Frank and Joe Hardy were on a flight out to Wyoming. They were in a small plane with three other people. It was mid-afternoon and they were nearing the airport.  

Eighteen-year-old Frank sat with a bunch of papers strewn over his lap, reviewing the information they had been given. Joe was asleep in the seat beside him.  

Glenn Smith had contacted their father, Fenton Hardy, about a problem. Glenn claimed cattle were missing from his ranch and suspected his neighbor of taking them. Glenn wanted someone to find out how the neighbor was taking them out from under his nose. He wanted help. His livelihood was at stake.  

Now, Frank and Joe were on their way to see what they could find out. Frank glanced out the window. He thought, how could the cattle disappear? The cattle just can’t walk off the land. They cattle are too big to just disappear. And most ranchers mark their cattle in a certain way so that should they get mixed up with a herd from another ranch, they can be sorted out.  

He looked back at the papers. He found the information on Glenn’s family. He had three children, two girls and one boy. He was raising his children alone. His wife had died several years earlier.  

“Attention, passengers. Please tighten your seatbelts. We’re approaching the airport.”  

Frank reached over and nudged Joe. He watched Joe slowly move his head and then open his eyes. Joe asked sleepily, “What is it?”  

“We’re landing,” Frank said.  

Joe pulled himself to a sitting position trying to stifle a yawn. “Did you sleep at all?”  

Frank shook his head as he put the papers back in order. Frank said, “I was reading over the stuff Dad gave to us.”  

“I hope we solve this soon. I want to be back before Vanessa returns from her conference.”  

“We’ll do the best we can.”  

The plane landed. They grabbed their carry-on bags and got off the plane. They made their way through the terminal.  

Joe asked, “Who is going to be meeting us?”  

“One of Glenn’s daughters.”  

“How are we supposed to recognize her?”  

“We’ll know.”  

The terminal was small compared to the one back home. There were a few dozen people in the terminal. Ticket counters were on one side. On the other was the baggage carousel. A small coffee shop was near the doors to the terminal.  

Frank saw a girl enter the terminal. She had long brown hair pulled up off her neck. She was wearing blue jeans and a blue plaid shirt. She also had on a pair of boots.  

Frank said, “That’s the girl.”  

They moved toward her. When they reached her, Frank was about to say something when she stopped him.  

“I’m Jennifer. You must be the Hardy’s.”  

“Yes, we are,” Frank said.  

“We’re late,” Jennifer said. “We need to get to the ranch. “Let’s get your luggage.”  

“We have our bags,” Frank said.  

“Then we can leave. Follow me.” Jennifer turned and left the terminal.  

Joe whispered, “What an attitude.”  

“She may be worried about the missing cattle.”  

“That’s not it,” Joe said.  

They followed Jennifer out to a truck. They climbed in and headed for the ranch.  

* * * * *  

An hour and a half later, they arrived at the ranch. The driveway went between the house and the barn. Next to the barn was a field with grazing cattle.  

They got out and Jennifer went up to the porch. She said, “Come on in so you can freshen up. My father will be back for dinner shortly. He wants to talk to you.”  

Frank looked at the barn. He saw a girl standing by the barn door. He glanced at Joe and saw he was also staring at the barn. Frank looked back at the house. Jennifer was nowhere to be seen. He looked back at the girl by the barn.  

Her brown hair was look. She had on a short shirt that revealed her midsection. She had on a pair of shorts. She made her way toward them. She said, “You must be the Hardy’s.”  

“You just went inside,” Joe said. “How did you get to the barn so fast? And change and put your hair down?”  

“I haven’t changed my clothes,” the girl said.  

Frank and Joe heard a door slam shut. They turned and saw Jennifer standing on the porch. She had her arms crossed in front of her chest. She asked, “Are you two coming?”  

They looked at Jennifer. Then they looked at the other girl. They were identical. Joe said, “There are two of them.”

The Hardy Boys belong to Simon and Schuster and the Stratemeyer Foundation. The authors have just borrowed them for an adventure or two. The authors promise to put the boys back when they are done with them. The authors do claim copyright to the original characters in this story. Please do not borrow original characters without express permission of the authors.