The boys rejoiced over their discovery for another full minute, then decided to hurry back to Bayport with the precious sack.
"You go down first, Frank," said Joe. "I"ll toss the sack to you and then come myself."
He picked up the bag and was about to hoist it to his shoulders when both boys heard a sound on the roof of the tower. They looked up to see an evil-looking, unshaven man peering down at them.
"Halt!" he ordered.
"Who are you?" Frank asked.
"They call me Hobo Johnny," the man replied. "This here is my quarters and anything in it belongs to me. You got no right in my room. You can"t take anything away. And t"anks for finding the wad. I never thought to look around."
Joe, taken aback a moment, now said, "You may sleep here, but this is railroad property. You don"t own what"s in this tower. Now go on down the ladder, so we can leave."
"So you"re going to fight, eh?" Hobo Johnny said in an ugly tone. "I"ll see about that!"
Without warning the trap door was slammed shut and locked from the outside!
CHAPTER XX.
The Escape "LET us out of here!" Frank shouted at Hobo Johnny.
"You can"t get away with this!" Joe yelled.
The man on the water tower roof gave a loud guffaw. "You think I ain"t got no brains. Well, I got enough to know when I"m well off. I ain"t in no hurry to collect that treasure you found in the tower. A few days from now will be all right for me to sell it."
"A few days from now?" Joe exclaimed, horrified. "By that time we"ll be suffocated or die of starvation."
Frank put an arm around his impulsive brother"s shoulder. In a low tone he said, "We won"t do either, Joe. I don"t think it"s going to be too hard to get out of here. If not by the trap door, we"ll hack our way out through one side of the tank."
Joe calmed down and both boys became silent. This seemed to worry Hobo Johnny, who called down, "What"re you guys up to?"
No answer.
"Okay. I"m leaving you now, but I"ll be back for that treasure. Don"t try any funny stuff or you"ll get hurt!"
The man on the roof waited a few moments for an answer. Receiving none, he shuffled across the tower to the ladder.
"I hope he doesn"t break all the rungs," said Joe worriedly. "We won"t be able to get down."
Again Frank patted his brother on the shoulder. "I noticed an iron pipe running from the top of this tower to the bottom," he said. "If necessary, we can slide down the pipe."
"How long do you think we should wait before trying to break out of here?"
Joe asked.
Before replying, Frank pondered the situation. Not knowing anything about Hobo Johnny"s habits, he wondered how far away from the tower the man would go. If not far, the boys might find him waiting below and a tough person to handle. Finally, Frank decided that since the tramp had said he would return in an hour, he must be planning to go some distance away, perhaps to get a couple of his hobo friends to come back and help him.
"I"d say that if we leave in fifteen minutes we"ll be safe," was Frank"s conclusion.
Every second seemed like an hour, but finally when the fifteen minutes were up, the boys lifted a plank and tried to push up the trap door. It would not budge.
"Where do we try next?" Joe questioned.
Frank was examining the seams around the trap door with the flashlight.
Presently he pointed out a section where the wood looked completely dried out.
"It shouldn"t be too hard to ram a hole here, Joe. Then you can boost me up, so I can reach through and turn the handle on the lock."
Joe picked up a crowbar and jabbed the sharp end between the edge of the trap door and the board next to it. There was a splintering sound. He gave the tool another tremendous push. The seam widened. Now he and Frank together wedged the end of the crowbar up through the opening.
In a few moments they had sprung the two boards far enough apart so that Frank, by standing on Joe"s shoulders, could reach his arm through the opening. He found the handle which locked the trap door and turned it. Joe pushed up the door with the plank.
The boys were free!
Frank pulled himself up through the opening and hurried to the edge of the roof. He looked all around below. Hobo Johnny was not in sight; in fact, there was no one to be seen anywhere.
"Clear field ahead I" he announced.
Now the boys began to carry out their original intention of removing the stolen property from the old water tower. Frank went back to the trap door and Joe handed up the sack, then joined his brother on the roof. The older boy went down the ladder quickly and his brother tossed the treasure to him.
Joe lost no time in following.
"We"d better get away from here in a hurry!" Frank advised, and both boys sprinted to their motorcycles.
"Let"s divide this stuff. It"ll be easier to carry," Frank suggested.
He opened the sack and handed Joe the bundle of securities, which the boy jammed into his pocket. Frank stuffed the sack containing the jewelry into his own side pocket. Then they hopped onto their motorcycles, stepped on the starters, and roared down the road toward Bay-port. It was not until they were several miles from the old water tower that the Hardys relaxed. Grins spread over their faces.
"I don"t know who"s going to be the most surprised-Hurd or Adelia Applegate, or Chief Collig or-"
"I have another guess-Dad!" said Frank.
"I guess you"re right," Joe agreed. "And the most disappointed person is going to be one Oscar Sm.u.f.f!"
"What clue do you suppose he wanted us to follow?"
"It"s my idea he didn"t have any. He just wanted to hook on to us and then claim the glory if we found the treasure, so Collig would give him a job on the force."
"Where do you think we ought to take these valuables?" Joe asked presently.
The boys discussed this as they covered nearly a mile of ground and finally came to the conclusion that since Hurd Applegate had given their father the job of finding the stolen property, the detective should be the one to return it to the owners.
Half an hour later the brothers pulled into the Hardy driveway and soon were overwhelming their parents with the good news.
"It"s wonderful! Simply wonderful!" Mrs. Hardy cried out, hugging each of her sons.
Their father"s face wore a broad grin. "I"m certainly proud of you," he said, and slapped Frank and Joe on the back. "You boys shall have the honor of making the announcement to the Apple-gates."
"How about Chief Collig?" Frank asked. "And we"ll report Hobo Johnny to him."
"And we"ll invite the Robinsons to hear the announcement," Joe added.
The detective said he thought there should be a grand meeting at the Applegates" home of everyone involved with the tower mystery. He suggested that when the boys called up, they try to arrange such a meeting for that very evening.
Frank was selected to make the report to Hurd Applegate; the others could hear the elderly man exclaim in amazement. "I didn"t think you"d do it!" he said over and over again.
Shouting for his sister, he relayed the message, then said, "Adelia wants me to tell you she"s the most relieved woman in all of Bayport. She never did like any of this business."
The Applegates readily agreed to a meeting at their home early that evening and insisted that Mr. Robinson be there. Mr. Hardy was to see to it that Chief Collig released the man at once.
"This is going to be a lot of fun," Frank declared at supper. "Mother, I think you should come along? Will you?"
"I"d love to," Mrs. Hardy replied. "I"d like to hear what the Applegates and Mr. Robinson and Chief Collig are going to say."
"And Chet should be there too," Joe said. "After all, it was his stolen car that gave us the clue to Red Jackley." Chet was called and gave a whoop of delight. He agreed to meet the Hardy family at the Tower Mansion.
"There"s one more person who ought to attend," said Frank with a twinkle in his eye. "Oscar Sm.u.f.f. I"d like to watch his face, too."
"At least we should tell him that the mystery has been solved," Joe spoke up.
Frank waited until his father had phoned Chief Collig, who promised to release Mr. Robinson at once and bring him out to the Applegates" home.
Then Frank called Detective Sm.u.f.f. He could not resist the temptation to keep Sm.u.f.f guessing a little longer, and merely invited him to join the conference for a big surprise.
At eight o"clock one car after another arrived at the Tower Mansion. When the Hardy family walked in they found all the Robinsons there. The twins rushed up to Frank and Joe and hugged them. Slim and his father shook the brothers" hands fervently and Mr. Robinson said, "How can I ever thank you?"
There were tears in his wife"s eyes and her voice trembled as she added her appreciation for what the Hardy boys had done. "You"ll never know what this means to us," she said.
Oscar Sm.u.f.f was the last to arrive. Instantly he demanded to know what was going on. Frank and Joe had hoped to have a little fun with him, but Tessie and Paula, unable to restrain their enthusiasm, shouted, "Frank and Joe Hardy found the jewelry and the papers! They"re real heroes!"
As Frank and Joe reddened in embarra.s.sment, Detective Sm.u.f.f looked at them disbelievingly. "You!" he almost screamed. "You mean the Hardy boys found the treasure?"
As all the others nodded, Slim spoke up, "This means that my father is completely exonerated."
"But how about that nine hundred dollars?" Sm.u.f.f demanded suspiciously.
"What"s the explanation of where your father got that?"
Mr. Robinson straightened up. "I"m sorry," he said, "but I must keep my promise to remain silent about that money."
To everyone"s amazement, Adelia Applegate arose and went to stand by the man"s side. "I will tell you where Robinson got that money," she said dramatically. "At my own suggestion I loaned it to him."
"You!" her brother shouted disbelievingly.
"Yes, this was one time when I didn"t ask your advice because I knew you wouldn"t agree. I knew Robinson needed the money and I really forced him to borrow it, but made him promise to tell no one where he got it. Then when the robbery took place, I didn"t know what to think. I was sick over the whole affair, and I"m very, very glad everything"s cleared up."
Miss Applegate"s announcement astounded her listeners. Robinson stood up, shook her hand, and said in a shaky voice, "Thank you, Miss Adelia."
Hurd Applegate cleared his throat, then said, "I"d like to make an announcement. Will you all please sit down?"
After everyone had taken seats in the large living room of the mansion, the owner went on, "My sister Adelia and I have been talking things over. This whole robbery business has taught us a great lesson. In the future we"re not going to be so standoffish from the residents of Bayport. We"re going to dedicate part of our grounds-the part with the pond-as a picnic and swimming spot for the townspeople."
"Super!" exclaimed Chet, and Mrs. Hardy said, "I know everyone will appreciate that."
"I haven"t finished," Hurd Applegate went on. "I want to make a public apology to Mr. Robinson. Adelia and I are extremely sorry for all the trouble we"ve caused him. Robinson, if you will come back and work for us, we promise to treat you like the gentleman you are. We will increase your salary and we have decided to build that greenhouse you want. You"ll have free rein to raise all the rare flowers you wish to."
There was a gasp from everyone in the room. All eyes were turned on Mr.
Robinson. Slowly he arose from his chair, walked over to Mr. Applegate, and shook his hand.
"No hard feelings," he said. "I"ll be happy to have my old position back, and with the new greenhouse, I"m sure I"ll win a lot of blue ribbons for you and Miss Adelia."
As he returned to his chair, Mr. Applegate said, "There is just one more item of business-the reward. The thousand-dollar reward goes to Frank and Joe Hardy, who solved the mystery of the Tower treasure."
"A thousand bucks!" exclaimed Detective Sm.u.f.f.
"Dollars, Mr. Sm.u.f.f-dollars!" Adelia Apple-gate corrected him severely, "No slang, please, not in Tower Mansion."
"One thousand iron men," Sm.u.f.f continued, unheeding. "One thousand round, fat, juicy smackers. For two high school boys! And a real detective like me-"
The thought was too much for him. He dropped his head in his hands and groaned aloud. Frank and Joe did not dare look at each other. They were finding it difficult to restrain their laughter.
"Yes, a thousand dollars," Hurd Applegate went on. "Five hundred to each boy."
He took the two checks from a pocket and handed one each to Frank and Joe, who accepted them with thanks. Mr. Applegate now invited his guests into the dining room for sandwiches, cake, and cold drinks.
As Frank and Joe ate, they were congratulated over and over by the others in the room. They accepted it all with a grin, but secretly, each boy had a little feeling of sadness that the case had ended. They hoped another mystery would soon come their way, and one did at THE HOUSE ON THE CLIFF.
"Later, on the way home, Mr. Hardy asked his sons, "What are you fellows going to do with all that money?"
Frank had an instant answer. "Put most of it in the bank."
And Joe added, "Frank and I for some time have wanted to build a crime lab on the second floor of our barn. Now we can do it. All right, Dad?"
The detective smiled and nodded. "An excellent idea!"