Page:The House On The Cliff.pdf/108

 Redhead grunted a curt farewell. The woman and the other man said nothing as the boys turned away and retraced their steps out to the lane. For a while they walked on in silence and then, when they were out of sight of the house, Frank turned to the others.

"Do you know why I went into the kitchen?" he asked.

"Why?" they demanded eagerly, and Joe put in:

"I thought there was something fishy about the way you asked for that drink. What did you see?"

"I saw dad's cap hanging on a peg!"

This caused an immediate sensation. Phil Cohen whistled in amazement.

"Then he has been here! They were lying!"

"Are you sure it was dad's cap?" asked Joe.

"Positive. I'd recognize it anywhere. And more than that, there were bloodstains on it."

"Bloodstains!"

Frank nodded.

The boys looked at one another in silence.

"This is serious," declared Joe finally. "We can't let them get away with this."

"I'll say we can't," agreed Chet. "Let's go back."

"I was going to argue it out right there and then, but I thought I'd better tell the rest of