By this time some of the servants noticed that something was wrong, and the waiter who had seen Dan Baxter come in and go out told his story, to which the boys, the hotel clerk, and the detectives listened with interest.
"Tell us just how that fellow looked," said Dick, and the waiter gave a very good description of the person he had seen.
"I imagine Sam is right," said Dick.

"If it wasn't Dan Baxter it was his double." Upon hearing this the hotel clerk and the detectives insisted upon knowing who Dan Baxter was, and the boys told as much of the bully as they deemed necessary.
"Of course, if he is guilty the chances are that he will leave San Francisco as soon as possible," said one of the detectives.

"The best we can do is to try to head him off." "And we'll do our best to find him, too," added Tom.
"I think the hotel ought to be responsible for this robbery," said Dick.
"You didn't leave your key at the desk when you went out," cried the hotel clerk, struck by a sudden idea.
"What of that ?" asked Tom.
"That makes the guest responsible." "What!" cried Tom, aghast.
"We are responsible only when the key is left at the desk.

And jewels must be left for keeping in one of our safes," went on the clerk.
"There are our rules," and he pointed to the printed form tacked on the inside of the door.
"Don't let us talk about that just now," said one of the detectives.
"I think we can get hold of this thief, and if we are quick about it we'll get everything he took, too." The matter was talked over for a quarter of an hour longer and then the detectives went off to make their report and to follow on the trail of Dan Baxter, if such a thing was possible.
It must be confessed that the three Rover boys slept but little that night.

The loss of the cash was something of a serious matter to them, even though they still possessed a hundred odd dollars in cash between them, and could easily telegraph home for more.