Secret of the Underground Room Read Online Free PDF Page B

impatient—the professor obviously knew something, and they wanted to know it too.
    "Come on, professor!" said Johnny anxiously. "If you've found out anything, we have a right to know too!"
    "Yeah," chimed in Fergie.
    The professor's face was stony. He went on smoking awhile before he spoke. "When I was talking to that old clergyman," he began, slowly, "I happened to look into his eyes, and if I had a weak heart I probably wouldn't be talking to you now. Boys, I tell you—that old man has Father Higgins's eyes!"
    Johnny gasped. "Are you sure?"
    The professor nodded. "Higgy's eyes are a peculiar shade of green, with little yellow flecks mixed in. I know him well enough to say that those are his eyes. There is absolutely no doubt about it in my mind. A lot of people never notice the special things about a person's appearance, but I always do!"
    The boys looked at each other. They knew the professor well, and he wasn't acting any crazier than he usually did. Could he be right? And if so, what did all this mean?
    Fergie gave the professor a skeptical glance. "So do you mean that Father Higgins is dead, and that old coot stole his eyes?"
    "No, no, no!" snapped the professor. "I didn't say that at all! What I mean is that that was Father Higgins we were talking to. Some evil spirit has invaded his body, and it has changed his appearance for some unknown reason. And if you ask me why some spirit would want to snatch our poor friend, I don't know! Lord above! Not in my wildest dreams would I have believed that this was possible!"
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    CHAPTER FIVE
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    For a long time the three of them sat there watching the other tourists prowl among the ruins. The morning sun cast long shadows on the grass, and birds twittered in the thorn tree nearby. Johnny could hardly believe that what the professor was saying really was true. But if it was, what chance did they have of finding Father Higgins? If some evil force was strong enough to change the priest's appearance, what could the three of them do?
    As if in answer to Johnny's thoughts, the professor spoke. "I don't think we ought to give up," he said with tight-jawed determination. "At least we know that Higgy is here, and we have to wait for him to make his move. Why he hasn't swiped his mother's ashes already, who knows? Maybe the evil spirit doesn't want what Higgy wants, and is fighting against his will. Maybe there's a night watchman in the church, or an electric-eye system or something like that. But I'm sure he wants his mother's ashes, or he wouldn't be here."
    Fergie looked exasperated. "So what are we supposed to do?" he asked. "Camp outside the church door and wait for this old white-haired character to show up?"
    "No," said the professor calmly. "That would be kind of silly, wouldn't it? The clergyman would spot us. No, I think we should just let Father Higgins dig the ashes up and then try to follow him. That shouldn't be too hard because there are only two ways he can get out of town—by bus or by car. People visiting from out of town have to leave their car license numbers at the hotels they're staying at, and there are only two hotels in town, ours and the Royal George down the street. I've checked out the local license plates and I know the numbers they start with. There are no out-of-town plates listed in the register at our hotel, and I've already checked the Royal George, just to see if Higgy was traveling under a fake name. No out-of-town plates there either. So, that leaves the bus station. We'll check it, and hopefully there will be someone around who remembers a horsy-faced British clergyman and where he was bound for."
    "But where do you think he'll be going to?" asked Johnny.
    The professor shrugged. "That's something we'll find out later. If I'm right, he has to work some magic ritual to bring his mother back from the dead. And the ritual probably has something to do with that piece of green glass that he showed us. The day I invaded