“Was it empty before, Max?”
“It had to be. Because now it’s filled. All right-after him. But quietly and slowly. Don’t let him see us.”
At a safe distance, the trio followed Herbert Wai along the deck, then up a stairway, then down a corridor. Finally, he entered a small lounge and went to a row of lockers.
The trio halted, watching from outside the lounge.
“What is he doing, Max?”
“He’s opening a locker.”
“What now, Max?”
“He’s emptying the contents of the brown paper bag into the locker.”
“He must be putting whatever it is in there for safekeeping,” 99 guessed.
“On the contrary, 99. He fully expects that what he’s putting in there will be gone, and very soon.”
“I don’t understand, Max.”
“Simple, 99. That is food he’s putting into the locker. Food for-”
“Six invisible guinea pigs!” 99 exclaimed.
“Exactly!”
“What’s he doing now, Max?”
“He’s closing the locker. Now, he’s locking the locker. And now he’s-”
“What, Max? What is he doing?”
“He’s blowing air into the brown paper bag,” Max reported.
“He’s what?”
“And now,” Max said, “he’s going to pop it.”
There was a loud pop.
99 giggled. “That’s silly, Max.”
“I don’t see anything silly about it,” Max said. “I like to pop brown paper bags, too.”
“What now, Max?”
“He’s walking over to that refuse container. Now, he’s disposing of the brown paper bag.”
“We can get it as soon as he leaves,” 99 said.
“What for? It’s no good to us. It’s already been popped.”
“For evidence, I mean, Max.”
“Oh… yes… that…”
“What now, Max?”
“He’s still trying to get the brown paper bag into the refuse container. It’s full. Oh-oh-now he’s throwing the brown paper bag on the deck. That’s an evildoer for you every time. A bunch of Jitterbugs. Wait a minute-there he goes. He’s leaving the lounge.”
“Do we follow him, Max?”
“Not quite yet,” Max said, stepping into the lounge. “First, we have to get a look inside that locker. I am one- thousand per cent certain that we’ll find six invisible guinea pigs in there-but-”
“But what, Max?”
“But I’m not entirely sure,” Max said. “And, it might be a little embarrassing if we charged Dr. X with keeping invisible guinea pigs in that locker, and, upon opening it, found nothing but a pair of old tennis shoes.”
99 nodded. “It would be hard to explain. So, what do we do, Max? Open the locker?”
“Right on the button, 99.”
“How, Max?”
Max turned to Fang. “Fang, run down to our stateroom, open the attache case, and bring me the gadget that looks like a ballpoint pen.”
“Rorff!”
“No, there is not time to stop for a sandwich on the way.”
Fang bounded off.
“That dog thinks of nothing but his stomach,” Max complained.
“Max,” 99 said, “you didn’t answer my question. How?”
“Simple, 99. We’ll rent the locker right next to the locker that contains the invisible guinea pigs. Then, using an acetylene torch, we’ll burn a hole between our locker and the pigs’ locker.”
“You mean the pen is-”
“Right-an acetylene torch.”
“That’s marvelous, Max!”
“Except when your signing checks,” Max said. “Then, it has its drawbacks.”
A few minutes later, Fang reappeared. He was carrying a ballpoint pen in his teeth.
“We’re on the threshold of success, 99,” Max said, taking the pen from Fang. He reached into his pocket, got out a quarter, and dropped it into the slot in the locker door that released the lock. The door swung open.
Max squeezed his head and shoulders and one arm into the locker.
“Stand back,” he said, “this torch may create a lot of heat.”
“We’re back, Max.”
For a moment, nothing happened. Then Max was heard grumbling.
“How are you doing, Max?”
“Wonderful. This pen writes beautifully. I just drew a gorgeous circle on the metal partition.” He backed out of the locker. “All right, Fang,” he said disgustedly. “You can take this pen back and bring me the torch!”
“Rorff!”
“I think you can manage it-if you just keep in mind what you’re looking for,” Max replied. “It says ‘torch’ on it.”
Once more, Fang bounded off.
10
Minutes later, Fang returned. This time, he had the torch. Again, Max wiggled as much of himself as possible into the locker. Then, a soft blue flame appeared inside the locker.
“Max… are you all right?” 99 asked worriedly.
“Never been better,” Max replied. “It’s quite cozy in here.”
A few minutes later, Max withdrew. “Done and done,” he announced happily.
“Max, your eyebrows are singed.”
“A small price to pay for entrance into that next locker,” Max said.
“Did you cut the hole, Max?”
“A perfect round circle.”
“Could you see into the next locker, Max?”
“Very clearly.”
“Max… what did you see?”
“Absolutely nothing,” Max replied. “Proof positive, I believe, that we’re on the right track.”
“What now, Max?”
Max put the torch into the breast pocket of his jacket. “Now,” he said, “I will reach through that hole and squeeze. And if we hear a squeal we will know that we have found six invisible guinea pigs.”
“Be careful, Max.”
“Caveat emptor, 99.”
“What does that mean?”
“That’s Latin, 99. It means, ‘Let the guinea pigs beware, I can take care of myself.’ ”
Carefully, Max reached into the locker, then, cautiously, he reached through the hole in the partition.
“Yiiiiiiiii!”
Max yanked his hand out.
“Was that a squeal, Max?” 99 said excitedly.
