"Oh! You have evidence, have you?" The old man peered at them very closely. "It's that rascal Robinson, I'll warrant. He hid the stuff there, and now he's put you up to going and finding it, just to clear himself." The Hardy boys had not considered the affair in this light, and they gazed at Mr. Applegate in consternation. At last Joe found his tongue. "Mr. Robinson isn't mixed up in this at all," he said. "The real thief was found. He said the stuff was hidden in the old tower. If you will just let us take a look around, we'll find it for you." "Who was the real thief, then?" "We can't tell you just now, sir. Wait till we find the stolen goods and we'll tell you the whole story." Mr. Applegate took off his glasses and wiped them with his handkerchief. He glared at the boys suspiciously for a few moments. Then he called out: "Adelia!" A high cracked voice from the dim regions of the hallway answered. "What d'you want?" "Come here a minute." There was a rustle of skirts, and then Adelia Applegate, maiden sister of the owner of Tower Mansion, appeared. She was a faded blonde woman, of thin features, and she was dressed in a gown of a fashion fifteen years back, in which every color of the spectrum fought for supremacy. "What's the matter now?" she demanded. "Can't a body sit down to do a bit of sewin' without you hollerin' at them?" "These boys want to look through the old tower." "What for? Up to some mischief, I'll be bound." "They think they can find the bonds and jewels." "Oh, they do, do they?" sniffed the woman. "And what would the bonds and jewels be doin' in the old tower?" "We have evidence that they were hidden there after the robbery," replied Frank. Miss Applegate sniffed again and viewed the boys with frank suspicion. "As if any thief would be fool enough to hide them right in the house he robbed!" "These are Mr. Hardy's boys," explained Hurd Applegate. "He is the big detective, you know." "All detectives," said Miss Applegate, "are nosey. Always pryin' into other people's affairs." "We're just trying to help you," put in Joe politely. "Go ahead, then. Go ahead," said Miss Applegate, with a sigh. "Come around at this hour of morning, disturbing honest folks. Go ahead, and tear the old tower to pieces if you like. But I'll be bound you won't find anything. It's all foolishness. You won't find anything." Consent having been given, Hurd Applegate led the way through the gloomy halls and corridors of the mansion toward the old tower. He was inclined to share his sister's view that the boys' search would be in vain. "Might as well save yourselves the trouble," he declared. "You won't find anything in the old tower. If anything was hidden there it's been taken away by this time." "We'll make a try at it, anyway, Mr. Applegate." "Don't ask me to help you. I've got better things to do. Just got some new stamps in this morning and you interrupted me when I was sortin' them out. I've got to get back to my work."