The parchment, which he studied carefully, gave the most minute instructions as to where the buried treasure could be found.
With his soul filled with triumph, Frank hurried through the broad corridors of the Mulberry street building and entered the office where Mr. Hook was usually to be found when not engaged on duty elsewhere.
He was all eagerness to tell of his discovery and ask what, under the circumstances, had best be done.
But Frank was doomed to disappointment.
Caleb Hook had not been seen at headquarters since the night before.
Nor did he appear next day.
Frank, employing the messenger boys of the district telegraph freely, was unable to find the slightest trace of his whereabouts.
Mr. Callister was at his office as usual, and appeared more sleek and urbane than ever before.
He made no reference to the little affair at the elevator, treating the disguised Mr. Maxwell with even more politeness and consideration than was ordinarily the case.
Considerably alarmed by the unexplained absence of Detective Hook—doubly so from the fact that he had neglected several most important engagements that day—Frank resolved to confide the situation in part to Barney the Bootblack, and assisted by the Bats, whom he had learned to trust fully as the rough but honest lads that they were, to investigate the truth of the statements contained in the parchment for himself.