DOWN IN THE CORNFIELD
The other boys gathered around in curiosity as Fred brought forth from
the stack of cornstalks his missing suitcase. Beside the bag were
several newspapers crumpled up into a wad.
"Those must be the newspapers he had the suitcase wrapped in," remarked
Walt Baxter.
"More than likely," answered Jack. He picked up the wad of papers and
glanced at them. "New York newspapers, too," he cried. "Nappy must have
brought them with him from home."
"Was the suitcase locked, Fred?" questioned Randy.
"No. I didn't bother to lock it, because, you see, I had it with me. I
only lock a suitcase when I check it."
"Then you'd better take a look inside and see if your duds are all
right," advised Andy.
The youngest Rover quickly unstrapped the suitcase and threw back the
catch. Then, as Randy sent the rays of the flashlight into the bag, he,
as well as the others, uttered various exclamations.
"The mean fellow!"
"Fred, you ought to get after him for this!"
For a quick look inside the suitcase had revealed the fact that Nappy
Martell had opened the bag and thrown handfuls of dirt amid the pieces
of clothing and the various other articles Fred had packed therein.
"You'll have to have all that laundered stuff done over again before
you can wear it," declared Jack. "And you'll have to have those
neckties cleaned, too, I am afraid. Say! this is a shame!"
"Just wait! I think I'll be able to get square with Nappy Martell,"
muttered the youngest Rover.
"He ought to be reported for this," broke in Walt Baxter. "This isn't a
joke. It's a low-down, dirty trick."
At this remark all of the other Rover boys looked at Fred, and he
looked at his cousins in return.
"I don't know about reporting this," he answered slowly. "I rather
think I prefer to settle with Martell myself."
"That's the talk!" cried Andy. "If you reported this, some of the
fellows might put you down for a softy and a sneak. I'd rather watch my
chance and give Martell as good as he sent."
"And with interest," added his twin.
"If you fellows are anything like your fathers were before you, I
reckon you'll know how to get square with Nappy," remarked Walt Baxter.
"I've heard that the Rovers never took a back seat for anybody."
"I'll figure out what I'm going to do after I get settled here,"
returned Fred. He suddenly began to smile. "Say! things have been
happening since we left home, haven't they?"
"I should say yes!" answered Andy.
With Jack assisting his cousin in carrying the suitcase, the whole
crowd returned to Colby Hall, and here the Rovers started to separate
from Walt Baxter, first requesting him to remain silent regarding the
finding of the handbaggage.
"If we don't say a word about it, maybe Nappy will get worried," said
Fred; "and that is what I want him to do."
"He may go down to the cornfield to see if the bag is still there."
"Hold on!" burst out Randy, suddenly. "I've got an idea!" and then in a
few words he explained what had occurred to him. The others listened
with interest, and even Walt Baxter had to laugh outright over what he
proposed.
"I'll do it!" declared the son of Dan Baxter, readily. "I'll do it the
first chance I get. And, believe me, I'll fix it so Nappy Martell gets
into hot water!"
"I'd like to see what effect the story has on Martell," said Andy,
grinning broadly. "Can't you fix it so we can be around at the time?"
"Sure! When I get the chance, I'll drop you a hint."
"And now I must get this bag to my room without anyone seeing me," said
Fred.
"Better let Spouter or Fatty carry it up," advised Jack. "Then, if
Martell sees it, he won't know that it is your suitcase."
It was an easy matter to get Spouter to do what was required, although
he insisted upon knowing what was in the wind. When he was told, he,
too, laughed heartily.
"It will serve Martell right," he said. "I hope it worries him to
death."
As soon as the suitcase was safe in Fred's room, he sought out
Professor Brice, who was busy arranging the order of some classes.
"I wish to report that I've got my suitcase back, Professor," said the
youth.
"Ah, indeed!" was the teacher's reply, and his face showed his relief.
"I'm glad to know it. Did you--er--have any trouble?"
"Nothing that I care to mention--at least at this time," answered Fred.
"If you don't mind, Professor, we'll drop the matter."
"Oh, very well, Rover. Just as you please." The young professor looked
at Fred rather knowingly. "Of course, if there is anything wrong, you
can report it later," he added hesitatingly.
"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir," answered the youth, and then bowed himself
out of the office. In the hallway he was joined by Andy.
"Did he make you squeal?" questioned the cousin quickly.
"Not much!" was the reply. "He's a good sport. I guess he's been
through the mill himself."
Fred spent some time over the contents of the suitcase, brushing the
dirt from some of the articles and sorting the rest out to be cleaned
or laundered.
"It's going to cost two or three dollars to fix this up," he declared
to Randy. "I really ought to send the bill to Martell."
"Well, just wait first and see if we get any fun out of this," answered
the joke-loving cousin.
As was to be expected, there was far from a full night's sleep coming
to the Rover boys that night. The quarters were strange to them, and
there was more or less noise throughout the school building, a bunch of
scholars coming in on a late train and not getting settled down until
after midnight. There was also something of horseplay, although the
majority of the cadets were too tired from their journeys to be very
active.
"I suppose we'll have to stand some hazing and all that sort of thing
later on," remarked Jack before retiring.
About one o'clock the school seemed to settle down, and then one after
another the Rover boys fell asleep, not to awaken until the autumn sun
was showing well above the hills beyond Clearwater Lake.
"This certainly is a splendid location," remarked Jack, as he went to
the open window, stretched himself, and filled his lungs with the fresh
morning air.
"I don't wonder Colonel Colby picked this place out for a school,"
answered Andy, who had come in. "He couldn't have done better."
Not being accustomed to their surroundings, it took the Rovers a little
longer than usual to get washed and dressed. They were just finishing
their toilets when there came a light knock on Randy's door. He opened
it to find Walt Baxter standing there.
"Nappy Martell just went downstairs, and I've fixed that matter up with
Ned Lowe," said Walt. "Come on down if you want to see what takes
place."
He led the way, and all of the Rover boys followed at a safe distance.
They saw Walt enter one of the big living-rooms of the Hall, to one end
of which was attached the school library. Nappy Martell was at one of
the library tables glancing carelessly over a magazine. In the
living-room Walt was joined by Ned Lowe, and the pair walked up behind
Nappy.
"Why, yes, it was the strangest thing I ever saw," said Walt to Ned in
a loud voice so that Nappy Martell could not help but hear. "The fellow
seemed to come from a stack of cornstalks down in the cornfield."
"It wasn't one of the cadets, was it?" questioned Ned, innocently.
"Oh, no. I think this fellow was some kind of a tramp--maybe some
fellow who had been sleeping under the stack all night. But what he was
doing with such a fine suitcase gets me."
"That's right. Tramps don't generally have suitcases," returned the
other boy. "Did he come toward the school?"
"No. He dug out the other way just as fast as he could go."
"Poor fellow! maybe he was afraid if he came towards the school he
would be arrested. If he had a suitcase he couldn't have been just an
ordinary tramp. Maybe he was some working man looking for a job and
without the price of a night's lodging."
"Perhaps, Ned. At the same time, I don't think Colonel Colby wants his
cornstalks used for a hotel," returned Walt; and then he and Ned walked
through the library and went outside on the campus.
During this conversation the Rover boys, hidden behind some open doors,
had watched Nappy Martell closely. They had seen that he had caught
what was being said and had immediately lost all interest in the
magazine he was perusing. His face took on a worried look, and he
glanced inquiringly after Walt and Ned. Then he threw down his magazine
and started to leave the room.
"Come on, let us watch him," whispered Jack.
"Yes. But keep out of his sight," returned Randy. "We don't want this
joke spoiled."
Keeping well in the background, they saw Nappy Martell ascend the
stairs to his room. A moment later he came forth with his hat in his
hand.
"I bet an oyster against a soda cracker he's going down to that
cornfield!" cried Andy.
"Right you are!" answered Fred. "Come on, let's follow him;" and
rushing up to their own rooms the Rover boys donned their caps and
sweaters, for the day was unusually cool.
Nappy Martell left the Hall by a rear door, and the Rovers followed.
They saw the loudly dressed youth hurry toward the stable and then
disappear to the rear. Soon he was on the highway leading to the
cornfield.
"There is no use of our following him, for he might see us and that
would spoil everything," said Randy. "Let's wait here at the stable
until he comes back."
It did not take Nappy Martell long to reach the cornfield; and from a
distance the Rovers saw him rush around, first to one stack of
cornstalks and then to another. He was gone fully a quarter of an hour,
and came back looking decidedly worried.
"He thinks some tramp got that suitcase and went off with it," said
Fred, grinning. "Randy, that certainly was one great joke."
"Don't say a word," answered Randy. "Just let him keep on worrying for
a while. Maybe it will do him good."
As Martell passed the stable, the Rover boys stepped out of sight in
the building. They saw him re-enter the Hall, and then they took a
roundabout course which soon brought them to the campus, where they
joined Fatty and Ned.
"It's certainly a good joke," was Fatty's comment. "And any fellow who
would be mean enough to dirty a fellow's clothing like that ought to
suffer for it. Gee! I'll bet he's worried!"
Of course, such a joke could not be kept entirely secret, and before
long it was spread among a good many of the cadets. But great care was
taken to keep it from Slugger Brown, Codfish and all the others
belonging to the Martell crowd.
"And now to pay Martell back for his meanness!" said Fred a little
later. "This joke of Randy's is all right as far as it goes, but I
think I'm going to go him one better--that is, if I can get into
Martell's room."
"All right, Fred. Anything you say goes," added Andy, quickly. "Isn't
that so, Randy?"
"Sure thing!"
"Look here! You don't want to get into trouble," warned Jack.
"There won't be much trouble about this," answered Fred. "I am only
going to give Nappy Martell something to think about."