"I'm sure of it. In fact, I think Mr. Applegate is beginning to realize now that he made a mistake and I don't think the police are any too anxious to go ahead with the case on the meager evidence in their possession."
"It will be wonderful if we can have dad back with us again," said Perry. "Although it won't be quite the same. He'll be under a cloud as long as this mystery isn't cleared up. And of course Mr. Applegate won't employ him any more."
"All the more reason why we should get busy and clear up the affair," returned Mr. Hardy. "You boys can help."
"How?"
"By keeping your eyes and ears open and by using your wits. That's all there is to detective work."
"Well, you can just bet that if it will clear Slim's dad we'll be listening and looking for every clue there is," Joe assured his father.
CHAPTER X
An Important Discovery
When the Hardy boys returned from school next afternoon they saw that a crowd had collected about the bulletin board in the post office.
"Wonder what's up now?" said Joe, pushing his way forward. Boylike, he was able to make his way through the crowd with the agility of an eel, and Frank was not slow in following.