"Arthur, Robert - The Three Investigators 010 - The Mystery of the Moaning Cave" - читать интересную книгу автора (Arthur Robert)

Mrs. Dalton suddenly smiled. "I expect Luke's just tired. We've all been worried and working too hard. Now, what do you boys say to some milk and cookies?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Pete answered quickly for all of them.

Soon the boys were eating cookies in the comfortable living-room of the old ranch house. Colourful Indian rugs covered the floor under the rustic hand-hewn furniture, and a large stone fireplace almost filled one wall. The mounted heads of deer, bear, and mountain lions hung on the walls.

"Just what is The Old One, Mrs. Dalton?" Jupiter asked, helping himself to another cookie.

"An old Indian legend, Jupiter, nothing more. When the Spaniards first came here a very long time ago the local Indians said that a black and shiny monster called The Old One lived in a pool deep inside the cave in Devil Mountain."

Pete blinked. "But if no one could see The Old One, how did they know it was black and shiny?"

Mrs. Dalton laughed. "There, you see? Of course it doesn't make sense. I suppose they believed that someone had once seen the thing and told others about it, and that's how the story was handed down."

"What did the Spaniards think?" Bob asked.

"Well, that was a long time ago," Mrs. Dalton said, "and they were pretty superstitious, too. They said they didn't believe it but they never went near the valley if they could help it. Only the very bravest, like El Diablo himself, went into the cave."

"Can you tell us about El Diablo?" Jupiter asked.

At that moment Mr. Dalton entered the room, accompanied by a small, thin man who wore heavy glasses. The boys had met the man earlier. He was a house guest of the Daltons, Professor Walsh.

"Ah, boys, I hear that you have been out at our mysterious Moaning Valley," said the professor.

"Foolishness!" Mr. Dalton snapped. "Nothing has happened there that doesn't happen on any ranch. Simple accidents, nothing more."

"Of course you're right," Professor Walsh said, "but I'm afraid your men don't believe that. Uneducated people would rather believe in supernatural forces than in their own carelessness."

"If only we could find the cause and show them," Mr. Dalton said. "After this accident to-night I'll lose more men. But even Jupiter here could see that the slide was caused by that naval gunfire off the coast."

"Excuse me, sir," Jupiter interrupted, "but we would like to help if we could. We've had some experience in this sort of thing, as Mr. Crenshaw may have told you."

"Experience?" Mr. Dalton repeated, staring at the boys.

Jupiter produced two cards from his pocket and handed them to Mr. Dalton. The tall rancher studied them. The first, a large business card, said:





THE THREE INVESTIGATORS



"We Investigate Anything"

? ? ?

First Investigator -