I had recently seen a strange electric eel hanging around the rocky cave where the Urchins lived--and I knew that I would have to go there to find out what he was up to--but I also knew that the urchins were a lawless type which had little respect for me --or anything else.
I realized that the only way I could get the information I needed was to go to the urchins cave in disguise!
I returned to the main salon of the mansion, said goodbye to Madam Clam and assured her that I was on the case and would retrieve her pearl if it was possible.
Then, attended by Sandy Sandcrab, I returned to the beach where I could assemble the disguise I needed.
As soon as we were there, Clarence turned and spoke.
"You will wish to know what I know about the missing pearl."
"Correct." I answered.
"Well, I must say, I don't know anything at all!"
"You summoned Madam Clam to breakfast..."
"As usual. Then I preceded her into the breakfast room and waited on her--also as usual."
"Was there anyone else in the house in the morning?"
"No. We were alone--also as usual. I served her second cup of coffee and then she left the room. I was clearing the breakfast things when she returned as white as a sheet to report to me that her beautiful pearl was gone!"
"And you had NOT left the breakfast room at the time."
"I NEVER do until the breakfast things are clear--that is one of my duties."
"And are you ABSOLUTELY SURE there was no one else about--remember well, because this is VERY important!"
"Yes. I am sure...WAIT a MOMENT! Now I remember! A workman--an electric eel--had come earlier to check the wiring! He COULD have entered the bedroom after we left!"
"AN ELECTRIC EEL! AHA! NOW we're GETTING SOMEWHERE!!" I said.
"Clarence", said Madam Clam, "Constable Crab would like to speak to you privately about the Plumbago Pearl---Perhaps you could all go to the den? It is quite private..."
"Of course, Madam Clam, I understand perfectly." said Clarence putting the tea things down on a nearby table.
Madam Clam pulled herself together, straightened up and took a deep breath.
"I know it is QUITE unusual for a CLAM to have a Pearl", she said, "But it was given to me by an admirer, Augustus Von Oyster, a few years ago--and it means SO MUCH to me!"
"And exactly WHEN did you LAST see the pearl?" I asked.
"This morning when I got up and came in for breakfast. I touched it as I always did first thing in the morning, for good luck--and I am SURE it was right near my clam-bed when I left the room!"
"But..." I suggested.
"BUT," she continued, "When I came back in to dress to go out, it was GONE!"
"And had anyone been near it while you were at breakfast?"
"That's just it! There was no-one in the house but Clarence, the butler and myself! The maid was taking her day off and was not here!"
"Then perhaps I should talk to Clarence--alone." I said.
"We followed closely in Clarence's wake through the elaborate mansion and into the private study of Madam Claire Clam.
Madam Clam was seated, not behind her grand writing desk as I expected, but more casually in a comfortable chair. She was smiling, but seemed a little nervous and worried.
She invited us to sit in chairs obviously arranged for us facing hers and began speaking in a low but firm voice."
"Something very terrible has happened, I'm afraid, Constable. Sandy has no doubt told you that my great pearl, The Plumbago Pearl, is missing--gone--vanished!"
"I am distressed to hear it." I replied. "Please give me the details of your discovery and tell me how I can help you."
"I was relaxing on the beach one sunny day when I heard someone call my name in an excited tone of voice. I looked in the direction of the call and recognized one of my young friends 'Sandy' Sand Crab.
Sandy came running up to me and breathlessly began to inform me about some what seemed to be a rather serious problem--I caught the name of Madam Claire Clam--but could not understand anything else.
STOP, Sandy! Slow down--take a deep breath--and tell me CALMLY what it is you need to say."
"Oh Constable! You must come quickly! Madam Clam is in GREAT need of your skill! Her famous pearl is GONE and probably STOLEN!!"
Well, this WAS serious news--and no small thing either!
Everyone knew that Madam Claire Clam was the proud owner of one of the finest and most valuable pearls in the entire world--The famous Plumbago Pearl!
I was immediately on my feet and hurrying toward the sea cove where Madam Clam had her home with Sandy scampering after me.
"Well, here we are again at the end of another successful case.
The Jellyfish got a new house and my old friend Hermit Crab got his dream home--a genuine chambered nautilus shell!
My next case is one of the most complex and dangerous of all--in which I came up against that arch-villain Boss Octopus for the first time--I call it: "The Case of the Purloined Pearl".
"Fine for YOU--you--you JELLYFISH! But what am I going to do for a house? AND for me that is highly important, because Hermit crabs ALWAYS have houses!! And (sob) I DON'T!!"
"Cheer up, old friend." I said, "Every cloud has a silver lining--perhaps..."
"Oh, I know you are trying top cheer me up," said Hermit, "but I just know I'll NEVER find another sweet little house like--like..."
"What's the matter?" I asked--because suddenly Hermit had a VERY strange look in his eye.
"It's just that I thought I saw--over there in the sand by those big stones--a--a..."
"But WHY would a jellyfish even WANT a house?" Hermit Crab asked.
"I KNOW it is unusual" retorted the jellyfish, "But I am tired of just floating around! Owning my own house gives me a feeling of dignity and prestige! AND as you well know--it offers great protection from the predators of the deep! Finally I can relax and enjoy life without worrying about being eaten! I expect lots of jellyfish will start looking for new homes soon!"
"SO, Jellyfish!" I demanded when we were face to face with the creature, "Where do you think you are going with Hermit Crab's House?"
"Who's house?" asked the Jellyfish.
"MY house!" Hermit blurted. "My own cozy little whelk shell HOUSE!"
"Your house? MY house!" Jellyfish replied indignantly. "Surely you are familiar with The Law of the Sea: 'If you HAVE it, it's YOURS!' and I HAVE IT! So it's MY house!"
I looked at the sad expression on my old friend's face.
"I'm afraid the jellyfish is in the right." I said.
Jellyfish simply NEVER enter empty whelk shells--and they MOST certainly NEVER walk away with one---carrying it on their back like a hermit crab carries its house!
We hurriedly scrambled down the slippery rocksand soon saw--just in front of us but moving slowly around the edge of a mossy cliff-- Hermit's whelk shell house.
I sauntered over to a scruffy starfish who was lying under a mossy rock near the shore and casually started a conversation.
"Hello there. Nice day isn't it. Have you been hanging out here long?"
"Hullo ", said the starfish, " Yeah, I been here all morning. Nuttin' much doing down here today! Say, you're Constable Crab, ain'tcha--what's happenin', Constable?"
"I'm here with my old friend Hermit Crab--seems like his house has gone missing--"
"Missing house, you say, well I haven't seen and houses running loose around here--hyuck! hyuck!"
"Well, you know old Hermit's habits, Mr. Starfish--his house was actually sort of an abandoned whelk shell."
"No kidding! I DID see a whelk shell a while ago--but it WASN'T empty!"
"No. I don't know WHERE my dear little house is! I have no idea where it could be!" Hermit cried.
"Well then--WHERE did you see it last?" I asked.
"I was down in the tide pool--and of course it was WITH me since I usually carry it on my back--I just stepped out of it for a quick seaweed snack and when I returned--just a few moments later--it was--(sob!)--GONE!"
Here poor old Hermit was overcome with weeping. I felt pity and patted him on his antenna to show my fellow-feeling.
As an expert in The Law of the Sea, I knew very well that when some creature HAS something--it's HIS!
True, Hermit had been living in "his" whelk shell for quite a while, but the shell was really the shell of an unknown whelk! (Now gone AND forgotten!)
But I went on to ask the usual detective questions:
"Do you have any idea where your house might have gone--or any clues to where it might be now?"
...
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
"Don't worry, old fellow." I said, "We'll have your house back before you can say Jack Robinson!"
"I feel much better already with you on the case." smiled Hermit Crab, "You know I feel so--so--so exposed--without my little house. Besides, you know, though it isn't much as houses go-- it IS my very own little house..."
"Oh, so true, so TRUE!" I rejoined, "it is a sort of whelk shell as I remember, isn't it?"
"Yes! That's it exactly! My own lovely, cozy little whelk shell!" Hermit Crab said with moist eyes.
