Hardy Boys -2: Secret of the Old Mill

Arrows and Paper

"Wait, Chet!" shouted Joe as the stout boy reached out for the arrow. He deftly plucked it from the tree.

"If you're hoping to get prints off it, there wouldn't be any near the arrowhead," said Chet matter-of-factly. He pointed to the feathery shaft. "They'd be back here, and that's if your archer wasn't wearing gloves."

Frank chuckled. "Chet is the foremost expert on arrows." He got up and helped Callie up. "Thanks Cal, I owe you big time."

Callie chuckled nervously. "Take me out on a date that doesn't involve danger, and we'll call it good."

Iola chuckled. "With the Hardys, that's nearly impossible."

"Unless you catch them when they're not in the middle of a mystery," said Ellen.

"But they just started!" stammered Chet.

"Yeah." Joe turned to Frank and Callie. "Man, that was too close."

"Ssh!" said Chet. "You hear that?" Everyone strained their ears, just in time to hear a whizzing sound. "Hit the deck!" Everyone dropped to the ground. When they got back up, there was another arrow vibrating in the tree, but it looked like it wasn't aimed at anyone in particular. A note hung from this one.

Joe jumped up and grabbed the note off the arrow. Frank stood up and read the note over his shoulder. The others got up as well.

"What does it say?" asked Callie.

Frank read it out loud. "'Consider this your first warning. Stop the investigation, or else.'"

"Or else an arrow's going to be sticking out of you!" said Chet with a gulp.

Frank took the paper from Joe. "But how did they even know we were investigating it? Like Chet said, we just started!"

"What? Don't you know?" Everyone glanced at Ellen expectantly. She clicked her tongue. "For a couple of detectives, you don't pay much attention to the gossip in town."

Joe smacked his forehead. "And we've been going around, telling everyone about the counterfeits!"

Chet winced. "And I let out that you were going to get my money back for sure. I may as well have run up to the crooks and told them myself!"

Frank groaned. "Some detectives we are!"

Callie patted his back. "Hey, come on, you guys are still learning."

Joe grinned sheepishly. "You know, she's right."

Frank huffed. "I know. Well, let's head home, I don't think there's anything more we can find out." He didn't say the last two words that came to mind, 'just yet'. He wanted to come back later, without the crooks knowing the plan. They were going to have to follow their father's methods and stay extremely silent on the matter.

As soon as everyone got into the car, the Queen was off. The ride back home was mostly quiet. The arrows were in the trunk with the picnic basket. Frank and Joe pondered about this new development in the case. So one of the crooks liked archery. Did Collig have any crooks on file who did? It was such an odd hobby among criminals, he would stand out for sure. But there was one thought that was running through the boys' heads. If these guys were rather unique, why did they keep giving out clues that would just bring the Hardys to their front door? Were they desperate to get caught or something?

As soon as they got home, the entire group said hello in passing to Gertrude and Jack, still in the living room where the boys had left them, and dashed up the stairs to the study.

"So now what?" asked Ellen.

"Well," began Frank, "I think we should proceed with caution." He pointed at Chet. "And no blabbing our plans to anyone else in public." Joe quickly got their father's note out of sight while their attention was on Frank.