Summaries

Synopsis

In Cheney, apparently not too far from Los Angeles, Owen believes in a Bigfoot-type creature known as The Mad Man of the Mountain. He puts out food for the creature and uses fancy gadgets including a scarecrow and a Rube Goldberg-type booby trap to deal with those who might steal the food--including realistic-looking animated squirrels. He also has a fort which has still more gadgets, and a picture of his idol Leonardo da Vinci, the greatest inventor ever (greater than Edison? Really?).

Shortly before the Fourth of July, Owen's parents are going to a teddy bear convention, leaving older sister Lilly in charge. Lilly is looking forward to bossing around her little brother. First, Owen must deliver his newspapers, which he does by means of another one of his gadgets. He stops to see Megan, a cute girl he seems to have a crush on. Then Owen makes a stop at a park at the top of a nearby mountain.

Bud and Arty are at the airport, which is so small the voice making announcements has to ask who is moving the Cessna because she's on break. A blind nun with a service dog meets the heroes, only she's really Blackie, and the dog is what they have been hired to deliver. And the heroes will use an ancient pink and white Nash Rambler which smokes like a chimney and is as roomy as a Mini Cooper. The dog is wearing a necklace apparently made of diamonds, and the newspaper says there was a $5 million diamond heist in Los Angeles. However, these are three of the dumbest criminals in history.

The heroes run into Owen, who likes the dog and believes it is being mistreated. The nun has to use the facilities, and Owen directs her to the "correct" restroom, where Blackie is accused of being a pervert. Owen tries to help the dog but it is clear the heroes don't want him to. Owen then releases the dog and hides it, then the heroes chase after him and demand he help them find the dog. Somehow, Owen is able to hide the dog where they'll never find it, and they don't find his fort either. Owen misses Shadow, the dog his family had which was old and had to be put to sleep. The family has never gotten another dog because of Lilly's allergies; it is never explained who they were able to have Shadow. But Owen clearly likes this dog, and she likes him too.

The dog follows Owen home, and Owen must hide her from Lilly and make sure she is fed. Meanwhile, Lilly wants to sneak out and be with her friends, and our heroes manage to find enough information on Owen's bike to track him down. Lilly just doesn't know where he is. And Owen discovers the newspaper story and sees what the collar actually looks like. He names the dog Diamond, and he realizes he has to go to the police. Because Owen has such a hard time getting the words out as he explains, and because Owen has told such outlandish stories about the Mad Man of the Mountain, the cops don't believe him.

A lot of adventures are still to come, and the wackiest are coming toward the end. With lots more gadgets and plenty of physical comedy. And it is revealed whether there is a Mad Man of the Mountain.