"Never heard of hollow heels, Wigan?" he asked.
"You couldn't hide much money if every boot in the house had a hollow heel."
"No, true. I wasn't thinking of hollow heels particularly."
Then he took up a stout walking-stick which was standing in the corner of the cupboard, felt its weight, and walked across the room with it to try it.
"Nothing hollow about this, at any rate," he said, after examining the ferrule closely.
When we returned to the hall he was interested in the sticks in the stand.
"He was fond of stout ones, Wigan," laughed Quarles. "Well, I don't think there is much to interest us here."
Our inspection of the house had been of the most casual kind. We hadn't even looked into some of the rooms, and the odd corners and fireplaces to which I had given considerable attention on my former visit hardly received a passing glance from Quarles.
"Have you looked at everything you want to see?" I asked in astonishment.
"I think so. You said the cellars had been dug up, so they are of no interest, and I warrant the Bryants have already searched in every likely and unlikely place. What is the use of going over the same ground, or in examining cabinets and drawers for false backs and false bottoms, when others have done it for us?"