An Attack

The airplane crash was a front-page feature in the newspapers of Bayport for several days thereafter, and the Hardy boys learned that the post office department was conducting an investigation into the cause of the affair.

Several reporters called on Frank and Joe Hardy to learn their version of the accident, and although the boys told exactly how the crash occurred, they were disturbed to find that considerable space was given to Giles Ducroy's account. Ducroy was not backward in laying the blame upon the Hardy boys.

" My plane cracked up simply because I was trying to avoid hitting the car, " he said, in an interview. " The boys deliberately drove their roadster ahead so that I was unable to find a landing place until it was too late. They confused me so much that the accident was the result."

All this looked very bad in cold print, and one of the newspapers hinted that the post office department might take action against the boys if Ducroy's story was upheld.

" Don't worry about it, " Fenton Hardy advised. " Don't let it be on your minds while you are writing examination papers."

This counsel was sound. The lads were busy writing their final examinations and upon the result would depend their graduation from the high school that year. If they failed, it would mean another term, and a year's work wasted.

Both Frank and Joe had studied hard and were well up in their work. Under ordinary circumstances they would have had little doubt of the outcome, but with the Ducroy affair on their minds they could not concentrate on their studies as well as they might have done otherwise. Frank shook his head mournfully when the boys left school the afternoon of the geometry examination.

" How do you think you made out? " he asked Joe.

" Not so good."

" I'm sure I failed."

" It was a tough exam. Everybody says so."

" I know it was tough, but I couldn't help thinking of the trouble we'll be in if the post office people decide we're to blame for that accident."

" It was in my mind too, " Joe admitted, " Still we know it wasn't our fault."

" Of course it wasn't. But the chances are that they'll believe Ducroy, seeing he's one of their own pilots."

" If they blame us, we'll fight it. We'll tell them Ducroy was drunk."

" Perhaps they won't even listen to us, '" said Frank.

The boys went on down the street toward the downtown section. Joe caught sight of a familiar name in a newspaper headline.

" This looks interesting, " he remarked. When he bought the paper, the two stood on the corner to read it.

" Post Office Department Discharges Giles Ducroy, " read the headline. " Air Mail Pilot Released Following Crash Near Local Airport."

Joe whistled softly. The boys read further:

" It was announced today at post office headquarters that the resignation of Giles Ducroy, pilot in charge of the mail plane that crashed on the airport road last Saturday, had been requested by the department. Ducroy handed in his resignation early this afternoon and is no longer with the service. It was stated that information had come into possession of the department to the effect that Ducroy had been drinking heavily on the day of the crash and that he had been drinking for several days previous. According to officials, the pilot had been warned several times that his bad habits would get him into trouble, and although he promised to mend his ways he had evidently failed to do so. Other aviators claimed that Ducroy was a menace to the air service and that he should not be permitted to handle a plane. His flying license has been canceled."

The Hardy boys looked at one another in silence.

" I guess that will clear us, " said Frank finally.

" It doesn't say so."

" They can't very well blame us after that."

A familiar voice broke in:

" Hi, there! Hear the news? "

The Hardy boys looked up to see Chet Morton, one of their chums, approaching. Chet, too, had a newspaper under his arm.

" We were just reading it, " said Joe.

" It was coming to him, " declared Chet warmly. " I was talking to one of the men at the airport yesterday, and he said Ducroy ought to be fired. He was always drinking. None of them were surprised when he had that crash."

" I'm sorry he has lost his job, " said Frank, " but I guess he deserved it. If they let him stay on he might get into a serious accident and kill somebody."

" He mighty nearly killed us, " Joe reminded him. " If I only knew that this meant we were clear of blame I could write the rest of my exams with an easy mind."

" Don't worry, " advised Chet. " They won't blame you chaps. The very fact that Ducroy has been let out means that they didn't believe his story."

Suddenly Frank nudged his brother.

" Here he comes now."

" Who? "

" Ducroy, " whispered Frank.

Joe looked around. Coming down the street he saw the former air pilot. Ducroy's face wore an angry look and he appeared not to notice the stares and the comments of the people near by.

" Don't pay any attention to him, " said Joe. " There's no use looking for trouble."

But, if the Hardy boys were not going to pay any attention to Giles Ducroy, it soon became apparent that the pilot intended to pay some attention to them. He changed his course and came over toward the three boys.

" Now what's the big idea? " muttered Chet.

Ducroy blustered toward them. He faced Frank and Joe angrily, brushing Chet to one side.

" Well, " he sneered, " I suppose you're satisfied now? "

" What do you mean? " asked Frank.

" I suppose you're satisfied now that you've lost me my job? " demanded Ducroy.

" You lost it yourself, " returned Frank. " We didn't have anything to do with it."

" You didn't, hey? It was your fool driving that caused the crash, and it was because of the crash that I got fired."

" The paper says something different, " said Joe calmly.

" It says I got fired because I was drunk, and I was as sober as I am now."

" And you're not any too sober now, either, " Chet reminded him sweetly.

Ducroy turned to him. " You keep out of this, " he snapped. " This is none of your business. I'll thank you to keep your mouth shut."

" Seeing you ask me so nicely, I will."

Ducroy turned to the Hardy boys again. " I'm not through with you two yet, " he said. " I may have lost my job, but I'm going to get some satisfaction, anyway."

" How? " asked Frank.

By way of reply, Ducroy drew back his right arm and lashed out suddenly. His fist struck prank in the face and sent the youth staggering back. The blow had come so abruptly that he had no chance to defend himself.

But Joe, when he saw his brother attacked, lost no time in getting into action. He plunged at Ducroy without hesitation and planted a swinging blow on the pilot's right eye, completely closing it. Ducroy gave a yell of pain, and struck at Joe, but the blow was wild.

Frank recovered himself.

" Let me handle this, " he said to his brother. And with no further ado he advanced on Ducroy.

The pilot swung at him, but Frank ducked, came in, and stung Ducroy's face with an uppercut. Ducroy was bigger than Frank and considerably heavier, but he was far from being a scientific fighter, relying chiefly on bull-like rushes and ponderous swinging blows that would have done damage had they landed, but seldom did. Ducroy rushed Frank back across the pavement, his heavy fists swinging, but Frank backed away, ducking and dodging, watching for an opening.

It soon came.

Ducroy swung so wildly that he left himself completely unprotected. Frank's fist shot out. The blow caught Ducroy directly on the point of the jaw, and he went down in a heap.

" Is that enough? " asked Frank.

A crowd had collected, and Con Riley of the Bayport police force hastened forward.

''What's all this? " he demanded. ''Fightin' on the streets? What's the trouble? "

Frank turned away. " Just a little argument, " he explained. " This man hit me first and I had to hit him back."

" That's right, " chimed in Chet Morton. " I saw it all. I can prove it."

Giles Ducroy got slowly to his feet and Eiley seized him by the collar.

" I got a good mind to run you in, " said the officer. " What business have you got hittin' a lad half your size? "

" I don't want to lay any charge against him, " said Frank. " Better let him go."

Con Riley looked dubious. Then he released his grip on Ducroy's collar.

" Well, seein' you ask it, " he said. Then he glared at Ducroy. " Take yourself out of here! " he ordered sharply. " If I catch you makin' any disturbance on the street again it won't go so easy with you."

Giles Ducroy lurched away, muttering and defeated. Con Riley then turned his attention to the crowd and dispersed the bystanders with a wave of his stick. " Move on! " he ordered. '" Move on out of here."

The crowd scattered.

The Hardy boys and Chet Morton continued their journey down the street. Chet was warm in his praise of the artistic manner in which Frank had dealt with the bully.

" I'll bet his jaw is sore for a week! " he declared.

" I hate a row like that, " said Frank. " Dad would be angry if he knew we were mixed up in a common street fight."

" You couldn't help it. You didn't start the fight. It was all Ducroy's fault, " said Chet. " He struck you first. Boy, that was a nice pasting you handed him! "

But Frank remembered the vindictive look in Ducroy's face as the beaten man slunk away.

" I don't think we've heard the last of this, by any means, " he said.