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“I … I do not like the idea of doing business with a criminal,” continued Prentice,

“but I must have the Hound. It is mine, and if I do not recover it, it may be lost forever. I intend to pay the ransom. I have two days to gather the money.”

“Have you notified the police?”

“I do not intend to. I refuse to risk scaring the burglar. I might never get the Hound back.”

“I think you should reconsider,” said Jupe. “You’re dealing with a violent criminal.

Don’t forget what he did to Earl.”

“Precisely. The thief became scared and struck him. I do not wish to give him any reason to fear me. Now, when are you boys returning? I confess, I don’t like waiting here alone.”

“Has the shadow reappeared?”

“No, but just knowing that he might is … unnerving.”

“I think we should be able to make the three o’clock bus,” said Jupe, looking at Bob and Pete for agreement. They nodded. “We’ll be there before dark.”

Jupe said good-bye and hung up. “Whew! Now we have to save him from the burglar, too! We’d better pack some extra clothes this time,” he said. “Prepare to stay at Prentice’s for a few days. I’ll meet you at the bus stop a little before three.”

“What’s this idea you had for watching Elmquist?” asked Pete.

“I’ll explain it later. I haven’t got it all worked out yet.”

Bob and Pete left then. Bob decided to put in a few hours at his part-time job at the Rocky Beach library, where he catalogued and shelved books. Pete ran some errands for his mother. Jupe spent the rest of the morning scraping rust off some garden furniture that Aunt Mathilda wanted fixed up for resale. After lunch he got busy in his workshop, repairing some electronic devices. These he finally packed in a carton, which he carried down to the bus stop along with a knapsack full of clean clothes.

“Hey, what’s in the box?” asked Bob. “Some new invention?”

“It’s a closed-circuit television camera and receiver,” said Jupe. “It used to be in a department store.”

“Oh, yeah!” said Pete. “They’ve got them all over the place now. Security people use them to watch for shoplifters.”

“Where’d you get that one?” Bob asked.

“The store that owned this system had a fire,” Jupe reported. “The cameras and the monitors were damaged and Uncle Titus was able to buy them for almost nothing. I fixed up this set. It wasn’t hard.”

“So that’s how we’re going to watch Sonny Elmquist!” said Bob.

“Right. Since Prentice has no windows opening on to the balcony, we can’t watch the courtyard unobserved without a device like this. Of course, we could just sit out on the balcony or by the pool, but I don’t want Elmquist—or anyone—to know we’re watching.

There’s a big potted plant outside Mr. Prentice’s door that can conceal the camera. We’ll sit inside and watch the monitor screen.”

“Great!” said Pete. “It’ll be our own TV show!”

An hour later the boys entered the front gate of Prentice’s apartment building, to be met by the ever present Mrs. Bortz.

“Back again?” she said. She eyed the carton, which Pete was now carrying. “What’s that?” she demanded.

“It’s a TV set,” said Jupe simply. “A late Christmas present for Mr. Prentice.”

Jupe glanced past the manager. Murphy, the stockbroker, sat beside the pool smoking a cigarette and enjoying the last of the afternoon sun. Every few seconds he knocked ashes into his special ashtray. When he saw the boys he smiled. “You going to be staying with Mr. Prentice tonight?” he asked.

“I think so,” said Jupe.

“Good.” Murphy put out his cigarette. “The old man must get lonesome. It’s nice to have company once in a while. My nephew left today to visit friends and I miss him already.” Murphy stood up and went into his apartment.

Mr. Prentice was waiting for the boys in his doorway. He was delighted with the closed-circuit television camera.

“We’ll set it up at dusk,” said Jupe, “before the courtyard lights go on. I believe that’s around five-thirty?”

Mr. Prentice nodded. “The lights go on automatically, shortly after sunset.”

At 5.20 Jupe peeked