Anna carried the dishes to the kitchen and quickly put together a picnic lunch. “You can carry it in your knapsack,” she suggested.

The boys thanked her, and Jupe got his knapsack from the tent and stowed the food in the pack.

“Be careful,” warned Havemeyer. “We’ll expect you back sometime this afternoon. Okay?”

Havemeyer, Konrad, and Hans were setting to work on the swimming pool when the boys started down the road to the campground. As soon as they were around the first bend, Pete stopped. “Am I too suspicious, or is there some special reason we’re being shipped off on a hike today?” he asked. “Why did you kick me at breakfast?”

“I overheard Anna and Havemeyer talking this morning,” said Jupe. “Havemeyer wants us out of the way so he can go to the high meadow and Anna can do her homework.”

“Homework?” echoed Bob.

“Don’t ask me what it is,” Jupe told them. “It has something to do with the bank. Havemeyer is going up the slope for one last try at something, and if he doesn’t succeed this morning he and Anna intend to bluff at the bank.

I think it has to do with that safe deposit key Anna wants so desperately to find.”

“Shouldn’t one of us stay at the inn and find out what she’s doing?” asked Pete.

“I don’t see how we can,” Jupiter said. “She and Havemeyer are determined that she won’t be interrupted. They are also determined that we will not be in the high meadow today. We have been very much concerned with protecting Anna, but I begin to wonder whether she needs protection. Whatever Havemeyer is doing, she is his partner, and they’re both being extremely secretive. It’s ironic that she suggested a hike to that old fire tower. I can’t be sure, but I should think you could see not only the valley from that tower, but a lot of the high country. Let’s hurry, and we may be in time.”

“In time for what?” Bob wanted to know.

“In time to see Joe Havemeyer climb the ski slope,” said Jupe. “I’ve got my binoculars in the bottom of the knapsack. Havemeyer goes to the meadow every day with his tranquilizer gun and a knapsack. What does he do there?”

“He’s on a monster hunt,” said Pete.

“No, there’s something else,” Jupe said. “Those trips have something to do with the bank, and hence with the missing key. I want to gee what Havemeyer does up there.”

“Okay,” said Bob quickly. “Let’s move.”

They hurried down the road, across the campground, and then up the trail toward the old fire tower. Pete kept the lead, with Bob close behind him. Jupiter puffed along in the rear. Beyond the campground the trail to the tower climbed sharply, and the boys found themselves bent almost double, leaning into the hillside as they hiked upward.

It was after ten by Pete’s watch when they reached the tower.

“I hope we’re not too late,” gasped Jupiter. Without even stopping to catch his breath, he began to climb the wooden ladder to the top of the tower. Pete and Bob followed.

“Hot diggity!” said Pete. “We can see the inn from here, and the ski slope and the meadow.”

Jupe rummaged in his knapsack and took out the binoculars. He put them to his eyes and focused them. “Joe Havemeyer’s halfway up the ski slope,” he reported.

Jupiter kept the glasses trained on Havemeyer as the man climbed. He reached the meadow after ten minutes and marched straight toward the pine trees on the far side of the open area. In a few minutes, he disappeared into the trees.

Jupe lowered the binoculars. “The western side was yours, Pete. Did you get very far into the trees when we were looking for tracks yesterday?” he asked.

“Not really,” Pete answered. “A few yards, maybe. I kept in sight of the meadow.”

“Havemeyer went in among those trees. Does he go there every day? What could be there?”

“You said his trips have something to do with the bank?” asked Bob. “What could be there that has anything to do with a bank?”

“Trees,” said Pete. “More trees. Still more trees. Rocks, squirrels, jays, chipmunks, and… ”

“Wait a second!” said Jupe suddenly. “The cabin!”

“What cabin?” asked Pete.

“The hermit’s cabin. Remember, Gabby Richardson said that the hermit who lived on Monster Mountain built a cabin on the high meadow. We didn’t see any building when we were up there. It must be hidden in the trees. That could be where Havemeyer goes!”

“And what does the hermit’s cabin have to do with the bank?” asked Bob.

“I don’t know,” Jupe admitted sadly.

The boys unwrapped the sandwiches Anna had made for them and sat cross-legged in the tower to eat. From time to time Jupiter looked through the binoculars at the meadow and the ski slope. After almost an hour, Havemeyer emerged from the stand of trees to the west of the meadow and started toward the ski slope.

“He’s coming down,” said Jupiter. “Now it’s our turn to go up there. Look, let’s go back to the inn and announce we’re going to spend the afternoon at the campground, then cook our dinner there. We’ll leave right away with our food and equipment. No one will expect to see us for hours, and we can sneak up to the meadow through the trees on the north side of the ski slope. We’ve got to find what it is that brings Havemeyer there every day.”

“Oh, my aching legs.” groaned Pete. He crumpled his sandwich wrapper and put it into Jupe’s knapsack. “Let’s get started,” he said.

The return to the campground was quicker than the trek out to the fire tower. The downhill grade was so steep that the boys had to brace themselves to keep from running.

There was a car parked at the campground when the boys reached it. A short, balding man was looking with dismay at the almost dry creek, while a stout woman unpacked dishes from a picnic basket.

“Pretty sad, isn’t it?” said the man, when he saw the boys. “I wanted to get in some fishing.”

“It’s been a dry season,” Bob told him. “The water’s low everywhere.”

“Harold, let’s not stay,” said the woman quickly. “Let’s go to Bishop and stay in a motel.”

“I am not spending money on motels when I’ve got so much tied up in camping gear,” said the man. “Anyway, it’s cool here.” He pointed to the tower. “Does the trail take you up there?” he asked Bob.

“Yes. It’s a pretty stiff hike.”

The man chortled. “I could use it,” he told the boys. “I’ve let myself get out of condition.”

The boys walked on, making good time without actually running, and in fifteen minutes were back at the inn. When they went into the living room, Joe Havemeyer was standing near the fireplace with a piece of paper in his hand.

“Looks fine,” he said to Anna, who sat on the sofa.

Anna nodded. Joe glanced at the boys, crumpled the paper, and tossed it into the fireplace. He took a matchbook from the mantle and set fire to the paper, then went up the stairs.

“Good hike?” Anna asked the boys.

“Wonderful!” said Jupe.

“I thought you would like it.” Anna got up and went out to the kitchen.

Pete darted to the fireplace and stamped at the slowly burning paper. The flame puffed and died. Pete gingerly picked the remains of the paper out of the fireplace.

There were only a few inches left uncharred, but those few inches were enough.

“What did Havemeyer think looked fine?” Bob asked.

Pete hesitated, then went out onto the front porch. Bob and Jupe followed, and Jupe closed the door behind them.

“Cousin Anna’s signature,” said Pete. He handed the paper to Jupe. “She’s been writing her name over and over.”

The Three Investigators were silent for a second. Then Jupe jumped, as if someone had hit him. “She won’t speak German with her cousins!” he said suddenly. “She won’t speak German, and her wedding ring is too big.”

“What do you mean?” asked Bob.

Jupe didn’t answer, but he started down the steps. “I’m going to talk to Hans and Konrad right away,” he said tensely. “Then we’ve got to get up to the meadow fast! All of a sudden, everything makes sense to me. If my deductions are correct, something horrible is going on!”