A Word from Alfred Hitchcock Greetings, mystery lovers!

Once again I have the pleasure of introduc- ing that team of youthful sleuths known as he hree Investigators! "We Investigate Anything" is their slogan, and so they do! #sually they conduct their operations out of their official Head$uarters -- an a%andoned mo%ile home trailer in he &ones 'alvage (ard in )ocky *each, a small community not far from Hollywood! his time, however, they +ourney to the high slopes of the 'ierra ,evadas for an adventure which %egins, sim- ply, with a search for a missing key! -ompli- cations are soon piled on complications as the lads learn the strange secret that threatens the woman called Anna, and discover the truth %ehind the dark legends of a hermit and a monster! In the event that any of our readers are meeting he hree Investigators for the first time, I shall only say that &upiter &ones, the .irst Investigator and leader of the group, is a stout fellow with an e/tremely agile mind and a remarka%le talent for scenting trou%le! 0ete -renshaw is the tallest and most athletic of the trio! hough he is never a coward, he does cherish a sensi%le desire to keep out of danger! *o% Andrews, $uiet and studious, keeps records for the group, and has a flair for research which is invalua%le to he hree Investigators! ,ow that the introductions are completed, the reader will please turn to -hapter One! 1onster 1ountain awaits! A2.)34 HI -H-O-5 'ky 6illage "Wow!" said 0ete -renshaw when he first saw 'ky 6illage! " his place looks like a stage set! 'ome%ody should make a movie here !78 *o% Andrews was kneeling %eside him in the %ack of the pickup truck, looking over the roof of the ca% at the village street! "Well, it won7t %e 1r! Hitchcock," he said! " his town is too darned wholesome for a mystery movie!" &upiter &ones pulled himself to his knees %eside *o% and planted his chu%%y arms on the top of the ca%! "1r! Hitchcock knows that mysteries can occur in all sorts of places," he reminded his friends! "*ut you7re right! 'ky 6illage is very new and artificial!" he truck ground up the steep grade of the street and passed a ski shop that resem%led a cottage in the Alps! ,e/t to the ski shop was a motel which had a roof of imitation thatch! ,ow, in midsummer, the ski shop and the motel were closed! *right %lue shutters covered the windows of a restaurant called he (odelerhaus! A few pedestrians strolled

along the sunny sidewalks and, in a gas station, an attendant in faded denims do9ed in a chair! he truck turned into the gas station and stopped near the pumps! Hans and 5onrad got out of the ca%! he two *avarian %rothers had worked for &upiter7s Aunt 1athilda and #ncle itus for years! hey helped sort, clean, repair, and sell items which #ncle itus ac$uired for he &ones 'alvage (ard! he %rothers were always neat and tidy when they came to work! oday they surpassed themselves! Hans wore a new sport shirt which had not a wrinkle in it, even after the long drive from )ocky *each through the Owens 6alley and up to the ski resort high in the 'ierra ,evada! 5onrad7s slacks still held their press, and his shoes gleamed! " hey want to make a good impression on their -ousin Anna," whispered *o% to &upe! &upe smiled and nodded! he three %oys watched from the %ack of the truck as the *avarian %rothers approached the sleeping gas station attendant! "3/cuse me," said Hans to the man! he man grunted and opened his eyes! "0lease," said Hans, "where is the home of Anna 'chmid:" " he 'lalom Inn:" he man stood up and pointed toward a grove of pines which edged the street! "Go past those trees and you7ll see a white house on your left! (ou can7t miss it! It7s the last place %efore the road turns off to the campground!" Hans thanked him and %egan to get %ack into the truck! "Is Anna e/pecting you:" asked the man! "I saw her drive down the road toward *ishop a couple of hours ago! I don7t think she7s %ack yet!" " hen we wait for her," said 5onrad! "-ould %e a long wait," said the man! ",early everything in 'ky -6illage is closed for the summer, so Anna7s pro%a%ly got %ig shopping to do in *ishop!" "It has already %een a long wait," said 5onrad cheerfully! "We have not seen Anna since we were children together, %ack home, %efore we come to the #nited 'tates!" "Well, well!" e/claimed the man! ".riends from home, eh: Anna will %e real pleased!" ",ot friends," said 5onrad! ".amily! We are Anna7s family -- her cousins! ,ow we come to surprise her!" "Hope she likes surprises," said the man! hen he chuckled! "Hope you do, too! Anna7s %een %usy these last couple of weeks!"

"Oh:" said Hans! "(ou7ll find out!" he man7s eyes sparkled! He reminded &upiter of several of Aunt 1athilda7s friends who collected tid%its of gossip a%out their neigh%ors in )ocky *each! Hans and 5onrad got %ack into the truck! "I have a feeling that guy doesn7t miss much," said 0ete as they drove off! "He pro%a%ly doesn7t have much to do in the summer e/cept keep an eye on every%ody who goes up and down this road," decided *o%! "Once the snow7s gone, how many customers can he have:" he truck went slowly up the village street! hey passed an ice cream shop, which was open, and a drugstore, which was closed! he 'ky 6illage General 1arket was dark, and so was a gift shop! "I wonder what7s kept -ousin Anna so %usy," said 0ete! " his place is really dead!" ".rom what Hans and 5onrad have told me," said &upe, "their cousin can always find something profita%le to do! 'he came to the #nited 'tates ten years ago and got a +o% as a maid in a ,ew (ork hotel! Hans says that in si/ months she was in charge of the entire housekeeping staff, and in only si/ years she7d saved enough money to %uy a little inn here in 'ky 6illage! A year later she purchased a ski lift, and that must pay handsomely when the snow comes!" "'he did all that on a housekeeper7s salary:" said 0ete! ",ot $uite! 'he had a second +o%, part- time, and she invested in good stocks! 'he is a smart %usinesswoman, and Hans and 5onrad are very proud of her! hey read all of her letters out loud to anyone who will listen and their rooms are full of snapshots she7s sent them! When Aunt 1athilda and #ncle itus suddenly decided to close the salvage yard for two weeks and take a holiday, they +umped at the chance to come up here!" "I7m glad they did," said! 0ete! "How else would we have got away for a camping trip: I7ve %een wanting to try some rock clim%ing, and I hear the 'ky 6illage -ampground is great -- and never crowded!" " oo far from the superhighways," said *o%! 87I +ust hope -ousin Anna doesn7t mind surprises," said &upe! "Hans and 5onrad tried to call her %efore we left, %ut she wasn7t home! Of course, they7re prepared to camp out with us, so they won7t %e imposing on her!"

he truck la%ored on and up, through the grove of pines which the gas station attend- ant had pointed out! Once they were %eyond the pines, the %oys could see a ski slope! It was a %arren %rown cut on the east side of the mountain, as %are as if some giant had shaved the hill clear of any tree or shru% that might interfere with the downward rush of the skiers! )unning up the slope was a series of steel towers connected %y ca%les! 3very twenty feet or so, a chair dangled from the ca%les! he truck pulled over to the left side of the road and stopped in front of a %ig white house that almost %acked into the ski slope! A sign in front announced that this was the 'lalom Inn! "I see that -ousin Anna is still a good housekeeper; said *o%! he inn was a trim wooden %uilding", white- painted and glowing- in the afternoon sun! he windows were so crystal-clean that they were almost invisi%le! #nlike many of the %uildings in 'ky 6illage, Anna 'chmid7s inn did not try to look 'wiss or Austrian! It was simply a mountain lodge with a %road porch across the front! he door had %een painted %right red, and plants in red and %lue pots marched along the porch railing! here was a neat gravel drive on the left side of the house, and a small parking area which contained a dusty station wagon and a shiny red sports car! Hans and 5onrad clim%ed out of the truck and the %oys scram%led down from the %ack! "I think Anna has done well," decided Hans! "Anna always did well," said 5onrad! "(ou remem%er when she was only ten she could %ake %etter pastries than our mother! We always wanted to go to Anna7s and have hot chocolate and pastries!" Hans smiled! he sun had started to dip toward the cliffs a%ove the ski slope and the thin mountain air was cool! "2et7s go in! We will wait for Anna to come %ack from her %ig shopping, and perhaps she will have some pastries for us!" Hans and 5onrad started up the steps to the porch! &upiter, 0ete, and *o% stood where they were! "(ou aren7t coming:" asked Hans! "1ay%e we should get on to the camp- ground," said *o%! "(ou haven7t seen your cousin for a long time, and we don7t want to intrude!" Hans and 5onrad %oth laughed! "How can you intrude:" said Hans, "(ou are no strangers! We have written to Anna and told her the smart things you do! 'he says you are clever %oys! 'he always writes that we must come and see her, and she wants us to %ring you!"

'o the three %oys followed Hans and 5onrad up the steps! he front door was unlocked! It opened directly into a huge room which was furnished with deep leather chairs and a long, leather-covered sofa! here were shining copper lamps and, a%ove a stone fireplace on the far wall, gleaming pewter mugs! .our places had %een set at a %ig dining ta%le on the right< %ehind it was the door to the kitchen! On the lefthand wall, a rustic staircase led up to the second floor! he room smelled of wood fires and furniture polish, and there was a faint trace of an odor that made &upe think Anna still %aked very good pastries! "Anna :" called Hans! "Anna are you home:" ,o one answered! "'o we wait," said 5onrad! He %egan to roam a%out the room! touching the %acks of the leather chairs! He %eamed with satisfaction! "3verything is very good," he said! "(es, Anna has done well!" *ut then his wanderings %rought him to a door in the wall to the right! hough it had a sign which read "0rivate, ,o Admittance," the door stood open! 5onrad looked in and said, "Ho!" "Ho, what:" 0ete wanted to know! "I think that no%ody is perfect," said 5onrad, "not even our -ousin Anna!" Hans went to stand %eside his %rother, and he shook his head in mock dismay! "Anna, Anna! We will tease you a%out this! &upe, look at the office of the great housekeeper!" "1ay%e you7d %etter not look at the office," advised 0ete! "1y mother has a fit if I open her desk or look in her pocket%ook!" &upiter &ones was a%out to settle down in one of the chairs when suddenly Hans turned to face him! "&upe," he aaid! "*o%, 0ete! I think something is wrong here!" "What is it:" &upe went to the door and looked into a little room which was o%viously the office of the inn! A large desk, covered with papers, faced the door! A file ca%inet stood near%y with two drawers open! .ile folders and papers were dumped helter- skelter on the floor, together with the crumpled de%ris from an overturned waste%asket! he drawers were out of the desk and leaning against the wall! he window sill %ehind the desk chair was a +um%le of envelopes, snapshots, and picture postcards! A %ookcase had %een pulled out from the wall, and an overturned dish spilled a stream of paper clips across the floor! " his place has %een searched!" said 0ete, who was right %ehind &upe! "It would seem so," said &upe, "and %y someone who was either very careless or in a great hurry!"

"&ust what do you think you7re doing:" snarled a husky voice from the %ig room %ehind them! he %oys spun around! A man stood near the stairs--holding a shotgun! => -ousin Annals 'urprise "Okay! 'peak up- What are you doing:" he man near the stairs made an impatient movement and the gun in his hands swerved! 0ete ducked instinctively! he man advanced several steps! He was tall and %road-shouldered, with thick, dark hair! His eyes looked very hard and very cold! He trained the gun on the group huddled %y the office door! "'peak up!" he demanded again menacingly! "Who ! ! ! who are you:" said 5onrad! He couldn7t take his eyes off the gun! he man didn7t answer! Instead, he repeated his $uestion! "What are you doing: -an7t you see that room is private: I ought to--" "One moment!" &upiter &ones7 voice cut into the tirade! &upe stood as tall as he posssi%ly could! "0erhaps you would care to e/- plain yourself," he said in the haughtiest tone he could manage! =? "What:" "It appears that this place has %een searched," said &upe! " he police might %e interested in knowing what you are doing here and why you are so $uick with a gun!" &upiter was in no position to summon the police, and he knew it! However, his air of command %ewildered the man with the gun! He frowned and lowered his weapon until it pointed toward the floor! "(ou want the po- lice:" he said! "It seems to me that the proper thing to do would %e to summon them," said &upe in his precise fashion! "On the other hand, it might %e wiser to wait until 1iss 'chmid returns from *ishop and have her make the com- plaint" "1iss 'chmid:" said the man! hen he laughed! "2et me fill you in on a few things@7 he said!

&ust then a car door slammed outside! here were $uick footsteps on the porch! he front door opened and a tall woman came in carrying a sack of groceries! "-ousin Anna!" said Hans! he woman stood still! Her eyes went from the man with the gun to Hans and 5onrad, then to the %oys, then %ack to the man with the gun! =A "-ousin Anna:" said Hans again! his time it sounded like a $uestion! "-ousin Anna:" said the man with the gun! "Good heavens! (ou must %e Hans and 5onrad from )ocky *each! I didn7t recog- ni9e you from the snapshots Anna showed me! Why didn7t you say something: I might have shot you!" "(ou are a friend of Anna:" asked 5onrad! "(ou might say so! Anna, you didn7t write to your cousins! (ou promised me you7d write to them %efore we went to 2ake ahoe!" "Oh! Hans and 5onrad!" he woman put the groceries down on a ta%le, touched one hand to the thick %lond %raids which were wound around her head, then smiled a %road smile! "Hans and 5onrad!!" 'he held out %oth hands to Hans, who went to her and kissed her on the cheek! "It has %een so long," she said! 5onrad el%owed his %rother aside and kissed her, too! "And look at you!" said Anna! "'uch %ig strangers! I cannot tell!" 'he turned from one to the other! ",o! 3ven though you send me pictures, I cannot tell which is Hans and which is 5onrad!" Her voice was warm and full of amusement! 'he spoke $uickly, almost without accent! =B he %rothers laughed and introduced them- selves! hey then presented &upiter, 0ete, and *o%! "(ou have written me a%out these clever ones," said Anna! "6ery smart %oys," Hans assured her! 5onrad said something- in German and patted &une!

Instantly, Anna8s smile vanished! "We will speak 3nglish," she said! Again 5onrad spoke in German! "I know," said Anna! "It is more like home if we speak German, %ut we will speak 3nglish, if you please!" 'he went to the man who still stood near the stairs and put her arm through his! "1y hus%and does not speak German! We will not %e rude to him!" "(our hus%and:" said 5onrad! "Anna!" e/claimed Hans! "When did you --" "2ast week," said the man! "Anna and I were married in 2ake ahoe last week! 1y 4ame7s &oe Havemeyer!" here was a moment of stunned silence! hen, "'o that7s -ousin Anna7s surprise!" said 0ete! Anna laughed! Hans and 5onrad hugged her and wished her well, and she showed them her wedding ring--a plain %and of gold that fit loosely on the third finger of her =C left hand! &oe Havemeyer accepted the %roth- ers7 congratulations! &upiter &ones hated unfinished %usiness and unsolved mysteries! He waited until the laughter and the e/clamations had run their course, then stepped into the office of Anna7s little inn and %eckoned Anna to follow him! "2ook," he said, waving a hand at the +um%le of papers scattered on the floor! "'omeone must have come in while you were away and searched this room! (ou may want to call the police, or -- " -ousin Anna laughed! "Oh, that is funny! Hans and 5onrad have written that you are a detective! hat is very funny!" &upe did not en+oy %eing laughed at! He felt his face getting hot, and he scowled! ",o, no! 4o not %e angry," said Anna! "I think you are a good detective! (ou are right! his room has %een searched! 1y hus%and and I, we searched it!" &upiter waited, not speaking! "(ou see," said Anna, "I have lost a key! It is an important key and I must find it, so I looked everywhere!"

"1ay%e we can help," offered 0ete! "At least, may%e &upe can help! He7s very good at figuring out where people put things!" "And we7re awfully good at searching," added *o%! "&upe, do you have one of our =D cards that you can give 1iss 'chmi !!! I mean, 1rs! Havemeyer:" &upiter was still slightly annoyed that Anna had laughed at him, %ut he took out his wallet and fingered through it until he found a card, which he handed to Anna! It readE H3 H)33 I,63' IGA O)' "We Investigate Anything" : : : .irst Investigator FFFF &upiter &ones

'econd Investigator -- )ecords and )esearch 0eter -renshaw *o% Andrews Anna looked at the card! "6ery nice," she said! " hank you," said &upiter stiffly! "We have an envia%le record! We have succeeded in solving pu99les that have %ewildered people far older than we! he $uestion marks on the card sym%oli9e the unknown, which we are always willing to pursue!" &oe Havemeyer grinned at Hans! "4oes he always talk that way:" he asked! "(ou mean like a %ook:" said Hans! "&upe reads all kinds of things, and he can find out what happens, sometimes, when no one else can tell! (ou let &upe look for your key and he will find it!" " hat7s very kind," said &oe Havemeyer, =G "%ut I don7t think we need a firm of +unior- grade detectives to find a missing key! It7s here, so it7s %ound to turn up!" Without a word, Anna handed the card %ack to &upe! "6ery well,78 said &upe! " he key pro%a%ly will turn up! In the meantime, we had %etter %e moving! It gets dark early on this side of the 'ierras and we want to get to the campground and pitch our tent while we can still see what we7re doing!" "We go, too,78 said Hans! "In a little while we can come %ack and visit some more, huh:"

"Oh, no!" said &oe Havemeyer heartily! "Anna, we didn7t have a wedding cele%ration! ,ow that your cousins are here, why don7t we have a party: And Hans and 5onrad don7t have to camp out! We7ve got an empty room! hey can stay with us!" Anna appeared startled at the idea, and Hans, who was watching her face, %egan to o%+ect! 5onrad $uickly interrupted his %rother! "It will %e a good idea for us to %e here," he said firmly! "Anna7s father is dead!" "(es, Anna told me," said &oe Havemeyer! "What a%out it:" "'o she has no father to watch out for her," 5onrad went on! "We are her only family here, and some relative should speak for Anna!" =H He turned to his cousin and said something in German! "We speak 3nglish, please," Anna snapped! "Also, if you want to speak with &oe a%out me, you should have done it %efore we got married! hat is the proper time!" "*ut Anna, you did not tell us you would %e married," said 5onrad reasona%ly! " here is no need to tell you! here is no need to worry! &oe has a good income! And he will stay here in 'ky 6illage and help me run my inn! In the winter he will manage the ski lift! It is all decided and it is not your place to make speeches!" 5onrad turned red and lapsed into silence! &oe Havemeyer made soothing sounds to Anna! 'he went off to the kitchen with her groceries, and she did not look at either of her cousins as she left the room! "I think we should leave," said Hans sadly! "-ome on, now," said Havemeyer! "4on7t take it seriously! Anna7s got a $uick temperI %ut %y dinnertime she7ll %e her usual cheerful self again! I know she7s glad to see you! 'he7s told me a lot a%out you! It7s only that she7s proud of %eing independent! 'he didn7t like it when you acted like a heavy male rela- tive!" 5onrad ru%%ed his hand across his face! 87I am stupid," he said! "It is that I have not >J seen Anna since she was so young, and sud- denly I think I am her father, huh:" " hat7s it e/actly," said Havemeyer! "It7ll %e all right! (ou7ll see!"

Havemeyer was right! *y dinnertime, Hans and 5onrad had moved their luggage into the %ig s$uare room on the north side of the inn! 'ince there were only four %edrooms in the place, and since two were already oc- cupied %y paying guests, he hree Investi- gators pitched their tent under the pines on the right side of the house, to the north! &oe Havemeyer had insisted on this! he stream that ran through the campground was low, he told them, %ecause there had %een very little snow and rain during the year! he %oys would %e %etter off if they stayed close to Anna7s little inn--and a relia%le source of water! Havemeyer also insisted that the %oys +oin them for dinner that night! he two pay- ing guests would have to %e included in the family party, said Havemeyer, %ut he wouldn7t let 1r! &ensen and 1r! 'mathers spoil things! he %oys met 1r! &ensen and 1r! 'mathers +ust %efore dinner! 1r! 'mathers was a skinny little man who might have %een fifty and who might have %een older! He wore shorts and had hiking %oots that laced almost to his kno%%y knees! 1r! &ensen was younger and taller and heavier, with close-cropped %rown hair and a face that was homely %ut not unpleasant! When Anna carried the roast in from the kitchen, 1r! 'mathers made disapproving sounds with his tongue, then said, "*eef !" ",o lectures, please," said 1r! &ensen! "I7m very fond of roast %eef and I7d appreciate it if you didn7t make me feel like a murderer every time I pick up a fork!" "Animals are our friends," said 1r! 'mathers! His watery %lue eyes were fi/ed on 1r! &ensen! ".riends do not eat one another!" Anna had plainly regained her good humor! 'he smiled at 'mathers! "I did not know the cow who was kind enough to provide our dinner! 2et us not worry for him, since now he is at least not unhappy!" "-ows are female," 'mathers pointed out! " hat is of importance only to the cow! .or you I have creamed spinach and raw carrots and alfalfa sprouts!" "3/cellent!" 1r! 'mathers tucked his napkin into his shirt front and prepared to en+oy his vegetarian dinner, while 1r! &ensen watched &oe Havemeyer carve the roast! "3ver think of serving venison in season:" &ensen wanted to know! "I got a couple of good shots of deer on the road to *ishop this afternoon!" >>

"'hots:" echoed *o%! "1r! &enaen is a carnivorous animal," said 'mathers! "He would gladly shoot deer with a gun if it weren7t against the law! .ortunately it is against the law, so 1r! &ensen does his shooting with a camera!" "I7m a professional photographer," e/plained &ensen! "I speciali9e in animal pictures! here are plenty of maga9ines that pay good money for authentic wildlife shots!" "2iving off other creatures, +ust like any predator," said 1r! 'mathers! "I don7t hurt them," protested &ensen! "I only take their pictures!" 'mathers sniffed! &oe Havemeyer finished carving and handed a platter of sliced meat down the ta%le! "1r! 'mathers came up to hike in the high country," he e/plained to Hans and 5onrad and the %oys! "He7s given me a real inspiration! #p a%ove the ski run there7s a meadow, and a%ove that there are miles of real wilderness country! We7re going to try to get hikers to come here in the summer! We7ll advertise good food and good %eds within a mile of nature7s unspoiled domain!" 1r! 'mather7s looked up from his alfalfa sprouts! "It won7t stay unspoiled for long if you do that" >? "A few hikers won7t distur% the %irds and the %ears that much," said Havemeyer! "In fact, the %ears aren7t a %it shy!" "&ust %ecause one got into the trash last night! ! !" %egan 1r! 'mathers! "'pilled it all over the %ack yard," said Havemeyer! "It isn7t their fault," countered 'mathers! "It7s %een too dry this year! here isn7t enough forage for them in the high country, so they come into the village! Who7s got a %etter right: he %ears were on this mountain %efore the villagers were!" ",ot this particular %ear," said Havemeyer! "And he7d %etter not come %ack!" "*ar%arian778 e/claimed 'mathers! -ousin Anna struck the ta%le with her fist! "3nough!" she cried! " onight we have a party for my wedding and it will not %e spoiled %y a $uarrel!78 An uncomforta%le silence settled over the group! &upe, casting a%out in his mind for some neutral su%+ect of conversation, thought of the e/cavation he had noticed that afternoon %ehind the inn!

"Are you planning to %uild an addition to the inn:" he asked Anna! "'omeone7s %een digging out in %ack! Is it for a foundation for another %uilding:" >A "It will %e a swimming pool," said Havemeyer! "'wimming pool:" Hans was startled! "(ou want a swimming pool here: It is cool for swimming!" "It can get hot in the middle of the day," aaid Havemeyer! "Of course, it7ll %e a heated pool! When we advertise for the hikers, we can throw in not only nature7s unspoiled domain, %ut also a refreshing dip in the pool at the end of the day! We might even roof the pool over and use it during the winter! Imagine skiing and swimming on the same day!" "(ou think %ig, don7t you:" said 1r! &ensen! here was a %ite to his words that caught &upe7s attention! "'omething %othering you:" asked Havemeyer! *efore &ensen could answer, there was a metallic clattering from the %ack of the inn, then the crash of a gar%age can %eing overturned! Havemeyer pushed %ack his chair and strode to the little closet under the stairs! "4on7t!" shouted 'mathers! Havemeyer turned away from the closet! He had a sophisticated-looking gun in his hands! ",o, you won7t!" 1r! 'mathers +umped up and raced for the kitchen! >B "'top that, 'mathers!" Havemeyer hurried after the little man! Hans, 5onrad, and the %oys followed! hey were in time to see 'mathers snatch open the %ack door! "Go away!" cried 'mathers! "Hide! 5eep away!" Havemeyer sei9ed 'mathers %y the arm and yanked the little man out of the way! he %oys had a fleeting glimpse of a large, dark shape fleeing toward the trees that edged the ski slope! hen Havemeyer was in the door- way! He threw up his gun and aimed! he gun made a little pinging noise! "*last!" said Havemeyer!

"1issed him, didn7t you:" e/ulted 1r! 'mathers! Havemeyer stepped %ack into the kitchen! "I ought to %elt you!" he told 'mathers! 0ete touched &upe7s arm and headed for tile living room! "4id you see that gun:" whispered 0ete %efore they returned to the dinner ta%le! &upiter nodded! "A tran$uili9er gun," he said softly! "Odd! Why go after a %ear with a tran$uili9er gun when there7s a shotgun in the house:" >C he ,ight 0rowler &upiter &ones wiggled his toes against the lining of his sleeping %ag and stared into the darkness! " he hree Investigators have a case!" he said aloud! *o% lay ne/t to &upe in the tent! He turned over and hoisted himself on one el%ow! "4o we get to hunt for -ousin Anna7s key after all:" he asked! ",o! Hans and 5onrad talked to me after dinner! hey want us to investigate -ousin Anna7s new hus%and! hey are very uneasy a%out him!" ,e/t to *o%, 0ete yawned loudly! "I7m a little uneasy a%out him myself," he said! " he guy7s gun-happy! I mean, all we were doing this afternoon was looking at the office and he practically threatened to shoot us!" "And he used a tran$uili9er gun to scare off a %ear," said &upiter! " hat makes no sense at all! Why would he even own a tran>D $uili9er gun: *ut it isn7t the guns that are Kworrying Hans and 5onrad, it7s the swimming- pool! hey are afraid that their hard- working, practical cousin has married a man who7ll fritter away her money on silly pro+- ects! I think we must agree that a swimming pool will not %e an asset to an inn with only three guest rooms! It couldn7t pay for itself! "Hans and 5onrad are also distur%ed %y the fact that Havemeyer has no +o%! hey feel that a man his age should %e working! While he was helping them move their things into the inn, he told them that he had in- herited money from his family, and that he lived in )eno until he met Anna and decided to marry her! he red sports car in the park- ing lot is his, and it has ,evada plates, so that part of his story checks out!" "What do we do:" asked 0ete! "Go on to )eno and talk to his former neigh%ors:"

"I hardly think that will %e necessary," said &upe! "*o%, does your father know any- one in )eno :" *o%7s father was a newspaperman in 2os Angeles, and he knew other newsmen in many of the cities in the West! ")eno:" said *o%! ",o, I don7t think I7ve ever heard him mention anyone in )eno! *ut I could ask 4ad to have the credit %ureau in )eno report on >G Havemeyer! If Havemeyer ever opened any kind of a charge account, the credit %ureau will have a file on him! 4ad says credit files give you loads of information a%out people -- where their %ank accounts are and how much money they have and whether they pay their %ills on time-- lots of stuff!" "Good," said &upiter! "We can call your father tomorrow!" He sat up and lifted the tent flap! Across the yard, all the windows of the 'lalom Inn were dark e/cept one! "&oe Havemeyer is in Anna7s office," reported &upe! "I guess he doesn7t have to pay attention to that ,o Admittance sign," said 0ete! He sat up, too, and peered out of the tent! hrough the uncurtained window of the office, the %oys could see -ousin Anna7s hus%and! He sat at the desk with his %ack to the window, sorting papers and putting them into file folders! " idying up," said 0ete! "I7m surprised -ousin Anna isn7t doing that! 'he7s supposed to %e so neat!" "I think I am a little disappointed with -ousin Anna," said &upe! "I7m afraid Hans and 5onrad are, too! 'he didn7t seem pleased when Havemeyer asked them to stay at the inn! 'he won7t speak German with them! In >H fact, she doesn7t talk to them much! 'he lets her hus%and do all the talking!" ".amily reunions don7t always turn out as advertised," 0ete remarked! He had gotten into his sleeping %ag wearing +eans and a warm sweatshirt! ,ow he fum%led in the dark for his shoes! "At least -ousin Anna7s pastries lived up to their reputation," he said! "'ince Havemeyer7s up, I7m for going over to the inn! I could use a glass of milk and some- thing to ni%%le on!" "(ou would mention food," &upe moaned, %ut he too %egan to put on his shoes! *o% un9ipped his sleeping %ag! "-ount me in!"

"Wait!" said &upe suddenly! "2isten!" *o% and 0ete fro9e! here was a soft sound %ehind the tent, half growl and half in$uiring whimper! "A %ear!" whispered 0ete! "4on7t move," cautioned &upe! A twig snapped and there was a little scra%%ling noise as if a fallen pine cone had %een kicked aside! he animal came into sight and paused in front of the tent! he %oys could see it silhouetted against the light from the office window! It was indeed a %ear, a large, hungry %ear! It sniffed in their di- rection! ?J "Go away!78 whispered 0ete frantically! "'hhh!" warned *o%! "4on7t frighten him!" he %ear was motionless, staring at the three %oys! hey held themselves as still as statues and stared %ack! 0resently the %ear seemed to lose interest in the tent and its occupants! It snee9ed and am%led off toward the %ack of the inn! "Whew!" 0ete let out a sigh of relief! "He only wants to raid the trash," whis- pered *o%! 'econds later they heard a crash as a gar- %age can was overturned! hrough the window of the office they saw &oe Havemeyer leap up and start for the door! *efore he had gone three steps, however, there was a flash of %lue-white light from the %ack of the inn! A second later the %oys heard a wild yelping, and then a cry -- a human cry! he hree Investigators scram%led out of their tent and raced for the %ack of the inn! hey skidded around the corner of the %uild- ing in time to see the %ear, a dark shadow, lum%ering up the ski slope! .rom the trees to the south of the inn came the sound of %ranches %reaking, as if someone or some- thing were running %lindly through the thickets! ?= he light over the %ack door snapped on and the door crashed open! &oe Havemeyer %urst out onto the small %ack porch, his tran- $uili9er gun ready! He glared down at the %oys, then at the contents of the overturned trash can which were sprayed wildly around at the %ottom of the steps! hen he gasped! 1r! &ensen, the nature photographer, was sprawled face down amid the litter! He was wearing pa+amas and a %athro%e, and one slipper had come off! His camera lay %eside him, smashed to %its!

"What the !!! :" cried Havemeyer! "(ou had a prowler," said &upe! He %ent over the fallen photographer! "A %ear! I7m afraid 1r! &ensen is hurt!" ?> One *ear or wo: &oe Havemeyer put down his gun and knelt %eside the unconscious &ensen! "4id you see what happened:" he asked the %oys! "We saw a %ear go past our tent," said *o%! "He went around to the %ack of the house, and we heard the trash can go over! hen we saw a flash of light and we heard the %ear yelp, and then 1r! &ensen yelled!" Inside the inn, lights went on in every room! -ousin Anna appeared in the doorway! "&oe: What is it:" "&ensen," said &oe shortly! " ried to take a flash photo of a %ear and got %elted! We7d %etter get him to a doctor!" 1r! 'mathers pushed through the door %e- hind Anna! His sparse gray hair stood on end, and he had his %athro%e on inside out! "What seems to %e the trou%le:" he de- manded! Hans and 5onrad followed 1r! 'mathers ?? out and came down the porch steps! "'o:" said Hans! "What is happening:" &ensen moaned, rolled over, curled his knees to his chest, and finally managed to sit up! Havemeyer sat down on the steps, looking very frightened and, at the same time, very relieved! "(ou okay:" he asked &ensen! he photographer made a grimace and put his right hand to his neck! "'omeone ! ! ! someone hit me," he said! "I think you7re lucky you7re still %reathing in and out," said Havemeyer! "'ome people who get whopped %y %ears don7t survive the e/perience!" &ensen got to his knees, then stood up and leaned against the wall of the inn! "I got whopped all right," he said! He shook his head as if to clear it! "I got whopped, %ut not %y that %ear! 'ome%ody sneaked up %ehind me and %elted me in the neck!"

"Oh, come on now," said Havemeyer! "It had to %e the %ear! (ou scared it with your flash %ul% and it took a swipe at you! hey can move fast, you know!" "I know they can, %ut this one didn7t! I saw it from the window in my room, so I got my camera and came down! I was aiming at the %ear when I heard someone %ehind me! ?A hen the flash went off, and a second later -- whammo!" &ensen straightened and glared at 1r! 'mathers, who stood on the porch %eside Anna! "(ou!" he accused! "(ou and your nutty ideas a%out animals! (ou did it- What did you think: I was invading the %ear7s right to privacy, or something:" Havemeyer took &ensen %y the arm! "(ou7re upset," he said! "2ook, we7ll get you to a doctor!" "I don7t want a doctor! I want the police!" "1r! &ensen!" &upe stepped forward! " here could have %een a second %ear! We were here +ust after you shouted! here was a %ear running away up the ski slope, and there was also the noise of something crash- ing through the trees over there!" "I was not hit %y a %ear!" insisted &ensen! He shot an angry look at 1r! 'mathers! "I am not in the ha%it of striking my fel- low creatures," said 'mathers primly! "Also, I could not possi%ly have struck you! I was in %ed! Ask 1rs! Havemeyer! 'he was in the hall when I came out of my room!" Anna nodded! " hat is right, 1r! &ensen! I heard a noise and put on my ro%e! I was at the top of the stairs when 1r! 'mathers opened his door!" ?B "It happened too fast," said Havemeyer soothingly! "(ou couldn7t possi%ly remem%er it e/actly! ,ot after %eing hit on the head!" " he neck," said &ensen stu%%ornly! "I got it in the neck! A ra%%it punch! 'ince when do %ears hand out ra%%it punches :" "-ome in and we7ll call the doctor," coa/ed Havemeyer! He spoke as one would speak to an angry child!

"I don7t want a doctor!" shouted &ensen! "-all the police! here7s a criminal roaming around here assaulting innocent people!" "Innocent people should %e in their %eds at this hour of night," said 1r! 'mathers, "not scaring the wits out of other creatures with their flash %ul%s and their cameras!" "1y camera!" &ensen lunged at the re- mains of his camera! "Oh, great!" He picked up two separate pieces and looked angrily at the loop of film that dangled from the wreckage! "6andal!" accused &ensen! he remark seemed to %e directed at 1r! 'mathers! "If you drop a camera, it will %reak," said 'mathers! "And if you wish to call the police, I7ll %e happy to talk to them when they get here! In the meantime, I am going %ack to %ed! 4on7t wake me unless there7s a good reason!" 'mathers marched into the inn, leaving &ensen to his rage! ?C "He7s right," said Havemeyer reasona%ly! "We all ought to go %ack to %ed!" He turned to he hree Investigators! "*ring your sleeping %ags inside," he told them! "(ou don7t want to %e out here with a %ad %ear on the loose!" "It wasn7t a %ear!" shouted &ensen! " hen what was it:" demanded Have- meyer! "&upe here heard something crashing through those trees, so unless someone from the village has suddenly taken to a life of crime, there had to %e a second %ear! ,ow, do you want us to call the doctor: If we call the sheriff, he7ll only tell you not to wander around at night distur%ing the wildlife!" hat was true, and &ensen knew it! "All right, all right," he grum%led! "And I don7t need a doctor!" He went up the porch steps and into the kitchen, ru%%ing his neck! .ifteen minutes later, he hree Investi- gators had moved their sleeping %ags out of the tent and were comforta%ly installed in the living room of the inn! hey waited until the noises on the second floor ceased! hen, in the darkness, 0ete spoke! "&ensen7s lucky," he said! ",ot too many people tangle with a %ear and get off as easily as he did! #nless, of course, it really wasn7t a %ear!" &upiter &ones frowned! "(ou7re thinking ?D

the same thing that I7m thinking! -ould a %ear deliver a %low that would stun a man and still not leave a scratch on him: he skin on &ensen7s neck wasn7t %roken!" "It couldn7t have %een anyone from the inn," said *o%! "Hans and 5onrad don7t hit people! &oe Havemeyer was in the office when it happened, and -ousin Anna and 1r! 'mathers ali%i each other! 3ven if he were a human fly and could walk up walls, 1r! 'mathera couldn8t have gotten %ack into his room so $uickly that -ousin Anna saw him when she started downstairs!78 "'o it was either an outsider or a second %ear," said &upe! "In the morning, as soon as it7s light, we7ll go down to those trees south of the inn where the attacker ran after striking 1r! &ensen! It7s %een a dry year, %ut trees hold moisture and the earth there ought to %e soft enough to show footprints! Who- ever or whatever hit &ensen, he must have left tracks! We should %e a%le to tell whether the attacker was a %ear or a man!" ?G he 1issing 5ey &upiter &ones awakened to find 0ete shaking his arm! "We missed the %oat," said 0ete! "Get out of the sack and see!" &upe sat up! he room was still dim and gray! "&oe Havemeyer %eat us to it," reported 0ete! ,e/t to &upe, *o% turned over and stretched! "*eat us to what:" he asked! "We do not get to e/amine the %ack yard for %ear tracks or people tracks or any kind of tracks," 0ete informed them! "-ome and see! (ou wouldn7t %elieve me if I told you!" *o% and &upe got up and followed 0ete to the kitchen! 0ete went to the window near the range and pointed out! "How interesting," said &upe! " hat7s ! ! ! that7s cra9y!" e/claimed *o%! He scowled at -ousin Anna7s hus%and, who was energetically sweeping the earth in the %ack yard with a %room! ?H "He7s already swept the ground under the trees," said 0ete! "He was finishing there when I woke you!"

"Hmmm," mused &upe! "2ooks as if he8s deli%erately erasing- any possi%le sign of 1r! &ensen7s attacker! 6ery curious!" He stepped to the door, opened it, and padded out onto the %ack porch in his stocking feet! "Good morning," he said %rightly! Havemeyer +umped slightly, then smiled! "1orning," he greeted &upe! "'leep okay after all the e/citement:" "2ike a log," &upiter assured him! "(ou7re up early!" &upiter looked pointedly at the %room! Havemeyer picked up the trash can which had %een overturned and %egan to sweep the de%ris around the porch steps into a neat pile! "Got a lot to do@7 he told &upe! "Want to get the trash all cleaned up or we7ll have more %ears roaming around here than you can shake a stick at! And after %reakfast I7m going to work on the swimming pool! Go put your shoes on and I7ll show you!" He deposited the trash in the can, then covered it and started up the porch steps! 0ete and *o% were standing innocently near the sink when Havemeyer and &upe stepped into the kitchen! AJ "1orning," said Havemeyer! "Want to see my pool:" he three %oys got their shoes and followed Havemeyer to the e/cavation fifty feet %ehind the inn! "I had a couple of men come up from *ishop with heavy e$uipment to do the actual digging," said Havemeyer! "Ill put up the forms and pour the concrete myself, %ut I figured I7d %e at it all year if I tried to dig it myself!" "I see what you mean," said 0ete! " hat must %e ten feet deep!" " welve," said Havemeyer! "*ut," said 0ete, "there7s no shallow end!" " hat7s right," Havemeyer said! 0ete frowned! "I never!, saw a pool like this! If you don7t have a shallow part, what a%out the people who can7t swim and +ust like to go in and %o% around:" "I see you get the idea," said Havemeyer! "0eople who can7t swim won7t %e a%le to use the pool! I once saw a man who couldn7t swim lose his footing in a pool! It wasn7t funny!"

"Oh," said 0ete! Hans and 5onrad hallooed cheerfully from the house! "We7re out here," called Havemeyer! he %rothers came hurrying down the steps A= and across the yard! "Ho!" said Hana, when he caught sig-ht of Havemeyer7s e/cavation! "'wimming pool, huh:" He had the air of one who is determined to %e pleasant! " he swimming pool," said Havemeyer! "(ou are making it yourself:" asked 5on- rad! Havemeyer nodded! "It7ll keep me out from under Anna7s feet for a while!" "1aking a pool is hard work," said Hans! "We have a holiday! We will help!" "Oh, no, no, no!" said Havemeyer $uickly! "(ou7re on your vacation! I wouldn7t think of having you ! ! !" "What %etter thing can we do with our va- cation than help our cousin7s hus%and :" said 5onrad! he words were friendly enough, %ut 5onrad7s voice was very firm, as if he would not stand for any argument! Havemeyer shrugged and %egan to e/plain his plans for the pool to the %rothers! he hree Investigators wandered %ack toward the inn! "Hans and 5onrad have +ust earned the right to stay here," murmured &upe! "Help- ing with the pool will give them an e/cuse to stick around and find out more a%out &oe Havemeyer!" "I7m not sure his head is screwed on the A> right way," declared 0ete! "I mean! I never saw a swimming pool that didn7t have a shallow end!" *reakfast that morning was a tense meal! 1r! &ensen spoke to no one! and he avoided even looking at 1r! 'mathers! 1r! 'mathers openly disapproved of eating eggs and was horrified when -ouain Anna carried in a plat- ter of sausages! -ousin Anna herself ate almost nothing! 'he sat and twisted the wed- ding ring on her finger, urging everyone to have second helpings! Havemeyer refused, and he and Hans and 5onrad went out to the %ack yard to start work on the pool! 1r! 'mathers took a muffin, stuffed it in his shirt

pocket, and went out and down the road to- ward the campground! 1r! &ensen said a rather sullen thank you to Anna and an- nounced that he had %usiness in *ishop! -ousin Anna looked sadly at the leftover food! "I think no one was very hungry," she said to the %oys! "3verything was very good," said &upiter $uickly! "In fact, you remind me of my Aunt 1athilda!" "Aunt 1athilda:" Anna said! "Oh, yes! he lady who has %een so kind to Hans and 5onrad!" "'he7s a great cook, too," &upiter told her! A? 0ete chuckled, " hat accounts for &upe7a heft!" "Aunt 1athilda and I are going on a diet," said &upe, "as soon as I get %ack to )ocky *each!" *o% laughed! "I7ve heard that %efore! I7ll %elieve it when I see it! *a%y .atso!" "All right! All right!" &upe was so nettled that he almost shouted! "*a%y .atso:" said Anna! "I think I have heard that name %efore!" "If you watch the late, late, late show on television, you may catch &upe! He was a child star--practically an American insti- tution!" "Oh, yes! Hans and 5onrad did not write to me a%out that!" Anna %rightened suddenly! " hey write always that you are clever %oys and can find out a%out things!" "(ou saw our card," said &upe stiffly! He was still smarting slightly after the re%uff of the day %efore! " he card: (es, and I think I have %een very foolish! I have looked everywhere and I cannot find my key! It is very important! 0erhaps you will find it for me!" "(ou wish to retain he hree Investiga- tors:" asked &upe! ")etain: What is this retain:" AA

"&upe only means that you authori9e us to search for the missing key," *o% e/plained! "'ometimes there is a fee for our services, %ut not in this ease! We are freeloading here, and the food is delicious," "Way ahead of that canned stuff we %rought when we thought we7d %e staying in the campground," said 0ete! " hank you!" Anna smiled! ")etain! (es, I wish to retain you to find the key! It is so silly! (ou see, when I left here to go to 2ake ahoe, I did not wish to carry the key with me, so I hid it in some clever place! ,ow I do not remem%er where I put it! I was so clever that I fooled myself!" "What does the key look like:" asked &upi- ter! "It is small," said Anna! "2ike this!" 'he held up her hand with thum% and forefinger a%out two inches apart! "It is the key to ray safe deposit %o/!" "I can see why that7s important," said 0ete, "%ut couldn7t you go to the %ank and e/plain that you lost the key: hey7d give you a duplicate, wouldn7t they:" "1y father lost the key to his safe deposit %o/," said *o%! "He didn7t have any trou%le a%out it! Oh, he did have to see an officer at the %ank, and I think they had to change the AB lock on his %o/! here was a fee for that, %ut not very much!" "I am em%arrassed," said Anna! "At the %ank in *ishop they have much respect for me! hey know I am careful, and when I needed money to %uy the ski lift, they lent it to me! I do not wish to go to the %ank and say I have %een so foolish that I lost such an im- portant thing!" "6ery well," said &upiter! " he hree In- vestigators should %e a%le to save you that em%arrassment! It can7t %e an impossi%le task! he inn isn7t large! Where did you usu- ally keep the key, %y the way:" "In the drawer of my desk! *ut now ! ! !" Anna spread her hands in a gesture of de- spair! "I remem%er thinking that my inn would %e empty, and I would hide the key in case someone %reaks in! *ut I cannot remem- %er where!" "'o we search," said 0ete! He pushed %ack his chair and got up from the ta%le! "'hall we start with the office:" asked &upiter! "We have already looked in the office," Anna told him! "It is not there!"

"We can look again!" &upe7s round face as- sumed a hopeful e/pression! "We might think of something you missed!" AC "If you like!" Anna %egan to clear the ta%le! he hree Investigators went immediately to the office, which was still a +um%le of papers, folders, and ledgers! "I think we8re wasting our time here, &upe," said 0ete! "-ousin Anna and her hus- %and have really turned this place upside down! hey7d have found a pin if it had %een lost here!" "I agree!" &upe sat down at the desk! .rom the kitchen came the clatter of dishes and the rushing sound of water filling the sink! "*ut we may discover what Anna7s hus%and was doing in here last night when everyone else was in %ed! Hans and 5onrad have asked us to find out all we can a%out Havemeyer! 'o first we7ll find out what interests him so much in this office!" &upe %egan leafing through a stack of pa- pers on the desk! "Hm! A letter from Hans, and another from 5onrad! his one7s over two years old! Anna must have saved all the letters her cousins sent her!" ",o reason for Havemeyer to sit up all night reading them, is there:" *o% took a ledger from the stack on the %ookcase and %egan to page through it! "Hans and 5onrad are here now, in the flesh, and if he wants to AD know anything a%out them he can &7ust ask!" ",o reason at all!" &upe leaned on his el- %ows and %egan to pull at his lower lip! a sure sign that he was concentrating intensely! "'ay, here7s something," said *o%! He thrust a ledger across the desk to &upiter! "-ousin Anna7s record of her savings!" " hat7s a pretty hefty %ank%ook," o%served 0ete! "It7s not a %ank%ook at all! It7s only a rec- ord %ook! here7s a column for money put in, and one for money taken out, and the last column on each page is for money that7s availa%le!" &upiter nipped the pages until he was half- way through the ledger! hen he stopped! " he latest entry is for the week %efore last!" he told *o% and 0ete! " he week %efore last,

Anna put =DC dollars wherever she puts her money- 'he took nothing out, and the last column indicates that she has =J,G>? dollars availa%le!" "Wow!" cried 0ete! "If that7s in cash, -ousin Anna is way ahead of a%out ninety percent of the American pu%lic! I learned that in social studies this year! 1ost people never have cash, and they7re so far in de%t that a flat tire can %e a real emergency!" "'o -ousin Anna is very well off," said AG &upe! "*ut, we7d %etter find her key as $uickly as possi%le, and then get to a telephone in the village and call your father! I7d %e very inter- ested to know if the credit %ureau in )eno has a file on Havemeyer!" "(ou think he could %e planning to get his mitts on -ousin Anna7s loot:" asked 0ete! "It7s possi%le! -ertainly Hans and 5onrad suspect this, and it7s easy to see that Hans and 5onrad make him uncomforta%le! He was not pleased when they decided to spend their vacation here helping with the pool! And that doesn7t make sense! he pool itself doesn7t make sense! 'weeping the yard doesn7t make sense! A tran$uili9er gun doesn7t make sense!" &upe held up a warning hand at the sound of footsteps in the living room! A few sec- onds later, Anna appeared at the door of the office! "Well:" she said! "(ou were right," &upiter told her! " he key isn7t here!" "We7ll search the rest of the inn," *o% as- sured her! "Will 1r! &ensen and 1r! 'math- era mind if we look in their rooms: Would you hide the key in a guest room:" "0erhaps," said Anna! "I had no guests when I left for my wedding! *ut do not touch the luggage! It is not necessary, and they AH would %e very angry if you touched their things!" "Of course not!" &upe stood up! "Would you like us to straighten this room for you:" "It ia %etter if I do it,78 said Anna! "(ou Kwill not know where thing-a %elong!"

"6ery well!" &upe came out from %ehind the desk! He was almost at the door when he stopped, struck %y a sudden thought! "Have you used your check%ook lately:" he asked Anna! "I didn7t see a check%ook here!" "I do not have a check%ook," Anna told him! "I always pay for things with cash!" "3verything:" &upe was astonished! "Isn7t it dangerous to keep a lot of cash here:" "I do not keep much cash here," said Anna! 88I keep my money in the %ank, in the safe deposit %o/! (ou see, that is why the key is so important! 'oon I must pay my %ills! I will need money! Also, my hus%and has ordered cement for the swimming pool! I wish to pay for that when it is delivered!" "In cash :" asked &upe! "It is safer," declared -ousin Anna! "If I have a check%ook, someone can steal my checks and sig"n my name! 'omeone can take all I have %efore I even know! If I have real money, I do not keep more than I need and no one steals it! I put it under my pillow at night! In the daytime, I have it with me!" CJ "I don7t think the police would approve of your system, 1rs! Havemeyer," said &upiter! "If you pay cash for everything, people must know that you have large sums here from time to time! 'uppose someone held you up:" -ousin Anna smiled! "I think my hus%and would shoot someone who did that," she said! "(ou know@7 said 0ete, "I think he would!" C= 1onster 1ountain he hree Investigators devoted the rest of the morning to a painstaking search of the inn! hey turned %ack rugs and peeked under %ureaus and felt along the tops of window frames and doorways! 0ete got up on a chair and took all the dishes down from the top shelves in the kitchen! *o% shook each +ar, upended every cup, and pro%ed the flour cannister and the sugar %owl with a long spoon! &upe scanned every rafter on the second floor of the inn, and then went down into the %ase- ment to poke in cracks and corners in the cement walls! Anna7s shoes were taken out of the closet and e/amined! Her coat pockets were searched and her hand%ags were turned out!

"Are you sure it7s here:" asked &upe, when he and *o% and 0ete assem%led for lunch! "Are you sure you didn7t drop it someplace -- perhaps at the %ank the last time you used it:" B> Anna was sure! 0ete slumped at the ta%le! "*eats me," he said! "We7ve gone over every inch of this place! How could you hide anything that well and not remem%er where you hid it: hat takes genius!" Anna sighed and put a platter of grilled cheese sandwiches on the ta%le! "0erhaps you should rest and look again tomorrow," she suggested! "I will try to remem%er! *ut I try and try, and I cannot remem%er!" "4on7t try," advised &upiter! "4on7t even think a%out it and it may come to you!" Anna did not +oin the %oys for lunch! In- stead! she went into her office and closed the door! "Why is she that upset:" said *o%! "'he can get another key, or another lock, or whatever she needs to get into her safe deposit %o/!" &upe could only shrug, and the %oys ate in silence! hey hastily washed their dishes, then went out into the %ack yard! &upe paused and stared at the clean-swept earth, which now showed the footprints of everyone who had gone %ack and forth from the pool site! "Ho, &upe!" Hans was calling from the edge of &oe Havemeyer7s e/cavation! he %oys heard a B? vigorous pounding"! 'omeone was hammering at the %ottom of the future swimming poo2 &upe, 0ete, and *o% hurried over and looked down! 5onrad was in the hole, pound- ing nails into planks to make the forms that would hold the poured concrete! "4id you find out anything:" asked Hana! 5onrad stopped hammering and waited! "We7ve %een looking for -ousin Anna7s key," said &upe! "I7m afraid we didn7t find it! ,ow we can concentrate on Havemeyer! I7m sure we7ll %e a%le to get some information a%out him for you! *o% has to make a tele- phone call! Where is Havemeyer, %y the way:"

Hans pointed toward the top of the ski slope! "He has taken his gun and some things in a knapsack and has gone up there! He said he had work to do in the high meadow and he will come %ack later!78 he hree Investigators left the %rothers and walked down the drive! hey turned right on the village street, and soon came to the little gas station where Hans and 5onrad had asked for directions the day %efore! he in$uisitive attendant was nowhere to %e seen, and the place appeared to %e closed! here was a telephone %ooth on one corner of the property! *o% stepped inside, closed the door, CA and placed a call to his father at the newspa- per office! "Well:" said 0ete, when *o% emerged from the phone %ooth! "We7re in luck!" *o% reported! "I got the standard lecture a%out calling him when he7s at work! %ut he does know a newspaperman who lives in )eno, and he7ll get in touch with him and see what he can find out a%out Have- meyer! He said I should call him tomorrow night after he7s home!" "Good enough!" said &upiter! he %oys strolled %ack up the village street past the 'lalom Inn, then went on down the road toward the 'ky 6illage -ampground! " his vacation isn7t e/actly what I e/- pected," said 0ete! "We were going to camp out and hike and fish! Instead we wind up sleeping on the floor in the inn and eating -ousin Anna7G home cooking! If it were a little foggy, I7d think we were %ack in )ocky *each!" "We can camp out, I suppose," said *o%! 88We could move our tent down here this afternoon! Hans and 5onrad pro%a%ly wouldn7t come! hey7re too nervous a%out -ousin Anna7s hus%and! *ut we can do it!78 &upe grinned! "Aren7t you afraid of the %ears:" he asked! CB " hat %ear didn7t %other us last night," *o% pointed out! "He was only after food!" "*ut something %othered 1r! &ensen," &upe reminded him! "What could it have %een: And why did Havemeyer sweep away the tracks this morning:" he three %oys went around a %end in the road and the campground lay %efore them! It consisted of five stone firepits in the ground, and an e$ual num%er of redwood picnic ta%les! o the right was the %ed of a small stream! It was almost dry! Only a trickle of water

ran down through the rocks! *eyond the campground a path twisted away through the %rush! 0ete looked at the creek and ran his hand through his hair! "I can see what &oe Havemeyer meant a%out water %eing a pro%lem here," he said! "If we move our gear down, we7ll have to %ring water from the inn!" " here doesn7t seem to %e much point to that," said &upiter! "*esides, I7d like to stay close to the inn, at least until we get more in- formation a%out Havemeyer! here are too many odd things a%out him! And the attack on 1r! &ensen ! ! !" " hat couldn7t have %een IIavemeyer," said *o%! "We could see Havemeyer inside the inn at the time &ensen was hit!" CC ",o! It couldn7t have %een Havemeyer! *ut something fishy is going on at the inn! I7d like to know what it is!78 here was a rustling in the %ushes %ehind &upe! All three %oys +umped! "'care you:" asked an amused voice! "'orry a%out that" &upe spun around! he man who ran the gas station in 'ky 6illage emerged from a clump of wild lilac! He was %usily stuffing a wad of muddy, crumpled paper into a %urlap sack! "(ou %oys a little %ear-shy:" he asked! His keen eyes twinkled! "Hear you had a scare at the inn last night!" "How !!! how did you know:78 asked &upe! "1r! &ensen stopped %y this morning to %uy some gas," e/plained the man! "I noticed he had a atiff neck, so I asked what was the matter! I kind of like to find out a%out people! He was madder 7n a hornet! -laimed some- %ody gave him a ra%%it punch while he was trying to take a picture of a %ear!" "'o far as we know, that8s what hap- pened," said *o%! "1r! Havemeyer thinks it was a second %ear!" "Interesting way for a %ear to %ehave," said the man! "'till, you can7t tell, and we7ve had a lot of %ears in the village this year! AlBD ways do in the dry years! hey raid every- %ody7s trash cans! I always let them alone! hat way I don7t have any grief!"

he man surveyed the campground! " hat7s %etter," he announced! "A couple came in here from the city last week and made an awful mess! 0aper towels all over creation and orange peels in the creek! 1akes you lose your faith in people!" "Are you responsi%le for the camp- ground:" asked *o%! ",ot really," said the man, "%ut it7s a%out the only thing around here that %rings in %usiness in the summer, and I like to sell gas! -ampers tell one another a%out the conditions in the different campgrounds! If this place got a %ad name, I could close up my station and starve from 1ay until the snow flies!" LL! see," said *o%! "1y name7s )ichardson, %y the way," said the man! "-harlie )ichardson, only they call me Ga%%y!" He chuckled! "I wonder why they do that!" 0ete laughed! "I wonder, too," he said! He held out his hand! "I7m 0ete -renshaw and this is &upiter &ones! 1y pal with the glasses is *o% Andrews!" Ga%%y )ichardson said he was pleased to meet the %oys, and shook hands all around! CG "(ou thinking of moving your camp down here:" he asked! "I saw when I passed Anna7s place that you had your tent out under the trees!" "Actually, we slept inside last night," said &upe! "After the %ears raided the trash, 1r! Havemeyer thought it would %e %etter!" Ga%%y )ichardson laughed! "3asy know- ing Anna 'chmid7s new hus%and hasn7t %een on 1onster 1ountain very long if he7s spooked %y a %ear or two!" "1onster 1ountain:" echoed 0ete! "(ep! Oh, I guess for the %enefit of you tourists I ought to call it 1ount 2ofty, like it says on the maps! *ut when I was a kid, there were +ust five families living here, and we called it 1onster 1ountain!" He pointed to- ward a watchtower which was %arely visi%le on the high slopes toward the north! "'ee that fire tower: It7s a%andoned now, %ut when it was used it was officially the 1onster 1ountain tower!" 0ete sat down at one of the picnic ta%les! "Any reason why they called it that:" he asked! Ga%%y )ichardson sat ne/t to 0ete and leaned %ack ag-ainst the ta%le! "When I was young," he said, "the grown folks used to tell us there were monsters on the mountain--

BH giants and ogres who lived in caves and ate kids who stayed out past dark!" *o% laughed! " hat sounds like a story some mother made up to keep her kids in line!" "0ro%a%ly," agreed )ichardson, "%ut we %elieved every word of it, and what the grownups didn7t tell us, we made up our- selves! We scared each other half to death telling how terri%le creatures came out on nights when there was a full moon and prowled around houses, looking for ways to get in! An old trapper lived here once, and he swore he7d found the footprints of some huge man in the snow high up near the glacier! 'aid it was a %arefoot man! hat was pretty silly! A man would free9e his toes off running %arefoot up there!" "'ounds like you had fun %eing scared," said 0ete! "Oh, we had fun, all right, %ut we didn7t stay out after dark, you can %et! .unny! (ou7d almost think the hermit knew those stories and they worked on his mind, %ut he didn7t!" "A hermit:" *o% sat down on a %oulder near the picnic ta%le! ".irst monsters and then a hermit! (ou had a colorful childhood!" "Oh, the hermit wasn7t around when I was a kid@7 said )ichardson! "He wandered in CJ here three ! ! ! no, it was four years ago! He clim%ed on foot from *ishop with a pack on his %ack -- a young man, may%e twenty-five or thirty! It was summer when he came and there weren7t too many people around, so when I saw him standing in the middle of the street looking kind of %ewildered, I asked him what he wanted! He said he wanted a good place to meditate! I told him we didn7t have a church here in 'ky 6illage, %ut that wasn7t what he had in mind! He wanted a place where he could +ust sit and let his spirit %lend into the universe! " hat sounded like a harmless thing to do, so I told him he might try the meadow up a%ove the ski slope! Hardly anyone goes there in the summer! I figured he7d go there for an afternoon and sit in the grass and think a %it, %ut I was wrong! 4arned if he didn7t go up the mountain and %uild himself a little shack! He %ought lum%er and tar paper and a few nails in the village, %ut never any food! Guess he lived on %erries, like the %ears, or acorns, like the s$uirrels!" "*ack to nature, huh:" said *o%! "What happened to him:" "Well," said Ga%%y )ichardson, "I person- ally think it addles a man7s %rains to %e alone all that much! hat young hermit didn7t talk

C= to any%ody, and if anyone went up the moun- tain, he7d shut himself up in his shack! He lasted it out a%out three months! hen one day he came down and went through the village like a shot! I didn7t see him, %ut &eff, who %o/es things over at the market when it7s open, said he was yelling a%out a monster in the meadow! 2ast &eff saw, that hermit was making tracks down the road to *ishop!" In spite of himself, 0ete shivered! "(ou never saw him again :" he asked! ",ot hide nor hair," said )ichardson! &upiter &ones looked up at the peaks tower- ing a%ove them! "1onsters," he said! "I wonder!!!" )ichardson snorted and sat up straight! "4on7t pay too much mind to that story," he said! " he %oy got to seeing things up there all %y himself! Any%ody would! It isn7t healthy for a man to %e so alone!78 He stood up! "If you want to camp out here, camp out! 4on7t worry a%out monsters, and the %ears won7t give you trou%le if you don7t give them trou%le! &ust don7t leave food around!" He threw his %urlap sack over one shoulder and started toward the road that led %ack to 'ky 6illage! At the edge of the campground he stopped and turned %ack to warn, "And don7t litter!" C> "We won7t@7 promised *o%! he gas station attendant tramped up the road! In a few minutes he was out of sight! "1onster 1ountain," said *o%! " hose had to %e stories the grown-ups told the kids to keep them in line! here couldn7t have %een monsters here! he 'ierras aren7t the Himalayas! Why, there7ve %een pack trains and tourists and campers ever since -- " ",ot everywhere," interrupted &upiter! " his range covers a vast area! here must %e many places where the hikers and campers can7t go!" 0ete shuddered! "&upe, you give me the creeps! 4on7t tell me you think that hermit really saw a monster!" "3ven the most fantastic stories usually have a grain of truth in them somewhere," said &upiter &ones! "#nless 1r! Ga%%y )ich- ardson made that entire tale up out of thin air, we can assume that there was a hermit and that he saw something that frightened him and -- " "2isten!" *o% was suddenly tense! He looked around toward the creek! "'omeone7s there!"

he %ushes on the far side of the creek rustled softly and, though the afternoon was still, the %oys could see %ranches moving! C? 0ete stood like a statue, eyes glued to the clump of shru%s %eyond the stream! He thought he saw a strange shadow in their midst! he rustling grew louder, nearer! "'omething7s there," whispered *o%, "and it7s coming this way!" CA he Animal 1an -loser and closer came the soft rustlings in the %rush! he hree Investigators %roke out in a coid sweat! 6isions of strange creatures sei9ed their minds ! ! ! ogres and giants prowling through the forest ! ! ! formless monsters sending a hermit screaming down the moun- tain ! ! ! sinister shapes lurking in the shadows on moonlit nights ! ! ! -rackle! )ustle! -runch! -loser and closer ! ! ! 'uddenly the noises stopped! he %ushes across the creek were still! he silence was dreadful! Would the thing attack or not: henE "Well, now! 'orry, friend," said a familiar voice! "I almost stepped on you!" 0ete hadn7t reali9ed that he was holding his %reath- He gasped, then %egan %reathing $uickly, drawing the thin, sweet mountain air into his lungs in gulps! CB "It7s 1r! 'mathers!" choked out &upiter &ones! His throat had gone dry with fright! He slumped %ack ag-ainst the picnic ta%le! "What a relief!" *o%7s laugh had an edge of hysteria! "4id you think it was the monster of 1onster 1ountain: .or a a second, I did!" " he power of suggestion," said &upe! "We listen to a weird story, and then are scared half to death %y the first person to wander along!" He raised his voice and called, "1r! 'mathers:"

he %ushes %eyond the creek parted and 1r! 'mathers7 thin face peered out at the %oys! he weedy little man was wearing a canvas hat with a small %rim, and he seemed unaware of the fact that his nose was sun- %urned and that he had a scratch across his forehead! "(ou7re distur%ing the peace," he said! His voice was stern, %ut the corners of his mouth crinkled in a smile! "(ou scared us," said 0ete! "We thought you were a %ear, at the very least!" "I wouldn7t mind %eing a %ear this after- noon," declared 'mathers! "I found a %ee tree! What a feast for a %ear!" He stepped out of the %ushes and stood at the edge of the creek! he %oys saw that he was holding a skunk in one arm, very gently, as a mother might hold a child! CC "Good golly!" e/claimed 0ete! 'mathers7 eyes went to the little %lack-and- white animal! "Handsome, isn7t she:" he said! "1r! 'mathers!" *o% said frantically! "0ut it down!" 'mathers laughed! "4oes my friend upset you:" He stroked the skunk under the chin with his forefinger! "Isn7t that silly:" he said to the animal! " he %oys are afraid you7ll turn your scent glands on them! (ou wouldn7t do that, would you: ,ot unless you had to!" 'mathers put the skunk down! "*etter get along," he advised the creature! ",ot everyone understands you like I do!" he skunk waddled a few steps, then stopped and looked around- as if $uestioning 'mathers! "Go on," urged 'mathers! "I want to have a few words with our young friends here and you make them nervous! Oh, I am sorry that I distur%ed you while you were having your nap! -lumsy of me! I won7t do it again, I promise!" he skunk seemed satisfied with this! It disappeared into the %ushes, and 1r! 'math- ers clim%ed down the %ank into the creek %ed and crossed the trickle of water! "-harming creatures, skunks," said 'math- ers, as he +oined &upiter, 0ete, and *o% in the CD campground! "One shouldn7t really have fa- vorites, I suppose, %ut I think I en+oy skunks almost more than any other animal!" "If I hadn7t seen that, I wouldn7t %elieve it,78 declared *o%!

0ete frowned furiously! "It7s a trick," he decided! " hat +ust has to %e some%ody7s pet skunk! It must have had its scent glands re- moved!" "What a dreadful idea!" e/claimed 1r! 'mathera! "A%solutely %ar%arous! Oh, I know that people do make house pets of skunks and remove the scent glands! And what happens then:" ",othing," said 0ete! ",othing happens! hat7s why the scent glands are removed -- so that nothing can happen!" " ypical human reasoning," said 'mathers! "(ou take an animal that has %een provided %y nature with a perfect defense system and remove that system! he animal %ecomes helpless--completely dependent on the hu- man since it can7t defend itself! hen the human proudly says that he owns the animal, as if one creature could own another! 0erfectly dreadful!" he %oys were silent, a %it startled %y the violence of 1r! 'mathers7 tone! ",ow," said 'mathers, after a moment, "if CG people would only use their %rains and take the time to understand their fellow creatures, there wouldn7t %e any need for that sort of savagery! We could all go into the wilderness, provided we minded our manners, and we could visit with our wild friends there! We would have the decency to permit them their freedom!" 1r! 'mathera took a paper sack out of his pocket and poured a few peanuts out of it into the palm of his hand! "*e still and I7ll show you," he told the %oys! He pursed his lipa and let out a chirruping sound! A %lue +ay wheeled overhead, circled the campground once, and lighted at 'mathers7 feet! he %ird ignored the %oys and screeched once at 'mathers! ",ot so fast," said 'mathers! "Wait for the others!" he +ay scolded him! "It won7t %e long," 'mathers told the %ird! "Have a little patience, if you please!" A ground s$uirrel appeared and scampered to 'mathers! he +ay shrieked impatiently at the s$uirrel, and the s$uirrel chattered %ack in an irritated way! "4on7t $uarrel," said 'mathers! " here7s plenty for everyone!"

CH he s$uirrel stopped chattering and %egan to ru% its face with its forepaws in an em%arrassed fashion! wo chipmunks darted across the clearing, almost scampering over 0ete7s toes! "Ah, there you are at last!" said 'mathera! "All right! We can %egin!" he s$uirrel waited while 'mathers held out the nuts to the +ay! he +ay snapped up two nuts, then hopped a foot or two away while 'mathers fed the s$uirrel! hen the chipmunks took their turn! "(ou see," said 'mathers to the %oys, "they will give way to one another if only you e/plain things to them properly! ,o shoving! ,o snatching!" he %oys didn7t speak, %ut &upe nodded! When the chipmunks had munched the last of the nuts, 'mathers dismissed the animals much as a schoolmaster might dismiss a class! he +ay flew to the top of a %ig pine, lighted there for a second, and s$uawked loudly! hen it flew away! he s$uirrel ran to hide under a heap of stones on the %ank of the creek, and the chipmunks scampered off into the trees! "I7m spoiling them, of course," said 'math- ers! "*ut then, every creature can use a little spoiling once in a while!" DJ "(es, you are spoiling them," said &upe! "In the national parks the rangers always warn visitors not to feed the animals! hey forget how to find their own food if too many people give them nuts and popcorn and things like that!" " hat7s why I hate to go to the national parks!" snapped 1r! 'mathers! "'tupid peo- ple line up everywhere with their hands full of civili9ed trash that they shove at the wild things, and the animals gorge themselves! hen, when winter comes, the people go home and don7t worry for a second a%out the harm they7ve done, and a lot of the animals starve! hat7s murder, +ust as surely as shooting a deer with a rifle is murder! I only %ring a few nuts to my friends, and I7ve warned the s$uirrel and those chipmunks a%out taking food from strangers! hey understand what can happen! hey know that I7m only giving them a little treat! It7s much the same as %uy- ing an ice cream cone for a favorite nephew!78 "I see," said *o%! "(ou7ve e/plained to the animals that they7ve got to watch out for people! And you figure they understand:"

"I know that they understand," declared 'mathers! " hey7ve told me! Oh, I7m not sure a%out that +ay! He7s a greedy one! He may not understand much of anything e/cept fillD= ing his craw! 'till, he7s %eautiful to look at, don7t you think:" "6ery," said &upiter &ones! ".ortunately for him, he7s not a mem%er of a rare species," said 'mathers, "or there7d %e madmen out here hunting him so they could put him in a 9oo! ,ow there7s cruelty for you --a 9oo!" 1r! 'mathers7 face took on a reddish tinge, and his lips clamped together angrily! "I read somewhere that animals live longer in 9ooa," said 0ete softly! "2ive longer: Well, may%e they do, if you can call it living! hey7re either caged or stranded in the %ottom of a pit! If they7re %ig, the keepers are afraid of them so they get stunned with tran$uili9ers if they need any attention! (ou call that living:" "I guess I wouldn7t like it," admitted 0ete! "(ou know you wouldn7t like it!" 1r! 'mathers7 watery eyea narrowed! " ran- $uili9ers!" he said! "I know why that lout at the inn has a tran$uili9er gun, %ut he won7t use it, not as long as I7ve got %reath in my %ody!" "Why does 1r! Havemeyer have a tran- $uili9er gun:" asked &upiter &ones, "3h:" 'mathera glared at &upe as if &upe were an enemy! 87I won7t tell you," he said! D> "If I told you, you might %elieve me and that would %e a tragedy!" He stamped away, out of the campground and up the road toward the inn! ",ow what did he mean %y that:" said *o%! "If we %elieved him, it would %e a trag- edy! Why:" "Havemeyer must want to capture some- thing," said &upe slowly! " he only reason for a tran$uili9er gun is to shoot an animal without killing it! 4oes he want to capture a %ear: I think not! We7d find that easy enough to %elieve! ,o, 'mathers is talking a%out an animal we might not %elieve in! ,ow what sort of creature is that:" He stopped, as if reluctant to voice his thoughts, and looked at the others with wonder!

D? &oe HavemeyerIs 6ision he hree Investigators had almost reached the inn when a truck came slowly up the village road, gears grinding as the driver shifted down to make the grade! " hat must %e the cement for the swim- ming pool," said 0ete! he truck turned into the driveway of the inn and made its way past the parking lot and into the %ack yard! he truck driver got out of the ca%! He and &oe Havemeyer %egan to unload sacks of cement and sand, piling them on wooden skids near the e/cavation for the pool! Hans and 5onrad were not in sight! " hat7s a lot of cement," *o% o%served! "It7s a %ig swimming pool," said 0ete! "*ig and deep! I wonder if -ousin Anna knew the cement was coming today! 'he said she wanted to pay for it when it was delivered, and we haven7t found her safe deposit key!78 "If her reputation is so good, I am sure DA she7ll %e a%le to sign for the cement@7 &upiter pointed out! "Or her hus%and might pay for it! He7s the one who is so enthusiastic a%out the pool!" he %oys went up the front steps and into the inn! he %ig living room was empty, %ut from upstairs came tile voices of Hans and 5onrad! "Anna!" It was &oe Havemeyer, shouting from the %ack yard! "Anna, can you come out here for a second:" Anna7s firm step sounded in the kitchen! he %ack door opened and then closed! &upi- ter, 0ete, and *o% drifted through the living room and into the kitchen, where the window a%ove the sink was open! hey looked through the window and saw Anna, approach Have- meyer and the truck driver! 'he was wearing an apron, and she wiped her hands on a dish towel as she walked! "Is it everything you need:" she asked her hus%and! Havemeyer nodded! "I7m all set for now," he said! "Good!" Anna took a paper from the truck driver and e/amined it! "It is right:" she asked Havemeyer!

"I checked it," he told her! " he %ill7s correct!78 DB "Good!" 'he turned to the truck driver! "I do not have the money here today," she told him! "It is all right with your %oss if I pay for the cement ne/t week:" "Oh, sure, 1iss 'chmid," said the man! "1rs! Havemeyer," Anna corrected him! "'orry, 1rs! Havemeyer! If you7ll +ust sign the %ill so we have a record that you received the cement, we can -- " "'ign the %ill:" .or the first time, Anna seemed a %it uncertain! Her whole %ody had gone tense! "It7s a rule," said the driver! "If we don7t get the money, we get a signature!" "Oh," said Anna! "All right! I7ll take it in the house and sign!" ",o need to go to all that trou%le!" he driver took a %all-point pen from his shirt pocket and handed it to Anna! "Here! &ust sign anywhere on the %ill! Want to lean on the fender:" "Oh!" Anna looked at her hus%and, then %ack at the driver! 'he handed the dish towel to her hus%and and put the %ill on the fender of the truck! With the driver7s pen she wrote something on the %ill! It seemed to the %oys in the kitchen that she was a long time a%out it! When she finished, she handed the %ill and the pen to the driver! " hat is all right:" she asked! DC he man %arely glanced at the %ill! " hat7s fine, 1rs! Havemeyer!" "#sually I write more neatly," said Anna! " oday I am %aking %read, working with the dough! 1y hand shakes!" "We all have our shaky days," said the driver cheerfully! He folded the %ill and tucked it into his pocket, clim%ed into the truck, and %acked out into the road! "Idiot!" snapped Havemeyer when the truck was gone! "I told you I did not want to do that," said Anna! "(ou could have signed!"

"It7s Anna 'chmid who7s the old customer with the %uilding supply people, not &oe Havemeyer," he said! "(ou didn7t have to run off at the mouth to that driver! He7s not a penmanship teacher!" Havemeyer was silent for a second, then repeated, "Idiot!" Anna whirled around and started %ack to- ward the house! 'he had gone only a few steps when she stopped! "(ou are the idiot," she said to Havemeyer! Her voice was low and very intense! "(ou and that stupid hole in the ground! I think you see things that are not real!" "It7s real, all right," declared Havemeyer! "I saw it up on the meadow and it7s %een down here!" "I do not %elieve it," said Anna! DD "(ou don7t %elieve anything you can7t taste or touch or count and put in a %ank," declared Havemeyer! "(ou7re a plodder! (ou wouldn7t know an original idea if it came up and %it you on the lip! Without me -- " "I know! I know! I know all a%out that! (ou have the vision, hah: (ou have the imagination: Without you, where would I %e : I think without you I would %e %etter off! I am the one who takes the risk, and you are safe, you and your vision!" "(ou7ll see," said Havemeyer! "I had %etter," Anna snapped! 'he started again for the kitchen door! "-heese it!" whispered 0ete! he hree Investigators retreated from the kitchen to the living room and arranged themselves hastily in chairs! A moment later Anna stomped into the room, then stopped a%ruptly when she saw the %oys! "Oh," she said8 "I did not know you were %ack!" &upiter put down the maga9ine he was pretending to read and stood up! "We were down at the campground this afternoon," he told -ousin Anna! "We had an interesting talk with 1r! 'mathers!" Anna nodded! "He is a strange little man@7 she said! DG "He claims he can talk with animals and they understand him!"

Anna shrugged! "1en!" she said! " heir heads are filled with cotton--all of them!" 'he went past the %oys and up the stairs, and the %oys heard the sound of a door slamming! "I think," said *o%, "that the honeymoon is over!" 0ete scratched his ear and frowned! "I don7t get it," he said! "'he didn7t want to sign for that cement and she lied to the driver! 'he7s not %aking %read! And what risk is she talking a%out:" &upiter &ones leaned against the fireplace! "-ousin Anna thinks her new hus%and is seeing things! 'he doesn7t %elieve it7s real-- something Havemeyer saw-up in the meadow, something that7s %een down here!" 0ete got up and %egan to pace %ack and forth, his shoulders hunched and his head down! "-ould it %e," he asked, "that there is some truth in Ga%%y )ichardson7s stories:" "A tran$uili9er gun," said &upiter! "A tran$uili9er gun and something Havemeyer saw up on the meadow! .ellows, I think we know why Havemeyer has that gun!" here was dead silence for perhaps half a minute, then *o% said softly, "He7s hunting a monster!" DH " hat7s ! !! that7s wild7" said 0ete! "#tterly insane," agreed &upiter, "%ut I think that must %e what he7s doing! ,ow lis- ten, we7re on vacation! Why don7t we go for a hike up on the meadow tomorrow:" "A hike or a monster hunt:" aaked 0ete! "A tracking e/pedition," said &upe! "If there is something strange wandering around up there, we should %e a%le to find traces! here should %e tracks!" 0ete looked rather pale! "1ay%e it isn7t the kind of thing that leaves tracks," he said! "-ertainly it leaves tracks," declared &upi- ter! "&oe Havemeyer swept the yard this morning so that no one could see its tracks! It isn7t a %ear -- there7s nothing special a%out a %ear -- so it7s something else!" &upe grinned! "1r! 'mathers knows what it is, %ut he7ll never tell! *ut for the first time that swimming pool makes sense! I know what that hole in the ground reminds me of-one of the animal pits at the 'an 4iego Moo!" GJ

he *east in the Woods he hree Investigators were up at day%reak the ne/t morning! hey rolled up their sleep- ing %aga and stowed them in the closet under the stairs, then left a note on the kitchen ta- %le to inform Hans and 5onrad that they were going on a hike! After a $uick %reakfast of toast and milk, they were out of the inn and working their way up toward the higher country %eyond the ski slope! &upe carried a knapsack, and 0ete had a canteen of water slung from his %elt! At first the %oys clim%ed in the cleared area of the ski slope, %ut the loose stones kept rolling under their feet! After *o% had stum- %led twice, they took to the firmer ground under the trees that grew alongside the slope! here they made %etter time! After twenty minutes, even 0ete was pant- ing for %reath in the thin air! He stopped clim%ing and leaned against a tree trunk! G= ".rom the inn, this mountain didn7t look awfully high," he gasped! *o% laughed! "Is the great athlete out of condition :" "1y lungs are spoiled," said 0ete! " hey7re used to operating at sea level!" &upiter stood still and %reathed in and out for a second or two! "It shouldn7t %e very far now," he decided! "5eep telling yourself that," said 0ete! &upe nodded and the %oys clim%ed on, sometimes pulling themselves up %y grasp- ing tree lim%s! It was another ten minutes %efore the ground under their feet was level! he trees grew more sparsely! hen they were out from under the pines and standing at the edge of a mountain meadow! "*eautiful!" gasped &upiter, when he got his %reath! he wind made ripples on the long, green grass, and here and there a %oulder thrust up, sun-%leached and white! Huge trees rimmed the meadow on three sides! On the fourth side, the side which ended at the top of the ski slope, the %oys could see for miles! he towers of the ski lift marched down the slope from the meadow to the road and Anna7s inn, far %elow! *eyond the inn were stands of pine, and way %eyond that, the dry, sandy stretches of the Owens 6alley! *ehind the G>

%oys, to the west, rose the rocky summit of 1ount 2ofty, flanked %y other, higher peaks of the 'ierras! On some of the mountaintops were glaciers which never melted, even in midsummer! he %oys walked slowly along until *o% spotted a track in the %are earth near the rim of the ski slope! He pulled out a paper%ack wildlife manual that he7d found at the inn, and turned to the chapter on animal tracks! 5neeling down, he compared the print in the earth with the drawing of a %ear track in the %ook, then shrugged! "It7s a %ear, all right," he told &upe and 0ete! " hat7s e/actly what you would e/pect to find up here!" "It isn7t what we7re looking for," said &upiter! "What are we looking for:" asked 0ete! "Also, do we really want to find it:" "'omething different," declared &upe! "'ome kind of track that isn7t in that manual!" "I hope we only find the track," said 0ete! ",ot the thing that made it!" he wind gusted across the meadow, rus- tling the grass and making the trees whisper! 'uddenly, from %ehind the %oys, there came a soft, in$uisitive whimper! 0ete +umped! &upiter &ones turned! "Oh, no!" he said! G? 0ete heard something scamper and he felt a sniffing at his ankle! He looked down! A %ear cu%, only a few months old, stared up at him with %right, friendly eyes! "Where ! ! ! where7s the mother:" 0ete $uavered! ")ight %ehind the %a%y!" cried *o%! ")un for it!" here was an angry %awling! he %ear cu% scooted in one direction and the %oys dashed in another, toward the ski slope! 0ete reached the slope first! He +umped, then let himself roll and tum%le until he was twenty yards down the incline! *o% and &upe came slipping and sliding after him! he three crouched on the dry, stony hillside and listened to the mother %ear scolding the cu%! he cu% yelped sharply! "'he7s pro%a%ly giving it a cuff on the ear," guessed *o%! "We7ll %e okay," said &upe! "'o long as we don7t threaten the cu%, she won7t %other us!"

"I wouldn7t dream of threatening her cu%!" said 0ete warmly! ")ule num%er oneE ,ever get too near a %ear cu% when the mother7s around! I only wish someone had told the cu% a%out it!" "It knows now," *o% assured him! he three waited for a while! When no more growls or yelps were heard from the GA meadow a%ove them, they clim%ed %ack up! hey were in time to see the mother %ear and her %a%y disappear into the woods on the west side of the meadow! &upiter &ones took off his knapsack! " hey pro%a%ly won7t come %ack," he said! "However, this is one place where 1r! 'mathers Kwould say we were the intruders, and he would %e right! he %ears were here first and they7re still here, so we7d %etter watch our steps!" "I plan to," said 0ete! "In fact, I may +ust watch my steps taking me %ack down to the inn!" "(ou don7t want to find out what Have- meyer7s hunting with his tran$uili9er gun:" asked *o%! "(es, I guess I do," admitted 0ete! "Only I don7t think I want to meet it face to face!" .rom his knapsack, &upe took three small devices! "We can cover the ground faster if we separate," he said! "*ut we had %etter not get out of touch with each other! We don7t really know what we7re looking for or what we might meet, so I %rought along the directional signal and emergency alarm units! I packed them at home %ecause I thought they7d come in handy on a hike, and indeed they will!" 0ete sighed! " hey7re %etter than nothGB ing," he said! He took one of the devices from &upiter and turned it over in his hands! "(ou sure it7s working okay:" he asked! "I7d hate to get marooned up here and not %e a%le to call for help!" "I tested all three signals %efore we left )ocky *each," said &upiter! " hey7re in per- fect order! (ou remem%er how they work:78 "2ike most of your inventions, they work +ust fine," said *o%!

It was true! &upiter &ones had N way of putting together salvaged %its of machinery or electronic e$uipment and turning out de- vices which served he hree Investigators well while they worked on many of their cases! he directional signal and emergency alarm was smaller than the walkie-talkies which the %oys sometimes used, %ut it was still effective! 3ach unit %roadcast a signal -- a %eep -- which could %e picked up %y every other unit, and which got louder and faster the nearer one approached it! 3ach of the units also had a dial to indicate the direction a %eep was coming from! In addition to %eing a sending and receiv- ing set for electronic %eeps, each unit had a special alarm--a red light which could %e activated %y voice alone! When one of he hree Investigators was in trou%le or wanted the others to come to him, he had only to say GC the word "help" near his set, and the red lights flashed on the other units! ",ow, here7s what I suggest we do!" &upi- ter paused and scanned the woods which rimmed the meadow! "I think it unlikely that we7ll find many footprints here in the open," he said! " he grass is too thick! *esides, if there is some strange animal here, it must %e sheltered %ack away from the meadow or we7d have seen it %y now! (et we know it has come out into the open, %ecause &oe Have- meyer told Anna he saw it on the meadow! hat means it had to come through the trees to get here! he ground is clear under those trees< there isn7t any grass! If we7re going to pick up any strange tracks, that7s where we7ll find them!" "1akes sense," said *o%!7 "'o why don7t I search the woods on the north side of the meadow:" said &upiter! "I can work my way west from the ski slope! 0ete, you could take the woods to the west! (ou might start at the %ig white stone and go south! *o%, do you want to go over the ground on the south side: (ou could start from here and keep going until you meet 0ete! 3very few minutes we can signal one another on our directional finders, and if something looks threatening or especially interesting, we7ll activate the alarms!" GD "I7ll sure do that," promised 0ete! &upiter put his knapsack on his shoulders, saluted his friends with one hand, and went off to the right! 0ete grinned, as if to show he was really not scared, and headed west through the long grass! *o% hesitated a mo- ment, listening- to the lonely sound the wind made on the $uiet mountain! hen, holding his directional signal in one hand, he trudged to the south!

He looked %ack once! &upiter had vanished among the trees on the north side of the meadow! He could see 0ete, who had almost reached his section of the woods! *o% activated his directional signal! An answering %eep came from &upiter! Another %eep came from 0ete, who turned and waved across the meadow! When he reached the woods on the south side of the field, *o% paused! In the open, under the %lue sky, the early morning sun had %een %right and warm! *ut the woods looked very dim and very dense! here was a pun- gent carpet of pine needles under the trees! *o% %egan to walk west, not $uite ventur- ing in under the trees! He watched the ground as he went, stopping every few seconds to listen! He heard a +ay cry out from some hidden place! A s$uirrel scampered along a %ranch! GG hen he saw it! It was a faint depression, a place where some large creature had tramped down the earth under the trees and dislodged a few pine needles! *o% touched the signal on his directional device! After a second, there was an answering %eep from the north, and a second from the northwest! He considered shouting for help, to %ring &upe and 0ete running to see his find, %ut there was nothing distinct a%out the track! He knew it was very likely another %ear, or perhaps even a smaller animal! He decided to search farther in, under the trees, to see if he could find a %etter print! He went into the dimness under the trees! Here and there he found patches of clear earth, and he hopefully e/amined these, %ut there were no more tracks7! wice he found places where fallen pine needles had %een pressed down when some animal stepped on them, %ut the needles were strewn so thickly on the ground that they would not take a clear imprint! here was nothing that could %e called a definite track! *o% went on! he trees grew more closely together! he light grew dimmer, and at last the %lue sky was hidden %y the interlacing %ranches! hen, ahead, *o% saw %rightness! He went more $uickly, and stepped out from under the trees into a small clearing! Almost GH at his feet was what looked like a huge crack in the earth! *o% edged forward and looked down into the crevice! It was a split in the ground al- most fifty yards long and, in the widest places, a%out ten feet across! he sides were so sheer that they were almost straight up and down! At the %ottom of this peculiar opening in the earth was snow, still unmelted %y the summer warmth! *o% knew what it was! While worldng at his part-time +o% at the li%rary in )ocky *each, he had come across a %ook of maps of hiking trails in the 'an Ga%riel 1ountains and the 'ierras! One map of trails in the 1ammoth 2akes area showed a similar crev- ice, caused

%y an earth$uake that had frac- tured the ground! he temperature at the %ottom of the 1ammoth fracture, many feet %elow the surface, was like the temperature in a cave! It was cool even on the hottest day, so the snow that fell during the winter never completely melted! he %eep sounded on *o%7s directional sig- nal! It was &upe, reporting his wherea%outs on the north side of the meadow! A second %eep came in, and the needle swung west- ward! *o% activated his own device to an- swer his friends, wishing that they had %rought the walkie-talkies! he discovery of HJ an earth$uake fracture within a mile or so of Anna7s inn was something *o% would have liked to share immediately! *o% ga9ed along the rim of the crevice! he earth was %are, and in spite of the dry season it still held some moisture! When *o% stepped %ack from the split in the ground, he could see the imprint of his own sneakers! 0erfect for tracking! He %egan to walk along the edge of the crevice, e/amining the ground inch %y inch! *ehind *o%, and to his left, a %ranch snapped! *o% stood still and listened! A second ticked %y, and two and three! After that single sound, the $uiet was intense! oo intense! ,o %irds called and no s$uirrels chattered in the trees! 3ven the wind had died! It was as if all the creatures who made their home on 1ount 2ofty were sitting motionless, watch- ing and waiting! Waiting for what: A muscle in the %ack of *o%7s leg twitched! He shook himself and cleared his throat "'top thatf" he said, and his voice was loud in the stillness! "Get a grip on yourself! (ou7re letting your imagination run away with you!" He listened again, and only heard the %lood rushing in his ears! hen he heard something H= else -- something horri%ly close! *ehind him, almost at his shoulder, there was the sound of %reathing! 'lowly, very slowly so as not to startle whatever it was! *o% %egan to turn! here was a warmth on his neck! and then a touch--a soft touch, a mere %rushing against his shirt collar!

*o% +umped, twisting in midair, trying to face the %eing that had come out of the woods! Afterward, *o% couldn7t tell who screamed first, himself or the creature that had crept up on him! He only knew that his ears were ring- ing, shattered with sound, and that he was looking into a pair of dark, red-rimmed eyes! He had an impression of hugeness and matted hair! hen he was staggering, slipping on the clean earth at the edge of the crevice! He fell! He fell %ackward and saw sky, and then the steep, %are walls of the earth$uake fracture! His %ody twisted and snow at the %ottom of the pit rushed up at him! He felt the impact on his hands and knees and heard another scream! hen he %lacked out! H> he ,aked .ootprint *o% opened his eyes! He slowly focused on snow and the %rown, muddy walls of the crevice! He lay without moving", and listened! here were no more screams! here was no sound of %reathing! Instead, from high a%ove him came the trilling of a %ird, -arefully, slowly, he rolled over until he was on his %ack! His hands hurt and there was a pain in one shoulder, %ut nothing seemed to %e %roken! he snow at the %ottom of the fracture had helped %reak his fall, though it had %een too packed down to pro- vide a soft landing! *o% looked up at sunlight and %lue sky! He remem%ered his glimpse of red-rimmed eyes and of matted hair on the creature who had come so close to him! He thought of giants prowling 'ky 6illage, on the lookout for chil- dren who might have lingered out after dark! After several minutes, he stood up, shiverH? ing from the chill of the grainy snow! His directional signal lay a few feet away from him! He picked it up, hoping fervently that the fall hadn7t %roken it! It emitted a shrill, important little "%eep" and the needle on the dial swung to the north! *o% smiled! &upiter &ones was reporting in! *o% held the signal and looked up to the rim of the crevice! he walls of the earth- $uake fracture were very steep! He knew he would never %e a%le to clim% out without help! He would have to summon &upe and 0ete! *ut what if the creature still waited a%ove, near the crevice : He might %e calling his two friends into danger!

*o% considered this for a moment, then de- cided to find out if the %east was still up there! He was sure no animal would knowingly leap into a pit! He could safely shout and see if the thing looked down at him! "Hello!" he cried! "Hello up there! Are you there:" ,othing moved near the rim of the crevice! After a few minutes, *o% decided that the animal was gone! He held up his directional signal and shouted, "Help!" hen, to %e sure that the unit had registered his alarm, he shouted twice more! If 0ete and &upe were HA within two miles of him, he knew that their units would pick up his signal! He activated his unit so that it sent out its directional %eep to guide his friends to the crevice! hen he sat down on the snow and waited! It seemed to *o% that he waited hours! *ut it was only fifteen minutes %efore 0ete looked down into the fracture! &upiter7s round face appeared a moment later! "*o%, are you all right:" asked &upiter! "How the heck did you get down there:" 0ete wanted to know! "I fell," said *o%! ",o kidding!" "(ou7d have fallen, too, if you7d seen what I saw," declared *o%! "What did you see:" asked &upe! "'ome animal--something %ig! I don7t know what it was! It came up %ehind me and !!! look, let7s go into the details later! )ight now, I need to get out of here!" &upiter measured the depth of the crevice with his eye! "5ope," %e decided, "We7ll need a rope!" "I7ll get it," 0ete volunteered! "I saw some yesterday when we were looking for the key! here7s a coil of clothesline in one of the kitchen cup%oards!" HB "(ou can make %etter time than I can," said &upiter! "(ou7re the athlete in the group! Get %ack to the inn as fast as you can and get the rope! I7ll stay here with *o%!"

0ete nodded! "Watch yourself," he cau- tioned! "4on7t worry," said &upiter! 0ete sprinted off through the trees and &upe crouched at the edge of the crevice! "What did you see:" he asked *o% again! "Honestly, &upe, I can7t %e sure! It hap- pened so fast! I heard something %ehind me, and something touched me, and I turned around and ! ! ! well, I saw eyes--really strange eyes! It was practically %reathing in my face! I yelled, and I think it yelled! hen I fell!" "Another %ear:" said &upe! "&upe, I really don7t think so!" &upe stood up and %egan to walk slowly along the edge of the fracture, peering at the ground! "&upe:" *o% called! "(ou still there:" "I7m here," &upe7s voice floated down! "I can see your tracks on the ground up here! Whatever came up %ehind you should have left a track, too! If it was a %ear, we7ll find the same kind of track we found on the meadow!" HC "If it wasn7t a %ear!" said *o%, "we may have found what we came looking for!" &upiter didn7t answer right away! *o% waited, then called, "&upe:" "I can7t %elieve it!" e/claimed &upe! "What is it:" called *o%! "*o%, are you sure it wasn7t a man who came up %ehind you:" &upe7s voice was s$ueaky with e/citement! "A very %ig man in his %are feet:" "I didn7t see any feet, and if that was a man I may resign from the human race," said *o%! " hat7s ama9ing," said &upe! "'omeone --K some very %ig person -- has %een here in %are feet!" *o% thought again of Ga%%y )ichardson and his tales of monsters on the mountain! Hadn7t there %een one story a%out a trapper who found the print of a naked foot high up, on the edge of a glacier: "&upe:" cried *o%! "Hey! &upe, %e careful, huh:" &upe didn7t answer, %ut *o% heard him give a little gasp!

"&upe:" shouted *o%! 'till there was no answer, %ut *o% heard a %ranch %reak in the woods, and then a HD shushing, swishing sound from the edge of the crevice! "&upe, what are you doing up there :" *o% was shouting, and he felt the %ack of his neck prickle with fear! he scraping, sweeping sound a%ove ceased and there was complete silence! *o% called again and again, %ut &upe didn7t respond! .illed with a dread that was almost panic, *o% tried to find a foothold in the walls of the crevice! here was none! He looked around for something-- a fallen %ranch, anything -- that he could use to try to clim% out of the pit! here was nothing %ut the snow and the sheer walls of earth! *o% finally stopped calling! He stood at the %ottom of the pit and waited and listened! And he heard a groan! "&upe:" "#gh!" It was &upiter7s voice! "Oh, my neck!" "What happened:" cried *o%! "Where7d you go:" &upiter looked over the edge of the frac- ture! *o% saw that his head was held to one side and that he was ru%%ing his neck! "I didn7t go anywhere," he said! "'ome%ody came up %ehind me and hit me!" HG "(our neck:" asked *o%! "4id you get ra%- %it punched, like 1r! &ensen:" "I got ra%%it punched like 1r! &ensen," &upiter confirmed! "Also, while I was unconscious, someone went to the trou%le of sweep- ing the earth all around this crevice with a pine %ranch! here isn7t a single footprint left up here, naked or otherwise!" HH he 0hotographerI ,ote%ook " here7s one thing we know for sure," said *o% after 0ete had finally arrived with the rope and he had %een pulled out of the crev- ice! "It wasn7t a %ear that gave you a ra%%it punch, &upe!"

"It most certainly was not," agreed &upiter &ones! "*ears don7t %reak %ranches off pine trees and use them to sweep the ground! (ou were startled %y something--possi%ly %y a very large %arefooted man--and it may have %een the same %arefooted creature who punched me and then erased his own tracks!" 0ete stared at his two friends as if they were losing their minds! "A %arefooted man:" he said! ",o%ody runs around up here in %are feet!" "&upe found the print of a naked foot on the edge of the crevice@7 *o% e/plained! "A very large footprint," said &upe! "I7d say it must have %een at least eighteen inches long!" =JJ "3ighteen inches : A human footprint eighteen inches long:" "It looked like a human footprint," said &upe! "It wasn7t a %ear -- that I know!" 0ete coiled the clothesline with hands that were shaking slightly! "1onster 1ountain," he said! " he old-timers called this place 1onster 1ountain! And it looks like there is a monster on it! ! ! !" "1onster:" said a sharp voice almost at 0ete7s el%ow! 0ete +umped! "'orry! 4id I startle you:" It was little 1r! 'mathers! He had come silently through the woods and was standing smiling at the %oys! "What7s all this talk a%out monsters:" he wanted to know! "And what does a mon- ster7s footprint look like:7Where is it: I7d like to see it!" "'omeone swept it away," e/plained &upi- ter! "Of course, of course!" 1r! 'mathers used the tone of one who will listen politely to a tall tale, %ut who doesn7t %elieve a word of it! " here was a footprint!" insisted 0ete! "If &upe says he found it, he found it!" 1r! 'mathers7 apparent good humor de- serted him, and his face took on a reddish color! "(ou7ve %een talking to that )ichard- son fellow who runs the gas station," he ac=J=

cused them! "I7ve heard some of his -wild yarns! He ought to %e ashamed, scaring youngsters that way! I7ve a good mind to have a word with him!" 1r! 'mathers suddenly looked determined! "(es, that7s what I7ll do," he announced! "I7ll have a word with him and tell him to keep his ghost stories to himself!" 'mathers started off at a rapid pace, headed for the village, then turned %ack toward the %oys! ",ot that there aren7t dangers here for you@7 he warned! "(ou7re the intruders here, and the wild creatures don7t understand you the way they understand me! hey might not mean to harm you, %ut accidents do happen! I intend to tell 1rs! Havemeyer7s cousins to keep you closer to the inn!" "I kind of agree with him on that last part," said 0ete when 'mathers had gone! "I think we ought to stay away from here! A guy could get hurt tangling with monsters!" "1r! 'mathers has +ust done a very inter- esting thing," said &upiter! "He has +ust told us that he intends to make sure no one %e- lieves us if we tell what happened here this morning! He has also warned us to stay away from here or we may get hurt! ,ow I7m sure that some strange creature -- human or ani=J> n-ial -- lives up here, and 1r! 'mathers knows it! *ut he doesn7t want anyone else to know!" "I think you7re right," said *o%! "*ut I think 1r! 'mathers is right, too! We ought to get out of here! I got too close to whatever it is!" &upe nodded, and the %oys set out rapidly toward the meadow! hey came through the trees and into the open in time to see 1r! 'mathers start down the ski slope! *y the time they reached the top of the slope, 'math- ers was at the %ottom! "He moves fast," said *o%! "It7s downhill all the way,78 0ete pointed out, and he %eg-an a slipping, sliding, half- running descent of the slope! *o% and &upe followed more carefully! hey were nearly at the %ottom when they saw &oe Havemeyer start up the slope! -ousin Anna7s hus%and had a knapsack on his %ack and his tran$uili9er gun slung over his shoulder! When the %oys approached him, he stood still! here was a scowl on his face! "What have you %oys %een doing:" he asked! "Hiking," said 0ete innocently! Havemeyer pointed to *o%! "'mathers told me one of you fell in that earth$uake frac- ture! It was you, wasn7t it:"

=J? "(ou knew a%out the fracture:" asked &upiter &ones! "It7s not a secret! It7ll %e a %ig attraction if we can get the hikers here in the summer! *ut in the meantime, I want you %oys to stay out of the high country! Anna and I would feel responsi%le if you got hurt! here7s not only the chance that you7ll fall, %ut the %ears !!!" "*ears:" &upiter said! He looked steadily at Havemeyer and then at the tran$uili9er gun! "Is that why you carry that gun, 1r! Havemeyer:78 he asked! "It7s a tran$uili9er gun, isn7t it: Are you planning to capture a %ear with it:" Havemeyer laughed! "-apture a %ear : ,ow, why would I want to do a thing like that: ,o, I7m not planning to capture any %ears and I think it would pro%a%ly %e against the law! I +ust want to %e ready if I meet one, and I don7t want to hurt anything!" He paused and grinned! "1r! 'mathers would never forgive me if I hurt a %ear!" Havemeyer passed them and toiled on up the slope! "1r! 'mathers +ust made a mistake," *o% said! ")ight," said 0ete! "We didnIt tell him that you fell in the hole, so if he knew it, he must =JA have %een there when it happened -- or when &upe got hit!" "He may even have %een the one who hit me," said &upe, "and he is pro%a%ly the one who swept away the footprint from the edge of the crevice! Our 1r! 'mathers may not %e as nonviolent as he seems! here is some- thing in the high country -- monster or not --that %oth he and Havemeyer have seen, and they %oth want to keep it a secret!" he %oys reached the %ack yard of the inn +ust as 5onrad clim%ed out of the swimming pool e/cavation! "Hey, &upe!" he called! &upe waved! he hree Investigators went to the hole and looked down to see Hans sitting on the %ottom, taking a rest! he forms for the cement were almost finished! "Good hike:" asked Hans! "6ery interesting," said &upe! "Hardly a dull moment," 0ete added! "(ou make 1r! 'mathers very nervous," 5onrad said! "He does not want you up near that meadow! He tells us we should make you stay down here!"

"4o you think you7re going to do that:" 0ete asked! 5onrad grinned! "I think you will do what you want," he said! "Only you %e careful, okay:" =JB "We7ll %e careful," &upiter promised! "Where7s 1r! 'mathera now:" "He walked down to the village," said Hans! "-ousin Anna, ahe took the car and went to *ishop to %uy some things! 1r! &en- sen went someplace in his car, too!" "-ousin Anna says you should eat some lunch when you come %ack," 5onrad told them! " here are sandwiches in the refrig- erator!" "I7m ready," said 0ete! After the %oys had wolfed down lunch, &upiter washed the dishes! -ousin Anna7s wedding ring waa on the window sill over the sink! &upe frowned! " hat ring7s too %ig for Anna!" he said! "'he7s going to loae it if she doesn7t watch out!" 0ete, who was drying the glasses, only nodded a%sently! His attention had %een caught %y something on the living room floor, +ust %eyond the kitchen doorway! He put the dish towel on the drain%oard and went to the living room! "'ome%ody7s wallet," he said, and stooped to pick it up! It was an old wallet, worn soft and with one seam ripped! When 0ete picked it up a cascade of cards and papers slipped out onto the floor! =JC "Oh, %last!78 0ete crouched to gather up the things! "Whose is it:" *o% called! 0ete found a driver7s license among the %usiness cards and restaurant receipts which littered the floor! "It7s 1r! &ensen7s," he said! "*oy, he7s out with his car now! I hope he doesn7t get stopped %y the police for running a red light or anything! hey7ll really nail him if he7s driving without his license!" "&ust a minute!" &upiter had come to the doorway, and he was staring down at a snapshot which lay on the floor! " hat7s -ousin Anna," he said! "Huh:" said *o%! "What:"

"A picture of -ousin Anna!" &upe %ent and picked it up! It was a picture of Anna Havemeyer and her hus%and! hey had %een snapped coming out of a coffee shop in some city or town, and evidently were not aware of the camera! Anna wore a light-colored shirtwaist dress and had a sweater over her shoulders! Her head was half-turned so that she looked %ack at &oe Havemeyer! His mouth was open and his e/pression was determined! He seemed to %e saying something important to his wife! "What7s &ensen doing with a picture of =JD Anna in his wallet :" asked &upiter! He handed the snapshot to *o%! 0ete finished gathering up 1r! &ensen7s %e- longing7s, then took the snapshot from *o% and studied it! "It sure wasn7t taken here in 'ky 6illage," he said! He turned the picture over and looked at the %ack! " here7s a date on it -- it was taken last week, in 2ake ahoe!" he hree Investigators looked %lankly at one another! "Is &ensen an old friend of Anna7s:" *o% wondered! "Or of Havemeyer7a: -ould he have %een at their wedding:" ",o!" said &upe firmly! " he first night we were here they had a party for Anna7s wedding, and &ensen and 'mathers were the outsiders! 4on7t you remem%er: Havemeyer said they7d have to include the paying guests, %ut they wouldn7t let 1r! &ensen and 1r! 'mathers spoil things!" 0ete slipped the snapshot into the wallet "1r! &ensen may %e only a paying guest, %ut he does have a picture of the Havemeyera taken in ahoe! hat7s $uite a coincidence!" &upiter took the wallet from 0ete! "I %e- lieve we should simply put this on 1r! &en- sen7s %ureau and not say anything a%out it," he said virtuously! "And while we7re in his =JG room, we might keep our eyes open for any- thing of interest! 'ince we have %een asked %y Hans and 5onrad to help protect -ousin Anna, it is our duty to look for threats from all directions! ! ! !" "I get your meaning," said 0ete! "2et7s move on it, huh, %efore some%ody gets %ack!" &ensen7s room was on the north side of the house, ne/t to the %ig dou%le room occupied %y Hans and 5onrad!

"Hope it7s not locked," said *o%! ",othing in this place ever gets locked," said 0ete! He turned the kno% and 1r! &en- sen7s door swung open! he room was neat and clean, like every- thing else in the inn! A poplin wind%reaker had %een thrown over the %ack of a chair and a com% tossed down on 7the %ureau! Other than that, there were no signs that anyone occupied the place! &upe opened the closet door and found a good supply of sport shirts, some creased from wear and others fresh and clean! A pair of %lack o/fords were on the floor, and ne/t to them was &ensen7s suitcase! &upe hefted the suitcase! ",ot all un- packed," he said! He carried the case to the %ed, where he put it down and opened it! here were socks in the suitcase, and clean =JH underwear, several rolls of film, and a few packages of flash %ul%s! here was p!lso a %ook! 0ete whistled with delight when &upe picked it up! "0hotography for *eginners" he read! &upe opened the %ook at random! ",ot what one would e/pect to find in the luggage of a successful commercial photographer@7 he said! "If &ensen is selling his work to maga- 9ines, he should %e far too e/pert to need this sort of hand%ook! It7s very elementary!" He closed the %ook! "Whatever he is, 1r- &ensen is not a photographer!" *o% %egan to lift socks and underwear out of the suitcase! "2et7s see what else there is@7 he said! He discovered nothing else e/cept a little note%ook which was greatly worn and dogeared, and which was crammed with names, addresses, and telephone num%ers! *o% went through the %ook $uickly! 1ost of the ad- dresses were for %usinesses or individuals in 2ake ahoe! here was no entry for -ousin Anna until the very end of the %ook! here, on a page that was otherwise %lank, was a series of notations that caused *o%7s eyes to widen with astonishment! "(ou found something:" asked &upe! " here7G a page here all a%out -ousin ==J Anna@7 said *o%! "2ook, there7s a num%er at the top -- 0W# C=B, -alifornia! hen Anna7s name--1iss Anna 'chmid--and her ad- dress, 'lalom Inn, 'ky 6illage, -alifornia!"

"0W# C=B :" said 0ete! "'ounds like the license num%er of a car!78 "Anything else:78 asked &upe! *o% handed the note%ook to &upe without another word! ".ascinating," said &upe! "A notation that Anna owns the 'lalom Inn and also the ski tow, and that she has the reputation in 'ky 6illage of paying cash for everything! And written at the %ottom of the page, the words, 8A perfect pigeon!7 " "0igeon:" said 0ete! " hat7s con-man talk! isn7t it:" "(es," answered &upe!-He closed the note- %ook and put it %ack into the suitcase! "It7s a term used %y swindlers! A pigeon is a sucker, a victim, an easy mark!" "'o &ensen is a confidence man, and Anna is his victim!" "At least &ensen is not a photographer," said &upe! "*ut if he7s a swindler, what is he up to: He hasn7t done a thing here e/cept!!!" "3/cept get ra%%it punched %y a %ear, or a monster, or whatever," 0ete finished! "He hasn7t even %een especially friendly with Anna!" Ill hey heard a car on the road outside! &upe hurried across the hall to the room occupied %y 1r! 'mathers! He looked out the window! "It7s -ousin Anna returning from *ishop," he reported, "and the license num%er of her car is 0W# C=B!" *o% hastily closed the suitcase and stowed it %ack in the closet! 0ete smoothed the %ed where it had rested! "4o we warn her she7s got a con man reg- istered here:" asked 0ete as the %oys left the room! &upe shook his head! "I don7t think we should do that without real proof! We only know that &ensen has a snapshot of Anna and Havemeyer taken in ahoe the week they were married, and that he7s particularly in- terested in Anna7s finances! *o%, you7re going to talk to your father tonight to get the re- port on Havemeyer! 2et7s give him &ensen7s address from his driver7s license -- I noticed that he lives in ahoe 6alley--and see if your father7s contact in )eno can find out anything a%out &ensen! And until we know more, we had %etter keep an eye on our sup- posed photographer whenever he7s around -ousin Anna! If he tries to interest her in some moneymaking scheme, we7d %etter %e ready!"

==> Another 'earcher he hree Investigators came down the stairs to find Anna in the living room, adding several new maga9ines to a stack on an end ta%le! 'he started slightly when she heard them! "Oh," she said! "I did not know anyone was here!" "We were searching again," &upe e/plained with a straight face, "We thought we might have overlooked something yesterday when we tried to find the key to your safe deposit %o/!" "Oh, yes! he key!" Anna7s forehead creased in a worried frown! "(ou did not find it today:" ",o," said *o%! "1rs! Havemeyer, has it occurred to you that someone might have taken it: he doors here are never locked! Anyone could have walked in here and picked it up!" ",ot when I have hidden it so well," said ==? Anna! "And no one will wish to take the key if he knows what it is for! Only Anna 'chmid can use that key! he people at the %ank know only Anna 'chmid! Anyone who steals the key gains nothing! *ut he causes trou%le for me! hat is why I hid the key when I left for 2ake ahoe!" " here goes the %urglar theory," said 0ete! " he key must %e here somewhere," said Anna! "If only I could remem%er where!" Outside, gravel crunched as a car came up the drive! hen &ensen came in! He had his camera case in one hand! He nodded to Anna and %oys and went upstairs! "Interesting work 1r! &ensen does," said &upiter! "It must take a lot of patience to photograph animals! 4oes he come here often:" "It is the first time," said Anna! "He came only five days ago! He did not write first, so he did not have a reservation, %ut I had the room and I could take him!" "1r, 'mathers is an interesting person, too," said &upe! "I imagine he spends a great deal of time in the mountains, communing with nature!"

"(ou mean talking with the animals: I wonder, do they listen: *ut for him it is the first time, too! He says he wants to %e here %ecause we have so dry a season! He thinks ==A he can help his wild friends to keep out of trou%le!" -ousin Anna laughed! "'uch an idea! 'uch a strange little man! Only I wish he would eat like everyone else and I would not have to make special things for him!" -ousin Anna went out to the kitchen and the %oys heard her opening cup%oards and %anging pots! hey drifted out the front door of the inn and down the road past the pine grove to the gasoline station, where Ga%%y )ichardson sat drowsing in the afternoon sun! )ichardson opened his eyes as the %oys approached! "Have a good hike:" he wanted to know! "(ou7ve %een talking to 1r! 'mathers," said 0ete! "I wouldn7t say that," )ichardson told them! "He7s %een talking to me! 'eems to think I7m corrupting the youth of America %y telling them monster tales!" )ichardson7s sleepy eyes narrowed, and suddenly he was most alert, most curious! "Wtia-t7did you see on the mountain this morning:" "We7re not sure, 1r! )ichardson!" said *o%! "'omething %ig! 'ome animal, I think!" Ga%%y )ichardson looked keenly disap- pointed! "*ears, most likely -- or a %ear! (ou the one who fell into the earth$uake frac- ture:" *o% admitted that he was! ==B " hought so," said )ichardson! " hat sort of thing doesn7t do your clothes a %it of good! ,ot hurt, I see!" ",o," *o% told him! "&ust shaken up a little!" "Got to watch your step in that wild coun- try," said )ichardson! "(ou look like sensi%le lads! I7m sure you didn7t %other that %ear any! ,o need for Anna 'chmid to get so riled up a%out it! Or I guess I should say Anna Havemeyer!" "'he7s upset:" said 0ete! "We +ust saw her and she didn7t seem upset!" "Well, may%e she got over it %y now! 'he stopped here for gas on her way %ack from *ishop, and that odd%all 'mathers had +ust %een here, so I asked her if she7d talked to you after your hike! (ou may have noticed, I like to keep track of what goes on around here!"

We7ve noticed!" 0ete laughed! "'o she said her hus%and didn7t want you up on the meadow %ecause of the %ears! 1arriage sure hasn7t improved that woman! 'he7s gotten nervous as a city dude a%out those critters! I remem%er the day she7d charge out yelling and waving a skillet at them if they so much as sniffed at her trash!" *o% looked startled! "Is that really a good idea:" he asked! "I mean, they are wild and ! !!" ==C "'o long as you don7t get too close to them, and you don7t actually hit them, it works sometimes!78 *o% looked at his watch! "It7s after four," he said to &upe! "I7m sure my dad will %e home %y now! I7ll put in the call to him!" "0hone not working at the inn:" asked Ga%%y )ichardson! "It isn7t that," *o% said $uickly! "We +ust happened to %e down this way, so I thought! ! !" "'ure, sure," said )ichardson! "Well! don7t let me stop you! (ou go ahead and make your telephone call! 1e, I7m going over to the pi99a house and have a %ite! I know when to mind my own %usiness!" he man got up and am%led slowly out of the station and up the street! " he day that guy minds his own %usiness, I7ll eat my tennis shoes without salt," said 0ete in a low voice! *o% laughed and stepped into the telephone %ooth! After talking to his father for five minutes, he reported, "&oe Havemeyer isn7t listed in the )eno telephone %ook! he credit %ureau in )eno hasn7t come through with a report on him yet, %ut 4ad7s friend e/pects it tomorrow! 4ad will call his friend tonight and ask him to check on &ensen, too, %ut he says we are not to go off half-cocked and ==D make any trou%le for any%ody, %ecause if we em%arrass Hans and 5onrad or their cousin for no good reason he will akin us alive! We are to do nothing until we hear from him -e/cept move out of the inn!" "Oh:" said &upiter &ones!

"He7s afraid we7re imposing on -ousin Anna, and I guess we are! here7s no special reason she should %e feeding us, is there: We7re not her relations!" "&ust when things were really getting in- teresting," said 0ete! "We don7t need to move far," &upe pointed out! "Our tent is already pitched near the house!" he hree Investigators returned to the inn, where they told -ousin Anna and her hus%and that they intended to follow their original plan and camp out! here were some protests from &oe Havemeyer, and warnings a%out prowling %ears, %ut the %oys promised to shout for help if they saw or heard any- thing menacing! Well %efore sunset they had moved their sleeping %ags out to the tent and had set up camp in earnest! After a dinner of frankfurters and %eans cooked over an open fire, the %oys sat crosslegged inside the tent! *o% took a note%ook and a %all-point pen out of his pocket and %e-

==G KK"w isr gan to +ot down the investigators7 findings on their current case! "'o far," he said, "we have a nature pho- tographer who isn7t a photographer at all, and who is very interested in -ousin Anna and her money! "He also has a photograph of Anna and her hus%and, taken %efore he came to the inn! (et Anna told us this is his first time here, and she doesn7t really know him!" "And he got swatted %y a %ear, or a person, or a monster," added 0ete! "If he isn7t a photographer, I wonder why he %othered to take that picture of the %ear at the trash cans!" "He no dou%t felt that he should %ehave like a photographer, since that7s what he claims to %e," decided &upiter! "'o much for 1r! &ensen! hen we have Anna7s new hus- %and! What do we know a%out him:" "He says he has a good income," said *o%! "Owns a tran$uili9er gun and goes with it to the high meadow every day! Is %uilding a swimming pool which may not %e a swimming pool at all!" *o% looked at &upe! "-an you think of any- thing else: hat7s not much! Hans and 5onrad are nervous a%out him, %ut he may %e completely on the level!" "He may %e," agreed &upe!

==H " hen there7s 1r! 'mathers," said 0ete! "He7s really some kind of a nut!" "And not as harmless as he looks," said &upe! "I7m sure it was 'mathers who knocked me out this morning and erased the footprint from the edge of the crevice!" -"Which %rings us to the %ig $uestion mark," 0ete said! "Is there or is there not a monster on 1onster 1ountain:" "I saw something," said *o%! "I know I saw something, and I7m pretty darn sure it wasn7t a %ear! And &upe saw that footprint!" &upiter un9ipped his sleeping %ag and slipped his shoes off! "If there is a, monster and &oe Havemeyer catches it, things will %e very lively around here," he predicted! "2et7s remem%er that our clients are Hans and 5on- rad and our concern is to protect their cousin! omorrow, when we get the credit report on Havemeyer and some more information a%out &ensen, we can talk with Hans and 5onrad! hey can decide what they want to do, if any- thing!" *o% and 0ete dropped off $uickly that night, %ut &upiter &ones was too restless to sleep! He lay awake and listened to the wind and to the small rustlings and scurryings made %y wild creatures in the darkness! He thought of the crevice in the earth, and of =>J that incredi%le naked footprint! He thought of Ga%%y )ichardson and his atory of strange %eings on the mountain! And he thought of another of Ga%%y7s tales -- his description of Anna charging at a %ear, swinging a skillet! &upe resolved that he would ask Anna in the morning if she had really done such a rash thing! It was nearly midnight when &upe rolled over on his stomach and opened the flap of the tent! he 'lalom Inn was dark and $uiet! A small shadow flitted overhead, lighted on the chimney of the inn, and stayed there for several minutes! &upe heard a faint hoot! It was an owl! &upe %linked! Had he imagined it, or had there %een a flicker of light somewhere on the lower floor of the inn: He watched intently! It came again, a moving %eam in the living room, %eyond the office! &upe poked 0ete! "Wake up!" he whis- pered! "Wha !!! what7s the matter:" 0ete sat up! "1ore %ears:" "Hey, $uiet!" said *o% sleepily!

"'omeone7s up at the inn!" said &upe! "With a flashlight! 2ook, someone7s gone into Anna7s office!" 0ete and *o% rolled out of their sleeping =>= %ags and fum%led in the dark for their shoes! "Here we go again!" said 0ete! "3very%ody7s interested in -ousin Anna -- or her money or her office!" he hree Investigators crawled out of their tent and stole across the yard to the office window! It was open, and the %oys could see the man who sat in the desk chair, with his %ack to them! &ensen! He was $uietly going through one of Anna7s ledgers, holding his flashlight in one hand! he door %etween the office and the living room was now closed! &ensen finished his e/amination of one ledger and put it aside on the %ookcase! He was +ust reaching for a second %ook when he stiffened and cocked an ear toward the door! A second later he dived into the kneehole un- der the deak and snapped off his light! he hree Investigators ducked down %e- low the window frame! he overhead light in the office clicked on, and the %oys heard &oe Havemeyer7s voice! "(ou see:" said Havemeyer! " here7s no one here!" "I heard someone," said Anna! "I know I heard someone on the stairs, and then the door closed! I think I left the door open! I think !!! I cannot %e sure!" =>> "(ou7re imagining things, letting your nerves get the %est of you! here7s nothing to worry a%out! (ou7re doing %eautifully with those two clods from )ocky *each! 4on7t let them get to you! hey won7t stay forever!78 "1ore than a week," said -ousin Anna! " hey will %e here for more than a week!" "I7m keeping them %usy, aren7t I: ,ow take it easy! We7re set, you know, and noth- ing will go wrong!" ",othing had %etter," said -ousin Anna! here was an edge to her voice that convinced &upe that she had driven off marauding %ears with a skillet! he office light snapped off and the door closed! he %oys stayed where they were, not moving! After a few minutes they saw the flashlight %eam again! &ensen was up from %ehind the desk! He crossed to the office door, turned off his light, and very $uietly left the office!

"I7ll %e darned," whispered 0ete! &upe put a warning finger to his lips! he three crept away from the inn and %ack to their tent "4id I hear what I thought I heard:" said 0ete, when they were safely inside the tent! "6ery, very peculiar," said &upiter &ones! "I am not especially surprised that &ensen =>? came down in the middle of the nighfe to search through Anna7s records! We know he7s interested in her money!" ")ight," said *o%! "Only why should Anna %e nervous a%out Hans and 5onrad: Her own favorite cousins!" "It doesn7t make sense!" &une ru%%ed his forehead! ",othing makes sense! I7ve never %een so %ewildered in my life!" =>A -ousin Annals Home-work &upiter awoke to chill morning sunlight and %irdsong! 0ete and *o% were still asleep, so he put on his shoes and got out of the tent without making a sound! He crossed the yard to the %ack door of the inn, pondering in a groggy, half-awake way on &oe Havemeyer7s words of the night %efore! Hans and 5onrad were making Anna nervous! &upe paused at the foot of the %ack steps! He heard water running in the sink %eyond the open window! Anna must %e up, he de- cided! He could picture her in the kitchen, her thin, capa%le hands moving surely! hey were not the hands of a fearful woman! Anna did things as easily and $uickly as Aunt 1athilda! In fact, thought &upiter, Anna was much like Aunt 1athilda! 'he even took off her wedding ring %efore she did dishes, as Aunt 1athilda did when she had %een on one =>C of her sporadic diets and her ring was too %ig for her! &upe was a%out to go into the inn and wish Anna a good morning when the water stopped running!

"-offee not ready yet:" It was Have- meyer7s voice! "A few minutes! 4on7t %e so impatient," said Anna! "4on7t you %e so +umpy," warned Have- meyer! "2ook, I7ll get Hans and 5onrad started working this morning, so they won7t %e under your feet! (ou invite those kids out there to %reakfast, and then pack a lunch for them and send them off on a hike someplace! Anyplace %ut the high meadow! 1ake sure they don7t head that way!" "(ou are now a social director:" asked Anna! "I don8t want them in the way," said Have- meyer! "I7m going up the slope for one last try, %ut I7m not hopeful! If we7re stymied, we7ll have to %luff it at the %ank and you7d %etter %e good! 'o do your homework!" "I do not want to do it," protested Anna! "(ou7ll do it!" Havemeyer7s voice waa rough! "(ou7ve done harder things, and for less money! (ou got some stuff for sand- wiches for the kids :" =>C "I have ham!" Anna7s tone was sulky! " hat7ll do!" &upiter &ones %acked away from the porch, then cleared his throat loudly and stomped up the steps! "Good morning," called -ousin Anna! &upiter greeted her %rightly and put up only token resistance when she invited him to %reakfast! He went upstairs to wash! When he came down again, *o% and 0ete had appeared, still tousled from sleep! &ensen and 'mathers sat at the ta%le waiting for their %reakfast! he meal was $uiet! 3ach person seemed %usy with private thoughts! -ousin Anna was clearing away cups and saucers afterward when she seemed struck %y a happy idea! "(ou had a good hike yesterday," she said to the %oys! "(ou should go again today! It is your holiday, and you should have a nice time! I will make you some sandwiches and you can go! here is a good trail from the campground to the fire tower, and I think you should go that way!" " he fire tower!" said *o%! "Oh, that a%an- doned one we saw the other day! hat must %e three or four miles from here!"

Anna nodded! "And high up! .rom the tower you can see all the valley! 'ometimes, =>D when I am not too %usy, I go there to %e alone and think!" "'ounds great!" said &upiter $uickly! 0ete opened his mouth to say something, %ut &upe kicked him under the ta%le! Anna carried the dishes to the kitchen and $uickly put together a picnic lunch! "(ou can carry it in your knapsack," she suggested! he %oys thanked her, and &upe got his knapsack from the tent and stowed the food in the pack! "*e careful," warned Havemeyer! "We7ll e/pect you %ack sometime this afternoon! Okay:" Havemeyer, 5onrad, and Hans were set- ting to work on the swimming pool when the %oys started down the road to the camp- ground! As soon as they were around the first %end, 0ete stopped! "Am I too suspicious, or is there some special reason we7re %eing shipped off on a hike today:" he asked! "Why did you kick me at %reakfast:" "I overheard Anna and Havemeyer talking this morning," said &upe! "Havemeyer wants us out of the way so he can go to the high meadow and Anna can do her homework!" "Homework:" echoed *o%! "4on7t ask me what it is," &upe told them! "It has something to do with the %ank! Have=>G meyer is going up the slope for one last try at something, and if he doesn7t succeed this morning he and Anna intend to %luff at the %ank! I think it has to do with that safe deposit key Anna wants so desperately to find!" "'houldn7t one of us stay at the inn and find out what she7s doing:" asked 0ete! "I don7t see how we can," &upiter said! "'he and Havemeyer are determined that she won7t %e interrupted! hey are also deter- mined that we will not %e in the high meadow today! We have %een very much concerned with protecting Anna, %ut I %egin to wonder whether she needs protection! Whatever Havemeyer is doing, she is his partner, and they7re %oth %eing e/tremely secretive! It7s ironic that she suggested a hike to that old fire tower! I

can7t %e sure,- %ut I should think you could see not only the valley from that tower, %ut a lot of the high country! 2et7s hurry, and we may %e in time!" "In time for what:" *o% wanted to know! "In time to see &oe Havemeyer clim% the ski slope," said &upe! "I7ve got my %inoculars in the %ottom of the knapsack! Havemeyer goes to the meadow every day with his tran$uili9er gun and a knapsack! What does he do there:" "He7s on a monster hunt," said 0ete! =>H ",o, there7s something else," &upe said! " hose trips have something to do with the %ank, and hence with the missing key! I want to gee what Havemeyer does up there!" "Okay," said *o% $uickly! "2et7s move!" hey hurried down the road, across the campground, and then up the trail toward the old fire tower! 0ete kept the lead, with *o% close %ehind him! &upiter puffed along in the rear! *eyond the campground the trail to the tower clim%ed sharply, and the %oys found themselves %ent almost dou%le, leaning into the hillside as they hiked upward! It was after ten %y 0ete7a watch when they reached the tower! "I hope we7re not too late," gasped &upiter! Without even stopping to catch his %reath, he %egan to clim% the wooden ladder to the top of the tower! 0ete and *o% followed! "Hot diggity!" said 0ete! "We can see the inn from here, and the ski slope and the meadow!" &upe rummaged in his knapsack and took out the %inoculars! He put them to his eyes and focused them! "&oe Havemeyer7s halfway up the ski slope," he reported! &upiter kept the glasses trained on Have- meyer as the man clim%ed! He reached the meadow after ten! minutes and marched =?J straight toward the pine trees on the far side of the open area! In a few minutes, he disappeared into the trees! &upe lowered the %inoculars! " he western *ide was yours, 0ete! 4id you get very far into the trees when we were looking for tracks yesterday:" he asked! ",ot really," 0ete answered! "A few yards, may%e! I kept in sight of the meadow!"

"Havemeyer went in among those trees! 4oes he go there every day: What could %e there:" "(ou said his trips have something to do with the %ank:" asked *o%! "What could %e there that has anything to do with a %ank:" " rees," said 0ete! "1ore trees! 'till more trees! )ocks, s$uirrels, +ays, chipmunks, and !!!" "Wait a second I" said &upe suddenly! " he ca%in!" "What ca%in:" asked 0ete! " he hermit7s ca%in! )emem%er, Ga%%y )ichardson said that the hermit who lived on 1onster 1ountain %uilt a ca%in on the high meadow! We didn7t see any %uilding when we were up there! It must %e hidden in the trees! hat could %e where Havemeyer goes!" "And what does the hermit7s ca%in have to do with the %ank:" asked *o%! =?= 87I don7t know," &upe admitted sadly! he %oya unwrapped the sandwiches Anna had made for them and sat cross-legged in the tower to eat! .rom time to time &upiter looked through the %inoculars at the meadow and the ski slope! After almost an hour, Have- meyer emerged from the stand of trees to the west of the meadow and started toward the ski slope! "He7s coming down," said &upiter! ",ow it7s our turn to go up there! 2ook, let7s go %ack to the inn and announce we7re going to spend the afternoon at the campground, then cook our dinner there! We7ll leave right away with our food and e$uipment! ,o one will e/pect to see us for hours, and we can sneak up to the meadow through the trees on the north side of the ski slope! We7ve got to find what it is that %rings Havemeyer there every day!" "Oh, my aching legs!78 groaned 0ete! He crumpled his sandwich wrapper and put it into &upe7s knapsack! "2et7s get started," he said! he return to the campground was $uicker than the trek out to the fire tower! he downhill grade was so steep that the %oys had to %race themselves to keep from running! here was a car parked at the campground when the %oys reached it! A short, %alding =?>

man was looking with dismay at the almost dry creek, while a stout woman unpacked dishes from a picnic %asket! "0retty sad, isn7t it:" said the man, when he saw the %oys! "I wanted to get in some fishing!" "It7s %een a dry season,78 *o% told him! " he water7s low everywhere!" "Harold, let7s not stay," said the woman $uickly! "2et7s go to *ishop and stay in a motel!" "I am not spending money on motels when I7ve got so much tied up in camping gear," said the man! "Anyway, it7s cool here!" He pointed to the tower! "4oes the trail take you up there:" he asked *o%! "(es! It7s a pretty stiff hike!" he man chortled! "I could use it," he told the %oys! "I7ve let myself get out of condition!" he %oys walked on, making good time without actually running, and in fifteen min- utes were %ack at the inn! When they went into the living room, &oe Havemeyer was standing near the fireplace with a piece of paper in his hand! "2ooks fine," he said to Anna, who sat on the aofa! Anna nodded! &oe glanced at the %oys, crumpled the paper, and tossed it into the =?? fireplace! He took a match%ook from the mantle and set fire to the paper, then went up the stairs! "Good hike:" Anna asked the %oys! "Wonderful!" said &upe! "I thought you would like it!" Anna got up and went out to the kitchen! 0ete darted to the fireplace and stamped at the slowly %urning paper! he flame puffed and died! 0ete gingerly picked the remains of the paper out of the fireplace! here were only a few inches left un- charred, %ut those few inches were enough! "What did Havemeyer think looked fine:" *o% asked! 0ete hesitated, then went out onto the front porch! *o% and &upe followed, and &upe closed the door %ehind them!

"-ousin Anna7s signature," said 0ete! He handed the paper to &upe! "'he7s %een writ- ing her name over and over!" he hree Investigators were silent for a second! hen &upe +umped, as if someone had hit him! "'he won7t speak German with her cousins!" he said suddenly! "'he won7t speak German, and her wedding ring is too %ig!" "What do you mean :" asked *o%! &upe didn7t answer, %ut he started down the steps! "I7m going to talk to Hans and =?A 5onrad right away," he said tensely! " hen we7ve got to get up to the meadow fast! All of a sudden, everything makes sense to me! If my deductions are correct, something horri%le is going on!" =?B he *urning 1ountain "*ut why, &upe:" asked Hans! "Why must we atay close to the inn:" He clim%ed up the ladder out of the swimming pool e/cavation, leaving 5onrad %elow! "I7d rather not e/plain right now," said &upe! "It would %e terri%ly em%arrassing for you -for all of us -- if I were wrong! rust me, please! &ust stay here in case I need you!" "'ure, we trust you, &upe," said Hans! "Okay! Have a good time at the campground," he added uncertainly! &upe re+oined *o% and 0ete, who had +ust informed -ousin Anna that they planned to %e away for the rest of the day! Ouickly the %oys gathered what they needed for dinner from their campsite in the pine grove! As they worked, &ensen drove up and 'mathers appeared from the trees across the road! *oth men clim%ed onto the front porch of the inn and plopped onto chairs! =?C &upe grunted at the sight of them! "I hope they stay right where they are," he said! "I don7t know yet how they fit into this!" "Into what, &upe :" demanded 0ete! "What7s going on:" "2ater, later," said &upe impatiently!

he %oys were +ust leaving when &oe Havemeyer walked out onto the front porch! "Hey, where are you %oys going in such a hurry:" he called! His voice was +ovial %ut he looked at them suspiciously! "*last!" muttered &upe! He assumed hia %est dum%-kid e/pression and strolled deli%erately over to the porch! "We7re going down to the campground for a cookout," he said %landly! "(ou kids sure have a lot of e/cess en- ergy," commented Havemeyer! "We ought to keep you right here at the inn and put you to work ! ! ! work ! ! !" Havemeyer stopped talking, and his face took on a yellowish tinge! &upe %linked! hen he reali9ed that it was not Havemeyer who had gone yellow< it was the light which had changed! He looked up to see a thick, %illow- ing cloud of smoke which hid the sun! " here!" 0ete pointed! ,orth of the inn, on the pine-clad slopes %eyond the campground, the smoke was thicker and darker! =?D All at once they could see flame! A flake of ash floated down and settled on Havemeyer7a hair! &ensen and 'mathers left the porch for a %etter view! "It7s %lowing this way," said Havemeyer! It was almost a whisper! he man seemed paraly9ed, gripping the porch railing! here was the roar of a car on the road! he car that had %een parked in the camp- ground when the %oys came down the moun- tain was skidding and %umping up toward the inn! 0ete raced out, wildly waving his arms, and the car screeched to a stop! "How %ad is it:" 0ete shouted to the man! "Going like cra9y!" yelled the man! "(ou7d %etter get out of here! Woods are like tinder! 4ropped a cigarette and the wind caught a spark and the ne/t thing I knew the whole hillside was %urning!" Hans ran out from %ehind the inn! "Anna!" he shouted! "Anna! 5onrad! -ome $uick! he mountain is on fire!" " he woman in the car cried, "Harold, let7s go!78 he man stepped on the gas and started so suddenly that his wheels spun on the dusty road! "Hans! 5onrad!" &oe Havemeyer was moving now! He ran down the front steps of the inn and sei9ed a garden hose that lay

=?G coiled near the porch! " he ladder!" he shouted to Hans! "Get the ladder! We7ve got to wet down the roof!" A deer %roke from cover across the road and ran %lindly up the drive, past the startled humans, toward the ski slope! "4ear heaven!" 1r! 'mathers was so up- set that his voice was almost a croak! " hose dreadful people! -riminals! 1urderers!" he wildly e/cited little man scampered after the deer! "Where are you going:" 1r! &ensen gra%%ed at 'mathers8 arm! A frightened s$uirrel dashed past &ensen and 'mathers and up the ski slope! "2et me go!" shouted 'mathers! "4on7t you see: he animals are heading for the high country!" "*ut the fire7s coming this way," warned &ensen! "(ou7ll %e trapped up there!" 'mathers pulled away from the younger man! "I have to go," he said, and he sprinted toward the slope! -ousin Anna ran from the house! "&oe!" she cried! "&oe, we have to get out!" ",o!" Havemeyer had the water turned on! He %acked away from the faucet and aimed the hose toward the roof! "We have to =?H save this place! I know we can save it if we stay with it!" 5onrad came up and took Anna7s arm! "We Kwill take our cousin and we will get out," he told Havemeyer! "Anna, you come with us, huh:" Anna turned and looked at the fire! It seemed $uite close now, less than a mile from the inn! he wind was hot, and aah speckled the ground! "(ou come with us," said 5onrad again! Anna nodded! "&upe," said 5onrad! "0ete! *o%! Get in the truck!" "Wait a minute!" said &upiter &ones!

"We cannot wait!" 5onrad started to lead Anna to the parking area! "Get in the truck!" "*ut we have to find Anna," said &upe! "What:" 5onrad stared at &upe, then at the woman ne/t to him! 'he fro9e in an atti- tude that had something fiercely defensive a%out it! It seemed to &upe that she went pale, %ut he could not %e sure in the murky light! "Where is Anna:" he demanded! Havemeyer let the hose drop! "(ou7re cra9y!" he said! &upe ignored him! "(ou are 1rs! Have- meyer," he said to the woman called Anna! "Where is Anna 'chmid: ell me! Ouickly!" =AJ "Where is Anna 'chmid:" &ensen looked like a man who had %een struck and stunned! "(ou are not Anna 'chmid:" he said to the Kwoman! 'he straightened and seemed to get some grip on herself! "I was Anna 'chmid," she said! ",ow I am Anna Havemeyer! (ou know that!" 'he looked &ensen s$uarely in the face! "I was Anna 'chmid, and I will go with my cousins!" ",o!" &upe took two $uick steps toward her! 'he %roke then, and started to run toward her ear! "Hey!" &ensen ran, too, reaching for her shoulder! "One second there!" Anna dodged and stum%led as &ensen7a hand caught at her, and she fell! he fair hair with its circle of %raids came off like some %i9arre hat and rolled for a foot or two %efore collapsing into a limp heap! Instantly Anna was up again and running! he %oys saw that under the wig she had short, %leached hair! "(ou are not Anna!" cried Hans! 5onrad caught the woman as she tugged at the door of her car! "Where is my cousin:" he said! He sounded as if he might strike her! "Where is Anna:" he woman cringed %ack against the car! =A= " here7s a ca%in up near the meadow, isn7t there:" said &upe! "Is she there:"

he woman nodded! 5onrad released her, and a second later he and Hans and he hree Investigators were racing up the slope toward the high country! =A> he 1onster 'moke was thick on the upper meadow when the %oys reached it! &upiter felt that his lunga would %urst! He dropped to his knees in the long grass and turned his face away from the hot wind that swept across the mountainside! Ahead of him and to the right, a cougar stalked from the trees, stood for a second as if tasting the scorched air, then ran to the west, to the %arren cliffs %eyond the trees! 5onrad tugged at &upe7s el%ow! "Get up! Ouick! 'how us where is Anna!" &upiter stum%led up! 0ete was already run- ning across the meadow, making straight for the woods on the far side! *o% ran after, try- ing valiantly to keep up with 0ete! )unning with the two %oys were animals! &upe saw that the entire meadow was alive with large and small creatures, all fleeing wildly from the threat of the fire! "Hurry!" urged 5onrad! Hans was ahead of them, following 0ete and *o%! =A? &upe nodded and forced his trem%ling legs to carry him across the meadow! It seemed to &upe that his legs were made of lead, that he was struggling as if trying to run through deep water! He saw 0ete and *o% ahead of him, waiting at the edge of the trees! He stum%led and 5onrad gra%%ed hia arm! "Where:" demanded 5onrad! &upe pointed to a place where an outcrop- ping of white stone thrust through the grass! "I saw Havemeyer go that way!" A faint scream came to them then, a high, wordless wail of terror, and they heard a distant pounding, as if someone were hammer- ing at a door with clenched fists! "Anna!" cried 5onrad! A skunk darted across 0ete7s feet and dis- appeared among the trees! he scream came again, louder!

"We are here, Anna!" shouted Hans! he hree Investigators and the *avarian %rothers charged in through the trees in the direction of the screams and pounding! 0ete coughed harshly, and &upe felt that he was strangling in the dim, smoky air! "Anna:" shouted Hans! "Where are you, Anna:" "I am here! Who is it: 2et me out!" =AA he *avarian %rothers raced toward the cry, passing 0ete and *o%! hey crashed through the woods, %reaking %ranches, nail- ing with their arms! he %oys stum%led after them! 'uddenly, in a little gully, there was a ca%in! It was a rude affair of planks covered with tar paper, %arely si/ feet s$uare, with a tiny window high up near the roof! In several places the tar paper had peeled away, %ut on the crude door was a shiny hasp and a %right, new padlock! When the %oys tum%led down the incline into the gully, Hans was heaving at the door with his shoulder! he door didn7t give an inch! " hat is more solid than it looks," said 5onrad! "4on7t worry! -ousin Anna," he called! "We will get a rock and %reak the lock!" " here7s a fire!" he woman7s voice inside the ca%in was rough with fear! "I smell a fire! Where is it:" "*elow, near the camping place!" 5onrad had found a stone and was weighing it in his hands! "We still have time! We will get you out" he woman was silent for a second, then said, "Who is there: Is it !!! is it Hans: 5onrad:" =AB 5onrad grinned and %roke into a spatter of German, then %egan to pound at the pad- lock with the rock! he wind gusted and %lew the smoke thickly around them! "Hurry!" said Hana! 5onrad nodded, and he raised the rock to give the padlock a mighty %low! And then a scream sounded %ehind him!

Hans, 5onrad, and he hree Investiga- tors whirled around! A%ove them, glaring down into the gully and %eating at the sting- ing, acrid air, stood a gigantic humanoid fig- ure! &upe saw eyes glinting red, and he glimpsed teeth when the hairy creature threw %ack its head and howled with sheer animal terror! " he monster!" *o% gulped and turned white! "What is that:" cried the woman in the ca%in! "What do I hear:" "'hhh!" cautioned &upe! "*e $uiet, Anna," whispered Hans! *ut the creature had heard! Anna7s cry had reached it through the panic! It lowered ita huge head and %rushed at the tangle of matted hair that hung almost to its eyes, and it stared through the smoke at 5onrad! =AC 5onrad stood fro9en with his %ack to the door, the rock in his hand! here was a low snarl from the %eing which had come upon them! he %ig head lunged forward, and then the %east was rushing at 5onrad! "Watch it!" 0ete +umped to one side- he creature charged past, making straight for 5onrad as if he had somehow caused the trou%le and filled the air with smoke! 5onrad shouted and dived away from the door! he enormous creature crashed on, carried forward %y the momentum of its charge! It struck the door, which collapsed inward with a terri%le splintering sound! he great %east fell into the ca%in on top of it! And Anna screamed! 'he screamed as &upe had never heard a person scream--keen, throat-tearing shrieks of pure terror! And mingled with Anna7s screams were the wails of the strange %eing which had crashed into the ca%in! "Anna!" 5onrad scram%led up from the ground, where he had fallen when he dodged the %east! Hans took two steps toward the ca%in, fearful, yet una%le to ignore those agoni9ed shrieks! "Anna! It will hurt Anna!" ",ot if we use our heads," said a %risk, =AD

snappish voice! 1r! 'mathers trotted out of the trees at the %ottom of the gully, looking fearfully grimy! His eyes were watering even more than usual! "4on7t move," he ordered! "3veryone stay right where they are and leave this to me!" With that, he scooted past he hree Investi- gators and the astonished Hans and 5onrad, and disappeared into the ca%in! =AG 1r, 'mathers to the )escue 1r! 'mathers had %arely entered the ca%in Kwhen the terri%le wailing ceased! " here, there," the %oys heard 'mathers say! "I know it7s %ad, %ut you7ll %e all right!" 'omething growled! "I know, I know,78 said 'mathers! "*ut stay with me and you7ll %e safe!" he growling changed to a sound that was softer -- almost a whimper! "-ome along, now," coa/ed 1r! 'mathers! "2ook how you7ve frightened the lady! Aren7t you ashamed:" he hree Investigators looked at each other and wondered if they were dreaming! 'mathers appeared in the door of the ca%in! -lose %ehind him was the huge creature -- a hulking, horrifying shape that looked half- human, half-animal! It trailed after 'mathers as meekly as a well-trained dog might follow his master! =AH "We are going to the high country a%ove the tim%erline," 'rnathers informed the astounded spectators! "We7ll %e safe there! 'omeone had %etter see to the woman! 'he is not in good shape!" 'mathers and his strange charge went off then, clim%ing rapidly through the trees! 'oon they were lost in smoke! "Anna:" Hans kicked aside %its of the splintered door and went into the ca%in! 5onrad and he hree Investigators crowded in after him! Anna 'chmid was crouched against the far wall of the ca%in! he little place was $uite dark, %ut the %oys could see that despite her disheveled clothing and tangled hair, she looked almost e/actly like their hostess at the inn!

"Hans:" she said! "5onrad: la it really you:" "We have come to take you out, Anna!" Hans knelt %eside her! "We must %e $uick! -an you stand:" 'he tried, trem%ling and clutching at Hana! He helped her, holding her around the waist, and 5onrad took her arm! "We will go fast, huh:" said 5onrad! 'he nodded! ears %egan to run down her cheeks, making little clear tracks on her =BJ smudged face! " hat animal," she whispered! "What was that animal:" "2et7s go now, 1iss 'chmid," urged &upi- ter! "We can talk later!" When Anna 'chmid stepped out of her prison into the smoked-filled daylight, she was as %ent and fee%le as an old woman! 'he had not gone many yards, however, %efore she lifted her head and managed to smile at Hans and 5onrad! 'he straightened herself and s$uee9ed her cousins7 hands! "Hurry!" pleaded *o%! "We will hurry," said Anna! *y the time they came to the edge of the meadow, Anna was walking almost as rapidly as 0ete, though she still held tight to her cousins! hey emerged from under the trees to see an awkward, %ig-%ellied cargo plane pass overhead! It flew north, to the place where the smoke was thickest, then spewed out a cascade of li$uid! "A %orate %om%er," said *o%! "Hope it can hold that fire down, or we may have to hike for the tim%erline, too!" 0ete +ogged ahead of the group and was the first to crosa the meadow! He stood at the top of the ski slope and looked down! "Hot dog!" he shouted! =B= "What is it:" called &upe! " here7s a %ulldo9er down there cutting a fire%reak! I think they7ve got it made! 'ky 6illage isn7t going to %urn after all!"

"1y inn:" said Anna! "Is my inn still there:" "A little sooty, I guess," said 0ete, "%ut it7s still there!" When Anna came to the ski slope, she hesi- tated for a moment to note the scene %elow! he %ulldo9er lum%ered and roared as it cut a %road %elt of clear earth %etween her inn and the fire! here was a milling, hurrying crowd of people on the road %elow! A second %orate %om%er flew overhead, then dumped its load on the flames! hen, in an instant, there was a gust of cool air and a freshness on the meadow! he wind had changed! "'ky 6illage will not %urn," said Anna, and she started down the slope! 'everal times she almost fell, and Hans and 5onrad had to support her, %ut she would not hear of %eing left on the slope until they could get help from the village! 'he was shaking and stum%ling when they reached the %ottom, %ut her head was high! 'everal firefighters in hard hats surged past her, intent on their +o%s! Ga%%y )ich-

=B> ardson was there, too, spraying the roof with a hose so that no stray em%er could set fire to her inn! Anna smiled at )ichardson! "I think you are a good friend," she said! )ichardson %riefly looked away from the stream of water that splashed onto the shin- gles a%ove! "When I7ve got time," he told her, "I7d like to hear e/actly what7s %een going on around here! -an7t get a word out of that guy inside!" )ichardson nodded toward the inn! "Guy inside:" said &upiter &ones! "&ensen," said )ichardson! "He7s waiting in there for you!" Hans, 5onrad, Anna, and he hree In- vestigators went up the front steps and into tile 'lalom Inn! 1r! &enaen, the %ogus nature photogra- pher, was indeed waiting! He sat on the arm of one of the %ig leather chairs in the living room! Opposite him, on the sofa, the woman who called herself Anna sat and glared! Her %leached hair stood up in spikes on her head, and her eyes were red, as if she had %een crying! he man named &oe Havemeyer was stretched out at her feet! He seemed to %e sleeping!

"What happened:" asked *o%! =B? &ensen stared at Anna! "1iss Anna 'chmid:" he said! He looked over at the false Anna! "#n%elieva%le! If it weren7t for the hair, no one could tell which was which!" *o% pointed at Havemeyer! "What hap- pened:" he said again! &ensen grinned, and his homely face was suddenly cheerful! "Oh, I shot him," he said, "with his own tran$uili9er gun!" =BA A 1irror Image It was dark %efore the firefighters had the %la9e contained! 3ven then, the inha%itants of 'ky 6illage did not rela/! 1any of them stayed on the fire lines to keep an eye on the hot spots where flames still danced in the charred trees! 'ome stray gust of wind might still carry %urning em%ers into the town! At the 'lalom Inn, Hans and 5onrad hov- ered over their cousin! Anna lay on the sofa covered with an afghan, and prepared to tell her story to a young deputy sheriff who had spent a hot, tiring afternoon manning a road- %lock at the foot of the mountain, turning %ack sightseers who wanted to get closer to the fire! he deputy sat on a straight chair close to Anna, and scowled at &ensen! he %ogus nature photographer had an air of almost hys- terical +oy as he kept the tran$uili9er gun trained on &oe Havemeyer! Havemeyer had recovered enough to sit and glower at &ensen! =BB he platinum-haired woman who had pre- tended to %e Anna 'chmid leaned an el%ow on the dining ta%le and kept her eyes closed! 3ven %y lamplight she looked strangely haggard, as if she were very, very tired! he deputy opened his note%ook! "*efore we %egin," he said to &ensen, "put that gun away!" "I will if you put handcuffs on this crook," said &ensen! "He tried to get away earlier! He7s not going to try again!" ",o%ody7s going to get away!" he deputy touched the pistol which hung from his %elt! "0ut that thing down %efore some%ody gets hurt," he ordered!

&ensen shrugged and put the tran$uili9er gun in the closet! hen he took a chair from the dining ta%le, set it %efore the front door, and sat down! " hat is a good idea," said Hans! He planted himself in another chair, in the door- way to the kitchen! ",ow that we7ve got all the e/its %locked, let7s get on with it," said the deputy! "1iss 'chmid, your cousins tell me you wish to %ring charges against Havemeyer! Would you like to tell me e/actly what he7s done:" "5idnapper!" said 5onrad angrily! "5o%%er!" added Hans! =BC 7 iease let 1iss 'chmid talk," said the deputy! "Would you %egin at the %eginning:" Anna looked once at Havemeyer, then %e- %an to toy with the fringe on the afghan! "At the %eginning, that man seemed very nice! He came to my inn and he wanted the %est room and he looked at my ski tow! He said he is the president of a new company which makes snowmo%iles, and he wants me to in- vest money in his company! I do not want to give him money -for his company, and after a while he does not talk a%out it any more, %ut he stays on for two, three weeks! " hen one day he sees me counting money to pay my %ills! He says I should write checks and not use real money %ecause it is safer to write checks! I told him that real money is most safe, especially my money %ecause I keep it in my safe deposit %o/, and only Anna 'chmid can open that %o/! He looked at me in a way -- I don7t know how to say it e/actly! It was strange, and all of a sudden I was nervous!" "Is that when you hid the key:" asked &u- piter &ones! Anna frowned! "(es! I did not really e/- pect trou%le, %ut something a%out this man made me afraid!" =BD "Where is the key, %y the way:" asked &upiter! "Oh, that is very funny," aaid Hans! "Anna has told us what she did! 'he taped the key to her %edspring! hose two %ad ones have %een sleeping on it!" Havemeyer made a choking sound and started to get up, %ut the deputy waved him %ack to his chair! "Go on, please! 1iss 'chmid," he said!

" wo or three days after we talk a%out the money," said Anna, "that man comes into my kitchen while I am cooking! He says he will shoot me if I do not give him the key to my safe deposit %o/! I think to myself, if I tell him where the key is, he will shoot me anyway, so I do not tell him!" he deputy shifted in his chair! "And then:" he said! "I am surprised %ecause he is not angry! He only laughs, and he points the gun at me and he says he has time! hen he makes me go with him to the high meadow where there is that ca%in the young man made! He has put a lock on the door of the ca%in and he shuts me in there! .or two days I do not see him at all, and I have nothing to eat %ut some %read and a canteen of water! hen he comes %ack every day and %rings me food, and always he =BG wants to know where the key is! *ut I do not tell him! I see that he wants very much to know! and if he finds out he will shoot me!" "I see! How long were you there! 1iss 'chmid:" "'i/ days! 1ay%e seven days! It is hard to say! hen today I smelled the fire and I was much afraid! I screamed and screamed and my cousins came! 1y cousins and the %oys -and that terri%le animal! hat strange little man talked to the animal and then my cousins!!!! my cousins!!!" Anna 'chmid put her hands over her face and %egan to cry! "I will get you some water, Anna," said Hans! ",o!" 'he wiped her cheeks with the %acks of her hands! "It is all right! *ut how did you know where to come :" "&upe knew," said Hans! "5onrad and I, we thought that woman there is Anna! 'he looks +ust like the pictures you send to us!" "'o she does," said &upiter &ones, "when she wears a wig! A mirror image! I certainly %elieved she was Anna! It was the wedding ring and the signatures that made me reali9e the truth, and I7m sorry that it took me so long!" "Wedding ring:" said the deputy! "'igna- tures:" =BH " hat woman practiced signing Anna 'chmid7s name over and over again! If she had %een Anna 'chmid, she wouldn7t have done that! Also, her wedding ring is too %ig for her! 'he claimed she and Havemeyer were married in 2ake ahoe last week! A new %ride would have a new ring which would fit! 'he reminded me of my Aunt 1athilda! When my

aunt7s %een on a diet and lost a little weight, her ring is too %ig< she takes it off when she washes dishes and puts it on the kitchen window sill! (ou did that, 1rs! Have- meyer! (ou are really 1rs! Havemeyer, aren7t you:" "'he isn7t saying anything until she sees a lawyer," snarled Havemeyer, "and I7m not, either!" "I think we can reconstruct what hap- pened," said &upe cheerfully! "Havemeyer came here and registered at the inn! He saw that, %y an uncanny coincidence, Anna 'chmid was almost an e/act dou%le of his wife! his would have %een a meaningless discovery were it not for the fact that Have- meyer is a criminal!" "A stock swindler," put in &ensen! "He soft-talked my sister into investing ten thou- sand dollars in a mining company that7s %een an empty hole in the ground for twenty years! =CJ rou%le is, there 9s a mine even if it7s worth- less, and we couldn7t nail anything on him!" "And you are not a nature photographer," accused 0ete! &ensen grinned! "I own a hardware store in ahoe! 1y sister spotted Havemeyer and this woman going into a coffee shop! 'he had a camera with her and she snapped them when they came out, and took down the li- cense num%er of the car they were using! We figured the woman was another sucker he had lined up! When we checked out the license num%er, we got the name and address of Anna 'chmid, and I came up here! I needed Havemeyer7s photo %ecause I7d never met him, and that gave me the nature photographer idea! here isn7t too much reason to come to 'ky 6illage in the summertime, so I %rought my sister7s camera and said I was taking pictures of the wildlife!" "(ou planned to warn Anna if Havemeyer tried to swindle her:" asked *o%! "I wanted to protect her, and I also wanted to catch him in the act and get him tossed into +ail! Only when I got here, he seemed to %e married to Anna 'chmid, and that was a new wrinkle! I went through her papers one night, and I couldn7t see any evidence that he was transferring her property to his name! I =C= couldn7t figure out what the dickens he -was up to!" &upe nodded sympathetically! "'o we can go %ack to the %eginning again and imagine Havemeyer meeting Anna 'chmid for the first time and seeing the incredi%le resem%lance %etween Anna and his wife! At first he couldn7t $uite decide how to turn this to his advantage! Almost from force of ha%it he tried to conduct a swindle in the way he usually does! He tried to sell Anna 'chmid fake stock! When she refused to %uy, he wasn7t

distur%ed! He had an ace in the hole -- a wife who is so much like the real Anna 'chmid that she could fool anyone! With her help, Havemeyer could get possession of everything Anna 'chmid owned! "Havemeyer stayed on at the inn until he was thoroughly ac$uainted with the way Anna ran things! I think we7re safe in assum- ing that he went through the papers and ledgers in her office until he knew e/actly what Anna was worth! And Anna made ne secret of the fact that she kept her money in a safe deposit %o/! ,ot as convenient as a checking account, %ut the fake Anna could take the cash out of the %o/ as easily as the real Anna! "When Havemeyer was ready," &upe con=C> tinued, "he locked Anna up in the hermit7s ca%in and drove her car to 2ake ahoe, where he picked up fake-Anna! he two returned to 'ky 6illage and announced that Anna 'chmid had married &oe Havemeyer! 3very- thing went smoothly, e/cept that they couldn7t find the safe deposit key! "I am sure they were very upset when Anna7s cousins arrived unannounced! How- ever! they knew a%out Hans and 5onrad! In their search for the key they must have gone through all of Anna7s letters and seen the snapshots of her cousins! "Havemeyer was afraid it would look odd if he wasn7t cordial to his new wife7s relatives, so he invited them to stay at the inn! hat really put fake-Anna on the spot! *ut she did very well, I must say! 'he knew she couldn7t talk German with Hans and 5onrad %ecause her accent would not %e the same as the real Anna7s! 'he is German, %ut dou%tless we7ll find that she comes from a part of Germany where the dialect is not the aame as in *avaria! 'he insisted that they all speak 3nglish so as not to e/clude her hus%and from the conversation!" "*ut she still got plenty nervous," 0ete put in! "'he said Hans and 5onrad made her nervous!" =C? &upiter went on, "'he was also greatly up- set at the thought of going to the %ank and re$uesting a new key and having to sign for it -- pro%a%ly in the presence of a %ank officer! he routine procedure for entering the safe deposit vault wouldn7t %e too difficult! 'he would still have to sign in, %ut the at- tendant at the vault wouldn7t look closely at her signature or $uestion her! Why should he: He knew Anna 'chmid well! Getting a new key would %e more complicated! 'he might do or say something wrong! he %ank official might carefully compare her signa- ture to the signature on Anna 'chmid7s registration! "'o fake-Anna %ecame nervous a%out sign- ing Anna 'chmid7s name! 'he apologi9ed too much to the man who delivered the cement, and she and &oe Havemeyer $uarreled! Have-

meyer made her practice writing Anna7s name and he got us out of the house when she did it! *ut we saw her 7homework7 paper! hen I knew that she was not really Anna, and I knew why Havemeyer went to the meadow every day!" he deputy closed his note%ook and stared at Anna 'chmid! He then turned and looked at fake-Anna! "If I weren7t seeing it with my own eyes, I wouldn7t %elieve that two human =CA %eings could %e so much alike," he said! "*ut what a%out that gun -- the tran$uili9er gun: Was that the gun Havemeyer used to threaten you, 1iss 'chmid:" ",o," said Anna! " he gun he used was a shotgun!" "It7s in the closet," 0ete told the deputy! he door %ehind &ensen7s chair rattled! &ensen stood up, put the chair to one side, and opened the door! 1r! 'mathers trotted into the room! He was smoke-stained and incredi%ly grimy, %ut very %risk and %right! "3verything7s fine here, I see," he said! hen his eyes lighted on Anna 'chmid lying on the sofa, and on fake- Anna crouched near the ta%le! He saw the deputy with his note%ook, and Hans grimly %locking the kitchen doorway! "1y word7!" he said! "It7s pretty complicated, 1r! 'mathers," *o% told him! "We7ll e/plain it to you later!" "4oes he have anything to do with this:" asked the deputy, nodding toward 'mathers! "I hardly think so," said &upiter! "I %elieve 1r! 'mathers is e/actly what he claims to %e -a man who can talk to animals!" "And they listen," declared 'mat%ers cheerfully! "'ure, sure," said the deputy! ",ow may%e =CB some%ody -will tell me why this guy had a tran$uili9er gun:" "Hideous, isn7t it:" said 1r! 'mathers! "Almost worse than a conventional firearm! Imagine wanting to capture a wild creature and put it in a cage! 4isgraceful!" he deputy7s e/pression was one of total %ewilderment! "(ou mean that in addition to everything else, this man was out to %ag a %ear:" ",ot a %ear," said 0ete!

1r! 'mathers chuckled! "Would you %e- lieve, officer, that 1r! Havemeyer thinks there is a monster of some type on this mountain: He har%ored the idiotic idea that he could capture a %eing unknown to science and e/- hi%it it to the pu%lic, dou%tless charging a fee for anyone who wanted to look at it!" "A monster:" said the deputy! " he guy7s got cracks in his %rain7" "Indeed he does," said 1r! 'mathers! "We all know there are no such things as monsters, don7t we:" he hree Investigators gaped at the weedy little man! 1r! 'mathers smiled and went upstairs! =CC 1r! Hitchcock 2earns a 'ecret wo days after they returned to )ocky *each, he hree Investigators called on Alfred Hitchcock at his office! "I see that you have made the newspapers again," said the famous motion-picture director! "I assume that you have written up this entire astounding affair! What are you going to call it: he 1ystery of the 1irror Image:" "We thought he 1ystery of 1onster 1ountain might %e a %etter title," said &upi- ter &ones! "1onster 1ountain :" 1r! Hitchcock frowned! "I have carefully gone over every news story on the kidnapping of Anna 'chmid, and I have seen no mention what- ever of a 1onster 1ountain!78 "We didn7t tell the reporters everything," said *o%, and he handed a file across the desk to the director! "I should have guessed it," said 1r! Hitch- cock! He opened the file and %egan to read! =CD he %oys waited in silence until 1r! Hitch- cock finished reading the notes that *o% had made on the case! When 1r! Hitchcock closed the file, he nodded! "-lever deductions, &upi- ter &ones," he said! "And there really was a monster:" "We saw it," &upe told him! "*ut who would %elieve us: Hans and 5onrad and Anna saw it, too, %ut they don7t even %elieve it! Hans and 5onrad $uickly decided that they7d seen a

%ear on its hind legs! Anna has %uried the whole episode in the %ack of her mind and refuses to talk a%out it! And 1r! 'mathers will never tell!" &upiter shrugged! 0ete e/plained, "After the deputy took away Havemeyer and his wife, 1r! 'mathers talked to us! He told us that if we said any- thing to the newspapers or the sheriff a%out the monster, he7d deny it and say that it was a %ear we saw in the hermit7s ca%in! It would %e his word against ours--and no one %e- lieves wild stories from kids!" "'o it7s a secret," said 1r! Hitchcock! "I appreciate the fact that you7ve shared it with me! I suppose it was 'mathers who punched you, &upiter, and who erased the creature7s tracks near the earth$uake fracture:" "He admitted it," said &upe! "*ut, again! he said he7d deny it if we mentioned the inci=CG dent to the authorities! Whatever that crea- ture is, 1r! 'mathers wants to protect it, and the only way he can protect it is to conceal the fact that it even e/ists!" "Ouite right," said 1r! Hitchcock! "If peo- ple knew there was a monster on the mountain, I am sure that num%ers of men like Havemeyer would %e out with tran$uili9er guns hunting for it!" "In a way, I7m glad it all turned out as it did," said *o%! "I spent a couple of hours at the li%rary last night, checking out some of the -alifornia folklore %ooks! .or years there have %een reports of strange tracks in the 'ierras and the -ascade )ange! We have our own version of the A%omina%le 'nowman, I guess, e/cept that no%ody7s ever %een a%le to prove that he really e/ists! He stays %ack in tiie wild country, out of sight!" "We can assume that the one we saw came down to the inn to get food, &ust as the %ears did," said &upe! "1r! 'mathers saw its tracks in the yard two days %efore we arrived at 'ky 6illage! hat very day, Havemeyer %ought the tran$uili9er gun, and the ne/t day he had men up from *ishop to dig out that so-called swimming pool! 'mathers guessed what he was up to, and he started hiking all through the high country, trying to find the =CH creature and warn it! He passed the hermit7s ca%in several times, %ut since he didn7t speak, Anna didn7t know anyone was near%y!" "0oor Anna," said 1r! Hitchcock! "What a dreadful e/perience that must have %een!" "'he was pretty well recovered %y the time we left," 0ete said! "And Hans and 5onrad had a terrific visit with her! hey like the real Anna much %etter than fake-Anna! 'he made lots of hot chocolate and pastries for them, and they yanked the wooden forms out

of that hole in her %ack yard and filled it in! ,o swimming pool! ,o %ear pit! 1r! 'mathers was tickled pink!" "I am sure he was," said 1r! Hitchcock! "1r! &ensen must also have %een highly gratified to see the man who swindled his sister put %ehind %ars!" "(ou can say that again," said 0ete! "He gets the cold shudders when he thinks of what might have happened to the real Anna 'chmid while he was hanging around trying to protect the fake Anna 'chmid! Have- meyer wasn7t always a con man! He7s %een arrested for armed ro%%ery, and once he shot a %ank guard! he man didn7t die, %ut pro%- a%ly only %ecause Havemeyer7s a %ad shot! 'o he can %e violent!" "1r! &ensen is also glad that Havemeyer =DJ didn7t uncover his game!" added *o%! "&en- sen could have %een in great danger himself! He said he7d had $uite enough violence after %eing hit the night he took a picture of the %ear!" "Why did he shoot that photograph:78 asked 1r! Hitchcock! "And who hit him:" "As I guessed," said &upiter, "1r! &ensen snapped the %ear merely to keep up the pretense that he was a wildlife photographer! He told us he looked out his window that night and saw a %ear coming to the trash cans and decided the shot was too convenient to pass up! We figure it must have %een the monster who hit him! 1r! 'mathera claims the flash going off scared the %east, and it struck out instinctively! We7re only guessing here! &ensen now %lames the attack on a sec- ond %ear!" "Is &ensen not in on the secret of 1onster 1ountain:" *o% shook his head! " here wasn7t any need to tell him! And he pro%a%ly wouldn7t have %elieved us anyway! I don7t think any- one %esides you would %elieve us!" he investigator grinned! "And you7re pleased a%out that, I see," said 1r! Hitchcock! *o% nodded! "I guess 1r! 'mathers has =D= made a convert out of me! I sure didn7t like the looks of that animal, %ut it would %e kind of a shame to stick it in a cage and have peo- ple pay fifty cents a head for the privilege of getting a peek at it! And it7s kind of fun to think that there is something %ack there in the hills that we haven7t classified and cata- logued and counted! I mean !!! well!!!"

"(ou are a romantic," concluded 1r! Hitchcock! "(ou are a preserver of nature7s unsolved mysteries! I $uite agree with you! .ew places are une/plored today, and few things are une/plained! We need the unknown and legendary creatures to stir our imagina- tion!" He stood up and handed the file %ack to *o%! "2ong live the monster of 1onster 1ountain," he said, "and if I were you, I would not hesitate to pu%lish the file on the case of Anna 'chmid! he monster will safely remain a legend! As you keep pointing out, no one will %elieve you!" =D>