When the P.I. Pack arrived, the police had Manatee Mike’s Magic Emporium surrounded. The mayor and Mr. Meow were there too. It always seemed like Mr. Meow was around when trouble struck.
“What are you doing here, Meow?” Ziggy barked. “And why are you wearing a baby bib?”
“I was having a very delicioussss ssssupper together with the mayor at the new restaurant, the Bee’s Knees,” Mr. Meow hissed. “Not that it’ssss any of your beesssswax!”
“I never have a night off in this town,” said the mayor with a sigh.
“A good dog’s work is never done,” Rider said, with a tip of his hat. “What’s the situation, sir?”
“Labra-cadabra-dor is inside. He has only one request: He wants to talk to you, Detective . . . alone!”
“Then it looks like I’m going in,” Rider said bravely.
“No way! You can’t!” Westie and Ziggy barked at the same time.
“I have to,” Rider said. “Wait out here. I’ll signal if I need backup.” Without a second thought for himself, Rider walked into the magic emporium.
The police stood guard, while the P.I. Pack got on top of their van. Using mini-binoculars that Westie had made, they tried to see inside the shop.
Suddenly, a strange fog floated through the crowd below. The police, the mayor, and Mr. Meow began to yawn.
“Ssssuddenly, sssso ssssleepy,” Mr. Meow said with a stretch. “I feel like taking a catnap.”
Several others on the police force actually began to snore.
“Hey! What’s wrong with these officers?” Ziggy said to Rora. “This is no time to sleep on the job.”
“It’s not their fault,” Rora said. “It’s the fog!”
Beep beep beep! It was Westie’s No-Presto Detector again. “Rora’s right. That fog is a sleeping gas. It’s a Labra trap.”
“The police are okay. They’re only sleeping,” Rora said. “Now we have to find Rider.”
Leaping from car to car, each detective jumped over the fog and made it safely inside the magic shop’s front door.
“Not so fast,” said a little rabbit, hopping out of the shadows. A herd of muscle-bound thug bunnies were right behind him. They all held magic wands. “Nobunny moves unless I tell ’em to. This is Labra’s magic show.”
“I may not know much magic,” Rora confessed, “but I know a trick—or three.” She grabbed a set of silver rings from the shelf and tossed them around three of the bunnies. Then she linked the rings together so the bunnies couldn’t escape.
Surprised by this, the other rabbits dashed for the exit, but Westie jumped in their way. “Let’s not fight. Let’s shake on it!” He shook their bunny paws and jolted them with a joy buzzer.
“Okay, that takes care of the the rascally rabbits, but where’s Rider?” Rora asked.
Suddenly, a set of red curtains were pulled back to reveal a stage in the store. A spotlight shined on Rider Woofson, who was trapped in a straitjacket and covered in chains.
Labra-cadabra-dor walked out onto the stage. “Ahh, good! The audience finally arrives. And now for a real magic show. Lady and gentlepups, I give you . . . the grand finale of Rider Woofson!”