“I’ll go!” cried one lad as he caught sight of the Robinson twins.

“No, I saw ’em first!” exclaimed another.

“You did not!  It’s my turn to ride in a decent car,” said the third.

“Now, just for that you will all three get in Cora’s car, and I’ll take the Misses Robinson in with me,” declared Jack.

There was laughter at this, and Jack introduced his mandolin club friends to Cora and the twins.

“Seriously, though, sis, you’ll have to take one or two of ’em,” went on Jack.  “Here, Diddick, you and Parks go in the big car.  I want to talk to Youmans about the concert we’re going to have.”

Diddick and Parks gladly made the exchange into the larger car, while Youmans tried to look as if he liked to remain with Jack.  But it was hard work to imagine it when he glanced across at the pretty twins and Cora.

“Hold on a minute,” exclaimed Walter as he noticed that one of the rear tires of the touring car was flat.  “We can’t go on like this, Cora.  That left tire will have to be pumped up.”

“And you’ve got good muscles to do it, too, Walter,” urged Diddick, smiling mischievously.

“We’ll all help,” volunteered Parks.  “Come on!”

Diddick, Walter and Parks alighted.  Walter stepped to the tool-box to get out the pump and the lifting-jack.  As he was about to take them out he started back excitedly.

“Hurt yourself?” asked Cora, who was looking over the side of the car.

Walter shook his head.  His face was strangely white as he spoke in a husky voice: 

“The wallet!  Ed Foster’s wallet in the tool box—­here—­see!”

He held the pocketbook up to view.

“Where—­where did you get it?” gasped Cora.

“In—­in—­your—­tool—­box!”

“What?”

The girl’s voice was shrill, and there was a tremor in her tones.  Cora fairly leaped out beside him.  She was staring at the brown leather wallet the wallet that had contained the twenty thousand dollars.

“How on earth—­” she began.

She reached out her hand for the pocketbook.  Walter gave it to her.  She raised up the flap, and uttered but a single word: 

“Empty!”

The limp wallet fell from her hand to the ground.  Cora’s face turned strangely white, and she began swaying, as does a tree that a woodsman has nearly cut through.

A moment later the overwrought girl staggered and almost fell into
Walter’s arms.

CHAPTER X

SUSPICIONS

“Hello!” cried Jack, springing forward to his sister’s aid.  “I never knew Cora to do that before.  Is she hurt, Walt?”

“No; only shocked, I guess.”

“Help her into the car and put her on the rear seat,” directed Belle.

“No; keep her head up,” advised Bess.

“Somebody get water!” exclaimed Diddick, turning around in a circle to look for a spring.