The Disappearing Floor Read Free Page B

this property,” Joe argued. “If he does, maybe we can find out what he’s doing here.”
    â€œI intend to,” Frank said. “But let’s try to do it undercover, without making him suspicious.”
    Chet had already climbed into the car. He was sitting stiffly in the back seat—still pale and nervous, but whistling off-key and trying to look casual.
    Frank slid behind the wheel and Joe got in beside him. As they glanced back up the slope, the boys could see Strang watching them intently.
    â€œOh—oh,” Joe muttered. “I just thought of something!”
    â€œLike what?” Frank asked.
    â€œIf he’s the one who used that smoke screen last night, he may recognize our convertible.”
    â€œSmoke screen!” Chet gasped. In the rear-view mirror, Frank could see that the fat boy’s eyes were bulging with fear. “You mean that guy’s a gangster?”
    â€œNot exactly,” Joe said, as Frank turned the car around. “Just a notorious jewel thief named Noel Strang.”
    Chet groaned as the Hardys told him the details. “Oh, this is great! I don’t want to get mixed up in another one of your cases! You’d better take me home.”
    The Hardys grinned. “Chet, you know you eat up excitement as well as food,” Frank said.
    â€œIt helps to keep your weight trimmed down,” Joe suggested.
    â€œListen! I’ll probably lose ten pounds just worrying about this thief,” Chet retorted. “Strang may even send his men after us!”
    Joe chuckled. “Just threaten to sit on ’em—that’ll be enough of a scare.”
    Frank suddenly looked troubled. “Now I just thought of something, Joe.”
    â€œBad?” Joe glanced at his brother.
    â€œNot good. That knife has my name engraved on it. If Strang finds the knife, he may connect us with Fenton Hardy.”
    Joe gave a low whistle. “Let’s hope he doesn’t find it!”
    A short time later Frank swung up the graveled driveway leading to the Mortons’ farmhouse. Chet’s pretty, dark-haired sister Iola was seated on the front porch with her blond, brown-eyed friend Callie Shaw.
    Iola bounced up from the porch swing as the boys stepped from the car. “Hi!” she exclaimed. “Wait’ll you see the surprise Callie and I have to show you!” The girls’ eyes sparkled with excitement.
    Joe grinned at Iola, whom he considered very attractive. “Sounds pretty important.”
    â€œAw, it’s probably some new doodads for their charm bracelets,” Chet scoffed.
    â€œLike fun!” Iola retorted. “It’ll make you turn green with envy—I mean purple!”
    As the boys followed the two girls into the house, Callie explained that she and Iola had been rock hunting the day before. With a giggle, she also whispered to Frank that Chet and Iola were rivals at rock hounding.
    In the dining room, Iola went straight to the old-fashioned punch bowl on the buffet and took out a stone about the size of a grape. It was pale violet and roughly crystalline in form.
    â€œFeast your eyes!” she said, waving the stone under Chet’s nose.
    â€œWell, hold it still so I can see it.” The chubby youth stared in grudging admiration.
    â€œIt’s beautiful,” Frank said. “Is that an amethyst?”
    Iola bobbed her head proudly. “A real one!”
    â€œWe took it to Filmer’s Gemstone Shop this morning to make sure,” Callie added. “Mr. Filmer identified it for us.”
    Chet’s eyes bugged out in awe. “Wow! A real jewel!” he gasped. “Where’d you find it?”
    Iola and Callie blushed with embarrassment. “We don’t remember,” Iola confessed.
    â€œYou don’t remember?” Chet echoed. “How goofy can you get! Why, there might be a whole lode of amethysts around the spot!”
    â€œBut we picked up oodles of stones