William Arden - The Secret of the Crooked Cat

“And this looks like his costume?” Jupiter asked.

Andy nodded. “It sure does, I think. And those shoes are a special kind used by human flies in their acts. You know, so they can climb almost any wall.”

Jupiter gaped. “A human fly?”

“Sure,” Andy said. “That was Gabbo’s act. He — ”

But Jupiter was no longer listening. “That old man who tried to grab your crooked cat last night! He got out of that dead-end area. The only way out was to climb that high fence. No one could climb a fence like that — excepts maybe, a trained human fly!”

“And Gabbo would know how to handle a lion!” Andy said.

“But, fellows,” Bob said, “Andy already told us he doesn’t know the tattooed man.”

“The tattooed man could be another disguise, Records,” Jupiter pointed out. “We must get out of here! If he gets to the fifth cat and escapes, we may never find him! Yell, fellows!”

They began to yell at the window again. But their voices echoed without response.

Pete coasted into the salvage yard on his bicycle. He had made his decision some half an hour ago — he would look for the other boys.

But as he rode into the yard in the gathering dusk, all he saw was Konrad taking the last of a load off the small truck. “Have you seen Bob or Jupiter, Konrad?” Pete cried out to the big Bavarian helper of Uncle Titus Jones.

“I don’t think I see them for a long time today, Pete,” Konrad replied stolidly. “There is something wrong?”

“I — don’t know, I — ”

Konrad raised a massive hand. “Wait, Pete. What is that strange noise? I think it is close around somewhere.”

The big Bavarian looked all around him, perplexed Pete listened and heard the strange, muffled sound — a steady, low beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep It seemed to come from somewhere close to his pocket!

“The signal!” Pete cried, and dug into his pocket to pull out the tiny instrument.

He stared at the flashing red light on the signaller.

“Konrad, they’re in trouble!” Pete exclaimed, and he explained the signal device to the big Bavarian.

“Come on, Pete!” Konrad roared. “We go find them!”

The big Bavarian jumped into the cab of the truck and pulled Pete in beside him. While Konrad drove out of the salvage yard, Pete watched the direction pointer on the small dial of Jupiter’s signal device.

“Left, Konrad!” Pete instructed, and as they reached the first corner, “Left again, yes, and now straight ahead!”

Konrad drove steadily and Pete watched the dial pointer. The direction of the signal Pete was receiving was at an angle to the grid pattern of the streets. Since they couldn’t travel in a straight line as the crow flies, they had to zigzag their way towards the source of the signal. Pete kept directing Konrad to turn at corners.

“Right now, Konrad! Left, and left again. Now right!”

In a series of turn like steps, the big Bavarian drove the truck closer to the source of the signal.

“The signal’s real strong now, Konrad!” Pete cried.

They had turned into a quiet street that was deserted in the dusk. Konrad drove more slowly, as Pete stared at both sides of the silent street. He saw nothing. He looked at the arrow pointer on the signal dial.

“It’s to the right, Konrad, and awful close!”

Konrad peered around, worried. “I see nothing, Pete.”

“Wait!” Pete cried “It’s behind us. The signal sound is lower.” Konrad applied the brakes with a screech and threw the truck gears into reverse. The truck backed slowly along the quiet street. Pete pointed to a small stucco house set far back from the roadway.

“I think it’s that house, Konrad!”

Konrad had stopped the truck, and was climbing out, before Pete finished talking.

“Come on, Pete! We find them!” the big Bavarian roared, and charged across the pavement towards the small house.

Pete raced after him and reached the front door just as Konrad began to pound on it.

“It is locked, Pete! I hear no sounds! If — ”

The Bavarian left the rest of his sentence unfinished. Pete stared at the locked door and the dark, silent house. Konrad backed off, his face grim as he prepared to break the door in. Pete stopped him.

“Wait, Konrad. I know how to find out if they’re here,” Pete said quickly. He bent over his tiny signal device and spoke into it “Help. Help.”

Instantly, like an echo, cries came from the back of the small house: “Help! Pete! At the back!”

Pete and Konrad hurried round the house to the rear. Konrad’s great hands ripped at the back door and soon broke it open from outside. Moments later Jupiter, Bob and Andy stood grinning at their friends.

“We saw our red light go on and knew you were near, Pete,” Bob exclaimed.

“That’s what I figured,” Pete said. “That signal worked — ”

Pete stopped as a short old man advanced angrily on them from the direction of the street. He was waving his arms.

“What are you doing to my house!” the old man cried “I’ll have you in court for destroying my property!”

Jupiter stepped up to the angry old man. “We’re sorry we had to break your door, sir, but a man locked us inside. We yelled, but no one heard us. A tattooed man, very swarthy, locked us in the back room. Is he your tenant, sir?”

“Locked in? Tattooed man? What are you talking about?” the old man said. “Why I rented the house this morning, to a very respectable man. An older man. A salesman. He had no tattoo. Who would lock you in here? That’s ridiculous. Why, I’ll report this!”

“That would be wise, sir. The police should know about this,” Jupiter agreed. “I suggest you do it at once, sir.”

The old man nodded, confused, and began to walk away. Jupiter waited only for a moment. Then he started towards the waiting truck.

“Hurry, fellows, there may still be time to get that last crooked cat! Konrad, put the bikes on the truck and drive to 39 Chelham Place! Hurry!”

Konrad wheeled the truck into the tree-shaded street of big, old houses not more than a block from the ocean. The boys saw no trace of a blue car on the street.

“I knew we’d never catch up with him, First,” Bob said, dejected.

“You were locked in too long, Jupe,” Pete agreed.

“There is always the chance that something will hold him up,” Jupiter insisted. “That must be number 39 up at the end of the street. And, fellows, it’s dark!”

It was a three-storey white house surrounded by tall trees and flower beds. It was dark in the early dusk, as Jupiter had said. A car was parked in the driveway, but it wasn’t a small blue car. As Konrad drove closer, lights went on inside the house.

“Someone must have just come home?” Jupiter declared.

Konrad slowed the truck to park in front of the house. Suddenly a woman’s cries shattered the twilight:

“Thief! Stop him! Police!”

Konrad jammed on the brakes and had the truck door open before the truck had come to a full stop.

“The tattooed man must be in there!” Pete cried.

“Hurry, fellows!” Jupiter urged.

They all leaped from the truck, but Konrad was first The big Bavarian waved them back.

“I take good care of him, boys! Stay behind me!”

They began to run towards the house where the woman was still crying out. Then Pete stopped and pointed up among the trees to the side of the house.

“Look!” he cried.

They all saw the shadowy figure in the dusk coming swiftly down the sheer side of the house. As they watched, the figure swarmed down from unseen handhold to handhold, and dropped to the ground in a pool of light from a downstairs window. It was the swarthy, tattooed man and he carried a large black-and-red bundle.