At last Frank knew what the metal ball contained. The chief began to search Merry, and he soon found the ball and brought it forth. A muttering exclamation of triumph and satisfaction escaped the lips of the others as their leader held up the tiny ball.
“Here it is!” he cried. “At last the fate of Dreyfus is in our grasp!”
There were exclamations of satisfaction.
“I will open it,” said the chief. “The paper shall be removed and destroyed at once.”
He examined the ball closely and then pressed hard on a certain spot. Immediately it flew open in his hands!
Then there was a cry of anger and fury from the lips of the man.
“A thousand fiends!” he shouted. “It is empty!”
The hollow ball did not contain the torn paper they had expected to find!
“Empty?” gasped the others.
“Yes! It has been opened, and the paper has been removed!”