“What time last night?” asked Cy, pricking up his ears.
“About eleven o’clock, I guess,” answered Fred. “Teddy and I had been over to Tom Barrett’s house. He’s just got a new phonograph, and we went over to hear him try it out. He had a lot of records, and it was pretty late when we came away.”
“And yer didn’t see anything out of the way when you come past?” went on Cy.
“Not a thing. We didn’t meet a soul on the way home.”
Just then there was a stir inside the store, and the constable, Hi Vickers, came to the door.
“Come here a minute, Cy,” he said. “I bet I’ve found out how those fellers got into the store.”
As many as could crowded in after him as he led the way to a little side window.
“They got in here,” he said triumphantly.
“But that’s locked,” said Cy.
“Sure it is,” explained Hi, “but they could have locked it again after they got in, couldn’t they? One thing certain, they’ve unlocked it first from the outside. See here,” and the constable showed where the blade of a heavy knife had left marks on the frame. It had evidently been thrust between the two halves of the window to push back the fastening.