Hardy Boys #2 House on the Cliff and #3 Secret of the Old Mill

In the original text of Hardy Boys #2, The House on the Cliff, a smuggling ring is suspected of operating in Barmet Bay.  Frank and Joe become suspicious of an abandoned house on a cliff, where they hear strange shrieks.  Later, some men begin living in the house, and the men act suspicious.  The case takes a serious turn when Fenton Hardy disappears.

I remembered The Tower Treasure as I began reading it, but as I began The House on the Cliff, I had no memory of it. Finally, the name Snackley seemed familiar.  I am sure that I read most all of the original text Hardy Boys books, but I have forgotten most details.  As a result, it is like I'm reading the books for the first time even though I have read them before.

Tony Prito's English has greatly improved since volume one.  It's strange how that happens.

The ending chase scene was a bit too lengthy for my taste.  Aside from that, I greatly enjoyed this book.

In the original text of Hardy Boys #3, The Secret of the Old Mill, a counterfeiting ring is distributing bad money around Bayport.  The Hardy Boys decide to investigate after they are cheated by a glib stranger.  The boys soon suspect that the men running an old mill are up to no good, and they keep an eye on them.

The scene where the boys pull the prank on Con Riley is a little annoying.  It also doesn't make much sense.  The alarm clock continues to ring as Riley hurries here and there, and it seems to take forever for it to quit ringing.  I've never had an alarm clock ring for that long.

On page 153, we learn that the Hardy family owned a $900 rug.  Wow!  That rug would be valued at $12307.50 in 2015 money.  The Hardys are quite well off, which we already know by the fact that the family can purchase motorcycles and a boat for the boys.  Besides, the boys keep raking in large rewards for each case they solve.

I always wonder about how the Hardy Boys can earn thousands of dollars for solving cases, but Nancy Drew is only allowed to get souvenirs of each case.  I know it is a gender issue.  But still, the idea is a bit annoying to this modern reader.

I greatly enjoyed this book.