"It's a fine layout, all right," declared Sam, when they were settled and the bellboy had been dismissed.
Dick did not make any answer to this remark. He walked over to the door, to see that it was closed, then he suddenly wheeled to confront his brothers.
"You've got to know it sooner or later, so you might as well know it now," he said in as steady a voice as he could command. "Do you remember that I wrote to you about sixty-four thousand dollars' worth of bonds that I had bought for dad in place of some securities that he possessed?"
"Yes," answered both brothers.
"Well, those bonds have been stolen."
"Stolen!" gasped Sam.
"You don't mean it, Dick!" came from Tom.
"I do mean it. The bonds have been stolen, and, try my best, I can't get a single clew as to where they went or who took them."
"Sixty-four thousand dollars! Phew!" ejaculated Sam. "That's some loss!"
"But please don't blame Dick," broke in Dora. "I am sure it isn't his fault."