The Secret of the Crooked Cat Page 2

  “Well,” Andy said, a little sheepishly, “my Dad owns the show. But he says I could work any carnival now anyway. Say, would you fellows like to try winning a prize?”

  “I’d like to win that crooked cat!” Pete exclaimed.

  “We could make it our mascot,” Bob said.

  “A symbol of our work,” Jupiter agreed. “Go on, Pete, try.”

  Andy Carson grinned. “You have to hit five targets in five shots to win the crooked cat. It’s a first prize. It’s not easy, but it can be done. I’ve given out four cats so far.”

  “I’ll win the fifth,” Pete declared, and reached for one of the rifles chained to the gallery counter.

  Suddenly, Andy jumped at Pete, his hand out, “Wait,” he cried.

  Chapter 3

  A Dangerous Moment

  “WHAT IS IT, ANDY?” Peter asked, alert.

  Andy grinned and put a straw hat on his head “Not so fast, young man. Your eagerness to test your skill is admirable, yes it is, but first it is necessary to cross my palm with silver, coin of the realm, legal currency to the amount of twenty-five cents, the fourth part of a dollar. A mere trifle for five big shots. Step up, my boy, everybody wins.

  Show your steady hand and keen eye. Give the man room, please. Five little hits wins the big prize, the one-and-only amazing crooked cat!”

  The boys laughed, and Pete dug into his pocket for a quarter.

  “Gosh,” Bob said, “do you always talk like that, Andy?”

  Andy beamed. “My Dad says I’ve got carnival in my blood. He says I’m a natural spieler.”

  “You sure are,” Bob said. “Can you teach us?”

  “Ah, my boy,” Andy intoned, his face solemn, “it is first necessary to study long years with the Great Lama of Nepal. At the appropriate moment, after that, some small instruction could be made available for a modest fee. Only a selected few, of course, can be permitted the honour—”

  Grinning, the boys listened as Andy spiled on in a fantastic performance of flowery words. Andy, too, grinned as he talked, pleased with his verbal ability.

  “But now,” he concluded with a flourish, “stand aside, give the young man room to show his skill. Fire at will, Pete!”

  Pete nodded and picked up one of the rifles. After a moment of studying the targets, he took quick aim at the clanking procession of mechanical ducks and shot down three in a row. Andy clapped his hands.

  “Good, Pete! Careful now, only two more!”

  Pete fired again, hitting a fourth duck.

  “One more! Steady,” Andy warned. “Easy now. Careful!”

  Andy winked at Bob and Jupiter. They understood: Andy’s warnings and encouragements were actually carnival tricks to make Pete more nervous with each shot, increasing his chances of a miss. But Pete didn’t fluster once he was in action. He aimed once more, fired, and knocked down the fifth duck.

  “I won!” he cried.

  “Bravo, Pete,” Andy said, and handed the dazzling crooked cat to the Second Investigator. “You’re a good shot. That’s my last crooked cat. I’ll have to use a different first prize until I get more. I think I have some moon globes.”

  Jupiter’s eyes gleamed. “A moon globe? They only just came out, Andy. Could we win one of those, too?”

  “Try your luck, my boy,” Andy said, assuming his barker’s voice again. “A steady hand and keen eye! Five shots.”

  While Pete and Bob laughed, Jupiter picked up a rifle and paid Andy a quarter. He took good aim and hit two ducks. But he missed the next three.

  “Let me try, Jupe,” Bob said.

  The smallest of the three boys paid Andy a quarter and aimed at a swinging gong.

  He fared no better than Jupiter, hitting the gong only twice. After that, Pete tried again, hoping to win the moon globe for Jupiter, but this time even he failed.

  “A mere mischance,” Andy said. “Next time a successful result is assured. One more twenty-five cent piece!”

  Pete shook his head. “I’d better quit while I’m even, I guess. At least I won the cat.”

  They all laughed at that, and other customers began to step up to the booth. The carnival had become more crowded. Andy went into his full spiel while the boys watched. Then Andy realized that he was telling the people they could win a moon globe and he didn’t have any on display.

  “Jupiter, you get behind the counter and watch the booth while I go and get some globes. Pete and Bob can help me carry some,” Andy said.

  “Sure, Andy,” Bob agreed. “Go on, Jupe.”

  Jupiter needed no urging. He went behind the booth counter at once and began trying to spiel like Andy. The growing crowd seemed to enjoy the chunky boy’s performance, and Jupiter beamed with pleasure.

  Andy led Bob and Pete behind the booth where a baggage trailer stood in the dimmer light out of the main carnival area.

  “I park it close where I can watch it from the booth,” Andy explained. “People are always trying to steal from carnivals.”

  He unlocked the lid of the trailer and began to take out small globes that were perfect models of the moon. He removed six globes, re-locked the trailer, and turned to hand two globes to Bob.

  “Bob, you—” Andy began, and then stopped. His eyes widened as he looked past Pete towards the next booth. His voice came low. “Fellows, don’t move. Stand still.”

  Bob frowned. “No more carnival tricks, Andy, we—”

  “No,” Andy whispered, his voice tense and scared, yet steady. “Turn round slowly, fellows. Don’t run, and don’t make any sudden moves. It’s Rajah!”

  The boys stared at Andy, and Pete gulped. Slowly, they turned round. There was a dim, grassy space behind the next booth, out of sight from the main alley. In that space, not twenty feet from the boys, crouched a large, black-maned lion!

  Chapter 4

  Peter Shows His Courage

  “BACK SLOWLY TOWARDS the booth,” Andy instructed softly. Rajah isn’t a dangerous lion, he’s too well-trained, but he might become frightened and panic. In the booth we will be safe, and there’s a telephone. I can call for help.”

  No one else had yet seen the escaped lion where it crouched behind the next booth.

  Its yellow eyes glinted as it watched the boys, and its mouth opened wide to show enormous yellow teeth. Its black-tufted tail twitched.

  “But if we go to the booth,” Pete said, his voice shaky, “the lion could get out into the main alley with the crowd, Andy.”

  “I know, and the lights and people could scare him,” Andy agreed, “but we have to call Ivan for help!”

  Pete didn’t take his eyes off the menacing lion.

  “You … you and Bob go to the booth and call Ivan,” he said. “I … I’ve worked with my Dad with animals he used in his movies. It could be a lot more dangerous if we all try to leave.”

  “Pete!” Bob cried, scared

  The lion growled softly at the sound of Bob’s voice.

  “Go on, hurry, fellows,” Pete insisted in a whisper.

  The tall boy hadn’t moved. He stood and stared straight at the crouched lion. Bob and Andy backed towards the booth. The lion moved a long step, its eyes watching Bob and Andy. It was obviously nervous and confused by being out of its cage. Pete spoke quietly but firmly, and the lion looked at him.

  “Stop, Rajah,” Pete said. “Lie down, Rajah.’

  His voice was soft but strong, confident. The lion stopped. It looked at Pete with wary yellow eyes.

  “Quiet, Rajah,” Pete said. “Good, Rajah.”

  With its tail flicking slowly, the lion watched Pete as if it knew its name and was puzzled by hearing it from a strange boy. Pete didn’t look behind him towards Andy’s booth. He watched only the big lion.

  “Lie down, Rajah. Down, Rajah!”

  Pete’s voice rose firmly on the last command.

  “Down, Rajah!”

  The lion whipped its tail, looked round, and lay down heavily on the grass. With its head up, it watched Pete like a big cat
about to purr.

  “Good, Rajah,” Pete said.

  Suddenly Pete heard people behind him, and The Great Ivan strode past him towards Rajah. The lion trainer carried only a stick and a long chain. He went straight up to the lion and began to talk softly but firmly, just as Pete had. Moments later he had the chain attached to a collar hidden in Rajah’s great mane and was leading the obedient lion back behind the booths towards his cage.

  Pete gulped and went white. “Gosh!” he said.

  Bob, Jupiter, and Andy ran up to him.

  “Pete, that was great!” Andy cried.

  “You were magnificent, Second!” Jupiter declared. “No one even knew Rajah was loose. You certainly prevented a panic!”

  “I was too scared even to breathe!” Bob added.

  Pete blushed under their praises. Before he could answer, they all saw The Great Ivan striding back towards them. The trainer’s face was pale, and he grasped Pete’s shoulder in an iron grip of approval.

  “That was very brave, young man. You showed both courage and skill,” The Great Ivan said. “Rajah is trained, and really tame. He wouldn’t harm anyone. But if the crowd had seen him loose, they could have panicked, and that would have scared Rajah.

  Someone could have been hurt.”

  Pete grinned with embarrassment “I knew he was trained, sir, and Andy said he wasn’t dangerous. My Dad taught me a lot about handling trained wild animals.”

  The Great Ivan nodded. “Your Dad taught you well. Rajah needed to hear a firm, commanding voice. I owe you a great debt. I don’t know how he got out! The cage was open.” Then the lion trainer grinned. “Now, what do you boys say to watching Rajah and me from right beside my show cage, eh?”

  “Can we, sir?” Pete exclaimed.

  “You certainly can. Come to the tent in a few minutes. I have to be sure Rajah is ready for his show.”

  The Great Ivan returned to his tent. The boys stayed with Andy Carson for a few moments as the carnival boy went back to work. People crowded round the shooting gallery now, and Andy became very busy.

  The boys started for the lion tent, stopping on the way to watch the antics of the two clowns who were out among the crowd. The small, fat clown whom they had watched earlier had been joined by his tall, sad-faced companion. The tall clown had a white-painted, dirty face with a thin red nose. He was dressed as a tramp, with enormous baggy trousers tied at the bottom. The fat little clown’s nose lighted up like neon at appropriate moments.

  The little clown did a series of acrobatic tricks, strutting like a bantam peacock after each one. The tall clown watched mournfully and tried to do the same tricks, but failed every time. His face grew sadder and sadder, and the crowd roared with laughter at him.

  Finally, the fat little clown missed a handstand and sprawled flat. The sad clown smiled at last. The boys applauded the clowns.

  “A very good act,” Jupiter declared. “Did you see how it all built up to the sad clown finally smiling? People enjoy that, the sad one having a moment of victory. When I was in the movies I worked with clowns. These are very good.”

  People were sometimes surprised by Jupiter’s knowledge of the movies and TV.

  They forgot that the First Investigator had once been a child performer under the name of Baby Fatso. It was a name Jupiter didn’t like to be reminded of now, but he liked to display his knowledge of show business.

  When the clown act was over, the boys hurried on to the lion tent. The show cage was in the outer half of the tent in front of a canvas partition. A barred ramp came down into the show cage from behind the partition. The two striped tubs Pete and Jupiter had painted stood inside the show cage and a trapeze swung from the top.

  Just as the boys entered the tent The Great Ivan stepped out from behind the canvas divider. He bowed to them and entered the show cage. He gave a signal, and Rajah came down the barred ramp into the cage roaring like the wildest beast on earth! He ran round the cage snarling, and clawed towards The Great Ivan.

  The boys smiled. They were aware that Rajah’s ferocious manner was an act the same as that of any trained performer. Their eyes widened with admiration as The Great Ivan began to put Rajah through jumps, rolls, leaps, dance steps, somersaults, and finally, a great leap to the swinging trapeze!

  The audience applauded lustily.

  “Wow!” Pete said. “All I did was make him lie down!”

  “Isn’t it great, Jupe!” Bob cried. “Jupe?”

  The First Investigator was no longer with them. They finally spotted him behind the cage where The Great Ivan was performing an encore with Rajah. Jupiter was motioning for them to come over.

  “What’s up, First?” Bob wanted to know.

  Jupiter didn’t answer, but motioned them both through the canvas partition into the rear half of the tent. A barred trailer stood in the empty rear section. It was, clearly, where Rajah lived when he wasn’t in the show cage. The barred ramp led from it through the partition into the show cage.

  Jupiter pointed to a large padlock on the door of the trailer cage.

  “The lock’s been tampered with, fellows,” the First Investigator said grimly.

  “Someone let Rajah loose!”

  Chapter 5

  A Menacing Shadow

  “THE GREAT IVAN is a skilled trainer,” Jupiter went on, “and he treats Rajah like a pet. I began to wonder how anyone could have left Rajah’s cage open without Ivan noticing. So I came back here to look at the trailer cage. Look at this lock.”

  Jupiter held the big padlock. “See those deep scratches all around the keyhole? The steel shines in the scratches. This lock has been picked, and not long ago!”

  “Are you sure, Jupe?” Bob asked uneasily.

  Jupiter nodded. “Remember that book we have at Headquarters? The one about evidence and criminal methods? Well, those marks are exactly like pictures in that book of picklock marks!”

  “Gosh,” Pete said, “who would let a lion loose?”

  As The Three Investigators thought about that, there was a burst of applause from the show section of the tent. An iron cage clanged, and Rajah came stalking proudly up the barred ramp into the trailer cage. The boys all stared at the big lion.

  “It has to be someone crazy, First,” Bob decided.

  Jupiter’s bright eyes were fixed on the lion in its cage. “Crazy and full of hate for people, perhaps, Records. But not necessarily. Maybe there was a definite reason, a motive.”

  “Gosh, Jupe, like what?” Pete asked.

  “Well, to scare customers and harm the carnival, for one,” Jupiter said. “Or to be a hero by recapturing Rajah. Or maybe to hide some other action, to distract everyone.”

  “Nothing else happened, Jupe, did it?” Pete objected.

  “And nobody tried to recapture Rajah until The Great Ivan came when Andy called him,” Bob pointed out.

  “I think Pete just acted too fast,” Jupiter decided. “If there was some plan, Pete stopped it by stopping Rajah.”

  “But, gee, First,” Bob said, “if someone only wanted to hurt the carnival, that’s a risky way of doing it.”

  “I don’t know,” Jupiter mused. “Even Andy knew that Rajah wasn’t really dangerous. The whole carnival seems to know that Rajah is well-trained and easily controlled.”

  “You think it was someone in the carnival?” Bob wondered.

  Jupiter nodded. “Yes, I do. To get from his trailer cage to where Pete stopped him, Rajah almost had to be led.”

  “Gosh, First, it could be anyone—except The Great Ivan,” Pete decided. “He wouldn’t have had to pick his own lock.”

  “Not unless he wanted to fool people,” Jupiter said. He thought a moment “It’s odd that Ivan didn’t miss Rajah sooner.”

  Bob and Pete said nothing more for a time. Jupiter frowned.

  “The trouble is,” the First Investigator said, “that we don’t know enough even to guess at who or why — yet.”

  “Yet?” Pete said. “You mean we’re going t
o—”

  “Investigate!” Bob broke in eagerly. “A job for The Three Investigators!”

  “Yes, I think—” Jupiter began, and then stopped. Suddenly he put his finger to his lips and nodded towards the rear wall of the tent. Bob and Pete turned to look.

  A giant shadow was outlined against the tent wall. The shadow of a man who seemed to have no clothes on! They could see massive shoulders, and the shadow of a shaggy head that was bent close to the tent, as if listening!

  “Outside, fellows,” Jupiter whispered.

  There was no way out of the rear of the lion tent, so they slipped through the show section and out the front. They hurried round the corner of the tent, being as quiet as they could be, and at the rear peered cautiously round No one was there,

  “He must have heard us,” Bob whispered.

  There was a heavy step behind them.

  “So there you are!” a deep voice said almost in their ears. “What are you boys doing back here?”

  The boys jumped a foot, and Pete gulped as they turned and saw a big man looking down at them from dark eyes. He carried a long sledge hammer in his hands.

  “W-w-we only—” Pete stammered.

  At that moment Andy Carson appeared behind the big man. The carnival boy’s eyes lighted up when he saw The Three Investigators.

  “Hi, fellows,” he said. “It looks like my Dad found you.”

  Pete gulped. “Your Dad?”

  “That’s right, boys.” The big man smiled and rested his sledge hammer on the ground. “I’ve been looking for you to thank you on behalf of the whole carnival for keeping Rajah calm. I was off helping the roughnecks, so Andy couldn’t find me at once.”

  Andy broke in, “My Dad wants to give you some reward. Something more from the carnival than that crooked cat you won.”

  “My cat!” Pete cried suddenly, and looked round. “I don’t have it any more!”

  “Cat?” Mr. Carson said, puzzled. “One of the first prizes from my gallery, Dad,”

  Andy explained. “Pete won it.”