the ability of ordinary burglars to open, without the use of
explosives or special tools.

And as Bud leaned over to look at the heavy door he saw something
that caused him to ask:

"Were these here before the attempted robbery, Dad?"

"What there, Bud?"

"These scratches on the front of the door. It does look as if
they tried to drill the safe!"

Bud pointed to several parallel marks on the steel door. The
scratches were deep in the paint, and seemed to radiate toward
the shiny nickel dial of the combination. "Scratches!" repeated
Mr. Merkel, coming over to look. "No, I never noticed them
before. Why, she is clawed up some," he admitted. "But I can't
say that they haven't been there since I got the safe, which was
just before the round-up. Yes, she sure is clawed up some," and
he spoke as if some mountain lion had done the damage to his
strong box.

But here Bud's sister, Nell, took a hand in the proceedings.

"Those scratches are new ones--they were made by the burglar,"
declared the girl, whom Nort and Dick thought the prettiest they
had ever seen. "I know, for I dusted your office, Dad, the day
the round-up ended, and the door was as shiny then as a new
penny."