A STRANGE MESSAGE FROM THE SEA
"Jim Caven!" repeated Dick slowly, "What makes you believe that he
is guilty?"
"From what Mr. Dickerson here says," answered Tom, and repeated
what the farmer had told him.
"Gracious, that does look black for Caven!" said Dick, when he had
finished. He turned to the farmer. "Would you recognize that boy
again if you saw him?"
"I allow as how I would. His eyes was wot got me--never saw
sech unsteady ones afore in my life."
"Yes, those eyes put me down on Caven the minute I saw him,"
answered Tom. "More than half of the boys at the Hall have put
him down as a first-class sneak, although we can't exactly tell
why."
"See here," said Dick. "I think it would be best if Mr. Dickerson
would drive back to the Hall with us and tell Captain Putnam of
what he knows."
"And see if he can identify Caven," finished Sam. "Are you
willing to do that, Mr. Dickerson?"
"Well, to tell the truth, I've got some business to attend to
now," was the slow reply.
"I am sure Captain Putnam will pay you for your trouble," went on
Sam. "If he won't, we will."
"You seem mighty anxious to bring this Caven to justice," smiled
the farmer.
"We are, for two reasons," said Tom. "The first is, because he
isn't the nice sort to have around, and the second is, because one
of the men working at the school, a colored waiter, whom we all
liked, has been suspected of this crime and had to run away to
avoid arrest."
"I see. Well--" The farmer mused for a moment. "All right, I'll
go back with ye--and at once."
The team was turned around as well as the narrow confines of the
hilly road permitted, and soon the Rover boys were on their way
back to Putnam Hall, a proceeding which pleased Tom in more ways
than one, since he would not have now to put up at a strange
resort to have his ankle and his wheel cared for. They bowled
along at a rapid gait, the horses having more speed in them than
their appearance indicated. They were just turning into the road
leading to Putnam Hall grounds when Dick espied several cadets
approaching, bound for the lake shore.
"Here come Caven, Willets, and several others!" he cried. "Mr.
Dickerson, do you recognize any of those boys?"
The farmer gave a searching glance, which lasted until the
approaching cadets were beside the wagon. Then he pointed his
hand at Jim Caven.
"Thet's the boy I seed over to Auburn, a-pawning thet watch an'
them studs," he announced. "He's got his sodger uniform on, but I
know him jest the same."
Jim Caven looked at the farmer in astonishment. Then when he
heard Seth Dickerson's words he fell back and his face grew
deathly white.
"I--I don't know you," he stammered.
"I seed you over to Auburn, in a pawnshop," repeated Dickerson.
"It--It isn't true!" gasped Caven. "I was never over to Auburn
in my life. Why should I go there to a pawnshop?"
"I guess you know well enough, Caven," said Tom. "You bad better
come back to the Hall with us and have a talk with Captain
Putnam."
"I won't go with you. This is--is a--a plot against me,"
stammered the slim youth.
"You will go back!" cried Dick, and caught Caven by the arm. But
with a jerk the seared boy freed himself and ran down the road at
the top of his speed.
Sam and Dick pursued him on their bicycles, while some of the
others came after on foot. Seeing this, Jim Caven took to the
woods just as Dan Baxter had done, and the boys found it
impossible to track him any further.
"I wonder if he'll come back tonight?" said Dick, as the party
returned to where they had left Seth Dickerson and Tom.
"I don't think he will," answered Sam. "I declare, he must be
almost as bad as the Baxters!"
The farm wagon soon reached the Hall, and Dick ushered Seth
Dickerson into Captain Putnam's office. The captain looked
surprised at the unexpected visitor, but listened with deep
concern to all the farmer and the Rover boys had to say.
"This certainly looks black for Caven," he said at last. "I did
not think I had such a bad boy here. And you say he got away from
you?"
"Yes, sir."
"It is a question if he will come back--providing he is really
guilty. I will have his trunk and bag searched without delay.
But if he is guilty how did that ruby stud and the watch come into
Alexander Pop's possession?"
"He was down on Aleck," replied Tom, who had hobbled in after the
others. "And, besides, he thought if Aleck was arrested the
search for the criminal would go no further."
"Perhaps you are right, Thomas. It is a sad state of affairs at
the best."
The party ascended to the dormitory which Jim Caven occupied with
several smaller boy. His trunk was found locked, but Captain Putnam
took upon himself the responsibility of hunting up a key to fit the
box. Once open the trunk was found to contain, among other things,
a bit of heavy cloth tied with a piece of strong cord.
"Here we are, sure enough!" cried the captain, as he undid the
package and brought to light several of the missing watches and
also some of the jewelry. "I guess it is a clear case against
Caven, and Pop is innocent."
"I wish we could tell Pop of it," put in Dick.
"He must feel awfully bad."
"I will do what I can for the negro, Rover. I am very sorry
indeed, now, that I suspected him," said Captain Putnam, with a
slow shake of his head.
At the bottom of the trunk was a pocketbook containing nearly all
of the money which had been stolen. A footing-up revealed the
fact that two watches and three gold shirt studs were still
missing.
"And those were pawned in Auburn," said Sam. "Just wait and see
if I am not right."
A party was organized to hunt for Caven, and the captain himself
went to Auburn that very evening. The hunt for the missing boy
proved unsuccessful, and it may be added here that he never turned
up at Putnam Hall again nor at his home in Middletown, having run
away to the West.
When Captain Putnam came back he announced that he had recovered
all but one watch. The various goods and the money were distributed
among their rightful owners, and it must be confessed that a big
sigh of relief went up from the cadets who had suffered. The
single missing timepiece was made good to the boy who had lost it,
by the captain buying a similar watch for the youth.
After this several weeks passed without anything of special
interest occurring outside of a stirring baseball match with a
club from Ithaca, which Putnam Hall won by a score of six to
three. In this game Dick made a much-needed home run, thus
covering himself with glory.
"The Rovers are out of sight!" was Larry's comment. "Whatever
they do they do well."
"And they hang together like links of a chain," added Fred. "The
friend of one is the friend of all, and the same can be said of an
enemy."
One morning a telegraph messenger from Cedarville was seen
approaching the Hall, just as the boys were forming for the
roll-call.
"Here's a telegram for somebody," said Sam.
"I hope it's not bad news."
"A message for Richard Rover," announced George Strong, after
receiving it, and handed over the yellow envelope.
Wondering what the message could contain and who had sent it, Dick
tore open the envelope and read the brief communication. As his
eyes met the words his head seemed to swim around, so bewildered
was he by what was written there.
"What is it, Dick?" came from Tom and Sam.
"It's from Uncle Randolph. He wants us to come home at once. He
says--but read it for yourselves," and the elder Rover handed
over the message, which ran as follows:
"Have just received a strange message from the sea, supposed to be
written by your father. Come home at once. RANDOLPH ROVER."
"My gracious! News from father!" gasped Tom.
"Is he really alive?" burst out Sam. "Oh, I pray Heaven the news
is true!"
"A strange message from the sea," repeated Dick. "I wonder what
he can mean?"
"Perhaps it's a message that was picked up by some steamer,"
suggested Sam. "Anyway, uncle wants us to come home at once."
"He doesn't say all of us. The message is addressed to me."
"But of course he wanted all of us to come," put in Tom. "Anyway,
four horses couldn't hold me back!" he continued determinedly.
"Nor me," chimed in Sam. He drew a long breath. "If we hurry up
we can catch the noon boat at Cedarville for Ithaca."
"Yes, and the evening train for Oak Run," finished Tom. "Hurry
up, Dick!"
Dick was willing. To tell the truth, that message had fired him
as he had never been fired before. He burst into the captain's
office pell-mell, with Tom and Sam on his heels, to explain the
situation. Ten minutes later--and even this time seemed an age
to the brothers--they were hurrying into their ordinary clothing
and packing, their satchels, while Peleg Snuggers was hitching up
to take them to the landing at Cedarville.
"Good-by to you, and good luck!" shouted Frank, as they clambered
into the wagon, and many other cadets set up a shout. Then the
wagon rattled off. The Rover boys had turned their backs on dear
old Putnam Hall for a long while to come.