HARDY BOYS: 17. THE SECRET WARNING

CHAPTER 3. CAUGHT

''All set, Joe?"

Frank sat at the wheel of the brothers' car, studying a map, while Joe stowed away a second suitcase in the luggage trunk. It was barely forty-five minutes ago that their father had told them to find Perry. Since time was an all-important factor under the circumstances, the boys had packed hastily.

"All ready, Frank," sang out the younger Hardy lad as he swung himself into the seat beside his brother.

Suddenly there was a shout, and two rough-looking men stepped alongside the car.

"Wait a minute, you!" snarled one of them gruffly, seizing Joe by the sleeve.

"Come out of there, both of you!" snapped the other. "We have a little matter to settle with you."

The Hardys recognized them as the men who had occupied the other motorboat which had figured in the mix-up that morning.

"Well, what do you want!" Frank inquired with a look of annoyed surprise.

"Here!" snorted the thick-set individual.

"That's right," agreed the other. Then he turned to Frank with an evil smile. "Be kind of funny, wouldn't it, if your friend Perry should get his lifeline cut some timef" he hissed.

The older Hardy lad felt a chill at mention of Perry. Was that remark merely a cowardly bluff to frighten them, or was it a secret warning! He could not decide at the moment.
Nevertheless, he waa unable to shake off a feeling that these cruel-looking strangers were going to cause them trouble.

The chums talked over the matter among themselves, then decided to remain firm.

Frank placed a five-dollar bill on a nearby desk.

"There," he announced, "that pays for the damage we did to your boat. Come on, fellows, let's get going. See you later, Jim."

The chums filed out, leaving the elderly shipbuilder to smile triumphantly at Bock and Simon, who stood glaring after the boys and muttering threats.

"Good work, Frank!" exclaimed Joe admiringly as the brothers clambered back into their car. "Serves them right! Jump in, Chet!"

"I wonder," mused his brother, "if they really meant what they said about Mr. Perry's lifeline. Golly, I'd hate to have anything happen to him!''

"So would I," Joe agreed. "We'd better warn him about it when we find him at Bailey's Landing."

"Bailey's Landing!" blinked Chet from the rear seat. "Say, what are you two planning now ! Another trip ?"

Joe laughed. The Hardys had been so concerned with Bock and Simon that they had completely forgotten to tell their chum the latest difficulty. Now Chet begged to be taken along on the boys' projected search forPerry. Though he seldom was of any real assistance in solving their problems, his genial good nature had relieved them of much worry and nerve strain on many occasions.

"All right, Chet," Frank agreed. "We'll drive around to your house at once and tell your family."

No sooner had the boys entered the Morton home than Chet uttered a shout.
"Cookies!" he exclaimed. "Golly! We're just in time! Smell 'em?"

He made a bee-line for the kitchen. In a few moments he returned, grinning broadly. "I was right! The girls are making cookies I Whoopee!"

His sister Tola emerged from the kitchen with her chum Gallic Shaw. Upon hearing of the boys' projected journey, the girls promptly wrapped up a generous supply of cookies as a farewell gift. Then the brothers and Chet jumped into the car, waved gaily, and headed for the distant hills. Late that night they halted at a rambling structure whose neon sign proclaimed it to be the Mountain Inn.