The Mystery of the Hichcocke Inheritance Read Free Page B

stood up, pacing back and forth. “No,”
he said finally, “there doesn’t appear to be a reference to
anything being buried.”
    “Maybe the ‘Skip the H20’ part is a clue to
where we’ll find the box,” suggested Bob.
    “An excellent deduction, Records,” said
Jupiter stiffly – he was just about to suggest that himself. “I
guess we probably should have tackled that first to see where it
leads us.”
    “Perhaps it means to skip a rock,” offered
Ben. “You know, like on a pond.”
    “Yeah,” said Pete. “A pond would be H20! Is
there some kind of pond on the property, Patricia?”
    “Not that I know of,” she said. “Although
behind the house there is a golf course. There might be some kind
of water hazard out there – although I never knew father to play
golf, or any other sport, so that doesn’t seem very likely.”
    Jupiter agreed with her. “No, I’m sure he
must have meant some kind of water here on the property.” He began
pacing again and the room fell quiet as they each tried to guess
what ‘Skip the H20’ might mean.
    Suddenly Jupiter’s eyes lit up and he
smacked himself on the forehead with the palm of his hand. “Of
course!” he cried. “Patricia, did your father own any other
property besides this house? Specifically, did he own a home in a
different country?”
    Patricia thought for a moment, but then Ben
exclaimed. “Great scott! Grandfather has the summer house in
England, remember Aunt Patty? It was where he and Grandmother Alma
sometimes vacationed!”
    “Why yes!” she cried. “Ben’s right! Father
and mother did have a house just outside of London. I had forgotten
all about it!”
    “How does that tie in with the riddle,
Jupe?” asked Bob.
    Jupiter looked triumphant. “What does it
mean to ‘skip’ something?” he asked.
    “To go across – or maybe to go over
something,” answered Pete.
    “And what is H20?” asked Jupiter smugly.
    “Water!” cried Bob. “Go over the water!
That’s what the first part of the riddle means! Go over the water –
meaning the ocean – and on my estate you’ll find the crate!”
    “Ben, how soon will you be returning to
England?” Jupiter asked quickly.
    “In two days,” the English boy answered.
“Once Aunt Patty’s legal affairs have been put in order.”
    “Jupe, are you thinking what I think you’re
thinking?” asked Pete.
    “What do you have in mind, Jupiter?” asked
Patricia Hichcocke O’Connell.
    “That The Three Investigators move this
investigation across the Atlantic,” the chubby boy replied. “That’s
where the treasure is hidden, and that’s where we need to go!”
    “But what of your parents?” Patricia said.
“Certainly you can’t go off to England by yourselves!”
    “We won’t be by ourselves,” said Bob. “We’ll
be with Ben. Besides, we’re off on summer break right now. I’m sure
our parents will be okay with it if we tell them we’re helping out
Mr. Hichcocke’s family!”
    Patricia considered this for a moment.
“Well, if you can get permission from your parents,” she said, “I
will pay for your plane tickets and act as your chaperone while
we’re away.”
    Jupiter held up his hand and shook his head.
“We can’t allow you to do that,” he said. “Plane tickets to England
will be much too expensive. With what we have from our savings
working at the salvage yard, only one of us can afford to go.”
    “I insist!” she said
stubbornly. “If this is what father had planned, then all of The Three
Investigators are going! Besides, money won’t be an issue with the
inheritance he left me.”
    Jupiter looked to Ben as if for help, but
the tall boy just folded his arms across his chest in agreement
with his aunt. Finally, the stocky Investigator looked to Bob to
Pete and then shrugged his shoulders. “Okay,” he grinned, “let’s go
ask our parents!”
    The boys and Ben raced for the door and the
waiting Rolls Royce. As they climbed into the plush