The Riddle of the Missing Card!

Bruce and Dick muse that things are boring without the Joker around, and he must have been killed when he fell through the trapdoor in the previous issue.

However, the Joker was rescued by three jewel thieves: Queenie, Diamond Jack, and Clubsy. The jewel-thieving business isn't going well, what with the war, and they hope that Joker can help find them a new racket. He decides that they will be a game--the Four Cards: the Joker, the Black Queen, the Jack of Diamonds, and the King of Clubs. They will run a gambling ship offshore, and take the opportunity to scout out their wealthy patrons, to later steal their valuables.

Batman visits the ship as Bruce, but he is caught listening in, and they throw him overboard--though Queenie seems upset at this, since she had thought him a nice chap, when they danced, earlier.

Bruce survives, of course, and as the Batman, he and Robin go to foil the evening's planned robbery. When things go south, Joker tries to get away, and Batman pursues him, leaving Robin to deal with the others. When the Batmobile sails off a cliff during the chase, the Joker returns to his gang, where Robin has been captured.

The gang has searched Robin for weapons, and found a wireless transmitter built into his belt buckle. Joker tests it, and discovers that Batman is still alive. Joker tells Batman to come--alone--and Batman has no choice but to comply. Queenie then recognizes Batman as Bruce Wayne, due to a cut on his chin that he got shaving.

When the Joker double-crosses them and leaves them all locked in a burning room, Jack intends to shoot Batman, but Queenie shoots him instead. He shoots her in return, and she reveals that she had fallen in love with Bruce--then immediately dies. Batman rescues Robin, blows the door off with some chemicals from his belt, and the two head for Batman's speedboat to pursue the Joker.

Joker heads for a lighthouse, and at the top fights with Batman. Batman is thrown off, and barely manages to cling to the railing. Before Joker can loose Batman's grip, Robin arrives and throws him to the waters below.