The Tower Treasure facts for kids
Original 1927 edition
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| Author | Franklin W. Dixon |
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| Cover artist | Walter S. Rogers |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Hardy Boys |
| Genre | Children's literature/young adult fiction |
| Publisher | Grosset & Dunlap |
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Publication date
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June 1, 1927, revised edition 1959 |
| Pages | Original edition 216, revised edition 180 |
| ISBN | 9780448089010 |
| OCLC | 26152526 |
| Followed by | The House on the Cliff |
The Tower Treasure is the very first book in The Hardy Boys Mystery Stories series. It was published by Grosset & Dunlap. This book is super popular! It's even on Publishers Weekly's list of All-Time Bestselling Children's Books in the United States. By 2001, over 2.2 million copies had been sold. Many people who study children's books think The Tower Treasure is one of the best Hardy Boys stories ever written.
This book was created for the Stratemeyer Syndicate by Leslie McFarlane in 1927. Later, between 1959 and 1973, the first 38 Hardy Boys books were updated. This big project was led by Harriet S. Adams, who was Edward Stratemeyer's daughter. While some books only had small changes, the story of The Tower Treasure was rewritten quite a bit in 1959 by Adams.
Contents
The Mystery Unfolds
The story starts with brothers Frank and Joe Hardy almost getting hit by a speeding car. They notice the driver has bright red hair. Later, this same red-haired driver tries to rob a ferry boat ticket office. He also successfully steals a yellow old car, called Queen, from the Hardys' friend, Chet Morton.
A witness says the bad guy had dark hair. So, Frank and Joe figure he must be wearing a red wig. They learn that the thief went back to Chet's house to steal a tire. This clue helps Frank and Joe find Queen left alone in a public wooded area.
The excitement of finding Queen quickly fades. News arrives that forty thousand dollars worth of important papers and jewels have been stolen. These items belonged to the Tower Mansion, owned by siblings Hurd Applegate and Adelia Applegate. Hurd Applegate is sure that the mansion's caretaker, Henry Robinson, is the thief.
The Hardys are very worried about this. Henry's son, Perry, is their friend. If Henry can't get a job because of this accusation, Perry will have to quit school to work. The only "proof" against Henry Robinson is that he suddenly paid off a debt. He wouldn't say where he got the money.
Searching for Clues
Frank and Joe think the red-haired man might be connected to the Tower Mansion robbery. They search the spot where The Queen was found and discover the red wig. The Hardys' dad, detective Fenton Hardy, finds out the wig was made in New York City.
Fenton Hardy travels to New York. There, he learns about a criminal named John "Red" Jackley. This criminal loves to use disguises. Soon, Jackley gets hurt in a railroad accident and ends up in the hospital. As he is about to pass away, Jackley admits he robbed the Tower Mansion. He says he put the stolen items "in the old tower..." Jackley dies before he can explain more.
Frank and Joe decide to visit the railroad where Jackley used to work. They hope to find more information. While looking around, they see two water towers nearby. Inside one of the water towers, they find the stolen items! But then, a man calling himself Hobo Johnny locks them inside the tower. Johnny believes that anything in the tower belongs to him.
Frank and Joe manage to break out of the water tower. They return the missing papers and jewelry. For their efforts, they receive a $1,000 reward! After everything is revealed and the stolen items are back, Hurd Applegate re-hires Henry Robinson. He even gives Henry a raise and builds the greenhouse Henry always wanted.
Who's Who and Where It Happens
Main Characters
- Adelia Applegate
- Hurd Applegate
- Chief Collig
- Fenton Hardy
- Frank Hardy
- Joe Hardy
- Laura Hardy
- John ‘‘Red’’ Jackley
- Hobo Johnny
- Chet Morton
- Iola Morton (Chet's sister)
- Henry Robinson
- Perry Robinson
- Callie Shaw
Key Locations
- Bayport
- Bayport High
- Bayport Police Station
- Hardys’ house
- Morton farm
- New York City
- Tower Mansion
Other Adventures
TV Show Adaptation
The Tower Treasure was turned into a TV show! It was a serial shown on the Mickey Mouse Club in 1956–1957. The show was called "The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure." It was named after a descendant of a pirate who was looking for a very valuable treasure. The introduction song, sung by Thurl Ravenscroft, went like this:
Gold Doubloons and Pieces of Eight,
Handed down to Applegate,
from buccaneers,
who fought for years,
for Gold Doubloons, and Pieces of Eight.
Handed down in a pirate's chest,
the gold they sailed for east and west,
the treasure bright,
that made men fight,
til none were left
to bury the chest.
So now the gold and Pieces of Eight,
all belong to Applegate,
the chest is here,
but, wait,
Now where are those Gold Doubloons
and Pieces of Eight, Pieces of Eight, Pieces of Eight.
Computer Game Adaptation
On September 30, 2008, JoWooD Productions and The Adventure Company released a PC video game based on The Tower Treasure. It is called The Hardy Boys: The Hidden Theft.
