"Don't worry, son," he said. "It'll be all right." With that he entered the library. Slim Robinson turned to his two chums. "My dad is innocent!" he cried. CHAPTER VIII THE ARREST There was something in Perry Robinson's tone that made Frank and Joe extremely sorry for their chum, for it seemed that the boy realized that the case looked black against his father. Although the Hardy lads realized that it was only natural that Perry should stand up for his father, they shared some of his conviction that Mr. Robinson was not guilty. "Of course he's innocent," agreed Frank. "He'll be able to clear himself all right, Perry." "But everything looks pretty black against him," said Perry, who was pale and shaken. "Unless your father can catch the real thief I'm afraid dad will be blamed for it." "Everybody knows your father is honest," said Joe consolingly. "He has a good record--even Applegate will have to admit that." "A good record won't help him very much if he is blamed for this and can't clear himself. And dad admits that he did know the combination of the safe." "He knew it?" "Accidentally. He was cleaning the library fireplace one day when he found a slip of paper with numbers marked on it. The combination was so simple that any one could remember it if he read it once. Dad didn't realize what it was until he had studied it a while, and then he put it back on Mr. Applegate's desk. The window was open and the breeze had blown the paper to the floor." "Does Applegate know that?" "Not yet. But dad is going to tell him now. He says he knows it will look bad for him, but he's going to tell the truth about it. He knew the combination, although of course he would never think of using it." From the library came the dull hum of voices. The harsh tones of Hurd Applegate occasionally rose above the murmur of conversation and once the boys heard Mr. Robinson's voice rise sharply. "I _didn't_ do it. I tell you I _didn't_ take that money." "Then where did you get the nine hundred you paid on that note?" demanded Mr. Applegate. There was silence for a while. "Where did you get it?" "I'm not at liberty to tell you." "You won't tell?" "I can't." "Why not?" "I got the money honestly--that's all I can say about it." "Oh, ho!" exclaimed Applegate. "You got the money honestly, yet you can't tell me where it came from! That's very likely, isn't it? If you got it honestly you shouldn't be ashamed to tell where you got it." "I'm not ashamed. But I'm not at liberty to tell." "Mighty funny thing that you should get nine hundred dollars so quickly. You were pretty hard up last week, weren't you? Had to ask for an advance on your month's wages." "I admit it." "And then the day of this robbery you suddenly have nine hundred dollars that you can't explain." Mr. Hardy's calm voice broke in.