The Mystery of the Coughing Dragon - West Nick (читать книги полностью .TXT) 📗

“I was out looking for him — when I saw — it!”

“You didn’t go down to the beach?” asked Jupe.

The old man shook his head. “No. It was an eerie sensation. I’d spent most of my life making pictures to shock and scare people out of their wits, and now it had happened to me. There’s no way I can describe the feelings I had. Panic, first, that this awesome creature might have attacked and devoured my dog. Then the fear that I might be losing my mind. To admit openly that you have seen a dragon takes some doing, believe me!”

“You took no other steps then,” pursued Jupiter, “but phoned your friend Alfred Hitchcock.”

The old man mopped his brow again. “Alfred is an old and dear friend, with much experience in the field of mystery. I knew if anybody could help me, he was the one. Now it will be up to you boys. The entire matter is in your hands.”

“Thank you, Mr. Allen,” Jupiter said, “for your confidence. There have been other incidents of missing dogs in this town. Five of them, at last report, not including yours.”

Mr. Allen nodded. “I heard that on the news after my dog had disappeared. If I had heard of it before, I might not have let Red Rover run on his own as I did.”

“Have you spoken to the other dog owners?” Jupiter asked.

The old man shook his head. “No. Not yet. I didn’t want to mention what I’d seen.”

“Do all the people round here own dogs?”

Mr. Allen smiled. “Not all. Not the man across the street, Mr. Carter. Nor my next-door neighbour on the right, Arthur Shelby. I don’t know many of my neighbours. I live a quiet life with my books and paintings. And my dog.”

Jupiter stood up. “We’ll be going then, Mr. Allen, and I promise you a full report of any progress we make.”

Mr. Allen shook hands and saw them out, thanking them again. The boys went out through the wooden gate, and Jupiter closed it behind them.

Pete smiled as Jupiter set the hook in place. “Keeping out the dragon, Jupe?”

“I doubt very much that a mere locked gate, or even a locked door, would stop a dragon, Pete,” said Jupiter.

The Second Investigator gulped nervously. “I don’t like the way you said that,” he declared. He looked up the street, and then glanced at his watch. “Where’s Hans?”

“It’s much too early,” Jupiter said. “We still have plenty of time.”

He started to walk across the street.

Bob and Pete looked at him.

“Time for what?” Bob asked.

“To call on Mr. Carter,” Jupiter said. “After him, Mr. Arthur Shelby. Aren’t you curious about men who live in this lonely section and don’t need dogs to protect them?”

“No, I’m not,” Pete said. “As a matter of fact, I’m wondering why I haven’t bought a dog yet to protect me! A large one that’s not afraid of dragons!”

Jupiter smiled and the boys followed him to the other side of the narrow street. Mr. Carter’s grounds were well kept up and his house was freshly painted.

“Notice,” Jupiter told his friends as they went up the path, “that the hedges are evenly clipped and the lawn neatly mowed. His trees are pruned and his flower beds are well tended. Mr. Carter must be a neat man.”

Jupiter pressed the bell. Almost immediately the front door was flung open and a heavyset man stood there glowering down at them.

“Yes? What do you kids want?” he demanded loudly.

“I beg your pardon, sir,” Jupiter said politely. “We’ve just visited your neighbour, Mr. Allen, across the street. His dog, Red Rover, is missing, as you may know. We were wondering if you knew anything about its disappearance.”

The man’s eyes narrowed and his thick eyebrows rose, then lowered. His mouth twisted into a snarling line.

“So Allen’s lost his dog, has he? Like the others up the street, eh? Well, good riddance to them. Good riddance and let’s hope they stay lost. I hate dogs!”

His eyes blazed furiously at them, with an almost insane glint. His hands clenched and for a moment the boys thought he was going to attack them.

Jupiter managed to keep his voice calm, and his placid-looking exterior unruffled. “I’m sure you must have a good reason for disliking the animals, sir,“ he said. “Perhaps if you could tell us what they’ve done — ”

“What they’ve done?” the man echoed sarcastically. “Done what they’ve always done. Barked and howled at the moon all night. Trampled my flower beds. Ripped up my lawn. Upset my dustbins, littering the path. That enough for you?”

“I’m sorry,” Jupe said sympathetically. “We’re new to the neighbourhood. It’s Mr. Allen’s dog we’re trying to find. If it’s damaged your property, I’m sure Mr. Allen would pay for it. He misses his dog terribly and I’m sure he’d do anything — ”

“Do anything, would be?” the man asked. “Well, so would I. Wait here!”

He ducked inside behind the door. The boys hardly had time to exchange baffled glances than the door was flung open again and Mr. Carter was back.

He was holding a large shotgun.

“Here’s what I’d do,” he said, raging. “Fill him with lead! This one carries double ought. That’s the largest ammunition made for this weapon. And if I set eyes on that dog of Allen’s or any other pesky beast hereabouts on my property, here’s what they’ll get.”

He raised the gun threateningly.

3

The Test of Terror

The angry man tightened his finger on the trigger. “I’m a good shot and I never miss. Any more questions?”

Jupiter shook his head, trying not to look unnerved by the gun a foot from his face. “No, sir,” he said. “I’m very sorry if we have disturbed you. Good day, sir”

Mr. Carter’s lips tightened. “If I never see any of those pesky dogs around again, that’s when it’ll be a good day. Now git!”

He thrust the muzzle outwards as he spat out the words, and the boys backed off slowly.

“Turn round,” the man said. “I don’t want you spoiling my lawn!”

Jupiter looked at his two companions and shrugged. With hearts quaking, they turned their backs on the ill-tempered man with the gun and went down the path.

“Don’t run, walk slowly,” Jupiter whispered.

Bob and Pete nodded, wondering when the shotgun blast would come, trying not to panic.

Then they all jumped at the loud sound behind them! “It’s all right, fellows,” Jupiter said. “That was just Mr. Carter slamming his front door.”

The boys turned, saw Jupiter was correct, and ran.

They were halfway down the street before they stopped. They looked back. Nobody was after them. Mr. Carter’s door remained closed.

“Whew!” Bob muttered. “That was close!”

“A shotgun with double-ought ammunition,” Pete said, testing his forehead for sweat. “One more second and that stuff would have ripped right through us.”

“Not too likely,” Jupe said. “The locking bolt was in the off and therefore safe position.”

Bob and Pete glared at him. “You knew that all the time,” Pete said accusingly. “No wonder you acted so calm.”

“I don’t believe Mr. Carter ever intended to shoot us,” Jupiter said. “He was merely acting out his anger. I happened to trigger him off by bringing up the one subject that annoys him. Dogs!”

“I think he’s got another subject now,” Pete said. “People!”

Jupiter pursed his lips thoughtfully. “We’ll have to be more careful the next time we approach Mr. Carter.”

Pete shook his head. “No, sir. The next time you can be careful approaching Mr. Carter all you want. You won’t have to worry about me, because I won’t be there. I forgot to tell you, I have a very delicate skin. It’s allergic to lead.”

“Me, too,” Bob said. “If I’m going to be shot at, I prefer a water pistol at ten paces.”

“There’s a possibility,” Jupiter said, “that Mr. Carter is a far better actor than I give him credit for, and had something to do with the disappearance of the dogs.”

“Sounds reasonable,” Bob said.

“It will be a simple matter now to compare Mr. Carter’s irascible response with our next subject’s.”