Three-Ring Terror Read Free Page A

problem,” Nash said. “It’s thinning out, anyway. There are just a few circus folks and some VIPs left, from what I can tell,” he added, scanning the crowd. “Go on home.”
    â€œThanks,” Chet told him, pulling off his wig and putting it in his tote bag. “I’m just glad to be able to take this thing off,” he said with a grin.
    â€œI know what you mean,” Nash said, scratching at his wig. “It sure does itch. Oh,” he went on, turning to Frank and Joe. “I almost forgot. Why don’t you two guys come with your friend to class tomorrow? Circus U. is having an open house for students and friends. You’ll also get to watch the circus performers in rehearsal. It should be fun.”
    Chet’s eyes lit up. “That’s a great idea.” He turned to the Hardys. “I can give you guys a behind-the-scenes tour of the circus.”
    Frank looked at Joe. “What do you think?” he asked.
    â€œWhy not,” Joe answered. “We are on vacation after all.”
    â€œThanks for the invitation,” Frank said to Carl Nash. “We’ll see you tomorrow then.”
    â€œGreat,” Nash said. He went back to working the refreshment stand.
    â€œHe seems like a nice guy,” Chet commented as he and Joe followed Frank away from the refreshment table.
    â€œMaybe he can show you some tricks on the trapeze,” Joe said, grinning.
    Chet shook his head emphatically. “Not me. No way. This clown stays on the ground.”
    Frank led them to a less crowded part of the backstage area. He stopped at the edge of a room filled with circus props.
    â€œWhy are we stopping?” asked his brother.
    â€œWe need to plan our strategy,” Frank replied. “How we’re going to find out who that juggler was, why he left this”—Frank held up the gem-studded ball—“in Chet’s bag, and what it all means.”
    Chet bit his lip thoughtfully, smearing his red makeup. “Why don’t we just turn the ball in to the circus officials and let them take care of finding out the answers to all those questions.”
    â€œCome on, Chet,” Joe said. “Where’s your sense of adventure?”
    â€œYou two are the detectives,” Chet replied. “I’m here to learn how to be a clown, not to solve mysteries.”
    â€œBut Frank and I will need your help,” Joe pointed out. “You’re in a perfect position to supply us with info on the people here.”
    â€œLook, you guys,” Chet went on, shaking his head in exasperation. “Don’t mess things up for me, okay? If you start snooping around here, the circus people might not like it, and then I could be in trouble.”
    â€œWait a minute,” Frank said. “Since when have we put solving a case above our friendship?”
    Chet frowned slightly. “Never, I guess. But don’t do it now, either, okay?”
    â€œDeal,” Frank said, reaching out to shake Chet’s hand. The polka-dotted sleeve of Chet’s costume flapped wildly as Frank pumped Chet’s hand. “So tell us,” Frank continued, “who should we talk to tomorrow to find out who that juggler is?”
    Chet shook his head and shrugged. “You got me. So far, I’ve only met Bo Costello. You could ask him, I guess.”
    â€œSounds good to me. Have you got any ideas, Joe?” Frank asked his brother.
    â€œLet’s take another look at the ball,” Joe suggested. “Maybe there’s something about it we missed the first time we looked at it.”
    â€œTrue,” Frank said, squinting at the ball. “This may be an ordinary prop, but who knows?”
    He held the ball up to the light. The white gems looked like rhinestones or glass, but he took out his pocketknife and scraped at each one of them just to be sure. The gems flaked away under the pressure of the knife. “That tells us one thing,