Page:The Eight-Oared Victors.djvu/207

Rh Tom was disappointed. He made a thorough, but quick, search, not only in the shack proper, but in the store, though he knew Blasdell had not gone in there.

"What could he have hidden?" thought Tom. "I've got to get out of here soon, or the fellows will be waiting for me."

He saw a small wooden clock on the mantle over the stove. An idea came to him.

"Maybe that clock hides a secret hole in the wall," he thought. Stepping on a chair he moved the timepiece. As he did so the door came open, and in the lower part, where swung the pendulum, he saw several bits of paper. There was no hole in the wall, but, wonderingly Tom picked up the papers. Then he started.

"Pawn tickets!" he cried, "and some of them for silver cups! I'm on the trail at last!"