ABOUT ATHLETIC CONTESTS
"You stole those things, you!" gasped Dave. He could scarcely utter the
words. He shrank back a step or two, and his face was filled with
horror.
"Yes, I did it," came from Shadow Hamilton.
"But--but--oh, Shadow, you must be fooling! Surely, you didn't really go
to work and--and----" Try his best, Dave could not finish.
"I stole the things; or, rather, I think I had better say I took them,
although it amounts to the same thing. But I don't think I am quite as
bad as you suppose."
"But, if you took them, why didn't you return them? You have had plenty
of time."
"I would return them, only I don't know where the things are."
"You don't know? What do you mean?"
"I'll have to tell you my whole story, Dave. Will you listen until I
have finished?"
"Certainly."
"Well, to start on, I am a great dreamer and, what is more, I
occasionally walk in my sleep."
"Yes, you told me that before."
"One morning I got up, and I found my clothes all covered with dirt and
cobwebs and my shoes very muddy. I couldn't explain this, and I thought
some of the fellows had been putting up a job on me. But I didn't want
to play the calf, so I said nothing.
"Some days after that I found my clothing in the same condition, and I
likewise found that my hands were blistered, as if from some hard work.
I couldn't understand it, but suddenly it flashed on me that I must have
been sleep-walking. I was ashamed of myself, so I told nobody."
"Well, but this robbery----" began Dave.
"I am coming to that. When Doctor Clay spoke about his stamp collection,
I remembered that I had dreamed of that collection one night. It seemed
to me that I must run away with the collection and put it in a safe
place. Then I remembered that I had dreamed of the stick-pins at another
time, and had dreamed of going to the boathouse to put them in my locker
there. That made me curious, and I went down to the locker, and there I
found--what do you think? One of the stick-pins stuck in the wood."
"A new one?"
"Exactly. That made me hunt around thoroughly, and after a while I
discovered this, under my rowing sweater."
As Shadow finished, he drew from his pocket a doubled-up sheet of paper.
Dave unfolded it, and saw it was a large sheet of rare American postage
stamps.
"Did you find any more than this?"
The other youth shook his head.
"Did you hunt all around the boathouse?"
"Yes, I hunted high and low, in the building and out. I have spent all
my spare time hunting; that is why I have had such poor lessons lately."
"Don't you remember going out to row during the night, Shadow?"
At this question, Shadow Hamilton started.
"What do you know about that?" he demanded.
"Not much--only I know you were out."
"Do you know where I went to?"
"I do not."
"Well, neither do I. I dreamed about rowing, but I can't, for the life
of me, remember where I went. I must have gone a good way, for I
blistered my hands with the oars."
"And yet you can't remember?"
"Oh, I know it sounds like a fairy tale, and I know nobody will believe
it, yet it is true, Dave, I'll give you my word on it."
"I believe you, Shadow. Your being out is what has made you so tired
lately. Now you have told me a secret, I am going to tell you one. Ike
Rasmer saw you out on the river at night, passing Robbin's Point. And
there is something stranger to tell."
"What is that?"
"Are you dead certain you were asleep on the river?"
"I must have been. I remember nothing more than my dream."
"Do you know that you were followed?"
"By Rasmer?"
"No, by Gus Plum."
"Plum!" gasped Shadow Hamilton, and his face turned pale. "Are--are you
certain of this?"
"That is what Ike Rasmer told me," and then Dave related all that the
old boatman had said.
"That makes the mystery deeper," muttered Shadow. "It puts me in mind of
a story I once--but I can't tell stories now!" He gave a sigh. "Oh,
Dave, I am so wretched over this! I don't know what to do."
"I know what I'd do."
"What?"
"Go and tell Doctor Clay everything."
"I--I can't do it. He thought so much of that stamp collection--he'll
surely send me home--and make my father pay for the collection, too."
"I don't think he'll send you home. About pay, that's another question.
In one sense, you didn't really steal the stamps. A fellow isn't
responsible for what he does in his sleep. I'd certainly go to him. If
you wish, I'll go with you."
The two talked the matter over for half an hour, and, on Dave's
continual urging, Shadow Hamilton at last consented to go to Doctor Clay
and make a clean breast of the matter.
They found the master of Oak Hall in his private office, writing a
letter. He greeted them pleasantly and told them to sit down until he
had finished. Then he turned around to them inquiringly.
It was no easy matter for Shadow Hamilton to break the ice, and Dave had
to help him do it. But, once the plunge was taken, the youth given to
sleep-walking told him his story in all of its details, and turned over
to the doctor the stick-pin and the sheet of stamps he had found.
During the recital, Doctor Clay's eyes scarcely once left the face of
the boy who was making the confession. As he proceeded, Shadow Hamilton
grew paler and paler, and his voice grew husky until he could scarcely
speak.
"I know I am to blame, sir," he said, at last. "But I--I--oh, Doctor
Clay, please forgive me!" he burst out.
"My boy, there is nothing to forgive," was the kindly answer, that took
even Dave by surprise. "It would seem that you have been as much of a
victim as I have been. I cannot blame you for doing these things in
your sleep. I take it for granted that you have told me the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the truth?"
"I have, sir, I have!"
"Then there is nothing to do but to investigate this as far as we can.
Of course, I realize that it would cut you to have everybody in the
school know of your sleep-walking habit."
"Yes, sir. But I shouldn't care, if only you could get back the stamps
and the pins."
"Is Rasmer sure he saw Plum following Hamilton on the river?" asked the
doctor, turning to Dave.
"That is what he told Morr, Lawrence, and myself the day we stopped at
his boathouse for a new oarlock."
"Then I must see him and have a talk with him," said the master of Oak
Hall; and after a few words more the boys were dismissed.
On the following morning, Doctor Clay drove down to Ike Rasmer's place.
The boatman was pleasant enough, but he remembered that Gus Plum was one
of his customers, and when questioned closely, said he could not testify
absolutely to the fact that it had been Plum who had followed Hamilton
on the river.
"You see, my eyesight ain't of the best, doctor," said Rasmer, lamely.
"I saw Hamilton full in the face, but the other feller had his face
turned away from me. I ain't gittin' nobody into trouble, 'less I am
sure of what I am doin'--that's nateral, ain't it?"
"Very," answered Doctor Clay, coldly, and returned to the academy in
deep thought. He realized that Ike Rasmer was now on his guard, and
would tell no more than was absolutely required of him.
The next movement of the worthy doctor was to call Gus Plum into his
office. The bully was anxious, but had evidently nerved himself for the
ordeal.
"No, sir, I have not been out on the river at night this season," said
he, blandly, in reply to the doctor's question. "I have not dared to go
out so late, for I take cold too easily." And he coughed slightly.
This was all Doctor Clay could get from Plum, and he dismissed the bully
without mentioning Hamilton or the missing pins and stamps. Then the
doctor called in Andrew Dale, and the two consulted together for the
best part of an hour; but what the outcome of that discussion was the
boys were not told. A day later, however, Shadow Hamilton was told to
change his sleeping quarters to a small room next to that occupied by
Andrew Dale.
"Hello! Shadow is going to get high-toned and have a sleeping-room all
to himself!" cried Roger, and would have asked some questions, only
Dave cut him short.
"There is a good reason, Roger," whispered the country boy. "But don't
ask me to explain now. If you question Shadow, you'll only hurt his
feelings." This "tip" spread, and none of the boys after that said a
word before Hamilton about the change. But later all came to Dave and
asked what it meant.
"I wish I could tell you, but I can't, fellows. Some day, perhaps,
you'll know; until then, you'll have to forget it." And that is all Dave
would say.
The boys were too busy to give the mystery much attention. A series of
athletic contests had been arranged, and all of the students who were to
take part had gone into training in the gymnasium, and on the
cinder-track which was laid out in the field beyond the last-named
building. The contests were to come off on the following Saturday, and,
to make matters more interesting, Doctor Clay had put up several prizes
of books and silver medals, to be presented to the winners.
Dave had entered for a hurdle race, and Roger, Phil, and Ben were in
various other contests. Dave felt that he would stand a good chance at
the hurdles, for on Caspar Potts' farm he had frequently practiced at
leaping over the rail fences while on the run. He did not know surely
who would be pitted against him until Ben Basswood brought him the
news.
"Gus Plum, Fanning, and Saultz are in the hurdle race," said Ben. "Plum
says he feels certain he will win."
"Plum," repeated the country boy. "I knew the others were in it, but I
didn't think Gus would take part."
"He went in right after he heard that you had entered. He says he is
going to beat you out of your boots. He wanted to bet with me, but I
told him I didn't bet."
"Is Nat Poole in the race?"
"No, he is in the quarter-mile dash, against me and six others. He
thinks he will win, too."
"I don't think he will, Ben. You can outrun him."
"Anyway, I am going to try," answered Ben Basswood.