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The truck pulled over to the left side of the road and stopped in front of a big white house that almost backed into the ski slope. A sign in front a
“I see that Cousin A
The i
Hans and Konrad climbed out of the truck and the boys scrambled down from the back.
“I think A
“A
Hans smiled. The sun had started to dip toward the cliffs above the ski slope and the thin mountain air was cool. “Let’s go in. We will wait for A
Hans and Konrad started up the steps to the porch. Jupiter, Pete, and Bob stood where they were.
“You aren’t coming?” asked Hans.
“Maybe we should get on to the campground,” said Bob. “You haven’t seen your cousin for a long time, and we don’t want to intrude.”
Hans and Konrad both laughed. “How can you intrude?” said Hans, “You are no stranger. We have written to A
So the three boys followed Hans and Konrad up the steps. The front door was unlocked. It opened directly into a huge room which was furnished with deep leather chairs and a long, leather-covered sofa. There were shining copper lamps and, above a stone fireplace on the far wall, gleaming pewter mugs. Four places had been set at a big dining table on the right; behind it was the door to the kitchen. On the lefthand wall, a rustic staircase led up to the second floor. The room smelled of wood fires and furniture polish, and there was a faint trace of an odor that made Jupe think A
“A
No one answered.
“So we wait,” said Konrad. He began to roam about the room. Touching the backs of the leather chairs. He beamed with satisfaction. “Everything is very good,” he said. “Yes, A
But then his wanderings brought him to a door in the wall to the right. Though it had a sign which read “Private, No Admittance,” the door stood open. Konrad looked in and said, “Ho!”
“Ho, what?” Pete wanted to know.
“I think that nobody is perfect,” said Konrad, “not even our Cousin A
Hans went to stand beside his brother, and he shook his head in mock dismay. “A
“Maybe you’d better not look at the office,” advised Pete. “My mother has a fit if I open her desk or look in her pocketbook.”
Jupiter Jones was about to settle down in one of the chairs when suddenly Hans turned to face him. “Jupe,” he said. “Bob, Pete. I think something is wrong here!”
“What is it?” Jupe went to the door and looked into a little room which was obviously the office of the i
“This place has been searched!” said Pete, who was right behind Jupe.
“It would seem so,” said Jupe, “and by someone who was either very careless or in a great hurry.”
“Just what do you think you’re doing?” snarled a husky voice from the big room behind them.
The boys spun around.
A man stood near the stairs — holding a shotgun!
2
Cousin A
“Okay. Speak up. What are you doing?” The man near the stairs made an impatient movement and the gun in his hands swerved. Pete ducked instinctively.
The man advanced several steps. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with thick, dark hair. His eyes looked very hard and very cold. He trained the gun on the group huddled by the office door. “Speak up!” he demanded again menacingly.
“Who… who are you?” said Konrad. He couldn’t take his eyes off the gun.
The man didn’t answer. Instead, he repeated his question. “What are you doing? Can’t you see that room is private? I ought to —”
“One moment!” Jupiter Jones’ voice cut into the tirade. Jupe stood as tall as he possibly could. “Perhaps you would care to explain yourself,” he said in the haughtiest tone he could manage.
“What?”
“It appears that this place has been searched,” said Jupe. “The police might be interested in knowing what you are doing here and why you are so quick with a gun.”
Jupiter was in no position to summon the police, and he knew it. However, his air of command bewildered the man with the gun. He frowned and lowered his weapon until it pointed toward the floor. “You want the police?” he said.
“It seems to me that the proper thing to do would be to summon them,” said Jupe in his precise fashion. “On the other hand, it might be wiser to wait until Miss Schmid returns from Bishop and have her make the complaint”
“Miss Schmid?” said the man. Then he laughed. “Let me fill you in on a few things” he said.
Just then a car door slammed outside. There were quick footsteps on the porch. The front door opened and a tall woman came in carrying a sack of groceries.
“Cousin A
The woman stood still. Her eyes went from the man with the gun to Hans and Konrad, then to the boys, then back to the man with the gun.
“Cousin A
“Cousin A
“You are a friend of A
“You might say so. A
“Oh! Hans and Konrad!” The woman put the groceries down on a table, touched one hand to the thick blond braids which were wound around her head, then smiled a broad smile. “Hans and Konrad!” She held out both hands to Hans, who went to her and kissed her on the cheek.
“It has been so long,” she said.
Konrad elbowed his brother aside and kissed her, too.
“And look at you!” said A
The brothers laughed and introduced themselves. They then presented Jupiter, Pete, and Bob.
“You have written me about these clever ones,” said A
“Very smart boys,” Hans assured her.