The key to the valise was missing, so the lock to the bag had to be broken open. Inside were the gold and precious stones.
“All here—or at least the greater portion of it,” was Dick’s comment, and he was right. Only about five hundred dollars in gold was missing, and two small diamonds—hardly worth mentioning beside the total value of the treasure.
“Hurrah!” shouted Tom. “We’ve beaten them after all! We’ve got the treasure!”
“And Mrs. Stanhope,” added Dick. “We must send word to Dora and the others just as soon as we can!”
“It’s a pity we didn’t catch those rascals,” murmured Sam.
“Oh, we’ll get them some time!” said Dick. How they fell in with their enemies again will be related in another volume of this series, to be entitled, “The Rover Boys in the Air; or, From College Campus to the Clouds,” a tale telling the particulars of several happenings far out of the ordinary.
While the steam tug was laid up for repairs, several of the party took a walk and looked for Koswell, Larkspur and Darkingham. But they looked in vain, for those rascals were thoroughly frightened, and kept themselves well hidden in the woods.
That evening found the Rover boys and Mrs. Stanhope in Portland, where they put up at one of the leading hotels. Messages were sent to Dora, the Lanings, and the Rovers at home, telling of the rescue of Mrs. Stanhope, and of the recovery of the fortune. Then Mrs. Stanhope told how she had been lured from her home and abducted, and then placed in the care of Mrs. Sobber, and how she had managed to mail the postal card.
“They treated me kindly enough,” she said. “But they would not let me have my liberty, and I think they told outsiders that I was insane.”
“That is just what they did,” answered Dick.