"Well, do your best, Coombes. Tell your inspector that I am offering two hundred pounds reward for the capture and conviction of the burglar or burglars. Let me know at once if there is any information." "Very good, sir," said the sergeant, and, saluting, he withdrew. "Now, Atherton, have you any suggestions to make?" asked Sir Silas. "You are the--er--Leader, don't you call it?--of the patrol. But perhaps you haven't had time to consider the case properly?" "Can I examine the window by which the burglars are supposed to have entered, sir?" "Certainly, you have a free hand." "I wonder if Sir Silas is trying to pull Atherton's leg?" whispered Baker to his chum Everest. "Shut up!" replied Everest. "If he is, he doesn't know Atherton as I do. Atherton's on to something, I'll stake my word." The Leader of the "Otters" carefully examined the marks of the jemmy, tried the window fastenings and the sash frames. "Now, sir, may I see the lock of the safe?" Sir Silas pointed to the cut-out portion of metal containing the complicated lock. "The story of the burglars is a make-up, sir," announced Atherton. CHAPTER XIII FLIGHT "WHAT!" exclaimed Sir Silas and Mr Buckley, simultaneously. "A make-up? Explain yourself, Atherton." "That I think is fairly simple, sir," said the Scout. "The marks on the window-frame show that a jemmy has been used, but unless the sash-frame on that side were prised out the window could not be opened by those means. No professional burglar would attempt to use a jemmy on a window; he would stick a piece of putty to the glass close to the fastening, and cut round it with a diamond. That would be a noiseless operation, while the force that caused those dents would make quite a racket. Then, sir, there is the lock. The front of the safe has been electrically drilled. Upon examining it I find that the drill was applied from the inside." "From the inside?" repeated the baronet. "Yes, Sir Silas. The door was first opened with the proper key, swung back, and cut whilst in that position." "By Jove, Atherton, I believe you are right," exclaimed the Scoutmaster, holding a pocket microscope to the portion of the metal door. "Do you suspect anyone in your house, sir?" he added, addressing Sir Silas. "It looks a serious matter for my butler to explain. I'll send for him." "One minute, sir," said Atherton. "Mr Tassh spent the night before last on Seal Island." "But he declared just now that he never slept out of the house during the whole time I was away. Are you sure of this?" "Well, sir, he pitched a yarn into us that his name was Todd, and that he was a stranger to the place. He couldn't get back to Polkerwyck because it was too rough, and in the morning we gave him some food." "I won't say anything about your discovery to him at present, Atherton. I'll ask him to bring in some refreshment. In my concern about this robbery I quite overlooked my duties as a host, Mr Buckley."