The Three Investigators in The Mystery of the Purple Pirate
Three investigators respond to an advertisement from a company that promises a reward for a story about California pirates. They discover that the recording of their tale has been erased, a fate that befalls other applicants as well, except for ship captain Joy, who is paid and asked for additional stories by the company's boss, Major Karnes. Confused, the investigators begin to follow Major Karnes's shipment.