“Humph!  You haven’t fastened this on me yet,” growled the sharper mentioned.

“Don’t worry.  You’ll get what’s coming to you,” returned the detective.

Sam slipped out, and in a few minutes returned with a policeman.  Then a call was sent in for a patrol wagon, and in this the entire party was taken to the police station.  A formal charge was entered against the two criminals, and they were led away to separate cells.  Then came several formalities before Dick and his brothers were allowed to take possession of the japanned box with its precious contents.  The bonds were gone over with care, and it was ascertained that not one was missing.

“Oh, this is great!” cried Tom, his face beaming.  “I feel like dancing a jig.”

“So do I,” returned Sam.  “Dick, don’t you think we had better send word to New York?”

“Oh, we’ll take the next train back, Sam, and surprise the girls,” answered the oldest brother.

“I’ll remain behind in Philadelphia, and take charge of this case,” said Mr. Bronson.  “Now that you have your bonds back, I suppose you’ll want to fix up some of those financial matters that you mentioned.”

“We certainly do,” answered Dick.

And after a few words more, the boys bade the detective good-bye, and hurried to take a train back to the metropolis.

CHAPTER XXX

 Mrs. Tom Rover—­ conclusion

“And you got back all the bonds, Dick?  How, splendid!”

It was Dora who uttered the words, shortly after the arrival at the Outlook Hotel of the three Rovers.  Dick had had the japanned box under his arm, and now held it up in triumph.

“Yes, we’ve got them all back, and those that don’t go to the bank as collateral security for a loan are going to a safe deposit box,” answered Dick.  “I won’t take any more chances with an office safe.”

“Especially not that office safe,” put in Sam, pointedly.

“And what are you going to do with Jesse Pelter?” questioned Nellie.

“We are going to put him where he belongs—­ in prison,” answered Tom.  And it may be as well to state here that in due course of time Jesse Pelter and his partner in crime, Grimes, alias Haywood, were tried and sentenced to long terms in prison.  At this trial it was brought to light that Barton Pelter had known about the hole in the back of the safe, but had had absolutely nothing to do with the taking of the bonds.  Jesse Pelter was very bitter against his nephew for exposing him, but the Rovers told the young man that he had done exactly right, and he said that he thought so, too.  As soon as the trial was over Barton Pelter returned to the Middle West, where he did fairly well as a traveling salesman for the cracker company.

The next few days following the recovery of the bonds proved busy ones for the Rovers.  Some of the bonds were put up at a bank as collateral security for a substantial loan, and with this money Dick took care of the Sharon Valley Land Company investment, and also the investment brought to his attention by Mr. Powell.