CHAPTER 19 : Mr. Hitchcock Makes A Bargain
THE NEXT MORNING, as Worthington and the Rolls
whisked them into Hollywood to see Mr. Hitchcock,
Jupiter didn’t look happy. Pete knew what the trouble
was. Jupe was still sore at himself for not deducing
that The Whisperer and Stephen Terrill were the same
person.
The two boys were visiting Mr. Hitchcock without
Bob, who unfortunately had to work that morning.
“As soon as Worthington mentioned that the secret
tunnel under Terror Castle was full of parakeets,”
Jupiter said, coming out of his deep meditation,“I
realised that they must be Mr. Rex’s―that, in fact,
the tunnel must end inside the case where he raised his
birds. And he had accidentally left the entrance open.
But I still didn’t realise that Mr. Rex was really Mr.
Terrill.”
“You had everything else figured out,” Pete told
him.“Even to the fact that Mr. Terrill was still alive,
though for a time you got thrown off the track. You
ought to be proud of yourself.”
But Jupiter just shook his head.
This time, there was no trouble getting in to Mr.
Hitchcock. The guard at the gate waved them
through, and in a few moments they were seated in the
famous director’s office.
“Well, lads,” Mr. Hitchcock rumbled.“What have
you to report?”
“We found a haunted house, sir, Jupiter said.
“Ah. indeed?” The director raised a quizzical
eyebrow.“And what type of ghost is it haunted by?”
“That’s the trouble,” Jupiter confessed.“It’s been
haunted by a man who is alive, not dead.”
“Mmm. That sounds interesting.” Mr. Hitchcock
settled back in his chair.“Tell me about it.”
He listened attentively to the tale. When Jupiter had
finished, he remarked,“I’m glad to know that Stephen
Terrill is alive. He was a great artist in his day. But I
confess I am curious to know how he produced the
atmosphere of terror which filled his castle and
affected everyone who entered.”
“He said he would rather not tell us, sir,” Jupiter
answered.“But I believe I can make a guess. I was
studying a book in order to help my uncle assemble a
pipe organ and I came across a mention of the fact
that subsonic vibrations―too deep and low to be
heard―have curious effects on the human nervous
system.
“It is my guess, sir, that among the pipes of Mr.
Terrill’s supposedly ruined pipe organ are several
which emit these deep vibrations felt by the body’s
nervous system, rather than heard. At a distance the
effect of the vibrations would be to make one nervous.
Close up, a feeling of anxiety and terror would
probably result. But naturally the effect would not
extend outside the castle, a fact which my partners
tested for me one evening.”
Pete shot his stocky partner a glance. So that was
why Jupe had insisted that he and Bob visit Terror
Castle that day! Pete was about to say something
scathing, but Mr. Hitchcock started to speak again.
“Young man,” he said,“you apparently did a good
job of ferreting out the secret of Terror Castle. But
now that you have done so, what is to become of
Steve Terrill? It does not seem to me you have done
him any favour by uncovering his secret.”
Jupiter squirmed a little.
“Mr. Terrill has an idea, sir,” he said.“In fact, he
seems very enthusiastic about it. He is going to the
bank with the money he has saved raising parakeets,
and arrange to buy back the castle. He has a plan, and
I am sure they will lend him more money when he
explains it.
“You see, first he will reappear as Stephen Terrill,
the long-lost movie star, and move back into the
castle. There will be many stories in the newspapers,
naturally.”
“Naturally,” Mr. Hitchcock agreed, eyeing Jupiter
down his nose.“And then what?”
“Next he will open his castle to the public for an
admission fee. He will show his famous old scary
pictures in his private projection room. He will also let
people wander round the castle, which will remain
almost exactly as it is now. Tourists will go there in
great numbers to enjoy the films and to be frightened
by the Fog of Fear and other devices Mr. Terrill has
installed in the castle for giving people a harmless
thrill.
“Mr. Terrill will also demonstrate, in various
costumes, his portrayal of the sinister figures he
played in his greatest movies. I am sure it will be a
great success.”
“Hmmm.” Alfred Hitchcock studied the stocky lad.
“I suspect, young Jones, that I detect your active
young imagination in the plan you have just set forth.
But let that pass. The Three Investigators have done a
commendable job, even though you were unable to
find me a house haunted by genuine ghosts. I will
stand by my word and introduce your account of the
case when it is written.”
“Thank you, sir,” Jupiter said.“It will mean a lot
to The Three Investigators.”
“If it is any consolation,” Mr. Hitchcock said,“the
difficulty of finding a genuine haunted house proved
so great that I have abandoned that particular project.
But tell me, what are your plans now?”
Pete was tempted to speak up and say their plans
were for a little peace and quiet, getting over some of
the harrowing moments that Terror Castle had
provided. But Jupiter spoke first.
“We are investigators, Mr. Hitchcock. We will start
looking for another case at once.”
The director eyed him shrewdly.
“I don’t suppose you’re planning to come back and
ask me to introduce your second case, when you get
one, are you?” he demanded.
“No, sir,” Jupiter said with dignity.“I had no such
idea in mind. However, if you would be willing to do
so――”
“Not so fast, young man!” Mr. Hitchcock
thundered, and Jupiter subsided.“I said nothing of
the sort. Nothing whatever of the sort.”
“No, sir,” Jupiter said meekly.
The director glowered at him for a moment, then
continued.
“I had in mind,” he said at last,“to suggest a case
for you. An old friend of mine, a former
Shakespearian actor, has lost his parrot. He was very
much attached to the parrot. The police apparently
are of no help. You have shown―I must confess it―a
certain ingenuity. Perhaps you can help him find his
parrot. Unless”―he gave Jupiter and Pete a frown―
“hunting for lost parrots is too tame a task for The
Three Investigators.”
“No, sir!” It was Pete who spoke this time. If they
had to go on a case, hunting for a lost parrot sounded
to him like just about as much excitement as he cared
for at the moment.“Our motto is,‘We investigate
anything’.”
“We will be glad to try to help your friend, sir,”
Jupiter said.
Mr. Hitchcock smiled. It was a smile that might be
hiding certain secret thoughts, but they could not be
certain.
“In that case,” he said,“I will also introduce this
case for you.”
“Thank you, sir!” the boys said in unison.
“But only on one condition!” the director stated
firmly.“It has to be a case worth writing about.
Obviously, simply finding a lost parrot, even if it is a
parrot that stutters, is not enough to warrant writing a
book about. If the case turns out to be a simple and
easy one, naturally I shall have nothing further to do
with it or with The Three Investigators.”
“Did you say the parrot stuttered?” Jupiter asked,
his eyes already alight with interest.
“I did,” the man stated.“Did you also hear what
else I said?”
“Yes, sir!” Jupiter replied.“I’ve never heard of a
stuttering parrot before. Come on, Pete, we’ve got our
second case!”
“One moment!” Mr. Hitchcock said, and they
paused.“I believe it would help if you had my friend’s
name and address.” He wrote something on a sheet of
paper.“Here it is.”
“Thank you,” Jupiter said. He tucked the paper
into his pocket, then started towards the door with
Pete.“We’ll let you know how we make out, sir,” he
said, just before they left.
Mr. Hitchcock watched them go with a slight smile.
Quite a story, he thought―”The Secret of Terror
Castle.”
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