“As you know, we have a suite of rooms here,” said Dick to his brothers.  “I have hired an extra room next door, so we can all be together.”

A bellboy had already secured the newcomers’ baggage, and, after signing the register, Sam and Tom followed Dick and his wife to the elevator and to the third floor.

“It’s a fine layout, all right,” declared Sam, when they were settled and the bellboy had been dismissed.

Dick did not make any answer to this remark.  He walked over to the door, to see that it was closed, then he suddenly wheeled to confront his brothers.

“You’ve got to know it sooner or later, so you might as well know it now,” he said in as steady a voice as he could command.  “Do you remember that I wrote to you about sixty-four thousand dollars’ worth of bonds that I had bought for dad in place of some securities that he possessed?”

“Yes,” answered both brothers.

“Well, those bonds have been stolen.”

“Stolen!” gasped Sam.

“You don’t mean it, Dick!” came from Tom.

“I do mean it.  The bonds have been stolen, and, try my best, I can’t get a single clew as to where they went or who took them.”

“Sixty-four thousand dollars!  Phew!” ejaculated Sam.  “That’s some loss!”

“But please don’t blame Dick,” broke in Dora.  “I am sure it isn’t his fault.”

“How did it happen?” questioned Tom.

“They were taken out of the safe at the offices.”

“Stolen from the safe, you mean?”

“Yes.”

“When was this?”

“Day before yesterday.”

“Of course the safe was locked?” put in Sam.

“Certainly.”

“But Pelter and Japson knew that combination, didn’t they, Dick?” questioned Tom, eagerly.

“No, Tom, they did not.  When they turned the offices over to me, Pelter made some sarcastic remark, stating I had better have the combination changed.  I told him I certainly would have it changed; and the very next day I had the safe makers up to inspect the lock, and change the combination.”

“Humph!  Then that lets Pelter and Japson out, doesn’t it?”

“But somebody must have taken those bonds,” came from Sam.  “Did anybody else have the combination, Dick?”

“Nobody but Dora.  I gave her the figures, so she could get the safe open in case anything happened to me, or I was away.”

“I’ve got the figures on a card in my pocket-book,” explained Dora, “but I don’t believe anybody saw them.  In fact, the card has nothing but the bare figures on it, so it isn’t likely that any one would understand what those figures meant.  Oh, but isn’t it perfectly dreadful!  I—­ I hope you—­ you boys won’t blame Dick,” she faltered.

“Of course we don’t blame Dick,” returned Tom, promptly.

“Why should we blame him?” added Sam.  “If he put the bonds in the safe and locked them up, I can’t see how this robbery is his fault.  It might have happened to any of us.”