Book 2, Ch. 18

The House on the Cliff

Chapter 18: Coast Guard Action

 

 

Meanwhile Chet and Tony reach the Coast Guard, only to run into Biff, Phil and Jerry! The five boys quickly fill in Chief Robinson with the whole story of the smugglers, Snattman and Ali Singh. They warn the Chief that Ali may pitch more stolen drugs overboard when the Marco Polo docks in Bayport. Within minutes, Chief Petty Officer Brown is powering a boat toward the Marco Polo, 16 miles offshore, with Biff, Jerry and Phil riding along! Quietly the boys watch and wait. Suddenly a hatch opens, and something is dumped in the water! By the light cast from the hatch, the boys see a long net appear and scoop up the mysterious package. The Coast Guard boat roars to life!

Book 2, Ch. 17

The House on the Cliff

Chapter 17: Hostages

 

 

 

 

The trio runs stealthily across the lawn toward the road, only to hear a shout, “The Hardys have escaped!” Smugglers appear from every direction, combing the woods and yard with their lights! Their father quickly instructs Frank and Joe to lie facedown in the woods. They are not spotted! Once the men have passed, the Hardys make a run for the empty house. They take refuge in the secret attic the boys discovered earlier. Inching up the creaky stair, the detectives hear voices downstairs! Another search is organized through every room, and ends without mention of the attic. But to their dismay, minutes later they hear Klein reenter the room and show Snattman right to the attic door! It opens and Snattman advances into the attic. Caught in the brilliant beam of his flashlight, the Hardys are cornered! “You are my hostages!” the cunning smuggler announces. Only if his criminal gang escapes from the police will Snattman release the detectives alive!

Book 2, Ch. 16

The House on the Cliff

Chapter 16: Quick Work

 

 

 

 

Discouraged at their predicament, Frank and Joe are amazed to see their father working off his ropes. Through quick thinking, the senior detective kept his muscles flexed while being tied up. Now his bonds are slightly loose and he wriggles out of them! As Mr. Hardy tiptoes over to release the boys, a creaking board wakes the sleeping guard, Malloy. The detective flings himself onto the smuggler and gags him, and a silent struggle ensues. The two roll across the floor, exchanging punches, until Mr. Hardy manages to grab Malloy’s gun. At the boys’ prompting, he also seizes the guard’s knife, and hurriedly cuts Joe’s ropes away. After Joe releases Frank’s bonds, the boys tie Malloy up with the same ropes on the cot. Free again, the trio decides to sneak down to meet the Coast Guard, who should be on the way. But no sooner have they entered the stairway then they hear voices approaching from below! The Hardys quickly turn and ascend more stairs to a trap door, which Mr. Hardy knows to lead out into the woodshed on the Pollitt property. After heaving the logs off the top of the trapdoor, the detectives steal silently out of the woodshed into the dark, shadowy yard.

 

 

 

Book 2, Ch. 15

The House on the Cliff

Chapter 15: Dire Threats

 

 

 

 

Snattman, elated with his catch, debates coldly with his henchmen about how to dispose of the Hardys. Red evilly suggests getting rid of them at once, but the other smugglers have second thoughts. Finally, one gangster proposes turning them over to a friend of Ali Singh’s for a one-way trip into the ocean. Snattman likes the idea! He takes his gang upstairs to load up another shipment of loot, leaving a smuggler named Malloy to guard the Hardys. The discouraged detectives try to distract the guard by talking, but he snaps at them, “Shut up!” There seems to be no way to escape!

Book 2, Ch. 14

The House on the Cliff

Chapter 14: Captured

 

 

 

As Frank and Joe continue to listen from their hiding place, they realize it is Snattman threatening their father! The ruthless criminal vows to starve Mr. Hardy to death unless the detective writes a note telling his boys and the police to get off the case. Mr. Hardy vows that he will die first! He declares to Snattman that the police will soon catch his entire gang. Frustrated, Snattman leaves in disgust. Quickly Frank and Joe speed down the hall and into the room where Mr. Hardy is lying bound hand and foot. They hack at the thick rope as the exhausted detective gulps down a candy bar Joe finds in his pocket. Just as Mr. Hardy is freed, they hear footsteps! Barely able to stand, Mr. Hardy struggles to walk -- as the door opens and the light is snapped on! Bolting down the back stairway, the three are stopped at the bottom by the smuggler and his two henchmen. The fight seems to be going their way when suddenly more members of the gang appear. Before they know what is happening, the three detectives are captured and tied up -- in the same room where Mr. Hardy was, moments ago, set free!