“That is a very pertinent question,” Lieutenant Gordon remarked. “It certainly seems that the thieves came here for something besides the emerald necklace.”
“Meaning the papers?” asked Ned, with a laugh.
“Meaning the papers, of course,” was the reply. “I am still of the opinion that the theft of the necklace was only incidental.”
“It begins to look that way to me,” observed Frank. “As Jimmie says, what would they attack father for unless they wanted to search his room?”
“You know about the papers?” asked the lieutenant.
“Yes, indeed. They constituted the subject of the interesting story Dad was telling me at table to-night.”
“Did he tell you what they contained?” asked Ned.
“He did not. He told me only what they dealt with.”
“He believes there is a plot against the completion of the Panama canal?”
“Oh, yes; he is quite certain of it.”