The Pirate Ghost

By Franklin W. Dixon and Santy Gutiérrez

Detective brothers Frank and Joe work to uncover a pirate ghost hoax in the seventh book in the interactive Hardy Boys Clue Book series.

The Hardy Boys are super excited when their friend Jason Wang wins the “Talk Like a Pirate Contest” at Bayport’s annual Pirate Palooza. Jason’s prize is a map to the legendary pirate, Captain Scurvydog’s buried treasure. Expert detectives Frank and Joe offer to help him find it.

But the next day, Jason tells the brothers that he won’t be doing any treasure hunting. He says the ghost of Captain Scurvydog has been haunting him; his parrot is singing pirate songs he’s never been taught, pirate coins appeared on his windowsill, and there’s a mysterious note in a bottle warning Jason to stay away from buried treasure. To Jason, the message is clear: stay away from Captain Scurvydog’s booty! Frank and Joe don’t believe in ghosts. They’re sure someone is tricking Jason so they can dig up the buried treasure themselves. The only question is, who?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Aladdin
• Release date: Apr 3, 2018
• ISBN: 9781481488747

Franklin W. Dixon

Franklin W. Dixon is the pen name used by a variety of different authors (Charles Leslie McFarlane, a Canadian author, being the first) who wrote The Hardy Boys novels.

Book preview

Chapter 1

TALK AND SQUAWK

Arrgh, you bilge-sucking scalawags! Chet Morton growled. He lowered his pirate eye patch to give a wink. All hands on doughnuts!

Eight-year-old Joe was dressed like a pirate too in a puffy shirt. How could pirates dig for buried treasure in itchy shirts like this? he asked.

It’s Pirate Palooza Day in Bayport, Joe, Frank said as he straightened his pirate bandanna. Whoever comes to the festival after school dressed like a pirate—

Gets a free doughnut! Chet said. Bring it!

It was Friday and the last day of school before spring break. Many kids dressed in pirate gear walked up and down Bay Street for the Pirate Palooza.

I wonder what life was like in the days of pirates, Frank said. Do you think there were detectives?

Frank and Joe loved solving mysteries more than anything else. Their dad, Fenton Hardy, had his own detective agency in Bayport. The boys had something just as good: their own clue book, which Joe carried everywhere.

If there were detectives back then, Joe said, scratching his itchy arm, I hope they didn’t dress like pirates!

The boys checked out the cool festivities. Kids lined up to take pictures in the Pirate Photo Booth. A stand sold Swashbuckling Smoothies.

I can’t wait to see the Talk Like a Pirate Contest, Joe said. I heard the prize is a map leading to a treasure chest buried right here in Bayport.

A treas-arrrgh chest filled with doughnuts, I’ll bet! Chet growled in his best pirate voice. Arrrgh!

Arrrk! a nearby voice squawked.

"I said arrrgh, not arrrk," Chet pointed out.

Frank, Joe, and Chet turned to see Jason Wang from school. Jason was dressed like a pirate too, with something extra: his bright red-and-green parrot on his shoulder!

Arrk! the parrot squawked again. Pirates ahoy, pirates ahoy—raaak!

Hey! Frank said with a smile. It’s Crackers!

Jason’s pet parrot flapped his feathery wings. He not only talked—he could squawk a whole song after hearing it only once!

Hi, guys, Jason greeted the others. Crackers and I are here for the Talk Like a Pirate Contest.

You mean ‘squawk’ like a pirate! Joe laughed.

Can we get our freebies already? Please? Chet said impatiently.

Onward, buccaneers, Joe declared, to Double Doughnuts!

But before the boys could head to the doughnut shop, four other kids walked over. Frank recognized Tobias Singh from another fourth-grade class.

What’s up, Tobias? Frank said. He nodded at the red caps Tobias and his friends were wearing. Those don’t look like pirate hats.

Yeah, Chet agreed. Don’t you guys want free doughnuts?

Tobias pointed to the words on their matching red T-shirts: JUNIOR DIGGERS OF BAYPORT. We’re not here for the Pirate Palooza, he explained, his face serious. We’re here on business.

‘Junior Diggers,’ Chet read. Isn’t that the new snarky-ology club?

Archeology! Tobias corrected.

Third grader Ava Carter explained, We meet every week in Tobias’s attic clubhouse. We then head out to dig up ancient relics in Bayport.

Have you actually dug up old stuff in Bayport? Joe asked. Really, really old stuff?

Are you kidding me? Tobias exclaimed. "We have a treasure chest