The Secret of the Old Mill facts for kids
Original 1927 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, 1927, revised edition 1962 |
| Pages | original edition 212, revised edition 174 |
| OCLC | 1718891 |
| Preceded by | The House on the Cliff |
| Followed by | The Missing Chums |
The Secret of the Old Mill is the third book in The Hardy Boys Mystery Stories series. These popular books are about two teenage brothers who solve mysteries. This book was first published in 1927. It is one of the "Original 10" Hardy Boys books, which are known as great examples of the series.
This story was written by Leslie McFarlane in 1927 for the Stratemeyer Syndicate. Later, many of the early Hardy Boys books were updated. This book was rewritten in 1962 by Alistair Hunter. This means there are two different versions of the story with the same title!
Contents
The Mystery at the Old Mill (Revised Edition)
A Case of Fake Money
The Hardy brothers, Frank and Joe, discover a big mystery. It involves fake money being used in their town. This case seems connected to an important national security case their dad, Fenton Hardy, a famous detective, is working on.
One day, Frank and Joe help Ken Blake, a 14-year-old cyclist, after he almost gets into an accident. As they help him, they see he is delivering an envelope to a man named Victor Peters. This name will become important later in their adventure.
Trouble in Bayport
Their friend, Chet Morton, gets tricked when someone pays him with a fake twenty-dollar bill. The police confirm that fake money is becoming a big problem in their town of Bayport.
Later, Joe hears a noise outside their house. He sees a mysterious person riding a bicycle away. While looking around, they find a scary note. It says, "Drop case or else danger for you and your family." The Hardys wonder if this threat is about the fake money case or their dad's secret investigation.
A Visit to Elekton Controls
The Hardys go with Chet to Elekton Controls, a company that makes missiles. Chet wants to apply for a job there. Mr. Markel, a security guard, tells them there are no jobs. Before leaving, they notice a bicycle that looks like Ken Blake's. It might be the same bike used by the person who left the threatening note.
Mr. Docker, a maintenance man, tells them Ken does odd jobs for the company. But he says Ken is not there right now. Joe is sure he saw Ken looking out a window from an old watermill next door.
A Warning Shot
The Hardys, their girlfriends Iola Morton and Callie Shaw, and Chet go for a picnic nearby. Suddenly, an arrow flies past them! A note is attached to it, reading, "Danger. Hardys beware." Someone is definitely trying to scare them away from the mystery.
The Sleuth and a New Clue
The Hardy brothers get a cool new motorboat, which they name The Sleuth. They show it to their friend, Tony Prito. Tony tells them that the construction yard where he works has also received fake money. The person who paid with it matched Ken Blake's description.
The Hardys take The Sleuth to the old mill to investigate. They see the mill wheel starting and stopping in a strange way. Soon, they are attacked, and their new boat runs out of gas! After recovering, they find Ken. He thinks someone has been using his bike, especially on the night Joe saw someone near their house.
Explosion at Elekton
Markel and Docker quickly pull Ken away. Then, a suspicious car leaves Elekton. Later, the same car gets away just before a big explosion happens at Elekton! Frank and Joe are terrified, thinking their dad might be inside the burning building.
Luckily, Fenton Hardy was in the building but survived. He explains that he was there to stop the attack. He realized that similar attacks were happening at other important companies across the United States.
Secrets of the Old Mill
Eager to learn more, the Hardys find out Ken has been released from Elekton. They find him at a boarding house. Ken explains that the bricks and lumber bought with the fake money were being used for a secret project at the old mill.
Frank and Joe return to the mill. They realize the mill wheel is a signaling device! An electric-eye stops the wheel, warning people inside that someone is coming. They sneak into the mill when no one is there. They find a secret room hidden by the lumber bought with the fake money.
Inside the secret room, they find the tools used to make the fake money! But before they can get away, the bad guys return to the mill. Frank and Joe escape through a hidden tunnel. However, Docker and Markel capture them.
The Villains Revealed
Victor Peters arrives, and the three villains reveal their secrets. Docker admits he shot the arrow at the girlfriends. Markel used the bike to deliver the threatening note to the Hardys' home. Docker and Markel also explain that they let another villain, Paul Blum, into Elekton to attack the place. This was the case Fenton Hardy was investigating. Blum reveals he is working for people who want to stop the United States from developing missiles.
Frank and Joe see an opportunity and manage to overpower the villains! The book ends with the police arresting all the bad guys. The Hardy Boys are then ready for their next adventure, as they are "called upon to solve the mystery of The Missing Chums."
