“Held up by tramps,” declared Fred.
“Robbed of all we had,” added Bobby.
These tantalizing bits of information only served to whet the appetite for more. Their friends crowded around them open-eyed, and questions shot out at them like bullets from guns. The boys suddenly found themselves exalted to the rank of heroes. But they bore their honors meekly enough, although they were almost bursting with the feeling of their importance.
They were delighted to find their missing bags and suit-cases waiting for them. The conductor had known the station their tickets called for, and had left the articles in the care of the Rockledge station agent.
There was a telegram too from Mr. Blake to Bobby. He had wired the money to Roseville and Mr. Stone had seen to it that it was sent on to Bobby at Rockledge. Mr. Blake’s telegram was a lengthy one and full of anxiety. In it he told Bobby to wire at once on his arrival at Rockledge, which Bobby promptly did.
Mr. Stone had sent a separate telegram also on his own account. He stated briefly that the robbers had not yet been caught, but that the police were busily hunting for them and hoped to get them soon.
“Well,” sighed Bobby, as he folded up the telegram, “I suppose all we can do is to watch and wait.”
“Wait for the watch you mean,” laughed Mouser.
“Now don’t start anything like that,” grinned Fred. “You’ll start Billy Bassett going if you do, and I can see that he’s got a lot of conundrums all ready to fire off at us.”
“Who’s that talking about me?” laughed Billy, coming forward. “Let him say it to my face.”