Inventions -- Fiction; Science fiction; Short stories; Spy stories; World War, 1939-1945 -- Fiction
"How?" Henry's goatee jerked with contempt. "How would I know anyone was
there? I saw him. He was right behind the blonde with the cute--"
"Henry!"
"Oh, all right. Anyhow, he was right behind a blonde girl. I saw him
when I looked through my glasses while I was showing Joseph how to use
them."
* * * * *
Again Major Coggleston paced the floor. His face was lined with worry.
He bit nervously at his lip.
"I'll be damned if I know what to do!" he exploded. "I've got to find
that spy. But I can hardly seize a whole nudist camp just because a
red-headed man bought a pair of binoculars."
"Couldn't you ask that all red-headed men be brought to the gate?"
suggested Professor Paulsen.
"No." The officer shook his head. "If the man we want is there, that
would tip him off."
"Excuse me, sir," broke in the sergeant who accompanied Major
Coggleston, "but why not just search the whole place with the men you've
got detailed for guard duty? It wouldn't be much of a job."
The major nodded.
"If I have to, that's just what I plan," he replied. "However, there are
women in that camp. Nude women. And, frankly, I don't hanker after any
of the kind of publicity which undoubtedly would result from such a
search. So I want to avoid it if I can."
"Then what--"
"I'll go in alone! That's it!" Major Coggleston straightened, suddenly
decisive. "Sergeant, go back to the laboratory and round up all but a
skeleton guard. Bring them back to the nudist camp and surround it.
Don't let anyone escape! Do you understand me?"
"Yes, sir. I am to surround the nudist camp with our men as soon as
possible, leaving only a skeleton guard on the laboratory."
"Right. On your way."
The sergeant strode out, and a moment later the car in the driveway
roared to life. And back in the house, the major drew a deep breath.
"Well, I'm off!" he snapped. "Wish me luck!"
"Wait!" bleated Henry, his goatee waggling excitedly.
"What's the matter?"
"I'm going with you!"
"You?" Major Coggleston stared. "What for?"
Henry started in indignation at the other's tone. He drew himself to his
full height and thrust his chin out aggressively.
"'What for?'" he mimicked. "Hmmph! Let me ask you a question, Mister
Officer: how are you going to identify the man who bought my glasses if
I'm not along?"
The major considered this. Then, at last:
"All right. I guess you'll have to come."
"Then so do I."
It was Professor Paulsen.
"Joe, there's no need to talk like that," Major Ray Coggleston began.
"If Henry goes, I go," the savant reiterated stubbornly. "He gets in
enough jams with me around to look after him. Lord knows what he'd do if
he got away from me."
* * * * *
And so it was, ten minutes later, that the three appeared at the main
gate of the Sunset Glow Nudist Colony: Let Old Sol Bring You Health.
From within the fenced enclosure came the glow of firelight and the
sound of festivities. A burly short-clad gateman was on duty.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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