said Joe. "We've got a couple of things to do right now. Anyway, what about that diet you were going on?"
"Like you said, some other time," replied Chet. "I've got things to do, too, like try the new peppers-and-pepperoni special." Chet patted his ample stomach with anticipation, gave a goodbye wave of his hand, and headed for lunch.
"So our doubles arrived here this morning," said Frank. "Let's make it home fast."
But they had covered only a block when they were stopped again. It was Frank's girlfriend, Callie Shaw.
"You're still in town?" Callie said. "When I saw you a couple of hours ago, you said you had to make some kind of trip, so we couldn't see each other tonight. And why on earth have you and Joe put on those hunting outfits?" There was a hurt look in her eyes. "I know you're involved in a lot of mysterious activities, but you've let me in on them before. What's the matter, don't you trust me anymore?"
"Look, Callie, I promise I'll explain everything as soon as I can," said Frank. "But not now, okay?" "If that's the way you want it," Callie said, and turned on her heel and strode away.
"Sometimes I wonder what you see in her," said Joe. "Every time we get a case, she wants to horn in."
"You've got to be kidding," said Frank. "I wouldn't mind Callie's help right now, except I can't see how anybody but ourselves can help us out of this mess. I'm getting more and more jittery thinking about what we're going to find out at home."
"Too bad Dad's not around," said Joe. "He could help us."
But Fenton Hardy, the-great detective who was the boys' father, was away with their mother, Laura Hardy, on a well-deserved Hawaiian vacation.
The only one at home was the Hardy boys' aunt Gertrude.
When she saw the boys come in, a worried look appeared on her face - a not uncommon occurrence. The smallest thing could set off alarm bells inside Aunt Gertrude-and her nephews provided unending sources of concern.
"What happened?" she asked. "Some kind of trouble? You raced out of here just a few hours ago without a word of explanation. And now you're back, wearing different clothes." "No trouble," Frank assured her as he headed for the stairs to his room.
"Just a little change of plans," Joe added, and followed Frank up the stairs, three steps at a time.
Frank and Joe went straight to Frank's room.
"We've got to warn the Network," said Joe as Frank warmed up his computer. "It's a shame we had to ditch that scrambler radio they gave us."
The Hardys had had to leave the radio behind while being pursued through the Adirondack Mountains by followers of the Cult of Crime.
"There's still the computer modem," Frank said, tapping the code numbers on his keyboard. But the screen went blank.
"What the - ?" he burst out, opening up the computer's case. Then his face got bleak. "The modem is gone. Our twins must have used it and taken it with them."
"Then we have no way to get in touch with the Network," said Joe.
Frank nodded. "Not by electronic connection-and certainly not in person. If only they trusted us enough to let us know where their headquarters are - ?"
His voice trailed off as the computer's disk drives began whirring. "Hey, I didn't start any programs.”
"Get back!" yelled Joe as the computer went up in a blinding flash.
Chapter 9
FRANK'S CHAIR TOPPLED as he threw himself backward. He hit the floor hard, then rolled to his feet.
Joe charged the rogue computer with Frank's bedspread in his hands, ready to smother any fire.
But Frank had already reached the wall and pulled the plug, with a sizzle of electricity, the computer died down.
The Hardys stared at the smoldering wreck.
"Looks like our twins didn't just steal the modem. They set up a nasty surprise if anybody tried to use it." He waved away a thin wisp of smoke. "Even if they didn't nail me, they certainly nailed my computer.”
"Maybe the Network will give you a new one," suggested Joe.
Frank's face was grim. "Yeah, If we could get in touch with them."
"Like you said, some other time," replied Chet. "I've got things to do, too, like try the new peppers-and-pepperoni special." Chet patted his ample stomach with anticipation, gave a goodbye wave of his hand, and headed for lunch.
"So our doubles arrived here this morning," said Frank. "Let's make it home fast."
But they had covered only a block when they were stopped again. It was Frank's girlfriend, Callie Shaw.
"You're still in town?" Callie said. "When I saw you a couple of hours ago, you said you had to make some kind of trip, so we couldn't see each other tonight. And why on earth have you and Joe put on those hunting outfits?" There was a hurt look in her eyes. "I know you're involved in a lot of mysterious activities, but you've let me in on them before. What's the matter, don't you trust me anymore?"
"Look, Callie, I promise I'll explain everything as soon as I can," said Frank. "But not now, okay?" "If that's the way you want it," Callie said, and turned on her heel and strode away.
"Sometimes I wonder what you see in her," said Joe. "Every time we get a case, she wants to horn in."
"You've got to be kidding," said Frank. "I wouldn't mind Callie's help right now, except I can't see how anybody but ourselves can help us out of this mess. I'm getting more and more jittery thinking about what we're going to find out at home."
"Too bad Dad's not around," said Joe. "He could help us."
But Fenton Hardy, the-great detective who was the boys' father, was away with their mother, Laura Hardy, on a well-deserved Hawaiian vacation.
The only one at home was the Hardy boys' aunt Gertrude.
When she saw the boys come in, a worried look appeared on her face - a not uncommon occurrence. The smallest thing could set off alarm bells inside Aunt Gertrude-and her nephews provided unending sources of concern.
"What happened?" she asked. "Some kind of trouble? You raced out of here just a few hours ago without a word of explanation. And now you're back, wearing different clothes." "No trouble," Frank assured her as he headed for the stairs to his room.
"Just a little change of plans," Joe added, and followed Frank up the stairs, three steps at a time.
Frank and Joe went straight to Frank's room.
"We've got to warn the Network," said Joe as Frank warmed up his computer. "It's a shame we had to ditch that scrambler radio they gave us."
The Hardys had had to leave the radio behind while being pursued through the Adirondack Mountains by followers of the Cult of Crime.
"There's still the computer modem," Frank said, tapping the code numbers on his keyboard. But the screen went blank.
"What the - ?" he burst out, opening up the computer's case. Then his face got bleak. "The modem is gone. Our twins must have used it and taken it with them."
"Then we have no way to get in touch with the Network," said Joe.
Frank nodded. "Not by electronic connection-and certainly not in person. If only they trusted us enough to let us know where their headquarters are - ?"
His voice trailed off as the computer's disk drives began whirring. "Hey, I didn't start any programs.”
"Get back!" yelled Joe as the computer went up in a blinding flash.
Chapter 9
FRANK'S CHAIR TOPPLED as he threw himself backward. He hit the floor hard, then rolled to his feet.
Joe charged the rogue computer with Frank's bedspread in his hands, ready to smother any fire.
But Frank had already reached the wall and pulled the plug, with a sizzle of electricity, the computer died down.
The Hardys stared at the smoldering wreck.
"Looks like our twins didn't just steal the modem. They set up a nasty surprise if anybody tried to use it." He waved away a thin wisp of smoke. "Even if they didn't nail me, they certainly nailed my computer.”
"Maybe the Network will give you a new one," suggested Joe.
Frank's face was grim. "Yeah, If we could get in touch with them."
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