“We found them on Cabin Island,” replied Frank, “hidden in the old chimney, among the stones. They have been there for years.”
Elroy Jefferson was amazed.
“But how did you learn they were there? I never suspected for a moment. Why, I had given them up for lost. You can’t imagine what this means to me, boys. That stamp collection is priceless. It was one of the tragedies of my life when the rosewood box was stolen.”
Then the boys told him the full story of their adventures on Cabin Island, beginning with their first encounter with Hanleigh and concluding with their discovery of the rosewood box after the chimney had been wrecked by the storm.
“I’m afraid the cabin is in a bit of a mess,” said Frank; “but I don’t think we’d have found the stamps at all if things had not happened the way they did.”
“I am of course sorry about the cabin,” said Mr. Jefferson. “But these stamps mean more to me than that. The cabin can be fixed up for a few dollars. So that was why Hanleigh was so anxious to buy the place! The rascal! John Sparewell’s nephew! I always knew Sparewell had stolen the rosewood box but I never dreamed he had hidden it so near at hand.”
The old gentleman’s gratification was inspiring. The boys had known that he would be pleased at the return of his treasured stamp collection but they had not expected that it would give him the degree of pleasure which it evidently did. He gazed at the stamps constantly, held them up to the light, admired them, patted the boys on the back, and finally sat down at his desk.
“I can’t do very much to express my appreciation,” he said, “but I want you boys to accept a little reward. I have spent hundreds of dollars trying to get my collection back. I even engaged professional detectives, who failed. If any one ever has need of a detective I’ll certainly recommend the Hardy boys to him.”
Frank laughed.
“We’re not professionals, sir,” he said. “We like tackling a good mystery, though.”