HARDY BOYS: 17. THE SECRET WARNING

CHAPTER 13. KUNTZ IS STARTLED

To his surprise, Frank did not lose consciousness even though everything went blackbefore him. Then he realized with a shock that he had been swept under the dock.

Before he could collect his senses another heavy swell surged between the pilings in a cascade of brine that carried him and his burden out again. An instant later his foot touched
the sand.

"Great Scott, that was a rescue!" exclaimed Joe, rushing toward his brother. "Frank, that was noble!"

"We'd better take the little tot home," Chet suggested, taking the boy from Frank. "He's soaked through and scared stiff!"

"And I can say the same for myself!" Frank laughed.

A few moments' questioning of the lad and his companion disclosed the fact that they were brothers visiting their grandfather in the village. Neither boy, however, could remember where the relative lived. His name, they stated, was George Boy.

"We'll find out," said Joe.

Mr. George Roy, a distinguished looking man with white hair and a ruddy face, was overjoyed when the chums knocked at the front door of his cottage.

"Thank you a thousand times!" he boomed when he saw his grandsons.

"The youngsters ran off long before breakfast this morning and I was very much worried."

He invited the Hardys and Chet inside so that Frank might dry his clothes.

"Yes," said the genial man when the subject of the Katawa was brought up,

"I remember that ship well! In fact, Holt Egner, her captain, was a good friend of mine. Poor chap was drowned in the wreck."

"Is it really true that there are nearly a million dollars aboard?" Joe inquired excitedly.

"There's been a rumor for about twenty-two years, ever since the Katawa sank, that the officers stole her money and valuables before she went down," Eoy declared. "Lined a
lifeboat with it, the story goes, and got away."

The chums stared at one another, then at the speaker. Here, indeed, was a new angle to the situation-but not a very encouraging one. Suppose the Katawa were really empty!

"This rumor," went on Mr. Roy, "was started by one of the officers on the ship, a fellow named Clark Hornblow. Second mate, I think he was. He lost his mind shortly after the
rescue."
"He did!" Joe gulped.

"Well, sometimes lie's all right and at other times he raves about the gold that was stolen from the ship by his fellow officers. He's been In an asylum for some years."

"Where is the institution?" Frank queried, suddenly struck with an idea.

"A place called Overlook Sanatorium," Roy replied. "It's just outside of town. You must have passed it on your way in."

"I remember. Doesn't it sit back about a quarter of a mile from the road on a hill?" Joe asked.

His host nodded and abruptly changed the subject to that of his grandsons' rescue that morning.

"I don't know how to express my gratitude to you, young man," he said to Frank as the chums prepared to leave.

"Some day, maybe--"
The Hardy boy smiled and waved his hand modestly. Back at the car he turned to his companions.

"Fellows, we must------"
"Interview that officer!" Joe finished impolitely.

The chums stopped at their room so that Frank might put on fresh clothes. Shortly afterward the boys rolled up into the long drive to the asylum and stopped at the massive iron gate leading to the grounds. A watchman surveyed them suspiciously.