Having thus spoken, Mr. Bronson stepped back through the passageway, and knocked sharply on the stateroom door.

“Who’s there?” came in nervous tones from Jesse Pelter.

“A telegram for Mr. Pelter!” cried the detective, in a high-pitched, boyish voice.

“Oh!” came from within; and then the key was turned in the lock, and the door was opened several inches.

The next instant the detective threw his weight against the barrier, and forced it back.  He leaped into the stateroom, and the three Rover boys followed him.

“Hi, what does this mean?” cried Jesse Pelter, as he was forced backward against a washstand.

“It means that your game is up, Pelter!” cried Tom.

“We’ve caught you just as we wanted to!” added Dick.

“And you’re not going to get away either,” came from Sam, as he managed to close the stateroom door and put his back against it.

Mr. Bronson had said nothing.  He held the former broker with one hand, and produced a pair of handcuffs with the other.  Then came a double click, and Jesse Pelter found himself handcuffed.

“See here, you let me out of this!” stormed the man named Haywood.  “I haven’t done anything wrong.  You let me go!” And he started for the door.

“Not much!  You stay where you are!” cried Tom, and gave the fellow a shove which sent him sprawling backward over a berth.

In the meanwhile Dick’s quick eyes had located the japanned box partly filled with the missing bonds.  Other bonds lay on the berth and on the floor.  The oldest Rover boy lost no time in gathering up the precious documents, and placed them in the box.

“I tell you I want you to let me go!” spluttered Haywood.  “I haven’t done anything wrong!”

“See here, Grimes,” broke in the detective, sternly, “you sit right where you are.  I know you, and you ought to know me;” and the detective took a step forward and looked the man full in the face.

“Oliver Bronson!” murmured the man who had agreed to dispose of the stolen bonds.  “How did you get onto this game?”

“You’ll find out about that later, Grimes.”

“Is his name Grimes?” questioned Tom.

“That’s one of his names.  He is also known as Haywood, and likewise Slippery Peter.  He used to work in Pittsburgh and Washington; but I heard some time ago that he was trying his games on in Philadelphia.”

“See here, Rover, can’t we—­ er—­ fix this little matter up somehow?” faltered Jesse Pelter.

“We can, and we will—­ in court,” answered Dick, coldly.

“Oh, but see here——­”

“Don’t waste your breath, Pelter.  We let you go on those other charges, but we are not going to let you go on this one,” interrupted Dick.  “This was a downright steal, and you have got to take the consequences.  Mr. Bronson, what do you want to do with them?”

“One of you had better call in a policeman,” returned the detective.  “Then we’ll take them to headquarters.  I think this is quite a catch,” he continued.  “The authorities have been trying to fasten something on Grimes for a long while.”