"Dixon, Franklin W - Hardy Boys 111 - Three-Ring Terror" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dixon Franklin W)

Nash gave the two of them a wicked smile. "Maybe they were just looking for an application," he said. "Or someone to help them with that makeup."
"Actually, we were looking for a couple of crooks," Joe shot back. "And it looks like we found them."
Frank grabbed onto his brother's arm. "Keep your head," he warned under his breath.
Costello raised his eyebrows. "Crooks?" he said in a surprised tone. "We're not crooks. Just good businessmen." Nash began to laugh, but Costello cut him off. "That's enough," he said. "The circus isn't all fun and games, you know. But I guess you two have already discovered that," he added, nodding at Frank and Joe.
"We know about your diamond theft," Joe fired. "You're not going to get away with it."
"But I already have," Costello said softly. "And, once the two of you are out of the way, I will continue to."
"Continue to?" Joe said. "So you are smuggling diamonds."
Costello smiled. "Clever of you to have figured that out."
Frank stood his ground, waiting for the moment to make his move. If they planned it right, between them, he and Joe could take on Nash and Costello. It was just a matter of timing.
Costello stepped into his office and closed the door behind him. "Now, what are we going to do with these two?" he asked Nash.
Nash showed his teeth in a gruesome smile. "I say we throw them to the lions."
"Oh, please," Costello said in a calm voice. "Be serious."
"Once the word gets out about what you've been up to, your scheme is dead," Frank told the director of admissions.
Costello shook his head sadly. "You're not telling me anything I don't already know. That's why we have to do something with you two, before you manage to tell anyone else." He stepped over to his desk and pulled a box of fireworks out from underneath it. He took a stick of fireworks out of the box and unwound the fuse.
"What are you going to do?" Joe asked.
"There's going to be a little accident here," Costello explained, holding up the stick. "I suppose I shouldn't keep something as dangerous as this here, but fireworks are my specialty."
"Then it was you who caused that uncontrolled explosion," Frank said, remembering what Paul Turner had told them about the fireworks accident at Circus U.
Costello tapped his head with the fireworks stick. "You boys are so smart. Nash, there's a lighter in my bag next to the two boys. Get it." he ordered.
Nash came over to Frank and Joe, his head down, looking for the bag. Frank got ready to make his move, keeping his eyes on Nash. Nash just had to step a little closer, and then—
But before he could make his move, Joe lunged at Nash.
In a flash, Bo Costello reached across the desk and grabbed Joe's arms. Joe felt himself fall backward onto the desk. He struggled to free himself from Costello's grip.
Frank started for Costello. Then he felt a sharp pain in his left side, and he collapsed onto the floor.
"Good work, Carl," Costello bellowed.
Then Frank heard Costello let out a grunt. Frank raised his head to see that Joe had broken free and had punched Costello in the stomach.
Frank got to his feet in time to see Nash coming toward him. Frank did a double take and turned to face Nash. The trapeze artist came flying at him, his feet outstretched in a karate move.
Frank braced himself for the blow. Nash came at him feetfirst. Frank began to duck, but Nash reacted swiftly. Frank felt Nash's feet make contact with his stomach. The blow sent him flying backward onto Costello's desk to land on his back. Getting to his feet, Frank saw out of the corner of his eye that Joe was still wrestling with Costello.
Nash came in on Frank to finish the job. Frank shot his right hand out to ward Nash off, but Nash sneered, drew his arm up to protect himself, and socked Frank in the chin.
Frank fell off the desk in a heap. He heard Joe grunt several times, then saw his brother fall to the floor next to him.
"They've got us," Joe said with a groan. "We're goners."
"No way," Frank mumbled back. He felt himself getting dizzy from the force of Nash's blow. He had to stay awake. He just had to.
Frank closed his eyes for a second and felt someone tying his hands together. "Not too tight," Costello warned. "We want them to be able to get free, so there's no sign that we tied them. Too bad it won't be in time for them to escape."
Nash grunted and continued to tie Frank's hands together. Frank was just about to lash out with his legs when he felt Nash grasp them hard and tie them together too. One look at Joe out of the corner of his eye told Frank his brother was in the same mess.
At their heads, Frank saw Costello drop a pile of fireworks onto the desk, along with the fireworks stick he had been holding. The fuse was long, but not long enough to give the Hardys much time. With one last, wicked grin, Costello reached out with a flourish and held a lighter to the fuse.
"Goodbye, kids," Costello called out as he flicked off the lights. "It's been nice knowing you."
With that, Costello shut the door. Frank heard it lock behind him. In the silence that followed, he heard the sound of the fuse burning.
"Quick, Joe!" he cried out, wriggling his hands until he could feel the knot Nash had used to tie them together. He worked at the knot and managed to untie it. He quickly untied his legs.
"We've got to get out of here. This place is going to blow!"
Joe pulled himself to a sitting position and waited impatiently for Frank to untie his hands. While he freed his legs, Frank raced over to the fireworks.
Costello had lashed together more than twenty fireworks. The one that was burning now would set off a reaction that would cause a huge explosion—one that might not only kill them, but was sure to cause serious damage. There was no time to waste!
Frank raced to the door. He tried the knob and found it was locked from the outside. Joe came rushing over to him and tried it, too, but it was no use. They were locked in.
"Get back!" Joe cried. He darted to the back of the room and came rushing toward the door, his shoulder lowered.
Frank watched as his brother propelled himself into the door, landing square against it. The force bashed the door off its hinges.
"Good work!" Frank cried. He kicked the door off its hinges and raced outside. "Come on, quick. We've got to get out of here."
Joe dashed into the hallway. At that moment, the fireworks blew, and Costello's office exploded in a riot of red, white, and blue lights.
"Wow!" Joe said, staring at the display. "That was too close."
"You said it," Frank said. At that moment, Paul Turner came running down the hall. Chet was at his side.
"What happened?" the dean asked. He took one look at Costello's office and turned to Frank and Joe.
"There's no time to explain!" Frank yelled. "We've got to catch Costello and Nash."
"Costello?" Chet asked, shaking his head in confusion. "Nash? Why?"
"Forget it," Joe said. "Look!"