“Fourth, he bought something from Wright and Sons in Santa Barbara as a last touch to Laura’s surprise. Something normally found on a ship, almost certainly, since that’s all Wright and Sons sold in those days. Something with a brass plate with their name on it.”
Jupiter stopped. Rory laughed where he sat near a front window.
“Ye put all that together,” the Scotsman said, “and then ye chase a phantom that’s no’ even in this country! When ye catch your ghost, why, ye tell him to look in a mirror!”
“Gosh!” Bob flushed. “It does sound sort of — ”
Mrs. Gunn frowned at Rory and turned to Jupiter. “While you were all at the quarry, I looked and looked, but I couldn’t find anything in the house with a Wright and Sons brass plate on it. I can’t imagine what it would be.”
Jupiter shook his head bleakly. “Whatever it was, I’m convinced that all the items that Angus bought have to add up to one thing. All of them go together, somehow, to make Laura’s surprise. It has to do with what Angus loved at home, as the letter says. But,” he finished lamely, “what could it be?”
“Something pretty big,” Cluny said hopefully.
“What did Angus do with all that sluice timber and those men?” Professor Shay asked. “Where is all the timber?”
“And where did he put a ton of big stones?” Bob added. “I mean, ten monument stones are pretty hard to hide.”
“Hey!” Pete cried. “What do miners do best? Jupe, you say always think of the most simple explanation. What a miner does best is — dig! They dug a big hole, used the sluice timber for supports and the big stones, too! Maybe an underground room!”
Professor Shay stopped pacing. “A big hole? In the ground?”
“Why not?” Pete insisted. “That’d be a good place to hide a treasure. Maybe Angus bought a brass handle from Wright and Sons, or a lantern for the hidden room!”
“But what would he have needed from Cabrillo Island?” Jupiter asked. “And I don’t think a hidden underground room would have been much of a surprise for Laura. Remember, as far as we can tell, Angus planned the surprise first and added the treasure to it later.”
Professor Shay hadn’t moved since Pete suggested the big hole in the ground. Now he walked over to Rory near a front window.
“Have you ever seen any hint of such a hidden chamber, Mr. McNab?” the professor said.
“No, I ha’n’t,” Rory snapped. “Poppycock!”
The professor looked out of a window at the small pond and dark trees. Suddenly he turned, his eyes bright.
“By George, I think Pete’s right!” he cried. The Scottish Highlands are full of hidden caves and caverns. Mrs. Gunn, the letter says to remember what Angus loved in Scotland, but you don’t know what it was. What if it was — ”
“A secret underground cave where they used to meet when they were younger!” Jupiter said. “Something only Laura would know!”
“Which Angus reproduced here,” Professor Shay went on. “What he brought from Cabrillo Island could have been old Spanish furniture and rugs for the hidden cavern!”
“And a mirror, too!” Bob added.
Professor Shay nodded eagerly. “I think we have it, boys! It’s obviously well hidden, and the entrance is probably covered over after a hundred years. But we’ll find it! First thing tomorrow we’ll start combing every inch of Phantom Lake!”
“Why not tonight!” Pete exclaimed. “We’ve got lights.”
Professor Shay shook his head. “I’m sure we couldn’t find much in the dark. Besides, we’re all tired. We’ll be more alert after a good night’s sleep.”
“The treasure won’t run away, boys,” Mrs. Gunn said firmly. “Cluny, for one, is going to bed right now.”
“But we know Stebbins is hanging around,” Cluny protested, “and probably Java Jim, too!”
“I doubt they’ll find much at night, either,” Professor Shay said. “We’ll have to risk it, but I don’t believe it’s much of a risk, boys.”
They all nodded glumly. They knew the professor was right, but it would be a long night of waiting.
“I’ve got a hunch we won’t sleep very well,” said Pete.
“Then think about every possible way an underground chamber could be hidden,” the professor said, “and tomorrow we’ll all gather here and start searching.”
“Ye’ll search wi’out me,” Rory said flatly. “I’ll ha’ no more o’ this nonsense.”
Professor Shay drove away in his station wagon. Pete, Bob, and Jupiter helped Hans load the pieces of furniture that Mrs. Gunn had picked out for Uncle Titus, and then climbed into the back of the truck. The big Bavarian drove to the highway and turned towards Rocky Beach.
For a time, the boys rode in silence. Then Jupiter asked, “How would someone mark an underground room, fellows?”
Pete thought. “Maybe pile up some of those big stones to look natural — but give Laura a clue?”
“Or,” Bob said, “maybe plant a tree? A special tree like one they had at home in Scotland?”
“Yes,” Jupiter said, “that’s possible, Records.”
“Maybe a mirror!” Pete exclaimed. “On the ground, or in a tree, and Laura would see it from some special spot!”
“From a window where she sat at home,” Jupiter said. “Or from the top of the lodge’s tower!”
“Gosh,” Bob said, “any of those would work! I’ll bet one of them is right, Jupe!”
Jupiter nodded, and stared out of the back of the truck at the first houses of Rocky Beach.
“Only one thing bothers me a little,” the Leader of the trio said slowly. “Old Angus’s letter said to remember the secret of Phantom Lake — the phantom that watches for enemies coming up the lake. A hidden cavern doesn’t seem to fit in with that legend.”
“Maybe when we find the cavern we’ll make the connection,” Pete said.
“Yes, perhaps you’re right, Second,” Jupiter agreed.
Hans dropped Bob and Pete at their homes and drove on to the salvage yard. When Jupe got home, he was too excited to sleep right away. He had some hot chocolate and told Aunt Mathilda and Uncle Titus of the day’s adventures. Uncle Titus hurried straight out to inspect what Mrs. Gunn had sent him. Aunt Mathilda decided that a big hole hidden underground sounded exactly right to fit the riddle.
“You’ll find it in the morning, I’m sure,” she said. “Now I want you in bed, young man. You’ll think much better when you’re rested. Off with you!”
Jupiter lay awake for a long time watching the Christmas lights of Rocky Beach. But at last he fell asleep, still thinking of the hidden room, the big stones, the sluice timber, and Cabrillo Island where old Angus had gone to get…
Jupiter sat bolt upright in his bed!
He blinked, still half asleep. It was dark outside his window, but his dock showed that it was almost 8.00 a.m. Then he heard the drumming on the roof, and realised that it was raining hard outside.
But he didn’t think now about the rain.