Death Solves A Puzzle

Hugo Masterson, the founder of the Puzzle Club, has just recently passed away. The members of the group -- which includes the Young Allies’ Jeff Vandergill — are then read Masterson’s will by his lawyer Andrew Applebee. He tells them that he Hugo has left $50,000 to the member of the group who can solve three riddles. These riddles are:

1. Under the spreading chestnut tree the village smithy stood!

2. I shot an arrow into the air, it fell to Earth I know not where!

3. Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are!

Reading over the clues, Jeff decides to enlist the aid of his friends the Young Allies. They all agree to help, intending on donating the money to charity. Going over the clues, the team decide that all of these clues have to do with Hugo Masterson’s personal life and split into three group s to investigate each riddle.

Whitewash and Toro search ever blacksmith in town looking for something that is out of place. At the last one they locate a toy block with the letter N on it. Just as they have found this clue a masked man comes and forces it away from them and flees the scene. Meanwhile, Jeff and Knuckles have followed the second clue to the Black Arrow Inn. There at the bar they discover a green bottle of Vermouth, which the bartender tells them he always ordered in especially for Hugo Masterson. Realizing that this is the second clue, Jeff and Knuckles take the bottle, but it too is stolen by the mystery masked man. Lastly, Bucky and Tubby deduce that the final riddle has to do with Hugo’s friendship with Gloria Glammer who lives on the top floor of a nearby highrise. They pay her a visit and learn that Hugo gifted her with a picture of two ears of corn as a joke to reminder her not to be “corny” while acting. Like the other clues before it, this one is also stolen before Bucky and Tubby can take it back to the others.

Even without the clues, the Young Allies return to their clubhouse to compare notes. They soon discover that the letter N, the bottle of GIN, and the EARS of corn all phonetically spell out the word “engineer”. Remembering that Masterson was a toy enthusiast, Jeff figures that the money is hidden somewhere in his home. The Young Allies rush there where they search a toy train set and find the money hidden in the engine of the train. That’s when the masked man and his men try to take the money but the Young Allies easily overpower them. When unmasked, they reveal that the masked man is actually Masterson’s lawyer, who wanted the money for himself even though he was not entitled to it. With this caper over, the Young Allies donate the money to charity and on their way home they have a good laugh seeing some of the Puzzle Club still trying to figure out the riddles.

Recurring Characters

Young Allies (Bucky, Toro, Knuckles O’Toole, Jeff Vandergill, Tubby Tinkle, Whitewash Jones)

The Madman of Horror Mountain

Club Larson has just managed to break out of Eastern Penitentiary and flees into the hills. There he decides to lay low inside an old mansion. Inside, he witnesses a mad scientist killing a man in order to use his body to create an creature that will follow his every bidding. Larson reveals himself and then threatens to expose the doctor for murder if he doesn’t help Larson hideout. The doctor agrees to help, thinking that Club Larson will be the perfect individual to help him build an army of creatures. Since Larson wants to get revenge against the people who sent him to prison, he agrees to help the mad doctor with his horrific experiments.

Several weeks later, the Young Allies are meeting at their club house and lament about how quiet it has been recently. That’s when Bucky picks up two news reports on their radio. One is how Club Larson is still at large and that the other is about the disappearance three individuals: Judge Henry, District Attorney Hogan, and Detective Sergeant Shae. While the Allies debate about which case to investigate Toro remembers that the missing lawmen were all involved in Club Larson’s case. They decide to pay a visit to Judge Henry’s wife and upon arriving at the Henry home they are told by Mrs. Henry that her husband was last seen leaving home in a hurry after receiving a letter that he found very upsetting. They then track down the cab driver who drove Judge Henry and have him take them to the house that Henry was taken to. This turns out to be the mad doctors home, where their arrival is noticed by Club Larson. It just so happens that the mad doctor has just finished his latest monster and sends the creature out to kill the Young Allies.

In the ensuing battle, a second creature is unleashed but the Young Allies force them away but not before they can escape with Knuckles and Tubby as their prisoners. Searching for their friends, the Young Allies find Judge Henry and free him as he tells them what has been going on. They then continue searching until they find the mad scientist’s lab. There, the scientist unleashes an army of his monsters and in the ensuing battle, one of them is knocked into the doctor’s machines. This cause an explosion that sets the house ablaze. As the Young Allies flee with the Judge, the monsters along with their creator and Club Larson are consumed in the raging inferno, ending their menace for good.

Recurring Characters

Young Allies (Bucky, Toro, Knuckles O’Toole, Jeff Vandergill, Tubby Tinkle, Whitewash Jones)

Abroad the Fightin'...Blockade Buster

Growing bored during a lecture about the War of 1812, Tommy Tyme decides to pass the time by shooting a spitball at one of his classmates. This lands him in trouble and his teacher tells him to tell the class why the “Prince” was the most famous privateer ship during the war. Unable to answer the question, Tommy once more uses his Clock of the Ages to travel back in time to learn the answer.

Soon he finds himself in Philadelphia circa 1812 and comes across a poster put up by Johnny Ordronaux advertising that he is looking for a crew of men to pilot his ship the Prince against British forces that have blocked the ports. Wanting to become part of the crew, Tommy asks a black man named Bull Kenton where he can find Ordeneaux. Also seeking to join the crew, Bull takes Tommy to the bar where Johnny is recruiting sailors. When Tommy offers to join the crew, he is laughed at by the others until Bull Kenton vouches for the lad. Since Kenton has a good reputation with Johnny Ordonaux, Tommy is accepted among the crew.

Once out at sea, they come across a British ship that begins firing at them, however they are too far away and the cannonballs land harmlessly in the water. That’s when the British send a boarding crew to climb onto the Prince and attack the crew. Although they are greatly outnumbered, the crew of the Prince gain the upperhand when Tommy ties a cannonball to one of the mast ropes and uses it as a wrecking ball to knock the British soldiers overboard. When the British flee back to their ship they soon come back with reinforcements. Unable to face that many enemies, they have to scramble to raise the ship sails so that a suddenly wind can carry them away fast enough to get away from the British.

As Tommy is being congratulated by Johnny Ordronaux for his work, the alarm on the Clock of the Ages goes off sending Tommy back to his own time. Back in class, he is able to answer the teacher’s question once again making her surprised by his attention to detail since Tommy sounds as though he was actually there to see the battle. Although the teacher dismisses this as impossible, Tommy knows better.

Recurring Characters

Tommy Tyme

The Tell-Tale Tulip

Detective Mike Trapp has been called to investigate the theft of a priceless necklace owned by Mrs. Van Kinsey. Using his keen detective skills, he eventually uncovers that Gregory Drake who stole the pearls.

Recurring Characters

Mike Trapp

The Ghost Walks Softly

The Young Allies are working out in their clubhouse one day, and while impressed with their progress, Bucky suggests that they need to work on their nerves. To do so, he suggests that the group spend time in a nearby haunted house. This is the old Wickard home that has stood vacant for over 20 years. When they arrive at the house, Knuckles decides to go in first, confident that there is no such thing as ghosts. However, moments later, the youth comes running out afraid of what he saw inside. Going inside to look the other Young Allies come across a black cat and dismiss whatever frightened Knuckles as the feline and settle in for the evening.

That’s when they hear heavy footsteps from upstairs and go to investigate. There they are attacked by what appear to be ghosts but they quickly realizes they are fighting with men wearing white sheets, because apparently the Young Allies are fucking retarded. When the crooks realize their flimsy scheme has been busted wide open they escape through as secret passageway. Look kids, I’m going to give you the long-story-short version, the “ghosts” are crooks led by Wendell Wickard, who owned the house with his twin brother. He murdered his twin brother and hid his body by bricking up the body in an old fireplace. The Young Allies are led to the crook’s hiding place by a for real ghost that they realize is Wendell Wickard’s deceased brother. The end.

Recurring Characters

Young Allies (Bucky, Toro, Knuckles O’Toole, Jeff Vandergill, Tubby Tinkle, Whitewash Jones)

Continuity Notes

• The appearance of Bucky in this issue, per What If? #4, is attributed to Fred Davis.