'And Jackley said-'
'He hid the stuff in the old tower.'
'He was a railroad man.'
'Why not?' Joe shouted, springing to his feet 'Why couldn't it have been
this old water tower he meant? He used to work around here.'
'After all, he didn't say the old tower of Tower Mansion. He just said 'old
tower'!'
'Frank, I believe we've stumbled on a terrific due!' Joe said jubilantly. 'It
would be the natural thing for Jackley to come to his former haunts after the
robbery!'
'Right!' Frank agreed.
'And when he discovered that Chet's jalopy was gone, he probably thought
that the police were hot on his trail, so he decided to hide the loot some place
he knew-where no one else would suspect. The old water tower! This must be
the place!'
CHAPTER XIX
Loot!
LUNCH, motorcycles-everything else was forgotten! With wild yells of
excitement, Frank and Joe hurried down the embankment which flanked the
right of way.
But as they came to a fence that separated the tracks from the grass and
weeds that grew along the side, they stopped short. Someone on the highway
above was sounding a car horn. Looking up, they recognized the driver.
Smuff!
'Oh, good night!' Joe cried out.
'The last person we want to see right now,' Frank said in disgust.
'We'll get rid of him in a hurry,' Joe determined.
The boys turned around and climbed back up the embankment. By this time
Oscar Smuff had stepped from his car and was walking down to meet the
boys.
'Well, I found you,' he said.
'You mean you've been looking for us?' Frank asked in astonishment.
The detective grinned. With an ingratiating air he explained to the boys that
he had trailed them for miles. He had seen them leave home on their
motorcycles, and almost caught up with them at the Bayport station, only to
lose them. But the stationmaster had revealed the Hardys' next destination,
and the aspiring sleuth had hastened to talk to the flagman, Mike Halley.
'He told me I'd find you here,' Smuff said, self-satisfaction evident in his
tone.
'But why do you want us?' Joe demanded.
'I've come to make a proposition,' Smuff announced. 'I've got a swell clue
about Jackley and that loot he hid, but I need somebody to help me in the
search. How about it, fellows? If old Smuff lets you in on his secret, will you
help him?'
Frank and Joe were astounded at this turn of events. Did the man really
know something important? Or was he suddenly becoming clever and trying
to trick the Hardys into divulging what they knew? One thing the brothers
were sure of: they wanted nothing to do with Oscar Smuff until they had
searched the old water tower.
'Thanks for the compliment,' Frank said. He grinned. 'Joe and I think
we're pretty good ourselves. We're glad you do.'
'Then you'll work with me?' Smuff asked, his eyes lighting up in
anticipation.
'I didn't say yes and I didn't say no,' Frank countered. He glanced at Joe,
who was standing in back of the detective. Joe shook his head vigorously.
'Tell you what, Smuff,' Frank went on. 'When Joe and I get back to
Bayport, we'll look you up. We came out here to have a picnic lunch and
relax.'
Smuff's face fell. But he was not giving up so easily. 'When I drove up, I saw
you running like mad down the bank. Do you call that relaxing?'
'Oh, when you sit around awhile eating, your legs feel kind of cramped,' Joe
told him. 'Anyway, we have to keep in practice for the Bayport High baseball
team.'
Smuff looked as if he did not know whether or not he was being kidded. But
finally he said, 'Okay, fellows. If you'll get in touch with me the first of the
week, I can promise you a big surprise. You've proved you can't win the
thousand-dollar reward alone, so we may as well each get a share of it. I've
already admitted I need help to solve this mystery.'
He turned and slowly ambled up the embankment to his car. The boys waved
good-by to the detective and waited until he was far out of sight and they
were sure he would not return. Then Frank and Joe hurried down to the
tracks, vaulted the fence, and ran pell-mell toward the old water tower.
'If only we have stumbled on the secret!' Frank said enthusiastically.
'It'll clear Mr. Robinson-'
'We will earn the reward by ourselves-'
'Best of all, Dad will be proud of us.'
The old water tower reared forlornly alongside the tracks. At close quarters
it seemed even more decrepit than from a distance. When the boys glanced at
the ladder with its many rungs missing, they wondered if they would be able
to ascend to the top on it.
'If Jackley climbed this ladder we can too,' said Frank as he stopped,
panting, at the bottom. 'Let's go!'
He began to scramble up the rotted wood rungs. He had ascended only four
of them when there came an alarming crack!
'Careful!' Joe cried out from below.
Frank clung to the rung above just as the one beneath him snapped under his
weight. He drew himself up and cautiously put his foot on the next rung. This
one was firmer and held his weight.
'Hey!' Joe called up. 'Don't break all the rungs! I want to come up too!'
Frank continued to climb the ladder as his brother began the ascent. When
they came to any place where a rung had broken off, the boys were obliged to
haul themselves up by main force. But finally Frank reached the top and
waited until Joe was just beneath him.
'There's a trap door up here leading down into the tank,' Frank called.
'Well, for Pete's sake, be careful,' Joe warned. 'We don't want any more
accidents with trap doors.'
The boys climbed onto the roof of the tower, which swayed under their
