The Secret Warning by Franklin W. Dixon Read Free Book Online

one comin’ back last night. Try Lawson’s Livery down the wharf a ways—it’s the only other boat rental place in town.”
    Mr. Hardy thanked him, then strode along the wharf with the three boys. At the other boat livery, the investigator repeated his question to the proprietor, Eli Lawson.
    â€œSure, there was a boat come in,” Lawson said grumpily. “Must’ve been sometime between midnight and four o’clock. It was a boat that’d been stolen from me the night before.”
    â€œStolen!” Mr. Hardy exclaimed.
    Frank and Joe looked at each other excitedly. More than likely, the boat thief had been the island ghost!
    â€œHow come you’re so interested?” Lawson asked the detective.
    Mr. Hardy told briefly how his rented boat had been sabotaged on Whalebone Island, but said nothing about the rest of the night’s events.
    â€œSay! By any chance, is your name Fenton Hardy?” the proprietor inquired.
    â€œThat’s right. Why?”
    Lawson went into the boathouse and emerged a moment later holding a soiled envelope. “When I found the boat this mornin’, this was lyin’ on one o’ the seats.”
    The envelope bore the name “Fenton Hardy” lettered in pencil. The detective opened it and took out the enclosed note. His face hardened as he read. Then he handed the message to the boys. It said:
    Keep away from Whalebone Island. Next
time you won’t escape.
    Instead of a signature there was the crude drawing of an Egyptian-looking head surmounted by a Pharaoh’s headdress.
    â€œThe Pharaoh’s head!” Chet gulped.
    Frank and Joe silenced him with warning looks, and Mr. Hardy thanked the liveryman. The four walked away under Lawson’s inquisitive gaze.
    â€œIs that what the golden head of Rhamaton looks like, Dad?” Frank inquired when they were out of earshot.
    â€œYes, almost exactly. I’ve seen a photograph of it.”
    The boys accompanied Mr. Hardy to the parking lot where he had left his car overnight. It was decided that Frank and Joe would return to Bayport with Chet and wait for the arrival of Sam Radley.
    â€œI’ll send Sam back from Philadelphia as soon as I can spare him,” the investigator promised. “Then he can go to Whalebone Island with you.”
    â€œRight, Dad!”
    Mr. Hardy climbed into his car and sped off in the direction of the turnpike. Frank, Joe, and Chet embarked in the Sleuth and were soon cruising down the coast toward Barmet Bay.
    It was late in the day when the Hardy boys arrived home. Aunt Gertrude’s face was anxious as she greeted them.
    â€œWell! Thank goodness you’re home at last! Why didn’t you answer my radio call last night?”
    â€œSorry, Aunty,” Frank apologized. “We were away from the Sleuth most of the time.”
    â€œAnything wrong?” Joe asked.
    â€œIndeed there was! Someone tried to break into the house!”

CHAPTER VIII
    Egyptian Fake
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    A rt attempted break-in while they were gone! Startled, Frank and Joe wondered what the thief had been after.
    â€œTell us about it, Aunt Gertrude!” Frank said.
    â€œWell, to begin with, I was all alone in the house—”
    â€œAlone! What about Mother?” Joe broke in.
    â€œShe was called away yesterday afternoon,” Miss Hardy explained, “to stay with a sick friend over in Bartonsville, Mrs. Filer. Gloria Filer, that is—Laura’s old schoolmate. Well, I was sound asleep and suddenly the burglar alarm went off full blast!”
    The boys’ aunt shuddered at the recollection. “Heavens! It must have wakened the whole neighborhood—that shrill racket and all the floodlights blazing on!”
    â€œDid you get a look at whoever touched it off?” Frank asked.
    â€œNo, I rushed to stick my head out the window, but the rascal was nowhere in sight. Probably ran off the instant the lights