Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter fifteen of The Tower Treasure by Franklin W. Dixon.
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter fifteen,
The Chief gets a bomb. What's up now, asked Joe
when the Hardy Boys left the house.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Chief College and Detective Smuff must miss that train. But
how I don't know just yet, but they've got to
miss it. If they reach the hospital to night, they'll
interview Jackly first. One of two things will happen. They'll
either get a confession and take all the credit for
clearing up the case, or they'll go about it so
(00:40):
clumsily that Jackly will say nothing and spoil everything for Dad.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
The Hardy Boys walked along the street in silence. They
realized that the situation was urgent. But although they racked
their brains trying to think of some way in which
to prevent Chief College and Detective Smuff from catching the train,
it seemed hopeless. Let's round up the gang, suggested Joe.
(01:05):
Perhaps they can think of something. The gang consisted of
the boys who had been with Frank and Joe the
day they held the picnic in the woods. There was,
of course Chet Morton. Besides him were Alan Hooper. Otherwise,
known as Biff because of his passion for boxing. Jerry Gilroy,
(01:25):
Phil Cohen, and Tony Pritto all students at the Bayport
High School. They were usually to be found on the
school campus after hours playing ball, and there the hardy
boys soon located them. The game was just breaking up, pikers,
grinned Chet Morton when he saw the hardy boys approaching.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
You wouldn't play ball when we ask you to, and
now you come around when the game's all over.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
We had something more important on our minds, replied Frank.
We need your help.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
What's the matter, asked Tony Praeto. Tony was the son
of a prosperous Italian building contractor, but he had not
yet been in America long enough to talk the language
without an accent, and his attempts were frequently the cause
of much amusement to his companions. He was quick and
(02:21):
good natured, however, and laughed as much at his own
errors as any one else did.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Chief College and Detective Smuff for butting into.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
One of Dad's cases, said Frank, we.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Can't tell you much more about it than that, but
the whole thing is that they mustn't catch the seven
o'clock train.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
What do you want us to do, asked Biff Hooper.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
Blow up the bridge. We might lock colleague and smuff
up in one of their own cells, suggested Phil Cohen.
Speaker 5 (02:51):
And get locked in ourselves.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Added Jerry Gilroy.
Speaker 5 (02:56):
Be sensible. Are you serious about this? Frank?
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Absolutely? If those two catch that train, Dad's case will
be ruined. And I don't mind telling you it has
something to do with Perry Robinson.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Chet Morton whistled.
Speaker 6 (03:12):
Aha, I see now the tower affair. In that case,
we'll see to it that the seven o'clock train leaves
here without our worthy chief, and he is equally worthy,
although dumb detective.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
He hated smuff for the sleuth head once or twice
tried to arrest the boys for bathing in a forbidden
section of the bay.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
There's only one question left.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Said Phil solemnly, and what is that?
Speaker 4 (03:47):
How to keep them from getting on the train.
Speaker 5 (03:50):
It's your brains to work, fellas.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
If you have any, ordered Jerry Gilroy.
Speaker 5 (03:55):
Let's figure out a plan.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
A dozen plans were suggested, each wilder than the one before.
Biff Hooper was in favor of kidnapping the Chief and
his detective, binding them hand and foot and setting them
adrift in the bay in an open boat. Phil Cohen
suggested putting the chief's watch an hour ahead. That plan,
(04:20):
as Frank observed, would have been a good one, but
for the little difficulty of laying hands on the watch.
Chet Morton thought it would be a good idea to
start a fight in front of the police station just
as Collig and Smuff were about to leave for the train.
The possibility that they might all land in jail as
(04:42):
a result made this suggestion unpopular. If we were in Italy,
we could get the black Hand to help, said Tony
Prieto the black Hand, declared Chet.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
That's a good idea.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
We got no black hand society in objected Tony.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Let's get one up. Send the chief a black hand
letter warning him not to take that train.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
And if he ever found who wrote it, we'd all
be up to our necks in trouble, pointed out Joe.
I'd like to put a bomb under his old police station.
Fine idea, applauded Tony. Where we get the bomb, leave
it to me, announced Chet Morton.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Mysteriously, I'll get a bomb. I'll guarantee to keep the
chief in town.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Not a real bomb, asked Frank, why not, said Chet,
listen to me.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Chet proceeded to lay forth his plan in a stealthy whisper.
It was received with chuckles and murmurs of admiration. His
companions clapped him on the back, and when he had finished,
the boys hastened down the street towards the Hearty home.
In the rear of the house were a garage and
(06:01):
an old barn. In the barn was a gymnasium that
the hardy boys had fitted out for themselves. And here
was the usual collection of old toys, footballs, broken baseball
bats and such paraphernalia to be found wherever boys store
their cherished possessions. Frank groped about among the rubbish in
(06:24):
one corner, until at last he rose with an exclamation
of triumph, holding aloft a shiny object. It's here, he said.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Let's get busy, there's no time to lose.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
An old box was quickly produced, and in it the
shining object was placed. The box was then carefully wrapped up,
and in a few minutes the boys left the barn tony,
carrying the package under one arm. Not far from the
Bayport Police station was a fruit stand over which presided
(06:59):
an i tell by the name of Rocco. He was
a simple, genial soul who believed almost everything he heard,
and like most of his countrymen, he was of an
excitable nature. Toward Rocco's fruit stand, the boys made their way.
Rocco was sorting over his oranges when they approached. Tony
(07:22):
with the box under his arm hung in the background,
while Chet stepped boldly forward.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
How much are your oranges, Rocco.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
He asked. Rocco, with much explanatory waving of arms, recited
the prices of the various grades of oranges.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
Too much. There's a fellow at another fruit stand on
the next street sells them a nicol a dozen cheaper.
Speaker 7 (07:48):
Enucando shrieked, Rocco, my Princess de l Then, angered by
this reflection on the prices of his wares, he burst
into a lengthy explanation of the struggles confronting a poor
Italian trying to get along in a new country.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
He grabbed Chet by the coat collar, dragged him to
a corner of the fruit stall, bade him inspect the fruit,
gabbled off prices, and generally worked himself into a state
of high indignation in the meantime, Tony Pritto made good
use of his time to shove the mysterious package under
(08:26):
the front of the stall. Then he joined the other boys,
who had screened his movements by gathering about Roco.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
You'll have the black hand after you if you keep
on charging such high prices. That's all I can.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Say, declared Chet as the boys moved away.
Speaker 8 (08:44):
Poofa what the way you care above the black NDE.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
No frighten me, said Roco bravely, but he gulped when
he said it, and there was no doubt that the
shot had gone home. It was now after six o'clock,
and the boys decided that in the interests of their plan,
they would have to brook the parental wrath by being
(09:09):
late for supper. Frank had assumed that Chief Colleague and
Detective Spuff would be leaving to catch the train at
about ten minutes to seven, So shortly after six point thirty,
Phil Cohen, who had remained in the background during the
interview with Rocco, walked smartly up to the fruit stand again.
(09:29):
The others were viewing the scene from around the corner
of a nearby building. Banana, said Phil briefly, tossing a
nickel on the counter. When he had received the fruit,
he began to eat it at the same time chatting
with Rocco. What do you think, snickered the Italian.
Speaker 8 (09:50):
Some are boys that came here a while ago and
see the backhnd that think I charged it too much
for the fruit.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
Well you do charge too much, Roco, everybody said, so I.
Speaker 8 (10:01):
Still at a good fruit at a good price.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
Phil turned aside and at the same time accidentally knocked
an apple to the ground. He bent to pick it up,
Roco eyeing him narrowly in case he tried to slip
it into his pocket, but Phil did not get up
at once. Instead, he said.
Speaker 4 (10:22):
Why what's this?
Speaker 8 (10:24):
What do you find the what's this?
Speaker 4 (10:27):
Raco?
Speaker 1 (10:28):
Phil rose from in front of the stand with the
package in his hands.
Speaker 4 (10:33):
I found this under the counter.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Rocco stared, his mouth opened in dismay for sounding clearly
from the inside of the package came a steady tick talk,
tick talk. A bumb he shrieked.
Speaker 8 (10:50):
Put him down.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Thereupon he scrambled wildly over the array of fruit at
the back of the stand, knocked over a tray of oranges,
and went sprawling over the opposite counter. Roaring police at
the top of his lungs, Phil with a fine imitation
of fright, put the package on top of the counter
and fled. Rocco, in his white apron, was dancing about
(11:16):
in the middle of the street, yelling bombs.
Speaker 8 (11:20):
A police at the black.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
Hand Then, suddenly, fearing that the supposed bomb might explode
at any moment, he whirled rapidly about and raced down
the street away from the stand in the general direction
of the police station. He reached the doorway just as
Chief College and Detective Smuff were leaving for the train.
(11:43):
Panting with fear and excitement, Rocco implored them to save
him from the black handers who had put a bomb
under his fruit stand.
Speaker 8 (11:52):
The bomb Exiko ti took, he wailed. She blowed the
stand into a little piece.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
Am exclaimed Chief College.
Speaker 9 (12:03):
Surely not in Bayport.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
I always thought there was blackhands around here, said the Smuff.
Speaker 8 (12:10):
She blew up at the fruit to stand that come quek.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Chief collag and Detective Smuff followed Rocco to the corner.
Then they peeped around until they could see the deserted
fruit stand with the package on the counter.
Speaker 9 (12:26):
You say it goes TikTok, just like the clock.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
Must be a bomb, all right, said Smuff.
Speaker 5 (12:34):
They run by.
Speaker 9 (12:34):
Clockwork might go off any minute, observed the Chief. I
hate to go near it, Smuff. You go and pour
a pail of water over it.
Speaker 5 (12:45):
Me.
Speaker 9 (12:46):
Yes, you you're not afraid, are you?
Speaker 5 (12:50):
No?
Speaker 1 (12:50):
Uh, I'm not afraid, muttered Smuff, mopping his brow.
Speaker 5 (12:55):
Bud, I gotta think of my wife and family.
Speaker 9 (12:58):
Coward, said the Chief. I'd do it myself, only it
wouldn't be right, seeing I'm your superior officer, bad for discipline.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
The worthy officers stared at the package on the fruit
stand counter, while Roco danced with impatience. Neither colleague nor
Smuff dared approach closer, but they realized something must be done.
Where's Riley, asked the Chief at last.
Speaker 9 (13:28):
Out on his beat around the corner, get him.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
Smuff departed hastily, glad of the chance to get away
from the vicinity of the bomb. He was some time
in locating Conriley, and when at last that minion of
the law was escorted back to the Chief, seven o'clock
had come and gone, so had the train. End of
(13:54):
Chapter fifteen.
Chapter fifteen of The Tower Treasure by Franklin W. Dixon.
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter fifteen,
The Chief gets a bomb. What's up now, asked Joe
when the Hardy Boys left the house.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Chief College and Detective Smuff must miss that train. But
how I don't know just yet, but they've got to
miss it. If they reach the hospital to night, they'll
interview Jackly first. One of two things will happen. They'll
either get a confession and take all the credit for
clearing up the case, or they'll go about it so
(00:40):
clumsily that Jackly will say nothing and spoil everything for Dad.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
The Hardy Boys walked along the street in silence. They
realized that the situation was urgent. But although they racked
their brains trying to think of some way in which
to prevent Chief College and Detective Smuff from catching the train,
it seemed hopeless. Let's round up the gang, suggested Joe.
(01:05):
Perhaps they can think of something. The gang consisted of
the boys who had been with Frank and Joe the
day they held the picnic in the woods. There was,
of course Chet Morton. Besides him were Alan Hooper. Otherwise,
known as Biff because of his passion for boxing. Jerry Gilroy,
(01:25):
Phil Cohen, and Tony Pritto all students at the Bayport
High School. They were usually to be found on the
school campus after hours playing ball, and there the hardy
boys soon located them. The game was just breaking up, pikers,
grinned Chet Morton when he saw the hardy boys approaching.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
You wouldn't play ball when we ask you to, and
now you come around when the game's all over.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
We had something more important on our minds, replied Frank.
We need your help.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
What's the matter, asked Tony Praeto. Tony was the son
of a prosperous Italian building contractor, but he had not
yet been in America long enough to talk the language
without an accent, and his attempts were frequently the cause
of much amusement to his companions. He was quick and
(02:21):
good natured, however, and laughed as much at his own
errors as any one else did.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Chief College and Detective Smuff for butting into.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
One of Dad's cases, said Frank, we.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Can't tell you much more about it than that, but
the whole thing is that they mustn't catch the seven
o'clock train.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
What do you want us to do, asked Biff Hooper.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
Blow up the bridge. We might lock colleague and smuff
up in one of their own cells, suggested Phil Cohen.
Speaker 5 (02:51):
And get locked in ourselves.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Added Jerry Gilroy.
Speaker 5 (02:56):
Be sensible. Are you serious about this? Frank?
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Absolutely? If those two catch that train, Dad's case will
be ruined. And I don't mind telling you it has
something to do with Perry Robinson.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Chet Morton whistled.
Speaker 6 (03:12):
Aha, I see now the tower affair. In that case,
we'll see to it that the seven o'clock train leaves
here without our worthy chief, and he is equally worthy,
although dumb detective.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
He hated smuff for the sleuth head once or twice
tried to arrest the boys for bathing in a forbidden
section of the bay.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
There's only one question left.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Said Phil solemnly, and what is that?
Speaker 4 (03:47):
How to keep them from getting on the train.
Speaker 5 (03:50):
It's your brains to work, fellas.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
If you have any, ordered Jerry Gilroy.
Speaker 5 (03:55):
Let's figure out a plan.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
A dozen plans were suggested, each wilder than the one before.
Biff Hooper was in favor of kidnapping the Chief and
his detective, binding them hand and foot and setting them
adrift in the bay in an open boat. Phil Cohen
suggested putting the chief's watch an hour ahead. That plan,
(04:20):
as Frank observed, would have been a good one, but
for the little difficulty of laying hands on the watch.
Chet Morton thought it would be a good idea to
start a fight in front of the police station just
as Collig and Smuff were about to leave for the train.
The possibility that they might all land in jail as
(04:42):
a result made this suggestion unpopular. If we were in Italy,
we could get the black Hand to help, said Tony
Prieto the black Hand, declared Chet.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
That's a good idea.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
We got no black hand society in objected Tony.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Let's get one up. Send the chief a black hand
letter warning him not to take that train.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
And if he ever found who wrote it, we'd all
be up to our necks in trouble, pointed out Joe.
I'd like to put a bomb under his old police station.
Fine idea, applauded Tony. Where we get the bomb, leave
it to me, announced Chet Morton.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Mysteriously, I'll get a bomb. I'll guarantee to keep the
chief in town.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Not a real bomb, asked Frank, why not, said Chet,
listen to me.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Chet proceeded to lay forth his plan in a stealthy whisper.
It was received with chuckles and murmurs of admiration. His
companions clapped him on the back, and when he had finished,
the boys hastened down the street towards the Hearty home.
In the rear of the house were a garage and
(06:01):
an old barn. In the barn was a gymnasium that
the hardy boys had fitted out for themselves. And here
was the usual collection of old toys, footballs, broken baseball
bats and such paraphernalia to be found wherever boys store
their cherished possessions. Frank groped about among the rubbish in
(06:24):
one corner, until at last he rose with an exclamation
of triumph, holding aloft a shiny object. It's here, he said.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Let's get busy, there's no time to lose.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
An old box was quickly produced, and in it the
shining object was placed. The box was then carefully wrapped up,
and in a few minutes the boys left the barn tony,
carrying the package under one arm. Not far from the
Bayport Police station was a fruit stand over which presided
(06:59):
an i tell by the name of Rocco. He was
a simple, genial soul who believed almost everything he heard,
and like most of his countrymen, he was of an
excitable nature. Toward Rocco's fruit stand, the boys made their way.
Rocco was sorting over his oranges when they approached. Tony
(07:22):
with the box under his arm hung in the background,
while Chet stepped boldly forward.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
How much are your oranges, Rocco.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
He asked. Rocco, with much explanatory waving of arms, recited
the prices of the various grades of oranges.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
Too much. There's a fellow at another fruit stand on
the next street sells them a nicol a dozen cheaper.
Speaker 7 (07:48):
Enucando shrieked, Rocco, my Princess de l Then, angered by
this reflection on the prices of his wares, he burst
into a lengthy explanation of the struggles confronting a poor
Italian trying to get along in a new country.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
He grabbed Chet by the coat collar, dragged him to
a corner of the fruit stall, bade him inspect the fruit,
gabbled off prices, and generally worked himself into a state
of high indignation in the meantime, Tony Pritto made good
use of his time to shove the mysterious package under
(08:26):
the front of the stall. Then he joined the other boys,
who had screened his movements by gathering about Roco.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
You'll have the black hand after you if you keep
on charging such high prices. That's all I can.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Say, declared Chet as the boys moved away.
Speaker 8 (08:44):
Poofa what the way you care above the black NDE.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
No frighten me, said Roco bravely, but he gulped when
he said it, and there was no doubt that the
shot had gone home. It was now after six o'clock,
and the boys decided that in the interests of their plan,
they would have to brook the parental wrath by being
(09:09):
late for supper. Frank had assumed that Chief Colleague and
Detective Spuff would be leaving to catch the train at
about ten minutes to seven, So shortly after six point thirty,
Phil Cohen, who had remained in the background during the
interview with Rocco, walked smartly up to the fruit stand again.
(09:29):
The others were viewing the scene from around the corner
of a nearby building. Banana, said Phil briefly, tossing a
nickel on the counter. When he had received the fruit,
he began to eat it at the same time chatting
with Rocco. What do you think, snickered the Italian.
Speaker 8 (09:50):
Some are boys that came here a while ago and
see the backhnd that think I charged it too much
for the fruit.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
Well you do charge too much, Roco, everybody said, so I.
Speaker 8 (10:01):
Still at a good fruit at a good price.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
Phil turned aside and at the same time accidentally knocked
an apple to the ground. He bent to pick it up,
Roco eyeing him narrowly in case he tried to slip
it into his pocket, but Phil did not get up
at once. Instead, he said.
Speaker 4 (10:22):
Why what's this?
Speaker 8 (10:24):
What do you find the what's this?
Speaker 4 (10:27):
Raco?
Speaker 1 (10:28):
Phil rose from in front of the stand with the
package in his hands.
Speaker 4 (10:33):
I found this under the counter.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Rocco stared, his mouth opened in dismay for sounding clearly
from the inside of the package came a steady tick talk,
tick talk. A bumb he shrieked.
Speaker 8 (10:50):
Put him down.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Thereupon he scrambled wildly over the array of fruit at
the back of the stand, knocked over a tray of oranges,
and went sprawling over the opposite counter. Roaring police at
the top of his lungs, Phil with a fine imitation
of fright, put the package on top of the counter
and fled. Rocco, in his white apron, was dancing about
(11:16):
in the middle of the street, yelling bombs.
Speaker 8 (11:20):
A police at the black.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
Hand Then, suddenly, fearing that the supposed bomb might explode
at any moment, he whirled rapidly about and raced down
the street away from the stand in the general direction
of the police station. He reached the doorway just as
Chief College and Detective Smuff were leaving for the train.
(11:43):
Panting with fear and excitement, Rocco implored them to save
him from the black handers who had put a bomb
under his fruit stand.
Speaker 8 (11:52):
The bomb Exiko ti took, he wailed. She blowed the
stand into a little piece.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
Am exclaimed Chief College.
Speaker 9 (12:03):
Surely not in Bayport.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
I always thought there was blackhands around here, said the Smuff.
Speaker 8 (12:10):
She blew up at the fruit to stand that come quek.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Chief collag and Detective Smuff followed Rocco to the corner.
Then they peeped around until they could see the deserted
fruit stand with the package on the counter.
Speaker 9 (12:26):
You say it goes TikTok, just like the clock.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
Must be a bomb, all right, said Smuff.
Speaker 5 (12:34):
They run by.
Speaker 9 (12:34):
Clockwork might go off any minute, observed the Chief. I
hate to go near it, Smuff. You go and pour
a pail of water over it.
Speaker 5 (12:45):
Me.
Speaker 9 (12:46):
Yes, you you're not afraid, are you?
Speaker 5 (12:50):
No?
Speaker 1 (12:50):
Uh, I'm not afraid, muttered Smuff, mopping his brow.
Speaker 5 (12:55):
Bud, I gotta think of my wife and family.
Speaker 9 (12:58):
Coward, said the Chief. I'd do it myself, only it
wouldn't be right, seeing I'm your superior officer, bad for discipline.
Speaker 1 (13:08):
The worthy officers stared at the package on the fruit
stand counter, while Roco danced with impatience. Neither colleague nor
Smuff dared approach closer, but they realized something must be done.
Where's Riley, asked the Chief at last.
Speaker 9 (13:28):
Out on his beat around the corner, get him.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
Smuff departed hastily, glad of the chance to get away
from the vicinity of the bomb. He was some time
in locating Conriley, and when at last that minion of
the law was escorted back to the Chief, seven o'clock
had come and gone, so had the train. End of
(13:54):
Chapter fifteen.
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