A TRAIL IS FOUND AND LOST
By this time several carriages had come up, also a number of folks
on bicycles and on foot, and to all of these the situation had to
be explained. Among the last to put in an appearance was Captain
Putnam, and he was at once all attention, and desired to know how
seriously Dick and Frank were injured.
"It was an outrageous piece of work," he said.
"Still, to be fair, we must admit that the broken brake is largely
responsible for what happened, after the start down hill was made."
"But I couldn't help the brake breaking," pleaded the general
utility man. "I did my best, and was thrown out--"
"I am not finding fault with you, Snugger," cut in the captain,
shortly. "Let it pass, and leave the stage to be taken care of by
the Cedarville blacksmith. But I wish we might lay hands on the
rascal who is responsible for the start of the mishap."
"They have found a coin such as we used when as we were in Africa,"
said Dick. "I think that furnishes a clew."
"In what way, Rover?"
"Those coins were also used by Dan Baxter and Josiah Crabtree."
"And you think one or the other, or both, are in this neighborhood
again?"
"It looks plausible, doesn't it?"
"Yes, but--it would be very strange. I should think they would
give this locality a wide berth."
"Hardly. Josiah Crabtree isn't done with the Stanhopes, to my
mind, and Baxter will get square with us if he can."
While this talk was going on Sam and Tom were following some
footprints leading from the clearing where the signal board had
been found down a small path toward the lake. The footprints were
clearly defined.
"The prints are not very large," observed Tom, as he and his
brother measured them. "It looks to me as if Dan Baxter's feet
might have made them."
"Certainly they weren't made by old Crabtree," said Sam. "He had a
very long foot and always wore square-toed boots."
They followed the prints down to the lake shore, and then along the
rim of the lake for nearly half a mile.
Here there was a little cove, and under some bushes they discovered
some marks in the wet dirt of the bank, as if a rowboat had been
moored there. In this dirt the footprints came to an end.
"That's the wind-up of this trail," sighed Tom. "Water leaves no
trail."
"That's so. But supposing we skirt the lake some more."
They went on, and did not give up until the declining sun told them
the day was done.
When they reached the Hall they found that all of the others had
come in, and that preparations were already going forward for the
feast in the evening. For once Captain Putnam and George Strong,
his main assistant, were going to allow the cadets to have their
own way. Secretly the captain was tremendously pleased over the
showing his pupils had made on the football field, for this
happened to be a year when college athletics were in the ascendancy
in all of the States.
But the regular evening drill must not be neglected, and soon the
sound of the drum was heard, calling the members of companies A and
B to the parade ground. A rush was made for uniforms, swords, and
guns, and soon the boys come pouring forth, Dick as a captain, and
his two brothers as under officers.
"Attention!" shouted the major of the command. "Forward! march!"
"Boom! boom! boom, boom, boom!" went the drums, and then the fifers
struck up a lively tune, and around the academy marched the two
companies at company front. Then they went around again by column
of fours, and then marched into the messroom, where they stacked
arms and sat down at the long mess tables. The movements were
patterned after those at West Point, and could not have been
improved upon.
"Well, what of the hunt," asked Dick, as soon as he got the chance
to talk to Tom.
"We followed it to the lake and then lost the trail," answered his
brother. "But I am convinced that the rascal was Dan Baxter."
"I believe you are right, Tom," answered Dick, and related what
Dora Stanhope had told him. Of course Tom listened with keen
interest.
"We made a mistake in letting old Crabtree and Baxter go when we
had them in Africa. We should have handed them over to the
authorities."
"I am not worried about Baxter so much," went on Dick. "But I hate
to think of Crabtree being around to molest the Stanhopes."
"And especially Dora," grinned Tom.
"Right you are, Tom, and I am not ashamed to admit it to you. But
please don't--don't well, make fun of it to me any more."
"I won't, Dick." Tom gave his brother's hand a squeeze under the
table. "Dora is all right, and if some day I get her for a
sister-in-law I won't complain a bit." This plain talk made Dick's
face flush, but he felt tremendously pleased, nevertheless, and
loved Tom more than ever.
Directly after supper the boys were given until eleven o'clock to
do as they pleased. At once some old barrels were piled high at
one end of the campus, smeared with tar, stuffed with wood, and set
on fire, and the blaze, mounting to the sky, lit up the
neighborhood to the lake on one side and the mountains on the
other.
Four cadets had gone down to Cedarville to buy the fireworks and
the things to eat, and by nine o'clock these returned, loaded down
with their purchases. Among the crowd was Larry Colby, who sought
out Dick as soon as he arrived.
"I've got news," he exclaimed. "Whom do you suppose I saw down in
Cedarville? Josiah Crabtree!"
"You are certain, Larry?"
"Yes."
"Where did you meet him?"
"Down at the restaurant where he went for some ice cream. He was
just paying for a lunch he had had when I came in."
"Did you speak to him?"
"No; I wanted to do so, but as soon as he saw our crowd coming in
he dusted out of a side door."
"Was he alone?"
"Yes."
"Humph!" Dick's brow clouded. He was inclined to think that Dora
had been right concerning the noise she had heard on the side
porch.
"You haven't any idea where he went?"
"No; I wanted to follow him, but it was dark on the street and he
slipped me."
This was all Larry had to tell, and he hurried to arrange the
fireworks.
The celebration was a grand success, and lasted until almost
midnight. The boys had brought along a lot of Roman candles and
skyrockets, and these they set off from the top of one of the
tallest trees on the grounds.
"So that the Pornell fellows can see them," said Sam. "I know they
will enjoy the show," and then he closed one eye suggestively. The
Pornell players had chaffed him on account of his size, and now
that the victory was won, he did not mean to let them forget their
defeat too quickly.
At about ten o'clock Dick went to Captain Putnam and asked
permission to leave the grounds for an hour or two.
"Where do you wish to go?" asked the captain.
"To Mrs. Stanhope's, sir," and he related what Dora had told him,
and of what news Larry Colby had brought.
"I am afraid you may get into trouble, Rover," said the captain
seriously.
"I will be very careful, sir. I am not afraid of Mr. Crabtree,
should he turn up."
"I don't believe you are afraid of anyone," said the master with a
smile, for he admired Dick's courage.
"Then you will let me go?"
"Wouldn't you rather have somebody with you?"
"I wouldn't mind having Tom along."
"I meant some grown person--like, for instance, Mr. Strong."
"No, sir."
"Well, then, take Tom. But mind and be careful, and don't stay too
late if everything is right, down there."
Having received this permission, Dick hurried to Tom. Soon the two
brothers were on the way, Tom eating some cake and peanuts as they
hurried along. The latter hated to miss the feast, but did not
wish to see his brother under take the mission alone.
It was a clear night, and although there was no moon, the stars
twinkled overhead like so many diamonds. Both knew the short cut
to Mrs. Stanhope's cottage well, and made rapid progress. "Shall
you ring the bell if everything appears to be right?" asked Tom, as
they came in sight of the modest dwelling, set in the widow's
well-kept garden.
"I guess not, Tom. It's so late. Both Mrs. Stanhope and Dora have
probably gone to bed."
They had almost reached the gate to the garden when Dick caught his
brother by the sleeve and drew him back into the shadow of a large
maple tree.
"What is it, Dick?"
"I think I saw somebody moving around the corner of the house just
now."
Both boys strained their eyes, but could see nothing that resembled
a human form.
"I don't see a thing, Dick."
"Come, we'll move around to the outside of the garden," returned
the older brother.
The flower garden was not large, and was separated from the
vegetable laths. As they made their way along this, both caught
the sound of a window sliding up.
"Hark! Did you hear that?" whispered Dick excitedly.
"I did. It came from the back of the house."
"Somebody must be trying to get into the kitchen window!"
Dick broke into a run, with Tom at his heels. Entering the garden
by a rear gate, they soon reached the vicinity of the kitchen. A
window stood wide open, and through this they beheld somebody
inside the apartment with a blazing match in his hand trying to
light a candle.
"Hi, there, who are you?" cried Tom, before Dick could stop him.
At the sound of the call the man in the kitchen jumped as though
stung by a bee. Then he wheeled around, with the lighted candle in
his hand, and both boys saw that it was Josiah Crabtree.