Joe saw his motive.
“Sure, dad can look after himself. There’s nothing to be alarmed about. He’s probably keeping out of sight in Chicago for fear Baldy Turk’s gang will find out he is there. If they ever knew he was on their trail they wouldn’t stop at trying to kill him. He said so himself. If he tried to communicate with us it might give them just the clue they are waiting for.”
“I suppose you’re right,” Mrs. Hardy agreed, brightening up. “Well, we won’t worry about it.”
“Of course we won’t worry about it!” declared Aunt Gertrude. “Worry is unhealthy. Worry has sent more people to their graves than anything else. Look at me. I never worry. That’s why I’m so healthy. I’ll live to be a hundred.”
“Yes, it would take quite a lot to kill you, Aunt Gertrude,” agreed Frank innocently.
Aunt Gertrude looked up at him suspiciously.
“I don’t know just what you mean by that, young man, but I’ll warrant there’s something behind it! What are you two rascals waiting around here for, anyway? What do you want?”
“We were just wanting to talk to mother.”
“Well, go ahead. Who’s stopping you? I won’t listen, I’m sure. If it’s none of my business you needn’t be afraid that I’ll listen. Not at all. Not at all. Go right ahead. Talk to your mother if you wish. Of course, if you want to leave your poor old aunt out of everything I’m sure I don’t mind. I’m not interested, anyway.”
Whereupon Aunt Gertrude indignantly hitched her chair around toward the window and knitted vigorously.
“Go ahead! I’m not listening. Talk away. I won’t listen to a word of it,” she shrilled.
Mrs. Hardy smiled.
“What is it, boys?”
“I’m not listening,” declared Aunt Gertrude.
“We think we’ve found a new clue about Chet and Biff,” said Frank. “We wanted to go on another search for them!”
“What!” shrieked Aunt Gertrude, quite forgetting that she had not been listening. She wheeled about in her chair. “Go on another search for those two boys! Of all the idiotic ideas! Laura Hardy, if you let these two children go gallivanting out into the ocean again it will be against my advice.”
“Where are you planning to look for them?” asked Mrs. Hardy.
“Blacksnake Island!”
Aunt Gertrude gasped. In her astonishment she dropped her knitting needles. “Blacksnake Island! Frank Hardy, have you gone completely off your head?”
X
The Boy on the Deck
Perhaps it was because Mrs. Hardy was determined to show that she was mistress in her own home. At any rate, she gave her consent to the proposed expedition. This was in spite of all Aunt Gertrude’s protests and predictions of disaster. The terrible woman raved for an hour when it was definitely decided that the Hardy boys should go on the trip, but Mrs. Hardy was firm. If there was any chance that they might be able to rescue Chet and Biff she meant that they should avail themselves of it.
They explained their theory regarding the letter, and although Aunt Gertrude derided it as nonsense, Mrs. Hardy was disposed to believe that their deductions might be correct.
“You may go,” she said. “But take care of yourselves and don’t take any foolish chances. I’m worrying enough about your father, as it is.”
So the boys left the house before Aunt Gertrude would have an opportunity to change their mother’s mind and joyfully acquainted Phil and Tony with the news.
“We’re going to start right away,” they told their chums. “Better get ready.”
“I was speaking to Slim Robinson and Jerry Gilroy,” Tony told them. “They want to come along too.”
“There isn’t room for all of us in the one boat.”
“I was thinking of that. What’s the matter with the rest of us making the trip in the Napoli? I’ll get up another expedition and we’ll follow you.”
“Good idea. One of the boys can come with us and the rest of you can go in the Napoli. Joe and I are starting right away.”
But when it came time to check up on the various members of the searching party they discovered that Tony was the only one who could leave that day. Slim Robinson had to work that afternoon, as also had Jerry Gilroy, while Phil Cohen had an engagement for the evening that he was unable to break.
“We’ll all leave in the Napoli first thing tomorrow morning, then,” decided Tony. “You and Joe go ahead in your boat now and head toward Blacksnake Island. We’ll be along in the morning.”
This was the plan agreed upon, and the Hardy boys lost no time in making ready for the trip. They had the forethought to stock up with provisions for several days, although the run to Blacksnake Island would not take them many hours, because they realized that the search might keep them away from home longer than they expected.
It was afternoon before they were able to get away, and all through the lunch hour they were in a constant state of apprehension lest Aunt Gertrude prevail upon their mother to withdraw her permission for the journey.
“They’ll never come back alive, mark my words!” declared their aunt. “They’ll be bitten by those snakes on Blacksnake Island, as sure as fate. Why, even grown-up men won’t go on that island. It’s a terrible place. I’ve read all about it.”
“We’re not planning to explore the island, Aunt Gertrude,” Frank explained. “We’re going to cruise around it and see if we can find any sign of the fellows.”
“Cruise around it!” their aunt sniffed. “As if I don’t know boys! You’ll not be satisfied until you’ve tramped from one end of the island to the other. But go ahead. Go ahead. I wash my hands of the affair. If you want to commit suicide, it’s your own lookout,” and she swept from the room in great indignation.
Mrs. Hardy did not share her fears. She
