“Perhaps, but I hardly believe so. Usually the boys who do the rough stuff in a case like this know little of what is really going on. But we’ll see him a little later. No use in letting anything slip.” The cab slowed down in front of the apartment house and Bob’s uncle paid the taxi bill. They walked up to the third floor and then back along the corridor to the door which opened into Bob’s room. The door was slightly ajar and Merritt Hughes was about to push it open when Bob seized his arm and put his finger on his lips. Then he pulled his uncle back several steps. “That door was locked when I left,” he whispered. “Someone’s been in my room.” Merritt Hughes looked startled. “Sure?” he whispered. “There’s no question about it,” replied Bob. “Then keep back and let me go ahead.” It was a whispered command that Bob dared not disobey and he saw his uncle reach under his left arm and draw a revolver from a shoulder holster. They stepped close to the wall and again advanced toward the door, treading silently on the heavy carpet of the corridor. There was no sound of anyone moving about inside the room, but Merritt Hughes did not believe in taking unnecessary chances. After listening a moment at the door, he reached out with one foot and gave it a hard shove inward, at the same time leaping into the doorway, gun in hand and ready for action. It was a breathless moment for Bob until he saw his uncle lower the weapon and nod to him. “Come here and take a look at your room.” Chapter XVI IN BOB’S ROOM ★ Bob stepped through the doorway, and stopped involuntarily. The interior of his room looked like a young cyclone had been turned loose on a spring afternoon. Every drawer in the dresser had been pulled out and its contents dumped on the floor, the bedding was strewn about the room and the mattress had been ripped open and even his clothes had been taken out of the closet and scattered about. “Friends of yours must have been disappointed because you weren’t at home,” said his uncle. Bob sat down in a chair and took another look around. Nothing in the room had been spared. Even the pictures had been taken off the walls and the backs ripped out. He looked down at a coat which had been dropped beside the chair. The pockets had been turned inside out and the lining of the garment had been torn and ripped. The coat was ruined and Bob felt hot tears of anger welling into his eyes. His fists doubled up involuntarily. Someone would have to pay for this, he told himself. Merritt Hughes touched his shoulder. “Keep your chin up, Bob. This is kind of tough and it looks plain malicious to me, but your time will come. I’m just wondering why all of this attention is being centered on you. I can’t make myself believe that they are trying to get even with you because you spoiled the game last night.” “But I didn’t. The paper is missing.”