Helpful Score: 1
I just reread this version of Footprints Under the Window which is the original text published in 1933. The book was later revised in 1965. I know I read this book as a kid but I don't remember anything about it. This is one of the notorious books (along with Mark on the Door and Hidden Harbor) that includes language bordering on racism. And yes, the book is full of "pidgin English" and the Chinese characters are referred to as "Chinamen" but I'm sure that was reflective of a lot of literature of the 1930s. The plot has to do with the smuggling of Chinese into the US because of restrictions on Chinese immigration at the time. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 suspended Chinese immigration and was not repealed until 1943. I know Leslie McFarlane is credited with authoring this book; however, the style seems quite different from some of the earlier books he wrote. But overall, I thought the story was more adult than some of the other volumes. This could have been written by Sax Rohmer, author of the Fu Manchu stories. The Chinese smuggling premise was probably a real occurrence at that time. There was also some humor thrown in - some related to Riley the cop and some dialog on page 116 that could have come out of an Abbot and Costello routine. Cally Shaw and Iola Morton were trying to find out the name of a disguised Chinese dressed as a girl. His name was Tom Wat so when they asked Joe her name, he said "Wat." Of course they heard this as "What" and a dialog reminiscent of "Who's on First" ensues. There were a few things in the book that were more than coincidental and the person who left the Footprints under the window turned out to be someone (I won't give who this is away) who's feet were probably bigger than a size six as measured by the boys. Also, although I love the Gretta cover, the scene where the Chinese are fighting on the dock was not witnessed by the Hardy Boys as shown on the cover. Overall I would give this one about an 8 out of 10.
