Random House

I do not want to alarm anyone, but I feel it is my duty to warn you that in the pages ahead you will meet, as the title of this book suggests, a green ghost. In addition to the ghost you will encounter some strange pearls, and a little dog who plays no part in the story because he does nothing at all. Or does he play a part? Sometimes doing nothing is as important as doing something. It will be worth thinking about.

I could tell you of many other strange episodes, exciting adventures and suspenseful situations that you will be encountering, but I feel sure you would rather read about these for yourself. So I will content myself by introducing, as I promised them I would, The Three Investigators.

This is the fourth time I have introduced them, and I admit that in the earlier cases I had grave doubts. However, I have now grown rather fond of Jupiter Jones, Bob Andrews and Pete Crenshaw. I think you will find them good companions for an evening of mystery, adventure and suspense.

The three boys have formed the firm of The Three Investigators and use their spare time to solve any mysteries that come their way. They live in Rocky Beach, California, a town on the shore of the Pacific Ocean some miles from Hollywood. Bob and Pete live with their parents and Jupiter lives with his uncle, Titus Jones, and aunt, Mathilda Jones, who own and operate The Jones Salvage Yard, a rather fabulous junkyard where one can find almost anything.

In this junkyard is a 30-foot mobile home trailer, that was damaged in an accident, which Titus Jones was never able to sell. He allowed Jupiter and his friends to use it, and they have rebuilt it as a modern Headquarters for an investigation firm. It has a small laboratory, a dark room, and an office with desk, typewriter, telephone, tape recorder and many books of reference. All equipment was rebuilt by Jupiter and the others from junk that came into the salvage yard.

Jupiter has had Hans and Konrad, the big, blond Bavarian brothers who are the yard helpers, arrange stacks of junk all around the trailer so that it is invisible to the outside world. The adults have forgotten about it. Only The Three Investigators know of its existence, and they keep the secret by using hidden entrances into Headquarters.

The entrance they use most often is Tunnel Two, a length of corrugated iron pipe which runs from their own outdoor workshop partly underground, beneath some junk and under Headquarters. After crawling through it, they emerge into Headquarters through a trap door. There are other entrances, but we will discuss them when we come to them.

The boys have the use of a gold-plated Rolls Royce automobile, complete with chauffeur, when they need to travel long distances. The use of this automobile, for thirty days, was won in a contest by Jupiter Jones. For ordinary purposes of local travel, they use their bicycles, or sometimes get Hans or Konrad to drive them in one of the salvage yard trucks.

Jupiter Jones is stocky, muscular, and a bit roly-poly. Some people of an unfriendly nature call him fat. He has a round face which often looks stupid. This is misleading. Behind it is a very sharp intelligence. Jupiter has an excellent mind, and he is rather proud of it. He has many good features, but undue modesty is not one of them.

Pete Crenshaw, tall, brown hair, muscular, is capable of many athletic feats. He is Jupiter’s right-hand man at trailing suspects and other dangerous activities.

Bob Andrews is slighter of build, has lighter hair, and is more studious. Though he has great nerve, he is chiefly in charge of records and research for the firm. He has a part-time job at the local library, and this enables him to hunt up much information that is helpful in the firm’s investigations.

I have told you all this, so that the following narrative need not be interrupted to repeat information which some of you may have previously acquired, if you have read about the firm’s earlier cases.

In any event, onward! The green ghost is about to scream!

ALFRED HITCHCOCK

Scholastic

I do not want to alarm anyone, but I feel it is my duty to warn you that in the pages ahead you will meet, as the title of this book suggests, a green ghost. In addition to the ghost you will encounter some strange pearls, and a little dog who plays no part in the story because he does nothing at all. Or does he play a part? Sometimes doing nothing is as important as doing something. It will be worth thinking about.

I could tell you of many other strange episodes, exciting adventures and suspenseful situations that you will be encountering, but I feel sure you would rather read about these for yourself. So I will content myself by introducing, as I promised them I would, The Three Investigators I have grown rather fond of: Jupiter Jones, Bob Andrews and Pete Crenshaw. I think you will find them good companions for an evening of mystery, adventure and suspense.

The three boys have formed the firm of The Three Investigators and use their spare time to solve any mysteries that come their way. They live in Rocky Beach, California, a town on the shore of the Pacific Ocean some miles from Hollywood. Bob and Pete live with their parents and Jupiter lives with his uncle, Titus Jones, and aunt, Mathilda Jones, who own and operate The Jones Salvage Yard, a rather fabulous junkyard where one can find almost anything.

In this junkyard is a 30-foot mobile home trailer, that was damaged in an accident, which Titus Jones was never able to sell. He allowed Jupiter and his friends to use it, and they have rebuilt it as a modern Headquarters for an investigation firm. It has a small laboratory, a dark room, and an office with desk, typewriter, telephone, tape recorder and many books of reference. All equipment was rebuilt by Jupiter and the others from junk that came into the salvage yard.

Jupiter has had Hans and Konrad, the big, blond Bavarian brothers who are the yard helpers, arrange stacks of junk all around the trailer so that it is invisible to the outside world. The adults have forgotten about it. Only The Three Investigators know of its existence, and they keep the secret by using hidden entrances into Headquarters.

The entrance they use most often is Tunnel Two, a length of corrugated iron pipe which runs from their own outdoor workshop partly underground, beneath some junk and under Headquarters. After crawling through it, they emerge into Headquarters through a trap door. There are other entrances, but we will discuss them when we come to them.

Jupiter Jones is stocky, muscular, and a bit roly-poly. Some people of an unfriendly nature call him fat. He has a round face which often looks stupid. This is misleading. Behind it is a very sharp intelligence. Jupiter has an excellent mind, and he is rather proud of it. He has many good features, but undue modesty is not one of them.

Pete Crenshaw, tall, brown hair, muscular, is capable of many athletic feats. He is Jupiter’s right-hand man at trailing suspects and other dangerous activities.

Bob Andrews is slighter of build, has lighter hair, and is more studious. Though he has great nerve, he is chiefly in charge of records and research for the firm. He has a part-time job at the local library, and this enables him to hunt up much information that is helpful in the firm’s investigations.

Now, onward! The green ghost is about to scream!

ALFRED HITCHCOCK