CHRISTMAS AT THE FARM
"What do you think of that?"
"Isn't that the greatest ever!"
"Well, I'm sorry for Tad."
Such were the exclamations from the three Rover boys after listening to
Bill Dangler's declaration that the lad who had run away from Putnam
Hall was the nephew of Merrick.
"Are you certain of this?" asked Dick.
"Certainly I am. But why are you so interested in Merrick's sister and
her son?"
"I will tell you," answered Tom. "Tad Sobber used to go to school with
us, but he ran away a short while ago and we haven't heard from him
since."
"Phew! so that's it! Maybe he's with his uncle."
"Like as not. I wonder if he knows his uncle is a thief?"
"I don't know anything about that. Sid Merrick is a sly one and can put
on the most innocent front you ever saw."
"What do you know about Pike?"
"Oh, John Pike is only a tool, same as I was."
After that Bill Dangler seemed anxious to relieve his mind, and he
related many of the particulars of the freight robberies. He said that
all had been planned by Sid Merrick, and that two other men were
implicated besides himself and Pike and named the men. He said that
Merrick had sold the stolen stuff in various large cities.
"Did he divide with the others?" asked Dick.
"He was supposed to do it, but I don't think any of us ever got our full
share."
Old Derringham listened to the thief's recital with keen interest. But
presently he rushed forward and caught Bill Dangler by the arm.
"I want you to go!" he cried, almost fiercely. "I want no thief under my
roof!"
"He shall go, and at once," declared Dick. "It is getting late, and it
is a long tramp to Oak Run."
"He owes me a dollar for keeping him several days," went on the old man.
"Then he had better pay you," said Tom.
Dangler wanted to demur, but in the end he paid for his board, and then
the whole party left, the old man gazing after them curiously. That he
had been entirely innocent in the affair there could not be the
slightest doubt.
"Now, Dangler, it won't do you any good to try to get away," said Dick,
as they tramped along through the snow. "We are four to one and armed."
"I won't try to run away," was the dogged answer.
"If you give the authorities all the help you can, perhaps, when it
comes to a trial, they will be a little easy on you," put in Tom.
"I hope so. I was coaxed into this. I used to be an honest man,"
responded the freight thief.
"Well, before you die, you'll learn that 'honesty is the best policy,'"
observed Sam.
"I've learned that already. I've lost all my old friends, and I can't
show myself anywhere any more."
The crowd had to tramp a good mile and a half before they reached a
farmhouse where they could procure a team and a sleigh big enough to
take all of them to Oak Run. Then they set off at a fast pace and at
about supper time reached the Rover farm.
Those at the farm were much astonished at the "game brought in," as
Anderson Rover declared. The boys waited long enough to get a meal, and
gave the prisoner something to eat, and then they set off for Oak Run
with their father and Dangler. Here the freight thief was placed in the
custody of the local constable, who locked the man up in the garret of
his own home.
That night and the next day the telegraph and telephone were kept busy,
and some officers of the law from Ithaca visited the old Sobber
homestead. They found the place deserted and no trace of Merrick, Pike
or Tad Sobber was to be found.
"It is too bad," declared Dick, when the news came in. "I thought sure
we'd round up the rascals."
From the authorities the boys learned one thing--that the Sobber
homestead was on the same road that ran past the Stanhope cottage.
"That may account for Merrick coming and looking in the window that
night," said Dick. "Maybe he was traveling past and wanted to see what
was going on."
"More than likely he was looking for a chance to rob the place," was
Tom's grim comment.
On Christmas day the boys received a number of valuable presents and
gave everybody presents in return. There was a grand family dinner, such
as only their aunt Martha could prepare, and it is needless to say that
all did full justice to the spread. After dinner the lads went out
snowballing and got Aleck Pop and Jack Ness to do the same. The boys
snowballed the colored man and Jack Ness so vigorously that the pair had
to run for the barn.
"My sakes alibe, boys!" cried Aleck Pop, after he had received a
snowball in the ear. "Yo' dun work yo' snowballs lik da was comin' from
a Gatling gun!"
During the week between Christmas and New Year, Bill Dangler was removed
to the county jail, there to await the action of the grand jury. In the
meantime the authorities continued the hunt for Merrick, Pike and the
others, but without success.
"I'd really like to know what has become of Tad Sobber," remarked Dick.
"It is a pity if he is dependent upon such a fellow as Merrick for his
support."
"Perhaps his mother left him money," said Tom.
At last came the day when the boys returned to Putnam Hall. On the train
they fell in with Larry Colby and George Granbury, and told of what they
had learned.
"I heard from Nick Pell yesterday," said Larry. "He is getting better
gradually, but it will be some time before he is himself again."
"Does he still blame Tad Sobber?"
"Yes, and he says he will never have anything to do with Sobber again."
"Nobody can blame him for that," said Sam.
"I don't believe Sobber will ever return to Putnam Hall," came from Tom.
"Especially when he finds out that we know he is the nephew of such a
swindler as Merrick."
In a few days the boys settled down again to their studies. The Rovers
were exceedingly anxious to make records for themselves, and whenever a
lesson was too hard for Tom or Sam, Dick helped them all he could. The
eldest Rover boy was sorry he had missed his former position by being
absent, but he was delighted to know that he and his brothers would now
finish their schooling at Putnam Hall together.
"I couldn't bear to think of being separated from you," he said to Tom
and Sam.
"We don't want to be separated," returned Tom.
"That's the talk!" declared Sam. "We'll stick together always!"
About a week after the return to school the snow cleared away and then
came a cold snap that made excellent skating. At once all the boys got
out their skates, and during their off hours they had great fun on the
lake.
One afternoon a race was arranged between half a dozen boys, including
Dick, Larry Colby and Peter Slade. Slade was sure he would win, and went
around boasting of it.
"I have been in six races on skates," he declared, "and I won every one
of them."
"He must be a famous skater," said Tom, when he learned of this. "Dick,
I don't think you'll stand much show against him."
"I don't know. Do you know what I think of Peter Slade? I think he is a
big blower."
"I think that myself. Still, if he has won six races he must know
something about racing."
"Well, if I lose I shan't cry over it," said Dick, and there the talk
ended.
The race was to be for two miles,--a mile up the lake shore and a mile
back. At the appointed hour the contestants lined up, and at a word from
George Strong, who had consented to start them, they were off.
It was easy to see that Peter Slade was a good skater, and with hardly
an effort he went to the front during the first quarter of the race. But
then Larry and Dick began to push him, and when the mile turn was made
Larry was but two yards in the rear, with Dick almost on his heels.
"Go it, Slade, you can win easily!"
"Catch him, Larry!"
"Put on more steam, Dick!" yelled Tom, enthusiastically.
And then the turning point was passed by all the racers and the struggle
on the homestretch commenced.