The Mystery of the Blinking Eye

Miss Trask hears what has happened.”
    “It’s that Incan idol,” Miss Trask said grimly when they told her about the man who pretended to be Trixie’s uncle and about their encounter at the museum. The Bob-Whites and their guests were seated around the dining room table, finishing a delicious dinner prepared by Miss Trask.
    “I’m sure of that, but why?” Trixie stood the little carved statue on the table in front of them. She shrugged her shoulders, perplexed.
    “Not one of us can find anything concealed around his nibs,” Brian explained to Miss Trask. “The woman at the gift shop in the United Nations Building told Trix it isn’t a rare antique. Pass it over to Miss Trask. See if she can find anything different about it.”
    Miss Trask put on her glasses, ran her slender fingers carefully over the statue, then shook her head. “I can’t find a thing. It’s all solid wood.”
    “Not much chance for gold or jewels to be concealed in it that I can see,” Jim said. “Some strange religious cults, though, get quite attached to their idols. Maybe this little chap guards their crops in their homeland, and the guys who want him back are afraid of a famine if he doesn’t come back home.”
    “I’d give him back in a minute if I thought they were worried about that,” Trixie said quickly. “We never have a chance to ask the men anything. If they’d come right out and say why they want the statue.... But instead they keep scaring the life out of us.”
    “Nix on giving it back,” Dan said firmly. “I’ve seen a lot of crooks in this city, and I never yet saw one who wanted to steal for any reason except greed. That little idol means money in their pockets in some way.”
    “All of it’s too much for me,” Diana admitted.
    “It’s the most exciting thing in the world!” Barbara cried as Miss Trask refilled her glass with milk.
    “Trixie will solve the mystery, sure as you’re alive. Just give her time!” Ned said.
    “Especially with that old Mexican woman’s prophecy to guide her,” Bob added.
    “The less said about that, the better,” Miss Trask suggested. “If that woman could see into the future, she’d be the wealthiest woman on earth.”
    “She hit everything right on the nose so far,” Mart said. “Everything up till now, I mean. She missed on the man at the museum.”
    “How about ‘Watch out for thieves; they’re everywhere’?” Trixie quoted.
    “You keep bringing that up all the time, as though it proved everything,” Mart said impatiently. “It’s worn out. Everybody watches out for thieves in New York.”
    “Just wait, Mart Belden. Wait one second. The next line goes on to say, ‘At home, on island, dead beasts’ lair . ’ Don’t you see—all those dinosaurs and other skeletons at the museum?”
    “Gosh!” Mart was stunned.
    “After all that has happened today, don’t you think you’d better not go to the Empire State Building tonight? Why don’t you put it off till tomorrow night?” Miss Trask asked.
    “Oh, no!” Trixie wailed. “Ned and the twins have counted on going tonight.”
    “It’s okay. Barbara and Bob have the broadcast coming up tomorrow,” Ned said.
    “We really should practice a little tonight, Trixie,” Bob told her. “It’s pretty important to be on a national program. Barb and I sent our parents a telegram and told them to watch for it.”
    “All of the gang at Rivervale will be watching, you can be sure of that,” Ned added. “Des Moines, too, I’ll bet a cookie. And it’ll be in the Des Moines Register, for sure.”
    “I didn’t think about the practicing,” Trixie said. “I suppose you will have to do that.... I guess we should put off going to the Empire State Building till afterward. You’ll enjoy it more when the broadcast is off your minds. You won’t be so nervous.”
    Bob straightened in his chair. “We’re not nervous at all!”
    “We are too, Bob Hubbell... at least I am. Heavens!” Barbara pushed her chair back into place. “After we help with the dishes, we’ll get our guitars out and run over the new song we want to sing tomorrow.”
    “No dishes!” Dan stacked the plates. “It’s our contribution to genius. We’ll get a bang out of listening to you practice while we wash. Trixie and Honey had better be excused, too. Even if they won’t admit it, they’ve had a bad scare.”
    “Then suppose we all go to bed early and get a good night’s rest,” Miss Trask said.
    “Jeepers, not