Read Online The Mystery of the Chinese Junk by Franklin W. Dixon - Free Book Online

“That ought to bring us business!” He beamed with anticipation.
    â€œWhat do you mean us?” Joe winked at the others. “You’ll probably be off spelunking somewhere.”
    â€œHow did you guess?” Chet admitted, grinning. “I’ve made up my mind to explore the right-hand fork of that tunnel—if I can squeeze through, that is. But don’t worry, fellows. I’ll serve on the crew later.”
    When the gathering finally broke up, Frank and Joe took Callie Shaw home. Then they drove directly to their own home. The Hardy house lay dark and silent in the moonlight.
    â€œGuess Aunt Gertrude’s asleep,” said Frank. “What say we test the cuff link for fingerprints?”
    The boys went down to the basement, where Frank took out their kit of detective equipment. He dusted the jewelry for fingerprints, then examined the results under a magnifying glass.
    â€œThis has Iola’s prints on it, ”Joe announced, after comparing them with an inked set on a card. The Hardys had built up a sizable fingerprint file, including records on all their family and acquaintances. “If there were any other prints, Iola’s have blurred them out.”
    â€œLet’s phone Dad just the same,” Frank proposed and put in the call to Los Angeles.
    To the boys’ disappointment, neither Mr. nor Mrs. Hardy was in the hotel, so Frank requested that his parents call back early in the morning.
    Joe yawned. “Let’s hit the hay, Frank.”
    The next morning at the breakfast table Joe asked his aunt what she had found out about Dr. Montrose. “Do you still think he’s in cahoots with that broker pal of his to swindle people?”
    In response Miss Hardy did a rare thing—she blushed! “I’m ashamed to tell you boys I didn’t learn a thing. Instead, I went to sleep!”
    â€œWhat!”
    â€œDr. Montrose gave me a pill to take, then he kept talking about how I felt, so I couldn’t get started on the other topic.”
    â€œWhere was Mrs. Witherspoon all this time?” Frank put in.
    â€œOh, wandering around the house. She‘s—uh—kind of an inquisitive person,” Miss Hardy replied. “Pretty soon my head began to nod. I remember the doctor saying, ‘Why don’t you go upstairs and take a good sleep? We’ll leave now, Mrs. Witherspoon.’ They left and I started upstairs. The next thing I knew I woke up in my room. The clock said ten minutes past noon—I could scarcely believe my eyes!”
    Frank told his aunt that Chet had come there and found the door open. “I guess it’s my fault,” she said, and berated herself for such carelessness. “An invitation to sneak thieves!” She hurried to check the silver in the buffet drawer. It was intact.
    â€œAnd of course the alarm didn’t go off and alert you that Chet was approaching the house,” Joe remarked.
    â€œIt certainly won’t happen again,” Miss Hardy declared. “But you know I do feel better—in fact, I’m fine.”
    At that moment the telephone rang. Joe answered. “It’s Dad!” he exclaimed. Frank hurried to join his brother in the front hall. “He’s calling long distance from the West Coast,” Joe added.
    Both boys shared the phone during the conversation that followed. They told their father eagerly about the Hai Hau and the exciting events following its purchase. Joe also mentioned the two visits by mysterious prowlers and finally the finding of the one cuff link.
    â€œAmazing!” the detective exclaimed. “I probably should come home to pursue this cuff-link clue. On the other hand, it may tie in with a new lead I have—that the Chameleon has recently had some business with certain Chinese in California. I believe I’ll stay here, since he may be in this vicinity.”
    Frank asked, “How’s your case coming along,