Back at the cabin, with the precious supplies again safely stored away in the kitchen, the Hardy boys and their chums settled down before the fire while Frank and Joe told Chet and Biff about the conversation with Amos Grice. They told the tale of Elroy Jefferson’s missing postage stamp collection and about the strange disappearance of the servant, John Sparewell, who had never been heard of since.
“And now we find his notebook among our supplies!” exclaimed Chet. “That’s the strangest thing I ever heard of.”
“There’s an explanation somewhere,” said Frank, puzzled.
“How about my idea?” remarked Joe. “Perhaps Hanleigh and Sparewell are the same man.”
But Frank shook his head.
“You forget,” he said, “that Sparewell was a servant in Elroy Jefferson’s home for many years. If Jefferson saw him again he would certainly recognize him, don’t you think?”
“That’s right. And he has seen Hanleigh. The man was at his house the day we visited Mr. Jefferson.”
“Then how did Hanleigh get the notebook?” asked Biff.
“We’re not sure that Hanleigh was the man who stole our supplies,” replied Joe. “We think so, but we’re not sure.”
“It couldn’t be any one else,” scoffed Chet.