The Sign of the Crooked Arrow Read Online Free PDF

was poisoned!”

CHAPTER V
    Expensive Evidence
    WITHOUT waiting for another word, Frank and Joe ran to their car and drove to the hospital in record time. When they reached their father’s room, they found him very ill. Mrs. Hardy was by his side.
    â€œYour father was poisoned by that arrow,” she said a bit shakily. “The doctors are doing all they can.”
    Mr. Hardy was too weak to speak, but he smiled faintly at his sons.
    â€œYou’d better go along,” Mrs. Hardy said presently. “I’ll phone the house if I need you.”
    Deeply worried, the boys drove home and telephoned the details of their visit to Sam Radley. Later, Mrs. Hardy called from the hospital that their father was somewhat improved, but that she would stay with him. The boys ate dinner with Aunt Gertrude and went directly to bed.
    The following morning their mother had an encouraging report on Mr. Hardy. This buoyed their spirits considerably.
    â€œJoe,” said Frank, getting up from the breakfast table, “we’ll have to think of a new approach on how to locate those holdup men.”
    â€œYou’re right,” Joe agreed. “Tell you what. Let’s go down to Mike’s Place and ask people in that area for the time. Maybe—just maybe—we’ll find another wrist watch with a crooked arrow or a lead to the thieves who use that question as a gimmick.”
    The Hardys drove to the street where the restaurant was located and parked their car. Then they began the tedious job of questioning the passers-by. As the hours wore on, the answer was usually a polite “twelve-thirty,” “one-fifteen,” “three forty-five.” Still the boys persisted.
    About four o’clock, Frank, across the street from where Joe was standing, stopped a short, husky fellow who wore a cap pulled low on his forehead. Instead of giving him the time, the man growled, “Get out of my way!”
    Frank stepped toward the man, who suddenly cocked his arm. A heavy fist flashed. Before the boy could duck, the blow caught him on the point of the chin. Stunned, he staggered backward against a building!
    â€œStop him!” Joe shouted as the man dashed down the street.
    But the few people who had witnessed the scene merely stared, letting the stranger escape.
    â€œI’ll get him!” Joe cried, racing to his brother’s side. “Meet you at the car,” he told Frank, who by this time had regained his balance.
    The squat man was a block ahead when Joe spotted him snaking among the pedestrians.
    The boy gained yard after yard, leaving a trail of gaping onlookers. Presently he found himself only a block away from Jenk’s Tobacco Shop!
    Hearing Joe’s footsteps close behind, Frank’s attacker put on an extra burst of speed. A moment later he dashed into the tobacco store. When Joe ran through the doorway, his quarry was leaning against the counter, puffing madly.
    â€œWhat’s the idea of hitting my brother?” the boy demanded, clenching his fists.
    â€œYour—your brother’s too nosy,” the short man wheezed. “Tried to look at my watch—and I don’t even have one on.”
    Joe glanced at the man’s wrists. There was no watch. But he noted a section of slightly untanned skin on his left arm as if one had been worn recently.
    â€œYou had a watch on,” Joe retorted. “What did you do with it?”
    Jenk, who was standing behind the counter, looked at Joe. “That fresh kid again,” he said menacingly. “You got an unhealthy interest in the time. Why don’t you chase along home?”

    Stunned, Frank staggered backward
    Joe had all he could do to keep from taking a punch at both men. But he knew he would be no match for Jenk and the stranger.
    â€œOkay,” he said, and walked out.
    But he had no intention of dropping the matter. The fact that the chase had led to the tobacco shop was too good a clue to