Everybody thought about the riddle and what it could've meant.
Skip tapped his nose "What swirls..."
"...but doesn't spin?" continued Augie.
"You will be able to retrieve what it brings..." Mudsy continued
"...but without having to walk miles away for it" Brittany finished "That is a riddle. How could something swirl, but not spin and retrieve something from far away without having to go to its source?"
"This sure is baffling." Kate remarked.
"Mudsy, you were there for times like this" Augie said to the apparition "Were there any things you colonists had to get back then?"
"Like tools?" Mudsy raised an eyebrow before going into deep thought.
"Well that, but I'm talking about more important things like food and water" Augie said "Crops, water and bread and meat and fish and stuff. Were there any ways of getting those things?"
Mudsy thought for a while and didn't reply.
"So, nothing?" asked Skip.
"There's got to be something back in your time that swirls, yet doesn't spin." April said.
"Yeah Uncle Mudsy" Augie said "Are there any types of things people used to get what they needed back in your day?"
Mudsy thought for a while "Let's see..."
There was some silence before Mudsy finally thought of something.
"I got it!" He snapped his fingers.
"What is it?" April asked.
"A well" Mudsy replied "That's what he means"
"What're you talking about Mudsy?" asked April.
"Wells are connected to the river and they bring water to us" Mudsy explained "And you crank it to retrieve the water and a crank swirls when you use it"
"In that case, I hope there's a well nearby." Augie said. "I didn't see one on our way in."
"There's a well right towards the entrance of the woods" said Mudsy "Maybe it's hidden somewhere in there"
"Then lead the way, Uncle Mudsy" said Brittany.
Mudsy led the kids to the well that was at the bottom of the hill and near the woods.
At the well, they took a look around.
"Now let's see if there may be a secret compartment in the well." Augie said as they walked around to examine the well.
They searched all over, but didn't find anything near the well.
"Drat" said Skip "Nothing"
"Well, my father always was a tricky guy" Mudsy said "Maybe it's somewhere in the well"
"That's a great idea, Mudsy" said April "Why don't you try flying into the well and looking for it?"
"No problemo, no dilemma even" said Mudsy "Looks like it's Funky Phantom time!"
He then floated up and flew into the well to look around.
For a while, there was nothing of interest...that is, until he noticed a brick that appeared to be out of place.
"Heavens to Delaware" he thought "That looks weird"
Mudsy moved the brick into it's place and there was another piece of paper that came from underneath it.
"Looks like I've found the third clue." Mudsy remarked to himself as he grabbed the paper and flew back to the surface.
Mudsy flew right out of the well and came back holding the paper.
"You find anything, Uncle Mudsy?" asked Kate.
"I believe I did" Mudsy showed the paper to the kids.
"Let me see" Kate said to Mudsy.
Mudsy handed Kate the note and she started to look at it.
"What does the note say, Uncle Mudsy?" she asked Mudsy.
"Let's see." April said as they leaned in and read the note.
"Looks like another riddle to me." Augie remarked.
Skip read the note "Congratulations! You have found the next clue and here's another riddle for you. What do you see everyday that covers up what you don't see, hides things you hope to never see and is all around you?"
"Walls?" April asked, hoping to answer the riddle.
"Walls?" asked the others.
"What're you saying?" asked Mudsy "What do walls have to do with anything?"
"Walls covers up what we can't see, and we've got walls everywhere in a building." April explained.
"Right" said Skip "Cause how else would this place hold together?"
"And the walls are covered in wallpaper" April added.
"And April, that's what you do with wallpaper" said Mudsy "Use it to cover up walls to make it look decorative or to hide cracks in the wall"
"And much of the manor's walls are exposed." Augie pointed out. "Only a few areas of the wall is still covered in wallpaper, as far as I know."
"So maybe we need to look underneath the paper to find what Mudsy's father was talking about" suggested April.
"Then, let's go." Mudsy said.
They all walked into the mansion and looked at the walls. There was blue wallpaper around the place.
"How are we going to find what we are seeking at this rate?" asked April "We just fixed the walls"
"All except one part" Mudsy said as he pointed to a hole of torn wallpaper.
"I hope that's where our next clue, perhaps another riddle, is." Brittanny remarked.
"Only one way to find out" said Mudsy.
Mudsy walked up to the torn wallpaper and as he pulled it, he saw something on the wall.
"I say, what's this underneath the wallpaper?" he asked as he pulled off the wallpaper part "I do believe it's a portrait"
Sure enough, it was a picture of a bunch of people who looked just like Mudsy painted on the wall.
"It is a picture" said April "A mural, even"
"And it's a mural of the entire Muddlemore family" Mudsy added.
"Wow." Augie whistled as everyone took a look at the people in the mural.
"See that, little sister?" Brittany pointed to the mural "Those are our relatives from the colonial days"
"Wow" said Kate.
"We need an art expert to see this" Skip told the gang "Maybe he can tell us about this mural. It could be our key to saving Muddlemore Manor"
"Good idea" Mudsy nodded. "Where can you find one?"
There was some thought before April snapped her fingers.
"I know!" She said. "There's a professor of archaeology named Jameson Hyde White, who's also a noted art expert. He's an exchange professor from England, currently working at Central City University."
"Great idea, April" said Brittany "Let's call him"
The next day, the kids took Professor Hyde White back to the manor with them and showed him the mural.
"Here it is, professor." April gestured to the mural for Hyde White to take a close look at.
"Hmmm" the professor observed the mural, then he realized something "I don't believe it! It can't be"
"What is it, professor?" asked Mudsy.
"It's a genuine oil painting" said Professor Hyde "It could be worth millions. It's remarkably well-preserved, but it goes way back to the Coloinal Era. It's priceless"
"So what's that mean?" asked Skip.
"It could very well be a genuine Stuart painting" said Professor Hyde "The same guy who made the Washington portrait"
"So what does this mean?" asked Brittany.
The professor thought for a while before replying.
"It means that since this could very well be a Stuart painting and it's painted on the wall, it's preserved, which makes Muddlemore Manor a national historic landmark" said the professor.
"Oh joy!" Brittany said. "That means that the mayor Iverson can't tear this manor down, now that we have this mural on the manor, it's now a historical site."
"Yeah." Skip agreed. "But I won't celebrate this soon, because once that skunk discovers the mural, he'll be only too happy to destroy it so he could still build the school named after his ancestor."
"So what do we do?" asked April.
"I can go over to the governor's place in the state capital to request having this manor declared a historical landmark." The professor replied.
"You'd better hurry" Mudsy said as he looked at his pocket watch "The mayor and his demolition team are going to tear down this mansion in about an hour, 60 minutes even"
"We'll stall him in case he comes early" Skip said "Professor you have to get the govenor fast!"
"I will." The professor nodded before taking his leave.
"What do we do now, Uncle Mudsy?" asked Brittany.
"One thing for sure." Mudsy replied. "We're not going to leave this place."
"Mudsy's right" said April "We're not going to let Iverson get away with this"
"Besides, the area is pretty much vacant." Skip said. "He could build his school nearby without the need for demolishing this manor."
"Not to mention that once this manor is declared a historical landmark and restored, it can present a new education opportunity for students of the new school, where it will be convenient for them to learn about the nation's history." April added.
"Something tells me he's doing it just to spite any surviving Muddlemore family members." Augie folded his arms. "It's not about solving the crowding issues at schools in Central City. It's purely about getting even with the Muddlemores."
"Of course he is" said Skip.
Boo saw something "Meow! Meow!"
"What is it, Boo?" asked Mudsy.
"Meow!" Boo pointed to what he saw in the distance.
The kids went out and looked. In the distance were some construction machinery. The type used for demolishing buildings.
"Uh oh." Mudsy said. "The mayor's coming. The professor better be quick, because in 30 minutes, this place is going to be reduced to rubble."
"We can't give up, Uncle Mudsy!" Kate said.
"She's right." Skip nodded. "We have to stop this maniac before he succeeds in destroying a national historical landmark."
"Not to mention that he sure will have people he know he could use to get you guys out of the way." April added, looking at Kate, Brittany, Boo and Mudsy as she speaks.
"So what do we do?" asked Brittany.
"Leave it up to me" said Mudsy "As long as my name is Jonathan Wellington Muddlemore, I will make sure Iverson doesn't get away with this! Come on, Boo! It's Funky Phantom time"
"Meow" Boo nodded.
The two ghosts then vanished into thin air.
"Uncle Mudsy?" asked Kate "Where he go?"
Everyone looked around, not sure where Mudsy went.
Outside, Mayor Iverson was getting ready to order his crew to destroy the house.
"Alright boys" said Iverson "The 32 hours are almost up and those brats haven't provided me with anything! So that means I can smash this place to pieces"
"Yes your honor" said the construction workers.
"And then for phase two" Iverson thought to himself "To do away with that floozy and her brat sister"
However, just as the mayor made the thought, one of the construction equipment started to go haywire.
"What in the..." The foreman asked. "What's going on with the wrecking ball?"
Just then, the knot on the wrecking ball started to untie by itself and it fell right to the ground.
"Holy cow!" One of the workers exclaimed. "What just happened?"
Just then, the bulldozer's hood opened up and the wires snapped and started sparking.
"Hey, what's happening?" Another worker exclaimed as Iverson turned and saw the construction equipment going haywire.
During this time, the kids were watching the action unfolding from the balcony above the main door.
"Oh my god" said Brittany "What's happening?"
"I think the machine's are going haywire" April replied.
"Somehow, I think that Mudsy and Boo have something to do with this." Augie folded his arms.
"What makes you say that?" asked Skip.
"Who else could turn invisible and make things float?" Augie replied.
Skip, April, Brittany and Kate turned and looked at each other as they digested what Augie just said.
"He's got a point." Kate agreed.
"Should we help him?" asked Skip.
"No" said April "We have to stay here and wait for the professor"
The others nodded as they looked on. While Mudsy and Boo may be able to use their powers to slow down Iverson and the demolition crew, time is ticking away.
Author's Note:
Will the professor return in time with the governor? Or will Muddlemore Manor be reduced to rubble? Find out in our next chapter!