Jupiter was still silent. The sudden loss of the paw had left him in a sour mood. He watched sullenly as the Gypsies helped Gregorio into their wagon and then clattered off down the street.

  When they were gone, he turned to Bob and Pete.

  “Come on, I want to give Headquarters a thorough search before Aunt Mathilda gets back. That paw has to be in there somewhere!”

  The boys marched back to Jupiter’s workshop and crawled through Tunnel Two. Once inside their secret trailer, they began examining the large fire-scarred desk and the area around it. As they were all down on their hands and knees with flashlights, a ghostly, gurgling voice suddenly broke the silence.

  “Beware the monkey’s paw…”

  Bob stiffened, staring at Jupiter. Pete jumped so high he hit his head on the bottom of the desk.

  “Yikes – what was that?” he gulped, rubbing his head.

  The disembodied voice came again.

  “Pete Crenshaw… I’ve come from beyond the grave!”

  Pete’s teeth were chattering now. With a shaking hand, he pointed his flashlight into the dim corner of the trailer where their laboratory was located. Suddenly the curtain was whisked aside.

  Pete clamped his eyes shut and looked away. He didn’t want to see the ghoul that was about to devour him! But when he heard the sound of laughter, he turned his head and opened one eye.

  “Allie Jamison!” he cried. “You nearly gave me a heart attack!”

  28 The Curse of the Mysterious Traveler A young girl stepped out from shadows of the lab.

  She had tawny hair, hazel eyes, and her skin was tanned from many hours spent outdoors riding her horse, Indian Queen.

  Even though her parents were very wealthy and dressed in the latest designer clothes, Allie Jamison preferred wearing a plain western shirt and a worn pair of jeans. When her folks took lav-ish trips to the far corners of the world, she usually stayed behind in Rocky Beach with her Aunt Pat in the sprawling mansion just up the street from the salvage yard. Allie would rather spend the summer riding her Appaloosa every day than lugging a suitcase around airports and posh hotels!

  The boys had first met Allie when she hired them to solve the Mystery of the Singing Serpent two summers ago. Last summer she had gotten them into all kinds of trouble when she talked them into traveling to a remote mining town in New Mexico to unravel the Mystery of Death Trap Mine. Now she stood before them in their top-secret Headquarters, and she was grinning from ear to ear!

  “Some detectives,” she scoffed. “Admit it – I had you scaredy-cats positively quivering with that ghost routine.”

  Jupiter stood up and brushed off his knees. “Your appearance took us by surprise,” he said stiffly. “But I will concede that your appearance is enough to strike fear into the hearts of most people.”

  “Still talking like a walking dictionary,” Allie laughed. She brushed past Bob and Pete and plopped down in Jupiter’s swivel chair behind the desk.

  Jupiter crossed his arms and glared at her. “I won’t bother asking how you entered the premises. You proved last summer that you know your way in and out of here. Rather, I’d prefer that you tell us all you know about the monkey’s paw.”

  Allie looked at them innocently and then dug in her shirt pocket. “Oh, you mean this old thing?” she chuckled, holding the

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  paw up before them. “I found it on the beach while I was riding Indian Queen this morning.”

  “Likely story,” Bob frowned. “You took it from our desk and you know it!”

  Allie tossed the paw to Bob and leaned back in the chair, putting her feet up on the desk. “And Sherlock Holmes wins a prize!”

  she laughed. “I came in here this morning looking for you three.

  It’s always so boring over at Aunt Pat’s. I figured you fellows are usually up to no good, so I thought I’d join in on whatever investigation you have going! There was no one here, but I figured it couldn’t hurt to snoop around a little bit.”

  She smiled brightly at Jupiter. “That secret drawer in your desk was a snap to find. You should really find a better hiding place for your clues!”

  “Noted,” Jupiter said dryly. “But I hope you know how much trouble you’ve caused by your little stunt. There are a lot of dis-gruntled people wanting to get their hands on that paw. One of them had a very sharp knife.”

  The stocky boy took the paw from Bob and held it tightly in his hand. He looked at Allie sternly, and then allowed himself a slight grin.

  “However, I must admit that your little stunt has allowed us to hold onto the paw for a little while longer. At least until Jujab comes looking for it.”

  “What do you have in mind, First?” asked Bob.

  “I propose we head down to the Art Festival and have another talk with the Gypsies. While we can’t give them the paw, perhaps there is more we can learn from them about this mysterious artifact – like what is written on the inside of the hand!”

  “Swell!” crowed Allie. “I knew I could count on you guys for a little adventure!”

  “Thanks, but no thanks,” Pete protested. “We don’t have a need for a fourth investigator. You’d just get in the way, and

  30 The Curse of the Mysterious Traveler besides, you’ve got Indian King to take care of.”

  “Indian Queen,” Allie said hotly. “And I’m going with you whether you like it or not! If it wasn’t for me you wouldn’t even have that darn paw right now!”

  Bob and Pete looked helplessly at Jupiter. The First Investigator could only shrug. “So this is what it feels like to get out-voted,” he groaned. “All right, you can come with us – but after that it’s straight back to your Aunt Pat’s. We’re in the middle of a case and we can’t worry about baby-sitting you, too.

  Agreed?”

  “I’m not a baby, I’m the same age as you – but… agreed,”

  Allie grinned. “I knew you’d see it my way!”

  The four of them exited Headquarters through Easy Three and then headed to Jupiter’s workshop where the boys had parked their bicycles. That was when disaster struck!

  As they threaded through the towering mounds of bed frames and auto parts, Jupiter failed to see a length of pipe that had shift-ed in a pile of salvage. He tripped over it and, with a cry, went tumbling head-first to the ground. As Bob, Pete, and Allie crowded around him, they saw that he was cradling his right arm.

  Allie was about to make a sly remark about Jupiter’s clumsi-ness when she saw that he looked like he was really injured. “Say, are you okay, Jones?” she asked seriously.

  “My… my wrist,” Jupe said, gritting his teeth. “I think I may have fractured my scaphoid bone!”

  Bob and Pete helped their friend up and began walking him slowly to the front office.

  “We’d better get you to the hospital,” Bob said with concern.

  “You’ll have to have your arm x-rayed. I guess we’ll have to go see the Gypsies later.”

  Jupiter shook his head vehemently. “No. You’ll have to go on without me. We don’t know when Jujab will come back looking for the paw. He may be watching us right now! The three of you

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  will have to ride over to the Art Festival and see what you can learn. Then report back here as soon as possible!”

  “Gosh,” Pete said nervously, “Maybe that Jujab character is the genuine article. First Allie shows up, and then Jupe breaks his arm. I’m starting to think we really are cursed!”

  32 The Curse of the Mysterious Traveler Chapter Six

  Ancient History

  PREDICTABLY, Aunt Mathilda was beside herself with worry for Jupiter. She first scolded him for not watching where he was going, and in the next moment was hovering over him clucking like a nervous hen. When Mrs. Jones dashed off to the office to get the keys to the salvage yard’s small truck and to instruct Hans and Konrad to watch over the yard, Jupe gave final instructions to his partners.

  “Take the paw to Gregorio,” he said, handing it over to Bob.

  “Tell him we’re very sorry, but we can’t return it – but we would like to know all he can tell us about it.”

  As an afterthought that made Pete gulp, he added: “And whatever you do, guard it with your life!”

  Aunt Mathilda came bustling back to the truck and climbed inside. She handed a bag of frozen peas to Jupiter to put on his wrist, and then fired the truck to life. Pete called out to Jupe as they pulled away.

  “What do we do if we run into Jujab?”

  He didn’t much care for Jupe’s answer as the truck disappeared from sight. The First Investigator had simply shouted out one word in reply.

  “Run!”

  “Creeps!” Pete shivered. “Sometimes this investigating business is more trouble than I bargained for!”

  “Come on,” Bob said grimly. “Here comes Allie.”

  “I’ve put Indian Queen in her stall with a fresh bag of oats,”

  she said sunnily as if nothing had happened. “I don’t have a bicycle here so I’ll have to borrow Jupe’s.”

  “We better not take our bicycles,” Bob decided. “It would be too easy for Jujab to ambush us. And Jupiter would never forgive

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  us if we lost the paw before we learned what’s written on it! Let’s ask Hans and Konrad if one of them can drive us to the fairgrounds in the big truck.”

  “That’s swell thinking, Records,” Pete said. “I’d feel a lot safer with one of them around!”

  “Well, let’s stop gabbing and start going!” Allie said impatiently. “We’re not getting any younger standing here talking about it!”

  Bob and Pete looked at each other with annoyed expressions.

  It had taken them a long time to get used to Jupiter’s eccentric behavior while on a case – but they had the feeling they would never get used to Allie Jamison!

  The two Investigators offered to put in extra time at the salvage yard for Konrad’s help, but the big Bavarian was reluctant to leave.

  “Mrs. Jones, she leaves Hans and me in charge,” he explained.

  “She says not to leave the yard.”

  “But that crazy guy with the knife might try to jump us,” Pete pointed out. “We can take care of ourselves, but Allie insists on coming along.”

  “Thanks a lot!” Allie hissed under her breath.

  The argument seemed to work. Konrad finally nodded his head. “Hokay,” he sighed, “Mrs. Jones would want for Allie to be safe. If that crazy guy makes trouble, Konrad snaps him like a twig!”

  “Thanks, Konrad!” Bob grinned. “We owe you one!”

  The three ran for the large truck and scrambled into the cab.

  Konrad explained to his brother that he had to run an errand, and then climbed inside the truck.

  Ten minutes later the truck was pulling through the large brick entrance of the Rocky Beach Fairgrounds. Konrad drove slowly down the narrow avenue as his passengers scanned the booths and stalls for the Gypsies.

  34 The Curse of the Mysterious Traveler

  “There they are!” Allie cried. She pointed off to her right. The Gypsies’ camp was hard to miss – it was the only one with horses! Allie hopped out and immediately went over to the animals.

  Bob and Pete sighed in exasperation.

  “Some investigator,” Pete grunted.

  “She certainly is a free spirit,” Bob laughed.

  The two boys walked over to the Gypsy camp. Several men and women were working on setting up a large tent. They recognized one of the men as either Viktor or Carlos. The man smiled brightly and bowed as he saw the boys.

  “My young friends,” he said warmly. “I did not expect to see you again so soon! To what do we owe this honor?”

  Bob held up the monkey’s paw. “We found it!”

  The Gypsy’s eyes went wide. He pushed Bob’s hand down and looked around nervously. “Come quickly! We must gather in Gregorio’s wagon!”

  The muscular man uttered a few words in a strange language to the group putting up the tent, and then walked quickly through the row of wagons.

  “Allie,” Pete hissed, “forget the horses and come on!”

  The three dashed off after Viktor/Carlos. They found him waiting in front of the largest covered wagon they had ever seen.

  The big man pulled a curtain aside. Inside the wagon they could see Gregorio asleep in a rocking chair.

  All four climbed into the wagon. Allie, Pete, and Bob sat themselves on the floor amid a scattering of pillows, while Viktor/Carlos whispered in the old man’s ear.

  Although his eyes were still shut, the ancient Gypsy smiled.

  Perhaps he wasn’t sleeping after all! When Viktor/Carlos had left, Gregorio opened his eyes and smiled warmly at his guests.

  “I have found that meditation is the best way to keep an old mind sharp. You would be surprised by what you can learn simply by closing your eyes and listening. For instance; I can tell that

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  the young lady has an affinity for horses.”

  Blushing slightly, Allie grinned at Bob and Pete. “That’s a pretty neat trick!” she whispered.

  Gregorio laughed and went on. “I can also tell that something has happened to young Jones – perhaps something unfortunate.

  You have come in his place, bearing the paw, although you do not mean to return it. Instead, you seek knowledge about its hidden secret.”

  Pete and Bob looked at each other with wide eyes. It was almost like the old Gypsy had read their minds!

  “How… How did you know?” Bob stammered.

  Gregorio took a moment to light his long pipe, and then gave a chuckle that ended in a long cough. “Simple deduction, young lad. And listening!” he held out his hand to Bob. “Now, if I may…”

  Bob handed the paw over to the old man. The three watched in wonder as the Gypsy seemed to conjure a match from thin air.

  He then proceeded to light several candles. When he was done with that, he took a battered stone bowl from a shelf and placed a small gray leaf inside. When he held a match to it, the wagon took on the strong scent of sage.

  “The monkey’s paw belonged to my father,” Gregorio said quietly. He held the relic reverently, stroking it with the tip of his finger. “And his father before him. It has been in my family for generations, and while my own son is dead, the paw will be passed to Viktor and Carlos. Jujab has laid claim to it – but the paw will find its way back to us. Of this I am sure.”

  The old Gypsy pointed to a large bookcase filled with ancient texts and manuscripts. “The history of the paw is written in these volumes. It tells of our great ancestors – and the greatest of them all: Romulus Romero! A sculptor of such renown that he is said to have worked in the very studio of the master himself, Leonardo DaVinci!”

  36 The Curse of the Mysterious Traveler

  www.threeinvestigatorsbooks.com 37

  Allie elbowed Pete, her eyes wide. “Did you hear that? His relatives were rubbing elbows with DaVinci!”

  “Romulus worked as an artist’s apprentice in DaVinci’s studio in Milan,” the old man continued. “His preferred medium was stone – a sculptor; but he was also quite talented in painting and drawing. Alas, nothing remains of his work – only the words written in these books by his ancestors many centuries later; and this paw, which may or may not have belonged to him.”

  “Perhaps it is legend,” Gregorio went on, “but I have reason to believe it is true.” Suddenly a look of deep sadness appeared on the old Gypsy’s face. He sighed and pointed to an empty slot in his bookcase.

  “At least I had reason to believe it was true.”

  “What do you mean, sir?” asked Bob. “Was something else stolen as well?”

  Gregorio shook his head and puffed on his pipe. “No, not stolen – but lost all the same. A relic of great value and importance; tracing a direct link from our ancestry all the way back to the great Romulus Romero. I begged my son, Julius – Carlos and Viktor’s father – to take this with him when he fled Europe as a boy during our country’s great Civil War. Should anything happen to our family, this object would remain safe – in America! At first Julius refused, but my words finally persuaded him.”

  The old Gypsy puffed thoughtfully on his pipe. “My son was in possession of the paw and the book when he came to America.

  A great artist in his own right, he came to California and worked for many years as a sculptor. He made enough money making statues out of bronze that he sent for the rest of his family. He worked in this very area – which is why we hold a great affinity for Rocky Beach.

  “Poor Julius died tragically – much too young. We didn’t even find out the locations of many of his statues; something I would very much like to see. Through our travels we have found one or

  38 The Curse of the Mysterious Traveler two, but that is all. He was quite sick before he died, but before he passed he made sure to return the paw to me. Through a trust-ed friend, it made its way back to our family – just as it has throughout the ages. Imagine my surprise when I discovered a message had been printed on the palm of the monkey’s paw!”

  Bob was scribbling furiously in his notebook, trying to keep up with the Gypsy’s story. He looked at Pete hopefully – they were finally going to learn what the word on the paw said!

  “The friend had a message for me from my dying son,” the old man said in a hushed voice. “Somehow villains had learned the true nature of the great relic he possessed – what it was and its priceless value. They followed him, and even attacked him.

  Deathly ill, he managed to hide the treasure away; leaving a clue for me inside the grip of the monkey’s paw. But the clue remains a mystery to me. I know not its meaning or what my son was trying to say. But perhaps young minds, pure of worries and pain, can see what the wise Gregorio cannot.”

  He leaned forward in his rocking chair and held the paw tightly in his gnarled hand. Pete, Bob, and Allie watched, perplexed, as he began mumbling words in a strange tongue. This went on for several minutes with the old man’s voice rising and falling until it was almost like he was singing. Beads of sweat appeared on his face as his voice rose. The chanting continued for several more minutes, and then the old Gypsy fell back into his chair, breathing deeply.

 

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