The Mark on the Door facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 
Original edition
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| Author | Franklin W. Dixon |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Hardy Boys |
| Genre | Detective, mystery |
| Publisher | Grosset & Dunlap |
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Publication date
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June 1, 1934, revised edition 1967 |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
| Pages | 192 |
| Preceded by | Footprints Under the Window |
| Followed by | The Hidden Harbor Mystery |
The Mark on the Door is the 13th book in the exciting The Hardy Boys Mystery Stories series. These popular books were published by Grosset & Dunlap.
The book was first written in 1934 for the Stratemeyer Syndicate. It was supposedly written by Leslie McFarlane. However, the way it is written feels different from other books McFarlane wrote. Later, between 1959 and 1973, many of the early Hardy Boys books were updated. This was part of a big project led by Harriet Adams, who was Edward Stratemeyer's daughter. The original story of The Mark on the Door was rewritten in 1967 by Tom Mulvey. This means there are two different stories with the same title!
Contents
The Mystery of The Mark on the Door
The Revised Story (1967)
A Strange Start on Barmet Bay
The Hardy boys, Frank and Joe, are out boating on Barmet Bay. Suddenly, they see a periscope sticking out of the water. It looks like it belongs to a submarine! Soon after, they almost crash into a rented speedboat. A man from Mexico named Pancho Cardillo is driving it.
Later, Mr. Cardillo goes back to where he rented the boat. He then steals it! This sends Frank and Joe on a chase to find the missing speedboat. Cardillo's friends manage to knock out Frank and Joe. This allows Cardillo to get away and ditch the boat.
Clues and Threats
While investigating Mr. Cardillo, the boys find an old Indian ring. It has a very strange symbol on it. Then, their father, Fenton Hardy, gets a scary letter. It warns him to "beware of the mark on the door!" This makes the mystery even more puzzling.
Adventure in Mexico
Frank and Joe, their dad, and their friend Chet Morton fly to Mexico. There, they discover a group of local people. They also find a secret operation that is illegally moving oil using submarines. The clues lead them to a small Mexican town. In this town, people are mysteriously disappearing. The strange symbol from the ring appears on the doors of those who vanish.
The Hardys meet a young local named Tico. He is a great navigator and helps them find the bad guys' secret hideout. They learn that the real leader is Cardillo. The local people call him "Pavura," which means "terror" in Spanish.
Solving the Puzzle
In the end, the Hardy boys and Chet work together. They manage to stop the oil smugglers from escaping. They also solve the mystery of the missing people. Plus, they help their father finish the illegal oil case he was working on. It's a big win for the Hardy family!
The Original Story (1934)
In the first version of the story, the Hardy boys travel to Mexico. Their mission is to find a missing person. This person is an important witness in a case about a money scam involving oil company shares.
