The Secret of Ghost Mansion

Chapter Three

POOR Peter had to wait for a long time for Neville’s answer. The boy appeared to be in deep thought, but he wouldn’t say a word. At last Peter could take it no more. He said impatiently:

“Neville, what shall we do now?”

Neville finally replied, smiling. “Nothing. There’s nothing we can do.”

“What?” Peter was extremely, extremely disappointed after his high hopes.

“I just said, ‘there’s nothing we can do.’,” repeated Neville patiently.

“But - why?” stammered Peter, crestfallen. “Surely – surely there’s something we can do? Something?” he pleaded. “Start a gang – or something?”

“Rubbish!” interjected Neville forcefully. “That’s wishful thinking, Peter. We can’t do that. It’s only in books that these sorts of things happen. You can’t find them in real life.”

Peter couldn’t actually believe that this was Neville speaking. Neville the daredevil, Neville the mirth maker and Neville who didn’t care about things such as reality or else. It was so out of character for him! Previously Peter had once warned Neville that if he didn’t become serious once in a while he was going to get nowhere. He ought to be pleased that Neville did have that side in him, but still, he wasn’t. ‘Why,’ Peter thought, ‘did he have to use that side only for that thing? It requires some daring. And just when he is asked to use it – he refuses.’ Peter snorted.

“Oh come on Neville, we can at least try,” he tried again. “Just trying.”

“Trying doesn’t help matters,” dismissed Neville coldly.

“‘Try try until you succeed,’” quoted Peter stoutly. “It can help matters.”

“Oh really?” asked Neville in mock surprise. “I don’t think so. Why are you wasting your time? Let’s do something more real. How about football?”

“No,” replied Peter shortly. He was angry that Neville had just looked down on his idea. He supposed that Neville had just done that to pay him out for what happened in the afternoon. Why had he? He, Peter had just said the truth in a frank and truthful voice, not a spiteful voice.

“Couldn’t - we just - try?” he stammered slowly, already knowing the answer. And he got it.

“No,” replied Neville firmly.

Peter was now seething. He muttered something like ‘not being a sport’ and then made movement of going back to his house. He was just about going to go when there was a loud commotion. A bicycle’s bell rang shrilly in the still and silent air, which made Peter jump. Seconds later there was a voice screaming, “Arrghh!” and suddenly Peter couldn’t see Neville. Next, he heard an angry voice, yelling, “Disgraceful riding!” and he suddenly made out the things. A boy coming on a bicycle hurriedly had ringed the bell for Neville to get out of the road (Neville was standing right in the middle.) But he hadn’t done so in time. He was driving too fast, and he had knocked down Neville just seconds later after the bewildered boy had realized what was happening. And so, Neville, after being knocked down, had shouted the words ‘Disgraceful riding!’

“Neville, are you OK?” he asked slowly, afraid that Neville would vent out his anger on him again. Thankfully he didn’t, though. He seemed grateful.

“Yes,” he replied. He got up and brushed the dust off his shirt. “Now, to deal with that boy,” he said grimly. “Where are you, old fellow?”

The boy appeared. Neville and Peter both exclaimed. “It’s – it’s Robert!” they exclaimed in unison, and then grinned. Then Neville’s expression hardened.

“What are you doing there, young Robert?” he asked sternly (Robert was only one year younger than him, but still Neville believed it was only appropriate for him to use the word ‘young’.)

“Was looking for you,” began Robert hurriedly. “Sorry to knock you down. I was coming at Peter’s house to see him – but I didn’t know the way. Plus, my mother told me to come in an hour. Well, it was already half hour – and I didn’t know the way, was tearing through the streets. Finally got the address – but only ten minutes were remaining. So I came hurried…..”

“Alright, alright,” stopped Neville, making a mental note to his mind that never ask an explanation for Robert’s actions, otherwise he might sleep. “It’s OK. But what were you actually coming around for?”

“The news, of course,” said Robert, his usual lazy drawl gone. Neville frowned.

“Because of the news?” he asked.

“Yeah,” replied Robert. “Pretty exciting aren’t they? For the first time since I came to this town I’m feeling excited.”

“Well, no need to do so,” dismissed Neville practically. “The news is exciting now; soon they’ll become boring. There will be professionals on the case – not amateurs. But you’ll know what’ll happen. After a few days and some unsuccessful attempts, the papers will start printing some other news. And the affair will be closed; with no conclusion, as you often see, these days.

“I feel sorry for the mansion owner,” said Peter. “Roger Evams was the name, wasn’t it?”

“No. It was Roger Evans – not ‘Evams’. How foolish you are!”

“Oh really-”

“Now stop it you two,” quipped Robert hurriedly (as already mentioned Robert hated fights.) “James must be coming around, I told him to meet at Peter’s.”

At the mention of his new enemy, James Bent, Neville scowled. Even Peter looked a bit sceptical.

“Does he even know my home?” he asked coldly (despite not saying anything to Neville Peter did harbour a grudge for James, who was the most popular boy in Greenwood, a leader for the town’s juvenile population, and an official despair of the town’s adults.)

“Oh yes he does,” answered Robert, whose friend was James. He knows every home in which there are children.”

“I assume he knows every address in this house?” Neville in mock admiration said sarcastically. He was scowling more. This time Peter saw it and glad of the chance to laugh teased him.

“Oh Neville,” he laughed, “Look at that scowl on your face! It makes you look like a devil! It’s true! A devil!” he laughed more. But he was not exaggerating. Neville’s scowl was fearsome.

Robert laughed along with Peter. Neville, seeing the funny side, began to laugh too. At once the atmosphere became less intense, less chilly, and more friendly and warm. Neville stopped laughing and said briskly:

“And now, let’s get to business. Robert, you said that you just came here for the news. But it can’t be just one reason. You must have come with a suggestion.”

“Yes, I did,” replied Robert eagerly. “I was thinking that – that why don’t we start a detective agency?”

“Great minds think alike!” exclaimed Peter, pleased. “I gave the same suggestion.”

“Oh no!” groaned Neville. “That’s not possible, Robert! It’s just stuff you might read-”

“It isn’t stuff,” said Robert stoutly, and Peter nodded, pleased. Seeing this Neville exclaimed, “Not you too, Peter! I thought you were sensible!”

“I am,” said Peter with dignity, “and I just don’t find fault with this idea, which I must say, seems to be a very sound and sensible one.”

“You just say that because you are in agreement of it!” burst out Neville. “This idea?! Foolish, impractical, impossible!”

“We can have a try at it at least,” pleaded Robert. But Neville was firm.

“No,” he concluded.

“I don’t see why we shouldn’t have a try,” suddenly broke in a voice from the darkness. Peter jumped; Neville called out sharply: “Who’s there?”

“Me, James,” answered the voice. Peter recovered from his shock as Robert gave an exclamation.

“James – you’re here at last! C’mon here, old man. What do you think of this idea?”

“It sounds fine to me,” grinned James, as Neville frowned. “As I said, I don’t see why we shouldn’t have a try. If it is a failure, we could stop it in no time.”

“Yay – wunnerful!” exclaimed Robert, using his native language (despite being born in America when Robert had came to England he had learned the British English pretty well, but still used American English when displaying emotions.)

“Wonderful, not ‘wunnerful’, Robert!” laughed Peter. Robert flushed, and then said something like ‘I was taught that’ and the matter was closed.

“Well, let’s get down to business,” began Neville briskly. “Let’s do the ‘majority and minority’ votes. Whatever gets the most votes will win.” He started. “OK. Who is not in favour of this idea? Hands up!”

Not a single hand was raised, and Neville sighed. “Oh come on,” he pleaded. “One hand, people, just one hand! Good gracious! Is there no person here who is just practical?”

Apparently the answer was no, as James and Peter didn’t reply, but Robert firmly said, “Yes. There is.”

“Who?” Neville asked eagerly. “You?”

“No,” answered Robert. “I’d have thought the answer was simple – you.”

Peter and James laughed. James exaggerated a bit (to pay out Neville for the afternoon mishap) and gasped, “That was the best joke I ever heard!” while Peter clapped. Neville scowled. “Don’t make bad jokes,” he said coldly. “I was asking that who was practical among you.”

“The answer is simple, Neville,” quipped Peter politely. “No one!”

“I knew that.” Neville was grim. “You hear that – Robert? That’s the answer. Understand?”

“Yeah,” muttered Robert meekly.

“And now,” continued Neville impatiently, “enough with interruptions! Who is in favour of the idea?”

Everyone’s hand rose up. This time Neville didn’t sigh. He continued briskly: “OK. As I’m honest, I will say that I have been given defeat in this ‘majority or minority’ thing. As the majority had the vote of favour of the idea, so they have it, even though I must say it is absurd and completely-”

“Ah, you must put your spoke in,” interrupted James sarcastically. “C’mon; continue. Don’t just drone on and on.”

“I’m not droning,” said Neville with dignity, nettled with James’ sarcastic tone. “I’m just saying the truth. Anyway, you win. So, according to you, what should we do now?”

James looked taken aback. He had not expected this. Robert looked displeased. He whispered something in James’ ear. James nodded.

“OK,” he began. “I say that we must make a gang, and try to solve the mystery. This way we can do something to help Mr. Evans, who we all know that he is quite bewildered and of course, we’ll be solving a mystery, which will be exciting.” He paused now and looked at Neville, expecting him to say something cutting. But Neville didn’t. He just looked away.

“Anyone not in agreement?” James asked the group.

No one said ‘Yes’, not even Neville. Peter and Robert looked at him, surprised, but Neville was determined to say nothing (he thought that he had spoilt things too much, and he accepted his defeat sportingly.)

“Good,” remarked James. “Now we’ll proceed on.” He was happy. He was happy that he was leading the group for the first time, (and even leading and defeating his new enemy, Neville), because while he was the official leader of the town’s juvenile population including Robert, he often had a hard time cracking Neville and Peter, for they refused to be lead by him, disliking his arrogant and domineering and dominating manner (even though Neville knew that he had these traits too.)

“What shall we do first?” questioned Peter. “We have to make a gang or an agency, as you said, but there must be some rules, shouldn’t they?”

“Just what I was saying,” flushed James while Neville observed that he was not going to say it at all and had lied. “We must take a name, make some kind of secret identification, and make a meeting-place.”

“Well said, James,” praised Peter as James glowed, “you just described almost the whole of things. But doing all these things won’t be too easy, remember.”

“I acknowledge that,” James quickly replied. “When are we going to do these things?”

“Perhaps tomorrow,” suggested Robert, “today won’t be possible because it’s too late.”

“No, not tomorrow,” quipped in Neville, speaking for the first time in several minutes. “Not tomorrow.”

“I don’t see why the delay,” intervened James, ready to argue, but before another brawl could be started Peter hastily interrupted:

“No, James. Tomorrow it’s work for us. You know our mothers always want us to do work on Saturday. I don’t know if your mother does too-”

“She does,” intervened James.

“OK. So you see.”

“Yes. Perhaps we should have it on Sunday.”

“No,” chirped in Neville, refusing again. “You know that on Sunday we have to be on home only.”

“Oh!-” James snorted, gritting his teeth as Neville had refused both of the days, “you’ll be saying that on each day you do this, that, and the other!” he burst out, glaring at Neville. Neville smirked, a smirk that provoked James more.

“No, I won’t say,” he smiled smoothly, still smiling a well self-satisfied smile. “Perhaps – perhaps on Monday?” he said slowly in mock fear of James.

“Sounds fine to me,” agreed Peter, and Robert added his agreement by muttering “Yeah.”

“OK,” said James, still restraining his irritation with difficulty. “We’ll meet on Monday sharp at 4, and at Robert’s, alright?”

“Alright,” said everyone and they went to their homes.

***

The next two days were very busy. Peter and Robert and James kept thinking of the upcoming meeting. Neville didn’t. He didn’t want to. But he was also waiting.

***

Monday dawned bright and clear, with plenty of sunshine. It was not hot, and a cool breeze was there. At exactly four o’clock, the four of them gathered at Robert’s house.

“Everybody here?” Robert asked, checking.

“Yes,” Neville, Peter, and James replied in unison.

“That’s good, then,” remarked Robert. “Now I’ll leave James to do it. James.”

“All right,” began James. “First of all, we must choose a name. Which will be the best for our gang or agency?”

Nobody replied for several minutes. They were all thinking hard.