The Phantom Freighter facts for kids
Original cover
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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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January 1, 1947 |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
| Pages | 192 pp |
| Preceded by | The Secret Panel |
| Followed by | The Secret of Skull Mountain |
The Phantom Freighter is the 26th book in the original The Hardy Boys Mystery Stories series. It was published by Grosset & Dunlap. This exciting mystery was first released in 1947. It was written for the Stratemeyer Syndicate by Amy McFarlane.
Contents
Solving the Phantom Freighter Mystery
In The Phantom Freighter, the Hardy brothers, Frank and Joe, go on a mysterious trip. They soon find themselves caught up with a group involved in illegal activities. The boys discover that the "Phantom Freighter" is a secret ship. This ship is used to illegally move things like fake documents, animal hides, and electric motors.
Aunt Gertrude's Mixed-Up Box
The adventure begins when a strange man named Thaddeus McClintock comes to Bayport. He asks Frank and Joe Hardy to plan a relaxing trip for him. He promises to pay for everything and give them a reward afterwards. Meanwhile, their Aunt Gertrude arrives to live with them.
A shipping company makes a mistake and delivers the wrong box to the Hardys' house. Instead of Aunt Gertrude's valuable family papers, they get a box of raw wool. This box is meant for a Mr. Johnson. Aunt Gertrude is very upset and sends the boys to swap the packages.
The boys go to the remote farm address on the box. They find no one home, but the barn is on fire! Frank bravely breaks into the barn. He tries to rescue a box he thinks is Aunt Gertrude's. But it only contains old newspapers. The barn owner then arrives. He is shocked that someone was staying at his house and getting packages delivered. The boys get a description of the person who signed for the package. They later spot him at a clothing store and follow him to the docks. He then disappears.
A Fishing Trip Goes Wrong
Frank and Joe suggest a trip on a large cargo ship to Mr. McClintock. He likes the idea. The boys try many times to book passage on freighters leaving Bayport. But they are always turned away. A local travel agency seems to be trying to keep them off ships. Even when they get tickets from another agency, someone picks them up. This stops them from sailing.
Their friend Chet Morton suggests a fishing trip. So, the boys and Mr. McClintock hire Captain Harkness. The captain agrees, but warns them to avoid Barmet Shoals. He recently saw a "phantom freighter" there that scared him. They catch a huge tuna, making Mr. McClintock happy. On their way back to Bayport, their boat runs out of gas. Captain Harkness is surprised, as this should not happen.
As night falls, they see a freighter heading towards them. It then goes silent and dark. The boys try to find it, but it's gone by morning. A coastal patrol aircraft and ship rescue them the next day.
Mysteries Around Bayport
While the boys are away, many break-ins happen in Bayport. Nothing is stolen from empty houses. Instead, packages are delivered and signed for by strangers. Fenton Hardy, the boys' father, reveals he is working on a case. It involves fake old documents appearing in the rare document market.
Aunt Gertrude takes a trip to Bridgewater. She is secretive about where and why she is going. The boys follow her. They find her meeting an elderly woman. The boys recognize this woman as someone involved in the package delivery scheme. The boys call the local police. The police arrest the woman, who is selling some of Aunt Gertrude's stolen items back to her. They search her motel room and find more stolen property.
Setting Sail on the Father Neptune
The boys ask their friend Biff Hooper for help booking a trip. An out-of-town travel agent arranges their cruise on the ship Father Neptune. They meet Captain Gramwell. He tells them a crew member recently left sick. A new person was hired. The boys are suspicious. They find out the original crewman was kidnapped. The new person was sent to cause problems on the trip. Captain Gramwell quickly acts. He has the new crewman arrested. The boys recognize him as part of the smuggling group. The missing crewman is found.
Mr. McClintock, the boys, Biff, and Chet board the Father Neptune. At sea, the ship's cargo suddenly shifts. The ship tilts badly and is in danger of sinking. The crew and passengers work together to move the cargo. They manage to get the ship upright again.
The boys tell Captain Gramwell about the smuggling group and the phantom ship. The captain has his radio operator contact other ships. The Lion Tamer reports seeing such a ship nearby. The Father Neptune spots the mystery ship, named the Black Gull, at nightfall. They chase it, but cannot catch it. Captain Gramwell is frustrated because the Father Neptune is known as the fastest ship in those waters. The Black Gull is clearly older and slower.
That night, the mystery ship is seen again. It is dark and seems to be drifting. The boys and the Father Neptune's radio operator, Sparks, row over to the ship. The Father Neptune keeps a spotlight on the Black Gull to hide the rowboat. This scene is shown on the book's cover. When they board the mystery ship, it seems empty. But suddenly, the ship's crew jumps out and captures them.
Captured by Smugglers
Frank, Joe, and Sparks are held captive on the Black Gull by the main smuggler, Crowfoot. The boys pretend to join the smugglers. Crowfoot tells them about the ship's secret "repeller belts." These belts around the hull keep away any motorized ship or aircraft. This explains how the Black Gull (which uses many different names) escapes faster ships. It also explains how the boys' fishing boat got so close when its engine was off.
The Black Gull's radio operator gets sick. Crowfoot forces Sparks to send messages. The boys then take turns sending secret messages to their father. They use innocent-sounding nursery rhymes as code. One message includes the line: "sailing, sailing, over the bounding main, for many a sailing ship can go faster..."
Soon, a fast racing sailboat approaches. It is immune to the repeller belts because it has no motor. It quickly overtakes the slow freighter. Coast Guard officers board the ship. They rescue the boys, Sparks, and kidnapped scientists. These scientists were forced to work for the smuggler. One chemist had developed ways to make fake old documents.
The elderly "smuggler" Mitchell turns out to be Mr. McClintock's old business partner. They are happily reunited on the Father Neptune. With Mitchell rescued, the full design for the repeller belt is found. Mr. McClintock and Mitchell agree to give the design to the U.S. Government. The boys, Chet, Biff, and Mr. McClintock then continue their cruise to the Caribbean. The story ends with a hint that the Hardy Boys' next mystery will be The Secret of Skull Mountain.
