“I’m glad of that,” said Ruth. “If the bell had been rung by them it would mean they had a regular band, some of whom were on the outside while others were on the inside of the house, searching for the fortune.”
“Do you really think some one is after money hidden in the house?” Nalbro asked.
“I do!” declared Neale.
“It’s delightfully romantic, I know,” the Boston girl admitted, “but it doesn’t seem reasonable.”
“We found a fortune once in the attic for Mrs. Eland and Miss Pepperill. Why not find one for ourselves in the cellar?” questioned Agnes.
“Anyhow, we’ll have fun searching for it,” said Luke.
However, as the vacation days passed and the time approached for the delightful house party to end, no new discoveries were made. No secret entrance or egress was found in the cellar, Hop Wong made no further efforts to communicate and no trace was seen of the two strange men.
As a matter of fact, Hop Wong had disappeared. He was not at his laundry, the business being carried on by the bland and strange Celestial, and to all inquiries he answered:
“Hop Wong, he mebbe come back bly-an’-bly.”
It seemed that the mystery of the Corner House would never be solved when, all unexpectedly, there began a series of events which rapidly moved to a startling conclusion.