The waitress brought the brimming cups of cocoa on each of which there was a big blob of whipped cream Oh yummy Holly murmured Biffi sat very straight and cocked his head as the cocoa was served Maybe you can have some later Pam whispered Then she said to Meyer Why did you give up the chase when you nearly had that fellow I knew that the cable car left a few seconds later he said and that Blackmar would be on it But he got too far ahead of me when I fell down so it was no use to go on Blackmar Ricky asked Who is he Meyer smiled heaved a long sigh and sat back in his chair Maybe I shouldn’t bore you he said because it has to do with detective work Detectives Holly blurted We’re detectives Mr Meyer Honest we are Pete said We love to solve mysteries In Germany we were cuckoo detectives Sue piped up The children giggled and Pam quickly told Meyer about the strange cuckoo-clock riddle the Hollisters had solved a short time before Their host was deeply interested Then you might like to hear about my case the man said I’m not exactly a detective I’m an investigator for an insurance company 10
While the children and their mother sipped the hot chocolate and nibbled on their sandwiches they listened fascinated to what their Swiss host had to say If you will keep it a secret he went on in a lowered voice I will tell you that I am investigating the theft of a large diamond from Holland Really Mrs Hollister said Yes A very valuable rough gem was stolen from a factory and along with it a small diamond-cutting machine Not only that but an expert diamond cutter vanished from the place at the same time He has been traced to the borders of Switzerland It is my job to find him Is Blackmar the diamond cutter asked Pete No Meyer answered But he is a well-known international jewel thief and I think he may be the brains behind the theft I spotted him in Zurich and followed him here thinking he might meet another member of his gang When I saw no one suspicious I approached Blackmar to question him Then Biffi barked The scoundrel knows me and he set off like a bolt of lightning We’re sorry we got in your way Mrs Hollister apologized Perhaps you could have caught up with him Oh yes it was our fault little Sue spoke up so we’ll help you find the bad man I think Biffi feels sorry about it too Pam said May he sit on a chair beside us if we wipe his feet Yes Meyer replied He’d like that 11
Let him have my place Ricky said and squirmed out of his seat I want to go outside and play May I Mother Yes Mrs Hollister answered but don’t wander off Holly begged to go with her brother and when she was excused scampered off behind Ricky and disappeared outside Pam wiped Biffi’s feet with a paper napkin Then at her command the dog jumped onto her brother’s empty chair Oh isn’t he cute Sue exclaimed as she reached over to pet the poodle Ricky and Holly meanwhile ran about in the snow They were all alone except for a middle-aged Swiss couple who despite the falling flakes were taking photographs beside the inn Let’s throw snowballs Holly said At each other No said Holly pointing upward If we throw them on the roof they’ll roll down and get bigger and bigger Yikes That’s keen Ricky exclaimed He and his sister bent down to make several snowballs They were so busy doing this that they did not see the middle-aged Swiss man remove his hat hold it in the crook of his arm and stand stiffly for a snapshot As he did this the children tossed their snowballs on the roof one after another At first the white balls did not seem to move but gradually they began to roll 12
