business street of the town, they noticed a crowd gathered in front of the jewelry store.
Early as the hour was, the village marshal had already reached the place. The boys expected to see the windows smashed, or the doors broken in, but there was not a sign of disorder about the place. The show windows and the shelves looked as neat and orderly as usual.
Frank and Bob went inside the store. They found the marshal and the others standing in front of the large iron safe at the end of the store. Its massive doors stood open. Its drawers were pulled out and scattered on the floor, and its shelves were empty.
"Gone—all gone!" groaned Mr. Haven, turning very pale.
"Yes, they have taken everything there was in the safe," said his brother.
"When did you find it out?" asked the marshal.
"Not half an hour ago," was the reply. "I came down earlier than usual, because I had some hurry repairing orders. I let myself in and then I noticed the open safe."
"It's a weak, old-fashioned iron box," said the marshal, looking the safe over. "I often told Jones it wasn't any good. The robbers pried it open easily."
"But how did they get into the store?" asked Mr. Bouncer.
"That is the mystery," replied Frank's uncle. "The door was locked as usual, and the window-catches all in place."
"Why, then, they must have had a key," said the marshal.
"Evidently they did."
"The lost key—do you remember?" Bob whispered to Frank, in an excited tone.
"Some one found it!"
"Yes!"
"And let himself in here! Who could have done it?"
