In the first room they found nothing, although they rummaged about in all the corners, looked beneath the table, behind the chairs—looked everywhere, in fact. Not until they were quite satisfied that the loot had not been hidden there, did they ascend the stairs to the next room, and there again their search was fruitless.
Hurd Applegate, being a quick-tempered man, fell back into his old mood. The boys' story had convinced him, and he had been even more certain than they that the stolen bonds and jewels would indeed be found in the new tower. But when two of the tower rooms had been thoroughly searched without success, his disappointment increased.
"Don't believe there was anything in that yarn, after all," he muttered, as they went up the stairs to the third room.
"I don't see why he should lie about it, after he confessed," remarked Frank thoughtfully. "Dad told us that he admitted not being able to get away with the stuff."
"Then where did he hide it?" demanded Applegate. "If he wasn't lying, the stuff must be around here some place."
"Perhaps he hid it a little more carefully than we imagine," put in Joe.
"Haven't we hunted carefully enough?" Hurd Applegate snapped.
