The Missing Chums
Encyclopedia
The Missing Chums is volume 4 in the original The Hardy Boys
Mystery Stories published by Grosset & Dunlap
. The book ranks 108th on Publishers Weekly
's All-Time Bestselling Children's Book List for the United States, with 1,189,973 copies sold . This book is one of the "Original 10", generally considered to be the best examples of the Hardy Boys, and Stratemeyer Syndicate
, writing.
The plot concerns the disappearance of the Boys' chums, Chet
and Biff, when they take a motorboat
trip down the coast. When Frank and Joe finally find them, they are all captured. In the end, they triumph over the bad guys on mysterious Hermit Island.
This book was written for the Stratemeyer Syndicate
by Leslie McFarlane
in 1928. Between 1959 and 1973 the first 38 volumes of this series were systematically revised as part of a project directed by Harriet Adams, Edward Stratemeyer's daughter. The original version of this book was rewritten in 1962 by James Buechler resulting in two different stories with the same title.
The original version of this title is noted for being the first Hardy Boys book in which Aunt Gertrude makes an appearance.
. While they are cruising on the bay another boat nearly rams them. They are unable to give chase because of a damaged steering mechanism on boat, and the boys end up going around in circles. It turns out that the boat that nearly rammed them had a purpose for doing so, but the reason why is not revealed until the end of the book.
Soon after, the boys prepare to go to Callie Shaw's costume
party. They inadvertently stumble upon another part of the unraveling mystery as they see some unknown men in Mr. French's Costume Shop, who appear to threaten him.
Returning home, the boys frighten their Aunt Gertrude with their costumes. (Aunt Gertrude is a recurring character in the series.) Soon the boys are off to the costume party on their motorcycle
s. On the way they realize that the bank
is being robbed. They follow the criminals until they lose them at the docks, where they hop into a boat and escape into the fog
.
After notifying the United States Coast Guard
, the boys gain permission from Chief Collig to search for the criminals in the Sleuth, but the boys discover the Sleuth has been stolen. The boys search for the bank robbers in Tony Prito's boat
, the Napoli, but are unable to find them in the thickening fog
. The boys return home, explain to their father everything they saw at the bank
and during the chase, and then head out to the costume party.
The next day the boys awaken to learn that Chet Morton
and Biff Hooper never made it home from the party. The boys not only have to learn who stole the Sleuth, but where their missing friends went, and who robbed the bank
. As the story develops the boys learn that expensive radio
s that may have been stolen are turning up. Lastly, a hermit
on a tiny island
with a shotgun
threatens the boys. Soon they rescue their friends and escape. The book ends saying that Frank and Joe would soon start a new case "in the near future while Hunting for Hidden Gold."'
and Biff Hooper preparing for a week-long boating trip in Biff's new motorboat Envoy. As Frank and Joe are instructing Biff on the handling of the craft in Barmet Bay
, another boat occupied by three men menaces them, nearly causing Envoy to collide with two sailboats. The Hardy Boys note that the three men were closely watching Chet and Biff, which becomes important later in the story.
The next day, an excited Chet and Biff leave for their boating trip on the Envoy. Both friend Tony Prito in his boat Napoli and Frank and Joe in their Sleuth decide to escort their friends to the end of the bay to see them off on their journey. Frank and Joe take Callie Shaw and Iola Morton as passengers. But before any of them reach the ocean, a violent squall strikes the bay and the Sleuth is forced to turn back to port, nearly capsizing. Soon after, Napoli also returns and Tony reports that Envoy did not turn back, and that Biff and Chet decided to press on through the storm. The boat was last seen headed out to the open ocean.
After three days with no word from their friends, Frank and Joe organize a search effort to find trace of them. Before they can begin, however, their plans are interrupted by the arrival of their Aunt Gertrude, who has come for an extended visit, and doesn't approve of "letting children go out in boats." With the approval of Mrs. Hardy, they eventually begin searching up the coast, accompanied again by Tony Prito in his Napoli. No villages up the coast have seen any sign of Biff's boat, though the boys do find some anonymous wreckage on a reef which leads them to believe that disaster struck the Envoy. They return home in defeat, and Chet and Biff are presumed dead by the community.
Several days later, however, their hopes are restored when Aunt Gertrude opens a letter addressed to her brother Fenton Hardy. It is from Baldy Turk's gang, who claim to have kidnapped Frank and Joe, and are demanding ransom for their return. Frank and Joe, obviously not kidnapped, deduce that gangsters must be holding Chet and Biff, mistakenly believing that they are the Hardy Brothers. At this time, Tony also remembers that Biff once mentioned going down the coast, to Blacksnake Island.
After one misadventure where Frank and Joe believe they have spotted Chet on a schooner, the boys approach Blacksnake Island to see the same boat which had menaced them on the bay leaving it. They land on the island and search for signs of Chet and Biff, eventually finding them being held captive in a cave by Baldy Turk's gang.
After briefly freeing their friends, all the boys are recaptured, and hear news that Fenton Hardy has also been taken by the gang. They escape again, but Frank and Joe get separated from their friends once more in the darkness. They reach their boat, and steal the gang's boats as well, leaving the criminals stranded on the island with Chet and Biff.
The Hardys return with the authorities and round up the gang, finally releasing their friends from captivity. They return home to find that their father is also safe, and had arrested Baldy Turk while Frank and Joe had helped capture the rest of his gang.
The Hardy Boys
The Hardy Boys, Frank and Joe Hardy, are fictional teenage brothers and amateur detectives who appear in various mystery series for children and teens....
Mystery Stories published by Grosset & Dunlap
Grosset & Dunlap
Grosset & Dunlap is a United States book publisher founded in 1898.The company was purchased by G. P. Putnam's Sons in 1982 and today is part of the British publishing conglomerate, Pearson PLC through its American subsidiary Penguin Group....
. The book ranks 108th on Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
's All-Time Bestselling Children's Book List for the United States, with 1,189,973 copies sold . This book is one of the "Original 10", generally considered to be the best examples of the Hardy Boys, and Stratemeyer Syndicate
Stratemeyer Syndicate
The Stratemeyer Syndicate was the producer of a number of mystery series for children, including Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, the various Tom Swift series, the Bobbsey Twins, the Rover Boys, and others.- History :...
, writing.
The plot concerns the disappearance of the Boys' chums, Chet
Chet Morton
Chet Morton is a fictional character in the The Hardy Boys book series by Franklin W. Dixon.-Fictional history:Chet grew up with Frank and Joe Hardy and has been one of their best friends since second grade. He usually says he doesn't want to have anything to do with the Hardy boys' mysteries,...
and Biff, when they take a motorboat
Motorboat
A motorboat is a boat which is powered by an engine. Some motorboats are fitted with inboard engines, others have an outboard motor installed on the rear, containing the internal combustion engine, the gearbox and the propeller in one portable unit.An inboard/outboard contains a hybrid of a...
trip down the coast. When Frank and Joe finally find them, they are all captured. In the end, they triumph over the bad guys on mysterious Hermit Island.
This book was written for the Stratemeyer Syndicate
Stratemeyer Syndicate
The Stratemeyer Syndicate was the producer of a number of mystery series for children, including Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, the various Tom Swift series, the Bobbsey Twins, the Rover Boys, and others.- History :...
by Leslie McFarlane
Leslie McFarlane
Leslie McFarlane was a Canadian journalist, novelist, screenwriter and filmmaker. McFarlane is most famous for ghostwriting many of the early books in the very successful Hardy Boys series using the pseudonym Franklin W. Dixon.- Early life :The son of a school principal, McFarlane was raised in...
in 1928. Between 1959 and 1973 the first 38 volumes of this series were systematically revised as part of a project directed by Harriet Adams, Edward Stratemeyer's daughter. The original version of this book was rewritten in 1962 by James Buechler resulting in two different stories with the same title.
The original version of this title is noted for being the first Hardy Boys book in which Aunt Gertrude makes an appearance.
Plot summary (revised edition)
At the beginning of the book the boys take their new boat, the Sleuth, out on the bayBay
A bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...
. While they are cruising on the bay another boat nearly rams them. They are unable to give chase because of a damaged steering mechanism on boat, and the boys end up going around in circles. It turns out that the boat that nearly rammed them had a purpose for doing so, but the reason why is not revealed until the end of the book.
Soon after, the boys prepare to go to Callie Shaw's costume
Costume
The term costume can refer to wardrobe and dress in general, or to the distinctive style of dress of a particular people, class, or period. Costume may also refer to the artistic arrangement of accessories in a picture, statue, poem, or play, appropriate to the time, place, or other circumstances...
party. They inadvertently stumble upon another part of the unraveling mystery as they see some unknown men in Mr. French's Costume Shop, who appear to threaten him.
Returning home, the boys frighten their Aunt Gertrude with their costumes. (Aunt Gertrude is a recurring character in the series.) Soon the boys are off to the costume party on their motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s. On the way they realize that the bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
is being robbed. They follow the criminals until they lose them at the docks, where they hop into a boat and escape into the fog
Fog
Fog is a collection of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. While fog is a type of stratus cloud, the term "fog" is typically distinguished from the more generic term "cloud" in that fog is low-lying, and the moisture in the fog is often generated...
.
After notifying the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
, the boys gain permission from Chief Collig to search for the criminals in the Sleuth, but the boys discover the Sleuth has been stolen. The boys search for the bank robbers in Tony Prito's boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
, the Napoli, but are unable to find them in the thickening fog
Fog
Fog is a collection of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. While fog is a type of stratus cloud, the term "fog" is typically distinguished from the more generic term "cloud" in that fog is low-lying, and the moisture in the fog is often generated...
. The boys return home, explain to their father everything they saw at the bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
and during the chase, and then head out to the costume party.
The next day the boys awaken to learn that Chet Morton
Chet Morton
Chet Morton is a fictional character in the The Hardy Boys book series by Franklin W. Dixon.-Fictional history:Chet grew up with Frank and Joe Hardy and has been one of their best friends since second grade. He usually says he doesn't want to have anything to do with the Hardy boys' mysteries,...
and Biff Hooper never made it home from the party. The boys not only have to learn who stole the Sleuth, but where their missing friends went, and who robbed the bank
Bank
A bank is a financial institution that serves as a financial intermediary. The term "bank" may refer to one of several related types of entities:...
. As the story develops the boys learn that expensive radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
s that may have been stolen are turning up. Lastly, a hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
on a tiny island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
with a shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
threatens the boys. Soon they rescue their friends and escape. The book ends saying that Frank and Joe would soon start a new case "in the near future while Hunting for Hidden Gold."'
Plot summary (original edition)
The original story opens with Chet MortonChet Morton
Chet Morton is a fictional character in the The Hardy Boys book series by Franklin W. Dixon.-Fictional history:Chet grew up with Frank and Joe Hardy and has been one of their best friends since second grade. He usually says he doesn't want to have anything to do with the Hardy boys' mysteries,...
and Biff Hooper preparing for a week-long boating trip in Biff's new motorboat Envoy. As Frank and Joe are instructing Biff on the handling of the craft in Barmet Bay
Barmet Bay
Barmet Bay is a fictional bay in Bayport, the setting for most of the Hardy Boys novels. While research links it to the actual town of Bayport, New York, the original Hardy Boys series never specifies the exact location....
, another boat occupied by three men menaces them, nearly causing Envoy to collide with two sailboats. The Hardy Boys note that the three men were closely watching Chet and Biff, which becomes important later in the story.
The next day, an excited Chet and Biff leave for their boating trip on the Envoy. Both friend Tony Prito in his boat Napoli and Frank and Joe in their Sleuth decide to escort their friends to the end of the bay to see them off on their journey. Frank and Joe take Callie Shaw and Iola Morton as passengers. But before any of them reach the ocean, a violent squall strikes the bay and the Sleuth is forced to turn back to port, nearly capsizing. Soon after, Napoli also returns and Tony reports that Envoy did not turn back, and that Biff and Chet decided to press on through the storm. The boat was last seen headed out to the open ocean.
After three days with no word from their friends, Frank and Joe organize a search effort to find trace of them. Before they can begin, however, their plans are interrupted by the arrival of their Aunt Gertrude, who has come for an extended visit, and doesn't approve of "letting children go out in boats." With the approval of Mrs. Hardy, they eventually begin searching up the coast, accompanied again by Tony Prito in his Napoli. No villages up the coast have seen any sign of Biff's boat, though the boys do find some anonymous wreckage on a reef which leads them to believe that disaster struck the Envoy. They return home in defeat, and Chet and Biff are presumed dead by the community.
Several days later, however, their hopes are restored when Aunt Gertrude opens a letter addressed to her brother Fenton Hardy. It is from Baldy Turk's gang, who claim to have kidnapped Frank and Joe, and are demanding ransom for their return. Frank and Joe, obviously not kidnapped, deduce that gangsters must be holding Chet and Biff, mistakenly believing that they are the Hardy Brothers. At this time, Tony also remembers that Biff once mentioned going down the coast, to Blacksnake Island.
After one misadventure where Frank and Joe believe they have spotted Chet on a schooner, the boys approach Blacksnake Island to see the same boat which had menaced them on the bay leaving it. They land on the island and search for signs of Chet and Biff, eventually finding them being held captive in a cave by Baldy Turk's gang.
After briefly freeing their friends, all the boys are recaptured, and hear news that Fenton Hardy has also been taken by the gang. They escape again, but Frank and Joe get separated from their friends once more in the darkness. They reach their boat, and steal the gang's boats as well, leaving the criminals stranded on the island with Chet and Biff.
The Hardys return with the authorities and round up the gang, finally releasing their friends from captivity. They return home to find that their father is also safe, and had arrested Baldy Turk while Frank and Joe had helped capture the rest of his gang.