The Twin Detectives; or, The Robbers of the Tomb — page 15: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ne 6 _ THE TWIN DETECTIVES. pocket, measured the foot-print carefully, putting down the result of his measurements in a note-book. This done, he passed his hand rapidly over the print, ut- - terly obliterating it. As he rose to his feet, the earl entered, followed by the _ other detective. <‘'here has not been a mark left to tell the tale,” said the nobleman. ““No; this is the work of an old hand,” replied the de- _tective, looking around him. ‘“‘Ha! Well, Bob, what do you make of this?” asked the other officer. “Nothing!” replied his confrere, laconically. ‘‘ What’s that you’ve got under your arm?” asked Bates, the senior officer, ‘* Only some moss I want,” answered Bob, carelessly. “‘Well, you are a queer fellow, gathering moss in your handkerchief when you ought to be keeping a lookout for traces of these robbers.” “‘Well, I am keeping a lookout,” said Bob, with his usual simple smile. What a fool,” thought the earl to himself, indignantly. ‘*] wonder what they mean by sending down such a sim- pleton. They ought to be ashamed of themselves.” _. **What are you going to do, Bob?” inquired his colleague, in a low tone. ‘*‘ Hang around this village to see if I can’t start some- thing,” replied the other. “Are you? Well, ’m going off to the nearest seaport. I fancy these rascals have gone to sea. They are cracks- men—only they rob vaults and grave-yards, instead of banks and houses.” ‘Is there much money in this business?” inquired the in- nocent-looking Bob. “Yes, the Outhberts are a very wealthy family, and they Gomicbooks (e(@) m =—_—>