“That’s right!” agreed Ken. “On a hook near the fireplace.”
“After Stony had been struck, he raised up and looked directly at that bag!” Jack added. “He seemed relieved that it was still there.”
“Well, if ever Old Stony had any valuables, it’s a cinch Jarrett Walz has them by now,” Willie contributed as the group left the hospital. “Are we telling him about our talk with the old man?”
“I think not,” Mr. Livingston decided. “Stony entrusted a secret to us. Let’s keep it a secret.”
The Scouts had hoped to return to the motel without meeting Walz again, but in this they were disappointed. As their heavily laden car turned into the driveway, the motel owner came out of his office. His scowl told them that their unexpected return did not please him.
However, he merely said: “Back so soon?”
“We ran into complications,” Mr. Livingston rejoined, without explaining about the hospital trip.
Evidently, Walz had not learned that the Scouts had gone to Old Stony’s bedside, for he continued: “You’re not figuring on staying here another night?”
“Well, we might,” the Scout leader replied. “It all depends. You don’t object, do you?”
“Object? Why should I? Not if you pay your camp fee. I’d think, though, that you’d want to hit the road. There’s nothing of interest to see in or around Rocking Horse.”