The Secret of the Caves Read Online Free PDF

S.”
    â€œThere’s probably at least twenty-five,” Joe said with a sigh. “By the time we check on them, Morgan Todd could be in Timbuktu.” He yawned deeply, then placed his ear to the apartment wall.
    â€œHear anything?” asked Frank.
    â€œBouncy Quill is up,” Joe said. “Let’s get out of here before he discovers us. He’d be sure to ask a lot of questions.”
    Because the campus cafeteria was not yet open, Frank and Joe stopped at an all-night diner on the outskirts of town. After eating a hearty breakfast, they returned to their cottage.
    â€œOh boy, now for a peaceful sleep,” Joe said. He kicked off his shoes and flung himself on top of the bedspread.
    Too exhausted to undress, Frank did the same. The boys slept soundly for several hours.
    Frank awakened first and thought he was having a nightmare. A pillow was pressed hard over his face and a powerful hand pinned his shoulder to the mattress.
    Trying to cry out, Frank kicked wildly and flung the intruder away from the bed. Someone hit the opposite wall with a thud and crashed to the floor. The noise aroused Joe who sprang up, wild-eyed, and looked around the room.
    â€œJumpin’ catfish!” Joe glared at the stunned figure on the floor. “Biff Hooper, what’re you doing here?”
    Biff aroused himself and shook his head. “Got to clear the cobwebs,” he said. “I was only fooling, Frank. You jumped me like a wounded panther.”
    Frank laughed. “You got off easy, boy.”
    At that moment Chet sauntered through the doorway, munching noisily on potato chips. He dipped into a huge cellophane bag and pressed another handful into his mouth. Still munching, he asked, “What’s all the racket?”
    â€œBiff making a grand entrance,” Frank said wryly. “Sit down, fellows. We’ll tell you our latest news. How about some chips, Chet?”
    The stout lad proffered the crinkly bag, and the Hardys helped themselves. As they ate, they briefed Biff and Chet on their findings at Kenworthy College and their harrowing experience of the previous night.
    â€œWowie!” Biff exclaimed. “You Hardys sure stir things up!”
    â€œAnd now,” Joe said, “we have to find out how many Rockaways there are in the U. S. A.”
    â€œI can tell you one,” Chet said. “It’s near Honeycomb Caves.”
    â€œI never heard of it,” Frank said in surprise.
    â€œNeither did I,” said Chet. “It’s a dinky place.”
    Biff explained that they had driven down the coast early that morning and stopped at a small gas station a couple of miles north of Rockaway. “We asked the attendant how to get to Honeycomb Caves,” he went on, “and he warned us not to go.”
    â€œWhy?” Frank asked.
    â€œHe said awful things might happen to us if we did.”
    â€œSomething very strange is going on there,” added Chet with a great air of knowledge. “It sounded like a real mystery so we thought maybe you’d like to take time out and look into it.”
    â€œI knew you’d try to snag us into going to those caves,” said Frank, chuckling.
    Chet flung out his arms dramatically. “After all, Biff and I thought sure you would’ve found Morgan Todd by this time!”

    â€œJumpin’ catfish!” Joe exclaimed. “Biff Hooper, what’re you doing here?”
    â€œIt’s not going to be so easy,” Frank said. With a wink at his brother, he added, “But thanks for thinking about us. Come on, Joe! Our first stop’s the post office.” He glanced down at his disheveled clothes and grinned. “I mean, after the shower.”
    Fifteen minutes later both boys were in fresh clothes and Joe said, “Okay, let’s go.”
    He was about to step out the door when he suddenly closed it and motioned to the others. “I think we’re in for a fight, fellows, so