Before leaving, the Hardys examined footprints left by the thief. 'He wore
sneakers,' Frank observed.
Suddenly Chet swung open the door and looked on the floor. 'You mean he
wore my sneakers. They're gone.'
'And carried his own shoes,' Joe observed. 'Very clever. Well, that washes
out one clue. Can't trace the man by his shoe prints.'
'Let's go!' Chet urged.
He jumped into the car and in a few seconds the engine roared. There was
barely sufficient room in the clearing to permit him to turn the jalopy about.
When he swung around and headed up the bypath, the boys gave a cheer and
hastened to clamber aboard.
Lurching and swaying, the car reached the abandoned road and from there
made the run to the main highway. The boys transferred to Tony's truck and
the motorcycles, and formed a parade into Bayport, with Frank and Joe in
the lead. It was their intention to ride up to police headquarters and announce
their success to Chief Collig.
'And I hope Smuff will be around,' Chet gloated.
As the grinning riders came down Main Street, however, they noticed that no
one paid any attention to them, and there seemed to be an unusual air of
mystery in the town. People were standing in little groups, gesticulating and
talking earnestly.
Presently the Hardys saw Oscar Smuff striding along with a portentous
frown. Joe called out to him. 'What's going on, detective? You notice we
found Chet's car.'
'I've got something more important than stolen cars to worry-Hey, what's
that?' Detective Smuff stared blankly, as the full import of the discovery
filtered his consciousness.
The boys waited for Smuff's praise, but he did not give it. Instead, he said, 'I
got a big mystery to solve. The Tower Mansion has been robbed!'
'Good night!' the Hardys chorused.
Tower Mansion was one of the show places of Bayport. Few people in the
city had ever been permitted to enter the place and the admiration which the
palatial building excited was solely by reason of its exterior appearance. But
the first thing a newcomer to Bayport usually asked was, 'Who owns that
house with the towers over on the hill?'
It was an immense, rambling stone structure overlooking the bay, and could
be seen for miles, silhouetted against the sky line like an ancient feudal castle.
The resemblance to a castle was heightened by the fact that from each of the
far ends of the mansion arose a high tower.
One of these had been built when the mansion was erected by Major
Applegate, an eccentric, retired old Army man who had made a fortune by
lucky real-estate deals. Years ago there had been many parties and dances in
the mansion.
But the Applegate family had become scattered until at last there remained in
the old home only Hurd Applegate and his sister Adelia. They lived in the
vast, lonely mansion at the present time.
Hurd Applegate was a man about sixty, tall, and stooped. His life seemed to
be devoted now to the collection of rare stamps. But a few years before he
had built a new tower on the mansion, a duplicate of the original one.
His sister Adelia was a maiden lady of uncertain years. Well-dressed women
in Bayport were amused by her clothes. She dressed in clashing colors and
unbecoming styles. Hurd and Adelia Applegate were reputed to be
enormously wealthy, although they lived simply, kept only a few servants, and
never had visitors.
'Tell us about the theft,' Joe begged Smuff.
But the detective waved his hand airily. 'You'll have to find out yourselves,'
he retorted as he hurried off.
Frank and Joe called good-by to their friends and headed for home. As they
arrived, the boys saw Hurd Applegate just leaving the house. The man tapped
the steps with his cane as he came down them. When he heard the boys'
motorcycles he gave them a piercing glance.
'Good day!' he growled in a grudging manner and went on his way.
'He must have been asking Dad to take the case,' Frank said to his brother,
as they pulled into the garage.
The boys rushed into the house, eager to find out more about the robbery. In
the front hallway they met their father.
'We heard the Tower Mansion has been robbed,' said Joe.
Mr. Hardy nodded. 'Yes. Mr. Applegate was just here to tell me about it. He
wants me to handle the case.'
'How much was taken?'
Mr. Hardy smiled. 'Well, I don't suppose it will do any harm to tell you. The
safe in the Applegate library was opened. The loss will be about forty
thousand dollars, all in securities and jewels.'
'Whew!' exclaimed Frank. 'What a haul! When did it happen?'
'Either last night or this morning. Mr. Apple-gate did not get up until after
ten o'clock this morning and did not go into the library until nearly noon. It
was then that he discovered the theft.'
'How was the safe opened?'
'By using the combination. It was opened either by someone who knew the
set of numbers or else by a very clever thief who could detect the noise of the
tumblers. I'm going up to the house in a few minutes. Mr. Applegate is to call
for me.'
'I'd like to go along,' Joe said eagerly.
'So would I,' Frank declared.
Mr. Hardy looked at his sons and smiled. 'Well, if you want to be detectives,
I suppose it is about as good a chance as any to watch a crime investigation
from the inside. If Mr. Applegate doesn't object, you may come with me.'
A few minutes later a foreign-make, chauffeur-driven car drew up before the
Hardy home. Mr.
Applegate was seated in the rear, his chin resting on his cane. The three
Hardys went outside. When the detective mentioned the boys' request, the
man merely grunted assent and moved over. Frank and Joe stepped in after
their father. The car headed toward Tower Mansion.
'I don't really need a detective in this case!' Hurd Applegate snapped.
'Don't need one at all. It's as clear as the nose on your face. I know who
took the stuff. But I can't prove it.'
'Whom do you suspect?' Fenton Hardy asked.
'Only one man in the world could have taken the jewels and securities.
Robinson!'
