The Mystery of the Monster Mountain - M. V. Carey [30]
“Just when things were really getting interesting,” said Pete.
“We don’t need to move far,” Jupe pointed out. “Our tent is already pitched near the house.”
The Three Investigators returned to the inn, where they told Cousin Anna and her husband that they intended to follow their original plan and camp out. There were some protests from Joe Havemeyer, and warnings about prowling bears, but the boys promised to shout for help if they saw or heard anything menacing. Well before sunset they had moved their sleeping bags out to the tent and had set up camp in earnest.
After a dinner of frankfurters and beans cooked over an open fire, the boys sat cross-legged inside the tent. Bob took a notebook and a ball-point pen out of his pocket and began to jot down the investigators’ findings on their current case.
“So far,” he said, “we have a nature photographer who isn’t a photographer at all, and who is very interested in Cousin Anna and her money.
“He also has a photograph of Anna and her husband, taken before he came to the inn. Yet Anna told us this is his first time here, and she doesn’t really know him.”
“And he got swatted by a bear, or a person, or a monster,” added Pete. “If he isn’t a photographer, I wonder why he bothered to take that picture of the bear at the trash cans.”
“He no doubt felt that he should behave like a photographer, since that’s what he claims to be,” decided Jupiter. “So much for Mr. Jensen. Then we have Anna’s new husband. What do we know about him?”
“He says he has a good income,” said Bob. “Owns a tranquilizer gun and goes with it to the high meadow every day. Is building a swimming pool which may not be a swimming pool at all.”
Bob looked at Jupe. “Can you think of anything else? That’s not much. Hans and Konrad are nervous about him, but he may be completely on the level.”
“He may be,” agreed Jupe.
“Then there’s Mr. Smathers,” said Pete. “He’s really some kind of a nut.”
“And not as harmless as he looks,” said Jupe. “I’m sure it was Smathers who knocked me out this morning and erased the footprint from the edge of the crevice.”
“Which brings us to the big question mark,” Pete said. “Is there or is there not a monster on Monster Mountain?”
“I saw something,” said Bob. “I know I saw something, and I’m pretty darn sure it wasn’t a bear. And Jupe saw that footprint.”
Jupiter unzipped his sleeping bag and slipped his shoes off.
“If there is a, monster and Joe Havemeyer catches it, things will be very lively around here,” he predicted. “Let’s remember that our clients are Hans and Konrad and our concern is to protect their cousin. Tomorrow, when we get the credit report on Havemeyer and some more information about Jensen, we can talk with Hans and Konrad. They can decide what they want to do, if anything.”
Bob and Pete dropped off quickly that night, but Jupiter Jones was too restless to sleep. He lay awake and listened to the wind and to the small rustlings and scurrying made by wild creatures in the darkness.
He thought of the crevice in the earth, and of that incredible naked footprint. He thought of Gabby Richardson and his story of strange beings on the mountain. And he thought of another of Gabby’s tales — his description of Anna charging at a bear, swinging a skillet.
Jupe resolved that he would ask Anna in the morning if she had really done such a rash thing.
It was nearly midnight when Jupe rolled over on his stomach and opened the flap of the tent. The Slalom Inn was dark and quiet. A small shadow flitted overhead, lighted on the chimney of the inn, and stayed there for several minutes.
Jupe heard a faint hoot. It was an owl.
Jupe blinked. Had he imagined it, or had there been a flicker of light somewhere on the lower floor of the inn? He watched intently. It came again, a moving beam in the living room, beyond the office.
Jupe poked Pete. “Wake up!” he whispered.
“Wha … what’s the matter?” Pete sat up. “More bears?”
“Hey, quiet!” said Bob sleepily.
“Someone’s up at the inn.” said Jupe.