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for cover.”
    â€œYou’ll have to admit he’d make a great guard dog,” Biff persevered.
    Frank turned to Joe and remarked thoughtfully, “You know, he’s right. I’ve been worried about us leaving Aunt Gertrude alone when we go back to Whalebone Island—in case that prowler shows up again. Tivoli might be just the answer!”
    Joe nodded. “You have a point there.”
    â€œOkay, Biff,” Frank said in a louder voice. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”
    â€œYou mean you’ll take him?”
    â€œFor two weeks.”
    Biff gave a whoop of joy and the other teen-agers began crowding around the Hardys to offer joking words of warning and advice.
    When the party broke up at seven-thirty, Frank and Joe drove Tivoli home in their convertible with the top up and the windows raised.
    â€œWe’d better go in first and break the news gently,” Frank said as they parked in the driveway.
    Joe chuckled. “We may need Tivoli to protect us . ”
    As the boys went in the front door, Aunt Gertrude came into the hallway. “Do either of you know if your father was expecting some sort of shipment?” she asked.
    â€œA shipment?” Joe said blankly. “Of what?”
    â€œThat’s just what I’m trying to find out. A crate came for him while you were gone. I didn’t know what else to do with it so I had the truck driver and his helper carry it down to the basement.”
    â€œIt’s news to us, Aunty,” said Frank. “Let’s take a look.”
    Miss Hardy led the way down the cellar stairs. She pointed to a large wooden crate standing against the wall. It was about four feet high. Stenciled on one side was the name FENTON HARDY and the address of the Hardy home.
    â€œWhat about the receipt?” Joe suggested. “Wouldn’t that tell us the contents?”
    â€œOh dear! I forgot to ask for the carbon copy when I signed it,” said Miss Hardy. “But, anyway, the handwriting on the receipt was illegible.”
    â€œDidn’t the driver even know where the box came from?” Frank asked.
    â€œHe said he’d picked it up at some New York warehouse. That was all he could tell me.”
    Frank eyed the mysterious crate. “Maybe we should call Dad.”
    â€œOh, I didn’t neglect that,” said Miss Hardy. “I tried to contact Fenton over the radio but he didn’t answer.”
    â€œNo wonder—his radio got smashed on Whalebone Island,” Joe explained. “But we can probably call him at his hotel.”
    As Joe picked up the basement extension telephone, his aunt said, “Will you also tell him a man phoned about five o’clock? He didn’t leave any name.”
    Joe placed the call to Philadelphia, but hung up with a shake of his head a few minutes later. “No luck. Dad and Sam Radley are both out of their rooms. I left a message for them to call back.”
    The Hardy boys looked at each other and took deep breaths.
    Trying to sound casual, Frank said, “Er—we’ve brought a visitor, Aunt Gertrude.”
    â€œA visitor?”
    â€œUh—yes. He’s coming to stay for a couple of weeks. We’re sure you’re going to like him.”
    Detecting something odd in Frank’s tone, Miss Hardy swept her nephews with a suspicious glance. “Well, speak up. Who is he and where is he?”
    â€œHe’s out in the car,” Joe said. “Aunty, he’s a Great Dane.”
    â€œ A Great Dane?” Miss Hardy echoed unbelievingly. “You mean one of those—those huge dogs?”
    Frank tried to be reassuring. “Actually, he’s not full grown. Only nine months old.”
    Gertrude Hardy launched into a vigorous tirade against the problem of tending large, untrained animals. Frank finally managed to explain why they had brought Tivoli, stressing that he would serve as a watchdog while he and Joe were