Free The Clue of the Hissing Serpent by Franklin W. Dixon

as they came in for the landing. “I hope this crate sets down in one piece!”
    A fire truck and ambulance stood beside the runway, but his skilled handling brought the plane down safely.
    Joe and Tony reached the Hardy home minutes before Frank and Biff pulled into the driveway.
    Excited conversation ensued for the next hour over sandwiches, then Biff and Tony left and the Hardys arrived at Krassner’s place an hour and a half later. They locked the car and walked up to the door.
    Krassner met them in the sumptuous foyer, and shook their hands warmly. “Glad you came,” he said. “I’ve taken the Ruby King out of the safe. It’s in the library.”
    Hearing that the valuable antique stood unguarded, Joe frowned.
    â€œI know what you’re thinking,” Krassner said. “Don’t worry. We’re alone. I can assure you of that.”
    He led the way to a wing of the mansion and entered a plush library. Bookstacks extended from the floor to the ceiling, and a dim light filtered through heavy curtains on half-open French doors at the far end of the room.
    Suddenly Frank and Joe noticed a shadowy figure standing near the doors!

CHAPTER XI
    Over the Cliff
    SUDDEN fear gripped Frank. Had the intruder already raided Krassner’s safe? And was he making off with the Ruby King?
    Joe’s reaction was to dash across the room, but Krassner held him back. “Joe, what are you doing?” he asked. “The King won’t run away!”
    â€œIs that the King?” Joe asked in disbelief.
    With Frank at his side, he approached the figure cautiously. Now they saw that the chess piece was life-size, intricately carved, and bejeweled with bits of ruby.
    â€œWhy—we thought—”
    â€œYes, that should have occurred to me,” Krassner said and chuckled. He parted the curtains, throwing more light on the unusual antique. “You probably assumed the Ruby King was small.”
    â€œWe did,” Frank admitted.
    â€œAnd made from a solid piece of ruby,” Joe added.
    The boys walked around the figure, amazed by the subtlety of its carving and the placement of the precious gems. Two of the larger pieces made up the eyes, giving the King a crafty appearance.
    â€œI never knew there were life-size chess pieces,” Frank said.
    â€œOh yes,” Krassner told him. “The ancient nobility prized them highly. In several instances the warlords battled over possession of these figures.” He went on to explain that the ancients were known even to use people as chess pieces. “Courtyards were laid out as boards,” he said, “and the living pieces, usually slaves, moved from one place to another at the master’s bidding.”
    â€œYou know what threw us off,” Frank said. “You mentioned keeping the Ruby King in your safe. It must be quite a large one.”
    Krassner went to the opposite wall, pulled a tapestry aside, and revealed a steel door. The dial was the size of a kitchen plate, and the handle so bulky that it required two strong hands to turn it.
    â€œThat’s built like a fortress,” Joe remarked.
    Krassner nodded and pulled the door open. A light sprang on inside and the Hardys looked into the cavernous vault.
    â€œI’d say this is a safe place, wouldn’t you?” Krassner said with a self-satisfied smile.
    â€œWhere’d you get the design?” Frank quipped. “From Fort Knox?”
    Krassner shrugged. “In my business I need a good vault. Now let’s put the King in again. Here, Joe, give me a hand.”
    The boy helped him carry the prize into the safe and Krassner locked the door. Then he put the tapestry back into place and motioned the boys to sit down.
    â€œWell, now you’ve seen it,” he said. “It would be almost impossible to steal, and equally difficult to cart off.”
    Mr. Hardy had told his sons that no safe ever made was impervious to clever thieves,