The Mystery of the Laughing Shadow (ahatti-1) by William Arden

Author:William Arden [Arden, William ]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: child_det
Published: 1969-12-14T16:00:00+00:00

12

Call the Police!

Mr. Harris gripped the pistol grimly as he and Jupiter moved silently along the forest path towards the lodge. The vegetarian’s ruddy face was serious and determined as they hastened on under the shadows of the trees.

“And you think that the dark men who attacked you and took the statuette are the same ones who attacked me?” Mr. Harris said as he walked.

“They must be, sir.”

“If that’s true, they may also be the ones who are holding prisoners out here. We had better approach the lodge with caution.”

“They’ll probably be gone by now, sir, especially if the shadow saw Bob and me last night.”

“That remains to be seen. If they’re so bold as to hold prisoners right on the estate, they may not have been scared by two boys. What I don’t understand is what they think they’re up to, you see.”

“I guess I don’t understand that, either,” Jupiter admitted unhappily. “Maybe the prisoners are the ones who really know the secret of where the Hoard is, and those dark men and the laughing shadow are trying to find it.”

“That could be, Jupiter. Yes, you may have hit on it. And perhaps we can catch the ruffians red-handed!”

They hurried on as quietly as they could in the deep forest shadows and came to where the smaller path led down into the bowl-shaped valley. The truck no longer stood in front of the lodge. The building looked much less mysterious in the bright noon sunlight.

Mr. Harris motioned for Jupiter to crouch low in the trees and be silent. Then he began to work his way stealthily down the slope through the trees. Jupiter examined the lodge closely. There was no sign of movement anywhere. The shutters on the lodge windows were open, and so was the front door. As soon as he saw the open door Jupiter was certain that there would be no one inside.

Mr. Harris wasn’t taking any chances. He continued to slip silently down through the trees until he reached the edge of the open clearing at the bottom of the valley. There he stopped for a moment, surveying the lodge. On the rim of the valley, Jupiter fidgeted under the enforced inaction. But then Mr. Harris left the trees and ran to a corner of the lodge, holding his pistol in one hand, Jupiter watched him peer in at a window.

Mr. Harris left the window and ran round to the open front door. He went inside quickly. Jupiter waited. He could hear a lot of noise inside the lodge. Then Mr. Harris appeared at the door and waved. Jupiter scrambled down the path and joined the vegetarian in front of the lodge.

“Empty, lad. I looked under everything. Not a hair of them, but they were here all right. Look.”

Mr. Harris displayed a pair of small white trousers of a homespun material exactly like those worn by the two dark men.

“I should guess that it was Indian clothing, right enough. It looks as if your dark men were here.

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