HARDY BOYS: 17. THE SECRET WARNING

CHAPTER 2. A STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE

"Yott'be in luck, Mr. Perry!" burst out Frank.

"Joe and I are Mr. Hardy's sons!"

'' Yes,'' added Joe excitedly. '' You can come home with us now. We'll lend you some dry clothes and introduce you to Dad!"

"Well, this is a pleasant coincidence!" exclaimed the diver. "Bad luck and good, all in the space of a few minutes! I'm ready when you are."

In their excitement the boys had all but forgotten the occupants of the other boat. AsFrank eased the Sleuth back alongside the dock, he frowned.
"Wonder who those fellows were!” he mused, "And how did they know our names!"

Joe made the craft fast to her cleat. '' I can't imagine," he said thoughtfully. "But I do know that I didn't like their looks much."

"If they aren't a couple of thugs I'll eat my hat," Chet remarked. "And that reminds me,isn't it about time for lunch?"

"Same old Chet!" laughed the younger Hardy. "But you'd better be careful. We might hold you to that hat-eating promise of yours, just in case those fellows turn out to be nice after all."

"Chet wouldn't mind that," Frank observed dryly.

The chums enjoyed another hearty laugh with their good-natured friend, whose favorite melody was the sound of the dinner-bell. At the corner of Locust Street Chet took leave of
the others, heading for his own home at the opposite end of town.

"Well, here we are!" announced Joe in a few minutes as they arrived at a large,
handsome etone residence on a quiet street.

"Come in, Mr. Perry."
The brothers presented their guest to their mother, who promised them luncheon immediately. "And Frank," she admonished, "get Mr. Perry some dry clothes at once. I think
one of your father's suits will fit him better than yours."

It turned out that Mrs. Hardy was correct. Frank was tall but Perry was even taller. His attempt to don Frank's blue serge met with snickers of amused disapproval from Joe.

"Here's one of Dad's," suggested Frank at length. He emerged from his father's closet with a neatly-pressed English tweed suit, and the fit was perfect.
A few moments later as they were eating a delicious meal, the telephone bell rang.

"It's your father," Mrs. Hardy announced as she returned to the table.
"He called to say that he won't be home until this evening.

In that case," she smiled, turning to Perry,"you'd better stay here and have dinner with us."

The genial diver accepted with a smile ot pleasure, much to the delight of the boys, who hoped to hear further accounts of Perry's adventures. Both Hardy lads were curious as to the
diver's reason for wanting to interview their father. They had long since learned that when a stranger called to interview Fenton Hardy, his visit invariably meant that something very
important was pending.

The famous detective had come to depend a great deal upon his sons for assistance in solving the problems of his professional career.

As true offspring of the renowned detective who had made a reputation for himself with the New York Police Department, they had inherited his unusual keenness and with that his
uncanny ability for solving mysteries. In many instances the boys had become involved in adventures of their own, during which they had demonstrated repeatedly a rare courage and wisdom in the face of great danger.

Their first success had occurred when they had located valuable loot which a dying criminal had confessed to them had been hidden "in the tower."

The favorable outcome of this case had encouraged them to tackle other problems, including one about a sinister sign post, when Frank and Joe undertook to unravel the nays.