Book 2, Ch. 12

The House on the Cliff

Chapter 12: The Secret Passage

 

 

 

 

Slippery rocks make climbing along the shore treacherous, but Frank and Joe finally reach the tunnel’s mouth. After wading through the narrow tunnel, they search the edge of the pond for a secret entrance in the vine-covered cliff walls. At last, Frank spies a door concealed by artificial branches! It opens into a long passageway filled with water, with a tiny dock. The rowboat is tied to it! As they reach the other end of the passageway, the boys discover a stone stairway, which leads upward to a heavy door cut into the wall of rock. Forcing open the door, they enter a gloomy cave piled full of boxes, packages, and fabric bolts. Smuggled goods? Their sharp eyes spot an exit door, hidden ingeniously by boxes set on a swinging ledge. Frank opens that door into another stone corridor, only to hear voices approaching! Hurriedly replacing the boxes, the brothers barely have time to dart behind a bolt of silk draped over some cartons before the cave door is opened. A floodlight goes on, and footsteps approach the boxes behind which the Hardys are concealed!

Book 2, Ch. 11

The House on the Cliff

Chapter 11: Cliff Watchers

 

 

 

 

The Hardys are now certain they’re on the right track. They decide to keep surveillance on the house and tunnel from their boat. After another hair-raising incident when barbed wire from a floating log almost destroys the Napoli’s propeller, Tony serves sandwiches for supper. At last, soon after nightfall, they spot a motorboat emerging through the tunnel. After apparently meeting a rowboat, the motor craft races out to sea. Meanwhile, the breathless detectives catch snatches of conversation from the now approaching rowboat. One man is uneasy, but the other reassures him that they’ve taken care of all the squealers, and tonight will be the big get away! Frank quickly decides he and Joe will follow the rowboat on foot through the tunnel, while Chet and Tony hurry back to Bayport and bring the Coast Guard. The Hardys slip into the water and the Napoli speeds away. Swimming to shore, they head for the dark tunnel entrance.

Book 2, Ch. 10

The House on the Cliff

Chapter 10: A Watery Tunnel

 

 

 

 

Early next morning finds the teen sleuths down at the waterfront to get an update from Pretzel Pete. He’s heard that the Marco Polo is docking at 5 am tomorrow, and suspected smuggler Ali Singh is on her crew! More anxious than ever, Frank and Joe are soon out on the ocean with Chet and Tony in the Napoli. Eagerly searching the rocky cliff below the Pollitt house for a secret entrance, the boys fail to notice the dangerous rocks jutting out from below. But Tony’s expert steering narrowly saves them from a collision! Breathing a sigh of relief, Frank suddenly spots an opening in the cliff! The Napoli easily slips through the long narrow tunnel, revealing a large pond surrounded by thicketed cliffs. But they’re not alone! Eyeing them cruelly from the shore, a sinister man shouts “Get out!”, backing up his command with a pistol. Quickly retreating through the tunnel, the detectives question the man’s strong response. Could this have been Snattman himself?

Book 2, Ch. 9

The House on the Cliff

Chapter 9: Plan of Attack

 

 

 

 

Frank slyly asks for a drink and his plan works. He is taken into the kitchen, and he examines the cap as he passes it hanging by the door. On the way back out, the cap is gone. Frank leads the teen detectives away from the house, then tells them he’s sure the cap belongs to his father. Even worse, it is covered with bloodstains! Alarmed, the boys return and confront Red and his two cohorts. Red admits he found the cap on the road, but he knows nothing else about it! Remounting their motorcycles, the detectives speed back to Bayport, where Chief Collig says he will notify the State Police, since the Pollitt place is located outside of Bayport. Later that evening, Frank and Joe reassure their mother that Mr. Hardy will be found. The boy sleuths ponder the clues they have about the smuggling outfit and the house on the cliff. Could the smugglers be connected to the old Pollitt place? How would they reach the house from the harbor below? The boys decide they will get Tony’s motorboat and find out!

Book 2, Ch. 8

The House on the Cliff

Chapter 8: A Cap on a Peg

 

 

 

 

Sam, the truck driver, announces to the worried Mrs. Hardy that he actually saw Mr. Hardy walking down the road near the Pollitt place on Monday, the same day Mr. Hardy left! Excitedly Frank and Joe set out for the Pollitt place. At Mrs. Hardy’s insistence, they take along Tony, Phil, Chet and Biff. Arriving at the old place, the sleuths creep silently up the lane. To their surprise, the house has been repaired! A woman is hanging clothes on a clothesline, while a man gathers wood from the woodshed. The group of boys approaches to question the couple, when another stout, red-haired man appears from the kitchen door. Quite grumpily the two men and women deny knowing anything about the missing Mr. Hardy. They inform the boys they do not like snoopers! However, it is too late – Frank has spotted a brown cap hanging inside the kitchen door, identical to the hat his father was wearing when he disappeared!

 

Book 2, Ch. 7

The House on the Cliff

Chapter 7: The Hidden Trail

 

 

 

 

As soon as they are up the next day, Frank and Joe rush down to the waterfront to find Pretzel Pete. When Pete hears the brothers are looking for their dad, he soon has them hidden in a warehouse, eating pretzels. He passes them a tip about Ali Singh, an East Indian sailor who is thought to be a smuggler! Pete reports that Ali Singh has come ashore for a secret meeting with his gang, supposedly in a deserted farmhouse on Hillcrest. Where Hillcrest is, Pete has no idea.

 

 

With many thanks, Frank and Joe rush off on their motorcycles to the shore road. They pass many roads, but no Hillcrest, until they see a car emerge from the woods. Sure enough, going into the woods is a road marked Hillcrest! Excitedly they discover a farmhouse, but it is completely empty, from the tiny cellar to the loft on top. At last the detectives discover a piece of torn cloth marked Polo! Hoping that their father has escaped, Frank and Joe bike to the police station. Their old friend Chief Collig examines the scrap of cloth and identifies it. It is torn from a towel from the Marco Polo, a passenger ship that docks in Bayport!

 

 

By now, the whole town has heard that Fenton Hardy is missing, and Mrs. Hardy is beside herself. The next morning, the whole family is surprised by a young man who knocks on the door and announces that he may be able to help them find Mr. Hardy!

Book 2, Ch. 6

The House on the Cliff

Chapter 6: The Strange Message

 

 

 

 

The three Hardys race to their car to pursue the four kidnappers and Jones, but they are too late. Dejected, they return to say goodbye to the Kanes. The next morning, Fenton Hardy is off on the case before the brothers get up. Frank and Joe begin to wonder if maybe the Pollitt place is tied in with the smugglers ring. They decide to wait until Wednesday, the day that summer vacation begins! If their father has not returned, they will begin to investigate their hunch. However, on Tuesday afternoon, they find their mother very worried by a note she has received in the mail, signed by her husband. The note informs her that he will not be home for several days. However, it does not contain the secret sign they have agreed he will always include with his signature. Frank and Joe are alarmed. Did someone forge the note? Has their father been captured? Fenton Hardy could be in danger!

Book 2, Ch. 5

The House on the Cliff

Chapter 5: Pretzel Pete

 

 

 

 

Mr. and Mrs. Hardy finally convince the eager detectives to quickly eat their supper before going to question Jones. Meanwhile Mr. Hardy receives a call that another drug shipment has arrived at a warehouse in Indiana with half the shipment stolen! The package passed through Bayport but nothing was suspected until it was opened at the warehouse. However, one of Mr. Hardy’s food vendor contacts down on the waterfront, aptly named Pretzel Pete, reports that Snattman has been in the area. Mr. Hardy also goes on to explain to Frank and Joe that the nephew who is heir to the Pollitt place is actually a wanted criminal himself! Chances are he will not turn up to claim the house. Even more anxious to question Jones, the brothers set off with their father for the Kane farmhouse. It is completely dark! Alarmed, the three venture into the house, only to find the kitchen wrecked, and the Kanes sitting in the living room --- bound and gagged! They are soon free. The angry farmer and his wife report that Jones has been kidnapped!

Book 2, Ch. 4

The House on the Cliff

Chapter 4: The Rescue

Quickly the four boys dash to the rescue! Joe and Biff plunge into the surf to swim to the drowning man, while Frank and Chet commandeer an old rowboat. In a desperate effort, Joe dives for the victim, and at last he is pulled into the boat! Quickly rowing back to shore, the four detectives carry him to a nearby farmhouse, where he is revived by friendly Farmer Kane and his wife. The patient wakes up for a moment, only to announce that he does not want the police called, and that his name is Bill Jones!

Out in the living room, the boys gobble up Mrs. Kane’s delightful lemon pie, as they discuss the fact that Bill Jones is obviously a false name. Mr. Kane reveals that he knew Felix Pollitt, the owner of the old Pollitt place. Pollitt had a nephew who should inherit the dilapidated mansion. Mrs. Kane adds that recent visitors have reported moans and groans coming from the old house. She believes it’s all a prank! As the Hardy brothers finally return home, dropping off their tired friends, they agree that they will check out the mysterious Pollitt noises once again. Mr. Hardy is impressed by their hard work and wonders if “Jones” is a smuggler who was being chased by another smuggler. The boys excitedly jump from their chairs, eager to go and question Jones before he gets away!

Book 2, Ch. 3

The House on the Cliff

Chapter 3: Landslide!

Thanks to the tools Chet pulls out of his pocket, the boys are soon able to get the motorcycle running again. Still no clue to the thief! Heading for home, they are ready for a break from the excitement, but it is not to be. Just as Joe rounds a curve on the rocky hillside, he hears an ominous noise behind him. Look out! A landslide is pouring down the hillside onto Frank and Chet! The two riders emerge shaken and bruised from their dusty bath. Getting back on the bikes, the tired detectives are distracted yet again – in the distance across the ocean to their left, they spot two racing speedboats. To their astonishment, the man in the second boat hurls something into the boat in front. Seconds later, the first boat blows up, hurling the occupant into the water! As the second boat races away, the stranded swimmer struggles to stay afloat!

Book 2, Ch. 2

The House on the Cliff

Chapter 2: Thief at Work

Sliding through a library window, the four boys quickly search the dilapidated house. No one! But behind a door in a bedroom closet are hidden stairs to the attic. All four rush to the attic, only to find it empty – and themselves locked in! With a heave-ho, they break down the door and race back to the telescope, wondering if someone meant to trap them and steal it. The telescope is still there! But oddly enough, both eyepieces have been removed! Angrily the boys search the house one more time, but turn up nothing. As they prepare to give up in disappointment, they hear ghostly laughter from somewhere below the cliff top. Again they see nothing. Chet is more than ready to leave this scary scene, and soon they are on their way home on the motorcycles. But the day isn’t over yet! Frank’s motorcycle splutters to a stop. Both he and Joe have toolboxes along for emergencies, but when they open the boxes, the tools are .  . . gone!!

Book 2, Ch. 1

The House on the Cliff

Chapter 1: Spying by Telescope

Frank and Joe are eager for another mystery, and their dad does not disappoint them. Their next assignment is to look for Felix Snattman and his gang of notorious smugglers. Mr. Hardy believes that Snattman may be stealing valuable drug shipments enroute from India, as they reach the East Coast. Before long, Frank and Joe are on their motorcycles with Biff Hooper and Chet Morton hanging on behind. The foursome set up their telescope high above the ocean, in front of the old Pollitt place, which has been deserted since Felix Pollitt died there a month ago. To their delight, it is only a moment until they spot a boat out on the waves. As they watch in astonishment, a man climbs over the side of the boat and down into a smaller boat below. Suddenly they hear screams from the house on the cliff behind them. Leaving the telescope, they rush toward the house. Who is in trouble?!?

Book 1 Slideshow

It has been a lot of fun putting together these pictures of the first Hardy Boys adventure. For the grand finale, enjoy all the pictures in order for The Tower Treasure!

Book 1, Ch. 20

The Tower Treasure

Chapter 20: The Escape

Worried, Frank and Joe wait until Hobo Johnny has climbed down off the tower. They pick up a crowbar, split open a crack in the top of the water tower, and Joe reaches through to release the trap door. Heaving a sigh of relief, the boys climb out with the treasure and are soon on their way back to town on their motorcycles. Mr. Hardy is elated when the boys arrive home with the treasure. With Mr. Applegate’s help, they arrange a meeting that evening with everyone involved. Of course, the Robinsons are overjoyed at the news of the discovery! To further clear up the mystery, Miss Applegate announces that she had lent the $900 to Mr. Robinson but made him promise to keep it a secret. Mr. Applegate immediately offers Mr. Applegate his old job and even a pay raise! Only Mr. Smuff does not seem happy watching Frank and Joe collect the reward. However, his groans are muffled by Chet’s joyful cry when they sit down for cake. The Hardy Boys have solved their first case!

Book 1, Ch. 19

The Tower Treasure

Chapter 19: Loot!

Even as Frank and Joe hurry toward the old water tower, who should drive up to meet them but Oscar Smuff! The pseudo detective pleads with the Hardy boys to help him solve the case and get the $1000 reward. Just to get rid of Smuff, the boys agree to meet with him as soon as they get back to Bayport. As Smuff disappears down the road, Frank and Joe climb up the rickety ladder to the top of the water tower and descend into it from a trap door on top. Among the rubbish piled in the old tower is a neat stack of boards. There under the boards is a gunny sack – filled with jewels and bonds! The treasure has been found! Gleefully the Hardys turn to climb out of the tower, only to find themselves suddenly facing Hobo Johnny, who has just returned to his home in the tower. Johnny wants the treasure! He slams the trapdoor shut and locks the boys in, claiming the treasure is his. Trapped! How will they escape with the treasure?

Book 1, Ch. 18

The Tower Treasure

Chapter 18: An Unexpected Surprise

Instantly, the boys throw themselves to the ground until the spotlight moves away. What should they do now? At that moment, Herd Applegate and his new guard dog show up. Applegate informs them it was his sister shining the flashlight around, looking for prowlers, and he curtly asks the boys to phone if they come over again. Disappointed, Frank and Joe head for home. The boys are up again early the next morning, determined not to quit. This time they head out to the Bayport railroad. They question the flagmen in hopes that one of them will remember Red Jackley and provide a new clue. Sure enough, Jake the stationmaster directs them to the crossing at Cherryville, where Jackley worked. Frank and Joe settle down to eat their lunch at the tracks, in view of an old, weather-beaten water tower. Beside it stands a brand-new red metal tower. Tower? The boys look at each other. Could it be that this is the tower Jackley meant? They must find out!

Book 1, Ch. 17

The Tower Treasure

Chapter 17: An Unexpected Find

Eager to uncover the treasure, the Hardys hold their breaths as the box is opened. But it is nothing but a box of --- flower bulbs! What? Hurd Applegate suddenly appears and grumpily informs them that Mr. Robinson had a habit of burying bulbs and seeds around the place. Sure enough, when the boys discover a second buried chest, it is a box of flower seeds! Meanwhile, Chief Collig has arrested Mr. Robinson again, accusing him of being an accomplice of Red Jackley! Alarmed, Frank and Joe head once more to the Tower Mansion after school. Creeping around after night as fallen, they hear footsteps, then suddenly a spotlight shines from the tower window—directly on them!

Book 1, Ch. 16

The Tower Treasure

Chapter 16: A Surprise

Frank and Joe look carefully through every inch of the new tower but do not find a trace of the jewels. Not only Hurd Applegate and his sister Adelia, but also the “detective” Smuff express their disappointment and even glee at the Hardys’ failure! However, Mr. Hardy is determined to search again. He and the boys tap every floor and wall of both towers –- nothing! Will Mr. Robinson be implicated after all? Mr. Hardy insists that they search the grounds the next morning. As Frank pushes his spade into a freshly planted bed, he cries with delight as he unearths a buried chest!

Book 1, Ch. 15

The Tower Treasure

Chapter 15: The Tower Search

When the Hardy brothers arrive at the Tower Mansion, Hurd Applegate is not happy about allowing them to search the old tower. His sister Adelia is even more reluctant, but with a little persuasion, they agree to let the boys in. Frank and Joe carefully climb story after story up the old spiral staircase. Each floor has only a small bare room. The final floor has a trapdoor in the roof, which they pry off with great effort. In fact so much effort that Frank tumbles backward down the stairs and Joe flips over the stair railing! In the first of what will be many hairbreadth escapes, he catches hold of the spindles on the stairs as he falls. With a sigh of relief, the brothers return to the main floor, but with no jewels. Now they must convince the Applegates to let them search the new tower on the other side. The Applegates do not agree until they have heard the whole story of Jackley’s confession. They are impressed and give permission for the Hardys to continue the search!

Book 1, Ch. 14

The Tower Treasure

Chapter 14: The Confession

When Frank and Joe come home from school the next day, they find Mr. Hardy has returned from Albany. He tells them that the mystery is almost solved! He was successful in visiting Jackley in the hospital. Jackley confessed to stealing Chet’s car and holding up the ticket office. He also admitted to taking the jewels from the Tower Mansion safe—and hiding them in the old tower! At that moment Jackley lost consciousness, and sadly enough passed away before revealing the location of the jewels. Frank and Joe are ecstatic about the prospect of finding the jewels and clearing Mr. Robinson. They set out immediately for the Tower Mansion to begin their search!

Book 1, Ch. 13

The Tower Treasure

Chapter 13: Teamwork

Mr. Hardy does not want Smuff to get to Jackley. Jackley might clam up and all hope of confession would be gone! Frank and Joe resolve to make sure Smuff does not make the six o’clock flight to Albany. But how? Gathering Chet, Tony, Biff, Phil and Jerry, the boys determine to stall Smuff. They take over their friend Rocco’s fruit market a block from Smuff’s house. As Smuff pulls out of his driveway, one by one the boys try to stop him to talk, but he brushes them off. Suddenly Frank thinks of lighting the trash incinerator behind the market. “Fire!” yells Joe. Smuff dashes to the rescue, eager to be a hero. A hero he is – but a hero who has missed his plane!

Book 1, Ch. 12

The Tower Treasure

Chapter 12: A Disturbing Absence

Another day of waiting, and at last Mr. Hardy arrives home. He tells the boys he found Red Jackley, just in time to see Jackley get involved in a jewel robbery and skip town. Mr. Hardy then joined the police in pursuit of Jackley, but Jackley evaded capture. At the last minute, Jackley escaped on a railroad handcar, but the car jumped the tracks, smashing Jackley up and landing him in the hospital! The Hardys are interrupted by a visit from Oscar Smuff. He announces that he would like to work with the Hardys on the case and asks for any clues. When Mr. Hardy declines, Smuff declares that he will go visit Jackley in the hospital and get a confession himself!

Book 1, Ch. 11

The Tower Treasure

Chapter 11: Anxious Waiting

 

Red Jackley – that’s the name of the suspect uncovered in the NYPD police files – “red” because he’s been seen wearing a red wig! Mr. Hardy becomes concerned that the case is becoming dangerous and sends the boys back to Bayport. Once there, Frank goes on a friendly visit to the Robinsons’ new home, in the poorest part of town. Mrs. Hardy sends along a cake and a ham, and Callie Shaw insists on bringing a bag of fruit. Practically impoverished, Mrs. Robinson and the twins greet their visitors with delight and gratitude. Frank reassures them the Hardys will clear Mr. Robinson! Frank is alarmed to discover, on returning home, that Mrs. Hardy is overcome with worry that something has happened to Mr. Hardy!

Book 1, Ch. 10

The Tower Treasure

Chapter 10: A Sleuthing Trip

Frank and Joe are thrilled to find out the surprise – a flight to NYC to help Dad on the case! Once in the Big Apple, the three detectives visit Harold Morley, the original purchaser of the red wig. Morley is an actor and immediately relates how his dressing room was robbed one night! His watch and diamond ring were taken, along with the red wig. Baffled as to what to do next, the Hardys decide to look for the store where the old hat and coat were purchased, but once there, the owner can give them no leads. Mr. Hardy then takes the boys to the New York City Police Department, where they look through the files for thieves who are known to use disguises. And there, finally -- they find a possible suspect!

Book 1, Ch. 9

The Tower Treasure

Chapter 9: Rival Detectives

The teen detectives are thrilled to find a man’s hat and coat in the woods. Inside the hat are two red hairs, identical to the red wig! When they return home and show their father, Fenton Hardy decides to fly to New York City to visit the store where the wig was made. To the boys’ delight, he invites them to work together with him on the case. After Mr. Hardy leaves the next morning, Frank and Joe hear from Slim Robinson that he must drop out of school to work at the supermarket! With renewed determination, the boys wait to hear the results of their father’s trip. And Mrs. Hardy has promised them a surprise when they get home from school!

Book 1, Ch. 8

The Tower Treasure

Chapter 8: An Important Discovery

To Slim Robinson’s great relief, the charges are dropped against his father, thanks to Mr. Hardy’s quick intervention. However, Mr. Robinson has been fired from his job as caretaker at the Tower Mansion, meaning Slim may have to leave school to help support the family. Frank and Joe vow to clear Slim’s father. Meanwhile Mr. Hardy informs them he has already checked all the pawn shops in the area – no stolen jewels have turned up. The boys head a different direction, hoping to solve the case ahead of their dad. They return to the woods where Chet’s jalopy was hidden. All they find are some strange, circular marks on the ground, leading out of the thicket. And then . . . . an important clue!

Book 1, Ch. 7

The Tower Treasure

Chapter 7: The Arrest

The Hardy boys hear their father talking with Henry Robinson and Hurd Applegate in the library of the Tower Mansion. Frank and Joe reassure their friend Slim Robinson that his father will be cleared of all wrong-doing in the Tower Mansion robbery. But old Mr. Applegate is convinced that Mr. Robinson is the thief – after all, he suddenly got $900 the day of the robbery, and he admits he knows the safe combination! Mr. Applegate insists that the police bring charges against Mr. Robinson. Meanwhile, the teen detectives wonder if the car thief might be involved in the robbery. They search Chet’s jalopy and discover – a red wig! This ties the car thief into the ferry ticket office hold-up and possibly the Tower robbery as well. Will Henry Robinson be exonerated? Time will tell.

Book 1, Ch. 6

The Tower Treasure

Chapter 6: The Robbery

 

Frank, Joe, Chet, Biff, Tony, Jerry and Phil set out at once to search the woods thoroughly for the car. To Chet’s delight, the Queen is found sitting in a large clearing. Parading home with jalopy, truck and motorcycles, they hear the shocking news that the Tower Mansion has been robbed! Mr. Hardy is already on the case. He reports that the safe was opened and $40,000 in jewels and notes is gone. Mr. Hurd Applegate, the surly owner of the mansion, takes the Hardys to the Tower to investigate, all the while complaining that he is certain his caretaker, Henry Robinson, is the thief. Frank and Joe are appalled. Henry is the father of their good friend, Slim Robinson!

Book 1, Ch. 5

The Tower Treasure

Chapter 5: The Hunt Is Intensified

Frank carefully scrapes paint from the jalopy in question, only to find it was previously blue, not yellow like the Queen. Disappointed, the boys return home and resolve to launch a massive search for the jalopy. They scour the entire area around Bayport with their friends Biff, Tony, Phil, Jerry and, of course, Chet. Still no Queen! But there is time for a picnic lunch in the park at Willow Grove. The other guys nap but Joe won’t give up. Sure enough, in the woods nearby, he finds a tire . . . with a familiar tread!

Book 1, Ch. 4

The Tower Treasure

Chapter 4: Red vs. Yellow

Failing to catch the prowler, the three young detectives search the barn. They are surprised to find a gray wig left behind on the barn floor! And Chet’s spare tire is missing! To their surprise, Oscar Smuff, a self-described investigator, calls and offers Chet information on where the stolen car is—for a price! The boys decide to go along with Smuff. He takes them to a used car lot, where he proudly points to a jalopy, but it’s the wrong color. “The thieves painted it,” he proclaims.