This is the second of three Hardy Boys books published in 1927 by the Stratemeyer publishing syndicate, which developed many other well-known series, including Nancy Drew, Tom Swift, and the Bobbsey Twins.
Teenage sleuths Frank and Joe, the sons of famous detective Fenton Hardy, are back with another mystery: tracking down a band of elusive smugglers who have set up operations in their seaside hometown of Bayport.
When they provide their father with some clues about some occurrences at a vacant house, and the possible identities of the smugglers, he suddenly disappears. The local police are of no help in locating Fenton Hardy…it’s up to Frank and Joe to discover what has happened to their father, and at the same time break up the international smuggling ring.
