"Nothing doing there!" Croyden answered. "And what's more, there won't be anything doing here--we shall never find the letter, Macloud." "That's my fear," Macloud admitted. "Somebody's already found it." "Somebody's _stolen_ it," Croyden answered. "What?" "Precisely!--do you recall our being jostled by two men in the narrow corridor of the hotel? Well, then is when I lost my wallet. I am sure of it. I wasn't in a position to drop it from my pocket." Macloud's hand sought his own breast pocket and stopped. "I forgot to change, when I dressed. Maybe the other fellow made off with mine. I'll go and investigate--you keep an eye on the boys." Presently he returned. "You're right!" he said. "Mine is missing, too. We'll call off the boys." He flung them some small coins, thereby precipitating a scramble and a fight, and they went slowly in. "There is just one chance," he continued. "Pickpockets usually abstract the money, instantly, and throw the book and papers away. They want no tell-tale evidence. It may be the case here--they, likely, didn't examine the letter, just saw it _was_ a letter and went no further." "That won't help us much," said Croyden. "It will be found--it's only a question of the pickpockets or some one else." "But the some one else may be honest. Your card is in the wallet?" "With Hampton on it." "The finder may advertise--may look you up at the hotel--may----" "May bring it back on a gold salver!" Croyden interjected. "No! No! Colin. Our only hope is that the thief threw away the letter, and that no one finds it until after we have the treasure. The man isn't born who, under the circumstances, will renounce the opportunity for a half million dollars." "Well, at the worst, we have an even chance! Thank Heaven! We know the directions without the letter. Don't be discouraged, old man--we'll win out, yet." "I'm not discouraged!" laughed Croyden. "I have never anticipated success. It was sport--an adventure and a problem to work out, nothing more. Now, if we have some one else to combat, so much greater the adventure, and more intricate the problem." "Shall we notify the police?" Macloud asked. "Or isn't it well to get them into it?" "I'll confess I don't know. If we could jug the thieves quickly, and recover the plunder, it might be well. On the other hand, they might disclose the letter to the police or to some pal, or try even to treat with us, on the threat of publicity. On the whole, I'm inclined to secrecy--and, if the thieves show up on the Point, to have it out with them. There are only two, so we shall not be overmatched. Moreover, we can be sure they will keep it strictly to themselves, if we don't force their hands by trying to arrest them." Macloud considered a moment. "I incline to your opinion. We will simply advertise for the wallets to-morrow, as a bluff--and go to work in earnest to find the treasure."