Mystery of the Desert Giant Read Online Free PDF

steps later.
    Suppressing their laughter, Frank and Joe walked behind. Suddenly, at a signal, they sang out together:
    â€œGila monster!”
    â€œWhere? Where? Oh—I see him!” The stone, in spite of its great weight, was sent flying forward through the air, and Chet Morton, showing great agility for a boy his size, went sprinting in the opposite direction.
    The Hardy brothers enjoyed their joke so thoroughly that for a moment they did not notice anything else. The heavy stone, however, had suddenly disappeared. “Hey! What happened to the rock?” Joe cried out.
    â€œGuess it went in that hole,” Frank said.
    â€œServes you both right!” Chet called. “You and your Gila monsters!”
    â€œWhy, Chet, you mean you didn’t see any monster? Then why did you run?” Joe teased.
    â€œWell ... I guess I made a little mistake,” mumbled their friend.
    â€œYou sure did. You let that valuable stone roll into a hole. To make up for it, you’re elected to get the stone out.”
    Chet was agreeable but soon found he could not do it alone as the hole was narrow and deep. Perspiring and breathing heavily, he begged for help. Laughing, the resourceful Hardys took off their belts and improvised a cradle in which to drag the rock back to the surface. From there, Frank and Joe took turns carrying it to the plane.
    By the time the plane had landed at Riverside County Airport, it was after five o’clock.
    â€œJust about suppertime,” noted Chet with satisfaction. “A swim and a steak—”
    Gene Smith came out on the field to meet them. “Hello, boys! What luck?” he called.
    Chet told him about the Gila monster. Smith grinned and said, “I once made a pet out of one of those critters. Used to drink milk out of a saucer, and jump in my lap like a house cat.”
    â€œReally?” Chet gulped.
    â€œSure,” Smith went on, with a straight face. “I taught that Gila to whistle. But it could only whistle one tune. I got tired of ‘Dixie,’ so I got rid of him.”
    The boys laughed, then showed him the jasper-studded rock. “This is all we discovered.”
    â€œUm, lucky find. We call that stuff Chinese jade. It’s picked up now and then.”
    â€œDo you think Grafton and Wetherby could have been after other pieces, lost their way, and perhaps injured themselves in the mountains?” Joe asked.
    Smith shrugged. “Could be. But it’s a long walk.”
    â€œWe have a favor to ask,” put in Frank. “Willard Grafton’s ship is here. May we check it for clues?”
    â€œHelp yourself. She’s at the back of the far hangar over there. When you’re through I’ll run you into town.”
    â€œThanks.” Frank covered the jasper stone and locked the plane. The boys hurried over to Grafton’s craft, a handsome red-and-white ship, with seats for four in the cabin. One of the cabin doors hung open.
    â€œFunny they don’t keep it locked,” Joe remarked.
    While Frank checked the instrument panel and Chet looked in the baggage area, Joe opened a little compartment similar to the glove compartment in an automobile. A penciled note on a scrap of yellow paper was all he found.
    â€œHere’s something!” Joe cried, waving the note.
    Frank and Chet crowded near him to read over Joe’s shoulder:
    TAKE WARNING HARDYS. ROSES ARE RED. VIOLETS ARE BLUE. WE FIXED GRAFTON. WE’LL FIX YOU. GET OUT WHILE THE GETTING IS GOOD.

CHAPTER V
    The Mob Scene
    â€œWHEW!” Chet whistled. “A warning! I knew this was coming!”
    The Hardys’ faces showed a combination of anger and perplexity. Who had written the note? Someone with a sardonic sense of humor, certainly.
    â€œLet’s not say anything about this,” Frank suggested. “But we should report that the plane door was open. I’m sure the person who delivered the note is