The Clue of the Hissing Serpent by Franklin W. Dixon Page B

night,” Mr. Greene said, “at the VFW Hall.”
    â€œThanks for letting us know,” Joe said. “We’d like to see the match.”
    Half an hour later, Frank and Joe arrived at the dock and parked near the Queen Maru. On her deck giant booms were hoisting heavy machinery into her hold.
    The Hardys climbed the gangway, asked for the captain, and were directed to a neat forward cabin. At the door they were greeted by a short, smiling, barrel-chested Japanese named Taro Ono.
    â€œMay I help you?” he asked cordially.
    The boys explained they were detectives and were looking for a wooden box, roughly two-feet-two by six, containing contraband destined for Hong Kong.
    â€œAbout the size of a coffin,” Captain Ono said, stroking his chin. “No. We carry only large crates of machinery, as you can see for yourself.”
    â€œAre you sure?”
    â€œI know my cargo well,” the captain answered, still maintaining his pleasant look.
    â€œWell, thank you, sir,” Frank said and the boys clambered down the steel gangway to the dock.
    â€œNow what?” Joe asked.
    â€œThe ship doesn’t leave till tomorrow night. We’ll have to keep a constant watch on it.”
    Joe sighed. “Okay. Let’s get our reinforcement team for help.”
    Biff, Phil, Tony, and the Hardys staked out the freighter all day and night. No suspicious box was loaded and nothing unusual happened. Tony had drawn the late-night shift, and Frank and Joe arrived in the morning to spell him. After a few encouraging words from their tired pal, they settled in a strategic spot and prepared for a long wait.
    About ten o’clock an old hearse drove up next to the freighter. At the wheel was a youth not much older than the Hardys. He hopped out, opened the back of the hearse, and began pulling out a pine box.
    â€œJoe! We might have hit pay dirt!” Frank said excitedly.
    â€œCome on, Frank. Let’s find out and ask this character a few questions!”
    Frank and Joe ran up to the youth. “You work for an undertaker?” Frank asked.
    â€œNo. What’s it to you, anyhow?”
    â€œWhere’d you get the hack?” Joe asked.
    â€œAt the junkyard. Not bad, eh? The girls really like it. Say, who are you guys?”
    Frank told him. “And what’s your name?”
    â€œOscar.”
    â€œIf you don’t work for an undertaker, Oscar,” Joe said, “what are you doing delivering a coffin?”
    â€œOh, is this a coffin?” The youth eased it onto the dock.
    â€œDon’t try to be funny,” Frank said. “We want straight answers.”
    â€œOkay, okay. So I’m delivering a coffin,” Oscar said. “Some Oriental-looking guy asked me to bring it to this ship. And he paid me twenty-five bucks. That’s all I know. Why don’t you get off my back?”
    â€œYou can’t deliver a corpse without a license,” Joe said.
    â€œI’m getting out of here!” Oscar slid in beside the wheel and started off as Frank jotted down his license number.
    Joe sat on the pine box while Frank went to call Chief Collig. When the policeman arrived with another officer, Joe related their suspicion that the Ruby King was hidden in the wooden box.
    â€œWe can find out soon enough,” Collig said. He ordered the policeman to open the box, the lid of which was fastened by eight screws.
    The officer got a screwdriver from the trunk of the squad car and went to work.
    Finally he was finished. The Hardys held their breath as the top was removed. Then they let out a groan!
    Inside lay a five-foot log!
    Chief Collig turned the piece of wood over and examined it. “This doesn’t look like contraband, fellows,” he said.
    Meanwhile, Captain Ono had noticed the police and came off his ship to investigate. When asked about the box, he denied any knowledge of the strange cargo.
    â€œWhat am I supposed to do?” he asked,