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16 - Hardy Boys The Shore Road Mystery by Franklin W Dixon · Hardy Boys: The Shore Road Mystery

• 0:02
  Speaker 1: Kidnapped. Rain threatened throughout the afternoon, but although the sky
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: darkened and there was an ominous calm, the storm held off.
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: After supper, the hardy boys went outside and looked at
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: the clouds. It's sure going to be a Jim Dandy declared, Joe,
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: do you think we really should go out tonight? A
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: little thing like a storm won't hold the car thieves back.
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: They'll operate in any weather, won't They think it queer
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: to see a car parked out in the rain. They'll
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: probably think it was stalled and that the owner went
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: to get help. That's right too, Joe agreed. I guess
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: we can chance it. We'll put the top up to
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: protect ourselves, and anyway, it's dry in the locker. The
• 0:45
  Speaker 1: rain will be the least of our worries in there,
• 0:47
  Speaker 1: said Joe with a grin. Let's be going. They went
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: out to the garage and put up the top of
• 0:53
  Speaker 1: the roadster, then got in. As they drove down High Street,
• 0:57
  Speaker 1: there was a low rumble of thunder and lash of
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: right against the windshield. Storm's coming right enough, Frank said, still,
• 1:06
  Speaker 1: I have a hunch. Ever since the previous night, he
• 1:10
  Speaker 1: had been possessed by a feeling that their next venture
• 1:13
  Speaker 1: would be crowned with success. He could not explain it,
• 1:16
  Speaker 1: but the feeling was there. Nevertheless, they spied Conriley in
• 1:22
  Speaker 1: oil skins against the approaching downpour, patrolling his beat, and
• 1:26
  Speaker 1: drew up at the curb. Ukar Eh, said Riley, surveying
• 1:30
  Speaker 1: the roadster grimly. I'll be running in for speeding some
• 1:34
  Speaker 1: of these days I'll be bound. Not in this boat,
• 1:37
  Speaker 1: Frank assured him. If we ever hit higher than thirty,
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: the engine would fly out. Thirty, scoffed the constable. That
• 1:45
  Speaker 1: looks like a real racing car. You mean ninety. We'll
• 1:48
  Speaker 1: take you for a drive some time when you're off duty.
• 1:51
  Speaker 1: We just stopped to ask if there was anything new
• 1:54
  Speaker 1: about the auto thieves. Riley looked very grave, as he
• 1:58
  Speaker 1: always did when anyone asked tim questions pertaining to police matters. Well,
• 2:03
  Speaker 1: he said, there is, and there isn't. That means there isn't.
• 2:10
  Speaker 1: We ain't found em yet, but that don't mean they
• 2:13
  Speaker 1: won't be found, said the officer darkly. We're followin up clues.
• 2:18
  Speaker 1: What kind of clues, Oh, just clues, said the officer vaguely.
• 2:25
  Speaker 1: We'll have em behind the bars before long, but you'd
• 2:28
  Speaker 1: better keep an eye on that car yours. It's just
• 2:31
  Speaker 1: the kind somebody would steal. Trust us, There's been no
• 2:35
  Speaker 1: trace of the other cars. Then Riley shook his head.
• 2:40
  Speaker 1: Not a sign. But then thieves will go too far
• 2:43
  Speaker 1: some of these fine days, and then we'll catch em. Well,
• 2:47
  Speaker 1: we hope you're the man who lands them, said Frank cheerfully,
• 2:50
  Speaker 1: as he edged the car out from the curb again.
• 2:53
  Speaker 1: So long, the boys drove away, and Conriley patiently resumed
• 2:58
  Speaker 1: his beat. The game is still open, remarked Joe. If
• 3:03
  Speaker 1: the police had learned anything new, Riley would have heard
• 3:05
  Speaker 1: about it. Whenever he says they're following up clues, you
• 3:09
  Speaker 1: can be certain that they are up against it. The
• 3:12
  Speaker 1: thieves are just as much as large as they ever were.
• 3:16
  Speaker 1: It was beginning to rain heavily before they reached the
• 3:18
  Speaker 1: outskirts of Bayport, and by the time they were well
• 3:21
  Speaker 1: out on the shore road, the storm was upon them.
• 3:25
  Speaker 1: Thunder rolled and rumbled in the blackening sky, and jacket
• 3:28
  Speaker 1: streaks of lightning flickered through the clouds. Rain streamed down
• 3:32
  Speaker 1: in the glare of the headlights. As the downpour grew
• 3:36
  Speaker 1: in violence, the road became more treacherous. Without chains, the
• 3:40
  Speaker 1: rear wheels of the car skidded and slithered on the
• 3:43
  Speaker 1: greasy surface. One of the numerous defects of the roadster's
• 3:47
  Speaker 1: mechanism was a loose steering wheel. Under ordinary circumstances, it
• 3:51
  Speaker 1: gave little trouble, but on this treacherous road, Frank experienced
• 3:56
  Speaker 1: difficulty in keeping the car on its course. Just outside
• 4:00
  Speaker 1: Bayport was a steep hill dipping to the bluffs that
• 4:03
  Speaker 1: overhung the bay. Under the influence of the rain, the
• 4:07
  Speaker 1: sloping road had become wet and sticky, and as the
• 4:10
  Speaker 1: roadster began the descent, Frank knew he was in for trouble.
• 4:14
  Speaker 1: The car skidded wildly, and the faulty brakes did not
• 4:17
  Speaker 1: readily respond. Once the nose of the roadster appeared to
• 4:21
  Speaker 1: be heading directly toward the steep bluff, where only a
• 4:24
  Speaker 1: narrow ledge separated the boys from a terrible plunge onto
• 4:27
  Speaker 1: the rocks of the beach below. Joe gave a gasp
• 4:31
  Speaker 1: of apprehension, but Frank bore down on the wheel and
• 4:34
  Speaker 1: managed to swing the car back onto the road again
• 4:37
  Speaker 1: in the nick of time. But the danger was not
• 4:39
  Speaker 1: yet over the car was tobogganing down the slope as
• 4:43
  Speaker 1: though entirely out of control. The rear wheels skidded crazily,
• 4:47
  Speaker 1: and several times the car was almost directly across the road,
• 4:51
  Speaker 1: sliding sideways, and when it did regain the ruts, it
• 4:54
  Speaker 1: shot ahead with breath taking speed. Almost any second. The
• 4:58
  Speaker 1: boys expected the road roadster would leave the slippery clay
• 5:02
  Speaker 1: and either shoot across the ledge into space or crash
• 5:05
  Speaker 1: into the rocky wall at the left. Somehow, luck was
• 5:09
  Speaker 1: with them. Luck and Frank's quick work at the unreliable
• 5:13
  Speaker 1: wheel saved them from disaster. The car gained the level ground,
• 5:18
  Speaker 1: settled into the ruts, and went speeding on at a
• 5:21
  Speaker 1: more reasonable rate. The lads, now breathed more easily. Looked
• 5:26
  Speaker 1: like our finish that time, observed Joe. I'll say it did.
• 5:30
  Speaker 1: I wouldn't have given a nickel for our chances. When
• 5:32
  Speaker 1: we were about half way down the hill. Well, a
• 5:35
  Speaker 1: miss is as good as a mile. We're still alive
• 5:38
  Speaker 1: and the old boat is still rolling along. When we
• 5:41
  Speaker 1: get back, I'm going to have that steering wheel fixed.
• 5:44
  Speaker 1: It very nearly cost us our lives. On through the storm.
• 5:48
  Speaker 1: The hardy boys drove until at last they reached the
• 5:50
  Speaker 1: place where they had parked on the previous night. There
• 5:53
  Speaker 1: was no one in sight as they drove out onto
• 5:56
  Speaker 1: the grass, and Frank turned off the engine and switched
• 5:59
  Speaker 1: out the lights. Quickly, they scrambled out, raised the lid
• 6:03
  Speaker 1: of the locker and got inside. The locker was warm
• 6:07
  Speaker 1: and dry. The boys were comfortable enough, aside from being
• 6:11
  Speaker 1: somewhat cramped, and they could hear the rain roaring down
• 6:14
  Speaker 1: on the top of the roadstairs as the storm grew
• 6:16
  Speaker 1: in violence. Warned by their former experience, the boys made
• 6:21
  Speaker 1: themselves more comfortable than they had previously been. On the
• 6:24
  Speaker 1: floor of the locker, they had spread a soft rug,
• 6:27
  Speaker 1: and they had also supplied themselves with two small but
• 6:30
  Speaker 1: comfortable pillows. I'm not going to wear out my knees
• 6:34
  Speaker 1: and elbows, Frank had said. The last time we were out,
• 6:37
  Speaker 1: my left elbow was black and blue. We'll fix it
• 6:40
  Speaker 1: up as comfortable as a bed, Joe had answered. In
• 6:45
  Speaker 1: addition to the rug and pillows, the boys had brought
• 6:47
  Speaker 1: along a small box of fancy crackers, and also a
• 6:50
  Speaker 1: bottle of cold water. For hiding in the locker for
• 6:53
  Speaker 1: hours had made them both hungry. And thirsty. I could
• 6:57
  Speaker 1: eat a few crackers right now, remarked Joe, shortly after
• 7:00
  Speaker 1: they had settled down to their vigil. Same here, answered
• 7:04
  Speaker 1: his brother, passed the box over each lad had several crackers,
• 7:09
  Speaker 1: and followed them with a swallow of water. As they
• 7:12
  Speaker 1: munched the crackers, the thunder rolled and rolled in the distance,
• 7:15
  Speaker 1: and they could see an occasional flash of lightning through
• 7:18
  Speaker 1: a crack of the locker door. It sure is a
• 7:21
  Speaker 1: dirty night, Frank whispered as they crouched in the darkness
• 7:25
  Speaker 1: of their voluntary prison, even for auto thieves. Thunder rolled
• 7:30
  Speaker 1: and grumbled, and the rain poured down in drenching torrents.
• 7:34
  Speaker 1: They could hear the beating of the surf on the
• 7:36
  Speaker 1: distant shore of Barmout Bay far below. Minutes passed with
• 7:41
  Speaker 1: only the monotonous roar of the storm. What's the time,
• 7:45
  Speaker 1: asked Joe. Finally, Frank switched on the flashlight and glanced
• 7:50
  Speaker 1: at his watch. Half past nine. Time enough, yet they
• 7:56
  Speaker 1: settled down to wait. Scarcely five minutes had passed before
• 8:00
  Speaker 1: they heard a new sound above the clamor of the
• 8:02
  Speaker 1: rain and wind. Some one stepped up on the running
• 8:05
  Speaker 1: board of the roadster, flung open the door and sat
• 8:08
  Speaker 1: down behind the wheel. The boys had not heard the
• 8:11
  Speaker 1: intruder's approach, owing to the noise of the storm, and
• 8:14
  Speaker 1: they sat up startled. The newcomer lost no time. In
• 8:20
  Speaker 1: a moment, the engine roared, and then the car started
• 8:23
  Speaker 1: forward with a jerk. It lurched across the grassy ground,
• 8:27
  Speaker 1: then climbed up onto the shore road. Back in the locker,
• 8:31
  Speaker 1: the lads were bounced and jolted against one another. They
• 8:34
  Speaker 1: did not mind this, for there was wild joy in
• 8:37
  Speaker 1: their hearts. At last, their patient vigil had been rewarded. Kidnapped,
• 8:43
  Speaker 1: whispered Frank exultantly. Once on the road, the car set
• 8:48
  Speaker 1: off at rapidly increasing speed through the storm. The man
• 8:51
  Speaker 1: at the wheel was evidently an expert driver, for he
• 8:54
  Speaker 1: got every ounce of power the engine was capable of,
• 8:57
  Speaker 1: and held the roadster to the highway. The roar of
• 9:00
  Speaker 1: the motor could be heard high above the drumming of
• 9:02
  Speaker 1: the rain. In the darkness of the locker, the boys
• 9:06
  Speaker 1: sat tight, not knowing where the car was going, not
• 9:10
  Speaker 1: knowing how long this wild journey might last. They kept
• 9:13
  Speaker 1: alert for any turns from the shore road, realizing that
• 9:16
  Speaker 1: they might have to find their way back by memory.
• 9:20
  Speaker 1: For about five minutes, the car held to the shore
• 9:23
  Speaker 1: road and then suddenly swerved to the right. Neither of
• 9:27
  Speaker 1: the boys had any recollection of a side road in
• 9:29
  Speaker 1: this part of the country, and they were immediately surprised, However,
• 9:33
  Speaker 1: by the violent lurching and jolting of the roadster. They
• 9:36
  Speaker 1: were soon aware that they were on no traveled thoroughfare
• 9:40
  Speaker 1: and that they were descending a slope over rough ground.
• 9:43
  Speaker 1: There was a loud swishing of branches and the sharp
• 9:46
  Speaker 1: snapping of twigs that indicated the roadster was passing through
• 9:49
  Speaker 1: the woods. The man at the wheel was driving more
• 9:52
  Speaker 1: carefully now that he was off the shore road and
• 9:55
  Speaker 1: comparatively safe from observation. He was evidently following a road
• 9:59
  Speaker 1: of sol sports, although the car swerved and jolted unmercifully,
• 10:03
  Speaker 1: but at length he came to even more precarious ground.
• 10:07
  Speaker 1: The rear of the roadster went high in the air
• 10:09
  Speaker 1: and came down with a crash. Frank and Joe were
• 10:12
  Speaker 1: flung violently to the bottom of the locker, and Frank
• 10:15
  Speaker 1: felt a most stunning blow on the head. Thud another jolt,
• 10:21
  Speaker 1: the car pitched and tossed like a ship in a storm. Bang.
• 10:25
  Speaker 1: A tire had blown out, but this did not appear
• 10:28
  Speaker 1: to worry the driver. The car canted far over on
• 10:31
  Speaker 1: one side, lurched forward, and then came down on all
• 10:35
  Speaker 1: four wheels with a terrific impact. The boys were badly
• 10:39
  Speaker 1: shaken up. They tried to brace themselves against the sides
• 10:42
  Speaker 1: of the locker, but this was of little use, as
• 10:45
  Speaker 1: the roadster's bumpy and erratic progress inevitably dislodged them. They
• 10:49
  Speaker 1: were thrown against one another, bounced from side to side,
• 10:53
  Speaker 1: bruised and battered. It was apparent to them that the
• 10:57
  Speaker 1: roadster was being driven over some rocks, not the boulders
• 11:01
  Speaker 1: of the beach, but over a rocky section of ground
• 11:03
  Speaker 1: where there was no road. They shielded their heads with
• 11:07
  Speaker 1: their arms as well as they could to prevent themselves
• 11:09
  Speaker 1: from being knocked senseless against the sides of the locker.
• 11:13
  Speaker 1: The speed of the car slackened. Then they felt a
• 11:16
  Speaker 1: long series of short, sharp bumps, as though the car
• 11:19
  Speaker 1: were being driven over pebbles, stones banked against the mud
• 11:23
  Speaker 1: guards were on the beach, reflected frank. They did not
• 11:28
  Speaker 1: suffer the jouncing and jolting that had given them such
• 11:31
  Speaker 1: discomfort a short time previously. The car traveled along the
• 11:34
  Speaker 1: beach for a short distance, then turned to the left
• 11:37
  Speaker 1: and ran quietly and smoothly over what the boys judged
• 11:40
  Speaker 1: to be a stretch of sand. Then it began to climb.
• 11:44
  Speaker 1: The ascent flung the lads against the back of the locker.
• 11:48
  Speaker 1: It was of short duration, however, The roadstir came to
• 11:51
  Speaker 1: level ground again, then rattled and rumbled on over an
• 11:54
  Speaker 1: uneven surface. The boys noticed a peculiar hollow sound. The
• 11:59
  Speaker 1: roar of the motor seemed to be echoing from all sides.
• 12:02
  Speaker 1: The car had slowed down, and at last it came
• 12:05
  Speaker 1: to a stop, battered and bruised. The lads crouched in
• 12:09
  Speaker 1: their hiding place, wondering what would happen next. They could
• 12:13
  Speaker 1: hear the drivers scrambling out of the front seat. Then
• 12:16
  Speaker 1: there was a voice at you, Alex, yep, what have
• 12:21
  Speaker 1: you got, big roadster? The one we were talking about?
• 12:25
  Speaker 1: Do you bet? Other voices followed, voices that echoed and
• 12:30
  Speaker 1: re echoed, and then footsteps clattered on rock. How beauty,
• 12:34
  Speaker 1: exclaimed someone have any trouble? None at all, said the
• 12:38
  Speaker 1: voice of the man who had been addressed as Alex.
• 12:41
  Speaker 1: Nobody in sight, So I just hopped in and drove
• 12:44
  Speaker 1: it out, swell boat declared someone else, fine night to
• 12:48
  Speaker 1: leave it out in the rain. That's what I thought,
• 12:51
  Speaker 1: said Alex, So I drove it in out of the wet.
• 12:55
  Speaker 1: There was a general laugh from the number of voices.
• 12:58
  Speaker 1: The lads judged that there were at least three or
• 13:01
  Speaker 1: four men standing near the car. Wonder who owns it?
• 13:04
  Speaker 1: Said one of the several men. I don't know who
• 13:07
  Speaker 1: did own it, but I know that we own it now,
• 13:11
  Speaker 1: answered Alex promptly. What'll we do? Leave it here? There
• 13:16
  Speaker 1: isn't room inside. Might as well leave it. I guess
• 13:20
  Speaker 1: nobody will come along and steal it, remarked Alex, who
• 13:23
  Speaker 1: was evidently the wit of the party. For another burst
• 13:26
  Speaker 1: of laughter greeted his words. Want to look the car over?
• 13:30
  Speaker 1: He asked, Oh, it looks good enough from here. What's
• 13:34
  Speaker 1: in that locker, said one of the men. There might
• 13:36
  Speaker 1: be something valuable. A thrill of fear went through the
• 13:40
  Speaker 1: two boys. One of the men approached the back of
• 13:44
  Speaker 1: the car. Frank gripped his revolver firmly. End of Chapter
• 13:50
  Speaker 1: sixteen