The Sinister Signpost Part 19

"Ah! That's good," declared the officer. "The maker's name will be on that box. We'll be able to trace where those things have been coming from."

There was a joyous reunion at the Hardy home in the early hours of that morning when Frank and Joe returned and found their father and Ivan awaiting them. When reports began to pile in from Police Headquarters, after Vilnoff's hirelings had been captured and brought in for questioning, many details of the great munitions plot were exposed.

The munitions had been secretly manufactured at the factory that had exploded on the fateful morning when the Hardy family had discussed mysteries at the breakfast table. The sunken case in the river proved beyond a doubt that it was the origin of the supplies of explosives, and its owners were apprehended. Vilnoff, as wealthy as he was insane, had been the master-mind of the whole scheme.

"After all," said Ivan, "he was my father and I can't condemn him too harshly. He should have been in an asylum. My mother, you see, was a member of the old Evans family of Bayport. After she married my 187.

father they lived abroad until I was about ten years old. Then they came back to America on a visit with the intention of putting me in school here. There was a fire in a hotel in Bayport and my mother-died."

The others listened to Ivan's story in sympathetic silence.

"She died in an attempt to save a man who lived on the same floor of the hotel. He was a politician who had always acted with great bitterness toward my father's country. After my mother's death, my father's mind seemed to become affected. He lived abroad for a while but finally came back to Bayport, when the politician began talking in Was.h.i.+ngton against my father's country. I can see now that he must have had this terrible scheme brewing in the back of his brain. He was very proud of his delicate hands, and used to make little models of them-----"

"Like the hand I found in the garden!"

"And like the one on the sinister sign post, I suppose," admitted Ivan.

"But how about the stealing of Topnotch?" Topnotch?" asked Fenton Hardy. "What was the reason asked Fenton Hardy. "What was the reason for that?"

"I ran away from home and became a jockey," said Ivan. "My father was always greatly opposed to that and did everything in his power to stop me. But I loved riding and wouldn't give up my career. So that was why he had Topnotch Topnotch kidnapped-not for the sake of any kidnapped-not for the sake of any ransom, but to discourage me from racing any more."

"But a ransom was collected," Frank pointed out.

"The Negro driver whom they found in one of the cabins tonight says that my father never ordered the l88 ransom. He insists the men who stole the horse did that and then didn't dare return Topnotch without orders from my father." without orders from my father."

"And your own kidnapping?" asked Fenton Hardy.

"I can forgive him that," said Ivan. "Of course, I was never aware of any of his schemes, but when he had me taken to the cabin I knew he had done it simply as a last resort to make me quit the racing game."

"How about Vilnoff's double-the man we saw in the motor-boat, the one who sailed for Europe?" inquired Joe.

"My father's brother, I imagine. He had a twin, an exiled revolutionary from his own country. I think perhaps my uncle had a lot to do with influencing my father."

"We'll probablv never see the other Mr. Vilnoff," said Fenton Hardy. "He's safe in hiding on the other side of the water now, I'll be bound."

So the two great mysteries were finally cleared up through the efforts of the Hardy boys.

Bayport was saved from great damage and T of notch T of notch was returned to his grateful owner, was returned to his grateful owner, who subsequently insisted on rewarding the boys handsomely for their work. The ransom money was all recovered.

Aunt Gertrude did not hear the story of the night's doings until she came down to breakfast next morning. When she learned that the Hardy home might have been blown off the map during the night she had a sudden attack of faintness.

"Well," she said finally when she was feeling a little better, "I suppose I must admit that you have been brave boys."

Later she was to admit this again after the mystery, "A Figure in Hiding." Right now 'she felt the Hardy family had been disgraced.

"It will all come out now, that you have been interested in horse-racing. That's how it started, by going to the horse-races. You can't get away from that fact."

"Oh, now, Aunty," pleaded Frank, "horse-racing isn't so bad."

"Anything connected with horses is bad!" snorted Aunt Gertrude. "Never, never would I have anything to do with horses or horse-racing in any shape, manner or form. So there!"

She dug her spoon into a boiled egg so viciously to emphasize her remarks that the top of it jumped halfway across the table. As the boys snickered at this, there was a ring at the door-bell. Frank jumped up.

"I'll answer it," he said.

He returned in a moment with a letter in his hand.

"Special delivery for you, Aunt Gertrude!" he announced.

His relative put on her spectacles and read the missive. An expression of dismay and consternation pa.s.sed over her face.

"My smelling salts I" she gasped. "Quick!"

Joe rushed forward with them. Aunt Gertrude took a deep whiff and then waved her hand toward the letter.

"Read it!" she said faintly.

Joe did so.

"Miss Gertrude Hardy: As the lawyer entrusted with disposing of the estate of your distant relative, Jonathan Hood, who died in Kentucky two months ago and willed some of his property to you, may I say that the estate is largely enc.u.mbered with debts. However, you will be glad to know that he left you his only a.s.set-a stable of race-horses!"

"Hurray!" yelled the Hardy boys, doubling up with laughter.

THE END.