“Why?”
“Because—because the message was not in this one.”
“A poor reason, Bart. It’s likely this envelope was fixed to deceive the man who employed Roland Packard to secure the message. I presume that man offered Packard money to get the message and turn it over to him. Packard’s curiosity was aroused, and he decided to find out what the message contained, which led him to remove it from the envelope. Then he fixed up the original envelope to deceive the man who had paid him to do the crooked work, but his brother took it from him in the fight. Following that it is likely that he fixed up this other envelope for the purpose of fooling his rascally employer. In such a case, it is almost certain that envelope No. 2 contains blank paper, the same as the first.”
“Open it!” panted Hodge.
“That will settle it,” said Frank, as he did so.
Bart was rigid as a marble image as Merry drew the contents of the envelope forth.
From Frank’s lips came a sigh of satisfaction.
“It is the message!” he said.
Had he not been so preoccupied, so absorbed, Frank Merriwell would have heard the slight rustling sound in the alcove bedroom behind him. In times of expected danger his alertness was something remarkable, but just now his mind was concentrated on the mysterious message which he had taken from the envelope.
Nor did Bart hear anything to arouse his suspicions.