Bob broke in. “Well, let’s see the rest of this reel you have on now, Pete. Jupe and I can always come back some other night to see the rest of it.”
Pete shrugged. “It’s okay with me if you fellows like to see a picture backwards.”
Bob put out the lights, and Pete resumed showing his film of the giant insects. The boys watched in absorbed silence from then on, giving way to only an occasional murmur of surprise or horror. When it was over, they sat back tingling with excitement.
“Whiskers!” Bob exclaimed. “That’s some picture. I can hardly wait to see the whole thing.”
Pete pressed the button to rewind the spool, and glanced at Jupiter. “Will that be enough, do you think?”
Jupiter smiled. “It should be perfect for our needs.”
“Great,” Pete said. “Only I still don’t understand what you intend doing with it. Who’s going to see it in the cave? That dead man, or ghost, who phoned us?”
“Perhaps,” Jupe admitted. “But my main purpose is to find out how a joker responds when a joke is played on him instead.”
“A joker?” Bob said. “I didn’t think that Mr. Carter was joking when he threatened us with his shotgun.”
“I wasn’t referring to Mr. Carter,” Jupe said, calmly.
“You weren’t?” Bob asked. “Maybe you forgot that he could be the living descendant of the Carter I read about. Labron Carter, who lost his fortune building the tunnel at Seaside and then killed himself because he was ruined. You said yourself, he would certainly know about the old tunnel and cave. And that he might want to get even with the people at Seaside for ruining his father. And, with his kind of temper, he’s the kind of guy who could sure do it, too!”
Jupiter shook his head. “Mr. Carter’s not the man I suspect of creating the dragon in the cave.”
“Why not?” Pete interrupted. “What makes you so sure?”
“One thing,” Jupe said. “When we met Mr. Carter, he did a lot of yelling. But he didn’t have a cold. We met a man who was very clever about making things that scared people. If you recall, he did have a cold. And I associate him with the dragon because, as you will remember, it coughed!”
Bob blinked. “You think Arthur Shelby is the joker who made the dragon? I mean — if it’s really a constructed one, and not real!”
Jupe nodded. “It could be Mr. Allen, too. He knows a lot about dragons. But my guess is Shelby.”
“But why Shelby?” Bob asked. “He made scary things to keep people from bothering him at his home. What does he have to do with the cave? It’s not his.”
“That’s what we intend to find out this evening,” Jupe said. He glanced at his watch. “I suggest we get ready.”
“You’re forgetting somebody else,” Pete said. “You two are only guessing about Carter, Allen or Shelby. But there were two other men there, and we all saw them!”
“That’s right!” Bob said. “The skin divers! And they said something about having to continue their work, before they disappeared.”
Pete snapped the big box that locked up the projector. Then he glanced at Jupiter.
“Well?” he demanded. “Am I wrong? What about those two tough guys? Couldn’t they have something to do with it?”
Jupiter nodded. “They certainly could. And, if they turn up tonight my suggestion is — project your film for their entertainment.”
“What about the dragon?” Pete asked. “It might be there, too, you know.”
Jupe nodded again. “That should be even more interesting. We’ve all heard how a mouse can frighten an elephant. It remains to be seen if an ant can scare a dragon!”
It was dark on the ridge above the beach at Seaside. The narrow, secluded street was quiet as Worthington eased the Rolls-Royce close to the kerb and stopped.
Bob stepped out first. He glanced quizzically along the quiet street. “Why so far away this time, Jupe?” he asked. “You’ve left us a good walk to the staircase.”
“Merely being cautious,” Jupiter replied. “The Rolls-Royce might have attracted attention here already. If Hans were available this evening, his truck might have provided better cover.”
Pete staggered out, swinging the projector in its case. He looked at the long walk ahead of him and groaned. “Don’t mind me. By the time I get there with this load, my arms will reach the ground.”.
“That wouldn’t be too bad,” Bob said smiling nervously. “You’d pass for an apeman, then. Maybe you’d scare our dragon!”
Pete grunted in reply, and shouldered the case. “Wait, Pete, we’ll give you a hand with that,” Jupe offered.
The tall boy shook his head. “No, thanks. I can make it. It’s my responsibility. I guess I’ll be stuck with it all night, considering I’m the only one who knows how to work it.”
Jupe smiled. “Your contribution may prove to be the deciding factor this evening, Pete. Let’s hope it works!”
They left Worthington to wait in the car and moved swiftly along the deserted street. Dark clouds obscured the moon. Below they could hear the booming of the heavy surf as it thundered on the beach.
Pete glanced up at the sky nervously. “I wish it wasn’t so dark tonight.”
“We’re all nervous,” Jupe admitted. “But darkness is our best protection until we reach the cave.”
They were perhaps twenty paces from the staircase leading down to the beach when they heard footsteps.
“Quick! Hit the ground!” Pete urged.
The Three Investigators hurled themselves to the side and rolled behind the thin bushes bordering the sandy vacant ground.
The footsteps came closer along the path. They sounded heavy, confident, and aggressive. Then they slowed and became softer, stealthier. The boys huddled closer, and hugged the ground. Somebody was stalking them!
From the shadows, they were able to see the figure as it came closer. Soon it was almost abreast of them. They stared in fright.
They had seen that bulky figure before. And as they saw it again, their eyes automatically travelled down his body. They recognized the object held close to it.
The menacing shotgun. The one that carried the biggest load of shot possible. The double-ought gun of Mr. Carter, the man who hated dogs, kids and seemingly everything.
The disagreeable, hot-tempered man slowed his walk still more when he came level to them. They could see his head swinging suspiciously to the side as he squinted into the darkness. His eyes were black and angry, his lips set in a firm, tight line.
“That’s funny,” they heard him mutter. “Could have sworn I saw something moving — ”
He shook his big head as if puzzled, then continued his walk. The cowering boys waited until they could no longer hear his footsteps before lifting their heads.
When they did, he was gone.
“Whew!” Bob breathed. “Am I glad he didn’t see us!”
“Me, too,” Pete said. “I guess he even goes to bed with that shotgun in his hand. I wonder who he’s looking for?”