William Arden - The Mystery of the Laughing Shadow

“We better tell Mr. Harris that the dark men are back,” said Jupiter.

They hastened round the corner to the front door. Jupiter rang the bell. They waited, but there was no answer. Bob began knocking. There was still no sound inside the house. He tried the door, but it was locked. Meanwhile Jupiter was peering in the window beside the door.

“He must have gone out to the estate,” Bob said.

“I guess so,” Jupiter agreed. “We’d better get out of here — fast!”

Without any further discussion they ran to their bicycles and pedalled away at top speed. They didn’t slow down until they were back at the salvage yard.

Aunt Mathilda spied Bob and Jupiter the moment they rode into the salvage yard.

“There you are!.. Jupiter Jones, are you ready to go to the Sandow Estate?”

“Yes, Aunt Mathilda,” Jupiter said, “but we want to get something from my workshop first.”

“You make it short, young man. Konrad and your uncle will be ready in two minutes.”

The boys hurried to the workshop and through Tunnel Two into the hidden headquarters trailer. Pete was still at his post beside the telephone. He started talking at once.

“Why did you break off? I was trying to tell you something important. Two kids called in. They spotted the dark men’s car over on Las Palmas Street, and later they called back to report that the men were chasing two boys!”

“We know,” Bob said ruefully.

“They were chasing us,” Jupiter added. He explained how the dark men had appeared just as Pete was trying to talk to them, and described the chase in the hills.

“Wow!” Pete exclaimed. “You were sure lucky.”

“Jupe was just too smart for them,” Bob said. But Jupiter was not waiting for compliments, he was too busy planning. “If those men are still hanging around the Vegetarian League house, they must want something. I think they might attack Mr. Harris again. If he’s out with Miss Sandow, I’ll see him when I go out there with Uncle Titus, and I can tell him what happened to Bob and me. But in case he should go back to the League before I see him, I think you fellows ought to go over to the house and wait for him.”

“Gosh, First, I have to get home for lunch,” Pete said.

“Me, too,” Bob agreed.

“All right, but get over there again as soon as you can. Maybe you can spot those two men and keep an eye on them.”

“But, Jupe, we just got away from them!” Bob protested.

Jupiter wasn’t bothered by that fact. “I’m convinced that that pair are after something important. I think they can lead us to the Chumash Hoard. Just be careful, and don’t let them see you.”

“That you don’t have to tell us,” Pete said.

“Do you think they’re Yaquali, First?” Bob asked.

Jupiter nodded. “They must be, Pete. Somehow they must have learned about the Chumash Hoard, maybe through some old Indian writings or legends. It’s possible that they understand old Magnus Verde’s message.”

“I wish we did.” Pete sighed.

“So do I,” Jupiter admitted. “It must be the clue to where the Hoard is — ‘in the eye of the sky where no one can find it.’ We’ve got to puzzle it out.”

“But, Jupe, if they’ve figured out what Magnus Verde was saying, what are they still looking for?”

“I just don’t know,” Jupiter said, biting his lip.

At that moment they all heard the distant voice of Aunt Mathilda:

“Jupiter Jones! Now where are you?”

“Don’t forget, go and warn Mr. Harris, and see if you can find those dark men. But don’t let them see you.” Jupiter gave them their instructions once more. “And let’s all think about that message of Magnus Verde’s.”

Bob and Pete nodded, and Jupiter hurried from the hidden headquarters. Out in the salvage yard the First Investigator found Konrad and Uncle Titus already in the big truck. His Aunt Mathilda was loading in a lunch hamper. Jupiter jumped into the cab, and Uncle Titus quickly told Konrad to drive off. Jupiter’s uncle, a small man with an enormous moustache, was a most unusual junkman. He bought anything that interested him, not just because he thought he could sell it but because he I liked it.

Soon the truck was out of Rocky Beach and driving up the steep and winding road into the pass. They reached the top of the pass and drove on to the iron gates of the Sandow Estate. The gates were open. Konrad roared through and pulled to a stop before the barn.

Uncle Titus jumped out as eagerly as Jupiter, excited as he always was when he was about to buy junk for the salvage yard. As they headed for the barn door, Miss Sandow came from the big house.

“You must be Titus Jones,” the birdlike lady said. “I’m pleased to meet you. I hope you find many things you want. I’ve been accumulating this junk for far too long.”

“I’m sure I will, ma’am,” Uncle Titus said with a courtly bow and a flourish of his fine moustache. “You’re sure you want to part with all of it?”

“Oh, dear me, yes! I think it’s best to get it all cleared out. Since my nephew, Theodore, arrived I seem to have more interest in the estate. I want to get everything in order again.”

“Then, with your assistance, Miss Sandow, I’ll go and select what I want to buy,” Uncle Titus said.

Miss Sandow nodded, smiling, and accompanied Uncle Titus and Konrad into the barn. Jupiter lagged behind until he saw them vanish inside. Then he slipped away towards the big house to find Mr. Harris. Ted appeared behind him:

“Are you investigating something, Jupiter?” the English boy said eagerly.

“In a way, Ted,” Jupiter admitted. “I want to talk to Mr. Harris.”

“He’s in the library.”

Jupiter followed Ted into the house. They found Mr. Harris reading the Rocky Beach newspaper in the library. When the vegetarian saw Jupiter, he jumped up and hurried towards the First Investigator.

“Ted has reported his encounter with you boys last night,” Mr. Harris announced at once. “I must apologize for my part in our little deception, and for thinking that you boys might be thieves. Because we suspected that you had the statuette, we thought it would be a good ruse to offer a reward for its return.”

“I understand, sir,” Jupiter said quietly.

“Good. Now tell me exactly what happened to the statuette.”

Jupiter told Mr. Harris about the call for help that Bob and Pete had heard outside the estate wall, and the way the statuette had come flying over the wall. Mr. Harris listened intently, frowning from time to time. When Jupiter reached the part about the laughing shadow, Ted exclaimed:

“A shadow that laughed insanely? That’s strange. I thought I heard a peculiar laugh myself last night.”

“You’re quite sure, Jupiter?” Mr. Harris asked. “It wasn’t some trick of the wind, or the boys’ imagination?”

“No, sir, there is a laughing shadow somewhere on this estate,” the First Investigator insisted firmly. “And I think that whoever the shadow is he’s holding some prisoners here.”

“Really, Jupiter?” Ted said. “Prisoners? I say!”

“But why, Jupiter?” Mr. Harris said. “What is it all about?”

“The Chumash Hoard, sir. I’m sure of it.”

“The what?” Mr. Harris said, incredulous.

“A vast hoard of gold,” Jupiter said, and explained all that the boys had learned about the Chumash Hoard, Mr. Harris and Ted listened openmouthed. When Jupiter had finished, Mr. Harris smiled.

“I see,” he said. “I’m not sure I can believe such a legend — dying words and all — but I’ll accept your contention that there may be some nefarious gang that does believe it. That could be quite dangerous. I’m not at all sure I like you boys being involved in such an affair.”