Chapter 8.

Captain Joy Says No!

FACED WITH AN UNCO-OPERATIVE.

CAPTAIN JOY, Jupiter and Pete felt their spirits sink. They started to walk away from the refreshment stand, but Jeremy spoke up.

"Gee, Dad, I know these guys. I think you could at least hear what they have to say."

"Troublemakers, that's what they are,"

Salty Sam put in. "I say kick 'em out."

"I've got a business to run," said the captain, "but I'll give you five minutes since you're Jeremy's friends. Sam, get back to the ticket booth. You two come with me." Captain Joy led the boys into his trailer. It was furnished like any house, but everything was smaller to fit the tiny rooms. The captain nodded to a couch and Jupiter and Pete sat down. Jeremy perched on the arm of a chair. The captain watched the boys.

"Well, spit it out. What do you have to say about Major Karnes?"

Jupiter explained all they had seen at the interviews two days before, and told how the tapes of the boys and everyone who followed them were erased right away. He pointed out that Karnes had implied that everyone would be paid, though Karnes had actually paid no one but Captain Joy.

Jupiter explained how Kames had no intention of interviewing all those he had sent home on the first day, or anyone who had been in line after the captain.

"Jupiter, is it?" the captain said. "Well, Jupiter, what's wrong with all that? It's obvious that Kames knew just what he wanted, so he didn't need to spend much time on the first interviews or keep stories he couldn't use."

"What about the ad saying he'd pay everyone?" Pete said.

"You simply misinterpreted the ad, Pete. Or perhaps the major worded it poorly."

"Why send half the people away without even hearing their stories, sir?" Jupiter asked.

"Too many people that first day, just as he said. I think his in-town and out-of-town idea was good and fair."

"But Dad," Jeremy said, "if he never interviewed the people in town at all, that sure wasn't fair or even honest."

"Well ..." The captain hesitated.

"Why send out all those circulars in the first place," Jupiter said, "if he wasn't going to interview most of the people who got them?"

"I expect because he didn't realize that Jeremy and I had all the information he needed. That's your answer!"

The captain's voice was triumphant, and Jeremy looked at the boys questioningly.

Had they made a mistake?

"In that case, sir," Jupiter said, "why did the major erase your interview tape too?"

"My interview?"

"We saw saw him do it!" Pete cried. him do it!" Pete cried.

"Impossible!" The captain looked at them. "What are you two really up to? Coming here and trying to get me-"

"Dad?" Jeremy broke in. "Maybe something is is wrong, you know? I wrong, you know? I mean, Pete and Jupiter are detectives, and maybe they're right."

"Detectives?" Captain Joy said sarcastically. "You mean this is all some kid game? Playing detective!"

"No, Dad, they're real real detectives. Show him, guys," Jeremy said. detectives. Show him, guys," Jeremy said.

"Junior detectives, sir," Jupiter said, handing the captain a card and a letter, "but we've had some successful cases."

The captain took the papers with a scowl and read them.

THE THREE INVESTIGATORS.

"We Investigate Anything"

First Investigator - Jupiter Jones - Jupiter Jones Second Investigator - Peter Crenshaw - Peter Crenshaw Records and Research - Bob Andrews - Bob Andrews The captain snorted and read the letter.

This certifies that the bearer is a Volunteer Junior a.s.sistant Deputy cooperating with the police force of Rocky Beach. Any a.s.sistance given him will be appreciated.

Samuel Reynolds, Chief of Police Captain Joy nodded slowly and looked more kindly at the boys.

"I see the chief thinks quite highly of you," he said. "I'm sorry I doubted your intentions, boys. I know now you mean to help, and anyway, it should have been enough that you are friends of Jeremy's. But I'm certain that you've made some mistake, or there has at least been a misunderstanding."

"But Dad," Jeremy said, "why erase your first tape?"

"If he did, perhaps there was a technical reason," the captain said. "Or maybe he wanted to use a special tape for the real interview, or wanted us to start in a different way. We've been taping for two days now, and I'm sure he hasn't erased those tapes!"

"Perhaps you should check on that, sir," Jupiter suggested.

The captain frowned. "Just what do you think the Major is doing, Jupiter?"

"It appears to us highly probable that he set up the whole interview scheme just to reach you and Jeremy, sir."

"But we never met Karnes before! We never even heard of him. There's nothing he could possibly want from us. This show barely keeps us alive, and it won't do that if I don't get some money to improve it."

"How about that?" Pete wondered. "Your land here. Maybe the major is trying to steal your land!"

"I don't own the land, Pete. I lease it from the Evans family."

"Evans?" Jupiter said.

The captain nodded. "The old pirate's family still owns land on the cove."

"I thought he just vanished," Pete said.

The captain smiled. "He did, but he came back later. He even reformed. Only it's more dramatic to have him vanish and become a legend."

Jupiter asked, "What about those trespa.s.sers at night?"

"I'm not sure there are any. There have been men walking around at night, but the railway tracks pa.s.s near here and sometimes we get tramps who find our buildings a good place to sleep," the captain explained. "Look, boys, I'm certain that you're wrong this time. There's just no reason for Major Karnes or his a.s.sistants to be doing anything involving us. There's nothing he could want from us."

"Dad," Jeremy said, "maybe we should just hire the Three Investigators to find out for sure? I mean, be certain."

"No, and that's final!" the captain said firmly to his son. "Boys, I think you're digging for trouble where there isn't any - and we need the money Karnes is paying.

I don't want to risk losing it. I want you to stay away from the Major. Is that clear?"

Before the glum boys could answer, an angry voice was heard outside the trailer door.

"Joy! Open the door! I've warned you about trespa.s.sers!"

Chapter 9.

The Boys Are Warned "IT'S JOSHUA EVANS!" Captain Joy said.

He opened the trailer door, and a broad, stocky man wearing white pants and a blue T-shirt came in. His face was red with rage.

"Joy, I've warned you to keep your people away from my tower! Now I've caught one of them trying to break into the old boathouse, and he tells me he's a kid detective working on some fool scheme for you!"

"Bob!" Pete and Jupiter cried.

"What!" the newcomer said angrily to the two Investigators. He dragged Bob into the trailer from outside.

"You know this trespa.s.ser, do you?

Are they juvenile delinquents too, Joy?"

"No, we're not," Pete said hotly, "and neither is Bob!"

The newcomer glowered at Pete. "No one was talking to you, boy. How do these two know my peeping Tom, Joy?"

"I'm sorry you were disturbed, Evans," the captain said. "All these boys are friends of Jeremy's. They came to see me about-"

Jupiter broke in quickly, "The history of the Purple Pirate, sir. A school project.

Bob was probably just trying to find us and wandered inadvertently on to your property. I'm sure he had no intention of disturbing you. But I couldn't help hearing that you live in that tower and your name is Evans. Are you perhaps a descendant of William Evans, the Purple Pirate?"

Joshua Evans c.o.c.ked an eyebrow at Jupiter. "Brainy kid, aren't you? Well, I don't give a fig about school projects, and I warn you to stay off my turf. There's a line of oaks between my tower and Captain Joy's sideshow for a reason. Keep out!" He turned to Captain Joy. "I'll let the boy go this time, but in the future make sure your customers and friends stay away from my tower."

"You won't be disturbed further," the captain said.

"I'd better not be," Joshua Evans growled, then banged the trailer door behind him.

The instant the broad-shouldered man had gone, Captain Joy turned to Jupiter.

"Why didn't you want me to tell Evans about your real reason for coming here?"

"I'd rather not discuss unproven suspicions with anyone, sir," Jupiter said.

"Besides, we don't know anything about Mr. Evans, and I've always found it wise to keep quiet when you don't know who you're talking to."

"I see," the captain said a little suspiciously.

"He seems very nervous about trespa.s.sers," Jupiter said.

"He has every right to his privacy. After all, he does own this place, Jupiter," the captain said.

"Gee," Pete wondered, "how could a pirate own land and leave it to his kids? I mean, in the exact same place where he was an outlaw?"

The captain smiled. "William Evans seems to have been a clever man, Pete. As you heard, he was never captured; he just vanished from the tower that day in 1840.

However, he left a wife and children, and suddenly appeared again in 1848 as a soldier with the American army in the Mexican War! We won, California became part of the United States, and Evans got his land back from the American government as a reward for his war service! You see, no one could prove he was the Purple Pirate.

There were no fingerprints then, and since the Purple Pirate had never been caught, there were no portraits and no known identifying marks. Over the years his descendants sold off the land until only the tower and the peninsula were left. I leased my part from Evans' mother before she died. Evans left years and years ago, but the tower was always his, and he returned recently."

Jupiter said, "How recently?"

"About a year ago now."

"That long?" Jupiter said, and he sounded disappointed.

The captain looked at his watch. "It's time for our next ride, boys. Time's up."

"I'll be there in a minute. Dad," Jeremy said and walked out with the Three Investigators. The four boys stood in the early afternoon sunlight and watched the few new customers file through the gates and along the main promenade.

"Do you guys really think Major Karnes is fooling us for some reason?" asked Jeremy.

"I'm convinced of it, Jeremy," Jupiter said.

"After what I discovered today, so am I!" Bob cried. "Listen to this, guys!"

He told them all about Carl and Major Karnes's other henchman wearing disguises and watching the Purple Pirate Lair, and how the major seemed to have his men spying all day! He told them about the potato sacks and batteries and digging tools in the back of the van.

Jeremy cried, "We better tell my dad all that!"