“Yippee!” Joe yelled triumphantly. Quickly he lowered the sack and the boxes to his brother and Chet, then jumped to the ground.
Joyfully the Hardys and Chet sped back to Chief Collig. One look at the boys and what they were carrying told him of their success.
“Congratulations!” he said warmly.
“Thanks, Chief,” Frank said modestly, then grinned. “We don’t like to disappoint clients.”
The recovered treasures were taken into police custody. Hurd Applegate’s collection and Captain Stroman’s jade piece proved to be intact. Their property would be returned to them the following day.
“Oh!” Frank clapped a hand to his head. “I forgot about our stranded car!”
Chief Collig promised to send a tow truck to pick it up. “You fellows had better get some sleep,” he advised.
“Swell idea.” Chet smothered a huge yawn. “Come on, you detectives! My jalopy still runs.”
It was seven o’clock that morning when the Hardys wearily entered their home. They had an affectionate reunion with Aunt Gertrude, who had been informed by telephone of their safety.
“Not a word more!” she ordered. “Off to bed! I’ll have a good meal ready when you wake up.”
Frank and Joe did not argue. They were too tired to be hungry. Soon they were deep in slumber.
The boys were jolted awake in what seemed only a short time by the telephone jangling insistently.
“Oh!” moaned Frank groggily. “Somebody answer the phone!”
But the ringing continued. Joe was still sound asleep. Finally Frank reached out his arm and lifted the receiver of the extension on the night table. “Hello?”
“It will happen while the clock ticks,” came a low, menacing voice, “on the dot of six this evening. At the old Purdy place.”
“What?” cried Frank, instantly wide awake. “Who is this? Hello! Hello!” The caller had hung up.
“Joe!” he shouted, and shook his brother awake. “Sounds like trouble.”
Quickly he told of the sinister phone call. The boys glanced at their clock.
“Good night!” Frank exclaimed. “It’s five-fifteen! Almost suppertime!”
Hurriedly the two boys dressed and went downstairs. Aunt Gertrude was not around. They rushed outside to the garage.
“We’ll have to use Dad’s car,” said Joe.
Soon Fenton Hardy’s sedan was speeding out Willow River Road. The dashboard clock showed a few minutes before six.
Frank, at the wheel, turned sharply through the open gate and sped up the drive. The old house waited, silent as usual. They went up and tried the front door. To their surprise, it was open!
Cautiously the brothers tiptoed across the empty hall to the closed door of the living room. Frank and Joe paused. Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock came the sound of the clock from within.
“Ready?”
“Ready!”
They set their shoulders to the door and burst into the room.
Bong! Bong! Bong! Bong! Bong! Bong! Six o’clock!
“Hooray for the Hardy boys!” came a chorus of voices. “Three cheers for Frank and Joe!”
A crowd of familiar smiling faces confronted the utterly astounded young detectives.
“Aunt Gertrude!” Frank cried out, as his aunt came forward.
“Yes, we’re all here.” She beamed. “I told you there’d be a good meal waiting for you.”
She led the way to the dining room. The long table in the center of the room was fully set with glittering glass, china, and silver. Two huge, golden-brown turkeys rested upon oval platters at either end of the table.
At the head sat Raymond Dalrymple. At his right was a happy Amos Wandy. Also present were Chief Collig and Chet Morton, who was grinning from behind one of the turkeys, Hurd Applegate, Captain Stroman, and others of the Hardys’ best friends. Among them were Biff Hooper, Tony Prito, Phil Cohen, and Jerry Gilroy. Pretty Iola Morton and Callie Shaw smiled and waved to Frank and Joe.
Speechless with surprise, the brothers were escorted by Aunt Gertrude to chairs beside the girls, then Miss Hardy took her own place.
“All I can say,” Joe burst out, “is that this is the best ending to a mystery a fellow could want.”
Frank agreed. “There’s one more mystery.” He grinned. “Who telephoned us today?”
Both boys stared meaningfully at Chet. His suddenly reddening face gave them the answer, and everyone laughed.
“You’re not only showing promise as a detective,” Frank said with a chuckle, “but you’re not a bad actor, either, Chet!”
At this point Mr. Dalrymple, growing serious, stood up. First he read a telegram of congratulation to the boys from Mr. and Mrs. Hardy. Then he said, “I’d like to extend my great appreciation, and that of many others, to the Hardy brothers for helping to rid not only my property, but this whole area, of the harbor thieves. Also, to Chet Morton for his assistance. And all done despite my bad memory about keys. The only one they had was the key they got from the thieves!”
“Hear! Hear!” Captain Stroman and Hurd Applegate led the loud applause.
Mr. Dalrymple continued, “I’d now like to introduce the new permanent resident of this house—Mr. Amos Wandy.”
Smiling, he turned to the inventor, who was almost overcome with emotion. Finally, in a trembling voice, Mr. Wandy said, “I can hardly believe my good fortune. A large part of it is due to my three young rescuers.”
Amid the excited chatter that ensued, Frank and Joe learned that the banker planned to outfit a regular laboratory for Mr. Wandy. Chief Collig then reported to the boys that Jensen had broken down and given a full confession.
“Was he the rascal who sent me that warning?” Aunt Gertrude demanded.
“Yes, Miss Hardy. But he won’t be sending any more threats for a long, long time.”
Iola Morton, her eyes dancing, said to the Hardys, “This is one party you won’t run out on!”
Callie giggled. “They can’t. There’s no more mystery.”
The boys laughed, and gazed up at the huge clock. Silently, they wondered when another case might come their way. Sooner than they expected, they were to find out, when Frank and Joe spotted strange FOOTPRINTS UNDER THE WINDOW.
Mr. Dalrymple rapped for order. “The time has arrived for action. “Do you know what’s going to happen—while the clock ticks?”
“We eat!” Chet piped up.
Everyone roared with laughter. Then Mr. Dalrymple said, “Hurd Applegate and I are ready to give the Hardy boys their well-earned reward—a fine vacation trip whenever they can take it.”
There was loud applause as Frank and Joe stepped up to receive a check made out to the Bayport Travel Agency.
While the Clock Ticked Page 12