'Then maybe-maybe it's the stolen property!' Joe exclaimed.
Even Mr. Applegate showed keen interest this time and leaned over to raise
the lid himself. The box contained several sacks.
'The jewels!' Joe cried out.
'And that flat-shaped sack could contain the securities!' Frank said
enthusiastically.
Mr. Applegate picked up one of the circular bags and quickly untied the
string wound about the top. His face took on a look of utter disgust. 'Seeds!'
he fairly shouted.
Mr. Hardy had already picked up the flat sack. He looked almost as
disappointed as Mr. Apple-gate. 'Flower catalogs!' he exclaimed. 'They
seem to be in various foreign languages.'
'Oh, Robinson was always sending for things from all over the world,' the
Tower Mansion owner remarked. 'I told him to destroy them. He paid too
much attention to that stuff when he might have been doing something useful.
I suppose he buried the catalogs, so I wouldn't find them.'
After a long breath the elderly man went on, 'Well, we've reached the end of
the line. You Hardys haven't proved a thing, but you've certainly torn up my
house and grounds.'
The three sleuths had to admit this was true but told him they were still fired
by two hopes: to clear Mr. Robinson of the charge against him, and to find
the stolen property. As they put their spades back into the Hardy car, Mr.
Applegate invited them into the house to wash and have a bite to eat.
'I guess you boys could do with a second breakfast,' he added, and the
brothers thought, 'Maybe at times Mr. Applegate isn't such a bad sort.'
They accepted the invitation and enjoyed the meal of waffles and honey.
Their father then drove them to Bayport High.
Frank and Joe had no sooner stepped from the car than they heard their
names called. Turning, they saw Iola Morton and Callie Shaw coming toward
them.
'Hi, boys!'
'Hi, girls!'
'Say, did you hear what happened early this morning?' Callie asked.
'No. School called off for today?' Joe asked eagerly.
'I wish it were.' Callie sobered. 'It's about Mr. Robinson. He's been
arrested again!'
'No!' The Hardys stared at Callie, thunderstruck. 'Why?' Frank
demanded.
Iola took up the story, saying that she and Chet had heard the bad news on
the radio that morning. They had stopped at the Robinsons' home, when their
father brought them to school, to find out more about what had happened.
'It seems that Chief Collig has an idea Mr. Robinson was in league with the
thief Jackley, that man your father got the confession from. So he arrested
him. Poor Mrs. Robinson! She doesn't know what to do.'
'And Mr. Robinson had just managed to find another job,' Callie said sadly.
'Oh, can't you boys do something?'
'We're working on the case as hard as we can,' Frank replied, and told the
girls about their sleuthing the evening before and early that morning. At that
moment the school bell rang and the young people had to separate.
Frank and Joe were deeply concerned by what they had just heard. At lunch
they met Jerry, Phil, Tony, and Chet Morton and told them the news. 'This is
tough on Slim,' Phil remarked.
'Tough on the whole family,' Chet declared.
The boys discussed the situation from all angles and racked their brains for
some way in which they could help the Robinsons. They concluded that only
the actual discovery of the stolen jewels and bonds would clear Mr. Robinson
of the suspicion which hung over him.
'That means there's only one thing to do,' Frank said. 'We must find that
loot!'
After school he and Joe played baseball for the required period, then went
directly home. They had no heart for further sports activities. It was a dull,
gloomy day, indicative of rain and this did not raise the boys' spirits.
Frank, who was restless, finally suggested, 'Let's take a walk.'
'Maybe it'll help clear the cobwebs from our brains,' Joe agreed.
They told their mother they would be home by suppertime, then set off. The
brothers walked mile after mile, and then, as they turned back, they were
drawn as if by magnets to Tower Mansion.
'This place is beginning to haunt me,' said Joe, as they walked up the
driveway.
Suddenly Frank caught his brother's arm. 'I just had an idea. Maybe Jackley
in his deathbed confession was confused and meant some other robbery he
committed. Besides, at some time in every mystery the most innocent-seeming
people become suspect. What proof is there that the Applegates haven't
pulled a hoax? For reasons of their own they might say that the things had
been stolen from their safe. Don't forget that Dad didn't find any fingerprints
on it except Mr. Applegate's.'
'Frank, you've got a point there. That man and his sister act so mean
sometimes, I wouldn't put it past them to be trying to cheat the insurance
company,' said Joe.
'Exactly,' his brother agreed. 'For the moment, let's play it this way. We'll
pretend they're suspects and do a little spying about this place.'
Instantly the boys left the roadway and disappeared among the shrubbery
that lined it. Making their way cautiously, they moved forward toward Tower
Mansion. The place was in darkness with the exception of three lighted
rooms on the first floor.
'What's your idea, Frank?' his brother whispered. 'To learn something that
might tell us whether or not the Applegates are implicated in the robbery?'
'Yes. Maybe we'll get a clue if we keep our eyes and ears open.'
The boys walked forward in silence. They approached the mansion from the
end where the old tower stood. Somewhere, not far from them, they suddenly
heard footsteps on the gravel walk. In a flash the brothers dodged behind a
tree. The footsteps came closer and the boys waited to see who was
approaching. Was it one of the Applegates, or someone else?
Before they could find out, the person's footsteps receded and the boys
emerged from their hiding place. Suddenly a glaring light was beamed
directly on them.
It came from the top room of the old tower!
