business." "What's it being used for now?" asked Frank. "Ain't being used. Hasn't been for two, three years," said the storekeeper disdainfully." "Crazy place for a crazy house, in the middle of nowhere. Lost a bundle, that doctor did."
"Thanks for the information," said Joe. Then he said to Frank, "Time to move."
"Hey, mister, you're forgetting your shovel," said the storekeeper as Joe dashed for the door. " "I don't think I'll need it," said Joe.
"Well, mister, our policy is no refunds," said the storekeeper.
"Don't listen to my brother. We'll take them both," said Frank, picking up the two shovels and following Joe, who was already halfway out the door.
As soon as they were in the station wagon, Joe said, "If that place isn't operating, the electric current won't be turned on in the fence. There won't be armed guards or dogs. We can go right in with a pair of wire cutters, if the gate is even locked. No wonder Iola disappeared so fast. She must have gotten in easily."
"I'm not so sure," said Frank. "That fence seemed to be in awfully good repair, and that warning sign looked freshly painted."
"We'll see when we get there," replied Joe, pressing down on the accelerator.
Night had fallen and the stars were out in a moonless sky when the Hardy boys arrived at the fence again.
"Now we'll check this thing out," said Joe.
Before Frank could argue, Joe splashed some water from his canteen onto the fence.
"See? No current," Joe said triumphantly.
"We could have been inside hours ago and have caught up with Iola by now, if you weren't so cautious. Frank, you have to learn that sometimes you just have to go for it."
With that, Joe turned the handle on the gate and gave a shove. The gate swung open.
"Easy as pie," he said. "Let's find Iola now."
"Hey, slow down," said Frank. "Joe, if there's anybody inside at all, it may be some girl, but don't you know that it can't be Iola? Not after what happened. She's gone. You're just setting yourself up for ... " Frank trailed off.
Joe wasn't listening to him. He was already moving through the overgrown garden, toward the dark shape of a massive building. Frank, shaking his head, had no choice but to catch up with his brother and try to keep alert to possible' danger for both of them.
"She's in there, I feel it," said Joe. He shined his flashlight on the massive oak door of what seemed to be a Victorian mansion.
"The storekeeper was right-this is a crazy place," said Frank.
"When we were kids, we would have called an old heap like this a haunted house," said Joe. "Except it's not a ghost we're looking for." He reached for the doorknob. "Now we - " Suddenly Joe gasped. "Wh - "
He and Frank were caught in blazing light that seemed to come from every direction. It blinded them, but they could hear a voice near them quite well. "Freeze - or you will be the dead ones!"
Chapter 4
BliNKING, THE HARDY boys turned toward the sound of the voice. But the glare of a spotlight prevented them from seeing whoever was talking.
"You seem to be interested in entering the Lazarus Clinic," the voice said. It was remarkable in just one respect: There was nothing remarkable about it. It was without an accent of any kind. "Allow us to give you a guided tour. But first, raise your hands."
Two men dressed in black slacks, black sweat shirts, and black athletic shoes stepped forward.
They carried military assault rifles poised and ready. Frank and Joe raised their hands.
"I am glad to see you are being cooperative," said the voice. "Hugo and Fritz have nervous trigger fingers. Now we must have a quick examination of your persons. Hugo, frisk them."
While Fritz trained his rifle on the Hardy boys, Hugo took their hunting knives from their sheaths, then gave them a swift but professionally thorough going-over, from their ankles to their shoulders.
"Good, you are clean," said the voice. "Take them inside.” Hugo swung open the door, and prodded by Fritz's assault rifle, the Hardy boys went
"Thanks for the information," said Joe. Then he said to Frank, "Time to move."
"Hey, mister, you're forgetting your shovel," said the storekeeper as Joe dashed for the door. " "I don't think I'll need it," said Joe.
"Well, mister, our policy is no refunds," said the storekeeper.
"Don't listen to my brother. We'll take them both," said Frank, picking up the two shovels and following Joe, who was already halfway out the door.
As soon as they were in the station wagon, Joe said, "If that place isn't operating, the electric current won't be turned on in the fence. There won't be armed guards or dogs. We can go right in with a pair of wire cutters, if the gate is even locked. No wonder Iola disappeared so fast. She must have gotten in easily."
"I'm not so sure," said Frank. "That fence seemed to be in awfully good repair, and that warning sign looked freshly painted."
"We'll see when we get there," replied Joe, pressing down on the accelerator.
Night had fallen and the stars were out in a moonless sky when the Hardy boys arrived at the fence again.
"Now we'll check this thing out," said Joe.
Before Frank could argue, Joe splashed some water from his canteen onto the fence.
"See? No current," Joe said triumphantly.
"We could have been inside hours ago and have caught up with Iola by now, if you weren't so cautious. Frank, you have to learn that sometimes you just have to go for it."
With that, Joe turned the handle on the gate and gave a shove. The gate swung open.
"Easy as pie," he said. "Let's find Iola now."
"Hey, slow down," said Frank. "Joe, if there's anybody inside at all, it may be some girl, but don't you know that it can't be Iola? Not after what happened. She's gone. You're just setting yourself up for ... " Frank trailed off.
Joe wasn't listening to him. He was already moving through the overgrown garden, toward the dark shape of a massive building. Frank, shaking his head, had no choice but to catch up with his brother and try to keep alert to possible' danger for both of them.
"She's in there, I feel it," said Joe. He shined his flashlight on the massive oak door of what seemed to be a Victorian mansion.
"The storekeeper was right-this is a crazy place," said Frank.
"When we were kids, we would have called an old heap like this a haunted house," said Joe. "Except it's not a ghost we're looking for." He reached for the doorknob. "Now we - " Suddenly Joe gasped. "Wh - "
He and Frank were caught in blazing light that seemed to come from every direction. It blinded them, but they could hear a voice near them quite well. "Freeze - or you will be the dead ones!"
Chapter 4
BliNKING, THE HARDY boys turned toward the sound of the voice. But the glare of a spotlight prevented them from seeing whoever was talking.
"You seem to be interested in entering the Lazarus Clinic," the voice said. It was remarkable in just one respect: There was nothing remarkable about it. It was without an accent of any kind. "Allow us to give you a guided tour. But first, raise your hands."
Two men dressed in black slacks, black sweat shirts, and black athletic shoes stepped forward.
They carried military assault rifles poised and ready. Frank and Joe raised their hands.
"I am glad to see you are being cooperative," said the voice. "Hugo and Fritz have nervous trigger fingers. Now we must have a quick examination of your persons. Hugo, frisk them."
While Fritz trained his rifle on the Hardy boys, Hugo took their hunting knives from their sheaths, then gave them a swift but professionally thorough going-over, from their ankles to their shoulders.
"Good, you are clean," said the voice. "Take them inside.” Hugo swung open the door, and prodded by Fritz's assault rifle, the Hardy boys went
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