "There's been no strangers -around here."</p> - -<p>"We're sorry we troubled you," said Joe. "Good-bye."</p> - -<p>Redhead grunted a curt farewell. The woman and the other man said -nothing as the boys turned away and retraced their steps out to the -lane. For a while they walked on in silence and then, when they were -out of sight of the house, Frank turned to the others.</p> - -<p>"Do you know why I went into the kitchen?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"Why?" they demanded eagerly, and Joe put in:</p> - -<p>"I thought there was something fishy about the way you asked for that -drink. What did you see?"</p> - -<p>"I saw dad's cap hanging on a peg!"</p> - -<p>This caused an immediate sensation. Phil Cohen whistled in amazement.</p> - -<p>"Then he <i>has</i> been here! They were lying!"</p> - -<p>"Are you sure it was dad's cap?" asked Joe.</p> - -<p>"Positive. I'd recognize it anywhere. And more than that, there were -bloodstains on it."</p> - -<p>"Bloodstains!"</p> - -<p>Frank nodded.</p> - -<p>The boys looked at one another in silence.</p> - -<p>"This is serious," declared Joe finally. "We can't let them get away -with this."</p> - -<p>"I'll say we can't," agreed Chet. "Let's go back."</p> - -<p>"I was going to argue it out right there and then, but I thought I'd -better tell the rest of you first so that you'd know what it was all -about," Frank explained.</p> - -<p>"He may have been—" Joe left the sentence unfinished.</p> - -<p>"He may have been murdered," said Frank firmly. "And we're going to -find out about it."</p> - -<p>"What do you think we'd better do?"</p> - -<p>"I think we'd better go back and tell them we saw that cap and ask how -it got there. That'll force a showdown. They don't like us any too well -as it is, so we won't have to be over polite to them."</p> - -<p>The boys held a council, and it was unanimously agreed that the matter -should not be dropped. Each was of the opinion that the trio now -occupying the house on the cliff were far from savory and that the -fact of Fenton Hardy's cap being seen in the kitchen was a clue of -first-rate importance.</p> - -<p>"He snatched the cap away when my back was turned," went on Frank.</p> - -<p>"That shows there is something wrong," Chet affirmed. "We'll go back -and tackle him right away."</p> - -<p>"No time like the present. Let's go."</p> - -<p>The boys accordingly started back down the lane toward the house. When -they emerged into the yard again they found the two men and the woman -standing together by the shed, talking earnestly. The boys were almost -up to them before the woman caught sight of them and spoke warningly to -the red-headed man.</p> - -<p>"What do you want now?" demanded Redhead, in a surly manner, as he -advanced.</p> - -<p>"We want to know about that cap in the kitchen," said Frank firmly.</p> - -<p>"What cap? There's no cap in there."</p> - -<p>"There isn't now—but there was. It's a grey cap and it was hanging in -there when I went in for a drink."</p> - -<p>"I don't know anythin' about no cap," persisted Redhead.</p> - -<p>"Perhaps you want us to ask the police up to help us find out," put in -Tony Prito cheerfully.</p> - -<p>Redhead glanced meaningly at the woman. The other man stepped forward.</p> - -<p>"I know the cap he means," he said. "It's mine. What about it?"</p> - -<p>"It isn't yours, and you know it," declared Frank. "That cap belongs to -the man we're looking for."</p> - -<p>"I tell you it <i>is</i> my cap," snapped the swarthy man, showing his -yellow teeth in a snarl. "Don't tell me I'm lying."</p> - -<p>Redhead stepped forward diplomatically.</p> - -<p>"You're mistaken, Klein," he said. "I know the cap they mean. That's -the one I found on the road a few days ago."</p> - -<p>"You found it?" asked Frank incredulously.</p> - -<p>"Sure, I found it. A grey cap—with bloodstains on it."</p> - -<p>"That's the one. But why did you hide it when I went into the kitchen?"</p> - -<p>"Well, to tell the truth, them bloodstains made me nervous. I didn't -know but what there might be some trouble come of it, so I thought I'd -better keep that cap out of sight."</p> - -<p>"Where did you find it?" Joe demanded.</p> - -<p>"About a mile from here."</p> - -<p>"On the shore road?"</p> - -<p>"Yes. It was lying right in the middle of the road."</p> - -<p>"When was this?"</p> - -<p>"A couple of days ago—just after we moved in here."</p> - -<p>"Let's see the cap," suggested Chet Morton. "We want to make sure of -this."</p> - -<p>Redhead moved reluctantly toward the kitchen. The woman sniffed.</p> - -<p>"I don't see why you're makin' all this fuss about an old cap," she -said. "Comin' around at this hour of the day disturbin' honest folk."</p> - -<p>"We're sorry to disturb you, ma'am," said Joe. "But this is a serious -matter."</p> - -<p>Redhead emerged from the house holding the cap in one hand. He tossed -it over to the boys. They examined it eagerly.</p> - -<p>Frank turned back the inside flap and there he found what he was -looking for—the initials F.H. imprinted in indelible ink on the -leather band.</p> - -<p>"It's dad's cap, all right."</p> - -<p>"I don't like the look of those bloodstains," said Joe, in a low voice. -"He must have been badly hurt."</p> - -<p>To tell the truth, the inside of the cap gave evidence that the wearer -had been severely injured, for the bloodstains were of large extent. -The boys examined them gravely.</p> - -<p>"Are you sure you found this on the road?" Frank asked doubtfully.</p> - -<p>"You don't think I'd lie about it, do you?"</p> - -<p>"We can't very well contradict you. I don't mind telling you that we're -going to turn this over to the police. This man has disappeared, and -by the appearance of this cap he has met with foul play. If you know -anything about it you'd better speak up now."</p> - -<p>"He doesn't know anything about it," shrilled the woman angrily. "Go -away and don't bother us. Didn't he tell you he found the cap on the -road? Why should he know anythin' more about it than that?"</p> - -<p>"We're going to take the cap with us."</p> - -<p>"Take it," snapped Redhead. "I don't want it."</p> - -<p>The boys turned away. Nothing further was to be gained by questioning -the trio in the yard, and at any rate the lads had gained possession -of the cap.</p> - -<p>"We'd better go," said Frank in a low voice.</p> - -<p>They went back toward the lane. As they entered it they cast a last -glance back at the yard.</p> - -<p>The woman and the two men were standing just where they had left them. -The woman was motionless, her hands on her hips. Redhead was standing -with his arms folded and the swarthy man was leaning on the axe.</p> - -<p>All three were gazing intently and silently after the departing boys.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII</h2> -</div> - -<h3><span class="smcap">A Plan of Attack</span></h3> - - -<p>Back in Bayport the boys discussed their visit to the house on the -cliff from all angles.</p> - -<p>None was satisfied with the explanation the red-headed man had given -about the presence of the bloodstained cap in the house.</p> - -<p>"I'm sure he knows more about it than he cares to tell," declared Frank.</p> - -<p>"The other chap started to claim it at first, and then he stepped in -with his story," Chet pointed out.</p> - -<p>"That's the most suspicious part of it. And then, when I went into the -kitchen in the first place, why should he have hidden the cap?"</p> - -<p>"It's a mighty mysterious thing," Joe said. "The fact that dad has -disappeared and the fact that there are bloodstains on that cap—"</p> - -<p>"We ought to turn it over to Chief Collig," suggested Phil.</p> - -<p>The boys looked at one another doubtfully. Chief of Police Collig was a -fat, pompous official who had never been blessed by a super-abundance -of brains. His chief satellite and aide-de-camp was Oscar Smuff, a -detective of the Bayport police force. As Chet was fond of remarking, -"If you put both their brains together you'd have enough for a -half-wit."</p> - -<p>"I don't think it would do much good," said Frank. "But it wouldn't -do any harm either. Collig might be able to throw a scare into them, -anyway, if he went up to that house and began asking questions."</p> - -<p>The boys, therefore, trooped down to the police station and, after -stating their business to the desk sergeant, were admitted to the -chief's private office. They found Chief Collig and Detective Smuff -deep in a game of checkers.</p> - -<p>"It's your move, Smuff," said the chief. "What is it, boys?" he -demanded, looking up.</p> - -<p>Frank, producing the bloodstained cap, explained how and where it had -been found. Smuff, in the meantime, scratched his head diligently for a -while, then captured one of his opponent's kings.</p> - -<p>Chief Collig grunted, whether in disappointment at the loss of the king -or in acknowledgment of the information about the cap, the boys could -not say.</p> - -<p>"So it's Fenton Hardy's cap, eh?" asked the chief.</p> - -<p>"It's his, all right."</p> - -<p>"And what do you think has happened to him?"</p> - -<p>"We don't know. That's what we want you to help find out. But, by the -look of this cap, we're afraid there's been foul play."</p> - -<p>"Just a minute, Smuff—just a minute." The chief contemplated the -checkerboard for a few minutes, then made a move. He settled back in -his chair. "Now try and beat <i>that</i>!" he said, and looked up at -the boys again. "What do you want me to do?" he inquired.</p> - -<p>"Help us find him."</p> - -<p>The chief regarded them benevolently.</p> - -<p>"Mebbe he'll show up in a day or so."</p> - -<p>"He's been missing long enough already," protested Joe. "We want you to -go up to the Polucca place and question those people. They know more -about the affair than they care to tell."</p> - -<p>"The Polucca place!" exclaimed the chief, pursing his lips. "We-ll, you -see, it ain't in the city limits."</p> - -<p>"But Fenton Hardy is a Bayport citizen."</p> - -<p>"What d'you think about it, Smuff?"</p> - -<p>"Just a minute—it's my move." Smuff meditated over the checkerboard -for a while, made his move, then looked up judicially. "To tell you the -truth, chief," he said, "I think we'd be just as well stayin' away from -that Polucca place. There's been queer stories about it."</p> - -<p>"That's what I think," agreed the chief.</p> - -<p>"Do you mean to say you won't help us look for him?" exclaimed Frank.</p> - -<p>"Oh, we'll keep our eyes open," the chief promised. "But he'll show up -all right. He'll show up. Don't worry."</p> - -<p>"He'll never show up if we wait for the Bayport Police Department to -get into action," declared Chet warmly.</p> - -<p>"Is <i>that</i> so?" said Chief Collig, nettled.</p> - -<p>"Of course, chief," said Frank smoothly, "if you're afraid to go up -to the Polucca place just because it's supposed to be haunted, don't -bother. We can tell the newspapers that we believe our father has met -with foul play and that you won't bother to look into the matter, but -don't let us disturb you at all—"</p> - -<p>"What's that about the newspapers?" demanded the chief, getting up from -his chair so suddenly that he upset the checkerboard over Smuff's lap. -"Don't let this get into the papers." The chief was constantly afraid -of publicity unless it was of the most favorable nature.</p> - -<p>"The taxpayers mightn't like it," suggested Joe. "They pay you to -enforce the law and if they know you're afraid to go up to the Polucca -place—"</p> - -<p>"Now, now," said the chief nervously. "Who said anythin' about being -afraid of the Polucca place? Can't you take a joke? Of course I'll go -up and investigate this—at least I'll send Smuff up—"</p> - -<p>"Who, me?" demanded Smuff, in alarm.</p> - -<p>"Smuff and me, we'll go up together."</p> - -<p>"I'm doggone sure I won't go up alone," declared Smuff.</p> - -<p>"Well, as long as we're sure you'll investigate, we won't say anything -to the newspapers," said Frank, and Chief Collig breathed a sigh of -relief.</p> - -<p>"That's fine. That's fine," he said. "Smuff and me, we'll go up there -first thing to-morrow morning and if we find out anything we'll let you -know."</p> - -<p>But although Chief Collig and Detective Smuff duly departed from -Bayport the next morning in an exceptionally noisy and decrepit -flivver, with Smuff perched nervously at the wheel, they returned -before noon with the news that they had been able to discover nothing -further regarding Fenton Hardy. They had, they said, called at the -house, but the people there had given a reasonable explanation as to -the finding of the cap.</p> - -<p>"Real nice people, they were too," added Chief Collig. "The man said he -found the cap on the road, and why should he tell a lie about it? So -Smuff and me, we came away."</p> - -<p>"Yes," agreed Smuff profoundly, "we came away."</p> - -<p>"In a hurry," suggested Joe sarcastically.</p> - -<p>Collig and Smuff looked uncomfortable. To tell the truth they had been -so impressed by the fearful stories they had heard of the house on -the cliff that they had stayed no longer than was necessary. They had -merely asked a few perfunctory questions of Redhead, had received his -explanation of the finding of the cap, and had then hastened from the -farm as quickly as was consistent with dignity.</p> - -<p>"We've done our duty," declared Chief Collig. "No man can do more."</p> - -<p>And with that the boys had to be content.</p> - -<p>But they were not satisfied.</p> - -<p>"There's some connection between this smuggling outfit and the house on -the cliff," declared Frank. "This man Snackley is mixed up in all this, -I'm sure."</p> - -<p>"Didn't mother say he was related to Felix Polucca?"</p> - -<p>"Yes—and isn't it likely that he inherited the Polucca farm after -the old miser died? Perhaps that's what encouraged him to move his -smuggling operations here."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps Snackley was one of the two men we saw at the farm."</p> - -<p>"I wouldn't be surprised," said Frank. "But what I'm thinking of is -this—where did these two motorboats come from that day Jones was -shot? We didn't see them out in the bay. They seemed to come right out -from under the cliff."</p> - -<p>"Do you mean you think there is a secret harbor in there?"</p> - -<p>"There might be. Look at it this way. Snackley was the man who "got" -Jones that day, as he said. Snackley was related to Polucca, and may -now own the farm. Snackley has been smuggling in Barmet Bay from some -base that the government men have been unable to find. Perhaps that -base is the Polucca farm."</p> - -<p>"But it's on top of the cliff!"</p> - -<p>"There may be a secret passage from the house to some hidden harbor at -the foot of the cliff."</p> - -<p>"Gosh, Frank, it sounds reasonable!"</p> - -<p>"And perhaps that explains why the kidnappers got away with Jones so -quickly that day. If they left the Kane farmhouse just a little while -before we did, we should have been able to get within sight of them, -anyway. But we didn't."</p> - -<p>"You mean they turned in at the Polucca place?"</p> - -<p>"Why not? Probably Jones is hidden there right now. That is—if they -haven't killed him," he added hesitatingly.</p> - -<p>"But what could have happened to dad?"</p> - -<p>"That's what we're going to find out. What do you say to asking Tony if -his father will lend us his motorboat and let us investigate the foot -of that cliff?"</p> - -<p>"What do you expect to find?"</p> - -<p>"We'll find out if there's any place where motorboats could be hidden. -And if we get any information we can turn it over to the government -officials and have the Polucca place raided. Then we'll get some -satisfaction out of it, anyway, and perhaps find out what happened to -dad."</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV</h2> -</div> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Private Property</span></h3> - - -<p>The Hardy boys explained their plan to Tony Prito, who promised to ask -his father about the motorboat provided they allowed him to go with -them.</p> - -<p>"I wouldn't miss it for anything," he said. "You let me come along on -this trip with you and I'll see that we get the boat."</p> - -<p>"We wouldn't go without you, Tony," promised Frank.</p> - -<p>"I'll have the boat to-morrow afternoon. Be at the boathouse."</p> - -<p>Tony was as good as his word. When Frank and Joe appeared at the little -boathouse, one of a long row of ramshackle buildings along the shore, -next afternoon, they found Tony clad in a greasy suit of overalls, -tinkering with the engine. He was of a mechanical turn of mind and -could never see an engine of any kind without investigating its most -intricate machinery.</p> - -<p>"She'll run as smoothly as a sewing machine," he declared, looking up. -"We can start any time."</p> - -<p>"Your father let you have the boat, all right."</p> - -<p>"You bet. I told him it was to help find your father, and he was almost -going to quit work and come along with us."</p> - -<p>The boys got into the motorboat, which was a rangy, powerful craft with -graceful lines, and the engine was soon roaring. The boat, which was -called the <i>Napoli</i> in honor of Mr. Prito's birthplace in Italy, -moved slowly out into the waters of the bay and then gathered speed as -it headed toward the gloomy cliffs at the northern extremity of Barmet -Bay.</p> - -<p>It was already late in the afternoon. The sky was overcast and the bay -was rough. The salt spray dashed over the bows of the <i>Napoli</i> as -it plunged on through the breakers. Bayport soon became a smoky haze -on the hillside. The boys could see the white line of the shore road -rising and falling on the coast to the north and at last they came -within sight of the Kane farm, nestled among the trees.</p> - -<p>The cliff upon which the Polucca place stood was stark and sheer -against the background of ocean and sky, and at the top they could see -the grove of trees and the roof and chimneys of the haunted house.</p> - -<p>"Lonely looking place," remarked Joe.</p> - -<p>"Pretty steep cliff," Tony observed. "I can't see how any one could -make his way up and down that slope to get to the house."</p> - -<p>"That's just why nobody has thought of the possibility of the place as -a smuggling base," said Frank, "It doesn't look possible. But perhaps -when we look around we'll find that things are different."</p> - -<p>Tony steered the boat closer in toward the shore so that it would not -be visible from the Polucca place. Then he slackened speed so that the -roar of the engine would not be so noticeable, and the craft made its -way along toward the bottom of the cliff.</p> - -<p>There were currents here that demanded skilful navigation, but Tony -brought the <i>Napoli</i> through them easily and at last the boat was -surging along close to the face of the cliff. The boys scanned the -formidable wall of rock eagerly.</p> - -<p>It was scarred and seamed and at the base had been eaten away by the -battering of the waves. Time passed, and there was no indication of a -path and the lads were disappointed.</p> - -<p>The cliff jutted up out of very deep water and rose to a great height. -From the boat they were unable to see the Polucca place, for it was set -in a short distance from the edge of the cliff. The face of the steep -rock was uncompromising. There seemed to be no foothold for man or -beast. It was just an unscalable, craggy wall.</p> - -<p>Suddenly Tony bore down on the wheel. The <i>Napoli</i> swerved swiftly -to one side and at the same time the engine roared as the craft leaped -ahead.</p> - -<p>Frank and Joe looked quickly around.</p> - -<p>"What's the matter?" they asked, in alarm.</p> - -<p>But Tony was gazing fixedly ahead. He was tense and alert. Another -shift of the wheel and the <i>Napoli</i> swerved again.</p> - -<p>Then the Hardy boys saw the danger.</p> - -<p>There were rocks at the base of the cliff. One of them, black and -sharp, like an ugly tooth, jutted out of the water almost immediately -at the side of the boat. Only Tony's quick eye had saved them from -striking against it. They had blundered into a veritable maze of reefs -which extended for several yards ahead.</p> - -<p>They held their breath.</p> - -<p>It seemed impossible that they could run the gauntlet of those rocks -without tearing the bottom out of the craft. But Tony's steermanship -was marvelous. The motorboat threaded its way accurately among the -jutting rocks. There was always the chance that a submerged reef might -rip through the hull of the craft, but they had to take chances on that.</p> - -<p>But luck was with them. The <i>Napoli</i> dodged the last ugly rock, -and shot forward into open water.</p> - -<p>Tony sank back with a sigh of relief.</p> - -<p>"Whew, that was close!" he exclaimed. "I didn't see those rocks until -we were right on top of them. If we'd ever struck one of them we would -have been goners."</p> - -<p>The Hardy boys believed him. Angry waves dashed against the base of the -cliff. They would not have lived more than a few minutes if they had -been wrecked in this place. They would have been battered to pieces -against the rocks.</p> - -<p>Suddenly, before them, they saw an opening in the side of the cliff. It -was a long, narrow cove.</p> - -<p>The entrance was like the neck of a bottle, widening as it led into the -cliff, and it was over-shadowed by jutting rocks. It had been quite -invisible up to this time, and the boat had gone only a few yards -further before it became invisible again, so well was the opening -hidden by the rocks.</p> - -<p>"Here's a find!" exclaimed Frank, in excitement. "Let's turn back and -see where this goes to."</p> - -<p>Tony swung the boat around and the craft slowly made its way back -toward the hidden cove. Soon the opening in the cliff came into view -again.</p> - -<p>"It's just large enough for the boat to go through," said Tony. "Want -me to try it?"</p> - -<p>Frank nodded.</p> - -<p>"Go ahead."</p> - -<p>The nose of the boat turned toward this strange bay and then the -<i>Napoli</i> began to enter the cove.</p> - -<p>"Maybe I won't be able to get out again," said Tony suddenly. He looked -ahead. But the passage widened into a bay of considerable extent, quite -sufficient in size to enable him to turn the craft around once he had -entered. So he continued.</p> - -<p>But the cove proved uninteresting. The sides were steep, although dense -bushes grew about the base of the slopes, but there was no path, no -trail, no indication that any human being had ever been in the place. -Being protected from the wind, the water was calm. The echoes of the -motorboat's engine were flung back from every side in a roaring volume.</p> - -<p>Suddenly Frank gave a gasp of surprise!</p> - -<p>Standing among the thickets at the base of the steepest slope, was a -man.</p> - -<p>He was very tall and he wore a black felt hat, the wide brim of which -obscured the upper part of his face. His countenance was tanned and -weatherbeaten, his lips were thin and cruel. He wore a short black -jacket, and he stood with his hands plunged into the side-pockets and -his feet spread wide apart, in the manner of a seaman.</p> - -<p>He was standing there quietly, gazing at them without a shadow of -expression on his sinister face, as motionless as a statue.</p> - -<p>When he saw that he was observed he called out:</p> - -<p>"Leave this place!"</p> - -<p>Tony throttled down the engine. The three boys stared at the man in the -black hat as though he were an apparition.</p> - -<p>"Leave this place!" he repeated, in a curiously metallic voice.</p> - -<p>"We aren't doing any harm," replied Frank.</p> - -<p>"Not now," said the stranger. "But don't land here."</p> - -<p>"Why?"</p> - -<p>"You don't have to ask why. This is private property. You can't land -here. You'd better leave at once."</p> - -<p>The boys hesitated. As though to emphasize his commands, the man in -the black hat reached suddenly into his pocket and whipped out a -wicked-looking revolver. Then he folded his arms, tapping the barrel of -the revolver against one shoulder very deliberately.</p> - -<p>"Turn that boat around and get out of here!" he snapped. "Don't come -back. Don't ever come back. Don't ever try to land here. This is -private property. If you ever <i>do</i> land here you'll be shot."</p> - -<p>The boys were unarmed. They realized that nothing would be gained by -argument. Tony slowly brought the boat around.</p> - -<p>"Good-bye," shouted Joe cheerfully.</p> - -<p>The stranger did not reply. He stood there, gazing fixedly after them, -his arms still folded, still tapping the revolver against his shoulder -as the motorboat made its way out of the strange bay, out into open -water.</p> - -<p>"Looks as if he didn't want us around," remarked Tony, as soon as the -<i>Napoli</i> was out of the cove.</p> - -<p>"I'll say he didn't!" exclaimed Frank. "What a wicked-looking customer -he was! I expected to see him start popping at us with that gun of his -before we got out."</p> - -<p>"I don't want to run into <i>him</i> again," Joe declared. "He sure -gave us our orders. And he meant 'em, too."</p> - -<p>"I wonder who he is," said Tony.</p> - -<p>"Do you think—Fellows! do you think it could have been Snackley?" -shouted Frank.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV</h2> -</div> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Smugglers</span></h3> - - -<p>The thought struck Frank Hardy like a thunderbolt!</p> - -<p>The appearance of the stranger had been so sinister, he was so -evidently a lawless and desperate man who was accustomed to being -obeyed, and his presence in this place indicated too clearly that he -had some connection with the house on the cliff, that Frank's deduction -seemed quite logical.</p> - -<p>"Snackley!" exclaimed Joe. "It <i>must</i> be him."</p> - -<p>"The head of the smugglers!"</p> - -<p>"I've never seen a picture of Snackley and I've never heard him -described," said Joe. "But that fellow looks just as I had pictured -Snackley would look."</p> - -<p>"He's a leader of some kind—you can tell that by his manner," put in -Tony Prito.</p> - -<p>"He's the fellow who chased Jones that day in the motorboat."</p> - -<p>"And he'll chase us, too," declared Tony, "if we don't get away from -here pretty quick."</p> - -<p>"Why should we go now?" demanded Frank. "We've stumbled on something -important. That may be the smugglers' cove."</p> - -<p>"But how do they get to the house if you think they have anything to do -with the Polucca place?" asked Tony. "Those cliffs in there are mighty -steep."</p> - -<p>"There must be some way that we don't know of. What do you say we hang -around here for a while and see what we can do?"</p> - -<p>Tony became infected with the enthusiasm of the Hardy boys and he -readily agreed to keep the motorboat in the vicinity of the cliff, -although it was decided that they should not remain too near, but -cruise up and down the shore in case the sharp-eyed man should be -watching them.</p> - -<p>"It was a good thing we didn't put up an argument with that fellow," -said Frank, at last.</p> - -<p>"I'll say it was!" Tony agreed emphatically. "We didn't have much -chance to argue with that revolver he had."</p> - -<p>"I don't mean that. He may think we were just out for a cruise and -accidentally wandered into that cove. If he knew we were hunting for -dad he might have acted very differently."</p> - -<p>"That's true, too," said Joe. "Well, we won't go home just yet."</p> - -<p>It was late in the afternoon. The sky was overcast and twilight was -falling. A cold wind blew in from the sea.</p> - -<p>The motorboat went some distance down the shore and then they turned -and, keeping well out in the bay, went on up past the cliff once again. -They kept a sharp eye on the location of the cove, and in spite of -the fact that they knew just where it was they were scarcely able to -distinguish the narrow opening in the rocks.</p> - -<p>"No wonder the place hasn't been heard of more often!" Frank said. "It -looks like an unbroken wall of rock from this far out."</p> - -<p>"You've got to be careful around here, Tony," cried Joe. "First thing -you know we'll hit the rocks and be smashed."</p> - -<p>"That's right," added Frank. "It's pretty dangerous so close to the -cliff."</p> - -<p>"You leave it to me," came from their schoolmate. "I know how to handle -this boat."</p> - -<p>It was true, Tony did know how to handle the motorboat; yet several -times they came perilously close to the rocks over which the waves were -dashing. In fact, once there came a slight bump followed by a grating -sound which made the hearts of all the boys leap into their mouths.</p> - -<p>"Narrow squeak, that," admitted Tony. "I guess I'd better keep out a -little farther, after all."</p> - -<p>"I certainly should," answered Frank.</p> - -<p>Although they cruised around for more than an hour, they saw not the -slightest sign of life either about the base of the cliff or on the -Polucca place, which, keeping well out from shore as they did, they -could plainly distinguish. As the gloom deepened they felt that it was -almost useless to continue, but Frank decided that they should wait a -while longer.</p> - -<p>"These fellows aren't likely to move around much in daylight. Night is -the time for their operations," he pointed out. "We'll hang around for -a while longer."</p> - -<p>Twilight deepened into darkness and the lights of Bayport could be -seen as a yellow haze through the mist at the distant extremity of the -bay. The cliff was but a dark smudge in the night and the waves broke -against the rocks with a lonely sound.</p> - -<p>Suddenly, through the darkness, they heard a muffled sound. Their own -boat was running along quietly and they listened.</p> - -<p>"Another boat," remarked Tony, in a whisper.</p> - -<p>It was, indeed, another motorboat, and it was near the base of the -cliff. At last they could distinguish a faint light, and toward this -light they began to move slowly.</p> - -<p>They were tense with excitement. Everything might depend on the events -of the next few minutes.</p> - -<p>When they had gone in toward the cliff as far as they dared, creeping -up from the west, they could make out the gloomy outline of the other -motorboat, which was making its way slowly out of the very face of the -cliff itself.</p> - -<p>At first they could not imagine how the craft had got in so close nor -where it was coming from. They crept up closer, at imminent danger of -discovery, and at imminent danger of being washed ashore on the rocks. -Then, finally, they heard the other boat slow down, heard the faint -clatter of oars, then voices.</p> - -<p>After that, with an abrupt roar that startled them, the other motorboat -suddenly plunged on out into the bay. They could hear it threshing on -its way out toward sea at an ever-increasing rate of speed.</p> - -<p>"Where is it going?" said Tony, in amazement.</p> - -<p>Frank cautioned for silence.</p> - -<p>"There's a rowboat around here," he whispered. "Lay low."</p> - -<p>They waited in silence and at last they heard the rattle of oars again.</p> - -<p>This time the sound was closer.</p> - -<p>The rowboat was drawing near.</p> - -<p>Fortunately the wind was from the sea and it blew the sounds toward -them, at the same time keeping the men in the boat from hearing the -muffled murmur of their own craft.</p> - -<p>The rattle of oars continued and at last the boys could see the dim -shape of the boat through the gloom. Finally they could distinguish the -words of the dark figures in the craft. At a sign from Frank Tony cut -off the engine for the time being.</p> - -<p>But they could not make out complete sentences. The wind would whisk -toward them a fragment of speech and then the rest of the words would -be drowned.</p> - -<p>"—three hundred pounds—" they heard a harsh voice saying, and then -the rest of the sentence was lost.</p> - -<p>A dull murmur of voices. Finally—</p> - -<p>"I don't know. It's risky—"</p> - -<p>The wind died for a moment and then through the gloom the boys saw that -the rowboat was heading directly in toward the face of the cliff. It -was not many yards away and as it passed by they heard the harsh voice -again.</p> - -<p>"Li Chang's share—" he was saying.</p> - -<p>"No, we mustn't forget that," they heard a gruff voice reply.</p> - -<p>"I hope they get away all right."</p> - -<p>"What are you worrying about? Of course they'll get away."</p> - -<p>"We've been watched, you know."</p> - -<p>"It's all your imagination. Nobody suspects."</p> - -<p>"Those boys at the house—"</p> - -<p>"Just kids. If they come nosing around again we'll knock one of 'em on -the head."</p> - -<p>"I don't like this rough stuff. It's dangerous."</p> - -<p>"We've got to do it or we'll end up in the pen. You can't be -white-livered in this game. What's the matter with you to-night? You're -nervous."</p> - -<p>"I'm worried. I've got a hunch that we'd better clear out of here."</p> - -<p>"Clear out!" replied the other contemptuously. "Are you crazy? Why, -this place is as safe as a church. We can make a big clean-up before -they know we're in this part of the country at all."</p> - -<p>"Well, maybe you're right," said the first man doubtfully. "But still—"</p> - -<p>His voice died away as the boat went on into the cove.</p> - -<p>The boys could hear the rattle of oars and then a dull swishing of -bushes, a muttered voice, and then silence fell.</p> - -<p>The boys looked at one another through the gloom.</p> - -<p>"Smugglers!" exclaimed Frank.</p> - -<p>"Sounds mighty like it," replied Tony. "What do you think we should do?"</p> - -<p>"Follow them."</p> - -<p>"Sure," Joe agreed. "Follow them right into the cove."</p> - -<p>But Tony demurred, though as he spoke he started up the engine again.</p> - -<p>"Count me out," he said. "I don't like that talk about being knocked on -the head. I may be foolish, but I'm not <i>that</i> foolish."</p> - -<p>"There are three of us."</p> - -<p>"And we don't know how many more of them. And they're grown men. I -don't want to be trapped in that cove. Besides, the motorboat makes too -much noise. They'd hear us coming and then we'd be done for."</p> - -<p>This phase of the matter had not occurred to the Hardy boys, but they -saw that it was reasonable. In the darkness it would be risky entering -the narrow passage to the cove and then, as Tony said, it was probable -that their approach would be heard.</p> - -<p>"I hate to let them get away when we've got such a clue as this," said -Frank. "There's no doubt they are smugglers. The men in that motorboat -probably are going out to a ship for a cargo of smuggled goods, or else -they have delivered a cargo and are on their way back."</p> - -<p>"But where on earth did the motorboat come from!" exclaimed Joe. "There -wasn't any boat in the cove when we were in there."</p> - -<p>"Probably well hidden," said Frank. "There were a lot of bushes growing -close down to the water's edge, I noticed. They'd have some sort of a -hiding place fixed up."</p> - -<p>"But where did all those men come from?"</p> - -<p>"That's what we're going to find out. There must be some connection -between this cove and the house on the cliff. I'm going ashore."</p> - -<p>"Somebody's got to stay with the motorboat," said Tony. "I'm not afraid -to go in there, and if it comes to a dare, I will go, although I don't -want to be killed. But we can't leave the boat here, that's certain."</p> - -<p>"I'll tell you what to do," said Frank. "Let Joe and me go ashore. Then -we'll try to follow those men in the boat and see where they go. If we -let them slip out of our hands now we may lose them altogether."</p> - -<p>"And shall I wait?"</p> - -<p>"No. You go back to Bayport and get help—lots of it."</p> - -<p>"The police?"</p> - -<p>"The federal men. Tell them we're on the track of the smugglers. If Joe -and I discover anything we'll wait here at the entrance to the cove and -put the police on the right track when they get here."</p> - -<p>"Good!" said Tony. "I'll put you ashore right away."</p> - -<p>"Don't go too close or you'll wreck the boat. Joe, I guess you and I -will have to swim ashore. Then we'll go around into the cove and find -out all we can."</p> - -<p>Tony edged the boat in as close to the gloomy shore as he could, and -then, with a whispered farewell, the Hardy boys slipped over the side -into the water. They were only a few yards from the rocks and after a -short swim they emerged, dripping, on the mainland. They looked back. -They could see the dim shape of the motorboat as it turned away and -then they could hear its dull chugging as Tony Prito turned the craft -back in the direction of Bayport.</p> - -<p>"Now!" whispered Frank. "Now for the smugglers!"</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI</h2> -</div> - -<h3><span class="smcap">The Secret Passage</span></h3> - - -<p>It was very dark.</p> - -<p>"I wish we had a light," whispered Joe.</p> - -<p>"I have a flashlight in my pocket. But we can't use it now. Those men -may be still around."</p> - -<p>"Wouldn't the water spoil it?"</p> - -<p>"No; I have it in a waterproof case. We can feel our way around these -rocks until we get into the cove."</p> - -<p>Cautiously, the boys made their way along the treacherous rocks. -Once Joe lost his footing and slipped into the water with a splash. -Instantly both boys remained motionless, fearing the sound had -attracted the attention of the men in the cove. But there was not a -sound.</p> - -<p>Joe was ankle-deep in water, but he clambered up on the rocks again and -they continued their journey.</p> - -<p>They had landed at a point some twenty-five yards away from the -entrance to the cove, but the rocks were so treacherous and the -journey was so difficult that the distance seemed much longer.</p> - -<p>"It must be Snackley and his gang, all right," whispered Frank, as they -went on through the night. "Didn't you hear one of those men use a -Chinese name?"</p> - -<p>"He said something about Li Chang's share."</p> - -<p>"Li Chang is probably the fellow who brings the dope to the coast. -They bring the stuff into this cove by motorboat and rowboat and it is -distributed from here. Dad said Snackley was smuggling dope."</p> - -<p>"It must have been Snackley who ordered us away from here. He seemed -like a leader of some kind."</p> - -<p>"Five thousand dollars reward if we lay our hands on him!"</p> - -<p>They had now reached the place where the seemingly solid coast line -was broken by the indentation of the cove. They had feared that the -cliff might be too steep at this point, but they found that it sloped -gradually to the water and that there was a narrow ledge on which they -could walk, one behind the other.</p> - -<p>Here, they realized, the dangerous part of the adventure began.</p> - -<p>It was very lonely in the shadow of the steep cliffs, and the -loneliness was intensified by the distant moaning of the surf and the -beat and wash of the waves against the reefs. Far in the distance they -could see the reflection of the lights of Bayport through the mist and -once or twice they could hear the murmur of Tony's motorboat as it sped -away down the bay.</p> - -<p>"I hope they bring back lights and guns with them," muttered Frank.</p> - -<p>"Who?"</p> - -<p>"The police."</p> - -<p>"Don't worry. If they get word that Snackley is cornered they'll send -out a squad of militia."</p> - -<p>The boys rounded the point and began to make their way directly along -the shore of the cove. Dense thickets and bushes grew right to the -water's edge and the boys were afraid of making too much noise, as they -realized that the two men they had heard talking in the boat might be -close by—perhaps even waiting to pounce upon them in the darkness.</p> - -<p>Their hearts beat quickly with the knowledge of the risk they were -running, but neither lad thought of turning back. They were not -thinking of the smugglers alone—they were thinking of their father.</p> - -<p>When they reached the first of the thickets they paused. They knew that -the crackling of the branches would betray their whereabouts if there -was any one within hearing distance. For a while they did not know just -what to do. Then Frank began to lower himself from the rock on which -he was standing into the water.</p> - -<p>"If it isn't too deep we can wade around," he whispered.</p> - -<p>The water, fortunately, was shallow, and did not come up to his knees. -He signaled to Joe to follow, and Joe accordingly slipped quietly down -into the water beside him.</p> - -<p>Then, without a word and moving as slowly as possible, Frank went on, -wading through the water, close to the outstretched branches that -overhung the shore.</p> - -<p>It seemed as though they were wading at the bottom of a deep pit, -for the high walls of rock ranged all about them and after they had -penetrated into the cove some little distance the entrance was lost to -view, being hidden by an angle of the cliffs. When they looked up they -could see the gloomy greyness of the night sky above.</p> - -<p>The cove was still in deep silence, so finally Frank concluded that the -men who had entered the place in the boat had retired to some secret -hiding place. Inasmuch as they could not hope to discover anything -without a light, he withdrew the flashlight from its case, and then -switched it on.</p> - -<p>The yellow beam of light revealed the pallid leaves of the bushes by -the shore and the naked walls of rock above. But although Frank turned -the flashlight in every direction about the cove there was no sign of -the rowboat in which the two men had arrived.</p> - -<p>It had vanished utterly.</p> - -<p>Although the lads were prepared for the disappearance of the smugglers, -they were not prepared for the disappearance of the rowboat. But they -searched for it in vain. The light revealed nothing of the craft.</p> - -<p>"I wonder where they hid it!" whispered Frank.</p> - -<p>They began a systematic search of the bushes around the cove, remaining -as quiet as possible, but although they made almost a tour of the place -it was soon evident that the boat had not been beached under cover of -any of the thickets.</p> - -<p>"It must be hidden in a cave of some kind," Frank decided at last. "And -that's where the smugglers are."</p> - -<p>Once again they began a search of the bushes.</p> - -<p>They were still wading in the water and their feet were now very cold, -but they searched patiently and carefully, brushing aside the branches, -peering into the bushes, but it seemed they were to find nothing but -the uncompromising rocks and moss beyond.</p> - -<p>At last, however, as they were approaching a part of the cove which -they had not visited before, Frank, who was in the lead, stumbled -suddenly forward. His groping feet had failed to encounter bottom and -he had lost his balance.</p> - -<p>With great presence of mind, he kept the flashlight high in the air. -He had stepped into a deep hole, and although he was up to his neck -in water he kept his arm raised, keeping the flashlight free of the -wetness.</p> - -<p>"Here! Take the light," he gasped, in a hoarse whisper.</p> - -<p>Joe leaned over and grasped the flashlight.</p> - -<p>"Deep water here," muttered Frank, as he tried to scramble back into -the shallows.</p> - -<p>But the hole into which he had fallen was a sudden drop and it was -necessary for Joe to grasp his brother's outstretched hand before he -could regain the shallow water. At length, soaked to the skin, Frank -again stood beside his brother.</p> - -<p>"Good thing it wasn't any deeper," he remarked.</p> - -<p>"The bottom is pretty level around here. It's funny there should be a -deep hole like that."</p> - -<p>Frank gave a sudden exclamation.</p> - -<p>"I know how that came to be there," he whispered. "That's a channel! -See how close it is to the shore. The water shouldn't be so deep right -there."</p> - -<p>"Why should it be a channel?"</p> - -<p>"To let that motorboat get into shore—or the rowboat. They'd run -aground otherwise. Give me the light. I'll bet we've found where that -boat was hidden."</p> - -<p>He played the flashlight on the surface of the water and then they -could see clearly that the bottom of the cove was broken by a deep -channel at that point, several feet in width, leading directly toward a -clump of bushes at the shore.</p> - -<p>Keeping well to the side of the channel and in the shallow water, the -Hardy boys made their way over to the bushes.</p> - -<p>Then, when the beam of the flashlight was cast on the dense covert of -branches, the mystery was clear.</p> - -<p>Beyond the bushes was a dark opening in the rock</p> - -<p>"A cave!" exclaimed Frank, in a suppressed tone.</p> - -<p>It was so cleverly concealed that it could not have been seen in the -clear light of the day except at close quarters. The glare of the -flashlight, however, cast the dark opening into prominence behind the -screen of leaves.</p> - -<p>This, then, was the explanation of the boat's disappearance. There was -a channel in the cove enabling the smugglers to row the boat directly -into this cave in the rock. This also probably explained the presence -of the motorboat.</p> - -<p>"They went in here," said Joe.</p> - -<p>"We'll explore it."</p> - -<p>Having gone so far, there was no going back. The boys were fully -determined to keep on the track of the smugglers. They did not know -what lay behind the darkness of that silent and mysterious opening in -the rock. But they meant to find out, no matter what the risks.</p> - -<p>Cautiously, they advanced into the bushes, which gave way protestingly -before them. The branches whipped their faces. The water was still -shallow, for there was a narrow ledge along the side of the channel -and, moreover, it was now low tide.</p> - -<p>At last the bushes closed behind them. The Hardy boys were standing in -the entrance to a secret passage, pressed close against the rocky wall -of the cave.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII</h2> -</div> - -<h3><span class="smcap">The Chamber in the Cliff</span></h3> - - -<p>Frank switched on the flashlight.</p> - -<p>The beam illuminated the depths of the dark passage. Far ahead of the -brothers they glimpsed a grey shape just above the surface of the -glistening water.</p> - -<p>For a moment they were startled, then they recognized that the grey -shape was nothing more than the rowboat that had passed by them in the -darkness outside the cove. It had been drawn up close to a natural -wharf hewn out of the solid rock. It swayed to and fro with the motion -of the water.</p> - -<p>The boys made their way forward along the ledge, which was wide enough -for one person to walk on, until at last the ledge widened out and -proved to be a path leading to the wharf.</p> - -<p>There was not a sound in the passage but the drip-drip of water from -the gloomy walls.</p> - -<p>The Hardy boys stole quietly forward along the wharf, passed the boat, -and then looked about them.</p> - -<p>Frank played the beam of the flashlight all about the place until at -last the glare revealed a dark opening immediately ahead.</p> - -<p>It was a crude arch in the rock and beyond it he could see a steep -flight of wooden steps.</p> - -<p>His heart was pounding with excitement. There was no doubt now that -they had discovered the smugglers' secret.</p> - -<p>"We've found it," he whispered to Joe. "We've found the passage. This -must be directly underneath the house on the cliff."</p> - -<p>"We'll have to go quietly."</p> - -<p>The light cast strange shadows through the gloomy passage in the rocks. -Water dripped from the walls. Water dripped from their clothing. They -tiptoed quietly forward beneath the archway until they reached the -flight of steps.</p> - -<p>Then, quietly, almost stealthily, they began to ascend.</p> - -<p>The place was in a deathlike silence. It was as if they were in a tomb. -So quiet was the strange stairway in the cliff that the boys could -hardly believe that men had been there but a short while before.</p> - -<p>Step by step they ascended the stairs, and at last Frank's flashlight -showed that they were approaching a door. It was set directly in a -frame in the wall of rock at which the stairs ended. The passageway -curved above them in a rocky ceiling.</p> - -<p>They stood on the steps outside the door.</p> - -<p>Should they enter?</p> - -<p>They did not know what lay beyond. They might be entering the very -haunt of the smugglers. In fact, this was most probable. And in that -event they would not have a chance of escape.</p> - -<p>For a while they remained there, not knowing whether to retreat or go -on.</p> - -<p>Then Frank stepped forward. He pressed his ear against the door and -listened intently.</p> - -<p>There was not a sound.</p> - -<p>He peered around the sides of the door to see if he could catch a -glimpse of light. There was only darkness. At length he decided that -there was no one immediately beyond the door and he made up his mind to -go ahead.</p> - -<p>He whispered his decision to Joe, who nodded.</p> - -<p>"I'm with you."</p> - -<p>The door was opened by a latch, and Frank tried it cautiously. At first -it was obstinate.</p> - -<p>Then, with an abrupt clatter that echoed from wall to wall and seemed -to the ears of the boys to create a hideous and deafening uproar, the -latch snapped and the door swung open.</p> - -<p>They did not immediately cross the threshold. Perhaps their approach -had been heard. Perhaps the smugglers lay in wait for them beyond. So -they remained there in silence for several minutes, listening for the -slightest sound.</p> - -<p>However, it became apparent that the dark chamber was empty, so Frank -switched on the flashlight.</p> - -<p>The vivid beam cut the darkness and revealed a gloomy cave in the very -center of the cliff, hewn out of the rock. It had been a natural cave, -just as the tunnel in the cliff had been a natural passageway, but -the roof had been bolstered up by great beams and the sides had been -chipped away while the floor had been leveled. It was a secret chamber -in the heart of the rock.</p> - -<p>The light revealed the fact that this chamber was used as a storeroom, -for there were huge boxes, bales and packages distributed about the -floor and piled against the walls.</p> - -<p>"Smuggled goods!" exclaimed Frank.</p> - -<p>His suspicions seemed verified by the fact that the majority of the -boxes bore labels of foreign countries. Chinese characters were -scribbled across them in practically every case.</p> - -<p>Seeing that the chamber was unoccupied, the boys stepped through the -doorway and looked about them. The flashlight illuminated the murky -corners of the cave.</p> - -<p>"This must be where they store all the stuff," Joe said, as he -inspected one of the boxes.</p> - -<p>"There must be another opening that leads to the top of the cliff. They -probably bring the stuff up to the house and then dispose of it from -there."</p> - -<p>"You'd think they would keep it at the Polucca place instead of down -here."</p> - -<p>"Probably they are afraid the house might be raided at some time or -another. That's why they keep the goods hidden in this place. It would -be mighty hard for any one to find it here."</p> - -<p>"But how do they get the stuff out of here? There's no doorway that I -can see."</p> - -<p>The light of the flashlight played upon the walls.</p> - -<p>No doorway, no opening of any kind, was revealed.</p> - -<p>"That's strange," said Frank. "There must be some way out."</p> - -<p>They began to move about the chamber. Across some of the bales of goods -had been thrown rich bolts of silk, while valuable tapestries were also -lying carelessly on the floor. In one corner were three or four boxes -piled on top of one another. Frank accidentally knocked the flashlight -against one of these and it gave forth a hollow sound.</p> - -<p>"It's empty," he said.</p> - -<p>An idea struck him that perhaps these boxes had been piled up to -conceal some passage leading out of the secret chamber. He mentioned -his suspicion to Joe.</p> - -<p>"But how could they pile the boxes up there after they went out?" his -brother questioned.</p> - -<p>"This gang are smart enough for anything. Let's move these boxes away."</p> - -<p>He seized the topmost box. It was very light and he removed it from the -top of the pile without difficulty.</p> - -<p>"I thought so!" exclaimed Frank, with satisfaction.</p> - -<p>For the light revealed the top of a door which had hitherto been hidden -from view.</p> - -<p>The boys lost no time in moving the rest of the boxes, and the entire -door was soon in sight. Then the boys discovered how it was possible -for the boxes to be piled up in such a position in spite of the fact -that the smugglers had left the chamber and closed the door behind them.</p> - -<p>Attached to the bottom of the door was a small wooden platform that -projected out some distance over the floor of the cave and on this -platform the boxes had been piled.</p> - -<p>"They are kept there all the time, as a blind," he said. "Whenever any -one leaves the cave and closes the door the boxes swing in with the -platform and it looks as though they were piled up on the floor."</p> - -<p>The ingenuity of the contrivance won their reluctant admiration.</p> - -<p>"What shall we do?" asked Joe, looking through the doorway into the -darkness beyond. "Go ahead?"</p> - -<p>"We've come this far, and there's no sense in turning back. Let's go."</p> - -<p>Frank stepped on into the passage beyond. He had hardly switched on the -flashlight, revealing a crude flight of stairs that led from the rocky -landing, before he stiffened and laid a warning hand on his brother's -arm.</p> - -<p>"Voices!" he whispered.</p> - -<p>They listened.</p> - -<p>They heard a man's voice in the distance. They could not distinguish -what he was saying, for he was still too far away, but gradually the -tones grew louder. Then, to their alarm, they heard footsteps.</p> - -<p>Hastily, they retreated into the secret chamber.</p> - -<p>"Quick! The door," snapped Frank.</p> - -<p>They closed the door quietly.</p> - -<p>"Now the boxes. If they come in here they'll notice that the boxes have -been moved. Quick."</p> - -<p>Swiftly the Hardy boys began to pile the empty boxes back on the -platform that projected from the bottom of the door. They worked as -quietly as possible and as they worked they heard the footsteps on the -stairs drawing closer and closer.</p> - -<p>Finally, the topmost box was in place.</p> - -<p>"Out the other door."</p> - -<p>They sped across the floor of the chamber toward the door that led to -the stairs they had just recently ascended, but hardly had they reached -it before they heard a rattle at the latch of the door on the opposite -side of the cave.</p> - -<p>"We haven't time," whispered Frank. "Hide."</p> - -<p>The beam of the flashlight revealed a number of boxes close by the -door. Over these boxes had been thrown a heavy bolt of silk, the folds -of which hung down to the floor. They scrambled swiftly in behind the -boxes, pressing themselves close against the wall. They did not have -more than time to hide themselves and switch out the light before they -heard the other door open.</p> - -<p>"There's a package of dope in that shipment that came in last night," -they heard a husky voice saying. "We'll bring it upstairs, for Burke -says he can get rid of it for us right away. No use leaving it down -here."</p> - -<p>"Right," they heard some one else reply. "Anything else to go up?"</p> - -<p>"No. We won't start moving the rest of this until the end of the week. -It's too dangerous. Let Burke take out the shipment he has, along with -this dope, and then we'll lay low for a few days. I'm getting a bit -nervous."</p> - -<p>"What does the big boss think about it?"</p> - -<p>"That's his idea too. Here—wait till I switch on that light."</p> - -<p>There was a click, and suddenly the chamber was flooded with light. The -cave had been wired for electricity.</p> - -<p>The Hardy boys crouched in their hiding place. Their hearts were -pounding madly.</p> - -<p>Would they be discovered?</p> - -<p>Footsteps slowly approached the boxes behind which they were concealed!</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII</h2> -</div> - -<h3><span class="smcap">A Startling Discovery</span></h3> - - -<p>The Hardy boys were tense with a realization of their peril.</p> - -<p>The strong electric light that hung from the center of the ceiling -cast such a vivid illumination that they were sure they would be seen, -particularly when they found that the boxes behind which they were -hidden were spaced some distance apart. But for the folds of silk that -hung down over the opening they would certainly have been seen.</p> - -<p>"Here's some of that special silk," they heard the first man say. -"Perhaps I'd better bring it up too. Burke was saying he could handle -some more silk."</p> - -<p>"We're done for!" thought Frank. "If he ever comes close enough to pick -up that silk he'll see us, sure."</p> - -<p>But the other man objected.</p> - -<p>"What's the use? You won't get any more thanks for carrying all that -stuff upstairs, even if Burke does take it. And if he doesn't, you'll -just have to cart it all the way down again. My motto in this gang is -to do just what Snackley tells me and no more."</p> - -<p>"I guess you're right. We'll just bring up the dope."</p> - -<p>To the relief of the boys the man turned away and went back to the -other side of the chamber. They could hear a rustling sound. Then came -the words:</p> - -<p>"Well, we've got it. Let's go back up."</p> - -<p>The switch snapped and the cavern was steeped in darkness immediately. -It was a darkness immeasurably welcome to the lads crouched behind the -boxes. They began to breathe more easily. They heard the door close and -then they could hear the footsteps of the two men as they ascended the -stairs in the passageway.</p> - -<p>When the footsteps could be heard no more, Frank switched on the -flashlight with a sigh of relief.</p> - -<p>"That was a close call. Gosh, but I was sure they had us."</p> - -<p>"We wouldn't have had any chance with that pair. You can bet your life -they carry guns."</p> - -<p>"Well, let's follow them."</p> - -<p>"I'm with you. We know we're on the right track."</p> - -<p>"And we know we're liable to blunder right into the whole den of -smugglers if we don't watch our step. It's going to be ticklish from -now on."</p> - -<p>"It can't be any more ticklish than it has been. I lived about ten -years while that pair was in here."</p> - -<p>They crossed the chamber and again opened the door. Cautiously, they -stepped out on the landing, closed the door behind them, and again -confronted the flight of steps.</p> - -<p>"I'll go first," said Frank. "Stick close behind me."</p> - -<p>He decided to turn out the flashlight, because it was barely possible -that the smugglers might have a guard at the top of the stairs, in -which event their approach would be discovered. So, in the inky -blackness, they ascended, step after step.</p> - -<p>They reached the top of the first flight of stairs and then they found -themselves upon a crude landing of planks which ran along the side of -the rock wall for some distance until it ended in another flight of -steps.</p> - -<p>Here the boys stopped again to listen. All was as silent as the tomb -save for the distant pounding of the sea upon the cliff.</p> - -<p>"I don't hear a sound," whispered Joe,</p> - -<p>"Come on," came from his brother.</p> - -<p>The passage through the rock was of considerable depth, and they went -on up countless steps until their limbs were weary. They had never -realized that the cliff was so high until now.</p> - -<p>But at length they reached the final landing and there they were -confronted by another door. This door, they assumed, either led out -into the open or into some cave just below the surface of the ground. -Perhaps, thought Frank, it even led into the cellar of the Polucca -house.</p> - -<p>The boys pressed close to the door, taking care to make no noise, and -listened.</p> - -<p>They heard not a sound.</p> - -<p>Still, with the caution arising from their previous narrow escape, they -decided to wait a little while longer. As later events proved, it was -well that they did.</p> - -<p>For a while they could hear nothing from beyond the door and there was -no indication that any one was there. But, after listening intently for -as long as five minutes, they heard a queer shuffling sound and then a -sigh. That was all.</p> - -<p>"Some one there!" breathed Frank, in a low whisper.</p> - -<p>Joe nodded in the darkness.</p> - -<p>They did not know what to do. It seemed apparent that there was some -one beyond the door. Possibly a sentry. If there was only one man -it might be possible to attack him and disarm him, although it was -scarcely possible that they could do this without noise and without -attracting the attention of the smugglers.</p> - -<p>The problem was solved for them.</p> - -<p>A door thudded in the distance. Then there was a muffled murmur of -voices, growing in volume, and a trampling of feet.</p> - -<p>"I tell you this nonsense has gone far enough. He'll sign, and he'll -sign right now, or I'll know the reason why."</p> - -<p>The boys started. For the voice was none other than the voice of the -man who had ordered them out of the cove that afternoon.</p> - -<p>"That's the stuff, chief!" returned some one. "Make him sign and -promise to keep his mouth shut."</p> - -<p>"If he doesn't he'll never live to tell about it, that's one thing -sure!" snapped the first man coldly.</p> - -<p>There was the sound of a switch being snapped, and then the boys could -see a yellow beam of light beneath the door at their feet. From the -sounds they judged that three or four men had entered the room beyond.</p> - -<p>"Well, he's still here," said the man who had been addressed as -"chief." He strode across the room and the boys could hear a chair -scrape on the board floor. "You'll find that this is an easier place to -get into than it is to get out of."</p> - -<p>A weary voice answered him. The tones were low. The boys could not make -out the words.</p> - -<p>"You're a prisoner here and you'll be a prisoner here until you die -unless you sign that paper."</p> - -<p>Again the weary voice spoke, but, as before, the tones were so low that -the words were indistinguishable.</p> - -<p>"You won't sign, eh? We'll see about that!"</p> - -<p>"Wait till he goes hungry for a few days and then he'll think -differently," put in one of the other men. There was a hoarse laugh -from his companions.</p> - -<p>"Yes, you'll be hungry enough before we're through with you. I can -promise you that," said the harsh voice. "Are you going to sign?"</p> - -<p>"No," they heard the prisoner in the other room answer.</p> - -<p>Who was this man who was evidently held captive by the smugglers in the -underground room? The same thought was in the mind of each boy as he -listened to the conversation.</p> - -<p>"You know too much about us. You've found out too much, and we'll never -let you get out of here to use your information. You may as well get -that straight. You've read that paper. If you don't sign it you will -starve."</p> - -<p>The prisoner evidently did not reply.</p> - -<p>"Give him a taste of the hot iron," suggested one of the smugglers.</p> - -<p>"No, nothing like that. It's too crude. I'm giving him his chance. He -can sign this paper now or take the consequences."</p> - -<p>Still there was no reply.</p> - -<p>"Getting obstinate, are you? Won't you even answer me!" The leader of -the gang was evidently getting angry. Suddenly he shouted out:</p> - -<p>"Sign this paper, Hardy, or you'll starve—as sure as my name is -Snackley!"</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX</h2> -</div> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Captured</span></h3> - - -<p>The worst fears of the Hardy boys were realized.</p> - -<p>They had been unable to distinguish clearly the voice of the prisoner -until then, for it had been muffled by the intervening door, but all -along they had suspected that it was their father. Now they knew, and -they knew also that he was a captive of Snackley, the head of the gang -of smugglers.</p> - -<p>Joe gave a perceptible start, but Frank laid a warning hand upon his -brother's arm. Now, of all times, there was need for caution.</p> - -<p>They listened.</p> - -<p>"I won't sign it," replied Fenton Hardy clearly.</p> - -<p>Snackley replied:</p> - -<p>"You heard what I said. Sign or starve."</p> - -<p>"I'll starve."</p> - -<p>"You'll think differently in a day or so. You're pretty hungry now, -Hardy, but you'll be a lot hungrier later on. And thirsty, too. You'll -be ready to sell your soul for a drop of water or a bite to eat."</p> - -<p>"I won't sign."</p> - -<p>"After all, we're not asking very much. You've discovered a number of -things that we want you to forget about. It won't hurt you to go back -to Bayport and say that you couldn't find out anything about us. Nobody -knows where you have been."</p> - -<p>"I've found out all I wanted to know about you, Snackley. I've got -enough evidence to send you to the penitentiary for the rest of your -life. And I have more than that."</p> - -<p>"What do you mean—more than that?"</p> - -<p>"I know enough to have you sent to the electric chair."</p> - -<p>There was a sudden commotion in the room and two or three of the -smugglers began talking at once.</p> - -<p>"You're crazy!" shouted Snackley, but there was a current of uneasiness -in his voice. "You're crazy. You don't know anything about me."</p> - -<p>"I know enough to have you sent up for murder."</p> - -<p>"All the more reason why you're not going to get out of here without -signing this paper. You can count yourself lucky you have even this -chance of getting out alive. By all rights we should knock you on the -head and heave you over the cliff into the sea."</p> - -<p>"I won't sign."</p> - -<p>"Don't be foolish. All we ask you to do is to agree that you won't make -use of the information you have. I admit that you've stumbled on some -of our secrets, and we can't afford to turn you loose and have the -federal agents about our ears in no time."</p> - -<p>"You must trust me very much. What is to prevent me from signing that -paper and then going back on my word?" asked Fenton Hardy curiously.</p> - -<p>"We know you too well, Hardy. We know that if you signed that promise -you would keep it."</p> - -<p>"Exactly. And that is why I won't sign it. I wouldn't be doing my duty -if I agreed to any scheme that would protect you."</p> - -<p>"How about your family? Are you doing your duty to them by being so -obstinate?"</p> - -<p>There was silence for a while. Then Fenton Hardy answered slowly:</p> - -<p>"They would rather know that I died doing my duty than have me come -back to them as a protector of smugglers and criminals."</p> - -<p>"You have a very high sense of duty," sneered Snackley. "But perhaps -you'll think better of it after a while. Are you thirsty?"</p> - -<p>There was no reply.</p> - -<p>"Are you hungry?"</p> - -<p>Still no answer.</p> - -<p>"You know you are. And you'll be hungrier and thirstier before we are -through with you. We'll put food and water in your sight but you won't -be able to reach it. You'll die of thirst and starvation—unless you -sign that paper."</p> - -<p>"I'll never sign it."</p> - -<p>"All right. Come on, men. We'll leave him to himself and give him time -to think about it."</p> - -<p>Footsteps resounded as Snackley and the others began to leave the room, -and finally they died away and a door banged.</p> - -<p>Fenton Hardy was left alone.</p> - -<p>Joe made a sudden move toward the door, but Frank restrained him.</p> - -<p>"Not just yet," he cautioned. "They may have left some one to guard -him."</p> - -<p>So the boys waited, listening intently at the door.</p> - -<p>But there were no further sounds from within the room. At length, -satisfied that his father had indeed been left alone, Frank fumbled for -the latch of the door.</p> - -<p>Noiselessly, he managed to open it. He pressed in on the door until it -was open about an inch, then he peeped through the aperture.</p> - -<p>He found himself on the threshold of a sort of cellar, a damp and -mouldy chamber, of about the same size as the storage room in the -heart of the cliff, with the difference that whereas the first room -was a cave in the rock, this place had been dug out of the earth. It -was floored with planks and a lone electric light cast a yellowish -illumination over the scene. There was a crude table and a few chairs, -while in one corner stood a small camp-bed.</p> - -<p>On this bed he spied his father.</p> - -<p>Fenton Hardy was bound hand and foot to the cot, so tightly trussed up -that he was unable to move more than a few inches in any direction. -He was lying flat on his back, staring up at the muddy ceiling of -his prison. On a chair beside the cot was a large sheet of paper, -presumably the document the smugglers were asking him to sign.</p> - -<p>The detective did not hear the door open. As Frank looked at him he was -conscious of a change in the appearance of his father, a change that -shocked him extremely. For Fenton Hardy was thin and pale, his cheeks -were sunken and he looked like a man who was famished for want of food.</p> - -<p>Frank opened the door a little wider and tiptoed into the room. Joe -followed quietly.</p> - -<p>They knew that there was danger of the smugglers returning at any -moment. They knew that they must work swiftly and quietly if they were -to effect the release of their father.</p> - -<p>A slight sound attracted Fenton Hardy's attention and he slowly turned -his head. When his gaze rested on the figures of the two boys who were -stealing across the floor toward him he almost uttered an exclamation -of amazement but he managed to check the involuntary utterance, -although his face lighted up with relief.</p> - -<p>Quickly, the Hardy boys reached his bedside. Frank drew out his -pocketknife and, without a word, without even a whisper, began to hack -at the ropes that bound his father. But the knife was dull and the -ropes were heavy.</p> - -<p>Joe had lost his knife in the water soon after they had left Bayport, -and although he searched about the room, he was unable to find one, so -he set himself to the laborious business of trying to untie the knots.</p> - -<p>Every moment was precious. At any second, the boys knew, they might -hear the footsteps of the approaching smugglers. They worked with -frantic caution, working against time.</p> - -<p>Frank hacked at the ropes, but the dull blade seemed to make little -progress. Joe fumbled at the obstinate knots until his fingernails were -broken, but he could scarcely loosen the strands.</p> - -<p>Minutes passed—slowly and agonizingly. Fenton Hardy could give no -assistance. He had to lie there in silence, not daring even to -encourage the lads by a whisper. The silence was broken only by the -heavy breathing of the two boys, by the scarcely audible sound of the -knife against the ropes.</p> - -<p>At last the knife cut through one of the ropes and Fenton Hardy's feet -were free. Frank pulled the ropes away, but a loose end fell on the -floor with a light sound.</p> - -<p>Slight as the noise was, it seemed to them almost deafening, in view of -the necessity for silence. Desperately, Frank prepared to set to work -to cut through the ropes that bound Fenton Hardy's arms. And, even as -he reached over with the knife, they heard a sound that sent a thrill -of terror through them.</p> - -<p>It was a heavy footstep beyond the door through which the smugglers had -recently disappeared!</p> - -<p>Some one was approaching the underground room.</p> - -<p>Frank strained at the knife, but the ropes were stubborn. The dull -blade made little impression at first. But at last the rope began to -give, and finally, as Fenton Hardy gave a mighty effort, it snapped, -and the detective was free.</p> - -<p>But the footsteps on the stairs had drawn nearer and it was followed by -others. The smugglers were returning.</p> - -<p>"Quick!" whispered Frank, as he flung the ropes aside.</p> - -<p>"I—I can't—hurry!" gasped out Fenton Hardy. "I've been here too—too -long." He could hardly utter the words. His face showed his exhaustion.</p> - -<p>"But we've got to hurry, dad!" came excitedly from Frank. "See if you -can't make it."</p> - -<p>"I'll—I'll do my—my best," returned his father.</p> - -<p>"If those fellows come back let's fight for it," put in Joe desperately.</p> - -<p>"You bet we'll fight," answered Frank in a voice that meant a great -deal.</p> - -<p>Fenton Hardy got to his feet as hastily as he could, but when he stood -up on the floor he reeled and would have fallen had not Joe grasped his -arm. He had been lying bound to the cot for so long and he was so weak -from hunger that a fit of dizziness had attacked him. It soon passed, -however, and the three hastened toward the door through which the Hardy -boys had entered.</p> - -<p>But the smugglers were very close now. The Hardys could hear the coarse -voices just outside the other door.</p> - -<p>There was no chance of escape.</p> - -<p>Just as the Hardy boys and their father crossed the threshold the door -on the opposite side of the room was flung open.</p> - -<p>Frank had a confused glimpse of the dark man, Snackley, whom they had -seen in the cove that afternoon, with half a dozen rough men crowding -behind him. Then he saw Snackley whip a revolver from his pocket.</p> - -<p>The chief of the smugglers was filled with astonishment, but he did not -lose his presence of mind. The weapon was leveled at Frank before he -had time to close the door.</p> - -<p>Snackley did not speak. He pressed the trigger and the revolver roared, -the echoes crowding on one another in that narrow space. The bullet -chipped into the wood of the door.</p> - -<p>Frank ducked. Joe, who was in the lead, flung himself to one side. -Fenton Hardy stumbled out on to the landing at the top of the stairs.</p> - -<p>"Come back!" roared Snackley, plunging across the room. "Come back or -I'll fire again!"</p> - -<p>As the smuggler drew closer Frank crouched for a spring, and then -leaped directly at Snackley. He struck out at the man's wrist and the -revolver flew out of the rascal's grasp, skidding across the floor into -a corner.</p> - -<p>Then they grappled, and so sudden had been Frank's attack that the -smuggler was taken by surprise and he reeled up against the wall. But -his companions rushed to his rescue. Frank was swiftly overpowered and -dragged away, while other smugglers, with drawn revolvers, pursued Joe -and Fenton Hardy out on to the landing. Being unarmed, they were forced -to submit, otherwise they would have been shot without mercy.</p> - -<p>The struggle was short. The menacing revolvers gave the smugglers the -upper hand.</p> - -<p>Within five minutes Fenton Hardy was bound to the cot again while the -Hardy boys were seated, trussed up and unable to move, on two chairs -near by. They were captives of the smugglers!</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XX">CHAPTER XX</h2> -</div> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Dire Threats</span></h3> - - -<p>Snackley, once he had recovered from his first consternation and -surprise, was in high humor.</p> - -<p>"Just in time!" he chuckled, rubbing his hands with satisfaction. "Just -in time! If we'd been a few minutes later they'd have been away from us -altogether."</p> - -<p>The Hardy boys were silent. They were sick with disappointment. It had -seemed that escape was certain, and then, in a twinkling, the tables -had been turned and now they were all worse off than they had been -before.</p> - -<p>"What will we do with 'em, chief?" asked one of the men.</p> - -<p>The voice sounded familiar to the boys and they looked up. Not -altogether to their surprise, they saw that the fellow was none other -than Redhead, whom they had seen at the Polucca place the day Frank -discovered his father's cap.</p> - -<p>"Do with them?" exclaimed Snackley. "That's quite a problem. We have -three on our hands now, where we had only one. We have to make three -people keep their mouths shut instead of only one. We have three people -to keep guard over now."</p> - -<p>"We ought to do what I wanted to do in the first place," declared -Redhead doggedly. "As long as Hardy is alive, he's dangerous."</p> - -<p>"You mean we should get rid of him?"</p> - -<p>"Sure, we ought to get rid of him—and get rid of those boys of his, -too."</p> - -<p>"That's easier said than done," returned Snackley, but with a sinister -look at the man on the cot.</p> - -<p>"I should think you had enough on your conscience already, Snackley!" -exclaimed Fenton Hardy. "But I suppose you're hardened enough for -anything," he added bitterly. He was thinking more of his sons and -their possible fate than of himself.</p> - -<p>"Don't you bother about my conscience," sneered Snackley; but a shadow -crossed his face. "What do you know about me, anyhow?" he demanded -roughly.</p> - -<p>"I know all about what happened to Felix Polucca. He had a big treasure -hidden in that house on the cliff and you got it, and then you started -to use the place for your smuggling operations."</p> - -<p>"O, shut up!" Snackley snapped. "I'm going to fix you, and those kids -of yours, too! Just wait and see!"</p> - -<p>Four of the smugglers had been whispering among themselves at the -back of the room during this talk between the chief smuggler and the -detective, and now one of these men stepped forward.</p> - -<p>"Got a word to say to you, chief," he began, addressing Snackley.</p> - -<p>"What is it now?" The chief smuggler's voice was surly.</p> - -<p>"It's about what's to be done with these three, now we have 'em -prisoners," returned the man hesitatingly. "Of course, your business -is your own and we're not asking any questions about what happened to -Felix Polucca, but we're in this game of smuggling, see? We don't stand -for anything that's too red-handed."</p> - -<p>"That's the truth!" put in another of the men.</p> - -<p>"Kind of chicken-hearted," sneered Snackley. "You look out or I'll fire -the lot of you!"</p> - -<p>"No, you won't, chief," replied the first man who had addressed him. -"We've helped in this smuggling, and we're going to have our full share -of what's coming to us."</p> - -<p>"We've got another plan about those three prisoners," put in a fellow -who had not yet spoken. "I think it would work out grand."</p> - -<p>"What plan?" questioned the chief smuggler briefly.</p> - -<p>"We've been talking about Li Chang."</p> - -<p>"What about him?"</p> - -<p>"Turn 'em over to Li Chang. He's sailing back to China in the morning. -Have 'em put on board his ship."</p> - -<p>Snackley scratched his head for a moment. Evidently the idea caught his -fancy.</p> - -<p>"Not bad," he muttered. "I hadn't thought of Li Chang. Yes, he'd be -able to look after them. He'd see to it that they never returned," and -he grinned grimly.</p> - -<p>"He'd probably dump 'em overboard before they got to China at all," -declared Redhead smugly. "Li Chang doesn't like to feed passengers if -they can be got rid of."</p> - -<p>"So much the better. We won't be responsible."</p> - -<p>"Leave it to Li Chang. The old villain would just like to have three -white men in his power. He'll attend to them."</p> - -<p>Snackley reached over and picked up the document from the floor, where -it had fallen in the struggle. He glanced at it and then tore it into -pieces.</p> - -<p>"We won't need this. You've lost your chance, Hardy. If you had signed -it you would have been free by now. But you'll never be free—not with -three of you knowing our secret. It's too risky. You'll all be turned -over to Li Chang. He brought in a little cargo this week and his ship -is to sail in the morning. You will go with him."</p> - -<p>Fenton Hardy was silent. He had resolved not to plead for his own -safety.</p> - -<p>"Well," said Snackley, "haven't you anything to say?"</p> - -<p>"Nothing. Do as you wish with me. But let the boys go."</p> - -<p>"We'll stick with you, dad," said Frank quickly.</p> - -<p>"We sure will!" added Joe.</p> - -<p>"You certainly will," declared Snackley. "I'm not going to let one of -you have the chance of getting back to Bayport with your story."</p> - -<p>The chief of the smugglers stood in the center of the room for a while, -contemplating his captives with a bitter smile. Then he turned suddenly -on his heel.</p> - -<p>"Well, they're safe enough," he said to Redhead. "We have that business -with Burke to attend to. You two," he said, speaking to two of his men, -"had better go down to the cove and take the rowboat out. Signal to -Li Chang that we need the motorboat sent in at once. The rest of you -come and help load Burke's truck. If any nosey policeman came along and -found it in the lane we'd be done for."</p> - -<p>"How about them?" asked Redhead, indicating the prisoners.</p> - -<p>"They're safe enough. But I guess we'd better leave one guard, anyway. -Malloy, you stay here and keep watch."</p> - -<p>Malloy, a surly and truculent fellow in overalls and a ragged sweater, -nodded and sat down on a box near the door. This arrangement seemed to -satisfy Snackley, and after warning Malloy not to fall asleep on the -job and to see to it that the prisoners did not escape, he left the -room, followed by Redhead and the other smugglers, with the exception -of two who left by the other door. Their footsteps could be heard as -they went down the flight of stairs leading to the bottom of the cliff.</p> - -<p>A heavy silence fell over the room after the departure of the -smugglers. Malloy crouched gloomily on the box, gazing blankly at the -floor. The butt of a revolver projected from his hip pocket.</p> - -<p>Frank strained against the ropes that bound him to the chair. But the -smugglers had done their task well. He could scarcely budge.</p> - -<p>"We're done for, I guess," he heard Joe say.</p> - -<p>Frank seldom gave up heart, but this time he could see no ray of hope.</p> - -<p>"I'm afraid so. Looks as if we'd be with Li Chang by morning."</p> - -<p>"But we don't want to go to China, Frank!"</p> - -<p>"We may never get to China, Joe. Didn't you hear what they said? For -all we know, that rascally Chinaman, whoever he is, may heave us -overboard when he gets well out in the ocean."</p> - -<p>"You fellows shut up," growled Malloy. "Shut up, I tell you, or I'll -make it hot for you," and he tapped his revolver suggestively.</p> - -<p>After that an ominous silence fell between the prisoners. Frank and Joe -were downhearted. It looked as if their fate were sealed.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXI">CHAPTER XXI</h2> -</div> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Quick Work</span></h3> - - -<p>The Hardy boys glanced over at their father on the cot.</p> - -<p>To their surprise they saw that he was smiling. Frank was on the point -of asking him what he found in the situation to smile at when he caught -a warning glance. He looked over at the guard.</p> - -<p>Malloy was not bothering with the prisoners. He was not even looking -in their direction. Instead, his head was already beginning to nod, as -though he were going to sleep.</p> - -<p>Snackley had made a poor selection when he chose Malloy as guard. The -man had been up the entire previous night helping bring in the shipment -of smuggled goods from Li Chang's vessel, and he had had no sleep that -day. He was very tired. Sleep stole upon him without his being aware of -it.</p> - -<p>Several times he straightened up and rubbed his eyes, but eventually he -would bow his head again and give in to the luxury of a little doze.</p> - -<p>In the meantime, Mr. Hardy was busy. He had profited by his previous -experience.</p> - -<p>When the smugglers seized him and attempted to tie him to the bed for -the second time he had made use of a trick frequently employed by -magicians and professional "escape" artists, who guarantee to escape -from ropes and strait-jackets. He had expanded his chest and held his -muscles rigid, keeping his arms as far away from his sides as possible, -so that later, when he relaxed, he found that the ropes did not bind -him as tightly as his captors had intended.</p> - -<p>This gave him a small leeway. He found that the ropes were especially -slack about his right wrist, so he began to work laboriously to free -himself. For a long time he thought it would be impossible, and the -rope chafed his wrist, but at last he managed to slide his hand free.</p> - -<p>Joe and Frank watched this performance with amazement, and new hope -came into their eyes as they saw their father slowly groping for one of -the knots. The detective fumbled at it for a while. It was slow work, -for he had but one hand free, but in their haste the smugglers had not -tied the knot as firmly as they should, and before long Fenton Hardy -had loosened it to such an extent that soon the ends of the rope fell -away.</p> - -<p>His arms were now free, so he braced himself against the sides of the -bed and struggled to release his feet. They had not been bound so -securely, being simply tied down under one strand of rope about the -cot, and after silently struggling for a few minutes he was able to -work his way free.</p> - -<p>The detective's next move was to take off his boots, which he did -swiftly and quietly, placing them noiselessly on the bed. Then he crept -out onto the floor and began to steal over toward the guard.</p> - -<p>Malloy was half asleep, but the detective had not gone more than two -yards before a slight sound, a slight creaking of the floor, warned the -guard that something was amiss.</p> - -<p>He turned, blinking.</p> - -<p>A look of intense amazement crossed Malloy's face and he opened his -mouth to yell for help, but Fenton Hardy leaped across the intervening -space and hurled himself upon the smuggler before the guard had time to -utter more than a muffled gasp.</p> - -<p>He clapped one hand over Malloy's mouth and bore the guard to the -floor, where they rolled over and over in a desperate and silent -struggle. Although Fenton Hardy was weakened by his imprisonment and -privation and although the smuggler was strong and wiry, the detective -had the advantage of a surprise attack, and Malloy had no time to -collect his faculties.</p> - -<p>Joe and Frank watched the battle in an agony of suspense. It was, they -knew, their last hope.</p> - -<p>Fenton Hardy still kept his hand over the other man's mouth, although -Malloy was gasping and gurgling and making frantic efforts to call out -for help. The detective dug his knee into Malloy's stomach and when the -smuggler tried to wriggle out of the way he snatched for the revolver.</p> - -<p>Their hands closed about the butt of the weapon at the same instant.</p> - -<p>The struggle was short and bitter.</p> - -<p>Malloy tugged at the revolver, trying to draw it from his pocket. -Fenton Hardy dug his knee sharply against the man and Malloy loosened -his grasp, with a groan of pain. The detective snatched the revolver -free and then flung himself back, leveling the weapon at Malloy.</p> - -<p>"Not a word out of you!" he whispered.</p> - -<p>Malloy's hands rose in the air. He did not utter a sound. He was -sitting helplessly on the floor, his mouth opening and closing as he -painfully drew breath. He was beaten.</p> - -<p>The detective spied a knife in a leather sheath at the smuggler's belt -so he reached forward and seized the weapon.</p> - -<p>Then, still keeping Malloy covered with the revolver, he walked slowly -backward until he reached Joe's side. Without removing his eyes from -the smuggler, Fenton Hardy bent down and sliced at the ropes that bound -his son.</p> - -<p>The knife was sharp and the ropes soon fell apart. Joe leaped from the -chair, casting aside the rope ends, and took the proffered knife. Then, -while his father still covered Malloy, he went over to Frank and set -him free.</p> - -<p>Still without saying a word, Fenton Hardy motioned toward the bed and -indicated by signs that the smuggler was to lie down on the cot. A -gesture of refusal on the part of Malloy was met by a vigorous forward -thrust of the revolver and the smuggler hastily retreated.</p> - -<p>The ropes on the bed had not been cut, so they were still available for -trussing up Malloy just as Mr. Hardy had been bound. The boys did the -job with neatness and despatch and they even gagged the smuggler with -his own handkerchief and one of the ropes from the chairs.</p> - -<p>Within five minutes their erstwhile guard was lying helpless on the -bed, bound hand and foot and gagged so firmly that only a muffled and -subdued muttering escaped him.</p> - -<p>"What now?" asked Frank, in a low tone.</p> - -<p>"We can't go out by the cove," replied his father. "There are two men -down there now signaling to the motorboat. We'd better go upstairs."</p> - -<p>"Where does that lead to?"</p> - -<p>"Outside. It will bring us into the shed near the house."</p> - -<p>Fenton Hardy moved over toward the door.</p> - -<p>"We haven't any time to lose," he said. "I have the revolver. If we -meet any one—"</p> - -<p>He opened the door cautiously and peeped out. There was no one beyond. -There was nothing but a flight of steps leading upward into darkness.</p> - -<p>The detective went forward, his sons following close at his heels.</p> - -<p>Step by step they made their way on up in the darkness, for Joe had -closed the door behind them and Frank did not dare make use of the -flashlight.</p> - -<p>At last Fenton Hardy came to a stop. He was fumbling at something -immediately above.</p> - -<p>Then the boys saw a faint opening which grew larger above them and -resolved itself into a square of grey light against which the head and -shoulders of their father were fully silhouetted. Fenton Hardy had -raised the trapdoor that concealed the entrance to the underground -caves and passages.</p> - -<p>Mr. Hardy looked out carefully. There was no sign of the smugglers. -He proceeded to the very top of the steps, then moved clear of the -stairway.</p> - -<p>Frank and Joe followed, rising out of the ground like mysterious -spirits of the earth, and the three stood in the shelter of the shed.</p> - -<p>It was a dark night and the trees were moaning in the wind from the -sea. Immediately before them rose the gloomy mass of the house on the -cliff. There were no lights.</p> - -<p>In the direction of the lane they could hear dull sounds, no doubt from -the truck that the smugglers were loading with goods which were to be -disposed of by the man called Burke.</p> - -<p>"Safe so far," whispered the detective to his sons.</p> - -<p>They moved out of the shed, after closing the trapdoor, and stood in -the shadows.</p> - -<p>"We can't go by way of the lane," whispered Frank.</p> - -<p>"There's a prisoner in the cellar of that house," said Fenton Hardy. "I -hate to go without setting him free."</p> - -<p>"A prisoner?"</p> - -<p>"I heard them talking about him."</p> - -<p>"Why can't we go to town for help?"</p> - -<p>"Once they find us gone they'll clear out."</p> - -<p>"But three of us can't do much against this gang. They'll just capture -us all again."</p> - -<p>The detective considered this for a moment. At last he sighed.</p> - -<p>"Yes, the risk is too great!" he said. "And I've let you take too many -risks already. We'd better go back to town."</p> - -<p>Having arrived at this decision, they moved slowly across the grass of -the yard, heading toward the bushes that flanked the lane. The great -bulk of the old stone house loomed heavily and darkly in the night.</p> - -<p>Then, suddenly, they heard a harsh sound that struck terror into their -hearts—the clatter of the trapdoor being raised!</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXII">CHAPTER XXII</h2> -</div> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Into the Haunted House</span></h3> - - -<p>A hoarse shout came through the darkness.</p> - -<p>"Chief! Redhead! They've got away. Watch for 'em!"</p> - -<p>Some one was scrambling through the opening in the shed, bellowing in a -frantic voice, warning the other smugglers of the escape.</p> - -<p>"Into the house!" snapped Fenton Hardy. He began to run swiftly across -the yard toward the big gloomy house. Frank and Joe followed.</p> - -<p>The man in the shed saw the moving figures.</p> - -<p>The darkness was pierced by a flash of crimson and a revolver barked -three times.</p> - -<p>From the lane came sounds of running feet. A man was shouting:</p> - -<p>"What is it? What's the matter?"</p> - -<p>"They've got away! Hardy and them boys! They've escaped. Look! There -they are now—running across the yard!"</p> - -<p>The revolver spoke again. But the shots were wild, for the detective -and his sons were soon lost to view in the shadows of the house.</p> - -<p>With the uproar growing in volume behind them, they fled for the -shelter of the building. It was their only refuge. If they attempted -to escape to the road they would be almost certain of meeting some of -the smugglers. They could not go back down the passageway. If they -retreated they would be driven to the verge of the cliff.</p> - -<p>Fenton Hardy sped around to the back door and flung it open. The -fugitives raced into the kitchen and closed the door behind them.</p> - -<p>Out of the darkness came a frightened voice.</p> - -<p>"Who's there?"</p> - -<p>It was so sudden and unexpected that their pulses leaped.</p> - -<p>They made no answer.</p> - -<p>"Who's there, I say? Is it you, Redhead?"</p> - -<p>Still they did not reply. Fenton Hardy crept through the darkness in -the direction of the voice.</p> - -<p>"Speak! Quick! Speak, or I'll fire!"</p> - -<p>The boys heard a sudden, scrambling sound. Their father had thrown -himself upon the other man. The boys rushed in on the two struggling -figures.</p> - -<p>There was a deafening roar and a streak of flame. The man of the house -had been armed with a shotgun, and in the struggle it had exploded.</p> - -<p>Fortunately, the Hardy boys were not standing in the path of the shot. -But the noise had attracted the attention of the smugglers outside the -house, and in a few seconds the back door was flung open.</p> - -<p>"They're in here!" some one yelled. "They're in the house!"</p> - -<p>Fenton Hardy flung to one side the man with whom he had been struggling.</p> - -<p>"Upstairs!" he called out to the two boys and ran on into the next room.</p> - -<p>A feeble light was burning, a candle standing in its own grease near -the bottom of the staircase. Up these stairs they fled, Joe pausing -long enough to extinguish the candle. The room was plunged into -darkness just as the first of the smugglers rushed through the doorway.</p> - -<p>Fenton Hardy waited at the top of the stairs until the boys joined him.</p> - -<p>Somebody in the room below lit a match.</p> - -<p>The detective fired directly at the spluttering light. There was a -muttered exclamation. The match was immediately extinguished by the -smuggler who had been so incautious as to reveal his whereabouts in -this manner. A whispered conversation followed.</p> - -<p>"He's at the top of the stairs!" said one of the smugglers. "We can't -rush him. He's got a revolver."</p> - -<p>"Only one?"</p> - -<p>"Yes. The kids aren't armed."</p> - -<p>"Wait till he uses up his ammunition. Then we'll get him."</p> - -<p>There was another whispered colloquy and then the smugglers apparently -withdrew toward the doorway leading into the kitchen. Then, in a -moment, a perfect fusillade of shots broke out.</p> - -<p>But Fenton Hardy and the boys had withdrawn past the turn in the -staircase and were well protected. They could hear the uproar of -gunfire as the smugglers riddled the staircase with bullets.</p> - -<p>"That should have finished 'em!" they could hear Snackley saying. "If -they're on the stairs at all they're as dead as mutton by now."</p> - -<p>"Best be careful," muttered one of the men. "Hardy has a gun."</p> - -<p>"Where did he get it?"</p> - -<p>"From the guard. They tied him up."</p> - -<p>"Lucky they didn't get away altogether. Wait till I talk to Malloy!"</p> - -<p>"He was tied fast to the bed when we came back up the stairs. They had -taken his gun and gagged him. He said they had just gone, so we made -after them and came up through the trapdoor. They were just getting out -of the shed when we saw 'em."</p> - -<p>"What a fine chase we would have had if they had got out into the -woods. Well, we have 'em trapped now."</p> - -<p>Whispers followed. The boys listened. Once they heard some one say:</p> - -<p>"The back stairs—"</p> - -<p>Frank turned to his father.</p> - -<p>"They're going to rush us by the back stairs!"</p> - -<p>"I hadn't thought of that," said Mr. Hardy. "I wonder if there is any -way of reaching the attic."</p> - -<p>Frank took the flashlight from his pocket and switched it on. Just a -few yards away he could distinguish a flight of stairs leading up to -a trapdoor in the ceiling. At the same time he could hear a stealthy -noise at the bottom of another flight of steps that led to the kitchen.</p> - -<p>"Hurry!" he whispered, and the three moved silently down the hall until -they reached the steps.</p> - -<p>Joe went up first and Frank followed with the light, while Fenton -Hardy stood at the bottom of the steps to cover their retreat with the -revolver.</p> - -<p>When Joe reached the trapdoor he pushed at it. At first it proved -stubborn and would not open. There was an anxious moment while he -strove to force it open but in spite of all his efforts it would not -budge.</p> - -<p>"What's the matter?" asked Frank from below.</p> - -<p>"It won't open."</p> - -<p>Frank went on up the few remaining steps and added his efforts to those -of his brother. Together they shoved at the trapdoor, and at last it -moved, then opened, falling back with a loud crash.</p> - -<p>There was a yell from the stairs.</p> - -<p>"Hurry up, men! They're getting into the attic."</p> - -<p>A rush of thudding footsteps followed as the smugglers raced up the -steps. Joe scrambled through the opening and Frank followed. Fenton -Hardy was only half way up the steps, however, when the first smugglers -reached the hallway. The detective fired directly at them.</p> - -<p>The smugglers who were in the lead fell back in a desperate attempt to -reach cover, and in so doing they collided with those behind. For a -few moments confusion prevailed, and Fenton Hardy took advantage of it -to spring up the few remaining steps, scramble through the opening and -fling the trapdoor back into place.</p> - -<p>The Hardys found themselves in the inky darkness of the attic. Frank -switched on the flashlight, and in its glare they saw that they were in -a dusty chamber immediately below the roof. Old boxes and rubbish lay -about.</p> - -<p>"Where did they go?" they heard one of the smugglers ask.</p> - -<p>"Into the attic," replied another. "Now we've got them where we want -them."</p> - -<p>"That's what you said last time."</p> - -<p>"They can't get out of there. We've got them cornered."</p> - -<p>Snackley's voice broke in.</p> - -<p>"Hardy!" he shouted.</p> - -<p>Mr. Hardy did not answer.</p> - -<p>"Listen, Hardy!" went on Snackley. "We'll give you one minute to come -down out of there."</p> - -<p>Still no answer.</p> - -<p>"The floors are thin, Hardy! We can fire right through 'em. You can't -get out. We have you cornered. Better come down."</p> - -<p>Frank flashed the light from side to side. It was evident that the -smuggler spoke the truth. They were indeed cornered.</p> - -<p>An interval of silence followed. Then came:</p> - -<p>"Your last chance, Hardy!"</p> - -<p>Frank flashed the light upon his father. Mr. Hardy was inspecting the -chamber of the revolver. He held out the weapon with a gesture of -despair. There were no more shells.</p> - -<p>A shot sounded from below and a bullet ripped its way savagely through -the flooring but a foot or so away from where the three sat. Another -bullet tore through the wood of the trapdoor.</p> - -<p>The Hardys sprang back and, making as little noise as possible, pressed -themselves against the sloping walls of the attic, keeping as far away -from the trapdoor as they could.</p> - -<p>A few more shots resounded. The bullets were unpleasantly close.</p> - -<p>Then Snackley spoke again.</p> - -<p>"What do you think of it now, Hardy? Are you and your boys ready to -come down?"</p> - -<p>They did not answer, for they knew that if they did their voices would -reveal where they were standing and might bring a bullet. When they did -not reply Snackley spoke to his men.</p> - -<p>"Let 'em have a few more!"</p> - -<p>An angry chorus of revolver shots followed. In the midst of the -uproar some of the smugglers secured a long pole and pushed against -the trapdoor with it. Before those above could avert the danger the -trapdoor was flung wide open. It fell back with a crash.</p> - -<p>A hand appeared through the trapdoor, holding a revolver, and then the -head and shoulders of one of the smugglers followed. He peered into the -darkness, holding the weapon in readiness. Some one had switched on a -light in the hall so that the man's figure could be clearly seen.</p> - -<p>"Come out of it!" he snapped, pointing the revolver directly at the -dim figure of Frank. "Come out of it, or I'll shoot!"</p> - -<p>Further resistance was useless.</p> - -<p>With sinking heart Frank advanced toward the edge of the opening in the -floor, while Joe and Fenton Hardy followed, with arms upraised. The -smuggler backed his way down the steps, still keeping them covered, -until he reached the bottom of the stairs.</p> - -<p>The Hardys descended, conscious of an array of leveled revolvers that -covered every movement. They saw Snackley standing in the forefront of -the crowd. They were captured again.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXIII">CHAPTER XXIII</h2> -</div> - -<h3><span class="smcap">Rescue</span></h3> - - -<p>Snackley stepped forward.</p> - -<p>"So!" he sneered. "You pretty nearly got away with it, didn't you?"</p> - -<p>The captives did not answer. They were sick with disappointment. Just -when escape had been within their grasp the smugglers had outwitted -them.</p> - -<p>"You bit off a little more than you could chew when you stacked up -against me," bragged Snackley.</p> - -<p>"What'll we do with 'em, chief?" asked one of the man.</p> - -<p>"Take them back to the cave. We'll get them out to Li Chang right away. -If they get away again there'll be trouble for you. Keep an eye on -them."</p> - -<p>"Shouldn't we tie them up?"</p> - -<p>"There's no rope. It doesn't matter. Put a bullet through the first one -that makes a false move. You hear that?" he said, turning to Fenton -Hardy. "The first one that tries to escape gets a bullet through him."</p> - -<p>The three were surrounded by the smugglers. The light shone on their -evil, bearded faces and glittered on the drawn revolvers. Fenton -Hardy's useless weapon had been snatched from him.</p> - -<p>"Downstairs!" snapped Snackley. "Get downstairs with you."</p> - -<p>He prodded Frank with the barrel of his revolver as he spoke. The Hardy -boys moved toward the stairs, their father in the rear. One of the -smugglers went ahead in case the prisoners should by chance make some -desperate break for freedom.</p> - -<p>When they reached the lower room they paused while the man ahead lit a -match. The electric light had been broken. Hardly had the match flared -than there came the sound of thudding feet through the kitchen and the -back door banged noisily.</p> - -<p>Some one rushed into the room, gasping for breath. The light revealed -him to be another of the smugglers.</p> - -<p>"Police!" he exclaimed, in terror. "They're coming down the lane!"</p> - -<p>A babel of voices followed. The smugglers came tumbling down the stairs -in their haste. With one bound Snackley leaped forward and seized the -man by the collar.</p> - -<p>"What!" he exclaimed. "What's that you say? Police?"</p> - -<p>"Down the lane!" gasped the man. "They came down the road in a car and -they're closing in on the house. I saw them."</p> - -<p>With a yell, Snackley flung the man to one side.</p> - -<p>"Down into the cave!" he roared. "Quick!"</p> - -<p>Confusion prevailed. In the resulting uproar the match went out and the -room was plunged into darkness.</p> - -<p>Frank resolved on a daring move. He was standing directly beside one -of the smugglers, and as soon as the light went out he sprang at the -fellow, dashing the revolver from his grasp. It clattered on the floor.</p> - -<p>"Help!" roared the fellow, as they grappled together.</p> - -<p>Fenton Hardy had also been watching for his chance, and he sprang -through the darkness at Snackley. He collided heavily with the chief of -the smugglers and they rolled on the floor in a desperate struggle.</p> - -<p>It was impossible to distinguish friend from enemy in the darkness. -Joe plunged into the midst of the surging figures and his fist smashed -against the face of one of the smugglers, who gave a howl of pain.</p> - -<p>Then, outside the house, another uproar burst forth.</p> - -<p>Some one was banging on the front door. Men could be heard shouting to -one another.</p> - -<p>Snackley made a desperate effort and managed to get to his feet. -He struck out with both fists and managed to break free from the -detective. He whirled to one side, stumbled out into the kitchen, and -then reached the back door. He flung the door open.</p> - -<p>Almost instantly a dark figure appeared in the doorway. It was the -figure of a man in the uniform of a state trooper with drawn revolver -and Snackley shouted the warning to the smugglers in the other room.</p> - -<p>"The police!" he roared. "Every man for himself! Make your getaway!"</p> - -<p>The trooper shot through the doorway at him, but Snackley dodged to one -side. There was a rush of footsteps from the other room as the rest of -the smugglers raced out into the kitchen. The officers tried to hold -them back, but they were too many for him and he was hurled against the -wall.</p> - -<p>Utter confusion prevailed. The place was in absolute darkness and -out in the yard shots, shouts and hoarse imprecations mingled in an -indescribable uproar.</p> - -<p>One of the smugglers managed to reach the shed. He flung open the -trapdoor and descended the steps. Some of his companions followed, and -in the darkness and excitement their escape was unnoticed.</p> - -<p>Half a dozen police officers were in the yard. They had been attracted -to the house by the sound of the shots when the Hardys were pursued by -the smugglers, and they had planned to surround the place. They would -have succeeded in capturing the entire gang had it not been for the man -on guard outside.</p> - -<p>Back in the living room of the house Frank was still struggling with -his antagonist. The man was strong and heavy, a rough-and-tumble -fighter, and the boy soon found that he had his hands full. They -struggled desperately in the darkness, the smuggler frantic with the -fear of capture, Frank grimly resolved that the man should not get away.</p> - -<p>Fenton Hardy headed toward the door leading into the kitchen. Just then -a figure brushed by him. He made a grab for the man, but the fellow -evaded him and raced toward the other side of the room.</p> - -<p>The detective gave chase. The fugitive kicked open a door and ran -toward the front of the house. Mr. Hardy could follow him quite easily -by the sound of his footsteps.</p> - -<p>The fugitive scurried into a front room and banged the door behind -him. Mr. Hardy launched himself against the door, which had a lock -that snapped when the door shut. For a moment he was balked. Then he -stepped back a few paces and rushed at the door, plunging against it -with his shoulder. The woodwork splintered. Another rush, and the door -fell open. The detective reeled into the room.</p> - -<p>His fugitive had disappeared.</p> - -<p>But the room was faintly lighted, as there was a wide window, and in -the gloom the detective could see a dark patch in the floor. It was a -trapdoor leading evidently to the cellar.</p> - -<p>He went down through the opening, finding a flight of stairs which he -descended. He could hear footsteps receding through the darkness but he -made his way across the uneven floor of the cellar.</p> - -<p>The detective stopped and listened. He heard the hurrying footsteps as -the smuggler went on to the far end of the cellar. Then, to his great -surprise, he heard a voice. In the distance he saw a faint glow of -light. Then he saw that the cellar was divided into two parts and that -the fugitive had entered a small room.</p> - -<p>He crept closer.</p> - -<p>"What's happening?" he heard some one say in a weak voice.</p> - -<p>"Everything," snarled a voice which he recognized as that of Snackley. -The detective's heart leaped. "Everything is happening. The police are -here."</p> - -<p>"The police!"</p> - -<p>"Yes—the police—state troopers, federal officers and all. But don't -think you're going to have a chance of squealing on us. I'm going to -fix you, as I should have done a long while ago."</p> - -<p>The other voice rose, replete with terror.</p> - -<p>"No! No! You won't do that, Snackley! Let me live!"</p> - -<p>Fenton Hardy crept swiftly over to the door. He saw Snackley standing -by a small cot in a cell-like room. On the cot crouched a haggard man -whose hands were handcuffed behind him. His feet were shackled to one -leg of the iron cot.</p> - -<p>Snackley, with a grim look of cruelty on his face, was raising a heavy -club he had picked up.</p> - -<p>There was no time to lose. The detective sprang through the doorway.</p> - -<p>He plunged at Snackley just as the smuggler raised the club to strike.</p> - -<p>Snackley reeled against the wall, with Fenton Hardy at his throat. -Desperately, the smuggler tried to raise the weapon, but the detective -had seized his wrist. They swayed to and fro, stumbling about on the -muddy floor. Mr. Hardy had the advantage in that he had taken Snackley -by surprise. He pinned the smuggler against the wall, twisting his -wrist. The club fell to the floor.</p> - -<p>Snackley plunged forward and they lost their footing, rolling about -in the mud. Suddenly, Fenton Hardy wrenched his arm free, sprawled -over and managed to seize Snackley's revolver. He pressed it against -Snackley's side.</p> - -<p>The smuggler gave in. He flung his arms above his head.</p> - -<p>"I'm licked," he muttered sullenly.</p> - -<p>They got slowly to their feet, Fenton Hardy keeping a watchful eye on -the captive. Upstairs they could hear the uproar continuing as the -police still gave battle to the smugglers.</p> - -<p>"Upstairs!" snapped the detective curtly. Without taking his eyes off -Snackley he said to the man on the cot.</p> - -<p>"We'll come back for you later—Mr. Jones."</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXIV">CHAPTER XXIV</h2> -</div> - -<h3><span class="smcap">The Round-Up</span></h3> - - -<p>The Hardy boys, in the meantime, were in the thick of the struggle.</p> - -<p>Frank fought desperately with the smuggler he had assailed in the -living room of the house, while Joe raced across the yard toward the -trapdoor leading to the underground caves. He found that although three -of the smugglers had been captured by officers in the yard and that -as many more were fighting to escape, none of the police had as yet -learned of the trapdoor down which some of the men had disappeared.</p> - -<p>With a shout to a near-by officer who had just succeeded in clapping -the handcuffs on one of the smugglers, Joe made his way down the -stairs. He heard the officer running over to the edge of the trap and -saw the gleam of the flashlight.</p> - -<p>"Some of them got out this way!" Joe shouted back to the officer.</p> - -<p>The man called to one of his companions and then footsteps clattered -on the stairs as Joe went on.</p> - -<p>He reached the door that opened into the chamber where his father had -been a prisoner, but on entering the room he found it empty. There were -evidences of hasty flight and the door on the far side of the room was -wide open.</p> - -<p>"Secret passages, eh!" exclaimed one of the officers, as he came into -the room. He was a state trooper in uniform.</p> - -<p>Joe led the way out through the opposite door and down the stairs -that led toward the bottom of the cliff. The trooper who had spoken -illuminated the way with his flashlight and they clattered on down the -stairs until they reached the storage room. Here, everything was in -confusion. The escaping smugglers had evidently endeavored to take with -them what goods they could, probably the smaller packages containing -drugs, for boxes and parcels were overturned and strewn about the floor.</p> - -<p>"You seem to know this place pretty well," said one of the troopers, as -Joe led the way across to the opposite door and stepped out onto the -landing.</p> - -<p>"I've been here before—got in this way," he answered. "There's a water -cave below this passage. They've probably made their getaway in the -boat."</p> - -<p>They hastened down the passageway and came at last to the cave. As Joe -expected, the boat was gone.</p> - -<p>"They got away," he said, in disappointment, as the trooper turned the -flashlight on to the channel between the rocks.</p> - -<p>There was a shout from the darkness of the cove.</p> - -<p>"Give us a light!" they heard.</p> - -<p>Joe gave a shout of joy. It was Tony Prito's voice!</p> - -<p>Then Joe and the troopers with him heard the steady beat of a motorboat.</p> - -<p>Joe seized the flashlight and ran out along the path leading to the -entrance of the cave.</p> - -<p>The motorboat was not many yards away. Tony had been searching for the -channel.</p> - -<p>"Right this way!" Joe called out. "Head toward the right of the cave -and you'll be in deep water. A little further! Good!"</p> - -<p>As the motorboat drew nearer he saw that it was filled with men and -that a rowboat was being towed behind.</p> - -<p>"We got 'em," cried Tony exultantly. "They were just getting out of the -cove in the boat when we came up."</p> - -<p>"Who is with you?" asked Joe.</p> - -<p>"Police. The rest of them went up the shore road in a car."</p> - -<p>"We've caught the whole gang then. They raided the house and got the -rest of the smugglers. We thought these fellows had made a getaway."</p> - -<p>"No chance. Although it was mighty close. They pretty nearly slipped -out of the cove right under our noses."</p> - -<p>The boat came to a stop beside the natural wharf of rock. One or two of -the officers, revolvers in hand, clambered out. Three of the smugglers -had been captured while trying to escape from the cove in the rowboat.</p> - -<p>"If they'd got out we would never have caught them," said Joe. "They -were heading out toward a ship."</p> - -<p>"A ship!" exclaimed one of the officers, a burly man in plain clothes. -He stepped forward. "Did they say anything about a ship?"</p> - -<p>"A man named Li Chang has a ship lying in wait outside the bay," said -Joe. "I heard them talking about it."</p> - -<p>"Good!" exclaimed the burly man. "Now we'll capture the whole outfit." -He turned to Tony. "I suppose your boat is good for another little run."</p> - -<p>"I'll say it is, sir!"</p> - -<p>"I want as many officers as we can spare," said the burly man. "We'll -go out and find that ship. Li Chang, did you say?" he added, turning to -Joe.</p> - -<p>"That was the name."</p> - -<p>"I know his ship. We've been trying to catch that villain for years. -Darst, go on up and see how the rest of the men made out at the house -on the cliff and take as many officers as they can spare. There's a -passage up through the rocks, I take it?"</p> - -<p>"Regular staircase all the way, sir," remarked Darst, one of the -raiding officers.</p> - -<p>"Good! Don't lose any time."</p> - -<p>The three smugglers were taken out of the boat and handcuffed, then -escorted up the stairs, while the burly man, who was the chief of a -squad of federal agents undertaking a drive against the smugglers on -that part of the coast, remained with the motorboat.</p> - -<p>Within a short time Darst returned with three more officers. He -reported that a clean sweep had been made at the house.</p> - -<p>"They have 'em all handcuffed and sittin' in the kitchen," he said. -"Mr. Hardy got Snackley—"</p> - -<p>"Snackley?" exclaimed the federal man. "Is it <i>his</i> gang?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir. He got Snackley in the cellar. One of his sons tackled -Redhead Blount, one of Snackley's sidekicks, and held him down until -the police came in. When we brought our three in, that finished the -round-up."</p> - -<p>"It does, so far. We're going out and grab Li Chang from that ship and -that'll clean everything up."</p> - -<p>The officers got into the motorboat and Joe clambered in beside Tony -Prito, who was at the wheel. The craft backed out of the channel into -the deeper water of the cove, then sped out into Barmet Bay.</p> - -<p>"Once we get out of the bay we should see her lights," said the federal -officer. "Li Chang probably has his ship anchored just off the coast."</p> - -<p>This proved to be the case. The lights of the vessel were soon descried -and the motorboat sped toward it through the night.</p> - -<p>When the boat drew alongside, the federal man roared out:</p> - -<p>"Ahoy, there!"</p> - -<p>A voice answered in Chinese.</p> - -<p>"Speak English!" roared the officer. "Throw over a ladder or we'll open -fire on you."</p> - -<p>"Who there?"</p> - -<p>"The police."</p> - -<p>Jabbering voices and running footsteps suddenly created a commotion. -One of the troopers fired his revolver into the air and very promptly a -ladder was lowered over the side of the vessel.</p> - -<p>"That's better!" said the federal man, as he clambered up over the -rail, revolver in hand. "I'll just talk to your skipper for a minute."</p> - -<p>The capture of Li Chang was without incident. When he was told that -Snackley and the gang were captured, the Chinaman, who was a small, -wizened little fellow with a villainous countenance, blandly submitted -to arrest and consented to be taken ashore. There were only two or -three members of the crew aboard, the others having shore leave; so two -of the federal men were left in charge of the ship until relief could -be sent from Bayport, and the motorboat made its way back to the cove.</p> - -<p>The round-up was complete. Snackley's smuggling gang had been -completely broken up.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXV">CHAPTER XXV</h2> -</div> - -<h3><span class="smcap">The Mystery Explained</span></h3> - - -<p>The Hardy boys were the heroes of Bayport when the news of the capture -of Snackley and his men spread throughout the city next day. As for -Tony Prito, he was the envy of all the chums of the two lads.</p> - -<p>"Tony had all the luck," bemoaned Chet Morton, as the boys were all -sitting in the barn back of the Hardy home next afternoon. This barn, -which had been fitted up as a gymnasium, was a meeting place for the -lads on occasions of importance.</p> - -<p>"We had to have a motorboat," said Frank. "Believe me, I was wishing -more than once that the whole crowd was along."</p> - -<p>"And you'll get the reward for capturing Snackley?" asked Phil Cohen.</p> - -<p>"Not all of it. Dad gets half. Joe and I split the rest."</p> - -<p>"You haven't any kick coming. What's going to happen to Snackley?"</p> - -<p>"He'll probably go to the electric chair," answered Frank soberly.</p> - -<p>"Why?"</p> - -<p>"He murdered Felix Polucca, the miser."</p> - -<p>"Murdered him?"</p> - -<p>"Yes. Dad found that out in his investigations. Dad suspected all along -that there was some connection between Snackley and the house on the -cliff, especially when he found that Snackley and Polucca had been -related. He went out to find out what he could, but the smugglers saw -him and captured him."</p> - -<p>"What about that fellow they had imprisoned in the cellar?" questioned -Biff Hooper. "Didn't you say Snackley was just going to kill him when -your father saved him?"</p> - -<p>"That was the young fellow we saved in the bay that day. The young chap -who told us his name was Jones. It wasn't his real name, at all. His -name is Yates and he was one of the smugglers."</p> - -<p>"Why was Snackley chasing him that day?" asked Perry Robinson.</p> - -<p>"It seems that Yates got angry because he didn't get his full share of -the money from the last smuggling trip, so he threatened to tell the -police on Snackley. The smugglers locked him up, but he got away in one -of the motorboats, so they chased him and ran him down. They thought -to have killed him in the explosion or else drown him, but Joe and I -managed to bring him ashore. We left him at the Kane farmhouse, but the -smugglers came along next day and kidnapped him. They kept him prisoner -in the cellar of the Polucca place after that."</p> - -<p>"I still can't understand about those yells and shrieks we heard the -first day we were out at the farmhouse," put in Phil Cohen.</p> - -<p>"That was just to frighten us away. One of the men in the gang is a -sort of half-wit and they had him posted there to frighten people off -by yelling and shrieking whenever any one showed up around the place. -He was the chap who stole our tools from the motorcycles," explained -Frank.</p> - -<p>"But after our visit there," added Joe, "they thought it was too -dangerous and that there might be an investigation, so they put Redhead -and his wife and one of their men there to pose as renters of the -place."</p> - -<p>"So there weren't any ghosts after all," exclaimed Jerry Gilroy.</p> - -<p>"Nary a ghost," laughed Frank, "Snackley explained everything this -morning in a confession. The whole gang is locked up, even to Li Chang. -Yates, the young fellow they had kept prisoner so long, told the whole -story first. He turned state's evidence and told how long the smuggling -had been going on, how Snackley had made use of the house on the cliff -after killing Polucca, how he fixed up the tunnels in the cliff—he -told everything. It seems that Polucca had the smuggling idea in the -first place and he spent years fixing up those caves and tunnels. When -everything was ready, he called in Snackley, but Snackley didn't like -to share with any one who had a right to a voice in the affair, so he -killed the old man, took his money, and brought the smuggling gang in -there."</p> - -<p>"Yates told all that?"</p> - -<p>"He told so much of it that Snackley saw there was no use bluffing any -longer, so he admitted the whole story."</p> - -<p>"Gosh!" sighed Chet. "Just my luck! I was there in time to get scared -to death by that half-wit, and there in time to get bawled out and -chased off the farm by Redhead and his wife, but I missed out on all -the fun at the last."</p> - -<p>"Not much fun about it," declared Joe. "It didn't seem funny to us when -the smugglers caught us in the cave just as we were getting dad free."</p> - -<p>"And it wasn't any fun hiding in that attic with the bullets coming -through the floor, nineteen to the dozen," added Frank. "I thought -every minute was going to be my last."</p> - -<p>"No, I guess it wasn't any too funny then," admitted Chet. "You -deserve every cent you get out of the reward."</p> - -<p>"We'll treat the whole gang to a feed as soon as we collect," Joe -promised.</p> - -<p>"Whee!" shouted Chet, turning a handspring. "Now you're talking!"</p> - -<p>The Hardy boys kept their word. Soon after they had received their -share of the reward, which was presented to them with many glowing -words and congratulations from the federal authorities who had long -been trying to put Snackley behind the bars, they gave a dinner in the -barn that eclipsed any similar "feed" in the history of Bayport.</p> - -<p>"I hope the Hardy boys solve a mystery every week," said Chet, as he -confronted his third dish of ice-cream. "And I hope they celebrate -every success the same way."</p> - -<p>The Hardy boys were not destined to solve a mystery every week, but -it was not long before they were plunged into a maze of events which -were fully as exciting as those which led to the finding of the tower -treasure and those that followed their first visit to the house on the -cliff. The story of their adventures will be told in the next volume of -this series, called, "The Hardy Boys: The Secret of the Old Mill."</p> - -<p>Tony Prito, conscious of the envying glances of the other lads because -he had participated in the eventful climax to the mystery of the house -on the cliff, scooped up the last of his ice-cream and said:</p> - -<p>"Once I wanted my father to buy an automobile and he bought a motorboat -instead. Now he wants to sell the boat and buy an automobile. Just let -him try it! That boat gave me more fun in one day than I'd ever had -since we came to the States."</p> - - -<p class="ph1">THE END</p> - -<hr class="tb"> - -<h3>MYSTERY STORIES FOR BOYS</h3> - -<h3>By FRANKLIN W. DIXON</h3> - - - -<p class="ph1">THE HARDY BOYS: THE TOWER TREASURE<br> -THE HARDY BOYS: THE HOUSE ON THE CLIFF<br> -THE HARDY BOYS: THE SECRET OF THE OLD MILL</p> - -<p class="ph1">(Other Volumes in Preparation)</p> - - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HOUSE ON THE CLIFF ***</div> -<div style='text-align:left'> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will -be renamed. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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