arrived recently for one of her frequent long visits with the family. In her forthright manner she was constantly making dire predictions about the dangers of sleuthing, and the terrible fate
awaiting anyone who was a detective.
She greeted her brother affectionately as everyone went into the living room. With a sigh she
asked, "Will you be home for a while this time, Fenton, before you have to go dashing off on another case?"
Chuckling, Mr. Hardy replied, "I'll probably be around for a while, Gertrude-especially if the boys run into any more counterfeit money."
"What! Laura, did you hear that?" Aunt Gertrude turned to a slim, attractive woman who had just entered the room.
"I did." Mrs. Hardy greeted her husband, then urged the boys to explain.
After hearing of Chet's experience, both women shook their heads in dismay. "Well, the sooner those counterfeiters are caught, the better!" Aunt Gertrude declared firmly.
"That's what we figure, Aunty," Joe spoke up. "We'll see what we can do! Right, Frank?"
"You bet."
Chet added, grinning, "With the Hardy boys on their trail, those counterfeiters won't have a chance!"
"And Laura and I will lose sleep worrying," Aunt Gertrude prophesied.
Frank and Joe exchanged winks, knowing that actually she and Mrs. Hardy were proud of the
boys'
sleuthing accomplishments, though sometimes fearful of the dangers they encountered.
"What delayed you today, Fenton?" Aunt Gertrude asked her brother. "Another case, I suppose."
Mr. Hardy explained, "There is a special matter I'm investigating, but I'm not at liberty to talk about it yet."
His next remark diverted the boys' attention from the counterfeiters. "Frank and Joe, will you be free tomorrow to see the surprise I have for you both?" he asked. "It'll be ready late in the afternoon."
"We sure will!" his sons exclaimed together. They knew what they hoped the surprise would be, but did not dare count on it.
The brothers tried without success to coax a hint from their family.
"All I can say," Aunt Gertrude remarked, "is that you're mighty lucky boys!" With a deep sigh she added, "But this surprise certainly won't help my peace of mind!"
"Oh, Aunty!" said Joe. "You don't really worry about us, do you?"
"Oh, no!" she exploded. "Only on weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays!"
Before Chet left for home, he reminded Frank and Joe of his intention to apply to Elekton
Controls Limited for a job.
Overhearing him, Mr. Hardy was immediately interested. "So you want to enter the scientific field, Chet?"
he said. "Good for you and lots of luck!"
The detective told the boys that the company, in addition to manufacturing controls, was
engaged in secret experiments with advanced electronic controls.
"Not too long ago," he concluded, "I met some of Elekton's officers."
It flashed through Chet's mind that he might ask the detective to make an appointment for him, but he decided not to. He wanted to get the job without an assist from anyone. Frank and Joe
suggested that Chet come for them early the next afternoon.
"I have an idea!" Chet exclaimed. "Let's go earlier and take along a picnic lunch. We'll be right near Willow River. After I apply for a job, we can eat by the water. Then you fellows can help me collect bark and stone specimens."
"Microscope study, eh?" Frank grinned. "Okay. It's a deal."
At supper Aunt Gertrude commented wryly, "There'll be two moons in the sky when Chet
Morton settles down to a job!"
The others laughed, then the conversation reverted once more to counterfeiting. Mr. Hardy
backed up Chief Collig's statement that the bogus twenty-dollar bills being circulated were
clever imitations. "I heard that the Secret Service is finding it a hard case to crack," he added.
Frank and Joe were wondering about their father's other case. They realized it must be
extremely confidential, and refrained from questioning him.
In the middle of the night, Joe was suddenly awakened by a clattering sound. He leaped out of
bed and rushed across the room to the front window. It was a dark, moonless night, and for a
moment Joe could see nothing.
But suddenly he detected a movement near the front door, then saw a shadowy figure running
down the walk to the street.
"Hey!" Joe called out. "Who are you? What do you want?"
At the end of the walk, the mysterious figure leaped onto a bicycle. It swerved, nearly throwing the rider, but he regained his balance and sped off into the darkness.
"What's going on?" Joe cried out
CHAPTER V
The Bicycle Clue
JOE ran downstairs to the front door, flung it open, and dashed outside. He reached the end of the walk, and peered in the direction the mysterious cyclist had taken. The person was not in
sight.
Puzzled, Joe walked back slowly to the house. Had the stranger come there by mistake? "If not, what did he want?" Joe wondered.
The rest of the Hardy family had been awakened by Joe's cries to the stranger. By this time,
they were clustered at the doorway and all the lights in the house were on.
"What's the matter, Joe?" Aunt Gertrude demanded. "Who were you calling to at this unearthly hour?"
Joe was about to reply when he noticed a large white envelope protruding from the mailbox.
He pulled it out, and saw that his father's name was typed on the front. "This is for you, Dad."
Joe handed the envelope to Mr. Hardy. "That fellow on the bike must have left it."
Joe was besieged with questions, and he explained what had happened.
"It's a funny way to deliver a message," Frank commented.
"Very suspicious, if you ask me!" Aunt Gertrude snapped.
Suddenly they all noticed that Mr. Hardy was frowning at the contents of the envelope-a plain
piece of white paper.
"What does it say, Fenton?" Mrs. Hardy asked anxiously.
He read the typed message: " 'Drop case or else danger for you and family! "
There was silence for a moment, then Aunt Gertrude exclaimed, "I knew it! We can't get a
decent night's sleep with three detectives in the family! I just know there's real trouble
brewing!"
Although she spoke tartly, the others realized Miss Hardy was concerned, as always, for her
brother's safety.
"Now, don't worry, Gertrude," Fenton Hardy said reassuringly. "The boys and I will be on guard against any danger. This note probably is the work of a harmless crank."
Aunt Gertrude tossed her head as though she did not believe this for a moment.
"Let's all look around for clues to the person on the bike," Frank suggested.
Flashlights were procured, and the entire family searched the grounds thoroughly on both sides of the stoop and the walk. As Frank and his aunt neared the end of the front walk, Miss Hardy
cried out, "There's something-next to that bush."
Frank picked up the object. "A bicycle pedal!" he exclaimed. "Aunty, this is a terrific clue! I think we have four detectives in the family!"
His aunt forced a rather embarrassed smile.
"The pedal must've fallen off the bike Joe saw," Frank said. "That's why it swerved."
Back in the house, the family gathered in the kitchen. They were too excited to go back to bed immediately, and the boys were eager to question their father. They all had cookies and
lemonade.
"What case did the warning refer to?" Joe asked Mr. Hardy.
"I can't be sure," the detective replied slowly.
Again the boys wondered about Mr. Hardy's secret case, and longed to know what it involved.
"Maybe the threat is connected with that one," Frank thought. Before the boys went to sleep, they decided to track down the pedal clue early the next morning.