[00:00.00]Text Detective on the Trail
[00:06.48]Bob Sugg read only certain bits of the papers he sold.
[00:11.44]Robberies,killings,and things like that.
[00:15.31]And that was funny,too,because he didn't like crime
[00:19.96]and meant to stop it whenever he could.
[00:23.82]Already in his free time he had helped catch several wrongdoers.
[00:28.68]Bob's favourite part of the newspaper was the page of personal advertisements.
[00:34.32]The one he was reading right now said:"Remember Aunt Mary on next Sunday.
[00:40.28]Quarrel upsetting all.Report evening 25th.N.E.Cross."
[00:46.34]"That's a funny one,"Bob thought.He reread the notice.
[00:51.38]Why pay more money to say"on next Sunday"
[00:56.14]when"next Sunday "would have been enough?"Cross.Cross."
[01:01.88]Bob felt sure he had come upon that name in the personals before.
[01:07.03]But he didn't remember those initials.What did N.E.stand for?
[01:12.67]For some reason that advertisement haunted Bob Sugg.
[01:17.53]Here was a mystery he wanted to solve.
[01:21.50]Four days later,a headline about a burglary caught his eye.
[01:26.75]He quickly read the story.
[01:29.99]A few minutes later,the man in charge of the newspaper files
[01:34.85]saw an excited boy rush into the room.
[01:38.90]"May I see the back number files,sir?"the boy asked.
[01:43.55]The man motioned toward a wide shelf.Bob intently studied a paper.
[01:49.71]"Look!These two personals,"Bob was breathless with excitement.
[01:55.67]"They appeared on different dates,but it's the same advertiser,Cross."
[02:01.91]"Wait,"the man interrupted."The initials aren't alike.
[02:06.96]One is W.Cross and the other is S.W."
[02:11.81]"Here's another Cross that was in the paper last Thursday.
[02:16.18]Now,who sent in these three ads?"asked Bob.
[02:20.12]"We can't give you that information,"the man said.
[02:24.25]"Well,"said Bob,"
[02:27.20]if you don't get this very question from the police inspector today,
[02:32.37]my name's not Bob Sugg."The next moment he was gone.
[02:37.62]Bob hurried into Inspector Hamelin's office,and showed him the headline in the paper.
[02:43.40]"It's about this burglary in Ramon Square,"he said.
[02:47.76]"I can tell you the number of the house,though it isn't in the paper.
[02:52.90]Number 25.The burglar's Mr.N.E.Cross this time.
[02:58.83]Before,he was W.Cross,and before that,S.W.Cross.
[03:04.40]Remember Aunt Mary on next Sunday.Quarrel upsetting all.Report evening 25th.'
[03:11.53]Mr.Hamelin,the first letters of the words spell'Ramon Square.'
[03:16.70]"And the initials N.E.stand for North East?"
[03:20.86]"That's right,"said Bob."25,Ramon Square,North East;that was the address.
[03:27.91]And Sunday was the day chosen for the job!"
[03:32.27]"Smart work.Cognratulations!"Hamelin said.
[03:36.40]"I found two more ads in the news files,from weeks ago.
[03:41.26]Read them,sir!"Bob urged.
[03:44.73]Inspector Hamelin did so.The first one ran:"Friday.
[03:50.19]Reasons of safety take Lewis away North England 30th.S.W.Cross."
[03:57.04]The second ran:
[03:59.80]"Meet usual spot early unless Mary rings on Wednesday 5th.W.Cross."
[04:06.28]Bob pointed a forefinger at each word in turn.
[04:10.41]"The first spells out 30,Frost Lane,South West.
[04:15.58]The second is 5,Museum Row,West.
[04:20.13]When it gives the day of the week,that's the day for the burglary."
[04:25.30]"Bob,"Hamelin said,"you've given us the key to something.
[04:30.34]There were burglaries in both Frost Lane and Museum Row on the dates you've noted here.
[04:36.90]Both crimes still unsolved.Lieutenant,
[04:41.47]call the paper and find out exactly where these advertisements came from!"
[04:46.93]The lieutenant learned that Mr.Cross had mailed the ads to the paper with payment.
[04:53.09]The city directory showed no such return address as the advertiser had left.
[04:59.26]"Well,the only way to get him is to watch the papers,"said the inspector.
[05:05.01]"There'll be another ad signed'Cross.'Then we'll trip him up!"
[05:10.05]The following week Bob saw the ad he wanted:
[05:13.81]"Susan.Awaited letter eight months,can't rest,eat,sleep.
[05:19.56]Come early next Thursday 8th.N.Cross.
[05:24.00]"8,Salem Crescent,North,"Bob said.
[05:28.36]When Bob reached Inspector Hamelin's office,the police already got the information,
[05:34.24]and Bob was told to return to his job
[05:38.18]and read about what was going to happen in the newspaper.
[05:42.54]But for Bob Sugg,that was too uninteresting a way of learning the news.
[05:48.32]After dark on Thursday night
[05:51.87]he made his way to Salem Crescent,and hid himself.
[05:56.13]Every little while he peeked out and looked at Number 8.
[06:00.39]Now and then he saw men walking along the street.
[06:04.64]Then they disappeared in the dim shadows.
[06:08.40]They must be plain clothes men,Bob decided,
[06:12.56]who would hide until the time was ripe to swoop down on the criminals.
[06:17.70]Hour after hour Bob waited.Now a distant clock was striking one.
[06:23.95]Then a voice asked,"What are you doing here?"
[06:28.68]It was a man in police uniform.
[06:32.44]"I'm just hanging around Salem Crescent to see the fun,"Bob answered.
[06:37.69]But there isn't going to be any because the crooks have got on to it.
[06:42.44]Why haven't you gone home with the rest of the police?"he went on.
[06:46.99]"Who said the rest had gone home?"asked the man.
[06:51.12]"The inspector told me,"Bob lied."
[06:54.67]He said Mr.Cross had learned we're on to him,
[06:59.03]and put that last ad in just to mislead us."
[07:03.71]"That's right,"nodded the man."So why didn't you go home,too?"
[07:08.85]Bob looked intently at the man.
[07:12.30]"I thought I'd stay in case Mr.Cross does turn up."
[07:16.74]"It's lucky for you I'm the one you met,"the man said,smiling."
[07:21.70]If it had been that criminal with no police around,
[07:25.96]he'd probably have twisted your neck."
[07:29.80]Suddenly Bob clapped his hand against his jacket pocket.
[07:34.35]It's gone!The inspector's money belt!I found it,and now I've mislaid it!
[07:40.88]I must have dropped it!"
[07:44.14]Quickly the man looked down.
[07:47.38]The next instant he received a hard kick that sent him flying.
[07:52.14]Then Bob Sugg yelled,and dim figures came running and surrounded the man.
[07:57.70]"The rest of you were in plain clothes,"Bob explained after wards to the inspector.
[08:03.27]"So I thought,'Why isn't this one?'
[08:07.42]Maybe Mr.Cross had put that last ad in as a test
[08:12.09]and might come along later to see if he'd been found out.
[08:16.64]He thought being dressed like a policeman would make him safe.
[08:21.21]But he looked like a liar to me." |