Read The Bicycle Thief for Free Online

left.
    â€œHey, Frank!” Cissy said. “I know. We can make missing posters for your bike! I got some new colored pencils, and I can bring them over tomorrow after school, and then we can put posters all around Bayport! I’m sure someone knows where your bike is.”
    â€œYeah,” said Frank. “That sounds like a good idea.” He tried to smile, but his heart wasn’t in it.
    Cissy gave him a hug. “See you tomorrow,” she said. Frank and Joe said good-bye.
    â€œI guess we should go get your bike and go home,” Frank said to Joe.
    Together, Frank and Joe went and unlockedJoe’s bike. Then they began the long walk home. Neither of them had won the 2011 Bayport Junior Bike Rally, Frank’s arm was all scraped up, and worst of all, his bike was still missing. This was the worst day ever at the park.
    Walking home seemed to take forever. It was so much quicker to ride a bike! In his head Frank did some math.
    â€œSix months!” he suddenly said out loud.
    â€œSix months what?” said Joe.
    â€œThat’s how long it’ll take me to save enough allowance money to buy a bike.”
    Six months without any more bike races. Six months without being able to bike to school or to the playground or to the store. Joe thought about it.
    â€œI can lend you everything I have saved!” said Joe.
    â€œOh, wow! Thanks! How much is that?” asked Frank.
    â€œUh . . .” Joe pulled his pockets inside out. “Two dollars, seventy-three cents, some lint, and two sticks of gum?”
    Frank sighed. It was going to be six months before he had a bike again.
    The sun had just set when the Hardy house appeared down the street. In the flickering glow of the streetlights, Frank couldn’t believe his eyes. He stopped. He stared. He rubbed his face and then looked again. He closed his eyes, counted to ten, and looked one more time.
    â€œFrank . . . are you okay?” Joe asked.
    â€œNo,” said Frank. “I’ve gone crazy. I’m pretty sure I’m seeing things. There’s my bike!”
    Frank pointed to the porch. Sure enough, a small red bike was leaning against the railing, all chained up.
    â€œHow is that possible?” asked Joe.
    â€œI don’t know!” said Frank.
    He ran over and inspected the bike. It was definitely his, from the dinosaur stickers on the frame to the words “Bayport Bandits” on the wheels!
    â€œIt’s a miracle!” Frank said.
    â€œOh, hi, boys!” Aunt Gertrude opened the front door. “I was wondering when you would get home.”
    â€œAunt Gertrude!” Frank and Joe yelled at the same time.

    â€œHey, Aunt Gertrude,” said Frank, “do you know how my bike got here?”
    â€œSure do, Frank. I put it there.”
    â€œYou put it there?”
    How is that possible?
Frank wondered. Had his Aunt Gertrude stolen his bike?
    â€œAfter Joe came and got the patch, we expected you home pretty quickly. So when it started to get dark, I got worried. I drove down to the park, but I couldn’t find you boys anywhere. Then, just as I was about to leave, I saw your bike sitting unattended by the ranger’s station! I was worried someone might steal it, so I picked it up, threw it into the back of my car, and brought it home.”
    After all that, the bike was at his own house! Frank couldn’t help but laugh.
    Joe looked at the bike, and then looked at Frank. “The 2011 Bayport Junior Bike Rally rematch, tomorrow!”
    â€œYou’re on!” said Frank. Then he looked up at Aunt Gertrude.
    â€œThank you, Aunt Gertrude!”
    Frank rushed up the stairs and gave Aunt Gertrude a big hug.

    â€œOh!” She laughed. “Well, thank you, Frank. Now you boys get inside. Dinner is almost ready. I made vegetarian lasagna tonight!”
    â€œJust one minute, Aunt Gertrude. There’s something we need to do first.”
    The boys walked into the backyard