Hocus Pocus Hotel Read Online Free PDF Page A

that ran along that side of the hotel. “If someone jumped out this window, they’d land on that ledge.”
    â€œBut we all thought he jumped out the other window,” said Charlie. “Where there was a straight drop to the street.”
    â€œIt was an amazing magic trick,” said Dotty.
    â€œYes, it was,” said Charlie. “But not a trick of levitation, or floating. It was a trick with mirrors.”

    â€œJust like Brack’s trick in the elevator,” said Ty, nodding.
    â€œBrack said the hotel’s walls were full of magic,” said Charlie. “And I believe it. If a magician built this place, why wouldn’t he put in all kinds of tricks and illusions, for the fun of the guests? Over all the years, I’m sure many of them were forgotten. But Mr. M. is a magician himself. He’d know what to look for.”
    Charlie led them back to the intersection of the two hallways. He carefully examined one of the corners. “Look!” he said triumphantly. “This pulls out!”
    Ty gripped a small handle hidden in the wooden molding of the corner’s edge. Out came a panel as tall as the wall itself. Smoothly, it glided over to the opposite corner, forming an angle in the hallway. The secret panel was a single, huge mirror.
    â€œAnother magic trick,” said Ty.
    From where the two boys had stood at Miss Drake’s apartment, it looked as if they were staring straight down the hall. But instead, the mirror was reflecting the side hall, the real hallway that Mr. Madagascar had run down. He had thrown himself out the side window and safely landed on the ledge. But the mirror had tricked his small audience into believing he had jumped out the other window and disappeared.
    â€œIt’s still a good trick,” said Dotty Drake, sadly.
    â€œA magnificent trick!” boomed a voice behind them.
    Mr. Madagascar stepped out from Miss Drake’s apartment.

Mr. Madagascar walked up to Ty and Charlie. “A man jumps out a window and disappears fourteen floors above the ground. Good one, huh?” said the magician.
    â€œUh, yeah,” Charlie said.

    â€œThis was supposed to be the beginning of my comeback,” Mr. Madagascar said. “I wanted to perform one last show, one astounding trick that would go down in the history books.”
    â€œSo you planned all of this?” asked Ty.
    â€œOf course I did,” said Mr. Madagascar. “I waited for you to come up to my apartment, and I wanted you to follow me. I had everything all set up. And the lovely Miss Drake here helped by providing some misdirection.” He winked at Dotty, who blushed.
    Misdirection like Brack performed earlier , thought Charlie. When he pointed toward the lobby and said, “Now you see him, now you don’t.” He made us turn around so he could close the two fake mirror walls in the elevator.
    â€œYour scream was the misdirection,” said Ty.
    â€œI always had a good voice for that,” Miss Drake said proudly, putting her hand to her throat. “And while I screamed and fainted, the mirror wall slid back into the corner. It’s on a timer.”
    Ty laughed. “So the guy who knocked me down was me!” he said. “My own reflection.” He flexed his muscles and added, “I knew he looked tough.”

    A low hum rumbled in the hall. The mirror glided back into the corner and snapped into place. And outside the building, a siren wailed.
    â€œI didn’t break any law,” said Mr. Madagascar.
    â€œBut the police will want to know what —,” began Ty.
    â€œDo they have to know tonight?” asked the magician. “Give me twenty-four hours. Give me time to have the headlines proclaim my trick to the world. Then I will reappear, and make a statement to the press.”
    â€œAnd you’ll have the best publicity in the world,” said Charlie, smiling.
    â€œExactly,” said Mr. Madagascar.