The Missing Chums facts for kids
Original 1928 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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original edition 1928, revised edition 1962 |
| Pages | 175 |
| OCLC | 1866271 |
| Preceded by | The Secret of the Old Mill |
| Followed by | Hunting for Hidden Gold |
The Missing Chums is the fourth book in the exciting The Hardy Boys Mystery Stories series. It was first published by Grosset & Dunlap. This book is very popular, selling over a million copies in the United States by 2001.
It's also known as one of the "Original 10" Hardy Boys books. Many people think these first books are some of the best in the series. They show the great writing style of the Stratemeyer Syndicate, which created the Hardy Boys.
The story is about Frank and Joe Hardy's friends, Chet and Biff, who disappear. They were on a motorboat trip down the coast. When Frank and Joe finally find them, everyone gets captured! But don't worry, the Hardy Boys always find a way to win. They defeat the bad guys on a mysterious place called Blacksnake Island.
This book was first written by Leslie McFarlane in 1928. Later, many of the early Hardy Boys books were updated. This book was rewritten in 1962 by James Buechler. This means there are two different stories with the same title! A fun fact about the original version is that it's the first time Aunt Gertrude appears in a Hardy Boys book. She becomes a regular character.
Contents
The Mystery Begins (Revised Edition)
The story starts with Frank and Joe taking their new boat, the Sleuth, out on the bay. Another boat almost crashes into them! The boys can't chase it because their steering is broken. They just go around in circles. Later, they learn that the other boat had a reason for trying to hit them.
Soon after, the boys get ready for Callie Shaw's costume party. They visit Mr. French's Costume Shop. There, they see some unknown men who seem to be threatening Mr. French. This is another clue in the mystery.
A Bank Robbery and a Stolen Boat
When Frank and Joe return home, their costumes scare their Aunt Gertrude. She is a funny character who often appears in the series. The boys then head to the party on their motorcycles. On the way, they realize a bank is being robbed!
They follow the criminals but lose them at the docks. The robbers jump into a boat and disappear into the thick fog. Frank and Joe quickly tell the United States Coast Guard. Chief Collig gives them permission to search for the criminals in the Sleuth.
But when they get to the dock, the Sleuth is gone! It has been stolen. The boys then use Tony Prito's boat, the Napoli, to search. But the fog is too thick, and they can't find anyone. They go home and tell their father, Fenton Hardy, everything. Then they finally go to the costume party.
Searching for Missing Friends
The next day, Frank and Joe wake up to more bad news. Their friends, Chet Morton and Biff Hooper, never came home from the party! Now the boys have three mysteries to solve. They need to find out who stole the Sleuth. They also need to know where their missing friends went. And, of course, who robbed the bank.
As the story continues, the boys discover that expensive, possibly stolen, radios are appearing. They also meet a hermit on a tiny island who threatens them with a shotgun. Finally, they rescue their friends and escape from the bad guys. The book ends with a hint that Frank and Joe will soon start a new case called Hunting for Hidden Gold.
The Original Story (1928)
The first version of the story begins with Chet Morton and Biff Hooper getting ready for a week-long boat trip. They are using Biff's new motorboat, the Envoy. Frank and Joe are helping Biff learn how to handle the boat. Another boat with three men in it comes close to them. It almost causes the Envoy to crash into two sailboats. The Hardy Boys notice that these men are watching Chet and Biff very closely. This detail becomes important later.
The next day, Chet and Biff leave for their trip. Frank and Joe, along with their friends Callie Shaw and Iola Morton, decide to escort them. Tony Prito also joins in his boat, the Napoli. But a strong storm hits the bay. Frank and Joe's boat, the Sleuth, has to turn back. The Napoli also returns, and Tony reports that the Envoy kept going into the storm. It was last seen heading out to the ocean.
After three days with no word, Frank and Joe start a search. But their Aunt Gertrude arrives for a visit. She doesn't like the idea of children going out in boats. With their mother's permission, they eventually start searching up the coast. They find no sign of Chet and Biff. They even find some wreckage, which makes them fear the worst. Everyone in the town believes Chet and Biff are gone.
A Case of Mistaken Identity
Days later, hope returns! Aunt Gertrude opens a letter meant for Fenton Hardy, the boys' father. It's from a gang led by Baldy Turk. The letter says they have kidnapped Frank and Joe and demand money. But Frank and Joe are clearly not kidnapped! They realize the gangsters must have captured Chet and Biff, thinking they were the Hardy Boys.
Tony Prito then remembers that Biff once said he wanted to go down the coast, to Blacksnake Island. After a small adventure where Frank and Joe think they see Chet, they head to Blacksnake Island. They see the same boat that bothered them earlier leaving the island. They land and search for Chet and Biff. They find them held captive in a cave by Baldy Turk's gang.
The boys briefly free their friends, but then they are all captured again. They even hear that Fenton Hardy has been taken by the gang too! They escape once more, but Frank and Joe get separated from Chet and Biff in the dark. They reach their boat and also steal the gang's boats. This leaves the criminals stuck on the island with Chet and Biff.
The Hardy Boys return with the police and capture the gang. They finally free their friends. They go home to find that their father is safe. He had arrested Baldy Turk while Frank and Joe were catching the rest of the gang!
Cover Art Details
The cover of the revised edition shows Frank and Joe seeing Chet and Biff in a boat far away. Lightning is striking down. This scene happens on page 139 of the revised book. Sometimes, people confuse this image with a similar scene in the original edition.
