“WHEN A DETECTIVE IS CALLED in on a case,” began Basil, “he is told what has happened so far. Usually he goes to the scene of the crime, seeking clues. He uses equipment such as his magnifying lens, measuring devices, etc. He questions suspects, scans local newspapers, and listens to all the neighborhood gossip. He is aware that one tiny fact, just like a jigsaw puzzle piece, may fit into another tiny fact to make the entire picture crystal clear.
“But sometimes the facts told to him at the start arrange themselves so logically in his mind that the bits and pieces fall into place at once. Without even leaving his armchair, the detective solves the case. This has just occurred, because you presented the facts so clearly, and I thank you both.”
He yawned. “Time to head for bed, Dawson.”
“Please don’t leave us in suspense,” I cried. “Basil, I beg you to tell us more!”
“Basil, I beseech you!” cried Celada.
“Basil, I entreat you!” cried Teresa.
“Very well, then. Picture a mouse farmer whom we’ll call Carlos. He earns barely enough to keep his wife and six children from starving.
“One day a smiling stranger appears, gives the children lemon drops and lollipops, and tells the farmer that he brings good news.
“Inside the house he says, ‘I hear that you plowed up a statue six hundred years old.’
“ ‘Si, señor. I stopped plowing and notified the government museum. Experts came to dig it up. They paid me and took the statue away.’
“ ‘How many pesos were you paid?’ asked the stranger, and when told, puts on a sad face.
“ ‘Alas, you weren’t paid enough! I work for the rich owners of a new museum. They would have paid you twice as much! We collect ancient art, and many farmers sell what they find to us instead of to the government, because we pay more.’
“ ‘But I was told that the government should have first choice,’ declares Carlos.
“ ‘Bah! Promise to deal with us and we’ll pay you some money in advance, right now.’
“The children never have enough to eat, and need new clothes, so Carlos and his wife agree. The stranger pays them some money and leaves.”
Basil rose, began pacing to and fro.
“Carlos and the other farmers don’t know that they’ve been fooled. The story about the museum is an out-and-out lie—the museum doesn’t exist! These smiling strangers, who are the smugglers’ agents, keep on persuading Mexican farmers to sell them valuable pre-Columbian relics found in the soil. The pieces are then smuggled into the U.S.A., and sent to the head of the ring, who probably lives in a southwestern state. Dishonest collectors visit him. Aware that they’re buying illegally, they pay sky-high prices and ask no questions.”
“But Basil, I still don’t understand,” said Celada. “Just how is the smuggling done?”
“You gave me my clue when you mentioned the souvenirs. Year after year, the bestselling and most popular items in souvenir shops are copies of originals. Everybody brings them back home. Your clever criminals pretend the originals they carry are copies. What mice on your staff are expert enough to distinguish a copy from an original? None, I’ll wager!”
“Correct. We’re border police, and good ones, but know nothing about museum pieces. What do you advise me to do, Basil?”
“Add experts to your staff. If museum mice at the border examine all so-called copies, the smiling smugglers will soon stop smiling!”
“And that’s when I’ll start smiling again,” said Celada happily. “I’ll expand my staff as soon as possible, with experts from the Mousmopolitan Museum. Basil, for what you’ve done, I thank you from the bottom of my heart! You’ve made a new mouse of me!”
“Perhaps he’ll stop losing weight now,” said Teresa. “Because of the smugglers, my husband has lost more ounces than I care to count.”
“I have a suggestion,” said Celada. “Basil, why not work with me at the border tomorrow? You’re an expert—we’ll catch a few smugglers.”
“Capital!” cried the sleuth. “One of them may squeal if offered a shorter jail term for turning informer. If we learn where the head of the ring is, we’ll wire the Sheriff there to move in and arrest Mr. Big. By the way, Chief, how do Dawson and I travel to Grand Canyon?”
“You’ll go via CLOPS,” replied Celada. “You look a bit puzzled, amigos. Therefore, I shall let Teresa enlighten you.”