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The Case of the Dragon in Distress: A McGurk Fantasy

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Most of the McGurk stories are mysteries. The McGurk Organization is a group of neighborhood friends who have formed their own detective business, headed by the founder, Jack P. McGurk, the bossiest/most organized member. Other positions in the group belong to the members who are most talented for them. However, there are also a couple of fantasy stories in the series that involve time travel. This is the first one.

The McGurk organization start getting interested in the Middle Ages when they acquire a round table, which reminds them of King Arthur's Round Table, and they begin studying the Middle Ages in school. Shortly after that, Brains buys a set of walkie-talkies at a fire sale. At first, they don't work, but Brains tinkers with them until he can get them to send and receive. The strange thing is that they only seem to work well at night. One night, the organization decides to test them, and somehow, they are transported into the Middle Ages. A strange voice speaks to them through their "little black boxes" and sends them on a quest that takes them to the castle of Princess Melisande the Bad. The castle is supposedly guarded by a dragon, but it is really a couple of servants in a dragon costume. Like many others in the castle, they are prisoners of Princess Melisande, who appears young and sweet, but is actually ancient and evil. Although she is at first pleased and entertained by her visitors from the future, she has diabolical plans for them. The kids must escape, but first they must save the young chief of the McGurk clan from Ireland, who may be a distant ancestor of Jack P. McGurk. As it happens, they are not the only time travelers in the castle, and they may find some unexpected allies.

The part where the kids first arrive at the castle and everyone admires their strange clothes and unusual devices is a lot like a scene from A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. Princess Melisande makes a picturesque villain, a sweet-looking girl who drinks her victims' blood by eating leeches that have fed on her prisoners. It's a strange turn from the usual detective stories of the series, but it's fun!