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diff --git a/old/13455.txt b/old/13455.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3103ae0 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13455.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7683 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Rover Boys In The Mountains, by Arthur M. +Winfield + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Rover Boys In The Mountains + +Author: Arthur M. Winfield + +Release Date: September 14, 2004 [eBook #13455] +Most recently updated: January 18, 2009 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ROVER BOYS IN THE MOUNTAINS*** + + +E-text prepared by Scott G. Sims and the Project Gutenberg Online +Distributed Proofreading Team + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 13455-h.htm or 13455-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/3/4/5/13455/13455-h/13455-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/3/4/5/13455/13455-h.zip) + + + + + +THE ROVER BOYS IN THE MOUNTAINS + +or, A Hunt for Fun and Fortune + +by + +ARTHUR M. WINFIELD + +Author of "THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL," +"THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN," +"THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE," +"THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST," +"THE ROVER BOYS ON THE GREAT LAKES," ETC. + +1902 + + + + + + +[Illustration: DINNER ON THE WAY.--_Frontis_. +_Rover Boys in the Mountains_.] + + + + +BY THE SAME AUTHOR + +THE ROVER BOYS ON THE RIVER; +Or, The Search for the Missing Houseboat. + +THE ROVER BOYS IN CAMP; +Or, The Rivals of Pine Island. + +THE ROVER BOYS ON LAND AND SEA; +Or, The Crusoes of Seven Islands. + +THE ROVER BOYS IN THE MOUNTAINS; +Or, A Hunt for Fun and Fortune. + +THE ROVER BOYS ON THE GREAT LAKES; +Or, The Secret of the Island Cave. + +THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST; +Or, The Search for a Lost Mine. + +THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE; +Or, Stirring Adventures in Africa. + +THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN; +Or, A Chase for a Fortune. + +THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL; +Or, The Cadets of Putnam Hall. + + +12mo, finely illustrated and bound in cloth. +Price, per volume, 60 cents. + + + + + +CONTENTS. + + I. THE BOYS OF PUTNAM HALL + + II. A GLIMPSE AT THE PAST + + III. TOM ON A TOUR OF DISCOVERY + + IV. DORMITORY NUMBER TWO + + V. A SCENE IN THE SCHOOLROOM + + VI. NEWS OF AN OLD ENEMY + + VII. SOMETHING OF A SURPRISE + + VIII. JASPER GRINDER IS DISMISSED + + IX. A RACE ON THE ICE, AND WHAT FOLLOWED + + X. THE END OF THE TERM + + XI. HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS + + XII. THE BRASS-LINED MONEY CASKET + + XIII. THE HEART OF THE ADIRONDACKS + + XIV. THE START UP THE RIVER + + XV. WILD TURKEYS + + XVI. ON THE WRONG TRAIL + + XVII. AN UNEXPECTED DISCOVERY + + XVIII. IN THE CAMP OF THE ENEMY + + XIX. DICK AND THE WILDCAT + + XX. BEAR POND AT LAST + + XXI. A PAIR OF PRISONERS + + XXII. JASPER GRINDER TRIES TO MAKE TERMS + + XXIII. THE BLACK BEAR + + XXIV. TOGETHER AGAIN + + XXV. SNOWED IN + + XXVI. AN UNWELCOME COMRADE + + XXVII. BRINGING DOWN TWO BEARS + +XXVIII. TWO FAILURES + + XXIX. JASPER GRINDER AND THE WOLVES + + XXX. A SUCCESSFUL SEARCH--CONCLUSION + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +My dear boys: "The Rover Boys in the Mountains" is a complete story in +itself, but forms the sixth volume of the "Rover Boys Series for Young +Americans." + +This series of books for wide-awake American lads was begun several +years ago with the publication of "The Rover Boys at School." At that +time the author had in mind to write not more than three volumes, +relating the adventures of Dick, Tom, and Sam Rover at Putnam Hall, "On +the Ocean," and "In the Jungle," but the publication of these books +immediately called for a fourth, "The Rover Boys Out West," and then a +fifth, "The Rover Boys on the Great Lakes." Still my young friends did +not appear to be satisfied, and so I now present to them this sixth +volume, which relates the stirring adventures of the three Rover boys in +the Adirondacks, whither they had gone to solve the mystery of a certain +brass-lined money casket found by them on an island in Lake Huron. + +In writing this volume I have had a double purpose in view; not only to +pen a tale which might prove pleasing to all boys, but one which might +likewise give them a fair idea of the wonderful resources and natural +beauty of this section of the United States. Ours is a wonderful +country, and none of us can learn too much concerning it. + +Again thanking my young friends for their kindness in the past, I place +this volume in their hands, trusting they will find it as much to their +liking as those which have preceded it. + +Affectionately and sincerely yours, + +ARTHUR M. WINFIELD. + + + + +THE ROVER BOYS IN THE MOUNTAINS. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE BOYS OF PUTNAM HALL. + + +"Hurrah, boys, the lake is frozen over! We'll be sure to have good +skating by to-morrow afternoon!" + +"That's fine news, Tom," came from Sam Rover. "I've been fairly aching +for a skate ever since that cold snap of two weeks ago." + +"We'll have to start up some skating matches if good skating does really +turn up," put in Dick Rover, who had just joined his two brothers in the +gymnasium attached to Putnam Hall. "Don't you remember those matches we +had last year?" + +"Certainly, Dick," answered Tom Rover. "Didn't I win one of the silver +medals?" + +"Gracious! but what a lot has happened since then," said Sam, who was +the youngest of the trio. "We've gotten rid of nearly all of our +enemies, and old Crabtree is in jail and can't bother Mrs. Stanhope or +Dora any more." + +"We didn't get rid of Dan Baxter," remarked Dick. "He gave us the slip +nicely." + +"Do you think he'll dare to bother us again, Dick?" questioned Sam +anxiously. + +"I hope not, but I'm not certain, Sam. The Baxters are a bad lot, as all +of us know, and as Dan grows older he'll be just as wicked as his +father, and maybe worse." + +"What a pity a fellow like Dan can't turn over a new leaf," came from +Tom Rover. "He's bright enough in his way, and would make a first-rate +chap." + +"It's not in the blood," went on Dick. "We'll have to keep our eyes +open, that's all. If anything, Dan is probably more angry at us than +ever, for he believes we were the sole means of his father being put in +prison." + +"Old Baxter deserved all he got," murmured Sam. + +"So he did." + +"Well, if Dan Baxter ever bothers me he'll catch it warm," came from +Tom. "I shan't attempt to mince matters with him. Everybody at this +school knows what a bully he was, and they know, too, what a rascal he's +been since he left. So I say, let him beware!" And so bringing the +conversation to an end for the time being, Tom Rover ran across the +gymnasium floor, leaped up and grasped a turning-bar stationed there, +and was soon going through a number of exercises recently taught to him +by the new "gym" teacher. + +"Gracious, but Tom is getting to be a regular circus gymnast!" cried +Sam, as he watched his brother in admiration. "Just see what beautiful +turns he is making." + +"Humph! that aint so wonderful," came from someone at Sam's elbow, and +turning the youngest Rover found himself close to Billy Tubbs, a short, +stocky youth who had entered Putnam Hall at the opening of the fall +term. Tubbs was a boy of rich parentage, and while he was not +particularly a bully, he considered himself of great importance and +vastly superior to the majority of his associates. + +"All right, Tubby; if it isn't so wonderful, just you jump up and do +it," returned Sam coldly. + +"Look here, how many times have I told you not to call me Tubby!" burst +out the rich youth. "I don't like it at all." + +"Then what shall we call you?" asked Sam innocently. "Tubblets?" + +"No, I don't want you to call me Tubblets either. My name is +Tubbs--William Philander Tubbs." + +"Gosh! Am I to say all that whenever I want to address you?" demanded +Sam, with a pretended gasp for breath. + +"I don't see why you shouldn't. It's my name." + +"But Tubby--I mean Tubblets--no, Willander Philliam Tubbs--the name is +altogether too long. Why, supposin' you were standing on a railroad +track looking east, and an express train was coming from the west at the +rate of seventy-five miles an hour, and it got to within a hundred yards +of you when I discovered your truly horrible peril, and I should start +to warn you of the aforesaid truly horrible peril, take my word for it, +before I could utter such an elongated personal handle as that, you'd be +struck and distributed along that track for a distance of a mile and a +quarter. No, Tubby, my conscience wouldn't allow it--really it +wouldn't." And Sam shook his head seriously. + +"See here, what are you giving me?" roared Tubbs wrathfully. "Don't you +worry about my standing on a railroad track and asking you to call me +off." And then he added, with a red face, as a laugh went up from half a +dozen students standing near: "William Philander Tubbs is my name, and I +shan't answer to any other after this." + +"Good for you Washtubs!" came from a boy in the rear of the crowd. + +"I'd stick to that resolution, by all means, Buttertubs," came from the +opposite side of the crowd. + +And then one older youth, who was given to writing songs, began to sing +softly: + + + "Rub-a-dub-dub! + One man in a tub, + And who do you think it is, + It's William Philander, + Who's got up his dander, + And isn't he mad! Gee whizz!" + + +The doggerel, gotten up on the spur of the moment, struck the fancy of +fully a score of boys, big and little, and in an instant all were +singing it over and over again, at the top of their lungs, and at this +those who did not sing began to laugh uproariously. + +"I say, what's it all about?" demanded Tom, as he slid from the +turning-bar. + +"Songbird Powell has composed a comic opera in Tubby's honor," answered +Larry Colby, one of the Rover boys' chums. "I guess he's going to have +it put on the stage after the holidays, with Tubby as leading man." + +"See here, I won't have this!" roared the rich youth, waving his hand +wildly first at one boy and then another. "I don't want you to make up +any songs about me." + +"Songbird won't charge you anything," put in Fred Garrison, another of +the students. "He's a true poet, and writes for nothing. You ought to +feel highly honored." + +"Make a speech of thanks, that's a good fellow," put in George Granbury, +another student. + +"It's an outrage!" shouted Tubbs, his face growing redder each instant. +"I won't stand it." + +"All right, we won't charge you for sitting on it," came from the back +of the crowd. + +"My right name is----" + +"Barrel, but they call me Tubbs for short," finished another student. +"Hurrah, Tubby is discovered at last." + +"Don't blush, Washtub! you don't look half as pretty as when you're +pale." + +"If you feel warm, Buttertub, go out and sit on the thin ice. It will +soon cool you off," came from Fred Garrison. + +"I'll cool you off, Garry!" burst out the rich youth, and made a wild +dash at his tormentor. But somebody put out a foot and the tormented boy +stumbled headlong, at which the crowd set up another shout, and then +sang louder than ever, + + + "Rub-a-dub-dub! + One man in a tub!" + + +"I say, who tripped me up!" gasped Tubbs, as soon as he could scramble +up. "Tell me who did it, and I'll soon settle with him." + +"Who rolled over the buttertub?" asked Tom solemnly. "One peanut reward +for the first correct answer to this absorbing puzzle. Please don't all +raise your hands at once." + +"I believe you did it, Tom Rover!" bellowed the rich youth. + +"I? Never, Tubby, my dear boy. I never rolled over a buttertub in my +life. You've got the wrong number. Kindly ring the bell next door." + +"Then it was Sam, and I'll fix him for it, see if I don't!" + +"No, it wasn't Sam. He never touched a washtub in his life." + +"I say it was Sam," cried Tubbs, who was almost beside himself with +rage. "And I'm going to teach him a lesson. There, Sam Rover, how do you +like that?" + +As the rich youth finished, he caught the youngest Rover by the shoulder +with his left hand and with his right gave Sam a slanting blow on the +cheek. + +"Stop! I didn't trip you!" exclaimed Sam; and then as Tubbs aimed +another blow at him he ducked and broke loose and hit out in return. His +blow was harder and more truly aimed than he had anticipated, and it +took Tubbs directly on the nose. A spurt of blood followed, accompanied +by a yell of pain, and the rich youth fell back. + +"Oh! oh! My nose!" + +"You brought it on yourself," retorted Sam. "I didn't----" + +"Stop! stop! Boys, what does this mean?" came in a sudden stern voice, +and in a moment more the two combatants found themselves confronted by +Jasper Grinder, a new teacher. "Fighting, eh? How often, must you be +told that such disgraceful conduct is not allowed here? You come with +me, and I'll make an example of both of you." + +And in a moment more the two lads found themselves prisoners in Jasper +Grinder's strong grasp and being marched out of the gymnasium toward the +school building proper. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +A GLIMPSE AT THE PAST. + + +As old readers of this series of books know, the Rover boys were three +in number, Dick being the oldest, fun-loving Tom next, and small but +sturdy Sam bringing up the rear of a trio of as bright and up-to-date a +set of American lads as could be found anywhere. + +The home of the lads was with their father, Anderson Rover, and their +Uncle Randolph and Aunt Martha, on a beautiful farm at Valley Brook, in +the heart of New York State. From this farm they had been sent to Putnam +Hall, a semi-military institute of learning situated near Cedarville, on +Cayuga Lake. This was while their father had mysteriously disappeared +while on an exploring tour into the heart of Africa. + +At Putnam Hall the Rover boys made a number of friends, some of whom +have already been mentioned in these pages, and they likewise made +several enemies. Chief among the enemies were Josiah Crabtree, a +dictatorial teacher, and Dan Baxter, a bully who had done his best to +make them "knuckle under" to him. + +Since those first days at school many changes had taken place; so many, +in fact, that but a few can be noted here. Crabtree had been discharged, +and was now in prison for trying to hypnotize a lady into marrying him. +This lady was Mrs. Stanhope, the mother of Dora Stanhope, who lived in +the vicinity of Putnam Hall, and a girl of whom Dick Rover thought a +good deal. + +It had not taken the Rover boys long to discover that not only the +dictatorial old teacher, but also the bully, Dan Baxter, were rascals, +and, what was more, that Arnold Baxter, the father of Dan, was an old +enemy to their father. Following this had come a journey to Africa and +into the jungle in search of Mr. Rover, and this mission accomplished, +the Rover boys had gone West to establish a mining claim in which their +father was interested. This claim was disputed by the Baxters, and when +the Rovers won out and went for a pleasure trip on the Great Lakes, the +Baxters did their best to bring Dick, Tom, and Sam to grief. But instead +of accomplishing their purpose they failed once more, and Arnold Baxter +was returned to the prison from which he had escaped some months before. +What had become of Dan Baxter nobody knew, but the Rover boys were soon +to learn, as we will see in the chapters which follow. + +After their stirring adventures on the Great Lakes, and especially on +Needle Point Island in Lake Huron, the Rover boys were glad enough to +get back to dear old Putnam Hall and to their studies, even though the +latter were something of a "grind," as Tom declared. They all loved +Captain Victor Putnam, the owner of the institution, and it may be added +here that the captain thought as much of the Rovers as he did of any of +the scholars under him, and that was a good deal. + +The coming of Jasper Grinder as a new under-teacher was a shock to many +of the boys at the school. The principal teacher under Captain Putnam +was Professor George Strong, who was stern but fair, and almost as well +liked as the captain himself, and there were now several others, all of +whom were on a good footing with the scholars. What had induced the +captain to take in such a dictatorial and harsh master as Jasper Grinder +was a mystery which nobody could explain. + +As a matter of fact, Grinder had come into the Hall under a +misrepresentation. He was from the Northwest, and claimed to have been a +professor at a well-known California college. It was true he had once +taught at this college, but his record was far from being as +satisfactory as Captain Putnam had been led to believe. It was true he +was a learned man,--quite the opposite of Josiah Crabtree, who had been +wise only in looks,--but it was also true that he was a high-strung, +passionate man, given to strange fits of anger, and that he was a miser, +never spending a cent that was not absolutely required of him. + +"I say, let me go!" cried Sam, as Jasper Grinder almost dragged him +across the parade ground between the gymnasium and the school building. +"I am not to blame for this row." + +"Silence! I won't listen to a word until we are in the office," +commanded the irate teacher. + +"He started the whole thing," came from Tubbs. "He called me Tubby, and +got the crowd to singing a song about me." + +"I had nothing to do with the song, and all the boys have called you +Tubby since you came here," went on Sam. + +"Be quiet, I tell you!" cried Jasper Grinder, and clutched the arm of +each so tightly that Tubbs set up a yell of pain. "I am master here, and +I will show you how to mind." + +At these words Sam's heart gave a sudden drop. It was Friday afternoon, +and the next day would be, as usual, a holiday. Taking advantage of this +fact Professor Strong had gone to Buffalo to visit a sick relative +residing there, and only an hour before Captain Putnam had been driven +away behind his team to visit an old army friend living at Fordview, +twelve miles away. Professor Strong would not return until Monday +morning, and it was more than likely the captain would remain away over +night. During this interval Jasper Grinder would be in absolute charge +of the academy and the pupils. + +In a few minutes the teacher had led the way into Captain Putnam's +office, and with a final pinch of their arms, which made Tubbs cry out +once more with pain, he flung the pair away from him. + +"Don't you know it is disgraceful to fight?" he thundered. + +"We weren't fighting--that is, not exactly," said Tubbs meekly. + +"Silence! I saw the whole affair. Why, your nose is still bleeding." + +"I don't care. It was Rover's fault, Mr. Grinder. He started the boys, +and they all began to make fun of me. He wouldn't stop----" + +"And then you fought like a pair of young tigers. Disgraceful! I will +have to make an example of both of you." + +"I'd like to see Captain Putnam about the matter," said Sam boldly. + +At these words Jasper Grinder fairly trembled with suppressed anger. +"The captain is not here, and I shall deal with you as you deserve," he +said. + +Tubbs sank down on a chair and began to attend to his nose with his +handkerchief. Sam remained standing, but his whole manner showed that he +did not consider he was being treated fairly. + +"What both of you boys deserve is a good thrashing," said the teacher, +after a pause. + +At this Sam looked his surprise. Thrashing was not permitted at the +Hall. The worst that could happen to a student was to place him in +solitary confinement over night, after a supper of bread and water. + +"As I am not permitted by the rules to thrash you, I shall put you in +the stone cell over night," went on Jasper Grinder. + +"Together?" questioned Tubbs, from behind his blood-stained +handkerchief. + +"No. You shall go to the cell; and Rover shall be placed in the empty +storeroom next to it." + +"The cell is ice cold, and so is the storeroom," protested Sam. + +"It is not my fault that you must be placed there, and you will have to +put up with the cold," was the curt answer. + +"I shan't stay in a cold room!" cried Sam. "It's not fair." + +"You shall, and I'll put you there myself!" ejaculated Jasper Grinder. +"Tubbs, don't dare to stir until I return." + +So speaking, the unreasonable teacher caught hold of Sam once more, and +despite the youngest Rover's struggles hustled him out of the office and +through a long hallway, at the end of which was located the storeroom he +had mentioned. The key to the room was in the lock. + +"Now stay there until you are willing to behave yourself," said Jasper +Grinder, and shoved Sam into the apartment. "For your impudence to me +you shall go without your supper to-night." + +"That remains to be seen," replied Sam, but in such a low voice that the +teacher did not hear. Then the door was closed and locked, and Jasper +Grinder hurried away with the key in his pocket, to make poor Tubbs a +prisoner in the stone cell. + +"Here's a pretty mess, and no mistake," thought Sam, as he sank on a +bench, the only article of furniture the room contained. "I'm being +treated worse than Tom was treated by old Crabtree when first we came to +the Hall. And all because I called Tubby by his nickname! If this keeps +on a fellow won't dare to breathe out loud when Grinder is around. What +a passionate fellow he is at times! He glares at a fellow as if he was +going to eat you up!" + +While Sam remained on the bench he heard footsteps in the hallway and a +howling protest from Tubbs. Then he heard the rich youth thrown into the +stone cell next to the storeroom and left to his fate. + +It was nipping cold, and, even with the window tightly closed and +nailed over with slats, Sam could not endure it to remain on the bench +long. Leaping up he began to stamp his feet and slap his arms across his +chest to get them warm. Soon he heard Tubbs doing the same thing. + +"I guess he's worse off than I am," thought the youngest Rover. "That +stone cell hasn't any bench in it any more, and it must be twice as cold +and damp as this room. It's a shame to put anyone there in this freezing +weather. I don't believe Captain Putnam would stand for it if he was +here." + +He tried to speak to Tubbs, but the wall between was too thick, and he +soon gave up the idea. Then he continued to stamp his feet and slap his +arms, and even went through an imaginary prize fight, in order to warm +up. It was now growing dark, and with the darkness the atmosphere of the +storeroom became colder and colder. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +TOM ON A TOUR OF DISCOVERY. + + +Poor Sam was removed from the gymnasium so quickly that neither Dick nor +Tom had time to protest, and when they reached the main door of the +school building they found it shut and locked in their faces. + +"Say, this is an outrage," burst out Tom. "Sam wasn't to blame for that +fight. He didn't trip Tubby up." + +"I know he didn't," put in Fred Garrison, who had come up also. "It was +Larry Mason. But I shan't give Larry away." + +"Neither will I." + +"Mr. Grinder always carries matters with a high hand when the captain is +away," put in Dick. "And he gets red-hot at the least little thing." + +"He doesn't deserve to be a teacher here," came from George Granbury, +who had followed the others. "To my way of thinking, he's worse than old +Crabtree was, even though he is perhaps better educated." + +"I'd like to know what he is going to do with Sam," said Dick, with a +serious look on his face. "Sam has made such a good record this term I +hate to see it broken." + +"He'll do something to punish 'em both," came from Fred. "It will be too +bad, though, if he puts 'em in the stone cell. They'll freeze to death +such a night as this is going to be." + +"I won't allow it," ejaculated Dick. "Why, that would be inhuman!" + +"I'm going in by the back way and find out what's going on," said Tom, +and promptly disappeared around the corner of the Hall. He was soon +inside the building, but to his chagrin found every door leading to +Captain Putnam's private apartments and to the stone cell and the +storeroom locked. Having gone through the mess-rooms and through several +of the classrooms, he rejoined the others, who had gathered around the +fire in what was called the students' general living room,--an apartment +set aside during cold weather solely for the boys' comfort, where they +might read, study, play quiet games, or do similar things in order to +make themselves feel at home. + +"How did you make out?" was the question immediately put. + +"Made out, and that's all," said Tom gloomily. + +"What do you mean?" came from Dick. + +"Every blessed door is locked, and so are the windows. I can't get +within two rooms of the office." + +"Did you hear anything?" asked George. + +"Yes; I heard a noise like somebody stamping." + +"Where did it come from?" + +"I think it came from the stone cell. But it sounded like somebody +stamping on wood." + +"Perhaps it came from the empty storeroom," cried Dick. "More than +likely Mr. Grinder has placed Sam and Tubby there. I wish he'd come +here. I'd question him." + +"Your wish is gratified," whispered George. "Here he comes now!" + +The door at the far end of the room had opened, and now Jasper Grinder +came forth in a hurry. He was about to pass to another room at the rear +of the school when Dick stopped him. + +"Mr. Grinder, may I ask what you have done with Sam?" he asked. + +"I have placed him in confinement until Captain Putnam returns," was the +snappy answer. + +"Did you put him in the stone cell?" + +"It is not for you to question me, Rover." + +"In this cold weather it isn't fit for anybody to be in that stone cell. +Sam may catch his death of cold." + +"I am the best judge of my own actions, Rover, and need no advice from +you. Your brother has broken the rules of this school, and must suffer +for so doing." + +"It's inhuman to make a fellow freeze," burst out Tom. "I don't believe +Captain Putnam would do that." + +"Not another word from either of you," came sharply from the teacher. +"Your brother will not freeze to death, but the cold may teach him a +useful lesson." + +"If he gets sick, I'll get my father to hold you legally responsible," +went on Tom. + +At these words the teacher turned slightly pale, a vision of a lawsuit +with damages to pay floating across his miserly mind. + +"To ease your mind Rover, let me say I'll see to it that he doesn't get +sick," he said, and before Tom or Dick could question him further he +passed out of the room. + +"If he isn't the worst yet!" burst out Fred, who had listened with +interest to what was said. + +"I shan't stand it," returned Tom. "Will you, Dick?" + +Dick, older and more thoughtful, mused for a moment. + +"I'd certainly like to help Sam," he said. "But we must be careful and +not get into trouble with Captain Putnam." + +"I'm going to find my way to the door of the cell somehow," went on Tom. + +"Old Grinder left that door unlocked when he came out," said George, +who had joined them. + +"Good! I'm going through before he comes back." + +As good as his word, Tom slipped past the various tables at which the +students were sitting, until he reached the door which connected with +Captain Putnam's private apartments. + +Usually this portion of the Hall was forbidden ground to the scholars. +But Tom had been inside the rooms a number of times, so knew the way +well. Passing through a private sitting room and a small library, he +came to a narrow hall connecting with the main hall, at the end of which +were the stone cell and the empty storeroom. + +He was just about to step into the main hall when he heard somebody +coming down from the floor above. The party was Mrs. Green, the +housekeeper, a good-natured lady upon whom Tom had played many a joke in +the past. + +"Gosh! I mustn't be discovered!" he muttered, and looked around for some +place to hide. Under the staircase was a recess containing a number of +hooks with cloaks and overcoats, and into this he crowded, drawing one +of the overcoats so as to completely cover the upper portion of his +body. + +Hardly had he gained the hiding place when Mrs. Green reached the lower +hallway. Tom heard her pause at the foot of the stairs, strike a match, +and light the big swinging lamp hanging from overhead. + +"I might as well mend that overcoat now, while the captain is away," Tom +heard her murmur to herself. "It's only a buttonhole that's torn out, +and a tailor would charge him four times what it's worth--and he always +so good at Christmas-time!" + +"She's looking out for her present," thought Tom, with a grin. "But +that's none of my affair. If only she isn't after this overcoat!" + +He heard the housekeeper approach the recess and pause for a moment in +front of it. He hardly dared to breathe, fearing that he would surely be +discovered. + +"Well, I declare, if he hasn't gone and worn the very overcoat itself!" +he heard Mrs. Green cry. "Just like him, and two good coats a-hanging +here. Well, I suppose it's the warmest he's got, and he'll have a cold +ride back, especially if he returns to-night." And so speaking Mrs. +Green hurried away. + +"A narrow shave, and no mistake," murmured Tom to himself, and listened +until he heard a distant door close. Then all was quiet, save the +distant murmur of the student's voices, coming from the sitting room. + +Without losing more time, Tom left the recess and hurried to the door of +the stone cell. + +"Sam!" he called out softly. "Are you in there?" + +"No; _I'm_ in here," came in the voice of Tubbs. "And--I'm almost frozen +to--to--death." The last words with a chattering of teeth that told only +too plainly how the rich youth was suffering. + +"Sorry for you, Tubby, really I am. But where is Sam?" + +"In the--the storeroom. Oh, Rover, won't you please ask Mr. Grinder to +let me out? I'll freeze to death here, I know I will!" + +"I'll do what I can. But he won't let you out. He isn't that kind of a +fellow." + +"You might buy him off, Rover. I've heard he's a regular miser, and I'll +give you five dollars of my Christmas money if he'll let me go." + +"I'll see what I can do after I've talked to Sam." And so speaking Tom +hurried to the door of the storeroom. + +"Tom, is it really you?" cried the youngest Rover joyfully. + +"Yes. How are you making out?" + +"Horribly. I believe my feet and ears are already frozen!" + +"Grinder is a beast to put you in here, Sam." + +"I know that well enough. He won't give me any supper, I'm afraid." + +"Then I'll try to get some supper to you." + +"Is the key of this door on a hook outside?" + +"No. If it was I'd have the door open long ago." + +Sam gave a deep sigh, and then began to dance around once more to keep +warm. + +"Perhaps I can find a key to fit this lock," went on Tom. "I know there +are keys in some of the other doors." + +He ran off and soon returned with four keys, which he tried, one after +another. The third was a fair fit, and with an effort the bolt of the +lock was forced back. + +"Hurrah! the door's open!" exclaimed Tom. "Now you can go where you +please." + +"Then you wouldn't stay here?" questioned Sam anxiously. + +"Not much! I'd hide in one of the dormitories, and I wouldn't show +myself until Captain Putnam gets back. I'll see to it that you get +something to eat, and when the captain returns you can tell him that if +you had remained in this place all night you would have been frozen to +death." + +Sam was willing enough to take Tom's advice, and was soon in the +hallway. Then the door was locked again. + +"It's heartless to leave poor Tubby in that cell," said Tom. "Let's get +him out too." + +"All right--if you can find a key to fit the lock." + +Losing no time, the brothers tried one key after another in the lock to +the door of the stone cell. + +"Who's that?" came in a chatter from Tubbs. + +"Tom Rover," was the answer. "I've just released Sam, and now we are +going to release you, if we can." + +"Good for you Rover." + +"There she goes!" cried Tom a few seconds later, and in a moment more +the door was opened and Tubbs stood in the hallway with the Rover boys. + +Tubbs was about to say something, when Sam suddenly caught him by the +arm. + +"Hush!" he whispered. "Somebody is coming! I hope it isn't old +Grinder!" + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +DORMITORY NUMBER TWO. + + +For the moment none of the three students knew what to do. They felt +that if the approaching personage should be Jasper Grinder there would +certainly be "a warm time of it," to say the least. + +Yet the approaching man was not the teacher, but Peleg Snuggers, the man +of all work around the Hall, a good-natured individual, well liked by +nearly all the students. Snuggers was in the habit of taking many a joke +from the scholars, yet he rarely retaliated, contenting himself with the +saying that "boys will be boys." + +"It's Snuggers!" whispered Sam, after a painful pause. "What shall we +do?" + +"Perhaps we can get him to keep quiet," returned Tom, also in a low +voice. "He's a pretty good sort." + +"Do--don't trust him," put in Tubbs, in a trembling voice. "If I'm put +back in that cell I'll die; I know I will!" + +"I have it," said Tom, struck by a sudden idea. "Into the storeroom with +you, quick! + +"But he may be coming after me!" said Sam. + +"Never mind--I'll fix it. Be quick, or the game will be up!" + +On tiptoe the three students hurried into the storeroom and Tom shut the +door noiselessly. Then he slipped the key he still held into the lock +and turned it. + +"Now groan, Sam," he whispered. "Pretend to be nearly dead, and ask +Peleg to bring Grinder here." + +Catching the idea, Sam began to moan and groan most dismally, in the +midst of which Peleg Snuggers came up. + +"Poor boy, I reckon as how he's nearly stiff from the cold," murmured +Snuggers. "And this bread and water won't warm him up nohow. I've most a +mind to bring him some hot tea on the sly, and a sandwich, too." + +The general utility man tried to insert a key in the lock, but failed on +account of the key on the inside. + +"Oh! oh!" moaned Sam. "Help! help!" + +"What's the row?" questioned Snuggers. + +"Is that you, Snuggers?" + +"Yes, Master Rover." + +"I'm most frozen to death! My feet and ears are frozen stiff already!" + +"It's a shame!" + +"Tell Mr. Grinder to come here." + +"He won't come, I'm afraid. He just sent me with some bread and water +for you and for Master Tubbs." + +"Water? Do you want me to turn into ice? Oh, Snuggers, please send him. +I know I can't stand this half an hour longer. I'll be a corpse!" + +"All right, I'll fetch him," answered Snuggers. And setting down the +pitcher of water and loaf of bread he had been carrying he hurried off. + +"Now is our time!" whispered Tom, as soon as he was certain the man of +all work was gone. + +"But which way shall we go?" questioned Sam + +"Follow me, and I'll show you." + +Leaving the storeroom, Tom led the way through the semi-dark hallway and +up the stairs. At the rear of the upper hall was a bedroom reserved for +the captain's private guests. + +"Come in here for the present," said Tom. "And when I tap on the window +unlock the sash and be prepared to climb from the window to the next, +which connects with Dormitory No. 2." + +"Good for you!" said Sam. "But how are you going to get to the +dormitory?" + +"Leave that to me." + +Leaving Sam and Tubbs to take care of themselves, Tom left the bedroom +and walked out in the upper hall once more. + +He was just in time to hear Peleg Snuggers returning with Jasper +Grinder. + +"It's all nonsense," he heard, in the teacher's harsh voice. "The cold +will do both of the boys good." + +"He said he was half frozen," insisted Snuggers. "If anything +serious-like happened to them, I dunno what the captain would say." + +"I know nothing serious will happen," growled Jasper Grinder. "He was +merely trying to work upon your sympathies. Both could stay there till +morning easily enough." + +"The wretch!" murmured Tom to himself. "I'm mighty glad I let them out!" + +A few seconds later he heard a cry of dismay. + +"Rover is gone!" + +"Gone?" came from Snuggers. + +"Yes, gone. Snuggers did you leave the door unlocked?" + +"No, sir, I couldn't get the key in the lock. Here it is." And the +general utility man produced it. + +"Ah! here is a key on the inside. What can this mean?" + +"I don't know, sir. I left him a-groanin' only a few minutes ago." + +"It is very strange." Jasper Grinder gazed around the empty storeroom. +"Did you hear anything from Master Tubbs?" + +"No, sir." + +The teacher stepped out of the storeroom and made his way to the stone +cell. + +"He is gone too!" he ejaculated. + +"Really, sir, did you say 'gone'?" cried Peleg Snuggers, in dismay. + +"Yes. This is--ah--outrageous, Snuggers. Where can they be?" + +"I'm sure I don't know, sir. Master Rover got out mighty quick." + +"Look for them among the students, and if you find them bring them to me +at once." + +"I will, sir." + +As soon as Peleg Snuggers had departed Jasper Grinder looked around the +storeroom and the stone cell to learn if he could find any trace of the +boys. + +This gave Tom the chance to slip through the captain's private rooms and +into the students' quarters. + +"Well, how did you make out?" was Dick's impatient question. "You've +been gone an age." + +"Come with me and I'll tell you," said Tom, and taking his brother and +several chums aside he related what had occurred. + +"Keep them there all night, and on bread and water!" cried Dick. "It is +awful. I'm sure the captain won't stand for it." + +"To be sure he won't," came from Fred Garrison. "But what are you going +to do next?" + +"Let them in the dormitory window." + +Tom led the way upstairs and into Dormitory No. 2. There were four +windows in a row, and six beds, three occupied by the Rovers and the +others by Fred, Larry, and George Granbury. + +Going to the corner window Tom threw it wide open. It was growing dark +outside, for it was now half-past six. As he stuck his head out of the +window there was the rattle of a drum down in the mess hall. + +"Supper time!" cried Fred. + +"You go down," said Tom. "No use of all of us being late." + +"No, you go down," answered Dick. "You've run risk enough. Besides, if +you are absent from the crowd too long somebody may grow suspicious of +you. I'll help Sam and Tubbs to a safe hiding-place." + +"Find out if they are there first--and lock the door after we are gone." + +Leaning out of the window Dick tapped on the next glass. At once Sam +showed himself. + +"It's quite a climb, but I reckon I can make it," said the youngest +Rover. + +Waiting to hear no more, Tom hurried below, followed by Fred, and +mingled with the crowd of students entering the mess hall. + +Many of the boys were talking about the quarrel between Sam and Tubbs, +and all condemned the actions of Jasper Grinder. + +"He ought to have set them to doing extra lessons; that would have been +punishment enough," said one of the big boys, who was captain of Company +A of the students for that term. + +This opinion was that held by the majority. Several of the boys came to +Tom to learn what he had to say. But he merely shrugged his shoulders. + +"Wait and we'll see what we will see," he said + +"Rover's got a card up his sleeve, that's as sure as you're born," said +one of the students, and winked at Tom. But Tom only looked wise and +turned away. + +When the students sat down to eat it was noticed that Dick's chair was +vacant. + +"Master Thomas Rover, do you know anything of your brother Richard?" +asked an under-teacher. + +"Perhaps he is having a talk with Mr. Grinder," said Tom. + +"Oh!" Then the under-teacher noticed that Mr. Grinder's chair was also +vacant, and said no more. + +While the boys were eating, Peleg Snuggers came to the door and looked +carefully about the mess hall. + +"You won't find them here, Peleg," said Tom to himself. Then the man of +all work disappeared, and the supper continued as if nothing out of the +ordinary was happening. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +A SCENE IN THE SCHOOLROOM. + + +In the meantime, what of affairs in the dormitory? Was all going as +quietly as Tom had anticipated? + +As soon as Tom went below Dick locked the door, then turned again to the +window. Sam was trying to climb from one room to the next, but could not +get a satisfactory hold. + +"Here, give me your hand," cried Dick softly, and reaching forth he soon +helped his brother to a position of safety. + +"Say, aint it dangerous?" asked Tubbs anxiously, as he gazed to the +ground, twenty feet below. + +"You've got to run some risks, Tubbs," said Dick. "Quick, or you may be +too late." + +Fearful of a fall, the rich youth put out one foot and a hand. Dick +tried to reach him, but was unable to do so. + +"A little further, Tubbs," he said encouragingly. + +[Illustration: A PERILOUS CLIMB. +_Rover Boys in the Mountains_.] + +"I--I'm afraid I'll fall," was the trembling answer. Then the rich +youth let out a cry of alarm. "Somebody is coming!" + +"Come," cried Dick, and reached out a trifle further. As Tubbs gave the +eldest Rover his fingers Dick hauled him from the window and literally +swung him into the dormitory. Then, as Tubbs landed in a heap on the +floor, Sam closed the window and locked it. + +"Now you must clear out to another room!" cried Dick. "Whoever was +coming will find that window wide open, and guess you have escaped in +this direction." + +"But where can we go to?" asked the rich youth. + +"Go to Dormitory No. 6. Only young Adler is in there, and Hemmingway, +and they are on a vacation until after Christmas. The closet is a big +one, and you can both hide on the upper shelf. Quick! I'll bring you +some supper." + +All three left the dormitory, and Sam and Tubbs scurried off in the +direction indicated. As for Dick, he lost no time in reaching the mess +hall. + +"Sorry, sir," he said to the under-teacher. "The bell couldn't have rung +very loud." + +"It rang as loud as usual," was the answer, and no more was said, the +teacher's head being just then full of other matters. + +Glad to get off so easily, Dick lost no time in eating his supper. While +making way with the food he stowed a goodly portion in his pockets, in +a couple of spare napkins, and by some silent motions from Tom learned +that his brother was doing the same. + +Just as the students were finishing the meal, Jasper Grinder came in and +walked down the aisles between the tables. He looked both angry and +perplexed. As he came close to Tom he paused. + +"Excuse me, Mr. Grinder, but won't you let Sam out of the stone cell?" +asked Tom, to avoid being questioned. + +"You be silent Rover," muttered the teacher, and passed on without +saying more. + +After the supper hour it was usual for the students to have half an hour +to themselves, during which they might read, play games, or do as they +pleased. But now Mr. Grinder called them together in the main classroom. + +"I wish to talk to you young gentlemen," said the teacher, when all were +seated. + +"We're going to catch it now," whispered Tom to Dick. "Don't you give +the secret away." + +"Indeed I won't," answered the eldest Rover. "I intend to lay the whole +case before Captain Putnam as soon as he returns." + +"Silence!" thundered Jasper Grinder. "I want you boys to stop talking +instantly." + +"I didn't say anything," murmured several in an undertone. + +"Silence, I say!" repeated the master, and then all became so quiet that +the ticking of the clock could be heard distinctly. + +The teacher gazed around at the scores of faces and looked more stem +than ever. + +"I am going to question all of you separately, and I trust each of you +will tell the truth. The question is, Do you know what has become of +Samuel Rover and William Tubbs? or Do you know what they have done? I +shall start with the first boy. Hickley, what have you to say?" + +"I don't know anything about them," answered the boy named Hickley. + +"Brainard, do you know?" + +"No, sir." + +"Parkham?" + +"I know they had a little set-to in the gymnasium, but that's all. The +whole thing was a friendly bout, I guess." + +"I am the best judge of that. It was a disgraceful fight. What have you +to say, Griggs?" + +"If you say it was disgraceful I suppose it was, sir. I thought it was +only a friendly dispute----" + +"Stop! I want you to answer the original questions, yes, or no." + +"No." + +"No, what?" + +"No, to both original questions." + +"No, sir!" and Jasper Grinder stamped his foot. + +"Oh! All right, sir. No, sir, to both questions, sir." + +There was a titter at this, which caused Jasper Grinder to grow red in +the face. + +"Boys, be quiet!" he shouted. "If you do not be still I will keep all of +you in to-morrow." + +As this would have spoiled the chances for a good skate and some +exciting races, the boys immediately subsided. Then the questioning went +on until Dick Rover was reached. + +"I don't know where Sam and Tubbs are now," said Dick. "Perhaps they are +frozen stiff." + +"Did you aid them in escaping from the stone cell and the storeroom?" + +"No, sir." + +"Have you seen them since I placed them there?" + +"Yes, I have," answered Dick boldly, seeing it was useless to beat about +the bush longer. + +"Oh! Then you did aid them to escape?" + +"Not from the stone cell and the storeroom. I met them after they had +escaped." + +"Where did you see them last?" + +"I decline to answer that question." + +"Decline!" thundered Jasper Grinder. + +"I do, sir. As soon as Captain Putnam arrives I shall lay this whole +matter before him, and learn if you have any authority for placing my +brother in a place where he is liable to catch a cold which may give him +pneumonia and be the cause of his death. As it is, my brother suffered a +great deal, and so did Tubbs, and if they get sick from it you may be +sure that you will be held legally accountable. It was an inhuman thing +to do." + +As Dick finished there was a murmur, and then a number of the students +broke out into applause, while Tom clapped his hands as hard as he +could. Jasper Grinder stood at his desk dumbstruck, with his face +growing paler each instant. + +"Silence! silence!" he exclaimed, when he could control his voice. +"Silence, I say, or I will cane you all! This is--is most unseemly--it +is--er--mutiny! Silence!" + +"I mean just what I say, Mr. Grinder," went on Dick, when he could be +heard. "You are master here, and we are bound to obey you, in certain +things. But you shan't keep my brother in an icy room all night, and on +a supper of stale bread and cold water. Such treatment would almost make +a mule sick." + +"Rover, will you be silent, or must I get the cane?" gasped Jasper +Grinder, almost beside himself with rage. + +"If you get your cane, sir, you won't hit me more than once with it." + +"Won't I? We'll see who is master here." + +"My gracious! Is he really going to try to cane you, Dick!" exclaimed +Tom. + +"I suppose he is," was the cool answer. "He is so angry he doesn't know +what he is doing." + +Rushing from the classroom Jasper Grinder presently reappeared, carrying +a cane which looked as if it might hurt a good deal, if vigorously +applied. + +Tom could not help but grin. Dick was almost as tall as the +school-teacher, and probably just as strong, and the idea of a caning +appeared ridiculous in the extreme. + +Caning was not allowed at Putnam Hall, but evidently Jasper Grinder +meant to take matters in his own hands. + +"Richard Rover, come up here," he thundered. + +"What for, sir?" + +"To receive the punishment you so richly deserve." + +"Mr. Grinder, you haven't any right to cane me. It's against Captain +Putnam's rules." + +"I don't care for the rules--I mean, you have acted in such an +outrageous manner that I must do whatever I think necessary to uphold +law and order." + +"I am willing to stand whatever punishment Captain Putnam sees fit to +inflict. But I shall not take a caning from you." + +"Won't you? We'll see." + +As Jasper Grinder spoke he leaped from the platform and strode rapidly +toward the spot where Dick was standing. + +The eldest Rover did not budge, but remained where he was, eying the +enraged school-teacher determinedly. + +"Don't you dare to strike!" he said warningly, as the cane was raised +over his head. + +"I will!" cried Jasper Grinder, and was about to bring the cane down +with all force when Tom caught it from behind and wrenched it from his +grasp. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +NEWS OF AN OLD ENEMY. + + +Dick had not intended that the cane should hit him. He was prepared to +dodge. But he wanted to make certain that Jasper Grinder would really +try to carry out his ill-advised threat. + +"Hi! give me that cane!" cried the schoolmaster, as he whirled around. + +"I shall not," answered Tom, and began to run down one of the aisles to +the door. + +Instantly Jasper Grinder made after him. But the boys had gathered in a +crowd, and it was with difficulty that the man could get through. + +As Tom ran for one door Dick ran for another, and it was not long before +both met in a hallway leading to the mess hall and the dormitories. + +"Dick, what shall we do next?" questioned Tom. "We can't stay here, +that's certain." + +"We'll get out," answered Dick. "I think Mrs. Stanhope will keep us all +night." + +"And if she won't, I know the Lanings will," said Tom, with a grin. + +"We must let Sam know," went on Dick. "He can go along. I shan't come +back until Captain Putnam returns." + +"Right you are." + +Up the stairs they rushed, and into the dormitory where Sam and Tubbs +were in hiding. + +"Sam!" called Dick, and the youngest Rover at once appeared. + +"What's up now? What are you in such a hurry for?" + +"Get your overcoat and hat, and come on. We are going to the Stanhopes +for the night. Here, Tubbs, is some supper," and Dick passed over what +he had in the napkins, while Tom did the same. + +"Thanks," said the rich boy. "But--but must I stay here alone?" + +"I don't think we can take you along," answered Dick. "But you want to +be careful. Old Grinder is as mad as a hornet. He was going to cane me +for helping you two. Come, Sam, there is no time to waste. Tubbs, you +had better let Fred Garrison know where you are. He's all right." + +In a moment more Dick, Tom, and Sam were in their own room and putting +on their heavy overcoats and their hats. They lost no time, and as they +heard Jasper Grinder coming up one flight of stairs they ran down +another pair leading into the kitchen. + +Here the servants, directed by Mrs. Green, were putting away what was +left of the students' supper. + +"Oh, dear!" burst out the matron, on catching sight of the boys. "What +do you want here?" + +"Good-by, Mrs. Green," said Dick. "Tell the captain when he comes that +we were driven away from the school by Mr. Grinder, and that we'll +return as soon as we learn that he is back." And before the housekeeper +could answer they opened the kitchen door and ran outside. + +It was a dark night and the air was filled with snow, some of which was +already sifting lazily downward. But they knew the way well, so the want +of light did hot bother them. They crossed the parade ground on a run +and made directly for the road leading to the Stanhopes' cottage. + +"I reckon it will be quite a surprise for Mrs. Stanhope and Dora," said +Tom, after they had told Sam of what had happened in the school-room. +"They won't be looking for us." + +"I know they'll treat us well," said Dick. + +"To be sure they will--especially after all we did for them on the +Lakes," put in Sam. "But let me tell you, I am curious to know how this +thing is going to end." + +"I think Mr. Grinder will get the worst of it," returned Tom +confidently. "He must know he was doing wrong to put you in that icy +storeroom and poor Tubbs in the stone cell. How did you make out with +Tubbs in the closet?" + +"Oh, he became quite friendly, and we decided to let the past drop. I +promised I wouldn't call him Tubby any more." + +"That's fair," came from Dick. "He isn't such a bad sort." + +On and on hurried the boys. The road was a somewhat lonely one, with +several patches of woods to be passed. Several times they halted, +endeavoring to ascertain if they were being pursued. But all remained +silent. The snow was now coming down more thickly than ever. + +"What a lot of adventures we have had in these woods," observed Tom, +during one of the halts. "Don't you remember the tramp who stole the +watch, and the rows with Josiah Crabtree and with Arnold Baxter and +Dan?" + +"Indeed I do," said Sam. "Mrs. Stanhope and Dora must be glad to be rid +of old Crabtree and Arnold Baxter." + +"It's a pity Dan Baxter wasn't locked up with his father," said Dick. +"Don't you remember how he used to bother Dora and the Laning girls?" + +"Do you think he'd bother them now?" asked Sam. "If he bothers Grace +Laning he had better look out for me." + +"That's right, Sam, stand up for your own particular girl----" began +Tom. + +"I didn't say she was my girl," cried Sam, and he was glad that the +darkness hid his red-growing face. "I'm no more sweet on her than you +are on her sister Nellie." + +"It's Dick who must lead off, with Dora Stanhope----" went on Tom. + +"Oh, stow it, and come on!" burst in Dick. "If you keep on talking +you'll surely be caught. Grinder may be coming after us in a carriage." + +"If we had our bicycles we could get there in no time," said Sam. + +"Yes, and we might break our necks in the dark," added Dick. "Come, we +haven't more than a mile further to go." + +On the three trudged, through the snow, which was coming down faster +each instant. Once they thought they heard carriage wheels behind them, +but soon the sounds faded away in the distance. + +At last they came in sight of the Stanhope cottage. A bright light was +streaming from the sitting-room windows, and looking in they saw Dora +sitting at the table reading a book, and Mrs. Stanhope resting +comfortably in an easy-chair in front of the bright-burning fire. + +Dora herself came to the door in answer to their ring. "Why, mamma, it's +the Rovers!" she cried, as she shook hands, "I never expected to see +you to-night, in such a snowstorm. How kind of Captain Putnam to let you +come." + +"The captain had nothing to do with it," answered Dick, as he gave her +hand an extra squeeze, which he somehow thought she returned. "We came +because we were having a lot of trouble, and didn't know what else to +do." + +"More trouble!" came from Mrs. Stanhope, as she also greeted them. "I +was hoping all our troubles were a thing of the past." + +"This isn't any trouble for you," answered Dick. "Excepting that it +brings trouble through your giving us shelter for the night." + +"If that's the case, then let it bring trouble," put in Dora promptly. +"But what is it all about." + +"I'll tell you presently, Dora. But in the meantime can you give Sam +some supper? He hasn't had a mouthful since dinner time." + +"You poor boy!" came from Mrs. Stanhope. "To be sure he shall have his +supper. I'll tell Mary to prepare it at once," and she bustled from the +room to give the servant the necessary directions, and returned at once. + +Sitting down in front of the fire the three boys told their tale, Mrs. +Stanhope and Dora listening with keen attention. When Dick got to the +point where Jasper Grinder had wanted to thrash him Dora gave a scream. + +"Oh, Dick, the idea! Why, he really must be crazy!" + +"I believe his passion got the best of him," said the eldest Rover. + +"I'm glad Tom took the cane away," went on Dora. + +"It is really too bad," observed Mrs. Stanhope, when their story was +finished. "I quite agree with you that Captain Putnam will not uphold +Mr. Grinder in his inhuman course. Of course you must stay here +to-night, and as long after that as you please." + +It was not long before supper was ready for Sam, and when he entered the +dining room Mrs. Stanhope went along, to see that he got all he desired. + +"I am awfully glad you came," said Dora, in a low voice, when she was +alone with Dick and Tom. "I have something important to tell you, +something I didn't wish to mention in front of mamma, for it will only +worry her without doing any good." + +"And what is it?" asked Tom and Dick, in a breath. + +"I was down to Cedarville yesterday to do some shopping, and I am almost +certain that I saw Dan Baxter hanging around the hotel there." + +"Dan Baxter!" ejaculated Dick. + +"Hush, Dick! not so loud. Yes, Dan Baxter. He was on the hotel stoop, +but the minute he saw me he went inside." + +"Perhaps you are mistaken," said Tom. "I hardly think he'd dare to show +himself here." + +"At first I was uncertain about it. But when I came back that way I +looked again, and I caught him peeping out at me from one of the +bar-room windows. As soon as he saw me look he dodged out of sight." + +"If Dan Baxter is in this neighborhood, he is here for no good," was +Dick's blunt comment. "Evidently he has not forgiven us for helping to +put his father back in jail." + +"Dan Baxter is not of a forgiving nature, Dick. You must be careful, or +he will make trouble for all three of you." + +"We can take care of ourselves, Dora. If only he doesn't annoy you and +your mother." + +"I don't think he'll do that--now Mr. Crabtree is out of it," answered +Dora, and then, as Mrs. Stanhope re-entered the room, the subject was +dropped. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +SOMETHING OF A SURPRISE. + + +Despite the stirring events which had just passed the Rovers managed to +pass a pleasant evening at the Stanhope cottage. This was in a large +measure due to Dora, who did all she could to entertain them and make +them forget their troubles. All played games, and Dora played the piano +and sang for them, while Dick and Tom also took a hand at the singing. +Sam could not sing, and declared that he was certainly getting a cold, +whether from being in the storeroom or not. + +At ten o'clock the boys retired, to a large bed chamber containing a +double bed and a good-sized cot. They were soon undressed, and after +saying their prayers dropped asleep and slept soundly until seven in the +morning. + +When they arose a surprise awaited them. On the ground outside the snow +lay to the depth of a foot or more, and it was still showing as heavily +as ever. + +"Hullo! we are snowed in!" exclaimed Sam, as he gazed out on the +whitened landscape. + +"Sure enough," returned Dick, and added: + +"This looks as if Captain Putnam might not come back to-day," + +"If that's the case, I vote we stay here," put in Tom. "I'm sure Mrs. +Stanhope will keep us." + +It was found that Sam's cold had attacked him in earnest. He was very +hoarse, and complained of a severe pain in the chest. + +"You'll have to do something for that cold," said Dick. "Better stay in +bed this morning, and let Mrs. Stanhope put a plaster on your chest." + +Going below, he told the lady of the cottage of his brother's condition. +A mustard draught was at once prepared and placed upon Sam, and he was +also given some pine tar cough mixture. These things relieved him +somewhat, but Mrs. Stanhope insisted upon it that he remain in bed, and +brought him his breakfast with her own hands. + +"Of course you must stay here, especially since Sam is sick," said Dora, +while they were eating a breakfast of buckwheat cakes, honey, chops, and +coffee. "He may not get worse, but if he does, one of you will have to +take the horse and go for the doctor." + +"Yes, we'll have to watch Sam," answered Dick. "But don't put yourselves +to too much trouble on our account." + +"As if we could take too much trouble for you!" exclaimed Dora, and +blushed sweetly. It was not likely that she would ever forget all the +Rovers had done for her and her mother. + +Tom was anxious to learn about the Lanings, and was told that they were +all at home and doing finely. + +"Nellie and Grace are going on a visit to an aunt at Timber Run after +the holidays," said Dora. "They wanted me to go along, but I didn't care +to leave mamma, and we didn't wish to lock up the house for fear some +tramps might break in and rob us." + +After breakfast Sam said he felt like sitting up, but toward noon his +chest began to hurt him again, and Mrs. Stanhope said it would be best +that somebody go for a doctor. Dick and Tom both volunteered, but it was +finally decided that Dick should go alone, on horseback. + +A steed was soon saddled, and off Dick rode, wrapped in his overcoat and +with an old fur cap pulled well down over his ears. It had now stopped +snowing, so the weather was not quite as unpleasant as it had been. + +Dick was bound for the house of Dr. Fremley, a physician he knew well, +and thither he made his way as speedily as the horse could plow through +the drifts which presented themselves. At times, when the wind arose, it +was nipping cold, and the youth was glad to get in where it was warm +when the physician's office in Cedarville was reached. + +"Certainly, I will come and see your brother," said Dr. Fremley. "I'll +be ready to go in about half an hour." + +"Will you go on horseback?" + +"Yes." + +"Then I'll wait in town and go back with you," said Dick. "I wish to +make a purchase or two." + +It was agreed that the youth should meet the physician at half-past +twelve, and leaving his horse in the latter's stable, Dick walked down +the main street of Cedarville. + +He had his Christmas money with him, and entering a drug store he bought +a cup of hot chocolate, that warmed him considerably. After this he +selected a bottle of cologne and a box of chocolates as a Christmas gift +for Dora. + +Opposite to the drug store was a stationery and book store, and here +Dick procured a fancy floral calendar for Mrs. Stanhope and an +interesting girl's book for Dora. + +From the store Dick could obtain a side view of the Cedarville Hotel, +which stood on a corner up the street, and having paid for his purchases +the youth stood near the door and watched the hotel, wondering at the +same time if he would see anything of Dan Baxter. + +Presently a number of men came from the bar-room of the hotel and moved +in various directions. With one of these was the youth for whom Dick was +looking. + +Dan Baxter and his companion moved in the direction of the lake shore, +and Dick lost no time in following the pair. + +The man with Baxter was a stranger to Dick, but he showed by his manner +that he was a rough individual, and when he talked he did a great deal +of swearing, which, however, will not appear in his conversation in +these pages. + +Having reached the road running along the lake front, Baxter and his +companion, whose name was Lemuel Husty, passed northward past a +straggling row of cottages and then on the road leading to the village +of Neckport. + +"I wish I had time--I'd follow them," said Dick to himself, and turned +back, much disappointed over the fact that he had not had a chance to +speak to Dan Baxter. + +As Dick turned in the direction of the doctor's office once more he was +hailed by a lad of the village, named Harry Sharp. + +"Hullo, Dick Rover!" + +"How are you Harry? How do you like the snow?" + +"All right enough, only it will spoil some of the skating." + +"So I've been thinking," answered Dick, as the two came closer. + +"Say, Dick, who do you suppose I met a while ago," went on Harry Sharp. + +"I don't know--Dan Baxter?" + +"That's the chap. How did you guess it?" + +"I saw him myself." + +"I thought he didn't dare to show himself?" + +"Well, he ought to be arrested, Harry. But perhaps having his father in +prison, and losing most of his money, is punishment enough for him." + +"I met him in the post office. He was posting several letters." + +"Did you see the handwriting on the letters?" + +"No. As soon as he saw me he slid out of sight." + +"I guess he doesn't fancy being recognized. By the way, have you seen +Captain Putnam?" + +"Saw him about an hour ago. I think he was going to the Hall." + +"Good enough! I was waiting for him to get back." + +A few words more followed, and the two boys separated, and Dick hurried +to the doctor's office. Dr. Fremley was ready to leave, and soon the +pair were on the way to the Stanhope cottage. + +Not wishing to give the Hall a bad name Dick deemed it advisable to say +nothing about the fact that Sam had been locked in an ice-cold room +without his overcoat or hat, and merely stated that his brother had +exposed himself. + +"He has a very heavy cold," said the doctor, after an examination. "If +let run, it would have become serious, beyond a doubt; but I feel +confident I can check it," and he left some medicine and some plasters. + +As soon as the doctor was gone Dick announced his intention of returning +to Putnam Academy. "The captain has got back, and I want to lay the +whole case before him, and do it, too while Sam is still sick." + +"Shall I go along?" asked Tom. + +"No, I'll go alone. They may need you here on Sam's account." + +Dick was soon on the way, riding another horse, for the Stanhopes now +kept two. He had had a fine dinner, and felt in the best of spirits, +despite the disagreeable task before him. He did not doubt for a moment +but that Captain Putnam would side with him and condemn the actions of +Jasper Grinder. + +He was still out of sight of the Hall when he saw Peleg Snuggers riding +toward him in the captain's cutter. + +"Is that you, Master Rover!" sang out the man of all work. "Where are +your brothers?" + +"Safe, Snuggers. Has the captain got back?" + +"Yes--got in a couple of hours ago." + +"Has he said anything about our going away?" + +"Said anything? Just guess he has. Why, the whole school is so upset +nobody knows what he is doing. Do you know what happened after you and +your brothers ran away?" + +"Of course I don't. What did happen?" + +"Mr. Grinder had a terrible row with more than a dozen of the boys, who +sided with what you had done. He got awfully mad at them, and was going +to cane the lot, when all of a sudden he fell down in a fit, just like +he was going to die, and we had to work over him most an hour before we +could bring him around." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +JASPER GRINDER IS DISMISSED. + + +Dick was greatly surprised over the news which Peleg Snuggers conveyed +to him. He knew that Jasper Grinder was an intensely passionate man when +aroused, as on the occasion of the attempted caning, but he had not +imagined that the man would fall into a fit while in such a condition. + +"Did he come out of the fit all right?" he questioned soberly. + +"When he came around he was as weak as a rag, and I and one of the big +boys had to help him up to his room. He stayed there the rest of the +evening, and the other teachers had to take charge." + +"What do they say about the matter?" + +"As soon as the captain got back all of 'em got in the private office +and held a long talk. Then the captain had a talk with Mr. Grinder, and +after that the captain sent me off to look for you. He said you must be +at the Lanings, or at Mrs. Stanhope's, or else somewhere in Cedarville." + +"We are stopping with Mrs. Stanhope. Sam is sick with a heavy cold." + +"It's not to be wondered at. Master Tubbs has a cold, too, and the +captain had Mrs. Green give him some medicine for it." + +"Has he punished Tubbs?" + +"No. He's awfully upset, and I don't think he'll do anything right +away," concluded the general utility man. + +The cutter was turned around, and Dick and Snuggers hurried toward the +Hall. Their coming was noticed by a score of boys who were snowballing +each other oh the parade ground, and a shout went up. + +"Dick Rover is coming back! Snuggers has brought Dick Rover back!" + +"Take care of the horse, Snuggers," said Dick. "Do the right thing, and +I won't forget to pay you at Christmas-time." + +"All right Master Rover; thank you," answered the man of all work. + +Dick was at once surrounded, but before he could answer any questions he +saw Captain Putnam appear at one of the windows and at once went inside +to greet him. + +"Well, Rover, what does all this mean?" demanded the head of the school, +but there was not much sternness in his tone. + +"It means Captain Putnam, that Sam, Tom, and I couldn't stand the +treatment we received from Mr. Grinder. For a little set-to which Sam +and Tubbs had in the gymnasium Mr. Grinder put Sam in the ice-cold +storeroom, and was going to keep him there all night, with nothing but +stale bread to eat and cold water to drink. If Sam had remained in the +storeroom he would have died from the effects of it. As it is, he is now +in bed at Mrs. Stanhope's, and we had to call in Dr. Fremley to attend +him." + +"Is he very ill, Rover? Tell me the exact truth." + +"I have never told you anything else, Captain Putnam. No, I don't think +he is very ill, but he's got a bad cold. He is very hoarse, and he +complained of such a pain in the chest that Mrs. Stanhope put on some +plasters, and when the doctor came he left some more." + +"Humph!" Captain Putnam began to walk up and down his private office. +"What did you tell Dr. Fremley?" + +"Nothing but that Sam had exposed himself. I didn't want to give the +school a black name. But one thing is certain, we can't remain here if +Mr. Grinder is going to stay. I shall write to my father and tell him +the full particulars." + +"It will not be necessary to do so, Richard." The captain caught Dick by +the shoulder. "I have investigated this affair, and while I find that +Sam was to blame, and Tom and you, too, yet I am convinced that Mr. +Grinder exceeded his authority here. He had no business to put Sam in +the storeroom and Master Tubbs in the stone cell in this freezing +weather. More than that, something happened after you left that shows +plainly Mr. Grinder is not the proper person to be a teacher here, and +from to-day I intend to dispense with his services." + +Dick knew what the captain referred to, the falling of the teacher into +his passionate fit on the floor, but he said nothing on that point, for +in a way he felt sorry for one who could control himself so little. + +"I am glad we won't have to put up with him, sir, any longer. In one +way, he is worse than Mr. Crabtree was." + +"Let us drop the whole subject, Richard. I have not been satisfied with +Mr. Grinder for some time past, and had in view a teacher to take his +place before this happened. The new teacher will come after the +holidays, and I feel certain all the students will like him fully as +much as they like Mr. Strong." + +"We won't ask for anybody better than Mr. Strong--or yourself," answered +Dick, with a smile. + +A talk lasting quarter of an hour followed, and it was decided that Dick +should return to the Stanhope cottage, to tell Tom and Sam what turn +affairs had taken. Then Tom was to come to the Hall, leaving Dick to +look after Sam. + +It was nightfall before Dick got back to the cottage. Of course his +brothers and the others listened to his story with interest. Both Sam +and Tom felt greatly relieved. + +"If Grinder keeps on he'll kill himself in one of his fits," said Sam. +"I hope he leaves before I go back to school." + +"If I was you, I wouldn't go back until he does leave," said Tom. "I'm +sure Mrs. Stanhope will let you stay here; won't you?" + +"To be sure, Tom," answered the lady of the cottage. "But now Captain +Putnam has made up his mind, you may be sure Mr. Grinder will not remain +at the Hall many days." + +"Perhaps he'll go to-night," said Dora. "The captain surely wont wish him +at the Hall over Sunday." + +Tom remained with his brothers until evening; then started for the Hall +on foot, not caring to bother with a horse. The road was now well +broken, so he had no trouble in making the journey. + +When he arrived at the Academy he found the boys assembled in the +classroom, in charge of one of the under-teachers. + +"You cannot see Captain Putnam at present," said the teacher. "You will +have to remain here with the other pupils until he is at leisure." + +"Something must be wrong," murmured Tom, as he slipped in a seat next to +George Granbury. + +"I think the captain is getting rid of old Grinder," was the whispered +reply. "He's afraid we'd go out and give him three groans when he left." + +"I see. Well, it's best to let him go quietly. Good riddance to him." + +"That's what all the boys say, although some are sorry he had the fit." + +"So am I sorry; but he brought it on himself." + +Presently there was loud knocking in the front of the building and the +slamming of a door. Then a trunk was dumped into the captain's cutter, +and the horse started off, carrying Peleg Snuggers and Jasper Grinder +behind him. + +When the captain came into the classroom he was pale, and pulled +nervously on his mustache Evidently his task of getting rid of the +passionate teacher had not been a light one. He said but little, and +shortly after the boys were dismissed and sent to bed. + +Sunday continued bright and clear, but it was so bitter cold that but +few of the students went to church and Sunday school. Tom was anxious to +hear how Sam was getting along, and in the afternoon Captain Putnam +himself drove him to the Stanhope cottage in the cutter. + +It was found that the youngest Rover was feeling much better, although +his hoarseness had not left him. He said he was sure he could go back to +school the next day. + +"We had a visit from Jasper Grinder," said Dick. "He insisted on +stopping here in spite of all Snuggers could do to stop him." + +"And what did he say?" asked the captain anxiously. + +"Oh, he was in a terrible rage, and threatened to sue my father because, +as he put it, we had driven him from earning a good living. I could +hardly get him out of the house, and when he left he picked up a big +chunk of ice and snow and hurled it through the sitting-room window at +Sam. I believe the man isn't quite right in his head." + +"It certainly looks like it," was the captain's grave response. + +"Did Snuggers leave him in Cedarville?" + +"Yes. But Snuggers didn't know where he went after that, excepting that +he called at the post office for some letters." + +"I hope I never have anything to do with him again," said Sam, with a +shiver. + +"I do not believe he will bother you in the future," returned the +captain. "When he comes to his sober senses he will realize fully how +foolishly he has acted." + +As Sam was so much better and needed no care that Mrs. Stanhope and Dora +were not willing to give him, Tom returned to the Hall with Dick and +Captain Putnam, after supper at the widow's cottage. The sleigh ride to +the school was delightful, for the road was now in excellent shape, +while overhead the stars shone down like so many glittering diamonds. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +A RACE ON THE ICE, AND WHAT FOLLOWED. + + +After the events just narrated several days passed quietly enough at +Putnam Hall. In the meantime the weather continued clear, and the boys +took it upon themselves to clear off a part of the lake for skating. +Then, one night came a strong wind, and the next morning they found a +space of cleared ice nearly half a mile long. + +"Now for some fine skating!" exclaimed Tom, as he rushed back to the +Hall after an inspection of the lake's smooth surface. "We can have all +the racing we wish." + +"It's a pity Sam can't go out yet," returned Dick. Sam was back to the +school, but his cold had not entirely left him. + +"Never mind; here are several new magazines he can read," returned Tom, +who had been to town with Snuggers on an errand and had purchased them +at the stationery store. + +"I would just as soon read now," said Sam. "The magazines look mighty +interesting." + +Just then Fred Garrison came in, accompanied by George Granbury. They +had been down to Cedarville to purchase some skates and a new pair of +shoes for George. + +"Hullo, what do you think we saw in Cedarville!" cried Fred, as soon as +he caught sight of the Rovers. + +"Lots of snow," suggested Tom dryly. + +"Yes--and more." + +"A mighty dull town," suggested Sam. + +"We saw Dan Baxter." + +"What was he doing?" + +"He was walking down the street. And who do you suppose was with him? +Mr. Grinder!" + +"Grinder!" came simultaneously from Tom and Dick. + +"Yes, Grinder. And they seemed to be on good terms with each other," put +in George. + +"I could hardly believe my eyes at first," went on Fred. "But there they +were, as plain as day." + +"It's very odd," mused Dick. "What should bring them together?" + +Nobody could answer that question. + +"I don't believe they are up to any good," said Tom. + +"I hope Grinder doesn't join hands with Baxter in plotting against us," +came from Dick. + +The matter was talked over for some time, but no satisfactory conclusion +could be reached, and presently the boys separated, some to go skating +and others to attend to their studies for the morrow. + +Down at the lake the scene was an animated one. Boys were flying in +every direction, and mingled with them were a dozen or more girls and a +few grown persons. George Strong, the head teacher, was there, enjoying +himself fully as much as the pupils who loved him. + +"I'll race you, Mr. Strong!" sang out one of the older boys, Tom +Mardell. + +"Done, Master Mardell," was the teacher's answer. "To yonder rock and +return." And in a moment more the pair were off. + +"Hurrah! A race between Mr. Strong and Tom Mardell!" came in a shout +from a number of the students, and soon there was a general "lining up" +to see how it would terminate. + +"Go in, Tom!" shouted Tom Rover. "Don't let him beat you!" + +"Mr. Strong is behind!" came presently. "Tom is going to win out, sure!" + +On and on went the skaters, until the rock was gained. Then Tom Mardell +turned so suddenly that he ran full tilt into the teacher with whom he +was racing. Both spun around and came down on the ice with a crash. + +"Oh!" gasped Mardell. "I didn't mean to do that!" + +"I--I know you didn't!" panted Mr. Strong. "You have finished the race +in fine shape, I must declare!" And then he arose slowly to his feet and +Mardell followed. But nobody was seriously hurt, and in a moment more +both skated off hand in hand. + +Dick was looking for Dora Stanhope, and presently she appeared, in a +pretty fur coat and a jaunty fur cap. He put on her skates for her, and +they skated off, with many a side wink from some of the boys. + +"Dick's head over heels," said one lad, to Tom. + +"Well, I guess you'd be, too, Urner, if you could get such a nice girl +to notice you," returned Tom dryly. And then he added: "You must +remember we are all old friends." + +"Oh, I know that; and I was only joking." + +A grand race, open to all comers, had been arranged by the students of +the Hall and of Pornell Academy, a rival institute of learning, which +has already figured in other volumes of this series. The Pornell boys +were out in force, and they were sure that one of their number would win +the silver napkin ring, which was the first prize, and another the story +book, which constituted the second prize. + +Of this race a gentleman from Cedarville, named Mr. Richards, was to be +the starter and judge. The course was a short mile, down the lake and +back again. The Pornell boys to enter were named Gray, Wardham, Gussy, +and De Long. The contestants from Putnam Hall were Tom Rover, Fred +Garrison, Tubbs, and a lad named Hollbrook. + +"Are you ready?" asked Mr. Richards, after lining the boys up and +telling them of the conditions of the race. + +There was a dead silence. + +"Go!" shouted the starter. + +Away went the eight skaters, side by side each striking out bravely. +Fred was in the lead, with two Pornell boys a close second, while Tom +Rover was fourth. + +"Go in, Tom, you must win!" sang out Dick excitedly. + +"Hurrah for Tubby!" came from several others. "He's crawling up!" + +"Go in, Gray!" came in a shout from some Pornell sympathizers. Gray was +one of the pair striving for second place. Now he shot ahead, and in a +second more was close upon Fred Garrison's heels. + +The pace was truly terrific from the very start, and long before the +turn was gained De Long and Hollbrook dropped out, satisfied that they +could not win. + +Gray, the leader of the Pornell contingent, was a tall, lanky, and +powerful fellow, and every stroke he took told well in his favor. The +turning point was hardly rounded when he began to crawl up to Fred, and +then he gradually passed him. + +"Hurrah! Gray is ahead!" shouted his friends. + +"Here is where Pornell wins the race!" added one enthusiastic +sympathizer. + +Fred's pace had been too sharp from the very start, and now he slowly +but surely dropped back to second place, and then to third. + +But then Tom Rover began to crawl up. He had held himself slightly in +reserve. Now he "let himself out." Whiz! whiz! went the polished pair of +steels under him, and soon Wardham, the fellow who had held second +place, was passed, dropping behind Fred, thus taking fourth place. Then +Tom came up on Gray's heels. + +"Hurrah for Tom Rover!" + +"Go it, Tom, don't let him beat you!" + +"Go it Gray, Tom Rover is at your heels!" + +Gray did not dare to look back, but at the latter cry he did his best to +increase his speed. So did Tom, and while the finishing line was still a +hundred yards distant he came up side by side with Gray. + +"It's a tie!" + +"No, Gray is a little ahead yet!" + +"Go in, Gray, don't let him beat you!" + +"Tom Rover to the front! Go it, Tom, for the glory of old Putnam Hall!" + +A wild yelling broke out on every side. On and on went the two boys, +with Fred Garrison not two yards behind them. That the finish would be a +close one there was no question. The line was but a hundred feet away; +now but seventy-five; now but fifty. Still the leaders kept side by +side, neither gaining an inch. Surely it would be a tie. The yelling +increased until the noise was deafening. + +And then of a sudden Tom Rover shot ahead. How it was done nobody knew, +and Tom himself couldn't explain it when asked afterward. But ahead he +went, like an arrow shot from a bow, and crossed the line six feet in +advance of Gray. + +"Hurrah! Tom Rover has won!" + +"Told you Tom would do it!" + +"Three cheers for Putnam Hall!" + +"And Fred Garrison came in only one yard behind Gray, too, and Tubby is +a pretty good fourth." + +"This is Putnam Hall day, thank you!" + +The cheering increased, and Tom was immediately surrounded by a host of +admirers. + +Gray felt very sore, and wanted to leave the pond at once, but before he +could do so Tom skated up to him and held out his hand. + +"You came pretty close to beating me," he said. "I can't really say how +I got ahead at the finish." + +"I--I guess my skate slipped, or something," stammered Gray, and shook +hands. Tom's candor took away the keen edge of the defeat. + +The Putnam Hall boys were wild with delight, and insisted upon carrying +Tom on their shoulders around the pond. A great crowd followed, and +nobody noticed how this made the ice bend and crack. + +"Be careful there!" shouted Mr. Strong warningly. "There are too many of +you in a bunch!" But ere he had finished the sentence there came another +loud cracking, and in a twinkle a section of the ice went down, plunging +fully a dozen lads into the icy water below. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE END OF THE TERM. + + +"The ice has gone down!" + +"Some of the boys will be drowned!" + +"Get some boards and a rope, quick!" + +These and a score of other cries rang out. In the meantime those near to +the hole skated with all speed to one place of safety or another. + +Some of the imperiled boys who had not gone down very deeply managed to +scramble out with wet feet or wet lower limbs only, but when the crowd +had drawn back it was seen that three boys were floundering in the +chilling water over their heads. These boys were George Granbury and +Frank Harrington, who had been supporting Tom on their shoulders, and +Tom himself, who had been dropped into the opening head first by the +frightened lads. + +Realizing that something must be done at once, Mr. Strong ran to the +boathouse, which was close at hand, and soon reappeared, carrying a long +plank. He was followed by a boy with a rope, and several boys brought +more planks and more ropes. + +[Illustration: THE MISHAP ON THE ICE. +_Rover Boys in the Mountains_.] + +When the first plank was pushed out Tom lost no time in grasping hold +of it. He crawled to a safe place on hands and knees, but was so nearly +paralyzed he could not stand up. + +"I'll carry him up to the Hall," said Peleg Snuggers, who had chanced +upon the scene, and without ceremony he picked Tom up in his strong arms +and made off for the school building on a run. + +After Tom came Frank Harrington, who caught hold of one end of a rope +tossed toward the hole. As soon as he shouted he had the rope secure, a +dozen boys pulled upon it, and Frank was literally dragged from his icy +bath. Once on shore he was started on a run for the Hall, some boys +rushing ahead to obtain dry clothing for both him and the others. + +Poor George Granbury was now the only one left in danger, and matters +appeared to be going hard with him. He clutched at one of the planks +thrust toward him, but his hold slipped and down he went out of sight. + +"He'll be drowned! He's too cold to save himself!" was the cry of +several who were watching him. + +"Be careful, boys!" came warningly from Mr. Strong. "Be careful, or +somebody else will get in!" + +"Mr. Strong, if you will hold the plank, I'll crawl out and get hold of +Granbury," came from Dick, in a determined voice. + +"Rover, can you do it?" + +"I feel certain I can. Hold tight, please." + +Dick leaped upon the plank and threw himself flat. Then he crawled out +as fast as he could, until he was on the end over the open water. +Holding to the plank with one hand he reached out to grasp George's +shoulder with the other. + +"Sa--save me!" gasped the drowning boy. + +"Give me your hand, George," called Dick. + +Granbury tried to do so, but the effort was a failure, for the cold had +so numbed him he could scarcely move. Reaching as far as he could, Dick +caught a portion of his coat and drew the helpless boy toward him. + +The ice cracked ominously, but did not break. Mr. Strong warned the +others still further back. + +Slowly but surely Dick raised George to a level of the plank. Then with +an extra effort he hauled the half-drowned boy up. + +"Now haul in on the plank," he called, and Mr. Strong and two boys did +so immediately. In a moment more danger from drowning was a thing of the +past for George Granbury. + +A cheer went up because of Dick's heroic action, but this was instantly +hushed as George was seen to stagger back and fall as if dead. +Instantly Mr. Strong picked the boy up in his arms and ran toward the +Hall. + +"Oh, Dick, how noble of you!" It was Dora Stanhope who spoke, as she +came up and placed a trembling little hand on his arm. "And how glad I +am that you didn't get in while doing it." And her eyes filled with +tears. + +"I--I'm glad too, Dora," he said brokenly. And then added: "Excuse me, +but I guess I'd better go up and see how Tom is making out." + +"To be sure, and let me know if it's all right," she replied. + +Once inside the Hall Dick learned that Tom had been put into a warm bed. +He was apparently none the worse for his mishap, and likely to be as +full of life and fun as ever on the morrow. + +Poor Granbury, however, was not so well off. It took some time to +restore him to consciousness, and while Captain Putnam and Mr. Strong +put him to bed, with hot-water bags to warm him up, Peleg Snuggers was +sent off post-haste for a doctor. As a result of the adventure Granbury +had to remain in bed for the best part of a week. + +"I shan't forget you for what you did," he said to Dick, when able to +sit up. "You saved my life." And many agreed that what George Granbury +said was true. As for Dora Stanhope, she looked upon the elder Rover as +more of a hero than ever. + +After the mishap at the races on the ice the time flew by swiftly until +the Christmas holidays. Before going home for Christmas Dick called upon +the Stanhopes and gave them the gifts he had purchased, over which they +were much pleased. For Dick Dora had worked a pretty scarf, of which he +was justly proud. Mrs. Stanhope had books for all the boys, something +which was always to their liking. The Rovers did not forget the Lanings, +nor were they forgotten by these old friends. + +"And now for home. Hurrah!" shouted Sam, on the way to Cedarville. "I +must say I'm just a bit anxious to see the old place once more." + +"Yes, and see father, and Uncle Randolph and Aunt Martha," put in Dick. + +"Don't forget Alexander Pop," put in Tom, referring to the colored man +who had once been a waiter at the Hall, and who was now in the Rover +employ. + +"And Jack Ness and the rest," put in Sam. "I guess we'll be glad enough +to see everybody." + +When the boys arrived at Ithaca they found there had been a freight +smash-up on the railroad, and that they would have to wait for five or +six hours for a train to take them home. This would bring them to Oak +Run, their railroad station, at three o'clock in the morning. + +"I move we stay in Ithaca over night," said Tom. "If we got to Oak Run +at three in the morning, what would we do? There would be no one there +to meet us, and it's a beastly hour for rousing anybody out." + +So they decided to put up at a hotel in Ithaca, and went around to a new +place called the Students' Rest. The hotel was fairly well filled, but +they secured a large apartment with two double beds. + +"There's a nice concert on this evening by a college glee club," said +Sam. "I move we get tickets and go." + +"Second the motion," said Tom promptly. + +"The motion is put and carried," put in Dick just as promptly. "I trust, +though, the concert don't make us weep." + +"They won't know we're there, so perhaps they won't try it on too hard," +said Sam, and there the students' slang came to an end for the time +being. + +The concert was quite to their taste, and they were surprised, when it +was over, to learn that it was after eleven o'clock. + +"I hadn't any idea it was so late," exclaimed Dick. "We'd better be +getting back to the hotel, or we won't get our money's worth out of that +room." + +"That's right," laughed Tom. "Although, to tell the truth, I'm not very +sleepy." + +Several blocks were covered when Sam, who was looking across the +street, uttered a cry of astonishment. + +"Look!" he exclaimed. + +"At what?" asked both Tom and Dick. + +"Over in front of that clothing store. There is Dan Baxter, and Jasper +Grinder is with him!" + +"Sam is right," came from Dick. "They must have struck up some sort of a +friendship, or they wouldn't be here together." + +"Let's go over and see what Baxter has to say for himself," said Tom +boldly. + +"All right," returned Dick. "But we want to keep out of a row; remember +that." + +They crossed the street and walked straight up to Baxter and Jasper +Grinder, who were holding an animated conversation in the doorway of a +clothing establishment which was closed for the night. + +As they came up, Sam caught the words, "There is money there, sure," +coming from Baxter. He paid no attention to the words at the time, but +remembered them long afterward, and with good reason. + +"Hullo, Baxter!" said Dick, halting in front of the bully. + +Dan Baxter gave a start, as if detected in some wrong act. Then, as the +light from an electric lamp shone upon Dick's face, he glared sourly at +the oldest Rover. + +"Where did you come from?" he asked, and then, seeing the other Rovers, +added: "Been following me, I suppose?" + +"No, we haven't been following you," said Dick. "We just came from, the +college boys' concert in the hall down the street." + +Jasper Grinder looked as sour as did Dan Baxter. Then he shook his +finger in Dick's face. + +"I haven't forgotten you, Richard Rover," he said bitterly. "And I am +not likely to forget you." + +"As you please, Mr. Grinder," was the cool rejoinder. + +"And I shan't forget you, Jasper Grinder," put in Sam. "You were the +means of my going to bed with a heavy cold." + +"Bah! it was all put on," exclaimed Jasper Grinder. "Had I had my way, I +would have kept you in the storeroom all night, and flogged you beside." + +"Captain Putnam did a good thing when he dismissed you," put in Tom. +"It's a pity he ever took on such a cold-hearted and miserly fellow." + +"You Rovers think you are on top," said Dan Baxter savagely. "But you +won't stay on top long, I'll give you my word on that." + +"What are you going to do about it?" asked Dick, not without +considerable curiosity. + +"Never mind; you'll learn when the proper time comes." + +"Is your dad going to try to break jail again?" asked Sam. + +"It's none of your business what he does--or what I do, either." + +"We'll make it our business if you try any of your games on us again," +said Dick. "We've stood enough from you and your kind, and we don't +intend to stand any more." + +"Are you going back to school after the holidays?" asked Dan Baxter, +after a pause. + +"That's our business," answered Tom. + +"All right; you needn't answer the question if you don't want to." + +"What do you want to know for?" asked Sam. + +"Oh! nothing in particular. I suppose it's a good place for you to go +to. You are all Captain Putnam's pets, and he won't make you do a thing +you don't like, or make you study either, if your father shells out to +him." + +"We study a great deal more than you ever studied, Baxter," said Dick. + +"Let them go," cried Jasper Grinder, in deep irritation. "I want nothing +to do with them," and he turned his back on the Rovers. + +"We're willing to go," said Dick. "But, Baxter, I warn you against +doing anything in the future. You'll only put your foot into it." + +So speaking, Dick walked away, and Tom and Sam followed him. Baxter +shook his fist at them, and Jasper Grinder did the same. + +"They're a bad team," said Tom, as they walked to the hotel. "If they +try, perhaps they can give us lots of trouble." + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS. + + +"Hurrah! Here we are again! How natural Oak Run looks!" exclaimed Tom on +the following day, as the long train came to a halt at their station and +they piled out on to the narrow platform. + +"There is old Nat Ricks, the station master," said Sam. "Remember how +you nearly scared him to death once by putting a big fire-cracker in the +waste paper he was burning and then telling him a yarn about dynamite +being around?" + +"Well, I just guess I do," answered Tom, with a grin. "Hullo, Mr. +Ricks!" he called out. "How are you this fine and frosty morning?" + +"Putty well, Tom," grumbled the old station master. "Been troubled a lot +lately with rheumatism." + +"That's too bad, Mr. Ricks. Caught it hoisting trunks into the cars, I +suppose." + +"Don't know how I caught it." + +"Or maybe lifting milk cans." + +"I don't lift no milk cans no more. Job Todder has that work around +here." + +"I see. Well, you must have caught it somehow, or else it caught you. +Ever tried the old Indian remedy for it?" + +"Indian remedy, what's that?" + +"Gracious, Mr. Ricks! never heard of the old reliable Indian remedy? I'm +astonished at you," went on Tom, in mock candor. + +"I've heard tell of Indian vegetable pills--but they aint no good for +rheumatism," was the slow answer. + +"Where is the pain mostly?" + +"Down this left leg." + +"Then the Indian remedy will just cure you, sure pop, Mr. Ricks." + +"Well, what might it be?" + +"It might be cover-liver oil, but it isn't. You get a quart bottle--a +red quart bottle, for a white one won't do,--and fill it with cold +spring water, tapped when the moon is full." + +"Is that all?" + +"Oh, no, no! Then you take the spring water and boil it over a charcoal +fire, same as the Modoc Indians used to do. You remember all about that, +don't you?" + +"I--I--'pears to me I ought to," stammered the old station master. + +"Well, after the water is boiled," went on Tom, with a side wink at Dick +and Sam, who were already on a broad grin, "you strain it through a +piece of red cheesecloth--not white, remember--and add one teaspoonful +of sugar, one of salt, one of ginger, one of mustard, one of hog's lard, +one of mercury, one of arrowroot, one of kerosene oil, one of lemon +juice, one of extract of vanilla, one of mushamusha----" + +"Hold on Rover, I can't remember all that. I'll have to put it down," +interrupted Nat Ricks. + +"No, you don't put it down until everything is in and well mixed. Then +you put it down, half a pint at a time, four times a day. It's a sure +cure, and inside of a week after taking seventeen quarts and rubbing the +empty bottles on your left shoulder blade you'll feel like dancing a jig +of joy; really, you will." + +"Oh, you go along!" growled the old station master, in sudden wrath. +"You're joking me. Go oh, or I'll throw something at you!" + +"No bouquets, please, Mr. Ricks. Then you won't try the cure? All right, +but don't blame me if your rheumatism gets worse. And as I can't do +anything for you, will you kindly inform me if you've seen anything of +Jack Ness around here, with our turnout?" + +"If you want your hired man you go find him yourself," growled the +station master, and hobbled into his office. + +"Oh, Tom, but that was rich," laughed Sam softly. "When you said extract +of vanilla and mushamusha I thought I'd explode. And he was listening +so earnestly, too!" + +"Here's Jack Ness!" cried Dick, as they turned to the rear of the +station. "Hullo, Jack! Here we are again!" + +"Master Dick!" exclaimed the hired man, with a grin. "An' Tom an' Sam! +Glad to see you boys back, indeed I am. Here, give me them bags. I'll +put 'em in the back of the sleigh." + +"How is the sleighing?" asked Sam. + +"Sleighing is quite fair yet, Master Tom. In you go. All the folks is +dying to see you." + +They were soon stowed away in the big family sleigh, and Jack Ness +touched up the team, and away they went, through Oak Run and across the +bridge spanning the Swift River--that stream where Sam had once had such +a thrilling adventure. The countryside was covered with snow and with +pools of ice. + +It did not take them long to come in sight of Valley Brook. While still +at a distance they saw faithful Alexander Pop come out on the broad +piazza and wave his hand at them. + +"There's Aleck!" cried Tom. "He's been on the watch!" + +"There is father!" came from Sam, a moment later; "and aunt Martha and +Uncle Randolph!" + +Soon they turned into the lane, and Jack Ness brought the sleigh up to +the piazza block in fine style. Tom was the first out and ran to greet +his father, and then his uncle and his aunt, and the others followed. + +"I am glad to see you back, boys," said Mr. Anderson Rover. "You all +look first-rate." + +"We're feeling first-rate," came from Dick. + +"Are you sure, Sam, that you are quite over your cold?" asked Aunt +Martha anxiously. + +"Quite sure, aunty dear," he answered, and kissed her very warmly, not +once, but several times. + +"Here, don't eat Aunt Martha up!" cried Tom. "Leave some for me." + +"You dear Tom!" murmured the lady of the house, as she kissed him and +then embraced Dick. "Full of fun as ever, I suppose." + +"Oh, no, aunty! I never do anything wrong now," answered Tom solemnly. +"I really haven't time, you know." + +"I'm afraid, Tom, I can't trust you." And Mrs. Randolph Rover shook her +head sadly, but smiled nevertheless. She loved the jolly lad with all +her heart. + +There was a warm greeting from Randolph Rover also, and then the boys +turned indoors, to greet faithful Alexander Pop and the others who +worked about the place. + +"Yo' is a sight fo' soah eyes, 'deed yo' is, boys," said the colored +man. "I can't tell yo' how much I'se missed yo'!" And his face shone +like a piece of polished ebony. + +"It's more like home than ever, to get where you are, Aleck," said Dick. +"You've been through so much with us you are certainly part of the +outfit." And at this Aleck laughed and looked more pleased than ever. + +It was the day before Christmas, but in honor of their arrival there was +an extra-fine dinner awaiting them. Mrs. Rover had wanted to keep her +turkey meat for Christmas, so her husband, Anderson Rover, and Aleck had +gone into the woods back of the farm and brought down some rabbits and +a number of birds, so there was potpie and other good things galore, not +forgetting some pumpkin pies and home-made doughnuts, which Aunt Martha +prepared with her own hands and of which the boys had always been +exceedingly fond. + +"I'll tell you what," remarked Tom, as he was stowing away his second +generous piece of pie, "the feed at the Hall is all right, but when it +comes to a real, downright spread, like this, the palm goes to Aunt +Martha." And Dick and Sam agreed with him. + +There was, of course, much to tell about on both sides, and after dinner +the family gathered in the big sitting room, in front of a cheerful, +blazing fire. Mr. Anderson Rover listened with keen interest to what +his sons had to say about Jasper Grinder and Dan Baxter. + +"I sincerely trust they do not plot against us," he said. "I am getting +old, and I want no more trouble." + +"I don't believe Dan has the backbone his father has," answered Dick. +"And I believe Mr. Grinder is good deal of a coward." + +"If only young Baxter would turn over a new leaf!" sighed Mrs. Martha +Rover. "I declare I'll not feel safe, on your account, until that young +man is taken care of." + +The evening was passed in talking, singing, and playing games, and it +was not until late that all retired. + +The Christmas to follow was not one to be easily forgotten. There were +presents for everybody, from Mr. Rover down to Sarah, the hired girl, +and everybody was greatly pleased. + +At the Christmas dinner Alexander Pop insisted upon waiting on the +table, just as he had so often done at Putnam Hall. He had on his full +dress suit, and his face wore one perpetual smile. The boys had all +remembered Aleck handsomely, and he had not forgotten them. + +In the afternoon the boys went skating, and on the pond met several of +the boys of the neighborhood, and all had a glorious time until dark. +Then they piled home, once more as hungry as wolves, to a hot supper, +and an evening of nut-cracking around the fire. + +"Tell you what," said Sam on going to bed that night, "I almost wish +Christmas came once a week instead of once a year!" + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +THE BRASS-LINED MONEY CASKET. + + +It was on the day following Christmas that Dick brought out the +brass-lined money casket which he had picked up in the cave on Needle +Point Island, in Lake Huron, as related in a previous volume of this +series. + +As old readers know, this cave was stumbled upon by accident. It had +once been the hiding place of a band of smugglers who plied their +unlawful calling between the United States and Canada, and the cave was +found filled with numerous articles of more or less value. The Rovers +had gone back for these things, but had found some money gone, also a +curiously shaped dagger and a map, which had been in the cave on a rude +table. They were pretty well satisfied in their minds that Dan Baxter +had taken these things, but had never been able to prove it. + +The brass-lined money casket was an odd-looking affair, which Dick found +thrust in a big box of fancy articles of various descriptions. The box +was about a foot long, six inches wide, and six inches deep. It was of +rosewood, with silver corners, and the lining was of polished brass, +curiously engraved. The box had contained a few odd Canadian silver +coins, but that was all. + +"Do you know, I would like to know the history of this box," observed +Dick, as he looked it over. "As it belonged to one of those smugglers it +ought to have quite a story to tell." + +"It will make a nice jewel casket," put in Tom. "When you settle down +with Dora, you can give if to her for her dia----" + +"Oh, stow that, Tom! If Dora ever does take me for a husband, it won't +be for some years to come, you must know that." + +"Let me take a look at the box," put in Sam. "I never got the chance to +look it over carefully." + +"It's odd that they should engrave it inside," went on Dick. "Especially +since the outside silver corners are plain." + +"Perhaps there is a secret spring hidden by the engraving," suggested +Tom. "Hunt around. It may fly apart and let out a hundred thousand in +diamonds." + +"Don't be foolish, Tom," said Dick. "It isn't likely there is a spring." + +"But there just is a spring!" exclaimed Sam, who was handling the box. +"Hark!" + +He ran his finger nail over a spot on one side of the box, and there +followed a tiny click. Then he ran his finger nail back, and there was +another click. + +"Hurrah! Sam has solved the mystery of the sphinx!" cried Tom. "Can you +open it? I claim a third share of the diamonds!" + +"Give me the box," said Dick, also a bit excited. When he got it in his +hands he, too, ran his finger nail over the engraved brass. Several tiny +clicks followed. + +"There must be some opening beneath the brass lining," he said. + +"Take it to the window, and perhaps you'll be able to see something +more," suggested Sam. + +Dick did as advised, and, with his brothers gathered close beside him, +worked over the money casket for fully quarter of an hour. + +"It seems to click, and that's all," he said disappointedly. "If I could +only----Oh!" + +Dick stopped short. His finger had run across the lining in a certain +way. There were three clicks in rapid succession, and on the instant one +of the brass plates of the box flew back, revealing a tiny compartment +behind it, not over a quarter of an inch in depth. + +"No diamonds there," said Tom, his face falling. "Full of emptiness." + +"No, here is a sheet of parchment," returned Dick, pulling it forth. "A +map!" he added, as he unfolded it. "Well, I never!" + +"Never what?" came from Tom and Sam. + +"Unless I am mistaken, this is like the map that was on that table in +the cave, only this is much smaller." + +"That's interesting, too," said Tom. + +"The back of the map is full of writing," said Sam. He looked closer. +"It's in French." + +"This box must have belonged to one of those French-Canadian smugglers," +said Dick. "We'll have to get Uncle Randolph to read the writing and +tell us what it says." + +The three boys had been up to Dick's room. Now they lost no time in +going below. In all eagerness they burst into the library, where +Anderson Rover sat reading a magazine and Randolph Rover one of his +favorite works on scientific farming. + +"Dick has got the money casket open!" cried Sam. + +"And he has found a map," added Tom. "We want Uncle Randolph to read the +writing. It's in French." + +"Found a map in that old brass-lined box, eh?" said Anderson Rover. +"That's interesting." + +"I am afraid my French is a trifle rusty," remarked Randolph Rover, as +he put down his book. "Let me see the map." + +He took it to the window, and both he and Anderson Rover looked it over +with keen interest. + +"Why, this is a map of the locality around Timber Run," said Randolph +Rover. "That's a great lumbering section in the Adirondacks." + +"Timber Run!" echoed Tom, and for the moment said no more. But he +remembered what Dora Stanhope had said, that after the holidays Nellie +and Grace Laning were going on a visit to an aunt who lived at Timber +Run. + +"Yes, Thomas, this is a map of Timber Run. This stream is the Perch +River, and this is Bear Pond. The naming is in French, but that is the +English of it." + +"Please read the writing on the back," said Dick. "If the map is worth +anything I want to know it." + +Without further ado Randolph Rover began to read the writing. It was a +hard and tedious task, and the translating was, to him, equally +difficult, for his knowledge of French was somewhat limited. Translated, +the writing ran somewhat after this fashion: + +"To find the box of silver and gold, go to where Bear Pond empties into +Perch River. Ten paces to the west is a large pine tree, which was once +struck by lightning. Go due southwest from the pine tree sixty-two +paces, to the flat rock, behind which is a sharp-pointed rock. Beneath +the sharp-pointed rock is the chamber with the box. Stranger, beware of +Goupert's ghost." + + + * * * * * + +"A treasure in the mountains!" cried Sam. "Hurrah! let's go and get it!" + +"Bear Pond lies between two high mountains," said Randolph Rover. "It is +in a very wild country, and so far but little of the timber has been +taken out." + +"Never mind, we'll go anyhow!" put in Tom enthusiastically. "Why, the +box may be worth a fortune!" + +"Yes, let us go by all means," put in Dick. "I wouldn't like any better +fun than hunting for a treasure box." + +"Haven't you boys had adventures enough?" questioned Anderson Rover. +"You've been to Africa and out West, and on the ocean and the Great +Lakes----" + +"Oh, this would just be a little winter's outing in the mountains," said +Tom. "We could go hunting, and have lots of fun, even if we didn't find +the treasure box." + +"The treasure box was probably taken away years ago," said Randolph +Rover. "Most likely several of the smugglers knew of it." + +"And what of that ghost?" asked Anderson Rover, with a twinkle in his +eyes. + +"Pooh! we're not afraid of ghosts," sniffed Sam. "Are we, Tom?" + +"If I saw a ghost, I'd be apt to pepper him with shot, if I had my gun," +answered Tom. "No, I'm not afraid of such things--and neither is Dick." + +"It would be a fine thing to find a big boxful of silver," said Dick +seriously. "I know there was lots in that cave, before Dan Baxter +scooped it in. And, by the way, he must have that other map yet." + +"Perhaps he went for the treasure box!" burst out Sam. + +"If the box is gone, we can't help it," said Tom. "But I move we get to +Timber Run and Bear Pond just as soon as possible." + +"Do you want to start in this cold weather?" asked his father anxiously. + +"Pooh! It isn't so very cold." + +"It's a good deal colder up in the mountains than it is here, I can tell +you that. Why, you might easily freeze to death if you got lost in the +snow." + +"I wonder if we couldn't find some guide who knows that territory +thoroughly," mused Dick. + +"If you could find a good guide, I wouldn't mind your going," said his +parent. "But I shall object to your going alone." + +"Then we'll hunt for a guide, and without delay," said Dick. "I would +like to go up there before Putnam Hall opens again." + +"So would I," came from his two brothers. + +"I think I know where you can get a guide," said Tom, after a pause. +"The Lanings have relatives at Timber Run. Let's write to Mr. Laning." + +This was agreed to, and a special trip was made to the village by Aleck +Pop to post the letter. In the letter they asked Mr. Laning to +telegraph, if possible, in reply. + +The telegram came shortly after noon the next day. It ran as follows: + + "I feel sure my brother-in-law, John Barrow, of Timber Run, can + supply a reliable guide. Will write to him. + + "JOHN LANING." + +"That settles it," said Dick. "I know the Lanings will do what is right +by us, so we may as well get ready to start at once. Are you willing, +father?" + +"Yes, Dick," was the answer. "But be sure and keep out of danger, and +keep Tom and Sam out, too." + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE HEART OF THE ADIRONDACK. + + +Three days later found the Rover boys in the heart of the Adirondack +Mountains of New York State. They had left home, after a hasty but +thorough preparation, two days before, and taken the train from Oak Run +to the mountain village of Medwell. At Medwell they had taken the stage +to Barton's Corners, and at this point had hired a private conveyance to +carry them and their outfit to Timber Run. + +At the time of which I write Timber Run was nothing more than a +collection of a dozen houses, strung along a branch of the Perch River, +where that stream turned the southern slope of a high hill known as Bald +Top. There was a general store here and also an office belonging to the +Timber Run Lumber Company. But business with the company was slow, and +the village, consequently, was almost destitute of life, two of the +houses being without tenants. + +"Well, this doesn't look much like a place," remarked Sam, as they got +out of the heavy lumber wagon which had brought them and their outfit +over. + +"Phew! but aint it cold!" exclaimed Tom, dancing around and slapping his +arms over his chest. "I wonder how Nellie and Grace Laning like this?" + +"I'll wager you've been thinking of Nellie all the way up," said Dick +slyly, remembering how his brother had tormented him about Dora +Stanhope. + +"Couldn't think of anything but how cold it was," growled Tom, but his +face took on a sudden redness. "Where do you go next?" he demanded, to +change the subject. + +"Let's go over to the store and ask for Mr. John Barrow," suggested +Dick. + +The store was at a fork in the roads, and thither they hurried, to get +inside, for the ride from Barton's Corners had certainly been a chilling +one. In the store they found a big pot stove throwing out a generous +amount of heat, and around this stove were gathered half a dozen men, +smoking and telling stories. + +"So you are the young men who are looking for John Barrow," said the +storekeeper, after listening to what Dick had to say. "He was here +waiting for you, and he'll be back in a bit. Rather a cold ride, eh? +Draw up to the fire and warm up." + +A place was made for the lads, and while they were "thawing out," as +Sam put it, John Barrow came in. He proved to be a tall, powerful built +lumberman, with a well-tanned face and sharp, but kindly, eyes. + +"How do you do," he said, as he shook hands. "Real glad to know you. +Yes, I got a letter from John Laning, my brother-in-law, tellin' me all +about you. He says as how you want a guide fer these parts. Well, I +don't want to brag, but I reckon I know the lay o' the land 'round here +about as good as any o' 'em, and a heap sight better nor lots." + +"We'd like you first-rate for a guide," said Tom, who was pleased with +John Barrow's looks, as were also his brothers. "But can you spare the +time?" + +"Reckon I can, just now. You see, the lumber company has got in some +sort of a tangle with the owner of the timber on this tract, and +consequently work is at a standstill. That's why you see so many men +hangin' around here." + +"Then you work for the company?" asked Dick. + +"I do in the winter time, but not in the summer. I've got a tidy farm +down the river a bit, and I let out my hosses to the company to haul +timber. It's cash money, you see, when the haulin' is goin' on." + +"I believe the Laning girls are stopping with you," put in Sam. + +"Yes, Nellie and Grace came up some time ago. You see, our girl, Addie, +gits tired being on the farm with only her mother, so we invited her +cousins to come up for a spell. They've had some pretty good times +together, so far, skatin' and sleighin', and the like. They are all +anxious to see you." + +John Barrow had brought with him his wagon, and into this their outfit +was dumped, and a minute later they were off, down the winding and rough +road running along the bank of the river, which was now frozen to a +thickness of a foot or more and covered with several inches of snow. + +"You say you know this locality," observed Dick, as they bumped along +over the frozen ground. "Do you know the spot where Bear Pond empties +into Perch River?" + +"I know several such spots, my lad." + +"Several!" came from all of the Rover boys. + +"Yes, several. You see the ground around the pond is marshy, and the +heavy rains cut all sorts of gullies here and there, so the pond empties +into the river, now, at five or six p'ints." + +"Are these points very far apart?" asked Sam, in dismay. "You see, I'm +very anxious we should know the exact particulars." + +"Indeed!" John Barrow looked at them curiously. "Say, I reckon I know +what you are after!" he burst out suddenly. + +"What?" came from the three. + +"You're on a hunt for old Goupert's treasure." + +"Why, what do you know about that?" demanded Dick. He remembered that +the writing on the map said, "Beware of Goupert's ghost." + +"Oh, that's an old yarn about here, and at different times we've had +more'n a hundred folks a-hunting around for that old Frenchman's money +box, but nobody ever got so much as a smell o' it." + +"Who was Goupert?" asked Tom. + +"Goupert was a thoroughly bad man, who lived sixty or seventy years ago. +The story goes that he used to be a smuggler and that he came here when +the authorities chased him off the Great Lakes. He had lots o' money, +but he was a miser, and a queer stick to boot. He built himself a cabin +on Bear Pond, and lived there all alone for two years. Then some lake +men came down here, and one night there was a big row and the lake men +disappeared. Goupert couldn't be found at first, but about a month later +some hunters discovered his dead body tied to a tree in the woods, not +far from the spot you asked about. He had been left to starve to death. +The story was that the lake men had starved him in order to get him to +tell where he had hidden his money box, and that old Goupert was too +much o' a miser to let the secret out. So folks begun to hunt for that +money box high an' low, but never got a smell o' it, as I said." + +"Did you ever hunt for the money?" questioned Dick. + +"No, I never had no time to waste. So you really came up on that +account?" + +"We came up on that account, and also to have a good time in the +mountains," said Dick, before Sam or Tom could speak. "But, Mr. Barrow, +I wish you wouldn't mention this to the other folks around here. They +might laugh at us for coming on what they think is a wild-goose chase." + +"Oh, I won't say a word on it--if you want it that way." + +"Did this Goupert leave any relatives?" asked Sam. + +"No, lad, not a soul." + +"Then if we should find that treasure it would belong to us," put in +Tom. + +"Every penny on it, lad. But don't raise any high hopes, or you may be +sorely disapp'inted." + +"Oh, I came for a good time," replied Tom, in an off-handed a manner as +possible. + +Presently John Barrow had to get out of the wagon to fix something on +the harness. While he was doing this Dick leaned over to his two +brothers. + +"Don't say anything about the map to anybody," he whispered. "We'll +keep that a secret for the present." And Tom and Sam nodded, to show +that they understood. + +The ride to John Barrow's house soon came to an end, and as the boys +alighted at the horseblock the door opened and Nellie and Grace Laning +appeared. + +"How do you do, Tom!" cried Nellie, as she ran and caught him by the +hand, while Grace did the same to Sam. "We're awfully glad to see you, +and to see Dick and Sam, too," and a hand-shaking all around followed. +Then Mrs. Barrow, a motherly woman, was introduced and also her daughter +Addie, who was Nellie's age, and full of fun. + +"Come right in, boys," said Mrs. Barrow. "Supper is waiting, and I'm +sure you must be hungry." + +"Hungry doesn't describe it," said Tom. "I could eat sole leather. Phew! +what an appetite riding in this mountain air does give a fellow!" + +"Can you ever remember the time when you wasn't without an appetite, +Tom?" asked Nellie Laning, with a laugh. + +"Never go so far into ancient history," he returned solemnly, and a +general laugh followed. + +Soon their outfit was safely housed in the barn, and then they entered +the house, where the long supper table, filled with good things, awaited +them. All three of the girls insisted upon waiting on the boys, and it +proved as jolly a meal as they had ever eaten. They lingered for an hour +at the table, talking and cracking nuts, and during that time the Rover +boys became thoroughly acquainted with the Barrow family. + +"Oh, I've heard lots about you!" said Addie Barrow. "Nellie has told me +great, long stories about Tom's bravery, and Grace has told me all about +Sam's doings, and both of them have told about you, Dick----" + +"Now, do be still, Addie!" put in Nellie Laning. "I declare, I never +said a word!" + +"Oh! A word! Why, you kept me awake one night for over an hour telling +about how Tom----" + +"Let's have a song," broke in Sam. "I see an organ in the next room and +some music. You must play," he added, to Addie. + +"She plays beautifully," put in Grace, thankful for the change of +subject. "Addie, give them that new song, 'I'm Sorry, Oh, So Sorry!'" + +"All right," answered the young lady of the house, and sitting down at +the organ she ran her hands over the keys and started the song. She +could sing and play well, and all joined in the chorus. The music was +kept up for over an hour, and then the Rover boys retired, highly +pleased over their reception. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE START UP THE RIVER. + + +"If it wasn't for finding that treasure box I'd just as lief stay here +for a few days," remarked Tom, on getting up the following morning. + +"Ditto myself," came from Sam. "We could have a boss good time, eh?" + +"How about it if Nellie and Grace weren't here?" came from Dick, and +then dodged a shoe thrown at him by Tom and a pillow sent forth by Sam. +"No, boys, it won't do--we must leave for the hunt to-day. Why, there +may be a million in it." + +"That's right, Dick; when you fly, fly high," said Tom. "That Frenchman +never had a million. If he had a couple of thousand he'd be lucky." + +"And of course, a couple of thousand is of no importance to us," put in +Sam grandiloquently. + +"All right; I'll go on the hunt alone." + +"No, Dick, of course we'll go," said Tom hastily. "When do you want to +start?" + +"As soon as Mr. Barrow can get off." + +But, in spite of Dick's anxiety to get off, the start was delayed for a +whole day, much to Tom and Sam's secret joy. John Barrow had to go to +Timber Run for things needed in the house by his wife and daughter. + +When he returned there was a broad grin on his face. + +"I've got news for you," he said to Dick, who had followed him down to +the barn. "There's another party arrived at Timber Run on the hunt fer +that treasure of old Goupert's." + +"Another party. Who is it?" + +"Didn't hear their names. There are two men and a young fellow o' +nineteen or twenty. They have hired Bill Harney fer a guide, and are +goin' to strike out fer the Pond to-morrow." + +"Two men and a young fellow," mused Dick. "I'd like to know who they +are." + +"One o' the men looked like a preacher or schoolmaster. He called the +young feller Thacher, or something like that." + +"It wasn't Baxter?" queried Dick, struck by a sudden idea. + +"That's the name--now I remember." + +"And the man, did they call him Grinder--Jasper Grinder?" went on Dick +excitedly. + +"If it wasn't Grinder, it was something like it. The party came east +from Ithaca." + +"It's Dan Baxter and Jasper Grinder sure!" burst out Dick. "Well, this +beats the nation." + +"Then you know the crowd?" + +"I do--to my sorrow, Mr. Barrow. That Dan Baxter is the good-for-nothing +young fellow I told you of this morning, and Jasper Grinder was a +teacher at the Hall. We had a big row with him and he was kicked out in +a hurry by Captain Putnam. They are our enemies." + +"Humph! That promises to make it interesting for you. But it's queer +they should come up at the same time you're here," went on the lumberman +thoughtfully. + +"I might as well let you into a secret, Mr. Barrow. Will you promise to +keep it entirely to yourself?" + +"Certainly, lad, if it's an honest secret." + +"It is honest," answered Dick, and thereupon told of the adventure on +Needle Point Island and of the map on the table, and how it had +disappeared, and of the finding of the second map in the brass-lined +money casket later on. + +"I am sure Dan Baxter has that other map," he concluded. "He wants that +treasure as badly as we do." + +"Then I allow as how it will be a nip-an'-tuck race between you," +returned John Barrow. "The fust to get there will be the best man. O' +course, with that map it ought to be plain enough sailin'." + +"I thought it would be, but it will mix us up, now you say that Bear +Pond empties into Perch River in several places. We'll have to try one +place after another." + +"Do your directions start from that p'int?" + +"Yes." + +"Then we'll have to find the right emptyin' place, that's all. My advice +is to start fer the spot to-morrow early." + +So it was arranged, and Dick called Tom and Sam down to the barn to talk +it over. It was late in the afternoon, and all worked until after the +supper hour in preparing for the start. + +"It's a good twenty miles' tramp from here," said John Barrow, "and +we'll have to climb two pretty steep mountains to get to the spot." + +"Why can't we follow the stream up?" asked Tom. "That would be easier +than tramping up the mountains." + +"By the river the way is at least forty miles, and there are half a +dozen rough spots where you'd have to walk a mile or two." + +"We have our skates," said Sam. "Skating would be easier than walking, +and pulling the sleds on the ice would be child's play." + +"Well, I allow as how I wouldn't mind skatin' myself," said John Barrow +thoughtfully. "I never thought of that before. If you want to, we can +try that trail. We can take to the mountain any time, if we find skating +no good." + +So it was arranged that they should strike out for Bear Pond by way of +the river, and the sleds, of which there were two, were packed +accordingly, and the boys saw to it that their skates were well +sharpened and otherwise in good condition. + +"When you're skating, you want to look out for air holes," was John +Barrow's caution. "Fer where the river runs between the mountains it is +mighty deep in spots, I can tell you that!" + +"Thanks, I'll be on my guard," answered Tom, with a shiver. "I've had +all I want of icy baths this winter." + +The girls were sorry to see the boys leave so quickly, but were consoled +when Tom promised to stay longer on the return. On the following morning +breakfast was had at six o'clock, and by seven they were off, everybody +wishing them a good time. Only Mrs. Barrow knew that the boys were on a +treasure, and not a bird and wild animal, hunt. + +It was a clear, frosty day and everybody was in the best of spirits. The +boys wore fur caps and warm clothing, and each was provided with either +a rifle or a shot-gun. So far they had seen but little game around the +farm, but John Barrow assured them that the timber and mountains were +full of game of all sorts. + +"I wonder what route Dan Baxter's party took," said Dick, as they gained +the river, and stopped to put on their skates. + +"I didn't hear what route they took," answered their guide. "I reckon +they went straight over the mountains. I don't believe as how Bill +Harney takes to skating." + +"Is this Bill Harney a good sort?" asked Tom. "If he is, I can tell you +he has got into bad company." + +"Bill isn't so bad when he's sober. It's when he gits full o' rum that +he makes things lively. He's a great drinker." + +They were soon on the river, which at this point was fifty to sixty feet +wide. The snow covered a large portion of the surface, but the wind had +cleared many a long stretch, and they skated on these, dragging the +sleds behind them. Each sled was packed high with the camping outfit, +but they ran along readily. + +"I wonder how long we'll be out," said Sam, as he skated by Tom's side. + +"I guess that will depend upon what luck we have, Sam. If we strike the +right spot first clip we ought to be back inside of five or six days." + +As the party moved up the river they found the stream wound in and out +between the mountains On either side were bare rocky walls or dense +patches of timber, with here and there a tiny open space, now piled deep +with snowdrifts. + +"I see some rabbits ahead!" cried Tom presently. "Wonder if I can bring +them down," he added, as he unslung his gun. But long before he could +take aim the bunnies were out of sight amid the timber. + +"You'll have to carry your gun in your hand for a shot at them," came +from Dick. "But be careful, or you may trip up on some frozen twig and +shoot somebody." + +Mile after mile was passed, but no further game came to view, much to +Tom's disgust. + +"Not much right around here," said John Barrow, as he saw Tom put his +gun back over his shoulder. "The boys from Timber Run have cleared the +ground putty well. But you'll see something sure a little further +on--and maybe more'n you bargain for." + +"I'm not afraid of big game, Mr. Barrow. We faced some pretty bad +animals when we were in Africa and out West." + +"I allow that must be so, Tom. But you want to be careful even so. A big +mountain deer or a bear aint to be fooled with, I can tell you that." + +About eleven o'clock they came to the first falls above Timber Run. Here +the water was frozen into solid masses, but the way was so uneven they +found it profitable to take off their skates and "tote" the sleds around +the spot. This necessitated a walk of several hundred feet through the +timber skirting the edge of the river. The way was uncertain, and John +Barrow went ahead, to steer the party clear of any danger. + +"Finest timber in the world right here," he observed. "I can't see why +the timber company don't get together and put it in the market. It would +fetch a good price." + +"Wait! I see something in yonder trees!" cried Dick, in a low voice. +"Can you make out what they are?" + +"Wild turkeys!" answered the guide. "Git down behind these bushes. If we +can bag a few of them, we'll have rich eatin' for a few days!" + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +WILD TURKEYS. + + +Without delay the Rover boys dropped behind the bushes, and John Barrow +did the same. All kept as quiet as possible, for they knew that on the +first alarm the wild turkeys would be off. + +The game was not over six feet from the ground, sitting in three rows on +as many branches of a hemlock that overhung the stream. There were over +a dozen in the flock, each as plump as wild turkeys ever get. + +"How shall we fire?" asked Dick. "There is no call for all of us to +shoot at the same bird." + +"I'll take one on the left," answered John Barrow. "You take one on the +right. Tom can take a middle one sitting high, and Sam a middle one +sitting low. All ready?" + +"Yes," came the answer, from one after another. + +"Then fire when I say three. One, two--three!" + +Bang! bang! went the firearms, and as the reports echoed through the +forest, two of the wild turkeys were seen to drop dead under the +branches upon which they had been sitting. One, that was badly wounded, +fluttered down and began to thrash around in the brush. The rest of the +flock flew away with a rush and were lost to sight between the trees. + +"Three! That isn't so bad!" cried Dick, as they all started on a run +forward. Soon they had the turkey on the ground surrounded, and John +Barrow caught up the game and wrung its neck. + +"I guess I missed my mark," came rather sheepishly from Tom. + +"You!" exclaimed Sam, in surprise. "I was just going to say I had +missed." + +"Nobody missed," put in the guide. + +"Nobody?" came from the three Rovers. + +"Somebody must have missed," added Tom. "We fired four shots and only +got three birds." + +"One of those that flew off was wounded. He dropped a lot of feathers +and went up in a shaky fashion. Of course, he got away, but just the +same, he was hit." + +"Well, I thought I missed clean and clear," said Tom doubtfully. + +"And I thought I missed," laughed Sam. "I guess we'll have to divide +that third bird between us, Tom." + +"We've got all the wild-turkey meat we'll want on this trip," came from +John Barrow. "Before this is gone, you'll want a change, I'll warrant +you." + +While the guide was caring for the birds the boys went back for the +sleds. Soon they were again on the way, and they did not stop until the +vicinity of the falls was left far behind and they had again reached a +point where skating would be good for several miles. + +"Reckon we can stop here and have dinner," observed the guide. "Feelin' +kind o' hungry, aint you?" + +"Just guess I am hungry," declared Tom "But I didn't want to say +anything till the rest did." + +Some of the cooking utensils were unpacked, and while the boys got wood +for the fire, John Barrow brought out some coffee and other things. It +was decided that they should not take time to cook a turkey until they +went into camp for the night. + +Soon a fire was blazing merrily. They built it under the outer end of a +long tree limb, and from the limb suspended a pot full of water by a +long iron chain they had brought along. As the ground was covered with +snow, there was little danger of spreading a conflagration. Soon the +water was boiling and the guide made a steaming pot of coffee, which was +passed around in tin cups, with sugar and a little condensed milk. They +had brought along bread, cheese, chipped beef, and boiled eggs, and +also a mince pie which Mrs. Barrow had baked the day before, and these +made what Tom declared was a famous dinner. + +"No sauce like hunger sauce," laughed John Barrow, as he saw the lads +stow the food away. "Once I was trampin' the mountains all day without a +mouthful when I chanced to look in a corner o' my game bag and found a +slice o' bread, at least two weeks old. I ate that bread up, hard as it +was, and nuthin' ever tasted sweeter." + +"You're right," returned Dick. "The folks in the city who don't know +what to get to tickle their appetite ought to go hungry a few times. +Then I'm sure they'd appreciate what they got." + +The midday meal finished, they lost no time in repacking the sled load +and starting up the river once more. The stream was now wider than +before, and presently spread out into a small lake. + +"This is known as Tillard's Pond," said John Barrow. "Feller named Gus +Tillard built his cabin over yonder, about ten years ago. He went out +bar-huntin' one day, and Mr. Bar came along and chewed him up." + +"Gracious! Then there must be pretty ugly customers in this vicinity," +exclaimed Sam, with a shiver. + +"Not so many as there used to be. After Tillard's death the boys over to +the Run organized a b'ar hunt, and we brought in six o' the critters. +Reckon thet scart the others--leas'wise no b'ars showed up fer a long +while after." + +Out on Tillard's Pond a stiff breeze was blowing, and consequently their +progress was not as rapid as it had been, nor were any of them as warm +as formerly. + +"We're going to have a cold first night, I can tell you that," said +Dick, and his prediction proved true. By the time the sun sank to rest +behind the mountain in the west it was "snapping cold," as Tom expressed +it. The wind increased until to go forward was almost impossible. + +"I know a pretty good place to rest in," said the guide. "It isn't over +quarter of a mile from here. If we can make that we'll be all right till +mornin'." + +John Barrow led the way, pulling one of the sleds, and the boys +followed. Poor Sam was getting winded and skated only with the greatest +of difficulty. + +It was dark when they reached the location the guide had in mind--a +rocky wall on one side of the river. At one point there was a split in +the rocks. This was overgrown at the top with cedars and brushwood, +forming something of a cave, ten or twelve feet wide and twice as deep, +the bottom of which was of rock and fairly smooth. + +"I camped here two winters ago," said John Barrow, as he called a halt. +"I laced up the cedars above and they formed a fust-rate roof." + +"I guess they are pretty well laced still," observed Dick. "They seem to +hold the snow very well. But we won't dare to make a fire in there." + +"We'll build a fire in front, in this hollow, Dick. That will throw a +good deal of hot air into the place, and if we wrap ourselves in our +blankets we'll be warm enough." + +Everyone in the party was anxious to get out of the nipping wind, and +they lost no time in entering the "cave," as Sam called it. The entrance +was low, and by placing the two sleds in an upright position on either +side they left an opening not over a yard wide. Directly in front of +this the boys started a roaring fire, cutting down several dwarf cedars +for that purpose. + +"I don't much like the looks o' the sky to-night," observed John Barrow, +after preparing one of the turkeys for cooking. + +"Do you think there is a storm coming?" asked Tom. + +"Looks to me like snow, an plenty of it." + +"I hope it doesn't come until we reach Bear Pond," said Dick, "I don't +want Dan Baxter and his crowd to get ahead of us." + +"They won't have no better time o' it than we'll have," was the guide's +grim comment. "Aint no fun trampin' over the mountains with the snow +comin' down heavily; I can tell you that." + +The wind continued to increase, and after the supper was cooked and +brought into the shelter, the guide took it upon himself to bank the +fire with great care, that it might not blow into the forest and start a +big conflagration. + +"We've had some terrible fires here," he said. "One threatened my barn +two years ago, and we had to stay out two days an' a night a-fightin' +it. It would be a bad thing a night like this." + +To keep out the cold, Dick crawled to the top of the opening and bound +in the cedar limbs closer than ever. He also got some brush-wood and +some vines, and on these placed a thick layer of snow. + +"That's fine!" cried Sam, from below. "It's almost as tight as the roof +of a cabin." + +Tightening the roof made a big difference inside, and when they had hung +up a blanket behind the upright sleds, and placed some cedar brush on +the floor, it was very cozy. They had brought along some candles, and +one of these was lit and placed in a lantern which was in one of the +packs. It was not a bright light, but it was better than sitting in the +dark, and it seemed to make the shelter warmer than ever. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +ON THE WRONG TRAIL. + + +One of the turkeys was finished even to the neck piece, and then both +Tom and Sam declared that they were so sleepy they could scarcely keep +their eyes open. + +"It must be the mountain air," said Dick. "I'm sleepy, too. Let us turn +in." + +"Will anybody have to stand watch?" asked Sam. + +At this John Barrow shook his head. "Don't know as it's necessary," he +said. "Reckon we're safe enough. I'll keep my gun handy, in case any +animal prowls around." + +The boys laid down and were soon in the land of dreams. Tom and Sam +slept near the back wall, with Dick next, and the guide near the +opening, which, however, was now completely closed by the blanket. The +fire was allowed to die down, for they did not dare to build it up, with +such a wind blowing. + +Nothing came to disturb them. Once during the night Dick roused up and +heard the distant howling of a wolf. But the beast did not venture +close to the shelter, and while waiting for its appearance the youth +dropped asleep again. + +By midnight the wind fell a little, and then it began to snow, and it +was still snowing when John Barrow leaped up, pushed the blanket aside, +and gazed out upon the river. + +"Hullo, we're in for it now!" he cried, and as the boys sat up, he +added: "Snowin'--mighty hard, too." + +"I should say it was snowing hard!" cried Tom, as he, too, looked out. +"Why, you can't see the trees on the other side, and they aren't more +than a hundred and fifty feet off." + +"This will make traveling bad," said Dick soberly. "It almost looks as +if we were going to be snowed in." + +"Snowed in?" echoed Sam. "Oh, don't say that!" + +The boys were somewhat stiff after their long skate of the day before, +and it took them some minutes to pull themselves together. Then the +curtain was pushed aside, and the fire started up with some dry +brushwood from the pile on which they had slept. Soon breakfast was +ready, and this warmed them up and put new life in them. + +"No use to linger here," announced the guide. "It won't git no better +an' it may git a heap sight worse. I reckon the wind kept some o' the +spots on the river clear. I know a good camping spot ten miles from +here, and that will be just the place for us while you are huntin' +around fer that money." + +"Then let us make that camping spot by all means," said Tom. "We mustn't +let Baxter get first whack at the treasure." + +It was eight o'clock when they started once more on their journey. The +air was dull and heavy, and the snow came down in thick flakes, which +presently shut out the landscape on all sides. Fortunately the wind had +died down entirely, so it was not near so cold as it had been. + +"It would be easy enough, if we could stick to the river all the way," +remarked. Tom to Sam, as they skated along as best they could. + +"Can't we?" + +"Mr. Barrow says not. About two miles from here are another falls and a +set of rocky rapids, and we'll have to walk around for a distance of +nearly a mile through the woods." + +What Tom said was true, and the falls were reached less than an hour +later. The river was very narrow at this point and lined on both sides +with rough rocks. Climbing was difficult, and after crawling along for a +few rods the boys halted in dismay. + +"We're up against it now," groaned Dick + +"Don't be discouraged lads!" came from the guide. "It isn't so bad a +short distance further on. Follow me." And he started again, and there +was nothing to do but to fall in behind him. + +John Barrow and Dick carried one sled, and Tom and Sam, the other. In +some places the cedars and brush were so thick that those in advance +pushed through only with extreme difficulty. + +"Well, we haven't got the task of breaking the way," said Tom, as he and +Sam stopped to get their wind. "It's no fool job to break through this +thicket." + +"We are going up a hill," returned Sam. "We must be getting away from +the river." + +The guide and Dick had disappeared ahead, and, fearful of losing them, +the younger Rovers set off once more. Carrying the heavy sled up the +hill was, however, a great task, especially for Sam, and once at the top +they had to rest again. + +"I believe it would have been just as easy to have kept to the river," +declared Tom "See, there it is, to our left." + +"It certainly doesn't look very rough down there," was his brother's +comment. "Gracious, but Dick and Mr. Barrow plow along like steam +engines!" he added. "I can't go so fast." + +"We won't hurry, there is no need. The trail is plain enough," said Tom, +and so they rested fully quarter of an hour. Then they heard Dick +calling to them from a long distance ahead. + +"All right; we're coming!" Tom called back. "Just please don't go so +awfully fast!" + +"We are going to take the trail to the left!" Dick shouted back, but the +others did not catch the words. + +Tom and Sam advanced now slower than ever, and when they reached a spot +where there was an opening to the right and another to the left, the +others were not only out of sight, but out of hearing as well. It had +now begun to snow more thickly than ever. + +"Which way did they take?" questioned Sam, in perplexity. + +"Reckon they went this way, Sam." + +"It looks to me as if they went the other way. Here are some +footprints." + +"Here are some footprints, too." + +They came to a standstill, more perplexed than ever. Sure enough, there +were two sets of footprints, running almost at right angles to each +other. + +"I guess we've hit somebody else's trail," said Sam. "Dick! Mr. Barrow! +Where are you?" he called out. + +No answer came back, and then the two boys shouted in chorus. All +remained as silent as before. + +"Well, this is a mess, to say the least," was Tom's comment. "How are +we to know which trail to follow?" + +"I move we make a sure thing of it and get down to the river again," was +Sam's answer. "Then we'll be certain to be on the right track. As soon +as they reach the river they'll wait for us." + +This seemed sensible advice, and leaving both trails the boys plunged +through the cedar brakes to where they had seen the icy surface of the +stream. They had to make several turns, and once Tom lost his footing +and rolled over and over in the snow. But at last they gained the smooth +ice, and then each breathed a long sigh of relief. + +"It's ten times better than climbing around," observed Sam. "The rapids +and rocks amount to next to nothing. I don't see why Mr. Barrow gave us +all that extra climbing." + +"Perhaps the river has changed since he was up here last," said Tom. +"Anyway, it's a good bit narrower here than it was further back." + +Sliding down the hillside had loosened the load on the sled, and they +had to spend a good five minutes in fastening it and mending a strap +that had broken. Then several minutes more were consumed in putting on +their skates. + +"My! how it does snow!" came from Tom, as they started at last. "I +can't see fifty feet ahead." + +"Nor I, Tom. I really wish we were with Dick and Mr. Barrow." + +"So do I, but I guess it's all right." + +Forward they pushed, dragging the sled after them. It was rough work, +and the ice was often covered too deep with snow to make skating a +pleasure. + +"It seems to me the river is getting narrower than ever," said Sam. +"It's queer, too, for Mr. Barrow said it was quite broad near the lake." + +"He said one of the branches was broad, Sam. We must be on a different +branch." + +"Let us call to them again." + +Once more they cried out, at the top of their lungs. But nothing +answered them, not even a muffled echo. All was swallowed up in the +loneliness of the situation and in the fast falling snow, which now +covered even the load on the sled to the depth of an inch or more. + +"Come on," said Sam half desperately. "We must catch up to them, sooner +or later." + +"Perhaps we are ahead of them." + +"It isn't likely. Let us go on, anyway." + +And on they went, another quarter of a mile. The stream was now broader, +and this raised their hopes considerably. But suddenly Tom gave a cry of +dismay. + +"Look, Sam! We have reached the end of the stream!" + +Sam strained his eyes and went on a few feet further. Then he gave a +groan. His brother was right, the stream had come to an end in a pond +probably a hundred feet in diameter. They had not been following the +Perch River at all, but merely a brook flowing into that stream! + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +AN UNEXPECTED DISCOVERY. + + +"Tom, we have missed it!" + +"It looks like it, Sam." + +"What we took for the river wasn't the river at all. We must be a mile +or two out of the way." + +"There is nothing to do but to go back," was the dismal response. + +"Don't you think we might strike the river without going back?" + +"We might, and then again we might not. I hardly feel like taking the +risk--in this blinding snow." + +With heavy hearts the brothers turned the sled around and proceeded on +the back trail, if such the way may be called. As a matter of fact, the +snow had covered their footprints completely. + +The wind was now rising again, and it blew directly into their faces. +Alarmed more than ever, on this account, they pushed on until poor Sam +was almost winded. + +"I--I can't go on so fast, no use in trying!" he panted. "I feel ready +to drop!" + +"I'm fagged out myself," responded Tom. "But, Sam, we can't afford to +rest here." + +"I know that, but I've got to get my wind back somehow. The wind seems +to be awfully strong." + +They rested for several minutes, and then pushed on again, Tom dragging +the sled alone. It was a bitter journey, and both would have given a +good deal to have been with Dick and the guide once more. + +"We missed it when we didn't keep up with them in the first place," was +Tom's comment. "However, there's no use in crying over spilt milk, as +the saying goes. We must make the best of it." + +"There isn't any best," grumbled Sam. "It's all worst!" And then Tom +laughed, in spite of the seriousness of the situation. + +At last they gained the spot where they had first struck the brook, and +here they halted again. + +"The worst of it is, there is no telling how far this brook runs before +it empties into the Perch River," observed Tom. "We may have to go two +or three miles out of our way." + +"We may as well climb up the hill again, Tom, and try to follow one of +those trails." + +"Perhaps you are right." + +They talked the matter over and at last began to climb the hill, now +more difficult than before, since the snow was several inches deeper. +It took a long while to gain the top, and still longer to find the spot +where they had left the trail. + +"Here we are," said Tom, resting on a fallen tree which marked the +locality. "Now the all-important question is, which way next?" + +"Tom, I believe we are getting lost," came from Sam, in a dismal tone. + +"I don't think we're getting lost, Sam; we _are_ lost, no two ways about +it. We've got to keep our eyes open and our wits about us, or we'll be +getting into a first-class mess." + +"It must be almost noon," went on the youngest Rover, and pulled out his +watch. "Phew! Half-past twelve!" + +"Thought I was hungry. Is there anything in this load good to eat?" + +"I don't know. Let us look and see. We can't go on, hungry." + +They unstrapped the load and examined it. There were blankets there and +some camp utensils, and a box containing crackers, cheese, and chipped +beef. + +"Crackers and cheese will do on a pinch," said Tom. "Come, we mustn't +lose more time than is necessary." + +Yet eating and resting was very pleasant, and they spent the best part +of half an hour under the sheltering limbs of a big cedar tree. Both +were dry, but eating snow did not seem to quench their thirst. The wind +increased as they ate, but the snow now came down more lightly. + +They decided to strike out on something of a trail running to the +northwest. It was hard work hauling and carrying the sled over the rocks +and through the bushes, and they often had to halt for breath. + +"There goes something!" cried Tom presently. "Sam, did you see it?" + +"I saw something, but it disappeared before I could make out what it +was." + +The object had crossed their path a hundred feet ahead of them. Now it +reappeared somewhat closer, and both boys saw that it was a lean and +hungry-looking wolf. + +"A wolf!" cried Sam. + +"Wonder if I hadn't better shoot him," said Tom, unslinging his gun. + +"Better save your powder, Tom. I don't believe he'll attack us--at least +not while it is light." + +"A shot might bring an answering signal from Dick," went on Tom +suddenly. "What fools we have been, not to think of that before!" + +The wolf kept hidden and Tom did not shoot, expecting to see the beast +reappear at any instant. On they went, keeping an eye on the bushes and +trees on both sides of them. Once they heard the patter of the wolf's +feet on a stretch of bare rocks, but that was all. + +"I'll fire a shot, anyway," said Tom at last, and aimed in the direction +where they had heard the sounds last. To his intense surprise a yelp and +a snarl followed. + +"Great Caesar! I hit him after all," began Tom, and then leaped back. +"Look out, Sam, he's coming for us!" + +Tom was right. The wolf, wounded in the left flank, had suddenly +appeared. His eyes blazed with pain and fury, and he made as if to +spring upon the boys. + +Tom was in front of the sled and Sam behind it. With a quick leap Tom +cleared the load and took up a position beside the youngest Rover. + +The wolf made the leap, but stopped short on the top of the load. As he +prepared to spring again Tom swung his gun around by the barrel and hit +the wolf a smart rap on the head. The animal rolled over on the ground. + +"Shoot him, Sam!" + +"I will, if I can!" came from Sam, who had now unslung his gun. Taking a +quick aim, he fired. + +The shot proved a good one, for it took the wolf directly in the neck, +just as he was scrambling to rise. Again he gave a yelp, and then began +to turn over and over in his intense pain. Of a sudden he leaped up and +landed on Tom's shoulder. + +For the instant poor Tom thought his last moment had come. But as the +beast landed Sam struck it with his gun, and down it went once more, +snarling viciously. Then it rolled and tossed until some brush was +gained, when it managed to hide itself and crawl away, seriously, if not +mortally, wounded. + +"He's gone!" came from Sam. + +"Well, don't go after him," panted Tom. "Let him go and welcome. I never +want to see him again." + +"Nor I." + +Both reloaded with all haste--having learned years before that it is +foolish to remain in the wilds with an empty firearm. Then they waited, +to see if the wolf would return. + +"Hark!" cried Sam. "Did you hear that shot, Tom?" + +"I did. I think it came from that direction." And Tom pointed with his +hand. + +"I think so myself. It must be Dick or Mr. Barrow, firing." + +"More than likely. Let us follow up the shot." + +They listened, but no more shots followed, and then they went on, over a +stretch which was comparatively smooth and free from brushwood. But +though they covered a quarter of a mile they saw nothing either of the +river or of their lost companions. + +"We're getting lost more than ever," groaned Sam. "I declare I haven't +the least idea where we are." + +"I'm going to fire another shot," answered his brother, and proceeded to +do so. + +Both listened with strained ears, and soon an answering shot came back, +slightly to the left of the path they had been pursuing. + +"Thank fortune, we are getting closer!" cried Sam. "Come on!" + +As worn out as they were, they resumed the dragging of the sled through +the snow. Once Sam had suggested they abandon the load, but Tom would +not hear of this, for he knew they could not very well do without this +portion of the outfit. + +The wind was blowing heavily, and high overhead they heard the tree-tops +creak ominously. Once in a while a tree branch would unload itself, +sending down a great mass of snow on their heads. But they pushed on, +determined to rest no more until the others of the party should be +sighted. + +Presently they came to a clearing overlooking a small pond and a stream +beyond. At first Tom imagined that this was the pond they had left but a +short while before, but a second look showed him that the locality was +an entirely new one to them. + +"My gracious, Tom! Get out of sight!" came in an excited whisper from +Sam, and he pulled his brother down behind a clump of bushes, and then +dragged the sled after him. + +"What do you see?" demanded Tom. + +"Look across the pond. As sure as you are born, there are Dan Baxter and +Jasper Grinder. We've been following them instead of Dick and Mr. +Barrow!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +IN THE CAMP OF THE ENEMY. + + +What Sam said was true. There, gathered around a fire on the opposite +side of the pond, were Dan Baxter, Jasper Grinder, and a tall, +powerfully built fellow whom they easily guessed was Bill Harney, the +guide. They had two sleds with them, and one of these had been unloaded +and the camping outfit lay scattered around. + +"Well, this is a surprise and no mistake!" was Tom's comment, in a low +voice. "If I know anything about it, they must have done some quick +traveling." + +"I believe they followed the river, at least part of the way," returned +the youngest Rover. "I see a pair of skates lying by one of the sleds." + +"Do you suppose Dick and Mr. Barrow met them?" + +"I don't believe they did. See, they have some rabbits they are going to +cook. That accounts for the shots we heard." + +Crouching down behind the bushes, the two Rovers watched the other party +with interest. A lively conversation was going oh between Dan Baxter +and the former teacher of Putnam Hall, but they were too far off to +catch anything of what was said. + +"What do you propose doing next?" asked Sam, after a pause of several +minutes. "It's mighty cold here." + +"We may as well retreat, Sam. We don't want to expose ourselves, do we?" + +"I don't suppose it would do any good--although I'm not afraid of +Baxter, or Grinder either." + +"It isn't that. If they know we have arrived here, they will do all they +can to locate that treasure first. We want to keep dark and get ahead of +them." + +"But how shall we turn?" + +"We'll have to go back to where we found the two trails crossed and then +try the other one. I don't know of anything else to do." + +"Wouldn't Dan Baxter be surprised, if he knew we were so close?" + +"Well, we won't let him know." + +"Why not?" demanded an unexpected voice from the rear. + +Both boys started and turned around, to find themselves confronted by +Lemuel Husty, the man Dick had seen in company with Baxter at +Cedarville. + +"Hullo, who are you?" asked Tom, as quickly as he could recover from +his surprise. + +"If you want to know real bad, youngster, my name is Lemuel Husty." + +"I don't know you." + +"But I know you--leas'wise I know of you," went on Husty, with a frown. +"You're down on my friend Baxter, aint you?" + +"If we are, we have a good reason to be," came from Sam. + +"Perhaps you have, and then again, perhaps you haven't. It aint no nice +thing to be cotched spying, though." + +"We weren't spying. We came up quite by accident." + +"You can tell that to the monkeys, but you can't tell it to me," growled +Lemuel Husty. Then he raised his voice: "I say, Baxter! I say, you +fellows! Come over here!" + +The three around the camp-fire looked up in surprise, and were even more +surprised when Husty waved his hand for them to come to him. + +"What's wanted?" demanded Dan Baxter. + +"I've found two of your very intimate friends spying on you," answered +Husty. + +"I guess we had better get out," whispered Sam to Tom, not liking the +turn affairs had taken. + +"I'm with you," returned Tom. + +"No, you don't!" cried Husty, and caught hold of the sled. "You just +stay here until we talk this thing over." + +Tom's hands were on his gun, and for the moment he felt like pointing +the weapon at the man. But then he concluded that this would do small +good, and the weapon remained where it was. + +In a minute Dan Baxter came running across the pond, with Jasper Grinder +and Bill Harney at his heels. Each of the advancing party carried some +sort of firearms. + +"Tom and Sam Rover!" ejaculated Baxter, and it was easy to see that he +was completely surprised. "How did you get here?" + +"Walked and skated," returned Tom, as coolly as he could. + +"You've got a nerve to follow me and my party," went on Baxter, with an +ugly scowl. + +"As I just said to this man, Baxter, we haven't been following you," put +in Sam. "We struck your trail by accident. We thought we were +following----" + +"Never mind about that, Sam," interrupted Tom quickly. + +"Who did you think you were following?" demanded Dan Baxter. + +"It's none of your business, Baxter. We have as much right to be here as +you have." + +"Humph! Don't you suppose I know why you came?" + +"More than likely you do, and we know why you came." + +"Have you got another map?" demanded Baxter, in curiosity. + +"It's none of your affair what we have. We stumbled upon you by +accident, and if you haven't anything in particular to say to us we'll +be going." + +"You needn't leave so quickly. Where is Dick?" + +"He isn't so very far off." + +"You hired John Barrow for a guide, I heard," put in Bill Harney. + +"If we did, we had a right to do it," said Sam. + +"He don't know these parts as well as he might. If you don't look out +he'll lose you in the mountains, and you'll never get home alive." + +"Let him lose them," put in Baxter quickly. "It's what they deserve. +But, come, it's cold over here. Let's move back to the fire. And I want +you two to come along," he added, to the Rovers. + +"We don't propose to come along," replied Tom. + +"And I say you shall come, Tom Rover. We are four to two, and you had +better submit." + +"Yes, make them come," put in Jasper Grinder. "I want to have a talk +with them." And he glared wickedly, first at Tom and then at Sam. + +It must be confessed that Tom and Sam felt in anything but an enviable +position. They knew Dan Baxter thoroughly, and knew he would stop at +nothing to accomplish his purpose. + +"The best thing you can do is to leave us alone," said Tom steadily. +"You have always got the worst of the bargain, Dan Baxter, and if you +try any game on now, you'll miss it again." + +"I'll risk it, Tom Rover. Come now, and no more fooling. If you behave +yourself, there won't be any trouble." + +There was, then, nothing to do but to follow, for neither of the Rovers +wished to lose this portion of the outfit. Soon the whole party were +gathered around the fire, which Husty heaped high with brushwood. Back +of the fire was a high cliff, topped with cedars, which kept off the +wind and made the situation a fairly comfortable one. + +"Now we had better come to an understanding," said Dan Baxter, as he +warmed his hands. "We all know what we are out here for, so there is no +use in mincing matters." + +"I understand all I want to know," answered Tom briefly. + +"So do I," put in Sam. + +"Baxter shall settle with you, and then I'll settle," growled Jasper +Grinder. "I have not forgotten how I was treated at Putnam Hall because +of you." + +"It served you right that you were kicked out," said Sam, without +stopping to think twice. + +"Ha! you dare to talk to me in this fashion!" roared the former teacher. +"I'll teach you a lesson! Just wait till I find a good switch!" + +"Hold on Grinder! one at a time," put in Dan Baxter. "I'll settle with +them first, if you please." + +"They deserve a thorough thrashing," grumbled the irate man. + +"Now I want you to tell me the truth," went on Dan Baxter, addressing +Tom and Sam. "Where did you get a map of that treasure? In the cave on +that island?" + +"We haven't said we had a map," returned Tom. + +"But you must have a map--or something like it." + +"Whatever we have, it's none of your business, Dan Baxter," broke in +Sam. + +"Shut up, you little imp! Don't you know you are in my power!" stormed +Baxter, in a rage. "I can do as I please out here, and these three men +will help me." + +As he finished he caught Sam by the collar and began to shake him. + +"Let my brother alone!" ejaculated Tom. "Let up, I say!" + +"I won't, Tom Rover. He's got to learn that I'm the master here," howled +Baxter. + +"If you don't let go, I'll hit you," went on Tom, and raised his right +fist. But ere he could deliver the blow Bill Harney rushed behind him, +caught him by the waist and threw him flat. + +"That's right!" shouted Dan Baxter. "Make them both prisoners! I've got +a big score to settle with them!" + +And then all four fell upon Sam and Tom, and a fierce struggle ensued, +the outcome of which was for some time hard to predict. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +DICK AND THE WILDCAT. + + +"Well, it's mighty funny Tom and Sam don't come up." + +It was Dick who spoke. He stood in the shelter of a number of walnut +trees, and close at hand was John Barrow. + +The pair had missed the others ten minutes before, and were now waiting +impatiently for their reappearance. + +"It can't be as how they missed the trail in this snow," said John +Barrow soberly. "Let us shout for 'em." + +They set up a shout, and waited impatiently for an answer. But none +came, and they called again. + +"We had better go back for them," said Dick, his face full of a +troubled look. "I wouldn't have them get lost in this snowstorm for the +world." + +It was decided to leave the sled where it was, and soon they were +hurrying along the back trail. But the snow and wind were against them, +and they made slow progress. + +"It will not be necessary to relate all the particulars of the next +three hours. In vain they looked for Tom and Sam. Not a trace of the +missing lads could be discovered. + +"This the worst yet!" groaned Dick, as he came to a halt, all out of +breath. "I thought, all along, that they were keeping close behind us!" + +"I told them to do so," returned the guide. + +They had fired several shots, but the reports had failed, as we know, to +reach the ears of the missing Rovers. They were now at their wits' end +regarding what to do next. + +"I'd give a hundred dollars rather than have this happen," went on Dick. +"Why, they'll starve to death if they really get lost!" + +"Oh, aint you mistaken there, Dick? They have the other sled, remember; +and each o' 'em has a gun for to bring down any game as is wanted." + +"That's true, and it's one comfort. But there is no telling when they +reach civilization again. Why, this forest is about as bad as some +places in the far West." + +"I believe you there, lad. Well, they've got to make the best o' it. I +reckon they'll strike out for the river and come up that to Bear Pond, +over the rocks an' rapids an' all." + +Supper time found the pair on the river again, four miles below Bear +Pond. It was decided that they should camp at that spot for the night. + +"We'll build a big camp-fire and keep it a-going," said Dick. "Perhaps +they will see it." + +"That's an idee," returned John Barrow, and before doing anything else +the camp-fire was started, in an open spot along the river bank. Dick +saw to it that it blazed up merrily, and kept piling on all the dry +brushwood he could find, until the flames shot up fully twenty feet into +the air, making the surroundings as bright as day. + +For supper they cooked another of the wild turkeys, but it must be +confessed that Dick had little appetite for eating. John Barrow noticed +it, and he did his best to cheer up the youth. + +"Don't worry too much, lad," he said. "Take my word on it, they'll turn +up by morning, sure. You've said yourself they've been through putty +tryin' times, in Africa and out West." + +On the way to the river John Barrow had brought down several rabbits and +some birds, and these were hung up on the low branches of a nearby tree. +They proceeded to make themselves comfortable under this tree, cutting +down some cedar branches for a flooring, and banking up some other +branches and some snow to keep off the wind. + +"I don't think I'll go to sleep," said Dick. "I'm going to keep the fire +piled high, so that it will light up as it's doing now." + +"Then I'll turn in right away," answered the guide. "It's eight +o'clock. You call me at two, and that will be givin' you a fair nap +afore daybreak." And so it was agreed. + +It did not take John Barrow long to settle himself, and soon he was +snoring as peacefully as though lying in his bed at home. Sitting down +close to the fire, Dick gave himself up to his thoughts. + +And what numerous thoughts they were--of home and of school, of his +brothers, and of the Baxters and their other enemies, and of all that +had happened since they had first started to go to Putnam Hall. And then +he thought of the Lanings and of the Stanhopes, and lingered long over +the mental picture of sweet Dora and of what she had last said to him. + +"She's just an all-right girl," he said to himself. "Heaven bless her +and keep her from any further trouble!" + +When the fire showed signs of burning low he arose and piled on more +brushwood. There was hardly enough at hand to suit him, and, ax in hand, +he started back from the river, to cut more. + +He was within fifteen feet of some dense bushes when of a sudden he came +to a halt, as he saw a pair of gleaming eyes glaring at him. As soon as +he noticed the eyes they disappeared. + +"A wild animal," he thought. "Can it be a wolf?" + +Retracing his steps to the fire, he caught up his gun and waited. But +the animal did not appear, nor did Dick hear any sound save the murmur +of the wind through the snow-clad trees. + +The youth wondered if he ought to awaken the guide, but finally resolved +to let John Barrow sleep. "I ought to be able to take care of one wolf," +he reasoned. "I've taken care of worse than that in my time." + +Gun in hand, he advanced upon the bushes once more. He expected to see a +wolf slink away at any moment, but no beast came to view, and, after +walking completely around the growth, he laid down the gun and went to +work vigorously with the ax. + +Bush after bush was brought down in rapid succession, until in ten +minutes Dick calculated he had cut sufficient to last the camp-fire for +the rest of the night. Then he lowered the ax and caught up a large +bush, to drag it close to the blaze. + +As he turned around he met a sight that, for the instant, chilled him to +the backbone. There, between the blaze and the tree under which John +Barrow was sleeping, crouched a wildcat, a large, fierce-looking +creature, with fire-shot eyes and a stubby tail which was moving +noiselessly from side by side, as the creature prepared itself to make a +leap. + +"Gracious! he's going to attack Mr. Barrow!" thought Dick, but even as +this flashed over his mind the wildcat made a leap into the tree, close +to where hung the game the guide had brought down some hours before. + +"Thank goodness, he's only after the meat," thought Dick, and the chill +he had experienced passed away. Then, struck with a new idea, he leaped +for his gun. + +Several twigs of the tree were in the way of getting a good aim, and he +had to circle around to the other side before he could get another good +view of the wildcat. In the meantime the beast had grabbed up the wild +turkey that was left, and clutching it tight in its mouth, started to +drop to the snow-covered ground. + +Bang! went the gun and the charge of heavy shot took the wildcat in the +left flank, making a bad, but not a fatal, wound. The beast dropped the +wild turkey and let out a fearful snarl of rage. Then it saw Dick, gave +another snarl, and leaped toward the youth. + +The gun was double-barreled, and once more Dick let drive. But he was +not overly cool, and the charge merely nipped the beast in its left +front leg. It continued to come on, and as it did so Dick commenced to +retreat. + +"Hi! what's up?" came from John Barrow, and throwing aside his blanket, +he leaped to his feet. + +"A wildcat!" ejaculated Dick. "Quick! Shoot him!" + +"By gosh!" muttered the guide, and blinking in the bright light of the +fire, he reached for his rifle, which he had brought along in addition +to his shotgun. + +By this time the wildcat was close to Dick, and now, watching its +opportunity, it leaped upon the youth, trying to bury its claws in +Dick's shoulder. + +Hardly knowing what to do, Dick brought around the gun barrel and poked +it into the open mouth of the wildcat. With a gurgle of pain the beast +fell back, but quickly gathered itself for another leap. + +"Back!" shouted John Barrow. "Back, and let me git a shot at the +critter!" + +Dick was perfectly willing to retreat, and started to do so. But the +wildcat was too quick for him, and in a twinkle youth and beast were +down on the ground together, and the wildcat was trying to reach the +boy's throat with its cruel fangs! + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +BEAR POND AT LAST. + + +It was indeed a moment of supreme peril, and Dick felt very much as if +his last moment on earth had come. He put out his hands mechanically and +grabbed the wildcat by the throat, but his grip was poor and the beast +shook itself clear with ease. + +It was now that John Barrow showed himself to be a master of quick +resources. To fire his rifle at the wildcat would have meant taking the +risk of hitting Dick, and this the guide thought too perilous. Leaping +to the fire, he caught up a long, burning brand and rushed at the beast +with this. + +To have a part of the fire thrust directly into its eyes was more than +the beast had bargained for, and as soon as it felt the flame it gave a +cry of alarm and fell back. As it did this Dick leaped to his feet and +sprang several feet away. + +[Illustration: DICK AND THE WILDCAT. +_Rover Boys and the Mountains_.] + +John Barrow was now free to shoot, and hurling the firebrand at the +wildcat, he caught up his rifle and blazed away in short order. The +wildcat had turned to retreat, but the guide was too quick for it, and +down went the beast with a shot through its head. It gave a shudder or +two, and then stretched out, dead. + +"Is he--he dead?" panted Dick, when he felt able to speak. + +"Reckon so," responded John Barrow. "But I'll make sure." And catching +up a club, he aimed a blow which crushed the animal's skull. + +"That was a narrow escape," went on Dick. "If you hadn't come to my aid, +I'm afraid he would have done me up." And he shivered from head to foot. + +"You want to be careful how you attack wildcats around here, lad. It +aint likely they'll tech you, if you don't tech them. But if you do, +why, look out, that's all." + +"Do you think he would have sneaked off with the turkey? I was thinking +first he would attack you." + +"Reckon he was after the game, and nuthin' more, Dick. He must have been +powerful hungry, or he wouldn't have come so close to us. He's a putty +big fellow," went on the guide, as he dragged the carcass closer to the +firelight. + +The fire was burning low, and Dick lost no time in heaping on some of +the newly cut brushwood, and then he reloaded and the guide did the +same. + +"Might have a mate around," suggested John Barrow. "We had better keep +our eyes peeled, or we may be surprised. Wonder what time it is?" + +By consulting a watch they found it was just midnight. After the +excitement Dick felt quite sleepy, and inside of half an hour he +followed the guide's advice and laid down to rest--not under the tree, +however, but as close to the camp-fire as safety permitted. + +Dick had requested John Barrow to call him in three hours, so that the +guide might get a little more sleep, but the youth was allowed to +slumber until he aroused of his own accord, just as day was breaking. + +"Hullo, I've slept all night!" he exclaimed, leaping up with something +of a hurt look. "Why didn't you call me?" + +"I thought as how you needed the rest," was the answer from the guide. + +"Aren't you sleepy?" + +"Not very. A sleep early in the night generally does me more good nor +hours o' it later on." + +"You haven't seen or heard anything of Tom or Sam?" + +"Nary sight or sound, lad. It's too bad, but don't worry too much." + +"They couldn't have seen the firelight," returned Dick, with a sorry +shake of his head. "It beats all where they went to, doesn't it?" + +"I've been a-thinking that maybe they went on ahead, Dick." + +"Ahead? That they somehow passed us?" + +"Yes; while we were lookin' for 'em. They may be up at B'ar Pond now, +waitin' for us." + +"Do you advise going up there?" + +"We might as well. We can put up a post here, with a message for 'em--in +case they do come this way." + +"That's an idea, and we can put up other posts, too. Then, if they +strike our trail, they'll be sure to go straight in following us." And +Dick's face brightened a bit. + +John Barrow was already preparing breakfast, and he agreed with Dick to +leave some cooked meat in a cloth tied to the top of the pole the youth +erected not far from the fire. On the cloth they pinned a note, telling +of the direction to Bear Pond, and asking Tom and Sam to follow and fire +two shots, a minute apart, as a signal. + +It was a clear day and the sun, shining over the mountain tops, made the +snow and ice glitter like pearls and diamonds. There was no wind, so the +journey toward Bear Pond was far from unpleasant. They moved slowly, +dragging the sled behind them, and searching to the right and the left +for some trace of the missing Rovers. + +"I don't believe they came up here," said Dick after half the distance +to the pond had been covered, "I don't see the least trace of any human +being, although I've seen the footprints of several wild animals." + +"The wind might have covered the tracks during the night," was John +Barrow's hopeful response. + +"I'd rather lose the treasure, even if it is worth thousands, than have +anything happen to Sam and Tom." + +Just before noon they came to a point in the river where it divided into +several branches. + +"We'll stop here and put up another sign pole," said the guide. +"Remember what I said? All these streams run into the pond and into +Perch River. Now, which one you want, at tudder end, I don't know." + +"Which is the largest branch?" + +"Can't say, exactly. This one an' the one yonder are about the same +size, and that one aint much smaller." + +"Well, which do you suppose was the largest years ago?" + +"Can't say that neither, although that one yonder might have been, by +the looks o' the banks." + +"Then let us start on that one. And if that fails us, we can then try +the others." + +They skated to the stream in question and erected a pole in the middle +of the ice, upon which a second note was posted. Having gone to the +trouble of chopping a hole for the pole, John Barrow suggested they +might try their hand at fishing. + +"Might as well stay here a while," he said. "If they are behind us, they +may catch up." + +Dick was willing, and soon a line was baited and let down into the hole. +It was in the water only a few seconds when the guide felt a bite and +drew up a fine fish, weighing at least half a pound. + +Dick was anxious to try it, and took the line from John Barrow's hands. +He was equally successful, and in a short while they had seven fish to +their credit, weighing from a quarter to three-quarters of a pound +apiece. + +"I'm going to tie a fish to the top of the pole," said Dick. "They may +be hungry when they get here, especially if they miss the pole at our +last camping place." + +"They won't want to eat raw fish, lad." + +"No, and I'm going to put a few matches in a paper and tie it to the +fish, so they can cook it, if they wish." + +Dick's idea was followed out, and once more they went on, up a narrow +stream which had many a turn among the cedar brakes and hemlocks which +lined either side. Rocks were likewise numerous, and the lad came to the +conclusion that locating the treasure was going to be no easy task. + +"It's rather desolate," he remarked. "I wonder what ever possessed that +old Goupert to come here?" + +"It's not so desolate in the summer time, Dick. But I reckon Goupert was +a mighty odd stick, as it was." + +At last they rounded a turn in the stream and came in sight of Bear +Pond, a long and wide stretch of water located in the very midst of two +tall mountains. The pond was covered with thick ice, and the snow lay +upon it in long drifts and ridges. The ice was blackish and almost as +hard as flint. + +"We may as well go into camp near the mouth of this stream," said Dick. +"For from this spot we'll make our first hunt for the treasure." + +"I hope with all my heart that you find it, lad. But if you don't, don't +be too disappointed." + +"I want to find Sam and Tom first. I shan't hunt for the treasure until +I know of them." + +"That's right. We'll go on a hunt this afternoon, jest as soon as we've +had some of these fish broiled for dinner." + +If there was one thing which John Barrow could do to perfection, it was +to broil fish, and the meal he set before Dick half an hour later was so +appetizing the lad could not help enjoy it, in spite of his anxiety over +his brothers' prolonged absence. The fish was as sweet as a nut, and +both lingered some time over the meal, until all that had been broiled +were gone. + +"And now to find Tom and Sam," said Dick, at last, as he leaped up from +the log upon which he had been sitting. "What shall we do with our +things?" + +"Here is a hole in the rocks," answered the guide. "We'll hide them +there and cover them with stones. I don't think anything will disturb +the things between now and nightfall." + +The stores were placed in the cache and carefully covered, so that the +wild animals might not get at them, and then they saw to it that their +firearms were ready for use. A minute later they were off, on the hunt +for Tom and Sam. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +A PAIR OF PRISONERS. + + +It is high time that we return to Tom and Sam, and learn how the two +Rover boys were faring in their unequal contest with Dan Baxter and his +followers. + +As we know, it was Baxter himself who attacked Sam, while big Bill +Harney threw Tom to the ground. Jasper Grinder went to Baxter's +assistance, while Lemuel Husty ran to aid Harney. + +"Let go of him!" cried Sam, and managed to hit Baxter a glancing blow on +the cheek. + +"I'll not let go yet," answered Baxter, and bore the youngest Rover to +the earth. Over and over they rolled in the snow, until Grinder caught +Sam by the legs and held him still. + +"That's right, Grinder, hold him!" panted Dan Baxter. "Don't let him get +up!" + +But Sam was not yet subdued, and getting one foot clear at last, he +kicked Jasper Grinder in the ear. + +"Oh! oh! my ear!" screamed the former teacher. "He has kicked my ear +off. You scamp, take that!" And letting out with his foot, he gave Sam a +vigorous kick on the side. At the same time Baxter struck the boy in the +head with a stick he had been carrying, and then Sam suddenly lost +consciousness. + +In the meantime Tom was having a similar struggle with Harney and Husty. +But the boy, though strong, was no match for the two men, and they soon +pinned him to the ground and held him there as in a vise, while he was +nearly choked by the big guide, who had clutched him by the throat. + +"Let--let go--my--throat!" Tom managed to gasp. + +"Will you keep quiet?" demanded Harney. + +"Yes--yes." + +"All right, mind you do." And then the guide released his hold, but +continued to sit as he was, astride of poor Tom's chest. + +"Have you got him?" came from Dan Baxter. + +"Yes," returned the big guide. + +"All right; then hold him." + +"I will." + +Leaving Sam to be watched by Jasper Grinder, Baxter ran over to one of +the sleds and procured a long rope. + +"Now then, Tom Rover, get up," he said sourly. + +Tom was glad to arise. + +"What are you going to do with me?" he questioned. + +"You'll see fast enough." + +"Going to try your old tricks of making me a prisoner, I suppose." + +"You're a prisoner already." + +"Thank you, for nothing," returned Tom, as coolly as he could. + +"Don't you get impudent, Tom Rover. If you try it on, you'll get more +than you bargain for, let me tell you that." + +"You always were a first-class bully, Baxter. You like to tackle little +boys, or else somebody who is helpless." + +"Shut up! I won't listen to you, now!" roared Baxter, and grabbing Tom's +hands he forced them back and bound them together. Then the ropes was +passed around Tom's waist, so that he could not move his hands to the +front. + +By the time this work was accomplished Sam was regaining consciousness. +He gave a moan of pain, and then sat up in bewilderment. + +"Who--what's happened?" he stammered. Then he looked around. "Oh! I +remember now!" + +He was very unsteady when he got on his feet, and it was Tom who made +the first move toward him. + +"Too bad, Sam. They are a set of brutes." + +"Don't call me a brute Rover," growled Jasper Grinder. "Neither you nor +your brother have all you deserve." + +Sam was bound with a rope, and then both prisoners were told to walk +over to the fire. This they did, and were left in charge of Husty and +Jasper Grinder, while Baxter went off a distance, in company with big +Bill Harney. + +"Well, what do you want to do with 'em?" demanded Harney, when he and +the bully were out of hearing of the others, "'Pears to me you've taken +the law in yer own hands." + +"I'm glad I've caught them," returned Dan Baxter. "They may help us to +find what I am after." + +"Think they've got a better map nor yours?" + +"They may have." + +"Supposing that brother comes up, with John Barrow? They may make it hot +for us." + +"That's what I want to ask you about, Harney. Isn't there some place +around here where we might hide the prisoners? A cave, or something like +that?" + +The big guide scratched his chin thoughtfully. + +"There's a tolerable place about quarter of a mile from here--the old +B'ars' Hole, we use ter call it." + +"Of course we don't want to run up against any bears," said Baxter, +with a show of nervousness. + +At this the big guide let out a rough laugh. + +"Aint got no use fer them critters, eh?" + +"I have not." + +"'Taint likely there are any b'ars around. Me an Jim Wister cleaned out +the hole last spring--got three on 'em. No new b'ars will take that hole +yet awhile." + +"Then we had better make tracks for it at once--before Dick Rover and +the man who is with him get on our trail." + +They walked back to the camp-fire and, calling Jasper Grinder and Lemuel +Husty aside, Baxter explained the situation. A talk, lasting several +minutes, followed. + +"Now then, you come with us," said Dan Baxter to the Rovers. "And see to +it that you don't try to get away." + +"Where do you want us to go?" asked Tom. + +"We are going to try to find your brother," was the bully's smooth +reply. + +"Humph! Do you expect us to believe that?" + +"You can suit yourself, Tom Rover. But, just the same, you'll come +along." + +"And if we refuse?" put in Sam. + +"I'll hammer you into submission." + +"By jinks! but you always were a cheerful brute, Baxter," cried Sam. + +"Shut up and come along," growled the bully. + +Feeling it would be folly to resist, the two Rovers moved off with the +party. The big guide led the way and the others followed. + +"You may as well earn your salt," observed Baxter. "Here, take hold and +pull one of the sleds." + +He placed the rope in their hands and compelled them to haul the load, +which they did unwillingly enough. + +Curious as it may seem, none of the Baxter party had given a thought to +the sled which Sam and Tom had had with them, and this had been left +under the bushes at the spot where Husty had discovered the Rovers. + +At first Tom and Sam had thought to speak about the matter, but they +finally decided it would be better to run the risk of losing that +portion of the outfit entirely than to place it in the hands of their +enemy. + +The way was rough, and it was only with the greatest of difficulty that +they could drag the sleds along. But less than half an hour brought them +to the spot which Bill Harney had in mind--a grand and wild place, where +the mountain appeared to split in two for a distance of several hundred +feet. Here there was a gorge fifty or sixty feet deep, partly choked +with small scrub cedars. + +"There's the hole," said Harney, advancing into the gorge and pointing +with his hand. + +"Better go ahead and see if it is free of bears or other wild animals," +suggested Dan Baxter, as he came to a halt. + +Rifle in hand the guide went into the opening, and made a thorough +examination of the surroundings. + +"Aint been no b'ars nor nothin' else here," he declared. "You can come +right in." + +The opening on one side of the gully was an irregular one, and beyond +this was a large cave having several chambers. All was pitch dark in the +inner chambers, and they lit some brushwood to give them light. Then a +regular fire was started, which did much toward making the surroundings +warmer and more cheerful. + +Dan Baxter and his friends were hungry, and lost no time in preparing a +meal. Tom and Sam were led to one side of an inner chamber, and the rope +fastened to their hands was bound tightly to the protruding roots of a +tree. + +"Now, don't you attempt to escape," said Baxter. "If you do--well, +you'll wish you hadn't, that's all." + +And then he rejoined his companions in the outer chamber, leaving poor +Tom and Sam to their misery. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +JASPER GRINDER TRIES TO MAKE TERMS. + + +"Well, Tom, this looks as if we had put our foot into it," was Sam's +comment, delivered in a whisper. + +"Don't despair, Sam," said his brother cheerfully. "We have been in +worse holes, remember, and always managed to escape with a whole skin." + +"That's true, but I don't see how we are going to get away now. I +suppose somebody will stand on guard all the time." + +"Perhaps Dick and Mr. Barrow will come to the rescue." + +"If they can find the way. The wind and snow will cover the trail pretty +well." + +"There's no use of crying over the affair. If we can break away, I'll be +for doing so." + +"So will I." + +"Hi, you stop your talking in there!" shouted Dan Baxter. "Plotting to +run away, I reckon. It won't do you any good. If you try it, somebody +will get a dose of buckshot in the leg." + +"You don't mean to say you're going to stop our talking," said Tom, in +indignation. + +"That's just what I do mean to say. Now stop--or go hungry." + +As the Rovers did not wish to starve, they relapsed into silence. A meal +was being prepared by the Baxter party, and the appetizing odors floated +into the inner chamber, where Tom and Sam sniffed them eagerly, for the +walk and the bracing air had given them an appetite. + +"Smells good, don't it?" remarked Dan Baxter, as he came in, fire-brand +in hand, and confronted Tom. + +"What, the cave?" asked Tom carelessly. + +"No, the grub." + +"Oh, you are cooking something, aren't you?" + +"You know well enough that we are." + +"Well, I can't stop you, Baxter, so cook away." + +"Don't you want something to eat?" + +"To be sure we do," put in Sam. "Nobody wants to go hungry." + +"Perhaps you'll have to go hungry," said Dan Baxter significantly. + +"It would be just like you to starve us, Baxter!" burst out Tom. "I know +you are as mean as they make them." + +"No compliments, please. I know my business, Tom Rover; and let me say I +am in this game to win." + +"I don't see what that has to do with our eating." + +"You will see presently. I know all about what brought you here." + +"And we know what brought you here," put in Sam. + +"I suppose you fellows have a map, or something like it," went on +Baxter, after a pause, during which he gazed curiously first at Tom and +then at the youngest Rover. + +"A map of what?" demanded Tom. + +"A map whereby to find that treasure." + +"If we have a map we'll take good care to keep it to ourselves," came +from Sam, before he had taken time to think twice. + +"Ha! then you have a map!" And now Dan Baxter's eyes brightened. "Where +is it?" + +"I didn't say so." + +"I'll search you," said the bully, and at once proceeded to turn out one +pocket after another. Of course the map, being in Dick's possession, was +not found. + +"You got it hidden," said Baxter sourly. "Tell we where it is, or you +shall have nothing to eat." + +"Will you give us a good meal if we do tell you?" demanded Tom promptly. + +"Yes." + +"Honor bright?" + +"Yes." + +"Well, then, Dick has the only map we possess." And Tom grinned, while +Sam had all he could do to keep from laughing outright. + +Instantly Dan Baxter's face grew dark, and he drew back his hand as if +to strike Tom. + +"You're a fresh one!" he burst out. "Are you telling me the truth?" + +"I am. He has the map, and I reckon he'll keep it. Now, if it's all the +same to you, we'll take that meal. Eh, Sam?" + +"I'm hungry enough." + +"I shan't give you a mouthful!" roared Baxter. "You can't play any game +on me." + +"That shows what your promise is worth, Baxter," returned Tom. "I didn't +expect much else, though, for I know you thoroughly. Still, we told you +nothing but the truth." + +With a face full of hatred Dan Baxter turned on his heel and left them. +Presently they heard him sit down with the others, and all began to eat +the food that had been cooking. + +"I must say we didn't gain much," observed Tom gloomily. "I suppose I +ought to have humored him, in order to get something. But I despise him +so I can't help pitching into him." + +"I wouldn't humor him--I'd starve first!" returned Sam earnestly. "I am +glad we weren't carrying the map." + +"So am I glad. Rather than give it to him, I would have chewed it up +and swallowed it." + +Half an hour went by, during which both boys said but little, each being +busy trying to concoct some scheme by which they might escape. They +heard the others talking in low voices, but were unable to catch what +was said. + +Presently Jasper Grinder came in, bringing with him a small portion of +food and a kettle of water. Setting the things on a rock, he untied one +hand of each of the boys, that they might eat and drink. + +"This is a fine meal," said Tom sarcastically. + +"It is more than you deserve," replied the former teacher of Putnam +Hall. + +"You always were a hard one, Grinder." + +"Mr. Grinder, if you please," said the man pointedly. + +"And if I don't please to call you Mister?" + +"Then you will get nothing more from me." + +"Do you know that you are playing a high game here, keeping us +prisoners?" asked Sam. + +"What we are doing is our business." Jasper Grinder paused for a moment. +"I want you to tell me something of that treasure for which you are +seeking," he went on. + +"What do you want to know?" asked Tom. + +"What is the treasure worth?" + +"We can't tell that until it is found." + +"You are quite sure it has never been removed?" + +"How can we be sure, when we don't know anything about it." + +"Baxter says your brother Dick has a map." + +"Hasn't Baxter a map, too?" questioned Sam. + +"Something of a map, yes, but it is not very complete." + +"I'm glad to hear that," said Tom quickly. + +"But Baxter claims the treasure for himself." + +"Really?" said Sam sarcastically. "Well, let him claim what he pleases. +If we find it, it will belong to us--don't forget that." + +Again there was a pause. Jasper Grinder looked anxiously toward the +outer cave, to see if Baxter or the guide were watching him. But the two +were talking earnestly between themselves. + +"I have a plan," began the former teacher of Putnam Hall, in a low +voice, "a plan to aid you." + +"What plan?" demanded Tom. + +"Hush! not so loud--or they may hear you. I presume you know what sort +of a fellow Baxter is?" + +"Well, rather," said Sam dryly. + +"He is planning to do you a great deal of harm. Now I think I can save +you." + +"Then save us," said Tom. "Or untie us, and we will save ourselves." + +"You can't save yourselves. Baxter is strong, and that guide is a giant +in strength." + +"What do you propose?" + +"I'm coming to that. But you must make me a promise first." + +"What promise?" + +"That half that treasure shall be mine when it is found." + +"Half!" cried Tom and Sam together. + +"Yes." + +"We can't promise that," went on Tom. + +"You don't want much," was Sam's comment. + +"Isn't it worth something to be saved from Baxter's clutches? I +overheard him tell the guide what troubles he had had with you in the +past, and how you had been the means of sending his father to prison, +and all that. Why, he would put you out of the way forever, if he +could." + +"And will you stand by, Jasper Grinder, and see that done?" asked Tom. + +"No! no! But--but--he is his own master. Promise what I wish, and I will +help you." + +"We can't promise you half the treasure," said Tom flatly. "But if you +will really help us, we'll promise that you shall lose nothing by the +transaction." + +At this instant Dan Baxter leaped to his feet and ran for his gun, +while Bill Harney and Lemuel Husty did the same. + +"Come out here, Grinder!" shouted the bully. "Somebody or some wild +animal is around!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +THE BLACK BEAR. + + +"Somebody is coming!" ejaculated Sam. "I hope it is Dick, with Mr. +Barrow!" + +"So do I," returned Tom. + +Without saying a word more, Jasper Grinder ran from the inner cave and +joined Baxter and the guide. His face was pale, and he was evidently +much disturbed. + +Soon Baxter and his party were outside, and the Rover boys heard them +moving up and down the gully. Several minutes passed, and then came a +gunshot, followed by another. + +"I hope they are not firing on Dick or Mr. Barrow," said Sam, with +something of a shudder. + +"I guess not," returned his brother. "If they were, we'd probably hear +shots in return." + +An hour went by, and then Dan Baxter and the others came back, the guide +carrying several rabbits and a large fox. The rabbits were skinned and +kept for eating, and the fox was skinned and the carcass thrown away. + +Tom and Sam had expected Jasper Grinder to return to them, but if the +former teacher desired to do this, he was prevented by Dan Baxter, who +kept his companions close by him, around the fire. + +Slowly the time went by until darkness was upon them. The fire was kept +up, but Baxter screened it as much as possible, so that the glare might +not penetrate to the forest beyond the gully and prove a beacon to guide +Dick and John Barrow to the spot. + +The boys were tired out, and soon Sam sank to sleep, with his hands +still tied to the tree roots. Tom tried to keep awake, but half an hour +later he, too, was in dreamland. + +When the Rovers awoke it was not yet morning. All was dark around them, +for the fire had burnt low. Sam roused up first, with a severe pain in +his wrists and ankles, where his bonds were cutting him. + +"Oh, my wrists!" he groaned, and his voice caused Tom to start. + +"Is that you, Sam?" + +"Yes. My wrists are almost cut in two!" + +"The same here. I've slept like a rock, too." + +"Is it morning yet?" + +"I'm sure I don't know." + +"What's going on in there?" came from Dan Baxter, as he leaped to his +feet and caught up a gun. + +"We are suffering from cuts of the ropes," said Tom. "It was an outrage +to compel us to sleep in this fashion, tied up like mummies!" + +"Oh, shut up!" growled Baxter, and then began to poke the fire. Soon it +was blazing as readily as before, and then the light found its way into +the inner cave, so that Sam and Tom could see each other once more. + +Breakfast for the two prisoners was a slim affair of crackers, rabbits' +bones, and water. Tom asked for coffee, but Baxter would not give it to +them. + +"You'll get no luxuries from me," growled the bully. "Be thankful that +you aren't being starved." + +While they were eating, Baxter and his companions held a low, but +animated, conversation. "We'll try it, anyway," Tom heard Baxter say, +and that was all the Rovers heard. As soon as the meal was finished the +party took up some of their traps and their firearms. + +"Now, then, we are going out for a while," said Dan Baxter, coming up to +the prisoners. "Take my advice and don't try to escape in the meantime. +If you do, and we catch you, it will go hard with you; let me tell you +that!" + +"Are you going to leave us tied up?" questioned Tom dubiously. + +"Certainly." + +"Some wild animal may come in here and chew us up." + +"We'll leave the fire burning--that will keep 'em away," returned the +bully. + +He would say no more, and in a few minutes he and his companions were +gone and the Rover boys were left to themselves. + +"Now what?" asked Sam, after all had been silent for at least ten +minutes. + +"Don't ask me," replied Tom disconsolately. "We're in a pickle, and no +mistake. Are your hands as tight as ever?" + +"Yes, and my wrists hurt so I feel like screaming with pain." + +"Baxter is a brute, if ever there was one. However, I think I can get my +left hand free," went on Tom suddenly. + +"Good, Tom! Do so by all means." + +Tom worked away with vigor. The pain was intense, but he bore it +manfully. At last his hand was free. + +"Hurrah! so far so good!" he cried lowly. "Now for the other hand." + +But this was not so easy, for the knots were hard ones and broke his +finger nails dread-fully. + +"If only I could get at them with my teeth," he observed, "I'd soon chew +them apart." + +But he could not bend around, and so had to content himself with +working away as before. Soon his fingers grew numb and he had to desist. + +"Too bad, but I can't make it!" he groaned. + +"Wait a while and give your fingers a rest," returned Sam. + +He had begun work on his own fetters, but try his best could make no +material progress. The ropes had cut through the skin in two places and +from these spots the blood was flowing freely. + +Two hours went by, and to the boys it seemed an age. Tom had tried his +best to free himself, and now the cords were gradually loosening up. + +"I've got it at last!" he cried presently. "Just wait." And a little +later the bonds dropped to the ground. But the work had caused his +finger tips to bleed. + +With his hands free, Tom set to work free his feet, and this was not so +difficult, although it also took time. Both boys were now hungry once +more, and reckoned that it was well past the noon hour. + +"I'll set you free, and then we'll look around for something to eat," +said Tom. + +"Hadn't we better get out as soon as we can?" asked his brother. +"Remember, they may come back at any moment, and we are no match for +them." + +"It will take but a minute to pick up something, if it's around, Sam. +Besides, we have got to have something in our stomachs before we set +off to hunt up Dick and Mr. Barrow." + +As soon as Sam was freed they ran to the outer cave. Here, on some +tree-roots overhead, hung a number of traps, including a knapsack +containing crackers and cheese, and close by it was a portion of rabbit, +left over from the morning repast. + +"Just what we want!" cried Tom. "Now, if we only had a gun----" + +He broke off short, as a crashing outside greeted their ears. The noise +continued several seconds, then ceased abruptly. + +"What do you suppose that was?" questioned Sam. "It can't be our enemies +returning." + +"No, I think it was some wild animal--perhaps a wildcat." + +Both looked around for some weapon with which to defend themselves, and +Sam caught sight of a double-barreled shotgun standing in a corner of the +cave. He ran for this, and as he did so the crashing outside was +continued. + +"I see something under the brushwood!" whispered Tom, peeping out. +"Something big and black." + +"It's a bear!" cried Sam, a minute later. "A black bear! And he is +coming this way!" + +Both boys were astonished and bewildered, for they had not been looking +for such a big beast as this. Sam clutched the shotgun tightly, while +Tom ran to the fire and picked up the biggest brand he could hold. + +The bear advanced to the center of the gully and looked up and down +suspiciously. Then he sniffed the air. + +"He smells the carcass of the fox that lies outside," whispered Tom. + +"Well, he must smell us, too, Tom. It's a wonder he doesn't run. Mr. +Barrow said bears up here were generally shy." + +"I reckon he is pretty hungry. Here he comes for the fox meat now." + +Tom was right. The bear was advancing with great care, sniffing the +snow-covered ground at every step. Once or twice he raised his head, as +if preparing to run at the first sign of alarm. + +"I'd like to bring him down!" whispered Sam. + +"You can't do it with the shotgun, Sam. Be quiet! We can be thankful if +he takes the fox meat and leaves us alone." + +At last the bear reached the carcass. The two boys expected he would +snatch it up instantly and run away, but they were mistaken. The bear +sniffed it from end to end, and walked all around it. + +"He's afraid of a trap, or something like that," whispered Tom. "They +are pretty cute." + +At last the bear seemed satisfied, and he took the carcass up in his +mouth and started to walk off with it. But, instead of turning up or +down the gully, he came closer to the cave! + +"My gracious, he's coming this way!" cried Sam. "Look out, Tom!" + +His voice was so loud that the black bear heard it plainly. The beast +immediately dropped the fox meat and stood up on his hind legs. Then he +gave a roar of disappointment; thinking, probably, that the boys had set +a bait to catch him. + +"He don't like the situation," began Tom, when he gave a yell and +clutched his brother by the arm. And small wonder, for with rapid +strides the black bear was making for them, as though to chew them both +up! + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +TOGETHER AGAIN. + + +It must be confessed that both Tom and Sam were much alarmed by the +forward move of the black bear. Up to this instant they had trusted the +beast would depart with the fox's carcass, without discovering them. Now +it looked as if they were in for a hot fight, and that without delay. + +"Get behind the fire!" cried Tom, as soon as he could collect his +thoughts. + +Sam had the shotgun pointed, and as the bear advanced he pulled the +trigger. The charge of shot entered the bear's left shoulder, making a +number of painful, but not dangerous, wounds. At once the beast let out +a snort of commingled pain and rage. + +"You've done it now," came from Tom, and whirled his firebrand, to make +it blaze up. "Take a stick, quick!" + +Instead of doing this, however, Sam fired a second time, this time +hitting the bear in the left hind leg. The beast dropped on all fours +and came to a halt while yet twenty yards from them. + +By this time Tom had another firebrand, and this he compelled his +brother to take, the shotgun being now empty. There was no time to +reload the piece, and indeed, neither of the boys knew where to look for +ammunition. + +More enraged than ever, the bear now advanced again, until only the fire +was between him and his intended victims. He had now forgotten about the +fox meat, and thought only of getting at the human being who had injured +him. He arose once more and let out a loud roar, while his small eyes +gleamed maliciously. Had the fire not been in the way he would have +rushed upon Sam without further hesitation. + +The pulling out of the two large firebrands was causing the fire to burn +low, something which was in the bear's favor. The boys almost expected +to see the beast leap over the spot, but bruin knew better than to +attempt this. He began to circle around the flames, and as he did this, +the boys did likewise. + +"Shall we run?" panted Sam. He was so agitated he could scarcely speak. + +"No--stick to the fire," returned Tom. "Bears hate that. Look out!" + +The bear had now started to come around the other way. At once the boys +shifted again, until they occupied the position where they had stood +when the beast was first discovered. Then the bear dropped down once +more, and eyed them in a meditative way. + +"He is making up his mind about the next move," said Tom. "I'll try him +with something new." And at the risk of burning his hand, he picked up +some small brushwood which was blazing fiercely and threw it at their +enemy. + +The effect was as surprising as it was gratifying. The burning brands +struck the beast fairly on the nose, causing him to leap back in terror. +Then he uttered a grunt of dissatisfaction, turned, and sped, with +clumsy swiftness, up the gully and into the forest beyond. + +"He is retreating!" cried Sam joyfully. + +"Wait--don't be too sure," returned Tom, and, firebrands still in hand, +they watched until the bear was out of sight and they could hear nothing +more of him. + +"My, but aint I glad he's gone!" said the youngest Rover, with a sigh of +relief. + +"So am I glad, Sam. I was almost afraid both of us were doomed to be +chewed up." + +"What shall we do next?" + +"I guess we had better get out--as soon as you've reloaded the gun. +Wonder where the ammunition is?" + +Both instituted a search, and soon a box was brought to light, +containing not only ammunition, but also a big hunting knife. + +"I'll appropriate the knife," said Tom. "It's not as good as a gun or +pistol, but it is better than nothing." + +Thus armed they set forth without further delay, fearful that their +enemies might return at any moment to recapture them. As the bear had +gone up the gully they went down, and they did not come to a halt until +they had placed at least quarter of a mile between themselves and the +caves. For some distance they kept on a series of bare rocks, thus +leaving no trail behind. + +"I reckon we are clear of them for the time being," observed Tom, as he +came to a halt. "And that being so, the next question is Where are Dick +and Mr. Barrow?" + +"The best we can do is to try to find Perch River, to my way of +thinking," came from Sam. "If we can find that and we stick to it, we'll +be sure to land at Bear Pond, sooner or later." + +"It seems to me Bear Pond ought to be close at hand," said Tom. "We've +seen the bear anyway, if not the pond." And at this both Sam and he gave +a short laugh. + +An hour later found them tramping along the edge of a cliff overlooking +a broad valley, in the center of which was a winding stream almost +hidden by the woods on either side. + +"Now, if we were only sure that was Perch River, we'd be all right," +said Sam. "But unfortunately all rivers look pretty much alike up +here." + +"We might as well go down to it, anyway," answered his brother. "It's +pretty cold up here." + +Finding a break in the cliff they descended, and started through the +woods for the watercourse. It was indeed cold, and only their brisk +walking kept them warm. A stiff wind was rising, and overhead the +branches swayed mournfully. + +When they reached the river they came to another halt, not knowing which +was up and which was down. + +"Guess we had better chop a hole in the ice and see how the water is +flowing," suggested Sam. + +"Let us walk in this direction," said Tom. "I think this is right, and, +anyway, we may soon come to an air-hole, which will save us the trouble +of cutting an opening." + +As they advanced they had kept a sharp lookout for the Baxter crowd, but +so far none of their enemies had put in an appearance. + +"Hurrah!" suddenly shouted Tom. "Here's a signal of some sort!" + +He pointed ahead, to where Dick and John Barrow had planted their first +signal pole. Both made a rush forward, and soon had the cooked meat +which had been tied in a cloth and the note pinned on the outside. + +"A letter from Dick," said Tom, and read it aloud. "We are on the right +track, Sam, and if we only continue to steer clear of Dan Baxter and his +gang we'll be safe." + +"Dick asks us to fire two shots, a minute apart, as a signal," came from +Sam. "I'll do it at once." And without delay he discharged the shotgun, +waited sixty seconds, and then discharged it again. + +Both listened intently, and from a great distance came back two other +shots, also a minute apart. + +"They heard the signal!" ejaculated Sam joyfully. "It came from up the +river, didn't it?" + +"Yes; come on!" + +Without stopping to eat the food which had been left for them, the boys +hurried forward just as rapidly as their now tired legs would carry +them. + +They had brought their skates along and these were put on, after which +progress was easier. It was now growing dark, and they began to wonder +if they would be able to rejoin Dick and Mr. Barrow before nightfall. + +"I hope we meet them," said Sam. "I've no fancy for remaining in this +open, alone." + +"Try another two shots," suggested Tom, after an hour had gone by, and +Sam did so. Immediately came answering reports, directly to their left. + +"Hullo!" yelled Tom, at the top of his lungs, and Sam at once took up +the cry. + +"Hullo!" came back faintly. "Tom! Sam! Is that you?" + +"Yes. We are on the river!" + +"All right!" + +The yelling now stopped, and Tom and Sam came to a halt and sat down on +a flat rock to wait. Ten minutes passed, when they saw Dick rush into a +clearing, followed by John Barrow. As soon as the eldest Rover saw them +he waved his hand enthusiastically. + +"Where in the world have you been?" came from Dick, as soon as he +reached them, and saw that neither was injured. "We've been looking high +and low for you." + +"We've been prisoners of the enemy," answered Tom. "By the way, have you +seen anything of Dan Baxter and his party?" + +"No. Do you mean to say Baxter made you prisoners?" + +"He and his crowd did." + +"How many are there with him?" + +"Three men, Bill Harney the guide, Lemuel Husty, and Jasper Grinder." + +"Jasper Grinder!" burst out Dick. "Impossible!" + +"It is true, Dick. I was as much astonished as you." + +"I suppose Baxter promised him a share of the treasure if it was +found." + +"More than likely. But I don't believe they'll find the treasure." + +Tom and Sam soon told their story, to which Dick and John Barrow +listened with keen interest. Hardly, however, was the tale finished than +the guide urged them to move on. + +"It's quite a few miles to camp," he said. "And, unless I am mistaken, +it's getting ready for a big fall o' snow." + +John Barrow was right about the snow. Less than quarter of an hour later +the thick flakes began to fall. Then came a finer snow, which the wind +blew around them like so much hard salt. + +"We are in for a corker!" cried the guide. "The sooner we git back to +our supplies the better it will be for us!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +SNOWED IN. + + +With the coming of night the downfall of snow increased until it was +impossible to see a dozen feet in any direction. The wind also increased +in fury until it blew a regular gale. At first this was in their favor, +being directly on their backs and sending them over the ice at a furious +pace, but soon it shifted, first to the left and then to in front of +them, and now further progress appeared out of the question. + +"I'm afraid we can't make it!" gasped Dick, turning to catch his breath. +"I'm almost winded now." + +"I've got to stop," came from Sam. "I'm ready to drop." + +"I can't see a thing," said Tom. "And I'm in mortal terror of skating +into some big air-hole." + +"You are right, lads, we'll have to give up the idea of reaching camp +to-night," came from John Barrow seriously. "But where to take you to +out of this awful storm I scarcely know." + +"Any kind of shelter will do," said Sam. "We can rig up a hut under some +big cedar tree." + +"In that case, let us stick as closely to the river as possible." + +"Why?" + +"We can get fish then, if we need 'em." + +No more was said, and the guide at once led the way to a thick clump of +cedars growing but a rod away from the edge of the river. The cedars +formed something of a circle, about fifteen feet in diameter, and by +clearing out some brushwood in the center they made quite a cozy resting +place. On the outside the cedars were laced together, and the snow was +banked up on all sides, leaving but one opening, two feet wide and +several feet high, for the purpose of supplying them with fresh air. + +By the time the shelter was ready for use all the boys were so fagged +out they could scarcely stand. Dick and the guide had brought blankets +with them, and one of these was placed over the opening temporarily, to +keep out a large part of the wind. Then a candle was lit and John Barrow +burnt up a little brushwood, "jest to take the chill outer the place," +as he explained. They did not dare to let the flames grow too high for +fear of setting fire to the cedars themselves. + +As the boys lay on the brushwood resting, they heard the wind outside +increasing in violence, and saw the cedars bend to and fro, and listened +to them creak dismally. + +"Mr. Barrow, how long do you reckon this storm will last?" questioned +Tom. + +"There is no tellin', lad. Perhaps through the night, an' perhaps for a +couple o' days." + +"If it lasts two days, we'll be snowed in for keeps!" came from Sam. + +The guide shrugged his shoulders. "True, Sam, but we've got to take what +comes." + +"Let us take account of our provisions," said Dick. "If there is any +prospect of our being snowed in we'll have to eat sparingly, or run the +risk of being starved to death." + +There was not much to count up: some meat and crackers Dick and the +guide had brought along, and the meat, crackers, and the rabbit in Tom +and Sam's store. In his pockets John Barrow also carried some coffee, +sugar, and some salt. + +"Not such a very small lot," was Dick's comment. "But it might be more." + +A scanty evening meal was quickly disposed of, and then the candle was +blown out, and all retired to rest. The boys were soon sound asleep, and +presently the guide followed, but with his hand on his gun, ready for +any attack by man or beast, should it come. + +The night passed quietly enough, for presently the wind went down. The +snow grew thicker than ever, until it covered the river to a depth of +two feet and more. Around the cedars there was a huge drift, burying +the shelter completely. + +It was Dick who roused up first, to find all pitch-dark around him. +Bringing out a match, he lit the candle and looked at his watch. + +"Seven o'clock!" he murmured. "Guess I'll go out and see what the +weather is." + +Stretching himself, he walked to the blanket which had been placed over +the opening, and tried to thrust it aside. At once a mass of snow came +tumbling down and sifted in all directions, a good share on Tom's face. + +"Hi! who's washing my face with snow?" cried Tom, as he opened his eyes +and sat up. "That's a mean trick, Dick, on a fellow who is dead tired +out." + +"I didn't mean to do it, Tom. I was going outside, to see how the +weather is. I reckon the snow is pretty deep." + +The talking aroused the guide and Sam, and soon all were on their feet. +The snow in the opening was pushed back and they forced their way +outside, to find themselves in a drift up to their waists. + +"Gosh, but we are right in it!" was Tom's comment. "See, the river is +completely covered. That settles skating." + +"And the worst of it is, it is still snowing," came from Dick. + +"With no signs of letting up," finished John Barrow. "Boys, I am afraid +we are snowed in, or snowed up, just as you feel like calling it." + +"Do you mean we'll have to remain here?" questioned Sam quickly. + +"For the present. We are a good four miles from the pond, and we can't +tramp that in this storm." + +The wind was rising again, with a dull moaning through the timber, and +sending the flakes whirling in all directions, and they were glad enough +to get back to the shelter of the cedars. + +"We'll clear a space in the snow and start a fire," said the guide. "A +hot cup o' coffee will do us all good." + +"And we can cook that other rabbit Tom and I brought along," put in Sam. + +Brushwood was handy, and Tom helped to cut some of this with the hunting +knife he had brought along. Soon a lively blaze was warming them up, and +water was boiling for the coffee, while the rabbit was cleaned, and +broiled on a long fork in the guide's outfit. Crackers were running low, +and they had but two apiece. + +"I'll try fishing as soon as I'm done," said John Barrow, and was as +good as his word. + +It was no easy task to cut a hole through the ice, but once this was +accomplished the fish were found to be lively enough, despite the storm +and the cold. Inside of an hour they had a mess of nine, sufficient to +last them for several meals. And while the others were fishing, Dick +caught sight of a flock of birds, and brought down three. + +"There, we won't starve yet awhile," said Dick, as he began to clean his +game. + +"That's true," answered Tom, "although we may get pretty tired of birds +and fish before we get out of here and strike something different." + +"I wonder how the Baxter crowd is faring," said Sam. "Unless they got +back to the cave they can't be having a very good time of it." + +"They don't deserve a good time of it," grumbled Tom. "They deserve to +suffer." + +"Bill Harney is a good enough guide to know what to do," put in John +Barrow. "He will pull them through somehow--that is, if he knows enough +to remain sober." + +They had hoped that the storm would let up by noon, but twelve o'clock +found the snow coming down as fast as ever, blotting out the landscape +on every hand. Outside of the moaning of the wind all was as silent as a +tomb. + +There was but a little for the boys to do, and after the fishing was +over they were glad enough to take it easy in the shelter and listen to +several stories John Barrow had to tell. The guide also related what he +knew concerning Goupert and the various hunts made for the missing +treasure. + +"He must have been a fierce sort of a man in his day," observed Dick. +"I don't wonder the most of the folks in this region were content to +leave him alone." + +It was almost nightfall when the snow stopped coming down, and then it +was too dark to attempt the journey to Bear Pond. + +"We'll have to make another night of it here," said John Barrow. "Then, +if it's clear, we can start for the pond early in the morning." + +"Hark!" cried Tom, rousing up. "Did you hear that?" + +"Hear what?" came from the others. + +"I thought I heard somebody calling." + +All listened. For a few seconds silence reigned, then came an uncertain +sound from a considerable distance. + +"There it is!" + +"That's somebody calling, sure," said the guide. "Must be down along the +river. I'll go out an' look." + +"Can I go along?" asked Dick. "You may want help--if somebody is in +trouble." + +"All right. Bring your gun with you." + +In another minute they had started out, each with his gun, and with his +trouser legs tied up with bits of cord, to keep the deep snow from +reaching up to their boot-tops. Their course was directly for the river. + +It was so dark they could see little or nothing, saving the whiteness +which spread in all directions. + +"Hullo! hullo!" yelled John Barrow, when the river was gained. + +"Help!" came back faintly. "Help!" + +"Somebody over thar!" said the guide, and pointed a short distance up +the stream. "Guess he's in a peck o' trouble, too." + +He started in the direction, and Dick came close behind. The party in +distress was a man, whose cries for aid were gradually becoming weaker +and weaker. Before they reached the individual his voice ceased +entirely. + +"He has fainted from exhaustion," said John Barrow, as he reached the +wayfarer. + +"Why, it's Jasper Grinder, our old teacher," ejaculated Dick. + +The eldest Rover was right. The unfortunate man was indeed the former +teacher of Putnam Hall, but so pinched and haggard as to be scarcely +recognized. He had fallen on a bare rock, and this had cut open his left +cheek, from which the blood was flowing. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +AN UNWELCOME COMRADE. + + +"He's in a bad way, that's certain," was Dick's comment, as he surveyed +the prostrate form. Even though Jasper Grinder was an enemy, he could +not help but feel sorry for the man. + +"We must get him up to our shelter as soon as possible," replied John +Barrow. "It is easy to see he is half frozen--and maybe starved." + +"Shall we carry him?" + +"We'll have to; there is no other way." + +Slinging their guns across their backs, they raised up the form of the +unconscious man. He was a dead weight, and to carry him through that +deep snow was no light task. Less than half the distance to the shelter +was covered when Dick called a halt. + +"I'll have to rest up!" he gasped. "He weighs a ton." + +But in a few minutes he resumed the journey, and now they did not stop +with their load until the shelter was reached. Tom and Sam were watching +for them. + +"Jasper Grinder, by all that's wonderful!" burst out Tom. + +"Was he alone?" questioned Sam. + +"He was, so far as we could see," answered Dick. "I can tell you, he's +almost a case for an undertaker." + +This remark made everyone feel sober, and while the two younger Rovers +stirred up the fire, Dick and the guide did all in their power to bring +the unconscious man to his senses. Some hot coffee was poured down his +throat, and his hands and back were vigorously rubbed. + +"Oh!" came faintly, at last, and Jasper Grinder slowly opened his eyes, +"Oh!" + +"Take it easy, Mr. Grinder," said Dick kindly. "You are safe now." + +"But the bear! Where is the bear?" murmured the dazed man. + +"There is no bear here." + +"He is after me! He wants to chew me up!" + +With this Jasper Grinder relapsed into unconsciousness once more. + +"I reckon a b'ar chased him and he lost his reckonin'," was John +Barrow's comment. "Bring him up to the fire. He wants warmin'." + +Yet, with all the care they were able to bestow, it was a good hour +before Jasper Grinder was able to sit up and relate what had occurred to +him. He was very hungry, and eagerly disposed of every scrap of food +they had to offer him. + +"I have been lost in the timber since yesterday," he said. "Oh, it was +awful, the wind and the snow, and the intense cold. Sometimes I could +not feel my feet, and I knew I was freezing to death. And I hadn't a +mouthful to eat!" + +"But where are the others?" questioned Dick. + +"I don't know--back to that cave, I suppose. We were out looking for +some trace of--ahem--of Tom and Sam, when I became separated from the +others. Then, in trying to find my way back to the cave, I fell in with +a big black bear. The ugly creature came after me, and I ran for my +life, through the brushwood and the snow, until I came to a cliff. I +fell over this, landed on an icy slope, and rolled and rolled until I +struck the river. Then I got up and tried to get back to the cave, but +it was out of the question. I found an opening in the cliff, on going +back, and remained there until morning, when that bear, or another like +him, roused me and caused me another roll down to the river." + +"Didn't the bear follow you?" asked Tom. + +"He followed as far as the river. But I ran with all my might through +the deep snow, and presently he gave up the pursuit. Then I went on and +on until I happened to catch a glimpse of your camp-fire, and set up a +cry for help. I slipped on a rock and hit my cheek, and the loss of +blood and the shock made me dizzy. The next I knew I was here." + +"You may be thankful that we found you and brought you in," was the +remark made by John Barrow. "If you had remained out there this night, +you'd 'a' been a corpse by mornin', sure!" + +"I suppose that's true," said Jasper Grinder, with a thoughtful look. +His experience had humbled him greatly. He was so exhausted that he soon +fell asleep, breathing heavily. The boys and John Barrow gazed at him +curiously. + +"His being with us presents a problem," said Dick. "What are we to do +with him?" + +"I'm sure I don't want him along," answered Sam promptly. He had hot +forgotten the treatment received at Putnam Hall. + +"None of us want him, I take it, Sam. But we can't leave him behind to +starve. And I doubt if he can find his way back to the Baxter camp +alone." + +"No, he can't do that," put in the guide. "It is easy to see he knows +nothing of the woods and mountains. He was a fool to come here." + +"If we take him along, we ought to make him do his share of the work," +said Tom. "But I don't like it. He'll be forever spying on us, and if we +find that treasure he'll try to get it away, mark my words." + +"The only thing we can do is to watch him, and not let him have any gun +or pistol," said Dick. "He won't dare to leave us, unarmed, especially +if we tell him of all the wild animals that are around." + +The subject was discussed for fully an hour, but no satisfactory +conclusion was reached, and presently one after another dropped off to +sleep; the guide being the last to lie down, after fixing the camp-fire +for the night, so that a share of the warmth might drift into the +shelter. + +On the following day the sun came up bright and clear. It was still +bitterly cold, and they were loath to leave the vicinity of the +camp-fire. But John Barrow urged that they make good use of the clear +weather, and so they started up the river as soon as they had disposed +of their breakfast of fish and birds. + +"To be sure I'll go along, if I can walk," was what Jasper Grinder said +on being questioned, "I wouldn't remain behind alone for a fortune, and +I am sure I can't find the Baxter party now. Please don't cast me off! +It wouldn't be human!" + +"I believe you'd cast us off, if we were in a similar situation," was +Tom's comment. "The way you treated Sam at the Hall shows that you don't +care how some folks suffer. But you can go along, for we are not brutes. +But you've got to be careful how you behave, or otherwise out you go, +to shift for yourself, no matter how cold it is or how many wild animals +are around." + +"I will do nothing that does not meet with the approval of all of you," +answered the former teacher humbly. "And remember, Thomas, I was willing +to aid you when you were a prisoner in the cave in the gully." + +"You were--for a big consideration," returned Tom dryly. "Let me tell +you flatly, I don't take much stock in your so-called generosity." + +They were soon on the way, straight down to the river and then up that +stream. John Barrow was in the lead, with Sam following. Jasper came +next, and Tom and Dick brought up the rear. As far as possible the guide +sought out a trail along the timber, where the snow was not so deep. +Here and there were bare spots, but at other places were deep drifts, +where they frequently got in up to their armpits. + +"This is no joke!" gasped Sam, after floundering through an extra deep +drift. "I thought I was going out of sight that time." + +"I trust we haven't much further to go," was Jasper Grinder's comment. +"I would give a hundred dollars to be back at Timber Run." + +"It's your own fault you are here," retorted Sam. + +"I might say the same of you," returned the former teacher sharply. + +By noon John Barrow calculated they had covered half the distance to +Bear Pond. A sheltered nook was found between some rocks and trees, and +here they set fire to a mass of brushwood, that they might get warm +while they rested, and ate the last of the food on hand. There was no +wind, and the sun, shining as brightly as ever, made the surface of the +snow glitter like diamonds. + +"I hope we find our stores at the cache undisturbed," said Dick, while +resting. "I am hungry for a change of diet. As soon as we get there I'm +going to make some biscuits and boil some beans." + +"Gosh, but a plateful of beans would be fine!" cried Tom. "I can tell +you what," he added reflectively; "you want to do without things to +learn their real value." + +On they went once more, this time slower than before, because both Sam +and Jasper Grinder showed great signs of weariness. They had to move +around a long bend of the stream, and for fear of getting into a deep +drift the guide did not dare to make a short cut. They passed the pole +set up by John Barrow and Dick at the forks of the stream, and then +headed directly for where the cache was located. + +"When we get settled we can put up a regular hut," said John Barrow. +"Then we can be as comfortable, almost, as at home." + +"I'm anxious to locate the treasure," said Tom, "We can--Gracious me! +Look there!" + +They had come in sight of the cache, and now beheld two great black +bears standing over the loose stones, doing their best to scratch them +away and get at the party's stores! + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +BRINGING DOWN TWO BEARS. + + +"Bears!" burst out Sam, and started back in alarm. + +"Bears!" shrieked Jasper Grinder, and turned as pale as death. "Oh, +somebody save me!" He wanted to run, but he was in such a tremble he +could not, and sank on his knees in the snow in terror. + +Crack! It was the report of John Barrow's rifle, and one of the bears +was hit full in the left eye. Crack! went the piece Dick carried, and +the other bear was hit in the neck. Then Tom fired the shotgun which had +been found on Jasper Grinder, and the bear Dick had hit was wounded in +the side. + +Of course there followed a terrible uproar, and in a twinkle both bears +left the pile of rocks and came toward those who had wounded them. The +one that had been wounded in the eye was mortally hit, however, and +staggered in a heap before he had gone ten paces. + +But the second bear was full of fight, and his course was directly for +Tom. Before the lad could run the beast was almost on top of him. + +"Dodge him!" called out Dick. "Dodge him, Tom!" + +"Shoot him, somebody!" yelled back Tom. "Shoot him, quick!" + +And then he dodged behind some nearby brush. But the bear was almost as +quick, and ran directly into the brushwood, to face him on the opposite +side. + +By this time John Barrow had the rifle reloaded, and now he skirted the +brushwood, followed by Dick. Crack! went the rifle again, just as bruin +was about to pounce upon Tom. But the bullet merely clipped the hair on +the bear's back, and in a twinkle the beast was on Tom and had the lad +down. + +With his heart in his throat, Dick made a leap with the shotgun. Bang! +went the piece, when he was not over three yards from the bear. The +charge entered the beast's ear, and with a snort he rolled over and over +in the snow, sending it flying in every direction. + +Freed of the bear, Tom lost no time in scrambling to his feet. Soon the +struggles of the beast ceased, and they knew he was either dying or +dead. To make sure, John Barrow stepped in, hunting knife in hand, and +plunged the blade into his throat. Then the other bear was served in the +same fashion. + +The fight had been of short duration, yet the peril had been extreme, +and after it was over poor Tom found he could scarcely stand. Dick led +him to a rock and set him down, asking him if he was hurt. + +"I got a scratch on the arm, but I reckon it's not much," was the faint +answer. "But it was a close call, wasn't it?" + +"Those bears must have been awfully hungry, or they wouldn't have put up +such a fight," said the guide. "Their being at the cache proves they +wanted food." + +"Well, we've got the food now," returned Dick grimly. "We'll have all +the bear steaks and roasts anybody wants." + +"Yes, and I can tell you a juicy steak will just be boss!" put in Sam +enthusiastically. + +It was seen that Tom was hurt more than he cared to admit, and the +others lost no time in building a big camp-fire, that they might warm +themselves, while Dick took off his brother's coat, rolled up his +shirt-sleeves, and bandaged an ugly scratch with a bit of linen. + +"You can help here," said John Barrow to Jasper Grinder. "I'll fix it as +your duty to keep the fire a-goin'. There is a hatchet and there is the +brushwood. Don't let the fire go down, or I'm afraid there won't be +enough heat for cooking your supper." And the guide smiled grimly. + +At this indirect threat Jasper Grinder scowled. But he did not dare to +complain, and was soon at work cutting brushwood and dragging it to the +spot. + +"Gosh, but he's not used to hard work," was Sam's whispered comment. +"I'll wager he doesn't like that for a cent." + +"It's time he was set to work doing something," answered Dick. "It will +keep him from getting into mischief." + +As late as it was, and although all were tired out from their long walk +through the deep snow, they found it necessary to construct some shelter +for the night. The guide located a number of cedars growing close +together, and this spot was cleaned out and made as comfortable as +circumstances permitted. The fire was shoved over to the new location, +and then John Barrow cut up one of the bears and procured a big juicy +steak for supper. It is needless to say that all enjoyed the treat set +before them, even Jasper Grinder eating his full share. + +"We'll hang the meat up on a tree," said John Barrow. "If we don't some +hungry foxes or other wild animals will surely be after it." And +procuring the necessary ropes, he flung them over some limbs and all +hauled the carcasses up, Tom, of course, being excused from the task, +because of his wounded arm. + +The wind had gone down, and when all retired within the shelter not a +sound but the merry crackling of the fire broke the stillness around +them. In front of the camp was a long stretch of the pond, now thickly +covered with snow; in the rear a slope of a mountain, rock-ribbed and +covered with cedars and hemlock. To the left was located one of the +branches of the river and a hundred yards distant was a second branch. + +At first John Barrow had thought to set a guard for the night, but as +the spot seemed free from danger for the time being, this was dispensed +with, and all went to bed, to sleep soundly until sunrise. + +"And now for the treasure hunt!" cried Sam, who was among the first to +awaken. "It's just a perfect day, and we ought to accomplish a good +deal, if we set to work right after breakfast." + +He talked freely, for Jasper Grinder was still asleep--snoring lustily +in a corner of the shelter. John Barrow was already outside, boiling +coffee, broiling another bear steak, and preparing a pot of beans for +cooking. He had likewise set some bread for raising. + +"Goin' to give you a breakfast as is a breakfast," said the guide; with +a broad smile. "Reckon all of you are ready for it, eh?" + +"I am," said Dick. "Phew! but this mountain air does give one a +tremendous appetite!" + +While Jasper Grinder still slept Dick brought forth the precious map +and studied the description, and also the translation of the French text +into English, which Randolph Rover had made for them. + +"'To find the box of silver and gold, go to where Bear Pond empties into +Perch River,'" he read. "Well, we are at this spot, or, at least, at one +of the spots. It may mean this branch, and it may mean one of several +others." + +"We can try one branch after another," put in Sam. "Go on with the +description." + +"'Ten paces to the west is a large pine tree which was once struck by +lightning,'" continued Dick. He looked around. "I don't see any tree +like that around here." + +"You must remember, my lad, that that writin' was put down years ago," +said John Barrow. "More'n likely if the tree was struck an' blasted, +it's fallen long ago, and the spring freshets carried it down the +river." + +"That's true," said Sam, with a falling look. "But, anyway, we ought to +be able to locate the stump." + +"Yes, we ought to be able to do that." + +"I'm going to locate it now," cried Sam, and stalked off to where the +pond emptied into the stream. From this spot he stalked ten paces +westward, and of a sudden disappeared from view. + +"Help!" he cried. + +"Hullo, Sam's disappeared!" cried Dick, and ran toward the spot. + +"Look out!" sang out John Barrow. "There may be a nasty hole there!" + +Nevertheless, he too went forward, and they soon beheld Sam floundering +in snow up to his neck. He had stepped into a hollow between the rocks, +and it took him some time to extricate himself from the unpleasant +position. + +"Oh, my, what a bath!" he exclaimed ruefully, as he tried to get the +snow from out of his collar and his coat-sleeves. "I--I didn't think of +a pitfall like that!" + +"You want to be careful how you journey around here," cautioned John +Barrow. "If that hollow had been twice as deep the snow might have +smothered you to death." + +"I will be careful," answered Sam. "I don't want any more snow down my +back and up my coat-sleeves," and he hurried back to the camp-fire to +warm himself. + +By this time Tom was outside, and he was followed by Jasper Grinder, and +presently all sat down close to the blaze to enjoy the generous +breakfast the guide had provided. Tom said that his arm was a little +stiff, but that otherwise he felt as well as ever. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +TWO FAILURES. + + +What to do with Jasper Grinder was a problem which none of the boys knew +how to solve. They were exceedingly sorry that he was among them, but as +it would be impossible to send him off alone in that deep snow, they +felt that they would have to make the best of the situation. + +"I move we make him stay around the camp," suggested Tom. "He can watch +our stores, keep the fire furnished with wood, and do some of the +cooking." + +"He may kick at playing servant girl," said Sam. + +"If he kicks, let him clear out." + +"I think Tom is right," put in Dick. "We don't want him along while we +are trying to locate the treasure." + +"He may slip away with our things--if he finds any trace of Baxter's +party," went on Sam. "And we can't afford to lose anything more. One +sled-load is enough. We'll be wanting some of those other things before +long." + +"I don't believe that other party is around here," said John Barrow. +"We had better leave the man at the fire. We can keep our eyes open for +the enemy--as you call 'em." + +So it was arranged, and Dick told the former teacher. Jasper Grinder +said but little in return, but asked about the possibility of any more +wild beasts turning up. + +"I don't want to be left alone to face another couple of bears," he +said. "They would do their best to chew me up!" + +"We will leave a gun in camp," said Dick. "If you see a bear coming, you +can climb a tree and keep him off with the gun. If we hear a shot, we'll +come back just as quickly as we can. But, Grinder, I want you to +understand that you aren't to play us false," went on the eldest Rover. +"If you do we'll have no mercy on you, remember that!" + +Half an hour later the boys and their guide set off on their first hunt +for the treasure. With great care John Barrow led the way over the rocks +and other rough places. He carried a long pole, which he plunged in the +snow before him whenever he was afraid there was a hollow ahead. Soon +they gained the spot where Dick thought the blasted tree might be +located. + +The snow was scraped away, first in one direction and then another, +until a spot several yards in diameter was cleared. No tree-stump was +brought to light, although they found a slight hollow in which were +several big roots. + +"This might have been the tree once," said John Barrow meditatively. +"Years make great changes, you know. The trees fall, rocks and dirt +slide down hill, and that makes a big difference in the looks o' +things." + +"All we can do is to follow the directions on the map," said Dick. "I +think we'll be bound to strike the right clew, sooner or later. Let us +follow this one and see where it leads to." + +"What's the next directions?" questioned Tom. + +"'Go due southwest from the pine tree sixty-two paces,'" answered Dick, +reading from the translation given him. "Which is southwest, Mr. +Barrow?" + +"Soon tell ye that," answered the guide, and brought forth his pocket +compass. "That way." And he pointed with his arm. + +With the compass to guide them they set off, the guide in the lead once +more, and Dick counting off the sixty-two paces with great care. The way +was up a hillside and over half a dozen rough rocks, and then into a +hollow where the snow was up to their waists. + +"No use of talking, this is treasure-hunting under difficulties," was +Sam's comment. "Perhaps we would have done better had we left the hunt +till summer time." + +"And let Baxter get ahead of us?" put in Tom. "Not much!" He turned to +Dick. "What's the next directions on the paper?" + +"There ought to be a flat rock here, backed up by a sharp-pointed one," +answered the eldest Rover. "I don't see anything of a sharp-pointed +rock, do you? The flat rock may be under us." + +"No sharp-pointed rock within a hundred feet of here," answered Sam, +gazing around. He began scraping away the snow. "Dirt under us, too." + +"That settles it, then. Trial No. 1 is a failure. Mr. Barrow, we'll have +to try the next stream." + +"So it would seem, Dick. Well, you boys mustn't expect too easy work o' +it. A big treasure aint picked up every day." + +"The trouble of it is, we don't know how much of a treasure it is," said +Tom. "For all we know, it may be but a few hundred dollars--not enough +to pay us, really, for our trouble." + +"Well, even a few hundred dollars aint to be sneezed at." + +"We did much better out West, when we located our mining claim," said +Dick. "But then we came up here for fun as much as for treasure." + +The tramp to where the next stream leading from Bear Pond was located +was by no means easy. They had to crawl around a tangled mass of +brushwood and over more rough rocks, until they gained the bosom of the +pond itself. Then they skirted the shore for several hundred yards. + +"Hold on!" cried Dick suddenly. "Rabbits!" And up came his gun, and he +blazed away. Sam also fired, and between them they brought down four +rabbits, which had just run out of a hollow log a short distance ahead. + +"Good shots!" cried the guide enthusiastically. "Couldn't have been +better. I see you are used to hunting. Many a city chap would have +missed 'em entirely. I had one feller up here year before last wanted to +bring down big game, but when he saw a deer he got the shakes and didn't +think of shootin' till the game was out o' sight." + +The four rabbits were plump and heavy, and the boys shouldered them with +much satisfaction. Then the onward course was resumed, until Dick again +called a halt. + +"Here is where we'll make trial No. 2," he said. "Now see if any of you +can locate the blasted tree in this neighborhood." + +All began to search around in various directions, and presently Sam let +out a call. + +"Here's a fallen tree!" + +"Struck by lightning?" queried Dick. + +"I don't know about that. Perhaps Mr. Barrow can tell us." + +The others walked over, and the guide cleared the snow from the upper +end of the fallen timber. + +"Not much signs of being struck by anything but the wind," he announced. +"Still, I aint sure." + +"We'll try from this point, anyway," said Tom. "No use of missing any +chance, however small." And on this the others agreed. + +Once again they began to pace off the ground as before. Here the task +was as difficult as ever, as they had to pass through some timber +thickly intergrown with brush. + +"I suppose in Goupert's time this timber was small," observed the guide. + +The tramping around was beginning to tire them, and soon Sam had to stop +to rest and get back his wind. + +"I feel like a regular snow-plow," he gasped. "Tell you what, it takes +the wind right out of a chap." + +"You rest while we go ahead," suggested Tom, but Sam did not wish to do +this. + +"Not much! If the treasure is going to be found, I want to be on deck!" +he cried. + +Presently they we're at it again, Dick pacing off the steps as carefully +as ever. They had still fifteen paces to go when John Barrow came to a +stop with a sniff of disgust. + +"Wrong ag'in!" + +"How so?" + +"This is leadin' us right out on the pond." + +"I declare, so it is!" murmured Dick. "We started due southwest, didn't +we?" + +"To a hair, lad. To tell the truth, I didn't take much to this trail +from the start. To my mind this stream is a new one. I think the next +outlet is one of the old-timers." + +Once more they held a consultation, and Tom asked how far it was to the +next stream. + +"Right over yonder rise o' ground," answered the guide. "But hadn't you +better wait till after dinner before ye tackle it?" + +Dick consulted his watch. + +"I declare! Quarter to twelve!" he exclaimed. "No wonder I'm feeling +hungry." + +"I was getting hungry myself," said Tom "But I wasn't going to be the +first to stop. What shall we do--go back to camp?" + +"Yes," said Dick. "I don't like the idea of leaving Jasper Grinder there +all day alone." + +"Nor I," came from the other Rovers. + +John Barrow was asked to lead them back by the shortest route, and they +started quarter of an hour later, after all had had a chance to rest and +get back their wind. + +"I hope we get a chance at some deer while we are up here," remarked +Dick, as they turned back. + +"I'll take you to where there are deer, after this hunt is over," +replied John Barrow. "I know a famous spot, and it's not far, either." + +"Hark!" suddenly cried Tom. "What sort of a yelping is that?" + +All listened. + +"Wolves!" answered John Barrow. "There must be quite a pack of 'em, +too." + +"I suppose they get pretty hungry when there is such a deep snow," said +Tom. + +"They do. More'n likely some of 'em have scented our b'ar meat and they +want some." + +"If they are heading for camp, they'll give Jasper Grinder trouble," put +in Sam. + +He had scarcely spoken when they heard the report of a gun, followed by +a louder yelping than ever. + +"They've attacked him, true enough!" cried John Barrow. + +"Come on," said Dick. "The sooner we get back the better. Grinder may be +having a pile of trouble, and the wolves may tear all our things to +pieces if they get the chance." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +JASPER GRINDER AND THE WOLVES. + + +Left to himself, Jasper Grinder piled the wood on the camp-fire and then +sat down to meditate on the turn affairs had taken. + +He was in a thoroughly sour frame of mind. To his way of thinking +everything had gone wrong, and he wondered how matters would terminate. + +"I was a fool to come out here, in the first place," he told himself. "I +ought to have known that Baxter had no sure thing of it. If I hadn't +fallen in with the Rovers, I would have frozen and starved to death. And +they don't want me; that's plainly to be seen." + +Had he felt able to do so, he would have packed a knapsack with +provisions and started oh his way down the river toward Timber Run. But +he did not know how far the settlement was away, and he was afraid to +trust himself alone in such a wilderness as confronted him on every +hand. He did not possess much money, but he would have given every +dollar to be safe back in the city again. + +He wondered if the Rovers would gain possession of the treasure before +the Baxter party came up, and also wondered what would happen should the +two parties come together. He had not been treated very well by Dan +Baxter, and so he hardly cared who came out on top in the struggle for +the treasure. + +"Whoever gets it will try to count me out," was the way he reasoned. +"I'm at the bottom of the heap, and likely to stay there for some time +to come." + +The time dragged slowly, and to occupy himself he began to cut more wood +for the fire. The task made him grit his teeth. + +"Got to work like a common woodchopper," he muttered. "It's a shame!" + +He was just dragging the last of the wood up to the fire when a sudden +yelping broke upon his ears. Looking up, he saw a lone wolf standing at +the edge of the timber, gazing fixedly at him. + +"A wolf!" he muttered, and his face grew pale. "Scat!" And he waved his +hand threateningly. + +The wolf disappeared behind some brush, but did not go far. Sitting +down, it let out the most dismal howls imaginable, which soon brought a +dozen or more other wolves to the scene. Then all of the pack came into +view, much to Jasper Grinder's horror. + +"They want to eat me up!" he groaned, and ran for the nearest tree, +which was close to the shelter. "Oh, I must get away, somehow!" + +He clutched at the tree and began to climb with all possible-speed. His +gun lay close at hand, but in his haste he forgot to pick it up. Once in +the tree he sat down on a limb, a perfect picture of misery. + +Seeing the man retreat the wolves at once became bolder, and keeping a +safe distance from the fire, they drew up in a circle around the tree +upon which Jasper Grinder rested, and from which hung the bear meat. At +one point under the tree there was a spot covered with bear's blood, and +this blood several of the wolves licked up in a manner to make the +former teacher's own blood run cold. + +"If they get at me they'll chew me up, I know they will," he moaned. +"Oh, why did I ever come out in this savage waste!" + +Sitting in a circle, the wolves lifted their heads and howled dismally. +Two came to the tree and scratched the bark, as if to attempt climbing. + +"Go away! Go away!" shrieked Jasper Grinder. "Scat! Go away!" + +The wolves left the tree-trunk, but did not go away. Instead one after +another began to leap up, trying to reach the meat which hung so +temptingly above them. One or two prowled among the stores, tearing +this and that, and picking up the scraps of the morning meal. + +In this fashion half an hour went by, and it is safe to state that this +was the longest and most trying half hour that Jasper Grinder +experienced in his whole life. He shouted at the wolves and threw bits +of sticks at them, but to this they paid no attention. Then he cried for +help, but the Rovers and John Barrow were too far off to hear him. + +"If I only had the gun, I could fire it as a signal," he said to +himself. "Why did I not bring it up with me?" + +He wondered if he could pull the gun up by means of a string he found in +his pocket, and resolved to try. Making a loop in one end of the string +he lowered it with care, until it rested close to the gun, and then he +did his best to slide the string along under the barrel. This was +comparatively easy, for the barrel was tilted up against a rock. + +The wolves watched the maneuvering with interest, and no sooner did the +gun begin to shift than three leaped forward, snarling angrily. One +snapped at the barrel of the piece, one at the butt, and a third at the +trigger. An instant later came the report heard by the Rovers and John +Barrow. + +The shot was almost a deadly one, not alone for two of the wolves, but +also for Jasper Grinder, who was not expecting the gun to go off. The +piece was loaded with buckshot, which tore through the sides of two of +the beasts, and then passed upward into the tree-branches, taking the +former school-teacher in the left shoulder. + +"I'm shot!" gasped Jasper Grinder, and almost fell from his perch. But +he managed to save himself, and hung in a crotch, weak and almost +helpless, the blood flowing freely and dripping to the ground, where the +wolves licked it up eagerly. A few had retreated at the report of the +gun, but now all came back, snarling and yelping more wildly than ever. + +It must be confessed that Jasper Grinder's position was truly +unfortunate. The loss of blood was fast rendering him unconscious, and +he was in mortal terror of dropping down and being devoured. + +"Help!" he called feebly. "Help! For the love of Heaven, help me!" + +Just as his senses were leaving him he heard a distant cry, and looking +in that direction, saw John Barrow and Dick approaching, followed by Tom +and Sam. + +"The wolves have Grinder treed," cried the guide. "I'll give 'em +something to remember us by!" + +He had a double-barreled shotgun, and he let drive twice in quick +succession, firing into two groups of the beasts, and killing two and +wounding several others. Then Dick fired, bringing down another. Tom and +Sam also discharged their pieces, and added three others to the dead or +dying. + +This slaughter was too much for the remaining wolves, hungry as they +were, and in a twinkle they ran off into the timber, howling dismally. + +"They won't come back," was John Barrow's comment. "They have learned to +respect us." And he was right, the wolves bothered them no more. + +While the guide was busy finishing the beast which had been too much +hurt to retreat, the boys turned their attention to Jasper Grinder. They +saw he had fainted, and noticed the blood dripping from his shoulder. +His body was slowly leaving the tree crotch where it had rested. + +"He's coming! Catch him!" cried Sam, and as the unconscious man came +down they did what they could to break his fall. Fortunately he landed +in the deep snow, so the fall proved of small consequence. + +"He's shot, that's what's the matter with him," said Dick, after an +examination. "Who fired at him? I'm certain none of us did." + +The question could not be answered. Bringing out a blanket, they placed +Jasper Grinder upon it, close to the fire, and John Barrow made an +examination of the wound, picking out a couple of the loose buckshot. + +"He was probably shot from his own gun," said the guide. "More than +likely he dropped the piece from the tree, and it went off when it +struck the ground." + +They bound up the wound carefully, and did all they could for the +sufferer. Then, while Dick watched over Jasper Grinder, the others got +rid of the wolves' carcasses by dragging them into the timber, and then +set to work to prepare the midday meal. + +It was fully an hour before Jasper Grinder was able to speak, and then +he could say but little. But he explained how it was that he had been +shot. He wanted to know if the wolves had been driven off, and begged +that they would not leave him alone again. + +"We'll stay by you, now you are down," said Dick sympathetically. "We +are not brutes, even though we haven't any great love for you." + +"Thank you; I'll not forget your kindness," returned Jasper Grinder, and +for once it must be admitted that he meant what he said. + +The wounded man could eat no solid food, so they prepared for him some +broth made from bear's meat, which was very strengthening. After another +examination John Barrow was of the opinion that the wound was not a +dangerous one, but that the man would have to keep quiet for several +days or a week. + +"We'll have to take turns at watching him," said Dick. "It's too bad, +but I see no other way out of it." + +They drew lots, and it fell to Sam to remain with the patient during the +afternoon. An hour later Dick, Tom, and the guide set off to look once +more for the treasure. + +"Well, I'm tired enough to stay here and rest," said Sam. "That walking +this morning played me out completely." + +There was not much to do, since Jasper Grinder had brought in sufficient +wood to last for a day or two. For an hour Sam rested and watched the +former teacher, who had fallen into a doze. Then the youngest Rover set +to work to improve the shelter, doing several things which the guide had +suggested. + +The youth was hard at work patching up one side of the improvised hut +when he heard a movement in the brushwood not far away. Fearing some +wild animal he ran for his gun, but ere he could reach the firearm a +voice arrested him. + +"Stop, Sam Rover, stop!" + +The voice was that of Dan Baxter, and an instant later the bully came +into view, rifle in hand, and followed by Bill Harney. + +"What do you want here, Baxter?" demanded Sam, as coolly as he could, +although the situation by no means pleased him. + +"Are you alone?" + +"No." + +"Who is with you?" + +"What business is that of yours?" + +"I'm making it my business." + +"I reckon he's alone, right enough," put in Bill Harney. "I don't see +anybody else around." + +The big guide rushed forward, and knocking down Sam's gun placed his +foot upon it. + +"Give me my gun!" + +"Not so fast, my bantam!" cried the guide. "Baxter, reckon ye had better +look into the shack and see what's there." + +The bully did as requested. On seeing Jasper Grinder, he started back. + +"Grinder!" + +"Who calls?" asked the wounded man, and opened his eyes. "So it is you, +Dan Baxter. What do you want?" + +"What did you desert us for, Grinder?" + +"I didn't desert you. I got lost, and they found me, half starved and +frozen. Now I am wounded. Are you in possession of this camp? Where are +the Rovers?" + +"Sam is here. I don't know anything about the others. Have they found +that treasure yet?" + +"No. They went off to look for it." Jasper Grinder tried to go on, but +fell back exhausted and could say no more. + +"Here's a queer go!" muttered the former bully of Putnam Hall. "I +suppose they shot Grinder. If they did, they ought to suffer for it. I +guess--Hullo, what's up out there?" + +A scuffle outside of the shelter had reached his ears. Bill Harney had +been standing close to some firewood, and without warning Sam had rushed +at the big guide and sent him sprawling backward. + +"Hi! stop him!" yelled the guide, as he started to struggle to his feet. +But before he could get up, Sam had taken time by the forelock and +disappeared into the timber skirting the pond. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +A SUCCESSFUL SEARCH--CONCLUSION. + + +When Sam escaped from big Bill Harney he had but one purpose in view, +and that was to reach Dick and the others just as soon as possible and +acquaint them with the turn affairs had taken. + +He had a fairly good idea of the direction the others had taken, and +knew that their tracks in the snow would be plain to follow. The main +thing at the start was to keep out of sight of the enemy. + +In doing this, he had not only to avoid Harney and Baxter, but also +Husty, providing that individual was anywhere around, which was +probable. Consequently, although he traveled as fast as the deep snow +permitted, he kept a sharp lookout on every side. + +The youth soon circled the lower shore of Bear Pond, and he found the +trail he was seeking. It led directly to the westward, and he followed +it up, almost on a run. + +In the meantime Dick, Tom, and John Barrow had journeyed to the third +outlet of the lake, the stream which the guide thought must be the +original of Perch River. Here, after a good deal of trouble, the party +located what looked like the stump of a tree once struck by lightning. + +"We've found it at last!" cried Dick. "I feel it in my bones that we are +on the right track!" + +Again they measured off the distance with care, and now came to a large +flat rock, behind which was another, unusually sharp. + +"The flat rock!" muttered Tom, and his heart began to thump wildly. +"Dick, you're right. We are on the right track. If the treasure isn't +here, it's been taken away." + +They had brought along a pick and a crowbar, and now all set to work to +clear away the snow, and then the dirt from around the pointed rock. The +ground was hard, and at first they made but slow progress. + +"Perhaps we'll have to build a fire, to thaw out the ground," suggested +John Barrow. + +"Oh, that will take too long," said Tom. "I wonder if we can't turn the +rock over?" + +With the crowbar and the pick wedged against the flat rock they pushed +upon the pointed rock with all the force at their command. Several times +the tools slipped, but at last they held, and slowly the pointed rock +went up, until with a thud it rolled over and several feet away. + +"Hurrah, a hole full of small stones!" cried Dick, and leaped down to +pick the stones out. Tom followed, and so did the guide. + +"Dick! Tom! Hullo! hullo!" came the unexpected cry from a short distance +away. + +"Who is that calling?" demanded Dick. + +"It's Sam," replied the guide, looking up. "He's coming here as fast as +he can track it." + +"Then something is wrong," said Dick, and for the moment the treasure +was forgotten. + +It did not take Sam long to reach them. He was so out of breath that for +several minutes he was unable to talk connectedly. At last he gasped +out: + +"Dan Baxter and that big guide--they attacked me and I ran away. +They--they are in possession of our traps." + +"Baxter!" ejaculated Dick. "That's the worst yet. They'll steal all our +things and leave us to starve!" + +"We might as well go right after them," put in John Barrow. + +"Oh, say, let's unearth this treasure first," pleaded Tom. "If we leave +that, Baxter may follow up our tracks, as Sam did, and take it from +under our very noses." + +"Tom is right--get the treasure first," said Dick. + +Once more they set to work, Sam watching them while trying to get back +his breath and strength. Soon the last of the loose stones were removed +from the hole, and they came upon a thin metallic slab having in the +center a small ring. They pulled the slab up and disclosed a small +square opening, in the middle of which rested a metallic box, about a +foot and a half square and a foot in depth. The box was so heavy they +could scarcely budge it. + +"The treasure at last!" came from all of the boys. + +"Putty heavy, no mistake about that," was John Barrow's comment. "If +it's silver it's wuth considerable!" + +"We must get it out somehow," said Dick, who was as excited as anyone. +"Let's get the crowbar under it." + +This suggestion was carried out, and after a good deal of trouble the +box was brought up out of the hole. Beneath it lay an iron key, which +fitted the rusty lock of the treasure casket. Soon they had the box +open, and all gazed intently inside. + +"Gold and silver!" shouted Tom. "See, the gold is on top, and looks as +if it had been put in some time after the silver. Wonder what the stuff +is worth?" + +"Some thousand dollars, that's sure," said Dick. + +Now that the treasure was found the boys scarcely knew what to do with +it. Then the guide came forward with a suggestion. + +"We'll hide it in the snow for the present. Then the Baxter crowd won't +know where it is. The empty hole will throw 'em off the scent." + +A nearby place was readily found, and into this the box was placed and +the snow was thrown loosely over it. This accomplished, they started +back for the camp with all possible speed. + +It was a long tramp, and although he did his best Sam lagged behind. + +"You go on, don't mind me," said the youngest Rover. "Only keep them +from running off with our goods." + +It was a good half hour before the camp was reached. When they came in +sight of the spot it looked deserted. + +"We may as well go slow," cautioned John Barrow. "There may be some sort +of a trap set for us." + +They advanced with their guns ready for use, but nobody appeared, and +presently they stood close to the camp-fire. Then Dick ran into the +shelter, to find Jasper Grinder lying as Sam had left him. + +"Mr. Grinder, where is the Baxter crowd?" he asked. + +"Gone, half an hour ago," replied the wounded man. + +"Where did they go to?" + +"I don't know. They said something about following you up and spying on +you, to see if you had found the treasure." + +"Creation!" ejaculated Dick, and ran outside again. "We've made a mess +of it!" he said. "They followed us up, and more than likely they've got +the treasure box this minute!" + +It was found that but little in the camp had been disturbed, excepting +that Sam's gun had been taken off. What to do was now the question. Sam +could not walk further. + +"Better stay here," said Dick. "If the Baxter crowd comes back, you can +hide." + +Then he, Tom, and John Barrow set out to return to where the treasure +had been left. They were still some distance away when they discovered +Dan Baxter, Bill Harney, and Lemuel Husty making their way along the +snow-covered trail. In a few minutes they came up to the party. + +"Baxter, where are you bound?" demanded Dick, striding up. + +"You know well enough." + +"We are after thet treasure," came from Harney, and it was plain to see +that he and Husty had been drinking heavily. + +"The treasure is ours, Baxter, and you can't touch it." + +"It will belong to whoever finds it," growled the bully. + +"That's right," came from Husty. "Whoever gits it, owns it. Eh, Harney?" + +"Plain truth, that is," hiccoughed the big guide. + +"In that case, it is ours for sure," grinned Dick. "We have it already." + +At this announcement Dan Baxter staggered back. + +"It--it aint true; you're joking," he faltered. + +"It is true, Baxter. Come, I will show you where the treasure was +hidden--if that will do you any good. Here is the description." And Dick +brought it forth and let the bully read it. + +"Where's the tree?" demanded Baxter. + +"There is the tree, and over yonder is the rock. We turned it over and +found the treasure, just as we anticipated. It's ours, and I am simply +telling you this to save you the trouble of looking further for it. Dan +Baxter, you have played this game to a finish with your companions, and +you have lost." + +If ever there was a disappointed and angry individual, it was Dan +Baxter. He raved and said all sorts of uncomplimentary things, and Husty +and Harney joined in, until John Barrow told all of them to shut up or +he would have the law on them. + +"You had no right to make prisoners of Tom and Sam," he said. "But if +you'll behave yourselves, and not bother us in the future, we'll let +that pass." + +To this Husty, who was a thorough sneak, consented at once, and then +Bill Harney did the same. Baxter remained silent. + +"You've defeated me this time," he said, at last. "But, remember, I am +not done with you." + +A little later Baxter moved off, and Bill Harney and Lemuel Husty went +with him. It was the last that the Rovers saw of their enemies for a +long while to come. + +A few words more and we will bring to a close this story of the Rover +boys' adventures in the mountains. + +Our friends found it no easy matter to get the heavy treasure box safely +to camp. In order to move it, they had to construct a drag of a treelimb +and hook a rope to this, and then it was all they could do to move it +along through the deep snow. + +When they got the box into camp they lost no time in examining the +treasure. The gold and silver amounted to twenty-five hundred dollars, +and there were diamonds and other precious stones worth nearly as much +more. + +"About five thousand dollars, all told," announced Dick. "That is not +such a bad haul, after all." + +As there was now nothing more to look for, our friends spent ten days in +the camp, taking it easy most of the time, and spending a day in getting +back the missing sled. They went hunting twice, and the second time out +Dick got a fine shot at a deer, and brought down the creature without +trouble. Tom and Sam brought down considerable small game, and all voted +the outing a complete success, despite the interference occasioned by +their enemies. + +At the end of the ten days Jasper Grinder was able to walk around, +although still weak. In the meantime John Barrow had constructed a sled +for the former school-teacher to sit upon, and on this he rode when they +started on the return to Timber Run. + +When the settlement was gained the Laning girls, Mrs. Barrow, and Addie +were glad to see them back, and delighted to learn of the treasure and +its value. They said they had heard of Baxter and his followers, but +that all of the party had left Timber Run for parts unknown. + +"Well, we don't want to see them again," said Dick. "We've had quite +enough of all of them." At Timber Run Jasper Grinder left them, and the +Rovers saw no more of him for many days. + +The home-coming of the Rover boys was a day long to be remembered. +There was a regular party given at the country home, at which many of +their friends were present. The Laning girls were there, and also Dora +Stanhope, and Larry, Fred, George, and a host of others, not forgetting +Captain Putnam himself, who came upon a special invitation sent by Mr. +Anderson Rover. Alexander Pop waited upon the table as usual, his face +beaming with pleasure. + +"Jes tell yo', yo' can't down dem Rober boys nohow," said the colored +man to Captain Putnam. "Da is jes like apples in a tub--yo' shoves 'em +under, an' up da pops, bright as eber." And the owner of Putnam Hall +laughingly agreed with Alexander. + +"I trust that you will never be troubled by Dan Baxter again," said Dora +Stanhope to Dick, after he had told her the story of the treasure hunt. + +"I trust so myself," replied Dick. "But he's like a bad cent, sure to +turn up when not wanted." Dick told the truth. How Dan Baxter turned up, +and what he did to bring the Rovers more trouble, will be told in +another volume, to be entitled, "The Rover Boys on Land and Sea; or, The +Crusoes of Seven Islands," a tale full of happenings far out of the +ordinary. + +But for the time being troubles were of the past, and here let us leave +our friends, shouting as did the pupils from the Hall when the party +broke up: + +"Three cheers for the Rover Boys! Hip, hip, hurrah!" + + + + * * * * * + +The Famous Rover Boys Series + +By ARTHUR W. WINFIELD + +Each volume is hailed with delight by boys and girls everywhere +12mo. Cloth. Handsomely printed and illustrated. + +Price, 60 Cents per Volume. Postpaid. + + +THE ROVER BOYS DOWN EAST +Or, The Struggle for the Stanhope Fortune. +Old enemies try again to injure our friends. + +THE ROVER BOYS AT COLLEGE +Or, The Right Road and the Wrong +Brimming over with good nature and excitement. + +THE ROVER BOYS ON TREASURE ISLE +Or, The Strange Cruise of the Steam Yacht +A search for treasure; a particularly fascinating volume. + +THE ROVER BOYS ON THE FARM +Or, The Last Days at Putnam Hall +The boys find a mysterious cave used by freight thieves. + +THE ROVER BOYS IN SOUTHERN WATERS +Or, The Deserted Steam Yacht +A trip to the coast of Florida. + +THE ROVER BOYS ON THE PLAINS +Or, The Mystery of Red Rock Ranch +Relates adventures on the mighty Mississippi River. + +THE ROVER BOYS ON THE RIVER +Or, The Search for the Missing Houseboat +The Ohio River is the theme of this spirited story. + +THE ROVER BOYS IN CAMP +Or, The Rivals of Pine Island +At the annual school encampment. + +THE ROVER BOYS ON LAND AND SEA +Or, The Crusoes of Seven Islands +Full of strange and surprising adventures. + +THE ROVER BOYS IN THE MOUNTAINS +Or, A Hunt for Fame and Fortune +The boys in the Adirondacks at a Winter camp. + +THE ROVER BOYS ON THE GREAT LAKES +Or, The Secret of the Island Cave +A story of a remarkable Summer outing; full of fun. + +THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST +Or, The Search for a Lost Mine +A graphic description of the mines of the great Rockies. + +THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE +Or, Stirring Adventures in Africa +The boys journey to the Dark Continent in search of their father. + +THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN +Or, A Chase for a Fortune +From school to the Atlantic Ocean. + +THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL +Or, The Cadets of Putnam Hall +The doings of Dick, Tom, and Sam Rover. + +GROSSET & DUNLAP--NEW YORK + + + * * * * * + +The Putnam Hall Series + +Companion Stories to the Famous Rover Boys Series + +By ARTHUR M. WINFIELD + +Open-air pastimes have always been popular with boys, and should +always be encouraged, as they provide healthy recreation both for the +body and the mind. These books mingle adventure and fact, and will +appeal to every manly boy. + +12mo. Handsomely printed and illustrated. + +Price, 60 Cents Per Volume, Postpaid. + + +THE PUTNAM HALL ENCAMPMENT +Or, The Secret of the Old Mill + +A story full of vim and vigor, telling what the cadets did during the +summer encampment. *** and among other things their visit to a +mysterious old mill, said to be haunted. The book has a wealth of +healthy fun in it. + +THE PUTNAM HALL REBELLION +Or, The Rival Runaways + +The boys had good reasons for running away during Captain Putnam's +absence. They had plenty of fun, and several queer adventures. + +THE PUTNAM HALL CHAMPIONS +Or, Bound to Win Out + +In this new tale the Putnam Hall Cadets show what they can do in +various keen rivalries on the athletic field and elsewhere. There is +one victory which leads to a most unlooked-for discovery. + +THE PUTNAM HALL CADETS +Or, Good Times in School and Out + +The cadets are lively, flesh-and-blood fellows, bound to make friends +from the start. There are some keen rivalries, in school and out, and +something is told of a remarkable midnight feast and a hazing that had +an unlocked for ending. + +THE PUTNAM HALL RIVALS +Or, Fun and Sport Afloat and Ashore + +It is a lively, rattling, breezy story of school life in this country, +written by one who knows all about its ways, its snowball fights, +its baseball matches, its pleasures and its perplexities, its glorious +excitements its rivalries, and its chilling disappointments. + +Other Volumes in Preparation. + +GROSSET & DUNLAP--NEW YORK + + + * * * * * + +THE RISE IN LIFE SERIES + +By Horatio Alger, Jr. + +These are Copyrighted Stories which cannot be obtained else where. +They are the stories last written by this famous author. + +12mo. Handsomely printed and illustrated. Bound in cloth, stamped in +colored inks. + +Price, 60 Cents per Volume. Postpaid, + + +THE YOUNG BOOK AGENT +Or, Frank Hardy's Road to Success +A plain but uncommonly interesting tale of everyday life, describing +the ups and downs of a boy book-agent. + +FROM FARM TO FORTUNE: Or, Nat Nason's Strange Experience +Nat was a poor country lad. Work on the farm was hard, and after a +quarrel with his uncle, with whom he resided, he struck out for himself. + +OUT FOR BUSINESS: Or, Robert Frost's Strange Career +Relates the adventures of a country boy who is compelled to leave home +and seek his fortune in the great world at large. How he wins success +We must leave to the reader to discover. + +FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE +Or, The Experiences of a Young Secretary +This is a companion tale to "Out for Business," but complete in itself, +and tells of the further doings of Robert Frost as private secretary. + +YOUNG CAPTAIN JACK: Or, The Son of a Soldier +The scene is laid in the South during the Civil War, and the hero is a +waif who was cast up by the sea and adopted by a rich Southern planter. + +NELSON THE NEWSBOY: Or, Afloat in New York +Mr. Alger is always at his best in the portrayal of life in New York City, +and this story is among the best he has given our young readers. + +LOST AT SEA: Or, Robert Roscoe's Strange Cruise +A sea story of uncommon interest. The hero falls in with a strange +derelict--a ship given over to the wild animals of a menagerie. + +JERRY, THE BACKWOODS BOY +Or, The Parkhurst Treasure +Depicts life on a farm of New York State. The mystery of the treasure +will fascinate every boy. Jerry is a character well worth knowing. + +RANDY OF THE RIVER +Or, The Adventures of a Young Deckhand +Life on a river steamboat is not so romantic as some young people may +imagine. There is hard work, and plenty of it, and the remuneration is +not of the best. But Randy Thompson wanted work and took what was +offered. His success in the end was well deserved, and perhaps the lesson +his doings teach will not be lost upon those who peruse these pages. + +GROSSET & DUNLAP,--NEW YORK + + + * * * * * + +The Flag of Freedom Series + +By CAPTAIN RALPH BONEHILL. +A favorite Line of American Stories for American Boys. +Every volume complete in itself, and handsomely illustrated. +12mo. Bound in cloth. Stamped in Colors. + +Price, 60 Cents per Volume. Postpaid + + +WITH CUSTER IN THE BLACK HILLS +Or, A Young Scout among the Indians. +Tells of the remarkable experiences of a youth who, with his parents, +goes to the Black Hills in search of gold. Custer's last battle is well +described. A volume every lad fond of Indian stories should possess. + +BOYS OF THE FORT +Or, A Young Captain's Pluck. +This story of stirring doings at one of our well-known forts in the +Wild West is of more than ordinary interest. The young captain had a +difficult task to accomplish, but he had been drilled to do his duty, and +does it thoroughly. Gives a good insight into army life of to-day. + +THE YOUNG BANDMASTER +Or, Concert, Stage, and Battlefield. +The hero is a youth with a passion for music, who becomes a cornetist +in an orchestra, and works his way up to the leadership of a brass band. +He is carried off to sea and falls in with a secret service cutter bound +for Cuba, and while there joins a military band which accompanies our +soldiers in the never-to-be-forgotten attack on Santiago. + +OFF FOR HAWAII +Or, The Mystery of a Great Volcano. +Here we have fact and romance cleverly interwoven. Several boys +start on a tour of the Hawaiian Islands. They have heard that there is a +treasure located in the vicinity of Kilauea, the largest active volcano in +the world, and go in search of it. Their numerous adventures will be +followed with much interest. + +A SAILOR BOY WITH DEWEY +Or, Afloat in the Philippines. +The story of Dewey's victory in Manila Bay will never grow old, but +I here we have it told in a new form--as it appeared to a real, live +American youth who was in the navy at the time. Many adventures in +Manila and in the interior follow, give true-to-life scenes from this +portion of the globe. + +WHEN SANTIAGO FELL +Or, the War Adventures of Two Chums. +Two boys, an American and his Cuban chum, leave New York to +join their parents in the interior of Cuba. The war between Spain and +the Cubans is on, and the boys are detained at Santiago, but escape by +crossing the bay at night. Many adventures between the lines follow, and +a good pen-picture of General Garcia is given. + +GROSSET & DUNLAP,--NEW YORK + + + * * * * * + +The Frontier Series + +Stories of Early American Exploration +and Adventure for Boys. + +By CAPTAIN RALPH BONEHILL +The Historical Background Is Absolutely Correct. + +12 mo. Well printed and well illustrated. Handsomely +bound in cloth, stamped in Colors. + +Price, 60 Cents per Volume. Postpaid. + + +PIONEER BOYS OF THE GOLD FIELDS +Or, The Nugget Hunters of '49 +A tale complete in itself, giving the particulars of the great rush of +the gold seekers to California in 1849. In the party making its way +across the continent are three boys, one from the country, another +from the city, and a third just home from a long voyage on a whaling +ship. They become chums, and share in no end of adventures. + + +PIONEER BOYS OF THE GREAT NORTHWEST +Or, With Lewis and Clark Across the Rockies +A splendid story describing in detail the great expedition formed +under the leadership of Lewis and Clark, and telling what was done by +the pioneer boys who were first to penetrate the wilderness of the +northwest and push over the Rocky Mountains. The book possesses a +permanent historical value and the story should be known by every +bright American boy. + +WITH BOONE ON THE FRONTIER +Or, The Pioneer Boys of Old Kentucky +Relates the true-to-life adventures of two boys who, in company with +their folks, move westward with Daniel Boone. Contains many thrilling +scenes among the Indians and encounters with wild animals. It is +excellently told. + +GROSSET & DUNLAP,--NEW YORK + + + * * * * * + +The Great Newspaper Series + +BY HOWARD R. GARIS + +The author is a practiced journalist, and these stories convey a true +picture of the workings of a great newspaper. + +12mo. Well printed and finely illustrated. + +Price, 60 Cents per Volume. Postpaid, + + +FROM OFFICE BOY TO REPORTER +Or, The First Step in Journalism + +LARRY DEXTER, REPORTER +Or, Strange Adventures in a Great City + +LARRY DEXTER'S GREAT SEARCH +Or, The Hunt for a Missing Millionaire + + + * * * * * + +The Deep Sea Series BY ROY ROCKWOOD + +No manly boy ever grew tired of sea stories--there is a fascination +about them, and they area recreation to the mind. + +12mo. Handsomely printed and illustrated. + +Price, 60 Cents per Volume. Postpaid. + + +ADRIFT ON THE PACIFIC +Or, The Secret of the Island Cave + +THE CRUISE OF THE TREASURE SHIP +Or, The Castaways of Floating Island + +THE RIVAL OCEAN DIVERS +Or, The Search for a Sunken Treasure + + + * * * * * + +The Railroad Series BY ALLEN CHAPMAN + +Ralph is determined to be a "railroad man." He starts in at the foot +of the ladder; but is full of manly pluck and "wins out." Boys will be +greatly interested in his career. + +12mo. Handsomely printed and illustrated. + +Price, 60 Cents per Volume. 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