Hide-and-Sneak by Franklin W. Dixon

Buckmaster!
    â€œThat was just to let you know I’ve got a gun,” he said.
    And a hostage, Frank thought.
    â€œSo why don’t you all be smart and get on the ground? Sit on your hands.”
    Everyone followed Buckmaster’s instructions.Frank knew how hard it would be for him to get quickly to his feet from this position.
    â€œVery good,” Buckmaster said. “Some of you don’t seem all that surprised to see me. I’ll bet I have Sara to thank for that. She always had a suspicious mind.”
    â€œI wonder why,” Joe replied sacastically. “What are you going to do now? You can’t keep us here forever.”
    â€œHey, Mr. Buck meister, Hal and I will help you out,” Andy Slack suddenly said. “We’re capitalists, just like you, only on a smaller scale.”
    â€œInteresting,” Buckmaster said. “Why don’t you go find some rope?”
    Andy came back with a coil of rope and began tying together each person’s ankles and wrists. He jerked on the ropes that restrained Frank. Very soon the older Hardy began to lose feeling in his hands.
    â€œYour friend too,” Buckmaster said after Andy had finished with the Hardys and Chet. Andy followed Buckmaster’s instructions.
    â€œAnd now my wife, just the wrists.”
    Frank could only watch as Andy bound Sara Buckmaster as well.
    â€œGood job.” Their captor reached into his pocket and pulled out a large roll of bills. Andy stared at the money greedily, never noticing the pistolswinging around. It caught him in the side of the head. He went down like a sack of potatoes.
    Buckmaster tied up the unconscious Andy. “Not a very professional job, but it’ll have to do. Now you know the first two rules of successful capitalism: Never do anything you can get someone else to do, and never pay for anything unless you have to.”
    â€œYou still won’t get away with this,” Joe growled.
    â€œI have so far,” Buckmaster said coolly. He held up a fat leather bag. “Top-quality gems,” he announced. “My rainy day fund. When I realized I’d have to sacrifice the Jolly Roger, I stashed it in the foundation of the house.”
    He shook his head. “And when I come to pick it up, what do I find but a bunch of boys fighting? With my dear wife as the audience! Sara will come along with me—at least for the first leg of the trip.”
    Frank didn’t like the sound of that. “What good will that do you?” he asked. “You might have pulled off this whole operation if everyone thought you were dead. But your secret is out now.”
    â€œWho’s going to believe a bunch of kids?” Buckmaster’s laugh was like a snarl. “What proof do you have? Sara might have been able to convince people. That’s why she’s coming with me.”
    Pete Buckmaster began pulling his bound wife toward the stairway to the docks.
    As soon as he turned his back on the boys, Frank and Joe began desperately trying to loosen their bonds, but Andy’s knots held.
    Of course he had to get a fisherman’s kid to do the job, Frank thought bitterly.
    No matter how Frank and Joe flexed and twisted, the ropes remained tight. They were beginning to lose all circulation in their hands and feet.
    A strange scraping sound caught Frank’s attention. He turned to see Chet bunch up his legs and push his body across the ground. Chet repeated this wormlike motion again and then again.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” Frank asked. “Trying to scrape the ropes off?”
    Chet shook his head. “I’m looking—”
    He let out a sudden yell of pain. “Ow! I found it.”
    â€œWhat?” Joe asked.
    â€œAndy’s knife,” Chet replied. “I thought it wound up over here, and I was right. It just stuck me in the rear.”

16 Parting Shot
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    While Chet squirmed around, trying to grasp the knife without being stuck