Free Hopping Mad by Franklin W. Dixon Page A

nothing! They were out of the competition before it had even begun.
    â€œWait one second, boys.” A smile grew on Aunt Gertrude’s face. “I have an idea.”
    She ran back inside the house. The boys heard the sound of footsteps rushing up the stairs, and then the sound of the attic door slamming. A few minutes later Aunt Gertrude reappeared in the backyard.
    â€œHere,” she said happily. “You can use these.” She held out two cardboardtubes, the kind that wrapping paper came curled around. “I saw them when I was cleaning out the attic the other day. I was going to throw them out, but thankfully I forgot.”

    Frank and Joe each picked up a tube. They took a few practice swings. The tubes were just the right length! And they wouldn’t hurt as much when they accidentally got hit. This was perfect!
    â€œThanks, Aunt Gertrude,” the boys said together. Then Frank turned to face Joe. The backyard, Aunt Gertrude, and their mom disappeared from view. They were back on the rocky cliffside.
    â€œEn garde!” screamed Frank.
    The battle was back on!

2
Frogs Away!
    Finally, two days later, the day of the talent show arrived! The boys had spent every spare moment practicing with the cardboard tubes that their aunt Gertrude had given them. They didn’t make the same clashing sound that the metal curtain rods had made, but with a little bit of silver spray paint, they looked right. Their father even helped them build hilts on the base, so they looked like real swords.
    The whole school was gathered in the auditorium to watch the talent show. Class had been canceled for the entire day! It didn’t get any better. Everyone participating in the talent show drew numbers backstage to determine who went first. Frank drew number seven.
    â€œI’m glad we’re not first,” said Joe.
    â€œScared?” said Frank.
    â€œNo!” said Joe. “I just don’t want to intimidate the competition.” And maybe he had a little stage fright. But just a little.
    The first person up was Adam Ackerman. Frank and Joe watched from backstage.
    â€œUgh,” said Joe. Adam was one of the school bullies, and he and the Hardys had never gotten along. He always had to be first at everything. Joe wouldn’t have been surprised if he’d found a way to rig the drawing! All the other students in the talent show, along with Principal Butler, were waitingoffstage and behind the curtain. Adam walked out onstage.
    â€œWhat’s big and gray and has sixteen wheels?” Adam asked. He paused to let the audience think.
    â€œA truck!” someone yelled.
    â€œNope,” said Adam. “An elephant on roller skates!”
    As much as Frank hated to admit it, Adam’s comedy routine was actually pretty funny. There was a reason he was one of the class clowns, after all. The audience was loving it. It seemed like they were going to have some stiff competition.
    â€œWhat is green and smelly? The Hulk’s farts.”
    Uh-oh. Principal Butler didn’t look happy about that joke. She was frowning and her face was turning red! But the audience was hooting and laughing.
    â€œWhat’s brown and sticky?” said Adam. The audience grew quiet. It seemed like Adam was getting into dangerous territory with his jokes.
    â€œA stick!”
    By the time Adam was finished with his third joke, Principal Butler was already running out onto the stage. She grabbed him by the collar and took the microphone away from him.
    â€œThat’s enough of that kind of talk, Mr. Ackerman,” she said. “You are disqualified from this competition.”

    Some of the kids in the audience booed, but Adam just grinned. He waited until Principal Butler’s back was turned, and then stuck out his tongue at her. The audience laughed again. Principal Butler whirled around, but by the time she looked at him, Adam was walking off the stage with his head down. He seemed pretty