"Come on--let's get away before she spots us," returned his brother, and they were soon on their way. As they walked home, Joe and Frank talked the matter over. They smiled when they thought of the eccentric woman up in that dusty old tower, but their minds soon went back to Slim and the troubles of the Robinson family. "We've got to find that loot!" declared Frank emphatically. "No matter where that tower treasure is, we've got to find it!" "Got to--but can we?" "We simply have to, I tell you!" CHAPTER XXI A NEW IDEA A week passed, and still the loot was not recovered. Mr. Robinson had been held for trial at an early court session. The general opinion in Bayport was that he would be sentenced to imprisonment. The fact that he still refused to tell where he had got the nine hundred dollars so near the time of the robbery, weighed heavily against him. Fenton Hardy was downcast. It was the first case of its kind that he had been unsuccessful in solving completely, and although he was satisfied that he had done good work in tracking down Red Jackley and getting the confession, the result had scarcely been worth the effort. Chief Collig and Detective Smuff were complacent. They made no effort to conceal their critical opinions of the great detective, who had taken so much time trying to solve the mystery, when the real thief was right under his nose all the time. "I told you so," was the burden of Chief Collig's song of triumph. "I knew all the time that Robinson was the man. I arrested him right after the robbery, but they all said it couldn't be him. So I let him go. But I knew all the time it couldn't be any one else. Ain't that so, Smuff?" And the loyal Smuff would dutifully chime in with, "Yes, chief. We have to hand it to you. You had the right man all the time." "I guess these professional detectives won't think they're so smart after all, eh, Smuff?" "No, you bet they won't. We can still teach 'em a thing or two." "I'll say we can, Smuff. I'll say we can." These stories, naturally enough, reached the ears of Fenton Hardy and the Hardy boys and they felt keenly the arrogant superiority displayed by the Bayport police officials. But they said nothing, suffering their defeat in silence. On the following Saturday, Frank and Joe decided to take an outing. "I want to get out of this city for a few hours," said Frank. "We've been so busy worrying about the Tower Mansion case that we've forgotten how to play. Let's take the motorbikes and go out for a run." "Good idea!" his brother replied. "Mother will make us up some lunch." Mrs. Hardy, who was in the kitchen with the cook, smiled when they made known their request. Fair-haired and gentle, she had been tolerantly amused by her sons' activities in the Tower affair, but she was glad to see them return to their boyish ways.