"We don't know how the robbery took place," answered Tom. "My brother put the bonds in a japanned box that was locked, and put the box in the once safe one afternoon. The next morning when he opened the safe, the box with the bonds was gone."
"What's that!" exclaimed the listener, excitedly. "You had them in a box, and put the box in your safe? Do you mean the safe that was in the offices when my uncle and Mr. Japson had it?"
"Sure! it's the same safe," answered Dick.
"Well, what do you know about that!" gasped Barton Pelter. His face showed increasing interest. "When was all this?"
"Just about a week ago."
"Haven't you any clews to the robbery?"
"Nothing very much," answered Dick, before either of his brothers could speak. "A girl saw a man leaving the building the evening of the robbery, but who he was, she did not know."
"And you say the box was put in the safe my uncle used to own?" went on the young man. "Of course it was locked?"
"Yes."
"Was it—er—er—was it—er—that is, did you have the same combination on it that the lock used to have?" stammered the other.