059 Night of the Werewolf

8/9/2019 059 Night of the Werewolf

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"2at*h ot!" Frank *ried. "That *ritter eans %siness!"

Callie s*reaed in alar as she saw the anial *harging straight towardthe, its #angs %ared #ero*iosly. The %east wold %e pon the %e#ore they*old either rea*h the sa#ety o# the Hardys *ar or retreat into the diner!

"Get %ehind s!" &oe shoted to the girls6 then he and Frank thrst ot theirars to #end o- the e0pe*ted atta*k.

L*kily Callie's s*rea had %een heard and their plight seen #ro inside thediner. Chet, Bi-, and se)eral others dashed ot to help.

"Beat it, yo!" Bi- %ellowed, and the others oined in the ot*ry, yelling andwa)ing their ars.

The glowing wol#4*reatre stopped short with a deep4throated growl,e)idently startled %y the noisy ot%rst #ro the yong people. Then ittrned and ran %a*k into the woods.

"2ow! y legs were ready to gi)e way," ola *on#essed, *linging to &oe's ar.(he and Callie were %oth pale with #right.

"2hat was that thing3" Chet asked as he hrried p to the.

"')e no idea," said Frank, "%t sre intend to /nd ot."

He and &oe pi*ked p 5ashlights #ro their *ar and were a%ot to head intothe woods when Callie *alled ot an0iosly, "2ait! 2here are yo going3"

"That %rte *old %e dangeros!" a an #ro the diner added.

"on't worry, we'll keep or distan*e," &oe replied. "2e st want to seewhere it *ae #ro."

Blond, se)enteen4year4old &oe Hardy and his dark4haired older %rother, Frank,were the sons o# #aed pri)ate dete*ti)e Fenton Hardy, who had on*e %eena *ra*k in)estigator on the 7ew 8ork City poli*e #or*e.

The two yong sleths ne)er *old resist a ystery, and the weird *reatrewho had *oe streaking ot o# the darkness at the posed too great a*hallenge to pass p. Their #ather had taght the ne)er to take #oolish*han*es, %t they #elt the glare o# their 5ashlight %eas away #ro the dinerwold da++le their $arry enogh to keep it #ro atta*king.

The phanto %east had disappeared aong the trees and nder%rsh.Catiosly, the Hardys pressed #orward, o)ing their 5ashlights to and #ro

and keeping their eyes peeled #or a glipse o# its glowing #r.

"ay%e it )eered o- in a di-erent dire*tion," &oe *one*tred.

"7o, it went this way," Frank said. "Look at this #reshly %roken shr%%ery. Thestalks are still oist."

"Bt how *old it )anish so #ast3 That #r alone wold gi)e it away at $ite adistan*e."

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" know. *an't /gre it ot, either. # we #ond any o# its hairs that %rshedo- on trees arond here, we *old take the %a*k to the la% and e0ainethe nder a i*ros*ope."

"That's an idea! t ight gi)e s a *le to : ," &oe %roke o- as his %rotherraised a hand #or silen*e.

"(onds like Chet *alling s," said the older Hardy %oy. The two listened.

(re enogh, their #riend's yell #ro the parking lot was repeated. "Coe%a*k here, Frank and &oe!"

The Hardys retreated throgh the woods in the dire*tion o# the diner. Chetwas leaning against their *ar with Bi- and the girls standing ne0t to hi.

"2hat's p3" Frank asked.

"8o got a radio *all." Chet pointed to a red light %linking on the dash%oard.

Frank opened the door and slipped %ehind the wheel. He 5i*ked a swit*h on

the spe*ially li*ensed radio trans*ei)er onted nder their instrentpanel.

'H41 here," he spoke into the hand ike. "Coe in, please."

'G *alling," *ra*kled a )oi*e #ro the speaker. "o yo read e3" "Lod and*lear, ;nt Gertrde. ;nything wrong3" "8es. Cstoer's here and no one'sinding the store."

"Cstoer3 8o ean a *lient3"

"o ha)e to spell it ot3" his ant replied tartly.

"st %e a new *ase #or ad," rred &oe, who was standing at the *ar

door, listening in.

"2ho is it, ;nt Gertrde3" Frank in$ired into the ike. ";ny idea what thepro%le is3"

"Coe hoe and /nd ot," was the withering response. " know %etter thanto dis*ss *ases o)er the air, and so shold yo!"

"ight yo are, ;nty." Frank *h*kled wryly.

";s always," &oe ttered with a grin.

"2e'll start %a*k as soon as we take the girls hoe," Frank added and signedo-.

"2e *an drop Callie o- i# it's soething rgent," Chet o-ered.

"O# *orse they *an, and don't worry a%ot it," ola said with annderstanding sile as &oe started to apologi+e #or ending the e)ening soa%rptly.

Both the *te, pi0ie4#a*ed girl and %londe, %rown4eyed Callie (haw, who wasFrank's date, said good4%y to the Hardys and walked o- with Bi- and Chet.


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"(oething shold %e done a%ot that wol#4dog, or whate)er it was," Franksaid with a worried #rown %e#ore starting the *ar.

7i*k =appadopolos, the shirt4slee)ed proprietor o# the diner, who had %eentalking to se)eral people in the parking lot, walked p to the grop ando)erheard the reark.

"'ll take *are o# it," he proised. "'ll *all the pond and tell 'e there's adangeros anial loose. 2ho knows, it ay e)en %e ra%id!"

"Thanks, 7i*k." Frank wa)ed and %a*ked ot o# the lot.

They were alost hoe when &oe said, "Frank, yo #orgot yor a*ket in thediner."

" thoght le#t it in the %a*k seat."

&oe s$ired arond to look. "t's not there. 8o st ha)e #orgotten it."

Frank hesitated #or a oent. (hold he dri)e %a*k and get his *oat3 He

de*ided it was ore iportant to eet the *lient who was waiting #or the."'ll pi*k it p toorrow," he said and dro)e straight hoe.

; sall red station wagon was parked in #ront o# their white #rae hose on>l (treet. The %oys s*rtini+ed it $i*kly on their way to the garage.

(oewhat to their srprise, the nknown *lient trned ot to %e anattra*ti)e, thogh rather plp, teenage girl naed ;lena Ta%or. (he had*rly %rown hair and a #resh, apple4*heeked #a*e.

" didn't ean to *all at s*h a late hor," she e0plained, "%t had *artro%le on the way to Bayport."

"That's a shae," said &oe. "Can we help3" "Thanks, it's /0ed now. &st a%roken #an %elt, %t it took hors getting road ser)i*e."

";nd now that yo're here, ad's away. ' sorry a%ot that," Frank saidpolitely. "s there anything we *an do3 &oe and soeties assist hi on his*ases."

" know, and yo also in)estigate ysteries on yor own, whi*h is why 'here." ;lena siled. ";*tally, yo two are the ones *ae to see. ' thedaghter o# ?arel Ta%or."

"The ar*hite*t!" &oe e0*laied, re*ogni+ing the nae. " %elie)e adinter)iewed hi re*ently."

;lena nodded. "8es, in *onne*tion with that *ase r. Hardy's working on #orthe insran*e nderwriters. (o we knew he wold %e %sy. Bt y #atherthoght yo ight help s with or pro%le."

"2e'll sre try," Frank said. "2hat is yor pro%le3"

"2erewol)es."

The Hardys were startled. They stared at her, wide4eyed, as i# not $ite sre

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they had heard her *orre*tly.

"8o did say werewol)es, didn't yo3" &oe in$ired.

;lena siled. " know, yo pro%a%ly think ' *ra+y. Bt it so happens there'sa tradition o# werewol)es in or #aily."

"Tell s a%ot it," Frank said.

;lena related that the Ta%ors were des*ended #ro a Boheian soldier : anati)e o# what is now C+e*hoslo)akia:who had *oe to the Anited (tates ine)oltionary 2ar days. He had deserted #ro ?ing George's hired Hessiantroops, oined 2ashington's ary, and later settled in the ohawk alley innorthern 7ew 8ork.

"2e still li)e p that way," ;lena added, "in the ;dironda*k ontains nearHawk i)er."

&oe looked p++led. "Fro what ad said, thoght yor #ather's o*e was in7ew 8ork City."

"t is. He *otes there e)ery day %y heli*opter," ;lena e0plained.

(he said that her twenty4#or4year4old %rother &ohn was also an ar*hite*t andhad re*ently gradated #ro *ollege. ; %rilliant stdent, his %ilding designshad won pri+es in se)eral *opetitions, and he e0pe*ted to oin their #ather's/r.

"Bt then he s-ered a ner)os %reakdown #ro o)erwork," ;lena went onnhappily, "and now we're wondering i# he's going ot o# his ind."

Frank #rowned. "2hat ga)e yo that idea3"

"The #aily legend. t says that e)ery se)enth generation, soe e%er o#the Ta%or #aily %e*oes a werewol#." (he glan*ed ner)osly at the Hardys."8o know what a werewol# is, o# *orse3"

";**ording to sperstition, it's a han %eing who trns into a wol#, sallydring the #ll oon e)ery onth," &oe said.

"That's right," ;lena said. ";nd y %rother and are the se)enth generationsin*e the last reported werewol# in the Ta%or #aily."

"8o don't %elie)e s*h yarns, do yo3" Frank asked.

;lena shi)ered. " don't know what to %elie)e! Lately &ohn has %een %eha)ing)ery strangely. ;nd now there are stories a%ot soe aw#l *reatreatta*king people and li)esto*k arond Hawk i)er dring the #ll oon:spposedly a werewol# with linos #r that glows in the dark!"

"Fiddlesti*ks!" said ;nt Gertrde, who had %een ho)ering in the li)ing rooa#ter ser)ing the yong people *o*oa. "(oe lo*al %sy%odies ha)e pro%a%lyheard o# yor #aily legend, dear."

;lena shook her head. "That's st it, they ha)en't heard it yet. 2e ne)er

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talked a%ot it in p%li*. Bt Father entioned it on*e to a aga+ine writerwho was inter)iewing hi. 7ow we're a#raid soeone ay dig p that story."

"2hat e0a*tly do yo want s to do3" &oe asked.

;lena said her #aily owned a sall *ottage near Hawk i)er. (he sggested

that the Hardys dri)e p to the ;dironda*ks on onday, %ringing #riends i#they liked, and stay there dring the ensing #ll4oon period. By posing as)a*ationers, they *old keep an eye on the sitation withot attra*tingattention or *asing any gossip.

"(onds like a great idea. 2e'll enoy it," Frank said, and &oe agreed.

&st as ;lena was lea)ing, weird howls e*hoed otside the hose. Frank sawa look o# #ear pass o)er the girl's #a*e. He told her to wait in the hall while heand &oe sear*hed the area with 5ashlights.

(oon the %oys retrned. "on't worry, no lrking werewol)es," &oe reported."Coe on, we'll walk yo to yor *ar."

;lena siled with relie#. ; #ew intes later, she dro)e o- and the %oysretrned to the hose. Frank swit*hed on the ele*troni* alar syste %e#oree)eryone settled down #or the night.

"2hat do yo ake o# this werewol# story3" he asked his %rother later intheir roo.

"on't know," &oe replied, plling o- his T4shirt. "Fnny *oin*iden*e, thatglowing wol#4dog trning p at the diner. Bt think it's st as wise we didn'tention it to ;lena, or to ;nt Gertrde or other, #or that atter."

"Che*k," Frank agreed.

(oe tie later, the %oys awoke with a start #ro the sond o# a gnshot. twas #ollowed instantly %y a hea)y thd at the #ront o# their hose!

Chapter 9

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; (il)er Cle

Frank and &oe were ot o# %ed in a i-y, hastily 5inging on *lothes.

"2here'd that lod thp *oe #ro3" &oe asked e0*itedly, tgging on his

eans.

"Or #ront door, think!" Frank replied.

They were et in the hallway %y their other and ;nt Gertrde, %oth innight ro%es, their ant with her hair pinned p in *rlers.

"One o# yo *all the poli*e, please!" Frank sggested as he and &oe hrrieddownstairs.

"2hat a%ot yo two3" rs. Hardy asked as the woen #ollowed an0iosly.

"on't %e #oolish!" Gertrde Hardy s*olded her nephews. "# yo go ot the#ront door, yo ay %e aking targets o# yorsel)es."

"(art thinking, ;nty," &oe agreed. "2e'll se a window instead."

He and Frank s$ired ot a side window in *ase either the #ront or %a*kdoor was %eing *o)ered %y the nknown eney. (plitting p, they sear*hedthe gronds *atiosly, only to eet again ten intes later. 7either hadsighted any intrder.

&st then they heard the #ront door open, and their ant, who had %eenwat*hing the throgh the window, *alled ot, "The phone's dead!"

"7o wonder, the line's %een *t," &oe reported a#ter pi*king ot the danglingwire with his 5ashlight.

"'ll go /nd a poli*e *ar or a p%li* phone %ooth," Frank said. "8o stay witho and ;nt Gertrde, &oe."

He $i*kly %a*ked their *ar ot o# the garage and headed #or the neareststore#ront street. ;#ter %eaing ot a *all o)er the poli*e wa)e%and, he soonsighted a responding prowl *ar and gided the o*ers to the Hardy hose.

2hen they arri)ed, &oe was %sy with a kni#e at the #ront door. "8o wereright, Frank," he reported. "Look what dg ot o# the wood!" He held p asall, gleaing lp o# etal.

That looks like sil)er," e0*laied one o# the poli*een. He stared at the

Hardys. "8o ean this was /red into yor #ront door3"Frank nodded.

(ees as i# yo ha)e a new eney," the other o*er added.

Frank shrgged. "Or an old one. 2ho knows3"

The two patrolen proised to *rise arond the area, keeping a sharplookot #or sspi*ios *hara*ters. Later they wold take the %llet to the


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poli*e la% #or %allisti* e0aination.

;s they dro)e o-, &oe glan*ed at his %rother. "; sil)er %llet! 8o know whatthat eans3"

"8o %et do! ;**ording to sperstition, that's the only kind that will kill a

werewol#!""Boy, woldn't %elie)e this i# heard it on the news," said &oe. "o yosppose it eans soeone in town really thinks a werewol# is hantingBayport3"

"Cold %e," Frank sed. "t *old also ean that soeone's warning s notto eddle in the Ta%or *ase."

>)en thogh the ne0t day was (nday, the telephone *opany sent ot aspe*ial repairan to re*onne*t the Hardys' line. eanwhile, Frank and &oewent to *hr*h with their other and ant. ;#terwards they dro)e to theorton #ar, where they #ond Chet %ilding a %ir*h%ark *anoe.

The stot yoth was stripped to the waist and perspiring #reely in the hot;gst snshine. He strggled to shape a hge strip o# %ark to a #raeworko# *edar ri%s and gnwales /tted arond aple thwarts.

"Hey, not %ad," &oe said adiringly.

">0*ept #or one thing," Frank pointed ot.

Chet shot hi a pee)ish glan*e. "2hat's that3"

"8o're spposed to shape the skin /rst and /t the ri%s inside it. ;t least thatwas the ndian way."

"Listen! know what ' doing," said Chet, png and grnting."8o'd %etter." &oe grinned. "8o ight st ha)e to deonstrate that thing tos on a *hilly ontain ri)er %e#ore long."

"2hat do yo ean3"

"2e're going to a *ottage in the ;dironda*ks #or a week or two and yo'rein)ited to tag along," Frank replied. "2ant to *oe3"

; da++ling sile %rst o)er Chet's *h%%y #a*e. "2ow! o !" he e0*laied,releasing his pressre on the %ir*h%ark.

7e0t oent he toppled o)er %a*kwards as the togh, *rling %ark 5apped

%a*k, kno*king hi galley4west. oaring with laghter at Chet's srprisedlook, Frank and &oe helped hi wrestle the %ir*h%ark %a*k in pla*e andse*re it teporarily with *laps.

"')e %een soaking that st- sin*e %reak#ast," their roly4poly pal *oplained,"%t it dries ot #aster than get it on."

Chet's sal good hor soon retrned as he thoght a%ot their p*oingtrip to the ;dironda*ks. "How soon do we lea)e3" he asked.


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"Toorrow orning," Frank responded. "Can yo %e ready %y then3"

"8o %et! This'll really gi)e e a *han*e to show yo how those old ontainen sed to li)e ot in the wilderness!"

" *an hardly wait." &oe *h*kled.

"on't worry, yo'll see," Chet %oasted. "2hi*h reinds e. ')e gotsoething that %elongs to one o# yo."

He trotted o- to the #ront por*h o# the orton #arhose and retrned with alightweight a*ket, whi*h he tossed to Frank.

"That's the one le#t at the diner last night," Frank said. "How'd yo /nd it3"

" didn't," Chet replied. "(oeone else did."

"2ho was it3"

"(ear*h e. He ne)er entioned his nae. tried to *all yo last night %t*oldn't get throgh."

"(oeone *t or phone line," &oe e0plained.

"7o kidding!" Chet said that he had re*ei)ed a late *all #ro a an whospposedly also #ailed to rea*h the Hardys %y telephone. "The gy spottedyor nae tag in the a*ket, Frank. 2hen he *oldn't get yo, 7i*k=appadopolos ree%ered seeing s all at the diner together and sggestedhe *all e."

"2hat happened then3" Frank asked.

" told hi knew yo, so he said he'd drop o- the a*ket."

"ighty ni*e o# hi," &oe rearked.

"(re was. ;nd this st %elong to hi," said Frank, pi*king p a key whi*hhad #allen ot o# a po*ket when Chet tossed the a*ket to hi.

"How *oe3" his stot *h asked.

"t's not ine, and ' sre it wasn't in y po*ket last night."

"He st')e st*k it in there a%sentindedly," said &oe. "Togh %reak. Heay %e looking all o)er #or that key. 2e oght to gi)e it %a*k to hi. 2hat'dthe gy look like, Chet3"

" don't know. He ne)er rang or %ell, so didn't eet hi. =ro%a%ly *ae %y

late and didn't want to distr% s. #ond the a*ket lying on the por*h thisorning."

Frank, wanting to retrn the #a)or, de*ided to dri)e to the diner and see i#7i*k =appadopolos knew the an who had #ond his a*ket. To the Hardys'srprise, 7i*k had no idea what Frank was talking a%ot.

"7o%ody was in here last night asking a%ot yo," the proprietor de*lared,"and ne)er told anyone Chet orton was a %ddy o# yors."


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Frank and &oe looked at ea*h other with p++led #rowns.

"Oh, 7i*k, sorry we %othered yo," Frank said. Then the Hardys retrned tothe parking lot and *li%ed in their *ar.

"How do yo /gre it, Frank3" &oe asked. "o yo sppose Chet got the story

wrong3"Frank shook his head. " do%t it. Bt there's soething /shy soewhere."

"Like the way yor a*ket trned p on Chet's #ront por*h, #or instan*e."

The older Hardy %oy nodded. "ay%e the gy didn't want to %e seen."

"Let's ha)e another look at that key, Frank." &oe took it #ro his %rother ande0ained it. The key was sall and 5at, with one serrated edge, and wasstaped with the n%er 9.

"Looks like the kind that ight open an airport lo*ker," &oe sggested.

"8es, e0*ept that airports don't sally ha)e rental lo*kers anyore," Frank

pointed ot. "Too easy #or terrorists to stash %o%s in the."

"2ait a inte! The Bayport %s station still has lo*kers!"

"ight. 2ant to *he*k the ot3"

"2hy not3"

On their way, Frank %raked #or a tra* light and plled alongside a pi*kptr*k %elonging to the =rito Constr*tion Copany. Their pal, Tony =rito, wasat the wheel with Bi- Hooper %eside hi.

"2hat's p3" the s*lar, dark4haired yoth in$ired throgh the openwindow.

The Hardys told the a%ot their trip to the ;dironda*ks and in)ited their#riends to *oe along.

"Boy, wish *old," Tony said wist#lly. "Bt ad's keeping e too %sy."

"(ae here," said Bi-. "')e %een working at that *onstr*tion site on idgeoad."

"# the o% gets done #ast enogh, we *old *oe p #or a day or two lateron," Tony added.

"2hat's *ooking with yo Hardys3" Bi- asked. ";nother ystery3"

"(ort o#, %t st a sall one right now." Frank showed the the key andrelated the odd way in whi*h his a*ket had trned p on the ortons' #rontpor*h a#ter the stranger's *all to Chet.

"Bt why wold the gy gi)e Chet a phony story3" Bi- in$ired.

"That's what we'd like to know," &oe replied. "# we *an get a lead on who heis, ay%e we *an /nd ot."

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Tony and Bi- were in no hrry. They had %een *he*king the idge oad*onstr*tion site to ake sre no )andalis was taking pla*e o)er theweekend. (o they de*ided to a**opany the Hardys to the %s station.

&oe's hn*h was %orne ot when the key pro)ed to /t lo*ker n%er 9.Frank opened the door. ; wrapped pa*kage lay inside.

";ny nae or address on it3" &oe asked eagerly.

"Let's see." Frank li#ted ot the pa*kage to e0aine it. (ddenly he held ittoward his ear as i# to listen. "t's ti*king!" he annon*ed tensely.

"Leaping li+ards!" &oe gasped. "t st %e a %o%!"

Chapter ropean *ort trials, to nae one sor*e," the athore0plained. "8o see, in the iddle ;ges, werewol)es were spposed to %e

possessed %y the e)il, or to ha)e ade a pa*t with hi. The dges who*ondened people to %e %rned at the stake as wit*hes soeties had so4*alled werewol)es pt to death, too. The nae werewol#, %y the way, *oes#ro ;nglo4(a0on words eaning 'an4wol#'."

esond Jorn added that there are also a n%er o# old %ooks andwritings on the s%e*t, %esides the stories handed down #ro onegeneration to another. He said he had any *ases in his /les, *olle*ted #roall these sor*es.

"2old yo %y any *han*e ha)e a re*ord o# a Boheian werewol# naedTa%or3" &oe asked as they all rose #ro the ln*h ta%le.

Jorn 5ashed hi a *rios glan*e. "O# *orse. ;nd how odd yo shold ask.t so happens that twi*e re*ently ')e had o**asion to look p that *ase."

He led the %oys into his stdy and plled ot a /le drawer. The ne0t oenthe trned arond with a startled e0pression on his #a*e.

"2hat's wrong, sir3" Frank asked.

"y data on the Ta%or *ase!" Jorn e0*laied. "t's %een stolen!"

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Chapter @

Telltale Lip

The Hardys were as startled as their host. They *old not help wondering i#the the#t had anything to do with their own in)estigation.

"2hat akes yo so sre the in#oration was stolen3" Frank asked.

"Be*ase the papers were right here in this #older last Friday," Jorn replied.";nd ha)en't *onslted the /le sin*e then!"

";ny idea who ight ha)e taken the3"

"ndeed do," the athor replied angrily. " had a )isitor on Friday naed

&lien (orel, who also in$ired a%ot the Ta%or *ase. He st ha)e snit*hedthe re*ords #ro the /le #older when le#t the roo #or a #ew oents."

"?now anything a%ot hi3"

"7othing, e0*ept that he spoke with a Fren*h a**ent. He phoned and said hehad read and enoyed y %ook, and asked i# he *old stop in to get yatograph. Then when he was here, he %roght p the Ta%or *ase."

Frank said, "id he ention where he was #ro3"

Jorn hesitated. "7o, %t #ro things he said, got the ipression that hehad st arri)ed in this *ontry re*ently, perhaps as a torist."

Their host soon re*o)ered #ro his annoyan*e and was a%le to tell theHardys the ain #a*ts o# the *ase in $estion, sin*e he had *he*ked anddis*ssed it only a #ew days earlier.

";**ording to legend, the Ta%ors %ore a *rse," he related. "The #aily wassaid to spawn a werewol# e)ery se)enth generation, whi*h was roghly e)erytwo hndred years. The last *ase o**rred in the eighteenth *entry,soewhere arond 1EI. Bt there are re*ords o# two pre)ios an*estors%eing *ondened as werewol)es in the #orteenth and si0teenth *entries."

'2hat happened to the last one3" &oe asked.

"His nae was &an Ta%or. The story goes that he was shot in the leg %y a

hntsan with a sil)er %llet one night while he was prowling a%ot in the#or o# a wol#. The ne0t orning he trned into a han again, %t thehntsan spotted hi %e*ase he was liping #ro the %llet. (o his)enge#l neigh%ors dragged hi o- to the town s$are to %e tried as awerewol#."

"2ow!" Chet shddered. "That kind o# st- gi)es e the *reeps!"

"n those days," Jorn *ontined, "it was dangeros to %e thoght di-erent1E


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#ro other people, or to get yor neigh%ors ad at yo."

"8o entioned there were two ties re*ently when yo had o**asion tolook p yor /les on the Ta%ors," Frank said.

esond Jorn nodded. "8es, another reader *alled three or #or onths

ago to in$ire a%ot the, when y %ook /rst *ae ot. don't think hega)e e any nae, or i# he did, don't ree%er."

;#ter thanking their host #or the pleasant ln*h, the Hardys and Chet*ontined their orney. ;ll three were thrilled %y the agni/*ent s*enery o#the ;dironda*k region, a land o# rgged ontains, swi#t ri)ers, sweet4selling deep green #orests and still %le lakes.

They telephoned ;lena Ta%or %e#ore rea*hing Hawk i)er and #ond herwaiting #or the when they arri)ed later that a#ternoon. The *ottage, %ilt o#hewn logs, stood on a %ank o# the ri)er. ;lena *ae ot to greet the asthey plled p in #ront.

"' so glad yo *old ake it," she said a#ter the Hardys had introd*edChet. "8o're st in tie #or a party!"

"(onds great." &oe grinned. "2hat sort o# party3" "; %ar%e*e at or hose.t starts at se)en o'*lo*k this e)ening." (he ga)e the %oys dire*tions #orgetting there and added, "8o'll ha)e a *han*e to eet y #ather and%rother, too."

"8o said yor %rother's nae was &ohn, didn't yo3" Frank asked.

"That's right."

"2hi*h wold %e the sae as the C+e*h nae, &an, woldn't it3"

;lena nodded, her e0pression iediately trning serios. "8es, and %y astrange *oin*iden*e, that was the nae o# the last alleged werewol# in theTa%or #aily. &an Ta%or was the #ather o# the Hessian er*enary who *ae to;eri*a."

(he told the %oys that her other had died se)eral years ago, and that thewoan who now kept hose #or the Ta%ors was hal# ohawk ndian.

"2e *all her =o*ahontas, or st =okey." ;lena siled. "(he looks a %it sternand o)erpowering, %t don't let her %lldo+e yo when yo eet her.n*identally, 'll introd*e yo as *hs o# y girl#riend in Oak)ille. 8o *anpretend yo're renting the *ottage. That way, neither y %rother nor anyone

else will %e sspi*ios o# yo."

"(its s," &oe said.

The *ottage was *o#orta%ly #rnished with dishes and %edding, and e)enhad a telephone. Bt Chet paid no attention to any o# it. nstead, he lookedot the window as ;lena dro)e o- in her *ar.

"2ow! 2hat a kno*kot!" he rred. &dging %y the %ash#l adiration

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r. Ta%or sighed and shook his head. " wish we knew what was tro%linghi," he rred as soon as &ohn was ot o# earshot.

";lena tells s he's an ar*hite*t, too," Frank rearked.

The elder Ta%or nodded. "8es, and a highly gi#ted one, i# do say so. ;t any

rate, he's done soe apprenti*e work #or or *opany dring his last twoyears o# stdy, and it *ertainly shows great proise, not to ention thepri+es he's won."

"2hat's the nae o# yor /r3" &oe asked.

"Chelsea Bilders. t's a*tally a *orporation with sto*kholders and a %oard o#dire*tors. ' st the president. didn't ean to iply that own the /r."

"How did yor son's tro%le start3" said Frank.

"2hen he was stdying #or his li*ensing e0a," r. Ta%or replied, "he workedtoo hard. ' a#raid that %roght on his %reakdown. ;#ter a while he %egan toshow signs o# ner)os e0hastion. That's when he %egan harking %a*k to thisold #aily legend a%ot werewol)es. (o persaded hi to go to a entalsanatori #or treatent, the =ine anor est Hoe in the Catskills."

"id that help3"

r. Ta%or shook his head. "Frankly, no. He le#t the sanatori on his owna**ord, and ade no o%e*tion sin*e he showed no sign o# ipro)eent. n#a*t, in soe ways he seeed worse. By then the #ear seeed to %e preyingon hi that he hisel# ight %e trning into a werewol#. thoght it ight %e%etter to keep his ind o**pied, so agreed that he shold *oe hoe andrese his stdies."

"How a%ot the lo*al werewol# s*are, arond Hawk i)er3" &oe pt in. "2hendid all that start3"

";%ot the sae tie &ohn retrned. ;nd to ake atters worse, he'sde)eloped a ha%it o# slipping ot o# the hose at night dring the #ll oon: at least he did dring the last #ll4oon period. Then, when he shows pagain, he *an't ree%er where he's %een or what he's %een doing."

;s i# %y *oon iplse, %oth Hardys #ond their glan*es straying pward.arkness had #allen, and the oon shone in the %la*k4%le sky like a rond*opper *oin.

" know what yo're thinking, and that's e0a*tly what ' a#raid o# too : that

&ohn ay start a*ting strangely again," r. Ta%or said glooily. "Bt ' alsoa#raid o# saying anything or entioning these lo*al werewol# stories #or #earo# psetting hi or ay%e aking his delsions worse."

"Bt why shold &ohn e0pe*t the *rse to #all on hi3" Frank in$ired. "Therest %e lots o# other e%ers o# the Ta%or #aily still in >rope."

"7o, a*tally there aren't," said the ar*hite*t. "The last alleged werewol#, &anTa%or, had only one other son %esides y an*estor who *ae to this *ontry.

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ost o# his des*endants in the old *ontry were wiped ot dring 2orld 2ar. (o #ar as know, or only relati)e who still %ears the #aily nae is adistant *osin. He es*aped #ro %ehind the ron Crtain st %e#oreC+e*hoslo)akia #ell nder Conist rle a#ter the war."

The *on)ersation seeed to ha)e le#t r. Ta%or looking rather haggard and

depressed. He pl*ked a %ottle o# pills #ro his po*ket and e0*sed hisel#to get a glass o# water.

"ad has a weak heart," ;lena e0plained to the %oys in a low, *on*erned)oi*e. "This worry a%ot &ohn is an added strain on hi."

(he looked p ner)osly as a series o# weird, *oi*al howls split thedarkness.

;rrooo 4 o 4 o : ;rrooo 4 o 4 o!

"2hat on earth was that3" ;lena e0*laied.

; /gre wearing a r%%er Halloween wol#an ask o)er his head eerged#ro aong the trees into the *ir*le o# /relight and the glow o# the patiolaps. He ho%%led rapidly a*ross the lawn and disappeared into the woodson the other side o# the hose.

The weird4looking intrder to*hed o- a wa)e o# ner)os laghter aongthe gests, while Frank and &oe darted o- in prsit.

"2hi*h way did he go3 Can yo see hi3" &oe *alled ot to his %rother asthey pro%ed a%ot in the darkness.

"7ope, not a glipse. 2e shold')e %roght 5ashlights. gess we're ot o#l*k."

;s the Hardys retrned to the %ar%e*e party, Chet *ae to eet the,looking srprised. "2hat did yo two get so e0*ited a%ot3 That goo#ywol#an a*t was st a oke."

"Like #n it was," Frank retorted. "That was an intentional dirty tri*k, andwhoe)er plled it knew all a%ot the Ta%or werewol# legend."

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Chapter D

; Frightening =hanto

"2hat do yo ean3" Chet asked with a p++led #rown.

"idn't yo noti*e the way the gy was liping3" said Frank.

"7ot only that, he had a %ig reddish stain on his troser leg," &oe pt in, "as i#he ight ha)e %een %leeding #ro a gnshot wond, st like the lasta**sed werewol#, &an Ta%or, in the 1IIs!"

Chet stared at the Hardys neasily #or a oent. Then he 5ashed a ner)osgrin and tried to s*o- the atter aside. ";w, don't tell e yo take that st-seriosly3"

"O# *orse not," Frank said. "&an Ta%or was pro%a%ly st an inno*ent )i*ti

o# hysteria, sae as those poor woen who were *ondened in the (alewit*h*ra#t trials in *olonial days. The point is, ;lena told s no one arondhere knew a%ot that old legend and their #aily *rse. Bt that wise gy inthe wol#an ask sre did, and he was deli%erately trying to pset theTa%ors!"

The %oys glan*ed at ;lena and her #ather, who were %oth shaken %y thenpleasant prank.

"2here's &ohn3" ttered &oe.

"O)er there," Chet said, pointing dis*reetly to the re#reshent ta%le. Fro

the e0pression on yong Ta%or's #a*e, he seeed ore ner)os and keyed4p than e)er.

Frank and &oe *old o)erhear other gests near%y *hattering a%ot what hadhappened.

" wish *old %elie)e that thing that was prowling arond Hawk i)er lastonth was st soe oker in a r%%er ask!" said one )oi*e.

"2hate)er it was that s*ared or dog and %roke into the Barnett's henhosehad ore than r%%er #angs!" said another.

";nd st think, it ay show p again tonight! There's another #ll oonot!"

"How soon do yo start %a*k to s*hool3" &oe asked ;lena lodly to distra*ther #ro paying any attention to the rearks.

"ight a#ter La%or ay," she replied.

"2hat s*hool do yo attend3" Chet in$ired.

"; %oarding s*hool in eastern 7ew 8ork."

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e*hoed throgh the night, then another!

"Coe on!" *ried Frank. "That st %e the real thing!"

They ran in the dire*tion o# the sonds and presently saw a /gre dashingtoward the ot o# the darkness. t pro)ed to %e a %oy their own age,

o%)iosly s*ared ot o# his wits!"2hat's the atter3" Frank *alled ot as the yoth *ae *loser.

" st saw a wol# %a*k there!" the %oy panted. "t *ae right at e, and thething glowed in the dark!"

Chapter E

The issing (spe*t

Ha)ing seen s*h a %east thesel)es, the Hardys were not in*lined to laghat the yoth's #antasti* story. He was so terri/ed that he wold ha)e kept onrnning had they not ea*h taken hi %y an ar and *aled hi.

"Look, no werewol#'s going to get yo," &oe assred hi. "7ot i# we sti*ktogether. 2hate)er the thing is, it'll think twi*e %e#ore ta*kling all o# s!"

To %a*k p his proise, he %roke o- soe thi*k %ran*hes #ro a wind#allentree near%y. ?eeping one as a *l% to prote*t hisel#, he passed ot theother two to his %rother and the #rightened teenager, who said his nae wasBo% enad.

2hen no wol# *reatre appeared, Bo% pl*ked p his *orage anda**opanied the Hardys in sear*h o# the glowing phanto. Bt the %oys#ond no sign o# the %east.

"t st ha)e gone that way," Bo% srised, pointing to a #ork in the road. "dodged throgh the trees when got this #ar, trying to shake it o-, so it ayha)e issed y trail."

"Tell s how yo /rst sighted it," Frank asked.

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"2ell, was ot on a date with y girl#riend. dropped her o- at her hosest a#ter ele)en4thirty and started dri)ing hoe, when all o# a sdden %ang! got a 5at tire." Bo% related that a#ter plling o- the road, he had gotten otand a*ked p the *ar in order to *hange the wheel.

"Then heard a %lood*rdling wol# howl," he went on. " looked arond and

saw this snarling thing *oing at e, all glowing like a ghost! Boy, ' tellingyo, dropped e)erything and took o-!" Bo% shook his head, still a %it itteryat the re*olle*tion. " hope yo don't think ' aking all this p."

"on't worry, we %elie)e yo," Frank assred hi.

He and &oe es*orted Bo% to his *ar. By now, the %oy had re*o)ered his ner)e,and he /nished *hanging his tire. Then he wa)ed good4%y to the Hardys, whohrried %a*k in the dire*tion Bo% had indi*ated.

"By now that *ritter *old %e a ile away," &oe %led.

ay%e so, %t let's keep looking," Frank rged. "t ight howl again and gi)e

s an idea whi*h way it's gone."The words were %arely ot o# his oth when the %ree+y nighttie silen*ewas shattered %y an e*hoing shotgn %last. t was iediately #ollowed %yanother as the nseen gnner let go his se*ond %arrel!

; startled look 5ashed %etween the Hardys. 2ithot a word, they speeded ptheir pa*e, sprinting arond a %end in the road st ahead.

; #arhose looed in the oonlight not #ar away. ;s Frank and &oeapproa*hed it, an angry4looking #arer %rst ot o# the dri)eway gate,*lt*hing a shotgn in one hand. He wore an old *oat 5ng o)er a pair o#long nderwear, and r%%er %oots. >)idently he had plled on the /rst thingthat *ae to hand %e#ore *harging ot o# his hose.

"2hat happened3" Frank *alled ot.

"That doggone werewol#!" the #anner #ed. " heard it atta*king yli)esto*k in the %arn, so gra%%ed y gn and went a#ter it!"

"8o a*tally saw the *reatre3"

"8o %et did! t sta heard e *oin'! 2ent %ondin' ota the %arn st as ran throgh the %a*k door toward the yard. ga)e it %oth %arrels, %t thething got away!"

"2hat did it look like3" &oe asked."Big wol#4dog! ;nd its #r glowed /ery white. ' not okin' %oys!"

Frank nodded. "2e %elie)e yo. 2e st et another gy who saw it %e#ore it*ae here!"

"2hi*h way did it go3" pt in the yonger Hardy.

"t leaped *lear o)er this gate and went into the woods." The #arer

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pointed a*ross the road.

Frank and &oe a**opanied hi as he pro%ed a%ot aong the trees,lending their 5ashlights to the sear*h.

Bt the ghostly %east had disappeared. They /nally said good night to the

#arer and headed %a*k to town.; n%er o# people in Hawk i)er had %een wakened %y the distant wol#howls. 7one o# the, howe)er, had glipsed the prowling *reatre itsel#.

"')e a hn*h that #arer was the last one to see it tonight," Frank rearkedto his %rother.

"(ae here," &oe agreed. "Let's go and /nd ot what Chet has to report."

;s they approa*hed the dri)eway o# the Ta%or estate, their ears wereassailed %y a strange, grating noise.

";re yo thinking what ' thinking3" &oe asked.

"' a#raid so," Frank replied. "Bt let's hope we're wrong."

An#ortnately they were not. The sond they had heard pro)ed to %e low,r%ling snores. Chet was slped sond asleep in his sng tree per*h, withhis *hin on his *hest.

"2ake p, (trongheart!" said &oe, rea*hing p to tg the stot %oy's ankle.

Chet twit*hed ner)osly and awoke with a )iolent start that alost sent hit%ling ot o# the tree into the ars o# the Hardy %oys.

"2h 4 what happened3" he stttered, *lt*hing at the %ran*h #or spport.

"on't pani*, the %attle's o)er." Frank grinned. He and &oe related the night'ssensational e)ents.

" don't sppose yo'd know whether &ohn Ta%or sneaked ot o# the hose3"&oe in$ired.

"2e 4 e 4 ell, a*tally no, don't," Chet *on#essed shae4#a*edly. "Bt sredidn't see any sign o# hi %e#ore do+ed o-."

"2hi*h was pro%a%ly se*onds a#ter we le#t," said Frank. " think we'd %etterwake p the Ta%ors."

Chet swng hisel# ot o# the tree and a**opanied his pals p to the #rontdoor o# the hose. Frank de*ided not to ring the %ell, hoping a kno*k or two

ight %e less alaring.

(oon ?arel Ta%or hisel# appeared at the door. "Coe in, %oys," he said. "sanything wrong3"

"The werewol#'s on the prowl again, r. Ta%or," Frank e0plained. " hope yowon't isnderstand or reason #or *oing here, %t it ight %e a good ideato *he*k i# &ohn's hoe in %ed."

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"Good thinking," the ar*hite*t nodded. "' glad yo *ae. ;ssing &ohn ispstairs, sond asleep, yo #ellows will %e a%le to %ear witness that he hasnothing to do with this werewol# s*are!"

espite his words, the %oys *old tell #ro r. Ta%or's e0pression and )oi*ethat he was #ar #ro *on/dent that this was the *ase. He in)ited the Hardys

and Chet to sit down while he went p to look in his son's roo.

2hen he retrned a #ew oents later, the yong dete*ti)es knew at aglan*e that the news was %ad.

"&ohn's %ed hasn't %een slept in," the ar*hite*t annon*ed in a hsky )oi*e.

"That still doesn't pro)e he's the werewol#," Frank said, hoping to pro)idesoe *o#ort. "Ha)e yo any idea where he ight ha)e gone3"

"7one." r. Ta%or shook his head glooily, not trsting hisel# to say anyore #or #ear his )oi*e ight tre%le.

"n that *ase, 'd like to wait here with &oe and Chet till he shows p," Franksggested. "# or presen*e in the hose won't %other yo3"

"7ot at all! o stay, %y all eans. 'll %e glad o# any help yo *an gi)e s."

r. Ta%or asked =o*ahontas to ake *o-ee, and she went o- with aglowering e0pression, shaking her head and %ling to hersel# in ohawk.

=resently ;lena *ae down in her ro%e and slippers, ha)ing heard her #atherand the %oys *hatting in low )oi*es.

"s soething wrong3" she in$ired an0iosly. ;n alaring thoght 5ashedthrogh her ind. "ad," she added, "Has anything happened to &ohn3"

?arel Ta%or took his daghter's hand into his own. "He sees to ha)e goneo- soewhere, y dear," he said, "and the so4*alled werewol# st paidanother )isit to Hawk i)er."

"Oh, no!" ;lena's #a*e showed her distresss. "sn't there anything we *ando3"

"7othing, e0*ept wait #or &ohn to *oe hoe."

"2e don't ean to intrde,"' Frank said n*o#orta%ly, "%t we'd like to %eon hand to $estion yor %rother when he does retrn."

"O# *orse, please stay!" ;lena replied. "ad and appre*iate ha)ing yohere to help."

The atosphere eased soewhat when =o*ahontas %roght in the *o-ee.The grop *hatted as well as they *old nder the *ir*stan*es, and theHardys reported what had happened dring their no*trnal e0pedition in and%eyond the )illage.

;s their )igil lengthened and tie dragged %y, e)eryone's spirits drooped.The %oys #ond it hard to keep their eyes open. Howe)er, they snapped wide

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awake when, soon a#ter three o'*lo*k, #ootsteps were heard otside and the#ront door opened.

"t's &ohn!" ;lena *ried in relie#. (he sprang p #ro her *hair and hrledhersel# into her %rother's ars.

# she e0pe*ted an e$ally *ordial response, she was dooed todisappointent. nstead o# greeting his sister with a siling reark, &ohnerely stared at her, his #a*e %lank and e0pressionless. He did not retrn thee%ra*e, either.

"2here on earth ha)e yo %een, (on3" his #ather deanded.

"2here ha)e %een3" &ohn e*hoed. ll4eyed, he raised one hand ands*rat*hed his head slowly. "(ear*h e. ha)en't the #aintest idea. n #a*t, don't e)en know where a now."

Chapter

Forest Castle

"&ohn! on't yo re*ogni+e yor own hoe3" ;lena shook her %rotheripatiently. "2hy did yo go ot tonight3 Tell s where yo')e %een!"

The yong ar*hite*t did not reply. He shrgged o- her $estions in silen*eand started toward the stairway leading p to the se*ond 5oor. Bt ;lenagra%%ed hi %y the ar.

"ad, soething's wrong with hi!" she *ried. "He's a*ting so weirdly.Oghtn't we *all a do*tor3"

?arel Ta%or hesitated %e#ore replying. "7o, don't think so. 2hate)er's wrongwith &ohn, he'll pro%a%ly sleep it o-. Calling a do*tor wold only pro)okes*andal and gossip. on't yo think so, %oys3"

' a#raid yo're right." Frank nodded. "t ight e)en lead to a**sations that

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yor son was responsi%le #or tonight's werewol# s*are, i# the news e)erleaked ot."

"&ohn is aw#lly drowsy and hea)y4lidded," &oe pointed ot. He had risen #rothe so#a with his %rother to e0aine yong Ta%or ore *losely. "'ll %et he'lldrop o- to sleep and toorrow he won't e)en ree%er all this."

"=ro%a%ly not," Frank agreed, opening &ohn's eyelids ore widely with histh% and #ore/nger in order to *he*k his ppils. "Fro what ad's told sa%ot s*h things, don't think he's %een drgged, %t he looks as i# he's in atran*e!"

&ohn stood liply now, staring o- into the distan*e, tterly indi-erent to, ornot e)en aware o#, what was going on arond hi.

The Hardys helped his #ather lead hi pstairs and pt hi to %ed.

7e0t orning at their *a%in, Frank and &oe were awakened %y a radio *all.They had taken a spe*ial trans*ei)er with the to ensre *oni*ations

with Bayport and their #ather in *ase o# an eergen*y. 7ow a red light was5ashing on the set, and a repeated %++ was *oing #ro the lodspeaker.

&oe leaped ot o# %ed and swit*hed on the ike and s*ra%ler. The tningdial had already %een set to the agreed4on #re$en*y.

"H49 here. Coe in please. o yo read e3"

"Lod and *lear. F4H *alling."

"Hi, ad. 2hat's p3"

Fenton Hardy replied that he had retrned to Bayport the pre)ios night, onlyto /nd the %oys gone. " was interested to hear a%ot yor werewol# *ase,"

he went on.

&oe /lled hi in $i*kly and added, "r. Ta%or says he's et yo at his*opany o*e."

"That's right," the #aos dete*ti)e replied. "' in)estigating a *ase #orFederal nsran*e Anderwriters. t in)ol)es three %ildings that weredesigned %y ?arel Ta%or, with the a*tal *onstr*tion work sper)ised %y his/r, Chelsea Bilders. ;ll three ha)e s-ered re*ent disasters."

"2ow! That's pretty nsal, isn't it3"

"(o the insran*e nderwriters think. They #eel it stret*hes *oin*iden*es a %it

#ar."

">0a*tly what sort o# disasters were they3"

"; /re, a gas e0plosion, and an apparent str*tral *ollapse."

"H, interesting." &oe #rowned thoght#lly. "(till, all three o**rren*es *old%e de to a**idents, *oldn't they, ad3"

"ay%e, or to poor design or sa%otage, or e)en a plain old in0. t's y o% to

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31/98

The iense, weather%eaten hose was *onstr*ted o# hand4hewn ti%ers,soe o# the )isi%ly rotted. Bt the str*tre had o%)iosly %een %ilt %y anoldtie aster *ra#tsan.

;s the %oys *la%ered p the slope #or a *loser )iew, soeone sddenlyyelled in alar. "Look ot!" The Hardys trned st in tie to see a long

*rane ar swinging o)erhead. ; hea)y %alk o# ti%er whi*h it had %een*arrying was slipping ot o# its sling!

The ne0t instant soething str*k the #ro %ehind, and %oth %oys pit*hedheadlong on the grond. ; split se*ond later the ti%er %alk *rashed toearth, alost on the )ery spot where they had %een standing!

The Hardys pi*ked thesel)es p %reathlessly. 2hen &oe saw what a narrowes*ape they had had, he let ot a #aint gasp.

The an who had pshed the ot o# the way, a tall yong *onstr*tionworker, was standing on the other side o# the #allen ti%er. "8o two all

right3" he *alled."8es, we're okay," said Frank, dsting hisel# o-. "Thanks #or the sho)e." Thethoght 5ashed throgh his ind that what happened ight ha)e %een noa**ident. =erhaps one o# the worken had re*ogni+ed the, or soeone had#ond ot %e#orehand that Fenton Hardy was sending the to the site. BtFrank $i*kly dis*arded the idea o# an attept on their li)es when he sawthe *rew's o%)ios *on*ern o)er the atter and reali+ed that the yongworkan had risked his own li#e to sa)e the.

"(orry i# we got in the way," Frank apologi+ed.

"2asn't yor #alt," the an replied. "That *rane sling was iproperly

se*red. Besides, the *rew shold ha)e roped o- this area to keep spe*tatorsot o# danger."

He signaled the *rane ar %a*k into position and helped his ates pt the%alk o# ti%er into its sling again. Then, a#ter the load had %een se*red, itwas hoisted o)er to the hose to repla*e one o# the rotted str*tral %eas.

&oe noti*ed the s*lar yong #ellow's %ron+ed hawklike #eatres and longdark hair, t*ked p nder his steel hardhat. ";re yo an ndian3" he asked*riosly.

"That's right." The workan grinned. "' ohawk, and prod o# it."

"8o st %e one o# those 'high4steel ohawks' we')e read a%ot," saidFrank.

"ight again." The ndian e0plained that he and any o# his #ellow tri%esenhad %een eployed on neros *onstr*tion o%s in the 7ew 8ork area.>0perien*e had shown they were espe*ially well /tted #or work onskys*rapers and %ridges %e*ase their sper% natral sense o# %alan*eena%led the to keep their #ooting on high girders.


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Thrsting ot his hand, the ndian added, "y nae's >agle, %y the way,Hank >agle."

"' Frank Hardy," Frank said, retrning the handshake. ";nd this is y%rother &oe."

Hank >agle's #a*e took on a pleasantly srprised e0pression. "Hey, don't telle yo're those two dete*ti)es, the sons o# Fenton Hardy3"

The %oys nodded. "2e are."

"8or #ather was at or *opany o*e not long ago, talking to y %oss."

"8o work #or Chelsea Bilders3" &oe asked.

"(re do," said Hank. "Asally in 7ew 8ork City, %t today was sent ot hereto report on the progress o# this o%. r. Ta%or knows this is y ne*k o# thewoods, and:well, ' hoping to %e an ar*hite*t ysel# soeday, i# *an e)erget y degree. Bt that takes a lot o# night *orses."

"Good #or yo," Frank said. "(ti*k with it.""8o #ellows doing any dete*ti)e work right now3" the ohawk in$ired,gi)ing the a shrewd glan*e.

"Oh, in a way," &oe replied *atiosly, ree%ering his #ather's adonitionand trying to sond *asal. "2e were p here in the ;dironda*ks on )a*ation,and ad's %een in)estigating those disasters that happened to three otherar*hite*tral proe*ts o# r. Ta%or's, so he asked s to drop p to ndian Laketo look #or any signs o# tro%le."

"Con/dentially," Hank said, "that's why y %oss sent e here, too. ' sreglad to know ')e got a *ople o# sart gys like yo %a*king e p."

He o-ered to show the %oys the interior o# the ansion, and Frank and &oegladly a**epted. The hge %ilding had a high %al*ony tting ot #ro thepper 5oor. ts original wooden spports had rotted away, so it had %eenpropped p with teporary piling ntil they *old %e repla*ed. The %al*onyo-ered a %reathtaking )iew o# the green #orested hillside and the )ast,*rystal4%le lake spread ot %elow.

"eally %eati#l!" Frank rred, enoying the s*enery and inhaling thetangy ontain air. "2ho e)er %ilt this pla*e3"

"; British ndian agent, soe tie %e#ore the e)oltionary 2ar," their

ohawk #riend replied."O)er two hndred years ago!" &oe e0*laied.

"ight." Hank nodded. "He was ?ing George's personal en)oy to the ndiansin this part o# ;eri*a. He pt p the ansion as his *astle in the #orest andgot )ery %ddy4%ddy with all the ro$ois nations, in*lding the ohawks. n#a*t, he arried a ohawk s$aw, whose %rother was:well, the ro$oisnations didn't really ha)e *hie#s, %t her %rother was one o# their tri%al


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leaders or wise en, only yonger than ost. His ohawk nae, translatedinto >nglish, eant 'ark >agle,' and he was one o# y an*estors," Hank saidprodly.

"7o kidding!" Frank was ipressed.

"8p, y great4great4great grand#ather, or soething like that.""That eans the British agent who was ?ing George's personal rep was yorgreat4great4great grandn*le."

"2hi*h ay *onne*t yo to British no%ility," &oe pointed ot.

Hank >agle %rst ot laghing. "8o *an't pro)e it %y e, %t in a way yo'renot so #ar o-. 8o see, like ost o# the ro$ois, the ohawks were *loseallies o# the British, who had helped the /ght the Fren*h. (o when the;eri*an e)oltion *ae along, they sided with their old pals, theed*oats, against the 8ankee settlers. ;nd the British were an0ios to keep itthat way, so they in)ited ark >agle o)er to London and ga)e hi the %ig

hello. He a*tally et the ?ing and ho%no%%ed with all the no%ility at *ort.;**ording to the history %ooks, he was good4looking and his %rother4in4law,the British agent, had had hi well ed*ated, so they ade $ite a #ss o)erhi."

Frank said, "Bt he still helped the ed*oats against or side, prese."

"8p, he did," Hank aditted. "He e)en led soe o# the Tory4ndian s*alpingraids on the ;eri*an settleents. Bt yo ha)e to ree%er, those werepretty %loody ties."

;#ter the war, Hank related, ark >agle ade pea*e with his 8ankee eneiesand inherited his %rother4in4law's ti%er *astle, whi*h he renaed >agle's7est. 8ears later, it lapsed into rin. 7ow the wooden ansion had %eenpr*hased %y a wealthy %yer, who had hired the ar*hite*t ?arel Ta%or torestore it.

"2ere yo raised arond here3" &oe asked as the %oys walked otside again.

"(re was, in a ohawk )illage near Hawk i)er. 8o'll ha)e to )isit e theresoetie. y n*le's the edi*ine an."

Frank noti*ed a an wat*hing the *losely. He was elderly and wi+ened4looking, with dark glasses and long gray hair. 2hen he reali+ed he had %eennoti*ed, the stranger trned sddenly and hrried away.

"2ait a inte!" Frank *alled and went a#ter hi. Bt %e#ore he *oldo)ertake the ea)esdropper, his $arry leaped into a green #oreign4ade *arand sped o-!


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Chapter

; (inking Feeling

The an gnned his engine hard. 2hen he took o-, his rear wheels *hrnedp a *lod o# dst, and the *ar's %a*k end slewed arond sharply as he

swng onto the pa)ed highway. ;s a reslt, Frank was not a%le to spot theli*ense n%er.

isgsted, the Hardy %oy retrned to his %rother and their ohawk #riend,Hank >agle.

"2hat happened3" &oe asked.

"That #ellow was ea)esdropping on s," Frank said angrily. "id yo get alook at hi3"

"8es," &oe replied. ">nogh to re*ogni+e hi again. He had on dark glasses:sort o# an oldish gy, with long gray hair *rling down o)er his ears."

"ight." Frank had noti*ed a strange look pass o)er the ndian's #a*e onhearing the an's des*ription. "o yo know hi, Hank3"

The ohawk shrgged. "2e get a lot o# people stopping %y to wat*h s. ay ha)e seen hi %e#ore. Hard to say."

Later, a#ter thanking their new#ond #riend #or his interesting gided tor o#the work site, the Hardys dro)e %a*k to Hawk i)er. "id yo noti*e the wayHank rea*ted when yo des*ri%ed that ea)esdropper3" Frank asked &oe.

" sre did:as i# he was *o)ering p soething." &oe added wryly,"(oething tells e he was attepting to %e a poker4#a*ed ndian, only he

didn't get his poker #a*e on #ast enogh.""8o think he was lying3"

" think he was trying not to lie."

"(ae here," Frank said thoght#lly. "Bt still like hi."

The Hardys arri)ed at the *ottage arond noon and #ond Chet working onhis %ir*h%ark *anoe. t lay o)ertrned on the grond in #ront o# the *a%in.


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"How're yo *oing along, Chet3" &oe asked.

"Great! t's alost done. &st ha)e to /nish sewing these strips o# %arktogether, whi*h isn't easy on the /ngers, ight add."

&st then they heard the phone ringing. Frank dashed into the *a%in to

answer it. The *aller was ;lena Ta%or."How wold yo %oys like to *oe on a pi*ni*3" she asked.

"(onds great!" Frank replied. "2hen and where3"

"(oon as yo're ready. took a *han*e and told =okey to pa*k a ln*h #or s.";lena sggested a $iet *r)ing %ran*h o# the Hawk i)er, not #ar #ro the*ottage, as a pla*e to hold the pi*ni*, and des*ri%ed a parti*larly pleasantspot on the ri)er%ank where she wold eet the %oys.

"'d %etter *on#ess right now that ha)e an lterior oti)e #or sggesting thispi*ni*," she added, lowering her )oi*e. "(oething has *oe p that yoshold know a%ot. 2e *an talk pri)ately at this spot ')e pi*ked, withotrnning the risk o# soeone snooping on or *on)ersation."

"(art idea. 2e'll %e there," Frank proised.

Chet was in a dilea when he heard a%ot the in)itation. ;lthogh eager#or another *han*e to see his new drea girl, he was also desperatelyan0ios to /nish his *anoe.

The stot yoth stood s*rat*hing his head #or a oent, with a look o##rstration on his #re*kled oon#a*e and perspiration glistening on his t%%ytorso. "Listen," he said /nally, "yo go ahead, and 'll oin yo as soon as *an."

"Okay," the Hardys agreed.

"&st one thing," Chet added as they trned away. "2hat's that3" &oe asked."on't start ln*h till get there!" The %oys hiked to the pi*ni* spot and#ond ;lena waiting #or the on the %ank o# the sparkling strea with herred iniwagon parked near%y. (he wore eans and a pretty e%roidered*otton %lose and was holding a *opy o# the lo*al paper, the Hawk i)erHerald. "Big news3" &oe in$ired.

"Bad news, ' a#raid. ;t least it's not )ery pleasant #ro y #aily'sstandpoint." (he handed hi the paper.

Frank and &oe saw its %anner headlineK ";7OTH> 2>>2OLF ;TT;C?!" Bt;lena pointed to a di-erent story, splashed all o)er the #ront page. t was alengthy report o# the Ta%or #aily's werewol# tradition, and pointed ot thatyong Ta%or was a se)enth4generation des*endant o# the last allegedwerewol#, &an Ta%or. This, the story iplied, atoati*ally ade hi a priesspe*t in the lo*al ot%reak o# ly*anthropy.

"That's a shae," Frank said with a sypatheti* #rown when he /nishedreading. "Bt ' not really srprised."


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;lena's eye%rows went p. "2hat do yo ean3"

"That nasty little werewol# as$erade at yor %ar%e*e yesterday e)ening.2hoe)er was wearing that ot/t was liping as i# he'd %een shot in the leg:like yor an*estor, &an Ta%or."

"(o yo noti*ed, too!"Frank nodded. "The athor o# a %ook on werewol)es told s a%ot thoseoldtie *ases. ;nd i# soeone here at Hawk i)er has #ond ot a%ot yoran*estor, and was ali*ios enogh to play that prank last night, it seeedpretty likely the story wold soon get arond."

"Can yo iagine how all the neigh%ors will %e talking now3" ;lena saidnhappily. "# people start pi*king on &ohn or he iagines they sspe*t hi, hate to think how he'll rea*t. ' a#raid he'll end p in a worse state thane)er!"

The Hardys tried to *o#ort the girl as %est they *old. L*kily, there was

soon a distra*tion to take her ind o- the s%e*t. Frank and &oe saw hereyes widen, and she pointed toward the strea.

"Look!" she e0*laied.

; aesti* /gre *lad in a %*kskin hnting shirt was paddling toward thein a %ir*h%ark *anoe. "t's Chet!" &oe *ried ot.

Their %ee#y *h ade a striking sight in his wilderness *oste as heswng his dripping paddle #ro one side o# the *anoe to the other.

"He's e)en wearing an ndian head%and!" Frank ttered.

Chet was sitting rigidly pright like a stalwart ontain an or ipassi)e

redskin %ra)e. =resently he pased #ro paddling and str*k a ga+ing pose,as i# s*anning a distant shore #or a sign o# #riend or #oe. The Hardys sti5edwild *h*kles, reali+ing their pal was doing all this to ipress ;lena.

(ddenly Frank #rowned. "; seeing things, or is that *anoe getting lowerand lower in the water3"

"8o're not seeing things," &oe *on/red. "Chet's sinking!"

Both %oys reali+ed that their pal st %e #eeling )ery n*o#orta%le with thewater rising higher and higher arond his hips. 7e)ertheless, his *h%%y #a*eretained its digni/ed e0pression, with no sign o# pani*. The only hint o#

an0iety was that he %egan paddling #aster and #aster.Cold he rea*h shore %e#ore his *ra#t *apsi+ed3 The Hardys wondered. Theanswer was soon apparent, howe)er. n a #ew oents the *anoe had snkpra*ti*ally ot o# sight! Chet *ast his dignity to the wind and tried to leapo)er%oard. An#ortnately his #oot *aght on the gnwale and he ploppedhead/rst into the ri)er in a resonding %elly 5op that sent water splashinghigh in the air!


37/98

The *anoe *orks*rewed o)er on one side, pending #or a oent, then on*eagain sinking #ro )iew. Chet, eanwhile, was 5ailing the water with hisars and legs, trying to get his %earings and strike ot #or shore.

;lena had rn to the ri)er's edge with Frank and &oe. "s he all right3" sheasked an0iosly.

"(re, no pro%le," Frank replied. "Chet's the %est water polo player atBayport High."

"Bt it looks as i# he ay lose that *anoe he sweated so hard o)er," &oeadded.

2ithot another word, the plp, apple4*heeked girl ki*ked o- her rope4soled espadrilles and do)e gra*e#lly into the water.

"For *rying ot lod," &oe groaned. "(he's aking s look like %a*kward*hps!"

Frank *h*kled. "7e)er ind. They don't need or help."

;pparently the ri)er was a%ot /)e or si0 #eet deep at this point. Betweenthe, ;lena and Chet anaged to retrie)e the *anoe and hal it ashore. TheHardys helped the drag it p on the %ank.

Chet was dewy4eyed with gratitde and astonishent that ;lena had pedin to help hi. "That's the %ra)est thing e)er saw!" he %lrted.

;lena siled. "2ell, *oldn't let yo lose that %eati#l *anoe yor #riendssay yo worked so hard to ake," she told hi and ga)e hi a *onsoling kisson the *heek.

To Chet, all the la%or he had pt into his *anoe had paid o- %eyond his

wildest dreas! He ne)er stopped siling while he and Frank e0ained thedaage to the *ra#t. &oe and ;lena, eanwhile, went o- to lay ot the pi*ni*ln*h.

"Here's yor pro%le," Frank pointed ot. "8o sewed this row o# stit*hesright in line with the way the %ark splits. ;s a reslt, the %ark is alreadystarting to tear. (ae down here. That's pro%a%ly what *ased the leaks. 8oshold ha)e staggered the stit*h holes, or else rn yor stit*hes a*ross thegrain, so to speak."

"Gess yo're right," Chet said. "Bt who *ares3" Lowering his )oi*e andglan*ing o)er his sholder, he added. "Boy, hasn't ;lena got spnk, thogh!

think she likes e a little!"

'Cold %e," Frank said with a straight #a*e.

=o*ahontas had pa*ked *hi*ken sandwi*hes and *ho*olate *ake, and thepi*ni* ln*h pro)ed to %e a great s**ess, despite the dis*o#ort o# Chet'sand ;lena's wet *lothes. ;#terwards, Frank steered the *on)ersation %a*k tothe werewol# ystery and the #eatre in the Hawk i)er Herald.


38/98

";ny idea how the editor ight ha)e gotten hold o# all that in#oration3" hein$ired.

;lena hesitated, her %row p*kering. ";s told yo, y #ather on*eentioned it okingly in a aga+ine inter)iew : "

"2hat aga+ine3""2orldi*eek. sppose the editor o# the Herald ran a*ross that story. *an'tiagine where else he *old ha)e learned all those details," ;lena said.

"2e'll /nd ot," &oe proised.

Frank nodded. ";nother thing. 7ow that this old4tie werewol# yarn has*oe ot in the open, think it's tie &oe and talked dire*tly to yor%rother. He ay know soething iportant."

; worried look 5i*kered o)er ;lena's #a*e. "s that really ne*essary3 Both adand are a#raid it ay only ake &ohn's delsions worse."

" don't see why. The )ery #a*t that &oe and are trying to sol)e this ysteryshold pro)e to hi that we don't take any sto*k in s*h sperstitions, andwe *ertainly don't %elie)e he hisel# trns into a werewol# when the oon is#ll!"

;lena siled. "2hy well, then. How soon wold yo like to see &ohn3"

"This a#ternoon, i# possi%le. 2e *an )isit the Herald editor /rst and then goot to yor pla*e, that is, i# yor %rother is in shape to talk to s. How did hea*t this orning, %y the way3"

"He slept like a log and didn't wake p till noon. He seeed #airly noral, %tapparently doesn't ree%er a thing a%ot what happened last night."

;lena dro)e the %oys %a*k to the *a%in with Chet's waterlogged *anoe on topo# her iniwagon. Then she went hoe. eanwhile, the Hardys trans#erredto their own *ar and dro)e into Hawk i)er, lea)ing Chet to *hange into dry*lothes.

They #ond the Heralds o*e on the town's ain street. The editor, a red4haired an naed Lyle nn, re*ogni+ed the iediately when theyintrod*ed thesel)es as the sons o# Fenton Hardy.

"(o yo're p here to sol)e or great werewol# ystery!"

"Let's say we'd like to do whate)er we *an," Frank said e)enly. ";s yo *an

iagine, that story yo printed a%ot the Ta%or #aily is pretty e%arrassingto the."

The editor shrgged. "2e only print the news."

"2hat akes yo so sre yo got yor #a*ts right3 ;pparently yo didn'te)en %other to *he*k the ot."

"idn't need to," said nn. "They *ae #ro an inter)iew with ?arel Ta%or


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hisel#."

Frank #rowned. "8o ean the one that appeared in 2orldi*eek aga+ine3"

'ight, and *on/red %y additional resear*h data."

"2here'd yo rn a*ross that3" &oe asked.

" didn't. t was ailed to e." The editor rose #ro his *hair, plled a anilaen)elope ot o# a /le drawer, and showed its *ontents to the %oys. One itewas a photo*opy o# the aga+ine arti*le, and there were se)eral pages o#typewritten notes, stapled together. >a*h %ore the printed initials, .J., atthe top.

&oe whistled in srprise as he saw the latter. "8o said these *ae in theail. 2ho was the sender3"

"7o idea. ;s yo *an see, there was no nae on the en)elope, or inside it,either. &st an anonyos tip."

"2ell, #or yor in#oration," Frank said, "that typewritten aterial was stolen#ro the athor esond Jorn."

; #aint look o# alar passed o)er the editor's #a*e.

"Frtherore," Frank went on, "i# readers get the ipression #ro yor storythat &ohn Ta%or's responsi%le #or these lo*al werewol# atta*ks, yo ight %esed #or li%el."

" didn't say Ta%or was the werewol#!" nn de#ended hisel# hastily, lookingore alared than e)er.

"ay%e not dire*tly, %t people wold *ertainly get that idea."

"2hy shold they3 This isn't the iddle ;ges. There's no ore reason whythey shold think &ohn Ta%or is soe kind o# wol#an than there is to %laethe atta*ks on one o# ;le* irgil's wol)es."

"2ho's ;le* irgil3" &oe asked.

"; natralist who rns what he *alls a 'wol# #ar' near here. He %reedswol)es, and soe o# the rn pretty %ig, too!" The redheaded newsan gotp #ro his desk again and /shed soe ore aterial #ro another /ledrawer. "There's a story wrote a%ot hi a week or two ago."

The Hardys read the *lipping with keen interest. t reported how ;le* irgil*arried on his proe*t as a la%or o# lo)e to help preser)e the %-alo wol#, aspe*ies threatened with e0tin*tion. t also showed a photograph o# irgilstanding %eside the st-ed egy o# one o# his earliest pet wol)es.

Frank rose #ro his *hair. "Okay, thanks #or yor tie, r. nn. 2eappre*iate yor help."

"y pleasre, %oys. (top in any tie."

;#ter lea)ing the Heralds o*e, the Hardys dro)e %a*k to the *a%in, pi*ked


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p Chet, and went on to the Ta%or hoe.

=arking their *ar in the dri)e, Frank and &oe started p to the #ront door, withChet tagging at their heels. ire*tly a%o)e, they *old see the %rly /gre o#=o*ahontas, the hal#4%reed hosekeeper. (he was per*hed on a se*ond45oorsill, washing windows.

Frank hesitated a oent, not sre whether he oght to *all p to her ordraw her attention with a gentle kno*k. On the other hand, he re5e*ted,;lena was e0pe*ting the and was pro%a%ly downstairs ready to answer thedoor. He rea*hed ot to ring the %ell.

His /nger had st pressed the %tton when %oth he and &oe heard asplashing sond and a ed gasp and #elt soething wet splatter the#ro %ehind.

Trning arond, the Hardys gaped in astonishent. The hosekeeper hadst dped her pail o# water on Chet!

Chapter

Ghostly oi*es

Chet splttered and gasped, dren*hed to the skin!

Frank glan*ed p at =o*ahontas, who was leaning otward #ro thewindowsill. Fro the s*owl on her *oppery4skinned #a*e, Frank was glad she

did not ha)e another pail o# water handy. He had a hn*h that, otherwise, heand his %rother ight ha)e gotten the sae treatent as Chet!

"Good grie#!" ttered &oe, appalled at their stot *h's #a*e. "The poorgy pra*ti*ally drowns %e#ore ln*h and now gets dosed all o)er again!"

"(er)es hi right!" growled =o*ahontas st as the #ront door opened."That'll tea*h hi not to dp y little girl in the ri)er!"

@I


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"=okey!" e0*laied ;lena, taking in the s*ene at one horror4stri*ken glan*e."Chet didn't dp e in the ri)er! His *anoe sank and di)ed in to help sa)eit!"

"Hh!" The hosekeeper tossed her %raids de/antly. ";onts to the saething! t was on a**ont o# hi that pretty e%roidered %lose o# yors got

rined, a#ter all the tie spent this orning, ironing it st so!"

"y %lose isn't rined!" ;lena s*olded. "t st got soaked! ;nd anotherthing, =o*a : "

Be#ore she *old /nish speaking, the hosekeeper withdrew #ro her per*h,and the Hardys heard the pstairs window %eing slaed.

"Oh, %rother!" ;lena shook her head in )e0ation and e%arrassent. "That%ossy old ohawk! (he'll dri)e e p the wall one o# these days." The girladded, "' so sorry a%ot this. Coe on in, %oys, and 'll /nd soe dry*lothes #or Chet."

The stot yoth %lshed and %led awkwardly, "8o d 4 don't ha)e to goto any tro%le, ;lena!" He was shi)ering de to his wetness, %t o%)ioslypleased at her *on*ern.

An#ortnately, &ohn Ta%or's *lothes were too sall #or Chet's %arrel4shaped/gre, so ;lena dg p an old shirt and a pair o# sla*ks whi*h %elonged toher #ather. ;#ter Chet retired to a %athroo to *hange, it %e*ae apparentthat they were not a per#e*t /t, either. Bt they wold ha)e to do ntil he*old get dry *lothes o# his own %a*k at the *ottage.

"7e)er ind, Chet," said &oe with a sypatheti* *h*kle. ";t least yo won'tget %sted #or sneaking arond in yor nderwear!"

The Hardys trned as they heard #ootsteps on the stairs. &ohn was *oingdown to oin the. The yong ar*hite*t looked ore alert than he had whenhe had retrned hoe in the wee hors o# the orning, %t he was o%)ioslyin poor spirits.

He shook hands with the )isitors, siled wanly on hearing a%ot Chet's*oi*al istreatent at the hands o# =o*ahontas, then settled hisel# in a*hair.

Frank hesitated, not sre how to %egin. Finally he said, "=erhaps yo')e heardo# y #ather. His nae is Fenton Hardy."

&ohn nodded. "The #aos dete*ti)e. 8es, rather thoght yo two ight %ethe Hardy %oys ')e read so *h a%ot. sppose ;lena got yo p here toget to the %otto o# this werewol# ystery."

"' glad yo *all it a ystery," Frank said. "That eans yo don't %elie)e inthose old sperstitions a%ot werewol)es any ore than we do."

&ohn Ta%or shrgged nhappily and ran his /ngers throgh his *rly %rownhair. "ight now don't know what to %elie)e. *an't ree%er a thing a%ot

@1


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last night:either where went or what happened wThile was gone."

"Bt at least yo don't think yo trned into a wol# and atta*ked people oranials3" pt in &oe. "8or *oon sense tells yo that's ipossi%le3"

"ay%e so," &ohn *on*eded. "Bt that doesn't e0plain what did do. 8o see,

' not a#raid o# trning into a wol#. 2hat worries e is that ay %e*oeinsane, and, i# that happens, ight wind p a*ting like a werewol#!"

"2here did yo /rst get the notion that yo ight %e going ot o# yorind3" Frank in$ired.

"2hile was stdying #or y ar*hite*t's li*ense. 'd %e deep in y %ooks, or%ent o)er the drawing %oard, and then 'd get these *alls : "

"2hat sort o# *alls, and #ro who3"

"on't ask e. Fro people ne)er heard o# %e#ore. ay%e people stade p in soe si*k part o# y ind. sed to iagine they were : theywere a**sing e o# %eing a werewol#!"

&oe #rowned. "How do yo know yo st iagined it3 ay %e yo really didget s*h *alls."

"(re," said Chet, trying to %e help#l. "t *old')e %een soeone playing adirty tri*k on yo!"

Ta%or ga)e another helpless shrg. "ay%e. Bt /nd that pretty hard toa**ept. 2hy wold anyone want to play s*h a tri*k on e3"

"8o *an't think o# anyone3" Frank prodded.

"7o%ody at all. don't ha)e any real eneies. ' st not that iportant.

Besides, the delsions got e)en worse a#ter *he*ked into the sanatori. sppose ;lena or y #ather told yo a%ot that."

"The sanatori3 8es, yor ad did ention that yo'd gone #or treatent,to the =ine anor est Hoe, %elie)e. 2hat happened3 ore *alls3"

"7o. &st )oi*es."

"Fro where3" &oe asked.

&ohn Ta%or r%%ed his head in %ewilderent at the distr%ing re*olle*tion. "don't know. Fro the walls, gess, or st ot o# thin air. 'd hear the in yroo, /rst at night, when was st dri#ting o- to sleep. Later on, when it gotworse, 'd e)en hear the dring the day when was wide awake."

"2hat did the )oi*es say3"

"Terri%le things, a%ot rending #angs and %loodlst and so on. They said theywere the )oi*es o# y old werewol# an*estors, like the &an Ta%or who was*on)i*ted in Boheia in 1D."

(eeing that %oth &ohn and ;lena were %e*oing pset, Frank de*ided to endthe $estioning #or the tie %eing.

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"Look," he said, "wold yo ind i# &oe and went to that sanatori andinter)iewed the do*tor who treated yo3"

"O# *orse not," the yong ar*hite*t replied. "# yo think it'll help in anyway."

"t *an't do any har. Bt we'll need a letter #ro yo, gi)ing perission toask $estions a%ot yor *ase. ;nd wold yo write down the nae andaddress o# the sanatori, too, please3"

&ohn nodded and Frank asked #or dire*tions to ;le* irgil's wol# #ar. ;#tersaying good4%y to ;lena and her %rother, the Hardy's dro)e %a*k to the *a%inso Chet *old *hange into dry *lothes o# his own. Then they took the ri)erroad eastward ot o# town.

The preser)e lay spread ot on a slope #orested with *edar and helo*k, andwas en*losed %y a high wire #en*e. ; sign o)er the gate saidK

2OLFLL> ;le* irgil, =rop. Gided Tors M1.II =lease ing Bell

&oe did, and a#ter a short wait a an dro)e p in a %attered4looking eep togreet the. He was tall and deeply tanned, with a ane o# sandy hair.

"Howdy, %oys!" he said, nlo*king and opening the gate. "Coe to see ylo%os3"

"That's right, r. irgil," Frank grinned. "2e heard a%ot yor pla*e thisa#ternoon. ne)er knew anyone who a*tally raised wol)es."

"(oeone's got to prote*t the spe*ies! n ost pla*es e)eryone's againstthe. There's a wonder#l preser)e on the Olypi* =eninsla o# 2ashington(tate, where they %reed /)e ties as any wol)es as ')e got here. (till, 'doing y %it."

Be*ase o# the rogh terrain, irgil sggested the %oys ride with hi in hiseep. They paid their adission and *li%ed in.

"2here'd yo get yor wol)es3" &oe asked.

"The original sto*k *ae #ro the Great =lains. They sed to rn in pa*kswhen hge herds o# %-alo dotted the plains, %t they're all gone now. %oght hal# a do+en #ro the des*endants o# the last #ew *aght %y the

go)ernent trappers in the late 19Is. 7ow ha)e thirty4se)en."

"Good #or yo. st take a lot o# work, thogh."

irgil laghed. "Tre. ha)e to %e the general handyan, the )et, the anial#eeder, the yard *leaner4pper, the pr*hasing agent, and a #ew other things.Bt y wi#e helps e, and we /nd it a lot ore satis#ying than the kind o#li#e we sed to lead %a*k in the *ity."

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;s they dro)e along, ore and ore wol)es *ae %onding ot #ro aongthe trees. irgil slowed the eep, and se)eral lo%os ogged alongside, theirtonges lolling. They were agni/*ent %easts, ranging in *olor #ro sil)ergray and %lond to *innaon %rown. (oe were se)en #eet long #ro nose tohind legs.

;t one point, ;le* irgil stopped the eep and got ot to play with his*harges. They srged arond hi, wild with delight at the *han*e #or a rop.He wrestled with the and e)en rolled on the grond while they nippedplay#lly at his ars or legs, yet ne)er doing hi any har with their hgeaws and #earsoe4looking teeth.

";re they:er, dangeros3" Chet asked.

"8es and no," r. irgil replied. "ost o# the stories a%ot wol)es atta*kingen are nonsense. They're a*tally shy *reatres. Bt they're not lapdogs,either. They shold %e respe*ted."

The %oys de*ided to stay in the eep. They #ond the wol)es' yellow4eyedstares a %it dis*on*erting. Finally irgil dro)e to his hose and in)ited thegests in #or *o-ee. 2hen he #ond ot that Frank and &oe were the sons o#the #aos Fenton Hardy, he wanted to re#nd their adission. Bt the %oysre#sed, knowing #ro ;lena that the natralist was o#ten hard4pressed tokeep his #ar going.

rs. irgil, a siling, otherly woan, ser)ed *o-ee and doghnts, thenwent otside. 2hile the %oys sat arond the /repla*e, her hs%and told theore a%ot the sad story o# the plains wol)es.

"2hen hnters killed o- the %-alo herds and thinned ot the elk andantelope and deer poplations," he related, "any wol)es star)ed. Otherstook to preying on li)esto*k. (o the ran*hers and settlers went a#ter thewith poison and traps. t was a long, desperate del. The wol)es learned tore#se the poisoned %ait and %e*ae in*redi%ly *nning at a)oiding traps.Bt /nally the hans won, and the lo%os disappeared #ro the plains."

;s he /nished speaking, the distant howl o# a wol# was heard #ro otside,then others oined in. The %oys were thrilled %y the eerie *hors. Btgradally it *hanged to wilder yelping and %arking.

;le* irgil rose #ro his *hair in alar. &st then his wi#e hrried in, her #a*epale with e0*iteent.

"(oeone's *t the #en*e wire!" she *ried. "Or wol)es are getting ot!"

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Chapter 1I

(kys*raper Caper

"2hat part o# the #en*e3" irgil asked his wi#e.

2hen she told hi, he o)ed into a*tion swi#tly, like a an sed to handlings*h *rises. He slipped a sall whistle into his po*ket, got soe eat #ro a#ree+er in the shed, then *li%ed %ehind the wheel o# his eep. 2ith the %oys

a**opanying hi, he *areened o- throgh the trees toward the se*tion o#*t #en*e.

(oe o# the wol)es, ore *atios than dogs ight ha)e %een, were erelynosing arond and sning at the #reedo that lay %eyond the opening.Others had already plnged throgh and were e0ploring the %rsh along theroad.

irgil leaped ot o# the eep and %lew his whistle. >)en thogh it did notake a sond adi%le to the han ear, the es*aped wol)es instantly trnedand loped toward the en*losre:slowly at /rst, then #aster and #aster as hewa)ed hand#ls o# eat in the air. (oon he was the *enter o# a #ren+ied ass

o# leaping, snapping lo%os. irgil 5ng the eat in se)eral dire*tions, %t allo# it away #ro the #en*e. The pa*k ra*ed o-, ea*h anial eager to /ght #orhis share.

(atis/ed that all his wol)es were a**onted #or, irgil hastily o)ed the eepso as to %lo*k any #rther es*ape throgh the hole in the #en*e. Then, singtools and wire #ro a repair kit onted on the %a*k o# the )ehi*le, he andthe %oys wired the ripped #en*ing %a*k in pla*e. There was no do%t that ithad %een *t deli%erately.

"2ho'd do s*h a thing3" Frank asked.

"8o'd %e srprised," irgil said wryly. "')e had all sorts o# tro%le e)er sin*e

started y wol# #ar. ost people hate wol)es and think they shold all %ewiped ot."

"ay%e they wold %e, i# it weren't #or people like yo and yor wi#e," said&oe.

;le* irgil siled and nodded. "8ep, ary and lo)e the *ritters. 2hen theother wol)es %ring ot their pps to show s e)ery spring, the little onesare rather like or own grand*hildren."

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He e0plained that the she4wol)es %rrowed ndergrond dens in whi*h toraise their litters. ;t night, the wol# "#ailies" were kept in separate pens orrns, instead o# ranging #reely o)er the whole preser)e.

"2hi*h gi)es yo do%le prote*tion against a %reakot3" &oe rearked.

"That's right. Good thing, too, with this werewol# #oolishness going on. don'tintend to gi)e people arond here any e0*se to %lae those so4*alledwerewol# atta*ks on y *ritters!"

"How *oe we didn't hear that whistle yo %lew3" Chet asked as they dro)e%a*k to the hose. "2as it ltrasoni*3"

"8ep, it's inadi%le to han ears, %t y lo%os hear it! Asally it's the signal#or #eeding tie, %t they're trained to respond any tie whistle."

"Hey!" Frank sddenly snapped his /ngers. "That ay e0plain it!"

">0plain what3" &oe in$ired.

"2hat happened (atrday night at the Bayport iner! Look, r. irgil %lewthat ltrasoni* whistle #or his wol)es to *oe, and he sed the eat as ane0tra s*ent lre."

"(o3" &oe looked p++led.

"ay%e that phony werewol# we saw was trained like an atta*k dog, and itsowner swiped y a*ket as a s*ent gide to *le it in to or grop!"

"'ll %et yo're right!" said &oe, *at*hing on. "He let the anial sni- yora*ket so it wold know to atta*k yo when we *ae ot o# the diner. ThenChet and the others rshed to help s, and he %lew an ltrasoni* whistle to*all his *ritter %a*k."

"2hat are yo talking a%ot3" ;le* irgil asked.

;#ter they went into the hose again to /nish their doghnts and *o-ee,they e0plained what had happened, and irgil agreed that Frank's theory wasa )ery likely one. &oe in$ired a%ot the st-ed wol# that had %een shown inthe newspaper photo. " don't see it anywhere," the %oy rearked.

" sold it:or thoght did," ;le* irgil replied. "Trned ot to %e st anotherdirty tri*k."

He e0plained that he had re*ei)ed a phone *all a#ter the pi*tre appeared inthe Hawk i)er Herald The *aller, pretending to %e a wealthy donor, said he

wanted to %y the wol# and present it as a gi#t to the ontain iew 7atralHistory se.

"That lo%o had %een a spe*ial pet o# an's and ine," irgil went on, "andwe hated to part with it. Bt the *aller o-ered s a thosand dollars."

(in*e the wol# #ar e0isted on o**asional grants and donations #ro aniallo)ers and the adission #ees paid %y sightseers, eeting the onthly %illswas o#ten a strggle. (o the *ople /nally agreed to sell their %elo)ed

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spe*ien.

"; tr*k *ae and pi*ked it p," irgil told the %oys, "and the dri)er le#t a*he*k whi*h trned ot to %e worthless. 2hen *alled the se, the*rator knew nothing a%ot it and said he had ne)er re*ei)ed the wol#."

Later, %a*k at the *a%in, the %oys were a%ot to sit down to an early spperwhen the telephone rang. &oe answered and re*ogni+ed Hank >agle's )oi*e.

"Hi, Hank," he said *ordially. "2here are yo *alling #ro3"

"7ew 8ork City. 5ew %a*k at ln*htie in r. Ta%or's heli*opter. He told ewhere yo're staying."

The ohawk e0plained that, dring the a#ternoon, he had reoined his reglarhigh4steel *onstr*tion *rew working on the anhattan skys*raper whi*hChelsea Bilders were ere*ting.

";nd spotted soething think yo oght to see," Hank went on. "t ay %eiportant to that *ase yor #ather's in)estigating. Cold yo *oe to 7ew8ork right away3"

"8o ean tonight3"

"8es. (oething ay happen here that yo'll want to keep an eye on."

&oe *he*ked with Frank, and they de*ided to #ollow Hank's sggestion. Hega)e the pre*ise instr*tions on where to eet hi. Then the %oys *alledBayport to in#or their #ather, only to learn that he was gone #or thee)ening. Howe)er, their other told the that they had re*ei)ed ananonyos phone essage a%ot three o'*lo*k."

"t was a an," she reported. "He said he was the person with dark glasses

who yo saw at >agle's 7est this orning."

"2hat did he want3" Frank asked e0*itedly.

"He wants to eet yo. Call DDD4


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soewhat ner)os Chet to keep wat*h on the Ta%ors' hose a#ter dark. skhad #allen as they sped sothward on the 7ew 8ork (tate Thr4way, and itwas well past nine when they arri)ed in anhattan. They parked in aidtown lot, as Hank >agle had sggested, and walked a %lo*k or so to theeeting pla*e.

The ohawk was waiting #or the in a doorway a*ross the street #ro theskys*raper whi*h was nder *onstr*tion %y Chelsea Bilders. He $i*klytold the %oys the reason #or his *all.

"&st %e#ore $it working," Hank said, " noti*ed a ln*h %o0 stashed againsta girder."

"8o ean soewhere high p on the %ilding skeleton3" &oe asked.

"ight. The twenty4/rst 5oor to %e e0a*t. O#ten, when the en are working,they don't %other *oing down to the street #or ln*h. ;nyhow, /gred oneo# the *onstr*tion *rew st')e #orgotten it when he le#t.

(o opened it thinking there ight %e soething in it to *le e in to whoit %elonged." Hank shook his head as i# still slightly in*redlos. "Boy, yo'llne)er gess what #ond inside!"

"(oething sspi*ios3" Frank sggested.

"8o %etter %elie)e it! There was a drawing like a %ilding 5oor plan, with anN ark and soe n%ers. ;t /rst thoght it ight ha)e soething to dowith the skys*raper we're working on, %t then, as looked at it *losely, reali+ed that it was a layot o# or *opany o*es on (e)enth ;)ene!"

"2hat a%ot the N ark3" &oe $estioned.

"That's what ade e *all yo. t indi*ated the lo*ation o# the *opanysa#e! Those n%ers were pro%a%ly the *o%ination. 2hat's ore, therewas also a key in the ln*h %o0, perhaps to the otside door o# the o*esite!"

&oe whistled. "2ow! That sonds like a preparation #or a ro%%ery:an insideo%! Bt who *old ha)e le#t the ln*h %o03 ;ny idea3"

Hank related that a grop o# *opany o*ials had )isited the str*tre that)ery a#ternoon. "(oe had on loose *otton dst *oats, so one o# the ightha)e sggled p the ln*h %o0 and le#t it, or at least stashed the paper andkey i# the %o0 was already planted there. Then, tonight when it's dark, ay%e

the *rook who'll pll the ro%%ery is spposed to pi*k it p!""(art thinking, Hank, " Frank agreed. "That *old %e their plan, all right."

";nd the gys who set it p," &oe added, "ay also %e in)ol)ed in those threeChelsea %ilding *ases ad's in)estigating!"

"ight, whi*h is why tipped yo two o-," said the ndian high4steel worker."Bt what do we do a%ot it3"

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The Hardys e0*hanged thoght#l glan*es.

"Think we shold warn r. Ta%or3" &oe asked his %rother. ";#ter all, he's thehead o# the *opany."

" know," Frank said, de*iding to trst the ohawk and speak openly in #ront

o# hi. "Bt we still *an't %e sre he hisel# isn't i0ed p in all this. 2as heone o# the *opany o*ials who *ae here today to inspe*t the str*tre3"

Hank nodded re#lly. "' a#raid he was."

"Looks as i# we'll ha)e to play it %y ear, then, and se or own dgent,"Frank de*ided.

"How do we know the ln*h %o0 is still there3" &oe asked.

The ohawk shrgged. "2e don't. ')e %een hanging arond here e)er sin*eit got dark, trying to keep y eyes peeled #or anything sspi*ios, %t thatdoesn't pro)e *h. ay%e we'd %etter *he*k."

"sn't there a wat*han on dty3" Frank in$ired."(re, %t he's a la+y %. (pends ost o# the tie with his #eet p, readingthe paper. ;nyone *old sneak %y hi."

"Okay then, i# it won't stir p any tro%le, let's ha)e a look!"

The skys*raper was going p %etween two other %ildings. The %ase o# itsstr*tral skeleton was en*losed %y a high %oard #en*e. ;#ter *atiosglan*es to see whether the *oast was *lear, the three darted a*ross thestreet. Hank >agle ga)e ea*h o# the Hardys a %oost p the #en*e, thenleaped #or a handhold and swng o)er easily %y hisel#.

n a lighted %ooth st inside the a**ess doorway throgh the #en*e, they*old see the wat*han snoring with a newspaper on his lap and a theroso# *o-ee on the ta%le ne0t to hi.

"(ee what ean3" Hank grinned.

"How do we get to the twenty4/rst 5oor3" &oe in$ired.

"There's a #reight hoist, %t it akes a lot o# noise when yo swit*h on theotor. t'd pro%a%ly wake e)en hi p. Better walk."

Teporary wooden stairways had %een ere*ted #or the worken, leading pthrogh the %ilding skeleton. The Hardys and their ohawk #riend #eltleaden4legged as they neared their destination in spite o# their tri physi*al*ondition.

(ddenly they heard a etalli* *link in the darkness. "Hold it!" Hank >aglehissed, ptting a hand on ea*h %oy's ar.

They were as*ending a *onne*ting stairway on the right side o# the str*tre.=eering otward and pward, they dis*o)ered that soeone had hea)ed aline #ro a window o# the adoining %ilding to hook onto the 5oor o# the

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skys*raper skeleton soewhere a%o)e the. ;s they wat*hed, they *oldsee the dark /gre o# a an silhoetted in the oonlight, shinnying his wayp #ro the window along the rope.

"'ll %et he's going a#ter the ln*h %o0!" &oe whispered.

"ight! Let's get hi!" Frank rged.;ll three dashed p the stairs on tiptoe. ;s they rea*hed the twenty4/rst5oor, they saw the intrder s*ra%le o)er the edge and onto the teporary5ooring o# the skys*raper. Then he darted silently a*ross the wooden planks.

"That's what he's a#ter, all right!" Hank ttered to the %oys. "The ln*h %o0is o)er that way!"

They o)ed to *t o- the stranger's retreat to the hook and line. Bte)idently he heard the. 2ith a 5eeting glan*e o)er his sholder, he ranni%ly o)er an open girder toward another part o# the str*tre. The )erythoght o# his re*kless 5ight, hndreds o# #eet a%o)e the grond, ade the

Hardys di++y.Hank >agle set o- a#ter hi withot hesitation. "2ait:don't try it, yo two!"he told the Hardys as he dashed o)er the girder in prsit. "Lea)e this toe!"

2at*hing the two /gres intently in the oonlit gloo, the %rothers saw the#giti)e rea*h another stairway. nstead o# heading downward to street le)el,he started p, %onding two or three steps at a stride.

"?eep an eye on hi while try to *t hi o-!" &oe %lrted and darted %a*kto the stairway they thesel)es had sed. Constr*tion on the skys*raperhad progressed only three stories higher, with the n/nished skeleton endingon the twenty4#orth 5oor.

;s he rea*hed it, &oe *aght sight o# the intrder, who was rnning a*rossthe wooden planking toward the edge o# the str*tre. &oe sensed hisintention at a glan*e. He was going to leap down onto the roo# o# theadoining %ilding #ro whi*h he had eerged only a #ew intes %e#ore!

The Hardy %oy rshed to stop hi. He gra%%ed the #giti)e %y the ar. Btthe an %roke loose with a ttered oath. They grappled wildly at the %rinko# the planking. Too late, &oe saw

059 Night of the Werewolf

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