Part 14 (2/2)

And, as usual, Jupiter had hit upon an incredibly good idea.

Chapter 19.

Mr. Hitchc.o.c.k Makes A Bargain THE NEXT MORNING, as Worthington and the Rolls whisked them into Hollywood to see Mr. Hitchc.o.c.k, Jupiter didn't look happy. Pete knew what the trouble was. Jupe was still sore at himself for not deducing that The Whisperer and Stephen Terrill were the same person.

The two boys were visiting Mr. Hitchc.o.c.k without Bob, who unfortunately had to work that morning.

”As soon as Worthington mentioned that the secret tunnel under Terror Castle was full of parakeets,” Jupiter said, coming out of his deep meditation, ”I realised that they must be Mr. Rex's that, in fact, the tunnel must end inside the case where he raised his birds. And he had accidentally left the entrance open. But I still didn't realise that Mr. Rex was really Mr. Terrill.”

”You had everything else figured out,” Pete told him. ”Even to the fact that Mr.

Terrill was still alive, though for a time you got thrown off the track. You ought to be proud of yourself.”

But Jupiter just shook his head.

This time, there was no trouble getting in to Mr. Hitchc.o.c.k. The guard at the gate waved them through, and in a few moments they were seated in the famous director's office.

”Well, lads,” Mr. Hitchc.o.c.k rumbled. ”What have you to report?”

”We found a haunted house, sir, Jupiter said.

”Ah, indeed?” The director raised a quizzical eyebrow. ”And what type of ghost is it haunted by?”

”That's the trouble,” Jupiter confessed. ”It's been haunted by a man who is alive, not dead.”

”Mmm. That sounds interesting.” Mr. Hitchc.o.c.k settled back in his chair. ”Tell me about it.”

He listened attentively to the tale. When Jupiter had finished, he remarked, ”I'm glad to know that Stephen Terrill is alive. He was a great artist in his day. But I confess I am curious to know how he produced the atmosphere of terror which filled his castle and affected everyone who entered.”

”He said he would rather not tell us, sir,” Jupiter answered. ”But I believe I can make a guess. I was studying a book in order to help my uncle a.s.semble a pipe organ and I came across a mention of the fact that subsonic vibrations too deep and low to be heard have curious effects on the human nervous system.

”It is my guess, sir, that among the pipes of Mr. Terrill's supposedly ruined pipe organ are several which emit these deep vibrations felt by the body's nervous system, rather than heard. At a distance the effect of the vibrations would be to make one nervous. Close up, a feeling of anxiety and terror would probably result. But naturally the effect would not extend outside the castle, a fact which my partners tested for me one evening.”

Pete shot his stocky partner a glance. So that was why Jupe had insisted that he and Bob visit Terror Castle that day! Pete was about to say something scathing, but Mr. Hitchc.o.c.k started to speak again.

”Young man,” he said, ”you apparently did a good job of ferreting out the secret of Terror Castle. But now that you have done so, what is to become of Steve Terrill?

It does not seem to me you have done him any favour by uncovering his secret.”

Jupiter squirmed a little.

”Mr. Terrill has an idea, sir,” he said. ”In fact, he seems very enthusiastic about it.

He is going to the bank with the money he has saved raising parakeets, and arrange to buy back the castle. He has a plan, and I am sure they will lend him more money when he explains it.

”You see, first he will reappear as Stephen Terrill, the long-lost movie star, and move back into the castle. There will be many stories in the newspapers, naturally.”

”Naturally,” Mr. Hitchc.o.c.k agreed, eyeing Jupiter down his nose. ”And then what?”

”Next he will open his castle to the public for an admission fee. He will show his famous old scary pictures in his private projection room. He will also let people wander round the castle, which will remain almost exactly as it is now. Tourists will go there in great numbers to enjoy the films and to be frightened by the Fog of Fear and other devices Mr. Terrill has installed in the castle for giving people a harmless thrill.

”Mr. Terrill will also demonstrate, in various costumes, his portrayal of the sinister figures he played in his greatest movies. I am sure it will be a great success.”

”Hmmm.” Alfred Hitchc.o.c.k studied the stocky lad. ”I suspect, young Jones, that I detect your active young imagination in the plan you have just set forth. But let that pa.s.s. The Three Investigators have done a commendable job, even though you were unable to find me a house haunted by genuine ghosts. I will stand by my word and introduce your account of the case when it is written.”

”Thank you, sir,” Jupiter said. ”It will mean a lot to The Three Investigators.”

”If it is any consolation,” Mr. Hitchc.o.c.k said, ”the difficulty of finding a genuine haunted house proved so great that I have abandoned that particular project. But tell me, what are your plans now?”

Pete was tempted to speak up and say their plans were for a little peace and quiet, getting over some of the harrowing moments that Terror Castle had provided. But Jupiter spoke first.

”We are investigators, Mr. Hitchc.o.c.k. We will start looking for another case at once.”

The director eyed him shrewdly.

”I don't suppose you're planning to come back and ask me to introduce your second case, when you get one, are you?” he demanded.

”No, sir,” Jupiter said with dignity. ”I had no such idea in mind. However, if you would be willing to do so ”

”Not so fast, young man!” Mr. Hitchc.o.c.k thundered, and Jupiter subsided. ”I said nothing of the sort. Nothing whatever of the sort.”

”No, sir,” Jupiter said meekly.

The director glowered at him for a moment, then continued. ”I had in mind,” he said at last, ”to suggest a case for you. An old friend of mine, a former Shakespearian actor, has lost his parrot. He was very much attached to the parrot. The police apparently are of no help. You have shown I must confess it a certain ingenuity.

Perhaps you can help him find his parrot. Unless” he gave Jupiter and Pete a frown ”hunting for lost parrots is too tame a task for The Three Investigators.”

”No, sir!” It was Pete who spoke this time. If they had to go on a case, hunting for a lost parrot sounded to him like just about as much excitement as he cared for at the moment. ”Our motto is, 'We investigate anything'.”

”We will be glad to try to help your friend, sir,” Jupiter said.

Mr. Hitchc.o.c.k smiled. It was a smile that might be hiding certain secret thoughts, but they could not be certain.

”In that case,” he said, ”I will also introduce this case for you.”

”Thank you, sir!” the boys said in unison.

”But only on one condition!” the director stated firmly. ”It has to be a case worth writing about. Obviously, simply finding a lost parrot, even if it is a parrot that stutters, is not enough to warrant writing a book about. If the case turns out to be a simple and easy one, naturally I shall have nothing further to do with it or with The Three Investigators.”

”Did you say the parrot stuttered?” Jupiter asked, his eyes already alight with interest.

”I did,” the man stated. ”Did you also hear what else I said?”

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