“There’s only one thing, Max,” 99 said. “If we stop searching staterooms, how will we ever find the six invisible guinea pigs?”
“That happens to be one of the tricks I haven’t learned,” Max replied.
“You mean, Max, we’re stymied?”
“I wouldn’t say that.”
“Then, we’re not stymied?”
“Oh, we’re stymied, all right. But that’s not the way I would have said it. I would have said that we’re stopped.”
“Oh, Max,” 99 fretted. “We just can’t be stopped. The whole civilized world is depending on us.”
Max suddenly brightened. “Wait a minute, 99! On second thought, we’re not stopped! We’re not even stymied! 99, we’ve been going about this all wrong. We’ve been fools!”
“Rorrrrrff!”
“All right, Fang, consider yourself included out. I ’ve been a fool!”
“What did we do wrong, Max?” 99 asked.
“We’ve been searching staterooms for empty suitcases, that’s what we did wrong. Think about it a second, 99. Would a man as clever as the diabolical Dr. X leave a suitcase full of invisible guinea pigs in his stateroom? No. Of course not! Think! What would he do with it?”
“Check it in the ship’s safe?”
“No. Try again.”
“Rorff!”
“No, Fang, he wouldn’t paint it green and tell everybody it was a rubber plant.”
“Mail it on ahead?” 99 guessed.
“99, Dr. X is clever, but he isn’t that clever. One more try.”
“Rorff!”
“That’s ridiculous, Fang. In the first place, it wouldn’t fit in the toe of his shoe. And in the second place- Well, yes, the second place makes sense enough. But the first place rules it out.”
“I give up,” 99 said.
“You still have one more guess, 99.”
“No, Max, I give up. Tell me.”
“Aw, come on, guess. Just once more.”
“Rorff!”
Max groaned. “All right, Fang, you can have 99’s third guess. What is it?”
“Rorff!”
“That’s even more ridiculous than your rubber tree guess. Tell me, have you seen anybody walking about the deck with a suitcase with jingle bells on it and shouting ‘Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas to All!’?”
“Max, are you going to tell us, or aren’t you!” 99 said.
“All right, here it is. My guess is that Dr. X is carrying that suitcase with him.”
“You mean everywhere? Wherever he goes?”
“Everywhere!” Max said. “Consequently, all we have to do is find a man carrying a suitcase.”
“Rorff!”
“I assure you, Fang, it won’t be that easy. He will not be shouting ‘Ho! Ho! Ho!’.”
“Max, you know,” 99 said thoughtfully, “I think you may be right. After all, those guinea pigs are worth a fortune. He wouldn’t leave them in his stateroom.”
“Rorff?”
“Simple,” Max replied. “We’ll just stroll around the deck, acting like tourists, until we spot a man carrying a suitcase. That man will be the diabolical Dr. X. After all, why would anyone else be carrying a suitcase? Unless, of course, there are two men on board who are transporting invisible guinea pigs. But that’s highly unlikely.”
“Well, I guess we better start strolling,” 99 said.
“Rorff!”
Max shook his head. “No, Fang, you will not be a bigger help sitting in a deck chair and waving to us each time we go by.”
“Rorff!”
“I don’t know, but we’ll think of some way to keep count of our turns around the deck. Now, come on!”
They strolled off, leisurely.
“I’m glad you thought of this, Max,” 99 said. “We might not have had a chance to see the ship if you hadn’t.”
“Keep your mind on your business, 99. Watch out for a man with a suitcase-and for nothing else!”
“Max, I think I ought to watch out for-”
“Nothing else, 99!”
“But, Max, I think-”
She was too late. Max lay sprawled on the deck. “Why didn’t you warn me about that rope!” he glared. “I could have injured myself badly!”
“But, Max, you said-”
“Never mind what I said,” he grumbled, getting up. “I’m revising that order. From now on, keep an eye out for a man with a suitcase, and for ropes. Check?”
“Check, Max.”
They strolled on.
A little after midnight, the three, exhausted, dropped into deck chairs.
“Max,” 99 sighed weakly, “I can’t go another step.”
“We have to keep going,” Max breathed feebly.
“Rorff.”
“Fang, that doesn’t necessarily follow. The fact that you have four feet does not mean that you’ve walked twice as far as we have.
“Max, can’t we suspend the operation until tomorrow?” 99 said. “Not only am I bushed, but there isn’t anyone on deck to observe any more. They’re all inside-gone to bed or they’re at the dance in the ballroom.”
“You’ve got a point there,” Max said. “In fact, if you weren’t so tired, I’d suggest that we go to the dance. How do we know that the diabolical Dr. X isn’t, say, a rhumba enthusiast?”
99 jumped to her feet. “Max, I’m not a bit tired. Let’s go to the dance!”
“Well, much as I hate to, I think that’s-”
“Rorff!”
Max sat up. “Where, Fang?”
“Don’t listen to him, Max,” 99 said. “Let’s go to the dance.”
“But, 99, didn’t you hear what he said? He said he saw a shadowy figure slinking along the rail- and — carrying a suitcase!”
“I heard him, Max. You know what a wild imagination he’s got. Let’s go to the dance.”
“Sorry, 99-investigation before pleasure.”
“That’s what I say-let’s go to the dance.”
“Sh-sh-shhhhh!”
“All right, Max,” 99 said woefully.
Max peered into the dimness. “Yesssss… I think I do see a shadowy figure slinking along the rail — and — carrying a suitcase.”
“Male or female?” 99 whispered.
“I… can’t… quite… make out.”
“Max, it’s probably the Avon Lady.”
“No, there are no doorbells on board ship,” Max replied.
“Of course! Max, that’s why she’s slinking. Now, can we go to the dance?”
“Wait! 99, it’s a man!”
“Rorff!”
“There is no such thing as an Avon Gentleman, Fang.” He quietly got to his feet. “Follow me,” he
