“But, Max-”
The door to the room flew open. Lucky Bucky appeared, and behind him were the guards.
“Gotcha!” Lucky Bucky shouted victoriously.
At that very same instant, Guru Optimo stepped into the room from the secret passageway.
“Well, here goes. .” Max said, raising the mirror.
Nothing happened.
“See what I mean, Max?” 99 said.
“I see that it isn’t working,” he replied puzzledly. “But I don’t understand
“It’s mid-afternoon, Max. We don’t get much moonlight at that time of day.”
“That could explain it,” Max frowned.
Lucky Bucky shouted to Guru Optimo. “Zop’em!”
Guru Optimo raised his hand. There was a flash of light. The flash of light hit the hand mirror-and was reflected. It bounced back and hit Guru Optimo square in the eyes. His face lit up. His hand opened and a bright, shiny object fell from it and hit the floor and rolled toward a corner.
Lucky Bucky groaned. “Every once upon a time some little thing goes wrong,” he commented gloomily.
“Max!” 99 shouted gleefully. “Guru Optimo hypnotized himself!”
Max walked to the corner and picked up the shiny object that had fallen from Guru Optimo’s hand. “Amazing!” he said.
“What is it, Max?”
“The source of his power,” Max replied. “A Kennedy half-dollar. I had no idea these things could have such a hypnotic effect.”
Guru Optimo, as if in a trance, opened the case that held the strumpelcord and took the instrument from it. Wholly delighted, he began strumming it.
“Aiiii! A banjo player!” Lucky Bucky moaned.
“It’s the influence of the room,” Brattleboro said. “He’s turned himself into a musician.”
Guru Optimo got the saxopular and the hinkenschmaller from their cases. He began playing all three instruments at the same time. It sounded like someone falling downstairs with a load of garbage cans.
“I don’t recognize the tune,” Max said.
“I think he’s composing as he goes along,” 99 guessed.
Guru Optimo began singing:
Good dog, Lassie!
You’ll light up the ice box yet!
I’ll love you ’til the day I die,
Although you walk with a lisp!
“I’ll make a bet that by the time we get off this island that will be at the top of the charts,” Max said.
“And this is the booby I had penciled in for the emperor of the world!” Lucky Bucky wailed. “What a comedown for my comeback!”
“Poor Lucky Bucky,” 99 said sympathetically.
“99-he’s the enemy,” Max pointed out.
“But, Max, he’s harmless now. Without Guru Optimo, what can he do?”
A tear trickled down Lucky Bucky’s cheek. “All I wanted was to be a good agent to everybody,” he said. “Ninety per cent of everybody’s income-was that too much to ask?”
“Max. . do something. .” 99 pleaded.
“Well, I might be able to help,” Max said grudgingly. “Guru Optimo is of no use to us any more, since he’s become a musician. The fate of the entire civilized world, as we know it, is no longer in danger. So. .”
“Yes, Max?”
“This castle,” Max said. “Why not turn it into a resort hotel?”
Lucky Bucky stopped weeping and listened.
“The great hall would make a dandy restaurant,” Max continued. “And the guards, with their vacant expressions, would make perfect waiters.”
Lucky Bucky beamed.
“And for entertainment-why not Guru Optimo?” Max said. “I can see it up in lights now: ‘Guru Optimo on strumplecord, saxopular and hinkenschmaller-the world’s one and only one-man trio!’ ”
“He’ll be a star!” Lucky Bucky enthused.
“And you’ll be a star’s agent,” Max said.
“My comeback has just made a comeback!” Lucky Bucky crowed.
Brattleboro sniffled.
“Trouble?” Max said.
“Happy endings always make me sad,” Brattleboro explained.
“Well, that seems to close the lid on this case,” Max said. “Shall we go?”
There seemed to be agreement, so Max, 99 and Brattleboro headed toward the door.
Lucky Bucky called after them. “Look for us in the audience on the Ed Sullivan Show!”
A few minutes later they emerged from the castle. Max took off his shoe and began dialing. “I’ll have the Chief send the helicopter for us,” he said. “It can pick us up where it dropped us off.”
“But, Max-”
“Hold it, 99. I think I have the Chief on the line.”
(click)
