Some more talk followed, and Mrs. Jardell advised Dick to communicate
with the traction company at once, and he said he would do so.

"It wasn't Mr. Jardell at all, Uncle Randolph," said the youth, as he
hung up the receiver. "The whole thing was a cleverly-planned swindle,
and unless you can get the bonds back you'll be out the money."

At this announcement Mr. Rover nearly collapsed--for he was rather a
retired man, and had had little to do in a business way since his trip
to Africa with the boys, as related in "The Rover Boys in the Jungle."
He did not know what to do, and stood rubbing his hands nervously.

"The swindlers!" he murmured. "Really, it is getting so that nobody can
be trusted!"

"The best thing we can do is to send word to the various towns to stop
the runabout with the two men in it on sight and have the rascals held
by the authorities," said Dick, who felt he must take charge of affairs.

"That's the talk!" cried Tom, "and the sooner we get at it the better."

"Let us find out where that side road leads to," added Sam, "I mean the
road on which we heard the auto."

Inside of an hour various messages had been sent by telephone and
telegraph. It was now growing late and the Rovers hardly knew what to do
next. From their uncle the boys got the whole tale concerning the bonds,
but the new light shed on the subject did not help matters.

They also told the authorities about the cave and the boxes stored
there, and some men were at once sent off to investigate and take
possession of whatever could be found.

"I think some of us ought to go home," said Sam. "Aunt Martha won't go
to bed until we get back, and she will be greatly worried."

It was finally decided that Tom and Dick should remain at the Carwell
hotel over night and Sam and his uncle should go home in the buggy. The
team was put up at the hotel barn, and then all hands went to the dining
room for a late supper.

"I'm as hungry as two bears," announced Tom.

"Well, I shan't say no to a good feed," answered Sam.

Randolph Rover could eat but little. Now that he realized what had
occurred, he upbraided himself bitterly for having been so deluded.

"They talked about scientific farming just to get me into good humor,"
he said, bitterly. "I see it all! Oh, if I can only get my hands on
them!"

After Mr. Rover and Sam had departed, Dick and Tom wandered around the
hotel and the vicinity for three hours. They anxiously awaited some
message regarding the two swindlers, but nothing came. Then, worn out by
the strenuous day they had put in, they went to bed and slept soundly
until morning.

Before having breakfast they asked for messages. There was one from a
village called Bahan, saying a green runabout with two men had passed
through there about midnight. But the men had not been captured, and it
was not known what had become of them.

At noon the telephone line between Oak Run and Carwell was in working
order once more, and the boys sent word home. Then they left directions
at the hotel, so that any messages coming in might be transmitted to the
Rover farm.

"Well, I never!" cried Dick, suddenly.

"What now?" asked his brother.

"That freight thief, and that stuff in the cave----"

"Humph! it slipped my mind entirely. I was thinking only of Uncle
Randolph's bonds."

"Let us find out if anything has been done."

At the local police headquarters they found that a wagon had just come
in, loaded with the three full boxes of goods located at the cave. A
search was still in progress for Dangler, but so far he had not been
located.

"This clears up the mystery of the freight thefts," said an officer to
the boys. "I only hope we can get our hands on Bill Dangler."

"You know him?" asked Dick.

"Oh, yes. Years ago he used to work for the freight division of the
railroad."

"Do you know anything of this Merrick and the fellow called Pike?"

"No, but our idea is that the three men were in the deal together.
Probably this Merrick and this Pike pulled off this affair of the
traction company bonds as a side issue."

"Have the freight robberies been large?" asked Sam.

"Not so large at one time, but they have been going on for months, and
the total from four different stations along the line foots up to a good
many thousand dollars."

"Well, I hope we catch all three of the men--and any others who may be
in league with them," said Dick, and then he and Tom walked off. A
little later they were on the buckboard and bound for home.

When they arrived at the farm they found that their uncle had sent a
long letter to the officers of the traction company, relating in full
what had occurred. In return the officials of the concern said they
would put a private detective on the case, and this was done. But weeks
went by and nothing was seen or heard of Merrick and Pike, and what had
become of the missing bonds remained a mystery.

"I am anxious to take a look at that cave where the stolen freight was
stored," said Sam one day. "Supposing we drive to it?"

"That will suit me," answered Dick. "I want to learn about something
else--that red tin box I saw hanging from a tree."

"Oh, yes, I had forgotten about that," put in Tom. "Well, shall we walk
or drive over?"

It was decided to drive as far as the cave, and not knowing how long
they would be gone, the boys took a lunch along.

"Now, take care of yourselves," warned Randolph Rover. "Don't fall into
any more holes."

"We'll try to watch out!" sang out Tom.

Then Dick cracked the whip, and off the team started at a good pace, the
eldest Rover, however, holding them well under control. It was a clear
and beautiful day. The boys did not dream of the odd adventure in store
for them.




CHAPTER VII

A STRANGE LETTER BOX


"It won't be long now before we'll have to get back to Putnam Hall,"
observed Sam, as they drove along. "Dear old school! How I love it!"

"It's too bad that we are getting too old to go there," said Tom. "But
we can't be boys always."

"I shall be glad to see the other fellows again," came from Dick.

"Do you know what I think?" declared Tom. "I think the Putnam Hall
cadets are the finest lot of boys in the world!"

"Throwing bouquets at yourself, Tom?" said Sam, with a laugh.

"Well, don't you agree with me?"

"I certainly do, Sam, and Captain Putnam is the best teacher in the
world. My, but won't we have fun when we get back!"

"We'll have to have a feast in honor of our return," said Dick, and
smiled that quiet smile of his which meant so much.

The distance to the cave was soon covered, and the boys tied their team
to a tree in that vicinity. They went inside and found that everything,
even to the empty boxes, had been taken away. The place had been
explored by a number of curiosity seekers.

"It is queer that this cave wasn't discovered before," was Dick's
comment, after they had spent half an hour in walking around.

"Perhaps the opening to the road wasn't so large formerly," suggested
Tom. "Dangler may have enlarged it, so he could drive in."

"That is true. Well, it will be a regular picnic place after this. Its
fame will spread for miles around." And Dick was right, and the cave is
a well-known spot in that portion of New York state to this day.

The boys had brought with them two electric pocket lights, as they are
called--lights they had purchased while on their river outing--and with
these turned on they walked to the extreme rear of the cave and along
the various passageways running up the mountainside.

"Here is where we dropped in," said Dick, pointing out the spot.

"I wish we could drop out--and land up on the mountain outside,"
returned his youngest brother. "Then, maybe, you could locate that tin
lunch box, or whatever it was."

    "I'd get up,
        Very soon
    If I had,
        A big balloon!"

sang out Tom, merrily. "But as there doesn't seem to be a balloon handy,
what's the matter with trying to climb up?" he added.

"And pull down several tons of dirt and rock on your head," said Dick.
"Better go slow. We already know how treacherous these holes are. You'll
get out of one by getting into another that's worse."

"I brought a lariat along," said Sam.

"A lariat?" queried the others.

"Sure,--the one I bought when we were out west. I thought we might use
it for climbing purposes. It is light but strong, and we can lasso a
tree or stump up there with it."

"Hurrah! Sam has solved the problem of how the Rover boys shall rise in
the world!" exclaimed Tom, gaily. "Sam, try your skill by all means."

"Show me the tree or stump and I will," answered his brother readily.

As well as they were able, they crawled from one part of the hole to a
spot that was somewhat higher. Then they found a projecting rock above
them and Sam threw the noose of his lariat over this.

"Will it hold?" queried Dick. "You don't want to try to climb up and
fall."

With caution Sam pulled on the lariat. It held, and he went up hand over
hand, for he was a fair athlete. Then his brothers followed. They now
stood on a ledge of rock, and the top of the hole was still twelve feet
above them.

"There is a small tree, Sam," said Tom, looking upward. "If you can
lasso that I think we'll be all right."

Once more the youngest Rover started to use the lariat. As it swung
upward it missed the tree and swished out of sight over the edge of the
hole.

"Ouch!" came the unexpected cry from above. "Oh, my eye!"

"Hullo! you've lashed somebody!" ejaculated Dick.

"I didn't know there was anybody up there," answered Sam, as the noose
of the lasso slipped downward.

The three Rover boys looked upward. They heard a hasty movement in the
bushes and caught a brief glimpse of a man's face. On the instant the
man disappeared, muttering something to himself.

"It was Dangler!" ejaculated Dick.

"Are you sure?" asked both of the others, in a breath.

"Almost positive."

Dick had scarcely spoken the last words when down into the hole came a
shower of dirt and stones, shoved over the edge above. The boys were
struck by the stones and got some of the dirt in their eyes. Then down
came a second mass of the same sort.

"Sto--stop that!" spluttered Tom, when he could speak. "Do you want to
kill us?"

There was no answer, but down came more dirt and stones, until the boys
were almost covered. What to do they did not know, until Dick suggested
they drop from the ledge and seek safety in the cave. As they went down,
a fair-sized rock followed, scraping Tom's shoulder and causing him to
utter a sharp cry of pain.

"Are you hurt, Tom?" asked his two brothers.

"Oh, it isn't much," panted Tom. "But I wish I could get my hands on
that rascal, that's all!"

"I am sure now that it must be Dangler," said Dick. "Nobody else around
here would try to injure us. He is mad because we have exposed him. He
must know the officers of the law are looking for him."

"I wish we could catch the rascal," muttered Tom.

"Supposing we climb the mountain from the outside?" suggested Sam. "It
is a perfectly clear day and is early yet. We'll know enough to look out
for pitfalls. If we can catch this Dangler the three of us ought to be
able to manage him."

"If we are going to try anything like that we want to hurry," returned
Dick. "He won't remain in this locality long--now he knows he is
discovered."

"Maybe he thinks we didn't see him," came from Tom.

"Well, that will be in our favor. But he'll know somebody will be after
him, for throwing down the dirt and stones."

Having eaten a hasty lunch and washed it down with water from a nearby
spring, the three lads began the ascent of the mountain. This was hard
work and caused them to perspire freely.

"I'm glad I'm not fat," said Tom. "If I was I'd be winded sure."

"I think we'd better keep quiet as soon as we reach the vicinity of the
holes," cautioned Dick.

Half an hour of hard climbing brought the boys to the vicinity where
they had first fallen into the holes leading to the cave, and then they
advanced cautiously and in almost absolute silence. They stopped to
listen several times, but heard nothing but the calls of some birds and
the trickling of water over the rocks.

Arriving at the top of the hole from where the dirt and stones had been
thrown, they gazed around with interest. Where the soil was soft they
could see the footprints of shoes much larger than those they themselves
wore.

"Here is his trail, going away," said Dick, after a close examination.

"There is your tin box!" cried Sam, pointing to the object, still
dangling from a distant tree.

"Wait till I see what is in it," answered his big brother. "It won't
take but a minute or two."

"Beware of holes!" cautioned Tom.

Feeling his way through the brushwood, Dick approached the dangling tin
box. It was a small affair and now hung open. He felt certain in his
mind that when he had seen it before it had been closed.

The box proved to be empty and Dick was, somehow, disappointed. He
glanced on the ground and saw a number of bits of paper, some old
looking and some new. He picked up some of the bits and saw they had
been written on in pencil, but the words or parts of words were
undecipherable.

"Well, what do you make of it?" questioned Sam, as he and Tom came up.

"I think I know what this is," answered Dick.

"What?"

"A sort of a private post-office. Somebody was in the habit of leaving
messages here, and Dangler or somebody else got the messages from time
to time."




CHAPTER VIII

LAST DAYS ON THE FARM


"I believe you are right," said Tom, after he, too, had looked over some
of the bits of paper strewn around. "Here is the word 'box' and here is
the word 'Saturday.'"

"Yes, and here are the words, 'fast freight,'" added Sam. "This was
nothing more than a letter box for the freight thieves."

"But why was it placed here?" questioned Dick. "It's a very
out-of-the-way place and hard to get to."

"Maybe somebody had to come this way," answered Tom. "See, here is
something of a trail."

"Yes, and here are those same big footprints!" exclaimed Sam. "For all
we know they may lead to some house or hut on the mountainside."

Having picked up the majority of the bits of paper and put them in their
pockets for future examination, the three Rover boys followed the path
or trail they had discovered. It led along the mountainside to where
there was a small clearing, backed up by a series of rocks from which a
spring gushed forth, sparkling brightly in the sunshine.

"I'd like to get another drink," said Sam; "I am terribly thirsty
to-day."

"Wait!" warned Dick, and caught his youngest brother by the arm.

"What's up, Dick?"

"I see a log cabin--over yonder, among the trees."

"Yes, and I see Dangler!" yelled Tom, suddenly. "There he goes, with a
big bundle over his shoulder!" And he pointed to the rear of the log
cabin. A man was just disappearing behind a fringe of brushwood. The
bundle he carried appeared to be tied up in a horse blanket. He was
running as hard as he could.

For a moment the boys did not know what to do. Then they ran to the
cabin and entered. It contained but one room, and this they soon
discovered was deserted. In the chimney a fire was smouldering, and the
remains of a meal lay scattered over a box that did duty as a table.

"This must have been Dangler's hangout," was Dick's comment. "He must
have come back for his things."

"Yes, and this explains why the queer letter box was stationed back
there," said Tom.

"Aren't you going to try to catch him?" asked Sam, impatiently.

"To be sure," answered Dick, and rushed out, and the others after him.

"Keep back there!" they heard Dangler cry, as they appeared on the trail
back of the log cabin. "Keep back, or it will be the worse for you!"

"Stop!" called Dick. "You might as well give up Dangler; you are bound
to be caught some time."

"Not much! I am armed and I warn you to keep back," answered the freight
thief, and then a bend of the trail hid him from view.

"Do you think he'd dare to shoot?" asked Tom.

"There is no telling what a desperate man will do," replied Dick. "We
had better be cautious."

After that they advanced with care. Presently the trail came out on a
mountain road and this passed over some rocks and crossed two other
roads. They saw no more of Dangler, and the footprints had disappeared.

"He has slipped us," said Tom, coming to a halt and resting on a fallen
tree. "Hang the luck anyway!"

"He came back to the cabin for his things," mused Sam. "I guess he is
going to leave the neighborhood, and maybe for good."

Chagrined over their failure to catch the freight thief, the boys looked
around that neighborhood for awhile and then retraced their steps to the
log cabin. Here they found several old articles of wearing apparel and a
few newspapers.

"Here is an envelope," said Sam, fishing the object out from behind the
box that had done duty as a table. "It is addressed to William Dangler.
Must have been some letter he got."

"Anything in it?"

"No."

"What is the postmark?"

"It is almost blurred out," said Sam. He took the envelope to the light.
"Well, I declare! Ithaca!"

"Ithaca!" cried Tom.

"Why, that's the city we stop at to take the boat for Putnam Hall,"
exclaimed Dick.

"I know it."

"This is interesting, to say the least," was the comment of the oldest
Rover boy. "Wonder if Dangler has friends or confederates in Ithaca?"

"We must notify the police of this," said Tom. "And the sooner the
better."

Satisfied that they could learn nothing more by remaining around the log
cabin, the boys departed, and inside of an hour were on their buckboard
and bound for the farm. From that place they called up the authorities
and informed them of what they had learned. Another search was at once
instituted for Bill Dangler, but the rascal was not captured.

The next day Mr. Anderson Rover came home, and the boys and Randolph
Rover had to acquaint him with all that had taken place. He shook his
head when he heard of the unregistered bonds.

"I am afraid you will never see them again, Randolph," he said to his
brother.

"I am afraid so myself," was the mournful reply.

Anderson Rover had come home to see his boys off to school.

"I want you to make the most of your opportunities while at Putnam Hall
this term," he said, "for it is to be your last."

"Yes, I know that," answered Tom. "But after that, what?"

"We will talk that over later, Tom. You must either go to college or get
ready to go into business."

"I'd like to go to college!" put in Dick.

"So would I--if I knew what kind of a place it was," added Tom.

"If it was as fine a place as Putnam Hall I'd jump at it," came from
Sam.

The next few days flew by quickly. During that time Dick received a
letter from Dan Baxter, the former bully of Putnam Hall, which
interested him not a little. This letter ran, in part, as follows:

"I am glad to say that I am now doing fairly well. I tried several
positions and am now a traveling salesman for a large carpet house. I
get fifteen dollars per week, all my expenses, and a commission on
sales, so I consider myself lucky.

"When I look back on what I once was, Dick, I can scarcely realize what
a change has come. But I feel happier than I ever was, and I am in hopes
that I shall live to make a man of myself yet. I am trying to give up
all my bad habits, and I haven't smoked, or drank a glass of liquor,
since I left you in the south."

       *       *       *       *       *

"That's the kind of a letter I like to get," said Dick, as he let his
brothers peruse the communication. "It does a fellow's heart good,
doesn't it?"

"I am glad we let him have that hundred dollars," said Sam. "Do you
think he'll pay it back?"

"Here is a postscript in which he says he will send a money order next
week."

"He certainly means to pull himself together," said Tom. "Well, now he
has turned over a new leaf, I wish him the best of luck."

Almost before they knew it, it was time to leave the farm and journey to
Putnam Hall. Everybody was sorry to see them go.

"I can't abide yo' boys being away nohow!" wailed Aleck Pop. "It jess
don't seem natural to have yo' gone, dat's wot it don't!"

"Oh, we'll be back some day, Aleck," answered Dick. "And if we go off on
some trip later, maybe we'll take you along."

"I most wish I was a waiter ag'in at de Hall," sighed the colored man.

"They can't spare you from here," said Sam.

"Oh, I know dat, Sam."

The boys' trunks had been packed and sent on ahead, so all they carried
with them were their dress-suit cases. Their father drove them to the
railroad station at Oak Run, and their aunt and uncle and the others
around the farm came out on the piazza to see them off.

"Now be good boys," admonished their Aunt Martha. "And take care and
don't get sick."

"And be sure and study all you can," said their Uncle Randolph.
"Remember nothing is quite so grand as learning in this world."

"Yo' keep out ob mischief!" cried Aleck Pop, shaking a warning finger at
Tom, who grinned broadly.

And then the carriage started off, and the journey to Putnam Hall was
begun.




CHAPTER IX

AT THE WILD WEST SHOW


As my old readers know, Putnam Hall was located not far from the village
of Cedarville on Cayuga Lake. To get to the school the boys had to take
a train to Ithaca and then board a little lake steamer stopping at
Cedarville and various other points along the shore.

"It seems a long time since we were at the Hall," observed Dick, as they
settled down in the train.

"And what a lot of things have happened since then!" exclaimed Sam. "I
can tell you what, we'll have a story to tell to the others, won't we?"

"I guess Songbird, Fred, and Hans Mueller have already told everything,"
returned Tom. "More than likely Songbird has concocted some verses about
it."

The run to Ithaca took several hours, and they lunched at noon in the
dining car. It was a beautiful day, and the boys enjoyed the scenery as
much as if they had never seen it before.

"I hope we can make a good connection for Cedarville," said Sam as they
left the train and started for the dock from which the _Golden Star_
made her trips on the lake. But they were doomed to disappointment, the
steamboat had had a break-down and would be delayed two hours or more.

As there was nothing to do but to wait, the boys checked their
dress-suit cases and then started for a stroll through the city. They
soon learned that a wild west show was giving an exhibition there and
consequently the place was crowded with folks from the surrounding
districts.

"I shouldn't mind going to the wild west show," observed Tom. "Do you
think we have time?"

"We could spend an hour there anyway," answered Sam.

"It depends on where the show is to be held," came from Dick.

They soon ascertained that the show grounds were not far off, and made
their way thither. The exhibition had already started, and they got
inside the big tent-like enclosure as speedily as possible.

The show was a fairly good one, and the boys thoroughly enjoyed the
trick riding by cowboys, and the fancy rifle shooting. Then came some
wild riding by real Indians.

"Almost makes a fellow feel as if he'd like to be on a horse himself,"
said Tom. He liked horseback riding very well.

"Say, I want you to look over there," said Sam, pointing to the seats
some distance away. "Do you see that man sitting near the bottom--right
beside that boy with the basket of peanuts?"

Tom and Dick looked in the direction pointed out, and the eldest Rover
gave a start.

"Sam, do you think it is the fellow called Merrick?" he exclaimed.

"Doesn't he look like it?"

"He certainly does--now you speak of it," came from Tom. "And, by the
way, don't you remember about that envelope picked up in the log cabin?
It was postmarked Ithaca."

"So it was! Perhaps this Merrick lives here."

"Let us go over and get a closer look at him," said Dick, and left his
seat, followed by the others.

There was a large crowd, so they had some difficulty in making their way
to where the man was located. In his haste, Dick bumped against a waiter
selling lemonade and spilled the contents of two glasses on the ground.

"Excuse me," he said.

"Hi! you've got to pay for the lemonade," roared the waiter, angrily.
"You pay up, you clumsy clown!"

"See here, my man, I'll pay you, but I want you to understand you can't
call me a clown," said Dick, angrily.

"Ah! go on wid yer! Pay up, see?"

"Here's your money," and Dick held out ten cents. "Now, am I a clown or
not?"

"Well, er----"

"Am I or not?" And the eldest Rover boy doubled up his fists. He knew he
must "take the bull by the horns" with such an individual as that before
him.

"Excuse me," mumbled the fellow and moved away. "I--er--suppose yer
couldn't help it."

Sam and Tom had gone ahead and they were now close to the man they took
to be Merrick.

"No mistake here!" declared Sam, as he got a good, square look at the
fellow's face.

"He sees us!" exclaimed Tom, a second later. "He is trying to get away."

The boy was right, Merrick had seen them. He was greatly amazed, for he
had not dreamed of their being in that vicinity. He left his seat in a
hurry, and, elbowing his way through the crowd, started for the entrance
to the big tent-like enclosure.

By this time Dick was coming up and Sam and Tom quickly acquainted him
with what was going on. All three of the Rovers pushed through the big
crowd after Merrick, but, before they could draw near, the rascal was
outside and running between a number of carriages and wagons standing in
that vicinity.

"Come on after him!" cried Tom. "We must capture him if we can!"

They set off on a smart run, but Merrick could run also, and fear now
lent speed to his flying feet. On and on went the swindler, with the
Rover boys less than a square behind him. Then, as they came to a number
of tall buildings, Merrick darted around a corner and out of sight.

When the Rover boys reached the corner they looked in every direction
for the man. Only a few people were about, the majority of the town
folks being at the show.

"Wonder if he went straight on, or took to some side street?" mused
Dick.

"I'll go straight on," said Sam. "Dick, you can take one side street and
Tom can take the other," and away went the youngest Rover, at a fresh
burst of speed.

Sam's advice was considered good, and soon all of the boys had
scattered. The street Tom followed was lined with tall tenements and
ended in little more than an alleyway.

Coming to another corner, Tom paused and gazed in all directions. As he
turned his head he saw a man look out from a tenement doorway. Then the
head was drawn back quickly.

"Merrick!" muttered Tom to himself, and turned back to the tenement,
which was a building four stories high. On one side was something of an
alleyway and beyond were other tenements, and the rear of a big building
used for a factory and offices.

Tom found the front door of the tenement wide open and he did not
hesitate to go in. Nobody was in sight, but he heard hasty footsteps on
the floor above.

"Merrick! you might as well give up!" he called out. "Come down here!"

"Go on about your business, young fellow!" came the reply. "If you try
to follow me you'll get the worst of it."

Undaunted by this threat, Tom mounted the stairs two steps at a time. As
he did so he heard Merrick go up a second flight and then a third.

"Must think he can hide on the roof," thought Tom. "Well, I'll corner
him if I can."

As Tom ran through the hallway on the third floor a door opened and an
old woman confronted him.

"What do yez want here?" she demanded, in strong Irish accents.

"I am after a thief," answered Tom.

"A thafe! Sure an' there's no thafe in this house."

"He just ran in here from the street."

"Bedad, is that true now? Where did he go to?"

"I don't know. How do you get to the roof?"

"Be the laddher at the back av the hall."

The old woman pointed in the direction, and Tom sped on. Soon he reached
a common wooden ladder leading to a scuttle, which was wide open. As the
youth mounted the ladder the scuttle was banged shut, almost hitting him
on the top of the head. Then he heard hasty footsteps across the roof.

"Maybe he thinks he can jump to one of the other buildings," said Tom to
himself. "Well, if he can do it, so can I."

He pushed the scuttle up with difficulty, for it was heavy. Then with
caution, for he did not want to receive a kick in the head, he gazed
around the roof of the tenement. Nobody was in sight.

With caution Tom stepped out on the roof. A number of chimneys were not
far off, and he wondered if Merrick was concealed behind them.

"I wish I had a club or something," he thought. "I'd have a tough time
of it up here, if it came to a hand-to-hand struggle."

With eyes on the alert, Tom made his way to one chimney and then
another. The swindler was not there, nor was he on the adjoining roof.
Then the youth got down on his hands and knees and looked over the edge
of the tenement, on the alleyway side. Here was an iron fire escape,
running from the fourth story to the second. On the fire escape he saw
Merrick, descending to the bottom with all possible rapidity.




CHAPTER X

JOLLY OLD SCHOOLMATES


Evidently the swindler had dropped from the roof to the upper landing of
the fire escape. He was now almost to the bottom.

"Stop!" cried Tom, but he knew the command was a useless one. At the
sound of his voice Merrick looked up and muttered something the boy
could not catch. Then he swung himself from the bottom landing of the
fire escape and dropped to the ground.

"If he can get down that way, so can I," thought Tom, and in another
moment he was descending the escape in the same fashion as the swindler
had done. As he reached the second landing of the escape he saw Merrick
turn the corner of the alleyway and disappear on the street beyond.

When Tom came out on the street he almost ran into the arms of two burly
men who had come out of the tenement. Both caught him by the arms.

"What does this mean, young fellow?" asked one, savagely. "Doing the
sneak-thief act?"

"I am after a thief," was the answer. "Did you see a man running away?"

"No, and we don't think there was a man," answered one of the tenement
dwellers.

"Well, there was a man," said Tom. "Come, if you will help me catch him
I will reward you well."

"What did he steal?"

"Some bonds worth ten thousand dollars--they belonged to my uncle,"
explained Tom, hastily.

The promise of a reward made the men attentive and they soon agreed to
assist Tom as much as possible. Then Dick and Sam came in sight, and had
to be told of what had happened.

The two men knew the tenement and factory district well, and they led in
a hunt lasting over half an hour, and a policeman was likewise called
into service.

"I've heard of that bond case," said the policeman. "I'd like to lay my
hands on Merrick."

But the hunt was a useless one, for Merrick could not be found. For
their trouble Tom gave the two men from the tenement a dollar each, with
which they had to be satisfied. The policeman promised to report the
matter at headquarters, and as there seemed to be nothing else to do,
the three Rover boys walked down to the steamboat dock, first, however,
sending a telegram to Randolph Rover, relating briefly what had
occurred.

"It's a great pity we didn't catch this Merrick," sighed Tom, when they
were steaming along the lake shore. "Perhaps we'll never see or hear of
him again."

"Well, we don't want Merrick as much as we want Uncle Randolph's
traction company bonds," answered Dick. "If he has disposed of the bonds
it won't do much good to catch him,--unless, of course, he can get the
bonds back."

"And he may not have had the bonds," put in Sam. "That fellow Pike may
have handled them."

"That is true, too,--although I somehow think Merrick is the prime mover
in this swindle."

"I think that, too," said Tom.

The _Golden Star_ was a trim little side-wheeler with a fair-sized deck
fore and aft. The boys sat on the forward deck, and as the boat ran
along the shore of the lake they pointed out many localities known to
them.

"There is where we went on the paper chase," said Sam.

"Yes, and that is where we went on one of the encampments," added Tom.

"We came fishing down here once," put in Dick. "One of the boys went
overboard."

"It was John Fenwick, the fellow we used to call Mumps," said Tom. "By
the way, I wonder what has become of him?"

"Went west, I think," answered Sam. "One of the boys said he was in the
insurance business with some relative."

"He was a great toady to Dan Baxter."

"So he was, but he had some good points, too."

So the talk ran on, until Cedarville was reached. On account of the
delay it was dark, and the boys wondered if they would find any
conveyance to take them to the Hall.

"Hullo, here is Peleg Snuggers with the carryall!" cried Sam, as the
general utility man of the school appeared. "How are you, Peleg?"

"Fust rate," replied the man, grinning. "Been waiting a long time for
you."

"Sorry, but we couldn't make the captain hurry the boat," answered Dick.

"Peleg, you're a sight for tired optics," said Tom, giving the man's
hand a squeeze that made him wince. "How's your grandmother?"

"Why, Master Tom, I ain't----"

"And your great-granduncle? Is he over the shingles yet?"

"Why, Master Tom, I ain't got no----"

"And your second cousin by your first wife's sister? Did she get over
the heart failure she had when the canary took a fit?"

"Now, see here, Master Tom, don't you go for to joking an old man----"

"Joking, Peleg?" returned Tom, solemnly. "Why, you know I never joke."
And he took on an injured look.

"Don't joke, eh? Well, if you ain't the greatest joker Putnam Hall ever
see then I'll eat my hat," declared Peleg. "Jump in an' don't ask me
about no grandfathers, or wife's sisters, nor nuthing. Ain't you
hungry?"

"Hungry? I could eat a brickbat fried in lemon oil."

"Then, unless you hurry, you won't get no supper."

"Oh, Mrs. Green will get something for us, never fear," said Dick,
mentioning the matron of Putnam Hall, who was a warm-hearted and
generous woman, even though a little bit "peppery" at times.

"All the other boys here now?" asked Dick, as they drove off in the
direction of Putnam Hall.

"I reckon the most of 'em are, Master Dick. So many coming an' going I
can hardly keep track of 'em."

"Fred Garrison, Songbird Powell and Hans Mueller back?" asked Sam.

"Yes, an' they told me some wonderful stories of your doings down
south."

"Are Larry Colby and George Granbury here?" questioned Dick.

"Yes."

"I'll be glad to meet Larry and George again," went on Dick. "I suppose
they'll have something to tell of what they did during vacation."

"Every time I come to the Hall I think of the first time I came," said
Tom. "Do you remember how I set off that giant firecracker?"

"Yes, and how old Josiah Crabtree put you under arrest for it," added
Sam. "Wonder where old Crabtree is now?"

"He is out of prison," answered Peleg Snuggers. "I got that from a man
in Cedarville. The man said as how Crabtree went to Canada."

"Hope he stays there and never attempts to bother Mrs. Stanhope again,"
was Dick's comment.

About half the distance to the Hall had been covered when there came a
shout on the road and Peleg Snuggers had to rein in his team. Then
several boys appeared, dressed in cadet uniforms, for Putnam Hall was a
military academy.

"Whoop! here they are, fellows! Hurrah for the Rovers!"

"Rovers by name and rovers by nature!"

"Say, Tom, how do you like being adrift on the Gulf of Mexico?"

"Sam, don't you want to become a regular cowboy?"

"Dick, when I buy a houseboat I'm going to engage you as captain."

And then the students in the road clambered into the carryall and
tumbled all over the Rovers, hugging them and trying to shake hands at
the same time.

"Larry, glad to see you, but please don't smother me."

"I'll love you, George, if only you won't put your elbow through my
ribs."

"I knew Fred would meet us."

"You gif me der honor of dis," came from Hans Mueller. "I tole dem
fellers to come along alretty."

"Good for you, Hansy, old boy!" cried Sam, and gave the German cadet a
tight squeeze.

"Songbird, why don't you turn on the poetry pipe line and let her flow?"
queried Larry Colby, who, even though an officer of one of the
companies, was as jolly as the rest of the students.

"Yes, give us something by all means," said Tom. "Something about
'stilly night,' 'fond recollections,' 'starved cats,' and the like."

"Humph! 'stilly night' and 'starved cats'!" snorted Songbird Powell.
"You must think I'm running a hash mill instead of----"

"By no means, Songbird, dear!" piped Tom. "We all know you're the sole
owner of the largest poem factory in New York state. Let her flow by all
means."

"If you don't recite, we'll sing," said Dick.

"No, don't do that--yet," pleaded Songbird. "I've got a verse or two all
ready," and he began, in slow, measured tones:

    "Back to dear old Putnam Hall!
        Back to the days of yore!
    Back to the good old times we had!
        May we have many more!
    Back to our lessons and our books,
        And to the teachers, too,
    Back to the drills and hours off----"

    "And to the mutton stew!"

finished Tom. "Don't forget to put in Mrs. Green's wonderful mutton
stews."

"No mutton stews in this!" snorted Songbird. "The last line was, 'When
days were bright and blue,'" and then he continued:

    "We love to gather here again,
        And talk of times to come,
    And plot and plan, and plan and plot----
        And plan and plot----and plot and plot----
    And plan----and plan----and plan----"

"Songbird, you've plotted and planned too much," interrupted Dick, as
the would-be poet hesitated. "Let's sing a song."

"That's the talk!" cried Fred Garrison, and started up the song well
known to all of them:

    "Putnam Hall's the place for me!
        Tra la lee! Tra la lee!
    Putnam Hall's the place for me!
        The best old school I know!"

And then, as the carryall swung up to the campus, they set up the school
yell, which brought out a score of students to witness the arrival of
the Rover boys.




CHAPTER XI

WILLIAM PHILANDER TUBBS


As my old readers know, Putnam Hall was a handsome structure of brick
and stone standing in the center of a large plot of ground, bounded on
two sides by cedar woods. To the front was the campus and the wagon road
and beyond this a slope leading to the lake. To the rear were rich farm
lands, cultivated solely for the benefit of the institution. Besides the
school, there were a building fitted up as a gymnasium, and also several
barns and carriage houses. The Hall was built in the form of the letter
E, and was three stories high. It contained numerous classrooms, a
private office, a large mess hall, or dining room, and both large and
small dormitories.

The master of the school was Captain Victor Putnam, who was a bachelor,
and as kind as he was strict. Captain Putnam was a West Point graduate,
and had modeled his school somewhat after that famous government
institution. When the school was first organized the Rover boys did not
go there, but a number of other bright and lively lads did, and what
these cadets accomplished has already been related in a line of stories
called "The Putnam Hall Series," starting with "The Putnam Hall Cadets."
These lads had some awful quarrels with the head assistant, Josiah
Crabtree, and they were glad when the Rovers appeared and made it so hot
for Crabtree that he had to leave. George Strong was now first assistant
in place of Crabtree, and the cadets found him a teacher after their own
heart.

"Hurrah! here are the Rovers!" was the cry from the campus. "Welcome
back!"

"Boys, I am glad to see you again," came from Captain Putnam, as he
appeared at the front door and shook hands. "From what I have heard you
have had rather strenuous times during the past vacation."

"That is true, Captain," answered Dick. "I am glad to get back here."

"So am I glad," came from Tom and Sam, and all shook hands. Then the
boys were told to go to the mess hall, where a hot supper awaited them.
Here Mrs. Green met them with her round, ruddy and smiling face.

"It's wonderful stories I've heard of you," said the matron. "I declare,
you'll have to go into a museum!"

"Not until after supper anyhow," answered Tom, dryly. And then everybody
present laughed.

The supper over, the boys went up to their dormitory, and here as many
of the cadets as could crowded in, to talk over the doings of the past
vacation. Larry Colby had spent the time on the coast of Maine, and
George Granbury had been to the Thousand Islands and to Montreal.

"Yes, Crabtree is in Canada," said George. "I met him in Montreal, and I
can tell you, he looked seedy enough."

"Well, he deserves to be seedy," was Dick's comment. He could not forget
how the former teacher had endeavored to hypnotize the widow Stanhope
into marrying him, so that he could gain possession of the money she was
holding in trust for Dora.

Of course all the boys wanted to know about Dan Baxter, for he had been
a leading character at the Hall for many years. Some shook their heads
at the idea of the former bully reforming.

"It will be the greatest surprise I ever heard of," was Larry's comment.

"He'll do it--mark my words," said Dick.

"Let us hope so," said George.

"Well, it would seem that Putnam Hall is not to suffer for the want of a
bully," came from Fred. "We've got a new one here who is as bad as Dan
Baxter ever was."

"Who is he?" questioned Dick, with interest.

"A chap named Tad Sobber. He is a big, overbearing fellow with hardly
any education, and he wants to rule everybody. I can't understand how
Captain Putnam took him as a pupil."

"He came well recommended, that's why," answered Songbird. "But I guess
the captain has found out that the recommendation was false."

"He shan't rule me," said Tom, decidedly.

"We want no bullies here," put in Dick. "The day for all such is past."

"So say we all of us!" cried several cadets.

At that moment came a knock on the door, and a tall youth, wearing an
unusually high collar and very large cuffs, came in.

"Well, if it isn't our old chum, William Philander Tubbs!" cried Dick,
running forward and grasping the hand of the dude student.

"Hullo, Tubbsey, old man!" said Tom, gaily. "What's the price of the
best cologne now?"

"Very--ah--glad to meet you again," drawled Tubbs. "But--er--please
don't call me Tubbsey, because it isn't my name, don't you know."

"To be sure, Buttertub--I mean Washtub," answered Tom. "Had your hair
crimped lately?"

"Now, Tom, I never crimp my hair--it hurts the color, don't you know,"
explained William Philander. "I use----"

"Glue with an egg beater," finished Tom with a wink at his friends. "By
the way, Tubblets, do you know what I heard some girls say last week?
They said they thought you were a regular fashion plate."

"Now did they really?" gushed the dude, much pleased. "Who--er--said
it?"

"Two girls living not many miles from here."

"You--ah--don't happen to know their names?"

"No. But I can tell you all about them."

"Ah! Then please do, Tom," said the dude eagerly. To have any young
ladies think of him pleased him immensely.

"Well, these are a couple of young ladies who work in a laundry. Maybe
they wash your shirts. They are colored, and----"

"Colored!" gasped the dude, and then a shout of laughter went up, in the
midst of which William Philander started to leave the room.

"Don't go away mad, Billy," cried Tom. "Isn't it nice even to have two
dusky damsels think of you?"

"No, it is not--it is--is horrid!" answered William Philander. "I think
you are--er--poking fun at me."

"Never did such a thing in my life, my dear fellow--it's against my
internal regulations. But how have you been since the week before next
month?"

"I had a delightful vacation."

"Took the girls out to ice-cream sociables and yellow teas every day you
wasn't playing golf or hop-scotch, I suppose."

"I--er--took the young ladies out some--we had glorious times, don't you
know. One moonlight night on Lake George I shall never forget, don't you
know. We were out in a tiny rowboat and the moon was sparkling over the
water, and Geraldine and I----"

"Lucky Geraldine!" sighed Tom. "And thrice lucky Philander Willander--I
mean William Philander!"

"Can't you make up a poem about Geraldine, Songbird?" asked Sam.

"And don't forget to put in the moonlight," came from Dick.

"And the silvery waves, and murmuring breeze," added Fred.

"How much older than you is Geraldine, any how?" quizzed Tom.

"Geraldine is----"

"You haven't got to tell her age if she is over thirty, Billy," said
Larry. "Her age is sacred after that, you know."

"And don't tell us even if she has false teeth," came from Sam.

"And it doesn't make any real difference whether her hair is her own or
not."

"It's hers if it is paid for," said Tom. "You don't suppose a girl that
Billy would fall in love with would wear tresses that were stolen?"

"And to think she may be fat!" sighed Sam. "I hope she doesn't weigh
over two hundred, Willy."

"Oh dear me!" cried the dude, in desperation. "I want you to
remember----"

"That she is yours and yours only," finished Tom. "Yes, nobody shall
walk in your corn patch, Bill--not over my dead body. But tell
us--secretly if you must--does she wear a number eight shoe or a
twelve?"

"If you don't stop your fooling----" gasped the dude.

"He is going to keep his dreadful secrets to himself," cried Tom,
mournfully. "Alack! and too bad! But never mind, we'll all come to the
wedding, Tubblets, and bring lemons if you say so?"

"Who said I was going to get married?"

"Is it to be a church affair or just a little private home gathering?"
went on Tom, seriously. "If it's to be in a church, and you want us all
for rushers--I mean ushers, why----"

"We'll all be on the job," finished Dick. "Wouldn't miss the chance for
a farm with a blind mule thrown in."

"Vots der madder mid me peing a flower girl?" asked Hans, grinning
broadly.

"No, Hansy, you'll have to carry Billy's coat-tails for him," said Fred.
"The latest style from London, don't you know, is to have them trailing
on behind like----"

"Oh, stop! stop!" screamed William Philander, putting his hands to his
ears. "You are all perfectly horrid, don't you know! I'll not remain
another minute!" and he fled from the dormitory, the laughter of the
crowd ringing in his ears as he departed.




CHAPTER XII

WHAT HAPPENED ON THE STAIRS


In a few days the Rover boys felt perfectly at home once more--indeed it
was as if they had never been away, so Sam said. The majority of the
students were old friends, although there was a fair sprinkling of new
boys.

It was not until the end of the week that Dick Rover came into contact
with Tad Sobber, a stocky youth, with a shock of black hair and eyes
which were cold and penetrating. Sobber was with a chum named Nick Pell,
and both eyed Dick in a calculating manner which was highly offensive.

"He's the fellow who does the hero act," whispered Sobber to Pell, in a
manner meant to reach Dick's ears. "Wants to make a regular grand-stand
play all the time."

Without hesitation Dick wheeled about.

"Was that remark intended for me?" he demanded, sharply.

His suddenness took Tad Sobber off his guard.

"What if it was?" he demanded in return.

"I don't like it, that's all."

"Humph! I don't care whether you like it or not," grunted Sobber.

"See here, Tad Sobber, let us have an understanding," said Dick, calmly.
"I understand that you are trying to bully everybody in this school.
Now, this cannot be. We have had several bullies here and we have gotten
rid of them all. We want no more."

"Humph! Trying to be the bully yourself, eh?" sneered Sobber.

"No, I am only giving you warning. The other boys have told me about
you."

"Tad has a right to act as he pleases," put in Nick Pell.

"No, he has not. Captain Putnam expects every student here to be a
gentleman."

"Oh, don't preach, Rover," cried Tad Sobber. "I can take care of myself
without your advice."

"Well, I warn you to keep your distance so far as I am concerned and
keep a civil tongue in your head," said Dick.

What this war of words might have led to there is no telling. Just at
that moment the school bell rang, and all of the students had to hurry
to their respective classes.

It may be mentioned here that Sam, Tom and Dick were now in the same
grade. This may be wondered at, but the fact of the matter was that Sam,
by hard work the term previous, had caught up to Tom, while Dick,
because of being away on some business for his father at various times,
had dropped a little behind.

"Had a little run-in with Sobber," said Dick to his brothers, when he
got the chance, and related the particulars.

"He said something about me behind my back," said Sam. "I don't know
what it was, but I am certain it was nothing complimentary."

"We must watch him," said Tom. "If we do not, he may try to play us
foul."

As this was to be their last term at Putnam Hall, all of the Rovers
determined to do their best in their studies, so they spent no time in
fooling while at their classes. Once or twice Tom found it hard to
resist playing a joke, but a look from Dick usually made him turn to his
books again.

It was now the season for football, and several school teams had been
organized. Tom and Dick were on one team, headed by Larry Colby. There
was another team headed by Tad Sobber, and on this Nick Pell was a
quarterback. How Sobber had ever gotten the captaincy of this team was a
mystery.

"They want to play us next Saturday," said Larry, one afternoon. "What
do you fellows say?" He put the question to his fellow members of the
eleven.

"I don't care much to play Sobber and Pell," said Tom, promptly.

"Exactly the way I feel about it," added Dick. "But I'll play if the
rest want to."

Some demurred, but in the end the match was arranged, and it started on
the school grounds at two o'clock the following Saturday afternoon.