The Apeman's Secret by Franklin W. Dixon Page A

young people and their parents.”
    Frank flashed his brother a startled look. “Yes, I sure do, now that you mention it!”
    â€œIf I’m not mistaken, that program was broadcast by the FBS network, and it really gave the Children of Noah cult a rough going-over. Do you suppose Noah wants revenge, and this Apeman thing is his way of getting even?”
    â€œYou may be onto something there, Joe!”
    Next day, after the Hardy boys and Chet returned to Bayport from the motel where they had stayed overnight, Frank telephoned Vern Kelso in New York to ask his opinion of Joe’s theory.
    â€œI’d say it’s definitely possible,” the television executive replied. For the first time, Kelso sounded worried. But he could offer no helpful leads by which to verify the theory.
    â€œWe’ll try to check it out,” Frank promised.
    Next, the two boys tried to contact their father by telephone. His number got no answer, but after transmitting his code call repeatedly, they finally got a response over the radio.
    â€œWhat’s up, Son?” Fenton Hardy inquired.
    â€œDad, is there any connection between the stolen-art case that Sam Radley’s working on and the Children of Noah cult?” Joe spoke into the mike.
    There was a slight hesitation before Mr. Hardy’s voice responded over the loudspeaker. “Yes, there is. Since this transmission is scrambled, I daresay I can answer your question briefly over the air, providing we don’t go into details.”
    The famed detective explained that certain U.S. government security data, as well as stolen industrial trade secrets, were being sold to foreign agents overseas. The CIA had picked up various clues that seemed to point to Noah Norvel as the seller.
    â€œI was hired to check him out,” Mr. Hardy continued. “So far I’ve had no luck in getting the goods on him. But I did run across evidence indicating that Noah may be involved in another criminal racket, namely, the fencing of stolen jewelry and stolen paintings and other art objects.” In every instance, the detective added, a fake or forgery had been substituted for the authentic stolen item.
    â€œThen when Paul Linwood asked me to find his daughter,” Mr. Hardy went on, “I hoped that might open up another line of investigation into Noah’s criminal activities. But even that visit Sue paid to the shady art dealer, when Sam spotted her, doesn’t really give us any conclusive proof.”
    Soon after Frank and Joe signed off their radio conversation with their father, the telephone rang in the front hall. Frank answered and heard the voice of the Coast Guard lieutenant who had led the boarding party onto the Ark.
    â€œWe’ve just had a radio call from the Ark,” he reported. “Apparently your friend Buzz Barton’s had a bellyful of the Noah cult. He wants to be picked up. Can you go and get him?”
    â€œYes, sir, we’ll leave right now! Thanks for letting us know.”
    The Hardy boys hurried out to their car and sped off to their boathouse near the harbor. But to their dismay after climbing aboard the Sleuth, the engine failed to respond when Joe keyed the ignition.
    â€œDead as a doornail!” he groaned.
    â€œHang on,” said Frank. “Maybe just a loose connection somewhere.”
    Opening the engine compartment, he attempted to spot the cause. But the job of troubleshooting proved far more difficult than Frank had expected. Almost an hour of sweaty checking was performed by both boys before Frank exclaimed, “Here’s the trouble, Joe—and it’s no accident! Our starter relay has been sabotaged.”

15
    Code-Word Clues
    Joe was furious but also puzzled by their failure to notice any sign that the boathouse lock had been tampered with.
    â€œThat doesn’t prove anything,” Frank pointed out. “Any guy who’s smart enough mechanically to pick a lock can easily