The Mystery of the Blinking Eye

program?”
    “He said his dog Reddy did.”
    “Wasn’t it wonderful of them to listen?”
    “Moms said it was a shame our dad had to miss it,” Trixie said.
    “Didn’t you tell her they’re going to show it again on video tape tomorrow night?” Honey asked.
    “I forgot. I’ll have to call back. Your father will want to see it, too.”
    The telephone rang again.
    “That’ll be Mother,” Honey said. “I know she was listening. I’ll tell her about the video tape and tell her to call your mother, Trixie. She’s probably had everyone around our house and grounds listening. Hello... Mother?”
    Honey was right. When Mrs. Wheeler finished talking, Dan’s uncle talked to him. To put a finishing touch to the excitement, a telegram came from Rivervale, Iowa.
    “Gosh! Mom and Dad liked it, too,” Bob said and handed the wire to Barbara. “I never in the world thought a little thing like singing a song or two would stir up such a breeze. I feel chesty enough to push over the Empire State Building. We are going there tonight, aren’t we?”

Close Call ● 12

    THIS IS ONE DAY where nothing happened to carry out that fortune-teller’s prophecy that impresses you so much,” Mart told Trixie that evening as they prepared to leave for the Empire State Building.
    “The day isn’t over yet,” Honey reminded him. “Is it, Trixie?”
    Trixie didn’t answer right away. At Mart’s mention of the prophecy, she took it from her purse. “There is something here about the broadcast,” she announced triumphantly after a moment. “Listen to this!

“When guitars play, thieves linger ’round,
But not till later are they found.”

    “It sounds mysterious,” Mart admitted. “They didn’t show up, though, did they?”
    “ ‘Not till later are they found,’ ” Trixie repeated.
    “Oh, rubbish, you pay so much attention to that paper, you’d think Nostradamus himself wrote the prophecy,” Mart said scornfully.
    “Whoever he is,” Trixie answered.
    “Mart can tell you. He knows practically everything,” Diana said proudly. “Anyway, if I thought that Mexican woman was right all the time, I’d be scared to go outside the apartment.”
    “There’s something in what Diana says,” Miss Trask remarked, overhearing the conversation. “I don’t believe in the prophecy for one minute, but I do know that those two men, or three men, or whoever they are, seem to want that statue of Trixie’s. I don’t think she should be carrying it around with her all the time.”
    “They’ll break in here and steal it if I leave it in the apartment.”
    “Let me take it—tonight, at least.” Miss Trask’s voice was anxious.
    “Miss Trask! We don’t want anything to happen to you any more than we want it to happen to Trixie,” said Honey.
    “Wait just a minute, everyone. I never go anyplace alone except to the hospital and back, and always in a taxi. Let me take it for the present. Tomorrow, why don’t you look around that antique store where you bought it, Trixie, and see if you can discover anything more.”
    Reluctantly, Trixie gave the little idol to Miss Trask, who tucked it into her purse. “If you don’t find out anything more about it at the antique store tomorrow, don’t you think we’d better turn it over to the police?” Miss Trask was obviously worried.
    “No... no, I don’t think so.” Trixie shook her head. “It would just gather dust in the police station. The police have so many important things to look after. I’ve grown quite attached to the ugly little thing, anyway.”
    “Trixie’s right about the police,” Dan said. “I keep telling you that the police haven’t a thing to work on in this case. His nibs is getting under my skin now. I have to find out who and what he is. Tomorrow I’ll go with you, Trix, and do some sleuthing.”
    It wasn’t much of a drive from Central Park West to the Empire State Building. Bob and Barbara rode with Jim and Trixie.
    As they rounded the corner of the huge New York City Library, Jim pointed out the crouching lions guarding the entrance. “They’re about as ferocious-looking as the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz!”
    “ Our English teacher at home told us the main reading room in that library is two blocks long. That couldn’t possibly be true, could it, Jim?” Barbara turned her head to look back at the building.
    “It could be,” Jim answered. “The building covers a huge area. It has over seven million books on its shelves.