Footprints under the Window
Encyclopedia
Footprints Under The Window is Volume 12 in the original The Hardy Boys
Mystery Stories published by Grosset & Dunlap
.
This book was written for the Stratemeyer Syndicate
in 1933, purportedly by Leslie McFarlane
; however, the writing style is noticeably different from other books in the series known to have been written by McFarlane. Between 1959 and 1973 the first 38 volumes of this series were systematically revised as part of a project directed by Harriet Adams, Edward Stratemeyer's daughter. The original version of this book was rewritten in 1965 by David Grambs resulting in two different stories with the same title.
refugees from Baredo in the Huellas (a fictional island
nation
off the coast of French Guiana
) into the United States
, and the involvement of local magnate Orrin North. They also get involved with investigating attempts to spy on a top-secret satellite camera being built at a local company called Micro-Eye. Someone has managed to infiltrate security at the plant and has taken photos of blueprints.
Realizing that several clues point to the involvement of people from Baredo, Frank and Joe and their friend Chet Morton
fly down to Cayenne
, French Guiana
and then Baredo in the nearby Huellas, to investigate. What they discover is that Orrin North, while supposedly on the side of rebels against the dictator of Baredo, is actually double-crossing the rebels by finding out their identities and capturing them.
Returning to Bayport, the boys overhear a plot to steal the satellite camera the very next day. But they are captured and taken aboard a ship where they are locked into a hold being filled with water. They manage to pry themselves out of the hold with the assist of their father, Fenton Hardy, who has been on the same case and went after this ship at the same time. They free the political prisoners onboard, and capture the criminals with the assist of the Coast Guard.
Later, the boys and Orrin North head to a Chinese restaurant named "Lantern Land" where a Sidney Pebbles is working. To their surprise, a Sidney Pebbles is working there, but is not the same man. They overhear Pebbles talking with Tom Wat, a Chinese who was stabbed in the dock fight but miraculously survived, when someone releases a dog to attack Tom. The Hardy boys intervene and save the pair, and try to help Tom and Sidney. During the course of their investigation the Hardy boys hide Tom Wat by dressing him up as a female and hiding him in their home. They also meet the real Mr. Pebbles and realize that they had been fooled by an imposter who lied to them in order to get into their house. The story concludes with the Hardy boy's being held prisoner along with their father, until Tom Wat is able to escape and get help, resulting in the people smugglers being arrested and the Hardy boys solving the mystery of who left the footprints under the window.
The Hardy Boys
The Hardy Boys, Frank and Joe Hardy, are fictional teenage brothers and amateur detectives who appear in various mystery series for children and teens....
Mystery Stories published by Grosset & Dunlap
Grosset & Dunlap
Grosset & Dunlap is a United States book publisher founded in 1898.The company was purchased by G. P. Putnam's Sons in 1982 and today is part of the British publishing conglomerate, Pearson PLC through its American subsidiary Penguin Group....
.
This book was written for the Stratemeyer Syndicate
Stratemeyer Syndicate
The Stratemeyer Syndicate was the producer of a number of mystery series for children, including Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, the various Tom Swift series, the Bobbsey Twins, the Rover Boys, and others.- History :...
in 1933, purportedly by Leslie McFarlane
Leslie McFarlane
Leslie McFarlane was a Canadian journalist, novelist, screenwriter and filmmaker. McFarlane is most famous for ghostwriting many of the early books in the very successful Hardy Boys series using the pseudonym Franklin W. Dixon.- Early life :The son of a school principal, McFarlane was raised in...
; however, the writing style is noticeably different from other books in the series known to have been written by McFarlane. Between 1959 and 1973 the first 38 volumes of this series were systematically revised as part of a project directed by Harriet Adams, Edward Stratemeyer's daughter. The original version of this book was rewritten in 1965 by David Grambs resulting in two different stories with the same title.
Plot summary (revised edition)
Frank and Joe attempt to uncover a plot to smugglePeople smuggling
People smuggling is defined as "the facilitation, transportation, attempted transportation or illegal entry of a person or persons across an international border, in violation of one or more countries laws, either clandestinely or through deception, such as the use of fraudulent documents"...
refugees from Baredo in the Huellas (a fictional island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
nation
Nation
A nation may refer to a community of people who share a common language, culture, ethnicity, descent, and/or history. In this definition, a nation has no physical borders. However, it can also refer to people who share a common territory and government irrespective of their ethnic make-up...
off the coast of French Guiana
French Guiana
French Guiana is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department located on the northern Atlantic coast of South America. It has borders with two nations, Brazil to the east and south, and Suriname to the west...
) into the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and the involvement of local magnate Orrin North. They also get involved with investigating attempts to spy on a top-secret satellite camera being built at a local company called Micro-Eye. Someone has managed to infiltrate security at the plant and has taken photos of blueprints.
Realizing that several clues point to the involvement of people from Baredo, Frank and Joe and their friend Chet Morton
Chet Morton
Chet Morton is a fictional character in the The Hardy Boys book series by Franklin W. Dixon.-Fictional history:Chet grew up with Frank and Joe Hardy and has been one of their best friends since second grade. He usually says he doesn't want to have anything to do with the Hardy boys' mysteries,...
fly down to Cayenne
Cayenne
Cayenne is the capital of French Guiana, an overseas region and department of France located in South America. The city stands on a former island at the mouth of the Cayenne River on the Atlantic coast. The city's motto is "Ferit Aurum Industria" which means "Work brings wealth"...
, French Guiana
French Guiana
French Guiana is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department located on the northern Atlantic coast of South America. It has borders with two nations, Brazil to the east and south, and Suriname to the west...
and then Baredo in the nearby Huellas, to investigate. What they discover is that Orrin North, while supposedly on the side of rebels against the dictator of Baredo, is actually double-crossing the rebels by finding out their identities and capturing them.
Returning to Bayport, the boys overhear a plot to steal the satellite camera the very next day. But they are captured and taken aboard a ship where they are locked into a hold being filled with water. They manage to pry themselves out of the hold with the assist of their father, Fenton Hardy, who has been on the same case and went after this ship at the same time. They free the political prisoners onboard, and capture the criminals with the assist of the Coast Guard.
Plot summary (original edition)
When Frank and Joe try to take their laundry to the laundromat in order to clean up the house before Aunt Gertrude arrives, they learn that the owner has disappeared and has been replaced by a sinister Chinaman named Louie Fong. Later that day, the boys go down to the docks to meet their aunt, who mysteriously doesn't show up. While waiting, they meet a man who introduces himself as Sidney Pebbles, who is invited to spend the night at the Hardy home. The next morning Mr. Pebbles has disappeared along with some papers from Fenton Hardy's coat pockets, leaving only a set of footprints below the window. That night, they arrive home to find Aunt Gertrude on the floor, ill. She had accidentally overslept and had to arrive on the return voyage, making her a day late. Concerned, they hire a nurse, Mrs. Cody, to take care of her while she recovers. In the following days the Hardy boys investigate a fight amongst Chinamen at the local docks as well as meeting Orrin North who had hired their father to clear his company name under accusations that he is involved in smuggling Chinamen into America to avoid a head tax.Later, the boys and Orrin North head to a Chinese restaurant named "Lantern Land" where a Sidney Pebbles is working. To their surprise, a Sidney Pebbles is working there, but is not the same man. They overhear Pebbles talking with Tom Wat, a Chinese who was stabbed in the dock fight but miraculously survived, when someone releases a dog to attack Tom. The Hardy boys intervene and save the pair, and try to help Tom and Sidney. During the course of their investigation the Hardy boys hide Tom Wat by dressing him up as a female and hiding him in their home. They also meet the real Mr. Pebbles and realize that they had been fooled by an imposter who lied to them in order to get into their house. The story concludes with the Hardy boy's being held prisoner along with their father, until Tom Wat is able to escape and get help, resulting in the people smugglers being arrested and the Hardy boys solving the mystery of who left the footprints under the window.