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diff --git a/old/55560-0.txt b/old/55560-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index b97b56c..0000000 --- a/old/55560-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,6012 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's The Mercer Boys' Mystery Case, by Albert Capwell Wyckoff - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: The Mercer Boys' Mystery Case - -Author: Albert Capwell Wyckoff - -Release Date: September 16, 2017 [EBook #55560] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MERCER BOYS' MYSTERY CASE *** - - - - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -[Illustration: FALCON BOOKS] - - - - - The Mercer Boys’ Mystery Case - - - BY CAPWELL WYCKOFF - -When Cadets Don and Jim Mercer and their friend Terry Mackson were -ordered by Colonel Morrell of Woodcrest Military Academy to gather -together all the school trophies, they were able to find all except -one—the cup awarded to the Class of 1933. What had happened to the cup -was a mystery the boys were determined to solve. And little by little -Don and Jim uncovered a strange story and unraveled a mystery that had -puzzled school authorities for years. The Mercer boys uphold the honor -of Woodcrest against a conspiracy of silence and dishonor. - - Other titles in _The Mercer Boys’ Series_: - THE MERCER BOYS’ CRUISE IN THE LASSIE - THE MERCER BOYS AT WOODCREST - THE MERCER BOYS ON A TREASURE HUNT - -[Illustration: The caretaker took Don to Mr. Gates.] - - - - - _The Mercer Boys’_ - MYSTERY CASE - - - _by CAPWELL WYCKOFF_ - - [Illustration: Falcon Books] - - THE WORLD PUBLISHING COMPANY - CLEVELAND AND NEW YORK - - Falcon Books - _are published by_ THE WORLD PUBLISHING COMPANY - _2231 West 110th Street · Cleveland 2 · Ohio_ - - W 2 - COPYRIGHT 1948 BY THE WORLD PUBLISHING COMPANY - MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - - - - - Contents - - - 1. The Glories of the Past 9 - 2. The Class of 1933 Trophy 20 - 3. A Mystery Uncovered 28 - 4. A Visit to Mr. Long 38 - 5. The Alumni Dinner 48 - 6. Added Mystery 57 - 7. The Trustees’ Meeting 65 - 8. An Old Score Settled 73 - 9. Terry Engages in an Argument 83 - 10. The Eagles Disappear 91 - 11. The Hunt in the Swamp 101 - 12. The Eagles Are Rescued 109 - 13. The Call for Help 118 - 14. Inside Gates’ House 128 - 15. Arthur Gates’ Letter 136 - 16. News from Inside 140 - 17. Mr. Proctor Gets the Bag 146 - 18. The Published List 150 - 19. A Conversation in the Dark 158 - 20. The Digger in the Garden 170 - 21. The Cup at Last 177 - 22. Direct Action 185 - 23. The Mystery Is Solved 195 - 24. The Alumni Dance 206 - - - - - THE MERCER BOYS’ - MYSTERY CASE - - - - - Chapter 1 - The Glories of the Past - - -A group of pleasant-looking young men, neatly dressed in the spruce, -gray uniforms of the cadet corps of Woodcrest Military Institute, stood -at ease in one of the halls downstairs in Locke Hall. They were -representatives from the various classes, ranging from the senior, or -first class, to the third or sophomore class. As yet the two -representatives from the fourth or freshman class had not arrived, and -it was for these two cadets that the others were waiting. - -“A special meeting, huh?” spoke up Cadet Don Mercer, one of the -representatives from the third class. “Anybody got any idea what Colonel -Morell has in mind?” - -“I haven’t,” replied Senior Cadet Captain Bob Hudson. “I guess none of -us have. Farley and I got a notice to report to the study room here for -a special meeting, and that’s all we know.” - -“Here comes the rest of the party,” announced the second class -representative, as the two fourth class men hurried up. “Now as soon as -the colonel comes we can get down to business.” - -It was a fall day at the military academy, and Colonel Morrell, the -headmaster, had sent word early in the day that he wished to meet the -leaders of the various classes briefly after the last lesson period. The -boys were waiting now, talking light-heartedly among themselves, for -they were all friends of long standing, except for the two men from the -fourth class, who were newcomers. - -Don Mercer, the cadet who had spoken first, was now entering his second -year at Woodcrest Military Institute. With his brother Jim and his -friend Terry Mackson he had entered the academy the previous year. Jim, -Terry and Don were old friends, and their first real adventures had -taken place two summers ago, when they had gone for a summer cruise and -had captured some marine bandits, details of which were related in the -first volume of this series, _The Mercer Boys’ Cruise in the Lassie_. In -the second volume, _The Mercer Boys at Woodcrest_, they came to military -school and helped to solve the mystery of old Clanhammer Hall and to -rescue their beloved headmaster, Colonel Morrell. Then, on the previous -summer the three chums had taken a trip to Lower California with a -former history teacher, Professor Scott, where, after many thrilling -adventures, they had uncovered the buried wreck of a Spanish treasure -ship. All of this, told in The _Mercer Boys on a Treasure Hunt_, had -contributed to make their lives adventurous and active, and they were -now back in school to take up the duties and pleasures of a new fall -term. - -Don and Jim Mercer were both healthy-looking young boys in their late -teens, curly-haired, and well-built. Their friend Terry was tall, bony -and red-headed, chiefly noted for a cheerful disposition and a wide -grin. - -A short fat man came rapidly down the hall, a good-humored-looking man -who was nearing old age but who was not allowing it to get the better of -him. He was clad in the gray uniform of a cadet colonel, the sight of -which brought the cadets to instant attention, although the colonel -himself, and not the uniform, inspired their respect and sincerity. He -was the idol of the school, for his sympathetic understanding had won -all of the student body to him, and the young men of the cadet corps -would have cheerfully gone to the end of the world for their headmaster. -When the colonel approached the cadets, he gestured with his hand and -said, “Rest.” - -“Well, young men, all here I see,” remarked Colonel Morrell, as he -opened the door of the study room. “Come right in and be seated. Make -yourselves at home, as you generally do when you come here to study.” - -The colonel chuckled at his own joke. He knew that sometimes other -things than study went on in the study rooms, but he had always known -how to give his lively boys enough rope with which to have a good time, -and at the same time just how far to go with them on the point of study. -The result had been that the cadets had their fun and still kept up a -good average of scholarship. They appreciated the headmaster’s sally and -entered the room. The colonel sat down in a large chair and they sat on -the long window seats facing him. - -“All of you are wondering what is in the wind, no doubt. I’ll get to the -point at once. All of you know that I have planned for some time to turn -old Clanhammer Hall into an Alumni Hall. It has outgrown its usefulness -as a school building, and yet its associations are so fine that we don’t -wish to tear the place down.” He smiled at Don and continued. “Inasmuch -as it once served the part of a prison for Mercer and me, we feel more -sentiment for it than the rest of you do! But it is really a fine old -place, and it will be the most fitting place in the whole school for our -Alumni Hall. - -“Now, in order to make that hall live in the memory of the men who will -come back here on annual visits we must find all of the trophies that -teams in the past have won. What made me think of it was this: I went -into an old closet on the top floor of this hall yesterday and down in a -corner I found a moth-eaten blue banner which the class of 1893 won in a -football championship. I don’t know if it is the right of a soldier to -be sentimental, boys, but I couldn’t help feeling as I saw the faded -blue color and the small white letters that some fine young fellows had -fought very hard in days gone by for that particular piece of cloth and -what it represented, and that the bottom of an obscure closet was not -the place for it. Later on, when I thought it all over I realized that -we have been mighty careless here at Woodcrest in the matter of our -trophies and the glories of the past.” - -“I have often wondered why we didn’t have trophies around the school,” -smiled Cadet Douglas, Don’s brother representative of the class. - -“The whole trouble is that we have never had a regular committee to -attend to that matter,” the colonel explained. “Each class has won some -kind of a trophy in years gone by and has cared for it just as they -wanted to. Some few of them were hung up in the various study halls, -some in the assembly room, and I’m afraid some of them have just been -carelessly stowed away somewhere. I want all of you men, as -representatives, to scour the halls from end to end and unearth as many -of these emblems of victory as can be found. We’ll check up against a -list until we have all the trophies that Woodcrest ever received.” - -“Have you a list of all trophies, sir?” asked Hudson. - -“No, but I know where we can get one. Ever since the founding of the -school we have had our school magazine, the _Woodcrest Bombardment_, and -surely each number will tell of the class winning any emblem and what -that emblem was. Fortunately, you will find a complete set in the -library, each monthly volume intact, and you will find the set of the -greatest value in your quest. My suggestion is that the representative -read through the school notes of each book and find out just what each -class won and then make a list up, against which we will check the -recovered cups, flags, banners or whatever we have.” - -“When we get them all it is your plan to place them in Clanhammer Hall, -isn’t it?” Don asked. - -“Yes, that is my thought. Early this winter I want to open the old -historic hall as the Alumni Hall. At that time I want to have the old -graduates come back and see the banners and cups hanging on the walls, -showing them that we of today appreciate their struggles, their spirit -and their loyalty. Nothing keeps a school up like the spirit of loyalty -and the remembrance of past deeds of courage and self-sacrifice. You -boys can see how it is. If you won a silver cup for Woodcrest this year -by hard, determined struggle you wouldn’t want to come here to school -ten years from now and find out that no one remembered the first thing -about it or even so much as knew where the trophy was. I want all of -those old students to come back here and see that the school remembers -them and appreciates what they have done in the past to make the -institution a place to be proud of.” - -“That’s what I’d like to see,” murmured Farley. - -“Of course you would, we all would. Well, suppose we meet again on -Friday afternoon at the same time and see what we have discovered? If -you want to get into any closet or room that is locked up just let me -know and I’ll gladly give you the key. That will be all, boys.” - -After the colonel had left the room the cadets gathered to talk the -situation over. They were all in favor of his plan and they felt -confident that they would succeed in bringing to light all of the -trophies of the past. Hudson suggested that they go directly to the -assembly hall and make out a list of the things to be found in there. As -there was still some time before drill they went in a body to the -assembly room. - -Douglas had a pad and pencil and noted down the trophies as they were -called. In the general assembly room they found four banners, two silver -cups, one silver football with a figure of a man running the ball -mounted on it, and a wooden shield with two small cups on it, the result -of a debating team victory. When these items had been written down they -all bent over the pad in Douglas’ hand. - -“The red banner, the baseball trophy, is dated 1901,” remarked Hendon, -of the second class. “How far back do we have to go in the search?” - -“How old is the school?” asked a fourth class man. - -“The date on Clanhammer Hall is 1885,” supplied Don. - -“Then that is the date of the school,” replied Hudson. “Clanhammer Hall -is the original building, you know. I guess we’ll find the initial -number of the _Bombardment_ is dated that year, too. So it looks as -though we’d have to dig back a number of years.” - -“Yes, but the school didn’t win a trophy every year,” grinned Farley. “A -good old school and all that, but it didn’t win something every year.” - -“Perhaps not, but pretty nearly,” came back Don. “Don’t forget, there -were baseball, football, basketball, track, debating and tennis teams, -to say nothing of swimming teams. I guess we’ll find there are quite a -few trophies when we come to look for them.” - -The call for drill sounded and the cadets quickly separated to assemble -with their several units. Don was now a lieutenant in the infantry, but -Jim was far ahead of him in his particular section, the cavalry unit, -the first man in the history of the school to attain that honor who was -not in the second or first class. His steady attention to drill and his -heroism in saving Cadet Vench on Hill 31 had placed him in that -responsible position. Terry was, to use his own expression, “still -coaxing the big ladies to speak out in meeting,” by which he meant he -was still serving in the artillery, around his beloved guns, whose -workings fascinated him. - -That evening in their room Don told Jim and Terry about the hunt for -trophies. He had obtained some copies of the school magazine and -together they pored over the early school notes. They found that there -had been many trophies in days gone past. - -“There must be some up in the storage room in the attic,” Jim said. - -“Yes, and I saw a battered cup in the locker of the senior study room,” -Terry said. “Looked like somebody heaved it at somebody else. After it -has been repaired it will do very nicely to put on a shelf.” - -“I’m glad the colonel is going to fix up the old hall and set up the -prizes,” Don said. “I think every school should take pride in its past -history.” - -In the days that followed the committee of young soldiers were very -busy. During their spare hours between study, drill and classes, they -scoured the school for trophies. The results were astonishing. From old -closets, from lockers, from under window seats and from the storage room -they brought cups, flags and banners. For some time they were baffled in -their search for a big silver cup, but at last found it in the workshop -of a former janitor, down in the cellar of the old school. Some of the -flags came from the walls of dormitories, though most of them were in -Locke Hall, the main hall of the school. - -A careful list had been made from the back numbers of the school paper -and at last all trophies but one had been found. By checking up they -found that a silver cup, given to the class of 1933, was nowhere to be -found. Had they gone to the colonel at once they would have saved -themselves a lot of fruitless searching, but they did not and so after -fairly turning the school upside down they had to admit failure. - -“We’ll have to admit we’re licked on that cup,” Hudson decided. “The -meeting is to be this afternoon and if there is a corner in this school -that we haven’t peeked into I don’t know where it is!” - -The colonel met them that afternoon and was pleased with their good -work. Hudson explained that fifteen flags and banners, three silver -footballs, a number of trophy shields and ten cups had been found. - -“These represent victories in every department of work, both athletic -and scholastic,” the cadet captain said. “The oldest banner is dated -1887 and is for a football championship. The last trophy is a silver cup -dated 1947 and brings our list up to date. From now on we can keep a -better record of our trophies and set them up in Clanhammer Hall as we -get them.” - -“A total of fifty-five trophies,” put in Douglas. “There are quite a -number of shields with descriptive plates and small silver cups on them, -the prizes of debating teams.” - -“Are they all in good order?” asked the colonel. - -“Most of them are,” replied Hudson. “Suppose we take a look at them soon -and you may see for yourself. One or two of the cups have been bent and -the banners are somewhat dirty and in some cases decidedly moth-eaten. -But the lettering is all intact, even on the 1887 banner, and I’m sure -we can exhibit them without fear of their falling apart.” - -“Then you have made a success of the job,” began the colonel, but Hudson -stopped him. - -“I’m afraid we haven’t quite done that, sir,” he said. “We cannot find -the silver cup donated to the class of 1933 anywhere.” - -The colonel looked puzzled. “I don’t remember that cup. What are the -details?” - -“According to the issue of the _Bombardment_ of that time the cup was -awarded by Melvin Gates to the school with the highest rate of -individual scholarship, and Woodcrest won it, in fact, the son of the -donor won the cup. Well, we cannot find that particular cup anywhere in -the school.” He paused as a look of recognition came over the colonel’s -face. “Do you remember it, sir?” - -The colonel spoke slowly. “Yes, boys, from the details you have given, I -do remember that cup. There is a story connected with it, a story that -is by no means pleasant. I do not know where the cup is, but I’ll tell -you the story of its strange disappearance.” - - - - - Chapter 2 - The Class of 1933 Trophy - - -The cadets looked astonished and interested and waited in respectful -silence as the headmaster thought for a moment to refresh his memory. -Then, with the facts in his mind, he related the story. - -“In 1933 there was some talk in the local newspapers about high -scholarship among the preparatory and military schools and the idea was -expressed that military schools gave so much thought and time to drill -and military duties that it was impossible for them to produce a high -rate of scholarship,” the colonel began. “In the years which have passed -since then we have shown here at Woodcrest that such was not the case, -that we have turned out scholars as well as gentlemen and soldiers. I -ignored it at the time, but one of the trustees, a man who is still -trustee, Melvin Gates, became very much incensed over the article in the -papers and took steps to challenge it. He conferred with me and I -finally agreed to put up at least three cadets whom I thought to be the -smartest in their classes, against any three from a preparatory school, -and, after an elimination, to allow my brightest scholar to compete -against another student from a preparatory school. This was done, and -the boy who took the honors in this school was the Arthur Gates you -mention, the son of the man who was to donate the cup. He beat the other -two boys and won first place. - -“A nearby preparatory school, Roxberry, then put forward its best -scholar and the examination was held. It embraced every branch of the -studies which every scholar is supposed to have had at this stage of -preparatory school life, and to the joy of all Woodcrest students, -Arthur Gates won it. The questions had been prepared by professors from -Roxberry and instructors from this school and the two young men took the -examination in a room entirely by themselves. The other student received -a marking of ninety-five but Arthur Gates answered every question one -hundred per cent. A truly remarkable thing when you think of it, and -Woodcrest was mighty proud of him for it.” - -“Should think it would be!” murmured Douglas. - -“The editor of the paper publicly agreed that he had been wrong in his -estimation of military institutions and apologized. Roxberry graciously -accepted defeat and we were just ready to award the cup to Arthur Gates -when a very unfortunate thing happened. The cup disappeared! - -“Just at this point I’ll have to go back a little bit and tell you this -fact: One of the cadets who was runner-up with Gates was a class captain -named George Long. Long was a fine young man, with a splendid career -before him, and he tried hard but was defeated by Gates. After his -defeat he became entirely different from his usual self, turned quiet -and moody and was seen to talk to Gates privately many times, at which -times Gates seemed to say no, as though Long was making him some -dishonorable proposition. Even when Gates won the scholarship for the -school he was not happy and refused to congratulate him at all. We all -put it down to jealousy and a bad school spirit, a thing which was hard -to believe, for Long was always a gentleman, but that was his attitude. -I suppose that he wanted to win that scholarship himself, as it was his -last year in Woodcrest, and it was certain that some college, hearing of -his success, would have awarded him a scholarship, which is just what -they did to Gates, eventually. - -“The senior Mr. Gates had turned the cup over to me and had asked me to -present it to his son, as that would look better than it would for him -to give it, but I wanted one of the student body to present it, as a -mark of honor from the cadet corps. But if I did that Long would have to -be the one to present it, as he was senior class captain and also -captain of the infantry, and I didn’t know how he would feel about it. -So I asked him and he said that there was nothing wrong between Gates -and himself and that he would gladly present the cup for the student -body. - -“I therefore turned the cup over to Cadet Captain Long on the night -before the general assembly and he took it to his room. When the next -day came all of the cadets assembled in the auditorium and there were -guests of the school and representatives of the press in the room. But -Captain Long was missing and I could not understand the circumstances. I -began the exercises, hoping that he would come, but he did not and -before long I was at the point where Arthur Gates was to have been -presented with the cup. - -“I immediately sent a cadet in search of Long, and the messenger found -him in his room, frantically going through every drawer and corner of -the room. The cup had been stolen, he declared, sometime in the morning. -I had to go up there myself, to find him half-distracted, turning -everything inside out in his quest for the cup. It was not found, and I -was forced to go back to the auditorium and explain the theft of the -cup. The place was in an uproar and Melvin Gates was furious, but all we -could do was to make young Gates stand up and honor him that way. There -was simply no cup to be found and that was all there was to it. - -“Afterward I had my hands full. The senior Gates wanted to arrest Long, -believing him a thief, but although I didn’t believe he was I couldn’t -understand what had happened to that cup. Gates himself, that is, Arthur -Gates, had been in Long’s room on the night before and had seen the cup -on Long’s dresser, and it had been there when Long went to bed and when -he got up in the morning. It was after chapel that he had first noticed -that it was gone, and he had hunted around for it without saying -anything to anyone about it. Long had no roommate, so there was no -suspicion there. I thought myself that he might have hidden the cup for -a joke or even in a mean spirit, but he insisted that he had not done -so. - -“The newspapers rapped the cadet ‘honor’ severely and it was no easy -task to remain patient under it all. Long did not resign or do anything -foolish, he finished out the year, but under a distinct cloud. Arthur -Gates took the loss of his cup calmly, continued to be Long’s friend, -and even made a fine speech about it all in assembly. The elder Gates -was finally pacified and things died down, but search as we might, we -never did find that cup. - -“As I have said, Long finished out the year and graduated, but it was a -hard job. You know it is the custom to clap when a senior goes up and -receives his diploma, but when the cadet captain of the entire school -went up there was only a silence, a brutal, condemning silence. I saw -his face redden and harden as I gave him his diploma, and I pressed his -hand hard, but he simply dropped mine and went back to his seat with his -head held high. That looks as though he was not guilty and I’d like to -think so, but the fact remains that everything is dead against Mr. Long. -He had never been gracious about Gates’ victory over him and never in -the least bit generous in any way about it all, and no one could blame -the cadets for feeling the way they did. I was severely scored by the -papers for not dismissing him from school for neglect of duty if for no -other cause, but I felt that would do no good and so I never went to -such a limit. I will confess that I hoped and hoped that the cup would -turn up some day and we’d find out it was just some prank or mistake, -but it never did. - -“We have had alumni meetings each year and Long never comes to any of -them. I have purposely written to him more than once, although I don’t -know if that is quite wise, for the old graduates might turn the cold -shoulder to him when they met him. But I wanted to see if he would come -and face them in spite of it all, but he evidently does not want to do -so. Gates doesn’t come very often, in fact there are some fellows who -have never returned to visit the old school once they left it, but that -much is to be expected. - -“Well, that’s the story of the 1933 class trophy, boys. We have always -called it that because both Gates and Long belonged to the senior class -of 1933 and that class represented the whole school. It isn’t a pretty -story and I’m sorry that it ever happened. I guess we can count that -trophy out and you may cross it off your list.” - -The colonel sighed as he concluded and the boys sat for a moment in -silence. The honor and courage of his boys was a live issue with the -colonel and it hurt him to think that any of them should not be worthy. -Even though it had happened a number of years ago it was always a fresh -hurt to him, and they suspected that he had always had an affection for -Long. - -“We’re very sorry to hear that, Colonel Morrell,” said Hudson, at last. -“It certainly is mysterious, but all signals point to this Long. Very -well, we’ll cross that particular item off our list.” - -“Yes, the sooner we forget all that, the better,” the colonel nodded. He -got up briskly. “Suppose we go and take a look at the cups and banners -now.” - -They filed out of the room and went down the hall to a smaller study -room, where the school trophies had been placed. The colonel looked them -all over with evident enjoyment, recalling incidents and stories about -almost every one. He was well pleased with their work and expressed it. - -“Now, the next step will be mine,” he announced. “I’m going to have the -old hall thoroughly cleaned and then some needed work done in it. After -that we’ll have our first big alumni meeting and you boys will be on -duty that night, to share in the fun and listen to the talks. I thank -you kindly, boys, for your good work. In the future we’ll see to it that -the school trophies are properly taken care of and that it will never be -necessary for another committee to go around and pick up flags and -cups.” - -“Well, that ends that,” remarked Farley, as the cadets prepared to -separate. “We’ll have to add a few more to the collection this fall and -winter.” - -“Yes,” agreed Hudson. “Too bad about that 1933 cup.” - -“It certainly is,” agreed Don, as the others nodded silently. “I’d like -to get ahold of that cup and make it talk! No telling what it would -say!” - -“You are right there,” laughed a third class man. “They say that dead -men tell no tales, and I guess lost cups don’t either!” - - - - - Chapter 3 - A Mystery Uncovered - - -That night Don settled himself in his chair to study. Jim was across the -room intent on history and Terry was visiting down the hall. The -redheaded boy was unusually bright in his studies; he was going through -Woodcrest on a scholarship which he had won, and he seemed to get along -with very little study. So he was able to do a little visiting, while -the others found that they must bury themselves in their books. - -Don and Jim studied for some time and then Don felt that he had his -lesson clearly in his mind. He glanced around the room and his eyes fell -on some back numbers of the _Bombardment_, copies of which had helped in -the search for the trophies. This copy at which he was looking was dated -1933, and Don idly looked through it, scanning the school and athletic -notes of the period. - -Presently a particular notice attracted his attention. It was an item in -the school notes department, and read as follows: “John Mulford, our -efficient and pleasant janitor for the past six years, left us quite -unexpectedly this past week. We were unable to learn just why he left -us. For the next few days the students will do well to thank their lucky -stars that it is the spring and not the winter of the year.” - -Don passed the notice off lightly, wondering what it was that interested -him in it at all. His eyes swept up the column and something else drew -his attention. It was also a brief paragraph, but it started an idea in -his mind. - -“There has been a let-down to the social activities of the senior class -since the regrettable affair of the Gates Scholarship Cup, but we hope -that such a condition of affairs will soon mend.” - -His eyes narrowed slowly. Carefully he read the first note and then the -second and tried to construct a picture in his mind. He placed the -magazine back on the table and sat back in his chair, his eyes half -closed. Jim looked up from his book. - -“Better go to bed, instead of falling asleep there, kid,” he advised. - -“I’m not falling asleep, Jim,” Don answered. “Listen here, I’ve got -something on my mind, and I want your advice.” - -For some time he talked to Jim, who forgot his lessons in his interest. -At last Jim slowly nodded his head. - -“It sounds good to me. Are you going to tell the colonel in the -morning?” - -“Yes, the first chance that I get.” - -Just before his first class the next morning Don found Colonel Morrell -in his study. The colonel motioned him to a seat. - -“What is on your mind this morning, Don?” asked the headmaster. - -“I was reading one of the back numbers of the _Bombardment_ last night,” -Don replied. “And in it the distressing affair of the Gates Cup was -mentioned. Right underneath it was mentioned the fact that a janitor by -the name of John Mulford disappeared, or rather left the school for some -unknown reason. Wasn’t he suspected?” - -“Yes, he was,” returned the colonel, promptly. “In fact, I had him -watched, but he didn’t take a thing out with him.” - -“I see. Could it have been possible that he came back and got something -later on?” - -“Possible, but I don’t think so. No, I’m pretty sure that he didn’t have -anything to do with it, in spite of his oddly abrupt leaving.” - -“My thought is that Mr. Long was never guilty, Colonel Morrell,” Don -went on. “I feel that something strange was connected with that whole -case, and that your former captain suffered a grave injustice. I wonder -if you’d allow me to do something?” - -“What do you want to do, Mercer?” - -“Do you know where this former janitor went?” Don asked. - -“When he left here he went to live in Ashland, a small manufacturing -town seventy miles east of here. I had to write to him once to send him -some money due him, so I know that much. But whether or not he lives -there now I don’t know, of course.” - -“I see. Can you find that address and will you allow me to go to Ashland -and talk to this man Mulford?” - -For a brief instant the colonel studied Don’s earnest face and then he -nodded shortly. “Yes, I can do all of that,” he said. “You will want to -go on a Saturday afternoon, won’t you?” - -“Yes, sir. You have faith in my idea, colonel?” - -“Not as much faith in your idea as I have in you,” returned the colonel. -“I know what you are capable of. I too have never believed Long guilty, -and I’d like to see him cleared.” - -“Thank you,” said Don, as he left the room. “I’ll go next Saturday, -Colonel Morrell.” - -Nothing more was said on the subject until the following Saturday -morning, at which time the colonel gave Don a slip of paper with the -name of a street in Ashland on it. While the other cadets were out on -the field waiting for a football game to begin Don left the school and -boarded a train for Ashland. - -“I don’t know that this isn’t a wild goose chase for fair,” he -reflected, as the swift train bore him across the country. “But I’m -willing to make an attempt to find out what happened to that cup.” - -It was late in the afternoon when he reached the manufacturing city, and -after some inquiries he located the street on which the former janitor -had lived. Don finally found the house, a narrow affair of red brick, -sandwiched in between high rows on either side. He rang the bell and at -last it was answered by a tall, thin girl. - -“Does Mr. Mulford live here?” Don asked, raising his hat. He was not -dressed in his uniform, as that would have attracted too much attention, -but was clad in a plain everyday dress suit. - -“Yes, he does,” was the gratifying answer. That was all the girl said, -and she seemed to be waiting for something else. - -“Can he come to the door?” Don went on, seeing that she did not intend -to say anything more. - -“No, he can’t. He ain’t walked for seven years,” was the startling -answer. “He’s crippled!” - -“Oh,” exclaimed Don. “I’m very sorry to hear that. Then I suppose I -can’t see him?” - -“Sure you can, if you’ll come upstairs,” the girl said. “On business, is -it?” - -“Yes,” answered Don. - -The girl led the way up a flight of dark stairs into a small room which -was hot and in which a variety of cooking odors hung in the air. An old -man was sitting in a wheel chair near a window, looking out into the -gathering darkness of the street below. He had a pale face and white -hair, and Don could see that his lower limbs were thin and gathered up. - -“Somebody here to see you on business, pa,” said the girl, and to Don’s -relief she quit the room at once. - -Mulford looked curiously at Don, who was not certain what to do. He had -not expected to find the former janitor a cripple and he wondered if he -should question a man in this condition. Mulford spoke up in a voice -that was full and strong. - -“What did you wish to see me about, young man?” he asked. “Sit down, -won’t you?” - -Don sat down facing the man. “I am from Woodcrest School, Mr. Mulford,” -he began. “I understand that you were once janitor there, and I came to -see you about something that happened years ago. But perhaps I had -better not say anything about it. I didn’t expect—didn’t——” - -“You didn’t expect to find me a cripple, eh?” finished Mulford, quietly. -“I wasn’t one when I left the school. So you are one of the cadets -there? I’m glad to know you. I liked all of those boys when I was there. -What can I do for you?” - -“Well, it’s rather a delicate subject,” began Don. “Mr. Mulford, if you -feel that I’m prying into any of your private affairs you just tell me -to get out of here and I’ll go. But first let me tell you a story. You -remember George Long and Arthur Gates, don’t you? They were students -there when you left so unexpectedly.” - -Mulford’s face was a study. He looked fixedly at Don and was silent for -a moment. Then he said something that astonished the cadet. - -“Yes, I knew them. I’m glad you came here, young man. I’ve had something -on my mind for a number of years and I want to get it off. I haven’t had -the nerve to write to Colonel Morrell about it myself, but I have wanted -to. You want to know about that silver cup, don’t you?” - -Don was staggered. He nodded. - -“As soon as you mentioned the name of Gates and George Long I knew what -you had in mind,” the man said. “You want to know what I know about that -cup. I’ll tell you right now that I didn’t take it myself, and if you -had come to me some years ago I would have driven you out of the door. -But this ailment of mine has tamed me down a whole lot and I’ve had -nothing to do but think for several years. Do you people at the school -think I took it?” - -“Colonel Morrell doesn’t,” Don answered. He went on to tell of the -search for the trophies of the past and the story of the missing cup. -“For years George Long has been suspected of having taken that cup,” he -went on. “He graduated under a cloud and has never come near the school -since. What we are trying to find out, even at this late date, is -whether he did take it or not.” - -“I thought something like that would happen,” the former janitor said, -closing his eyes. “I’m responsible for it, too. No, young man, George -Long didn’t take that cup. Arthur Gates stole that cup himself, on the -morning it was to have been presented to him!” - -“What! He stole his own cup!” cried Don, open-mouthed. - -“Yes, and I saw him do it. He came out of Long’s room with it in his -hands, trying to get it under his coat, and I saw what was going on. -There was only one thing to do, and Gates did it. He paid me a handsome -sum to keep quiet and leave the school, and I did it. At that time I was -very poor, and the money which I earned in such an easy manner came in -mighty handy. But as years went on I found it wasn’t easy. The thing -weighed me down, and today I’m glad to get it off my chest.” - -“But why in the world should Gates have stolen his own cup?” asked Don. - -“That I don’t know; I can’t help you there, Mr.——” - -“Mercer,” supplied Don. - -“Mr. Mercer, that you must learn from someone besides me. I don’t know. -I only know that he paid me to keep quiet and to leave. He even got me a -good job here in Ashland. But after a while I bitterly regretted the -fact that I had ever seen him come out of the room, and I hated myself -for taking the money. Dishonesty is a heavy, dragging burden, Mr. -Mercer.” - -“It must be,” Don admitted, dazed at his success. “But you needn’t -regret the fact that you saw Gates come out of that room. If you hadn’t, -we would never have found out that Arthur Gates took the cup, and Long -would never have been cleared. As it is now we can clear him.” - -“How about me?” demanded the man. “Am I to be dragged into the light at -this late day? Can’t you cover me up some way?” - -“I don’t know,” said Don, frankly. “I think that before we ever clear -Long we’ll make a great effort to find out why Gates took his own cup. -If we don’t things will be pretty cloudy. Tell me this, have you ever -heard of or from Gates since?” - -“No, and I never made any effort to. When he paid me my money and got me -the job I had nothing further to do with him. As I told you before, I -was in pressing need of both the money and the job, but now, as I look -back, I’d sooner have been poor and at the same time honest. That is all -I can tell you about it, Mr. Mercer, but I’m glad to get that off of my -chest.” - -Don rose to go. “I sincerely thank you, Mr. Mulford. I think I can see -how we can clear up everything without involving you any further. I -guess if we go to Gates and tell him what we know he will be glad to -confess without allowing any such disgraceful story to get into the -newspapers. He is a very prosperous businessman now, and he would be -willing to keep things quiet.” He extended his hand and Mulford shook -it. - -“Good luck to you, Mr. Mercer, and whatever you do in life, keep away -from anything shady,” the former janitor said, in parting. - -The daughter of the man came in at that moment and at her father’s -command she showed Don to the door. He went directly to a restaurant and -ate a hearty supper, turning the amazing disclosure over and over in his -mind. Before very long he was again on the train. - -“Well, this is turning into a royal mystery,” he reflected on the way -back to school, “I certainly would like to know why Arthur Gates should -have taken the trouble to steal the very cup which was to be turned over -to him!” - - - - - Chapter 4 - A Visit to Mr. Long - - -Don allowed Sunday to go by without saying anything to the colonel about -the cup and the story attached to it. He had already told it all to his -brother and Terry, and they spent fruitless hours trying to figure out -why Gates had stolen his own cup. - -“Beats me,” Jim finally confessed, giving it up in despair. - -“It is something like that old story of the man who stole his own -wedding present,” suggested Terry. “Only, that fellow had some plan in -mind when he did it. He wanted to stop the wedding.” - -“Arthur Gates had some scheme in mind, don’t doubt that,” Don said, -seriously. “But what was it?” - -On Monday he told his story to the colonel. The headmaster was -astonished and in one sense pleased. - -“Then Long is innocent!” he exclaimed. “That’s splendid! My former cadet -comes out with flying colors!” - -“But another one does not!” Don reminded him. - -“Well, yes, that is so,” admitted the colonel. “But still I would rather -see it the way it is than to have to think George Long is guilty. Not -that I wish to see either or any of my boys guilty of dishonor, but what -I mean is this: Long was such a fine clean fellow that it hurt to think -that anything was wrong with him. Gates, on the other hand, was not so -straightforward. I can’t even say that he was dishonest, but he was less -frank than the cadet captain.” - -“I see what you mean.” Don nodded. “But now we will have to admit that -Gates was dishonest, for he allowed the blame to settle on Long and -never said anything about it at all.” - -“That is so,” the colonel said. “What do you propose next? Shall Long be -told of the story?” - -“Privately, yes,” Don replied. “But suppose we keep it rather quiet for -a time? We do want to find out just why Gates took it, and a significant -story may underlie his reason. My plan is to have a regular committee go -and call on Mr. Long!” - -“To see if he can add anything to the facts gathered?” the colonel -asked. - -“Yes, just that. It may be that he has since found out something that -will help. It won’t do any harm to try. Do you know where he is living?” - -“The last time I wrote to him he was living in White Plains. I’ll give -you his address and you can write and ask for an appointment.” - -“Do you think that is wise?” Don asked. - -“Why not?” - -“Well, he may still be hurt at the way the whole thing was received -years ago and tell us very briefly but politely that he will not be at -home to us. My plan is to drop in on him some evening and then he will -have to receive us.” - -After thinking it over the colonel agreed that Don’s plan was best and -they decided on a committee. As they desired to keep the thing as quiet -as possible it was finally agreed that Don, Jim and Senior Cadet Captain -Hudson should do the calling on George Long. As soon as lessons were -over Don hunted up the cadet captain and told him what was in the wind. - -He was deeply interested and when Jim found that he was to be part of -the committee his joy was great. Terry was slightly disappointed, but -felt that he would eventually have some part in things. At least, he -would hear how things turned out, and that in itself served to comfort -him. - -It was one night during the following week that the three cadets -composing the committee arrived in White Plains. They started early in -the afternoon and it was nearly eight o’clock when they arrived in the -city. Their first step was to go into a drugstore and look up the name -of George Long. - -“Here it is,” the tall senior captain said, pointing the name out to his -companions. “He is still living at the address that the colonel gave us. -Now, if he is at home we’ll be in luck.” - -After some inquiry they found the street and half way down it a neat -white house. There was a light in the living room and sounds of a radio -could be heard as they stood on the front porch. Hudson touched the bell -and they waited. - -“Here’s hoping he won’t throw us out,” whispered Jim. - -“He won’t,” Don promised. “Not when I tell him what I have learned.” - -A very pleasant looking man in his early thirties opened the front door -and turned on the front porch light. His face was thoughtful and he -carried himself with an erect carriage that revealed his military -training. In unconcealed astonishment he surveyed the three trim-looking -cadets in their gray uniforms and gray overcoats. Quickly his eyes -flashed to the W. M. I. on their hats and he knew that they came from -Woodcrest Military Institute. His face was a study. - -“Are you Mr. George Long?” asked Don, whom the others had agreed would -be the spokesman of the party. - -“Yes, I am,” the man responded. “Won’t you step in?” - -The three cadets stepped inside a comfortable hall, removing their hats -and loosening their overcoats as they did so. Long continued to look -fixedly at them. - -“We have come to see you on some very important business, Mr. Long,” -said Hudson, as there was a slight pause. - -“Come in the living room,” Long invited, leading the way. It was evident -that he was deeply puzzled and fighting to get a grip on himself. - -As they entered the living room, a neat, vigorous lady of about the same -age as Long got up quickly from an easy chair in which she had been -sitting. She looked from the cadets to her husband. - -“If it is on business, George, I’ll leave you to yourselves,” she began, -but Don quickly interrupted her. - -“Please do not go,” he said. “I am sure you will be quite anxious to -hear what we have to say to Mr. Long. Before we go any further I want to -introduce my companions and myself. This is Senior Cadet Captain Hudson, -and this is my brother, Mr. Mercer. I am Donald Mercer, of the third -class at Woodcrest.” - -“I’m glad to know you,” Long said, having regained some of his composure -by this time. “This is Mrs. Long. Won’t you be seated?” - -He turned off the radio music and they all sat down, the Longs expectant -and the cadets cool. Don spoke slowly and calmly. - -“Mr. Long, we have come to ask you to tell us what you know about that -unfortunate affair of the Gates trophy of 1933.” - -A sudden dark look passed over the man’s face and his eyes blazed. His -voice had lost its friendliness when he spoke again. - -“I had hoped you weren’t here to talk about that,” he said, excitement -in his tone. “I won’t answer a single question. I never was a thief!” - -The three cadets sat unmoved and Don went on unevenly. “It was thought -by a great many that you were, and it is still thought. There are very -few persons in the world who know that you never were, but before very -long everyone will know it. I think you will answer questions, Mr. Long, -and willingly so, since it will help us to solve the whole mystery of -that cup.” - -Mrs. Long was sitting up eagerly in her chair and her husband was -staring. “Do you mean to say that you have found out anything about that -cup?” Long asked, eagerly. - -“I found out several things,” Don answered. “But I think the wisest -thing would be to hear what you have to say first. It may help us a lot, -and then we’ll tell you what we know. You may save yourself most of the -details, for Colonel Morrell, who has always believed in you, has told -us most of them.” - -“I know that the colonel has always believed in me, and I’m mighty proud -of the fact,” Long said. “Well, gentlemen, I must first beg your pardon -for my outburst. The subject has long been a deep hurt to me, so you can -understand just how I felt.” - -“Perfectly,” nodded Hudson, the others assenting. - -“Well, you know that the Gates cup was turned over to me and that it -disappeared on the day of the presentation. I’m afraid that is all there -is to it. I was accused by the senior Gates, but generously protected by -Arthur.” - -A swift glance passed between the cadets, a glance which the Longs -noticed and wondered at. Don again took the lead. - -“Are you sure you have told us everything, Mr. Long?” he asked, looking -directly into the former cadet captain’s eyes. “Can’t you tell us why -you went around so glumly after Gates won the chance to compete against -Roxberry, and again in the same manner after he had won against that -school and had claimed the highest honors? It looked to everyone then as -though you were jealous, but we have a feeling that there was something -else. Suppose you tell us now.” - -Long hesitated, and his wife reached over and touched his arm. “George, -you must tell everything to these boys. I know that you consider it -honorable to keep quiet, and that you have done so for all of these -years during which you have been cruelly misjudged, but I think it is -high time you made some effort to clear yourself.” - -Long came to a decision. “Very well, boys. I’ll tell you everything. -Perhaps I’ve been foolish to keep it all to myself in this way, but I’ve -thought it the honorable thing to do. The reason I looked so glum at the -time Arthur Gates won in the competition examinations and later again -Roxberry, is simply because Gates won them dishonestly!” - -“Both of them?” asked Jim sharply. - -“Yes, both of them! Copied his answers out of textbooks for the -elimination and later bribed a professor from Roxberry on the big -examination! His money did it, and the professor mentioned gave him a -complete list of the questions to be answered before the interscholastic -contest. No wonder he won hands down!” - -“How did you learn this?” Don asked. - -“I knew, judging by our class records, that I should have defeated Gates -in the eliminations. But I didn’t say anything until he won the big -event with one hundred per cent. Then, on the night that I first placed -that cup on my dresser, I pinned him down to the facts and made him -confess that he had stolen the entire thing. Gates was always rather -weak and he admitted it readily, even telling me the methods employed. - -“As you can imagine, I was utterly appalled. We were always a school -noted for our cadet spirit and our honor, and it had been literally -smeared by Gates’ hideous act. The next day he was to step up on the -platform and take a cup that belonged to another school, or at least one -which he had not won cleanly, and he was going to do it with a smile on -his face. Boys, I’m no cry-baby, but I did cry a bit then for the utter -hopelessness of a man who would do that. Now I know where I was wrong. I -should have dragged him to the colonel or have beaten the life out of -him, but I thought I knew of a better way. I talked for two solid hours -to him about honor and then left him alone in my room, after he had -promised to write down a confession and stand clean. It wasn’t an easy -thing to do on his part, but he agreed, and he said he’d write it where -it would be eternal and there would be no mistake about it. I didn’t -understand that, but I went outside for a walk, to cool off in the fresh -air. - -“And on the next morning the cup was there, but it later disappeared. He -stepped up to the platform and took all the honors, and that knocked the -theory I had held in the head. I thought that he had had the trophy -stolen in order that he wouldn’t have to accept it, thinking that he’d -back out altogether. But he didn’t. As I said before, he was mighty -generous about it all, but of course, he had to be. He knew I was in a -position to grind him to powder with a word, and he acted accordingly. I -think that is the only reason his father didn’t prosecute me.” - -“The story gets blacker each time we hear it,” murmured Hudson. - -“That explains a whole lot,” Don said. “Now, I’ll tell you what we -know.” He began at the point where he had read the notice of the -resigning janitor in the issue of the _Bombardment_ and told it to the -finish. “So you can see, Mr. Long, that Gates stole his own cup. I guess -he did it so as not to have to accept it.” - -“Perhaps he was brazen enough to accept all of the praise, but the cup -was too much for him, and he knew he could not face that,” Mrs. Long -suggested. - -“And yet that doesn’t make it any the less dishonorable,” Jim -interposed. - -“You still think there is some other reason for taking his own cup?” -asked Long. - -“I’m afraid so,” confessed Jim. “Simply taking the cup, and still -accepting all of the honors doesn’t seem logical.” - -They talked on for some time, the Longs delighted at the good fortune -which had come to them. It had grown so late that the cadets knew they -could not return to the school that night. They talked of going to a -hotel but the Longs promptly vetoed the suggestion, declaring that they -could and would put them up for the night. - -The cadets gladly accepted the invitation, and knowing that they were in -no hurry, spent a happy evening with the Longs. Now that some of the -bitterness was lifted from his mind George Long talked freely of the -days during which he had been in the school. - -“For the time being nothing will be said publicly,” Don told Long, as -they were leaving the next day. “We are not yet satisfied as to why -Gates took the cup and we mean to make an effort to find out. In time, -however, you will be completely cleared.” - -“With as many of them as are still alive,” said Long quietly. “Some of -them were killed in the war. I was in the war, too, and it is just by -the mercy of the Almighty that I am not resting there now.” - -With the thanks and good wishes of the Longs echoing in their ears, the -three cadets left and were soon on the way back to Woodcrest. - - - - - Chapter 5 - The Alumni Dinner - - -“I don’t know whether this case gets better or worse as it goes on,” -remarked the colonel, after Hudson, Don and Jim had told him Long’s -story. - -“As far as the proposition of clearing Long is concerned, it’s turning -out just right,” Hudson remarked. - -“That’s right,” the colonel agreed. “But now I find that Woodcrest -didn’t win the interscholastic scholarship contest at all. In time the -truth will have to be made known and then we will receive an additional -black eye.” - -“Perhaps not, sir,” Don put in. “When the professor from Roxberry who -sold the examination to Gates is known they may wish to keep it quiet. -There is no way of telling just how it will all turn out.” - -“Maybe so,” the colonel replied. “Now, let me tell you what I plan to -do. In about three weeks I am going to have the first alumni dinner in -Clanhammer Hall, when we will change the name of the place to Alumni -Hall. I am going to write to Arthur Gates to attend that affair and -while he is here we’ll see if there is anything to be learned about the -events of the past. Gates has never attended an alumni dinner before, -possibly because he has feared to meet Long at one.” - -“Then how will you get him to attend this one?” Jim asked. - -“I’m going to write and tell him that as this is the most important -meeting that we have ever had it is absolutely necessary that we have -the winner of the interscholastic contest with us.” The colonel’s face -became suddenly red and his gray eyes glinted dangerously. “I’m sorry to -think that I’ll have to shake hands with him and pretend that he is the -same as any other man, but that is the only thing I can do under the -circumstances. It is all important that George Long be cleared and that -we find out why Gates took that cup. That is as much as we can do right -now, and I’ll let you know when something new turns up.” - -They left the colonel then and for the next week very nearly forgot the -affair of the cup. They were now in the full swing of their school life, -enjoying it as never before. Both Don and Jim were on the football -squad, and although they were not permitted to play in every game they -did get some part in most games. The red-headed boy was still with the -track, rapidly making a name for himself as a fast and steady runner. - -At the end of a week the colonel called Don and the senior cadet into -his office. He had a letter in his hand. - -“I just received a reply to my letter,” he stated. “Arthur Gates will be -here on the night of our alumni dinner. He writes to say that he has -never had the opportunity to come before, but that he’ll be very glad to -come and help open Clanhammer as the new Alumni Hall. That’s very nice -of him, I’m sure. If he knew what we know, he wouldn’t come near the -school.” - -“That’s true,” nodded Don. “What are your plans for the evening?” - -“I haven’t decided as yet,” the headmaster admitted. “But I shall want -you and Hudson and Jim to be in the room and watching Gates. I am going -to ask most of the seniors to act as waiters, and I’ll see to it that -you and Jim are on the table with Gates.” - -On Monday of the following week a corps of carpenters and painters -swooped down on old Clanhammer Hall and went to work. In between periods -and after school the cadets watched them with interest. Old and rotting -boards were ripped off and new ones put in their places, old paint was -scraped and in a short time the old building stood out in glowing -splendor. Leaves were raked up and broken windows replaced. The hall was -completely transformed. - -On the inside the work was even more thorough. Old benches were torn -out, one or two old partitions followed, and the entire left side of the -original school was turned into a huge dining hall. In the days of its -infancy Clanhammer had had a small dining room, because enrollment had -been small there. Now two classrooms joined with that original room made -up the new and spacious alumni dining room. - -Upstairs was left pretty much as it had been and then the new furniture -was moved in. Long tables and plenty of chairs composed the new -equipment, and in a few days the new sign, Alumni Hall, was painted over -the front door. - -A number of seniors had been chosen as waiters and Don and Jim had been -told to join them. On the night of the dinner they assembled early in -the kitchen of the hall and began preparations. The kitchen had been -refitted and at present was full of steam and the odors of half a dozen -foods. The cooks had their hands full watching the restless cadets, who -sampled the food at every opportunity. - -“I’m warning you,” shouted Pat Donohue, the chief cook, as he wiped the -perspiration from his red face. “The next fellow I see dipping bread in -the gravy will catch a frying pan back of his ears! Don’t you boys never -get fed during meal times?” - -“No, Pat,” said one of the seniors, gravely. “Your food is so good that -we never get enough of it! Don’t blame us for snitching a little now and -then, for it is out of this world!” - -“Humph,” snorted the cook, suspiciously. “That sounds fine, but I got a -sneaking suspicion you just said it to make me feel good. Get your -fingers out of that salad!” - -“Isn’t there anything we can have without being jumped on for it?” -demanded Hudson. - -There were a half dozen rolls which had fallen into some heavy grease -earlier in the evening. They were now on a plate nearby and the grease -did not show. Pat pointed to them. - -“There’s some fine rolls that you can have,” he said, a twinkle in his -eye. A dozen hands reached for the rolls and the lucky ones began to eat -hastily. But in a minute there came a chorus of protesting cries. - -“What in the world did you put in these rolls?” gasped a senior, as he -tasted the grease. - -“Who, me?” asked Pat, innocently. “I didn’t put nothing in ’em. I guess -they was that way when they came. I dunno, I haven’t tasted ’em.” - -After that the cadets let the food alone. By this time they could hear -the old graduates coming in, and soon the old hall echoed and re-echoed -to the talk and laughter of the old students. From time to time the -alumni wandered within sight of the busy corps of waiters, and then the -cadets got a glimpse of them. - -Working busily the cadets soon had the supper on the table and then the -graduates marched in, the old-timers in the lead and the others -following. - -Just before they sat down the colonel beckoned to Hudson and spoke to -him in a low tone. “The man at my right is Arthur Gates,” he said. “Not -on this table, but on the second table. Just watch him closely and see -what his reaction is to any announcement about class trophies.” - -Hudson nodded and carried the message to Don and Jim. The meeting opened -with a word of thanks by the colonel and then with a noisy scraping of -chairs the old cadets sat down. It was now a busy period for the young -waiters. They walked rapidly from the kitchen to the dining room, -putting on the food, replenishing the supply of rolls, and seeing to it -that everyone was well served. - -It was during a pause between courses that Don and Jim got their first -real look at Arthur Gates. He was sitting at the end of the second -table, conversing with some of his old classmates. He was stout and -pale, wore glasses and had very little hair on his head. His eyes were -shifty and they decided, even discounting what they knew about him, that -they did not like him. - -After the final coffee cups had been cleared away several speeches were -made. They recalled the earlier days of the school, when the colonel was -a very young man, and one of them told of mistaking him for the janitor. - -Eventually Gates was called upon and the three boys listened to him in -amazement. He spoke of the glorious year in which the school had won the -cup and seemed not in the least abashed. - -Jim whispered to Don, “I’ll be doggone glad when we can produce proof -and show that fellow up. Can you imagine a guy like that taking credit -while Long is in disgrace?” - -“I won’t mind spiking his guns,” whispered Don indignantly, in return. - -Gates concluded his speech in a burst of handclapping, in which the -colonel did not take part. The headmaster rose slowly and addressed the -gathering. - -“I have a very pleasant surprise for you, gentlemen. During the last few -months I have had a committee of my boys look through the school for the -trophies of former years. They have recovered every one of them, and in -a very short time I shall show them to you. Every one, gentlemen.” - -The three cadets looked quickly at Gates. He was paying strict attention -to Colonel Morrell and his face had become very pale. Nervously his -hands crumpled the tablecloth. - -“I have made over one room into a trophy room,” continued Colonel -Morrell. “In that room you will find the walls lined with the emblems -which speak of the glories of the past, the standards for the winning of -which you gave so much courage and loyalty. Cups, flags, banners, -shields—all are there and in looking at them I am sure you will find -many a stirring memory. I propose that we now go directly to the trophy -room and look over the collection, and I challenge any of you to show me -wherein we of the present day have left a single historic trophy out.” - -There was a pushing back of chairs and the graduates followed the -colonel out of the dining room into a smaller room which had been -beautifully decorated. The last glimpse that the three cadets had of -Gates he was close on the heels of the colonel. - -“I guess I see the colonel’s point,” whispered Hudson, as they prepared -to clear the tables. “Wait until you hear what he has to say.” - -The next two hours were busy ones, as the cadets were compelled to clear -all the tables, eat, and help stack away the piles of dishes. When they -returned to the empty dining room they found that most of the guests had -left the hall. After a time the colonel sought them. - -“Did you observe anything?” he asked guardedly. - -“Mr. Gates looked ill at ease when you said you had all of the -trophies,” Don answered. - -The colonel nodded. “I watched him closely when we got into the Trophy -Room,” he said. “His eyes eagerly swept the room, and after that he -seemed ill at ease no more. He saw that the class of 1933 cup was not -there. But he must have known that it was not there in the first place.” - -“He must have the cup at home somewhere,” said Jim. - -“I believe he has. But listen while I tell you what happened. One of the -graduates said, ‘Too bad we haven’t the interscholastic cup of 1933.’ -There was a dead silence and then Gates said, ‘Let’s forget that -altogether, fellows.’ I guess he would like everyone to forget about -that cup.” - -“No doubt,” agreed Hudson. “Well, what is the next move?” - -“Let’s wait awhile,” answered the colonel. “I had a talk with Gates and -he told me that he and his family were about to move here to Portville -to live! That may mean something definite in the future.” - - - - - Chapter 6 - Added Mystery - - -A number of cadets, clad in the regulation football pants, and blue and -white jerseys of Woodcrest football team ran swiftly around the track -back of the school. It was the custom of Coach Briar to give his men a -single lap around the field after a strenuous workout, and the team was -winding up for the day. Don and Jim held their place well in the front -with the leaders. - -The lap completed they rushed down the steps that led into the basement -and with a series of wild whoops piled into the locker rooms. A hissing -sound announced that the showers had been turned on, and a film of steam -vapor spread rapidly over the room. Jerseys came off on the double and -more than one helmet rolled unheeded across the dusty floor. - -Coach Brier walked in slowly and looked with approval at his charges. -They were in fine condition and had won every game of the season. At no -time in the year had they been in any danger of losing, and the fighting -spirit was more than gratifying to the athletic coach. - -The tumult in the locker room increased with each passing moment. Half a -dozen young huskies had found themselves stripped at the same time and a -wild rush for the showers resulted. There was pushing and shoving and -shouting, which would have disturbed the nerves of someone less stout in -that respect than the popular coach. But he merely smiled and looked on, -wisely confining his talk to football subjects. - -“Only one more team to play, coach,” shouted Quarterback Vench, of the -third class. “We ought to be able to take them.” - -“Don’t be too sure,” warned the coach. - -“We’ll sure take one healthy crack at them,” put in Douglas, who ran in -the backfield for Woodcrest. - -“Is there any chance of playing Dimsdale this year, coach?” cried -Hudson, from the back of the room. - -A look of gravity spread over the genial face of the coach. As if by -magic the uproar in the room ceased. Hudson had struck a sore point. - -In the past Woodcrest had played an annual game with Dimsdale, a -preparatory school close by. The contest had been the big event of the -whole fall season and the rivalry had been keen. But in recent years -there had been no games between the two schools, owing to an unfortunate -affair that took place after one of the games on the Woodcrest home -field. At that time Woodcrest had defeated Dimsdale for five years -straight, and in the game that followed the preparatory school had won. -The fact went to the heads of the students of the rival school, and -besides painting the 12 to 0 score on the side of the school with white -paint they had ruthlessly broken windows and wrecked some school -furniture. The cadets’ battalion had formed and had given the rioters a -severe beating, although they were supposed to merely chase them off the -grounds. From that time forward there had been no games. - -However, that had happened years ago and there was no thought that it -would happen again. Each year the cadets clamored to play against -Dimsdale and each year they were refused. As the years went on the -situation became harder. Insolent Dimsdale scholars openly booed the -cadets and the boast was common with Dimsdale students that the -Woodcrest school was afraid to play them. In large bodies the Dimsdale -rooters came to the cadet games and openly cheered for the rivals of the -cadets, no matter who or what they were. It was as much as flesh and -blood could stand, and to old veterans like Hudson and Barnes and Berry, -the flashing backfield men, it was especially bitter to think that they -must graduate without a chance to play their detested foes. - -To Hudson’s question the coach looked troubled. “I don’t know, Hudson,” -he said. “You know what the attitude of Melvin Gates is.” - -Don stopped tying his shoe to look up. “What has Melvin Gates to do with -it, coach?” he asked. - -“Everything,” responded the coach, gloomily. “It so happens that he is -the chief trustee and that he donates the most money to the school. -Although Colonel Morrell owns the school it is really run by a board of -trustees, and the head trustee is Melvin Gates. He has never gotten over -the affair of the last Dimsdale game, and he positively refuses to allow -the school to play the other outfit. As he holds most of the power I -suppose the colonel can’t risk losing his support, so we have to go -without our game each year.” - -“Is he the only one against it?” Jim asked. - -“Yes,” nodded the coach. “The only one.” - -Vench snorted in disgust. “Can you beat that? Just because something -happened long ago he has to act like a spoiled baby about it! That’s -what I call fine, noble sportsmanship!” - -“You don’t know much about it,” grumbled Hudson. “This is only your -second year. Wait until you have had to swallow their insults for four -years. Why, look at the Roxberry game, and what those guys did. Started -yelling every time the signals were called, so that we couldn’t get -them. If I had my way I’d turn the whole corps loose to clean ’em off -the field.” - -Young Major Rhodes, former cadet captain of the senior class and now -chief drill instructor, drifted in just then. “I agree with Hudson,” he -said, quietly. “I had to put up with it for four years and then finally -graduated without getting a chance to play against them. I think we’ve -been wrong about the whole thing from start to finish. Suppose a -delegation of you fellows go and see the colonel and tell him that the -whole school wants to play Dimsdale.” - -“What good will that do?” asked Coach Brier. - -“I don’t know that it will,” confessed Rhodes. “But I do know that there -will be a meeting of the trustees on Friday and at that time the colonel -can put it up to them again.” - -“And get turned down once more,” snapped Berry, to whom Dimsdale was a -nightmare. - -Rhodes shrugged his broad shoulders. “I don’t know, but you can at least -try. Someday the break has got to be made, and the sooner the better.” - -“Do you think this year would be a good one to play Dimsdale?” inquired -a substitute, timidly. “They are Class A champions, you know, and they -have a powerful team.” - -“I wouldn’t care how big their team is,” declared halfback Barnes. “Just -put me where I can rip holes in their line, that’s all!” - -The coach looked at the boys silently for a time. “All right, boys,” he -said. “I guess there is no harm in trying out Rhodes’ suggestion. -Suppose you three veteran backfield men consider yourselves a committee -and approach the colonel on the subject. Let’s see if we can get any -action this year.” - -That night Don consulted earnestly with Jim and the result was a letter -which he wrote to his father. After that they waited, with the rest of -the school, for the decision of the trustees. - -What the young substitute had said about Dimsdale was true. They were at -present occupying the exalted position of champions of the Class A -divisions, and they boasted a powerful, line-smashing team. In one sense -it was not a wise year to start playing the old rivals again, for the -Woodcrest team was small and fast, but in no way compared with the other -school as far as bulk of players was concerned. But the cadets were mad -clean through and did not hesitate to take on the other school, in -anticipation at least. - -The colonel received the committee of three and expressed with them the -desire of renewing relations with the preparatory school. He promised to -take the matter up with his board of trustees and see what he could do -with the one obstinate member. - -“It is time that Mr. Gates got over his prejudice,” he admitted. “We’ll -see what we can do.” - -On the day of the trustee meeting Don received a letter from home and he -and Jim read it over with satisfaction. Don nodded across the table to -Jim as he finished it. - -“I guess it won’t make any difference which way the meeting goes now,” -he stated. - -On the following day when the team finished their workout, the coach was -not with them. He had gone into the school building to find out the -result of the trustee meeting. The players stood around with sweaters -and coats as protection against the sharp November wind. Before long -they saw the coach come from the main hall and walk slowly toward them. - -“Walks very slowly, something like a funeral march,” observed Hudson, -with a gloomy shake of his head. - -When Brier reached them he did not waste any words. He shook his head -and spread out his hands with a gesture that told the whole story. - -“Same as ever, boys,” he announced briefly. “Gates refuses to allow us -to play Dimsdale.” - -Barnes and Berry took off their helmets at the same moment and slammed -them on the ground viciously. Hudson turned away, a lump in his throat. -His last ambition, that of playing against Dimsdale, was frustrated, and -the fact hurt. Growls came from the rest of the squad. Vench gritted his -teeth and sneered at the narrow-minded attitude of the chief trustee. -Only Don and Jim kept silent, and as they were new members on the -football team the fact was not noticed. - -“That means giving it up for at least another year, I suppose,” shrugged -Rhodes. - -“Maybe until Gates dies, I don’t know,” returned the coach. - -“Blessings on him and all his money!” murmured Barnes, sarcastically. - -After the customary lap around the field the boys went back to dress, -annoyed and growling at the situation. It was not until they were in -their own room that Don spoke his mind. - -“Jim, I believe that there’s something more to this than we can see on -the surface,” he said. - -“What do you mean?” his brother asked. - -“I mean that I don’t think Melvin Gates is keeping us from playing -Dimsdale simply because of the after-game riot of years ago. Why in the -world should he be so particular? Every student wants to play and every -trustee wants to let us, but still he holds out. I think there is some -added mystery in it all, and that he has some deep and secret reason for -not wanting us to play Dimsdale!” - - - - - Chapter 7 - The Trustees’ Meeting - - -On the following morning Don sought out the colonel and asked for a few -minutes to talk over an important matter. At the colonel’s invitation he -sat down and came at once to the point. - -“Colonel Morrell,” he began. “You only tolerate Mr. Gates’ attitude -because he is the senior trustee and actually controls the school by his -money, isn’t that so?” - -The colonel was astonished but he nodded frankly. “Yes, that is so. Of -course, Mr. Gates has been a trustee for a good many years and there is -something else to consider besides his money, but I’ll admit that plays -a big part. It costs something to run the school and his generosity has -made a lot of things possible that we would otherwise have done -without.” - -“Of course,” responded Don. “Is his obstinate attitude confined simply -to this matter of football, or does he make things unpleasant for you in -other ways, Colonel Morrell?” - -“In some other things he is very disagreeable, too,” the headmaster -said. “But in the matter of the football game he is unusually so. What -makes you ask?” - -“If you had someone else to take his place, who would advance as much -money as he does, and with not nearly as much trouble, would you -consider running directly against Mr. Gates?” Don went on, ignoring the -colonel’s question. - -The colonel thought for a moment. “Yes, I think I would,” he admitted, -slowly. “As I told you before, Mr. Gates has made things pretty -disagreeable for me on several occasions. He has a sort of stranglehold -on the school simply because of his wealth and that makes it hard for -the rest of the trustees and myself. In other words, if he wants a thing -done his way he has only to say so and tap his pocketbook and we all -have to do as he wants us to.” - -“That’s just about what I thought,” nodded Don. “Now, I’ll tell you what -I have in mind, Colonel Morrell. When I was home last summer I talked to -my father quite a bit about the school and he shares my enthusiasm for -it. When I heard of the trouble you had with Mr. Gates about the -football situation I wrote to him and asked him if Mr. Gates ever got -disgusted and left the trustee body would he consider becoming a trustee -in Gates’ place, providing he was elected to the body. He wrote back and -said that he would.” - -The colonel digested the news slowly. “That is very nice of your father -and I certainly appreciate it,” he said at last. “But of course I could -not simply ask the senior Gates to resign so that I could put another -man in his place.” - -“I wouldn’t want you to do that,” answered Don, quietly. “But this is -what I mean. You know that the entire student body wants to play -Dimsdale and that one man alone is holding us back. What I propose is -this. Suppose a committee consisting of two representatives from each -class waits on Mr. Gates and tells him plainly that the school is -determined to play our rival? If he is unruly and threatens to resign -we’ll just allow him to resign and my father will take his place.” - -“I see now what you are getting at,” cried the colonel. “We won’t be -driving him out, but he will be driving himself out! It will give us an -opportunity to see if he is simply bluffing and at the same time you -boys will get your game. Personally, nothing would suit me better than -to see that game played. I think it is high time that the unfriendliness -of years standing is done away with and that athletic and other -relations be restored between this school and Dimsdale.” - -“Then you approve of my plan?” asked Don. - -“I certainly do. The issue will then be squarely up to Mr. Gates and it -will be up to him to decide what course to pursue. I won’t have anything -to say about it, nor will the other trustees, and if he wishes to resign -your father will take his place. Nothing could be more clear-cut than -that.” - -“When will there be another meeting of the trustees?” inquired Don. - -“In three days’ time. We did not get all business finished at the last -meeting, due mostly to the football discussion, and we must meet again -then.” - -It was agreed that Don should inform the captains and lieutenants of -each class to appear before the trustees and explain their stand. After -he had left the colonel’s office he went to class and later hunted up -the cadets whose presence would be required. All of them were instructed -to keep things quiet until after the meeting of the trustees, and all -agreed to do so. - -On the night of the meeting the selected cadets were ready and met -outside the colonel’s office. Hudson and Berry represented the first -class, Douglas and Don the third. The trustees had arrived and were -inside, settling themselves and talking. - -The colonel opened the door and allowed them to march in, where they -faced the slightly astonished trustees. They soon made out Melvin Gates, -a tall, thin man with burning bright eyes and a lofty air about him. -Colonel Morrell came briefly to the point. - -“These cadets, gentlemen, represent the student body, and are here to -speak for themselves. As you remember, at the last meeting it was -decided that the school was not to play Dimsdale, now or ever, according -to Mr. Gates. I passed that message on to the corps, but it seems that -they refuse, for once, to accept the decision.” - -Melvin Gates straightened up in his chair and shot a bitter look toward -the stalwart cadets. “Oh, they refuse to accept it, do they?” he said, -in a rasping voice. - -The colonel looked at Hudson, who spoke up in reply. “Yes, Mr. Gates, -the student body refuses to accept the decision. We are taught good -sportsmanship here at Woodcrest and the doctrine that men are to be met -and treated like men. We feel that it is unfair to brand the Dimsdale -school of today with the stigma of a set of rowdies of the past, so we -are here to respectfully protest the ban against playing them.” - -“I don’t care what you are here to protest!” shouted Gates, rising in -excitement. “I have refused to give my sanction to this game, or to the -proposition of renewing any kind of relations with Dimsdale school, and -I will not retract one word of it.” - -“It is most unfortunate that you feel that way, sir,” replied the senior -Cadet Captain. “For we are going to play them as soon as possible!” - -There was a gasp from the assembled trustees and Gates’ face reddened. -He snapped around on the silent headmaster. - -“Morrell, are you going to allow this to go on?” he demanded. - -“I do not see that I can do anything about it,” said the colonel. “It is -the fervent wish of the entire corps that we play Dimsdale, and I am -heartily in favor of it myself.” - -“You know what this will mean to the school!” cried the angry Gates. “I -will resign and withdraw every cent of my money.” - -“I should be sorry to see you do that, Mr. Gates,” returned the colonel. -“But I am not going to thwart my boys any longer.” - -“All right, sir, all right,” ground out the trustee. “Then I resign, at -once! How will you manage to get along without my money, Morrell? Answer -me that!” - -“I beg your pardon, sir,” put in Don. “But my father has agreed to -become a trustee in your place if you should resign.” - -Gates was taken aback. A murmur arose from the other trustees and more -than one satisfied look was exchanged. The chief trustee shook with -rage. - -“Oh, very well, gentlemen, very well! If that is the way you feel about -it, I see that there is nothing left for me to do but to resign. This is -a pretty cheap game to play, Morrell.” - -“It isn’t a game at all!” retorted the colonel, with spirit. “How long -do you suppose these young men were going to submit to the rule of one -man on a question like this? Don’t you see that for years you have made -these young men the laughing stock of the neighboring preparatory -schools, and that we have been questioned on all sides as to our -sportsmanship? It was only a matter of time, Mr. Gates, and I was simply -lucky enough to have Mercer’s father offer to take your place if you -resigned.” - -“Had it all planned out, eh?” snarled Gates. “Mercer’s father prepared -to step in as soon as I stepped out!” - -“Yes, but you can’t blame anyone if you want to step out,” returned the -colonel. “If you will resign, someone must take your place. We will -receive your resignation at any time, Mr. Gates.” - -“You’ll get it soon,” the trustee promised. “Let me tell you, nothing -good will come of all this. The idea of you young cadets wanting to play -Dimsdale this year! Why, everybody knows that they will run away with -you!” - -The cadets flushed and Berry replied. “We will try hard to make them run -after us, and not away with us, sir.” - -“They’ll make a laughing stock of you!” shouted the irate trustee. - -Colonel Morrell turned to his cadets. “You may go, boys,” he said. -“Spread the news that Woodcrest will play Dimsdale!” - -The cadets saluted and left the room and in a short time the news was -flying all over the school. The cadets went wild and the coach was -enthusiastic. On the next day a formal challenge was sent to the rival -school, and in another day the reply was received. - -“We play ’em on November 24th,” said the coach, briefly. “I hear that -they plan to wipe up the ground with us!” - -“That is what you hear!” smiled Hudson, grimly. “Wait until you see the -game!” - - - - - Chapter 8 - An Old Score Settled - - -A low, gray ceiling of clouds hung over the field at Woodcrest when the -cadet team came out to play that November afternoon. Stands were -crowded, and as the team entered the field a cheer went up from the -Woodcrest section and a yell of derision from the Dimsdale side of the -field. Briefly, the cadet team looked at the beefy Dimsdale team across -the field, where they were running signals. Grim mouths, bright eyes, -and hearts filled with determination marked the silent purpose of the -young soldiers. - -When the news of the coming game with the Class A champions had been -circulated around town great had been the derision. The two teams were -in different classes, the preparatory school ranking in the higher Class -A division and the military school in the lighter Class B aggregation. -Woodcrest had not lost a game nor had Dimsdale, in each class. Crushing -power lay with the preparatory school machine and nothing but the stings -of years of insults and determined purpose with the cadets. Those who -cared for such things had made heavy bets against the cadet team and the -feeling was general that Woodcrest was in for a bad beating. - -The football coach had not said much to his team, but he had said just -enough. He told them that the feeling was against their chances of -winning, that the whole thing was looked upon as foolishness, and that -Dimsdale was frankly considering it nothing more than a practice game. -This was their chance, he told them, to settle once and for all an old -score, and his only plea was that they play like gentlemen and forget -revenge. - -“Because if you think of it merely as a revenge, you are sure to lose,” -the coach wound up. “Bad sportsmanship spoils and defeats any game. -Knowing you as I do and just how you feel, I know you’ll play your -hardest, and my only request is that you play clean and hard.” - -It was therefore a silent, grim group which trotted out on the gridiron -and started to run through signals. Derisive yells and cat-calls came -from the opposite side of the stands. They fell on heedless ears, or at -least on unresponsive ones. Quarterback Vench called his signals -quietly, the ball was snapped with calm accuracy, and although the -hearts of the soldiers beat rapidly there was no outward sign to show -that they were burning with an eager fire inside. - -The cadet band struck up and played well, the cadets marching across the -field to the grandstand side which they were to occupy. When they were -seated the two teams began to take their places. Hudson, the Dimsdale -Captain and the official met in the center of the field, the coin was -tossed, and Dimsdale won the toss. They decided to kick and the teams -lined up. - -The ball was placed, the Dimsdale captain looked up and down his line to -make sure that everything was ready. Tensely the cadets, spread out in -receiving formation, waited. For an instant the field was in silence. -Then, as both captains nodded, the referee blew his whistle sharply and -the bitter game was on. - -There was a thud as the ball was kicked and sailed in a long arc to the -waiting arms of half-back Barnes. He tucked it under his arm securely -and bounded off to the left side of the field. Realizing that he was in -danger of outrunning his guards he slowed slightly and ranged himself -behind Hudson, Berry and Vench. Behind this wall he ran the ball back to -the center of the field before being downed. Lazily the preparatory -players untangled themselves from the heap, but the cadets snapped into -line with a spirit that showed their purpose. - -Don and Jim were benched, as they were in nearly every game. In the -following year, and their senior year they expected to play on the team -regularly, but as yet they were only substitute. Jim played in the line -in practice and Don had once or twice played halfback. Well wrapped in -their heavy parkas they sat on the edge of the players’ bench, wholly -absorbed in the game. - -Vench called his signals and the ball was snapped to Berry, who made -five yards through tackle. It was apparent that Dimsdale was playing -lazy football. The team was heavy enough to hold the cadets from any -dangerous threat and that was all they were doing. The next two plays -did not gain anything and Vench kicked out of danger. The ends got down -under the ball and brought the Dimsdale captain to earth with a telling -slam. - -Dimsdale began a march which was alarming, but an accident changed the -situation. Berry pounced on the ball when the right halfback fumbled it. -Woodcrest was on the forty-five yard line and prospects were good. - -“Those guys are playing awfully sleepy football,” Don said to Jim. -“Vench had better take advantage of it and get the ball across.” - -The same idea seemingly occurred to the little quarterback. He surveyed -the team before him over the backs of his teammates and then suddenly -bent down. Calmly and quickly his signals came. - -The ball snapped back. Berry, Barnes and Hudson doubled up and ran -toward the right side of the field, and the Dimsdale team swung in that -direction. Vench, the ball buried deeply in his stomach, swung left and -let loose all of his speed. For a moment there was a wild mixup on the -right side of the line and then Dimsdale woke up, but too late. - -Vench was away and down the field and the goal was close at hand. He -crossed it with the nearest Dimsdale player three feet in back of him. A -wild roar went up from the Woodcrest stand and the Dimsdale team looked -bewildered. Vench was slapped and shaken by his enthusiastic teammates -and then they prepared to kick the ball. The kick was made successfully -and the score stood seven to nothing for Woodcrest. - -Now, however, it was a different Dimsdale team that lined up for the -kick. Energy took the place of indifference. Helmets were pulled on -tightly, belts hitched, feet kicked ridges in the field and an aroused -and dangerous foe faced the cadet team. But they found a wideawake -outfit waiting for them, and the game went on with a punch. This time -the prep school team drove forward with purpose and held the cadet team -to four straight downs, Vench declining to kick. - -When the ball finally passed to Dimsdale the drive began. The smaller -team was not able to hold the Class A group. Steadily they stormed down -the field until they were under the shadow of the goal and a touchdown -seemed the only final result. It was then that a merciful break came to -Hudson. - -This game against Dimsdale had been Hudson’s dream for years, and he was -anxious to distinguish himself. His opportunity came with dazzling -suddenness. Impatient at the time taken to put the ball over the goal -line, and fearful that the half would end, for they were now in the -second quarter, the Dimsdale quarterback called for a forward pass. The -ball went to their left halfback, who tossed it like a bullet to the -left end, hovering at that moment down near the goal. - -Hudson had been slow to get away when the ball had been snapped and he -was blaming himself for it, when he saw the ball come speeding through -the air, over his head. He leaped into the air as though there were -springs on his feet. The ball stopped in the cup of his hands and he -landed, hesitated, slightly dazed, and then, with a bound that carried -him forward, began to run up the field, to the opposite goal posts, -which seemed miles and miles away. - -A frantic roar burst from both stands and the Dimsdale players turned -and threw themselves at him. One went down under his cleated feet and he -avoided him, a second he straight-armed with no uncertain force and then -he broke away on a long run. Chaos broke loose in the stands and the -captain, his supreme chance with him and up to him, ran as he had never -run before, to cross the goal line at top speed and touch the ball to -earth amid a terrific uproar. The goal had barely been kicked before the -whistle blew, ending the half. - -Down in the locker room the coach was quietly encouraging. “You are -doing splendidly, boys,” he smiled. “It is hurting the pride of the A -champions terribly to have a score of 14 to 0 against them. You can all -see we owe the last score, with all due credit to Hudson’s run, to the -quarterback’s error. They were sure to drive over the goal, but he made -the mistake of tossing a pass, which Hudson speared. The next time they -begin to drive, look out!” - -The coach turned out to be a true prophet. Dimsdale received the -kick-off in the second half and drove with crushing force right down the -field and over the line for their first touchdown. The cadets were -unable to hold them and the goal was kicked, making the score 14 to 7. -The drive was accompanied by rough handling on the part of the heavier -players, and two of the cadets were slightly injured and had to be -replaced. Jim was sent in and played guard, while Don waited for his -chance. - -“Well, it’s a cinch we’ll never beat them at straight football,” -remarked Vench, as the quarter ended, the cadets failing to gain an inch -either through the line or around the ends. “They roll over us like a -steam roller! We’ll have to hold them down somehow!” - -But the cadets were unable to do so. Once more the preparatory players -drove the lighter players before them like grass and scored a touchdown. -They failed to kick the goal and the score stood 14 to 13. - -“They are going to drive again,” murmured the coach, to a friend. “My -boys can’t hold them on a drive.” - -And drive they did. They punched holes yards wide in the lighter team’s -line, rolled over them in waves, and steadily forced them back. In one -of these smashes Berry was hurt and was helped off the field. The coach -looked over his players and nodded to Don. - -“Go in for Berry, Mercer,” he said, and was none too hopeful when he -said it for Don’s playing was not spectacular and the coach wished that -he had a star just at that moment. - -Don tossed aside his parka and ran on the field, grateful for a chance, -but not at all glad that Berry had been crippled for the time being. He -reported to the referee and then, pulling his helmet down over his -forehead and tightly around his ears, took his place in the backfield -and bent down to catch the signals. - -Dimsdale lost the ball on downs and the cadets got it almost in the -shadow of the goal posts. It looked very much as though the usual thing -would happen, the failure to advance and the necessity of a kick to save -themselves, or losing the ball right there. The ball was snapped and a -scant two yards were made. - -Don played an average, ordinary game, carrying the ball twice for short -gains and playing his part as interference. He found himself opposed to -one large player on the other side who began to rough him with -unnecessary force. It was the right halfback, a heavy-set individual who -threw all of his weight with paralyzing force on Don at every -opportunity. Don made no complaint, because it was part of the game for -the other fellow to drop him whenever possible, and for some time he -tried to believe that the man was not stepping out of bounds, but before -long he knew this wasn’t so. - -He carried the ball again and the same player tackled him, rolling him -over and thudding down on him violently. The breath was knocked out of -him and he wobbled slightly when he got up, but he said nothing, partly -from a lack of breath and partly from a desire not to complain. But when -the same man viciously dug him with his elbow he protested. - -“Keep your elbow to yourself or I’ll report it to my captain,” he warned -him. - -“Aw, run and tell your mama, soldier boy!” was the derisive answer. - -Don made no reply but his eyes blazed as he went back to the place he -occupied. The next few plays were grim and hard-fought. The cadets had -managed to make first down and still held the ball. - -“Are you all right?” Vench said to Don, as they formed again. - -“Yes, only that big circus wagon over there is roughing me every chance -he gets!” snapped Don. - -“They are all doing it,” replied the plucky little quarterback, wearily. -He had worked with all his strength and was ready to drop. He fumbled -the ball on the next pass and it rolled away. Immediately, every -available player sprang toward the ball, but luckily a cadet fell on it, -saving it for his team. - -“Three downs, eight yards to go,” groaned the coach. “They’ll never make -it, and Dimsdale will make another march down the field. It won’t even -do any good to kick.” - -Don had run toward the rolling ball, to be met by his heavy rival and -knocked flat. There was no excuse for it, as there had been no danger -that he would recover the ball, but he went flying, nevertheless, to -land with jarring force on his stomach. With his breath whistling -through his set teeth he staggered to his feet and walked to Vench, his -eyes burning. - -“Let me run that ball!” he hissed in the quarterback’s ear. “Just give -me a chance to run that ball once!” - - - - - Chapter 9 - Terry Engages in an Argument - - -Mr. Vench had passed the ball more than once to Don without anything -spectacular having happened, but he was willing to do it once more. One -look at the flushed face of his friend showed him that Don was mad clear -through and that he could be counted upon to put at least as much of a -punch into the play as anyone. Accordingly, after a brief nod and a -sweeping glance over the two tense teams Quarterback Vench bent over the -center. - -“19-84-6-10-2” he called, and the ball was snapped to him. The play -meant that Don was to take the ball through tackle and guard, on the -right side of the line. - -The long, tapering fingers of Vench rested lightly but firmly on the -ball and he swung it on to Don, who was passing him on a dead run, his -head down, his eyes alert. Don’s eager hands swept the ball out of the -quarterback’s grasp and he hurled himself into the gap which his -teammates had opened between guard and tackle. For a single moment there -was utmost confusion and then the Dimsdale players became aware that he -had the ball. Those who were still on their feet swung in toward him. - -They met a fighting-mad young savage. The first man clutched at Don’s -flying legs, only to be hurled violently to one side like a piece of -paper. A second lunged and felt his one hand slide off the halfback’s -jersey. Then, up in front of Don loomed the big, beefy bruiser who had -aroused his anger. There was a determined look in this man’s face as he -lunged at the running back. - -Straight as a ramrod Don’s hand shot out in the approved straight-arm, -to catch the player squarely in the face. His head went back suddenly -and he was pushed to one side, to drop limply to the ground, surprised -and stunned. He had met his match and had received the worst of it. Don -swept on out into the open field and began a run that brought the stands -to their feet. Past the two half backs, narrowly missed by the Dimsdale -fullback, and running a nip and tuck race with the enemy fullback Don -beat the nearest man over the goal line by inches and touched the ball -to the ground as the exhausted Dimsdale quarterback fell over him. - -A mighty roar went up that lasted for at least three minutes and in that -period a try for a goal was made but the ball missed the uprights by -inches. They were taking their places once more when the whistle blew, -ending the game with the score standing at 20 to 13 in favor of -Woodcrest. - -To the Class A champions the defeat was a crushing one and they left the -field utterly humbled. To the cadets, suffering under the insults and -sneers of years, the victory was more than sweet, and the score caused -special rejoicing. Don was made much of and the coach assured him of a -star’s position on the team in the following season. - -“Nothing but pure fighting spirit won that game for you, boys,” the -coach told them in the locker room. “Those fellows could parade through -you for a touchdown every time they wanted to, but it was your -alertness, as typified by Hudson’s catch of the forward pass, and your -sheer determination, as Mercer showed, that took the game, not to -mention the intelligent handling of the little quarterback. Man to man -you were outplayed and outweighed, but you beat a mighty good team by -courage and fighting spirit.” - -During the game Terry was engaged in an unexpected argument. It was the -custom at Woodcrest when they had a game of any kind to place cadets at -the entrances of the rival grandstand to direct people to their seats or -to stop any horse play in the stands. As Terry was not on the football -squad he was assigned to the task of standing guard at one end of the -visitors’ grandstand. - -Terry did not mind in the least. He was dressed in his dress parade -uniform and for the time being had a little authority, even though it -was limited to bossing small boys and directing people to seats. There -were enough girls in the stand near him to make him anything but sorry -that he had on his best uniform, and he could see the game perfectly. -Terry had no fault to find with his post. - -Before the game started many couples and groups had passed him and -entered the stands, picking their own seats, and the red-headed cadet -did not move. He was only to pick seats when it became crowded, and not -even then unless requested, so he contented himself with watching the -people as they passed him and entered the stand. All of them were -friends of the preparatory school team and they carried red banners with -a black D on them. A number of young men sat very near where Terry was -standing and they looked him over and made a few would-be funny remarks -to which Terry paid no attention. - -When the Woodcrest team trotted out some of the Dimsdale supporters -booed it heartily and the blood rushed to Terry’s cheeks. For the moment -he regretted the fact that he was not on the football team and playing -in today’s game. Grimly he pictured himself smashing wide holes through -the opposite lines and the prospect was pleasing. He decided that he had -had enough of running and that on the next gathering of football -candidates he would surely be there. - -Something that was being said by the well-dressed youths near him -attracted his attention at this point. One of them, in a plaid wool -shirt and gray flannel slacks, was addressing a few of his friends. - -“It’s a wonder these soldier boys ever got up the nerve to play us,” he -announced. “Of course, it will be a walk-away with ’em. Alongside of our -fellows they look like a kindergarten.” - -Terry rolled his head uneasily, much as though his collar was too tight -and choking him. It was not his business to argue with visitors who -might occupy the grandstand and he knew it. In the end, the score would -speak for itself and it would be foolish to pick and bicker about it. -Nevertheless, his one foot beat the boards of the grandstand flooring -impatiently. - -“What’s been the matter with this cadet team for so long?” asked one of -the boys. The lad in the plaid shirt took it upon himself to answer -that. - -“They’ve been afraid to meet us,” he said, with conviction. “Those -fellows haven’t wanted to meet us, and I don’t know what made them do -such a foolish thing this year. Silliest thing I ever heard of.” - -This was too much for the red-headed cadet. He swung around on the group -just back of him, at the same time pointing to the furry individual in -the plaid shirt. - -“Look here, mister!” he growled. “Let me correct you on one point. The -student body of this school has been dying to get a crack at your school -for years, in fact, for every year the games haven’t been played. But -I’ll tell you why the games haven’t been played. We have had a trustee -named Gates who holds a grudge against Dimsdale because of some rough -work they pulled off years ago when they won a game. While we had this -trustee we couldn’t play you, because he controlled the school, but he -is gone now and that is why we’re playing you.” - -“Well, that was pretty poor sportsmanship,” protested the boy from the -other school. - -“Oh, I agree with you perfectly there,” replied Terry, earnestly. “Very -bad sportsmanship, but it happened. This year we purposely got him to -resign in order to play you and resume athletic relations with your -school. Maybe you’ll win the game, and then again, maybe you won’t, but -I just didn’t want you to go around with the idea that Woodcrest has -been afraid to play you in the past.” - -With that Terry walked away, leaving the boys somewhat impressed. Terry -noted that a man well along in years was looking at him as he walked -down the steps and when Terry moved near him the man spoke. - -“I heard what you said to those fellows,” he said, nodding to the boys. -“So it’s been old man Gates who has kept the two schools from playing, -eh?” - -“Yes, he has kept bad feelings alive between the schools for a number of -years,” Terry replied. “But I guess that business is about over. I don’t -know why he had to be so bitter about it, but some folks hang onto a -grievance like grim death!” - -“Yes, and Gates is just that kind,” nodded the man. “But I wonder if he -hasn’t got a good idea in doing it?” - -“I don’t know,” Terry said. “What do you mean?” - -“Did you ever know that Gates’ son was put out of Dimsdale years ago for -dishonesty?” the man asked. - -Terry was instantly alert. “No, I never knew that. Young Gates went to -school here, you know. Is that the same one?” - -“Yes, Arthur Gates is the same one. He was put out of Dimsdale for -dishonesty in his lessons at examination time when I went there, some -years ago. I had no idea that it was Gates who was forbidding your -school from playing against my Alma Mater, but now I think he must have -been doing it deliberately, to keep you folks from knowing about his -son.” - -“Yes, but that seems foolish,” Terry argued. “It was hardly possible -that anything would be said about his son.” - -“It might come out accidentally,” the man said. “Or perhaps Gates is -sore at the school in general. I still believe that Gates did it -intentionally.” - -So did Terry and for the next few moments he was so busy with his -thoughts that he did not notice the people who passed him. In a few -minutes the game began and he was lost in the details of the struggle. -Great was his rejoicing when the cadet team put the ball over in the -first quarter and at the groans which came from those beside him Terry -chuckled gleefully. - -And when Don crashed the line for his thrilling run down the field -Terry’s joy knew no bounds. He tossed his hat and cheered loudly. When -the people began to pour from the stands he waited until the party of -young men, now strangely silent, passed him. Then, in a voice like that -of the young man in the plaid shirt he said: “Of course, it will be a -walk-away with ’em. Alongside of our fellows they look like a -kindergarten.” - -The young men looked around and Terry smiled. “Pardon me,” said the -red-headed boy. “Can you tell me who won the game?” - -“Aw, go run around the lots!” snorted the leader, and Terry chuckled. - -That night there was no studying done. A huge bonfire was kindled and -until late they enjoyed themselves around it. The football team, held -down to training for some weeks, was now allowed to break from the rules -and eat something more sweet than substantial. - -“And so that is why the Gates’ have kept things at dagger points between -the two schools, is it?” asked Don, when Terry told the events of the -afternoon. - -“Yes,” nodded Terry. “Young Gates in particular seems to be a bird of -very black feathers!” - - - - - Chapter 10 - The Eagles Disappear - - -Colonel Morrell was interested when Don told him what Terry had learned. -He had never known that young Gates had gone to Dimsdale. - -“It seems that a lot is coming out concerning that man all at once,” the -genial headmaster remarked, running his hand through his gray hair. -“Unfortunately, it does not happen to be of the best, either. I think I -will write to the headmaster of Dimsdale and confirm that, because we -don’t want to pin anything on Gates if it doesn’t belong there.” - -“No,” admitted Don. “He has a bad enough name now, and there is no use -in adding to it.” - -After the big game the school settled down to a few quiet days of normal -routine. Now that the old and bitter score had been settled the cadets -felt satisfied and they found that outsiders had a deeper respect for -them. The lofty airs of Dimsdale students had quite vanished and the two -schools looked forward to playing annual games. - -The colonel informed Don that Terry’s information was correct. -“Professor Strong, the headmaster of Dimsdale, writes to say that Gates -was a pupil there some years ago and that he was dismissed for -dishonesty,” the colonel said. “It appears very much as though his -failings run along the one line.” - -On the following Wednesday after the big game a startling thing -happened. A group of the cadets were talking around the door of the -classroom when a cadet from Clinton Hall joined them. It was early in -the day and none of the boys from Locke had been outside yet. - -“What’s the excitement, Apgar?” asked Jim noting the flushed face of the -cadet. - -“Didn’t you fellows hear what happened last night?” the cadet cried. -“The eagles are gone!” - -“What? The eagles gone?” a dozen voices cried out. - -“Sure, sawed right off at the base. Some of the fellows are out there -looking at them now.” - -Instantly there was a wild rush for the front door of Locke Hall. -Interest and excitement ran high. The eagles referred to were two huge -ornaments placed on the wide steps leading up to the main hall, and they -had been donated to the school by an army officer who had learned his -first military tactics at Woodcrest. They were made of hollow brass, -stood four and one half feet high, and had looked bravely out across the -campus for a number of years, a very real part of the makeup of the -cadet school. They had always seemed immovable, and to be told that they -had been carted off was a distinct shock to the young soldiers, to whom -they were a source of intense pride. - -Don, Jim and Terry reached the front steps as soon as any of the others -and took in everything at a glance. The parapet of the steps looked -strangely bare without the great brass birds, and the cadets hurried to -look at the spot where they had stood. Sure enough, they had been sawed -off close to the stone, and only an iron stem with some flakes of -fillings remained to show where they had been. - -“Now, who in the world could have done that?” gasped Hudson, looking -about him in a dazed way. - -“Whoever did it must have been awfully careful about it,” ventured -Berry. “It was done in the night and no one heard it, apparently.” - -“Somebody had better hunt up the colonel,” suggested a cadet, and in a -few minutes the headmaster was out on the steps, his face grave and -thoughtful. - -They kept a respectful silence while the colonel looked on the stone -rampart and examined the rough stumps of iron upon which the eagles had -been mounted. He then looked over the assembled cadets. - -“None of you gentlemen heard any sound of sawing during the night, did -you?” he questioned. - -None of the cadets had heard anything. By this time almost the entire -corps had assembled. Barnes reminded the colonel that the previous night -had been a very dark one. - -“True,” nodded the colonel. “It looked like a storm and I remember that -there was no moon and no stars. Well, this is a pretty serious business, -boys.” - -“It’s a pretty small kind of a trick,” growled Hudson. - -“We’ll have to get to the bottom of it as soon as possible,” the colonel -went on. “No clues as yet, eh?” - -“Here is one!” cried Lieutenant Thompson, suddenly straightening up. He -had bent down, looking around the ground just beyond the steps. They all -looked curiously, to see that he held a small red book in his hand. The -colonel took it and looked it over, and a gasp went up from those -nearest him. - -“A Dimsdale year book, eh?” boomed the colonel. - -It was indeed a small instruction book with the words “Dimsdale School” -printed across the cover. A murmur of understanding went up from the -students. - -“A little revenge for the football defeat,” cried Vench, voicing the -sentiment of all of them. - -“It looks very much like it,” nodded the colonel, pocketing the book. “A -very unfortunate way to feel, to put it mildly. I’m glad you found that -book, Thompson, though I’m sorry it had to be just the way it looks.” - -Before anything more could be said the class bell rang out and the -cadets started for their classes, talking it over between them. Vigorous -resentment was felt against the rival school. - -“Too bad those fellows have to be such poor sports,” growled Terry, as a -group of the third class men made their way down the hall. - -“They can’t seem to take defeat graciously or even without crying about -it,” Don said, regretfully. - -“Did you fellows see the date on that rule book?” Jim asked. - -“No, what was the date?” Vench asked. - -“I was near enough to see it plainly. It had 1938 on it. Isn’t that a -pretty old rule book for a Dimsdale student to be carrying?” Jim asked. - -“It does seem odd, if you look at it that way,” Don assented. “You are -sure it was a 1938 book?” - -“Oh, yes. I saw it at close range.” - -The school buzzed with the news all day and knots of cadets talked it -over from every angle. The colonel was unusually silent and in the late -afternoon he sent three seniors as a committee to Dimsdale to protest -and lay the matter before the school authorities there. When they came -back there was a session with the colonel and then more and eager talk -around the building. Hudson had been on the committee and he entertained -a big group in his room just before study period. The cadets stood -around or sat on his bed and drank in his words. - -“The headmaster there was pretty well put out about it all,” the senior -captain told his audience. “He looked through the book and was unable to -identify it as the property of any of the students. Did you guys know -that the book was an old 1938 one?” - -Some of them knew it. Hudson went on: “Professor Strong said that to his -knowledge there is not a 1938 instruction book in the school, and he -doesn’t know of a single student who has a book as old as that. He -expressed his regret that such a thing happened, but he does not believe -for a minute that Dimsdale fellows did it. The only thing that makes it -look bad is the fact that they lost that game last Saturday and of -course it looks exactly as though they were out for revenge and took it -out on our eagles. The student council over there is going to take up -the matter and push it hard, because it looks bad for the whole school.” - -“I hope they didn’t have anything to do with it,” Berry declared -promptly. “I hope the little book was just a plant, because I hate to -think those fellows are such downright poor sports. But, as you say, it -looks bad in the face of the past game.” - -“We’ll all have to do a little detective work from now on,” Barnes -suggested. “Let’s see if we can’t find someone who met suspicious -characters around here on that night, or something that will give us a -clue.” - -“It might be a good stunt to go over to Dimsdale and rummage around in -their boathouse or the sheds back of the school,” a senior said, but the -majority were against that. - -“Not right now,” Hudson declared. “That would be the surest way to start -trouble. Let’s wait until something more definite than that little book -points to Dimsdale as the guilty party. We all think somebody from that -school took the eagles, but until we have positive proof we’ll give ’em -the benefit of the doubt.” - -“But isn’t it funny that no one heard them cut the eagles off?” asked -Vench. - -“I wouldn’t say so,” Thompson replied. “You see, they were cemented into -the stone by a single rod. Now, it was no trouble at all to slip a thin -metal saw in between the base of the eagles and the stone and saw -through. An iron saw doesn’t make much noise and it probably didn’t take -much time. Whoever did it knew just how to go about it.” - -There the matter rested for the time being, but the cadets continued to -wonder and speculate. The student council of the rival school met and -presented a resolution that they believed the students of Dimsdale to be -not guilty in the matter of the theft of the brass eagles. Professor -Strong talked with the colonel by telephone and informed him that he -could not find a 1938 rule book in the institution nor could he find a -single student who had a book as old as that. Further check, which was -fairly accurate, revealed the fact that every Dimsdale boy had been in -his room on the night of the mysterious affair, though there was nothing -to show that some few students might not have sneaked from the building -after lights were out. All these facts made some impression on the more -thoughtful cadets, but it was not enough to make them feel altogether -sure that the rivals had no hand in the affair. - -“Too bad about it all,” sighed Don. “Just when the relations between the -schools were being mended so nicely! But we’ve simply got to find those -eagles.” - -“Yes,” Terry agreed. “No one has found out a thing, as yet. Apparently -no one saw any suspicious characters around on that night and nothing -has been learned down in the town. I’m afraid we’ll have to look further -afield for them.” - -On the following day Jim showed a dispatch from the weekly town paper to -some of the cadets. Under an editorial heading, entitled “The Revival of -Ancient Rowdyism,” there followed a long article about the notoriously -poor sportsmanship of Dimsdale. - -“See who the author is?” Jim asked as they pored over the dispatch. - -“The editor, of course,” said Douglas. - -“No,” Jim denied. “Look at this passage.” He read it to them all. “‘A -prominent citizen of this town, one of the newest and most influential -of our local citizens, tells us that he is not in the least bit -surprised at the turn things have taken. This citizen, formerly a -trustee at Woodcrest, has stood out for years past as unalterably -opposed to the resumption of relations between the two schools, having -had occasion years ago to witness more than once the regrettable lack of -honor and sportsmanship on the part of Dimsdale students. It is -altogether too bad that young men, growing up in institutions of this -kind, where they are fitting themselves to take an active part in the -affairs of life, should have so little respect for the principles of -decency and honor.’” - -“Now, who wrote that?” Jim challenged. - -“The editor,” said Don. “But Melvin Gates stood at his elbow when he did -it.” - -“I can’t understand it,” Vench said. “He certainly seems determined to -keep alive bad feelings between the schools.” - -“All in all, that editorial is quite unfair to Dimsdale,” Hudson -declared. “Maybe a few fellows from that school did saw off the eagles, -but there was no occasion to slam the whole school that way.” - -When Don, Jim and Terry were alone in their room Don said, “Melvin Gates -is taking an awful chance by writing, or being party to the writing of, -such a piece as that. What is to hinder someone from coming out and -telling the truth about his son?” - -“Perhaps he figures that if they did, Woodcrest people would naturally -take his part against Dimsdale. I wonder if you fellows are getting the -same idea that I am?” Jim advanced. - -“Perhaps we are,” Terry replied, slowly. “Are you beginning to think -that Gates had the eagles stolen to keep alive bad feeling and to make -us think he was right all along?” - -“That is just what I think!” said Jim. “Just a sort of a petty revenge. -Now all we have to do is to prove it!” - - - - - Chapter 11 - The Hunt in the Swamp - - -“Guess what I just found?” smiled Cadet Jim Mercer, joining a group at -the piano in the recreation room. - -Douglas was playing the piano and Don, Terry, Vench and Hudson were -standing around listening. Jim had been at Inslee Hall visiting a friend -and had just popped into the recreation room. It was in the evening just -before study period. - -“The pot at the end of the rainbow!” laughed Vench. “Lot of people been -hunting for that a long time!” - -“I wouldn’t be likely to find that at night, would I?” retorted Jim. He -unbuttoned the overcoat and dipped his hand into his jacket pocket. -“This is what I found.” - -He produced a long, thin instrument of steel, at the sight of which the -assembled boys cried out. It was nothing less than a steel saw, slightly -rusty from exposure to the weather. One end of it had been broken off. - -“Ah, ha!” cried the senior captain, examining it closely. “A steel saw! -That thing was used to saw off the base of our eagles!” - -“No doubt about it!” murmured Douglas. - -“And that isn’t all,” Jim went on, turning it over. “See the name on the -other side of it?” - -Stamped into the steel was the name “Henry Rose.” They looked puzzled, -and Jim went on to explain. - -“Henry Rose is the name of the maker of the steel saw. All we have to do -is to find out which hardware store in this town, or in an adjacent -town, sells Henry Rose saws. That ought not to be hard.” - -“No,” agreed Terry. “Where did you find it, Jimmie boy?” - -“In the grass at the end of the campus. I took a short cut across from -Inslee and my foot struck something in the grass. I wouldn’t have paid -any attention to it, only it flew across the grass with a zipping sort -of a sound and it aroused my curiosity. So I picked it up, and when I -saw what it was I knew it must have been part of the game.” - -“Shall we show it to the colonel?” asked Don. - -“Not right away,” advised Hudson. “Tomorrow is Saturday and we have half -day off. Suppose we fellows go down to Portville and do a little -snooping on our own account. We may be able to scare up a clue or two.” - -“That sounds reasonable,” Jim nodded. “There is only one hardware store -in town, so we shouldn’t have any trouble.” - -On the following afternoon the six cadets entered the hardware store of -John J. Potts. Mr. Potts himself, a little, energetic man, bustled up to -them, rubbing his hands. - -“Hello, boys,” inquired Mr. Potts. “What can I do for you today? I have -nothing in the way of swords or bayonets, but perhaps you’ll want -something more useful, a can opener, for instance.” - -Having delivered himself tactfully of his feeling toward war and the -implements of war, Mr. Potts laughed and the cadets smiled pleasantly. -Mr. Potts was harmless and they knew it. Jim showed him the broken blade -and the others watched him closely. - -“Do you keep Henry Rose steel saws?” Jim asked. - -Mr. Potts took the saw, examined it, and nodded. “Yes, I do. Nice blade, -just the right play and solidity to it, retails for—” - -“Never mind that,” Jim cut him short, sensing Mr. Potts’ desire to talk -at length. “Have you sold any lately?” - -“I sold three of them to Peter Cozoza last week,” replied the -Storekeeper, promptly. - -“When was it?” Vench asked, eagerly. - -“Last Monday,” Mr. Potts supplied. The cadets exchanged glances. - -“Who is Peter Cozoza?” Hudson put in. - -“He is a laborer, lives over on Meadow Street, out by the swamps.” - -“He didn’t say why he wanted them, I suppose?” Don inquired. - -“Oh, no,” protested Mr. Potts. “And of course I didn’t ask him. I’m not -in the habit of asking people what they buy things for, you know!” - -“I know it!” returned Hudson, gravely. “You wouldn’t do anything like -that, Mr. Potts!” - -“No, I wouldn’t,” Potts agreed, eyeing him suspiciously. “I never ask no -questions. What do you boys want to know what Peter bought the blades -for?” - -“We want to hire him to do a job for us,” Jim said, gravely. “Colonel -Morrell is thinking of building a new school and he wants Peter to saw -up the lumber for him!” - -“For lands sake! You don’t saw up lumber with a steel metal-cutting -blade. Look here, are you boys poking fun at me?” - -The boys looked from one to the other in silence and then Douglas shook -his head. “It is horribly bad manners to poke at anyone, Mr. Potts. We -wouldn’t think of it. Well, thanks for your information. So long.” - -The cadets walked out of the local hardware store, leaving Mr. Potts in -an uncertain frame of mind. He shook his head and went back to work, -addressing his clerk briefly. - -“Them cadets must be crazy. Such looney talk I never heard!” - -On the way out to the unkempt street that had been named Meadow Street -Don chuckled. - -“Mr. Potts never asks questions, gentlemen! But he was just dying to -know what we had in mind!” - -“I’ll say,” laughed Hudson. “And if we had told him it would have spread -all over town like wildfire.” - -There were only four or five houses on Meadow Street and they had no -trouble in finding the one owned by the laborer Peter Cozoza. The man -was not home and his small, undersized wife stared in awe at the six -erect cadets who so completely blocked up her back door. She was -somewhat charmed because they took off their military hats while they -talked to her and they spoke gently and courteously, something with -which Mrs. Cozoza was none too familiar. She told them, in answer to -their inquiry, that her husband was not at home. - -“Not at home, Mrs. Cozoza?” Jim replied, blankly. Douglas addressed the -little woman next. - -“Was he at home last Wednesday night?” - -Don grasped his arm warningly. “I’m not altogether sure we ought to ask -her that, Doug,” he cautioned. “Might get her in trouble with the -husband. You know how these people are.” - -But the little woman answered frankly enough. “No, mister, he go out -last Wednesday night, I not know where. Since then he go down in the -swamp a lot. You see, his boots muddy.” - -She pointed to a pair of muddy rubber boots that stood beside the stove. -Jim quickly snapped up the lead offered. - -“Down in the swamps?” he asked. “Which way? That way?” - -He pointed at random toward the black swamp that crept up close to the -house, but Mrs. Cozoza shook her head. “No, down the path, there.” She -pointed to a path that showed faintly through the trees. - -“Oh, I see,” smiled Jim. “Well, that is all, thank you.” - -They left the woman standing in the doorway, frankly puzzled, and looked -at the path that led into the swamp. Hudson looked at his watch. - -“We’ve got time to follow the path a little way, at least,” he -announced. “The fact that the man goes into the swamp may not have any -bearing on the thing at all, and then again, it may. I suppose you all -think it worth looking into?” - -They all agreed on that point and took the path into the swamp. When -they had entered the dark, rank woods they were compelled to spread out -in single file and keep to the path, which in some places was little -more than a mere ribbon. A false step would have meant a wet and muddy -foot. Thick bushes grew close to the path and brushed against their -coats as they made their way into the damp swamp. - -“This is a first class swamp, by golly,” commented Vench. “That guy must -have something good in here to make him want to dive into a place like -this very often.” - -After they had followed the path for at least a quarter of a mile, they -came to a kind of island in the midst of the swamp mud. The ground here -was a little harder than the rest, although it did not take a very -determined kick to drive a heel down into soft black soil. They spread -out on this island and beyond a clump of bushes they came upon a -ramshackle hut. - -“Hooray, there is the castle before us!” cried Terry. - -“A hobo’s castle, by the looks of it,” Don said, as they approached it. -“Hope there’s nobody here now.” - -The hut was not large and appeared to be about the size of a one-car -garage. A door, which was closed, faced them, and one window was in the -place, a glassless window that stared at them like a vacant eye. Hudson -thrust his head cautiously in this opening. - -“Only empty space greets us,” he said. - -“Nothing in there at all?” Douglas asked. - -Vench went around and opened the door. “Looks like a couple of bags of -potatoes in one corner,” he called. - -They thronged in the narrow door and Don poked one shoe against the bags -in the corner. Then, as a look of understanding passed over his face, he -turned swiftly to the others. - -“Here are the eagles!” he cried. - -“I thought as much,” whooped Hudson, tearing at the mouth of the bag -nearest him. “Sure enough, here they are.” - -They swiftly tore the sacking away and the brass eagles were disclosed, -swathed in straw. A thorough examination showed that they had not been -damaged. - -“So here is where they were taken,” murmured Vench, looking around the -hut. - -“Yes, and who would ever think of looking for them out here?” put in -Douglas. “If it hadn’t been for Jim’s chance discovery we would never -have thought to look here.” - -“Things worked out in great shape all around,” Jim said. “Well, now that -we have the big birds, what—” - -“Look!” cried Don, suddenly. “Here come some men!” - - - - - Chapter 12 - The Eagles Are Rescued - - -Looking out of the window of the hut the cadets saw three men coming -down the swamp pathway toward the hut. They were apparently laborers. -Two of them were big men, the third was short but sufficiently heavy to -be formidable. A single look convinced the boys that the men were coming -toward them for no good purpose. - -“I’ll bet those characters mean to take our eagles away from us,” Vench -said in a low voice. - -Hudson clenched his fists. “If they do, they’ll be up against one of the -finest fights of their lives,” he promised, his jaw set determinedly. -“We’re not going to give up the eagles now that we have them in our -hands.” - -“That’s right,” Don backed him up. “We’ll put up a fight. Suppose we -spring a surprise on them?” - -“How do you mean, spring it?” Terry asked. - -“Suppose only three of us go out and start walking away with the eagles? -Then, if they mean to fight, they’ll charge three of us, and the others -can charge them from the rear. What do you say to that?” - -“It’s a good idea,” Hudson said, briskly. “Don, Terry and I will go -first, while Doug, Vench and Jim wait, ready to turn the tide if they -should attack us. Are we all ready? Let’s go.” - -Carrying the eagles between them Don, Hudson and Terry left the hut in -the swamp and began to cross the open space before the shack. The three -cadets in reserve watched them from their post and waited. When the -three men saw the cadets coming they halted. - -“Hey, where you go?” the short man called out, scowling sullenly. - -“We’re going back to school with these eagles,” Hudson replied, his -heart beating a trifle more rapidly than usual. “Then we’re going to see -to it that the fellows who stole the eagles go to jail for it!” - -A frightened look passed between the men and the short man whispered -something to his companions. One of the taller men growled loudly. - -“They’re only chucking a bluff. I’m for beatin’ them up and pitchin’ the -eagles into the swamp. That’s to teach them soldier boys to mind their -own business!” - -“I guess it is pretty much our business when you come and steal our -ornaments off of the front steps!” growled Terry, his cheeks showing a -red that did not appear there very often. “You big overgrown bullies get -out of the way or we’ll put you in the mud instead of the eagles!” - -The big man pushed up his sleeves and advanced threateningly. “Let’s -spread a little o’ this nice black mud on these kids,” he invited. -“It’ll take some of the freshness out of them.” - -Seeing that they meant business, the cadets dropped the eagles and -waited on the defensive. - -Hudson deliberately picked out the biggest man and drove at him, -avoiding his grasping hands and planting a light tap on his chest. Terry -was exchanging lively blows with the other big man and the little man -ran at Don. He did not seem to be as determined about it as the other -two did, and Don, noting the fact, decided to finish him off rapidly. He -ducked under the outflung arm of the short man, allowed him to flop half -across his back, and then, with a well-timed heave, sent him flying over -his back, to land heavily in the mud. Before he could get up Don leaped -on him and a vigorous threshing battle ensued. - -The two big men were more than a match for Terry and Hudson and they -were out to deliberately break bones and hurt as viciously as possible. -Under any other circumstances the reserve cadets would have held in for -a time, but realizing the character of the men who were opposing their -friends the three cadets rushed out of the hut and threw themselves on -the men. Vench made a flying tackle at the man who was trying to crush -Terry in his arms and Douglas and Jim rushed Hudson’s foe. Before this -onrush the men went down in the mud. - -“The whole confounded school is here!” yelled the leader as he went -down. - -“Speaking of dipping us in the mud,” panted Hudson. “Try it yourself!” -And he deliberately pushed the head of the man so that his nose burrowed -into the soft soil. - -Realizing that they were in a bad position the two big men exerted all -their strength in the struggle and finally broke away from the lighter -cadets. They wasted no time but fled down the path, leaving the boys -winded and bruised, for the fight, though short, had been determined. -Vench was for chasing them, but Hudson was against it. - -“Nothing doing,” he cried. “Those men know the path and we don’t. Don’s -still got his man.” - -The short laborer had made a strong effort to get away from Don, but the -cadet had held onto him grimly, knocking him down with each attempt to -get up. The others went to his aid and they hauled both Don and the man -to their feet. The man gave one despairing look around and then, -realizing that he was trapped, whimpered brokenly. - -“Please! No send Peter to jail! Peter not a bad man! I not mean to hurt -you!” - -“Are you Peter Cozoza?” asked Don, wiping the mud from his face and his -overcoat. - -The man nodded miserably. “Oh, please, not de jail. Think, mister, -Maretta and de five keeds! What dey do if Peter in jail?” - -“You won’t go to jail,” Douglas reassured him. “All we want you to do is -to talk. Did you saw the eagles off up at the school?” - -The man nodded. “I was paid to do it, mister! Peter not a bad man, but -he need de money so bad!” - -The cadets understood readily. “Sure, we know that, Peter,” Don said. -“You were paid to cut them off. Who paid you to go up to our school and -cut off the eagles?” - -The man hesitated, but feeling that the truth would serve him better -than a lie, spoke out. “A man name Mr. Gates, up at the big house, he -tell me!” - -“Sure!” nodded Jim, grimly. “Of course, it would be Mr. Gates.” - -“But why?” asked Vench. - -“Oh, just to make us feel that he was right about his stand against -Dimsdale,” Don answered, wearily. “Just a petty, babyish revenge, that -is all. He got these three men to take away the eagles so that it would -cast reflections on Dimsdale. Maybe he even hoped to plant the eagles on -their property later on, I don’t know. Or, if they were never found he -would allow the suspicion between the two schools to rankle for years to -come. You can’t say anything bad enough about a man like that.” - -“You bet you can’t,” agreed the captain. “How did you know we were down -here, Peter?” - -“My wife, she tell me when I stop up there with my two friends,” the -laborer replied. - -“You just listen here, Peter,” Terry lectured. “In the future you stop -having such kind of friends, do you hear? We’re going to be good to you -and not take you to jail, just because we wouldn’t want to be mean to -your wife and the kids, see? But if we ever catch you hanging around -with bad men like that again, we’ll see that you go away to the big -prison for years and years. See, Mr. Peter?” - -“Yes, yes!” the man agreed, eagerly. “I will make good friends always, -like you!” - -“Thanks for the compliment!” laughed Hudson. “Now, we’d better get out -of here. Peter, you show us the way down the path, and no funny -business!” - -They picked up the brass eagles, which were quite heavy, and following -Peter, lugged them down the path. It was growing dark and it seemed a -long way back, but in time they stood in the back yard of the Cozoza -house. - -“Another thing, Peter,” Don said to the laborer, as they prepared to set -out for the village. “We want you to keep quiet about the whole thing. -If you don’t, we’ll have to go back on our promise about the jail. If -Mr. Gates should ask you about the eagles you tell him some of the -soldier boys came and took them away, and that you couldn’t stop them. -Outside of that we want you to keep your mouth closed about the whole -business. Understand?” - -“Yes, sir. I keep ver’ quiet!” the man promised. - -They left him and trudged down to the village. The eagles were getting -heavier all the time and Jim proposed that they hire a cab to take them -up to the school. - -“Good idea,” approved Douglas. “These things get heavier with every -step. I guess we can scare up a dollar or two between us, can’t we?” - -They found that between them they had a few dollars and they hailed a -passing cab. Gratefully they piled in and told the driver to take them -to Woodcrest. - -“What you got in them bags, boys?” the driver, a town character, said as -they drove up the hill toward the school. - -“Flower pots!” returned Terry, promptly. - -“You don’t say!” cried the driver, sending out a cloud of smoke from his -battered pipe. “Must have quite a number of pots in those bags!” - -“Oh, we have,” Terry returned. “You see, the colonel is thinking of -relandscaping the whole school, so we’re going to put plenty of flowers -around.” - -Almost the first one that they met in the hall when they carried the -rescued eagles into the school was the colonel himself. - -“Where in the world have you been, boys?” the headmaster cried. “And -where did you collect all that mud?” - -“We’ve been putting in a strenuous afternoon getting back the eagles, -sir!” replied the senior captain. “Here they are.” - -The story was swiftly told and then the cadets went upstairs to clean -up. Like wildfire the story ran around the building and the six boys -were admired by the others for their work. - -It was decided to send a public apology to Dimsdale for holding that -school in suspicion, and this was done and graciously accepted. Then -Dimsdale acted by having a scorching editorial printed in the town paper -in answer to the one suggested by Melvin Gates. The conduct of his son -years ago was broadly hinted at and the good name of the Gates family -was crushed once and for all in that locality. - -“Do you think that will drive them out of the town?” Don and Jim asked -the colonel, as they were discussing the editorial with him. - -“I don’t know,” the colonel replied, slowly. “I hardly think so, for -they only recently bought the house they are living in and that may be a -big factor in keeping them here. I hope they do stay, for I’m still -hopeful that we’ll find out why young Gates took that cup. Of course, -this editorial practically ruins the family with decent people, but the -Gates’ have money enough to keep to themselves and pass it off.” - -“You yourself did not say anything to Melvin Gates, did you?” Don asked. - -“No, that wasn’t necessary. As you saw for yourselves, the Dimsdale -editorial was a scorcher and that was enough. Gates’ trick was simply an -attempt at petty revenge that backfired. We’ll just have our eagles -remounted and forget all about the whole thing.” - -“OK,” nodded Jim. “Now that the Gates family is well established in -Portville, perhaps we can learn something important about that cup -business.” - - - - - Chapter 13 - The Call for Help - - -Mr. Terry Mackson chuckled and looked over the edge of his blanket at -the other two beds in the room. In the farthest bed Jim Mercer was -sleeping with just a bit of noise proceeding from his throat. On the bed -near Terry, Don slept in silence, his face turned toward the red-headed -boy. Terry glanced back at the window and then put one bare foot out of -bed. - -It was the morning of the second Saturday in December and the weather -man had sprung a surprise on the cadets. When they had gone to bed on -the previous night it had been cold and clear, but during the night the -weather had magically changed. Terry, lightest sleeper of the three -friends, had awakened early, to find the world wrapped in a whirling, -blowing snowstorm, the soft white flakes banked in little piles against -their windows. - -For a single moment Terry had lain there contemplating the beauty of the -early morning scene and then the light of mischief had dawned in his -gray eyes. Consulting his watch he perceived that it was almost time for -the bugle to blow, so he had no compunctions about what he intended to -do. With the grace of a stalking cat the red-head crept to the window -and scooped in a handful of snow. Keeping a wary eye on the two sleepers -he made himself about five small sized snowballs and placed them on his -bed. Then he dipped his hands once more into the wet snow and gathered a -large quantity. - -Making his way with extreme caution he reached Jim’s bed and gently -pulled the covers off that young man’s feet. Against the warm feet of -the boy he placed the snow, and then, bounding over to Don, he placed a -small pile on his forehead. From there it was but a single bound into -bed, where he pulled up the covers over his chin, and carefully hiding -the snowballs, pretended to sleep. - -It was not a moment too soon. Jim sat up suddenly, drawing his feet in a -convulsive movement toward him. A running trickle of cold water woke Don -at the same time. - -“Hey, who piled snow against my feet?” demanded Jim, knocking the cold -stuff onto the floor with a single sweep. - -“Probably the same one who put a mound of it on my head,” retorted Don, -and the two brothers looked suspiciously at Terry. - -But this aspect baffled them for a moment. Apparently, the red-head was -fast asleep. Only a very little part of him showed above his cover, and -a gentle sound, indicating deep breathing, came from the bed. But the -more the brothers looked, the more suspicious they became. - -“That looks too innocent to suit me,” Jim announced, and began to get -out of bed. - -“Yes, I doubt that peaceful, dreamy look on his homely face,” chimed in -Don, throwing off his covers. - -The boy in bed stirred and apparently woke up, flashing them a happy -smile. “Good morning, Don; good morning, Jim,” he greeted, quietly. Then -he sat up and looked with wondering astonishment out of the window. “Why -bless my soul, it has snowed, hasn’t it?” - -“Yes,” replied Jim, coming nearer. “And let me tell you, Chucklehead, -that it has been a remarkable storm. It snowed right in under my covers -and piled up against my feet, and there was even a little mound on my -brother’s head!” - -“No!” cried the red-headed boy, in astonishment. - -“Yes,” cried Jim. “And now we’re going to hang you out the window to get -a little snow on you!” - -“No, you’re not!” retorted Terry, bringing five melting snowballs into -sudden view. “Here is where the artillery goes into action!” - -Five snowballs sped in rapid succession across the room, three of them -landing on Jim and Don. They managed to dodge the other two, and then, -seeing that his ammunition was exhausted, they helped themselves to some -snow from the window sill and faced him. Terry quickly raised a wall of -bed covers before him. - -“Don’t bother to make snowballs,” Jim begged. “I think we ought to do -something useful with the snow. That lad’s face is dirty!” - -“I see what you mean,” Don nodded. “It is kind of red. Too much of that -red thatch on top of his head, and the color runs down on his face. -Think we ought to wash it off?” - -“Yep! Let’s get busy,” said Jim, earnestly. - -“You keep away from me with that stuff!” grunted the boy, as they hurled -themselves on him. But the two brothers tore down his cover wall and -proceeded to wash his freckled face vigorously, not without damage to -themselves and their pajamas, for Terry fought like a wildcat. In the -midst of the melee the bugle rang out. - -Abandoning their fun the boys began to dress rapidly, chattering away -about the welcome snow. It promised them a variety of sport, in the -nature of snow battles and sledding, and they were eager to get out and -into it. - -“Luckily, it is only a half day,” whooped Don, slipping into his coat. -“We can get out into the snow soon after dinner. It’s coming down -steadily.” - -When they got downstairs they found only a few cadets ahead of them. -Hudson was one of them. He stood out on the front steps, admiring the -view across the rolling fields and hills. His back was toward the boys -and Don quietly packed a snowball and threw it at him. It hit the senior -captain on the back of the neck and he whirled around, grinning, -intending to say something. - -But he closed his mouth with a snap and waited. Just above Don’s head -was a tiny shed roof, and Hudson saw what was going to happen. A puffy -drift had gathered there and a fierce swirl of wind hit it at the -precise moment that he turned around. Hudson grinned broadly as the -miniature snowslide hit Don on the shoulders, knocking off his hat and -sifting in powdery masses down his neck. Don coughed and sputtered in -surprise. - -“Very neatly and efficiently done,” cried Hudson lifting his hat -politely to the snow drift. “I thank you!” - -All through the morning classes the cadets were impatient and when the -noon meal was over they piled out into the snow with zest and a sense of -pleasure. By this time it had stopped snowing, leaving about a foot of -snow carpeting the ground. The sun came out briefly and the cadets were -alarmed lest it do some damage, but in the long run it turned out to be -their friend. It melted enough of the white material to make it watery -and then the cold air promptly froze it, making a delightful surface for -coasting. - -“Tonight we can go coasting on Nelson Hill!” cried Lieutenant Thompson. - -Nelson Hill was a long stretch of sloping hillside less than a half mile -west of the school, and the majority of the cadets were preparing to -spend the evening with their sleds. Most of them had already started for -the hill with barrel staves and miscellaneous wood, with which to build -fires on top of the long slope. When Terry, Don, Jim and Vench stood -around considering, the distressing fact was brought home to them that -they had no sled. - -“The seniors have got sleds,” remarked Vench. “And so have the second -class men. I guess that the newer men are out of luck.” - -Douglas approached them, excitement showing in his hurry. “You guys got -a sled?” he hailed. - -“No,” replied Jim. “Have you?” - -“I know where there is one!” was the satisfying reply. “There is an old -bob-sled down in the boathouse, with a broken runner, that we can fix -up. What do you say?” - -“Is the iron runner broken?” Don asked quickly. - -“No, but a wooden support is. The iron on it is all right, outside of -being a bit rusty. Suppose we fix it up?” - -The cadets needed no further invitation but rushed to the boathouse -without delay, there to find the old bob-sled of which Douglas had -spoken. The broken wooden support, running from the body of the sled to -the iron runner, was not a serious problem, and between them they soon -managed to get it out and substitute another one for it. - -“There!” cried Jim, proudly. “As good as new, by golly!” - -“Well, just about,” agreed Vench. “If it was new it would have a little -less dust on it, but as an A number one sled it is OK.” - -“We’ll soon clean the dust off it,” decided Douglas, and they got some -water from the gym, a brush and soap, and went to work with a will, with -the result that the sled was soon in a different condition. - -“Too late to try her out before supper,” decided Don, glancing out at -the gathering darkness. “But we’ll go over to the hill after we eat.” - -As soon as the evening meal was over Woodcrest Military school was -nearly deserted, almost all of the cadets going toward the distant hill. -Only a few boys, more interested in warm quarters and books, remained in -the school to miss the fun. - -The friends ran down to the boathouse, uncovered the bob, which they had -hidden under some loose canvas, and placing it on the snow, pulled it at -a rapid pace toward Nelson Hill. It took them a good half hour to get -there, as it was uphill most of the way. The cadets who had arrived -before them had lighted fires, which blazed against the black sky like -flaming beacons, and by the light of these fires the cadets were -coasting. The hill was long and sloping and gave them a good ride, and -by the same token, a good stiff walk up again. - -The hill was covered with sleds. Shouts of laughter and merry yells -echoed and re-echoed over the surrounding country as the cadets enjoyed -the fun. Generosity prevailed, the cadets loaning their sleds to those -who had none, while the lenders warmed themselves around the fires and -waited for the borrowers to toil up the hill again. - -“Well, what say to our first trip down?” called Douglas, planting the -bob firmly on the brow of the hill. - -“OK,” agreed Vench, sitting on the sled. Douglas eyed him with vast -disapproval. - -“What are you going to do, sit on the sled?” he demanded. - -“Certainly,” retorted Vench. “What am I supposed to do, stand on it?” - -“You ought to know enough about tobogganing to lie down,” Douglas said. -“Only girls sit up. Do you want me to clasp my hands around your tummy -and scream when we hit a bump?” - -“Aw, go chase yourself!” growled Vench, lying down on the front of the -sled. Jim and Terry followed and Don squirmed on top of them. There was -now just room enough for Douglas. - -“All set?” inquired Douglas, taking hold of the rear of the sled. - -“Let her go!” the others cried, and Douglas gave the bob a push. It -began to tilt over the top of the hill and moved slowly down. Douglas -sprang on, kneeling on the little space left for him, and the bob, with -its heavy load, began to move with increasing speed down the hill. It -did not immediately gain a great rate of speed for the runners were -still a little rusty, but it picked up gradually, until it was fairly -flying down the hill. - -Past single sleds they went, Vench steering dexterously in and out -between them, passing cadets toiling up the snowy slopes, who turned to -stare after them. One or two light bumps were encountered, which caused -the sled to jump a few inches from the ground, and they literally flew -through the air, to land with a jarring thud a little further on. In -this way they reached the bottom of the hill and kept going on the level -ground, to stop finally a long way from the point at which they had -started. - -“That was great!” cried Don, springing up. - -“The fires look to be a long way up in the air,” observed Vench, and -they looked up to the top of the hill. - -The fires looked far away from where they were, sending licking yellow -flames against a deep black sky. A number of black dots were streaking -down the hill in their direction, but the bob had gone further than any -of them because of its weight. - -“Now I suppose we have got to walk up again,” said Terry. “Too bad we -can’t push a button and make the hill reverse for us!” - -“Why go up right away?” asked Jim. “Here is a smaller hill. Want to try -it?” - -A few yards from them a smaller slope showed, on which the hard snow -gleamed from the faraway fires. - -“We’ll run right down into the woods, if we go down this hill,” -cautioned Don. “However, I’m perfectly willing. Want to try it?” - -The others agreed and with another push they dipped down this second -hill, taking a long ride in between the trees that closed over their -heads and shut out all light. But when they came to compare notes they -found that sentiment was not very keen for this hill. - -“Nothing to it,” declared Vench. - -“The snow is packed harder on the long hill,” Jim decided. “No use using -these little ones when we have a perfectly good big one.” - -“No,” agreed Douglas, gathering up the rope of the bob-sled. “Well, we -might as well begin our upward hike.” - -“Wait a minute!” cried Don. “Did you hear a crash just then?” - -None of them had. “Must have been some snow falling, or an old tree -crashing down,” Terry suggested. They turned to go back but once more -Don stopped them. - -“Listen!” he cried. “Someone’s calling!” - -They stopped and were silent for a long interval, but there was no -sound. Vench laughed. - -“Don’s hearing things,” he said. “We’ll have to get him back to the top -of the hill right away.” - -“No, I tell you I did hear something,” insisted Don. “Listen, there it -is again!” - -This time, clearly and distinctly on the night air, a call echoed -through the woods. - -“Help!” cried a faint muffled voice. “Help, somebody!” - - - - - Chapter 14 - Inside Gates’ House - - -“Someone is in trouble!” cried Vench, as the startled cadets looked at -each other in the dense gloom. - -“Yes, and we had better get on the job,” announced Don, with decision. -“The call came from over this way.” - -“Shall we leave the bob here?” Douglas asked. - -“Might as well,” Jim nodded. “It will only be in the way. We can easily -find it when we come back.” - -There was no sound from the one who had called out a few moments ago, -but the boys had the direction in mind, so they struck off into the -tangle of the woods without further delay. They had gone about two -hundred yards when they came upon a country road which had been cut -through the woods. - -“I wonder if the call came from this road?” mused Don, as they halted in -perplexity. - -“I think it did,” Terry replied. “I don’t believe that it was in the -woods. Shall we split into two parties?” - -“You mean one go up and one down the road?” Don asked. - -“Yes. You and I will go east and Vench, Doug and Jim can go west. We’ll -sing out if we see anything.” - -This plan was agreed to and the boys set out, Terry and Don running -along the road in the general direction of Portville. But they had not -gone far before someone whistled back of them. - -“That’s Jim,” Don said, as they halted. “They must have found something. -Let’s go back.” - -Accordingly, they turned around and ran back, passing the spot where -they had split and continuing on until they came to a bend in the -snow-covered road. Around this bend they found the other boys gathered -around a small automobile, the nose of which was smashed against a tree. -The three boys were busy around the car as Don and Terry hastened up. By -the faint light of the one headlight that was burning the two boys could -see that a figure was hunched over the wheel of the club coupe. The -others were trying to pull the man out and finding it a trying task, for -the driver was tightly pinned by the wheel, which had rammed into his -stomach. - -“His feet are free,” announced Douglas, who had been giving his -attention to them. Don grasped the bent steering wheel and exerted all -of his strength. It yielded a little and he tugged some more. - -“Pull, you guys,” he commanded, and they drew the body of the driver -from the car. The man was unconscious and groaned slightly. When they -had placed him on the snow in the road they saw that it was Melvin -Gates. - -“Somebody run and get the bob-sled,” directed Don, and Vench and Douglas -dashed into the woods at once. Quickly and efficiently Don ran his hands -over the man’s arms and legs. - -“No bones broken that I can feel,” he announced. “However, he may be -internally injured, and it is possible that some of his ribs are broken. -I wonder if we ought to move him?” - -“We’ve got to,” decided Terry as the others appeared with the big sled. -“He must be taken home or to a doctor’s at once. We’ll lift him gently -onto the sled and get going right away.” - -There was a blanket in the car and this they spread on the sled. Then, -with infinite care they placed the limp body of the elder Gates on the -sled and covered him up protectingly. Don and Douglas took the rope and -began to pull the sled, while Terry, Jim and Vench brought up the rear -and helped by pushing. - -“Don’t you thing somebody had better run ahead and get a doctor?” asked -Vench. - -“Yes,” nodded Don. “We’re not far from Portville, and we’ll take Gates -right to his home. Suppose you and Jim run ahead and get a doctor, and -we’ll take Mr. Gates to his own house.” - -“OK,” cried Jim, and he and Vench set off at a brisk trot and soon were -lost to sight down the winding road. - -“Car must have skidded on the road,” observed Douglas, as they pulled -the sled with its silent burden. - -“It did,” agreed Don. “I noticed the marks on the snow. This old road -must be a shortcut to Portville and Mr. Gates was taking it on the way -home from wherever he has been. The snow just at that point was pretty -hard and slippery and the car hit the tree, buckling up. That was the -crash that I heard.” - -“It must have been,” Douglas replied. “Do you think he’ll die?” - -“Hard to tell,” shrugged Don. “We can’t be sure how badly he is hurt -inside. I hope we aren’t far from Portville.” - -They were not, but it seemed like a longer journey than it actually was. -Terry helped greatly by pushing and guiding the sled over obstructions -and places that would have jarred the man. Now and then they heard low -groans from Mr. Gates, but he did not regain consciousness. - -Don knew the Gates’ home by a description which the colonel had given -him and they had no difficulty in finding it. Since there was no -hospital nearby they knew that their best plan was to get Gates to his -own home as soon as possible. It was with a vast sense of relief that -they ran the bob-sled up the driveway of the Gates home and came to a -halt before the wide front doors. - -“Well, I’m glad that is over!” murmured Terry, straightening his aching -back. - -Don ran swiftly up the front porch and rang the bell madly. It seemed an -unusually long time before a very deliberate and correct butler opened -the door. He stared at Don with expressionless eyes. - -“Mr. Gates has been hurt,” Don cried. “Get his bed ready and open these -doors wide, so that we can carry him upstairs.” - -The butler came to life, his correctness vanished and he ran with -undignified but practical haste up the front stairs, calling aloud for -the younger Mr. Gates. Don opened the front doors as wide as they would -go just as Arthur Gates and his wife appeared anxiously in the doorway. -Without paying any attention to their frightened inquiries Don ran back -to Douglas and Terry. - -“Lift him gently,” Don said, and the three boys exerted all their care -as they raised the elder Gates from the sled. At that same moment a car -stopped at the front gate and the doctor, with Jim and Vench, jumped -from the car. Arthur Gates lent a helping hand to the cadets and -together they carried the old man up the front stairs and to his -luxurious bedroom on the second floor. When they had laid him on the bed -the boys quietly withdrew, leaving Gates, his wife and the doctor alone -in the room with the injured man, while the agitated butler patrolled -the upper hall. - -“Do you suppose we had better beat it?” Douglas whispered, after Don had -closed the front doors and kicked some loose snow outside. - -“No, we’ll stay and see if his condition is serious,” Don replied. - -“But his family is none too friendly with us,” Douglas persisted. - -“I guess all that will be forgotten in a time like this,” Don answered. - -The cadets waited. The house had become quiet after the first flurry of -excitement and no one appeared to be downstairs. To Don this state of -affairs was gratifying, for he had a plan in mind. Taking care not to -seem too curious he edged away from the others, who were looking at some -magazines on the table, and in time made his way around the downstairs -floor on a tour of inspection, keeping a wary eye about for a possible -maid or the upset butler. - -He looked into a large room off the library in which the cadets were -gathered and found that it was the dining room. From there he moved to -the door which opened into a large living room, and he looked carefully -at every object on the mantelpiece. There was a small study near that -which he looked over, and then the hall and library. He returned to the -others when his tour of inspection was over. - -“The cup is not downstairs,” he reflected. “I didn’t think it would be -in plain sight anywhere, but I wanted to make sure.” - -After a considerable delay Arthur Gates came down the central stairs and -joined them. His face was pale and he showed signs of anxiety, but his -message was a cheering one. - -“Nothing really serious,” he told them, in answer to their eager -question. “There are no bones broken and outside of a bad bruising my -father is all right. It was a narrow escape, however. Tell me how you -found him and how you happened to get a doctor here so quickly.” - -The boys told him and Gates was impressed. “It was very lucky for all -concerned that you happened to be at that particular point in the -woods,” he said. “My father had been over to Easton and was taking the -old road home again. If he had remained there the result would have been -far different. I don’t know how to express my appreciation to you.” - -“Don’t try,” begged Don. “We were just lucky enough to be there at the -time. We are glad to hear that your father is not in any danger.” - -Gates’ eyes wandered to their uniforms. “You are cadets up at Woodcrest, -aren’t you?” - -“Yes,” the boys nodded. Gates was silent for a moment. “I shall see to -it that Colonel Morrell knows of your service to us.” - -“Don’t bother,” said Don, glancing at the clock. “We are late now and -we’ll have to report our reason for staying over the limit, so the -colonel will find it out from us. That will be sufficient. When you come -right down to it, it didn’t amount to much on our part.” - -“You fellows are too modest,” smiled Gates, as he saw them out. - -They retrieved the bob-sled and started back for the school at a rapid -pace. Terry whistled as they walked along. - -“Well, it was quite a night,” he observed. “I’m glad the old gentleman -wasn’t hurt badly.” - -“So am I,” agreed Don. “But it all served one useful purpose. We know -where the Gates home is and I know what the inside of it looks like. -Don’t know if that will ever do us any good or not, but it may come in -handy some day.” - - - - - Chapter 15 - Arthur Gates’ Letter - - -The following day Don decided to walk to town and see if there was a -letter for him at the postoffice. He expected one from his father. The -others were studying so Don went alone to the town. He could have waited -until the mail was delivered to the school, but that would be over the -weekend, and he did not feel like waiting. He walked to town and entered -the local postoffice. - -A number of persons were waiting for their mail, so he took his place in -line and waited patiently. A man ahead of him looked familiar to Don, -and when the man had obtained his mail he turned away from the window -and Don saw that it was Arthur Gates. - -Gates had a number of letters in his hand, some of which he had received -at the window and some of which he intended to mail. He passed Don and -the boy paid no further attention to him. Don got his letter and left -the window. As he did so he saw Gates walk to the door, open it, and as -he was going out, drop a letter. - -Don stepped forward and picked up the letter which Gates had dropped. -The man was evidently in a hurry, for he passed out of the door and -walked down the street rapidly. Thinking that the letter was one which -Gates had intended to mail Don decided to drop it in the slot himself, -but when he got to the mail opening he noted that the letter was -addressed to Gates, and that it was postmarked Canada. - -“Shucks,” he muttered in disgust. “Now I’ve got to go and catch him.” - -With this thought in mind Don darted out of the door and looked down the -darkened street for Gates, but he was not to be seen. He walked to the -corner and looked up and down but without success. Gates was nowhere in -sight. Feeling that he must go back and leave the letter with the -postmaster Don was on the point of returning when a church clock struck -the hour. - -“Golly,” he reflected. “I haven’t time. I’ll have to get back to school -at once, and on the double.” - -There was no time to drop the letter off at Gates’ house and Don decided -to put it in his pocket and take it around to the house on the following -day when he took his regular Sunday afternoon walk. He thrust it deep -into his pocket and half walking, half running, reached the school -building just in time. Without even thinking of the letter which did not -belong to him he hung up his overcoat and went to supper. - -It was not until after supper that he again thought of the letter and -then he went to the room. Jim and Terry were in the Recreation Hall, -watching a game of chess between two upper classmen, and Don was alone -in the room. He took the letter from his pocket, stared at it, thrust -his hand quickly into the pocket and then uttered a cry of dismay. - -“Wet!” he cried. “I must have gotten some snow in my pocket and it has -soaked the letter through. Darn it, the glue on the envelope has come -off.” - -The envelope had indeed opened and the letter was wet through on one -end. He decided to dry the paper and without any intention of looking at -its contents pulled the dampened sheets out of the bedraggled envelope -and spread them on top of the table. - -“There, that will dry in a short time,” he thought. “Then I’ll seal it -up and explain about it to Mr. Gates tomorrow.” - -The last sheet was turned up toward him. He glanced at it and was about -to turn away, when a word struck his attention. He looked down and then -hesitated. - -“Humph, I musn’t read this,” he thought. “I shouldn’t even have it. -But—” - -Then he decided to see what the word “cup” was about. He picked up the -letter and read the paragraph. It read as follows: - -“I understand your anxiety about that trophy cup that has caused all of -the trouble, and I will do my best to help you. As long as I and George -Long are the only ones who know the full story about that cup, I feel it -my duty to help you in any way that I can. I was wondering why you -didn’t take the thing to a jeweler and have the bottom scraped, but I -can see what that would have meant, and the best thing is to get it away -from your house. There is no telling who might some day get ahold of the -thing and find out the truth, and with those cadets in the same town -such a thing wouldn’t be wise. I will be down to see you in a week’s -time, and when I return to Canada I’ll take the cup with me and will -keep it safely in my cabin here. When you come to visit me next summer -we can scrape the bottom ourselves or we can throw it in the river, -whatever you say. Too bad you ever did such an outlandish thing.” - -The letter was signed “Oliver Burgess.” - -“Now, what the devil can that mean?” puzzled the astonished Don. “It is -surely referring to the missing 1933 trophy, but I wonder what all that -stuff about the scraping of the bottom means?” - - - - - Chapter 16 - News from Inside - - -“So he is worrying about the cup, eh?” asked the colonel, when Don and -Jim showed him the strange letter. - -At the colonel’s suggestion they had read the entire thing, taking the -responsibility upon themselves in view of the fact that every effort to -clear George Long was justifiable. But outside of the one passage that -Don had read there was no other clue in the letter. - -“He seems to be,” Don answered. “What do you make of that part about -scraping the bottom of the cup, sir?” - -“I don’t know what to make of it,” the headmaster confessed. “It is very -strange, and I’m afraid that we will have to get possession of the cup -in order to find out just what all this mystery is. We must get the -cup.” - -“If we do get it, we’ll have to work fast,” Jim put in. “This friend of -his is to take it away to Canada with him.” - -“Yes,” agreed the colonel. “We will have to work fast. In the meantime, -I shall have a copy of this letter made and then we’ll seal it up and -one of you should take it to the postoffice and drop it in the incoming -mail slot. In that way Gates will get it without ever knowing that it -had been tampered with.” - -The colonel had a copy made of the letter and then Don and Jim walked -down to the postoffice and placed it in the proper slot. - -In a day or two the colonel reported very satisfactory developments. He -showed Don an advertisement in the town paper. The advertisement read as -follows: - -“Wanted: A butler for large household, must have previous experience and -good references. Apply at any hour to 14 Portville Avenue and ask for -Mr. Melvin Gates.” - -“That ad just suits our purpose and couldn’t be better,” the colonel -told Don. - -“How so, sir?” asked Don, puzzled. - -The colonel laughed. “I’ll show you this afternoon. Go to Captain Rhodes -and tell him I have excused you from drill formation, then come and -report to me. We will take a little drive together.” - -After classes that day Don reported to Rhodes and repeated the colonel’s -order, and the drill instructor readily excused him from duty. While the -other cadets were drilling on the windswept field Don went to the -colonel’s office to accompany the headmaster on his unknown journey. The -colonel was ready for him and when Don entered he called up a local taxi -agency and ordered a cab. - -“We are going in style—and in secrecy,” the colonel chuckled, amused at -the wondering look on the cadet’s face. - -In due time the taxi arrived and the colonel and Don got into the cab, -after the headmaster had given an order to the driver in a low tone. -When they were safely underway Colonel Morrell told Don that they were -going to call on the police. - -“A sort of a diplomatic excursion,” he smiled. “The fewer who see us, -the better.” - -They rode down into Portville and stopped at last in front of the town -hall, where the colonel alighted, paid his bill and then led Don inside -and into a small private office, where they remained alone for some -fifteen minutes. At last a small door opened and Captain Dorran of the -local police came into the room. He was an old friend of the colonel’s -and they shook hands heartily. - -“This is one of my cadets, cap’n,” remarked the colonel, nodding to Don. -“One of my very best, too, the young man who helped me out of that bad -scrape last year.” - -“Glad to know you, young man,” the police chief laughed. “I thought at -first that the colonel was bringing you to me for business purposes!” - -“We have some business on hand,” said the colonel, as Don shook hands -with the police chief. “And we’ll want a little help from you.” - -“Sit down, both of you,” Dorran invited. “Now what can I do to help -you?” - -“Don,” directed the colonel, “tell Captain Dorran the whole class trophy -story up to date. Don’t leave a thing out.” - -Don complied, being careful to remember and relate everything that had -happened, and when he had finished the colonel nodded in approval. - -“Yes, that is about right. What do you think of it, Dorran?” - -The chief frowned. “This Arthur Gates is a pretty black character, isn’t -he? What is it that you want me to do, Morrell?” - -“There was an advertisement in the paper last night calling for a -butler, and the Gates family placed the ad. I want you to scare me up a -good detective that will pass as a butler, and have him placed in the -house. When the man from Canada comes this butler-detective is to try -and get hold of that cup, or at least to prevent it from going to -Canada. Can you do that?” - -“I think I can,” replied the chief promptly. “I’ll have Proctor come -in.” - -Mr. Proctor was called in and the colonel and Don saw he could play the -part well. He looked anything but a detective, with his expressionless -face, soft brown eyes and sleek hair. He did look every inch a -soft-spoken, efficient butler. He was informed of the necessary details -and ordered to either get the cup or at least keep it from going to -Canada. Even before Don and the colonel left the station he was on his -way to Gates’ place to apply, with references in his pocket that had -served him more than once in similar cases. - -“Well, what do you think of my plan?” the colonel asked his young -companion on the way back to school in the cab. - -“I think it should be just the thing to clear up all this business,” Don -replied. “We know that the cup is in the house and the detective should -be able to get hold of it. Once we get a good look at the thing we -should be able to clear up all the mystery surrounding it and then -George Long can be wholly cleared.” - -“Yes, that’s what I think,” Colonel Morrell nodded. “When I do announce -the story of George’s innocence to the world I don’t want any loose -ends. I want to be able to tell the whole story. I think the detective -is clever enough to get the cup and then we’ll be at the end of our -problem.” - -Some of the cadets were standing around the door when the cab stopped -and they were surprised to see Don alight and hold the door open for the -colonel, who got out and paid the driver. The colonel went on inside and -Don lingered to talk to some of his friends. He came in for a lot of -good-natured bantering for going riding with the colonel. - -“It beats me,” said Lieutenant Thompson, with mock seriousness, “how -some fellows do get along in this world. Here the rest of us go out and -drill all afternoon, while Don goes riding in a taxi with the colonel! -Some fellows have all the luck!” - -The colonel kept Don fully informed of the progress of events at the -Gates home. Mr. Proctor had become butler at the house and in two days’ -time reported the arrival of the friend from Canada. As yet the -detective had not been able to find the missing trophy, but he believed -that it would soon be forthcoming. - -The next report came in one evening while Don and Jim were making out a -report in the colonel’s office. The telephone rang out and the colonel -answered it. They heard him say: “What? That’s fine. Get hold of it in -some way, and bring it right up to the school when you do. That’s good -news. All right, and best of luck.” - -He turned to the boys and lowered his voice. “That was Mr. Proctor,” he -told them. “The friend from Canada is going home tomorrow, and in -addition to his regular suitcase, which he brought with him, he is -carrying a small black bag, and if he does not get an opportunity to get -the bag in the house, he will follow the man to the railroad station and -try to get it there. He’ll get it somehow, and I told him to bring it -right up here to the school when he did get it.” - -“That is good news from inside,” said Don, with satisfaction. “I hope he -manages it.” - - - - - Chapter 17 - Mr. Proctor Gets the Bag - - -Saturday evening, the telephone in Colonel Morrell’s office rang. After -a short conversation he sent an orderly in quest of Don and Jim, as well -as Douglas and Hudson. When they were all assembled he told them what he -had in mind. - -“I have just had a call from Mr. Proctor, boys. He has the black bag -with the 1933 trophy in it!” - -“He has?” cried Don. “That’s fine.” - -“Yes, and he is on his way here now. I wanted you young men on the spot -to get a good look at it as soon as I did. All we have to do is to wait -until the detective comes.” - -It took Mr. Proctor a good half hour to arrive, but at last they heard a -taxi drive up to the front of Locke Hall and a door slam. A moment later -and Mr. Proctor was with them, a satisfied expression on his sleek face. -In his hand he carried a small black bag, of which he took excellent -care. - -“Well, so we have it at last, eh?” boomed the colonel. “How did you get -hold of it?” - -“I didn’t get it in the house at all,” the detective explained. “Mr. -Burgess, the visitor from Canada, kept it so close beside him that I -didn’t have a chance. I had to wait until after he was gone. I followed -him down to the station and watched my chance, but it didn’t come until -after I got on the train. He had placed it in the rack overhead and when -we came to a small station I got up, took the bag and made for the door, -just as he raised a cry. It was good and dark, so I just beat it away -and took a cab here. I called you up from Orangeville, colonel.” - -“I see,” said the colonel. “Well, now let’s have a look at that cup.” - -Mr. Proctor went to work on the bag, which was locked, but with the aid -of some keys and a huge knife forced the top open, while the cadets -looked on in breathless interest. As the bag split open with a rush they -all craned forward to see what was in it. - -It was full of old newspapers, and nothing more. - -For just a minute there was complete silence in the room. The boys -looked from one to another and the detective looked as though his eyes -would pop out with surprise and mortification. The colonel breathed -hard. - -“Looks as though something had been put over on you, Mr. Proctor,” he -said quietly. - -The detective nodded miserably. All the way to the school he had been -congratulating himself on his cleverness and now it turned out to be but -a mockery. - -“Then he must have the thing in his suitcase!” he cried. “But I -distinctly heard Gates tell him to take the cup in the black bag.” - -“It looks very much as though they both knew you were on the trail and -switched the cup to the suitcase,” Hudson remarked. - -“If that is the case, the cup is lost, for it is on its way to Canada,” -the colonel declared. - -“I don’t see how they could have gotten onto me,” the detective cried. -“I never did a better job in my life.” - -“I have just thought of something,” ventured Don. “Do you remember the -night you called up the school here and told the colonel all about it, -Mr. Proctor?” - -“Yes,” replied the man. - -“Was Arthur Gates at home when you called?” - -“Yes, but he was upstairs, for I made sure of that. Oh, he couldn’t have -heard me!” the man protested. - -“When I was at that house, on the night we took Mr. Gates home from the -accident, I noticed a telephone upstairs. Do you suppose—” - -“Ah!” almost shouted the detective. “That click on the wire!” - -“Did it sound as though someone upstairs picked up the telephone -receiver while you were talking?” pressed Don quietly. - -“Yes,” acknowledged the detective. “Now that you put it that way, it -did. I remember hearing a click while I was explaining things to Colonel -Morrell, but I thought nothing of it. Somebody, probably Arthur Gates -himself, must have heard that conversation.” - -After the crestfallen detective had departed they talked it over, -realizing that the game was up. There was now no hope of ever recovering -the cup. - -“I guess we’ll just have to go without knowing what was on that cup that -made it worth while for Gates to steal,” the colonel admitted. “Now, the -only thing for me to do is to have another Alumni meeting soon after -Christmas and have Long there. At that meeting we’ll publicly clear him -and let it go at that.” - -“All I can say is that Mr. Proctor is not the best detective in the -world,” said Douglas. - -“No,” seconded the colonel. “He should never have called up from the -house, or from any other place. He should have come directly here and -told me things personally. Well, boys, that is the end of the cup -affair. I thank you most heartily for your very real interest in it and -your services to Mr. Long. That ends the matter of the 1933 class’s -trophy as far as we are concerned, with the exception of the apology to -Long.” - - - - - Chapter 18 - The Published List - - -Christmas came and Woodcrest was almost deserted. For a whole week the -school looked empty and forlorn as the boys went to their homes to spend -the holiday season. - -The Mercers and Terry had returned to Maine, separating for a brief week -to be with their own families. The Mercer brothers thoroughly enjoyed -the week at home, visiting friends, spending time with the family, and -getting in some fine skating. - -It was the day following New Year’s Day that the brothers returned to -Woodcrest and once more plunged into the routine of school life. Things -went along smoothly for a week, and then something unexpected happened. - -Just as Don and Jim were cleaning up one evening for dinner Terry burst -into the room, his eyes shining with excitement. - -“A little excitement now and then, is relished by the best of men!” -recited the red-headed boy. - -“Admitting that I am the best of men, what is the excitement!” grinned -Jim, carefully hanging up his towel. - -“The Portville Bank was held up and robbed this afternoon!” came the -startling answer. - -“What’s that?” Don exclaimed. - -“Sure enough,” affirmed Terry, bouncing down on the bed. “A big car -drove up to the bank just before closing time and three masked men got -out, walked into the place, forced their way into a couple of private -vaults and ran off with a few thousand dollars, to say nothing of some -valuable family plate.” - -“Right in broad daylight?” asked Jim. - -“Yes, bold as brass. It was all over so quickly that the police didn’t -have a chance to do a thing about it. The bandits drove out of town -before anything could be done in the way of turning in an alarm.” - -“They must have had the thing planned for a long time ahead, to pull off -a stunt like that in the daytime,” Don said. “They must be a slick -bunch, to drive out of town in a car in broad daylight.” - -The supper bell rang at that moment and they went downstairs, to find -the corps buzzing with the news from town. Nothing else was talked of -during the meal, for such things were unusual and it was the first time -in its history that Portville had come in for such distinction. Scores -of different plans for catching the bandits were advanced, some of which -made the colonel smile. - -“Too bad the authorities don’t request that you boys be put on the trail -to run the outlaws down,” he suggested. - -“If we were put on the job we’d do our best to catch those thieves,” -Lieutenant Thompson boasted. - -After the drill the cadets managed to straggle down into town to see if -there was anything unusual, but they were disappointed. A number of the -local police stood about, but that was the only sign that anything was -wrong. Of course there were the extra knots of townspeople who buzzed -and hummed, but as most of their talk was fruitless speculation the -cadets paid no attention to it. - -On the following day the Portville paper carried a screaming account of -the robbery, in fact, there was little else in the paper but the news. -Beside a dozen different accounts of the affair, given by the cashier -and the clerks who had been eyewitnesses of the holdup, there were -accounts of the activities of the police and promises for a speedy -capture of the bandits. Pictures of the bank adorned the inside sheets, -and the history of the institution took up an entire page. - -It was Jim who found a paragraph of unusual interest in the account. -Most of the cadets had contented themselves with a glance at the -headlines of the paper, but Jim had taken the trouble to read the -details. He lost no time in finding Don and Terry. - -“Look here,” he commanded them, pointing to the paper. “I just found one -item of interest to us. Did you fellows know that the private vault of -the Gates family was robbed?” - -“I had heard so,” Terry nodded. “Anything of value taken?” - -“Yes, some very expensive silver plate. But this is what the paragraph -says: ‘Besides a quantity of silver plate and some family heirlooms in -the way of jewelry, a silver cup trophy, won at school by Arthur Gates, -was also taken from the family vault.’” - -“A silver cup, eh?” said Don, his eyes narrowing. “Now, can that be our -silver cup?” - -“Nope, it must be Gates’,” grinned Terry. - -“You know what I mean,” rejoined Don, impatiently. “We thought that the -friend from Canada took the cup back with him. Well, we may have been -wrong all along, and Gates probably put it in the safe deposit vault at -the bank.” - -“I guess that is what happened,” Jim agreed. “Gates figured that we -would think it went to Canada and would give up the search for it. And -all the time it was right here in the town!” - -“I think we had better show this article to the colonel,” decided Don. -“If the police ever do catch these men we may be able to see the cup -before Gates gets it back.” - -The colonel was of the same opinion. “It may be another cup, of course,” -he warned. “Gates went to other schools and he may have won other cups. -I hope more honestly than he won the 1933 cup. But if we get a chance -we’ll surely take a look at the cup the bandits took.” - -It was a foregone conclusion that it would take months to catch the -bandits and no one had much faith in the Portville police. But with -brilliant swiftness the local police caught the bandit trio. Working on -the theory that the man had only pretended to flee in some nearby woods -the local representatives of the law combed the thickets thoroughly, to -run down their astonished quarry in less than a week. The three men were -surprised in bed in a lonely cabin in the nearby hills, and the entire -proceeds of the bank robbery were found with them. - -It developed later that the three men planned to bury the plate and -divide the money, hoping to split up and leave the region singly, but -the prompt work of the town police effectively prevented that. They were -swiftly brought to justice and the first inkling that the cadets had of -the fact was when the morning newspaper arrived at the school. - -“Well, what do you know about that!” murmured Terry, as they scanned the -paper. “I didn’t know the local police force had it in them.” - -“They surprised everyone, perhaps even themselves,” smiled Don. - -Jim was reading the account closely. “All of the effects of the Gates -family were recovered,” he announced. “The cup is mentioned here again, -but there is no description of it. I certainly would like to know what -cup it is.” - -“I guess we should be able to find out,” said Don. “Suppose we go down -to the newspaper office and hunt up the reporter that took the account? -Surely he should be able to tell us something about the cup, for it is -more than probable that he saw it.” - -At their earliest opportunity they went to town and to the newspaper -office, where they asked for the reporter who had taken down the account -of the robbery. He was a young man of a pleasant personality and he was -very willing to talk to them. - -“Just what is it that you want to know, boys?” he asked. - -“In the account that you wrote up of the robbery you detailed the -articles stolen from the different vaults,” Don said. “We saw that among -the effects taken from the Gates family vault there was a silver cup -mentioned. Did you see that cup?” - -“Yes,” responded the reporter. “I saw all of the recovered articles. The -cup was among them.” - -“What did it look like?” Don asked, trying not to appear too interested. - -“Why do you want to know?” countered the reporter. - -“Mr. Gates won several cups in his school days, and he won one at -Woodcrest,” Don answered. “We were just wondering if it was the -Woodcrest cup that was stolen.” - -The boys, when planning their method of procedure before coming to the -newspaper office, had decided on that story. The reporter was satisfied -at once. - -“Why, I can’t tell you that exactly,” he said, slowly. “I didn’t notice -anything but the date on it.” - -“What was the date?” Terry asked quickly. - -“The date was 1933,” was the answer. - -“That was the Woodcrest cup,” nodded Don. “We were wondering up at the -school, and we three fellows decided to stop in and see if that was the -cup. Thanks a lot.” - -“That is perfectly all right,” the reporter smiled. “Shall I ask Mr. -Gates sometime if that was the cup?” - -“No, it won’t be necessary,” Don replied, casually. “We know that it is -the cup he won at Woodcrest, because he won one in that year. I suppose -he locked it up in the vault again?” - -“No!” was the unexpected reply. “He left all of the other valuables -there, but he took the cup back to his home with him!” - -“Maybe he feels so much pride in it that he wants it at hand,” suggested -Jim as a venture. - -“I don’t know, I’m sure, but I know that he took it home with him,” the -reporter concluded. - -When they had thanked him once more the boys left the office and started -back to school, talking the situation over between them. - -“Well, the cup is still in our midst, and we may have another try at -it,” Don remarked. - -“As long as it is at the house, yes,” agreed Jim. “Maybe he feels that -it will be safest where he can keep an eye on it.” - -“Um,” observed Terry, sarcastically. “All we have to do is to get in and -get at it!” - -“Something may turn up and give us the chance,” said Don, hopefully. -“You never can tell.” - - - - - Chapter 19 - A Conversation in the Dark - - -Early one February morning a committee of ladies and gentlemen waited on -Colonel Morrell. He saw them come up the drive, and was surprised to -note that the group was made up of a clergyman, two well-known -businessmen, and two ladies whom he knew to be leaders of women’s -activities in Portville. When they had all been seated in his office, -the clergyman, a fine, straight-forward young man who was making good in -the largest church in the town, broached the subject to him. - -“Colonel Morrell,” began Dr. Bicknell. “You may be a bit surprised to -see such a formidable gathering bear down on you, but I assure you that -we have good intentions. I don’t know whether you have heard anything -about it or not, but on Washington’s Birthday Portville is to celebrate -its small but honored share in the events of the Revolutionary War. We -are a committee in charge of arrangements and have come to ask you for -you co-operation on that day. The center of attraction will be the old -Gannon House and the picturization of the stirring events that happened -in it.” - -“The Gannon House?” asked the colonel. “I’ve heard of it, but I don’t -just recall where it is.” - -“It is the house at present occupied by Mr. Melvin Gates and his family. -You know the place now?” - -“Oh, yes, surely,” affirmed the colonel. “Now I do remember. That is the -most historic house in Portville, eh?” - -“Yes,” replied Dr. Bicknell. “At the time of the Revolution our armies -were harried by one particular spy who seemed to find out every move -that the Continental Army made. At last this spy was run down by two -determined citizens of Portville, and was found to be a young teacher -who lodged at the Gannon House. He was taken from the house by indignant -patriots and hanged just outside the town. The act was most fortunate, -for from that moment there was no more leaking of news to the British. - -“On Washington’s Birthday we propose to have a pageant which will show -most of that, all but the actual hanging, which people can dispense -with, I imagine. The events leading up to the capture of the British spy -were highly dramatic, and we wish to show them in the pageant, which -will take place in the daytime. What we want you to do, Colonel Morrell, -is to permit your boys to parade in the morning. There will be a parade -of ex-service men, fraternal organizations and business clubs, to say -nothing of the patriotic organizations, and we feel that the line of -march would not be complete unless your splendid boys marched with us.” - -“In the name of the cadet corps, I thank you,” acknowledged the colonel. -“I shall be most happy to have the cadet units march in the parade. The -boys haven’t been in a public parade for a number of years and it would -do them good to get in one. Yes, I shall be very happy to allow the boys -to parade.” - -“That is very helpful, and we are grateful to you for your -co-operation,” smiled the pleasant young pastor. “Now, there is one -other thing we would like to request. In the evening there will be a -public inspection of the Gannon House and at that time we would like to -post some of your cadets at various points about the house, to act as -guides or whatever else may come up. Can you see your way clear to let -us use a few of your honor pupils, say one at the front and rear doors, -and one on each side and the staircases? That will add an impressive -tone to the whole thing.” - -“Yes, that can be easily done,” promised the colonel. “I shall be glad -to help in any way possible. I shall detail my captains and lieutenants -to take posts in the house and do whatever else you wish them to do.” - -The members of the committee once more thanked the colonel, and after a -few plans were made they left him. In due time the news was circulated -among the corps and the cadets looked forward with more or less pleasure -to the event. - -“It will be something different,” Terry expressed it. “Won’t I enjoy -marching through town, the center of all eyes.” - -“You mean the town will be the center of all eyes?” asked Jim, slyly. - -“No, dope! I will be!” - -“If I remember correctly, you will be perched on the rear of a gun -carriage,” retorted Jim. “But just think of me, my boy! I’ll be sitting -on a horse, the captain of the cavalry, as proud as you please, bowing -to the ladies.” - -“With all due respect to your exalted position,” grinned Terry. “I would -advise you not to bow too much. You might tumble over the neck of the -horse and bump your nose!” - -“I guess I’ll be the only one who won’t shine at all,” said Don. “I’m -just a poor, plain little infantry soldier! A lieutenant on foot doesn’t -show up much.” - -“I thought that Gates’ house looked like a very old one when we were in -it,” said Don. “But I never guessed that it had such a history. Now that -we know the history we can account for the huge doors, the massive bolts -and the wide, spreading staircase.” - -An account in the newspaper interested the boys. It related how, at a -time when the British raided Portville, the Gannon family took their -silver plate and buried it out in the garden. The British had stolen -everything in sight, but the silver was later dug up by the members of -the family and saved. - -“I’d like to see the spot where it was buried, sometime,” said Terry. -“That must have been an interesting sight. Imagine the men out in the -garden in the dead of night, burying the boxes of silver plate!” - -Parade orders were given two days before Washington’s Birthday and the -cadets found themselves in for a busy time. Dress uniforms were brought -out and cleaned, swords polished and bayonets rubbed down. Rifles were -inspected and the horses well groomed, for the colonel was anxious for -his boys to give a good account of themselves. - -Good fortune fell to Jim. As an officer he had received a post inside -the historic house. In high spirits he told Don and Terry of his good -fortune. - -“Nice going, kid!” approved Don, generously. “Where is your post to be?” - -Jim made a wry face. “I’m not so sure that the post is a good one, for I -am stationed at the back door. I won’t be able to see much of what goes -on there, but at least I’ll be in the house.” - -“Maybe we’re luckier than you are, at that,” chuckled the red-headed -boy. “Those of us who are not to be on post in the house will be able to -roam around the town, for the colonel has given us full liberty on that -day. But just the same, I think I’d rather be in the house.” - -“So should I,” nodded Don. “At any rate, keep your eyes open, Jim. There -is no telling what you may see.” - -“I’ll do that,” Jim promised. - -On Washington’s Birthday the school showed the marks of feverish -activity. After breakfast and the school exercises the corps assembled -on the campus. It was indeed a splendid sight. The cavalry, with Captain -Jim and Lieutenant Thompson at the head, assembled on the road in front -of the campus, while the cadet brigade took up the campus. Back of the -infantry the artillery unit stood at attention, the several guns -polished to the last degree. All of the cadets were in dress uniform, -with the tall military hats, the braided coats, and the white gloves. -When the corps was fully formed and the orders of the day read, they -started out to join the other divisions of the parade, the citizen -units. - -With the jangle of trappings the cavalry, in perfect formation four -abreast, moved off down the road, and the infantry, also marching four -abreast, with the band playing a lively march and the heels of the young -men ringing out on the pavement, followed. A dull rumble to the rear -marked the progress of the artillery division. When they struck the -center of town they fell into place behind the patriotic clubs. The -parade began at eleven o’clock. - -It was a fine parade from start to finish. A number of ex-service men -led the van, with the town organizations following. They made up fully -one-half of the parade and then came the Woodcrest Military Institute -corps. Afterward, everyone gave praise to the young soldiers from the -school up in the hills. The cavalry was superb, the infantry marched -with precision, every foot in step and every white glove swinging with -accuracy, the flags drooping colorfully and the young men erect. The -field guns rolled along looking grim and effective, and when the parade -finally came to an end the colonel was more than satisfied. - -In the afternoon the pageant was held and the cadets, no longer under -orders, watched the display. Fortunately, the Gannon House stood back -from the street and was favored with wide lawns, and the people who came -to see the spectacle, and that included practically the entire town, -were all able to see the display. Actors dressed in the costumes of -Revolutionary times took part and it proved to be most entertaining. A -young man came to the door of the Gannon House, dressed in the Colonial -costume, and asked for lodging, explaining that he was a teacher and -wanted to earn his living in the town. He was graciously received by the -Gannon family and installed as one of the family. But no sooner had this -young man settled himself than he began to entertain strange visitors. -Very erect men visited him, listening to his low-spoken talk with great -attention and then going away. At night the teacher left the house, -wrapped in a great cloak, explaining to Mr. Gannon, who asked his -purpose, that he was merely walking for exercise and recreation. Then -came two patriots who pretended great friendship for the young teacher -and watched him at night, crouching beneath the windows to do so. Toward -the end of the pageant they unmasked the spy and Mr. Gannon was the -first to condemn him to the fate of hanging. The last scene showed the -Gannon family hearing from the lips of American officers that no more -information was “leaking” to the British. - -The pageant was well given and the spectators enjoyed it. Gates’ house -was then opened to the public for a supper, which was served to the -members of the committee. At eight o’clock the doors were formally -opened to the general public, and Jim took his post at the back door. - -Hudson, as senior captain of the corps, occupied the central position at -the front door. Other captains and lieutenants had posts throughout the -house. There were two cadets on the lower floor, one in the center of -the house and another in the huge, Colonial kitchen, a cadet on the -central staircase and one on the landing of the second floor. One cadet -stood post on the third floor, where the quarters of the servants still -stood unchanged since the days of the building of the house. And at the -back door stood Jim. - -He was not sure that his post was the best in the world, but he did have -an active one. Early in the evening numbers of townsfolk, some of them -brilliantly dressed, entered the house and were led through it by -members of the Daughters of the American Revolution, who were all -dressed in costumes of that period. When they finished inspecting the -house they went to the grounds in the back and kept Jim active. When he -heard a step on the other side of the door he would step quickly to the -door, open it wide and step back, holding it open until the persons had -passed through and then closing it. The yard had been lighted only in -the immediate vicinity of the house. The back gardens remained in -darkness. - -Of course much was seen of the Gates family. Melvin Gates, who had -recovered from his accident, was everywhere in evidence, easily the -center of the affair. A few knew that the senior Gates was more than -delighted at the entire circumstance, as it was raising him vastly in -the eyes of the townspeople in general. He had not himself offered his -house for inspection, but had been very willing when the subject had -been broached to him by the leaders of the movement. Arthur Gates was -also much in the public eye as he moved with immense sociability around -the house, his wife beside him, bowing and smiling. When the party -happened to be composed of persons of wealth and distinction in -Portville the bow and the smile became very genial indeed. - -However, not only the rich and influential came that night to the old -Gannon House, but also the poor and humble. Many a plain working man, -interested in the history of his country or the structure of the house, -came to look through it and Jim opened the door to such as well as to -the others who swept by him with a swish of costly garments. To all of -them Jim extended the same unfailing courtesy. - -Toward nine o’clock in the evening a man who looked to be a laborer -passed out of the back door and went into the garden. Jim noted that the -man looked at his watch and then seemed to be waiting. After a time he -went down to the gardens, losing himself in the blackness beyond the -electric lights. - -Not fifteen minutes after he had gone there was another step inside the -kitchen and Jim quickly opened the door. Arthur Gates stepped out, -looked all around him without paying any attention to Jim, and then set -off at a rapid pace for the garden, following the same direction taken -by the man. Jim was curious at once. - -“I’d like to know what is going on,” he reflected. “I wonder if I ought -to go down and see? Very few people are coming through any more, and -besides, if I do leave my post, it will be thought I did so to run an -errand. I guess I’ll take a chance on it.” - -Seeing that no one was about Jim slipped quickly to the side of the yard -and away from the glare of the lights. Then, following a path which -wound down into the farther reaches of the place he moved forward, -treading with infinite care, avoiding gravelled walks where possible and -fairly creeping over them when they could not be avoided. In a short -time he reached the garden and saw ahead of him in the darkness two -forms. - -A screen of bushes loomed between him and the two men and Jim crouched -as he made his way to them. Once in their shelter he was able to hear -plainly what was being said. - -“—close against the back wall,” Gates was saying. - -“You want me to mark the spot so you’ll know the place?” the man asked. - -“No,” replied Gates. “I don’t care if I never see it again.” - -“Not valuable, eh?” the man asked, cautiously. - -“No, only a trinket I won at school, but I’m sick and tired of having it -around. It is better off buried. But never mind that; all you have to do -is to bury the thing. I don’t want it done by daylight, either. Will you -do it tomorrow night?” - -“Sure, around ten o’clock. I got to work up until that time. Right here -will be all right eh?” the laborer said. - -“Yes. I’ll pay you well for it, but you are to keep your mouth shut. -Good heavens! this thing you’re to bury isn’t worth a dollar, and yet -I’ve had more trouble with it than if it cost a thousand. Now, let’s get -back and you be sure to go to work tomorrow night.” - -With that they separated and Jim could see them going toward the house, -but the laborer branched off and left the grounds while Arthur Gates -went in the back door. Before he went to his post again Jim looked -carefully around the garden where he stood. There was a high wall nearby -and he knew that he was at the end of the property. - -Then he went back to his post, taking care to approach it from the side -of the house, casually and as though he was coming from an errand. Once -more he took up his post at the back door. - -“So Gates is going to bury the cup?” he reflected. “And it had given as -much trouble as though it cost a thousand dollars. Of course, it may not -be the cup, after all, but I’ll bet it is. Well, we’ll just dig it up as -soon as he gets it planted!” - -In another hour all inspection of the Gannon House was over and it once -more became simply the home of the Gates family. The cadets on post -assembled and marched up to the school reporting in from duty, and soon -after that Jim was relating his remarkable story to Don and Terry. - - - - - Chapter 20 - The Digger in the Garden - - -“This must be the place!” - -Jim whispered it cautiously and the two shadows with him nodded -silently. Don and Terry crouched down beside him behind the high wall -which ran back of the home of Arthur Gates. - -It was on the following night, and three cadets were there with the full -permission of Colonel Morrell. Jim, after his talk with his friends, had -gone straight to the headmaster with the story. The colonel had also -been of the opinion that it was the cup that Gates planned to bury. He -agreed that it would be best for them to watch the digging and to get -the object at once, before the time elapsing would give the ground a -chance to freeze. So the three cadets crouched behind the wall bordering -Gates’ place on this February night. - -“You think this is the right spot?” Don whispered. - -“Yes,” returned Jim. “What time is it?” - -Terry consulted a watch with a lighted dial. “Just five minutes of ten,” -he replied. “We got here just in time.” - -They had reached the property a few minutes before and had skirted the -wall, halting at the place which Jim had believed to be opposite the -spot where Gates and the man had conferred on the previous night. They -straightened up and Jim reached upward, finding that he was just able to -place his fingertips on the top of the wall. - -“Give me a boost up,” he ordered. - -Don cupped his hand and by the aid of this step Jim sprang onto the -wall. For a moment there was silence as he peered down into the garden -inside, and then he leaned toward them. - -“This is the place,” he whispered. “Come on up.” - -Terry formed the step by which Don joined his brother on the wall and -then they both pulled the red-head up. Jim then looked carefully back of -him. - -“There are no lights back of us,” he said. “I’m pretty sure that no one -can see us.” - -They settled themselves to wait and the minutes dragged by. It seemed an -age, though it was in reality only fifteen minutes when Terry hissed -warningly. - -“Somebody is coming!” - -They crouched low as they saw a bobbing light coming down the path -toward them. It was a man with a lantern and as he drew nearer they saw -that it was a short man, whom Jim recognized as the man who had talked -with Gates. Near the wall the man halted, and placed a wooden box on the -ground. Setting the lantern down, and without looking around him, he -dropped a pick and shovel from his shoulder. He took up the pick, raised -it above his head and brought it down with a thump on the hard earth. - -The boys, when talking the situation over at school, were agreed that -Gates had received his idea from the newspaper account of the burying of -the silver plate by the Gannon family. When they saw the wooden box on -the ground they were firmly convinced that it held the disputed silver -cup, for it was just the right size. - -The digger in the garden worked steadily at his task, breaking the stiff -earth with his pick and then shovelling it away with his shovel. He had -made a hole perhaps three feet deep when something wholly unexpected -happened. - -There was a sudden flash of fire back of the watching cadets and they -were bathed in an embarrassing glow of light. Turning startled heads -over their shoulders they saw that a garage nearby had caught fire and -that a pan of oil was blazing up to the sky. The man working in the -garden looked up with a grunt of fright, but fortunately not in their -immediate direction, for the glare was spreading and he looked slightly -to one side of them. Seeing how things stood the three cadets dropped -from the wall swiftly and with as little noise as possible, crouching at -the bottom of the wall outside Gates’ property. The glare died down -abruptly. - -“Did he see us?” questioned Don, eagerly. - -“No,” whispered Jim. “But that was a narrow escape.” - -“You bet,” agreed Terry. “There we were, sitting on the wall like three -chickens! That was a lucky escape.” - -“We had better wait here until he finishes his digging,” Jim suggested. -“Listen; he has gone back to work.” - -They could hear the man resume his digging. But it was unfortunate that -they could not see into the garden, for real trouble was coming their -way rapidly. - -Arthur Gates, uneasy over the affair, had been standing at an upper -window when the flare had illuminated the sky, and clearly and -distinctly he had seen the three cadets on the wall. Uttering an -exclamation the man ran from the house and made his way to the digger. -Unknown to the boys a rapid interchange of words followed and then Gates -took up the box and went back to the house. The man who was doing the -digging dropped his shovel and waited a moment, until he was joined by -the caretaker of the property. Some whispering passed between them and -then they silently made their way to a gate in the wall. - -The three cadets crouched there in the blackness of the night beside the -wall and waited. They strained their ears to hear continued sounds of -the digging but they heard nothing. - -“He must be finished,” Terry whispered. - -“I should think that we would hear him replacing the dirt,” suggested -Jim. - -“Suppose you go aloft and see?” said Don, in a low voice. - -Jim straightened up and Don gave him a hand to the top of the wall. Once -there Jim peered carefully over to see how far the man had gotten in his -work. But in a moment he was down again. - -“The man is gone!” he told them, in wonder. - -“Then he has finished,” concluded Don, but Jim shook his head. - -“I don’t know why he should be. The lantern is still there and the hole -is open, but the box is gone!” - -“Gone?” the others cried guardedly. - -“Yes, and I don’t see a sign of the man,” Jim replied. - -“Let me take a look,” Don directed briefly. - -When he had been hoisted up he made the same observation that Jim had. -The three boys were puzzled. - -“Confound that fire!” growled Terry. “If it hadn’t been for that we -would know what was going on.” - -“It doesn’t look very good to me,” observed Jim. - -They waited for a moment, undecided as to what to do. The only sound -that reached their ears was the sound of men in the nearby garage, who -had put out the unexpected fire and who were talking about it. They were -not near enough to cause the cadets any misgivings, however. - -“Give me another boost,” said Don, but Jim caught his arm in a firm -grasp. - -“Listen!” commanded his brother. - -There had been a faint sound near them, along the wall, the sound as of -a small stick breaking. There was no further noise but they had heard -that one plainly. A suspicion leaped into Don’s mind. - -“Maybe someone saw us and they are after us,” he whispered. - -No sooner had he spoken than two distinct shadows loomed up before them -along the wall. - -“Run, you guys!” cried Jim. - -They dashed away from the wall as fast as they could go toward the open -field, the two men hard at their heels. Jim and Terry were slightly -ahead of Don and running swiftly, breaking their way recklessly through -the bushes that barred their way. Don had been a bit slower but was -sufficiently ahead of his pursuers to keep him out of danger. They ran -in the general direction of the school, trusting to luck to keep them -out of holes and other pitfalls. - -But Don was the unlucky one. Jim and Terry veered to the right across -the fields but Don kept on going, failing to follow their lead closely. -When he noticed that they had changed their course he swung around to -follow them. There was nothing ahead of him, but as he ran forward he -felt himself flung back abruptly, to tumble breathless to the ground. -Before him was a long chicken run, with high chicken wire strung from -pole to pole to pole, and Don had run against this net in the dark, to -be playfully tossed for a considerable loss. - -It proved to be a fatal loss. Just as he scrambled to his feet the two -men swooped down on him and two pairs of strong arms gripped him. He -struggled but the men held him fast. - -“Let go of me,” he demanded, somewhat breathlessly. - -“Nothing doing, bub,” growled the man who had been digging. “You come -along with us.” - -“Where are you taking me?” Don asked, as they led him along. - -“Back to the house,” replied the other, an older man. “We want to find -out what you were doing snooping around there. I’m caretaker at the -house and I can have you arrested for trespassing.” - -Don had a pretty fair idea that Arthur Gates would not have him arrested -but he realized that he was in a tough spot. - - - - - Chapter 21 - The Cup at Last - - -There was nothing more said until they reached the house, where Don was -quickly ushered into the presence of Arthur Gates. The man was seated in -the library when they entered, with a book in his hand, and he looked up -in apparent surprise when Don was brought in. - -“What is this, Garry?” he asked of the caretaker. - -“Caught this fellow trespassing on the grounds, sir,” said the -caretaker. - -“You did not!” denied Don. “You caught me way over in the next field.” - -“But you must have been on the grounds, in order for Garry to have seen -you,” declared Gates, putting his book down. He looked keenly at Don. -“Why, you are one of the cadets from Woodcrest, aren’t you?” - -“Yes,” nodded Don. “I am.” - -“What are you doing out at this late hour?” asked Gates. “Taking French -leave, I suppose?” - -“Yes,” said Don, seeing his course. - -“You should be in bed by this time at the school,” Gates went on. “What -were you doing on my property?” - -“I haven’t been on your property yet,” said Don. - -“The wall is my property,” flashed Gates. - -“Oh, so you saw me on the wall?” questioned Don. - -Gates bit his lip. He had not intended to say so much. “Never mind who -saw you there; you were there.” He turned to the other two. “You may go -now.” To the laborer he said: “I won’t need you any more tonight, Tom. -Drop around to see me in the morning.” - -The two men went out and Gates turned to Don once more. “Now, young man, -what is your name?” - -“Mercer,” replied Don. - -“What were you snooping around here for tonight, Mercer?” - -“Three of us were out on a lark and we looked over your wall on the way -back,” replied Don. - -“You were sitting on the wall,” accused Gates. - -“Yes, we sat on the wall,” confessed Don. “But we didn’t trespass on -your property and so you can’t hold us. All you can do is report us to -the colonel.” - -“I think you were prowling around here for something else, young man,” -growled Gates, rising. - -“What for?” asked Don, looking straight into Gates’ eyes. - -“How should I know?” the man evaded. “I’m going to take you into custody -for a time at least, Mercer. You come with me.” - -“Where are you taking me?” Don asked, as Gates took hold of his arm. - -“Never mind asking so many questions, but come along. Don’t make any -resistance or I shall call in the police. By the way, aren’t you one of -those cadets who brought in my father from that accident?” - -“Yes,” acknowledged Don. - -“Too bad you had to mix yourself up in this business.” - -“What business are you talking about?” asked Don pointedly. - -“Never mind that. What became of your companions?” - -“I suppose they got away.” - -“Well, I’ll find out who they were and have them punished, too. Now, out -this way.” - -Curiously Don followed his captor out into the hall and up the big -staircase to the second floor, down that hall and up a flight of stairs -to the third floor. Coming to a door there Gates opened it and thrust -Don inside, closing the door after him. A moment later and Don heard a -key rattle in the lock. Then the sound of rapidly retreating footsteps -came to his ears. - -He attempted to move around the room and bumped into something sharp -that poked into his waist. Striking a match that he found in his pocket, -Don saw that he was in a billiard room and that he had bumped the table. -Seeing a light switch on the wall he moved toward it and turned on the -lights. Then he looked curiously around his prison. - -There were no windows in the room, but a skylight gave it illumination -in the daytime. If necessary Don was sure that he could jump from the -table to the skylight and make his way to the roof, but he had no -intention of trying it at present. Instead, he went to the door and -tried it carefully, finding it locked. - -“They won’t keep me in here long,” he thought grimly. “I’ll raise such a -racket that he’ll be glad to let me out. But I wonder if that will be -the best thing to do?” - -He began to shake the door, to try its strength, and at last pressed -against the lock with all his strength. Although that had no effect on -the lock directly it had an unexpected outcome. There was a step out in -the hall, and the key was turned in the lock. When the door was thrown -open Don stared into the face of a butler. - -He was the first one to recover himself. “Oh, thanks a lot for opening -the door,” he said, carelessly, seeing his way out. “Someone must have -turned the key in the lock.” - -“But what—who are you, sir?” the surprised butler stammered. - -“I’m an acquaintance of Mr. Gates,” said Don. “I came up here with him -and he left me to go down stairs. Someone must have turned the lock -while I was in here.” - -“But, sir,” protested the butler. “No one has been past this door. I -sleep in the next room and I came out before going to bed because I -heard you rattle the door.” - -“And that was very kind of you,” said Don. He saw that the butler was -not overly bright and that he would probably have no trouble with the -man. “It must have been an accident, my getting locked in here. Well, -I’ll go downstairs and join Mr. Gates. Thank you very much.” - -“You are very welcome, sir. But—” - -“But what?” inquired Don, frowning at the man. “Do you think I am a -burglar, man? Can’t you see the uniform I have on? I’m a cadet at -Woodcrest School.” - -“No offense meant, sir,” hastily replied the butler. “It was -just—hum—irregular, sir, and I wondered. Goodnight, sir.” - -“Goodnight,” responded Don, hoping that Gates had not heard the talking. - -Apparently he had not, for there was no movement as he walked cautiously -down to the second floor. The butler had gone back to his room and no -one was in the hall. The young cadet was undecided as to what to do now -that he was free. - -“I ought to make a good effort to get hold of that cup, now that I am in -the house,” he reasoned. “But I don’t know how to go about it.” - -He tiptoed along the second floor hall, determined to go to the lower -floor and look around down there for the cup. He was not greatly worried -about the whole situation for he knew that the colonel was back of him -in whatever he did, and even in the event that the Gates family got -highhanded about things he was sure that the significant word spoken to -them would serve to cool their temper. So he had some degree of comfort -in the fact that it would probably come out right in the end. And when -he stopped to think of the heavy injustice that George Long had suffered -all these years because of the flagrant villainy of these same people he -had no scruples against prowling around Gates’ house. - -A light showed under the door of the room into which the cadets had -carried Melvin Gates the night of the accident and Don stopped there, -struck by an idea. He moved up close to the door and listened, being -rewarded by the murmur of voices inside. Although they were pitched in a -low key he was nevertheless able to make out what was being said. - -“But you cannot keep that young man a prisoner,” he heard Melvin Gates -say. - -“Well, what am I going to do with him?” his son asked impatiently. - -“I do not know, Arthur. You think he was prowling around to find that -cup?” - -“Oh, of course!” cried the son, wearily. “That cup has cost me more -anxiety than anything I ever had anything to do with in my life!” - -“That is entirely your own fault, Arthur. If you had not been so -dishonest all of your life you wouldn’t be in such a fix.” - -“Don’t preach to me, father,” snapped the son, angrily. - -“It is too bad I didn’t preach to you when you were smaller, instead of -filling your pockets with money that you didn’t have the sense to take -care of. Where is the cup now?” - -“I threw it in the closet in my study, at the end of the hall,” was the -answer, which sent a thrill of hope through Don. - -There was a rustle inside the room, much as though someone was getting -out of bed. “Tomorrow we’ll dispose of that cup by melting it in the -furnace,” said the elder Gates. “Wait until I get a bathrobe on and -we’ll go up and interview that young man in the billiard room.” - -Don waited to hear no more. Arthur Gates had given him the clue he -needed and like a shot he darted off down the hall to the room at the -end. This was the room which tallied with the brief description the man -had given, but Don poked his head carefully in the door before entering, -as he did not wish to walk into anyone’s bedroom. - -But it was a small study which lay before him. In the dim light which -flooded in from the hall he could see the outline of a table, an easy -chair and a pile of books on the table. On the other side of the room he -made out a door. He entered the room and made his way to it, finding it -slightly open. At that moment he heard the two Gates leave the room of -the older man and begin to mount the stairs to the third floor. - -Don’s groping hands encountered a wooden box on the floor of the closet. -It seemed to be the same size as the one which had been in the garden -that night, and as there was no other object on the floor or on the -single shelf he was sure that he had at last come across the 1933 class -trophy. - -“I’ve got the cup at last,” he reflected. “Now, the big job is to get -out of this house!” - - - - - Chapter 22 - Direct Action - - -Terry and Jim ran with all the speed they could muster across the -fields, believing that Don was close behind them. - -But Jim finally realized that no one was close to them and he came to a -halt, calling to Terry in a low tone. The red-headed boy stopped and -joined him. - -“Did we lose our pursuers?” Terry panted. - -“Yes,” gasped Jim, gulping in the fresh air. “And I’m afraid that we -have lost Don!” - -“Isn’t he around?” cried Terry. - -“No. I don’t know what has happened to him. I heard him pounding along -after us and then I lost the sound. Maybe he just branched off in -another direction.” - -“Let’s give him the old signal,” urged Terry, puckering up his lips. He -whistled in a low, penetrating note, the signal which had always been -known to the three friends and which had been agreed upon before they -had left on their night’s quest. The sound went across the fields but -there was no answer, though they strained their ears to listen. - -“I wonder if those men caught Don?” said Jim. - -“Oh, I don’t think so,” reassured Terry. “I guess he just got separated -from us. Before we came out we agreed to meet under the lamp post in -case we got separated. Let’s go over to the street and see if he is -waiting there.” - -Together they crossed the lots and emerged on the street upon which the -Gannon House faced, approaching the lamp light with some degree of -caution. But after they had waited in the shadow of a tree for ten -minutes they were both forced to the same conclusion. - -“Not a doubt in the world that he was captured,” sighed Terry. - -“I’m afraid so,” agreed Jim. “If he had gone off in another direction he -would surely have come here directly. At this moment he must be a -prisoner in Gates’ house.” - -“What are we going to do about it?” demanded Terry practically. - -“What can we do?” asked Jim helplessly. - -“I think we need a little direct action,” said Terry. “Let’s go back to -the house and see if we can get a look at him. We may even be able to -set him free.” - -“OK, I’m willing,” responded Jim, moving off down the street. “Perhaps -they have turned him over to the police.” - -“That isn’t likely to do them any good,” explained Terry. “We have the -colonel back of us and have nothing to worry about. Anyway, I think that -Don will drop a word or two that will give ’em something to think -about.” - -“Take it easy now,” warned Jim, as they drew close to the gate before -the big house. “No telling who is snooping around the grounds.” - -Seeing no one in immediate range of vision they flitted across the -sidewalk and entered the grounds of the old place. Keeping close to the -hedge they made their way along it up to the house and then paused. - -“Lights are none too plentiful in the house,” whispered Terry. - -There was only one lighted room in the downstairs. A low light burned in -a bedroom on the second floor and two rooms were lighted on the third -floor. With one accord, after a hasty glance around, the two cadets -crept to the window and looked under the shade into the library. - -“No one in there,” Jim whispered. - -The room was empty. A single reading lamp burned in the place but there -was no sign of life. At that moment Terry nudged his companion’s arm. - -“Say! Doesn’t something occur to you?” - -“No,” said Jim. “What?” - -“It was under this same window that the patriots stood and saw that spy -school teacher talking with British officers!” - -“Gee, that’s right,” mused Jim. “But we have one consolation. The Gates’ -won’t take Don out and hang him!” - -“No,” agreed Terry, with a half chuckle. “But they’ll want to do it to -us if they catch us around here.” - -“You missed your cue,” grinned Jim. “You should have said that we are -doing all the hanging around here!” - -“Oof! Bad pun,” snorted Terry. “But what are we going to do now?” - -“Golly, I don’t know,” admitted Jim. “There is no question that Don is -in the house, and that we have got to get in and rescue him. But how the -devil are we to do it?” - -“Don’t know how many of my ancestors were burglars!” said Terry, grimly. -“But let’s see how we stand in regard to windows.” - -He reached up and pushed on the frame of the window but found that it -was locked. He tried another with the same result. - -“Careless people!” he grunted. “Leave their windows locked every night!” - -“Perhaps we can find one open on the other side of the house,” suggested -Jim. “Suppose we take a look.” - -They passed around the back of the house, but just as Jim turned the -corner of the kitchen pantry he stopped and crouched down, pulling his -companion with him. - -“What’s up?” Terry whispered. - -“Caretaker prowling around,” returned Jim. “Keep still, he’s coming this -way.” - -The form of a man loomed up before them and they held their breath as -the man passed within five feet of them. When he had turned the corner -of the house back of them they breathed in relief. - -“Narrow escape, that,” commented Chucklehead. - -“Yeah,” agreed Jim. “Well, I guess he has gone around to the other side -of the house. Lucky thing he didn’t come and catch us under the window. -Let’s look this side over before he returns.” - -They crept along the side of the house, examining windows and testing -them, but they were all firm. At last the two friends drew back under a -tree. - -“It’s no use,” groaned Jim. “We can’t get into the house.” - -“It would be a rough joke on us if Don wasn’t in there, after all,” -commented the disappointed Terry. - -“But he must be. Too bad we can’t get at the second floor windows. -Surely a bedroom window must be open.” - -“No doubt. But who wants to climb into a bedroom, to have a lady yell -blue murder or get shot at?” - -“I hope it wouldn’t be as bad as all that. Say! This tree arches right -over that porch roof!” - -Jim had been looking up into the branches of the tree thoughtfully and -now his friend followed his gaze. He saw that the tree, which grew so -close to the house, extended at least two strong limbs a few feet over -the roof of the porch shelter. - -“There isn’t any reason why we shouldn’t climb this tree and drop onto -the roof,” Terry said. “There are four windows that we can reach.” - -“Yes, and the roof can’t be seen from the street,” Jim pointed out. -“Think we had better go to it?” - -“Yes, I do. The trunk of the tree isn’t so big that we can’t climb it. -But I’m afraid that we’ll get our uniforms fearfully dirty, because -we’ll have to take off our overcoats to climb.” - -“Bother the uniforms!” cried Jim, impatiently. “We can have them -cleaned. I’m going up.” - -“Wait until I take a look around, to see if the gentleman is still -taking a walk,” suggested Terry. “Stay here and keep close to the tree -until I get back.” - -With this final word the red-head glided off into the darkness and was -lost to Jim’s sight. Two or three minutes passed, and Jim was just -growing restless, when young Mr. Mackson rejoined him. - -“Coast is clear,” he informed him. “The caretaker is around on the other -side and just bound for the back garden. I don’t think we’ll be troubled -with him. So here goes my overcoat.” - -Without wasting further time the cadets slipped out of their heavy coats -and Terry dropped his carelessly on the ground nearby. But Jim shook his -head at that. - -“Don’t leave the coats lying around here,” he warned. “That fellow may -be back at any time, and we don’t want him to find the coats while we -are up aloft.” - -“Good head you have, Jimmie boy,” approved Terry. “Never thought it of -you. Let’s park them behind these bushes, close to the porch.” - -When the two boys had stowed the overcoats away so that there was no -likely chance that they would be found, they returned to the foot of the -tree and Terry gave Jim a boost as far up the tapering trunk as he -could. From his shoulders Jim began his climb and stuck doggedly to it -until he reached a small limb below the level of the tin roof. Then he -called down for Terry to follow him. - -His friend had a much harder job of it because he had to start from the -ground but he moved slowly and surely upward. It was some years since -Terry had “shinnied” up a tree and he found it hard work, but, resting -at intervals, he soon joined Jim at the small limb. Without words they -moved on, and before long wormed their way out on a limb that hung -suspended over the roof. - -“Be awfully careful when you drop on that roof,” whispered Jim. “Try to -land on your toes and don’t thump if you can help it.” - -Jim then swung down under the limb, hanging by his hands, and measured -the distance to the roof. It was a matter of less than a foot, he -discovered, and with his toes pointing downward he let go and dropped. -There was scarcely a sound as he landed. - -“Come on,” he whispered. - -Terry swung down under the limb and after a moment of steadying himself -dropped to the roof. Jim steadied him as he landed and they stood -together on the tin surface and looked around. - -“Hooray, a partially opened window!” breathed Jim. - -Close to them a window had been left open some few inches and they made -their way to it quietly. Both of them felt a tingle of excitement. - -“We’ll want to get into the upper hall, if possible,” said Terry, -guardedly. “Let’s hope this isn’t a bedroom. What does it look like?” - -Jim was in the lead and he peered into the room, finally raising the -window noiselessly in order to see better. He turned to his waiting -friend. - -“It doesn’t seem to be a bedroom,” he informed him. “Looks more like -some kind of a study. I can see a table and an armchair, and a little -light comes in from the hall. I guess this is just the kind of a room we -are looking for.” - -“Then let’s get in and go a-snooping,” urged Terry. - -Jim raised the window fully and stepped into the room, Terry following -closely at his heels. They paused to make out their surroundings, when -Terry gripped Jim’s arm tightly. - -“Somebody in this room!” he hissed. - -Before Jim could move someone stepped out of the closet and confronted -them. For a single instant there was a silence that froze them, and then -the light from the hall fell on the features of the one who stared at -them. - -“Don!” they whispered. - -A sigh of pure relief broke from the one who had stepped out of the -closet. “Boy, oh boy,” Don returned. “You two fellows scared me out of a -year’s growth!” - -“You gave us a mighty good start, too,” returned Terry as they moved -close to him. “What are you doing in here?” - -“I have the cup!” Don replied. - -“No fooling?” gasped Jim. - -“Yes, it was in that closet. Listen, we have got to get out of here. The -two Gates—” - -A cry broke out on the third floor and a door slammed. They waited to -hear no more. - -“Quickly, out the window with you,” cried Don. “We’ve got to clear this -house on the double!” - -Terry skipped through the window like lightning and Jim threw himself -after him. Just before Don followed he could hear Arthur Gates roaring -at the butler on the third floor. He joined his companions on the roof. - -“Go on down and I’ll toss the cup to you,” he told Jim. - -“Shall I take a chance by dropping off the roof?” asked Jim. - -“No,” said Don. “You might break a leg, and you don’t know where you’ll -land.” - -Jim measured his distance and jumped up, catching the limb and swinging -out on it with the agility of a monkey. He slid down the tree and -dropped safely to the ground. - -“Drop the cup,” he called. - -Don dropped the cup over the edge of the roof and it fell to the ground. -It was still boxed and he had no fear that any harm would come to it. -Terry was already in the tree and swinging down toward the ground. - -Jim, leaning down to pick up the box, felt himself gripped by a strong -hand, which fastened itself on his shoulder. Before he could cry out he -was dragged upright, to find himself in the grasp of the caretaker. -Terry landed at the foot of the tree and was immediately seized by the -other hand of the man. So taken by surprise were they that for the -moment they uttered no sound. - -“Goodnight!” flashed through the mind of the red-headed boy. “The end of -a perfect day!” - - - - - Chapter 23 - The Mystery Is Solved - - -It was a black moment for the two cadets in the grasp of the caretaker. - -With the cup in their possession and the task to which they had set -themselves almost successfully completed it was little short of -heartbreaking to miss the mark in this fashion. The man who held them -was a big and powerful man and they knew by the iron grip upon their -shoulders that resistance was out of the question. It was possible for -them to put up a fight, of course, but it would probably take them so -long that the entire effort would be useless. - -Terry was the first to recover his wits. The man who held them was not -looking up into the tree; he looked in grim satisfaction at them and -apparently had no knowledge of the presence of Don above him. Terry -realized that the other must be warned quickly. - -“Well, Mr. Caretaker,” he said, loudly. “You seem to have taken my -friend and me prisoners. What are you going to do about it?” - -“I’m going to run you kids down to the town lockup in a mighty big hurry -and put you behind the bars for housebreaking,” the man replied. - -A very slight scraping noise in the tree above them ceased abruptly as -the sound of the different voices could be heard on the night air. For a -second there was an agony of doubt in Terry’s mind, but the man did not -look up. - -“You can’t prove that we were housebreaking,” said Jim, the idea -suddenly dawning upon him. - -“I can’t, heh?” snorted the man. “Then why else—” - -The sentence was never completed. Something big and heavy that closely -resembled a boy in a gray uniform shot down out of the tree, landing -with all force upon the shoulders of the caretaker. Under the impact of -Don’s body the man fell forward, losing his hold on the shoulders of Jim -and Terry. Don went down too, but was up like a shot. - -“Beat it as fast as you can!” he cried, seeing that Jim had the box in -his hand. - -“The overcoats!” cried Jim, as Terry darted forward. - -“Got ’em,” the boy shouted. “Let’s go!” - -A roar burst from the man as he scrambled to his feet, slightly dazed by -the force and suddenness of the encounter. At the same time the side -door of the house opened and the butler appeared. But by this time the -three cadets were running like frightened deer over the lawn in the -direction of the street. - -“There they go!” shouted the caretaker. “Stop them!” - -He began to run in their direction, but he was no match for the fleet -cadets. By the time he reached the street the cadets were turning the -corner a block away and were soon lost to sight. Back at the house -Arthur Gates snorted with rage. - -“Wait until I get dressed, Arthur,” commanded the senior Gates. “Order -the car out at once.” - -“Where are you going?” the son asked. - -“Right up to the school to make the colonel pay dearly for this -outrage!” shouted Melvin Gates, entering the house. - -Meanwhile the three were on their way to the school, talking over their -lucky escape. - -“Let’s take the back streets, fellows,” Don advised. “There was quite an -uproar at Gates’ house and we don’t want to meet up with any police who -might be suspicious. Of course we could explain things to the chief but -the thing we want to do is to get back to the school as fast as we can.” - -“OK,” agreed Terry. “I guess we had better get into our overcoats, Jim. -We’re pretty heated up and we don’t want to catch cold.” - -“No, we don’t,” said Jim. “Here, you hold the cup, Don.” - -When they had put on their coats Terry chuckled. “I want to compliment -you on being a huge success as a sky rocket, Don! The way you shot down -out of that tree onto that fellow’s shoulders was a treat!” - -“I couldn’t have done it if you and Jim hadn’t been so prompt to warn me -of what was going on down there,” said Don. “I had no idea, from up in -the tree, that there was anyone else down there with you.” - -“He must have been prowling around and heard us up there,” Jim said. “I -didn’t hear him come up and the first thing I knew about him was when he -grabbed my shoulder. It was a good thing that he thought there were only -two of us.” - -“When I dropped out of the tree I saw him, but it was too late to do -anything about it,” explained Terry. “My first impulse was to yell to -Don, but that would have been the worst thing I could have done.” - -“Yes,” smiled Don. “As it was, it turned out for the best. He certainly -went flying. Somebody coming fellows, and it looks like a policeman!” - -“Had we better duck him?” whispered Jim. - -“I think we had,” admitted Don. “He must know that cadets aren’t usually -on the streets at this hour and the least he’ll do is to question us. He -may even want to go up to the school with us, and we don’t want that.” - -“No, we don’t,” Terry supplied. “He hasn’t seen us yet, so let’s slide -in here.” - -There was a garage close by with a narrow alley running alongside it and -the boys quickly glided into it. But this particular policeman strolled -right by the place and was soon lost in the darkness of the long street. -When they were sure that he was safely out of sight they emerged from -their hiding places. - -“Whew, that was close, too,” commented Terry, as they resumed their way. - -“It would have been bad for us if we had been caught,” admitted Jim. -“Let’s hustle up to the school.” - -The streets were all deserted and the houses black, for the hour was -late. The three cadets met no one else as they hastened on to the -school. They entered the grounds with a sense of profound relief. - -“I hope that the colonel is still up,” Don said. - -“He will be,” predicted Terry. “He knew what an errand we went on and -he’ll be waiting for us.” - -Terry proved to be a true prophet. When they entered the school office -they found the colonel there waiting for them. He was impatiently -tapping a long letter-opener on the desk, and at the sound of their -entrance he sprang to his feet, glancing sharply at the clock. - -“We beg to report ourselves back, Colonel Morrell,” said Don, saluting -and smiling at the same time. The others saluted at once and the colonel -somewhat hastily returned it. - -“And I’m more than glad to see you back here,” the colonel exploded. -“I’ve been worrying about you. Did you have any luck?” - -“Unless I am greatly mistaken we have the cup right with us, in this -box,” said Don quietly. He placed it on the desk. - -“We’ll open it and see,” the colonel stated. - -A hammer was procured from a nearby closet and with a few swift blows -the colonel broke open the wooden box. As the last board fell away a -somewhat tarnished silver cup was disclosed to view. The colonel raised -it from the box and they looked at the inscription on the side. It read: -“Presented to Woodcrest Military Institute by Melvin R. Gates for -Excellence in Scholastic Effort. Won by Arthur F. Gates of the Senior -Class, April 7, 1933.” - -“That’s the cup,” murmured Jim. - -Without a word the colonel turned it up so they could all see what was -written on the bottom. All of them craned forward to read the brief -message which had been written deep into the silver by the aid of a pin -or knife. - -The message was simple but tragic. It read: “I cheated. Arthur Gates.” - -There was a moment of silence on the part of the colonel and his loyal -cadets. Then the colonel said very quietly, “You see what it means, -boys?” - -“I think I do,” nodded Don in a low voice. “After Gates had promised -Long that he would confess his dishonorable action he said he would -write it where it would stand for good. Long didn’t know what he meant -by that, but when he had left the room Gates scratched that confession -on the bottom of the cup with a sharp instrument.” - -“Yes,” went on the colonel. “Long never knew of that, and during the -night Gates must have experienced a change of heart, so he took the cup -on the following morning. He knew that Long would expose him if he went -back on his promise to confess, so he stole that cup in order to create -an atmosphere that would make Long the butt of ridicule if he ever came -out with the story of Gates’ dishonesty.” - -“How can a man with any sense of common decency do a thing like that?” -wondered Jim. - -The colonel shrugged his shoulders. “I’m very much afraid that Arthur -Gates was never a shining light of virtue. We have found out that he was -dismissed from at least one school for an offense such as he committed -here. You can see that he would never have the courage to face the -school and say, ‘Gentlemen, I cheated.’ Under Long’s persuasion he -relented long enough to write the confession on the cup, but I guess he -bitterly regretted his act later.” - -“The cup was a nightmare to him,” said Jim. “He didn’t have the nerve to -take it to a jeweler, so he kept it hidden in his own house.” - -“Things are getting pretty bad,” murmured Terry, staring at the simple -confession on the cup. “A fellow can’t tell a lie without having it come -back after him years later!” - -“That’s something a man can never escape,” replied the colonel briefly. -“But tell me how you got the cup.” - -Don related his share and the other two boys had just finished telling -their part in the adventure when there was the sound of a car stopping -outside the school door. The sound of determined footsteps followed and -then the hall door was opened. Don, guessing what was in the wind, -pushed the cup from sight under the colonel’s desk. A slight nod from -the portly headmaster showed that he grasped the situation. - -Melvin Gates strode into the office with his son Arthur at his heels. -The elder Gates was fairly bristling and his son wore a blustering air -that deceived no one. Melvin Gates shot a triumphant glance at the -assembled party and then addressed the colonel. - -“Look here, Morrell, do you know that these boys have been breaking into -my house tonight?” he rasped. - -“Yes,” said the colonel. - -“You do, eh?” shouted the irate man. “Maybe you sent them to do it, eh?” - -“No,” the colonel denied. “I only told them to go to your garden, but as -long as they found it necessary to go into your house I’m glad of it!” - -The elder Gates became purple in the face and Arthur stepped forward. -“Look here, Colonel Morrell, this is no joking matter. I’m going to have -these boys locked up!” - -The colonel only smiled. Melvin Gates rapped the desk with his cane. - -“So you teach your boys housebreaking, do you, colonel?” he cried. - -“Why no,” said the colonel, thoughtfully. “That isn’t part of the -program. But we do teach them to play the game of life honorably and to -put forth every ounce of their strength to find out the truth and do the -square thing!” - -“Oh, what nonsense are you talking now?” growled Melvin Gates. - -The eyes of the colonel blazed as he reached under his desk and brought -up the silver cup. “This is the preaching that speaks for itself, Gates. -After you have taken a good look at the bottom of this cup I want to -hear you say that you intend to lock my boys up!” - -The faces of the two turned pale when they saw the inscription on the -bottom of the cup. Melvin shot an angry glance at his son. - -“I told you to get rid of that thing long ago,” he cried. - -“These boys have been after that cup for months, Mr. Gates,” went on the -colonel. “It was for that purpose that they broke into your house -tonight, and I want you to understand definitely that I heartily back -them up, and so will the world in general when it knows the story.” - -“But see here, Morrell, you are surely not going to let this thing get -out?” begged Melvin Gates. “I have shielded this boy of mine from his -folly and weakness for years, and it will be perfectly terrible if it -gets out now. Think of our good name in this town, man!” - -“How many times have you and your son thought of George Long, carrying -the stigma of a thief all of these years?” blazed the colonel, seeming -to swell up in his honest wrath. “Have you ever given him or his name -any consideration? If it was simply a case of covering up a weak moral -escapade of your boy which had not hurt anyone but himself I would -gladly help you by saying nothing. But you have had no thought for the -burden that George Long has been compelled to carry with him. Under the -circumstances I have no sympathy for you, Mr. Gates, and I warn you that -Long shall be cleared publicly as soon as possible.” - -“Colonel Morrell,” said Melvin Gates, putting on an air of cunning that -turned the boys against him even more, “I have a little money in this -world. Now, if we can come to some sort of an agreement on this thing, -I’ll make it well worth—” - -But the colonel became red in the face with suppressed anger. He pointed -toward the door. - -“Get out of my school, both of you!” he quivered. “I won’t have my clean -young boys insulted by your presence here any longer. If you think you -can buy my tongue with your money you are badly mistaken, Melvin Gates. -Please take your son and leave the school at once, sir.” - -Realizing that any more talk would be a pure waste of time the father -and son withdrew, gloom written on their faces. When they had gone the -colonel turned to his grave-faced cadets. - -“Boys, your work is over, and you may report to your quarters. If any -discipline officer says anything to you because of absence from your -rooms tonight, refer him to me. I commend you on your interest and -courage in this matter, and Mr. Long shall know the full particulars. -The cadet corps will be proud of you. Goodnight, boys.” - -Silently the cadets saluted, returned the colonel’s goodnight and went -to their room. - - - - - Chapter 24 - The Alumni Dance - - -“I see the next Alumni affair will be a dance,” Don remarked, looking -across the table to Jim, who was studying. - -“Yes. Looking in the _Bombardment_, are you?” his brother replied. - -“Sure. I guess that is the affair at which Colonel Morrell intends to -clear George Long,” Don went on. - -“It is. There will be a dinner and a dance and then the colonel will -tell his story. It will be a pleasant evening for Long and his wife.” - -“Goodness knows they have it coming to them,” mused Don. “I’d hate to go -around for a number of years with a cloud like that hanging over me. If -I met an old fellow student I’d have to be prepared to see suspicion -showing in his face or even to meet with outspoken slighting. It has -been a fearful burden and I’m glad that it is to be lifted soon.” - -“So am I,” agreed Jim. “Mr. Long must think we have forgotten him, -though. So many months have gone by since we went to see him about the -matter. Here it is the last of February already.” - -“Yes, time has passed rapidly. It won’t be long before the spring is at -hand.” - -“That was a terrible tongue-lashing that the colonel gave Gates the -other night, wasn’t it?” - -“Nothing more than he deserved,” retorted Don, promptly. “Just imagine, -he wanted to pay the colonel to keep quiet and let Long go on with this -blight on his good name! Just as the colonel said, if the whole thing -had been some failing of the son’s in which he had injured no one but -himself, why we’d all be glad to keep still and give the man a chance. -But that particular type of outrage calls for extreme measures.” - -“Right you are. Where is that red-headed friend of ours?” - -“Out visiting,” grinned Don. “That boy surely has a multitude of -friends!” - -Terry returned to the room just before the lights went out and brought -some news with him. But before he told them the news he played one of -the tricks of which he was so very fond. When he approached the room he -tapped on the door sharply, turned the knob and stepped briskly into the -room. Imitating to perfection the tones of Officer of the Section he -called out: - -“Attention, gentlemen! Stand at attention for inspection, please!” - -Once a day their rooms were rigidly inspected and although the officer -of that section was not in the habit of calling them to attention so -pointedly the boys fell into the trap. Terry’s voice was so like that of -the officer that the two boys put down their books, leaped to their feet -and were just about ready to stand at attention when they caught sight -of the grinning face of their friend. - -“Ho, ha!” roared Terry, seeing the look of disgust on their faces. -“Wasn’t that a pretty picture? I almost expected you to salute, -gentlemen!” - -“We’re going to salute you so that you won’t sit down for some time to -come,” growled Jim, moving around the table with his chemistry book in -his hands. Don leaped at Terry and bore him to the bed. The red-head was -too weak to offer any resistance and Jim paddled him vigorously with the -book, until he cried for mercy. - -“I just heard something that will interest you,” Terry said, when the -fooling had stopped. - -“What is it?” asked Jim. “Out with it, or we’ll paddle you some more!” - -“The Gates family has moved out of town!” Terry said. - -“I’m glad of it,” cried Don, promptly. “I’ve always thought it too bad -that such rascals should live in that fine, historic old place.” - -“That isn’t such a sanctified place,” observed Jim. “Don’t forget the -spy that lived there.” - -“But the spy had even purer motives in life than the Gates family did,” -Don defended. “The house is really a historic relic and I think some -fine American family ought to live in it.” - -“I see your point,” nodded Jim. “So the Gates’ skipped, did they?” - -“Yes, moved out completely,” Terry replied. “No one seems to know just -where they did go. Of course, they were dreading the time when the -colonel will tell the truth about them.” - -“Oh, sure,” Don said. “Well, we’re not a bit sorry to see the last of -them. For a number of years the school has actually suffered from -contact with father and son and nothing is lost by their going.” - -“By the way,” observed Terry. “What is to be done about the matter of -that scholarship that Woodcrest won so many years ago from Roxberry? -When the story is published the preparatory school will find out that we -didn’t win the contest fairly.” - -“I imagine that it will be held all over again, or the matter entirely -dropped,” Jim said. “I’m pretty sure that Roxberry won’t care to say -much when they find that one of their professors gave Gates the list of -questions before the exams.” - -That proved to be the case. The scholarship contest was never held again -and nothing was said by the Roxberry Alumni when the story got into the -papers. As for the dishonest professor, nothing more was ever heard of -him. - -Just before the Alumni Dance certain cadets were appointed for the posts -of honor at the affair. A good many of the first classmen served as -waiters, but the cadets who had been most active in the establishing of -George Long’s innocence were given posts of honor at the long tables at -which the guests ate. In this class Don, Jim, Terry, Hudson, Douglas and -Vench found themselves on the night of the affair. - -The colonel had made it a point to gather together all of the men of the -former 1933 class who could come and he was delighted to find that all -but five members of that class were present. Three of these men lay in -graves overseas and many more from that class were ex-servicemen from -the United States Army. Two members lived so far away that they were -unable to get there. Many from other classes were there and it was an -impressive gathering. - -Mr. and Mrs. Long entered late and were just in time to sit down at the -table. The cadets and the colonel felt that Long had been purposely -late, so as not to have to face any unpleasantness that would have -spoiled Mrs. Long’s evening. Long had in his heart another and more -chivalrous purpose, of which his wife alone was aware. He did not want -to make any of his former classmates feel cheap by cutting him at first -and then having to apologize afterward. - -The cadets were seated at the head of each table, a procedure that -puzzled the members of the alumni, for they had never seen such an -arrangement before, and they wondered why it had been done. They were -not long in finding out. After the dishes had been cleared away the -colonel arose. Beside him, on either side, sat Mr. and Mrs. Long, -purposely placed there so that no one could slight them. The colonel -spoke amidst an impressive silence. - -“Gentlemen of the Alumni Association, I wish to tell you a story that -combines all the elements of tragedy, drama and fine courage. I will -waste no words in telling it for I predict that after I am through you -will all of you have some hand-shaking and talking to do. I wish the -members of the class of 1933 to pay special attention to my story.” - -Here the colonel reached under the table and brought forth the class cup -which had been the cause of all the trouble and placed it on the table. -A murmur went around and Long turned pale with conflicting emotions. And -in the silence that followed the colonel carefully and quietly told the -whole story. - -“And gentlemen,” wound up the colonel, when the murmurs of amazement and -indignation had subsided, “I wish to present to you the cadets you have -just heard about. These are the men who tracked this thing to its lair. -Mr. Donald Mercer, Mr. James Mercer, Mr. Hudson, Mr. Vench, Mr. Douglas -and Mr. Mackson, please stand up so that everyone can see who you are.” - -A storm of handclapping greeted the modest cadets as they stood in their -places and instinctively the men of the school alumni stood up and -saluted the red-faced cadets. With a sense of the fitness of things the -uniformed cadets briskly returned the salutes and sat down. The colonel -now turned to Mr. Long. - -“Mr. Long, please stand up.” As Long obeyed: “Gentlemen of the Alumni, -there is nothing that is necessary for me to say, except that in the -name of the school I apologize for the tremendous wrong done Mr. Long. I -present to you gentlemen in all his unspotted honor Cadet Captain George -Long!” - -This time the present cadets rose with the company and clapped heartily -for George Long. Tears ran down Mrs. Long’s face and she was not in the -least ashamed for them. When the applause had died down Long said a few -words to the assembled men, thanking such of them who had believed in -him and graciously excusing those to whom the facts had looked so black -that they could not help suspecting him. Then the supper formation broke -up and Long was deluged with those who wished to shake his hand and -express their delight and beg his pardon for their past conduct. - -The cadets came in for an overwhelming amount of praise and then the -entire body of alumni and their wives went over to the school hall for -dancing. Both Mr. and Mrs. Long embarrassed the boys with their thanks -and praise. During the evening all of the honor cadets danced with Mrs. -Long. - -When it was all over the boys went back to their room and prepared for -bed. The evening had been a happy one for them and they discussed it -gravely, thankful for their opportunity to have been of service to -George Long. - -“It must have been a wonderful feeling for him,” Don remarked, as he -washed for bed. - -“Yes, indeed,” agreed Terry. “It was a happy evening for Mrs. Long, -too.” - -“I’d rather be George Long, with all his years of carrying the shadow, -than Arthur Gates, whose life has practically been a failure,” Jim -observed. - -“You’re dead right,” Don assented. “Well, now the mystery is solved, and -I wonder what we’ll do next? Settle down to a tame life, probably.” - -On the following morning they looked out of the windows at a bleak, -rain-washed day. Jim growled in disgust. - -“Golly, what rain!” he grumbled. “It is fairly coming down in buckets. -That means indoor sports for a time.” - -“Yes, and it looks like the kind of a rain that lasts a while,” sighed -Don. - -Terry grinned with his usual cheerfulness. “Don’t let a little water -dampen your spirits, my boys,” he advised. “A little rain won’t alter -our lives!” - - [Illustration: Endpapers] - - - - - Transcriber’s Notes - - ---Copyright notice provided as in the original—this e-text is public - domain in the country of publication. - ---Silently corrected palpable typos; left non-standard spellings and - dialect unchanged. - ---In the text versions, delimited italics text in _underscores_ (the - HTML version reproduces the font form of the printed book.) - - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Mercer Boys' Mystery Case, by -Albert Capwell Wyckoff - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MERCER BOYS' MYSTERY CASE *** - -***** This file should be named 55560-0.txt or 55560-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/5/5/6/55560/ - -Produced by Stephen Hutcheson and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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