division has already laid the keel of one even larger than Quinnâs. Itâll be called the Globe Girdler to indicate its worldwide flight range. So naturally Iâm pretty angry over what happened yesterday.â
âYou mean,â Frank said, âthe bad publicity?â
âExactly. Anything harmful to his dirigible is bound to affect my project, too. Thatâs why I want to do anything I can to help nab these filthy terrorists. And thatâs why I contacted you two.â
âBelieve me, sir,â Frank declared, âweâre as anxious to round up the Scorpio gang as you are. And weâll be happy to follow up any leads you can provide.â
âGood. Then Iâll instruct my security department to pass along any clues they uncover.â
âWhat got you interested in the lighter-than-air field, Mr. Jarman?â Joe inquired.
âThe tremendous future I see for it. Matter of fact, weâve been building blimps, which are non-rigid airships, for several years.â
The Hardys exchanged surprised grins.
âThose little ones we saw this morning wouldnât be yours by any chance, would they?â Joe inquired.
âYou bet they would!â Eustace Jarman replied with a pleased smile. âI keep them berthed right here on the roof of this skyscraper.â
He got up from his desk again and strolled across the room to gaze out the huge floor-to-ceiling window of his penthouse office.
âHere they come now!â he said.
Frank and Joe both joined the industrialist. Looking east, they could see the two little craft over Manhattan.
âI got the idea of sending them up on the spur of the moment, when the Safari Queen appeared over New York,â Jarman related proudly. âThen I had my public-relations department phone all the news agencies and TV networks.â
âIt made a terrific spectacle,â Frank said, genuinely impressed.
âI knew it would,â the tycoon boasted. âUnless I miss my guess, that scene will show up in news photos clear across the country. I expect it to generate as much publicity as those dirigible explosions yesterday morning.â
Jarman glanced at his watch, and the boys got the impression they were politely being dismissed. âI wish I could have lunch with you fellows, but Iâm booked with some European manufacturers. Youâll have to excuse me. This is a high-pressure schedule I work under.â
He strode to his desk and picked up a pen. âLet me write you a check, though, to cover your time in coming here today.â
When the Hardys declined, Jarman promised to take them for a ride personally in one of his baby blimps on Thursday, and asked them to meet him at Bayport Airport at noon.
âWeâll really enjoy that, Mr. Jarman,â Frank said, shaking hands.
After leaving the tycoonâs office, the Hardys went down to the lobby.
âThere are phone booths up ahead.â Joe pointed. âMaybe we ought to call home and see if anythingâs happened.â
âGood idea. I hope theyâve heard from Dad!â Frank found enough coins in his pocket to cover the call and dialed the Hardysâ area code and home number. After depositing the amount of money requested by the operator, he was put through.
Aunt Gertrudeâs voice came on the line. âHardy residence,â she said crisply.
âThis is Frank, Aunt Gertrude. Weâre still in New York.â
âWell, make it brief. These long-distance calls cost money!â
âYouâre telling me.â Frank grinned as he looked at his depleted stock of coins. âWe just wanted to find out if anything has come up while we were gone.â
âYes. You had a call from Sam Radley. It sounded important. He wants you boys to phone him right away!â
CHAPTER X
Mole Mystery
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âOKAY, Aunt Gertrude, Iâll ring Sam as soon as I hang up.â Frank hesitated
Christina Escue
Linda Scarpa
Tony Dunbar
Shannyn Leah
Melissa Wright
Philip Roth
Liz Garton Scanlon
Unknown
Greg Cox
Viola Rivard