'Sorry!' said Frank. The boys would have retreated, but Mr. Hardy's visitor
turned around and they saw that he was Perry Robinson.
'It's only me,' said Slim. 'Don't go.'
'Hi, Slim!'
'Perry has been trying to shed a little more light on the Tower robbery,'
explained Mr, Hardy. 'But what is this clue you're talking about?'
'It might concern the robbery,' replied Frank. 'It's about the red-haired
man.' He took the wig from his pocket and told where he had found it.
Mr. Hardy's interest was kindled at once. 'This seems to link up a pretty
good chain of evidence. The man who passed you on the shore road wrecked
the car he was driving, then stole Chet's, and afterward tried to hold up the
ticket office. When he failed there, he tried another and more successful
robbery at the Tower.'
'Do you really think the wig might help us solve the Tower robbery?' asked
Perry, taking hope.
'Possibly.'
'I was just telling your father,' Slim went on, 'that I saw a strange man
lurking around the grounds of the mansion two days before the robbery. I
didn't think anything of it at the time, and in the shock of Dad's arrest I
forgot about it.'
'Did you get a good look at him? Could you describe him?' Frank asked.
'I'm afraid I can't. It was in the evening. I was sitting by a window, studying,
and happened to look up. I saw this fellow moving about among the trees.
Later, I heard one of the dogs barking in another part of the grounds. Shortly
afterward, I saw someone running across the lawn. I thought he was just a
tramp.'
'Did he wear a hat or a cap?'
'As near as I can remember, it was a cap. His clothes were dark.'
'And you couldn't see his face?'
'No.'
'Well, it's not much to go on,' said Mr. Hardy, 'but it might be linked up
with Frank and Joe's idea that the man who stole the jalopy may still have
been hanging around Bayport.' The detective thought deeply for a few
moments. 'I'll bring all these facts to Mr. Applegate's attention, and I'm also
going to have a talk with the police authorities. I feel they haven't enough
evidence to warrant holding your father, Perry.'
'Do you think you can have him released?' the boy asked eagerly.
'I'm sure of it. In fact, I believe Mr. Applegate is beginning to realize now
that he made a mistake.'
'It will be wonderful if we can have Dad back with us again,' said Perry.
'Of course things won't be the same for him. He'll be under a cloud of
suspicion as long as this mystery isn't cleared up. I suppose Mr. Applegate
won't employ him or anyone else.'
'All the more reason why we should get busy and clear up the affair,' Frank
said quickly, and Joe added, 'Slim, we'll do all we can to help your father.'
CHAPTER VIII
An Important Discovery
WHEN the Hardy boys were on their way home from school the next
afternoon they noticed that a crowd had collected in the vestibule of the post
office and were staring at the bulletin board.
'Wonder what's up now?' said Joe, pushing his way forward through the
crowd with the agility of an eel. Frank was not slow in following.
On the board was a large poster. The ink on it was scarcely dry. At the top,
in enormous black letters, it read:
$1000 REWARD
Underneath, in slightly smaller type, was the following:
The above reward will be paid for information leading to the arrest of the
person or persons who broke into Tower Mansion and stole jewels and
securities from a safe in the library.
The reward was being offered by Hurd Apple-gate.
'Why, that must mean the charge against Mr. Robinson has been dropped!'
exclaimed Joe.
'It looks like it. Let's see if we can find Slim.'
All about them people were commenting on the size of the reward, and there
were many expressions of envy for the person who would be fortunate enough
to solve the mystery.
'A thousand dollars!' said Frank, as the brothers made their way out of the
post office. 'That's a lot of money, Joe.'
'I'll say it is.'
'And there's no reason why we haven't as good a chance of earning it as
anyone else.'
'I suppose Dad and the police are barred from the reward, for it's their duty
to find the thief if they can. But if we track him down we can get the money.
It'll be a good sum to add to our college fund.'
'Let's go! Say, there's Slim now.'
Perry Robinson was coming down the street toward them. He looked much
happier than he had the previous evening, and when he saw the Hardy boys
his face lighted up.
'Dad is free,' he told them. 'Thanks to your father, the charge has been
dropped.'
'I'm sure glad to hear that!' exclaimed Joe. 'I see a reward is being
offered.' 'Your father convinced Mr. Applegate that it must have been an
outside job. And the work of a professional thief. Chief Collig admitted there
wasn't much evidence against Dad, so they let him go. It's a great relief. My
mother and sisters were almost crazy with worry.'
'No wonder,' commented Frank. 'What's your father going to do now?'
'I don't know,' Slim admitted. 'Of course, we've had to move from the
Tower Mansion estate. Mr. Applegate said that even though the charge had
been dropped, he wasn't altogether convinced in his own mind that Dad
hadn't had something to do with the theft. So he dismissed him.'
'That's tough luck. But your dad will be able to get another job somewhere,'
Frank said consolingly.
'I'm not so sure about that. People aren't likely to employ a man who's been
suspected of stealing. Dad tried two or three places this afternoon, but he was
turned down.'
The Hardys were silent. They felt very sorry for the Robinsons and were
determined to do what they could to help them.
