"We can't be wrong. I just know that's what Jackley meant. The old tower. It was the old water tower he meant all along. He didn't have time to explain."
The Hardy boys were tingling with excitement.
It seemed that they could never reach the water tower. They dashed along the cinder path with all the speed at their command, but the tower still seemed a long distance away.
"If only we have stumbled on the secret after all, Joe!"
"It'll clear Mr. Robinson—"
"We'll get the reward—"
"Dad'll be proud of us."
These thoughts gave them new strength and their hopes were high as they neared the tower.
The structure reared gloomily from beside the tracks. At close quarters it was even more decrepit, even more in a state of disrepair than they had imagined. The old tower had been abandoned for some time in favor of the new tank nearer the station. It sagged perilously. The ladder that led to the top lacked so many rungs that at first the boys feared they would be unable to ascend.
"If Jackley got up this ladder, we can do the same," said Frank, as he stopped, panting, at the bottom. "Let's go."