Matthew the Inventor and the Mystery...

Chapter One – The world of the inventor.

            Being an inventor is a difficult job. Matthew had invented things for as long as he

could remember. He was always having ideas such as, ‘The Incredible Food Spray’

which was a water based product that could be used to cool your food down when you

just couldn’t wait to eat it. Also, he had invented ‘The Intrepid Alien Safe Security

System’ that had set out to prove the existence of aliens to the world. Although Matthew

was still waiting for the important intergalactic signal from outer space he was very

pleased with the result of the invention. He had won a scholarship to ‘The Space

Academy For Young Astronauts’ and every summer holiday he got to go and talk to the

very old inventors who were trying to find a way to travel at the speed of light.

         Today Matthew was having a day off from inventing though. Him and his friend

Bert were going on a day trip to Blackpool Tower and as they traveled towards their

destination Matthew and Bert were happily passing the time by arguing who was better at

football.

         “I’m the best goalie then?” Bert ventured, since Matthew had reminded Bert

about the very foggy day in which he had scored three own goals.

         “Yeah, maybe,” Matthew replied looking out of the window at the pale green

fields. Surely they couldn’t be far away by now? Matthew offered Bert some chewing

gum and the pair sat back, resolved over the football issue, they tried to blow the biggest

chewing gum bubble.


         Matthew and Bert were 12 years old. Matthew was a bit taller and chunkier than

Bert. Both of the boys had brown hair, Burt had wonky teeth that stuck out like a donkey

and Matthew had a thick-rimed pair of glasses that he always wore. Bert thought

Matthew didn’t need glasses at all. He had only started wearing them when he had

returned from his first trip to the academy and Bert thought he wore the glasses so he

looked like an inventor. The glasses were not the only thing Matthew wore to look like an

inventor. Everywhere that Matthew went he wore a dingy white doctors coat with pockets

stuffed full of allsorts of paraphernalia.


Bert looked at Matthews pockets, packed full of pens, paperclips, bits of paper

with strange drawings on them, chewing gum, a pocket torch, a screwdriver, a compass, a

dog chew, ‘The Pocket Guide To The Universe’ by Professor Thinkstoomuch, a set of old

keys, a protractor, a calculator, a silk scarf, a box of plasters and a thermometer. What

Matthew had intended to use all this stuff for today he did not know, either way, Matthew

was always useful if you needed something to get chewing gum off the bottom of your

shoe, and he always had something that might help in any situation.

         “Ha!” Screamed Bert. “ The tower! I saw it first.”

         Matthews’ Dad chuckled from the driving seat. “Well Burt, well done, you have

won the grand prize. You can choose which sandwiches you’d like to eat first. We

have…erm…”

         “Ham, ham and cheese, ham and cheese and cucumber, tuna, tuna and cucumber,

cheese, cheese and radish and beetroot, beetroot salad, and erm, salad.” Said Matthews

Mum.

         Bert’s eyes widened. “Oh, Yes! I’ll have all of them please!”

         Matthews Mum and Dad laughed.



         As they drove into Blackpool Matthew saw the rides at The Pleasure Beach, they

drove along the sea front and saw that Blackpool had three piers, one with a very high big

wheel, and one where it looked like you could even go bungi jumping. Matthew couldn’t

wait till later when Dad had promised they could go on some rides. They parked the car

near a building that had an enormous shark sticking out of it. Matthew could hear the

music from the amusement arcades, he saw the donkeys plodding to the sound of their

jingly bells and the beach full of families making sand castles and eating ice cream.

         “Hey Bert! There’s your twin brother over there.” Matthew pointed to the

donkeys.

         Bert grinned so his teeth gutted out. They laughed and tried to trip each other up

as they went to join the queue to get into the tower.

         As they entered up the steps Mum and Dad were moaning about the price of the

tickets. They reached the top of some more steps and Mum turned to them and said.

         “You two sure you are going to be ok on your own?”

         “Yes Mum.” Matthew said wearily with Bert nodding enthusiastically in

agreement.

         “Well the aquarium is that way. Your Dad and I are going into the ballroom so

you’ll be able to find us there. Please don’t spend all your money on rubbish and please,

don’t go having any more adventures. We’ll meet you here at three o’clock when we’ll

join the queue for the lift to the top. Ok?” 

         “Ok Mum.”

Matthews Dad winked. “No adventures ok?” he said smiling.

“Ok Dad” Matthew replied thinking he would have to invent some kind of parent

response device that told parents exactly what they wanted to hear when you really just

wanted to go off exploring. And have adventures.

As the boys went in search of the aquarium they instantly forgot about Mum and

Dads warnings.

“You know what Bert?” Matthew proclaimed. “ I really do feel like having a bit

of an adventure today.”

“Oh me too Matthew.” Said Bert. “Shall we pretend we are deep sea divers

exploring the depths of the Pacific?”

“Certainly.” Matthew replied. Although I would quite like to be Professor

Smellywelly, renowned diver and discoverer of the lost city of Atlantis.”

“I think I would too.” Said Bert and the pair dashed off towards the aquarium

waddling like they were wearing huge diving flippers. 

Chapter 2- The strange American tourist.

As the day passed by Matthew and Bert had a brilliant time in the tower. Matthew

had made Bert almost burst with laughter with his impression of an American tourist.

Bert had made Matthew laugh so much when he asked the security guard if he knew the

way to Amarillo in his American accent that Matthew thought he was going to cry. The

lads were having amazing fun, especially when they got to the gift shop. Inside the gift

shop there was an offer on rock, twelve sticks for one pound fifty. Matthew and Bert

decided that they should spend nine pounds on rock, since it was such a bargain. They

bought a snow scene of the tower for their other friend Paul who had had to go and visit

his Aunt Mildred today. Finally, they purchased two pairs of black sunglasses with shiny

lenses to match the nutty American tourists.

“Hey dude!” shouted Matthew. An old lady behind him glared disapprovingly.

“Awesome man.” Bert replied.

They decided to have a look at the new shipwreck exhibition. Matthew and Bert

had seen pictures of the river dance capsizing after being washed ashore on the beach.

Matthew secretly hoped he could invent a small signal system that could be placed on

dangerous rocks like limpets. If these systems worked they would be able to co ordinate

some kind of warning system for boats in stormy weather, not unlike satellite navigation.

Matthew and Bert descended the red-carpeted stairs towards the exhibition room.

The room was full of items gathered from the wrecks; a life belt from the river dance was

in the center of the room, an old barrel stood in the far corner and the walls were

peppered with black and white pictures of old Blackpool.

Bert looked at the pictures of the tower being built and wondered what life was

like in 1896, and how they had managed to build a tower when they didn’t even have

electricity. Matthew had run over to an old ships wheel that was hung on the wall. He

pushed his way past an American tourist in dark glasses to get a closer look.

“Wow.” Said Matthew. “This is from the HMS Foudroyant that was shipwrecked

here in 1897, a year after the tower was built. It’s older than your gran Bert…just. This

ship belonged to Lord Nelson.”

Bert laughed. “Who was Lord Nelson?” he asked.

Matthew looked puzzled. “I don’t know, I think he won a war or something, it

says here he has a statue in London.”

Matthew and Bert moved to an exhibit of newspaper articles about the

shipwrecks. The American tourist began taking photos of the wheel, Matthew noticed

there was something strange about him, and he just couldn’t think what it was. Was he

just imagining it, or had he seen this man somewhere before? As they turned to write silly

names in the visitors book Bert looked anxiously at the wheel.

“Er, Matthew.” He whispered. “You know that American tourist in the dark

glasses?”

“Hmm.” Matthew replied, wondering if anyone would believe that Wayne

Rooney had actually thought the exhibition had been a delightful experience enhanced by

the quality of the historical artifacts.

“He’s vanished Matthew.” Bert whispered hurriedly.

Matthew turned around to see that indeed, the American tourist had vanished out

of the room. Since they were stood next to the door and there was no other exit, unless

the tourist was hiding in the barrel he had most definitely disappeared.

“Wow.” Said Bert. “Looks like we’re in for another adventure after all.”

Matthews’ eyes widened. Swiftly he began to produce all kinds of measuring

equipment and detection devices out of his doctor’s coat. Bert watched with deep interest

as Matthew concluded there wasn’t enough carbon in the air for spontaneous combustion,

the man had not been abducted by aliens since the tracker had not registered alien

presence, the man had only weighed an estimate of fifteen stones he hadn’t fallen through

the floor and since there was no other exit the only final conclusion that Matthew could

make was that the American tourist was perhaps a ghost.

“A ggggg…ghost?”  Bert mocked laughing, “He was right there, he didn’t look a

ghost at all!”

“No, I agree.” Said Matthew. “Lets go and investigate that wheel, perhaps it is a

time vortex.”
The wheel looked exactly the same as it did five minutes ago. Matthew and Bert

stared at it intensely. After two minutes of powerful eye contact with the wheel the boys

realized there was no time vortex, no gates to other worlds and no American tourist to be

seen.

“So it’s just a boring old ghost?” Bert inquired he was rather bored of ghosts after

their amazing Halloween adventure where ‘The ghost of Aberdeen Lake’ had turned out

to be Mrs. Greenwich’s scabby old cat.


Matthew sighed. This really was a complex puzzle. Where had the man gone?

Why could he not think what had happened to him? It was puzzling indeed, especially

since Matthew just couldn’t help thinking that he had seen him somewhere before.

Somewhere before today.


Bert opened a multi coloured stick of rock and offered one to Matthew. Bert

slouched back onto the ships wheel then, both of them looked at each other in horror. The

ground had opened beneath them. The boys were falling.

Chapter 3- The skeleton.

“Ouch!” Bert exclaimed. “Where are we?”

The boys slowly found their feet and tried to look around.

“It’s very dark.” Matthew noted, “Do you think we are in a black hole?”

“Take your sunglasses off stupid.” Bert laughed.

As Matthew and Bert looked around they saw they had fallen into bales of straw

in a huge dark stone room. There were about thirteen different passages leading to off to

more blackness. Matthew switched on his survive at night shoe torches that beamed light

all around them.

“Wow! When did you make those?” said Bert.

“After Halloween, we spent four hours chasing round after a cat, I thought they be

useful for our next ghost hunt.”

Matthew gave Bert his torch from his pocket and they inspected the room.

“This is where they used to ferry the circus animals. I can tell by the smell.” Said

Matthew. “But I can’t work out why there are so many passages, there’s only supposed to

be one that leads to the north pier.”

Burt had found an old ball and had started trying to balance it on the end of his

nose like a seal.

“Hey! Look at me, urr urr urr” Bert joked managing to keep the ball on his nose

for a whole three seconds.

“Nose…  Oh Bert! That’s it!” Matthew hurriedly searched his pockets and found

a tatty newspaper clipping.

“Look here, would you say the man with the wart on his nose looks like the

American tourist?”

Bert shone his torch at the picture on the newspaper.

“Oh yes!” He said, “That’s him alright, who is he?”

Matthew opened up the newspaper clipping to reveal an article entitled “Wanted.

Have you seen this man?” Matthews’ heart was racing as he read the article to Bert.

“Intelligence agencies have reported that this man could be the most wanted man

in the world.”

“In the whole world?” Bert interrupted.

“Yes.” Matthew continued, “ MI5 have released this picture showing the mans

distinctive wart in hope a member of the public will know where he has been hiding.”

“It’s distinctive alright.” Bert remarked.

“Yes,” Matthew continued again, “The mans real name is ‘Harold Von

Pinchovski’ but he also uses the alias ‘Nick Theloot’ when working out of his home

country, Russia.

“Wow he’s Russian?” Chirped up Bert, “He’s very good at disguises.”

“Bert?” exclaimed Matthew.

“Yeah?”

“Will you stop interrupting?”

Bert reddened, “Sorry.”

“This man is a very dangerous treasure hunter and thief and the public are warned

not to go anywhere near him but to report any sighting to their local police station.”

“Oh, we should go to the police station.” Interrupted Bert again who looked and

Matthew apologetically.

“MI5 have stated this man is wanted in connection for various crimes, including;

the theft of the priceless painting “A field and a few trees” by the minimalist artist ‘L’,

suspected theft of the lost treasures of Babylon, the Ark of the Covenant, and the Holy

Grail. Police would like to also question the man concerning the disappearance of a very

famous racehorse, a member of the House of Lords, and the unpublished dairies of a Mr.

W. Shakespeare. Also, serious concerns have been raised after the Prime minister appears

to have misplaced all of his socks on the first of April this year.
   

         Mr Pinchovski was last seen on the Isle of Wight last month where he appears to

have been sight seeing at Osborne House, the former home of Queen Victoria. Any

sightings of this man, who may have been carrying a twenty four carat Victorian settee, a

complete silver dinner service and a Faberge egg, should be reported immediately.

“Gosh.” Remarked Bert in shock. “Shall I phone your mum?”

“No, not yet.” Decided Matthew, “I’d quite like to investigate this myself.”

“The question is how are we going to find him with all these passages?” said Bert.

“That is not the question.” Matthew said slowly. “The question is what is a man

like that doing here?”


Matthew and Bert pondered this question for some time.

“The only thing we do know is that he was taking pictures of the wheel from the

HMS Foudroyant. It must have something to do with that ship.”

“We need to start searching these passages.” Bert suggested. “I bet he went down

there.”

Matthew agreed so the pair set off down one of the dark tunnels.


They had been walking for some time when they entered some kind of clearing.

Matthew and Bert had inspected the tunnel closely, making sure they did not miss any

secret doors or hidden Russians.

The clearing smelt a little of seaweed and Matthew and Bert thought they could

hear the sea above them. There were bits of driftwood scattered on the floor, old fishing

nets and a table and chair in the corner. Matthew thought this place must have been used

as some kind of fishermen’s cove, perhaps for fixing nets when the weather was stormy.

On the table were an old rusted metal mug and a candleholder. Matthew and Bert

looked around.

“He’s not here.” Said Bert.

“Wait a minute…” Matthew’s eyes lit up at the sight of something on the table.

“Wow! Its an envelope.” Bert dashed over to the table and opened it. “It’s a letter,

I’ll read it.”

Matthew craned over Bert’s shoulder to see the scrawly black ink on the

browning page.

                                                           18th June 1897.
“To My Dear Reader, 

                             Please inform officials at the palace that I have failed.

For two days I have been searching the tunnels and as yet I have found nothing. The

system of tunnels is such that I wonder if I should escape if I tried to. Certainly, I

shall continue the search but with no map to guide me what chance do I have? I place

my trust in her Majesty and her kingdom, in God and in the Empire of Great

Britain.

                             Long Live Her Majesty,

                                                                     James Hurst.

(Entrusted Servant To H.R.H. Queen

Victoria.) 

         “What was he searching for?” Bert mused. “Do you think it’s the same thing as

Harold?”

         “I think you’re completely right.” Matthew beamed. “ I just wonder if were on the

right track, I mean, he obviously didn’t find it around here did he?”

         Matthew and Bert set off back through he tunnel until they found the enclosing

they had started from. They chose another passage this time and set off, a bit slower than

before since the letter had scared them a little.

         Half way down the passage Bert heard a noise.

         “What was that?” Bert snapped quickly. The boys listened and again there was a

far off scuffling noise.

         “Is it Pinchovski?” Said Burt.

         Matthew consulted his heat detector machine.

         “It’s worse,” he said frowning, “It’s rats.”

         Bert grimaced and they carried on down the tunnel until they saw something up

ahead.

         Slowly they crept towards the heap on the floor. Bert shined his torch onto the

heap.

         “Oh my god!” Bert gulped. “Matthew it’s a skeleton!”

         The boys walked as close to the skeleton as they dare, its brown toothy face

seemed to grin at them as they stood looking in horror.  On the floor next to it was a piece

of paper. Matthew shut his eyes tightly and picked it up. It read,


         “Citizens of the Empire. You are hereby invited to celebrate the diamond jubilee

of her majesty Queen Victoria outside St. Paul’s Cathedral on 22nd June 1897. Her

Majesty will be riding by in the royal procession. (Visitors from other towns are politely

asked to leave their carriages in the outskirts of the city as not to block the procession.

Thank You.)”

         At the bottom was a picture of a line of carriages.

         “It looks like a grand affair.” Said Matthew.

         “Matthew it’s eight days after the ship crashed, do you think it has something to

do with the HMS Foudroyant?”

         “Bert I think you are right, whatever James Hurst was looking for must have been

bought here after the ship crashed and I think that’s what warty nose is looking for too.”

         “Can we ring your Mum now?” asked Bert looking worriedly at the skeleton.

         “Bert, we aren’t going to end up looking like old Hursty here you know? Don’t

you want to find the world’s most wanted criminal and whatever it is that’s hidden down

here?”

         “Your Mum might have some cake.” Said Bert.

         “I know,” Matthew mulled over the decision. “But if we work out the mystery and

catch the Russian thief don’t you think me Mum might buy us some ice cream?”

         With this the pair were decided, Matthew worked out that if the servant had died

there the best place to look was past this point, since he probably hadn’t explored this

tunnel.


         
         Further down the tunnel Matthew and Bert found what they thought they had been

looking for. Partially hidden in the wall was a small door. Bert opened the door carefully

revealing a wooden chest about the size of a small television. Matthew and Bert looked at

each other, together they opened the treasure chest and found….

Chapter 4- Pinchovski Attacks

         …absoulutely nothing.

         “Ha Ha Ha Ja.” Laughed a mans voice behind them. “Did you really think that I,

Harold Pinchovshi, the greatest thief in the world would let you, a pair of English brats,

Ja, with no brains, steal Queen Victoria’s diamond Jubilee present from the Prussian

Tsar?”

         The boys turned around to see the American tourist looking crazy with delight as

he towered over them; he was wearing a set of huge sparkling diamond earrings, a

glistening diamond tiara and a necklace to match.

         “Do you know what you look like?” Bert enquired.

         “Ja! Do you know how much these priceless diamonds are worth my stupid

friend?”
         “Well I’d assume priceless meant they aren’t worth an exact amount.” Added

Matthew, scowling at Von Pinchovski.

         “I am going to feed you to the rats.” Pinchovski grinned with glee, his diamonds

gleaming in the light of the torches as he hid them in his coat. “No one will ever find you

in here. For years these diamonds have been hidden, sent to England by the Russian Tsar.

They were stolen by my great great grandfather just days before the celebrations. These

diamonds would have been in my family’s collection for years if it hadn’t been for the

terrible storm that crashed the ship. The officials were chasing him you know? My

grandfather left the jewels here and made his escape, unfortunately he died days later in a

tragic accident while he was stealing a steam train to get back to London.”


         Matthew gave Bert a swift look and Bert knew what to do, Bert started to run

away and the Russian hastily tried to stop him. While the diversion was created Matthew

threw a huge lump of sticky chewing gum onto the floor, as the Russian paused he found

his superglue and poured it all over the Russian’s shoes. Without thinking twice he found

a ball of string and passed it to Bert who tied up Harold von Pinchovski, the greatest thief

in the world. The Russian couldn’t move. Matthew tied the silk scarf round his eyes so

the villain couldn’t see if he did manage to move anywhere. While he did this he

accidentally knocked off the mans wig which fell onto the floor.

         “Ha ha ha.” Bert and Matthew were in hysterics.

         “Time to phone me Mum.” Matthew smiled triumphantly.

         “Shall we keep it as a souvenir?” Bert suggested holding the wig high in the air.”

         Harold Von Pinchovski wriggled and moved about but he was well and truly

stuck.
         Later that day Matthew and Bert were happily eating ice cream on the south pier.

         “I can’t believe how brilliant we are Bert.” Matthew exclaimed.

         “The policeman said we would probably get a letter of thanks from the Queen

Matthew, he says they will put the diamonds in the tower of London.”


         “Wow.” Matthew said wondering if him and Bert would perhaps be honored with

Knighthoods. “Do you think you could get used to being called Sir Bert?”

         “Well, it would be difficult at first.” Considered Bert, “Do you get free servants?”
         
“I think so.” Replied Matthew, “They make all your phone calls for you and clean

your shoes.”

         “Excellent stuff.” Grinned Bert.

         “So.” Interrupted Dad smiling. “Do you think your Excellencies really deserve to

go on the rides since you were told specifically NOT to have any adventures?”

         Matthew and Bert looked at each other. “I’ll race you there Dad.” Beamed

Matthew. “I’ve always been the fastest runner.”

         “I’m the best runner.” Disagreed Bert as they started off, throwing the Russian

wig at each other, and the argument continued as they dashed around the highest, scariest

and fastest rides at the Pleasure Beach.