As the Queen went down the side road past the Elekton buildings, Frank thought, 'If Dad is working for Elekton, he might be somewhere in the plant right this minute.'
The same possibility was running through Joe's mind. 'Wonder if Dad is expecting a break in his secret case.'
As Chet neared the turn into the mill road, a green truck zoomed out directly in front of the
Queen. Chet jammed on his brake, narrowly avoiding a collision. The truck swung around the
jalopy at full speed and roared off toward the highway.
'The green truck we saw before!' Joe exclaimed. 'This time I got the license number, but couldn't see the driver's face.'
'Let's follow him!' Frank urged.
Chet started back in pursuit. 'That guy ought to be arrested for reckless driving!' he declared indignantly.
The Hardys peered ahead as they turned right onto the main road, trying to keep the truck in
sight.
Suddenly the boys heard a tremendous bo-o-om and felt the car shake.
'An explosion!' Joe cried out, turning his head. 'Look!'
Against the sky a brilliant flash and billows of smoke came from the direction of Elekton.
Another explosion followed.
'The plant's blowing up!' Joe gasped.
CHAPTER XIII
Sudden Suspicion
THE roar of the explosion and the sight of smoke and flames stunned the three boys for a
moment. Chet stepped on the brake so fast that his passengers hit the dashboard.
'Take it easy!' urged Frank, although he was as excited as Chet.
All thoughts of chasing the mysterious green truck were erased from the Hardys' minds.
'Let's get as close as possible,' Frank said tersely, as Chet headed the car back toward the plant. 'I'd like to know what-'
Frank broke off as a series of explosions occurred. The brothers sat forward tensely.
As the Queen drew near the main entrance, the boys could see that the flames and smoke were
pouring from a single building at the northeast corner.
'It's one of the labs, I think,' said Frank.
Quickly Chet pulled over and parked, and the boys hopped out of the jalopy. The series of
explosive sounds had died away, but the damage appeared to be extensive. Most of the
windows in the steel-and-concrete building had been blown out by the force of the blast.
Smoke and flames were pouring out of the blackened spaces where the windows had been. As
the boys ran toward the front, the roof of the west wing caved in. The rush of oxygen provided fuel for a new surge of flames that reached toward the sky.
'Lucky this happened after closing time,' Chet murmured, staring wide-eyed at the fire. 'There might have been a lot of injuries.'
'I hope no one was inside.' Joe exchanged worried glances with his brother. Both shared the same concern. It was for their father.
'I wish we could find out whether or not Dad's at Elekton,' Frank whispered to Joe.
At this point, the boys heard the scream of sirens. Soon fire trucks and police cars from Bayport pulled up at the front gate. The Hardys saw Chief Collig in the first police car. They rushed up to him and he asked how they happened to be there.
'Sleuthing,' Frank answered simply. Without going into detail, he added, 'Joe and I aren't sure, but we have a hunch Dad may have been-or still is-here at Elekton. All right if we go into the grounds and look around?' he asked eagerly. 'And take Chet?'
The officer agreed.
By this time the guard had opened the wide gate, and the fire apparatus rushed in. Some of the police officers followed, while others took positions along the road and directed traffic so it would not block the path of emergency vehicles.
As the boys rode inside with the chief, Joe asked him, 'Any idea what caused the explosion?'
'Not yet. Hard to tell until the firemen can get inside the building.'
When they reached the burning structure, Chief Collig began directing police operations, and
checking with the firemen. As soon as they seemed to have the flames under control, the
firemen entered the laboratory building to look for any possible victims of the explosions.
The Hardys and Chet, meanwhile, had searched the outdoors area for Mr. Hardy, but did not
see the detective.
'Maybe we were wrong about Dad's coming here,' Joe said to his brother, more hopeful than before.
'Dad probably wouldn't have been in the lab.'
The brothers went back to Chief Collig, who told them he had not seen Fenton Hardy. Just then
the fire chief came up to the group.
'I'll bet this fire was no accident,' he reported grimly to Collig. 'The same thing happened in Indiana about two months ago-and that was sabotage!'
Frank and Joe stared at each other. 'Sabotage!' Joe whispered.
A startling thought flashed into Frank's mind, and, drawing his brother aside, he exclaimed,
'Remember what we overheard Dad say on the phone? 'The same eight-and-one pattern. I'll be there.''
'And two months equal about eight weeks,' Joe added excitedly. 'That might have been the saboteurs'
time schedule Dad was referring to! So maybe the explosion at Elekton was set for today!'
Frank's apprehension about his father returned full force. 'Joe,' he said tensely, 'Dad might have been
inside the lab building trying to stop the saboteurs!'
Deeply disturbed, the Hardys pleaded with Chief Collig for permission to enter the building and search for their father.
'I can tell you're worried, boys,' the officer said sympathetically. 'But it's still too risky for me to let you go inside. It'll be some time before we're sure there's no danger of further
explosions.'
'I know,' Frank agreed. 'But what if Dad is in there and badly hurt?'
The police chief did his best to reassure the brothers. 'Your father would never forgive me if I let you risk your lives,' he added. 'I suggest that you go on home and cheer up your mother in case she has the same fears you do. I promise if I see your dad I'll call you, or ask him to.'
The boys realized that their old friend was right, and slowly walked away. Frank and Joe looked back once at the blackened building, outlined against the twilight sky. Wisps of smoke still
curled from the torn-out windows. It was a gloomy, silent trio that drove to the Hardy home in the Queen.
Frank and Joe decided not to tell their mother or aunt of their fear, or to give any hint of their suspicions.
When the boys entered the living room, both women gave sighs of relief. They had heard the
explosions and the subsequent news flashes about it.
Aunt Gertrude looked at the boys sharply. 'By the way, where have you three been all this time? I was afraid that you might have been near Elekton's.'
Frank, Joe, and Chet admitted that they had been. 'You know we couldn't miss a chance to find out what the excitement was about,' Joe said teasingly, then added with an assurance he was far from feeling, 'Don't worry. The fire was pretty much under control when we left.'
To change the subject, Frank said cheerfully, 'I sure am hungry. Let's dig into those sandwiches you bought, Chet!'
'Good ideal' Joe agreed.
