Read What Happened at Midnight Online
Authors: Franklin W. Dixon
What Happened at Midnight (2 page)
“No failing this time or Shorty'll take us on our last ride,” said a man with a nasal voice.
Frank and Joe wondered if the men had tried to break in earlier but failed.
The man's companion spoke in lower tones of disgust. “Oh, you'd believe Shorty invented fire if he told you he did. He ain't so great. Takes orders from the boss, don't he?” The other did not reply.
The two men entered the room and beamed flashlights around. “Where did Wright say he kept the invention?” the deep-toned man asked.
“I got in late on the conversation when I tapped that telephone call to the Hardy house,” the other answered. “But I did hear the words âsecret compartment.' Where would that be? The desk?”
Frank and Joe froze. Were they about to be discovered?
“No, not the desk,” the other man said. “The safe.”
For the first time the boys noticed a small safe standing against the wall opposite them. Frank and Joe were fearful the men would detect their hiding place, but the attention of the burglars was focused on the safe. In a moment they squatted and the boys got a good glimpse of their faces. Both were swarthy and hard-looking.
At that moment the tower clock of the town hall began to strike. It was midnight!
The men waited until the echo of the twelfth stroke had died away, then the one with the nasal twang put his ear to the dial of the safe and began to turn the knob.
After a few moments his companion asked impatiently, “What's the matter? That safecrackin' ear of yours turned to tin?”
“Tumblers are noiseless,” the other said. “Guess we'll have to blow it.” He began to take some wire from his pocket.
Frank and Joe were trapped. If the door of the safe were blown off, it might head right in their direction!
Quickly Joe felt for Frank's hand and gave it a hard squeeze, meaning, “Let's attack!”
Instantly Frank answered with the “Agreed!” handshake.
In a flash Joe flung the desk chair at the two men, then the boys jumped them!
CHAPTER II
Amazing Invention
TAKEN by surprise the burglars were at a disadvantage. Frank and Joe knocked them to the floor and sat on their backs.
“Ugh! What's goingâ?” one mumbled.
The men were strong and with great heaves they tried to shake off the boys. Frank and Joe pressed down hard.
“Who are you?” Frank demanded.
No answer. Then suddenly the man Joe was holding rolled over and tried to sit up. Joe kept him down and the two, locked in a viselike grip, twisted to and fro across the floor.
Frank, meanwhile, had found his deep-voiced opponent a kicker, who viciously jabbed his heels into the boy's back. Angry, Frank sent two swift blows which grazed the man's chin.
The other two fighters bumped into them. In the mix-up the burglars were able to throw off their attackers and scramble to their feet. The four began to exchange punches.
“Finish off these guys!” the nasal-voiced man rasped.
For several seconds it looked as if they would. Their blows were swift and well-aimed. Then both men, breathing heavily, relaxed their guard. In a flash Frank and Joe delivered stinging upper-cuts to their opponents' jaws. The burglars fell to the floor with thuds that shook the house. They lay quiet.
The boys grinned at each other and Joe said, “Knockouts!”
Frank nodded. “We must notify the police to get out here before these men come to.”
“We can wait,” Joe answered. “They'll sleep for at least half an hour. Let's find that invention first!”
“Good idea.”
Though bruised and weary the boys eagerly searched the side of the kneehole where Frank thought he had found a clue. There was a slight bulge in the wood. After pressing it in several directions, a panel began to slide counterclockwise. There was a click.
Just then one of the burglars groaned. The Hardys tensed. Was the man coming to? Joe leaned forward and beamed his flashlight on the two figures. Both were still unconscious.
Meanwhile, Frank had lifted out the panel. The space behind it contained a small metal box. Written on the box was:
Property of Malcolm Wright. Valuable. Reward for return.
Property of Malcolm Wright. Valuable. Reward for return.
“I've found it!” Frank exclaimed.
“Then let's go!” Joe urged.
“Okay,” Frank agreed. “You'll find a phone in the lower hall. Call the police while I slip this panel back. Take the box.”
In a minute Joe was dialing headquarters. Without giving his name, he said, “Come to Malcolm Wright's house at once. There are burglars in it.” He hung up.
Frank joined him and the boys dashed out the rear door. They took a circuitous route to their convertible to avoid being questioned by the police. At a cross street they saw a police car apparently speeding to the inventor's house.
“Where do you suppose the burglars' car is?” Joe asked. “You'd think they'd have a lookout.”
“Maybe it's cruising,” Frank suggested.
The boys hopped into their convertible. As an extra precaution against a holdup and possible loss of Mr. Wright's invention, they locked themselves in.
“Boy, a lot can happen in an hour,” Joe said, looking at the car clock. He reached over and turned on their two-way radio to police headquarters. “I wonder if there's any news yet from the Wright house.”
The boys were just in time to pick up a broadcast. An officer was saying, “Send the ambulance to Wright's house.”
“Ambulance?” Frank echoed. “Joe, we didn't hitâem that hardâor did we?”
The policeman went on, “These guys aren't bad off, but they sure got knocked out. Looks like a gang feud. The men who kayoed them may have done the stealing.”
Frank and Joe chuckled. “Someday we'll tell Chief Collig,” Frank said, “but right nowâ”
He stopped speaking as a loud crack of static burst from the radio and a vivid flash of lightning made the night turn to day momentarily. A long roll of thunder followed.
“Looks as if we're in for a bad storm,” Joe commented, and Frank put on speed.
A few minutes later the car was parked in the Hardys' garage. They were mounting the steps of the back porch when the storm broke. Quickly Frank inserted his key in the kitchen door and turned the knob. At once the burglar alarm rang loudly and all the first-floor lights went on.
Joe chuckled. “That'll bring Mother and Aunt Gertrude down in a hurry.” He flicked off the alarm.
“And bring the police, too,” Frank added. He picked up the kitchen phone and dialed headquarters. “This is Frank Hardy. Our alarm went off by accident. Forget it.”
“Okay. You sure everything's all right?” the desk sergeant asked.
“Yes. Thank you. Good night.”
By this time the two women had appeared and Mrs. Hardy said, “I didn't know the alarm was turned on.”
“Well, I did,” Aunt Gertrude spoke up. “I wanted to be sure to wake up and see how you boys made out. You must be starved. I'll fix some cocoa and cut slices of cake while you tellâFrank, look at your clothes! Your jacket's torn. And you, Joe, where did you get that lump on your forehead? And your facesâthe two of you look as if you'd been rolling in the dirt.”
“We have.” Joe grinned. “Had a big fight. But we saved this!” He pulled the box from his pocket.
As the boys related their adventure, crashing thunder lent a booming orchestration to the story.
“This is the worst storm we've had in years,” Mrs. Hardy remarked. “I'm glad you boys didn't have to be out in it.” When Frank and Joe finished eating, she added, “And now you must get a good night's sleep.”
“But first I'd like to open Mr. Wright's box and see just what we have to guard so carefully,” Frank said.
Everyone watched excitedly as Joe unwrapped the package. Inside was a small transistor radio.
“Is that all it is?” Aunt Gertrude burst out. “You risked your lives to get
that?”
that?”
The boys were puzzled. Surely their father would not have made such a request if this invention were not unusually valuable.
“Let's turn it on,” Frank suggested.
Joe clicked the switch. A man was speaking in Spanish from Madrid, Spain, and announcing the start of a newscast. His voice was very clear.
Frank grabbed his brother's arm. “Do you hear that?” he cried. “The receiver is not picking up one bit of static!”
“You're right!” Joe agreed. “It must be designed to work in the high-frequency bands.”
“But how can we be receiving a broadcast direct from Madrid? That Spanish station must be transmitting by short-wave. Yet, we're hearing it loud and clear. This is amazing!”
Joe gazed at the miniature radio with great interest. “I'll bet there's a lot more to Mr. Wright's invention than just being able to hear overseas stations without static,” he observed. “After all, why is he so anxious to keep it a secret?”
Just then there was a loud knock on the back door and a voice from outside said, “Let me in! I'm a ham! I have a message for you!”
CHAPTER III
Warning Message
FOR a few seconds none of the Hardys spoke. They were trying to decide if the caller at the kitchen door really was a radio ham with a message. Or a member of the burglary gang?
Finally Mrs. Hardy said, “We can't let the man stand out there in the rain.”
Frank called, “Where's the message from?”
“Mr. Hardy in San Francisco.”
“Open the door,” Mrs. Hardy said quietly.
Joe hid the box containing the invention, then he and Frank stood on either side of the door, poised for any attack. Aunt Gertrude had armed herself with a broom. Joe turned the knob and a water-drenched figure in raincoat and hat stepped into the kitchen.
“Thanks,” the man said, removing his hat. “What a night! My wife told me I was crazy to come out.”
The speaker was an honest-faced man of about thirty-five. He noticed Aunt Gertrude's broom and smiled. “You can put that away,” he said. “I'm harmless.”
Miss Hardy looked embarrassed. “Take off your coat,” she said. “I'll get you some coffee.”
The man nodded. “I could use it. I got cold walking over here. My car wouldn't start.”
“Did you come far?” Joe asked.
“About five blocks. I'm Larry Burton, 69 Meadowbrook Road. I've always wanted to meet the Hardy boys. This all came about in a funny way. I have a short-wave set. Tonight I picked up your father. He said he couldn't get through to you or the police on the phoneâlines tied upâand you didn't answer his signal on your short-wave set.”
“We weren't expecting a call,” Frank answered. He did not say that the boys had not been at home and that their mother and Aunt Gertrude rarely paid attention to the set unless specifically asked to do so.
“By the time I phoned you, the lightning was fierce,” Burton went on. “My wife's scared to death of lightning. She wouldn't let me use the phone, so I walked over.”
Aunt Gertrude served the caller coffee and cake as they all sat around the big kitchen table.
“What was the message, Mr. Burton?” Joe asked.
“That you boys are in great danger. A gang is after you and will stop at nothing to get what they want.”
“How dreadful!” Mrs. Hardy exclaimed. “Did my husband name thisâthis gang?”
“No. That's all there was to the message,” Burton replied. “I'm sorry to bring you bad news, but I guess that's to be expected in a detective's family. Well, I must get along.” He stood up.
Frank shook the man's hand. “We sure appreciate this. Maybe some time we can return the favor.”
“Forget it,” Burton said. “I only hope that gang doesn't harm you fellows.”
Joe helped him with his coat and he went out. The storm had moved off.
For a few minutes the Hardys discussed the caller and confirmed his address in the telephone directory. Joe was a bit skeptical, however. “Either he made up the whole story, or else Dad is really concerned for our safety.”
Frank was inclined to think Burton had told the truth. Had he and Joe already encountered two members of the gang at the Wright home?
Aunt Gertrude spoke up. “How in the world did my brother Fenton hear this in California?”
“News travels,” said Mrs. Hardy. “Especially among detectives and police.”
“Hmm!” Aunt Gertrude murmured, then announced she was going to bed.
Ten minutes later Frank and Joe were asleep and did not awaken until ten oâclock. At once Frank got up and opened a wooden chest of sports equipment under which he had hidden the box containing Mr. Wright's invention. It was still there.
“Where do you think we should keep this?” he asked Joe as they were dressing. “Dad said not to leave the box at home.”
“A tough problem, Frank. With that gang after us, we can't take the chance of carrying it around with us,” Frank answered.
“Right. And they may not be after us, but after the invention,” Frank answered.
While they were having breakfast, Frank came up with the idea of a unique hiding place for the invention. “Let's put it in the well under the spare tire in the trunk of our car,” he said.
Joe laughed. “Now you're using that old brain of yours. Best place you could have picked. The car's vibrations can't hurt the radio and no one would think of looking there.”
Mrs. Hardy asked her sons what their plans were for the day.
“Dad told us to drop into the antique airplane show and see if we could spot anybody who seemed overly interested,” Frank replied. “He thought the person who stole Mr. Wright's old plane might be planning another theft.”
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