Hardy Boys Mysteries - 053 The Clue Of The Hissing Serpent by Franklin W. Dixon

Author:Franklin W. Dixon [Dixon, Franklin W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub

CHAPTER XII

The King’s Curse

frank felt the blood drain from his face. “What’s happened? Is Dad all right?”

“Nothing’s happened to your father,” Aunt Gertrude said tartly. “But look at you-you’re a mess! Filthy, and your face is scratched, and Joe’s clothes are torn and he’s bruised all over-“

“Is that all?” Frank interrupted, heaving a sigh of relief. “We thought the sky had fallen in.”

Hearing the commotion, Mrs. Hardy entered the kitchen. Worriedly she scrutinized the boys, then said, “You do look pretty bad. Are you sure you’re not hurt?”

“Frank’s dirty because he climbed a telephone pole,” Joe said, “and I’m a little sore from fighting a lady that was no lady. But everything’s okay, Mother.”

“Have crooks been chasing you?” Aunt Gertrude demanded. Without waiting for an answer,

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100 THE CLUE OF THE HISSING SERPENT

she said. “Of course they have. Where were you?”

Frank told their story and finally managed to calm his excited aunt. “Did you hear from Dad?” he asked.

“Yes, we did,” Mrs. Hardy replied.

“Has he had any luck?”

“He said he was making good headway, that’s all.”

The boys went up to their room and soon returned with clean clothes. They handed the dirty ones to their mother.

“Let me put some antiseptic on your scratches,” Mrs. Hardy said.

She went to the bathroom to deposit the clothes in the hamper and returned with the liquid. While she pressed soaked cotton swabs against the boys’ injuries, Frank dialed police headquarters.

“Hi, Chief. Frank Hardy. I’ve got some good news. The Ocean Bluffs police captured Gerard Henry.”

“He’s a slick operator,” the chief replied. “How’d they do it?”

Frank told of their adventure and how they had left the wiretap in place in order to mislead Conrad Greene’s enemies.

Collig thanked him for his information. “I’ll get in touch with Lieutenant Skillman,” he said. “We can tack a few more charges onto that hoodlum.”

“Like fraud, you mean?”

the king’s curse 101

“That’s right. Let me know if anything further develops, Frank.”

The hungry boys had just finished a snack when a youth about eighteen came to the door. He had an envelope marked Bayport Museum for the Hardys.

Frank took it and the messenger hurried off.

“Hey, Joe. I wonder what this is all about,” Frank said and slit open the envelope. On a piece of museum stationery was typed:

Frank and Joe Hardy:

May have some information to help you.

Ruby King

“Is this some kind of a gag?” Joe asked.

“It may be a trap,” Frank said. “We’re pretty good at falling into those lately, you know.”

“Not this time,” Joe said. “Let’s call the museum and ask about this Ruby King.”

Frank did not like the idea. “It might be like phoning the zoo and asking for Mr. Fox,” he said. “We’ll go over ourselves tomorrow morning.”

“But not without bodyguards!”

The Hardys decided to phone their backup team of Biff Hooper, Tony Prito, and Phil Cohen. The latter was a slight, intense boy with a razor-sharp mind.

The three friends readily agreed to meet the boys next morning and serve as lookouts around the museum.

102 THE CLUE OF THE HISSING SERPENT

When

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