# Fenton Hardy — The Secret of the Old Mill character guide > Fenton Hardy in The Secret of the Old Mill by Franklin W. Dixon. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Fenton, Hardy, Mr. Hardy **First appearance:** 0000-i-a-five-dollar-bill ## Snapshot The boys' celebrated detective father, whose federal counterfeiting case quietly overlaps with the mystery his sons are chasing alone. ## Who they are Fenton Hardy has been retained by Federal authorities to break up a counterfeiting ring that has flooded the region with ten thousand dollars in bad bills. He asks his sons to keep their eyes open for clues, unaware how much they already know about the old mill, and gently encourages their detective ambitions over his wife's objections. His case gives the boys' private investigation a larger stakes and a looming question of when to tell him what they have found. ## Relationships ### [Frank Hardy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se/characters/frank_hardy) _family_ Father and son, with Fenton often guiding Frank in detective work. ### [Joe Hardy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se/characters/joe_hardy) _family_ Father and son, with Fenton trusting Joe's instincts in detective work. ### [Lester](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se/characters/lester) _professional_ Fenton uses Lester as an informant or assistant in his investigations. ### [Chet Morton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se/characters/chet_morton) _social_ Acquaintance and occasional helper, with Chet respecting Fenton's detective authority. ### [Jerry Gilroy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se/characters/jerry_gilroy) _professional_ Fenton hires Jerry for odd jobs or information related to cases. ### [Uncle Dock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se/characters/uncle_dock) _family_ Brothers-in-law, with mutual respect and cooperation in family matters. ### [Frank Hardy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se/characters/frank_hardy) _family_ Father and son, with Fenton often guiding Frank in detective work. ### [Joe Hardy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se/characters/joe_hardy) _family_ Father and son, with Fenton trusting Joe's instincts in detective work. ### [Frank Hardy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se/characters/frank_hardy) _family_ Father and son, with Fenton often guiding Frank in detective work. ### [Chet Morton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se/characters/chet_morton) _social_ Acquaintance and occasional helper, with Chet respecting Fenton's detective authority. ### [Jerry Gilroy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se/characters/jerry_gilroy) _professional_ Fenton hires Jerry for odd jobs or information related to cases. ### [Uncle Dock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se/characters/uncle_dock) _family_ Brothers-in-law, with mutual respect and cooperation in family matters. ## In the story ### [A Five Dollar Bill](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se/chapters/i-a-five-dollar-bill) The boys' father, a famous detective; expected on the train but does not appear in this chapter. ### [Counterfeit Money](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se/chapters/ii-counterfeit-money) Fenton returns from a trip and reveals he is working on the counterfeit money case for the government. He takes the counterfeit bill from the boys. ### [Another Victim](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se/chapters/iv-another-victim) Examines both counterfeit bills and concludes they likely came from the same press. ### [The New Boat](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se/chapters/x-the-new-boat) Fenton surprises the boys by revealing the boat has arrived, having arranged its delivery to the boathouse. ### [Paul Blum](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se/chapters/xiii-paul-blum) Meets the boys at the wharf, identifies Paul Blum, and coordinates with police. ### [XIV: Con Riley Guards a Package](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se/chapters/xiv-con-riley-guards-a-package) Fenton appears at the end to inform the boys that Paul Blum has escaped from jail. ### [A Plan of Action](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se/chapters/xvi-a-plan-of-action) Fenton Hardy shares information with the boys about Federal agents suspecting the counterfeiting plant is near Barmet village. ### [XVIII: Suspicions](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se/chapters/xviii-suspicions) Tells the boys about the federal telegram and the growing counterfeit crisis; encourages their detective work. ### [XX: A Note of Warning](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se/chapters/xx-a-note-of-warning) Receives a threatening note warning him to drop the counterfeit case; dismisses it as a bluff but continues his investigation. ### [Trapped](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se/chapters/xxiv-trapped) Organizes the raid and leads the capture of the counterfeiters. ### [The Reckoning](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se/chapters/xxv-the-reckoning) Fenton explains the full scope of the counterfeiting operation to his sons. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se/characters/fenton_hardy - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_of_the_old_mill_se/characters