The Times of Their Lives
By Indy
Chapter 3 -- No Present Like the Time...
It was a full five minutes before
Chip suddenly came to a realization. He could have gone with Gadget and Basil
after all! Basil was returning to his own time, and wouldn't have needed
his bracelet there. He could have used the one Basil was wearing! Chip's
frustration was too large for the small space of headquarters to hold, so he
marched out of headquarters and started pacing up and down by the guardrail at
the edge of the main treelimb.
Dale had seen and heard enough to
know that Chip was upset. He also knew that Chip wanted to talk, but needed to
sort out his feelings first. Thus, it was a full ten minutes before Dale and
Foxglove appeared at the
doorway.
Chip came over to him, a
mix of emotions. "Dale, I don't like this all," Chip started, a little louder
than normal. "Why did they need to go back into the past? Just to test the
bracelets?"
Dale was feeling
uncomfortable with the situation and pressed a little bit against Foxglove, and
more importantly the door. Foxglove knew he was looking for an out, but she
could also see the hurt in Chip's face. She squeezed Dale's arm a bit harder in
reassurance and nudged him forward. Foxglove hung back, just inside the doorway.
"Chip," Dale asked gently, "don't
you trust Basil? You were the one who said he was real! Do you think he's an
imposter after all?"
"No," Chip
said. "Everything about him rings true! My concern isn't with him
anyway."
Dale was confused now.
"Then why are you concerned about Gadget?
She's..."
"It's not her either,
its...it's...I don't know! It's just that there's something about these
robberies I don't like! I grant that Nimnul's a genius, but this doesn't seem
like something he'd do! Plus, we should be able to figure out why he
wants the diamonds! I don't have the foggiest clue, and now we're about
to time travel! I WANT TO KNOW WHY!" Chip shouted, flailing his
arms.
Foxglove came to her
husband's rescue. "Chip, settle down! I know you're angry, but that's no reason
to take it out on Dale!"
Chip
started in surprise. "But I was just...oh, I'm sorry Dale! I feel like we're
walking blind on a tightrope. It's like Sureluck..uh, Basil
says..."
"It's a capital mistake to
theorize without facts!" Basil said. He came striding up to the others, Gadget
in tow.
"Basil! Gadget! You're
back!" Dale said.
"Yeah, it took us
a little longer than we thought. I'd better check on the return
instrumentation," Gadget said.
Chip
was about to follow Gadget, when Basil stopped him. "I think you'd better hear
what happened to us first before you see her. Plus, we have our first
clue!"
Basil handed a piece of
paper to Chip. "The paper is a torn half-piece of hotel stationery. The weight
of the paper makes that conclusion obvious. The note has been folded several
times for concealment. The watermark was on the other half, suggesting
deception. The writing was done with a narrow quill pen, by a left-handed male.
Read it Chip, if you please."
Chip
looked at the strange words on the page--
You've stopped me this
time...
But time's your foe
If you can get the
numbers
My secret they'll
show
Half a
league
Half a
league
No leagues
on
Go the
Rangers
By second, by
year
The sand runs
clear
If you will fail to stop me
before
The Rangers are no
more!
2
4 5 6 0
Chip looked up, a picture of
bewilderment. "What does it
mean?"
Basil snatched the paper and
started to pace. "It means what I thought in the first place! We're dealing with
more than common robberies! But come, let's go in and I'll tell you how
we happened upon this."
Monty
pulled up a chair for Basil as Monty and Zipper joined Chip, Dale and Foxglove
on the couch.
Basil sat and leaned
slightly forward, allowing memory to take over. "Once we returned and I acquired
the tools of my trade, I suggested to Gadget that we inspect the crime scene.
The Star of Indonesia had been on display at the Royal Museum for over a week
when it was stolen. We found the area well-trafficked by the Scotland Yard
investigators, as usual. Still, I hoped that a minute survey of the area would
bring some sign of our robber.
Basil gestured toward the
workshop. "It was Gadget who found the note--we were inspecting the display. The
glass had been cut open, allowing for our easy access. The holder for the
diamond was a simple glass tube with the top shaped to hold the cone-like bottom
of the gem."
"That's when I checked
the base of the holder," Gadget said, coming into the living room from her
workshop. She stood next to Basil. "The black backdrop of the case left a
two-inch hole around the tube. I reached in and found the note folded and tied
to the tube."
"What do the words
of the poem suggest to you, Chip?" Basil
asked.
"Well, the first line would
seem to say that someone expects us to do exactly what we're about to...travel
back and stop the robberies. The rest of it is just a gibberish!" Chip
said.
Basil shook his head.
"Possibly, but we may simply lack the Rosetta Stone to translate it. This rhyme
takes the level of this case a step higher. The context of the words is all
about time. But one thing is clear--this enemy wants you out of the
way!"
"Chip," Gadget said, "I think
we should go ahead and visit the other time periods. I'll finish making
bracelets for all of us. It shouldn't take too long." With that, Gadget returned
to her workshop.
Everyone
watched her go, then all attention was on the pondering form of Basil, who was
pacing once again. "Chip, I suggest we split up into groups. It seems as though
we're expected to stay together during all this, recover the diamonds, and find
the clues. We'll overlook the diamonds altogether! After all, with the time
machine we can recover those anytime. What we need now is information!
Toujours l'audauce! Always
attack!"
"Now that's my kind
of plan!" Monty said. "Go on the offensive! Right, Chip?"
Everyone now turned
to Chip, who had remained silent on the couch. Basil walked over, his
gentlemanly graces taking over.
"We
didn't mean to usurp your authority, Chip. Of course, everything we're saying is
meant as a possible course of action. Well Chip, what do you think?" Basil
asked.
Chip didn't answer for a
full ten seconds, letting the matter weigh on him. Finally, he stood. "Let's do
it! I don't have a better suggestion, and you're right in that we need more
information. Gadget will stay here to man the time machine. Basil, you go to
1399. Monty, you and Zipper go to 1499. I'll go to 1599 with Dale and Foxglove.
We'll set the return portal to appear in three hours and bring us back just
after we left. If any of us fails, we can team up then. If everyone's
successful, we'll go on to 1699 and 1799."
"Uh, Chip?" Dale asked. "Wouldn't
it be better if Foxy stayed here too, now that she's...uh, well, you
know..."
"Dale Oakmont!"
Foxglove shouted. "I'm not sitting down on the job for you or anyone!"
Chip
thought fast. "Actually, Foxglove, there is something else we need you to
do. Since we're not recovering the diamonds now, and we still don't know what
Nimnul's got planned for them, would you mind staking out his
lab?"
Foxy looked at him sidewise,
studying the chipmunk for a moment. Finally, she nodded. "All right, all right!
I'll stay and be good! If you don't mind, I'll go ahead and leave then. It's the
height of my feeding time, you
know."
"Just don't get used to life
without me while I'm gone!" Dale
said.
"What? Are you afraid some
manly bat will try to steal your wife away?" Foxy
teased.
"If he does, I'll use a
Louisville Slugger on him!" Dale
countered.
Chip waited for the
laughs to end, then spoke. "All right, now that we've got all the bases covered,
let's make our preparations. We've got a job to
do!"
Chip looked all around. He
saw nothing but agreement in the faces around him. Basil sat down to think and
everyone else went off to make what preparations they thought would be
necessary. Chip walked outside into the cool of the early
night.
Basil could guess why Chip
had left just then. The position of leader is a great burden, and who can say
what the consequences of your decisions will be? So it has been through the
centuries, whether it was Lord Nelson before the battle of Trafalgar, Davy
Crockett before the battle of the Alamo, or this fedora-topped chipmunk before
the uncertain battle he was about to face--all leaders feel the need to pace
their battlements and look into the night sky for reassurance.
For a long time, Basil just
watched him from a window, the young chipmunk pacing back and forth across a
full moon. Finally, Chip took a seat in a lawn chair. Basil sensed an opening.
The detective came out noiselessly, but it wouldn't have mattered. Chip had
taken out a pad and was writing in the moonlight, lost in his own
work.
Finally, Basil worked his way
into Chip's field of view and slowly walked toward the railing facing the chair.
"Many's the night I've looked at a starry sky and wondered what was out there,"
Basil started, "but some things are beyond the scope of pure deduction. Still, I
sense there is an order to the universe. One can see it in the beauty around us,
but too few raise their heads from the sand to appreciate
it."
Basil turned to his comrade,
about to ask a question, but saw that Chip was still engrossed. The bright
moonlight highlighted his fedora and shadowed his face slightly. A beam
spotlighted the pad, which gave the chipmunk ample light to write
by.
The mouse outside of time took
off his deerstalker. "I remember when Bask was working on the story I recounted
to him. He'd follow me through all parts of London, picking it up part by part.
A detective's life is rarely sedentary, as I'm sure you can attest. I can
remember a night similar to this, when Dr. Dawson, Bask and I were at the top of
Westminster Abbey on a stakeout. It was one of those nights when you could see
forever, and I remembered when I'd met Arianna. They say there's only one woman
for every man, Chip, and she was the one. But she bruised my ego, and I spurned
her. It was the only major mistake I made in my life lad, but what can compare
to that? And then there's Gadget. I've seen the looks between you two. Chip...do
you have feelings for her?"
Chip
said nothing, just flipped the pages of his pad back to the start, handed the
pad over to Basil and indicated that he should read it. On page after page,
poetry of various themes and kinds flowed in now fiery, now flowery words--a
testament of an enduring and passionate love. The pages told of Chip's feelings
from the moment he'd seen Gadget, how he felt when she was in danger, when he
saw her at headquarters, when she smiled at him, and even when she was angered
at him.
It took Basil a good ten
minutes to thoroughly peruse the pages. When he finally finished, he was visibly
moved. "You're good. Very good. How did you get interested in
poetry?"
Chip looked aside and
smiled wistfully. "It goes back to my father. He loved poetry and classical
music. I grew up reading the great poets and dad always encouraged me to write.
I guess it just took until now for me to find a muse to inspire
me."
Basil closed the pad. "You
should show her these, Chip."
"Show her my heart? You
think it's that simple?" Chip asked, leaning up. "There's been countless nights
I've thought about showing her. But if she doesn't really love me, I mean
enough to marry me...I couldn't stand the thought of hurting her. Or worse, the
guilt she'd feel at not wanting to hurt
me!"
Basil sat down at the end of
the lawn chair, just beyond his feet. "I realize I may be butting in, Chip. But
from the moment we met, I sensed a kindred spirit in you. Your devotion to me
reminds me of that of a son to his father. In some ways, I imagine you to be the
son I'd have liked to have. So talking father to son, doesn't she have a right
to know, Chip? Aren't you being selfish by keeping the depth of your true
feelings from her?"
"I..I don't
know. Maybe." Chip answered. "Why all this interest in me and
Gadget?"
"Chip, I've spent my life
learning to read the thoughts of others by their impressions. The girl likes you
very much, possibly even loves you!" Basil
said.
Chip nodded. "But if she
rejects me, I don't think I'd survive. I've never really loved a girl
before! Not like her! I've liked some and had a couple of good memories,
but I'd trade them all for just a moment in her
arms!"
Basil stared him straight,
eye to eye. "Chip, none of us can know the critical moments of our lives. We see
opportunities come, and we may think that we'll catch the next one that comes
along, like the next hansom. The problem is, the next one never comes. You
love the girl, Chip! That counts for something! If you want my
advice, I'd go ahead and tell her as soon as this case is
resolved."
Chip lowered his head.
"But what if...she doesn't love
me?"
"It's better to know than to
torture yourself all through life!" Basil asserted. "Chip, I've seen too many
lives ruined by the 'might have been's'. The annals of crime are rife with them!
The loss, the frustration, the blame for what wasn't done! You owe it
her, and you owe it to
yourself."
"Are you talking about
me or you now?" Chip asked pointedly, a half-smile
forming.
"Both of us, really,"
Basil replied. "I too intend to do something about Arianna. I never knew how
empty my life was until it was filled for a few brief hours. Your life is full
now Chip; don't let it become empty when it's in your power to save
it."
Chip was spared the necessity
of speaking more on this hard topic when the silhouette of Gadget framed the
doorway of headquarters. Basil quickly handed the pad over to Chip with a look
toward him, and Chip just as quickly returned the pad to his inner jacket
pocket.
"The extra bracelets are
done, guys," Gadget said. "We can go anytime you're
ready."
"I think we'd better get
cracking then!" Chip said. "No time like the
present!"
"Until it's past," Basil
added with a smirk.
The Rangers
assembled for their unique trip with extra tools and supplies. Basil started
handing out papers to
everyone.
"This is the exact time
and place of the robberies, or at least as exact as history records," Basil
said. "You should be able to at least find the message in your time frame with
this."
Gadget checked everyone's
bracelets over one last time, then set the controls. "Be extra careful, guys! If
your bracelet is damaged, you can only survive a short time in the past. Even
with it, you can only last about a
week."
In less than a minute,
Basil, Monty and Zipper had left for their destinations. Now it was Chip and
Dale's turn. Chip turned to the only girl he would ever love.
"Gadget, don't worry. We'll be
back soon," Chip reassured her.
"I
know you will, Chip. You take care. You too, Dale," Gadget said. She hugged them
both.
Nothing more could be said
without emotions taking over, so Gadget turned to her wondrous machine yet
again. The glowing white portal to the year 1599 stood before them. Chip took
one last look at Gadget, then motioned to Dale and through they went, the portal
vanishing with them. Gadget sighed, checked the figures on a piece of paper
she’d had in her pocket, then sat down to her long vigil.
The
trip was almost instantaneous; however the effect of going from night in America
to dawn in India was a shock to the system--not to mention four hundred years in
the bargain. Chip and Dale found themselves in a dense jungle. It was cool, and
the trees were alive with noise from the many creatures stalking
about.
Dale was more than a little
nervous. "Uh, Chip? Where did you say we were,
again?"
"This is somewhere near
Anantapur, India. According to the legend of the Hope diamond, the original
112-carat stone the Hope was cut from came from an idol of a Hindu god somewhere
near," Chip said.
"But, uh, why
come back here to steal the diamond?" Dale asked. "Why not steal the cut
diamond?"
Chip was amazed that
every now and again, Dale showed a bit of higher
thought.
"My question exactly,
Dale. But according to the information we have, a man named Tavernier stole the
diamond and took it to France...or will take it to France about 30 years from
now."
Dale thought it over. "Oh! So
Nimnul's stealing the diamond before anyone outside of India knows about
it."
"Looks like it. As far as I'm
concerned, they can have it," Chip
commented.
"What!" Dale shouted.
"But Chip!"
Chip covered his mouth.
"Sshhh! Not so loud!" Chip hissed. "We don't know who's around. We may have been
spotted already! Remember, we're not here for the diamond, but the
clue."
"Oh, right," Dale said. "But
which way do we go?"
"I say, can I
help?" a voice boomed behind
them.
Two chipmunks jumped and
shouted at the surprise. They'd been so intent on their conversation, they
hadn't noticed the English mouse riding a young Indian elephant nearby when they
starting talking.
"Greetings, lads!
My name is Sir Wilfred G. Erskine," the mouse said. He was about the height and
size of Monterey Jack, wearing an explorer's outfit--a white shirt of heavy
cotton with a canvas jacket over it. The pants were a light khaki. His brown
hair was slightly mussed under his pith helmet and his bushy mustache extended
to connect with his sideburns. "My able mount is called Rama. You're looking for
an idol?"
"Why yes! My name is
Chip, and this is Dale. Yes, an idol with a large blue jewel in one of its
eyes," Chip said.
Rama lowered his
trunk. "I know where that is! Climb on and I'll take
you!"
The two chipmunks gathered
their belongings and swiftly joined Sir Wilfred on Rama's head. They soon
learned that the mouse was here as an agent of his government, part of an
initial survey of the country for a report of its native goods and valuables as
a prelude to future
colonization.
"Yes, lads, an
Erskine has always been at the head of every major undertaking in the Empire!"
he said. "My family prides itself on being explorers, always seeking to be the
first to see the next horizon."
For
a time, Chip and Dale just sat and looked at the exotic beauty of the jungle.
The sky was clear, and a few birds were visible through the mass of trees. The
sounds of the jungle seemed louder now--the growl of a tiger, the chattering of
a baboon, the alarm of a bird disturbed from its roost. Neither chipmunk said
anything for a while, just gazing at the mixture of trees and vines. Finally,
Rama stopped at the edge of a
clearing.
"The idol is just ahead.
But there's always someone guarding it. You'll have to be careful," Rama
said.
"Not to worry," the bold
mouse said. "With Sir Wilfred Erskine along, you're always one step
ahead!"
Chip and Dale got down,
thanking Rama for the ride. Stealthily, they proceeded into the clearing. A
wondrous, yet frightening sight met their eyes. They had found the
idol!
"Ah yes--a stone image of the
Hindu goddess Sita," Sir Wilfred
commented.
In the idol's left "eye"
rested a blue gem the size of a softball! It was an amazing sight. Two men stood
guard at the base of the statue. They wore white turbans and billowy pants, but
no shirts. They also had swords at the
ready.
Sir Wilfred took out a
riding crop and pointed at the stone. "That gem was one of the reasons I came
here, lads! The natives in Delhi mentioned it to me, and I just had to see it
for myself! Come on!"
About fifty
feet from the idol, Chip motioned for a stop by a rotted-out stump. They climbed
inside, a perfect vantagepoint. Sir Wilfred kept watch while Dale motioned for
Chip to come down and talk with
him.
"What are we waiting for,
Chip?" Dale asked.
"For whoever
Nimnul hired to steal the diamond!" Chip
said.
Dale was confused. "But how
do we know when they're going to steal it? You said we only knew the
year!"
Chip sat down. "True, but
Basil and I did a little deductive reasoning. Whoever Nimnul picks to steal it
couldn't just waltz in here. He'd get someone who'd know when the jewel would be
vulnerable to a thief. The most vulnerable time is when the guards are changed
out. And according to our research at the library, that only happened three
times in a year. Once at the start of the rainy season, once at the end and once
in the middle. The end seemed the most logical time, since the guards getting
relieved would have been through the worst of the rains. That's where we
are--and that exchange should happen within the next
hour!"
Finally the relief came.
Two men similarly-clad to the ones already present emerged from the jungle and
made themselves known.
"" one of the guards
said.
Faroud raised his hand in
greeting. ""
The newcomers gave the
relieved guards a share of their supplies, enough to last the four-day journey
they had ahead of them. The one called Sakim saluted
them.
"" Sakim
said.
With that, Sakim and his
companion make their way home. Faroud and his partner took their places at the
statue.
"That's strange," Chip
mused. "I thought the guards would have been
imposters.
Unless that other guard
is the one Nimnul hired."
"Did you
understand what they said?" Dale
asked.
"Not the words, no. But it's
pretty obvious that those two humans were friends. If I was going to use someone
to steal a jewel, it probably wouldn't be a friend of one of the other guards,"
Chip pointed out.
"Steal
it?" Sir Wilfred said. "You mean you've uncovered a plot to steal the
jewel?"
Chip nodded as he faced Sir Wilfred. "We've heard that someone may
try, but my guess is that they're waiting for
nightfall."
"Uh...Chip, you might
want to guess again! Look!" Dale
said.
Chip's attention, diverted by
his talk with Dale, now was fully on the scene at hand. Sakim was wresting the
gem from its setting, while the other guard--who Sakim referred to as
Buvali--was keeping watch.
"Of
course!" Chip said. "Why bribe just one, when you can get both of them to work
for you!"
"We've got to stop those
blaggards! Charge, lads!" Sir Wilfred said, brandishing his riding crop like a
sword.
"Wait, Sir Wilfred!
No!" Chip cried. It was too late, of course. The husky mouse had already
cleared half the distance and was at full speed. Chip and Dale started forward
as they watched Faroud hand the beautiful blue gem down to Buvali. Faroud then
took a slip of paper and placed it in the idol's empty socket. They were about
to leave when Buvali suddenly found that the jewel was a little heavier--by one
mouse!
"Put that jewel back, you
jackenape!" Sir Wilfred
demanded.
""
Buvali shouted, shaking the husky explorer loose. He landed with a thud,
right on Chip and Dale! The thieves seized the moment and disappeared into the
jungle, going in the opposite direction of their
counterparts.
"Are you all right,
lads?" Sir Wilfred asked. He watched the humans disappear. "We failed! The
blighters got clean away!"
Chip
dusted himself off and helped Dale up. "We're okay. Why don't you check on Rama,
and we'll see if we can find any clues as to where they're
headed."
"Right-o!" Sir Wilfred
said, giving an about-face and heading off toward the jungle the way they
came.
"That's our cue, Dale!"
Chip said. The chipmunks made their way to the base of the idol and climbed up
most of the way. When they ran out of things to grab onto, they were still a
good five feet from the eye socket. They brought out the rope and Chip snared an
outcropping that was to the right and at the same height as their target. Chip
climbed halfway up, then started swinging. The third time around brought him
close enough to the socket, and he let go. The paper was easy enough to get, and
Dale brought the rope over close enough that Chip could easily jump to it. They
returned to the stump with their
prize.
"Quick! What's it say Chip?"
Dale asked, the image of curiosity.
Chip unfolded the paper.
You've won this time
But time
Is a grueling
Race
It tests the mettle
Of all who try
To run its
Course
Can you fill
The unforgiving
Minute,
Rangers?
I think not.
2 4 5 6 0
"What's
it mean, Chip?" Dale asked.
I'm not sure Dale," Chip said. "Hopefully,
when we put this note together with the others, something will emerge!"
Chip was disappointed. He'd expected
something--some kind of useful information to be here. Perhaps there
was, but what did it all mean? Clearly, it was a challenge meant only for them.
Yet there was a pattern.
Suddenly, Chip snapped his fingers.
"That last line! Now I remember, it's from one of Kipling's poems. Of course,
he'd pick Kipling in the middle of the Indian jungle! Now who wrote that first
one?" Chip fished out the first clue from his jacket pocket. "Of course! It's
a variation on Tennyson's 'Charge of the Light Brigade.' But what do those numbers
mean?"
"Do you suppose they match up with
lines in the poems?" Dale asked.
"Possibly, but each line could be
a clue in itself. For example, a minute is a measure of time composed of 60
seconds--'of distance run', as the poem says. It could be that 60 is one of
the numbers we're supposed to 'get.'" Chip said.
Dale pointed at the paper. "But what
about the numbers there?"
Chip shook his head. "Everything we've
seen so far points to a master criminal. He wouldn't make it that easy for us.
However, you may be right in thinking that those numbers work in combination
with something else."
Speculation was cut off at that moment,
as a buzzer went off. Gadget had implanted a timer into each of the bracelets,
indicating when the wearer should head back to the rendezvous site to reach
the portal in time.
"Well lads, any luck?" Sir Wilfred
asked, coming back with Rama.
"I'm afraid not Sir Wilfred," Chip
said. "It appears they've gotten clean away."
"Odsbodkins! And with a treasure like
that!" Sir Wilfred exclaimed. "That should be in a museum, where everyone can
enjoy it!"
"With Sir Wilfred G. Erskine's name
on the placard?" Chip asked coyly.
Sir Wilfred let out a belly laugh.
"I see you've been around explorers! I only wish I could do something
famous."
"Why's that?" Dale asked.
"On account of my brother," Sir Wilfred
said, as he helped Chip and Dale onto Rama's head. "Poor Cecil is the only Erskine
who ever failed the family."
"Why? What did he do?" Chip asked.
The hurt look on Sir Wilfred's face
showed the love he had for his brother. "It shames me even to speak of it, but
he turned into a..a common criminal! They stripped him of all rank and
title. They even made him change his name when the family banished him from
the country for shaming the family honor. Now all anyone will know him as is...Cheshire
Cecil!"
"Cheshire?" Chip noted, a question
forming in his mind. "Isn't that a type of English cheese?"
"Oh yes, the best!" Sir Wilfred said.
"We Erskines have always loved cheese. That's what Cecil stole, hence the name.
It wasn't his fault, though. When he smells cheese, he simply loses all control.
We've always been like that. In point of fact, my middle name is Gouda. Uh,
don't spread that around though. It's kind of embarrassing now, in light of
my brother."
"You can count on us!" Dale said.
"We won't tell a soul while you're alive!"
The rest of the ride was spent in silence, the munks considering the discovery
they had made. Finally, they reached their departure point.
"Thanks again, Sir Wilfred! We'll
never forget you!" Chip said.
The bold explorer waved over his shoulder.
"Goodbye, lads! Don't stay in the jungle after dark!"
"Goodbye, Rama!" Dale shouted.
It was a good ten minutes after Sir
Wilfred had left before the portal opened. Two very reflective chipmunks disappeared
through the small oval, the gateway disappearing a few moments later.
"Did you get it, Chip?" Gadget asked,
as they emerged from the portal.
Chip held up the paper. "Yep, though
it's not much help so far."
"Perhaps the sum of the parts will
tell us something," Basil said. "I got back just a few moments ago. Now it's
Monterey's and Zipper's turn."
Gadget made the adjustments, the oval
modulated a bit, and Monty and Zipper came running through!
"Yaaaaaaah!" Monty cried. "Crikey!
Those natives are worse than the time I had to fight off a riverful of Amazon
piranhas!"
"Where'd you go, Monty?" Dale asked.
"Oh, didn't they tell you?"
Monty asked sarcastically. "They sent us back to 1499 in China! Those
blinkin' yahoos attack anything that moves! Still, we got the paper. They took
the jewel from the Emperor’s crown at the Forbidden City. I played decoy while
Zipper flew in and got the note. Didn't get a chance to look it over yet."
"Let's clear off a spot here and lay
all the notes out we have so far," Basil suggested.
The two newest additions were similar in form to the first two--
You win this time,
But time is a river
That is tough
To navigate
There are many ebbs
And flows to it;
Swim fast or
You may drown.
Fare thee well, Rangers!
And if for ever,
Still for ever,
Fare thee well.
2 4 5 6 0
You beat me this time
But time is like a bird
That takes flight
And then is out of sight.
Each life is short
And then it's flown
We face an end
Called death.
But some things are worse
Than death's dark door
For surely it is better to have
been
Then to be "Nevermore"!
2
4 5 6 0
"Okay,
so what do we know?" Basil asked Chip.
"Well, we know it's someone who likes
poetry, someone who knows us and is out to get us. Beyond that...I'm not sure!"
Chip said.
"Nonsense! We can already make
some deductions. We have allusions to our time being short, and needing to swim
fast. So apparently, whatever is going to happen is soon to come. It also seems
that we won't have much time to react to it. This would also seem to be a villain
you defeated," Basil said.
"How do you figure that?" Monty asked.
"None of the villains we've fought likes poetry, at least none that I remember
off the top of me head."
"This would seem to be a person of
high education, with an intelligence approaching my own--possibly surpassing
it in some places," Basil added.
"Could it be someone like Lawainie?"
Dale asked.
"I don't think so, Dale," Chip answered.
"She's reformed, or at least enough that she wouldn't try to kill us. Besides,
she doesn't have the know-how to pull something off like this."
Basil stepped between them. "Chip,
we're still lacking facts. We've got two more points in time to visit. I suggest
we go as a group to these. We'll go to 1799 first, then straight from there
to 1699. Hopefully, we'll have a clearer picture of all this when we get the
last two messages."
"Gadget, can you set the portal to
take us straight to our second destination, then back here?" Chip asked.
"Sure thing, Chip. It'll just take
me a few minutes to make the calculations," Gadget said, taking a piece of paper
and pencil from her workbench.
Now that they had a moment, Chip and
Dale approached Monty. Neither knew where to begin. Fortunately, Monty's curiosity
got things rolling.
"What is it, mates? You two like a
couple of dingos waitin' for lunch to come by," Monty said.
Chip rubbed the back of his neck,
thinking of any kind way to put it. "Uh, Monty? You've never told us much about
your earlier ancestors. Did you ever happen to know the name Cheshire Cecil?"
"Cheshire Cecil! Crikey! How'd
you ever hear about 'im!?" Monty said. "Has Dad been talkin' to you two behind
me back?"
"Uh, no Monty. We just heard the name
and thought you might be related," Dale said innocently.
"Too right we are! He's the head of
our bloomin' family! A right ruddy lad 'e was, too! Left England and traveled
'alf the world, he did! It was his grandson, Cheshire Cecil the third that traveled
to Australia! Ol' Cheshire we call 'im. I remember just how dad told it to me--Ol'
Cheshire had come over escortin' some prisoners. They'd brought a full boatload
of cheese with 'em. But then, the ship sprung a leak! They only had minutes
to plug the hole in the main hold. While everyone else panicked, Ol' Cheshire
grabbed a round of the cheese he'd been named for and jammed 'er in there good
and tight! Saved the ship, cargo and all that day! The captain asked him his
name and everyone laughed right hard when 'e told 'em! Ol’ Cheshire liked the
area and decided to stay. Anyway, Monterey Jack wouldn't likely be around if
he hadn't settled down!"
Chip and Dale both smiled at the account,
then walked off. They looked at each other with helpless expressions. They knew
they couldn't tell Monty the truth about the first Cecil--it would break his
heart!
Dale whispered, "What'll we do, Chip?"
"We'll keep the secret and never tell
him. Besides, he's got one Cecil that he can be proud of! If he hadn't
come to Australia, Monty never would have been born!" Chip whispered back.
"I guess there is honor among thieves
then, or at least one thief," Dale said.
Chip looked back at Monty and gave a silent word of thanks to Cheshire. **It's
strange how one person's dishonor can end up being such a good thing for so
many.**
Gadget made her calculations and the
Rangers, minus Gadget and Foxglove, joined Basil in the time portal. The first
stop was at the Tower of London in 1799.
The group approached the main jewel
display. "It should be a simple matter to check the jewels," Basil said.
"Won't do any good to check those
jewels, mate," Monty said.
Dale nodded. "That's right. They're
fakes!"
Basil did a double take. "How did
you know they were fakes? I was about to suggest I check them alone to
give me excuse to check the real ones!"
"I've got a proud ancestor of mine
to thank for that!" Monty said.
Chip and Dale again changed glances
as Basil led the way to the secret staircase.
"Basil, how is it you know
where the real jewels are?" Chip asked.
Basil took a lit torch at the base
of the staircase and started up, rangers in tow. "Really, Chip. I am a first-class
detective. The trained eye can pick out a phony jewel every time. Plus, I was
there when they made the original switch. Ah, here we are!"
The diminutive group walked out onto
a rafter overlooking the treasures of England. They weren't the only ones who
had taken the liberty recently, though. Sure enough, they found the telltale
message at the top of an empty scepter, where a diamond had rested.
You found me out this time
But time is like blinders
We can't see its true expanse
Or know its real form
We simply travel on
As quickly by the days do sweep
With miles to go
Before we sleep
Appreciate what you have
Rangers, for your time
Is almost done and mine
Is about to begin anew!
2
4 5 6 0
"Robert Frost now," Chip mused. "Well,
he's covering most of the major poets."
"Assuming it's a 'he'," Basil added.
"Come on, we've got one more clue to get..."
Basil of Baker Street and the Rescue Rangers are copyright Disney and used without
permission, but with the utmost respect.
Chapter three part two
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