The brothers hurried upstairs to their father's study. Joe dialed the secret combination of the safe, then opened the safe door.

He stared inside, gulped, and cried out in dismay, "The file on the Chameleon is gone!"

76 Frank nodded, grim-lipped. "This'll be a blow to Dad. That envelope contained all his private evidence against the Chameleon." He grabbed his brother's arm. "Do you know what this means? One of the Chameleon's henchmen must be watching this house. When he saw the front door open, he walked in without the alarm going off."

"Right. And, Joe, he must be an expert at safe-cracking! I think we'd better notify Dad at once."

"First, let's see if anything else is missing," Joe suggested.

On the inside of the safe door the boys' father had pasted a printed list of the contents.

As Joe read each item, Frank checked. Finally he said, "Everything's here. That burglar only wanted the Chameleon file."

Frank placed the call to his father's hotel in Los Angeles. Fenton Hardy took the bad news with little comment, but said he was disturbed for the safety of the boys and his sister.

"You'd better be extra careful from now on," the detective warned. "And call the police to investigate."

"Right, Dad!" Frank said.

Within five minutes after the young sleuth had phoned headquarters, a police car arrived at the house. Chief Collig hurried inside, accompanied by two plain-clothes men, Hanley and Darkle.

"Now then, what happened?" Chief Collig demanded.

77 Frank gave the details of the robbery, then led the men upstairs to the study. Joe followed.

Collig and Hanley examined the safe. The latter dusted it for prints, but found none.

"Smart operator," he remarked. "Wiped off all traces clean as a whistle!"

Chief Collig nodded shrewdly. "He'd have have to be smart to open this job without blowing to be smart to open this job without blowing it." Turning back to the boys, the chief said, "I didn't have time to check my files on the Chameleon. What's the story on him?"

Frank explained that he was an international thief and confidence man, whose real name was Arnold Balarat. Originally from New York, Bala-rat had operated all over the United States and in Europe, as well as on ocean liners.

"The Trans-Ocean Lines engaged Dad to find him after he swindled a number of their pa.s.sengers," Frank concluded. "The FBI is certain that Balarat is now in this country. Dad's been hunting for him out on the West Coast after some clues turned up in Los Angeles. But so far the Chameleon is still at large."

Together the police and the Hardy boys looked for clues to the ident.i.ty of the burglar.

They found none and Chief Collig shook his head, perplexed. "That man left no fingerprints.

Well, we'll talk to the neighbors about seeing any prowlers and find out what they have to offer."

After the officers left, Frank said, "I suggest we 78 call Mrs. Witherspoon and Dr. Montrose. They may have seen someone."

He spoke to Mrs. Witherspoon first. "Oh, how dreadful! A robbery!" she said. . . . "No, Frank, I didn't see anyone. I hope you catch him soon. I'm too weak to talk any more. I'll have to see Dr. Montrose. Good-by."

Frank now called the doctor himself. His line was busy. In a few minutes Frank tried again. Still busy. After a third try he proposed that he and Joe stop at Dr. Montrose's office on their way to the dock.

"Good enough," his brother agreed.

They said good-by to Aunt Gertrude, then hurried off in their convertible. Frank parked in front of Dr. Montrose's downtown office. Entering, they found themselves in a comfortable waiting room. Apparently the doctor employed no receptionist.

"Hey, take a look at some of these," Joe murmured in a low voice.

He pointed to a number of framed letters hanging on the walls. They were glowing testimonials from former patients. An ornate diploma stated that Hubert Montrose had been awarded the degree of Doctor of Medicine from Ardvor College.

Frank grinned. "Mighty impressive!"

The brothers seated themselves in two of the leather chairs. Presently Dr. Montrose came from a rear room. A look of surprise flickered across 79 his face, but this was quickly replaced by a smooth professional smile.

"Ah, good morning!" He shook hands with his two visitors. "Tell me, how is your aunt?"

"Much better, thanks," Frank said.

Dr. Montrose did not invite the boys into his consulting room. He evidently had a patient inside. "Just what can I do for you?" he inquired.

Frank explained about the robbery and asked if the physician had noticed anything unusual during his visit to the house.

Dr. Montrose frowned thoughtfully. "Now that you mention it, I did hear a noise upstairs just as I was leaving," he replied. "However, I a.s.sumed it was a maid or one of the family moving about."

"That was the robber!" Frank cried.

"Oh, I'm sorry," said Dr. Montrose. "But I'm afraid I can't help any. And now, if you'll excuse me-"

The Hardys left and started for the pier. A block from the waterfront they saw Biff Hooper coming from a market, his arms loaded with cartons of fruit drink. They stopped and he hopped into the car.

"Hey, what kept you guys?" Biff asked. "We have a full load of pa.s.sengers."

"Swell!" Joe told him.

"Sure is," Frank added.

The Hardys found a gay crowd gathered on the 80 dock to watch the Hai Hau Hai Hau leave. The pa.s.sengers were already aboard. leave. The pa.s.sengers were already aboard.

"How about that?" said Tony proudly as he came up and showed Frank and Joe the cash receipts. "Full the first trip!"

Frank beamed, slapped his friend on the back, and climbed aboard. The Hai Hau's Hai Hau's owners took their places. Jim Foy cast off amid shouts and waves from the spectators. Biff revved the outboard and Frank steered out across Barmet Bay.

It was a fine sunny morning, promising a most enjoyable voyage to Rocky Isle. Joe and Tony hoisted the sails to take advantage of the slight breeze. The pa.s.sengers called out in delight as the junk rode the waves.

Presently Frank noticed that the stern was riding low in the water. Setting the wheel, he went to open the afterdeck hatch, then gave a low cry of alarm. The shallow compartment below was awash with water!

"Hey, fellows! Come here!" When they arrived, he whispered hoa.r.s.ely, "We've sprung a leak!"

The boys' faces filled with alarm. Could they possibly make the island safely with their Could they possibly make the island safely with their boatload of pa.s.sengers?

CHAPTER IX.

Wharf Chase.

"we're shipping water too fast!" Joe said, peering into the compartment. "At this rate we'll capsize before we get to Rocky Isle!"

"What'll we do?" Biff gasped.

"We'd better come about and try to make it back to Bayport," Frank said. "I'll start the bilge pump!"

As the boys shifted sail and brought the junk around, the pa.s.sengers plied them with anxious questions. Consternation spread when they learned the Hai Hau Hai Hau was leaking. was leaking.

"We should have known better than to trust ourselves in a crazy boat like this!" a stout woman stormed.

"You're right, dear," agreed her husband, a very thin man in a flowered sports shirt. "We should've listened to Clams Dagget when he said this junk was nothing but but junk!" junk!"

Joe stifled the angry retort that rose to his lips, and Frank said, "Please be calm, everyone. We'll get you safely back to Bayport."

"You'd better!" the stout woman snapped.

Meanwhile, the action of the bilge pump had stemmed the flood of water pouring into the compartment. The source of the leak was now visible-a gaping hole several inches in diameter.

"Hey!" a man in the bow called out. "You mentioned Clams Dagget. Isn't that his boat over there?"

A motor launch was speeding toward them. "That's Clams, all right!" a high school youth confirmed.

The girl beside him clutched his arm happily. "Thank goodnessl" She sighed. "Now we'll all be saved!"

The other pa.s.sengers cheered.

The crew of the Hai Hau Hai Hau felt too disgusted and heartsick to comment. Joe and Tony felt too disgusted and heartsick to comment. Joe and Tony had crawled down into the compartment below the afterdeck and were plugging the leak with socks and sweaters.

"That hole was no accident," Tony muttered between clenched teeth. "Look!" He picked up a round piece of wood floating on the water in the compartment.

"Check," Frank replied, disturbed. "Someone made it with a keyhole saw from the outside. After a while the wood gave way."

"Please be calm," Frank said. "We'll get you safely back to Bayport."

84 By the time the leak was stopped, Clams Dag-get's motor launch, the Sandpiper, Sandpiper, had had arrived within hailing range of the Hai Hau. Hai Hau. In response to shouts from the junk's In response to shouts from the junk's pa.s.sengers, he pulled alongside.

"What'sa matter, boys? Havin' trouble keepin' that Chinese bathtub afloat?" Clams taunted with a sneering grin. To the others aboard, he added, "Just climb over into my launch, folks. I'll get you to Rocky Isle safe and sound. I coulda told you that old hulk wasn't seaworthy!"

"You did tell them!" Tony said angrily. "Maybe you had something to do with this leak, too!"

"You tryin' to say I caused it?" Clams roared.

"I sure wouldn't be surprised!" f f The rest of the exchange was drowned out by the pa.s.sengers clamoring for their money back. The boys refunded all fares, then a.s.sisted the people to climb over into the motor launch.

As it sped away, the Hai Hau's Hai Hau's crew looked at one another in deep chagrin. Biff revved crew looked at one another in deep chagrin. Biff revved the outboard to top speed and they headed back to Bay-port.

Reaching a repair dock, the junk was hoisted out of water and thoroughly examined.

The boys spent the next few hours pounding in a plug, covering it with a steel plate, and calking the patch securely. When they finished, the Hai Hau Hai Hau was as seaworthy as ever. was as seaworthy as ever.

85 "Neat job," said Biff, wiping his hands on a rag. "But I'd sure like to know if Clams did did saw that hole."

"We can't prove he's the guilty party," Frank reminded the others. "If those Chinese we tangled with in New York are here in Bayport, they might have done it."

Late that afternoon, after Frank and Joe had returned home, Jim Foy stopped at the house. He said he had brought a letter from his uncle in Chinatown. It contained information not only about George Ti-Ming, but Chin Gok as well, gleaned through the Chinese Benevolent a.s.sociation.

"Better read it yourselves," Jim advised.

The report stated that Chin Gok and Ti-Ming were the New York agents for two rival Chinese export firms based in Hong Kong. Both firms had been in trouble with United States and British authorities on smuggling charges. During the past few years, however, Ti-Ming's group seemed to have stayed within the law.

"Ti-Ming became a traveling salesman, so far as anyone knows, and is rarely in New York any more," Mr. Foy concluded in his letter.

The Hardys thanked him, and Jim left. That evening, the brothers were discussing the report in their room when Joe jumped up impetuously.

"What's eating you?" Frank asked.

"Hunch. Plain hunch that someone may try 86 tampering with the Hai Hau Hai Hau again. I'd feel better sleeping there tonight." again. I'd feel better sleeping there tonight."

"You have a point," Frank agreed. "But what about the dock watchman?"

"He doesn't have eyes in the back of his head," Joe said cryptically.

"That's right," Frank agreed. "We'll tell Aunt Gertrude."

When the brothers relayed their idea to her, she nodded a.s.sent. "If you decide to come back here any time during the night, phone first, or call on the radio-I'll turn it on," she directed, "because if the burglar alarm goes off, I'll certainly call the police at once."

Frank and Joe kissed her good night and drove to the dock.

"Let's look up Mike the watchman and tell him our plan," Frank said.

They hunted around but could not find Mike. Frank, indicating a nearby warehouse, remarked, "Doesn't he guard that too? Maybe he's inside. Let's look."

They found the great sliding door to the pitch-black building part way open. Frank snapped on his light and entered, then stepped back in consternation.

Mike lay on the floor unconscious, bleeding from a deep gash in his head!

Frank leaned over and began counting the pulse 87 beat in Mike's wrist. "Pretty feeble," he announced.

Seeing a wall telephone, Joe put in a call to police headquarters. Meanwhile, Frank was using thumb pressure to stop the bleeding. A few minutes later a police car and an ambulance arrived. Mike was lifted onto a stretcher and carried away as the two officers, Hanley and Darkle, began to question the Hardys.

Frank was busy giving them full details when Joe, who had gone outside, exclaimed suddenly, "Frank, I just spotted two guys sneaking around the cabin of the junk! Let's see what they're up to!"

As he spoke, the shadowy figures reappeared, scrambling to the dock.