HARDY BOYS: 17. THE SECRET WARNING

CHAPTER 8. A SECRET WARNING

Quick as a flash Frank Hardy leaped back at his adversary, who ducked as the lad swung at his jaw. Simon was lightning-quick, and had the advantage of weight. He aimed a blow at the boy's throat.

This time Frank was ready with a hard punch that landed in Simon's solar plexus and sent the fellow staggering with a yowl of pain. Miraculously he recovered almost instantly and
dived at young Hardy. The two rocked to the ground, with the lad underneath his opponent.

Suddenly there was a shout in the darkness.

"Hold 'im, Pete-I'm comin'!" A second later Bock ran up.

"Get the coat!" Simon gasped.
His companion fumbled around on the sidewalk, found the garment where it had fallen, and tossed it beyond Frank's possible reach. Then he jumped into the fray, reaching for the Hardy boy's throat. Frank lowered his chin but Bock found his windpipe and slowly
squeezed it shut.

"We'll teach you to meddle with us!" he snarled.

Pinned motionless by Simon and all but throttled by Bock, Frank suddenly went limp.

Just then a chunky figure loomed up beside the combatants.

"Rats!" yelled Simon, squinting at the newcomer. "It's the fat fella. Get 'im, Ed!"

Bock loosed his hold on Frank's throat and sprang at Chet like a tiger. At the same instant the stout lad recognized Bock, and with a swiftness unusual for him, sent the ruffian sprawling with an unexpected cuff over the eye.

"Get the coat, Chet!" This time it was Frank who gasped out the order.

As the plump boy turned to obey, Bock leaped to the edge of the sidewalk. Quick as a flash he grabbed the coat, and before Chet could stop him, had disappeared in the darkness.

A police whistle screeched out and a car sped toward them, its siren wailing. Simon uttered a cry, jumped off Frank, and darted down the street. At the same instant a uniformed figure leaped from the approaching machine and brought the fleeing scoundrel to a fall with
a perfect flying tackle.

The police car meanwhile had eased to a stop where Chet was helping Frank to his feet. The driver got out and approached them, playing a powerful flashlight into their faces.

"What's going on here?" he demanded gruffly. "Who are you?" The officer scannedFrank's face under the blinding glare of the light.

"Quick, officer, we must get the other fellow!" Frank gasped.

"He stole some papers from us. He ran that way just about a minute ago!" Chet
explained breathlessly.

"All right. Quick! Jump in the car and do your explaining there," rapped out the officer, motioning the boys into the auto. Just then two figures loomed up.

"Here he is, Chief," said one. Frank coukl see that the speaker was also a policeman, and that he had a powerful fist wrapped around Simon's coat collar.

"Take him to Headquarters," snapped the Chief. "I've got another chase on my hands."

The police car, bearing Frank and Chet, sped off in the direction Bock had taken. The two boys rapidly explained the situation to the officer.

"We'll head for the woods," decided the latter. "That's where most runaway thugs try to go first."

Twenty minutes later they rolled into a lonely lane leading into a woods on the outskirts of town.

'' All right, boys,'' said the policeman. '' Let's have a look around. You------"

"What's that!" interrupted Frank.