een reading a lot in the old architecture
books--and they often used to have secret hiding places in the walls. And
look at that door frame! There's an angry griffin on one jamb, and a
smiling griffin on the other, and under each is a rose. That is it's a
five-leafed blossom, a sort of conventional flower that they always call
a rose in architecture."

"Though I suppose," said Sinclair, "by any other name it would look as
sweet. Patty, my child, you're dreaming. That old carving is as solid as
Gibraltar and that old griffin isn't very angry anyway. He just looks
rather purse proud and haughty."

"But it's the only griffin that's near a rose," persisted Patty. "And he
is angry, compared to the happy-looking griffin opposite to him."

"I believe the girl is right," said Bob, who was already examining the
carvings in question. "The rose doesn't look movable, exactly, but it is
not quite like this other rose. It's more deeply cut."

By this time all had clustered about the door frame, and one after
another poked and pushed at the wooden rose.

"There's something in it," persisted Bob. "In the idea, I mean. If
there's a secret hiding-place in that upright carved beam, that rose is
the key to it. See how deeply it's cut in, compared to the other; and I
can almost see a crack all round it, as if it could be removed. May I try
to get it out, Grandy?"

"Certainly, my boy. We mustn't leave a stone unturned."

"A rose unturned, you mean. Clair, what shall we ruthlessly tear it away
with? I hate to take a chisel to this beautiful old door."

"Try a corkscrew," said Mabel.

"You mean a gimlet," said Bob. "That's a good idea."

Fetching a gimlet, he bored a hole right in the centre of the carved
blossom, but though it turned and creaked a little it wouldn't come out.

"It must come," said Sinclair. "It turns, so that proves it's meant to be
movable. It probably has some hinge or spring that is rusted, and so it
doesn't work as it ought to. We'll have to take hammer and chisel; shall
we, Grandy?"

The boys were deferential to Mrs. Cromarty, for they well knew that she
was tired of having the old house torn up to no avail. But surely this
was an important development.

"Yes, indeed, boys. If your uncle's words mean anything, they mean that
it must be ruthlessly torn away, if removed at all."

For quite ten minutes the two boys worked away with their tools,
endeavouring to mar the carving as little as might be, but resol