CHAPTER VI

MYSTEBT AT MORTON FARM

frank was sure the shot had hit home.

"The Curse of the Caribbees?" asked the man sharply, raising his head a little from the pillow. Then he slumped back. His face became expressionless again, and his eyes lost their momentary gleam of panic. He shook his head dully. "Never have I heard of it."

The boys decided there was nothing to be gained by questioning the mysterious patient any further. But on their way out they located the nurse, and suggested that she keep a careful watch over the man.

"Somehow," said Frank with a smile, "I think 'Mr. Spanish's' amnesia may not be so bad as it seems."

When the boys reached the street, Joe asked his brother, "Do you think he's faking?"

"That remark about the Curse of the Carib-bees seemed to upset him, didn't it? If he has really lost his memory, it shouldn't have bothered him at all. I'll bet he's afraid of someone."

"He looked scared to me. Maybe that expression means so much to him that it's one of the few things he hasn't forgotten."

89

40 The Melted Coins

"I think we ought to tell Chief Collig about this."

They went down to Bayport headquarters and asked to see the officer. When he heard their story, he frowned.

"The fellow might be faking," Collig admitted, "although I was talking to one of the doctors at the hospital, and he seemed pretty sure the amnesia was genuine. In any case, that doesn't mean the man isn't a crook. I'd better have a guard stationed near his room."

"And if he isn't a crook, he may need protection," suggested Joe. "The fellows who beat him up may try the same stunt again.''

"He's a mystery man, sure enough," declared the chief. "He'll bear watching."

He thanked the boys for their information and summoned one of his detectives. The Hardys left and headed for home, discussing the strange case on the way.

They had watched the man's face closely when he had been told their name, but they were sure it had aroused no response. Why had he come to Bayport, and why had he mentioned the words "Hardy" and "Elm?"

A surprise awaited the brothers when they reached their house. Fenton Hardy was home. He was in the living room, listening to a highly dramatic account of the burglary as related by Aunt Gertrude.

"Looted the place in broad daylight, mind you!" she declared. "And it's a good thinjf

Mystery at Morton Farm 41

if was daylight, too. If it had been at night, we 'all might have been murdered in our beds!''

"What did the thief take?" asked the detective, frowning.

"Apparently nothing but a little money," replied Mrs. Hardy. "I still can't understand why he came here.''

The boys' father suddenly arose from his chair and left the room.

"I believe I know what the fellow was after," he said, "and maybe he got it."

The detective went into his study. Taking a small key from his pocket, he opened his desk and drew out a drawer. Then he pressed a concealed spring. The drawer had a false back which slid away, revealing a secret hiding place behind it. He looked inside, then closed the desk.

"The other counterfeit coins are still here," Mr. Hardy smiled, returning to the living room.

"You didn't take all of them with you?" asked Joe in surprise.

"Suppose I had been held up, or lost the fake money? All my evidence would have been gone," the detective chuckled. "I didn't think any thief could find this hiding place. But I feel reasonably sure that's what the intruder was looking for just the same."

Mr. Hardy picked up one of the quarters and examined it.

"A very good imitation," Ee remarked. "The men down in Washington hadn't seen

42 The Melted Coins

any quite like these before. They said the coins are about the best fakes they have come across. They sent their thanks to you, Gertrude, and wondered how you detected the counterfeits so easily."

His sister sniffed, tossed her head, and said, "Hmph. A body would think I didn't have any brains at all."

She bustled out of the room, but her nephews thought she smiled mysteriously as she went upstairs. They looked at each other. Both recalled Aunt Gertrude's strange remark on the way home from the station when she had been asked how she knew the coins were counterfeit. "I've handled enough of them in my life to know." Did the lady have some secret she was keeping to herself?

"Sometime, boys," remarked Mr. Hardy, "I want you to see the wonderful collection of coins that are on display in Washington."

"I wish I knew more about old money right now," said Frank, thinking of Chet's treasure. "When were the first pieces made, Dad?"

"The experts say the first ones appeared in Asia Minor, away back about 750 b.c. The Chinese, too, had metal money long, long ago. They were clever at testing it to keep from being cheated. They could tell if a coin was genuine merely by holding it between the thumb and first finger."

"Speaking of the Chinese," remarked Joe, "we have someone right here in Bayport who

Mystery at Morton Farm 43

is pretty clever on that subject. You know whom I mean. Old Wu Sing."

"That's right," agreed his father. "I recall he gave the police a clue that helped them solve a bank mystery a couple of years ago. He has a nice collection of old money.''

"Let's look at it on our way back to Chet's," suggested Frank to his brother with a wink. He was thinking of Chet's coins. " It's all right to go to Mortons now, isn't it, Dad!"

"Yes. But before you go, how about doing a little work in the garden here ? Grass, weeds- you know how it is."

"All right," the two sons promised, and Frank added, "We can't be detectives every minute, I suppose."

"But nothing else is so much fun or so ex citing," Joe declared.

Before they went outside, the boys told theil father of the latest developments in the case ol the amnesia patient whom Frank had nicknamed "Mr. Spanish." Mr. Hardy said he would take a trip over to the hospital to talk to the strange man.

"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you," he smiled. "The official I saw in Washington asked me to tell you boys to keep your eyes open. Maybe you can land some counterfeiters!"

"You bet we will," said Frank, and Joe nodded. '' Nothing would suit us better.''

Weeds in the flower and vegetable gardens were more numerous than the boys had sus-

44 The Melted Coins

pected, and it was six o'clock before their job was done. As soon as dinner was over, they set out for the Mortons without stopping at Wu Sing's to see his collection. It was nearly dark when they reached the farmhouse. lola met them at the door.

'' Can you imagine it!" she exclaimed. '' Chet loves that old ditch so much he's actually sleeping down there. "We can't understand it. He set up a tent under the trees this evening. He's expecting you. I suppose you'll sleep there too!"

"We'll go right down."

"Something strange has happened to that boy," said lola, mystified. "Usually he hates work so much that he can't be induced to go near it. Now he's actually camping beside it!"

The Hardy boys gave no explanation. In a few minutes they said good night to lola and went down across the fields toward the brook. There was no light in evidence, but in the rays of the moon they could see the gray shape of a tent which had been set up under the trees.

"Chet must have gone to bed early," Frank remarked quietly.

"He probably dug a whole square yard of ditch today and is exhausted," laughed Joe. "Let's steal up and surprise him."

They moved forward silently through the soft grass. As they came closer to the brook, they heard a surprising sound. It was a sharp

Mystery at Morton Farm 45

ring °f metal, as if a spade had clattered against a rock.

"Don't tell me that Chet is still working!" whispered Joe incredulously. "I can't believe

it!"

"Listen!"

They halted. In the silence of the night the brothers could hear unmistakable sounds of digging. Then, as their eyes became accustomed to the gloom, they could distinguish a figure near the ditch. It crouched, straightened up, then crouched again.

"What do you know about that!" gasped Joe. "lola was right. There is something the matter with Chet. He's working at that ditcb even in the dark!''

"Hey, Chet!" shouted Frank.

The Hardys hurried across the meadow. A slight rise in the ground hid the ditch from view for a moment. When the boys came over the top and ran down the slope, they could no longer see anyone around.

"Funny he didn't answer," remarked Joe.

"Maybe he didn't hear us. It's strange he isn't using a light."

When the brothers reached the spot a moment later, it was deserted. A spade lay beside the freshly-dug earth.

"Chet!" called out Frank again.

There was no answer.

"He's hiding from us," said Joe.

46 The Melted Coins

"Why would he do that?"

The boys turned toward the tent, which was pitched a few yards away. Frank whipped a flashlight from his pocket as he thrust aside the flap and went in.

"Come on, Chet," he laughed. "We saw you working. No denying it. You------"

The beam of the flashlight revealed a figure sprawled on the ground. Frank leaped forward.

Chet Morton lay there-unconscious 1