The Secret of the Caves Read Online Free PDF Page A

you in case you needed help. Say, you are going to be Delta Sigma pledges, aren’t you?”
    â€œOf course not,” said Joe, his biceps still flexed.
    â€œSo you were hazing us?” asked Frank. “Who told you to do that?”
    Jack Hale looked embarrassed. He cast a fleeting glance up the stairs and seemed relieved when several other Delta Sigma boys moved quietly down behind him.
    â€œI can’t tell you who it is,” Hale said.
    The blue-eyed youth nodded vigorously. “We’re honor bound not to reveal his identity.”
    â€œWe thought you were going to be Delta Sigma pledges,” Jack said. “Honest we did.”
    â€œWell, then you ought to let prospective pledges in on it, too,” Frank said. He turned away. “Come on, Joe. Let’s get out of here. We have work to do.”
    Looking somewhat the worse for wear after their strenuous night, the Hardys nonetheless planned another bit of sleuthing before returning to their cottage for sleep.
    â€œLet’s examine Todd’s room before Quill gets up,” Frank suggested.
    Joe readily agreed. “At six A.M. Quill’s probably still asleep.” Joe reached into his pocket. “I have the key to Todd’s apartment.”
    The Hardys encountered a few milk-delivery trucks and one newspaper boy as they made their way to Shelly Row. Joe inserted the key quietly and turned it in the lock. The boys entered. Frank pressed his ear against the apartment wall. Silence.
    â€œHe’s still in the arms of Morpheus,” Frank whispered.
    â€œOkay,” Joe said. “Let’s look around.”
    Enough daylight filtered through the two front windows to allow the boys to examine the apartment carefully. While Joe concentrated on objects of furniture, Frank looked through notes and textbooks lying about. But the boys could find no evidence of where Morgan Todd might have gone.
    â€œI guess the police search was pretty thorough, after all,” Joe commented. “What are you looking at, Frank?”
    His brother held one of the mimeographed examination sheets in his hand and was scrutinizing it. Joe watched Frank as he scanned sentence after sentence on the white paper. Then a strange expression came over his face. Joe had seen it before when Frank was on the trail of a clue.
    â€œYou found something?” Joe asked excitedly.
    â€œI’ll say I have!” Frank declared, sucking in his breath. “Wow! Look at this!”

CHAPTER V
    Counterattack
    JOE glanced over his brother’s shoulder. “All I see is an exam paper—the fill-in type.”
    â€œYes,” Frank replied. “But there’s a clue right under your nose.”
    â€œI don’t get it, Frank. You must have super vision.”
    â€œLook. Read this first question, Joe.”
    â€œ ‘Russia’s present political system was founded by—.’ ”
    â€œI don’t care about the answer,” Frank said. “Now read the second question.”
    â€˜â€œOnly——men from California have been named to the Supreme Court.’”
    Joe frowned. “It’s still a riddle to me.”
    Enjoying the game he was playing, Frank asked, “How many questions are there?”
    â€œEight.”
    â€œAnd the first letter of the first word in each question spells what?”
    Joe’s eyes quickly roved down the side of the exam sheet. “R-O-C-K-A-W-A-Y.” He whistled. “The name of a town!”
    â€œThat’s it—Rockaway,” Frank said. “Todd did leave a clue. And I don’t think the police found it, either.”
    â€œGood for you,” Joe said, slapping his brother on the back. “I guess I’m too bushed for any deep brainwork.”
    â€œWe’ll have breakfast and sack out,” Frank said. “Then we’ll go to the post office and find out from their guidebook how many Rockaways there are in the U.