Free The Secret Panel by Franklin W. Dixon

out of house and home.”
    Frank chuckled. “Great idea. Mrs. Morton is about the best cook in the world.”
    When the boys reached home they told their mother where they were going. But they could not get out of the house without Aunt Gertrude remarking about it.
    â€œGallivanting again!” she said sternly. “Home the last thing at night and out first thing in the morning. Now you’ve been in this house just about five minutes, and already you’re off again!”
    â€œOh,” said Joe, a twinkle in his eye, “this is strictly business, Aunty. We’re working on a case for Chet.”
    Before Miss Hardy could think of an answer, the boys had disappeared through the doorway. They got into their convertible and headed for the Morton farm. As Joe had predicted, the midday meal was about to be served.
    Chet’s sister Iola was glad to see them, especially Joe. She told Frank to go into the living room. “Surprise!” she said with a broad smile.
    Frank found Callie Shaw there, watching television. The brown-eyed, vivacious girl was his favorite date.
    â€œOh, hi, Frank!” Callie said, beaming. “I had a hunch you might be coming.”
    â€œYou did?”
    â€œA little bird was on the news just a minute ago. He said so!”
    Frank laughed. “No kidding. Is that why you decided to stay for lunch?”
    Callie blushed. She got even with him when Mrs. Morton came in.
    â€œFrank and Joe have eaten already and won’t join us for lunch,” she said with a wink.
    â€œI’m so sorry,” Mrs. Morton said, taking her cue from Callie. “We’re having barbecued spare-ribs and biscuits.”
    Then, seeing Frank’s hungry expression, she laughed good-naturedly and said she would set two more places at the table at once, and asked Frank to call Chet. “He’s out spraying the apple trees.”
    Frank went to find his friend, who was delighted to be relieved of his job, and started for the house.
    â€œWait a minute,” Frank said. “I have something to tell you.”
    He related how the dory had been salvaged. Chet’s eyes nearly popped from their sockets; then he shook his head sadly and groaned. “Now what am I going to do?”
    He brightened, however, when Frank told him that he and Joe were going back to the Mead house later to see if the Bloodhound had been brought there.
    Chet was sorry not to be able to go along because of his afternoon chores at the farm, but he expressed confidence in his friends’ ability to solve his problem. As the two walked toward the house, he asked Frank not to mention anything to his folks about the boat.
    During lunch the young people made plans for a triple date to the movies that evening. Chet called his girl, Helen Osborne, and invited her to the show. Soon after dessert the Hardys left the house.
    They were eager to clear up the mystery of Chet’s dory. Since they planned to be at the movies that evening, they decided to return at once to the Mead mansion.
    When they arrived at the estate, they concealed their car in a tangle of trees. Then they looked for evidence of recent visitors. There were no footprints or automobile tracks near the boathouse.
    â€œProbably the dory hasn’t been brought here yet,” Joe deduced.
    â€œWhy don’t we have another look around the place as long as we’re here?” Frank suggested. He opened the front door and clicked on the light in the hall. Nothing happened.
    â€œWhoever turns on the generator isn’t here now, that’s for sure,” he remarked. “Let’s do a little investigating in the cellar and try to find where the line comes in.”
    Frank snapped on his flashlight and led the way below. For the next few minutes they hunted in vain for any sign of a fuse box.
    â€œMaybe old Mr. Mead concealed it as he did the locks and latches,” said Frank, almost slipping on the damp floor as he