“Super!” exclaimed Chet, and Mrs. Hardy said, “I know everyone will appreciate that.”
“I haven’t finished,” Hurd Applegate went on. “I want to make a public apology to Mr. Robinson. Adelia and I are extremely sorry for all the trouble we’ve caused him. Robinson, if you will come back and work for us, we promise to treat you like the gentleman you are. We will increase your salary and we have decided to build that greenhouse you want. You’ll have free rein to raise all the rare flowers you wish to.”
There was a gasp from everyone in the room. All eyes were turned on Mr. Robinson. Slowly he arose from his chair, walked over to Mr. Applegate, and shook his hand.
“No hard feelings,” he said. “I’ll be happy to have my old position back, and with the new greenhouse, I’m sure I’ll win a lot of blue ribbons for you and Miss Adelia.”
As he returned to his chair, Mr. Applegate said, “There is just one more item of business-the reward. The thousand-dollar reward goes to Frank and Joe Hardy, who solved the mystery of the Tower treasure.”
“A thousand bucks!” exclaimed Detective Smuff.
“Dollars, Mr. Smuff-dollars!” Adelia Apple-gate corrected him severely, “No slang, please, not in Tower Mansion.”
“One thousand iron men,” Smuff continued, unheeding. “One thousand round, fat, juicy smackers. For two high school boys! And a real detective like me-“
The thought was too much for him. He dropped his head in his hands and groaned aloud. Frank and Joe did not dare look at each other. They were finding it difficult to restrain their laughter.
“Yes, a thousand dollars,” Hurd Applegate went on. “Five hundred to each boy.”
He took the two checks from a pocket and handed one each to Frank and Joe, who accepted them with thanks. Mr. Applegate now invited his guests into the dining room for sandwiches, cake, and cold drinks.
As Frank and Joe ate, they were congratulated over and over by the others in the room. They accepted it all with a grin, but secretly, each boy had a little feeling of sadness that the case had ended. They hoped another mystery would soon come their way, and one did at THE HOUSE ON THE CLIFF.
“Later, on the way home, Mr. Hardy asked his sons, “What are you fellows going to do with all that money?”
Frank had an instant answer. “Put most of it in the bank.”
And Joe added, “Frank and I for some time have wanted to build a crime lab on the second floor of our barn. Now we can do it. All right, Dad?”
The detective smiled and nodded. “An excellent idea!”