Bernie looked hungry and tired, but not mistreated. He jumped up and barked excitedly when he spotted the brothers.
• • •
After turning Myint and his accomplice over to the police, the Hardys and the Mortons gathered in the kitchen of the old family farmhouse. The brothers’ experience with the power lines had left the whole area temporarily without electricity, but all of them had gotten used to living by lamplight anyway. Bernie seemed almost as glad to be home as the Mortons were glad to have him back.
“Leo Myint!” Grandpa Morton exclaimed. “He was causing all the problems? What did we ever do to him? We’ve only met the man a couple of times in all the years he’s owned that old factory.”
“Yes,” Grandma Morton said. “Why was he giving us so much trouble?”
“It wasn’t just you,” Frank explained “He was out to get anyone in his way—anyone who stood between him and what he really wanted: the sale of his factory to Patsy Stein’s mall consortium.”
“Myint’s business was failing,” Joe said. “He had bought the old factory complex years ago, but it was more space than he could use. He could never rent out enough of it to cover his costs. Once his business hit the skids, he needed a way out.”
“Due to the rough economy, buyers for a factory complex like that are few and far between,” Frank said. “The police told us he’d had the place up for sale for three years. Stein was his only hope to get out before he lost his shirt.”
“There was a problem, though,” Joe said, “Stein didn’t want his land unless she could have yours, and a piece of Vic Costello’s farm as well.”
“So Myint figured if he could give Grandma and Grandpa enough trouble, they’d sell out,” Iola concluded.
“That’s about the size of it,” Frank said. “Myint got one of his factory workers to help him in the sabotage. Working together, they caused a lot of trouble.”
“Those scoundrels!” Grandpa said. “It makes me wish I was younger so I could give them a good thrashing. And their scheme nearly worked, too!”
“What do you mean nearly?” Chet asked.
“We got a call from Patsy Stein a couple of minutes ago,” Grandma Morton explained. “She and her group are backing out of their offer. They don’t need the bad publicity associated with Myint’s crimes. Plus, Costello has refused to sell them that spur he owns by the factory. Without that little piece of Costello’s land, the mall project can’t go forward.”
“First time Vic Costello has ever done us a favor,” Grandpa said. “We owe him one.”
“Myint harassed Costello, too,” Frank said. “He let loose their dogs and tried to pull the same kind of sabotage that he pulled on your place.” The elder Hardy reached down and ruffled Bernie’s shaggy head. Bernie woofed appreciatively.
“But Elan Costello almost caught Myint today,” Joe said. “Elan got on his snowmobile and chased Myint into the woods by the power lines. Lucky for us he did, or we might never have bagged that villain.”
“Not too lucky for Elan, though,” Chet noted. “How long did they say he’d be in the hospital?”
“He didn’t have any broken bones,” Joe replied, “just a concussion.”
“The doctors are keeping him overnight for observation,” Frank said. “He should be fine, though.”
Grandma Morton shook her head and sighed. “It’s ironic,” she said. “If we’d talked to Costello more, we might have noticed the criminals’ pattern and figured out that someone was out to drive us both off our land. Oh, well! We’ve got time to make amends. Even neighbors who haven’t been friendly in the past can learn to live with each other in the future.”
“So, you’re keeping the farm?” Iola asked, hope brimming in her gray eyes.
“Yep,” Grandpa replied. “It was a mistake agreeing to sell in the first place. We were just worn out when we agreed to it.”
“We’re not city people,” Grandma added. “We’re farm folk. Retirement’s not for us. Not yet, anyway.”
“That’s great!” Chet blurted. “We’ll come back next summer and help out for sure.”
“Count us in, too,” Frank said.
Iola smiled. “Now the Morton farm can stay in the family for another five generations.”
“And much of the thanks goes to you, Frank and Joe,” Grandpa said.
The brothers smiled at their friends.
‘We were lucky,” Joe concluded. “If things had gone wrong, it would have been us who’d have bought the farm!”
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
First Aladdin Paperbacks edition December 2004
Copyright © 2004 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.
ALADDIN PAPERBACKS
An imprint of Simon & Schuster
Children’s Publishing Division
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.
The text of this book was set in New Caledonia.
THE HARDY BOYS MYSTERY STORIES is a trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Library of Congress Control Number 2004102694
ISBN-13: 978-0-689-86739-2
ISBN-10: 0-689-86739-5
Farming Fear Page 11
