Nick thought of these things as he rode down there in the cars, and he prepared himself for an interesting time, chasing bogus ghosts through secret doors and panels.
But a surprise awaited him on his arrival. Colonel Richmond met him at the door, and, by Nick's request, took him at once to the room from which the articles had been stolen.
It was a modern room in a new part of the house.
Nick was entirely unprepared for this. He did not know that the colonel had built any additions to the old mansion.
Colonel Richmond spoke of this remarkable feature of the case at once.
"If this thing had happened in the old part of the house," he said, "I shouldn't have thought that it was anything but an ordinary robbery.
"Every room there can be entered in a secret manner, and no doubt there are plenty of panels and passages which even I do not know.
"But there's nothing of the kind here. This wing was built under my eye, and from my own design. I saw the beams laid and the floors nailed down.
"There is absolutely no way to enter the room in which we now stand except by the two doors and the window.
"My nephew has told you about the robberies. You know that the doors and the windows were practically guarded all the time.