"Carey, M.V. - The Three Investigators 32 - The Mystery of the Blazing Cliffs" - читать интересную книгу автора (Carey M.V)

"He said that at eight in the morning?" asked Bob.

Jupe nodded. "Yes, he did. Mrs Barron seems nice enough, but Mr Barron is sure that either everyone is trying to cheat him or no one knows his own business."

Bob looked thoughtful. "His name's Barron, huh? There was an article about a man named Barron in the Los Angeles Times a few weeks ago. If it's the same man, he's a millionaire who bought a ranch up north somewhere. He's going to grow his own food and be self-sufficient."

"So that's what the churn is all about," said Pete. "He's going to churn his own butter and . . . and . . . Hey Jupe, he's headed right for Headquarters!"

It was true! At the far side of the yard, Charles Barron had pushed aside a splintery plank so that he could examine a rusted lawn chair. Jupe saw that he was very close to the barrier of carefully arranged salvage that concealed an old mobile-home trailer--a trailer that was the Headquarters of the boys' detective agency, The Three Investigators.

"I'll get him away from there," said Jupe, who did not want to remind Aunt Mathilda that the trailer existed. True, Aunt Mathilda and Uncle Titus had given the mobile home to Jupe and his friends to use for a clubhouse, but they did not know that there was now a telephone in the trailer, a small but efficient laboratory, and a photographic darkroom. They knew that the boys called themselves investigators and had helped solve some mysteries, but they were not really aware of how seriously the boys took the detective business--and how often they found themselves in real danger. Aunt Mathilda would not have approved. She believed in keeping boys busy at safe, practical pursuits such as repairing old items that might be resold in the salvage yard.

Jupiter left his friends standing in the drive and hurried to the side of the yard. Mr Barron looked around and scowled as he approached, but Jupe pretended not to notice.

"You really appreciate old things," he said to Barron. "We have an old claw-legged bathtub over near the workshop, and a buckboard that looks old, but isn't. It was made for a western movie and it's in perfect condition."

"We don't need a bathtub," said Barron, "but I might have a look at that wagon."

"I'd forgotten about it," said Uncle Titus. "Jupe, thank you for mentioning it."

He and Aunt Mathilda led Barron and his wife away from the Headquarters area, and Jupe returned to his friends.

Jupiter, Pete, and Bob were still loitering near the office when Barron and his wife came back, having decided against the buckboard. They stood in the driveway with Uncle Titus and began to discuss arrangements for having their purchases delivered.

"We're about ten miles north of San Luis Obispo and four miles off the main highway," said Barron. "I can send a man down here with a truck to pick the things up, but I'd prefer not to. My people are busy right now. If you can deliver the stoves and the other things, I'll pay you what it's worth."

He paused and looked suspiciously at Uncle Titus. "I will not pay more than it's worth," he added.

"And I wouldn't charge more than it's worth, Mr Barron," said Uncle Titus. "Just the same, we're not really set up to handle deliveries so far away. . . ."

Mr Barron began to look angry.

"Just a second, Uncle Titus," interrupted Jupe. His round face was earnest under his shock of dark hair. "You were thinking of going north anyway, remember? To check out that block of old apartment buildings in San Jose, the ones that are scheduled for demolition and that might have some usable salvage. You could drop off Mr Barron's things on the way, and the delivery wouldn't cost too much."

"Good heavens!" exclaimed Barron. "A young person who can think ahead. Will wonders never cease?"

"Young people are often very intelligent," said Uncle Titus coldly. "All right. That's a good idea. Someone should see that demolition job in San Jose. But that's a two-day trip. I couldn't go for at least a week."

"We could go," said Jupe quickly. "You promised that we'd have a chance to try buying salvage one day soon." Jupe turned to include Pete and Bob in the conversation. "What about it?" he said to them. "Want to go up north?"

"Well, okay," said Pete. "If my folks don't mind."

Bob nodded in agreement.

"Then it's settled!" said Jupiter quickly. "Hans or Konrad can drive the truck for us. We'll stop at Mr Barron's ranch on the way to San Jose."

Jupe walked away quickly before Charles Barron or Uncle Titus could think of a better plan.

"What's the big idea?" said Pete when the boys were in Jupe's outdoor workshop, safely out of earshot. "We're probably going to have to unload that truck at Barron's place, and that will be one huge job. Since when are you so eager for extra work?"