Robert's shoes were quickly removed from his feet, and these also were cut into bits, but still the letter was not found.
"Keep it up! We 'll find it yet!" ordered the leader.
"You won't find it, simply because it is n't here," said Robert.
Roughly the search was continued, and when at last a half hour had elapsed and still the missing letter was not found, Robert was standing with his clothing in tatters, and the anger of his captors becoming greater with the repeated failures that were made.
"The letter is n't on him. That's as plain as the nose on his face," said Claudius Brown at last. "Now, young man, tell us where it is!" he demanded.
"I shall not tell you what I did with it," replied Robert quietly. "You would n't believe me if I did, any more than you believed me when I told you that I did n't have it."
"Where is it?" demanded Claudius Brown savagely.
"I hope it is where General Clinton will soon get it. If he does n't, I can assure you that it won't be the fault of the man that took it."
