E W Hildick - (McGurk Mystery 05) - The Case of The Invisible Dog (siPDF) PDF

ARCH
29891-7
$1.50
by E.W. Hildick
lllusrrored
by Lisl Weil
MASTER-MIND McGURK
This time the
has a tough case
McGurk
to
Detective
Agency
hunt for a missing dog,
a dog they can't even see! Join Jack McGurk

on his hardest case yet as he and his partners
match wits with the nine-year-old

genius
Brains Bellingham!
scientific
byE.W.Hildick
lllusrroredbyLislWeil
AN ARCHWAY PAPERBACK
POCKET BOOKS
NEW YORK
^>
Copyright
POCKET BOOKS, a Simon & Schuster division of

GULF & WESTERN CORPORATION
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, N.Y. 10020
1977 by E. W. Hildick
1977 by Macmillan Publishing Co.,
Illustrations copyright
Inc.
Published by arrangement with Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc.

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 77-4466
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce
this book or portions thereof in any fonn whatsoever.
For information address Macmillan Publishing Co.,

866 Third Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10022
Inc.,
ISBN: 0-671-29891-7
First
Pocket Books printing November, 1978
10
Trademarks registered
Printed in the U.S.A.
in the
United States and other countries.
To
Christopher and Michael Glynn
and
their cousin^
Scott
Webb
Contents
2:
The Doughnut That Got Away

17
Inside the Box
3:
An Invisibility Machine'!
4:
The Wet Bone
5:
Dennis Reappears
6:
The Snag
50
Lost One Invisible Dog
71
The Search
The Heap of Grass
85
7
8:
9:
10:
1 1
12:
25
31
42
"Here's our big chance!"
63
101
The Return of the Invisible Dog

The Fifth Member
114
06
Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive

in
2009
httD://www.archive.org/details/caseofinvisible(
The Doughnut
That Got Away
The
first
we saw
time
the invisible
when we were about to begin

Gurk Organization's Annual Picnic.
just
Correction.
'
That was the
dog was
the
Mc-
first
time
invisible dog, of course.

1
we
didn't see the
THE CASE OF THE INVISIBLE DOG
we
saw was the doughnut as it

went leaping and shaking and scudding
through the grass, away from the table and
into the bushes. At some points it would be
on the grass, moving very fast. At other
points it would be above the grass, moving
All
even
really
faster, flying
six inches
along there about
five or
from the ground.
was unbelievable.
"Hey!" cried McGurk, through a mouth-
It
ful of
tuna sandwich.
Then he trailed off,
"What?"
blinking hard.
"What's wrong?" said Willie Sandowsky.
"You look like"

Then he gulped. His peanut butter sandwich had been on its way to his mouth, but
suddenly his hand jerked and the sandwich
ended up right
at the point of that
of his. He'd spotted the
long nose
runaway doughnut,
too.
"You both look like"

Those were Wanda Grieg's words. She had
a bunch of cheese-flavored tortilla chips in
her hand and a smart gleam in her eyes. Then
the gleam disappeared as she narrowed her
eyes. She'd just caught sight of the bouncing.

bounding
doughnut
as
it
went
spinning
through a gap in the bushes and into the next

yard.
I
was
speechless. I
admit
to
my
wear
glasses
and
have
eyes aren't very quick to focus,
especially in the glaring sun.
So although
was probably the first to see the doughnut

when it was only a few feet from the table
I thought my eyes were playing tricks and
I kept quiet about it. Only when the others
started yelling and gasping did I realize it was
no trick of the sunlight. This was a real
doughnut all right, seeming to move with a
life of its own.
'(f/uUffmyfBut let me describe the setup:
#7. The
place:
The end
McGurk's backall laid out on

The tree's trunk was to
of
yard, with the picnic goodies
the table under a tree.

the
left
and that was the only
of the table,
cover for a distance of twenty or thirty feet

all
around. But the doughnut was moving to
was nothing but rough

short grass. So it was not as if some visible
animal or a kid had reached out from a near-*
by bush and gone running off with it through
the right, where there
tall grass.
#2. The
#3. The
McGurk
Noon, on a bright summer

was nothing wrong with the light.
time:
day. There
occasion:
As
I said, this
more than a few
months, but that didn't stop

it
We
Organization's Annual Picnic.
hadn't been in existence
giving
was the
the grand
McGurk from
title.
''Annual picnic?" I'd said.

"Sure,"
McGurk had
replied.
"Why
not?
We've got four successfully solved mysteries

to celebrate, haven't we? We deserve four annual picnics at that rate."
Well,
it
looked as
tery to deal with
if
we had our
mys-
fifth
now.
McGurk seemed to
sense
this.
"Quick!" he yelled, throwing down
his
sandwich. "Follow that doughnut!"
Wanda and
were the
4
first
to
move. Mc-
Gurk and
table
Willie were at the other side of the
and had farther to
we reached
yard,
go.
But by the time
the bushes that screened the next
McGurk was in the lead.
"Oh!" he
said,
suddenly stopping.

This
not
where
is
much
just writing a
word down
is
mean you ought to have

hear the way that one simple
good.
been there to
sound came from our
leader's lips.
When
it
had a kind of yelping ring to it, like

the sound a dog makes when someone treads
on its paw. Then it slowed down some and
began,
it
deepened, like a dog when
and
gets very suspicious.
last long,
because next
whimper. Maybe
it
it
it
hears intruders
But even that
didn't
faded into a puzzled
should be written
down
like this:
''OW-AAARRR-ooopr
The reason?
Brains Bellingham.
Brains Bellingham was standing there, in
the yard next door, with an impatiently wriggling
dog
by the
and a badly chewed doughnut in his
hand. The dog was Dennis, a Yorkshire
little
in his left hand, held
collar,
right
terrier.
He
belonged to Miss Bellingham,
Brains's aunt,
who
lived next
door to the Mc-
The doughnut belonged to

Dennis, judging from the way he was
Gurks.
well,
strain-
ing to reach Brains's right hand.
"I'm sorry, McGurk," Brains said. "I didn't
mean
for
really
nuts,
him
didn't.
to disturb
But he
your crummy picnic,
just can't resist
dough-
can you, Dennis?"
"Yip!" went the dog, making another pass

at the
remains of the doughnut. "Yurrr!"
"You
down on
see?" said Brains, putting Dennis

the grass. "I've been getting to
know
"
"
" "
him
pretty well these past
my
two days, while Fve
My
parents have
McGurk,
know thatr
doughnut
dog
"But
been staying with
aunt.
gone to Chicago on business and
impatiently.
said
"I
the
the
"Sure," said Brains. "That's what I
guess he'd even steal them.
chance. So
ting
was
ex-
Dennis loves doughnuts so much
plaining.
once
him loose
again
just
When
I'm
now.
It
he sees his
sorry for
let-
was a pure
ac-
cident."
Brains smiled apologetically.
He
really did
look sorry. The eyes behind his large glasses
were blinking rapidly and he didn't look

rectly at
unusual.
any one of
As
us.
And
that in itself
a rule. Brains stares
you
di-
was
out:
boldly and very critically, with the clear gray

eyes of a very intelligent adult in his nineyear-old's face.
^McGurk's green

look
bewilderment "but
"But
"
^but
eyes had
of sheer
In the end,
Wanda
"But, Brains,
we
said
it
for him.
didn't see the dog. Just
just
Then
it
was her turn
to run out of words.
"Just the doughnut," I said.

"Ba-barreling along in the grass," stam-
mered Willie. "On on its own."

Brains was looking more furtive than ever
now. He stooped to the dog and patted it.
"Yes, well," he muttered. "Dennis
a small dog
doughnut with eyes
gazing at the
still
like shiny
he kind
black grapes.
of blends with his sur-
roundings," said Brains.
"You know.
All this
grayey, bluey, kind of yellowy-browny
silky,
hair.
such
huh, boy?"
"Yip!" went Dennis,
"And he
is
Like
uhcamouflage."
That was another thing that showed Brains

was having problems: all that "uh-ing" and
"you-knowing" and "kind-of-ing" stuff. He
usually sounds like a page from an encyclopedia, without any fumbling.
We
was
looked at each other. Could
right?
We
looked at the dog,
it
still
ing after the doughnut, and I think
shook our heads
at the
same time
be he
strain-
we
all
every one
of us. Dennis might very easily have blended

into the
background
But not
at this
in
long grass, at dusk.
time of the day, even on
Gurk's ragged lawn.
Mc-
No way.
"Hey, do you mind
if I
give
him
the dough-

nut now?" Brains said brightly, obviously
ing to change the subject. "I
to eat
mean
try-
it isn't fit
now, even for you guys."
This was more like the old Brains, always
ready with a put-down.
But
this
time none of us
felt like
giving
him
an argument.
"Sure,"
murmured McGurk. "Go ahead."
We
watched as Dennis caught hold of the

doughnut in his teeth, shook it about for a
few seconds from side to
it
side,
then lowered
to the grass and, growling with pleasure,
began
to eat
"You
it.
you
things," said
shouldn't
give
Wanda, more
dogs
sweet
for something to
say than to criticize Brains.

"I
know," said Brains. "But once
won't do him any harm,

listen. I
think
heard
my
I guess.
in a while
.
Hey,
aunt hollering for
me. Just keep an eye on him a minute,

you?"
will
We agreed. We were still stunned. We were

The
had been
forgotten for the time being. Back in McGurk's yard a whole pack of big, ravenous,
still
bewildered.
picnic itself
slavering, plainly visible dogs could
10
have been

Stealing the rest of the food, for all
we might
have known or cared.
"I just don't understand," said
McGurk,
staring at the dog. He's never even wandered

into our yard before. Miss Bellingham's al-
ii
THE CASE OF THE li^VISIBLE DOG

ways bragging about it. Says
trained dog in the whole town."
he's the best-
yr^(
"Yip!" agreed Dennis, looking up through

his hair.
He'd finished with the doughnut now.
About
half of
lay
it
on the grass
broken
in
pieces.
"He's not greedy, anyway," said
Wanda.
She bent to pat him. His whole body quivered

with pleasure, setting the metal tag on his
collar jingling like a tambourine.
"Bad
yes.
But not greedy."
"Bad?"
I said.
"Yes," she replied. "For coming into
Gurk's yard and stealing
Then she
trailed
the.
Mc-
."
.
reminded
off
of
the
problem again.
Dennis rolled over on
him
closely.
visible
But
it
his back. I inspected
didn't help.
from that angle,
He was
just as
too.
Then:
"Hey, what^s this?" said Willie.
He'd wandered
off a little
He was bending
us.
box.
feet
from the
rest of
over a large shiny black
was about eighteen inches high, two

long, and eighteen inches wide.
It
Dennis gave a
Willie.
The dog
little
yelp and went to join
sniffed at the side of the
13
box

and looked around
at us, as if
game. But by the time the

reached
dials
it
and
we were more
levers
of the box.
rest of us
had
interested in the
and switches on the
far side
Much more interested.

another of Brains's fancy
"It looks like
inventions," said
"Maybe
ready for a
Wanda.
a patent lawn mower," I said,
smiling.
"Or a kind of super-modem kennel

dog," said Willie.
"You know. Air
for the
condition-
ing in the summer. Heating in winter."
"Yip!" went Dennis, standing on his back

legs
and scratching
But
at the lid.
McGurk was
kneeling down, studying
the dials and switches

plastic strips
my
was
pale.
spatter of
nothing!"
he
growled.
he snorted. "One of
foot!"
Brains's inventions
face
little
under them.
"Lawn mower,
"Kennel,
and reading the
yes."
He
stood up. His
Every freckle stood out
like
mud. His green eyes blazed with
excitement. "Just take a look at what

here!"
14
it
says

And what
was
it
said there, under
one switch,
this:
WACREASE
INVl5iB\uiy
Then McGurk's
little
as
it
finger turned, trembling a
pointed to the label under the other
switch:
RE5T0i?E
WISI&UTV
"He
"
McGurk
took a deep breath.
closed his eyes and shook his head.
opened
his eyes
He
When
he
he looked very perplexed
puzzled and pained at the same time. "He
15

hasn't really found a
invisible,
way
of
making the dog
has he?"
"Yip!" said Dennis, giving the
lid
another
scratch.
m/
Inside the Box

"Why
don't
we
see what's inside the box?"
Wanda.
She was just being
said
cause
McGurk
sarcastic, I guess, be-
already had the lid open. Den-
had put his front paws up on the edge

again and was peering in with his black eyes
nis
bright
and
his
stubby
17
little
pointed ears

THE
CASfi
cocked up,
OF THE INVISIBLE DOG
But what attracted the

was not deep down inside
all alert.
rest of us at first
the box. It
was on the underside of the
lid it-
self.
"Gosh!" whispered Willie.
"It's
like the
works inside a radio."

"Or a television," I said.
"Something very complicated, anyway,"
said
Wanda.
There were
lots of
colored wires there
blue and green and yellow
and
There was a row of small silver batteries. Then there were things that only someone like Brains would be able to identify
in neat loops
lines.
accurately
and timers and

plugs and sockets and transformers and tranlike
rectifiers
joined together in different ways

by the colored wires. And in the center of it
all was a flat, round, pearly lamp, fixed so
that when it was switched on and the lid was
closed, it would send its rays straight down
sistors, all
into the box.
"Don't touch!" snapped McGurk, as Wilhand went near the controls. "There's no
lie's
saying what might happen

switches
is
pulled:"
18
-^
if
one of those
Inside the
Willie
I
box
It
drew back as
turned
my
if
Box
he'd been burned.
attention to the inside of the
itself.
wasn't shiny like the outside.
The box
be made of a thin wood, and on the

was painted a dull black. At first I
had thought it was completely empty, but as I
peered closer I could see some small white
things on the bottom.
seemed
inside
to
it
reached, but
"Crumbs" he
between
McGurk
said,
his fingers
beat
me
to
it.
pinching a few of them
and thumb. ''Doughnut
crumbs!" he added, as he brought them up

into the daylight. "Right, WiUie?"
"
To me
they could have been bread or
cookie or even cracker crumbs. But Willie
has something more reliable than eyes for
making such
He
identifications.
brought his great long nose close to
McGurk's outstretched
and nodded.
"Doughnut,
all right,"
"Yip!" went Dennis
have told us that

"Well," said
ly, "it
fingers,
all
he
as
along,
took a
sniff,
said.
if
if
to say
he could
we'd only asked.
Wanda, frowning
thoughtful-
really does begin to look like
"Hey! Get out of there!"

This was Brains.
He was
striding
yard from the house. His face was
down
all
the
red and
sweaty and indignant.

"That's private!" he said, coming up and
closing the
lid.
"Sorry," said
"Yeah!
aren't you,
McGurk. "But"
You look it! Always snooping,

McGurk? Always playing the big
detective!"
Brains looked very
he used to sneer
at-
bitter.
Time and again
McGurk and
the Organi-
zation like this, but he didn't fool me. I
guessed
it
was jealousy
20
really. I think
what
Inside the
Box
he wanted more than anything
else
was
to
join the Organization. Right at the beginning
he had suggested
it
himself
though
in a very
roundabout way.
"What you
need
really
man," he had
a laboratory
is
"Someone who could

tests of clues. Someone
said.
make all the scientific

who could run the McGurk
Organization's
forensic science lab."
to
"The what?" Willie had asked.

"The forensic science lab. Forensic means
do with crime and law. Xefs just say the
crime lab then,
if
you dummies
find
it
easier
to pronounce."
Well, that was the trouble. Right there in

those last few words.
McGurk wanted
mean, even though
keep the membership
to
down, we might have taken Brains on
if
hadn't been for his uppity scornful attitude.
mean
he'd only just turned nine
no brains
and some
it
brains or
of us are a whole year
As McGurk said:
want some smart-mouthed child
older than him, at least.
"We
don't
bossing us around.
work
to be done,
And
if
there's
any science
Joey here has the brains for

21

it.
So get
Go
lost, kid.
invent yourself a
new
kind of candy."
Naturally, I
felt
McGurk
mark.
very pleased about that re-
doesn't throw compliments
around every day. But to
like that
have to admit he was a
truth, I
tell
the
bit off the
mark
there. English, geography, history, gen-
eral
intelligence
things
math
my
those
brains are good
well, let's say I
subjects
and leave
it
the
are
kinds
of
Science and
at.
can get by
in those
at that.
Brains Bellingham didn't.
When McGurk
me the compliment, the kid just looked

me through those big owl glasses and said:
"Brains for science work? Him? He
paid
at
wouldn't recognize a silicon-controlled rec-
him on the nose!"

The trouble was he was
tifier if it bit
right,
too.
wouldn't have.
Anyway,
that's the
way
things were be-
tween us and Brains, and right
McGurk
glaring at
now
he was
acting real sore and just
a bit worried.
"How
long have you been poking your
nose into
my
private
"Huh?"
22
property?" he said.
Inside the
"Aw, come
Box
on, Brains!" said
McGurk. (He
when his curiosity was

know it was all that
were only looking at it. What is
could be polite enough

aroused.)
private.
"We
We
didn't
anyway?"
This seemed to relieve Brains. His scowl
relaxed. There was even a gleam of humor in
it,
when he replied
"What is it? Why don't you ask your
his eyes
23
sci-

ence
expert,
Professor
Joey
Rockaway
there?"
Then
his
scowl returned as he stooped to
pick up the box.
"Anyway, you're wasting your time. You

ought to be getting back to your dumb picnic
before the birds and the squirrels demoHsh it.
Let's go, Dennis. We've got better things to
do."
24
An Invisibility
Machine?
After watching Brains go staggering up the
yard with the box in his arms and Dennis

jingling proudly at his heels,
we
returned to
our picnic. Neither the birds nor the squirrels
had interfered with the food on the table, but

it wasn't the same as when we'd first started
25

on the meal.
We were all too puzzled by what
we'd just seen.
McGurk
did
make one attempt
to laugh
it
off.
"Brains thinks he's smart," he said, reaching out for a Devil Dog, one of his favorite
foods. "But just
invisible in
me make
watch
these dogs
my InvisibiUty Machine!"
This brightened us up a
bit.
We kicked the
joke around a while with talk of Invisible
Chocolate Chip Cookie Machines, or
Invisi-
Apple Machines, or Invisible Cheesecake

Machines according to our own favorite
foods. But it didn't help for long. This sort of
ble
made us realize the one big difference.

mean we may have been able to make these
things disappear all right, but we sure couldn't
make them visible again, the way Brains had
made Dennis.
joking
I
It
was annoying,
This was supposed to
too.
be a celebration picnic, remember. Yet here
middle
squelched by a mystery we had no
we were
tion
slap in the
of that celebra-
idea
how to solve.
"Right, men!" said
McGurk,
as soon as
we'd finished the food. "Let's clear
26
all this
An Invisibility Machine?
junk away and get the table back into the
basement.
He
to.
what work. He didn't need
didn't say
We
laps
We have work to do!"
had
just
had a mystery dumped
when we'd
expected
least
thing
we could do was
And
that
it.
our
in
The only
get busy solving
it.
meant putting our Headquarters
back into operational shape
Ten minutes
basement where
was back on
right
belonged.
it
away.
was
the table
later,
My
and so were our
it,
the
in
typewriter
the
files:
boxes labeled mysteries solved and clues
And we were sitting around it,

McGurk in the old rocking chair at the
and so on.
with
head.
"Well?" he
rocking angrily and
said,
ing around at us, one by one.
mean what
"Any
star-
ideas? I
did happen to that doughnut?
And
what did happen to Dennis?"

"Personally,"
said,
"I think
it
was some
kind of trick."
"So do
I," said
very perplexed
said.
"I
mean
in
Wanda. She frowned,
still
of what
just
spite

well
it
Doesn't it?"
"Willie?"
27
she'd
just has to be.
An
McGurk was
look.
Machine?
Invisibility
giving Willie a very fierce
Brains
mean well, I
know, McGurk! I mean well
"Well
well, I
I just
don't
is
clever at things like that. Science things."
"Not that
Wanda
clever,"
"Right,
said.
Joey?"
McGurk cut in before I
could reply.
"But he has invented some

things,
nifty
little
don't forget. Like his White Noise
Machine, for drowning out other sounds

night, so he
I
can get to sleep."
nodded.
"Sure. I agree. But
an
Invisibility
chine?"
"He could have stumbled on
I suppose," said McGurk.
it
the freckles.
He
sat
green
back and rocked.
"Like Hke
slits
"Yeah," murmured Willie.

Chinese guy in that movie
Ma-
by accident,
His eyes were very thoughtful
among
at
the
saw.
The one who
invented gun-powder. That was an accident.
Blew himself up with
it."
Wanda groaned and
looked
at
me. She
didn't say anything, but I could guess
she was thinking.
McGurk and
29
Willie
what
wanted
"

Machine. They
to believe in the Invisibility
were
like
that.
mean
but only too ready

that
made
^well,
not
dumb
to believe in anything
life interesting.
lieved that there
was dumb
Willie
enough and McGurk was
Why, he even
be-
was something supernatural

like it was not just an
about Willie's nose
extra-sensitive sense of smell the kid had!
"The trouble wit|;i you, McGurk," I said,

meaning to spell all this out, "is you're a
sucker for any
Then
stopped.
Because
that's
when we heard
Like the tag on a dog's
from
inside,
collar.
the jingling.
But coming
behind McGurk, in the other
part of the basement, where the furnace
30
is.
The Wet Bone

Now let's get this straight.
The door
to the yard
the basement,
room
is
with us
is
in
and the door
one comer of
to the furnace
in the opposite corner.

all
sitting
around
tween the two.

81
it,
Our
was
table,
right be-
Now both doors were open that afternoon.

was very warm and we needed the air. But
if any dog had crossed from one door to the
other we would have been sure to see it. Any
visible dog, I mean.
All right then. So was there another way
into the furnace room?
It
Yes. Down the stairs leading from the

main part of the house. But the door at the
top of those stairs was shut. Mrs. McGurk
always insisted on that, whenever we were
down in the basement. Because of the noise

we made when we got to arguing.
We were arguing now, as we stepped into
the furnace room.
"I tell
you
it
was
just like the
sound of a
dog's metal tag!"
"But
how
could
it
be? There's no way a
dog could have gotten past us."

"Maybe through a window."
'Window? What window, dummy? What
kind of a dog could get through these?''
McGurk was right.

The basement windows were nothing more
than ventilation
slits
really,
about eighteen
inches long and six inches wide.
32
They were
The Wet Bone

at
ground
level outside,
were way up
and
meant they
this
at the top of the walls
on the
inside.
open^ Willie said.

This was true. They were the
"Well, they're
tilted
inward a
sort that
way.
little
"Yes, but not wide open,"
Wanda mur-
mured. "Only two or three inches.

take a very
flat little
dog
It
would
to squeeze through
there."
"Yeah," said McGurk. "And

even
when
flatter
But be
it
here somewhere, no matter
still
how
We were
door. We
This seemed true.
room
would be
dropped from that height.
quiet, all of you. It's
the furnace
it
all
got to be in
it
got in."
standing by
fell
silent
and
listened.
No jingling.
Only the sound of our own breathing.
Then the more raspy sound of Willie sniffing.
"Got something?" McGurk whispered.

Willie nodded.
"I smell dog," he said. "Fresh dog."
"That's
my
boy!" said McGurk, patting
33

him on the shoulder
as
if
Willie himself were
a dog. "Track him!"
was dim
It
and
its
Apart from the furnace
in there.
pipes and things, the
room was
clut-
tered with junk: old cartons of books, boxes

of nails, broken blinds, bike parts, half-empty
cans of paint that had
That
set hard,
a broken fan.
sort of stuff.
seems to come from over behind that
"It
stack of garden chairs," said Willie, leading

the way.
We
followed, straining our eyes, picking
our way through the junk. There were plenty

of places for a
if it
dog
could have
be hiding in
to
made
it
^but
into the furnace
only
room
without being seen.
So
said,
if it
was a
fresh
dog
meant only one
it
smell, as Willie
had
thing.
Suddenly, that one thing
made me feel very
creepy.
"Unbelievable!"
muttered.
"What?" said Wanda.

"Hah!" cried
He
Willie.
stooped so fast that his bony behind
butted into
McGurk.
34

"Hey! Watch what you're"
McGurk
be\
gan.
Then he
stared.
"See?" said Willie, triumphantly.
He straightened up.
He was holding something very daintily be-
The Wet Bone
tween finger and thumb. Something white.

Something about five inches long, with lumps
at the end.
"A
a bone?" whispered
"Yeah," said Willie.

"Let
me
"A
see that," said
Wanda.
rubber bone."
McGurk, snatching
on it."
It had. Here is an exact copy of the bone
and its writing, which I made for our clues
it
from
Willie's hand. "It's got writing
file.
P0660
The name was stamped on

"Huh!
It's
just
the
the rubber.
brand name," said
Wanda.
"I
know
that," said
that I'm examining.

It
was, too.
McGurk.
Look. Feel.
Wet and
"It isn't that

It's still
slightly sticky.
wet!"
Some
dog had been chewing it fairly recently. This

was no forgotten piece of junk, along with the
scattered nails and old playing cards and the
other stuff that littered the floor.
87
Wanda
"Well,"
began,
look"
Then she broke off.
The jingling again.
This time it came from
that
same room, across
We
"it
does begin to
right
behind
us, in
at the other side.
spun around. Stared. Peered.
Nothing.
There wasn't so much
No
clutter
on that
side.
boxes or anything. Nothing for a dog to
hide behind. Yet that was where the jingling
had just come from.

Willie gave a
little
moan.
"/'m getting outa here!" he said, and
made
for the door to our part of the basement.
"Don't be such
a"
This was our day for not getting to finish
what we were saying.

Because no sooner had McGurk caught up
with Willie, reaching to grab him and haul
him back
to face
up
to his duties, than Brains
called out:
"Hey, you guys! Seen anything of Dennis?"
He was
standing at the outer door, at the
foot of the steps leading
was blinking around
at
38
up
to the yard.
He
our Headquarters
"
The Wet Bone
room with
same anxious look on
that
"No," said Willie,
his face.
scared, "but
still
we
just
heard something of him, and smelled something of him. An'
spooky,
"It's
it
I tell
you,
don't like
it, it's
it
time you cooled down!" snapped
Mc-
Gurk. "Get a hold of yourself, Officer San-
dowsky!" He turned
to Brains,
who was
still
standing in the doorway. "Now. Let's get this
You
clear.
say you've lost Dennis.
makes you think

And that was
What
?"
yet another unfinished sen-
tence, because just then something spookier
yet happened.
Brains had been blinking around, as
but mainly
at the floor,
said
down by our
feet,
comers. Then
under the
table, into the
once
eyes narrowed, and he began to
his
squint,
and he was looking down
all at
at the floor
right in front of him, and:
"Gotcha!" he went.
He
didn't yell
it.
He
didn't whisper
it.
It
was more of a muttered growl, coming from

between
his
clenched teeth.
Then he made
a grab,
39
down by
his ankles,

and although
clutching
it
at, it
looked like empty
sure didn't sound like
This was something

tough, turbulent
air.
and growling and

heard
we
it,
all
air
of us.
else.
he was
it.
This was thick,
Wriggling
air.
jingling air. I
Snarling
mean we
We checked afterward and
agreed.
40
The Wet Bone
Those dog sounds those struggling dog

sounds were loud and clear.
And they were coming from the space between Brains's clutching hands and his chest!
Suddenly he turned. Still clutching at this
bundle of noisy nothing, he
said,
over his
shoulder, in a strained voice that he tried to
make calm:
"Oh,
think
hear Dennis now, up in the
yard. Sorry to bother you, guys."
Then he ran up
the steps, leaving us gaping
at the door.
"I don't believe it!" whispered
Wanda.
I'm not sure whether she meant she didn't

believe
didn't
what Brains had

believe what we'd
heard. I didn't
all
know what
and Willie looked
or she
said,
just
just seen
and
to think myself,
like he'd faint if
you
just
murmured "Bow-wow!" at him.

But McGurk's eyes were gleaming. He
wasn't in any doubt.
"He heard Dennis

it
all right,"
he
said.
wasn't anywhere up in the yard.
right
arms.
here.
.
quietly,
In
our
Come
men. The
Headquarters.
on,
let's
silent
41
"But
It
was
In
his
follow him. But
approach."
1/
'A
S Dennis Reappears
We did exactly that:
taining the
reached the
McGurk, mainsilent approach. And when we

bushes we were just in time to see
followed
Brains putting that noisy bundle of nothing

down into the box.
42
Dennis Reappears
"All right, Dennis,

ing, in low,
all right!"
soothing tones.
visible again in
no
he was say-
"I'll
have you
time. Just keep quiet
and
stiU."
McGurk turned to us.

"Hear that?" he whispered.
We nodded.
was still hard to believe, but there
seemed to be no other explanation.
"Let's tackle him," said McGurk. "He can't
It
way out of it now."

He led the way through
talk his
bushes, just as Brains
the gap in the
was closing the
lid.
"Hi, Brains!"
He
Brains gave a jump.
looked nearly as
nervous as Willie had, back in the basement.
"Huh
what do you want?" he
casting an uneasy glance
There were now
little
down
muttered,
at the box.
whimpering, puzzled
dog noises coming from inside.

"We see you found him," said McGurk.
"Eh? Who?"
Brains gave the
lid
smack and the sounds
trailed off.
"Come onr
said
McGurk. "You know
who."
43

"Dennis," said Wanda.
there, don't
"You have him
Brains blinked.
"Oh
him
^you
no. No. I'm
Again
in
you?"
still
mean Dennis? Why
ûh
looking."
that stumbling speech, so unusual
for Brains Bellingham.
"Where?" jeered MuGurk. "In that box?"

"Eh? Here? In here? Whywhy should I
look in here?*'
"Because you
why!"
put him in there, that's
just
Brains shrugged.
"You must be nuts, McGurk.
mean
really
But see for yourself."

He opened the hd. We crowded around.
The box was empty.
nuts.
Completely, absolutely, positively empty.
Then McGurk
"Hi, Dennis!
It
said:
Good
dog!
Good
boy!"
worked.
From
empty black box there

and a jingle, and a
little friendly growl, and then a
soft thumping, like the sound of a stumpy tail
against
wood.
came a
inside that
rustling sound,
44
Willie
jumped back. Wanda and
slow to follow.
McGurk
weren't
turned to Brains.
There was genuine admiration
in his eyes
as he said:
"All right, Brains. Stop trying to cover up.
We
know. You've
really
you?"
45
done
it^
haven't
"Done uhwhat?" said Brains, closing

the lid and looking suspiciously at McGurk
over his glasses.
way
"Discovered a
to
make
things
in-
visible."
Brains took a deep breath.
around
at us, half
"Oh, well!
Wanda was
tell
He
looked
annoyed, half anxious.
guess I can't deny
now."
it
staring hard at him. I could
she hadn't quite gotten over her
own
sus-
picions yet.
"So make the dog
visible again,
huh?"
Brains shrugged.
"Yes,
all right.
maximum
He's exceeded the period of
invisibility already."
He
glanced at
the huge wristwatch he always wore: the one

that told
you the
date,
Kong and London
and the times
in
Hong
as well as the local time,
and the phases of the moon, and the points of

the compass, and all that sort of stuff. "He's
exceeded
it
by three minutes and twenty-two
seconds, so we'd better
back,
We
all
of you,
move
and keep absolutely
didn't argue this time.
about the
fast.
invisibility
What
Stand
silent."
he'd said
period running over and
46
the
way he looked made
us feel we'd better
obey him or something bad might happen to

little
Dennis.
So we watched
in perfect silence as he
47

clicked switches
on and
off,
pushed buttons,
stared at the flickering needles
clicked
more
on the
dials,
switches, pushed the buttons
again (briskly now, like a clerk at a super-
market check-out), and

lever
finally
clockwisethrough
turned a large
180 degrees ex-
actly.
Then he wiped
and looked
the sweat off his forehead
at his watch,
with his right hand
held up to us, demanding

little
we keep
silent a
longer.
Then, when some precise number of
sec-
onds had passed, he reached out, unfastened

the clasp, and threw open the
lid.
That was Dennis, making a cheerful growling noise, as
first
round black shiny
his stubby ears, then his
eyes,
and then
his
round
black shiny nose appeared over the edge.
''Goshr
That was Wanda, convinced

Dennis placed
his front
at last,
as
paws on the edge and
gave himself a shake.
'Wowr
And
that
was
Willie, as
48
Dennis clambered
Dennis Reappears
out of the box and showed himself to be fully

visible again,
from nose to wagging
tail.
W The Snag
McGurk said it for all of us.
"Hey! Brains! That's some invention you've
got there!"
His voice was
full of
Brains smiled a
"Thanks," he
admiration.
little
for the
said. "It's
50
first
time.
good of you
to say
The Snag
SO."
Then he went back
He
to frowning.
took
and slowly polished them on the

edge of his shirt. "But it's a long way from
being perfect yet," he said, staring moodily at
off his glasses
the box.
"How did you I mean, how

work?" Wanda asked.
does
it
She looked completely sold now, as she

looked up from patting Dennis. The suspicious glint had left her eyes, and they were
shining with
"Well
mit. It
wonder and
trust.
" Brains shrugged. "I
was an accident
have to ad-
really."
"I told you!" said WilHe, looking

at the rest of us.
Even
his
around
nose seemed to be
glowing with excitement. "Just
like the Chi-
nese guy!"
Brains gave him a puzzled glance.
"Whatever," said McGurk, anxious to get
back
to the point.
''How was
it
an accident.
Brains?"
"Well
I'll tell
"You might
now.
you," said the young
as
well
know
the
scientist.
full
story
."
.
We
listened in
he told
us.
dead silence
at first, while
Dennis was the only one to make

51

any sound. Whenever
wagged
tioned, he
jingle.
Or
and then,
his
his tail,
he'd give a deep
as
if
name was menmaking

little
his tag
growl
now
to say:
"That's right! That's exactly the
way
it
was!"
It
turned out that Brains had been aiming
at a flea-killer.
"While
I've
been staying with
my
aunt, I
decided to do something to get rid of Dennis's

fleas
and the
ticks he's
been picking up
yard, in this hot weather.
wears a
Now
in the
normally he
and that does a pretty

and ticks. But
it's a chemical process, you see. And the
chemicals were giving him problems. A kind
flea collar,
good job of
of allergy.
getting rid of fleas
A rash."
"Poor thing!" murmured
Wanda
at that
dog up and hugging him

close, fleas or no fleas, rash or no rash.
"So anyway," Brains went on, rather dryly,
point, picking the
"I figured I'd find a
way
to solve the problem.
But how? Chemicals were out
Then
thought of light rays. Like you have
ultraviolet
obviously.
lamps for skin problems. Maybe
maybe
thought
52
could produce a ray
that
would not only
his ears, but also kill off
McGurk was
up the rash under

the fleas and ticks."
clear
nodding.
He
looked at the
box.
"And that was it?"

"Yes. That was
it,"
said Brains. "Instead of
chemicals, a photoelectric process."
sighed again. "Trouble was,
53
it
made
Then he
the
dog
11/
11
'I
disappear as well as the rash and the ticks and

fleas!"
"Gosh!"
Dennis by
him up
Wanda
this time,
gasped.
but
now
She'd released
she had to pick
for another hug. "I bet
you
flipped!"
Brains sniffed.
"I
was somewhat concerned,

54
yes.
But
The Snag
went back to the
circuit
changes, and
well
and made some
was able
to
make him
visible again."
"How
Willie.
about the
fleas
and things?" asked
"Did they come back too?"
Brains shook his head; Dennis wagged his

tail.
"No. That part of the invention was completely successful.
doesn't need to
No
fleas.
wear a
No
flea collar
That reminded me. During

been listening carefully,
But
I still
ticks.
Dennis
any more."
all this talk,
Fd
politely, respectfully.
wasn't one hundred per cent con-
vinced, like the others.
"One thing.
Brains,"
I said.
"Yes?"
He
gave
me
a keen look. If this was a trick,
he probably knew
through
be the one to see
it.
"How come we
Dennis's tag
He
I'd
if
could hear the jingle of
his collar
was
invisible?"
smiled.
"Good
question,
Joey.
But
place, his collar wasn't invisible.
in
the
The machine
only makes living tissue disappear. But
55
first
tell
me
is
Can you
this.
see his collar now,
when he
visible?"
"No,"
I said.
"All that long hair covers
it.
But"
"Right!" said Brains.
hair
becomes
me
Don't ask
I
mean
if
invisible
why.
"And when
it still
that long
covers his collar.
don't know.
It just
does.
Dennis was a short-hair breed you'd
You'd have seen

this collar running around a few inches from
the ground, and the tag jingling."
have seen the collar
"Sure," said
tions.
at
.
McGurk. "Like when we saw
doughnut running around. I'm
just the
prised
all right.
sur-
you,
Joey.
Asking dumb ques-
But
I've got
a more sensible one,
56
The Snag
Brains.
when
How come we
hear Dennis himself,
he's invisible?"
Brains gave him a look that showed he

didn't think
much
of that question, anyway.
You'd feel him,

too, if he brushed against you while he was
invisible. Or gave you a nip. Just because he's
"Because
he's
invisible doesn't
there.
still
mean he
isn't solid. I
mean
he couldn't walk through a wall or anything.
He can
I
get
still
him
him the
visibility
McGurk
way
his
things.
vinced.
be shutjn. Otherwise
to stay in the
box when
how would
was giving
charge?"
nodded, nodded, nodded. The
eyes were gleaming told
me two
Not only was he completely conHis mind was racing ahead with other
plans for the machine.
"Uhit's safe,
is
it?"
he asked.
"Well, sure," said Brains, looking troubled

again. "Apart
from
well .... There
is just
one snag, of course."
"Oh?"
"Nothing very serious." Brains patted the
lid
of the box.
"You
see,
most people, when
they think of invisibility rays, they expect to

use tremendous voltages, right?"
57

"Right!" said Willie. "Like in the movies.
Big flashes and crackling and

You're
and
yeah!
right, Brains."
"I used to think so myself," said Brains.
"But
this accident
has told
me
different. Just
a few simple flashlight batteries. That's
you need. So long
all
as the rest of the circuit
is
correct."
He
and gave us another

glimpse of the colored wires and things.
"And I'm beginning to think we need even
the
lifted
lid
fewer batteries," he went on. "Since the snag
cropped up."
"What snag
"Well, this
visible
Man
even after
ity,
he has
exactly?" asked
is
where
it
Wanda.
does get like the In-
movies," said Brains.

bring Dennis back to
"You
see,
full visibil-
spells of invisibility again.
Without
when he
got into
the machine. Like just now,
your basement."
"Oh, you poor, poor thing!" cried Wanda,

clutching the dog to her chest again.
"Also he gets patchy

still
spells," said Brains,
frowning. "Sometimes just his head disap-
pears.
Sometimes only
his tail
and back
legs
are left visible. Sometimes only the head. But
58

The Snag
worry," he added quickly,
don't
looked as
visible all
Wanda would make
if
when
the
dog
it
in-
him
by herself, by lovingly crushing
into a fine powder. "I think I have the an-
swer."
"Ah!" cried McGurk.

During
all this talk
Gurk had
started
worried, and even a
about the snag, Mc-
to
look
bit scared.
and
doubtful,
Now his whole
face brightened again.
"Hey, look. Brains

to put
how long
will
it
take
right?"
it
Brains shrugged.
"Oh, not long. Maybe today. Certainly by

tomorrow."
"Great!" said
then
it'll
McGurk.
be perfectly
"Just great!
And
safe, right?"
"Sure," said Brains.
"And
and
long then to
"Well, no.
maybe it wouldn't take you

make a bigger model?"
I
guess not."
mean like big enough for making a

invisible. Huh? Like
like an Invisible
"I
vestigator
kid
In-
Machine?"
We stared
at
him.
We
59
might have expected
HACIHIINC
The Snag
that idea to
Even
so,
come
it still
leaping out of his head.
took us by surprise.
Brains was the
to recover.
first
Smiling sadly, he shook his head.
McGurk," he
"Sorry,
in charge of the
said.
machine
"Fd have
to be
at all times."
"But you would, man! Sure you would!
You'd be a member of the Organization. Joey,

type Gerald an I.D. card right away."
Gerald!
McGurk
wasn't taking any chances with
Now
nicknames.
wanted the young
help so badly, he didn't even dare
scientist's
him Brains!
risk calling
But
that he
Gerald or Brains
the kid
was
still
shaking his head.
"Forget
way you
feel,
want me
me
it,"
in
he said. "I can understand the
McGurk. But you
your Organization. You've told
that a million times.
machine
We
all
when
You
just
want the
don't you?"
dropped our
had started
don't really
to blush a
eyes.
little.
Even McGurk
And
he's
no
liar,
really challenged.
"Well
guess
in a
took a deep breath.

61
way
maybe" He

"But
Now,
you
that
all
was
after this, I
Gerald.
before, Br-er
can really see how good
are. Just the sort of
guy we need."
Brains smiled so sweetly
him
thinking of
still
almost started
as Gerald myself.
But he was
shaking his head.
"Thanks,
thanks.
McGurk," he
And now
said.
must get
to
"But no
work on
Come, Dennis."
Then he picked up the box and left us staring after him for the second time that day.
the circuit.
,^('i(
lost One
Invisible
Dog
We spent the next half -hour back in the basement, trying to figure out
change
his
how
to
make Brains
mind.
"We could threaten to tell Miss Bellingham," McGurk said, after a while. "She loves
dog and she'd go out of her mind if she
heard he'd been experimenting with Dennis."
that
68

Willie looked hopeful; but
have no part of
it.
"That's blackmail,
in itself. Fine thing
McGurk!
Even
agreed.
frowning now.
Willie
mean someone's
we'll never get
around
at us.
Wanda
own way!"
was nodding and

sighed and mut-
its
being only an idea.
got to think up ideas or
anywhere," he
"So
let's
said, glaring
hear some of yours."
said:
"Well, the
way
right to feel that

ly.
its
And McGurk
tered something about

"I
That's a crime
a detective organization
back on crime to get
falling
Wanda would
see
it is
that Brains has a
way. He's been treated bad-
Especially by you,
McGurk."
"So?"
"So
think you should apologize. Properly.
Handsomely.
And in writing."
"What?"
McGurk
come out
looked as
if
he were going to
of his rocking chair like a pilot out
of an ejector seat. Fly right out of
it,
straight
Wanda's throat.
"Hold it!" I said. "You're right, McGurk."
I turned to Wanda. "I mean, don't you see
that that in itself was the most handsome
for
64
One
Lost
apology
McGurk
Invisible
Dog
could possibly make?
By
offering to let Brains join?"
"So
all
right then," said
Wanda. "So what
idea do you have?"

I sat
back.
gave
it
my best shot.
we could
"I think
simply say we'll
everyone about his secret.

with us, as a
"That
member
isn't
If
he won't share
it
of the Organization."
from blackmail,
far
tell
either,"
Wanda.
"I meant without mentioning Dennis,
so
he wouldn't get into trouble with his aunt.
He
said
Not until he's perfected

the machine, anyway. But it wouldn't be nasty
like blackmail
No?"
McGurk was shaking his head now.
"No, Joey. You see, if the news did get
around, the Government would soon pick it
still
wouldn't like
it.
up. They'd step in

tion.
and take over his invenThink of the use they could make of it."
"Well
it is
our Government,"
I said.
"May-
be they've a right to know."

"Sure,"
said
McGurk. "But not before

it. I mean
gosh!"
we've had a chance to use
His eyes went glassy and dreamy. "I want to

volunteer to be the
first
65
human
to try
it.
It

would make me
the
like the first
man
to
walk on
moon."
"Yes," âid
Wanda. "But they brought him
back, don't forget."
That took a
bit of the
glow out of Mc-
Gurk's cheeks.
"Anyway," he
said, "Joey's idea isn't
any
good either. Any more?"

Willie sniffed.
He
did this the
way some
people clear their throats before they have an
important suggestion to make.

"Yes, Willie?"
was
"Well
couldn't
we pay him to join?"
just thinking. I
mean
well
This time everyone jeered at the idea.
"What withr
"Peanuts?"
|
"Leftover cookies from the picnic?"
hung his head.

was only a thought," he
Willie
"It
It
said.
was Brains himself who came up with the
solution. Or, rather, he
right to the
came down with
it,
door of the basement.
"Hey, guys!" he
said, huffing
66
and
puffing,
;
"
One
Lost
Invisible
Dog
with his glasses askew and his cheeks

red. "I
all
need help! Quick!"
"What
is
it?" said
McGurk. He'd
started
he was all set to tell Brains

But he must have sensed an oppor-
to frown. I think
to get lost.
tunity here. "Tell us about

"It
it's
it,
Gerald."
Dennis," said Brains, holding onto
the door. He's gone. You've got to help
me
find him."
"Well
ful.
."
McGurk, looking doubt-
said
"I'm not sure
"For Pete's sake," said Brains, "you're

detectives, aren't you? Don't you read your
own dumb notices?"

He thumped the one on
the door.
It said:
<Ep our
OR6|Afsii2Ar/(3hi
?KVAr /MVST?^ncNS
MliiNq PERSONS fooNO
We'd added
that last line after solving the
mystery of the Nervous Newsboy. Brains gave

it
an extra thump.
wrong?"
"What's
he
"Dennis
snarled.
doesn't rate as a person? That it?"
"No, of course not!" said Wanda, begin-
McGurk herself.
ning to glare at
"That
isn't
the problem," said
McGurk.
"Sure we'd be glad to look for him, Brains.
But he
can't be classed as missing.
Not
in this
short time."
"Not
if
he was a normal dog, you dum-
dum!" Brains raged. "But he'd just turned invisible again when he took off. I mean this is
a missing invisible person!"
We
whole new
on
Sure enough,
all stared.
ball
game.
this
made
McGurk was
it
already
his feet.
"I see
what you mean. Brains," he
said.
"He could get run over by a car?" cried

Wanda. "Being invisible and all. I mean how
can a driver
know
to avoid a
dog when he
can't even see it?"
"Right, right!" said
McGurk. He patted
Brains's shoulder. **Just leave
68
it
to us.

There's just one thing, though.
The question
of a fee."
give
you
"Your membership, Gerald? You'll
join
"Anything!" cried Brains.

anything
"I'll
have."
the Organization?"
"You've got
drag
McGurk
it!"
said Brains, starting to
out through the door. "Only
hurry! Please! Before
it's
TO
too late."
O The Search
The scene out in the streets during the next
hour was the strangest that had ever taken
place in our neighborhood.
I
mean, picture
it
yourself.
Leading the search was
this little
shrimp of
a kid with great round glasses and a worried
71

look, his face getting redder
the time.
all
Stooping and cupping his hands to his ears
and closing
shut!
his eyes. Searching with his eyes
And every so often yelling
"Over here!
heard his tag jingle!"
Or:
He brushed my
"I just felt him!
leg!
He's
moving your way!"
And
the time calling, calling, calling.
all
"Dennis!
.
Here, Dennis!
Good
boy!
Doughnuts, boy!"
We
let
Brains do the leading like
cause Dennis would

therefore be
to
more
know
likely to
this,
his voice best,
respond to
it
be-
and
than
any of ours.
Next, add to the scene four other searchers,
all silent, all
One
busy in their
own
ways.
them the tall thin one with the

long nose was staggering around, almost
on his hands and knees, sniffing like some
kind of dog himself.
Another the one with red hair and freckles and green eyes
had had the bright idea
of
of using a very visible dog. This
was Sammy,
the Henshaws' beagle, always ready for a
game. As soon as
Sammy had
72
spotted the
The Search
Strange goings-on he'd
yelping with glee.
him
off,
but
come scampering
was
all
up,
prepared to shoo
McGurk said no.
^^
"Leave him
be. If he gets
wind of an
in-
visible dog, he'll be sure to give a sign."
Well,
Sammy was
giving signs,
all right.
He was giving nothing else but signs.

He leaped in the air. He darted from one
78

person to another.
his back.
He
He
barked.
He
rolled
on
snatched a handkerchief out of
Willie's hand.
has to keep his
was there because Willie

nose clear all the time he's on
(It
a delicate sniffing mission.) In other words,

Sammy simply behaved like Sammy.
"Even so," McGurk muttered at one point,

"you never know. I'm sticking with him."
As
two members of the OrI were acting even

Wanda's main concern was for Den-
for the other
ganization,
crazier.
nis's safety.
had
Wanda and
The
thing about cars and drivers
really gotten to her.
came
So every time a car
into a section of a street near
where
Brains had last heard a jingle or felt a furry

body brush his leg, Wanda would step out
and
flag the driver
down.
"Please," she would say, "please go very
slow just here. We've lost a pet."
She knew better than to say the pet was an
invisible dog, in case they thought she
was
kidding and drove right on. But none of them

suspected that. They must have thought it
was some tiny creature like a gerbil or a

brown mouse or a miniature turtle or something.
74
The Search
Anyway, they were all very kind and patient and willing to crawl along behind us
while Wanda and I covered every inch of the
way, bending and sweeping our arms near
the surface of the road, like
we were doing the
breaststroke.
There was even one guy
the driver of a
home
heating-oil tanker truck
away
altogether, saying he'd
ery later,
who backed
make
his deliv-
when he hoped we'd have found our
pet.
"I
had a snake myself once," he explained,
chewing on
vester.
his unlit cigar.
And when
"Name
of Syl-
he got outa the yard and
was run over by a truck I cried for a week."

Not everybody was as kind and polite as
the drivers, however. Other kids especially.
They thought it was one big laugh. Burt Rafferty and his buddies soon came to jeer at us.
"Now I know you really are nuts, McGurk!"
"Lookit! Joey Rockaway and Wanda Grieg
having a swimming race on dry land!"
"Hey! Get Willie Sandawsky! He thinks
he's a
Labrador!"
Sandra Ennis laughed herself sick

75
too
The Search
hysterical even to
make any
cracks of her
own.
And
it
ered around to laugh, either.
even some
had
of as friends
in the past
of those we'd helped
stupid grins
all
and kept tapping
faces
who gathKids we thought
wasn't just old enemies
their
invisible dog, they'd only
and jeered louder than
their
foreheads.
mean, who could blame them? We

explain. If we'd said we were trying
an
on
couldn't
to catch
have laughed
ever.
McGurk kept mutterand Sammy came dashing
"Just ignore them,"

ing,
whenever he
into earshot. "They'll laugh
of their faces
when
they
on the other
know
side
the real truth."
Then Mrs. McGurk came and put an end

to
it all.
worked our way back around to the

street in front of McGurk's house, when his
mother came out with the message. Not for
him. For Brains. Being used to McGurk's
stunts, she paid no attention to our strange
behavior and got right to the point.
We'd
just
"Oh, Gerald," she

called
from
said,
New York."
77
"your aunt's just
"
The Search
"Oh
yes,
up from
Mrs. McGurk?" he
his inspection of a
said, blinking
bush
at the side
of the driveway. "There's nothing wrong, I
hope?"
Mrs.
McGurk
"No. She was
smiled and shook her head.

just a bit
worried when she
own number a few minutes ago

and you weren't there to answer it. I told her
you were playing with Jack and his friends."
"Oh. Good. Thanks."
called her
Brains looked polite enough, but you could

tell
he was burning to get on with the search.
"She
Dennis
wanted
also
Mrs.
McGurk
make
to
that
stopped and looked around.
"Where is he, by the way?

you calling his name."
"Uhnohe's
thought
heard
O.K. He's in the house,"
blushing a
said Brains,
sure
little
as
well he
might!
"Yes. Well.
Your aunt asked me
to
make
sure that Dennis had been fed this morning.
You
did feed him?"
"OhYes.
Sure."
you were a very

some I can mention.
"I thought so. I told her

reliable boy.
Not
like
79

.
She also wanted to know
if
you found the
salad she'd left in the refrigerator for your
lunch."
"Yes, yes
thanks."
Brains was looking hunted.
McGurk, who'd been looking

mother's crack about
reliability,
hurt at his
now seemed
positively angry.
"That's
all
right then," said Mrs.
completely ignoring
all
McGurk,
these signs of uneasi-
"Mind you don't get into any mischief."

Then she went back into the house.
ness.
"Right!" said Brains, after releasing a big
long sigh. "So
now let's get on with the search.
heard him across the
I think I
street just
then."
We
all
turned, ready to go. All except
Mc-
Gurk.
"Wait!" he said to us three members of the
Organization. There was a peculiar gleam in
his eyes.
He managed
to switch
it
off
and
smile as he turned to Brains. "Gerald," he
you go ahead on your own

for a while? Get some of these rubberneckers
said,
"why
don't
to help you."
Brains frowned.
80
The Search
"Well
ing?
But why? Where are you go-
sure.
thought you wanted to help."
"Oh, but we do, we do!" said McGurk,

still
with the rather tight smile on his face.

think we've been going about
"It's just that I

it
the
wrong way. This search needs
planning. Systematic. Scientific.

That's the
way
McGurk
the
careful
You know.
Organization
usually gets results. So I'm taking
my
staff
back to HQ, where we can work out a proper
ground plan, with maps and
all.
We'll see you
later."
"But"
"Later, Gerald.
McGurk
It's
the best way."
When
turned to us, the hard green gleam
was back. "Come on, men. Right now."

As we followed him into the basement,
said:
"But what's the idea,
McGurk?
We'll just
be wasting our time."

"Yes," said
rible
Wanda, "with Dennis
in ter-
danger with every minute that goes by."
McGurk
wouldn't speak until he'd closed
the door behind us. Firmly.
Then he
said, in
low grim voice:

"Wasting time, huh?
81
And what do you
think we've been doing

smile now.
"That
He loked mad.
all
that owl-faced creep
fooling us
all
along!"
"Eh?"
82
afternoon?"
No
Absolutely furious.
he
he's
been
The Search
"How?"
"What makes you
think
that
all
of
sudden?"
He
growled.
"What made me realize it know it all

of a sudden was my mother's message. I
mean,
figure
wanted
We
know
to
ing, she
out yourselves.
it
he'd fed Dennis this morn-
if
must have been out
all
day. Right?"
frowned, but nodded.
"Right
sure
"So remember the

after
aunt
If his
so?"
first
time
^lunchtime
we'd chased the doughnut and he
left
us with the box?"
"Hegosh!"
Suddenly
remembered.
I'd
McGurk
nodded.
"Yeah
gosh!
heard his aunt
He
call
said he'd thought he'd
him inûp
So that means he deliberately
amine that box.

"Yes,"
all right.
But how?
it
I said,
So
I
It
was
all
in the house.
planned."
thoughtfully.
"ButI mean,
there's a trick in this
mean how
us to ex-
left
somehow.
the heck did he
look like the dog was invisible?"
83
make
"And sound
Wanda.
"And smell
like
it
like
Willie, picking the
it
was
invisible?" said
was
invisible?"
said
bone out of the clues
box.
McGurk thumped
the table, making the

MYSTERIES SOLVED jump to life.
"That," said McGurk, "is what we've really
come back here to investigate. As of right
now we're gonna look into this case like
detectives instead of dummies!"
file
of
Then he gave the table another bash and

made the records of our past successes shiver
with indignation and rustle and whisper.
"Hear, hear!" they seemed to be saying.
The Heap of Grass
mentioned
brains:
like
earlier
about
two kinds of
brains good at science and math,
Gerald Bellingham's; and brains good
English and
at
general intelligence, like mine.
Well, there are other kinds. There're the
kind of brains that are good at spotting
85
little

seem
things, especially little things that don't
quite right.
that will go
until they
Then
there're the kind of brains
on puzzling over these
do make
sense.
And
little
things
there're also
the kind of brains that get brilliant hunches
and ideas out of nowhere. Put these last three

types together and what have we got?
born detective's brains,
that's
what.
Like Jack P. McGurk's.
When
he suddenly said we'd better
start
thinking like detectives instead of dummies,
we
listened,
Wanda
we became
alert.
picked up the rubber bone.
"Well, this should be easy enough to plant

in the furnace
room,
suppose.
Even through
the narrow windows. He'd simply toss
while
we were busy
"Or before
that," I said.
out at the picnic."
it
in,
in here."
Then
"While we were
frowned. "But that
doesn't explain the jingling."

Willie sniffed.
"The smell O.K. That was on the bone.

But it doesn't explain the growling. The
growling and the jingling. You know. When
he was picking up the uh invisible dog.
Over at the door there."
86
The Heap of Grass
McGurk was nodding
at all this.
"Don't worry, men," he said. "We'll get to
few ideas about those
that later. I have a

points.
But
Any
doughnut.
We
the beginning.
let's start at
The
ideas about that?"
looked at one another, frowning and
shrugging.
"Come
nut to
McGurk,
on!" said
table. "Think!
How
slapping the
could he get the dough-
and away over the
roll off the table
grass into his aunt's yard?"
There was another pause.
We
were think-
ing, all right.

I
was
"I guess
first
to take a shot.
he could have harpooned
how. Like
fired a dart at
it.
it
some-
A dart with some
strong thread attached, like a fishing line."
McGurk nodded
but
"He'd have to be a
doubtfully.
terrific shot,
Joey.
And
anyway, one of us would have been sure to

see the dart hit the plate of doughnuts. I
mean, right under our noses!"

Suddenly Wanda had her idea.
"Hey! Fishing
closer than
from a gun,
we
all
line!
Yes!
Maybe
Joey's
Only instead of firing it

Brains did was get up into the
think.
8T

tree
and
fish for the
doughnut. Just come
here a minute."
She had gone to the door and opened
and now she was halfway up the

pointing to the end of the yard.
steps
it
and
The Heap
of Grass
"See that? There's a branch that runs right

over where
we had
and on over
the table
to
the bushes, right to Miss Bellingham's yard."
McGurk was
"Good
try,
shaking his head.
Wanda. But Brains would have
be a better climber than you, even.
to
And
to dangle a fishing line over the table, while
we were
ing it?
all sitting
And
around
move
then to
without us see-
it,
quietly along the
branch, without disturbing the leaves, trailing

the
doughnut along under him?
No
way!"
There was another pause as we stared

the tree,
at
and the limb, and the bushes, and
the space where the table
two benches that were
had been, and the
still
there.
"But you're right about one thing. Officer

Grieg,"
McGurk murmured. "We
should
study the scene carefully. Only forget about

the tree, huh? Let's just go over what
actually did see.
Come
Then he had us
same
sit
places: himself
facing
on.
on the benches
in the
and Willie on one
Wanda and me on
we
."
the other.
side,
And
since this turned out to be so important, I've
made
this
plan of
it
for our
89
files:
Tree
Mc6urk
o o/y>
Jl
/ojoey
NyO Wanda
CO
OJ
Key:
= feVK of runaway
dou9Knui-
VMl = K^Gurk'6-fiVsf siaW eft

X Jl = CS>t.y 5 iirsY sigKt df if
The Heap
of Grass
"Who saw
"Now," said McGurk.

doughnut first?"
"You were
Wanda
the
~~
said.
McGurk. He got up and

Then he kicked
"Right," said
walked halfway
to the bushes.
the grass with his heel.
Maybe
I
my
throat.
uhsaw
it
before that,"
"Out of the corner of

thing because
my eye.
thought
light at first." I got up.
the table,"
I said.
McGurk came
at the
"Just about here.
a bit farther on."
cleared
"I
McGurk,"
to shout,
first
the
stiffened
confessed.
I didn't
was a
"And
say any-
trick of the
that
was nearer
"Just about here."

over.
ground near
it
He was
my feet. Then
and pounced.
staring hard
he suddenly
"Bingo!" he cried, straightening up with

a handful of loose grass clippings, from a
small heap there.
"What
is
it?"
"What's it look like? Loose grass, you

dummies!" The look of joy left McGurk's
face and a most sinister sly and leering expression replaced it. He was really getting
going now! "But
" he went on, casting a
91

gloating glance over to the bushes
mower
mower
doesn't leave any loose grass.
has a sack on
there. Besides
the clippings
it,
doing here?
and
it
all
Our
goes in
he took a closer look at

"this looks green
freshly cut,
"
and we haven't cut ours

it
"our
I'll tell
in a week.
So what's
you. Brains put
it
here.
Earlier. Before the picnic."
\!iivi'j'rut
i'^'^

The Heap
We
of Grass
stared at the small pile of cut grass
McGurk's rougher grass. Now

that our attention had been drawn to it, we
could see McGurk was right. Otherwise
well
no wonder none of us had
it was
noticed it before, including McGurk. It was
among
the
the
perfect
camouflage
for
concealed
doughnut.
"But
"I
so what?"
know!"
doughnut
ably.
table.
said.
in, right,
One
"Right.
mumbled
"It
Willie.
was
to
hide the
McGurk?"
of his aunt's doughnuts, prob-
Probably long before we'd even
doughnut already
tied to
length of thread. Fine nylon thread.
was green,
I
set the
a long
Which
I bet."
frowned. I'd just thought of something.
"How would
he
know
to use a doughnut,
mean, how would he know we'd

be having them at the picnic?"
though?
"That's easy!"
Wanda
said.
"He probably
heard you, McGurk, bragging about our

plans for the picnic. You've been doing
it
for days." She turned to me. "Sure, Brains
would know we'd be having doughnuts. I

bet he knew the whole menu. So he'd have
93

all
the time in the world to get that particular
doughnut ready."
"I
don't see
still
" Willie began.
"No," said McGurk. "None of us saw.

Until Brains started to pull
it
it.
on
it,
and draw
out of this covering of grass. Then
Then we
we were
all
believe in
We
an
we saw
couldn't believe our eyes.
Then
softened up, ready and ripe to

invisible dog."
were nodding. Even
Willie. It
was be-
make sense. But there were still

some pretty tough problems.
"What about the jingling, though?" I said.
"Do you figure?"
"Same principle," said McGurk. "Nylon
ginning to
thread again. Let's take a look at that scene."
He led
the
way back
into the
basement and
through to the furnace room.
McGurk, "was
through the window
"All he had to do," said
dangle some dog tags
and shake them."

But
this
time
Wanda
objected.
McGurk. I mean we'd have

seen them. Like we saw the doughnut. As he
"Not so
pulled
fast,
them back up. Especially the second

94

The Heap
time,
when we
all
of Grass
turned so quickly from the
bone as soon as we heard the jingling."

"No! Hey! Uh nor Willie was way in
front for once. "Not if he just let them lie on
the floor. We wouldn't see them then. All this
junk."
"Good
thinking, Willie!"
pleased. "Let's take a look
McGurk looked
now and I bet
you we'll find those metal tags lying here."

But no. He was wrong that time. There
were no dog tags or pieces of chain or anything like that. Only the same old litter:
scraps of paper, a few playing cards, a few
thousand dollars in Monopoly money, the
scattered nails
"The nails! Of courser

Even as I'd been dismissing them, McGurk
had pounced, and was crouching down.
"Come on, men! Pick 'em up! Let's see if
any"
''Heyr
That was Wanda.

She'd picked up one of the nails and a
whole
little
bunch of
five
or six
came with
it.
They were strung close together with a fine

gray thread we hadn't noticed, and there was
95
"
enough to
dangle the bunch from the window and close
a long
trail
of
it
after that
^long
to the floor.
Wanda, giving them a

same jingle, all right.
"Listen!" said
shake.
was the
McGurk seemed to purr. His eyes glowed
and his grin broadened.
It
"Oh, boy!" he
hand
to
it
"That Brains!
said.
I've got
to him! He's really something else!"
brought him back to
reality.
But the dog noises,

McGurk. Aren't you forgetting them? The
"Yes,"
I said. "Sure.
When
growling as well as the jingling?
he
pretended to pick Dennis up?"
McGurk
frowned.
"Yes. Well. There

I
think
"A
is
know how he
ventriloquist
Wanda. "Brains
a slight problem there.
did
but
said
ventriloquist?"
She
sighed. "I thought of that, too.

to be really first-rate. I
his
face.
He was
McGurk?"
trick,
is
it,
mean
But he'd have

was watching
talking to the
uh
in-
dog all the time the jingling and

growling was going on. I mean think about
it. What ventriloquist can speak with three
voices at the same time?"
visible
96
McGurk was
shaking his head slowly.
"No, no, Wanda. Ventriloquist nothing!

You're forgetting the kind of guy our suspect
is.
all
He's a scientist.
He knows how
to handle
My
kinds of electronic gadgets.
guess
is
was using a tape recorder. He recorded the noises earlier and switched them
on when he was pretending to grab the dog.
." His face clouded. "Where would
Only
he hide it? A thing like that would make too
that he
big a bulge
And
it
if
he'd stuffed
would be too big
under
it
to slip into
his shirt.
any of
his
pockets."
''Oh
no
Willie
it
wouldn'tr
was
smiling, looking
more confident
then I'd ever seen him before.
McGurk was
startled.
How do you know?"

"Because my dad has one
"Eh?
pocket easy enough.
It's
he
slips into his
only as big as a
small electric shaver, and
it
runs on bat-
teries."
"
K tape recorder?'*
"Yeah. Well. Same kind of thing.

it
He
calls
an electronic notepad. They use them in
some
offices all the time."
98
The Heap
"He's right,"
"Like a scratch pad,
I said.
only you speak into
Then you play
of Grass
it
instead of write
on
back when you want to
it
it.
refer
hoping to get one myself
to your notes. I'm
next Christmas."
McGurk
was
all
clapped his hands together.
smiles again.
"Well
that's
it
was backed up by
all
Wanda
last detail.
that
that fancy wiring,
believing
The guy had
then!
planned down to the

it
it's
it
it
all
And when
phony machine, with

no wonder he had us
it."
didn't look quite so triumphant.
"Yes, but what about that box?

s'aw
He
mean we
empty. Then he presses the switches
and things and

Dennis inside!"
McGurk
lifts
the
and
lid-
there's
grinned.
"The switches and things you can forget.

They were all a blind. The big lever, maybe
not."
"How do you mean?"

"Because he'd have to have something to
operate the false bottom.
hide the dog, to
It's
lift" it
To
up
close
to
it
show
down
to
the dog.
just a routine magician's thing. Brains
99

could
fix
up something
And Dennis
start how well
"Well,
it all fit
I'll
like that in his sleep.
well, I told
trained he
be darned!"
you
right at the
is."
murmured, seeing
into place. "I could kick myself."
"Me, too!"
"And me!"
feel so bad about it, men. Rememhad even me fooled. If we hadn't been
dazzled by all those wires and batteries and
labels and switches, we'd probably have
thought of it right away. Anyway, let's see if
the box is lying around anywhere in Miss
Bellingham's yard now. I'd like to check on
it. Just to wrap up the case nice and tidy."
"Don't
ber
it
100
m
"Here's our
big chance!"
Stealthily,
we made our way
Stealthily,
because we'd heard voices.
no
the "Invisibility
to the bushes.
Machine" wasn't
And
there,
over in Miss Bellingham's yard. But Brains
and Dennis were, and so was Miss Bellingham.

101

Miss Bellingham
isn't
a bit like her nephew.
She is a big woman

and bulky. According
not
to
fat,
but very
McGurk,
she
tall
so
is
M/tscientific-minded that she sometimes has
The only
her weak eye-
trouble operating a can opener.
thing she shares with Brains

sight.
She wears large thick
is
glasses, too, only
on her they look small.

She has a strong voice, though. It was
booming out now, as she bent over the boy
and the dog.
"And have you both been good
while
was away?"
"Yurrip!" said Dennis.
"Oh
yes.
Aunt
Christine!" said Brains.
"Huh!" grunted McGurk.

"But you weren't in when
I called,
you?" Miss Bellingham boomed, a
were
bit
ac-
cusingly.
"No, but we were only out
Aunt
here.
Christine. I
tether for Dennis,
"A
We
We
you
was
in the
fixing this
yard
new
see."
tether?"
all
peered closer through the leaves.
were as curious as Miss Bellingham
sounded.
mean we knew what

102
he'd been
"Here's our big chance!"
doing.
We
were
just
curious to see
how
smart he could be with his excuses.

"Yes," he was explaining, running a hand
along a length of clothes cord. He'd fixed one
end
to the wall of the house,
about two feet
from the ground, and the other

at the end of the yard, same
to a
stump
height.
"A
tether."
He
took Dennis to the stump. There was a
leash fixed to the
dog's collar now. Then,
little
as his aunt watched, blinking in a puzzled
kind of way, Brains unhooked the cord from

the stump, slipped
end of Dennis's
it
through the loop at the
leash, then
hooked the cord
onto the stump again.

"There!" he said. "Off you go, boy!"
Dennis hesitated a few seconds.
"Go on! Go! commanded Brains.

Then off Dennis trotted up the yard free
move where he wanted in either direction
to
up or down, but only as far

him from side to side.
as the leash
would
let
"How
clever!"
boomed Miss Bellingham.
"He's a good dog and he'd never stray from

the yard normally. But
103
now
can leave him
when I'm away

sure he's
for the
all right.
day and be absolutely
brilliant idea,
Gerald!"
"Big deal!" muttered Wanda. "They taught

us that in Care of Pets at the Brownies."
But Miss Bellingham had obviously never

been a Brownie.
"Brilliant!" she
boomed
again.
Even Brains didn't have the

all
gall to accept
that praise.
"Well,
one of
my
an old idea really. Aunt. Not

originals. But Dennis loves it."
it's
104
"Here's our big chancer
"He
certainly does!
deserve what
city after all.
it
You
clever boy!
You
brought back for you from the
Come along.
can't wait to
show
you now."
to
Brains looked as
as he
if
went hurrying
aunt. She
was known
he couldn't wait
either,
after his long-striding
be a big spender as
to
far as gifts for her only
nephew were con-
cerned.
Dennis was
down
and
left
wandering happily up and
the yard, tethered to the cord, sniffing
jingling.
"I
hope whatever
it is
she brought
broken on the way back," said
by Brains's coolness
after
him was
Willie,
all
shocked
he'd put us
through.
"Yes," said Wanda. "He deserves"
But
McGurk
cut her short.
He
wasn't
frowning sullenly. His eyes had their brightest
gleam
yet.
"Right, men!" he said. "Here's our big
chance!"
"What for?"
"To pay back
With
old Brains, that's what for.
interest!"
105
'/I
J' '/u
I
/ V/-// ^
^^
UU
It didn't
The Return
of the Invisible
take long.
Dennis was used to us by now.

fuss
Dog
when McGurk snuck
He made no
into the yard, un-
hitched the end of the cord from the stump,
106

The Return of the
Invisible
Dog
and slipped the loop of the leash free. In fact

the little dog just wagged his stumpy tail, and
he went on wagging
face as she carried
"Now we
him back
to our
HQ.
murmured McGurk,
just wait!"
listening at the slightly
That
and licking Wanda's
it
open door.
didn't take long either.
About
five
minutes,
made it.
Then:
"Dennis! Dennis! Here, boy! Dennis!"
In a strange croaky whisper.
"He won't want
his
aunt to
know
her pet
has gotten free from his stupid tether," said
McGurk. "But
he's getting desperate.
Just
listen."
"Dennis!
Hey
doughnuts,
marrow bones Dennis, boy
We
followed
McGurk
then. I closed the
"Hey!
You
boy!
Juicy
please!"
out into the yard
door behind us carefully.
guys seen anything of Dennis?"
croaked Brains.
He was on
the
McGurk
side of the bushes,
looking around, bewildered.
"How can we see anything of Dennis?" said

McGurk. "When he's invisible?"
107
"And
said
lost
somewhere out
in the streets,"
Wanda.
Brains's face
went through
ferent expressions inside
he swallowed and said:
108
five
or six
dif-
two seconds. Then
"
he came
was meaning
He's
But
gone
Oh, gosh and my

back and
"He
you.
back.
to
visible again.
again!
he's also
tell
off
aunt's
"We know
he's
gone
off again," said
Mc-
Gurk, grimly.
"Eh?
thought you just said you hadn't
seen him."
"We
haven't. All
Still
with the grim look,
we saw was
this!''
McGurk
brought
out Dennis's leash and collar from behind his

^
back.
Brains goggled.
"We saw them

said
McGurk.
snake.
We
streaking across our lawn,"
"Just the leash at
first,
like a
guessed there was Dennis at the
"
"

end of
and he'd gone
it
grabbed
at the leash
invisible again.
So
and tugged and
well
he must have slipped his collar as well. Because suddenly
appeared too, from under
it
the invisible hair."
Brains was
But now a strange
staring.
still
wobbly grin began
to creep across his face.
"Ah, come on, McGurk! That
stuff
that
McGurk
was just a
invisible
trick!"
acted shocked. Correction. Being
McGurk, he overacted shocked. He
He
staggered back.
was going
to
blow
He
gaped.
thought he
it.
"A what? You mean

chine was just
gasped.
a a
the Invisibility
Ma-
Brains was too worried to judge McGurk's
behavior correctly.
"Yes!" he said impatiently. "It was just a
box with a
McGurk,
bottom.
false
please! This
you stashed him?
My
is
trick.
for real. Where've
aunt'll
go
''Butfalse bottom? Trick?"
now
acting bewildered. "But
switches and the
"That was
lamp and
just to
"
make
110
But, hey,
mad if
McGurk was
what about the
the batteries?"
it
look good.
To
ini//
:,^/^^
"

distract
Cut
it
your attention. Hey, now, come on!
out and
"But no. Seriously. Hold it, Brains." McGurk was now acting astonished. "We didn't
know that. We still thought gosh!" He
turned to me. "Joey, could
be another of
it
those accidental discoveries in science? Like
you were
telling us about.
stumbled onto
Could Brains have
this invisibility thing?"
"Like the discovery of penicillin?"
"And
inoculation?
And
I said.
the law of gravity?
And"
"And gunpowder?" said Willie.
Brains knew enough about these
things to
He probably knew
and many other accidental
be pulled up by our words.
more about them
science discoveries
had grown very
than
we
did. His face
pale.
nor
he groaned. "Oh,
stared at us.
"You mean you
just the leash
and collar running around, and
"Oh,
oh, nor
Then we
face
couldn't help
was so
pathetic.
it.
my
gosh!"
really did see
The look on
We
He
just
his
broke up
laughing.
Then we
led
V
him
into the
112
basement and

showed him Dennis playing happily with his

rubber bone, and then Brains laughed too
laughed and laughed until huge magnified
tears began to roll from behind those powerful glasses.
118
The
Fifth
Member
And that's how the McGurk Organization got

its fifth
member.
After we'd finished laughing, and Dennis
had had
his collar
Brains just
McGurk
put back, and we'd told
how we'd
figured
said:
114
it all
out at
last,

The
Fifth
"Brains, the offer
Member
stands. If
still
you want
to join the Organization."
Brains was just wiping the last of the tears
from
"Huh? But
was
His smile faded.
his face.
but
all
you wanted
me
for
my Invisibility Machine."
"Then/' said McGurk. "Yes. But any guy
who can work

off
tion
out a stunt like that, and pull
well, he's
it
worth a place in our Organiza-
any time. For
his
own
sake. Right,
men?"
"Right!"
"No question!"
"You bet!"
Brains blinked at us. For a second or two,
I
thought the tears were going to spurt out
again.
Then he
grinned.
"Well," he said, "I guess any Organization

that can figure all that out
and then give the
joker the scare of his hfe with his

I
guess that organization
"Great!" said
is
McGurk.
own
joke
worth joining."
"Joey, just type
out"
But Brains hadn't
finished.
"And you know, McGurk
I really
fellow officers
can be a big help with science prob115

lems. I
mean
may
not be too good at shad-
owing or searching for clues or arresting

but, well, I can make you some
suspects
devices to help you do the shadowing. Like
And
periscopes, for instance.

glasses.
And
rearview sun-
can dig out a whole
lot of
hidden information from the clues you
With
And
my
microscope and
my
and >^hen you catch
two kinds of
one that
lie
detectors.
flickers.
And
fin4.
chemistry
sets.
a suspect I can fix
One
that bleeps or
then there are chemi-
cals for four different kinds of invisible ink.
And
another chemical that's invisible at
first
but then stains the fingers of anyone touch-
ing"
"Fine! Fine!"
McGurk was
almost drool-
ing at these mentions of scientific aids.

couldn't wait to get Brains signed
He
up now,
before he changed his mind. "So you're in
charge of the
McGurk
crime lab. Joey, see that
Organization's
this
typed on Gerald's I.D. card.
new
information
And
is
don't for-
get to leave a space for his signature."
"There's just one thing,"

wistfully, as I
reached for
116
murmured Brains
my typewriter.
"
The
He
Fifth
suddenly looked
than a scientist now.

year-old, going
on
Member
much more
like a kid
A little shrimp of a nine-
ten.
"What's that?" asked
no doubt wondering
fall
if
McGurk
the deal
anxiously,
was going
to
through.
"Fve joined
just too late for the
Organization's Annual
McGurk's face
McGurk
Picnic."
cleared.
"No problem.
Officer Bellingham.
We'll
have another one tomorrow."

Brains the Kid looked delighted for a second.
Then Brains
the Scientist frowned.
"But an annual picnic means
"You're as bad as Joey," sighed McGurk.

"Listen. All of you. Today's
zation
Annual Picnic was
bers belonging to
it
McGurk
Organi-
for the four
at that time.
mem-
Right?"
"Welluhright."
"SureI guess."
"Right!" said
McGurk,
McGurk
Annual Picnic for the five mem-
tomorrow we're going

Organization
surging on. "So
bers belonging to
it
to
have the
now. Anything wrong
with that?"
117
"^^^
The Fifth Member
There wasn't.
Not a
As
single thing.
said before: Jack P.
special kind of brain all his
110.
McGurk
own.
has a
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
AND ILLUSTRATOR
E.
W.
HiLDiCK has written over forty children's
books. Archway Paperback editions include
Cat Called Amnesia, The Top-Flight, FuJIy-Automated Junior High School Girl Detective, and
the McGmk Mystery series, which now has seven
titles: Deadline for McGurk, The Case oi the
Condemned Cat, The Case oi the Nervous Newsboy, The Great Rabbit Rip-off, The Case oi the
Invisible Dog, The Case oi the Secret Scribbler,
and The Case oi the Phantom Frog. Mr. Hildick's
books have been published in over a dozen countries. A British subject, he and his wife divide
their time between homes in England and the
United States.
LiSL
for
Weil, who has been
many
writing
and
illustrating
years, has over eighty children's
books
Each year Mss Weil performs at

Young People's Concerts with major symphony
orchestras, illustrating a story in the rhythm of
the music. She lives in New York City.
to her credit.
<axocx
^ 4i
n
\

MYS/SUS
time the members of the

McGurk Organization became aware
Dennis, the invisible dog, was
The
first
of
at their celebration "Annual Picnic

as a doughnut flew off the
picnic table and floated down
into the bushes!
When
the young detectives investigated.

they made an amazing discovery
the Invisibility Machine, invented
accidentally by Brains Bellingham, when
he was
fleas.
trying to
McGurk had
for his
meant
get
rid
of Dennis's
have that machine

organization even it
Brains
to
if
had
to join, too. But
when
the invisible dog ran away and

McGurk led the search, he discovered
some clues that led to some very
suspicious questions!

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ARCH

hunt for a missing dog,

a dog they can't even see! Join Jack McGurk

match wits with the nine-year-old

POCKET BOOKS, a Simon & Schuster division of

Published by arrangement with Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc.

For information address Macmillan Publishing Co.,

Pocket Books printing November, 1978

United States and other countries.

The Doughnut That Got Away

The Wet Bone

"Here's our big chance!"

The Return of the Invisible Dog

Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive

when we were about to begin

That was the

invisible dog, of course.

didn't see the

THE CASE OF THE INVISIBLE DOG

saw was the doughnut as it

along there about

from the ground.

Then he trailed off,

"What's wrong?" said Willie Sandowsky.

"You look like"

at the point of that

of his. He'd spotted the

"You both look like"

through a gap in the bushes and into the next

eyes aren't very quick to focus,

especially in the glaring sun.

was probably the first to see the doughnut

'(f/uUffmyfBut let me describe the setup:

McGurk's backall laid out on

yard, with the picnic goodies

the table under a tree.

THE CASE OF THE INVISIBLE DOG

and that was the only

cover for a distance of twenty or thirty feet

around. But the doughnut was moving to

was nothing but rough

Noon, on a bright summer

more than a few

months, but that didn't stop

Organization's Annual Picnic.

hadn't been in existence

''Annual picnic?" I'd said.

We've got four successfully solved mysteries

tery to deal with

"Quick!" he yelled, throwing down

sandwich. "Follow that doughnut!"

The Doughnut That Got Away

Willie were at the other side of the

and had farther to

But by the time

the bushes that screened the next

McGurk was in the lead.