"Where will you carry it?" asked Gibbon.
"Somewhere out of sight where I can safely open it.
I should have preferred to take the bonds,
and leave the box in the safe. Then the bonds
might not have been missed for a week or more."
"That would have been better."
That was the last that Carl heard. The
two disappeared in the darkness, and Carl,
raising himself from his place of concealment,
stretched his cramped limbs and made the best
of his way home. He thought no one would
be up, but Mr. Jennings came out from the
sitting-room, where he had flung himself on a
lounge, and met Carl in the hall.
"Well?" he said.
"The safe has been robbed."
"Who did it?" asked the manufacturer, quickly.
"The two we suspected."
"Did you see Mr. Gibbon, then?"
"Yes; he was accompanied by Mr. Stark."
"You saw them enter the factory?"
"Yes, sir; I was crouching behind the stone
wall on the other side of the road."
"How long were they inside?"
"Not over fifteen minutes--perhaps only ten."
"Mr. Gibbon knew the combination," said Jennings, quietly.
"There was no occasion to lose time in breaking open the safe.
There is some advantage in having a friend inside.
Did you see them go out?"
"Yes, sir."
"Carrying the tin box with them?"
"Yes, sir. Mr. Stark wrapped it in a
newspaper after they got outside."
"But you saw the tin box?"
"Yes."
"Then, if necessary, you can testify to it.
I thought it possible that Mr. Gibbon might
have a key to open it."
"I overheard Stark regretting that he could
not open it so as to abstract the bonds and
leave the box in the safe.
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