XVII: The Escape explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Mystery and Detection

  Frank and Joe observe Hanleigh's actions to confirm his involvement and uncover his motives.

• Resourcefulness and Courage

  The boys hide, plan their confrontation, and stand up to Hanleigh despite his strength.

• Deception and Greed

  Hanleigh lies about losing a pocketbook and ransacks the cabin in search of the notebook.

Characters to notice

• Frank Hardy

  Recognizes Hanleigh, plans to observe him, confronts him, and fires warning shots.

• Joe Hardy

  Helps Frank hide and confront Hanleigh, struggles with him during the escape.

• Chet Morton

  Mentioned as being away at the far end of the island.

• Biff Hooper

  Mentioned as being away at the far end of the island.

• Mr. Hanleigh

  Searches the cabin for the notebook, lies about losing a pocketbook, and escapes after a fight.

Key passages

• “Frank was so close to the man that he recognized him readily. He knew now that Hanleigh was the man who had stolen their supplies and hidden them, evidently to get the boys to leave the island.”

  Frank immediately identified the man as Hanleigh, realizing he was the one who had taken their supplies to force them off the island.

  Frank confirms Hanleigh's role in the theft.

• “If he thinks we don’t see him, he may give himself away,” Frank reasoned.”

  Frank believed that if Hanleigh thought he was unobserved, he would reveal his true intentions.

  Frank's strategic thinking to gather evidence.

• “Hanleigh made a thorough search of the cabin. He rummaged through the bureau and the desk, and as his search went on, with no success, he apparently lost his temper for he flung things on the floor and stamped angrily about.”

  Hanleigh searched every part of the cabin, growing increasingly frustrated and destructive when he couldn't find what he was looking for.

  Hanleigh's frantic search for the notebook.

• ““You boys have no right here, anyway,” growled the intruder. “Did you ask Mr. Jefferson about it?” inquired Frank sweetly.”

  Hanleigh claimed the boys had no right to be on the island, but Frank countered by asking if Hanleigh had Jefferson's permission.

  Frank uses Jefferson's authority to challenge Hanleigh.

• ““I came back here to look for something I lost the other day.” “What other day? The day you came and stole all our supplies?””

  Hanleigh said he returned to find something he lost, and Frank sarcastically asked if it was the day he stole their supplies.

  Frank confronts Hanleigh about the theft.

• ““Are you sure it wasn’t a notebook?” asked Frank quietly. The shot told. Hanleigh’s fists clenched. “No, it wasn’t a notebook,” he said thickly.”

  Frank's direct question about a notebook hit a nerve, and Hanleigh's reaction confirmed his interest in it.

  Frank's probing reveals Hanleigh's true objective.