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

Boff?”
    â€œOh, you mean Biff. He’s fine. Mr. Greene, may we check in the house again for any bugs? Then we’ll investigate outside. It could be they have tapped your line by the pole near the road.”
    â€œSure. Go ahead.”
    The boys went to work with speedy efficiency. “Nothing here,” Joe said finally. As they moved toward the front door, a shrill scream pierced the stillness.
    The boys ran outside, followed by the old man. They saw a woman running frantically toward the steeply sloping cliff. A man was chasing her!
    Suddenly she whirled about and in a high-pitched voice shouted, “I’ll throw myself into the sea if you come one step further!”
    The man hesitated, then started his pursuit again.
    â€œDo you think it’s a lovers’ quarrel?” Joe asked.
    â€œWhatever it is, it could have serious consequences. That woman might kill herself!”
    The Hardys raced up to the man. “Hold it!” Frank called out. “Leave her alone!”
    â€œYou take care of him,” Joe said to his brother. “I’ll try to keep the woman from jumping off.” He rushed toward the cliff.
    â€œWhat’s going on?” Frank asked the man.
    â€œDon’t let her do it!” he panted, throwing up his arms in despair. “She’s crazy enough to do anything!”
    Joe, meanwhile, had reached the woman, who stood precariously close to the edge of the cliff. He put both arms around her waist and began pulling her back. Suddenly she spun around. Now Joe was at the lip of the cliff himself! The woman tried to shove him over, and in her efforts a wig fell off her head!
    â€œHoly crow!” Joe thought. “It’s a man!”
    Frank was having his troubles, too. The man, who had pleaded for help a moment before, set upon him and wrestled him toward the cliff. In the distance, Mr. Greene wrung his hands in despair. “They’re trying to shove you overl” he cried out.
    This was painfully evident to the Hardy boys, who had a tough fight on their hands. Frank got the better of his adversary with a karate chop. The man staggered, then ran back toward the driveway.
    Frank rushed forward to help his brother. Both Joe and his adversary were still wrestling at the lip of the cliff. Suddenly, to Frank’s horror, both fell over and rolled down the steep embankment, locked together in a bear hug!
    As they tumbled down the sandy, rocky slope, Frank saw that the other man was getting the worst of it. His head crashed against one rock, then another. By the time both hit the narrow beach a hundred feet below, they rolled apart and lay motionless.
    Frank’s adversary had reached his car which was parked down the road and drove off. It was a black sedan! “We were followed after all,” Frank thought to himself.
    He turned to Mr. Greene, who had come up alongside him. “They’re hurt,” the boy said. “Is there a way to the beach?”
    The elderly man pointed to a narrow, rutted lane some distance away, which twisted steeply to the water’s edge. “It hasn’t been used in years,” he said. “Part of it’s been washed away by rain.”
    â€œI’m going down,” Frank said. “Better call an ambulance.”
    When Frank reached the bottom he raced over to his brother. Joe was just opening his eyes.
    â€œYou all right?” Frank asked, his throat dry.
    Joe stood up cautiously and moved his arms and legs. “I guess so. Don’t think I broke anything. But this other character might not be so well off.”
    The boys walked over to Joe’s adversary. He was lying on his side.
    â€œBetter not touch him,” Frank warned. “He might be in serious trouble.”
    They bent down to get a look at the man’s face.
    â€œGood grief!” Frank said. “It’s Gerard Henry!”
    â€œThe jewelry salesman?”
    â€œThat’s right.”
    Frank and Joe