SOMETHING OF A MYSTERY
"Did you hear that?" asked the senator's son, as he and his companions
came to a halt on the porch of the farmhouse.
"I did, and there must be something wrong," answered Dave.
"Perhaps there are burglars around," said Shadow. "I must say, I don't
like this," he continued, nervously.
"There was a burglary in Oakdale night before last," said Dave. "I
heard Swingly the janitor telling about it."
All three now heard a commotion in the farmhouse. There was the
slamming of a back door, and then somebody came leaping down the inside
stairs.
"Where is he, Jane?" they heard in a man's voice.
"I don't know, but I heard the back door shut," answered a woman's
voice. "And I saw a light."
"I don't see anybody," went on the man of the house, and lit a match.
Soon he had a lamp in his hand, with which he went to the back door.
"Did you leave the wash-shed window open?" he called out.
"No," returned Mrs. Lapham. "I shut it tight."
"It's open wide,--and the back door is unlocked," went on her husband.
"Any thieves around, pop?" came in a boyish voice.
"Better git the gun," advised another boy, Bob Lapham, who had the bats
for sale.
The man went out in the yard, lamp in hand. As he did this, the three
students walked around to meet him.
"Hello, what do you want?" demanded John Lapham, halting and staring
at his unexpected visitors. "Were you in my house?" he continued,
suspiciously.
"No, sir, we just came up," answered Dave. "We want to buy those bats
your son has for sale."
"Did you see anybody around here--I mean going out just now?"
"No."
"We saw a light, in the parlor and the sitting room," said Roger. "It
went out just as we came up."
"Then my wife must be right. Somebody has been in the house. I must
take a look around."
The two Lapham boys now came out, and the whole crowd looked around the
farmhouse and the stable near by. Not a soul was in sight anywhere.
"Whoever he was, he has gotten away," said the farmer, soberly. "I hope
he didn't steal anything."
He and his sons were but partly dressed and they went in the house
again, followed by the students, who were curious to learn if anything
had been taken.
"I brought home a lot of stuff from my aunt's house yesterday,"
explained John Lapham. "She is breaking up housekeeping and gave us her
silverware and such. I had it all in the box yonder."
He set down the lamp and threw aside the cover of the box he had
pointed out. One look inside and he gave a groan.
"The silverware is gone!"
"All of it?" queried one of his sons.
"Yes, and the cut glass fruit dish is gone too!"
By this time Mrs. Lapham had dressed and now she came down. At the news
she burst into tears.
"Oh, John, you must get after those burglars!"
"Can there have been more than one?" asked Dave.
"I think I heard two men moving around, but I am not sure," said the
woman.
Another search was made by the students, while the farmer and his sons
hastily donned the rest of their clothing. Then John Lapham brought
forth a shotgun.
"I'm going to get that stuff back," said he, determinedly. "You say the
burglars didn't go out by the front road?"
"We didn't see anybody," answered Roger.
"Then they must have taken to the lane that leads down to the river."
"Let us go down and see, pop," said Bob Lapham, eagerly.
So it was agreed, and after a few words Dave and his chums went along.
For the time being the bats were forgotten.
"This may get us into a mess at the Hall," whispered Shadow, as they
hurried along. "In telling the news Mr. Lapham will be sure to mention
us."
"Well, that can't be helped, and we'll have to get out of it the best
we can," answered Dave. "It's our duty to help capture those burglars,
if it can be done."
The whole party walked down the lane leading to the river, which, at
this point, overflowed a portion of the Lapham meadow. The farmer had
brought along his barn lantern.
"I see something!" cried Dave, as a bright object caught his eye. But
it was only a battered tin can, which caused everybody to utter a short
laugh.
It did not take long to reach the water's edge. Here they saw where a
rowboat had been hauled up on the bank. In the mud and grass they made
out the footsteps of two men, but that was all.
"Have you had a boat up here in the last few days?" asked Dave of the
farmer.
"Ain't had a boat here in a month."
"Then this must have been the burglars' boat."
"I think so." John Lapham gave something of a sigh. "They got a good
start."
"Yes, and we don't know which way they went," added one of his sons.
"Have you any idea what the stuff that was stolen was worth?" asked the
senator's son.
"Fifty or sixty dollars, maybe more."
"I shouldn't think any professional burglars would bother to take
such a small amount," was Shadow's comment. "Maybe they are worthless
characters from around here."
"Like as not," answered the farmer. "Maybe the same rascals that robbed
Jerry Logan's house at Oakdale. They got about fifty dollars' worth
there too."
They looked out upon the river as best they could, but not a craft of
any kind was in sight, nor could they hear any sound of rowing. The
farmer drew a long sigh.
"I'm stumped," he declared.
"You'd better notify the authorities," suggested Roger.
"Won't do a bit o' good. The constable ain't worth his salt, and the
justice ain't no good either. If I want to find those burglars I've got
to do it myself."
"Have you a boat?"
"No, but I can get one in the morning, and I'll get some of the
neighbors to help me."
There seemed nothing more to do just then, and the whole party returned
to the farmhouse. Then Dave explained what he had come for to Bob
Lapham.
"All right, you can have the bats," said the farm boy. "They are in the
barn. But what do you want of them?"
"Oh, we were going to use them for something--but perhaps we won't
now," said Dave, and handed over the amount to be paid. Soon the bats
were brought forth, in a battered mocking-bird cage. They were a round
dozen in number.
"See here, Bob, don't say anything to anybody about our coming here,"
whispered Roger, slipping an extra quarter into the farm boy's hand.
"We are not supposed to be away from the Hall, you know."
"All right, I won't say anything."
"And keep your brother and your father quiet too,--if you can."
"I'll do my best. I don't know your names anyway."
"None of them?"
"No."
"Good enough. Now we are off. Good-night."
The boys were about to turn from the farmhouse when John Lapham called
them back.
"What do you want?" asked Dave, and a sudden strange sensation took
possession of him.
"I've been thinking that things look rather queer," went on the farmer,
pointedly.
"In what way?" demanded Shadow.
"How was it that you didn't knock on the front door when you first came
here?"
"We heard a noise and we listened to find out what it meant," answered
the senator's son.
"It seems mighty queer to me," said the farmer, doggedly.
"What do you mean, Mr. Lapham?" demanded Dave, his face beginning to
burn.
"It's queer you should come here this time of night just to get some
bats that ain't any good to nobody."
"Well, that is what we came for and nothing else."
"You're sure you don't know anything about that robbery?"
"Mr. Lapham, do you take us for thieves?" cried the senator's son,
hotly.
"I didn't say that; I said it was queer."
"You know we haven't the stolen stuff."
"And you are sure you don't know anything about those other chaps?"
mused the farmer.
"Not a thing," answered Dave. "All we saw was the light just before it
went out, and heard the noise."
"It is preposterous to think we would come here to take your
silverware," went on Roger, warmly.
"Oh, pop, they are all right," said Bob Lapham. "All the students at
Oak Hall are honest fellows."
"I don't know about that," was the grim answer. "They don't seem to be
honest when it comes to getting in our orchards."
"I have never been in your orchard," said Dave.
"Nor I," added Shadow.
"Nor I," affirmed the senator's son.
"Last season I had about half of my fruit stolen."
"Well, some of it was taken by the boys from the military academy, you
must remember," said Bob Lapham, who evidently wanted to help the Oak
Hall students all he could.
"Yes, I know that."
"We are totally innocent," asserted Shadow. "I don't see how you can
suspect us."
"What is your name?" demanded the farmer.
Shadow hesitated and then straightened up.
"I am not ashamed to tell you. It is Maurice Hamilton."
"And what is yours, young man?" went on John Lapham, turning to Dave.
"David Porter."
"And yours?"
"Roger Morr."
"Morr, eh? Do you belong around here?"
"No, sir, I come from near Hemson."
"Oh! Then you ain't related to Mr. Samuel Morr, of Bainridge?"
"I am. He is my uncle."
"Are you Senator Morr's son?"
"Yes, sir."
"Oh!" The farmer's face changed slightly. "Well, that makes a
difference. I know Mr. Samuel Morr quite well," he continued, but did
not add that Roger's uncle held his note for two hundred dollars, and
he wished the same renewed for three months. "Of course, if you are
Senator Morr's son it is all right, and I am sure you didn't have
anything to do with the robbery."