Little Al of the Secret Service #2

Little Al Conway's weekend plans crumble when the Secret Service learns that the Grand Rajah of Abisphor has vanished during his American visit—and after refusing a protective escort, no less. Suspecting either a local kidnapping or revenge from within the Rajah's own court, Al and his partner Ox track a promising lead to a country estate, where they find their quarry apparently safe and sound. But something about the Rajah's manner and his enigmatic chief counselor Mandrago doesn't sit right with Al, and his instincts tell him there's far more to this case than a simple disappearance.

When a rajah visiting America becomes the target of a sinister plot—his own trusted counselor Mandrago has been secretly leading the Cult of Death, planning to assassinate him so the rajah's exiled half-brother Bondo can claim the throne—Little Al of the Secret Service must race to stop a ritual sacrifice. With the help of his partner Ox and the rajah's loyal leopard, Little Al battles the cult's priests in a desperate fight to save his guest and dismantle their murderous scheme.

When a U.S. Commission member turns up dead in Paris, Little Al and his sidekick Ox Collins arrive to investigate—only to stumble into a street brawl that sends their suspects fleeing into the city's supposedly sealed sewers. Racing through clues left at crime scenes, the agents discover an international conspiracy: a woman with coral lipstick and a rare perfume is working with a dangerous criminal to eliminate American officials and destabilize the French government. Little Al must untangle a deadly web of murder, deception, and gas-filled taxi cabs to stop the killers before they strike again.

Little Al of the Secret Service goes undercover as "Shorty Oakes" to infiltrate the operation of Baldy the Bull, a ruthless criminal who eliminates witnesses to cover his tracks. When Baldy takes the bait and plans to rob the mail car of the Golden Rocket, Little Al positions himself aboard the train—only to face the brutal killer in a desperate fight he may not survive.

In early 1930s America, petty criminal Little Larry Morrow discovers that metal slugs can fool vending machines—and he's quick to turn a quick con into organized crime. Recruiting muscle and strikers across New York, Morrow runs his "Counterfeit Incorporated" ring to drain cigarette and candy machines, but his paranoia and ruthlessness begin to fracture the operation from within. The Secret Service takes notice as the scheme spirals beyond his control.

Little Al of the Secret Service exposes the sneaky tactics of petty criminals in "Beware of Dips," a hard-hitting look at how pickpockets, purse snatchers, and shoplifters work their cons on unsuspecting victims—from razor-blade tricks to the classic coat swap. Through real street scenes and criminal methods, the story lays bare the schemes that every citizen should know how to spot and avoid.

Mata Mari takes on a dangerous espionage assignment from General Smith: infiltrate an East German military reservation and determine the size of a new Red division stationed there. Using her charm and quick thinking, she manages to extract the intelligence—but her audacious methods and confident demeanor suggest she's playing a far more elaborate game than a simple reconnaissance mission.

Secret Service agents investigating a West Coast trading company discover an ingenious smuggling scheme when they notice a discrepancy in the declared weight of shipments—crates of china cups that somehow got heavier over time. The agents trace the trail to the docks and uncover the contraband hidden inside the cups themselves, putting the operation out of business. It's a clever reminder that even the most elaborate schemes fall apart when a detail slips through the cracks.