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diff --git a/6071.txt b/6071.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..911d6ae --- /dev/null +++ b/6071.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7421 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Rover Boys out West, by Arthur M. Winfield + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Rover Boys out West + or, The Search for a Lost Mine + +Author: Arthur M. Winfield + +Posting Date: May 31, 2012 [EBook #6071] +Release Date: July, 2004 +First Posted: November 28, 2002 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST *** + + + + +Produced by Sean Pobuda + + + + + + + + + +THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST + +Or + +The Search for a Lost Mine + + +By Arthur M. Winfield + + + + + +INTRODUCTION + +My Dear Boys: This book, "The Rover Boys Out West," forms the +fourth volume of the "Rover Boys Series," a line of up-to-date +stories for Young Americans. Like the other books of the series, +this tale's complete in itself. + +In "The Rover Boys at School" we were introduced to Dick, Tom, and +Sam, and their amusing and thrilling adventures at Putnam Hall, a +military academy for boys situated in the heart of Now York State; +in "The Rover Boys on the Ocean" we followed our young heroes +during a most daring rescue; and in "The Rover Boys in the jungle" +we learn what true American courage can do, even in the heart of +the Dark Continent. + +In the present tale our young herm are taken at first back to dear +old Putnam Hall, and then to the heart of the great mining district +of Colorado. + +All trace of a valuable mine has been lost, and the boys start out +on a hunt for the property, little dreaming of the many perils +which await them on their quest. How they overcome one obstacle +after another, and get the best of their various enemies, will be +found in the story itself. + +The success of the first Rover Boys books has gratified me beyond +measure, and my one hope is that my numerous readers will find this +and future volumes of equal interest. + +Affectionately and sincerely yours, + + ARTHUR M. WINFIELD. + +June 20, 1900 + + + + + + +CHAPTER I + +RETURNING FROM A GREAT GAME + + +"Zip! Boom! Ah!" + +"Hurrah for Putnam Hall!" + +"Let her go, Peleg, lively now, and mind you don't upset us, or +we'll use you worse than we did the football." + +"All right, young gents. All in? Hold fast, everybody, or I won't +be responsible, nohow, if you drop off. Git along, Jack; up with +ye, Sally!" + +And with a crack of the whip, a tooting of tin horns, and it mad +yelling and cheering from the students, the long Putnam Hall stage +left the football enclosure attached to the Pornell Academy grounds +and started along the lake road for Putnam Hall. + +The stage was packed, inside and out, with as merry and +light-hearted a crowd of boys as could be found anywhere; and why +should they not be merry and light-hearted, seeing as they had just +won a great football match by a score of 16 to 8? Tom Rover, who +was on the top of the stage, actually danced a jig for joy. + +"That's the third time we have done them up, fellows!" he cried. +"My, but won't there be gloom around Pornell Academy to-night! It +will be thick enough to cut with a knife." + +"They were never in it from the start," piped up Sam Rover. "And +they were all heavier than our team, too," he added, proudly. + +"It was science, not weight, that won the match," said Frank +Harrington. + +"Yes, it was science," broke in Larry Colby. "And for that science +we have to thank Dick Rover. Oh, but didn't that rush to the left +fool them nicely!" + +Dick Rover's handsome face flushed with pleasure. "We won because +every player did his full duty," he said. "If we--" He broke off +short. "Great Scott, what a racket on top! Who's that capering +around?" + +"It's me, thank you!" yelled Tom, with more force than good +grammar. "I'm doing an Indian war dance in honor of the victory. +Want to join in, anybody?" + +"Stop it; you'll be coming through the roof. We had only one man +hurt on the field; I don't want a dozen hurt on the ride home." + +"Oh, it's safe enough, Dick. If I feel the roof giving way I'll +jump and save myself," and Tom began a wilder caper than ever. But +suddenly George Granbury, who sat nearby, caught him by the foot, +and he came down with a thump that threatened to split the stage +top from end to end. + +"It won't do, nohow!" pleaded Peleg Snuggers, the general utility +man attached to Putnam Hall Military Academy. "Them hosses is +skittish, and--" + +"Oh, stow it, Peleg," interrupted George. "You know those horses +couldn't run away if they tried. You only want us to act as if we +were a funeral procession coming--" + +A wild blast of horns from below drowned out the remainder of his +speech, and this finished, the football team and the other cadets +began to sing, in voices more forceful than melodious: + + "Putnam Hall! Putnam Hall! + What is wrong with Putnam Hall? + Nothing, boys! Nothing, boys! + She's all RIGHT! + Right! right! Right! Right! RIGHT!" + +Through the woods and far across the clear waters of Cayuga Lake +floated the words, followed by another blast from the horns and +then continued cheering. And their cheering was answered by others +who passed them, some in carriages and others oil bicycles. It was +a clear, sunshiny day, and nearly all of the inhabitants of +Cedarville, as well as of other villages along the lake, were out +in honor of the occasion. It had been a general holiday both at +Putnam Hall and at Pornell Academy, and the whole neighborhood had +taken advantage of it. + +"I believe Captain Putnam is as proud as any of us," remarked Dick +Rover, when the excitement had calmed down a bit. "When Tom kicked +that final goal I saw him rise up and nearly pound the life out of +the railing with his gold-headed cane. I'll wager the cane is +split into a dozen pieces." + +"Oh, that's nothing," put in Harry Blossom slyly. "When Tom did +his little act I saw Nellie Laning actually throw him a kiss from +the grand stand. If she--" + +"Hi, below there! Who's taking my name in vain?" came from Tom, +and suddenly his head appeared at the top of one of the openings on +the side of the stage. + +"I was just telling what Nellie Laning did, Tom. When you made +that splendid kick--" + +"Stow it, you moving-picture camera!" cried Tom, his face growing +suddenly red. "You see altogether too much." + +"Do I?" drawled Harry dryly. "Maybe. And then when Dick made his +run, pretty Dora Stanhope just put out her arms as if she wanted to +hug-- Whow!" + +Harry Blossom's banter came to a sudden ending, for, as red in the +face as his brother, Dick Rover reached forward and thrust a banana +he was eating into the tormenter's half open mouth. Harry gulped +once or twice, then the fruit disappeared as if by magic. + +"All right, Dick, I accept the bribe and will henceforth be +silent," he said solemnly, as soon as he could speak. + +"That's right, tie up your tongue, unless you want to be lifted +from the stage," said Tom. + +"It's all right," put in Dave Kearney, another cadet. "Dora +Stanhope and the Laning girls are nice folk and I don't blame +anybody for being sweet on them." + +"Yes, but you keep out of their cornfield, or you'll have all three +of the Rovers after you," came from Harry warningly. + +"What are we going to do to-night?" asked Dick abruptly, and in +such a tone that the others felt the bantering must come to an end. +"Is it feast, or fireworks, or both?" + +"Make it both!" came in chorus from a dozen cadets. "Captain +Putnam is just in the humor to let us do anything to-night. And +Mr. Strong's in the same good humor. Let us make the best of it." + +"All right; feast and fireworks it is," said Dick. "But both will +cost money. Who'll pass around the hat?" + +A groan went up, as is generally the case when an academy boy is +asked to part with some of his spending money. But the groan +counted for nothing, and the passing of the hat brought in over ten +dollars. + +"Ten-sixty for this load," announced the cadet who had made the +collection. "And there are two other loads following, besides +those who were on their wheels. We ought to be able to collect at +least thirty dollars, and that will buy out half of Cedarville." + +"If only old Carrick has some of his Fourth of July fireworks +left," said Sam. + +"Chust so!" grinned Hans Muelle, the German cadet who had joined +the academy the season before. "Vot is von celebration midowit +firevorks, hey? He vos chust noddings!" + +"Do you want another pistol explosion?" asked one of the others, +referring to an incident between Tom Rover and Hans which had +nearly ended in a tragedy. + +"Mine cracious, no!" howled the German lad. "I go me not py a +hundred feet mid an old pistol again alrietty! I vould radder sit +town on von can of dynamite to sleep, yes I vould!" And he shook +his curly head earnestly. + +"We won't have any pistols in this," broke in Tom, who felt like +shuddering every time the incident was mentioned. "We'll just have +skyrockets, and Roman candles, and pin-wheels, and all of the rest +of the good old-fashioned things--that is for the celebration on +the outside." + +"And for the celebration on the inside let us have cake, ice-cream, +fruits, and nuts," put in Larry. "At this minute I feel hungry +enough to eat the captain out of house and home." + +"Ditto myself," came from another student. + +"Perhaps the captain will be glad enough to have us celebrate--at +our own expense," suggested a cadet in one corner, yet he did not +mean what he said, knowing that bluff Captain Putnam, the owner and +headmaster of Putnam Hall was whole-souled and generous to the +core. + +The stage had already covered over a mile of the road, and now the +turnout left the lake shore and began to climb a long hill leading +to the heights upon which the academy was located. But there was +still a little valley to cross, at the bottom of which dashed a +rocky mountain torrent on its way to the placid waters beyond. + +At the top of the first long rise Peleg Snuggers stopped the team +for a few minutes' rest. Here the view was magnificent, and many a +cadet stopped his idle talk to gaze at the mountains to the +westward and the sparkling lake winding along in the opposite +direction. It was early fall, and nearly every tree was tinted +with red and gold, while here and there the first frosts had +covered the ground with leaves and nuts. + +"Don't wait too long, Peleg," urged Tom impatiently. "It will take +some time to get ready for our celebration to-night, you know." + +"I'm hurrying as fast as I can, Master Tom," was the reply. "Git +up, Jack! git up, Sally!" And once more they moved off, and again +some of the boys tooted their horns. At this Sally picked up her +ears and gave a little start to one side of the narrow road, +dragging her mate along. + +"Whoa! Steady there!" cried Peleg Snuggers, and tried to pull the +team in. Failing in this He grabbed the brake handle and pushed it +back vigorously. He was so nervous that he gave the handle a +mighty wrench, and in a twinkle the brake bar snapped off, close to +the wheel. Onward bounded the stage, hitting the team in the +flanks, and away leaped both horses on a dead run! + +"The brake is broke!" + +"Stop the team, Peleg, or they'll upset us sure!" + +"Whoa, there, Jack! Whoa, Sally! Don't you know enough to stop?" + +Such were some of the cries which rang out. Peleg Snuggers grasped +the lines and pulled with might and main. But then came an awful +bump, and away flew the driver into a bush along the roadside, and +the reins fell to the horses heels, scaring them worse than ever. + +"We are in for it!" gasped Tom. "I don't see how we are going to +stop them now." + +"The bridge! The bridge across the gully!" screamed another cadet, +in terror-stricken tones. "They were mending it this morning. +Supposing they haven't the new planking down?" + +"There is the bridge!" burst out another, pointing ahead. "Oh, +Heavens, boys, we are lost!" + +All strained their eyes ahead to see what he meant, and then every +face grew pale. The bridge was torn up completely, not a single +plank of the flooring remained. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +SOMETHING ABOUT THE ROVER BOYS + + +The Rover boys were three in number, Dick being the oldest, Tom +coming next, and Sam the youngest. In their younger days they had +resided with their parents in New York, but after the death of +their mother and the disappearance of their father they had gone to +live with their uncle, Randolph Rover, and their Aunt Martha, on a +farm called Valley Brook, near the village of Dexter Corners, on +the Swift River. + +Those who have read the previous volumes of this series, entitled +respectively, "The Rover Boys at School." "The Rover Boys on the +Ocean," and "The Rover Boys in the jungle," know that our three +heroes had already passed through many trying experiences and +thrilling adventures. From home they had been sent to Putnam Hall, +a military academy of high standing, and here they had made many +friends, including those already mentioned, and several enemies, +among the latter being one Dan Baxter, who was known as the school +bully, and John Fenwick, better known as Mumps, the bully's toady. +They had also made a bitter enemy of Josiah Crabtree, the +headmaster of the Hall. + +But since those first days at the school many things had happened +and many changes had occurred. It was discovered that Dan Baxter +was the son of one Arnold Baxter, a rascal who had, years before, +tried to swindle the Rover boys' father out of some valuable mining +property in the West, and that the son was little better than his +parent. Dan had left the school in a hurry, and soon after this +his father had been arrested in Albany for a daring office robbery, +and was now in jail in consequence. + +The disappearance of Dan, and Josiah Crabtree's yearning for +wealth, had led to further complications. Near Putnam Hall resides +the widow Stanhope and her pretty daughter Dora, and Crabtree, who +exerted a sort of hypnotic power over the widow, tried to get the +lady to marry him, so that he might obtain the fortune she held in +trust for her daughter. But how the Rover boys fooled the grasping +teacher, and how Dora was saved from the plot Crabtree and Dan +Baxter hatched up against her, has already been told in "The Rover +Boys on the Ocean." + +Anderson Rover had gone to Africa to locate certain mines in that +country, and when many years passed and no word came from him the +three boys grew worried and wanted to go in search of him. At last +came a strange letter written by a sea captain, containing some +important information, and acting on this the Rover boys, +accompanied by their Uncle Randolph, set out for the heart of the +Dark Continent to find the long-lost. On the way they fell in with +one Alexander Pop, who had formerly been a waiter at Putnam Hall, +who proved a valuable friend when it came to dealing with men of +his own ebony hue. In this hunt they likewise ran across Josiah +Crabtree, who was out with an exploring party from Yale, and with +Dan Baxter, and both of these rascals tried to do them much harm. +But the schemes of the rascals fell through, and Crabtree only +escaped after a severe whipping at the hands of Dick Rover, while +Dan Baxter fared little better. Soon after this Mr. Rover was +found, as a prisoner of a savage African tribe, and rescued, and +then the entire party returned to the United States. Alexander Pop +remained in the employ of the two elder Rovers, and the three boys +returned to finish the term at Putnam Hall. + +These are a few of the things that had happened. But there were +countless others, which space will not permit being mentioned here. +There had been many contests, in baseball, football, and other +sports, and jokes that seemed to have no end, and there had also +been a disastrous fire, which none of the Putnam Hall cadets were +likely ever to forget--a fire as thrilling as the scene now being +enacted on the road. But I am afraid I have already left the boys +in the runaway stage too long, so we will return to them without +further delay. + +"The bridge is down!" The cry rang through the stage, bringing +every cadet to his feet on the instant. + +"Don't jump!" cried Dick, as he saw several preparing to leap. +"You will break your necks!" For now the bushes were left behind, +and on either side of the road were jagged rocks, covered here and +there with withered vines. + +As Dick spoke he pushed his way to the front of the stage and +crawled out on the driver's seat. + +"The back--drop off at the back!" came from Frank Harrington, and +he showed how it could be done. But the road was now rougher than +ever, and he landed on his knees and his face, giving himself an +ugly cut on the chin. + +Dick was trying to reach the reins when Tom came down beside him. + +"Can you make it?" asked Tom. + +"I can try," was the desperate answer. "If only we could block +those wheels!" + +"Block the wheels!" came from half a dozen, and one boy, who +happened to have a stout cane with him, thrust it out between +several of the spokes of the wheel on the left, in the rear. For +an instant the stick held, then it snapped, and the wheel went +around as before. + +The bridge was now less than two hundred feet away, and whatever +was to be accomplished must be done quickly. At last Dick had the +reins, and he began to pull upon them with all of his strength, at +the same time calling upon Tom to hold him to the seat. + +"To the right--turn 'em to the right!" sang out Sam, as he saw a +narrow opening between the rocks. + +"Yes, the right!" added Fred Garrison. "It is our only hope!" + +Dick did as requested, and at the last instant the heavy stage +swung around. There was a grinding and a splitting of wood as the +front wheels met the rocks and went to pieces, and then Dick came +down on the horses, with Tom on top of him--and the elder Rover +knew no more. + +"Dick's hurt!" gasped Sam, as he scrambled out of the side window +of the turnout. "Don't let the horses kick him." + +For the runaway team were struggling wildly, amid the rocks and the +wreck of the harness. But Tom was already up, and he and Larry +Colby dragged Dick to a place of safety. In the meantime some of +the other cadets who were used to managing horseflesh took care of +the team and led them away and tied them fast to a tree. + +"Dick, Dick! are you badly hurt?" The question came from Tom, as he +gazed anxiously into his brother's face. There was a nasty cut on +the left check from which the blood was flowing. + +Dick did not answer, and Tom asked somebody to run down to the +stream for some water. When this was brought he and Sam bathed +Dick's face, and presently the latter opened his eyes and stared +around him in bewilderment. + +"A touchdown--I claim--" he began, and then stopped. "Wha--what +has happened?" he stammered. "Oh, I remember now!" And he feel back +again. + +"He thinks he's still in the football game," whispered Harry +Blossom. "Oh, but he's a plucky one." + +All of the other lads had been severely shaken up, but nobody had +been hurt excepting Frank, as before mentioned. Soon he came +limping up, followed by Peleg Snuggers. + +"I missed it by jumping," he observed ruefully. "Hullo, is Dick +knocked out?" + +"So ye stopped 'em, eh?" cried the general utility man. "It was +prime plucky to do it, so it was! Poor Dick, hope he ain't bad." + +By this time Dick was opening his eyes once more, and this time he +kept them open. + +"I--I--that was a nasty tumble, wasn't it?" he muttered. "I'm glad +I didn't go under the horses' feet." + +"How do you feel?" + +"I guess I had the wind knocked out of me, that's all." He tried to +get up, but his legs refused to support him. "I'll have to keep +quiet awhile." + +"Yes, don't you move," said Sam. "We can't get across the stream +anyway, now the bridge is down. We'll have to go around to the +other bridge." + +"It's queer the workmen didn't put up some sort of a sign as a +warning," said Fred Garrison. "I believe they can be held liable +for this disaster." + +"To be sure they can be held liable," burst out Peleg Snuggers. + +"But a sign wouldn't have kept the brake from breaking," said Tom. + +"True, lad, but ye must remember that it was their duty to put the +sign up at the beginning of this road, which is on the top of the +hill. If the sign had been there we would never have started to +come down this way." + +"Perhaps we missed the sign," put in another cadet. + +"Of dot is so, ve besser run pack und stop udder carriages from +comin' dis vay," broke in Hans Mueller quickly. "Listen to dot!" + +They all listened, and heard merry cries of laughter and carriage +wheels rapidly approaching. + +"A carriage--with ladies!" gasped Sam. "Come on and stop them!" +And away he, dusted up the hill, as well as his short legs would +carry him. Hans, Larry, and several others followed. They had +barely gained the top of the hill when a large carryall belonging +to John Laning appeared. In the carryall were the farmer and his +two charming daughters, and, Mrs. Stanhope, who was his +sister-in-law, and her daughter Dora. Mrs. Laning was also +present, along with several neighbors. + +"Hi, whoa! stop!" yelled Sam. "Stop!" + +"Hurrah for Putnam Hall!" cried Grace Laning, waving a tiny flag +toward Sam, which made the younger Rover blush. + +"Glad to be able to congratulate you, Sam!" said Dora Stanhope. +"Where are the other members of the football team?" + +"Just ahead--down by the gully. You mustn't drive down here, for +the bridge is down." + +"Bridge down!" ejaculated John Laning. "Darwell said he was going +to mend it this week, but I saw no sign up at the cross-roads." + +"Neither did we, and we came near to going overboard. As it is, we +had a pretty bad smash up!" + +"Indeed!" came from Mrs. Stanhope, in alarm. "And was anybody +hurt?" + +"Dick was thrown out and knocked unconscious, and Frank Harrington +had his chin cut, while the rest of us were pretty well shaken up. +Peleg the driver was thrown into some brushwood and that most +likely saved his life." + +Mrs. Stanhope grew pale, for she remembered only too well that +fateful ride she had once taken with Josiah Crabtree, which had +almost cost both of them their lives. + +"I will go to the poor boy!" she said, and leaped to the ground, +followed by Dora and the two Laning girls. Soon the carryall was +led to the side of the road, and the others alighted, to see what +damage had been done. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE MISSING DANGER SIGNAL + + +When Sam came back he found Dick sitting on a rock with his cut +plastered up from the out kit taken along to the football match. +Frank had likewise been attended to. + +"I am so glad you are not hurt seriously," said Mrs. Stanhope, as +she sat down beside Dick, with Dora close at hand. "All of you +have had a very narrow escape." + +"It is a shame that no danger signal was display," said Dora. +"When they are fixing a bridge they usually put a bar across the +road with the sign: 'Danger! Road Closed,' on it." + +"Exactly," put in Peleg. "But I haint seen no sign, an' that I can +swear to." + +"In that case Contractor Darwell will be responsible for this smash +up," said John Laning. "Are the horses hurt?" + +"They are pretty well scratched up around the legs." + +"Humph! And the two front wheels of the stage are a total wreck. +I reckon it will take the best part of fifty dollars to fix matters +up." + +"Anyway, I don't calculate as how I'm responsible," grumbled the +general utility man, fearing he saw trouble ahead, when Captain +Putnam should hear of the affair. + +A creaking on the road was heard, and presently a lumber wagon hove +into sight, piled high with the new planking for the bridge. On +the front sat Darwell the contractor and two of his workmen. + +"Hullo, what does all this mean?" cried the contractor, as he +brought his wagon to a standstill, and viewed the wrecked stage. + +"It means that Captain Putnam will have a little account to settle +with you, Mr. Darwell," put in Harry Blossom promptly. + +"With me? What for?" + +"For this wreck." + +"And for this cut chin," added Frank. + +"And my being knocked out," said Dick. + +"I'm not responsible for any wreck," replied Joel Darwell. "I put +up the bar with the danger signal on it, up at the cross-roads." + +"We didn't see no sign," interrupted Peleg Snuggers. "Not a bit of +a sign." + +"There was no sign when I came along," said John Laning. + +"I put the sign up not over three hours ago," insisted Joel +Darwell. "I can show you just where Sandy Long and I dug the post +holes for it." + +"Then some rascal took the sign down," said Tom. "What for?" + +"Must have done it to wreck the stage," answered Larry Colby. "But +could anybody be so cold-blooded?" + +"Yes, there are several people who would do that," answered Dick +promptly. "But I don't think they are within a hundred miles of +Cedarville just now." + +"You mean Dan Baxter for one," said Sam. + +"And Josiah Crabtree for another," put in Tom. "They are both down +on everybody around here." + +"How about Mumps?" asked Larry. + +"Oh, he reformed after that chase on the ocean, and I've heard he +is now out West," said Sam. "There's another rascal, though--Mr. +Arnold Baxter. But he is in jail in Albany--he and that tool of +his, Buddy Girk." + +"Well, certainly somebody is responsible," said Frank. "Supposing +we go back and try to find some clew?" + +"And find the danger sign and put it up again," said Joel Darwell. + +A dozen of the boys went back, and with them Tom and Sam, leaving +Dick with the Stanhopes. As soon as the crowd had left, Dora +Stanhope motioned the elder Rover to one side. + +"Oh, Dick, it makes me shiver to hear Josiah Crabtree spoken of," +she said in a whisper. + +"Why, Dora, you don't mean to say that he has turned up again?" he +questioned quickly. + +"No--but--but--last night I heard a strange noise on our side +porch, as if somebody was trying the side window. I went to the +door and asked to know who was there. At once I heard somebody or +some animal leave the porch and climb over the side fence of the +garden. I am almost certain it was some person trying to get into +the house." + +"Did you tell your mother?" + +"No, she had one of her nervous headaches, and I thought it would +do no good. But I couldn't sleep all night, and I laid with a big +stick in one hand and papa's old revolver in the other. The +revolver wasn't loaded, but I thought I might scare somebody with +it." + +"The revolver ought to be loaded, Dora. Do you know what caliber +it is?" + +"No; you know I know little or nothing about firearms." + +"Then I'll find out for you, and get some cartridges. If Josiah +Crabtree is around you ought to shoot him on the spot." + +"Oh, I couldn't do that--even though I do know how dreadfully he +treated you while you were in the heart of Africa." + +"You must be very careful of your movements, especially after dark. +Crabtree may be around, with some new scheme against you or your +mother. I wish he could have been left behind in Africa." + +"Oh, so do I! but he and Dan Baxter both came back to America, +didn't they?" + +"So we heard in Boma. But don't get worked up too much, Dora, for +it might have been only a cat,--or a common tramp looking for +something to eat. We have had lots of tramps around the Hall +lately." + +"I have asked Grace Laning to pay us a visit, and she is coming +over to-morrow." + +"Then you will have somebody in the house besides your mother and +yourself. I wish I could stay with you folks." + +"How long are you going to remain at the Hall, Dick? When you came +back you said something about going out West with your father to +look up that mining claim in Colorado." + +"We shan't start for the West until next spring. Father was going +right away at first, but after he found out that Arnold Baxter was +safe in jail and couldn't bother him any more, he concluded to +remain with Uncle Randolph and Aunt Martha until next spring so as +to give himself the chance to get back his old-time strength. His +sufferings in Africa pulled him down a good bit." + +"I suppose. Well, I am glad you will be around during the winter. +Next summer mamma has promised to go with me on a trip to Buffalo +and then around the Great Lakes. I trust the lake air will do her +much good, and that we won't hear or see anything of Mr. Crabtree +while we are on the water." + +"I'd like to go with you on that trip," answered Dick. "I have no +doubt you will have a grand time." + +Little did he dream of all the perils that trip was to lead to, and +of how he and his brothers would be mixed up in them. + +In the meantime the others had journeyed up the hill to where the +road branched off in three directions. At this point Joel Darwell +pointed out two newly-made holes in the earth, about fifteen feet +apart. + +"See them?" he cried. "Well, that is where I placed the danger +sign, and I am willing to swear to it." + +"And so am I," added the workman who was along. + +"Well, there is no danger signal here now," returned Tom, glancing +around. Some bushes torn up beside the road attracted his +attention, and he hurried toward them. "Here you are!" + +He pointed to a cleared spot behind the bushes and there, on the +ground, lay the torn-up posts and boards. Evidently somebody had +dragged them thither in great haste. + +"It's the work of some thorough rascal!" cried Sam. "Somebody who +meant mischief to our stage." + +"Maype dis vos der vork of dem Pornell Academy fellers," suggested +Hans. + +"No, they are gentlemen, not scoundrels," replied Tom. "They may +feel cut up, but they wouldn't play such a dastardly trick as +this." + +The spot was one commanding a good view of the back road, so that +anybody standing there could have seen the stage coming while it +was still a quarter of a mile off. + +All hands began a search for some clew leading to the identity of +the evil-doers--that is, all but Joel Darwell and his helper. +These two dragged the posts and boards into position again, and +this time set them down so firmly that a removal would be out of +the question without tools. + +"Hullo, here's something!" cried one of the cadets presently. "Did +you just drop this, Tom?" + +As he spoke he held up a round, flat coin of coppery metal, +engraved with several circles and a rude head. + +"No, I didn't drop it," replied Tom, his face growing serious. +"Did you, Sam?" + +Sam gave a look, placed his hand in his pocket and brought out a +similar piece. "No, there is mine," he said. "Where in the world +did that come from?" + +Then Tom and Sam looked at each other. The same idea crossed the +mind of each. The coin was similar to those they had handled while +on their way through Africa. They had brought home several as +pocket-pieces. + +"I'll wager Dan Baxter dropped that!" cried Tom. "He, or--" + +"Josiah Crabtree!" finished Sam. "Yes, I am sure of it, for Dick +brought none to Putnam Hall; I heard him tell the Captain so, when +they were talking about coins one day." + +"Then in that case, either Baxter or Crabtree is responsible for +this smash-up!" came from one of the other cadets. + +"Right you are. The question is, which one?" + +"Perhaps both vos guilty," suggested the German student. + +"That may be true, Hans," came from Tom. "I wonder if one or the +other of the rascals is in hiding around here?" + +"We'll begin a search," said Sam. "Hans, go and call the others," +and at once the German cadet started off on his errand. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +A TRAIL IS FOUND AND LOST + + +By this time several carriages had come up, also a number of folks +on bicycles and on foot, and to all of these the situation had to +be explained. Among the last to put in an appearance was Captain +Putnam, and he was at once all attention, and desired to know how +seriously Dick and Frank were injured. + +"It was an outrageous piece of work," he said. + +"Still, to be fair, we must admit that the broken brake is largely +responsible for what happened, after the start down hill was made." + +"But I couldn't help the brake breaking," pleaded the general +utility man. "I did my best, and was thrown out--" + +"I am not finding fault with you, Snugger," cut in the captain, +shortly. "Let it pass, and leave the stage to be taken care of by +the Cedarville blacksmith. But I wish we might lay hands on the +rascal who is responsible for the start of the mishap." + +"They have found a coin such as we used when as we were in Africa," +said Dick. "I think that furnishes a clew." + +"In what way, Rover?" + +"Those coins were also used by Dan Baxter and Josiah Crabtree." + +"And you think one or the other, or both, are in this neighborhood +again?" + +"It looks plausible, doesn't it?" + +"Yes, but--it would be very strange. I should think they would +give this locality a wide berth." + +"Hardly. Josiah Crabtree isn't done with the Stanhopes, to my +mind, and Baxter will get square with us if he can." + +While this talk was going on Sam and Tom were following some +footprints leading from the clearing where the signal board had +been found down a small path toward the lake. The footprints were +clearly defined. + +"The prints are not very large," observed Tom, as he and his +brother measured them. "It looks to me as if Dan Baxter's feet +might have made them." + +"Certainly they weren't made by old Crabtree," said Sam. "He had a +very long foot and always wore square-toed boots." + +They followed the prints down to the lake shore, and then along the +rim of the lake for nearly half a mile. + +Here there was a little cove, and under some bushes they discovered +some marks in the wet dirt of the bank, as if a rowboat had been +moored there. In this dirt the footprints came to an end. + +"That's the wind-up of this trail," sighed Tom. "Water leaves no +trail." + +"That's so. But supposing we skirt the lake some more." + +They went on, and did not give up until the declining sun told them +the day was done. + +When they reached the Hall they found that all of the others had +come in, and that preparations were already going forward for the +feast in the evening. For once Captain Putnam and George Strong, +his main assistant, were going to allow the cadets to have their +own way. Secretly the captain was tremendously pleased over the +showing his pupils had made on the football field, for this +happened to be a year when college athletics were in the ascendancy +in all of the States. + +But the regular evening drill must not be neglected, and soon the +sound of the drum was heard, calling the members of companies A and +B to the parade ground. A rush was made for uniforms, swords, and +guns, and soon the boys come pouring forth, Dick as a captain, and +his two brothers as under officers. + +"Attention!" shouted the major of the command. "Forward! march!" + +"Boom! boom! boom, boom, boom!" went the drums, and then the fifers +struck up a lively tune, and around the academy marched the two +companies at company front. Then they went around again by column +of fours, and then marched into the messroom, where they stacked +arms and sat down at the long mess tables. The movements were +patterned after those at West Point, and could not have been +improved upon. + +"Well, what of the hunt," asked Dick, as soon as he got the chance +to talk to Tom. + +"We followed it to the lake and then lost the trail," answered his +brother. "But I am convinced that the rascal was Dan Baxter." + +"I believe you are right, Tom," answered Dick, and related what +Dora Stanhope had told him. Of course Tom listened with keen +interest. + +"We made a mistake in letting old Crabtree and Baxter go when we +had them in Africa. We should have handed them over to the +authorities." + +"I am not worried about Baxter so much," went on Dick. "But I hate +to think of Crabtree being around to molest the Stanhopes." + +"And especially Dora," grinned Tom. + +"Right you are, Tom, and I am not ashamed to admit it to you. But +please don't--don't well, make fun of it to me any more." + +"I won't, Dick." Tom gave his brother's hand a squeeze under the +table. "Dora is all right, and if some day I get her for a +sister-in-law I won't complain a bit." This plain talk made Dick's +face flush, but he felt tremendously pleased, nevertheless, and +loved Tom more than ever. + +Directly after supper the boys were given until eleven o'clock to +do as they pleased. At once some old barrels were piled high at +one end of the campus, smeared with tar, stuffed with wood, and set +on fire, and the blaze, mounting to the sky, lit up the +neighborhood to the lake on one side and the mountains on the +other. + +Four cadets had gone down to Cedarville to buy the fireworks and +the things to eat, and by nine o'clock these returned, loaded down +with their purchases. Among the crowd was Larry Colby, who sought +out Dick as soon as he arrived. + +"I've got news," he exclaimed. "Whom do you suppose I saw down in +Cedarville? Josiah Crabtree!" + +"You are certain, Larry?" + +"Yes." + +"Where did you meet him?" + +"Down at the restaurant where he went for some ice cream. He was +just paying for a lunch he had had when I came in." + +"Did you speak to him?" + +"No; I wanted to do so, but as soon as he saw our crowd coming in +he dusted out of a side door." + +"Was he alone?" + +"Yes." + +"Humph!" Dick's brow clouded. He was inclined to think that Dora +had been right concerning the noise she had heard on the side +porch. + +"You haven't any idea where he went?" + +"No; I wanted to follow him, but it was dark on the street and he +slipped me." + +This was all Larry had to tell, and he hurried to arrange the +fireworks. + +The celebration was a grand success, and lasted until almost +midnight. The boys had brought along a lot of Roman candles and +skyrockets, and these they set off from the top of one of the +tallest trees on the grounds. + +"So that the Pornell fellows can see them," said Sam. "I know they +will enjoy the show," and then he closed one eye suggestively. The +Pornell players had chaffed him on account of his size, and now +that the victory was won, he did not mean to let them forget their +defeat too quickly. + +At about ten o'clock Dick went to Captain Putnam and asked +permission to leave the grounds for an hour or two. + +"Where do you wish to go?" asked the captain. + +"To Mrs. Stanhope's, sir," and he related what Dora had told him, +and of what news Larry Colby had brought. + +"I am afraid you may get into trouble, Rover," said the captain +seriously. + +"I will be very careful, sir. I am not afraid of Mr. Crabtree, +should he turn up." + +"I don't believe you are afraid of anyone," said the master with a +smile, for he admired Dick's courage. + +"Then you will let me go?" + +"Wouldn't you rather have somebody with you?" + +"I wouldn't mind having Tom along." + +"I meant some grown person--like, for instance, Mr. Strong." + +"No, sir." + +"Well, then, take Tom. But mind and be careful, and don't stay too +late if everything is right, down there." + +Having received this permission, Dick hurried to Tom. Soon the two +brothers were on the way, Tom eating some cake and peanuts as they +hurried along. The latter hated to miss the feast, but did not +wish to see his brother under take the mission alone. + +It was a clear night, and although there was no moon, the stars +twinkled overhead like so many diamonds. Both knew the short cut +to Mrs. Stanhope's cottage well, and made rapid progress. "Shall +you ring the bell if everything appears to be right?" asked Tom, as +they came in sight of the modest dwelling, set in the widow's +well-kept garden. + +"I guess not, Tom. It's so late. Both Mrs. Stanhope and Dora have +probably gone to bed." + +They had almost reached the gate to the garden when Dick caught his +brother by the sleeve and drew him back into the shadow of a large +maple tree. + +"What is it, Dick?" + +"I think I saw somebody moving around the corner of the house just +now." + +Both boys strained their eyes, but could see nothing that resembled +a human form. + +"I don't see a thing, Dick." + +"Come, we'll move around to the outside of the garden," returned +the older brother. + +The flower garden was not large, and was separated from the +vegetable laths. As they made their way along this, both caught +the sound of a window sliding up. + +"Hark! Did you hear that?" whispered Dick excitedly. + +"I did. It came from the back of the house." + +"Somebody must be trying to get into the kitchen window!" + +Dick broke into a run, with Tom at his heels. Entering the garden +by a rear gate, they soon reached the vicinity of the kitchen. A +window stood wide open, and through this they beheld somebody +inside the apartment with a blazing match in his hand trying to +light a candle. + +"Hi, there, who are you?" cried Tom, before Dick could stop him. + +At the sound of the call the man in the kitchen jumped as though +stung by a bee. Then he wheeled around, with the lighted candle in +his hand, and both boys saw that it was Josiah Crabtree. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +A STRUGGLE IN THE DARK + + +"Crabtree, you rascal!" ejaculated Dick. + +"Who--who is that?" spluttered the former teacher of Putnam Hall, +in dismay. + +"It is I--Dick Rover. What are you doing here?" + +"I--I came to call upon the Widow Stanhope," stammered Josiah +Crabtree. He was so astonished he knew not what to say. + +"You came to rob her, more likely," sneered Tom. "You just broke +in at the window." + +"No, no--it--it is all a mistake, Rover. I--I am stopping here +for the night." + +"Indeed!" gasped Dick, almost struck dumb over the man's show of +"nerve," as he afterward expressed it. + +"Yes, I am stopping here." + +"With Mrs. Stanhope's permission of course." + +"Certainly. How could I stop here otherwise?" + +"What are you doing in the kitchen all alone?'" + +"Why, I--er--I was up in my room, but I--er--wanted a glass +of water and so came down for it." + +"Then Mrs. Stanhope and Dora have gone to bed?" + +"Yes, they just retired." + +"Have you become friends again?" asked Dick, just to learn what +Josiah Crabtree might say. + +"Yes, Rover, Mrs. Stanhope is once more my best friend." + +"Then she doesn't know what a rascal you were out in Africa." + +"My dear Richard, you are laboring under a great delusion. I was +never in Africa in my life." + +"What!" roared Dick aghast at the man's audacity. + +"I speak the truth. I have made an investigation, and have learned +that somebody went to Africa under my name, just to take advantage +of my--ahem--of my exalted rank as a professor." + +"Great Scott! how you can draw the long bow!" murmured Tom. + +"I speak the plain truth. I can prove that for the past six months +I have been in Chicago and other portions of the West. + +"Well, if you are a guest here, just stay with Tom while I call the +Stanhopes," said Dick, and leaped in at the window. + +"Boy, you shall do nothing of the kind," cried Josiah Crabtree, his +manner changing instantly. + +"Why not? If you are friends, it will do no harm." + +"Mrs. Stanhope is--er--is not feeling well, and I will not have her +disturbed by a headstrong youth like you." + +"We'll see about that. If you--" + +Dick broke off short, for just then a voice he knew well floated +down into the kitchen from upstairs. + +"Who is talking down there? Is that you, Dick?" It was Dora +speaking, in a voice full of excitement. + +"Yes, Dora, it is I--and Tom. We have caught Josiah Crabtree here +in your kitchen." + +"Oh!" The girl gave a little scream. "What a villain! Can you +hold him?" + +"We can try," answered Dick. He turned to Crabtree. "I reckon +your game is up, old man." + +"Let me go!" growled the former teacher fiercely, and as Dick +advanced upon him he thrust the lighted candle full into the +youth's face. Of course Dick had to fall back, not wishing to be +burnt, and a second later the candle went out leaving the room in +total darkness. + +But now Tom sprang forward, bearing Crabtree to the floor. Over +and over rolled the pair, upsetting first a chair and then a small +table. + +At the sound of the row Dora Stanhope began to scream, fearing one +of her friends might be killed, and presently Mrs. Stanhope joined +in. But the cottage was situated too far away for any outsiders to +hear, so the boys had to fight the battle alone. + +At length Josiah Crabtree pulled himself clear of Tom's hold and +made for the open window. But now Dick had recovered and he hurled +the man backward. + +The movement kept Crabtree in the room, but it was disastrous to +Tom, for as the former teacher fell back his heel was planted on +Tom's forehead, and for the time being the younger Rover lay +stunned and unable to continue the contest. + +Finding himself unable to escape by the window, Josiah Crabtree +felt his way to the door and ran out into the hall. Because of his +former visits to the house he knew the ground plan well, and from +the hall he darted into the parlor and then into the sitting room. + +Dick tried to catch him, and once caught his arm. But Crabtree +broke loose and placed a large center table between them. + + "Don't dare to stop me, Rover," hissed the man desperately. "If +you do you will be sorry. I am armed." + +"So am I armed, Josiah Crabtree. And I call upon you to +surrender." + +"What, you would shoot me!" cried the former teacher, in terror. + +"Why not? Didn't you try to take my life in Africa?" + +"I repeat, you are mistaken." + +"I am not mistaken, and can prove my assertion by half a dozen +persons." + +"I have not been near Africa." + +"I won't argue the point with you. Do you surrender or not?" + +"Yes, I will surrender," replied Josiah Crabtree meekly. + +Yet he did not mean what he said, and as Dick came closer he gave +the lad a violent shove backward, which made the elder Rover boy +sit down in an easy chair rather suddenly. Then he darted into a +small conservatory attached to the sitting room. + +"Stop!" panted Dick, catching his breath. + +"Tom, he is running away!" + +Crash! jingle! jingle! jingle! Josiah Crabtree had tried the door +to the conservatory and finding it locked and the key gone, had +smashed out some of the glass and leaped through the opening thus +afforded. + +By this time Dora was coming downstairs, clad in a wrapper and +carrying a lamp in her hand. The first person she met was Tom, who +staggered into the hall with his hand to his bruised forehead. + +"Oh, Tom, are you hurt?" she shrieked. + +"Not much," he answered. "But Dick--Dick, where are you?" + +"Here, in the conservatory. Crabtree just jumped through the +glass!" + +Dora ran into the little apartment, which Mrs. Stanhope had just +begun to fill with flowers for the coming winter. Tom came behind +her, carrying a poker he had picked up. + +"Is he out of sight?" asked Tom. + +"Yes, confound the luck," replied his brother. "Which way did he +go?" + +"I don't know." + +"We ought to follow him." + +"We will." Dick turned to Dora. "After we are gone you had better +lock up better than ever, and remain on guard until morning." + +"I will, Dick," she answered. + +The key to the conservatory door was hanging on a nearby nail, and +taking it down they unlocked the door, and the two boys passed into +the darkness of the night outside. + +"Please take care of yourselves!" cried Dora after them, and then +turned to quiet her mother, who had come downstairs in a state of +excitement bordering on hysteria, for, as old readers know, Mrs. +Stanhope's constitution was a delicate one. + +Running into the garden, Dick made out a dim form in the distance, +on the path leading to the lake. + +"There he is!" he cried. "Come, Tom, we must catch him, if we +can!" + +"I am with you," answered Tom. "But take care what you do. He may +be in a desperate frame of mind." + +"He is desperate. But I am not afraid of him," returned the elder +Rover, with determination. + +Josiah Crabtree was running with all the speed of his long legs, +and the two lads soon found that they had all they could do to keep +him in sight. + +"Stop!" yelled Tom, at the top of his voice, but to this command +the former, teacher paid no attention. If anything, he ran the +faster. + +"He is bound for the lake," said Dick. "He must have a boat." + +But Dick was mistaken, for just before the water came into view +Josiah Crabtree branched off onto the road leading into Cedarville. +Then of a sudden the shadows of a patch of woods hid him from view. + +"He's gone!" came from Tom, as he slackened his speed. + +"He didn't turn down to the lake." + +"That's so. He must have gone toward Cedarville." + +The Rover boys came to a halt and looked about them searchingly. +On one side of the road lay a tilled field, on the other were rocks +and trees and bushes. They listened intently, but only the +occasional cry of a night bird broke the stillness. + +"We are stumped!" groaned Dick dismally. + +"What, you aren't going to give up the hunt already, are you?" +demanded Tom. + +"No, but where did he go?" + +"Perhaps he went back to the house." + +"I don't believe he would dare to do that. Besides, what would he +go for?" + +"What made him go in the first place?" + +"I am sure I don't know. Perhaps he was going to abduct Dora--or +Mrs. Stanhope." + +"If he was going to do that alone, he would have had his hands +full." + +The two boys advanced, but with great caution. They peered into +the woods and behind some of the larger rocks, but discovered +nothing. + +"That is the second time we have lost our game to-day," remarked +Tom soberly. "First it was Dan Baxter or somebody else, and now it +is Josiah Crabtree." + +"It must have been Baxter who tried to wreck the stage. He and old +Crabtree always did hang together." + +"If they are stopping anywhere in Cedarville we ought to put the +police on their track." + +"I'll do that sure. We can easily hold both on half a dozen +charges--if we can catch them." + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +AN INTERESTING LETTER + + +But to catch Josiah Crabtree was not easy. The former teacher of +Putnam Hall was thoroughly alarmed, and once having taken to the +woods, he plunged in deeper and deeper, until to find him would +have been almost an impossibility. Indeed, he completely lost +himself, and when the boys had left the vicinity he found himself +unable to locate the road again, and so had to remain in the cold +and damp woods all night, much to his discomfort. He could not +keep warm, and sat chattering on a rock until daylight. + +Finding it of no use to continue the search, Dick and Tom retraced +their steps to the Stanhope homestead. They found Dora on guard, +with every window and door either locked or nailed up. The girl +had persuaded her feeble mother to lie down again, but Mrs. +Stanhope was still too excited to rest comfortably. + +"Did you catch him?" Dora asked anxiously, after she had admitted +them. + +"No, he got away in the darkness," answered Dick. + +"It is too bad. What do you suppose he was up to?" + +"That is what we would like to find out, Dora. Certainly he was up +to no good." + +"Perhaps he wished to rob us." + +"He must know that you do not keep much money in the house." + +"Day before yesterday mother had me draw four hundred dollars out +of the bank, to pay for the new barn we have had built. The +carpenter, however, went to Ithaca on business, so as yet we have +not been able to pay him the money." + +"It was a mistake to keep so much cash in the house. You should +have paid by check--it's the same thing," put in Tom. + +"I know it, but Mr. Gradley is peculiar. He once had some trouble +over a check, and he stipulated that he should be paid in cash." + +"Do you suppose Josiah Crabtree saw you draw the money from the +bank?" remarked Dick thoughtfully. + +"I don't know what to think." + +"He would be just rascal enough to try to get it, if he knew of it. +I guess we had better remain here until morning, and after that you +had better have a man around the house." + +"Yes, mother says she will hire a man. But men are difficult to +get--that is, one who is reliable. We had to discharge Borgy on +account of drunkenness." + +"Perhaps father will let Alexander Pop come up here for a while," +cried Dick, struck with the idea. "I don't believe he needs the +man at home, and Aleck is thoroughly reliable, even if he is +colored." + +"Yes, I know Pop well. I would like to have him first-rate. But +it is asking a good deal at your hands, Dick." + +"As if I wouldn't do a good deal more than that, Dora," he cried +quickly, and caught her hand. + +"I know you would--you have already. You are the best friend I +have, Dick--you and your brothers." + +"And I always will be, Dora, always!" he whispered, and pressed her +hand so tightly that she blushed like a peony. + +Tom had passed into the kitchen and was looking around to see what +damage his struggle with Crabtree had done. Nothing was injured. +Under the kitchen table lay a letter and a small vial. He picked +up both. + +"Chloroform!" he cried, as he smelt of the contents of the vial, +just as the others came in. + +"Where did you get that?" asked Dora. + +"Found it under the table, along with this letter. Crabtree must +have dropped both." + +"Let me see the letter!" cried Dick. + +Tom passed it over, and all three read the communication with +interest. It had been sent to Josiah Crabtree while the latter had +been stopping in New York, and was post-marked Albany. + +"It's from Dan Baxter," said Dick. + +The letter ran as follows: + + "Dear Mr. Crabtree: + + "I drop you a few lines as promised. I have seen my father and his + plans are about completed. The Rovers think they have the upper + hand, but when he gets out of jail he will be able to show them a + thing or two and surprise them. If you go to Cedarville I will + meet you there on the 5th of next month--at the old meeting place. + We won't have Mumps, the turncoat, to bother us, and maybe we can + lay plans for a fat deal all around. Anyway, we ought to square + accounts with those Rover boys. They treated both of us + outrageously and they ought to suffer for it. + + "Yours as faithfully as ever, + + "D.B." + +"Won't Crabtree be mad when he finds out that he lost this?" +grinned Tom. + +"He may not know that he dropped it here." + +"Well, it clears up one point. Baxter and he are both around, and +intent on mischief." + +"True enough." + +"What shall you do next?" put in Dora anxiously. + +"I hardly know. 'Forwarned is forearmed,' they say, but Baxter and +Crabtree are such underhanded rascals one never knows what to +expect of them next." + +"Of course you will tell the Cedarville police--or I shall." + +"I'll do that. But you know what they did before. Never helped us +a bit, but let both slip through their fingers." + +"Perhaps they will be on their mettle now." + +The situation was talked over for half an hour, and then it was +decided that Tom should return to Putnam Hall to explain to Captain +Putnam and to Sam, while Dick should remain with the Stanhopes. + +This agreed upon, Tom took his departure immediately, as it was now +midnight, and he did not wish to be locked out for the night. + +"And now you had better return to bed, Dora," said Dick, after his +brother had departed. "I will remain downstairs, on the sofa, and +I don't believe anybody will disturb me." + +"All right, if you wish it that way," replied the girl. "But you +can have one of the bedrooms if you wish." + +"No, I'll stay here, and keep my clothes on." + +Dora went upstairs, but soon came back, carrying a pillow and a +quilt. + +"There, that will provide a little comfort," she said, but then, as +Dick caught her hand as if to kiss it, she gave a merry little +laugh and ran upstairs again. + +It was a long while before Dick could go to sleep. He had read the +letter found in the kitchen with care, and he wondered what it all +meant. + +"What plans can Arnold Baxter be completing?" he asked himself. +"And how can he surprise father? Can that refer to the missing +mine in Colorado? He talks as if he was going to get out of jail +pretty soon, but that can't be, for the judge will certainly give +him three or four years at the least. Perhaps I had better write +to father about this." + +No other person came that night to disturb the inmates of the +cottage, and when at last Dick did fall into slumber he did not +awaken until the sun was shining in the window and a neighboring +Irish woman, who did Mrs. Stanhope's washing and ironing, was +knocking on the kitchen door for entrance. + +"Good-morning, Mrs. O'Toole," he said, as he leaped up and let her +in. + +"Good-marnin', young sir," stammered the washerwoman. "Sure an' I +didn't ixpict to see you here." + +"I suppose not. But come in, and I will call Miss Dora." + +"No need to call me, if you please," came in a silvery voice from +the hall, and Dora appeared, as bright and fresh as ever. "I would +have been down before, only I had to wait on mamma." + +"And how is she?" + +"She is no worse, but neither is she better. I shall send for our +doctor to-day." + +Breakfast was soon on the table-fresh coffee, fresh eggs, and +dainty buckwheat cakes baked by Dora's own hands. It is needless +to say that Dick enjoyed the repast. + +"You'll make a famous housekeeper for somebody some day, Dora," he +said, looking at her pointedly. + +"You go and eat your cakes before they get cold," she answered. + +"I've already eaten my fill, I can't go another one. I've enjoyed +them ever so much. Now I guess I had better be off for +Cedarville." + +"If you wish, you can hitch up Dolly to the carriage and drive +over. It will be nicer than walking." + +"Supposing I go over on horseback? Is she used to a saddle?" + +"Oh, yes, and you will find a gentleman's saddle in the harness +closet back of the stalls." + +"Then I'll go that way. Good-by. I'll be back before noon, unless +something unusual turns up. And when I am down in Cedarville I'll +send word to father about Aleck." + +Leaving the house Dick went to the barn, which was usually locked. +Dora had given him the key, but to his surprise he found the +padlock pried off and the door partly open. + +"Can this be more of Crabtree's work?" he asked himself. "Perhaps +he has stolen the mare! What fools we were not to look in here +last night." + +But Dick's fears were groundless. The mare was still there. But +she was all saddled, ready for him to ride. + +"Crabtree's work, beyond a doubt," he thought. + +Before he went to the house he came here, and it was his intention +to steal the mare and get away on her. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +A HUNT THROUGH THE WOODS + + +Before starting for Cedarville Dick acquainted Dora with the +discovery he had made. + +"We were fortunate," said the girl. "I would not lose Dolly for a +good deal." + +If there was one thing Dick loved it was a good horse, and once on +Dolly's back he urged the little mare along at top speed. She was +in prime fettle, and flew along the hard road as if she thoroughly +enjoyed the outing. + +Arriving at Cedarville Dick sought out the little police station, +for the town had at last taken on a force, consisting of a chief +and eight men. + +The chief, a little fat man by the name of Burger, sat in his +office reading the Cedarville Trumpet, the weekly journal of the +place. + +"Want to see me on business, eh?" he said, laying down the sheet. +"All right, young man, sit down. What name?" + +"Richard Rover. I am one of the cadets at Putnam Hall." + +"Just so. Trouble at the Hall, I presume? Anything connected with +that celebration last night?" + +"No, sir, I--" + +"Another robbery, then? Captain Putnam seems to have his hands +full." + +"We've had no robbery at the Hall, sir. I came--" + +"No robbery, eh? Then perhaps it's a fight. Students will fight +when they get celebrating. I know we had a fight once at the +academy I attended, and it lasted three days." + +"I hope they called out the fire department," answered Dick, with a +grin. + +"The fire department--Ha! ha! a good joke! No; they called in the +doctor, ha! ha! So it's a fight, eh? Does the captain want us to +arrest anybody?" + +"It's not a fight." + +"What? But you said--" The fat chief paused. + +"I said I wanted to see you about business." + +"Just so--and that you were from Putnam Hall, and Captain Putnam +had sent you." + +"No, no. Please give me a chance to talk." + +"Why, of course. I never interrupt anybody. Go on, but don't take +too much time, for my time is limited." + +"I came from Mrs. Stanhope's cottage, man broke in there last +night--" + +"Ha, a burglary! Why didn't they let us know at once? Or perhaps +you have collared the villain already?" + +"No, we haven't got him, although my brother and I tried to catch +him." + +"Pooh! Two boys, and tried to catch a burglar! Of course he got +away." + +Dick felt disgusted, and arose to make his departure. + +"If you won't listen to what I have to report, I'll take myself +off," he said half angrily. + +At this Chief Burger stared at him in astonishment. + +"Really, you are a remarkable boy," he gasped. "Ain't I listening +to everything you are saying?" + +"Hardly. I wish to tell you everything from the beginning." + +"Just so. Go on, I shan't say a word. What a remarkable boy! But +it must be the military training that does it." + +As well as possible Dick told all that had happened during the +night. Chief Burger interrupted him a score of times, but at last +the tale was finished. At the conclusion the chief closed one eye +suggestively. + +"And don't you know where this Josiah Crabtree is now?" he asked. + +"If I did I'd go after him hot-footed," returned Dick. + +"He must be in hiding in the woods near the cottage." + +"Perhaps, but he had eight hours in which to get away." + +"Just so. I will send out an alarm to all of my force, and then +Detective Trigger and I will make a personal hunt for the rascal." + +"When you hunt for him you had better hunt for Dan Baxter, too," +said Dick, and he told of the happening on the stage ride. + +"I will keep an eye open for Baxter, too," said the chief. + +From the police station Dick rode to the post office, and here +wrote and mailed a long letter to his father, relating what had +happened and repeating the wording of the letter that had been +found. He requested that Alexander Pop be sent up without delay. + +There was nothing to keep Dick in Cedarville any longer, and he +prepared to return to the Stanhope cottage with the mare. But +before going he entered the leading drug store, and here purchased +a box of choice chocolates for Dora, for he fortunately had his +spending money with him, or at least the balance left over from the +football celebration. + +When Dick reached the cottage he found both the washwoman and the +carpenter at work, one in the wash-house and the other finishing up +the new barn. The money taken from the bank had been turned over +to Mr. Gradley, so Mrs. Stanhope no longer had this to worry her. + +Feeling that he could do little at school for the balance of that +day, Dick resolved to hunt through the woods for some trace of +Josiah Crabtree, and went off shortly after giving Dora the +chocolates, over which the girl was greatly pleased. He followed +the road in the direction of the lake at first, and was about to +plunge into the brushwood when a distant voice hailed him. + +"Hullo, Dick, stop! I want to see you." + +It was Sam calling, and soon his youngest brother came up on a run. + +"Sam, what brings you?" he asked, for it was easy to see that +something out of the ordinary had occurred. + +"I want to know where Tom is," panted Sam. + +"Tom?" Dick's face grew pale all in an instant. "Didn't he return +to Putnam Hall last night?" + +"No, and nobody around there has seen him since he went off with +you. I thought he was with you, until Dora just told me that he +started to return about midnight." + +"He did. And he didn't return? What can it mean?" + +"What's the trouble here?" + +Sam was given the particulars, and uttered a long, low whistle. + +"That looks black, doesn't it?" + +"It does, Sam. I don't like it for a cent." + +"Do you suppose he fell in with Crabtree?" + +"Perhaps--or with somebody just as bad." + +"Perhaps he spotted Crabtree and started to follow him." + +"I shouldn't think he would follow him all this time without +letting somebody know." + +For several minutes the two brothers discussed this new turn of +affairs. Both were greatly troubled, and Dick did not know whether +to continue his hunt or not. + +"I wouldn't care if only I knew he was all right," he said. + +"That's just it. Tom is able to stand up for himself in an even +fight, but if Crabtree played him some trick--" + +"Let us hunt for him," interrupted the elder Rover. "There is no +use of our sitting down and sucking our thumbs." + +They went along the road until the spot was gained where Josiah +Crabtree had been last seen. Then they began a systematic search +until Sam discovered what he said were fresh footprints leading +directly into the woods. At one point one of the prints was very +plain, and they saw that it was made by a long shoe, square-toed. + +"I reckon you have struck it, Sam," said Dick, after an inspection. +"Now if only we can stick to the trail to the end." + +Fortunately the ground was so damp that the trail could be followed +with ease. An hour's walking brought them to the rock where the +former teacher had spent the larger part, of the night. + +"He made a stop here, that's certain," observed Dick, as they +surveyed the criss-cross tracks. + +"Like as not he got mixed up in the dark, Dick. It must have been +awfully black here under the trees." + +Presently they discovered another trail, leading up a hill. Beyond +was a tall tree which Josiah Crabtree had climbed in order to +obtain a better view of the surroundings. From the tree the trail +led directly toward the lake. + +"We're on his track, all right enough," observed Sam. "But if he +took to the water we'll lose it, just as we lost Baxter's trail +yesterday." + +The trail crossed the main road and came out at the lake where +there was a slight bluff covered with a heavy growth of underbrush. +To their right was an old building, which in years gone by had been +a dwelling. + +"There is a fire over yonder," observed Dick, as he pointed past +the building "Somebody seems to be burning a lot of wet brush. +See the heavy smoke." + +"Perhaps the folks at the fire can tell us something of Crabtree," +answered Sam. "Let us go over and interview them." + +His brother was willing, and as well as they were able they pushed +their way through the brush toward the fire. + +The latter burned fiercely, and presently the two boys detected the +odor of tar. + +Then they reached a point where they could overlook what was going +on around the fire, for the blaze was located in something of a +gully of the cliff. + +"Merciful heaven!" burst from Dick's lips, and he stood spellbound. +Sam also gave a look, and the sight that both boys saw nearly froze +the blood in their veins. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +WHAT BECAME OF TOM + + +To go back to Tom at the time when he left Dick and the Stanhopes, +and started to return to Putnam Hall. + +He went away whistling gayly, for he thought that all danger was +over. + +"What a shame I had to miss the celebration," he murmured. "And +after my success on the football field, too!" + +Soon the Stanhope grounds were left behind, and he struck the main +road leading to the academy. + +He had advanced a distance of several hundred feet along this road +when, on looking ahead, he observed some person coming slowly +toward him. + +Wondering who the individual could be, and thinking of Crabtree, he +stopped short. + +At the same time the other person also halted, and then of a sudden +slipped out of sight behind the nearest trees. + +"Hullo, that's queer," murmured the youth. "Evidently he doesn't +want to be seen. Can it be Crabtree?" + +He was unarmed, and had some hesitancy about advancing, not knowing +what to expect. + +But he did not wish the former teacher to escape, and so casting +around he espied a sharp stone and picked it up. + +"Hi, there, come out of that!" he called, as he ran forward and +held the stone ready for use. + +No reply was vouchsafed, and he called again. By this time he was +directly opposite the spot where the mysterious individual had +disappeared. + +"Look here, Josiah Crabtree, you might as well come out and give +yourself up," he called sharply. + +Still there was no answer, and now Tom did not know what to do. +Under the trees it was so dark that he could scarcely see a yard in +front of him. + +Yet he advanced several paces, still holding the stone up as a +weapon of offense or defense, as the case might prove. But nobody +appeared in sight, and at last he returned to the road. + +He was in a quandary whether to return to the cottage or continue +on his way to the Hall. + +"I suppose I may as well go on," he concluded. "Neither Dick nor I +can do much in the woods in the dark." + +So he went on, but this time more slowly, wondering if Josiah +Crabtree would follow him, and never dreaming that the person who +had slipped him was not the former teacher, but Dan Baxter. + +For Baxter it was, who had been waiting around to be joined by +Crabtree, for the pair of evil-doers had come to the vicinity of +the Stanhope cottage together. + +"It's Tom Rover," muttered Baxter, on hearing the boy's voice. "I +was lucky to get out of the way." + +He remained as motionless as a statue while Tom passed within a +dozen feet of him. Then When Tom went out on the road again Baxter +ran forth, too, but in the opposite direction. + +Down on a side road Baxter had that day run across a tramps' +encampment. In the camp were three hoboes, as they are sometimes +called rascals who were willing to do almost anything but work for +a living. + +They had demanded money of the bully, and he gave them a dollar, +fearing violence if he refused them. + +Baxter now thought of the tramps, and as he did so an evil look +crossed his face. + +"If only I can pay off Tom Rover," he muttered. "I'll do it if I +can." + +Soon the tramps' encampment was reached, and he found two of the +men dozing before a tiny fire, with an empty liquor bottle between +then the third tramp had gone to Cedarville for more liquor. + +"Wake up here," cried Baxter, catching first one and then the other +by the shoulder. + +"What do yer want, young feller?" demanded the leader of the party, +who rejoiced in the name of Stumpy Nuggs. + +"I want you two men to help me lay a boy out," answered Dan Baxter, +feeling that there was no use in mincing matters, for he knew that +the tramps were a bad crowd. + +"Lay a boy out?" repeated the second tramp, who was called +Longback. + +"Yes, he is an enemy of mine, and just passed on the road yonder. +If you will help me thrash him and make him a prisoner, I'll give +you each five dollars." + +"Say, yer talkin' big," said Stumpy Nuggs. + +"I mean what I say. I know you are not above doing such work by +the way you tackled me." + +"Is de boy alone?" + +"Yes." + +"An' yer want to whip him and den make him a prisoner?" + +"Yes." + +"Wot yer goin' ter do wid him after dat?" + +"I don't know yet." + +"Who is de boy?" + +"A cadet up at the military academy above here." + +Stumpy Nuggs scratched his head of tangled hair. + +"Maybe yer gittin' us into a trap fer askin' yer fer dat dollar," +he observed suspiciously. + +"No, I am not. This boy is an old enemy of mine, and I want to get +square with him. We can easily catch him before he gets to the +academy, if you hurry up." + +"An' you will give us five dollars each?" + +"Yes--and perhaps more. The boy carries a watch, and must have +some money in his pocket. He also wears a gold ring." + +At the mention of jewelry and money the tramps' eyes glistened. + +"If you are tellin' de truth, dis is all right," cried Stumpy +Nuggs, as he arose and stretched himself. + +"I am telling the truth, and you can easily prove it for +yourselves. Only hurry up, or it will be too late." + +The two tramps consulted together, and asked a few more questions. +Then they agreed to follow Baxter, and do whatever he desired of +them, providing they were allowed their fair share of plunder, if +there was any. + +In the meantime Tom went on in deep thought. He still held the +stone in his hand. He wished he had a club, but the stick he had +formerly picked up had been left at the cottage. + +The hall grounds had just come into sight in the dim distance when +the boy heard the patter of footsteps behind him. + +He turned around, but could see nobody, and at that instant the +sounds ceased. + +"Somebody is following me," he thought. "Can it be the same party +I spotted before?" + +An instant later he found himself confronted by two men and a boy, +each with a bit of cloth tied over his face, into which two holes +had been cut for eyes. + +"Is dat him?" asked one of the men. + +"Yes," answered the boy, in a strangely unnatural voice. "Give it +to him." + +All three of the party carried sticks, and they at once fell upon +Tom, hitting him over the shoulders and the head. + +He did his best to defend himself, and hit Baxter in the arm with +the stone, inflicting a wound that made the bully shriek with pain. + +"So it is you, Baxter!" cried Tom, recognizing the voice. "What do +you mean by this?" + +"Knock him down," yelled the bully. "Don't let him get away from +you!" + +Thus urged, the two tramps closed in, and while one caught Tom by +the arm, the second tried to pull his feet from under him. + +It was a fierce, but unequal struggle, and though the boy struck +out right and left, inflicting not a little injury, in the end he +found himself on his back, with Stumpy Nuggs sitting on his chest. + +"You rascals, let up," he gasped. "Do you mean to kill me?" + +"Lay still, or you'll catch it worse," growled Nuggs. "Where's dat +rope, Longback?" + +A rope had been brought along, and it was quickly produced, and +then Tom was rolled over and his hands were bound behind him. His +legs were also bound together in such a fashion that he might walk +but not run. + +"Now get up," ordered Dan Baxter, with a wicked scowl. + +Not caring to remain on the ground, Tom did so. He noted that the +two men with Baxter were tramps, and he came to the conclusion that +he had a hard crowd with whom to deal. + +"March!" went on Baxter, taking Tom by the shoulder. + +"March? Where to?" + +"You'll find out fast enough." + +"Suppose I refuse." + +"You had better not, Tom Rover. You know I'm not to be trifled +with." + +"I am not afraid of you," answered Tom boldly. "You were always a +bully, Dan Baxter, and a bully is a coward." + +"Is your name Baxter?" asked asked Stumpy Nuggs, curiously. + +"Never mind what it is," growled Baxter. + +"I used ter have a friend wot knowed a feller named Baxter," went +on the tramp. "Me friend's name was Buddy Girk." + +"I know your friend," cried Tom. "He once stole my brother Dick's +watch. He is this boy's father's tool, and both of them are now in +jail in Albany for robbery." + +"Wot!" cried Nuggs, in astonishment. He turned to the other tramp. +"Longback, I reckon we have struck an odd crowd, hey?" + +"Dat's wot," answered Longback. "But say, we didn't go through de +young gent's pockets yet." + +"Wait until we are off the road," interrupted Dan Baxter. +"Somebody may come along and make trouble for us." + +"Right ye are," answered Stumpy Nuggs. "Don't let's stay here +anudder minit." + +With Baxter on one side of him, Nuggs on the other, and Longback +bringing up the rear, Tom was forced to march along. Once he +resisted, and received a punch in the side that took nearly all of +the wind out of him. He started to cry for help, but his captors +threatened if he did this that they would place a gag of dirty +cloth in his mouth. + +In days gone by Baxter had often visited a deserted dwelling on the +lake shore, and to this spot the party now directed their steps. In +the dark their course was uncertain, and they made slow progress, +so it was after three o'clock in the morning when the dilapidated +building was reached. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +A DOSE OF TAR AND FEATHERS + + +"Make some kind of a light--I can't see a thing," said Dan Baxter, +as the little party came to a halt in front of a half tumbled down +building. + +Stumpy Nuggs carried matches, and quickly lit a bit of candle which +he produced from one of the pockets of his ragged attire. + +They entered the dwelling, forcing Tom to accompany them. This +done they tied the young cadet fast to an iron ring set in the huge +old fashion fireplace. + +"Now we'll turn out his pockets," said Longback, and this was +quickly done. To the tramps' chagrin Tom carried no watch, but had +with him two dollars in money. + +"Now we'll take dat ring," said Nuggs, pointing to the article on +Tom's little finger. + +"So I have fallen in with a lot of thieves, eh?" said the boy. +"Well, if you want the ring you can fight for it." + +"Shut up!" roared Dan Baxter, and struck him across the mouth, +causing Tom's under lip to bleed. The boy tried to retaliate, but +his bonds held him fast. + +While one tramp held his hand the other possessed himself of the +ring. The ring contained an opal of which Tom was very proud, and +to part with the article made the young cadet feel pretty bad. + +"You will rue this night's work," he muttered. "I'll see you in +prison for it." + +"Don't waste your breath in threatening," cried Baxter. + +"All right, Baxter, wait and see. I'll put you where your father +is." + +The bully's face reddened. "Will you shut up, or do you want +another crack on the mouth?" + +"It's only a coward who would strike a person when he is helpless." + +"Coward or not, I want you to keep a civil tongue in your head." + +"Perhaps you imagine we don't know who tried to wreck the stage," +went on Tom pointedly. + +"Wreck a stage? I know nothing of such a thing." + +"You know all about it. And we'll prove it too--when you are under +arrest." + +"I won't talk to you!" howled Baxter. + +"Come with me," he added to the tramps, and then the three quitted +the building, leaving Torn to his reflections, which were dismal +enough. + +"I'm in a pickle and no mistake," he murmured. "What will they do +with me next?" + +Hour after hour went by and still Tom was left alone. In the +meantime Baxter had held a long conversation with the tramps and +had formed a compact with them, paying them the ten dollars as +agreed. + +The sun was shining brightly when at last Dan Baxter re-entered the +old building. + +"Getting hungry, I suppose," he remarked, with a wicked grin. + +"Not particularly so," answered Tom coldly. He was hungry, but he +was not going to admit it. + +"I suppose you would like to have your liberty," went on the bully. + +"Don't ask superfluous questions, Baxter. Let us get down to +business. Why did you make me a prisoner, and what are you going +to do with me?" + +"I made you a prisoner because I felt like doing so," growled the +big youth. + +"And what do you propose to do next?" + +"Teach you a lesson that you won't forget all your life, Tom +Rover." + +"Thank you for nothing." + +"I haven't forgotten how you and your brothers handled me out in +Africa--and here, too, for that matter." + +"You deserved what you got, Dan Baxter. Some persons would have +had you sent to prison for your actions." + +"Bah! You don't know what you are talking about. What were you +doing out so late last night?" + +"None of your business." + +"Were you over to the Stanhopes' place?" + +"Perhaps I was and perhaps I wasn't." + +"Don't get mulish. Remember that you are absolutely in my power." + +"And what if I was at the Stanhopes' place? Haven't I a perfect +right to go there?" + +"Did you meet anybody there?" + +"Yes, I did. I met your particular friend, Josiah Crabtree." + +Baxter's face fell. "And what--that is what did you have to say to +each other?" + +"Crabtree tried to rob the widow--and I believe you were outside +waiting for him," Tom continued suddenly. + +"Nonsense." + +At this moment Stumpy Nuggs came in. + +"There's a man comin' dis way!" he said excitedly, "Wot shall we +do?" + +"A man!" ejaculated Baxter, in alarm. "I'll go out and see if I +know him." + +He left the building with the tramp. The newcomer was approaching +along the gully path. As he drew closer Baxter recognized Josiah +Crabtree. + +"Baxter!" exclaimed the former teacher, as, he carne up. "This is +fortunate; I was afraid you had been captured." + +"And I was afraid you were in the same box," rejoined Baxter. + +"I had a hard time of it to get away. I got lost in the woods and +had to remain out in the cold all night." + +"Then you didn't succeed in getting what you wanted, or in seeing +Mrs. Stanhope?" + +"No. Those confounded Rover boys turned up, and I had to--ahem--leave +in a hurry. But who are these two men?" and Josiah Crabtree +looked apprehensively at the tramps. + +"They are all right, Crabtree. They helped me do a slick thing +last night." + +"Ah, and what was that?" + +"I met Tom Rover on the road and they helped me to capture him." + +"Indeed, and where is the--ah--young rascal now?" + +"A prisoner in the old house yonder." + +At this information Josiah Crabtree was much astonished, and begged +for the particulars of the affair, which were speedily forthcoming. + +"And now you have him a prisoner, what do you propose to do?" asked +the former teacher. + +"I'll soon show you," growled Baxter. "I'm going to do him up +brown--or rather, black. See here." + +He led the way back to the gully and pointed to a pot of tar and a +brush which rested by it. + +"It is tar!" cried Crabtree. + +"Exactly." + +"And you are--ahem--going to give him a coat of that?" + +"Yes. Doesn't he deserve it?" + +"To be sure he does. I will assist you," answered the former +teacher readily, with a malicious gleam in his fishy eyes. "I wish +you had all three boys here, to tar them with the same brush." + +"One at a time, Crabtree. We'll fix the others some time later." + +A fire was started and the pot of tar was hung from a chain caught +up between two uprights. + +Some of the softening stuff was smeared on the wood which was +burning, and this made the blaze more fierce than ever. Soon the +tar was near to the boiling point. + + The two tramps had thrown themselves down to watch the +proceedings. + +"Yer ought ter have some fedders," suggested Longback. + +"I have. There was an old musty feather bed in the house. I'm +going to use that." + +Going into the building Dan Baxter brought forth the feathers in +question, and placed them close to the pot of tar. + +While he was doing this Josiah Crabtree went in to talk to Tom. + +Of course the boy was surprised to see the former teacher, who eyed +him darkly. + +"So Baxter has caught you," began Crabtree. + +To this Tom made no answer. + +"I presume you do not like your present position," went on the man. + +Still no reply. + +"You feel so bad about it that you do not even Wish to talk, is +that it?" + +"No, I was just thinking of what an ugly, black-hearted villain you +were, Crabtree," aid Tom, looking him full in the face. "I don't +believe you have a single spark of honor left in you." + +At this Crabtree's face grew as dark as a thunder cloud. + +"Ha I how dare you address me in this fashion?" he cried. + +"I know I am taking a great risk, but I cannot help it." + +"Do you forget that you and your brothers are solely responsible +for my present position? That but for you I would have married the +Widow Stanhope and started one of the finest boys' school in New +York State?" + +"Yes, and you would have made Mrs. Stanhope perfectly miserable, +and squandered every dollar that she holds in trust for Dora." + +"That is your opinion, and it is worth nothing." + +"My opinion is the opinion of everybody that knows you as well as I +do." + +"You have constantly interfered in the doings of myself and of +others, and now you must stand punishment for the same." + +"What do you intend to do?" demanded Tom quickly. + +"I'll show you," broke in the voice of Dan Baxter, and he came in, +followed by the two tramps. Soon Tom was released from the +fireplace and marched between them out into the open air. + +"How do you like that?" asked Baxter, as he led the way to the +fire. "Tar and feathers are fine, aren't they?" + +"You would tar and feather me?" asked Tom, and now it must be +confessed that he shivered in spite of his efforts to remain calm. + +"Yes, we'll tar and feather you," responded Baxter. + +"And lay it on--ahem--thick, Daniel," put in Josiah Crabtree. + +"Trust me for that." + +Baxter gave a signal to the two tramps and they began to literally +rip Tom's clothing from his back. Soon the unfortunate youth was +stripped to the waist. Then Baxter caught up, a brush full of tar +and advanced upon him. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +IN THE NICK OF TIME + + +"Baxter, don't you dare to tar me!" cried Tom, as the bully faced +him. + +"Ha! ha! I guess you are pretty well scared now," laughed Baxter. +"Your former show of bravery was all put on." + +"If you go ahead you shall suffer the full penalty for the outrage, +mark my words." + +"Bah, Tom Rover, you can't frighten me. When I get through with +you I'll warrant that your own mother won't know you." + +Tom tried to retreat, but each of the tramps held him by the arm, +so that he could not stir. As his legs were still bound, kicking +was likewise out of the question. + +"Let me put a nice big cross on his breast first," said Baxter. +"Here goes!" + +He reached out with the brush, but before he could touch Tom an +interruption came as forceful as it was unexpected. + +A thick stick came flying through the air, hitting his arm and +sending the tar brush spinning to a distance. + +"You rascal, let Tom alone!" came in Dick Rover's voice, and he +rushed in and threw the bully headlong. + +"Dick! Sam!" came from Tom joyfully. "Oh, how glad I am that you +have come." + +"Wot's dis!" gasped Stumpy Nuggs. "Longback, dare's trouble +ahead!" + +"Yes, an' I don't intend ter be in it!" answered the second tramp. +"I reckon we've got about all we want out of dis crowd, anyway!" +And both tramps took to their heels. + +Josiah Crabtree stood by, speechless. The interruption had come so +suddenly that he knew not what to do. + +As quickly as he could Dan Baxter scrambled to his feet. As he did +so Sam leaped for the tar brush and secured it. + +"Let me alone!" roared the bully, and began to back away. But as +he did so his hand went into his hip pocket and he drew a pistol. + +"No, you don't!" cried Sam, and knocked the weapon from his hand +with the brush. This action caused the hot tar to leave a heavy +streak over Baxter's face and neck, and he let out a yell that +would have done credit to an Indian on the warpath. + +"Wait, I'll get even for this, Sam Rover!" he hissed, and then as +Dick advanced he turned and took to his heels, running as if the +Evil One were after him. Sam followed him, still swinging the +brush, but Dan Baxter was soon lost to sight in the bushes. + +Dick now turned to where Josiah Crabtree had been standing. The +former teacher had recovered and was making tracks down the gully +toward the lake. The tramps had disappeared. He leaped to Tom's +side. + +"We must bag some of them, Tom," he said, as he whipped out his +knife and set his brother free. + +"There goes Crabtree--let us collar him." + +Both boys ran as never before, and came upon the former teacher +just as that individual reached the lake shore below the bluff. +Tom made a grab and caught him by the coat tails. + +"Let me go!" snarled Crabtree, and aimed a blow at the cadet's +head. But Tom ducked, and the next instant put out his foot and +Crabtree pitched headlong into the lake. + +"Help me! I'll be drowned!" spluttered the former teacher, as he +came up with his head covered with mud, for the lake at this point +was less than five feet deep. + +"Climb out and you'll be all right," sang out Dick, and feeling the +bottom with his feet, Crabtree looked very sheepish and clambered +slowly up the bank. + +As he stood before them, all dripping with water and mud, he looked +the picture of misery. + +"Boys, this is a--a--sad way in which to treat your former +teacher," he wailed. + +"Don't talk like that, or I'll be tempted to throw you in again," +exclaimed Tom. "Dick, what will we do with him?" + +"Hold him until we hear from Sam." + +They looked up the gully and soon espied the youngest Rover +hurrying toward them. + +"Where is Baxter?" asked Dick. + +"He got away, but not until I had let him have that tar brush right +in the neck," answered Sam. "Hullo, so you have captured old +Crabby, eh? That's good." + +"Surely you do not intend to--ahem--keep me a prisoner," remarked +Josiah Crabtree, in a voice which he tried in vain to steady. + +"That's just what we do intend to do," answered Dick. "You'll +march right to the Cedarville lock-up with us." + +While Dick and Sam guarded the prisoner, Tom ran back for his torn +coat and other garments, and also for the rope. When he returned +Crabtree's hands were bound and the cadets told him to move along. +He was searched, and a pistol was taken from him. + +Crabtree went along most unwillingly. Once he refused to budge, +but Dick showed the pistol, and that settled his stubbornness, and +he went along as willingly as a lamb. + +On the outskirts of Cedarville the party met Chief Burger and +Detective Trigger. + +"So you have one of them, eh?" cried the chief. "Very good, very +good indeed. Turn him over to me and I will take him straight to +headquarters." + +"You must be careful that he doesn't get away," said Dick. + +"Just so, lad; I will be. No one ever escaped from me, not much! +Come on, sir!" And he caught Josiah Crabtree by the arm. + +"This is awful!" groaned the former teacher. "And right here in +Cedarville, too, where everybody knows me!" + +"You should have thought of those things before, Mr. Crabtree," +said Dick, his heart softening a little, now that he saw the man +was beginning to break down. + +"What will my friends, and the profession at large, say?" and +Crabtree shook his head bitterly. + +"You have only yourself to blame," put in Tom. He had not +forgotten how Crabtree had threatened him but a short while before. + +Suddenly the former teacher's last drop of courage seemed to desert +him and, deadly pale, he sank on his knees. + +"Spare me, boys, spare me! For the sake of my family and my +friends, spare me!" he moaned. + +"I didn't know you had a family," put in Sam. + +"My relatives--my poor, dear, distant relatives," replied Crabtree, +hardly aware of what he was saying. "Spare me for their sakes, and +I will reward you well." + +"The law must take its course, Mr. Crabtree," said Dick. He turned +to Chief Burger. "Take him, and Tom can go with you, to make the +charge for us and for Mrs. Stanhope. I think Detective Trigger had +better come with Sam and me to hunt for Dan Baxter." + +So it was arranged, and soon Crabtree was walking into Cedarville +with the chief of police on one side of him and Tom on the other. +The sight of a man being placed under arrest was an unusual one, +and soon a crowd began to follow the three. + +"It's Mr. Crabtree that used to teach at Putnam Hall," said one. +"My, but ain't he a sight." + +"Must have tried to get away by jumping into the lake," suggested +another. + +"What's he arrested for?" asked a third. + +Nobody in the crowd knew, and consequently all followed to the +police headquarters. + +Here Chief Burger, who also acted as justice of police, took down +Tom's charge against the former teacher. + +"Breaking in and trying to steal," said Tom. + +"It's not so!" cried Crabtree. "Boy, this is--ahem--infamous! I +never stole a thing in my life!" + +"We will prove it when your trial comes off," answered Tom coolly. + +"Let us--ahem--try to patch this thing up," went on Josiah +Crabtree. "Chief, will you kindly send for Mrs. Stanhope? I am +certain she will not allow this charge to stand against me." + +"See here, you shan't try any of your games on that lady!" +exclaimed Tom. "I know the peculiar influence you exert over her, +and I feel bound to protect her." + +"She is not my enemy, as you are. I know she will clear me." + +"Not much. If she won't testify against you, her daughter Dora +will, and so will I and my brothers, and some other folks, too." + +"I demand to see my accusers!" stormed Crabtree, trying to put on +a bold front. + +"All right, Dick and Sam will be here after awhile. And then, if +you wish, we'll air all of your doings since the time Captain +Putnam discharged you." + +At the last words the former teacher winced and turned pale, for he +knew his record would not bear investigating. + +"You are a bad boy, Tom Rover--leave me!" he muttered, and turned +his back on the cadet. A few minutes later, as he could not +furnish bail, he was led to a cell and locked up. + +As soon as Crabtree was disposed of, Tom left the jail to find his +brothers. This was no easy matter, and it was not until well along +in the afternoon that he discovered Dick, Sam, and Detective +Trigger down by the lake shore nearly a mile from Cedarville. + +"Any luck?" he asked. + +"Not a bit," replied Dick. "He has given us the slip nicely." + +The hunt continued until nightfall, and was kept up all of the next +day. But it proved of no avail. Dan Baxter had left the vicinity +of the lake entirely, and the Rover boys were destined not to see +him again for many days to come. + +The arrest of Josiah Crabtree had occurred on Friday. On Monday +came a letter from Mr. Anderson Rover, stating that Alexander Pop +would arrive in Cedarville on Tuesday and might remain at Mrs. +Stanhope's cottage as long as the lady and the boys wished. + +"I wish Aleck to be near you," wrote Mr. Rover. "It alarms me +greatly to hear of the trouble that you are having. It seems to me +that our family are bound to be in hot water all the time. I +cannot understand Arnold Baxter. As he is in prison at Albany I do +not see how he can trouble me, at least for the next few years. + +"I have looked up that mining property in Colorado very carefully, +and shall go out there as soon as the coming winter is at an end. +Perhaps I will take one or all of you with me, but that will depend +upon how good you do at your studies this winter. I shan't take +anybody along that can't show a good report." + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +BROUGHT TO TRIAL + + +"By jinks! we'll have to be on our good behavior," observed Tom, +after he had read his father's letter. + +"That's so," responded Sam. "Father means to have us study, or +else we must stay here during the spring term." + +As anticipated, Alexander Pop reached Cedarville Tuesday afternoon. +He came first to Putnam Hall, and was warmly received both by the +Rover boys and by the others who knew him as an old hand around the +Hall. + +"Glad you have come, Aleck!" cried Tom. "I declare it looks as if +you belonged here." + +"Yes, sah, an' I dun feel like I belong heah, too, Massah Tom," +answered the colored man. + +"Remember the sport we used to have?" put in Sam. + +"'Deed I does, Massah Sam--an' de tricks youse lads used to play +on dis yeah coon," and Aleck smiled broadly. + +Captain Putnam also came forward to greet Pop. There had been a +time when the captain had suspected Pop of stealing, and the +colored man had run away in preference to being sent to jail, but +now it was known by all that the faithful negro was innocent, and +the master, of the Hall was sorry that he had ever accused the man. + +"Pop, I miss you a good deal," he said kindly. + +"If ever you are out of work again, come to me and I will let you +stay here as long as you please." + +"T'ank you, Cap'n Putnam, I'll remember dat. But I dun lub de +Robers, ain't no use ter talk, an' so long as da wants me to stay +by 'em, why dat's whar you will find Aleck Pop, yes, sah!" And he +bobbed his head to emphasize his words. + +"I do not blame you for sticking by them," answered the captain. +"For they always stood up for you." + +Of course some of the boys could not help but have some fun with +Pop. Some ran off with his hat, and when they returned it to him +it was half full of flour, although he did not know it. + +"Mustn't do dat, Larry Colby," he said, as he took the hat. "Dis +niggah dun cotch cole in his haid widout a hat." And then they +clapped the headgear on his head, very carefully. + +"Only a bit of Larry's sport," said Frank. "Come in, the captain +wants to give you some supper before you start out for the +Stanhopes' place." + +Never suspecting that anything was wrong, Aleck Pop entered the +kitchen attached to the academy, where Mrs. Green, the matron, had +a nice supper spread for him. + +"How do you do, Aleck," she said pleasantly, as he came in. + +"How do yo' do, Missus Green," he answered, and took his hat off +with such a flourish that part of the flour swept into her face and +the balance landed over the supper table. + +"Oh! oh!" screamed Mrs. Green. "What in the world have you done? +I am covered with flour from head to foot!" And then she began to +sneeze with great violence. + +"Deed, missus, I don't--ker--chew!" replied Pop, sneezing. "I +didn't--ker--chew--" + +"But you did--ker--chew!" she answered. "You covered me +with--ker--chew! Ker--chew!" + +"Oh, you--ker--chew!" and then she went off into another prolonged +sneeze. + +Pop had gotten some of the flour in his eyes, indeed, his face +was white from top to bottom, and it was several minutes before he +could see what he was doing. His sneezing made him bump his +head against the kitchen shelf, and at a point where sat a bowl of +rice pudding. Part of the pudding was plastered to his forehead, +while the balance turned over on to the cat sleeping on the floor. + +"Me-ow!" wailed the cat, and started across the kitchen on a run, +nearly upsetting Mrs. Green in its hurry to get away from more +trouble. + +"Stop! Did you kick my pet cat?" screamed Mrs. Green. "Oh, +you--ker--chew! You brute! I never--ker--chew! Ker--chew!" +And then she had to stop talking and let the sneezing have full play. + +"I didn't kick--ker--chew--nuffin!" spluttered Aleck. "I'se +dun--ker--chew--dem boys dun--ker--chew! Dern boys did it." + +"Did what?" + +"Put flour in ma hat, de ole boy take 'em!" finished Aleck, and +then he blundered out of the kitchen and tried to find Larry and +the others. But all of the cadets, who had been watching +proceedings through the kitchen window, had vanished and could not +be found. + +A couple of hours later Tom and Dick took the colored man down to +the Stanhope cottage. Mrs. Stanhope already knew the man well, as +did Dora, and both were glad that he had come to stay with them. +Pop had brought along a pistol, and also a war club he had picked +up in Africa, and declared himself ready to meet any and all +comers. + +"I'se dun learned how to shoot putty straight," he remarked. "So +de fellers wot prowls around bettah look out fo' demselbes." + +"Crabtree is in jail, so you will only have Dan Baxter to guard +against," said Dick. "And I hardly think he will show up in a +hurry." + +That night Dick and Tom had a long conversation with Mrs. Stanhope. +The lady was very nervous, and when asked if she would appear +against Josiah Crabtree she shivered from head to foot. + +"I--I cannot do it," she said brokenly. "Do not ask it of me! +He--he-- I cannot face him without he makes me feel as if I were in +his power." + +"He is something of a hypnotist," said Tom. "Cannot you remember +that, and nerve yourself against coming under his spell?" + +But the lady only shivered again. "No! no! I have tried it--for +Dora's sake--but I cannot do it! I am horrified at his influence, +but I cannot withstand it." + +"Then you will keep away from the court room when he is tried?" + +"Yes, I must. I will get my doctor to issue a certificate that I +am ill." + +"Will you let Dora testify? If she wishes to do so." + +There the matter rested, and the two boys sought out Dora. + +"It is too bad," said Dick, on the way. "Mrs. Stanhope is on the +verge of a nervous collapse, and I believe it is all on account of +Crabtree's doings." + +"Yes, and I am afraid she will never get away from his influence. +If he hadn't been something of a hypnotist I don't believe she +would ever have taken to him at the start as she did." + +When Dora was told of what her mother had said, she felt like +crying, and the tears stood in her eyes. + +"I know it all only too well," she said. "I am glad mamma mill not +face him. Why, he would influence her into declaring that he was +innocent!" + +"But you will testify, won't you?" asked Dick earnestly. + +"If you wish it, Dick. But I hate the publicity." + +"Crabtree ought to be put where he can do your mother no further +harm." + +"Yes, I feel that, too." + +"And you must remember how he helped to abduct you." + +"I haven't forgot that." + +Vick and Tom remained until it was quite late, and then almost ran +back to the Hall, for the captain had told them not to be out after +eleven o'clock. + +For several days matters ran smoothly at the Hall. Then came +Josiah Crabtree's trial, and all of the Rover boys went to the +county seat, to remain several days. With them went Dora and her +uncle, John Laning. + +The former teacher's trial lasted longer than expected, and the +jury were out the best part of a night before arriving at a +verdict. In the end, much to the Rover boys' surprise, Crabtree +was sentenced to six months in the county jail, instead of to +several years in the State's prison. + +"I can't understand it," muttered Dick, when, they were on the way +back to the Hall. "He must have hypnotized the judge who tried the +case." The verdict was a disappointing one, yet it was something +to know that Crabtree would be out of the way even that long. + +"Before he gets out you can be on your trip to Buffalo and the +Great Lakes," said Dick to Dora. "And perhaps you can hide your +whereabouts from him, so that he can't get at your mother, to try +on his game again." + +"I will certainly try to throw him off the track," answered the +girl. "I never want to see him again." + +Captain Putnam was anxious to learn how the trial had ended, and +came from the academy on horseback to meet the boys. + +"Well, it is something," he said, half-smiling. "But you are +right, he deserved more." + +"I knew he was no good," said Tom. "Knew it from the first time I +met him, when he was head assistant here, and placed me under +arrest for shooting off a fire-cracker at the gate." + +At this Captain Putnam laughed outright. + +"You have a good memory, Thomas, I must say! Well, you are square +now, as you boys call it." + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +WINTER DAYS AT PUTNAM HALL + + +After the trial of Josiah Crabtree the days flew by swiftly at the +Hall. Bound to make a good showing, each of the Rover boys applied +himself diligently to his studies, and all made rapid progress. + +Thanksgiving came and went, and a week later there came a fairly +heavy fall of snow. + +"Hurrah! winter is knocking at the door at last!" cried Sam +joyfully. "Now for some snowballing, skating, and all the rest of +the winter fun." + +Snowballing was already going on, and the white balls were flying +in all directions. Dick had his hat taken off by Frank, and in +return filled Frank's ear with snow. Tom and Fred got into a +regular war at close quarters, and in the end Tom threw his +opponent flat and stuffed snow down his neck. But then Larry came +up with a huge cake of snow and nearly smothered Tom, and then a +dozen leaped in, and a good-natured melee resulted, lasting for the +rest of the playtime. + +It was very cold that night, and two days later the ice on the lake +was two inches thick. Still the captain made the boys wait until +the following Saturday, when the ice was strong enough to bear a +horse. + +In the meantime skates had been brought out and polished up, and +soon the edge of the lake was alive with skaters, all moving +swiftly from one spot to another, and shrieking and laughing at the +top of their voices. George Strong, the assistant master, also +came down and showed some of the older boys how to cut fancy +figures. Dick was a good skater, and took to the fancy figures +with ease. As for Tom and Sam, they preferred straight skating, +and entered half a dozen trials of speed down the lake to the old +boathouse and back. + +"If it gets much colder, so that the ice thickens, I am going to +build an ice-boat," said Frank to Dick that night. "Captain Putnam +said I could have all the old lumber I want. You know the +carpenters left a lot when they fixed over that burnt part of the +Hall." + +"Hurrah, an ice-boat!" cried Dick. "Just the thing. Let me help, +you, Frank. Perhaps the captain will let us have an old +camping-out tent for a sail." + +"Yes, I've asked him about that already, and he told Mrs. Green to +get me one from the storehouse." + +"And what about nails and runners?" + +"Peleg Snuggers is going to give me the nails and lend me the +tools. The runners I will have to buy down to the blacksmith +shop." + +"There is an old cask down at the boathouse. We can take the hoops +from that and have the blacksmith straighten them out, and they +will do first rate for runners." + +So the talk ran on, and on the following Monday, as the cold +continued, the boys set to work, during the off-time, to build the +ice-boat. Tom, Sam, and Hans joined in, and as soon as the frame +was put together the boat was christened the Fiver, because, as +Frank declared, it was built to hold just five and no more. + +There was a class devoted to manual training at the Hall, so all of +the boys were acquainted with the use of tools. The building of +the iceboat progressed rapidly, and soon all that were wanting were +the sail and the runners. Frank and Dick procured the hoops and +had the blacksmith straighten them out and punch holes into them, +and Mrs. Green kindly transformed an old tent into a mainsail of no +mean proportions. As a matter of fact it would have been better +for the boys had the sail been smaller. + +It was a rather cloudy Saturday half-holiday when the boys placed +the ice-boat on rollers and rolled it down to the lake front. All +of the other cadets watched the proceedings with interest, and were +sorry they could not go on the proposed trip. But Frank promised +that all should have their turns later on. + +A fair breeze was blowing, and no sooner was the mainsail raised +than the Fiver, moved off in such a lively fashion that Tom, who +had lingered behind, had all he could do to run and get on board. + +"We're off! Hurrah!" yelled Sam, and the others took up the cry, +and both those on board and those left behind waved hats and caps +in the air and set up a cheer. + +"And now where shall we go?" asked Frank, as they whizzed along. + +"That will depend upon the wind," came from Tom. "Remember, we +must get back before seven o'clock." + +"Yah, der vint is eferydings," put in Hans. "Supposin' ve git far +avay und der vint sthops plowing, vot den?" + +"Then we'll set you on the rear seat to blow the sail yourself," +replied Frank. "This wind is good for all day, and I know it," he +added emphatically. + +"Let us follow the shore for the present," said Tom. "Perhaps the +Pornell students are skating below here and we can show them what +we are up to." + +So on they went along the shore, until the wind began to change and +carry them out into the lake. Here the ice was, however, far from +safe, and they began to tack back. + +"It's snowing!" cried Sam presently. He was right, and ere long +the flakes were coming down thickly. With the coming of the snow +the wind died out utterly. + +"Here's a pickle," muttered Tom, in disgust. "Frank, I thought you +said this wind was good for all day?" + +"Frank must haf had his schleepin' cap on ven he said dot," put in +Hans, and the others set up a laugh. + +"Well, I did think the wind would hold out," replied Frank, with a +wry face. "This is going to spoil everything. Did anybody bring +his skates?" + +Nobody had, although all had calculated to do so. In the +excitement every pair had been forgotten. + +"Now we can't even skate home," said Dick. + +"And I rather think it will be a long walk--at least three miles." + +"That's not the worst of it," came from his youngest brother. +"Look how heavily it is snowing." + +"Poch! who's afraid of a little snow?" blustered Tom. + +"Nobody, but if we can't see our way--" + +"By Jove! I never thought of that!" groaned Frank. "Just look +around, boys. It's awful, isn't it?" + +Much startled, all looked around. On every hand the snow was +coming down so thickly that they could not see a distance of two +rods in any direction. + +"We seem to be cut off," observed Dick soberly. "I reckon the best +thing we can do is to make for shore." + +"And leave the Fiver behind?" + +"No. Let us lower the sail and push her in front of us." + +This was considered good advice, and much put out over the sudden +termination of their sport, the five cadets lowered the sail and +tied it up, and then leaped to the ice. + +"Now then, all together!" cried Frank, but to his surprise Tom and +Hans pushed in a different direction to the others. + +"Why, Tom, that's not the way!" cried Frank. + +"Isn't it?" burst out Tom. "Why not?" + +"Because it isn't." + +"Of course dot is der vay," cried Hans. "Der shore vos ofer dare." + +"Yes, the other shore. But not the one we left and the one we want +to get back to." + +A long discussion followed, and it was soon realized that either +Tom and Hans, or else the others, were sadly mixed up. "The +majority rules," said Frank. "So let us go this way." + +"All right, I will," grumbled Tom. "But I still think you are +wrong." + +"And I vos sure of him," added Hans. + +However, they took hold willingly enough, and soon the whole party +were moving slowly through the snowstorm, shoving the Fiver in +front of them. The snow had now become blinding, and absolutely +nothing was to be seen around them. + +A half hour had passed, and they were wondering why the shore did +not appear, when suddenly Dick uttered a warning cry. + +"Look out! We are going into the open water! Back all of you!" + +They leaped back, fairly tumbling over each other in their efforts +to escape the water, which crept up to their feet without warning. +As they pushed themselves back they naturally sent the Fiver flying +forward, and an instant later they heard a crashing of ice and saw +the ice-boat topple over into the water and disappear from view! + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +LOST IN THE SNOW + + +"The ice-boat's gone!" + +"Get back, boys, or we'll all be in the water!" + +Ca-a-ac-ck! A long warning sound rang through the snow-laden air +and the party of five felt the surface of the ice parting beneath +them. They turned and sped away from the water with all the speed +at their command, and soon the dangerous spot was left behind, but +not before poor Hans had lost his cap and Sam had gotten his left +foot wet to the ankle. + +"By jinks! but that was a narrow shave!" gasped Dick, when they +were safe. "A little more and all of us would have been under the +ice." + +"And that would have cost us our lives!" said Frank solemnly. +"Boys, I don't believe I'll ever want to go ice-boating again." + +"Mine cap vos gone," growled the German cadet dismally. "How vos I +going to keep mine head from freezing, tole me dot, vill you?" + +"That's rough on you," said Tom. "Here, take my tippet and tie +that around your head and ears." And he took the article in +question and handed it over. + +"Dank you, Tom, you vos a goot feller. But vot you vos do to keep +your neck varm, hey?" + +"Here's a silk handkerchief, he can wear that," said Dick. "But I +say, fellows," he went on. "I think we are mixed up now and no +mistake." + +"I am sure I am," answered Frank. "I haven't the least idea where +the shore is." + +"Nor I," came from Tom. "We'll have to go at it in a hit-or-miss +fashion." + +"No miss for me," put in Sam. "I am not prepared for a watery +grave just now." + +"We must be cautious," said Dick. "I've got an idea. Has anybody +a rope with him?" + +"I've got a heavy cord," answered Frank. + +"Then let us tie that to each fellow's right wrist. Then we can +string out in a line, like the Swiss mountain climbers, and if the +boy in front gets into trouble the others can haul him out." + +"Hurrah! Dick, has solved the problem of how the lost cadets are +going to get to safety," cried Sam. "Let us have the cord by all +means." + +It was quickly produced and proved to be about forty feet in +length. Dick tied himself fast to one end and Sam the other, and +the others came between. + +"Now then, forward march!" shouted Dick. And on they moved, in +Indian file. + +"Route step!" shouted Frank. And they broke up as ordered--that is +each walking to suit himself, so that their feet should not come +down on the ice at the same time, something which might have cause +another cracking. + +The snow still came down as hard as ever--indeed, to Dick it +appeared to come down harder. The wind was beginning to rise again +and blew the blinding particles directly into their faces. + +"What's the use of walking right in the teeth of the wind," +grumbled Tom. "Why not try the other way?" + +"I think the wind comes from off shore, that's why," answered his +elder brother. + +"I don't. I think it's coming down the lake." + +"I believe Dick is right," ventured Frank. "The wind came that way +before--that is why we were blown out so far." + +The matter was put to a vote and all but Tom agreed that they must +be heading for the western shore of the lake. So the weary tramp +was resumed. + +It was not without its incidents. Once Hans' feet went from under +him and he went flat on his back, taking Tom with him. This caused +the line to tighten and all went on top of the pair and a grand +melee resulted. Then Tom playfully filled Sam's neck with snow, +and Hans let a little snowball drop into Tom's ear, and in a second +all were at it in a snow fight which lasted several minutes. + +At last Dick arose and shook himself. "Hi! this won't do!" he +cried, brushing himself off. "Unless we hurry we'll be late in +getting back." + +"Late in getting back?" repeated Frank. "I shall count myself +lucky if we don't have remain here all night." + +"Great Caesar, Frank, do you mean that?" came from Sam. + +"I do. Here we have been tramping I don't know how long, and we +seem to be as far from shore as ever." + +"Exactly so," grumbled Hans. "I dink ve must pe moving around in a +ring, hey?" + +"Can that be possible?" asked Tom. + +"I don't think so," answered Dick, "for I have been watching the +ice very closely and I haven't seen the first sign of our doubling +our steps." + +"Let us keep out in a straight line," said Tom. "That will keep us +away from the circle business." + +Once more they pushed on, but the snow was now several inches deep, +and the ice very slippery and all of the party could scarcely drag +one foot after the other. It was Sam who called another halt. + +"I'm getting winded!" he panted. "Boys, I guess we are lost in the +snow." + +"That's true, Sam," said Frank. "The shore seems to be as far off +as ever." + +"I told you that you were wrong," put in Tom. "If we had been +walking toward shore we would be on land long ago." + +"I don't know but what Tom's view is correct," said Frank slowly, + +"Unless we've been moving in a crooked line, as Hans suggested," +said the elder Rover. + +One and another of the little party gazed at his companions and +then at the desolate scene around them. Yes, they were lost in the +snowstorm, and what the end of the adventure would be they could +not imagine. + +"Well, we can try Tom's course," said Dick, after another careful +look around which is not saving much as the snow was coming down as +thickly as ever. + +"I notice that it is getting dark," observed Frank, as they trudged +on. "I wonder what time it is?" + +A watch was consulted and they learned to their chagrin that it was +half-past four. + +"I vos gitting hungry," came from Hans. + +"Don't say a word!" cried Tom. "I could eat a doughnut a month +old." + +"Don't speak about it," put in Dick dryly. "It will only make you +feel more hungry." + +Darkness was coming on rapidly, and all of the boys were beginning +to despair when suddenly Dick gave a shout of joy. + +"The shore, boys! The shore at last!" + +"Where?" came from all of the others. + +"Over to our left. Come on!" + +The others followed Dick willingly and in less than half a minute +found themselves on solid earth once more, but at some point where +the ground was little more than a stretch of flat meadow land. + +"Hurrah!" shouted Sam. "How good to be on land once more!" + +"Perhaps we might have been on land long ago if we had turned to +the left," observed Frank. "We may have been skirting the shore +for half the afternoon!" + +"Never mind, we are here at last so don't let's grumble," said Tom. +"What's that ahead, a barn?" + +"Some kind of a building," answered Dick. "Let us go forward and +investigate." + +They did so, and found a half tumbled down building, which had once +been used for the storage of meadow hay and also as a boathouse. +The door was gone and the window broken out, and the snow lay on +the floor to the depth of an inch or more. + +But still it was more pleasant inside than out, for the wind was +rising and the large flakes of snow had given place to fine hard +particles which came swishing down like so much sharp salt, so Dick +said. It cut into their faces and made them thankful that some +shelter had been found, no matter how humble. + +It was too dark now to see anything, and sitting on some old hay in +the most sheltered corner of the building the five boys held a +consultation. + +"I move we stay here until morning," said Tom. "If we go out again +we may be lost and frozen to death." + +"That is true," commented Frank. "But what will Captain Putnam +say?" + +"He can't blame us for what has happened," said Dick. "We tried +our best to get back." + +"Yah, und he vos know ve ton't stay here nildowit suppers for +noddings," was the manner in which the German cadet expressed +himself. + +"Oh, Hans, how can you!" broke from Tom, who could eat at any time, +and who now felt more hungry than any of them. "Do you mean to say +we'll have to remain here all night without our suppers!" + +"Vell, vot else you vos going ter do, hey?" + +"We'll have to go without something to eat, unless we can find +something close at hand," said Frank. + +One after another went out to the doorway and to the open window +and gazed forth. But the howling wind and blinding snow soon made +all glad enough to get back to the sheltered corner. It was now +pitch dark. + +"We are in for it, so make yourselves as comfortable as possible," +observed Frank. "My, how the wind does blow!" + +"It's like a hurricane in an African forest," said Sam. "I believe +it's almost strong enough to take a fellow off his feet." + +The wind kept increasing in violence, until the old barn seemed to +rock back and forth. It arose in a low moan and mounted steadily +to a shriek, gradually dying away in the distance, followed by the +slish-slishing of the fine snow across the rotted shingles of the +roof. + +"It's a tempest not to be forgotten," said Frank. "I can't +remember when I've heard the wind make such a noise before. If it +gets any worse it--" + +Frank got no further, for the shrieking of the wind drowned out +every other sound. Then came a strange grinding and creaking +overhead, and the barn rocked more than ever. + +"Get out, boys," yelled Tom. "The old shebang is going to pieces!" + +Tom had scarcely spoken when the shock came, and beams, boards, and +shingles flew in all directions. It was a terrifying occurrence +and not knowing what else to do the five boys dug into the loose +hay and threw themselves flat. Each felt as if the end of the +world had come. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +A FEW SPRING HAPPENINGS + + +Luckily for the boys the barn was blown clean over on its side, its +roof falling some distance away, so that none of the wreckage came +down on top of the crowd. + +But the sounds of the beams and boards breaking were so terrifying +that for several minutes after the damage was done none of the +crowd dared to move. Each felt as though the next second might be +his last. + +At length Dick pulled himself together and peered forth. + +"Any--anybody hurt?" he panted. + +"I'm not," came from Tom. "But, say, wasn't--" + +A splutter, coming from Hans, interrupted him. In his eagerness to +escape the fall of the barn the German cadet had plunged into the +hay open-mouthed, and now some of the stuff had entered his throat +and was almost choking him. + +"Clap him on the back!" cried Dick, and Tom did as requested. Then +came several gulps and Hans began to cough. But the danger from +strangulation was over. + +All were soon out of the wreckage, and thankful that they had +escaped thus easily. + +"But we won't have the barn to shelter us," said Frank ruefully. +"What will we do next?" + +"Push on until another shelter appears," said Dick. "We can't +remain here, to be frozen to death." + +"Yes, but be careful that we don't get on to the lake again," +cautioned Sam. + +"No fear of that, Sam." + +After the terrific blow which laid low the old barn, the wind +appeared to let up a bit, and consequently moving was not so +difficult. They struck out across the meadow, and presently gained +a clump of trees. + +"Dis vos besser as noddings," said Hans. "Supposing ve stay here +for der night?" + +"I'm going to see what's on the other side of the woods first," +replied Dick, and stalked off, Tom at his heels. Presently the +others heard both Rover boys set up a shout. + +"A house, fellows! Come on!" + +They made a rush forward, and soon they reached a stone fence. On +the other side was what had been a planted field, and beyond this a +house and several outbuildings. + +With hearts greatly lightened they climbed over the fence and made +for the house. They were still some distance from the dwelling +when they heard the bark of a dog. + +"Hullo! I hope he isn't loose," cried Frank. + +"But he is," ejaculated Tom; "and he is coming this way too!" + +"Du meine zeit!" shrieked Hans. "He vill chew us all up! Vot +shall ve do?" And he looked ready to collapse. + +"Perhaps we can snowball him--" began Sam, when Dick set up another +cry. + +"It's Laning's dog, boys. What fools we are! This is Mr. Laning's +place." + +"Laning's place," burst out Tom. "Why, to be sure it is. And that +is Leo! Leo! Leo! old boy, don't you know us?" he cried. + +On bounded the dog, and then began to bark again, but this time +joyously. He came up to Tom and leaped all around him, wagging his +brush as he did so. Then he came to Sam and to Dick, for he knew +them all very well. + +"It's a good thing the old barn blew down," said Tom, for he could +not help but think of the greeting the Laning girls would give him. + +They were soon at the back door of the farmer's cottage. It was +opened by Mrs. Laning, who stared at them in astonishment. + +"Can we come in?" asked Dick. "We are nearly frozen." + +"Well, I never! Out in all this storm! It's a wonder the captain +would allow it. Why, come in of course, and get thawed out by the +fire." And then they went in to meet Mr. Laning, and also the two +girls. + +Their story was soon told, and meanwhile the lady of the house +prepared a hot supper for them. As they sat eating they discussed +the question of whether it would be better to return to Putnam Hall +that night or wait until morning. + +"I would say stay here," said Mr. Laning, "but Captain Putnam will +be worried about you and start out in search of you." + +"That's just it," answered Dick. "I think one of us, at least, +ought to return." + +"Let us draw straws for it," said Frank, and so it was agreed. + +From the Laning place each knew the road well, so there was no +danger of going astray. Besides, the storm was now letting up in +violence. + +It fell to Frank's choice to go, and as he was about to leave Hans +decided to keep him company. The pair was soon off, and this left +the Rover boys and the Lanings to themselves. + +Satisfied that all was now right, the three brothers made the most +of the evening thus afforded them, and so did the two girls, and +all played, sang, and went in for various games until eleven +o'clock. Then the lads retired to a room assigned to them. + +"I say," said Tom, as he prepared to turn in. "That adventure +started queer-like, but we came out of it all right." + +"Yes, it couldn't be better," added Sam. + +At this Dick winked. "Especially as we landed at the Lanings' +home," he observed. + +"What a pity it wasn't Dora's home, too," drawled Tom, and then as +Dick shied a shoe at him he turned over and dropped off into the +land of dreams. + +Early the next morning they started for Putnam Hall, John Laning +driving them thither in his sleigh. It was a ride they enjoyed. +The farmer dropped them at the door, and Captain Putnam stood ready +to receive them. + +"I am glad you are safe back," he said, with some display of +emotion. "Harrington and Mueller have given me the particulars of +your night's adventure. Hereafter I want all of the cadets to +remain off the lake during a snowstorm." + +"You may be sure we will remain off, captain," answered Dick. "One +such adventure is enough for any fellow." + +After this happening nothing of special interest occurred until +Christmas. Then the cadets gave their usual entertainment, +including a little domestic drama called "Looking for a Quiet +Boarding House." In this drama Tom and Larry acted the parts of +two old maids who were taking boarders, while Dick, Sam, and eight +others were the so-called boarders, or those looking for board. +The play was filled with humorous situations, and the audience, in +which were the Stanhopes and the Lanings, enjoyed it hugely. + +"If you fail in everything else, you had better go on the stage, +Tom," said Nellie to that youth. "You make a splendid actor--or I +should say actress," and she laughed. + +"How would you like to have me for a sister?" minced Tom, in the +voice he had used in acting. + +"Thank you, but I don't want an old maid for a sister." + +"Then perhaps you don't want to be an old maid yourself," he +retorted. "All right, I'll see to it that you are spared that +annoyance." And then she boxed him playfully on the ears. She +could not help but think a good deal of this open-hearted, +fun-loving fellow. + +After the entertainment the boys went home, to remain over New +Year's Day. Jack Ness, the hired man, met them at the railroad +station in Oak Run and drove them through Dexter's Corners to +Valley Brook farm. + +"It's good fer sore eyes to see ye back," said the hired man. "The +folks is waitin' fer ye like a set o' children." + +When they came in sight of the farmhouse there were Mr. Rover, +Uncle Randolph, and Aunt Martha all on the porch to receive them. +Anderson Rover could not help rushing forward to embrace his +sons, and the greetings of uncle and aunt were scarcely less +affectionate. + +"My own boys!" was all that Anderson Rover said, but the manner of +speaking meant a good deal. + +"The house is yours, boys," said their Aunt Martha. "I used to +think you were a bother, but now I'd rather have the bother than +miss you," and she smiled so sweetly that Dick gave her an extra +hug. + +"Yes, yes, do what you please, lads," put in Randolph Rover. "I +shall not be annoyed. We understand each other a great deal better +than we did before we went to Africa, eh?" + +"Right you are, uncle!" cried Tom. "We found you out to be a +regular brick." + +Christmas presents were numerous, including some jewelry for all of +the boys and a ring to replace the one Tom had lost, and some +games, and half a dozen story books, not to mention other things +more useful, as, for instance, some socks Mrs. Randolph Rover had, +herself, made. For the aunt there was a new breastpin from the +three boys, and for the uncle a set of scientific works just to his +liking. For their father the lads had purchased a gold-headed +cane, the stick of which was made of some wood they had brought +with them from the banks of the Congo. + +The time at home passed all too quickly, and soon it was necessary +for the boys to return to Putnam Hall. Dora Stanhope and the +Laning girls had not been forgotten, and now these young folks sent +gifts of dainty embroidered handkerchiefs, of which the boys were +very proud. Tom and Sam had sent Nellie and Grace two elegant +Christmas cards. What Dick had sent Dora he would not tell. Being +behind the scenes we may state that it was a tiny gold locket, +heart-shaped, and that Dora treasured the gift highly. + +The second week after New Year found them at the Hall once more, +pegging away at their studies harder than ever, for they were bound +to make the record their father desired of them. + +But the time spent at school was not without its sport and fun, for +there was plenty of sleighing and skating, and the gymnasium was +always open during the off hours. + +"No enemies at the Hall this season," remarked Fred Garrison, "no +Baxters or Cavens, or fellows of that sort." + +"No, and I am glad of it," answered Dick. "It's a big relief." + +"Have you any idea what became of Baxter?" + +"Not the slightest." + +"And of Mumps, the fellow who used to be his toady?" + +"Oh, Mumps reformed, after that chase on the ocean, and I've since +heard that he went West, struck some sort of a job as a bookkeeper, +or something like that." + +"Well, old Crabtree is safe. He won't bother you any more," +concluded Fred, and there the subject dropped. + +The weeks glided by quickly, until spring was at hand, and the +green grass began to cover the bills and fields surrounding Cayuga +Lake. Still the Rover boys pegged away, and it must be admitted +that even Captain Putnam was astonished at their progress. + +"They are whole-souled fellows," he said to George Strong. "They +put their whole mind into everything they go into." + +"And those are the boys who afterward make their mark in the +world," answered the head assistant. "The Rover boys are all +right." + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +HOW ARNOLD BAXTER ESCAPED + + +"Well, I never!" + +It was Dick Rover who uttered the remark, as he leaped from the +chair in which he had been sitting, newspaper in hand. + +"Never what, Dick?" drawled Tom lazily, looking up from a kite he +was mending. + +"Never saw anything to equal those Baxters. What do you think? +Arnold Baxter has escaped from prison." + +"What!" ejaculated Tom, and on the instant the kite was forgotten, +and Tom smashed it directly through the middle with his foot as he +came to his brother's side. + +"Yes, he has escaped, and in the slickest manner I ever heard of. +I tell you, Tom, he is a prize criminal, if ever there was one." + +"But how did he get out?" + +"How? Why, just shook hands with his jailers, thanked them for +their kindness, and then left." + +"Oh, pshaw, Dick, is this a joke? Because if it is, I want to +remind you that we had the first of April last week." + +"It's no joke, although Baxter ought to have played his trick on +the first, true enough." + +"Well, what is the trick? You said he shook hands with his jailers +and walked off. Of course, he couldn't do that, unless his time +was up." + +"But it wasn't up--not by several years." + +"Then how did he do it?" + +"By a trick, Tom--the neatest, cleverest, slickest ever performed +in this State." + +"Oh, stow your long-winded speeches, Dick," cried the younger +brother half angrily. "Boil it down and serve the extract in short +order." + +"Very well, I will. Firstly, Arnold Baxter is in jail. Secondly, +he states his friends are going to ask the governor for a pardon. +Thirdly, a friend in disguise comes to the jail with the supposed +pardon. Fourthly, great joy of Baxter. Fifthly, he thanks his +jailers and bids them good-by, as I said before. Sixthly, after he +and his friend are gone the jailers inspect the so-called pardon. +Seventhly, the jailers telephone to the governor. Eighthly, the +pardon is pronounced a forgery, signatures, seal, and all. +Ninthly, all the powers that be are as mad as hornets, but they can +do nothing, for Baxter the elder has gone and has left no trace +behind him." + +"Phew!" Tom emitted a long, low whistle. + +"Say, but that runs like the half-dime novels I used to stuff +myself with in my green days, doesn't it?" + +"That's right, Tom, excepting that this is strictly true, while the +half-dime novels used to be as far from the truth as a howling dog +is from the moon. But seriously, I don't like this," went on the +elder Rover earnestly. + +"Neither do I like it." + +"Baxter at liberty may mean trouble for father and for us." + +"I begin to see now what Dan Baxter meant," ejaculated Tom +suddenly. "I'll wager he knew all along what his father and the +friend were up to." + +"I wonder who the stranger was? He must have been a very skillful +forger to forge the governor's signature and the other signatures +too." + +"He must be some old pal to Baxter. Don't you remember father said +Baxter was thick with several fellows in the West before he came +out here?" + +"Let us write to father about this at once." + +This was agreed to, and Dick began to pen the letter without delay. +While he was at work Sam came in and was acquainted with the news. + +"It's just like the Baxters," said the youngest Rover. "After +this, I'll be prepared to expect anything of them. I'd like to +know where he has gone? Perhaps out West." + +"Out West?" cried Dick and Tom simultaneously. + +"Certainly. Didn't he swear to get the best of us regarding that +mine matter?" + +"By gum!" murmured Tom. "Dick, we can't send that letter any too +quick. Perhaps we had better telegraph." + +"Oh, father may have the news already." Dick glanced at the +newspaper again. "Hullo, I missed this," he cried. + +"Missed what?" came from both of the others. + +"The paper says Baxter's escape occurred several days ago. The +prison' officials kept it to themselves at first, hoping the +detectives would re-capture the criminal." + +"And that paper was printed yesterday morning. At any rate, Baxter +has had his liberty for at least five days. I must say I don't +like this at all. We'll telegraph to father without delay." + +Looking out of the window Dick saw Captain Putnam walking on the +parade ground. He ran down to interview the master of the Hall. + +"Why, yes, you can go to Cedarville at once, if you deem it +important," said the captain. "Peleg Snuggers can drive you down." + +"Thank you, captain," said Dick, and ran to the stables. He found +the utility man at work cleaning out a stall, and soon had Snuggers +hitching up. Inside of ten minutes Dick was on the way to town. +As he bowled along, little did he dream of how long it would be +before he should see dear old Putnam Hall again. + +While passing the Stanhope cottage Dick saw Dora at work over a +flower bed in the front garden. + +"Just going to Cedarville on a little errand," he shouted, and +waved his hand to her, and she waved in return. In the back garden +was Aleck, and the negro, flourished a hoe as a salute. + +The telegraph office at Cedarville was not a large place, and but +few private messages were received there. As Dick drove up the +operator looked at him and at Snuggers. + +"Hullo, I was just going to send a message up to your place," he +said to the utility man. + +"All right, I'll take it," replied Snuggers. "You can pay me for +the messenger service," he added with a grin. + +"Whom is the message for, if I may ask?" questioned Dick quickly. + +"For Richard Rover." + +"That's myself. Let me have it at once." + +"You are Richard Rover?" queried the operator, and looked at +Snuggers, who nodded. "You came here just in time, then." + +The telegraph operator brought the message forth, and Dick tore it +open with a hand that trembled in spite of his efforts to control +it. He felt instinctively that something was wrong. + +The telegram was from Mrs. Randolph Rover, and ran as follows: + +"Come home at once. Your father and uncle attacked by unknown +rascal who tried to ransack house. Uncle seriously hurt. + +"Martha Rover." + +Dick's heart seemed to stop beating as he read the lines. +"Attacked by rascal who tried to ransack the house," he murmured. +"It must have been Arnold Baxter." + +"No bad news, I trust, Master Dick," observed Snuggers. + +"Yes, Peleg, very bad. Take this back to the Hall and give it to +my brothers, and tell them I am going to Ithaca by the first boat, +and there take the midnight train for home. Tell them to explain +to Captain Putnam and then to follow me. Do you understand?" + +"Well--I--er--I guess I do," stammered the workingman. "Be you +going home, then?" + +"At once." Dick turned to the operator. + +"The boat for Ithaca is almost due, isn't it?" + +"Yes, sir, in five minutes." + +"Take me to the wharf, Peleg, and hurry up about it." + +"Got to go, then?" + +"I have," and Dick leaped into the carriage. Peleg Snuggers saw +that the young cadet was in earnest, and made the boat landing in +less than three minutes. + +The Sylvan Dell, a companion boat to the Morning Star, was on time, +and Dick soon found himself on board and bound for Ithaca. He was +too excited to keep quiet, and began to pace the boat from stem to +stern. + +"What's up, my lad?" asked the captain, as he looked at the youth +curiously. + +"I am in a hurry to get home, sir." + +"Well, I'm afraid tramping around won't hurry matters any," and +Captain Miller smiled broadly. + +"Do you object to my walking around?" asked Dick, somewhat sharply. + +"Oh, no; go ahead. I hope you haven't heard any bad news," went on +the captain kindly. + +"But I have heard bad news. My father and my uncle were attacked +by some man who tried to ransack the house. My uncle was seriously +hurt." + +"That's bad. I trust they collared the villain." + +"No; I guess he got away, for the telegram I received said he was +unknown." + +"It's too bad. Do your folks live in the city?" + +"No; at a country place called Valley Brook." + +"Then I doubt if they catch the rascal who did the deed. The +country offers too good a chance to escape." + +"I mean to catch him if I can," said Dick earnestly, and then the +captain left him once more to himself. He thought that the boy had +rather a large opinion of himself, but did not know that Dick +already had a first-class clew to work on. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +SOMETHING ABOUT THE ECLIPSE MINE + + +"Dick! Oh, how glad I am that you have come!" + +Mrs. Randolph Rover rushed out to the porch to greet the boy as he +came bounding up the steps, two at a time. + +"I came as soon as I received the telegram," he answered, as he +embraced his aunt. "And how are father and Uncle Randolph?" + +"Your father is not seriously hurt,--only a twist of his left +ankle, where the burglar kicked him. But your Uncle Randolph--" + +Mrs. Rover stopped and shook her head bitterly. + +"Not dangerously hurt, I hope," cried Dick, his heart leaping into +his mouth, for as we already know, his eccentric old uncle was very +dear to him. + +"Yes, he is seriously hurt, Dick. He was struck in the head, and a +fever has set in." + +"Can I see him?" + +"Not yet. The doctor says he must be kept very quiet." + +"But he will recover, aunt?" + +"I--I hope so, Dick. Oh, it was dreadful!" And the tears rolled +down the woman's pale face. + +"I'm so sorry for you!" he exclaimed, brushing the tears away with +his handkerchief. "So sorry. Where is father?" + +"Up in the bedroom in the wing of the house." + +"I can see him, can't I?" + +"Oh, yes." + +Dick waited to hear no more, but ran up the stairs quickly, yet +making no noise, for fear of disturbing his uncle, who was in a +front room on the same floor. + +"Father, can I come in?" he asked in a low voice. + +"Yes, Dick," was the reply, and he went into the room, to find his +father in a rocking chair, with his left foot resting on a stool. +Mr. Anderson Rover's face showed plainly that he had suffered +considerable pain. + +"Father, I am so glad it is no worse," he said, as he took his +parent's hand. "Aunt Martha tells me Uncle Randolph is seriously +hurt." + +"Yes, he got the worst of it," returned Anderson Rover. "The blow +was meant for me, but your uncle leaped in and caught its full +force." + +"And do you know who the robber was?" + +"No; he had his face well covered." + +"I think I can tell you." + +"You, Dick? Ah, you are thinking of that Dan Baxter. It was a +man, not a boy; I am sure of that much." + +"Yes, it was a man, father. It was Arnold Baxter." + +"Arnold Baxter! You must be dreaming. He is in jail." + +"No, he has escaped; he escaped about a week ago." + +"Escaped?" Anderson Rover raised himself up, and would have leaped +to his feet hid not his sprained ankle prevented him. "You are +certain of this?" + +"Yes," and Dick related the particulars. + +"You must be right. The man did look like Baxter, but I thought it +impossible that it could be the same." The elder Rover gave a +groan. "Then the fat is in the fire for a certainty. And after +all my work and trouble!" + +"What are you talking about now, father?" + +"That mining claim in Colorado--the Eclipse Mine, as Roderick +Kennedy christened it." + +"But I don't understand?" + +"It's a long story, Dick. You have beard parts of it, but not the +whole, and to go into the details would do you small good." + +"But I would like to know something, father." + +"You shall know something, Dick." Mr. Rover drew up his injured +foot. "Oh, if only I could go after Arnold Baxter without delay!" + +"It's too bad you are hurt. Does it pain you very much?" + +"When I try to stand on it the pain is terrible. The doctor says I +must not use the foot for a month or six weeks." + +"That will make tedious waiting for you." + +"Yes, and in the meantime Baxter will try to cheat me out of that +mining property, if he can." + +"But he won't dare to show himself." + +"He will do the work through some other party--probably the man who +helped him to escape from prison." + +"Did he get anything of value--papers, for instance?" + +"Yes, he got most of the papers, although I still retain one small +map, a duplicate of one which was stolen. You see, Dick, years ago +Roderick Kennedy and myself were partners out in Colorado, owning +half a dozen claims." + +"Yes; I've heard that before." + +"Well, one day Kennedy went off prospecting and located a very rich +find, which he christened the Eclipse Mine. The claim was never +worked, but he made a map of the locality, which he kept a secret. +As his partner I was entitled to half of all of his discoveries, +just as he was entitled to half of my discoveries. + +"At that time Arnold Baxter worked for both of us. He was thick +with Kennedy, and I soon saw that he was trying to break up the +partnership, so that he could form a new deal with Kennedy. But +Kennedy was true to me, and in the end we caught Baxter stealing +from us, and gave him twenty-four hours' notice to quit camp. + +"Baxter was enraged at this, and went off vowing to get square. +About a month after that happened Kennedy tumbled off a cliff, and +died of his injuries. In his will he left me all of his mining +properties, including the Eclipse claim, which I have never yet +seen. + +"After Kennedy was buried Arnold Baxter came forward and claimed +part of the property, and produced papers to substantiate his +claims. But the papers were proved by a dozen miners to be of no +value, and in the end he was again drummed out of camp. + +"I was making money fast just then, and for the time being paid no +attention to Baxter. But he continued to annoy me, and I am pretty +certain that on one or two occasions be tried to take my life. But +at last he disappeared, and I heard no more of him until you boys +brought me back from Africa, and told me that you had had trouble +with both him and his good-for-nothing son. He seems bound to +shadow me wherever I go." + +"But the Eclipse Mine--" broke in Dick. + +"I am getting to that. Kennedy had left his interest in it to me, +but Baxter claimed the whole discovery as his own, saying he was +out on his own hook when the mine was located, which was a +falsehood. But though Baxter claimed the mine he could not locate +it, nor could I do so. It was along a creek which a certain Jack +Wumble had called Bumble Bee, but we could not locate this creek, +and Jack Wumble had departed for fresh fields. But I have located +the old miner, and he has told me that Bumble Bee Creek was in +reality one of the south branches of the Gunnison River, and is now +called the Larkspur. You must remember that in those, early days +matters were very unsettled in Colorado, and names changed almost +weekly." + +"So this Eclipse Mine is on Larkspur Creek?" + +"Yes, at a point three hundred yards above a white cliff which the +old miners used to call Rooney's Ghost, because a miner named +Rooney once committed suicide there." + +"And what about Baxter, father? If he has those papers, do you +think he or his confederate will go up the Larkspur to locate the +Eclipse Mine?" + +"Undoubtedly--under another name--that is, if it proves as valuable +as my old partner anticipated." + +"But if we can get there before him and locate for ourselves?" + +"Ah, if I could do that, Dick, then I would not fear Baxter or +anybody else. But if he gets in ahead of me--well, you know, +'possession is nine points of the law,' and he can at least make me +a lot of trouble." + +Dick sprang from the seat into which he had dropped. + +"He shan't do it, father!" he exclaimed. + +"But how are you going to help it, my son? I cannot go West with +this sprained ankle." + +"I'll go West myself and locate that claim in spite of what Arnold +Baxter has done." + +"You go West?" + +"Yes." + +"Without me? That would be, a--well--" + +"Remember, father, I went to Africa to find you." + +"I shall never forget it, Dick. But you had others with you--your +Uncle Randolph, and Tom, and Sam, and Aleck." + +"Well, I can take Tom and Sam with me again, if it comes to that." + +"It is a wild country out there among the mining camps of the +mountains." + +"It's no wilder than in the heart of Africa." + +Mr. Anderson Rover shook his head doubtfully. "And then if Baxter +found out what you were trying to do he would--" He could not +finish, but Dick understood. + +"I shall be on my guard, father. I know what a scoundrel he is, +and will give him no chance to get at me." + +At that point the conversation was interrupted by the hired girl, +who came to call Dick to a late supper. The lad was hungry, so he +did not refuse. By the time he had finished, Mr. Rover had gone to +bed, so his son also retired, without probing the Eclipse Mine +affair any further. But it was a long time before Dick got to +sleep, so full was his head of the suddenly proposed trip to the +West. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +BOUND FOR THE WEST + + +On the following morning Tom and Sam arrived, as anxious as Dick +had been to learn the particulars of what had occurred. They +listened to their father's story with interest, as he told of how +he had heard a noise and gone below to grapple with the midnight +intruder who was ransacking the library desk, and of how Randolph +Rover had come to his assistance and been seriously wounded, and +how all were now certain that the unwelcome visitor had been Arnold +Baxter--that is, all but Randolph Baxter, who lay semi-unconscious, +in a high fever, and who knew nothing. + +The doctor came in at noon, and pronounced Randolph Rover but +little better. + +"He must be kept very quiet," said the medical man. "Do not allow +anybody to disturb him. If he should become in the least excited I +would not answer for his life." So the boys kept away from his +bed-chamber and walked about on tiptoes and spoke in whispers. + +It was Dick who called together a council of war, out in the barn, +late in the afternoon, after he had had another long talk with his +father. + +"Here's the whole thing in a nutshell," he said. "Arnold Baxter +has those papers--or the best part of them--and he means to stake +that claim if he can." + +"But he won't dare to show himself," said Sam. "If he does, we can +turn him over to the police." + +"Of course he won't show himself, but he'll get somebody else to +stake the claim and whack up," replied Dick. + +"We won't let him do it," interposed Tom bluntly. "I'll go to +Colorado myself and stop him." + +"Good for you, Tom! You've struck the nail's head first clip," +said his elder brother. + +"Father was going out there this spring, anyway--and he was going +to take us." + +"True. Father would go to-day if he could, but he can't, on +account of that hurt ankle," went on Dick. + +"Then let us go for him," came from Sam. "We can do nothing here +but worry Uncle Randolph, and I don't feel like going back to +Putnam Hall while this excitement is on." + +"I told father that I wanted to go, lout he is afraid the trip +would be too dangerous." + +"Pooh! we went to Africa," was Tom's comment. He was awfully proud +of that trip to the Dark Continent. + +"It isn't the trip so much as it is the fact that we may fall in +with Arnold Baxter and his confederates." + +"By the way, I wonder if Dan has joined his father?" mused Sam. + +"Like as not. Certainly Dan knew what his parent was up +to--sotherwise he wouldn't have written that letter Josiah Crabtree +dropped." + +"Then you can be sure the two Baxters have gone to Colorado," said +Tom. + +"And the three Rovers will go, too," said Sam. + +"Will you?" asked Dick. "I wanted to say so, but--" + +"Yes, we'll go, and that settles it," cried Tom. "And the sooner +we get off the better. But we must get father to explain +everything a little more closely before we leave." + +It was easy to get Anderson Rover to explain, but not so easy to +get him to consent to their going out to Colorado. At last he said +that if they could get Jack Wumble to go with them they might go. + +"Jack Wumble is all right, and if he says he will stick to you I +know he will keep his word. He is a crack shot, and besides he +knows Larkspur Creek from end to end, and it will save you a lot of +hunting around to have him by to give information." + +"And where can we find Jack Wumble? + +"The last I heard of him he was in Chicago. He is rather a +reckless man, and when he has money is apt to spend it in gambling. +But his heart is true blue and honest to the core." + +"Do you know where he was stopping?" + +"At a hotel called the Western Palace. It is a great resort for +mining men, and you will be sure to find out all about him if you +ask for him there," concluded Mr. Rover. + +A great deal more had to be talked about and considered, but we +will pass that over. It was decided that the boys should leave for +Chicago early on the following Monday morning. The spare time was +used up in getting ready for the trip. The boys had their trunks +shipped home from Putnam Hall, and wrote to the master and their +friends telling of what was going on, but entering into no +particulars. By Saturday night they were all ready, and on Sunday +went to church at their aunt's request. + +"I hate to see you go," said Mrs. Rover, with a sad smile. "It is +a big risk. Be sure and come back safe and sound." + +"We will," answered Tom. "And you be sure and have Uncle Randolph +up and well when we do come back," he added. Poor Tom! little did +he think of the grave perils that waited for him in the far West! + +The day was a perfect one when they left, the air full of bright +sunshine and the music of the birds which had made Valley Brook +their summer home for many years. Mrs. Rover saw them to the +carriage, while Anderson Rover waved them a serious adieu from his +bedroom window. Poor Randolph Rover was as feverish as ever, and +knew nothing of their coming or their going. All of the boys were +half afraid they would never again see their uncle alive. + +But youth is strong and hopeful, and by the time they had entered +the cars and made themselves comfortable the scenes around them +engrossed their attention, and the past was forgotten for the time +being. The train was an express, and flew along at the rate of +sixty miles an hour. + +"We'll be in Chicago by this time to-morrow," said Dick. "It's +quick traveling, isn't it?" + +"I hope we are fortunate enough to catch Jack Wumble," said Tom. +"I don't want to lose time in Chicago hunting him up." + +The car was but half filled, so that the boys had several seats all +to themselves. They had brought with them a map of Colorado, and +they spent much of the day in studying this. + +When it came time for dinner they entered the dining car. They +could not get seats together, and so Tom was compelled to sit +opposite to a burly fellow whose appearance did not strike him as +altogether favorable. + +"Bound for Chicago?" asked the man, after passing the time of day. + +"Yes, sir," answered Tom. "Are you bound there?" + +"I am going through that city. You belong there, I suppose?" + +"No, sir, I've never been there before." + +"Is that so. Going on a pleasure trip, or to try your luck? Or +perhaps you are on business?" + +"Yes, I am on business." + +"You are rather young to be out on business, it strikes me," went +on the burly stranger, after a pause. + +"Oh, I've been around a little before," said Tom coolly. + +"Yes, you look like a lad who has seen some thing of the world. +Well, I've seen something of the world myself." + +"Are you a Western man?" asked Tom, who thought it would not hurt +to do a little questioning on his own account. + +"Yes, I was born and brought up in Colorado." + +The reply interested Tom. + +"But you have traveled, you say?" + +"Yes, I've been to San Francisco and to New York, and also up in +the mining districts of the Northwest Territory, and in the mines +of Mexico. I've been what they call a rolling stone." And the +burly man laughed lightly, but the laugh was not a pleasant one. + +"Then you ought to know a good deal about mining," Tom ventured. +"I am interested in the mines of Colorado. In what part of the +State were you located?" + +"Well, I lived in Ouray some time, and also in Silverton, but I +went here, there, and everywhere, prospecting and buying up old +claims cheap." + +"I hope you struck it rich." + +"Oh, I'm fairly well fixed," was the careless answer. "So you are +interested in our mines, eh? Got a claim?" + +"No, sir, but I am going out there to look up a claim--if I can." + +"Take my advice and leave mining alone unless you have had +experience. The chance for a tenderfoot, as we call 'em, getting +along has gone by." + +"I shan't waste much time in looking around." + +"And don't waste your money either. Nine mines out of ten that are +offered for sale are not worth buying at any price. I've been all +through the miff and I know." + +"I suppose you know a great many of the old time miners?" said Tom, +after another pause. + +"Oh, yes, loads of them, Quray Frank, Bill Peters, Denver Phil, and +all the rest." + +"Did you ever meet a man by the name of Jack Wumble?" + +The burly man started and spilled a little of the coffee he was +holding to drink. + +"Why--er--confound the rocking of the train," he answered. "Why, +yes, I met Wumble once or twice, but never had any business with +him. Are you going to buy a mine from him?" + +"No, I am going to try to get him to help locate one that is +missing," answered Tom, before he had thought twice. + +"Indeed! Well, I've heard Jack is a good man at locating paying +claims. Do you know him personally?" + +"I do not." + +A gleam of satisfaction lit up the burly man's face, but Tom did +not notice it. + +"Wumble used to hang out in Denver. Going to meet him there, I +suppose." + +"No, I'm going to meet him in Chicago, if I can." + +"I see." + +So the talk ran on until the meal was finished. Then the burly man +bowed pleasantly and the two separated. + +When Tom rejoined his brothers Sam asked him about the man. + +"I'm sure I've seen him before," he said. "But where is more than +I can say." + +"I think I've seen him, too," said Dick. "And I must say I don't +much like his looks." + +When Tom told of the conversation that had been held, Dick shook +his head seriously. + +"I wouldn't talk so much, Tom," he remarked. "It won't do any +good, and it may do harm, you know." + +"I'll be more careful hereafter, Dick. I am sorry myself that I +had so much to say," returned Tom. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +THE ROVER BOYS IN CHICAGO + + +"Chicago! Change cars for St. Louis and the West!" + +The long express had rolled into the great depot and the porters +were busy brushing up the passengers in the parlor cars and +gathering together their baggage--and incidentally, the tips which +were forthcoming. + +The Rover boys were soon out on the platform and making for the +street. + +"Cab, sir; coupe?" + +"Mornin' papers! All de news! Have a paper, boss?" + +The crowd of newsboys and hackmen made Dick smile. "It's a good +deal like New York, isn't it?" he observed. + +"Yes, indeed," replied Sam. "Where shall we go--to the Western +Palace?" + +"We might as well. The sooner we find this Jack Wumble the +better." + +At that moment the burly man who had talked to Tom in the dining +car brushed up to them. + +"Good-morning, my young friend," he said to Tom. "Can I be of any +assistance to you?" + +"It I don't know as you can," replied Tom coldly. "I guess we can +find our way around." + +"Glad to help you if I can," went on the man. + +"We want to get to the Western Palace," put in Sam, before his +brothers could stop him. + +"That is quite a distance from here." The man hesitated a moment. +"I was going there myself. If you don't mind riding on a street +car I'll show you the way." + +"A street car is good enough for us," returned Sam. He was anxious +to see more of the stranger, for he wished if possible to recollect +where he had seen the fellow before. + +A passing car was hailed and they all got on board, each carrying a +valise, for the Rover boys had decided that trunks would be too +cumbersome for the trip. They sat close together, and during the +ride the stranger endeavored to make himself as agreeable as +possible. + +"My name is Henry Bradner," he said, introducing himself. "Out in +the mines they used to call me Lucky Harry, and a good many of my +friends call me that still. May I ask your names?" + +"My name is Sam Rover," said the boy. "This is my brother Dick, +and this my brother Tom." + +There were handshakings all around. "Glad to know you," said +Bradner. "I hope you find Jack Wumble and that he locates your +mine for you." + +"I've been thinking that I've seen you before," said Sam bluntly. +"But for the life of me I can't place you." + +"Perhaps we've met somewhere in the East--New York, for instance. +Have any of you been in Chicago before?" + +"No." + +"It's a great city and there are many sights worth seeing. If you +wished I wouldn't mind showing you around a bit this afternoon or +tomorrow." + +"Thanks, but we won't have time," said Dick shortly. This +off-handed invitation made him more suspicious than ever. + +The talking continued until at last Henry Bradner stopped the car. + +"Here we are," he said. "The Palace of the West is one block down +yonder side street." + +"The Palace of the West?" repeated Tom. "I thought it was called +the Western Palace." + +"Well, it's all the same," laughed the man. But it was not the +same by any means. While the Western Palace was a first-class +hotel in every respect, the Palace of the West was a weak +imitation, run by a man who had once been a notorious San Francisco +blackleg. + +The hotel was soon reached and Bradner led the way into the office, +which was filled with rather rough-looking sports, all smoking and +talking loudly. + +"I know the clerk," said Bradner. "I'll ask him about your +friend." And before Dick could stop him he had pushed his way to +the desk and was talking in a low tone to the clerk. Dick tried to +catch what was said, but was unable to do so. + +"You are in luck," said Bradner, on coming back. "The clerk says +Jack Wumble has gone off for the day, but said he would be back by +to-night sure." + +"I'm glad of that," said Tom, and he and his brothers felt much +relieved. + +"The clerk cautioned me to keep quiet about Wumble," went on +Bradner confidentially. "It seems Wumble and another man had a row +over a game of cards, and Wumble wants the other man to clear out +before he shows up again. The other man is booked for Denver on +the afternoon train." + +As this statement about cards fitted in with what Mr. Rover had +said concerning Jack Wumble, the boys swallowed it without +hesitation, and they were inclined to believe that Henry Bradner +was all right, after all. + +"Will you register here?" went on the man. + +"No, I don't like the looks of the place," answered Dick promptly. +"We are not of the drinking kind," he added. + +The burly man looked dark and disappointed. + +"It's a good hotel, when once you get used to it," he said. + +But Dick shook his head and said he would go elsewhere, and +motioning to Tom and Sam he led the way to the sidewalk once more. +Henry Bradner followed them. + +"If I see Wumble shall I get him to wait for you?" he said. + +"If you wish. We will be around to-night and also to-morrow +morning to see him." + +"All right." + +The boys walked off and around the corner into the street where the +cars were running. + +"I don't like him at all," exclaimed Dick. "I believe he is tip to +some game." + +"Oh, you may be too suspicious," declared Sam. "What game can he +be up to? He was kind enough to help us hunt up this Jack Wumble." + +"I don't care--his manner doesn't suit me at all. He's a sneak, if +ever there was one." + +The boys walked on for a distance of several blocks, and then +coming to a nice-looking restaurant went in for dinner. + +While they were eating Dick happened to glance out of the show +window of the place and gave a low cry. + +"What is it, Dick?" asked Tom. + +"I thought as much. That man is watching us." + +Sam and Tom gave a look, but by this time Henry Bradner had +disappeared from view. + +"You are sure that you saw him, Dick?" asked Sam. + +"I am positive. Boys, do you know what I think? I think he is a +sharper, and imagines he has three green country boys with money to +deal with." + +"Well, if he thinks that he is much mistaken," was Tom's comment. +"In the first place we are not so very green, and in the second our +cash account is rather limited." + +"We spoke about a mine, and he may imagine that we carry several +thousands of dollars with us." + +"If he's a sharper why did he try to find Wumble for us?" asked +Sam. + +This was a poser and Dick did not pretend to answer it. + +The dinner finished, they walked forth once more and down into the +heart of the city. + +They soon found what looked to be a fairly good hotel, and engaged +a large room with two beds for the night. + +"Now we can take a look around," said Tom. + +The best part of the afternoon was spent in sight-seeing, and the +boys visited Lincoln Park, Jackson Park, the museum, menagerie, +Masonic Temple, and numerous other points of interest. + +They were returning to the hotel at which they had registered for +the night when suddenly Tom caught his brothers by the arm. + +"Well, I never!" he gasped. "What do you think of that?" + +They saw he was gazing across the way, and looking in the direction +saw an elegant hotel, over the broad doorway of which was stretched +the sign: + +WESTERN PALACE +GEORGE LAVELLE, Proprietor. +Established 1871. + +"By jinks! That Bradner deceived us!" gasped Dick. "This must be +the hotel father mentioned." + +"But what about Jack Wumble?" began Sam. "He was registered at the +other place." + +"Did you see the register?" demanded Dick. + +"No, but--" + +"We'll soon learn the truth," went on the elder Rover. "Come on." +And he made his way through the mass of moving wagons and trucks to +the opposite side of the thoroughfare. + +All entered the broad hallway together. The floor was of marble, +and big mirrors lined every wall. Certainly the place was in sharp +contrast to that known as the "Palace of the West." + +Walking up to the office counter Dick inspected the register. On +the third page from the last written upon he found the entry: + +"Jack Wumble, Denver; Room 144." + +"There, what do you think of that?" he demanded, as he showed his +brothers the entry. + +Both were dumfounded, and for the moment knew not what to say. +Dick turned to one of the clerks. + +"Is Mr. Jack Wumble in?" he asked. + +The clerk looked at the row of keys behind him. + +"No, sir; he's out." + +"Have you any idea when he will be back?" + +"I have not. Perhaps he is back already and over in the smoking +room." + +"I don't know him personally, but I am very anxious to see him." + +"I'll have a boy look for him," returned the clerk, and called up a +bell-boy, who took Dick's card and went off with it to the smoking +room and the dining hall, calling softly as he passed one man and +another, "Number 144! Number 144!" + +Presently the bell-boy came back, followed by a tall, thin, and +pleasant-faced man of sixty, wearing a light-checked suit and a +broad-brimmed slouch hat. + +"This is the gentleman, sir," he said to Dick. + +"Are you Mr. Jack Wumble?" asked Dick curiously. + +"That's my handle, lad," was the answer, in a broad, musical voice. +"And I see your card reads Richard Rover. Any relation to Andy +Rover, as used to be a mining expert?" + +"I am his son." + +"Well, well! His son, eh? Glad to know you, downright glad!" And +Jack Wumble nearly wrung Dick's hand off. Then Tom and Dick were +introduced, and more handshaking followed, and the boys felt that +they had found a true friend beyond a doubt. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +THE BURLY STRANGER'S LITTLE GAME + + +"I'm more than glad to have met you as we did," said Dick, a little +later, after Jack Wumble had asked the boys about their father. "I +think it has saved us from getting into a lot of trouble." + +And he related the particulars of the meeting with Henry Bradner, +and what the stranger had said and done concerning Wumble. + +"The snake!" ejaculated the old miner passionately. "He's a sharp, +true as you are born! Why, I never put up at the Palace of the +West in my life." + +"I wish I knew what his game was," went on Dick. + +"You will know Dick--if I can get my hands on him. Do you reckon +as how he is over to that other hotel now?" + +"More than likely." + +"Unless he shadowed us to here," burst out Tom. "If he did that he +must know his game is up, and you can be sure he will keep out of +sight." + +The matter was talked over, and it was decided that Jack Wumble and +the boys should go to the other hotel without delay. + +On the way Dick told the old miner what had brought them to the +West. Jack Wumble took a deep interest in all mining schemes, and +listened closely to all the youth had to say. + +"Yes, I remember about the Eclipse Mine," he said. "And I remember +this Arnold Baxter, too. He was a bad one, and if I and some +others had our say he would have dangled from a tree for his +stealings, for, you see, we didn't have no jails in those days, and +stealing was a capital crime." + +"It will you help us to locate the mine before Arnold Baxter or his +confederates can get on the ground? We will pay you for your +trouble." + +"Certainly, I'll do what I can. But I--don't want any of Anderson +Rover's pile--not me. Why, your father nursed me through the worst +case o' fever a miner ever had--an' I ain't forgittin' it, lads. +I'll stick to ye to the end." And the old miner put out his hand +and gave another squeeze that made Dick wince. + +The Palace of the West reached, Wumble pushed his way into the +smoke-laden office and to the desk. + +"Say, is there a man named Jack Wumble stopping here?" he demanded. + +"Jack Wumble," repeated the clerk slowly. + +"That's what I said." + +"There is a Jack Wimple stopping here--but he is out--gone to St. +Louis." + +"Jack Wimple? He's not the man," and the old miner fell back and +repeated what had been said to the three boys. + +"Perhaps Bradner made a mistake," suggested Tom. "But I don't +believe it." + +"He tried to make us believe this hotel and the Western Palace were +one and the same," put in Sam. + +"He's sharp, I tell you," declared Jack Wumble. "Just wait till I +get on his trail, I'll make him tell us the truth. More than +likely he wanted to clean you boys out." + +They waited around for the best part of an hour, but Henry Bradner +failed to return, and at last they gave up looking for him, and the +boys went back to where they had hired a room for the night, +promising to rejoin Jack Wumble early in the morning, when the +whole party would take a train for Denver, where Wumble wished to +transact a little business before starting out for Larkspur Creek. + +The boys had not slept very well on the train, so they were +thoroughly tired out. They were on the point of retiring when a +bell-boy came up stating that their friend wished to see Dick for a +few minutes. + +"Wumble must have forgotten something," said Dick. "I'll see what +it is," and he took the elevator to the ground floor. + +To his surprise it was not Wumble who wished to see him, but Henry +Bradner. + +"What, you!" cried the youth. "I thought you had skipped out." + +"Skipped out?" queried the burly man in pretended surprise. "Why +should I skip out?" + +"Don't you know that we have found you out?" + +"Found me out? You are talking in riddles, young man." And the +stranger drew himself up proudly. + +"We have found Mr. Jack Wumble, and he tells us that he never +stopped at the Palace of the West in his life." + +"Mr. Jack Wimple, you mean. Why, he is certainly at the hotel--or +was." + +"We were looking for Mr. Wumble--and you know it. I care nothing +for your Mr. Wimple. And besides, you told us that the Western +Palace and the Palace of the West were one and the same. That was +a deliberate falsehood." + +Bradner turned pale, and looked as if he wished to catch Dick by +the throat. "Have a care, young man!" he hissed. "I am not a man +to be trifled with. I tried to do you a good turn, but I see I +have put my foot into it. Henceforth you can take care of +yourself." + +So speaking, Henry Bradner turned on his heel and strode off, a +look of baffled rage in his eyes. Instantly Dick turned to a +bell-boy. + +"Run up to room 233 and tell Tom Rover to come down at once and +follow his brother," he said hurriedly. "I can't go up--I want to +watch that man, for he's a crook." + +The boy seemed to understand, and flew for the stairs, the elevator +being out of sight. Dick ran to the door, to behold Bradner +standing on the sidewalk as if undecided which way to pursue his +course. But presently he walked slowly up the street. Dick +followed him, and had gone less than half a block when Tom joined +him, all out of breath with running. + +"What is it, Dick?" + +"It was Bradner, who came to smooth matters over. I am following +him to see if I can't get on to his game." + +"Oh, what nerve! I should think he would have been afraid to come +near us." + +"He's a bold one, Tom, and we must look out that we don't get bit +by him." + +Henry Bradner covered half a dozen blocks of the street upon which +the hotel was located, and then turned into a narrow thoroughfare +running toward the Chicago river. + +Here were a number of low drinking places, and in front of one of +these he stopped. Instead of entering the resort by the main door +he went in through a side hallway, which led to a rear room. + +"Perhaps he is stopping here," suggested Tom, as the two lads came +to a halt. + +"Well, if that is so we had better remember the place," answered +Dick. + +There was an alleyway alongside of the house, and looking into this +the boys saw a light shining out of several windows near the rear +of the resort. + +"Let us take a peep into the windows," suggested Dick, and led the +way. + +To let out some of the tobacco smoke the windows were pulled down +partly from the top. The bottom sashes were covered with +half-curtains of imitation lace, but so flimsy that the boys saw +through them without difficulty. + +Bradner had just entered this rear room, and was gazing around +inquiringly. Now he stalked over to a table near one of the +windows, and dropped heavily into a chair. + +"I'm afraid the jig is up," he said, addressing somebody on the +opposite side of the table. + +"What has happened," asked the other person, and now the two Rover +boys were amazed to learn that the party was Dan Baxter. The bully +had changed his dress and also the style of wearing his hair, and +was sporting a pair of nose glasses. + +"They have met the real Jack Wumble, and found out that I was +fooling them about the hotel." + +"That's too bad," cried Dan Baxter. "You must have made a bad +break of it, Bradner." + +"I did my best, but I couldn't keep them from looking around, +although I offered to conduct them. You can bet if I had had them +under my care they wouldn't have got near the Western Palace, nor +Jack Wumble either." + +"Did you have a man ready to play the part of Wumble?" questioned +Dan Baxter, after the burly one had ordered drinks for the two. + +"Yes, I had Bill Noxton all cocked and primed. But now our cake is +dough--and after all the trouble I've taken for your father, too!" +And Henry Bradner uttered a snort of disgust. + +"Did you warn this Noxton?" + +"Oh, yes, and I put a flea into the ear of the hotel clerk, too. +But the thing is, what do you suppose your father will want done +next?" + +"Don't ask me," answered Dan Baxter recklessly. "He don't half +trust me any more. He says I'm only good to sponge on him," and +the former bully of Putnam Hall gave a bitter laugh. + +"Well, I haven't followed these Rovers all the way from Valley +Brook farm to here for nothing," went on Henry Bradner. "Your +father wanted 'em watched, and I've watched 'em ever since they +came home from that boarding academy. It was a big job, too." + +"Didn't they suspect you?" + +"One of 'em said he thought he had seen me before." And Bradner +laughed. "It was at the Valley Brook Church. I followed them to +the church just to keep my word to your father." + +"And you are certain Mr. Rover isn't coming West?" + +"No, he's laid up with a game leg, and won't move for a month. I +got that straight from the hired man." There was a pause. "What +do you reckon I had best do next?" + +"Telegraph to my father at Denver--you know his assumed name, and +let him advise you. I suppose the boys and that Wumble will go +straight through to the mining district now." + +"More than likely." + +"Then father and Roebuck will have to stop them out there, although +how it's to be done I don't know." + +At this juncture a waiter came forward, and closed down the window, +and the balance of the conversation was lost to the two Rover boys. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +JUST A LITTLE TOO LATE + + +"What do you think of that?" whispered Dick, as he led the way back +to the sidewalk. + +"It's all as plain as day," replied his brother. "This Bradner was +set to watch the house immediately after the robbery occurred. +More than likely he was around at the time of the robbery." + +"Do you suppose he is the man who helped Arnold Baxter to escape +from prison on that forged pardon?" + +"Creation! It may be so!" ejaculated Tom. "I'll tell you one +thing: we ought to have them both arrested at once." + +"I don't know about that," mused the elder Rover. "If we do that +then how are we to find out where Arnold Baxter is, or this fellow +they called Roebuck?" + +"But they may slip through our fingers if we don't have them locked +up." + +The two brothers talked the matter ever, and then decided, late as +it was, to call upon Jack Wumble for advice. + +"You can go for him," said Dick. "I'll continue to watch this +place. If they leave I'll throw bits of paper on the sidewalk and +you can follow the trail just as if we were playing a game of hare +and hounds." + +Tom made off at top speed, carefully noting the street and number, +so that he would not miss his way when returning. + +Left to himself Dick went into the alleyway again and looked +through the window as before. + +Dan Baxter and Bradner were still conversing, but the youth could +not hear what was said. + +Presently the pair at the table arose, settled for their drinks and +came out of the place. + +They walked up the street and around a corner, and Dick followed, +scattering bits of an old letter as he went along. When the letter +was used up, he tore to bits some handbills which he found in the +street. + +Eight squares were covered before Dan Baxter and Bradner reached a +dingy looking hotel which went by the name of Lakeman's Rest. + +It was set in the middle of the block, with brick houses on either +side of it. + +They entered a narrow hallway, and by the light above the door Dick +saw them ascend the stairs to the second floor. + +There now seemed nothing to do but to await Tom's return, and the +youth retired to the opposite side of the street. + +It was late--after midnight, in fact--and the street was +practically deserted. + +A half hour went by and Dick felt as if his brother would never +return, when he heard swift footsteps behind him. + +"So this is your game, eh?" cried the voice of Bradner, and of a +sudden a club descended upon Dick's head and he went down as if +shot. + +The man had looked out of the hotel window and spotted Dick, and +had gone out by a back way add around the square to make certain of +his victim. + +"That was a good crack," came from Dan Baxter. "It serves him +right for following you." + +Bradner was about to bend over his victim to ascertain how badly +Dick was hurt when the footsteps of two men approaching made him +draw back. + +"Come, we don't want to be caught," whispered Dan Baxter nervously. +And then, as the footsteps came closer, he darted away, with Henry +Bradner at his heels. They did not stop until a long distance away +from the scene of the dastardly attack. + +The men who were approaching were a couple of bakers who were +employed in a neighboring bakery. + +"Vas ist dis!" cried one of them, as he stumbled over Dick's body. +"A young mans!" + +"He is drunk, Carl," said the other. "Let him be or you may get +into trouble." + +"Maype he vos hurt, or sick," said the German baker, bending down. +"I vos know der cop on dis beat and he knows I vos no footpad." + +Just then Dick gave a shiver and a groan, and both bakers realized +that he was suffering in some way. While the German remained by +the boy's side the other ran to the bakery for a lantern and +assistance. + +Soon a small crowd had collected, and Dick was carried into the +bakery and made as comfortable as the means permitted. One of the +bakers went on a hunt for a policeman, and presently the officer of +the law hove into sight. Dick was just coming to his senses, but +was too dazed for several minutes to give an account of what had +happened. At last he said a man had struck him down with a club. + +"Were you robbed?" asked the policeman. + +Dick felt in his various pockets. + +"No, sir." + +"You were lucky." + +"I dink ve scare der rascal avay," said the German baker. + +"More than likely. It's a pity you didn't collar him." The +policeman turned to Dick. + +"Shall I call up an ambulance?" + +"I don't think it's necessary, sir. My brother will be along this +way soon. I was waiting for him to come when I was struck." + +"You were out rather late," remarked the officer of the law, +suspiciously. + +"I was watching a rascal who tried to make trouble for me." + +"Then there must be more to this case than what you just told me." + +"There is." + +"In that case you had better go to police headquarters with me." + +"I am willing. But won't you wait until my brother gets here?" + +There was no need to wait, for at that moment Tom appeared on the +scene, accompanied by Jack Wumble. They both stared at Dick in +horror. + +"Oh, Dick, you are hurt?" cried Tom. + +"Not very much. Bradner hit me on the head. I am glad I am +alive." + +"And where is the rascal now?" questioned the old miner. + +"Ran away." + +"And Dan Baxter?" queried Tom. + +"Gone, too, I suppose. They must have been together." And then +Dick related what had occurred--so far as he knew--since Tom had +left him. + +The officer of the law accompanied all three to the police station, +and here the boys told their story, and a watch was set for Bradner +and Dan Baxter. But nothing came of this, for the pair left +Chicago early the next day. + +"We had better keep close together after this," said Jack Wumble, +as he was seeing the boys back to their hotel. "I reckon you've +got a mighty bad crowd to deal with." And he remained with them +for the balance of the night. + +The express for Denver left at eleven o'clock in the morning, and +all of the party of four were on hand to catch it. Soon they were +whirling over the fields and through the forests toward the mighty +Mississippi River. + +"Never been West afore-eh?" remarked Jack Wumble. "Well, you will +see some grand sights, I can tell ye that." + +"No, we have never been West," answered Sam. "But we have been to +Africa," he added proudly. + +"Gee shoo! is that so! Well, that's long traveling certainly. But +I reckon I'd rather see my own country first." + +"We went to Africa for a purpose," said Tom, and told of the rescue +of his father. The old miner listened with keen appreciation and +at the conclusion clapped Tom on the back. + +"You're true blue, Tom!" he cried. "You and your brothers will +pull through, I feel sure of it." And then he fell to telling +about his own life, and how he had become acquainted with Anderson +Rover and his partner Kennedy, and of the various bad things Arnold +Baxter had done in those days. "This man seems to be a chip of the +old block," he concluded. + +The trip to Denver was full of interest, and Dick was sorry he did +not have a camera along, that he might take snapshots of the +scenery. Yet he was impatient to get to his destination and stake +out the missing Eclipse Mine before Arnold Baxter and his +confederates should have the chance to do so. + +It was the afternoon of the next day when Denver was reached, and a +light rain was falling. Jack Wumble wished to put up at a hotel +called the Miner's Rest, a favorite resort with men from the mining +districts. He had been negotiating for the sale of one of his +mines, and thought he could close the deal the next morning. + +"And then we'll be off for Larkspur Creek without further delay," +was what he told Dick. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +OFF FOR THE MINING DISTRICT + + +While Jack Wumble was off attending to his private business the +three Rover boys took a stroll through Denver. + +The city was different from any they had visited, and their walk +was full of interest. + +Coming to a store in the window of which were exhibited a number of +Indian curiosities, the boys halted to examine the objects, when +Tom uttered a sudden cry. + +"Look, Dick! There is Bradner inside!" + +"Yes, and Dan Baxter is with him!" returned the elder brother +quickly. "Here's luck, surely!" + +"Will you have them locked up?" asked Sam. + +"To be sure--if we can." + +The boys looked around for a policeman, but none happened to be in +sight. + +"Run and see if you can find one," said Dick to Sam. "Tom and I +can watch the pair." + +At once Sam made off. But policemen were not numerous, and it took +quite some time to locate one and explain what was wanted. + + In the meantime Dan Baxter had caught sight of Tom and told +Bradner of his discovery. + +Boy and man came out of the store in a great hurry. They were +about to run off when Dick caught Bradner by the arm, while his +brother halted the former bully of Putnam Hall. + +"Let go of me!" hissed Bradner, and as Dick paid no attention he +aimed a blow for the youth's head. But Dick "had been there +before," and dodged, and the force of his effort nearly took the +rascal off his feet. Before he could recover Dick had him down on +his back and was sitting on his chest. + +Tom was having a lively time with Dan Baxter. The bully hit the +boy in the shoulder, and Tom retaliated with a sharp crack that +landed straight on Baxter's nose and drew blood. + +"A fight! a fight!" yelled a passing newsboy, and as if by magic a +crowd began to collect. + +Again Baxter struck out, but his blow fell short, and now Tom gave +him one in the ear that spun him half around. By this time the +bully felt that he had had enough of the encounter, and breaking +through the crowd he set off on a mad run down the street and +around the nearest comer. + +Feeling it would be useless to try to catch Dan Baxter just then, +Tom turned his attention to Dick and Henry Bradner. Bradner was +struggling hard to get up, but Dick was master of the situation, so +Tom had little to do. + +"What's the meaning of this?" demanded the policeman, as soon as he +came upon the scene. + +"I want this man arrested," answered Dick, as he got up, but still +kept close to Bradner. + +"What has he done?" + +"He is a sharper of the worst kind." + +"You are sure of this?" + +"I am--" + +"You will have to go to the station house with us if I take the man +in," continued the policeman. + +"I am willing," answered Dick quietly. + +Muttering angrily to himself, Henry Bradner arose. He wanted to +run away, but got no chance to do so. Soon the station house was +reached, and here Dick and his brothers told their story. + +"The assault happened in another State," said the officer at the +desk. "The most we can do is to hold him until the Illinois +authorities send for him." + +"Why, that's Harry the Crook, from Gunnison!" put in an officer who +had just come in. "He is wanted here on half a dozen charges." + +At these words Bradner turned deadly pale. + +"This is a--a mistake," he faltered. "I know nothing of the man +you mention." + +"Too thin, Harry; I know you well," replied the officer. "Captain, +he is a bad one," he continued to his superior. + +An investigation into the records was made, and a picture in the +Rogues' Gallery proved that Bradner and Harry the Crook were one +and the same beyond a doubt. + +"In that case we'll hold him right here," said the police captain. + +The matter was talked over with Dick, and the youth decided to let +his own charge against the crook drop, as he did not wish to waste +time in Denver on the case. An hour later the three Rovers +departed, leaving Henry Bradner to a fate he richly deserved. + +"That is one of our enemies disposed of," observed Dick, as they +walked back to the hotel. "I wish we could do up the Baxters just +as easily." + +The following day found them on the way to Gunnison. Nothing more +had been seen or heard of Dan Baxter, nor had anything turned up +concerning Arnold Baxter and Roebuck, the man who was with him and +who hid helped him to escape from prison. + +The country was now mountainous in the extreme, with here and there +a wild, weird canyon thousands of feet deep. Some of the awful +pitfalls made Sam fairly hold his breath. + +"Gosh!" he murmured. "This beats Africa, doesn't it? Who ever saw +such lofty peaks before--and such rivers cut out of the solid +rock!" + +The boys found Gunnison a small mining city containing perhaps six +thousand souls. A few of the buildings were quite up to date, but +the majority were little better than shanties. But Gunnison was a +center for the trade of many miles around, and business was brisk. + +At Gunnison the entire party procured horses from a dealer Jack +Wumble knew, beasts that were strong and used to mountain +traveling. + +"We might go on for twenty miles or so by rail, but this is the +best place for fitting out," said the old miner. "We can strike a +putty fair trail from here, leading directly, to Larkspur Creek." + +"And how far is that mining district from here?" asked Tom. + +"As the birds fly about sixty-five miles. But the trail makes it a +good hundred miles, and some putty stiff climbin' at that. I'm +glad ye are used to roughin' it, for this traveling don't go well +with a tenderfoot." + +The day was clear and the air bracing, and the boys started off +with their friend in the best of spirits. Soon the city was left +behind, and then began a journey along the foothills which seemed +to have no end. + +"If Arnold Baxter is watching us he is taking precious good care to +keep out of sight," said Tom, as they rode along in single file, +with Jack Wumble in the lead. + +"No doubt Dan has joined his father and told him of Bradner's +fate," returned Dick. "But we have got to keep our eyes wide open. +We all know what a wretch Arnold Baxter is, and out in this wild +country almost anything is liable to happen." + +On and on they went, first over a stubble of thin grass and then +through a forest of tall pine trees. Rocks were everywhere, and +the trail wound in and out, with an occasional watercourse to be +forded. + +"These watercourses are all right now," observed Jack Wumble. "But +in the early spring, when the snow on the mountains begins to melt, +they become raging torrents, and getting across 'em is out of the +question." + +"How far are yonder peaks from here?" asked Sam, pointing ahead. + +"About twenty miles." + +"Gracious, as far as that! I didn't know one could see so clearly +for such a long distance. They look to me to be only about three +miles." + +"The air is very pure and clear out here, lad. No better air in +this wide world than that of Colorady." + +At noon they came to a halt in a little hollow, protected alike +from the breeze and the direct rays of the overhead sun. Their +saddle bags were filled with provisions, and Tom and Sam began to +prepare their first meal in the open, with Dick and the old miner +assisting. + +After the meal Jack Wumble took a smoke and a ten minutes' nap, and +during that time the three boys strolled off in various directions, +Sam going ahead on the trail. + +Presently the youngest Rover had his eye arrested by a post set up +in the middle of the trail. To the top of the post was tacked a +sheet of white paper. + +"This is queer," thought Sam, and drew closer to inspect the sheet. +On it were written the words, in pencil: + + "To the Rovers and their friend: + + "If you want to keep out of trouble you will return to Gunnison at + once. If you dare to push on to Larkspur Creek it may cost you + your lives. We are watching you, and are fully armed, and you had + better be warned in time. + + "THE RIGHTFUL OWNERS OF THE MINE" + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +LOST IN THE MOUNTAINS + + +"Dick! Tom! Jack! Come here and see what I have found!" + +Sam's cry was a loud one, and soon the others came up on a run, +Jack Wumble pistol in hand, for his life in the open had taught him +to be forever prepared for danger. + +"Wot is it, lad?" asked the old miner anxiously. + +"It's a quit notice for us," answered Sam soberly. "I can tell +you, the Baxters mean to carry matters with a high hand." + +All of the others read the notice in silence. Then Dick thrust his +hands into his pockets coolly. + +"I'll see them hanged before I'll go back," he said. + +"I am with you," added Tom. "But we must be cautious after this, +or the Baxters will be firing at us from an ambush." + +"If only we could catch sight of them," put in Sam. "They ought to +be shot on sight!" + +The boys looked at Jack Wumble, who had remained silent. + +"Do you advise us to go back?" asked Dick hastily. + +"I can't say as I do, lads," was the slow response. "Yet it might be +better to do that nor to be shot down and have yer body thrown into a +canyon," added Wumble, speaking in his old time vernacular. "Perhaps +your father would rather have ye back." + +"I don't believe it," burst out Tom. "Father never wanted cowards +for sons." + +Dick caught the paper, tore it down and ripped it in two, throwing +it to the wind. + +"I say I'm going ahead." + +"So am I," came from both of his brothers. "But you need not go +Jack." went on Dick. "We don't wish you to run into danger, and--" + +"Hold up, Dick, I said I would see ye through, and I will," cried +the old miner. "But I want ye to realize what ye are doing, that's +all. If you are shot down it will be yer own fault, so to speak." + +"But we don't intend to be shot down," interrupted Tom. "We have +run up against the Baxters before, so we know how to be careful." + +"It aint like as if they were in a city in the East," went on +the old miner. "Here some men are mighty free with their +shootin'-irons. And they could take a shot at ye from a long +distance, with a good rifle." + +Thus talking the entire party walked back to their camp and sat +down to discuss the situation in detail. + +"Perhaps we had better not advance until dark," said Dick. "If we +advance now we will simply be making targets of ourselves," and he +shivered in spite of himself. + +"We won't advance at all," put in Jack Wumble briefly. "We would +be wuss nor fools if we did--with them human wildcats a--watchin' +of us," and he began to puff vigorously at his short stump of a +briarroot pipe. + +"But you said--" began Tom, when the old miner waved him to +silence. + +"Let me think it out, lads, and then I'll tell ye my plan. We'll +trick 'em--that's best," and he began to smoke again. + +Satisfied that Jack Wumble knew the ground to be covered better +than they did, the boys decided to let him have his own way, so +long as the object of the expedition should be advanced. They sat +down in the shade to rest, and thus several hours passed, and the +old miner smoked up half 'a dozen pipefuls of his favorite plug +mixture. + +"I've got it," he cried at last. "If we kin work the deal we'll +keep 'em guessing." And he laughed softly to himself. + +His plan was a simple one. Several miles back on the trail there +was a fork, the second trail running to the northward. His plan +was to ride back to the fork, and then in the darkness of the night +to take to the second trail. + +"That don't lead to Larkspur Creek," he said. "But it leads to Go +Lightly Gulch, and from there I know an old Indian trail which +leads to the Larkspur by way of Bender Mountain. It's dangerous +trail to ride, but it's safe, too, so far as our enemies are +concerned, for they can't cover it from any other part of the +mountains. They would either have to be right in front of us or +right behind, and in that case we'd have as much of a show at them +as they would have at us." + +"That's a good plan," exclaimed Dick. "Let us adopt it, by all +means." + +Slowly the afternoon wore away, until the sun was lost to view +behind the great Rocky Mountains in the west. As soon as the +shadows became long and deep Jack Wumble arose. + +"Now I reckon we can begin to ride on the back trail," he said, +with a shrewd smile on his rugged face. + +It was an easy matter to saddle the horse again. + +The rest had made the animals as fresh as ever and this was a good +thing, as the old miner calculated to ride a long distance between +sunset and sunrise. + +"I suppose our enemies are watching every move we make," said Tom. +"But I must say I can't catch a single glance of them." + +"I thought I saw a speck or two of something over the hill to the +south," said Dick. + +Jack Wumble nodded. "You are right, Dick, I saw the specks too, +and they were men looking in this direction. But they might not +have been our enemies." + +"If only we had a good field glass," sighed Sam. "I was going to +bring one along, but I forgot all about it." + +They rode on slowly, the old miner not wishing to reach the fork in +the trail until it was quite dark. Fortunately it was clouding up, +so that not even the stars would be left to betray them. + +"We are coming to the fork," said Wumble, about eight o'clock. +"Keep your eyes peeled, lads, and if you see anything out of the +ordinary, let me know at once." + +There was a tiny stream to cross, and then the way led around a +series of sharp rocks. + +"Keep to the grass as much as possible," cautioned the old miner in +a voice that was a mere whisper. "And now follow me as fast as you +can!" + +Away he bounded in the lead, and the three Rover boys followed +around the rocks through a stretch of pines and over some fallen +firs, and then up and up a rugged trail where the footing was so +insecure that the horses slipped continually. The branches of the +drooping trees bothered them greatly, and had it not been for +Wumble's continual warnings one or another of them would have been +seriously hurt. The horses panted for breath, but still the old +miner kept the pace until the top of the first range of foothills +was gained. Here he called a halt under an overhanging rock +beneath which it was as black as a dungeon. + +"So far so good," he muttered, as he leaped to the ground and began +to pat his heaving and perspiring animal. "I don't believe they +know much about where we went to, even if they followed us back to +the fork." + +"I don't believe they are following us," said Dick, as he placed +his ear to the ground and listened. All was as silent as the +grave. + +They remained under the rock the best part of an hour, allowing +their trusty animals to get back their wind and strength. During +this time Wumble walked back a short distance and Tom climbed up to +the top of the rock, but neither made any discovery of importance. + +It was a little after midnight when they moved forward again. +Their pace was now little better than a walk, for the trail was a +dangerous one, and in many spots they had to leap down and lead +their horses. Once they came to a gully six to eight feet wide, +without a bridge, and it took a good deal of urging to get Tom's +horse to make the leap across. + +"If a fellow should tumble in there where would he go to?" asked +Sam, with a shudder. + +"He'd go out of sight forever," replied Wumble solemnly. "Some of +those cuts are a thousand feet deep." + +"What a mighty upheaval of nature there must have been here at one +time," said Dick. + +By three o'clock in the morning Tom was completely fagged out and +could scarcely keep his eyes open. Gradually he dragged behind the +others, his eyes closing every few minutes in spite of his efforts +to keep them open. + +"I wish I had a cup of strong coffee to keep me awake," he +murmured. "How much further are you going, Jack?" + +"A couple of miles or so," answered the old miner. "Want a smoke? +You can have my pipe." + +"Thank you, but I don't smoke, and I guess it would only make me +feel worse," answered Tom. + +He began to drop further and further behind. The other boys spoke +to him, but they were in reality nearly as much worn out as their +brother, and had all they could do to keep Wumble in sight. + +At last Tom's head fell forward on his breast, and on the instant +he went fast asleep. His horse continued to move forward, but +coming to a fork in the trail, took the downward path, that being +the easier to travel. On and on went the beast, until striking a +smooth road he set off on a gallop. + +The violent motion aroused Tom, and he stared about him in +bewilderment. "Dick! Sam!" he called out. "Where are you?" + +No answer came back, and he sat bolt upright in alarm. Nobody was +in sight, nor could he hear a sound saving the hoof beats of his +own horse. He drew rein instantly. + +"Dick!" he called loudly. "Jack Wumble! Where are you?" + +Not a sound came in reply--not even the cry of a bird--all was +absolutely silent. Tom gave something of a gasp. He realized his +position only too well. + +He was lost in the mountains. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +TOM MEETS THE ENEMY + + +"Oh, what a fool I was to fall asleep!" + +Thus spoke poor Tom to himself, as he continued to gaze around him +and call out. To one side was the high mountain, to the other a +deep valley filled with giant trees, and on both sides an utter +loneliness which seemed to penetrate his very soul. + +Like a flash there came over him the various stories he had heard +of men being lost in these mountains and wandering around for days +and weeks until their very reason forsook them. Was he, too, +doomed to such a horrible fate? + +Fervidly he prayed to Heaven that such an ending might not overtake +him. Then with care he turned his horse about, thinking to gain +the point where he had become separated from the rest, and feeling +that they must, sooner or later, turn back to look for him. + +Once he imagined that he heard somebody calling him. But the sound +was so far away he was not sure, and the echo was such that he +could not determine from what direction the call emanated. Yet he +yelled in return, nearly splitting his throat in his endeavor to +make himself heard. For the time being the enemy was completely +forgotten. + +Tom's turning back, as he thought he was doing, only made matters +worse, for the horse branched off on another trail--but so slender +that it soon gave out altogether and left him on the trackless +mountain side, and several miles from the fork where his steed had +made the first mistake. + +Yet he pressed on, calling again and again, but receiving no +answer. Twice he imagined he heard pistol shots, and this gave him +the idea of firing his own weapon, and he emptied the cylinder, but +with no good to himself. Then he reloaded and came to a dead stop. +He had never been more lonely in his life. + +The balance of the night dragged so slowly that Tom thought it +would never come morning again. With the first streak of light in +the East he arose from the rock upon which he had thrown himself, +and running to a higher point gazed eagerly around him. + +He felt as Robinson Crusoe must have done on his deserted island. +On all sides were rocks and hills, mountains and valleys, some bare +and others covered with growths of pines and firs. Here and there +glistened a rushing stream or a lofty waterfall, and on one of the +hills he saw a herd of mule deer and on another a solitary Rocky +Mountain goat. But nowhere was there the first sign of a human +being. + +Tom stood there for fully ten minutes, his breast heaving and his +heart sinking within him like a lump of lead. He was alone, +absolutely alone, in that wild and almost trackless region. + +What was to be done? + +Over and over he asked himself the question, and the answer always +remained a blank. He knew not which way to turn, for going on +might bring him into worse difficulty. + +And yet he could not think of remaining still where he was, for the +very thought was maddening. He must try to do something, be the +consequence what it might. + +Then he realized that his mouth was dry and that he was hungry. +This made him remember that all of the provisions were loaded on +the horses ridden by Jack Wumble and Dick. His own steed bore only +some mining tools. + +"I wish I could swap the tools for something to eat," he mused. +"But there is no use in crying over spilt milk. I'm in a pickle, +and I must do my best to get myself out of it." + +At a short distance he saw a small hollow which had become partly +filled by the rain of several days before. He walked to the hollow +and drank his fill and then led his horse thither. + +"We're lost, old man," he said, patting the beast on the neck. "We +must find the others. You'll help, won't you?" And the horse +pricked up his ears and looked around wisely as if he understood +every word. At that moment Tom felt that a horse is indeed man's +best friend. + +He soon set off, but slowly, trying to locate the trail which had +brought him astray, and trying at the same time, by the rising sun, +to determine the direction in which his brothers and Jack Wumble +had passed. But, as before, his efforts were misleading, and by +the middle of the forenoon he found himself on a barren hilltop +with no chance of leaving it excepting by the way he had come. + +It was truly disheartening, and hot, tired, and discouraged he +leaped again to the ground. He was now very hungry, without a +morsel to satisfy the cravings of his stomach. His steed, too, +wanted for something to eat, and gnawed eagerly at the spare +vegetation as soon as permitted. + +Tom was wondering what should be his next move when he was startled +by the appearance of a mule deer on the hillside just below him. +As he gazed at the animal he soon saw another, and then another, +until the hillside seemed to be covered with them. + +"I suppose men never come here to disturb them," he thought +bitterly. "I wonder if I could bring one down with my pistol? +I've got matches, and cooked deer's meat would be first class." + +He crept as close as he could to the deer. Fortunately the breeze +was blowing up the hill toward him, so the animals could not scent +him readily. When he had gotten as near as he thought possible, he +took careful aim and blazed away twice in quick succession. + +His first shot was a failure, but his second landed in the deer's +front leg, breaking that member at the knee and pitching the deer +headlong. At once the rest of the herd took alarm, and went off +like the wind, down the hillside into the valley and up another +hill a good mile away. At the same time the wounded beast tried to +rise, but before it could do so Tom ran closer and put three more +balls into it, and then it rolled over, gave a jerk or two, and +remained quiet forever. + +The sight of such a feast made Tom's heart much lighter, and he +brought out his pocket-knife and cut out some of the steaks. Then +he moved down the hillside to where some brush promised abundant +firewood and better forage for his horse. + +The fire was soon lit and blazing away merrily, and the boy began +to broil his steaks. + +"Perhaps Dick and the others will see the smoke," he thought. "I +trust they do, for I don't want to put in a whole night alone." + +Tom ate his meal slowly, for he did not know what to do after it +was finished. He wished he knew how far the nearest settlement was +and in what direction. + +After he had eaten his fill, he tied the balance of the steaks in a +corner of his blanket, for the food must be kept for future use. +Then he walked up to the top of the hill for another look around. + +Suddenly he caught sight of a man riding swiftly toward him--a +heavy-set man, with busky whiskers and a face that was almost black +from constant exposure to the elements. + +"Hullo, youngster!" cried the man, when he was within hailing +distance. "All alone here?" + +"I am!" cried Tom, and he felt something of joy to see a human +being again. + +"What brought you away out here? Hunting?" + +"Not exactly, although I did bring down yonder animal," with a jerk +of the thumb toward the deer. "I've lost my way." + +"Did you, really? That's bad. It's lucky I ran across you. +What's your handle?" + + "Tom Rover," answered the youth boldly. "What is yours?" + +"Noxton. So you are all alone?" + +"Yes." Tom was trying to think where he had heard that name, but +could not remember. + +"Are you alone?" + +"Well, hardly." Bill Noxton hesitated for a moment. "I was alone, +but day before yesterday I fell in with a couple of Englishmen who +are out here to see the sights, and they hired me to show 'em +around. Our camp is just below here. Will you come down an' be +introduced to the beef-eaters?" + +"I suppose I might as well," answered Tom, never suspecting any +trick. "I certainly don't want to remain alone any longer." + +"Then come on. I told the beef-eaters I would be back inside of +half an hour." + +The man waited for Tom to mount, and then led the way down the +hillside and into the valley. There was a patch of forest to pass, +and they came out in a clearing on another hill, overlooking a +mountain stream which flowed a hundred feet below. + +"Here we are," cried Bill Noxton, as he suddenly wheeled behind +Tom. "Shall I introduce you, Mr. Rover?" + +Tom looked ahead, and his heart dropped. + +There around a camp-fire sat Arnold Baxter and his son Dan, and a +man who was a stranger to him. Clearly he was trapped, and in the +hands of the enemy. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +THE SEARCH FOR THE MISSING BOY + + +"Tom isn't here!" + +It was Dick who uttered the words, as of a sudden he wheeled around +on the dark trail and tried to penetrate the blackness of night +behind them. + +"Isn't here?" demanded Jack Wumble, while Sam set up a cry of +dismay. + +"No. Tom! Tom!" + +Sam joined in the cry, and so did the old miner, but as we already +know, it was useless. + +"This is the wust yet!" growled Jack Wumble. "I told ye all to +keep close to me." + +"Perhaps he fell asleep-- I know he was dead tired," answered Dick, +hitting the plain truth. + +"We'll have to go back for him," said Sam, and turned without +delay, for going ahead without Tom was all out of the question. + +"Yes, we'll go back," rejoined the old miner. "But go slow, or you +may make matters wuss. I kin follow a clear trail, even of three +hosses, but I can't follow a trail mixed up backward an' forward." + +They rode back slowly until at least half a mile had been covered. +Then they shouted, but only a dismal echo came back. Dick fancied +once that he heard Tom calling, but was not sure. + +Daylight found them still searching around, Dick and Sam with more +sober faces than they had worn in many a day. They knew only too +well the danger of becoming lost in those wild mountains. + +"Perhaps he has fallen in with Baxter's party," suggested Dick, as +they came to a halt at the edge of a cliff overlooking a rushing +river far below. It was past the breakfast hour, yet none of them +felt like eating. + +"Be careful how you expose yourself," observed Jack Wumble, as he +screened himself and his horse behind some brush. "It won't do no +good to Tom to let your enemies see you." + +"If only we hadn't lost the trail," sighed Sam. The back trail had +disappeared, on some rocks half an hour before and all efforts to +take it up again had proved unsuccessful. + +The Rover boys felt very much disheartened. Without Tom what was +the use of going ahead to locate the missing mine? + +"He's worth a dozen mines," said Dick. + +"We must find him--we simply must." + +But they were "stumped," to use Sam's way of expressing it, and +with nothing better to do, Jack Wumble drew further back into the +bushes, tethered his horse and got out the provisions for a meal. +The boys ate mechanically and were soon done. Then Wumble got out +his pipe and began to smoke more vigorously than ever. + +"If we had a field glass we might spot him," he observed. "He +can't be such a terrible distance away." + +"I'm going to fire my pistol again," said Dick, and did, so, but no +response came back and he re-loaded as crestfallen as ever. + +It was a clear day, but the very sun seemed a mockery as it beamed +down upon them. + +"Supposing we separate and renew the hunt?" suggested Sam, but +Wumble slowly shook his head. + +"None o' that, lad. It will only be a case of another one lost. +No, we must keep within sight of each other, no matter what we do. +Come, I have an idea of looking into the valley on the other side +of this hill, and then we can try the hill yonder." + +Anything was better than sitting still, and once more they rode on. +For the time being the enemy was almost forgotten. + +They were going down along the edge of the cliff when, without +warning, Dick's horse began to slip, having stepped on a rock which +was insecure. + +"Hi! whoa!" yelled the youth, and tried to hold the horse back. +Then, as he saw the animal could not save himself, he leaped for +the ground. The horse managed to scramble to a place of safety, +but Dick, in trying to avoid a dangerous hoof stroke from the +beast, lost his balance and went crashing down into the bushes +overhanging the cliff! + +Down and down, and still down, went the elder Rover, from one bush +to another, his clothing catching here and there, thus partly +staying his progress. But he could not stop himself entirely, and +reaching the stream at last he went in with a loud splash and +disappeared from view! + +"Dick's gone!" ejaculated Sam. He tried to look over the edge of +the cliff. "Oh, my! He will be drowned!" + +He had heard the splash, as had also Wumble, and now both +dismounted with all speed and crept to the very edge of the bushes. +But the cliff bulged outward just below them and they could see +nothing but a strip of the water on the opposite side. + +"Dick! Dick!" sang out the brother. "Are you safe?" + +No reply came back, and Sam's face turned white as he looked at +Jack Wumble. "Do you think he has been--been killed?" The question +nearly choked him. + +"I can't say, Sam," was the answer. "We must git down an' see." + +With extreme care the old miner let himself down from one clump of +brush to another. His experience at prospecting stood him in good +stead, for he had frequently climbed down just such heights to see +if the mountain stream below would "pan out" sufficiently to set up +a claim. + +In the meanwhile Dick had gone to the very bottom of the stream, +struck on the sand and rocks, and come up again. In falling down +he had turned over and over, and he was as much dazed by this as he +was by the quantity of cold water which he swallowed. For the +minute after coming up he did not realize his situation. Then he +felt himself borne along swiftly, he knew not to where. The +rushing of the water was deafening, for the stream was approaching +a narrow canyon, and here the water was lashed into a milky foam as +it tumbled and tore over the rocks on its way to a broader spot +quarter of a mile below. + +Presently Dick felt his feet touch bottom, but only for an instant. +The stream was calmer now, and to one side of the cut he saw a +narrow strip of band, leading up to a shelving of rocks, with here +and there a tiny brush struggling for existence in a spot which the +sunlight never touched. He began to strive with might and main to +reach the strip of sand, and finally succeeded. Then he threw +himself down, too exhausted to make another move. + +"I'm in for it now," he thought, when he somewhat recovered. "How +in the world am I ever to get back to that trail again?" + +He looked above him. The mountain was high here, and there was +nothing resembling a path leading upward. To climb from one scant +footing to another would prove perilous, if not impossible. + +"We are making a mess of this expedition," he groaned. "First Tom +must get lost, or worse, and now I am down here like a rat in a +trap. Perhaps we would have been better off if we had never +started out." + +When Dick felt able he walked from one end of the sand strip to the +other. This gave him no satisfaction, and he began to inspect the +stream again. Below him was a curve, and what was beyond there was +no telling. + +"If I enter the water again it may carry me along for miles before +I have another chance to get out," he reasoned. "And then I will +be just that much further away from Sam and Wumble." + +If he had had his pistol he would have fired it to let them know +that he was safe, and in the hope that they would come for him. +But the weapon had been lost in the tumble down the cliff. + +With much hesitation he began to climb up the side of the canyon, +making sure that one footing was perfectly safe before he tried +another. In this manner he at length reached the height of a +hundred feet. He did not dare to look back for fear of tumbling. +And yet the path to safety was still a long way off. + +"If I can't gain the top and can't go back, what then?" he asked +himself, and the cold perspiration stood out on his forehead in +beads. There was a bush in front of him, and he squeezed into this, +so that he might sit down to consider the situation. Pushed back, +the bush suddenly gave way altogether, and to his astonishment Dick +fell into the opening of a large cave. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +A CAVE AND A BEAR + + +"Hullo, here's something new!" thought Dick, as he gathered himself +up. Bush and boy had rolled downward for a distance of a dozen +feet. He found himself on a rocky floor that was almost level. +The cave was ten to twenty feet wide, and so high that in the gloom +he could not see the ceiling. + +Luckily the boys had with them the waterproof match safes which had +proved so handy in Africa, and now Dick brought out the one he +carried and lit a match. The bush that had given way was dry, and +soon he made of it quite a respectable torch. Satisfied that the +cave had no side branches in which he might become lost, he +resolved to push into it, in the hope that another opening might +present itself, leading to the cliff where the accident had +occurred. + +The cave was dry and dusty, not a particle of water being anywhere +visible. As he walked along he came across some dead leaves and +then some small tree branches. These gave him much encouragement, +for how could they have gotten into the place if there was no +entrance from the mountain side? + +Dick had advanced a distance of several hundred yards when he came +to a turn to the right, and from this point the bottom of the cave +sloped gradually upward. He also made out a glimmer of light, but +it was so far off that nothing was to be seen distinctly. + +Much encouraged, he pushed on faster than ever, until a line of +rocks barred his further progress. He was about to climb the rocks +when a growl from a distance caused him to pause. + +What was it? With bated breath Dick listened until the growl was +repeated. The walls of the cave took it up, and it was repeated +over and over again until lost in the distance. + +"A bear--or something just as bad!" thought the youth. "Now what's +to do?" + +He crouched down on the rocks and sat as still as death for fully +five minutes. But no further growl reached him, and then he +plucked up courage enough to scramble up the rocks, which led to a +flooring considerably higher than that over which he had been +traveling. + +Hurrah! It was the light of day ahead, and Dick could scarcely +suppress a shout of joy. But the growl still hung in his mind, and +though he went forward it was as silently as a cat and with eyes +strained first in one direction and then in another. He was glad +he still had the torch, for he remembered that the majority of wild +beasts are afraid of a light. It had burned rather low, but by +swinging it around he soon started up the blaze. + +And now he could see the cave entrance distinctly, less than two +hundred feet off. It was low and wide, and there were several +bushes growing around it. He started on a run, and as he did so +the growl sounded out again, this time almost directly beside him. + +He turned swiftly and beheld two glaring eyeballs bent upon him, +from the gloom of a hollow on one side of the cave. Whether or not +the bear was preparing to leap upon him he could not say, but he +jumped like lightning and then tore on as if the demon of the +bottomless pit was after him. + +The bear was following! Dick knew this without looking behind. The +animal was heavy and clumsy, yet it covered the ground with an +agility that was surprising. It was hungry, not having tasted meat +for several days, and now thought it saw the prospect of a fine +meal ahead. + +"Back!" yelled Dick, but the animal paid no attention. The boy was +running as never before, yet the bear kept drawing closer, until +Dick almost felt its hot breath on his neck. He trailed the torch +behind him and the beast fell back several paces. + +The opening was now gained, and the youth ran out on the mountain +side, which was covered with stubble and rocks. Glancing hastily +around, Dick saw one rock that was both small and rather high and +scrambled to the top of this. + +The bear gained the mouth of the cave and looked out suspiciously. +Then, as it discovered the boy on the rock, it let out another +growl, more terrifying than any which had gone before. Slowly it +trotted toward Dick, and then began a circle of the rock, as if to +determine whether or not the ground was clear for an attack. + +The boy still held the torch, but it was burnt nearly to the end +and was in danger of going out every minute. Besides, in the +sunshine it did not look half as formidable as it had in the gloomy +cave. + +Suddenly the bear reared itself up on its hind legs and advanced +straight for the rock. At this movement Dick's heart seemed to +stop beating. Yet he managed to let out one long scream for help. +Then as the bear came still nearer, he thrust the torch end +directly into the brute's face. + +Of course the animal fell back, and down went the torch on the +rocks below, and Dick was now utterly defenseless. The bear +appeared to know this, and let out a growl of satisfaction, as +though it had its next meal already within its grizzly grasp. + +Bang! It was the report of a gun not over a hundred yards away, +and the bear dropped to all fours and shook its head wildly. Bang! +came another report, and now the bear screamed with pain and fell +over on its side. Dick looked behind him in amazement and beheld a +stranger on horseback. The stranger had just emptied his +double-barreled rifle, and now he came riding up with his pistol in +his hand. The bear tried to rise up to meet him, but was too +seriously wounded already, and a shot at close range finished the +brute's misery. + +"Well, young fellow, reckon you was in a putty tight fix?" remarked +the stranger, after he had made certain that the animal was dead. + +"I was in a tight fix," answered Dick, with a shiver. "You came in +the nick of time, and I owe you a good deal for it." + +"That's all right--I never go back on a bar if I git a chance at +him. But how in thunder came you in such a fix in the fust place?" +went on the horseman, who was at least six feet four in height--and +about as thin a man as Dick had ever seen. + +"It's a long story, sir," was the cautious response. "May I ask +who it is that has saved me?" + +"Wall, my right handle are James Carson," was the answer. "But +them as knows me well callers calls me Slim Jim, and it's good +enough fer the likes o' a shadder like me, too, I calkerlate. An' +who might you be?" + +"I am Dick Rover. I was with my two brothers and an old miner named +Jack Wumble when I slipped off my horse into the river over there +and nearly lost my life. But I managed to crawl out, and in +climbing up the mountain side found yonder cave and came through to +this end. In the cave I found the bear and he followed me to here. +You know the rest." + +"Wall! wall! You have had a narrow escape, youngster, an' no +disputin' the p'int. Ef I hadn't a-come as I did, thet air bar +would have chawed ye up in no time." + +"I know it, Mr. Carson. Your kind--" + +"Whoopee, Rover, don't go fer to mister me, or I'll be sorry I +killed the bar for ye. I'm plain Slim Jim to all as knows me--Slim +Jim the hunter an' trapper. I've spent forty year on these +mountains, an' like ez not I'll spend forty more, ef the good Lord +allows me to live thet long. An' whar do ye calkerlate your +brothers and Jack Wumble air now?" + +"I'm sure I don't know. One of my brothers, Tom, got lost and I +and Sam and Wumble were looking for him when I had the mishap. Do +you know Jack Wumble?" + +"Fer sartin I do--knowned him when he war mining up on the ole +Bumble Bee Creek, ez he called it." + +"Indeed!" cried Dick. "Then perhaps you knew my father, Anderson +Rover? He used to be in partnership with a man named Kennedy." + +"Knew him--o' course I knew him, lad! An' so you air his son, hey? +Wall! wall! shake!" And Slim Jim, as he preferred to be called, +thrust forth a hand that was as hard as a piece of horn. But he +had a soft heart, and Dick soon learned that he was as much to be +trusted as was Jack Wumble. + +"I'll do my best to set ye right, lad," said the old hunter, after +he had listened to the details of Dick's story. "I think I know +about the spot whar ye took the tumble." + +Before leaving the vicinity Slim Jim set to work and cut the pelt +off the bear and hung it up. He also cut away some of the choicest +of the meat. + +"It's a pity to leave any o' it behind," he observed. "Some poor +folks a-starvin' to deth in the city, an' thar's a meal fer a +hundred!" + +It was well along in the afternoon when they started, Dick riding +behind the old hunter. He felt that he could tell Slim Jim about +their mission, and he mentioned how the Baxters were watching them +and trying to outwit them. + +"I remember thet Baxter, too," said the old hunter. "Wumble kin +tell ye how we come nigh to makin' him do a dance on nuthin' onct. +I'll take your part agin him every time, hear me!" And his +openness showed that he meant what he said. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +THE BAXTERS TRY TO MAKE TERMS + + +For the moment after Tom found himself in the presence of the +Baxters he could not speak. Then he turned fiercely upon Bill +Noxton. + +"You have fooled me!" he cried hotly. + +"That's right," laughed Noxton sarcastically. + +"And let me add, ye was fooled putty easy." + +"It's Tom Rover!" ejaculated Dan Baxter, as he leaped to his feet, +followed by his parent. "Where did you find him, Noxton; over to +that fire?" + +"Yes." + +"Were the others of the party with him?" put in Arnold Baxter +quickly. + +"No, he was alone. He got lost from the rest last night, when they +gave us the slip in the dark." + +"Then you have seen nothing of the others?" said Arnold Baxter, and +it was plain to see that he was keenly disappointed. + +"No, but I reckon they can't be far off," replied Noxton. + +Seeing that Tom contemplated running away, he made the youth +dismount. "Better make a prisoner of him," he suggested. + +"By all means!" cried Dan Baxter, and brought forth a stout lariat. +With this Toni's hands were bound behind him, and his feet were +also secured. + +"That's number one, Roebuck," laughed Arnold Baxter, turning to the +man who had thus far remained silent. + +"Tom Rover?" asked the man laconically. + +"Yes." + +"A bright-looking chap." + +"Oh, he's bright enough," growled Baxter senior. + +"But it won't help him any," put in Dan, bound to say something. + +"Is he the oldest of the three?" + +"No, Dick is the oldest. Tom comes next." + +"Then it is Dick you ought to have collared," said Roebuck, turning +to Noxton. + +"I collared the one I happened to see." + +"Well, Tom Rover, how do you like your situation?" asked Dan, with +a sickly smile, as the men turned away to discuss the situation +among themselves. + +"Don't like it," replied Tom, as lightly as he could. + + "I guess you are sorry, now, that you didn't heed our warning and +go back to Gunnison." + +"I'm not particularly sorry. I have as much right out here as +anybody." + +"Oh, you needn't put on airs to me. I know you are trembling in +your boots." + +"Thanks, but if you'll bring your chin out of the air, Baxter, +you'll see that I am wearing shoes." + +"Don't you put on airs with me, Tom Rover. You are in our power +and you shall suffer for the way you have treated my father and me +in the past." + +"I have no doubt, Baxter, now I am helpless, that you will do your +worst. You were always ready to take an unfair advantage of +another." + +This answer made Dan Baxter boil with rage, and he stepped closer +and shook his fist in Tom's face. + +"You be careful or I'll--I'll crack you one," he blustered. + +"You're a cheerful brute, Dan, I must say. Why don't you try to +fight fair for once? It would be such a delightful change." + +"I do fight fair. You and your brothers have no right to poke your +noses in my affairs, and my father's." + +"This affair out here is our own, not yours. The Eclipse Mine is +my father's property." + +"And I say it belongs to me and dad," answered Dan, with more force +than elegance. "But I won't argue with you. You are in our power +and have got to take the consequence." + +"What do you intend to do with me?" asked Tom. + +"You'll find out soon enough." + +"Don't you know that my brothers are in this neighborhood, and that +they have the law on their side?" + +"Yes, I know your brothers are here--and we'll have them prisoners, +too, before long," returned Dan Baxter, and then cut the +conversation short by walking away. + +Tom had managed to speak bravely enough, yet his heart was by no +means light. He realized that the Baxters had not forgotten the +past, and that here, in this wild country, they were more inclined +than ever to take the law in their own hands. + +He was left alone for the best part of an hour, only Noxton seeing +to it that he did not run away. Then he was ordered to mount +again, his legs being liberated for that purpose. + +Feeling it would be foolhardy to refuse, with three men and a boy +against him, Tom mounted, and the whole party moved along the +mountain to a spot which was evidently well-known to Noxton. Here, +at a certain point, was what had once been an overland hotel, but +the building was now dilapidated and deserted. + +"We'll stop here for the present," said Arnold Baxter grimly. "Get +down, Rover," and Tom obeyed. + +Inside of the place, two of the rooms were found in fair condition +and in one of these Tom was tied fast to a cupboard door. Then the +men went out for another parley. + +The youth could not hear all that was said, but learned enough to +convince him that Al Roebuck, as he was called, was the party who +had forged the pardon which had obtained for Arnold Baxter his +liberty. For this work Roebuck had been promised a half share in +the Eclipse Mine, and of some money which Baxter the elder was +hoping to obtain. + +At last Arnold Baxter and Dan came in once more and faced Tom. + +"Rover, we are now ready to come to terms," began the man. + +"Are you ready to release me?" + +"Yes--under certain conditions." + +"You've got to sign off all rights to that mine," broke in Dan. + +"Dan, keep quiet," interposed his father. "I can do this better +alone." + +"I know him better than you do, dad," returned his graceless son. + +"Perhaps, but I am fully capable of making terms with him." + +"All right, fire away, I don't care. Only don't let him off too +easy." + +"I am anxious to settle this matter quietly," went on Arnold Baxter +to Tom. "I don't want any more trouble." + +"Well, go ahead, I'm listening," came from Tom. + +"You are out here to locate a certain mine." + +"I don't deny it. The mine belongs to my father." + +"It belongs to me--and I am bound to have it." + +"You are a jailbird, Mr. Baxter. How can you hold such a property +now?" + +The criminal winced and clenched his fists. + +"Don't be quite so plain-spoken, Rover, it doesn't set well. I say +the claim is mine." + +"Well?" + +"You are in my power." + +"Granted." + +"Isn't your life worth something to you? To be sure it is. Then +why not try to make terms to save it?" + +"You are fooling with me. You cannot be it earnest, Arnold +Baxter." + +"You'll soon see if dad aint in earnest," burst out Dan. + +"I am not fooling, Rover, I mean every word of what I say. If you +want to save your life you must make terms with me." + +"What sort of terms?" + +"You must write a letter to your brothers and the man who was with +you and get them to return without delay to the East." + +"And after that?" + +"After they have returned to the East we will set you free, +providing you swear to follow them and all of you swear to keep out +of Colorado in the future." + +"And if I refuse?" + +"If you refuse your life shall pay the forfeit," answered Arnold +Baxter. "Come now, which do you choose?" + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +DASH FOR LIBERTY + + +For the minute after Arnold Baxter spoke Tom had nothing to say. +The man had offered terms, and if he did not accept them his very +life would be in danger. + +Now, had Tom been the hero of some dime novel he would have shouted +at once, "I refuse your offer--do your worse, base villain that you +are!" But being an everyday American boy, with a proper regard for +his own life, he revolved the situation in his mind with great +care. + +"Well, what do you say?" demanded Arnold Baxter impatiently. + +"You had better accept dad's offer," broke in Dan. + +"I don't know what to say," was the slow answer. "This, you must +remember, is brand new to me." + +"My offer is a very fair one, Rover. You have gotten yourself in a +bad fix, and you can consider yourself lucky if you get out of it +with a whole skin." + + "If I write the letter, how are you going to deliver it to my two +brothers and Jack Wumble?" + +"We will find a way." + +"And supposing they refuse to go back, what then? I won't be to +blame for that." + +"They won't refuse--not when they realize that such a refusal means +death to you." + +"They may. Dick is quite headstrong at times. I don't want to do +what I can for you and then suffer anyway." + +"Well, if you do your best I will remember it when it comes to a +final settlement," responded Arnold Baxter, with more grace than +Tom had anticipated. + +"Let me think it over for a few hours, and I will give you an +answer," said the boy, and though they coaxed and threatened, +neither of the Baxters could get any more out of him. At last they +left him in disgust, first, however, seeing to it that his bonds +were as tight as ever. + +As soon as Tom was left alone he looked around for some means by +which he might escape from his tormentors. The room was square, +with a small window at one side and a broad fireplace at the other. +At one end was the door and at the other the cupboard to which he +had been fastened. + +In his schooldays Tom had been a great hand at doing rope tricks, +and when his hands had been tied he had taken care to make his +enemies adjust the lariat as loosely as possible. Now, with a +dexterous twist or two he cleared his hands, although the effort +drew blood on one of his wrists. But, under the circumstances, +Tom counted this as nothing. + +As soon as he was free the boy tiptoed his way to the window and +looked out. He saw Noxton and Roebuck sitting on a fallen tree +talking earnestly. Close to the door of the house stood the +Baxters, and Arnold Baxter was laying down the law to his son, +although what it was all about Tom could not determine. + +"I can't go by the window," he mused. "And if I try the door--" + +He stopped short, for just then Dan Baxter started to come into the +building. But his father stopped him. + +"Let the boy alone," cried the elder Baxter. "He'll come around +all right, never fear." + +"Oh, you're too soft with him," returned the son. "I'd give him a +cowhiding." Nevertheless, he walked away, and then all became as +silent as before. + +Tom realized that whatever was to be done must be done quickly, and +walking back he surveyed the broad chimney. It was wide open to +the sky, and at one corner of the opening he saw the waving green +branch of a tree. + +"If I could only get up into the tree," he thought, and no sooner +thought than tried. The chimney was dirty, and he was soon covered +with soot from head to foot. But being rough the chimney afforded +easy footings, and he reached the top without great effort. The +tree branch was scarcely two feet from the top. + +With great caution the boy peered from the chimney. Noxton and +Roebuck were still talking earnestly and both had their backs +partly turned in his direction. The Baxters were out of sight. + +As quickly as it could be accomplished, Tom stood upon the top of +the chimney, caught the tree limb and pulled himself up. The +branch swayed violently with his weight, but did not break, and +soon he was close to the trunk and out of sight. + +"So far so good!" he murmured. "But what shall I do next?" + +This question was soon decided. There was another tree close at +band, but further from the house than the first, and into this he +leaped, and made his way across it to where a drooping branch fell +directly over a heavy clump of bushes. Down this branch went Tom +and dropped into the bushes as silently as a cat. + +It must be confessed that the boy's heart was now thumping like a +steam engine. What if he was discovered? He was afraid that his +enemies would kill him on the spot. + +He looked around and saw the horses tethered among the bushes a +hundred feet further on. If only he could gain the animals he felt +that escape would be almost secured. + +He crawled along the ground like a snake. Once he had to go around +a big rock and actually tear his way among the thorns, which +scratched him in a dozen places. But behind the rock the shelter +was greater, and unable to stand the suspense any longer he set off +on a run for his horse. + +The animal saw him coming and set up a low whinny of recognition. +Then all of the horses swayed around in a bunch, for they were +tethered close together. + +This gave Tom another idea, and he not only untied his own horse +but likewise all of the others. He kept hold of the other lariats +as he mounted his steed. + +"Get up!" he said sharply but in a low tone, and touched on the +flank the horse set off on a gallop, followed by the other animals. + +"Hullo, something is wrong with the hosses!" he beard Bill Noxton +cry. Then came a rush through the bushes. At the sound Tom bent +as low in the saddle as possible and urged his horse to do his +best. + +"They are stampeding!" came from Arnold Baxter. "Whoa there! whoa! +How did they manage to get loose?" + +"The prisoner!" shouted Roebuck. "He is on the leading horse! He +has escaped us!" + +"Impossible!" gasped the elder Baxter. "Why, I have been watching +the house--" + +"No matter, it's Tom Rover!" interrupt Dan Baxter. "See, there he +goes--and he taking all of our horses with him!" + +At this Arnold Baxter drew his pistol and the others also brought +forth their firearms. But Tom's steed was not a large one, and +while he crouched low in the saddle the horses behind kept his +enemies from getting more than an occasional glimpse of him. + +On and on went the boy, the horses' hoofs clattering loudly over +the rocky trail. The men shouted loudly for him to halt, and +several pistol shots rang out, but no damage was done. Soon the +enemy was left in the distance. + +As soon as he felt that he was safe for the time being, Tom brought +his horse down to a walk, in order that he might consider the +situation. + +Where were the others? That was the all important question. He +had escaped from the men who wished him harm, but he was now no +better off than when he had fallen in with them. + +"But they are a good deal worse off," he thought grimly. "I don't +believe they'll want to travel around very far on foot." + +It was now sunset, and the youth felt that night would soon be upon +him. He did not know which way to turn, although of one thing he +was certain--that he wished to keep as far away as possible from +those who had held him a prisoner. + +Presently he gained the entrance to a small wood, and as it was now +too dark to go on he determined to rest for the night. He tied up +all of the horses and tried to make himself comfortable at the foot +of a large tree. For a long time he could not sleep, but at last +he dozed off. His sleep was full of horrible dreams, and his +awakening was a rude one. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +BILL NOXTON COMES TO GRIEF + + +"We've found him, boys! Here's the hoss thief, with five o' the +hosses with him!" + +"Git up thar, young feller, an' give an account o'yerself!" + +Tom did not hear these words, but he felt a sharp kick in the ribs +and gave a gasp of pain and surprise. + +"Let up, Sam," he murmured. "Can't you keep your feet out of my--" +He broke off short and stared around him. "Wha--what does this +mean?" he stammered. + +Three men stood around him-rough-bearded men, each heavily armed. + +"It means thet we have collared ye!" answered one of the men +sharply. "Git up!" And he kicked Tom again. + +"See here, keep your toe to yourself!" cried Tom hotly. "If you +are Arnold Baxter's tools you can treat me half decently, anyway," +and he leaped up and faced the crowd. + +"Who is Arnold Baxter?" questioned the leader of the men quickly. + +"I guess you know well enough." + +"Oh, all right if you don't want to talk. But let me say, young +feller, thet you have got yerself in a fine mess. Don't yer know +ez how they hang hoss thieves in these parts?" + +"A horse thief! What do you mean? I am no horse thief, if that's +what you are driving at." + +Tom's straightforward manner appeared to impress all three men. +But the leader shrugged his shoulders. + +"Ef ye aint no hoss thief, how is it ye hev got all these critters +with ye?" he questioned triumphantly. + +"I can explain that easily enough. That horse is my own, purchased +in Gunnison from Ralph Verbeck the dealer there. Those horses +belong to a set of rascals who captured me and made me their +prisoner. I got away from them, and to prevent them from following +me I took their horses with me." + +"Hurmph! Thet's a slick story!" + +"It's the plain truth. Do I look like a horse thief?" + +"Not persackly, youngster. But two o' them hosses I know well, an' +they war stolen. My pards hyer kin prove it." + +"Well, I know nothing about that. I have told you the plain truth. +You don't claim the horse I said was mine, do you?" + +"No. But wot's this tale ye tell of bein' captured?" + +Anxious to set himself straight with these men, who appeared to be +of upright character, Tom told the larger part of his story, to +which the crowd listened patiently. Then they asked him a number +of questions. + +"I reckon you are O.K.," said the leader at last. "I know Jack +Wumble, and I know he wouldn't be attached to a gang that wasn't on +the level." + +"I don't care what becomes of those horses," went on Tom. "Only I +want my own." + +"You shall have it, lad. But you must put us on the trail o' them +thieves. It runs in my mind thet I know this Bill Noxton, 'though +perhaps not by thet handle. Thar used ter be a hoss thief down +hyer called Slinky Bill, with a scar on his cheek an' one tooth +missin' in front--" + +"That's your man. The tooth is still missing and the scar is there +as plain as day." + +"Then he's the gent as we wants to be introduced to," put in one of +the other men. + +"I calkerlated he had left these diggin's fer good," added the +third newcomer. + +"I can try to lead you back to their camp," said Tom, "although I +am not altogether sure of the trail. They were stopping at a long, +low deserted house, having a wide chimney, and with several big +trees growing close by." + +"Dillwell's old overland hotel, I'll bet a hoss," cried the leader +of the men. + +"It must be about ten miles from here," went on Tom. + +"Jest about, youngster. Come, we want ye to go with us." + +"I will do that willingly, if you'll promise to protect me from the +rascals. I suppose they are mad enough to shoot me down on sight." + +"We'll see ye through--ef everything is straight," answered Hank +Yates, for such was the name of the leading spirit of the party. + +The men had their own horses close at hand, and soon all were in +the saddle, with the extra horses bringing up the rear, as before. +The men had rations with them, and offered Tom some crackers and a +bit of meat as they progressed. + +They were not a bad crowd, although very rough and stern, and it +developed presently that Hank Yates had known the Kennedy who had +been Anderson Rover's partner in mining operations. + +"He war a good man," said Yates. "A banrup, whole-souled critter. +It's a pity he had to turn up his toes, with wuss men hangin' on an +never dyin', at all." + +Half of the distance to the old hotel had been covered, when on +coming out on a little hill one of the men called attention to a +man and a boy riding along the top of a ridge, a short distance +away. + +"It's my brother Sam and Jack Wumble!" ejaculated Tom. "Oh, but am +I not glad to see them again!" + +He set up a shout and waved his cap, and soon Wumble saw him and +waved his hand in return. Then the old miner and Sam came forward +at top speed. + +"Tom!" came from Sam, and he rode up close and almost embraced his +brother. "Where in the world have you been?" + +"Been with the enemy," answered Tom. "I can tell you I paid up for +going to sleep on the trait!" he added half comically. The meeting +made his heart ten times lighter than it had been. + +"Where is Dick?" + +"Thet's the wust on it," answered Wumble. "Dick had a dirty +tumble, and we can't find him nowhar." + +Of course the stories on both sides had to be told. Jack Wumble +could not keep from laughing when told that Tom had been mistaken +for a horse thief. + +"Not but wot ye run away with them hosses slick enough," he added +slyly. + +Dick's disappearance sobered Tom greatly. + +"Can it be possible that he has been drowned?" he asked. + +"I crawled down to the river, but couldn't find hide nor hair of +him," answered Wumble. + +Soon all were on the way to the old hotel. As they drew closer +Yates warned them to be cautious. + +"Perhaps we can do a bit o' surprisin'," he explained. + +"Here comes Noxton!" exclaimed Tom. + +"Slinky Bill, sure enough," returned Yates, and one of his +companions nodded. + +Noxton was still fifty feet away when he saw them, and gave a shout +of consternation. Then he turned and tried to run away. + +"Stop!" called Hank Yates. "Stop, or I'll fire on ye!" + +But instead of stopping Noxton ran the faster. Seeing this, the +man of the plains raised his pistol, took steady aim, and fired. +Noxton was hit in the leg and went down in a heap, shrieking with +pain. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +LOCATING THE LOST MINE + + +While Yates and another of the men ran toward Noxton to make him a +prisoner, the others turned their attention to the Baxters and Al +Roebuck. + +The Baxters were hiding behind a clump of bushes, but now, as soon as +discovered, they took to their heels, making sure that the bushes and +trees should keep them screened, so that there would be no danger from +a fire such as had brought down their unlucky companion. + +"They're on us, dad!" groaned Dan Baxter, "Oh, why did we ever come +out here!" + +"Silence, Dan," whispered Arnold Baxter. "If we don't keep still +they may shoot us down in cold blood." And then Dan became as mum +as an oyster, although his teeth chattered with terror. + +On went father and son, down a hill and into a deep valley where +the rocks were numerous and the growth thick. Several shots flew +over their heads, causing Dan to almost drop from heart failure. + +"I--I can't ru--run much further!" he panted. + +"Come, here is an opening between the rocks," whispered Arnold +Baxter. "In you go, before it is too late. If they follow us, we +can sell our lives as dearly as possible." + +Dan gave a groan at this, and slipped into the hollow. He did not +wish to sell his life at any price. + +"Let us put out a--a flag of truce," he whined. "Give them +everything, father, but don't let them shoot us!" Every ounce of +courage had oozed away from him, for he had seen Noxton brought +down, and thought the rascal was dead. + +"Shut up, you softy!" answered his parent in a rage. "Shut up, and +we will be safe. I'll never give in to a Rover," he added +vehemently. + +Tom and Sam had gone after the Baxters, with Jack Wumble behind +them while the last man of the party turned to collar Roebuck. But +Roebuck was game, and fired at his assailant, who fired in return, +and each man was slightly wounded in the shoulder. Then Roebuck +disappeared in the woods back of the old hotel, and that was the +last seen of him for the time being. + +The hunt for the Baxters was kept up until nearly nightfall. But +they remained in hiding, and although Tom and Sam passed within +fifty feet of the hollow, they were not discovered. + +"They have given us the slip," said Tom, "It's too bad! I thought +we had them, sure!" + +As soon as the search was over it was discovered that two of the +horses were missing. The several pistol shots had frightened them +away, and in the gathering darkness they could not be located. + +The entire party camped that night in the old hotel, and Tom showed +where he had been a prisoner, and how he had escaped up the +chimney. Noxton was not dangerously wounded, and the men did what +they could to allay the pain he was suffering. Yet they had little +sympathy for him, for, as stated before, horse stealing in that +locality was considered one of the worst of crimes. + +"But we'll take ye back to the county seat," said Yates. "And ye +shall have a fair trial." + +"Take all I have, but let me go!" pleaded Noxton, but to this the +men with Yates would not listen. Early in the morning the party +under Yates set off, taking Noxton along, although the criminal +protested that he was too weak to ride. It may be as well to add +here that, later on, Noxton, alias Slinky Bill, was tried in court +and given a sentence of five years for his misdeeds. + +Jack Wumble and Sam had brought along Dick's horse, and they now +took good care that the animal should not get away from them. +Where to look for Dick, however, was a poser. + +"Well, I'll tell you one thing," Tom declared, "I'm not going on to +Larkspur Creek until he is found." + +"Or until we have found out what has become of him," added Sam. +"He may be dead, you know." + +"I reckon we had best go back to where he took his tumble," said +Wumble. "If he escaped he'll come back thar himself, more'n +likely." + +This appeared to be good advice, and an hour after the departure of +Yates and the others they mounted and set off. + +Less than half a mile had been covered when, of a sudden, there +came a shot, and a bullet cut through the brush beside them. + +"Hullo! this won't do!" cried the old miner. "Come out of sight, +an' be putty quick about it, too!" + +They rode into a patch of wood and halted. But no more shots came, +nor could they locate that which had been fired. + +"One thing is certain, at least one of yer enemies is a-watching of +us," was the old miner's comment. "We'll keep behind shelter after +this." And they did. + +It was hard traveling, and poor Sam was utterly worn out by the +time the trail along the watercourse was again reached. + +"I've got to let up a bit," he murmured. "I can't sit up in the +saddle any more!" + +"I shouldn't have pushed ye so hard," answered Wumble +sympathetically. "If ye--" he stopped short. "Who's that?" + +He dodged behind a rock, and the others did the same. Somebody was +stirring below them, in the timber. All drew their pistols. + +"If it's an enemy we'll give them as good as they send," said Tom, +and he meant it. + +But it was not the enemy; it was Dick, and he soon appeared and +called to them. They were overjoyed, and ran out to meet him and +Slim Jim, his companion. There was hearty handshaking all around. +Then as they rested each told his tale. It was such a happy +gathering as is not easily forgotten. + +"You couldn't have fallen in with a better man nor Slim Jim," said +Jack Wumble to Dick. "He's got the warmest heart in all Colorady, +he has!" + +It was decided to wait until the morrow before setting out again +for Larkspur Creek. Slim Jim agreed to accompany them, for to the +hunter and trapper one spot in the mountains was about as good as +another. + +"An' I'll help ye keep an eye open for them Baxters," said the old +hunter. + +A good night's rest did wonders for all hands, and they were +stirring bright and early. Slim Jim knew every foot of the way, +and he told Wumble of a short cut to the creek which was even +better to travel than the short trail the old miner had selected. + +For two days the party went on, over hills and mountains and across +marvelous canyons and valleys, thick with pines and firs. The boys +had never seen such scenery, and for the time being their enemies +were forgotten. + +Late in the afternoon of the second day they came out on the side +of a low mountain which overlooked Larkspur Creek. + +"Here we are at the Larkspur at last," cried Jack Wumble. + +"And how far still to Kennedy's claim, do you think?" asked Dick +eagerly. + +"Not more than two or three miles. We'll have to hunt up the +landmarks," answered the old miner, but hunting landmarks had to be +deferred to the next day. Then they set about it in earnest, and +by noon they were on the same ground which Anderson Rover's mining +partner had traveled so many years before. + +They were trying to put down the first of their stakes when a +pistol shot rang out, and Dick received a slight wound in the hand. +Looking up the mountain side they saw Arnold Baxter's savage face +gazing down at them. Behind the father was his son Dan, and close +by stood Roebuck. Evidently their enemies meant to fight for the +possession of the mine to the bitter end. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX + +THE LANDSLIDE--CONCLUSION + + +"Dick, are you badly hurt?" cried Tom. + +"No--it's only a scratch. But it was a close call." + +"To cover!" came from Jack Wumble. "Quick, all of you!" + +There was no need to call out, for all realized that they were in a +dangerous position. It was Arnold Baxter who fired on Dick. Now +Tom fired in return, and so true was his aim that the elder Baxter +was hit in the left shoulder. + +As soon as our friends were under cover they held a council of war. + +"We ought to round 'em up," muttered Jack Wumble. "Don't you think +so, Jim?" + +"I am with ye on it," answered the old trapper. "We air five to +three, although one o' the crowd is wounded." + +"It's not much--only a scratch," said Dick, as he showed the wound. +"Yes, let us surround them if we can. Anyway, it will be better if +we get on the high ground above them. It's useless to think of +staking off the claim while they are in the vicinity. They'll pull +up our stakes, and shoot us in the bargain." + +Their talk was interrupted by a crashing of the bushes, and looking +up they saw that their enemies were beginning to roll rocks down +toward them. One rock, weighing several tons, tumbled within two +yards of them. + +"All right, we'll try some o' that when we're on top," said Slim +Jim. + +It had threatened rain, and now the drops began to come down, at +first scatteringly, and then in a steady downpour. In this rain +they moved off through the brush, leading their horses and +following the old hunter, who knew more of the old Indian trails +than did even Jack Wumble. + +It was necessary to make a long detour, for the rocks at one point +were so steep that mounting them was all out of the question. This +took them an eighth of a mile to the northward of the claim. + +It was now raining so hard that the water seemed to come down in +sheets, and they felt compelled to seek temporary shelter. It had +also begun to lightning, and the thunder roared and rumbled among +the mountains in a manner that was deafening. + +"This is about as bad as that tornado we encountered in Africa," +observed Sam, as he crouched close to his brothers. "Don't you +remember it and how the lightning struck that baobab tree?" + +Yes, both remembered it well. "It was awful," said Tom. "I hope +the lightning doesn't come near us here." + +If anything, the rain now came down heavier than before, until Jack +Wumble declared it to be the greatest downpour he had ever +witnessed in that section of the country. The water leaped over +the rocks in tiny waterfalls, and soon Larkspur Creek became a +raging torrent. The sky was inky black, and they could not see a +dozen paces in any direction. + +Suddenly a strange rumble reached their ears, a rumble that made +both Wumble and Slim Jim turn pale and look at each other with +faces full of fear. The rumble rose and fell, shaking the earth +beneath them, and mingling with a grinding and crashing and ripping +that seemed to strike each one to the very heart. + +"What is it? The end of the world?" gasped Sam. + +"A landslide," answered Wumble. "Please God, it doesn't come this +way!" + +They waited, and the next half-minute seemed an eternity. The +ground continued to tremble beneath them, and the rumble kept +coming closer and closer. "We are doomed!" wailed Tom, but then +the rumble and crashing passed them by and was slowly lost in the +distance, until with one last crash it came to a sudden end. + +"It's over!" said Slim Jim. "Thank Heaven, we escaped it!" + +"You are sure it was a landslide?" asked Dick, when he felt able to +speak. + +"Yes, my lad, and a putty big one, too. Somewhar along this +mountain side you will find a furrow cut down to the creek, an' +find thet tons an' tons o' stone and dirt have slid down fer +quarter o' a mile or more. Perhaps the slide has filled up the +creek entirely." + +The rain continued to come down, now drowning out every other +sound. But wet as it was, Wumble urged that they go still higher +up the mountain, to escape any other landslide that might be +imminent. + +So up they toiled until a large table rock was gained. At this +point a second rock gave them shelter, and here they remained +throughout the whole of one of the most disagreeable nights the +Rover boys had ever encountered. + +The storm and the landslide had driven away all thoughts of +surrounding the Baxters and Roebuck, but with the coming of morning +the skies cleared, and they felt as if they must do as originally +planned. + +"Unless the landslide paid 'em off," said Jack Wumble. + +"Do you think they were caught in it?" asked Dick. + +"No tellin', lad, until we locate the slide." + +To locate the landslide was not difficult, since it had passed to +their right. They soon made out its trail, which moved down to the +creek in a zigzag fashion. Sure enough the creek was partly filled +with the debris, and here the opposite bank was overflowed to the +extent of several acres. + +"We may find some rich deposits down thar," said Wumble. "A +landslide sometimes provides a harvest for prospectors." + +They moved on cautiously until they came to the spot where the +Baxters and Roebuck had been seen last. Here the landslide had +been at its worst, and rocks and trees had been torn up and cast +down as by a giant's hand. Not a trace of the enemy was to be +discovered, until Jack Wumble at last made out a part of a man's +coat lying a hundred feet away. They ran to the spot, and soon +uncovered the lifeless form of Roebuck. The man had been literally +mauled to death by the fury of the elements. + +"Poor fellow!" murmured Tom, as he gazed at the remains. "It was a +dreadful death to die!" + +"Yes, and he probably wasn't prepared for it," said Dick soberly. +"I wonder if the Baxters were caught, too?" + +"More'n likely," put in Wumble. "Look, here is a man's hat." + +"Arnold Baxter's hat," cried Tom. "I noted it particularly when I +was their prisoner. Where can the man be?" + +"There are tons an' tons o' loose dirt just be low here," said Slim +Jim. "Ye see the ground turned over and over as it rolled. +Probably both o' the Baxters are under that dirt, mebbe twenty or +thirty foot down." + +At this all of the Rover boys shuddered. Very likely the old +hunter spoke the truth. What a terrible fate for their old +enemies! + +"Let us go away," whispered Sam. "I can't stand this any longer!" +And he rushed off with the tears standing in his eyes. The others +were also affected, and glad enough to leave the place, once and +forever. Wumble and Slim Jim threw Roebuck's body into a hollow +and placed some dirt over it, and then built up a little mound of +stones to mark the spot. + +It was not until the next day that the party returned to the creek and +began to look up the Eclipse Mine once more. The landslide had cut +across this, and it was not long before both Wumble and Slim Jim +declared the ground to be full of good paying "dirt," to use their own +term. The claim was staked out to the boys' satisfaction, and then +Wumble staked out a claim just above Discovery, as it is called in +mining laws, while Slim Jim staked out one for himself just below +Discovery. All three claims ran to both sides of the creek, so that +no one would suffer for water when mining operations should begin. + +"And those claims will yield us thousands of dollars!" said Jack +Wumble. "Boys, we will all be rich." + +"Hurrah!" shouted Tom. "I'm glad I came West, after all." + +"And so am I," said Sam. "Dick, what do you say?" + +"I say hurrah for the Eclipse Mine, and all the gold it will bring +us," answered Dick. "Won't father be pleased when he learns the +news?" + +Here let us bring to a close the story of the Rover boys' trip out +West. They had faced many grave perils, but one after another +these perils had been surmounted, and now, when success had finally +crowned their efforts, all the hardships were forgotten. + + In due course of time the title to the Eclipse Mine was +established in law, and later on Anderson Rover sent out a body of +skilled miners to work the claim for all it was worth. It proved +to be as valuable as anticipated, and the Rovers were, of course, +correspondingly happy. + +The claims staked out by Jack Wumble and by Slim Jim proved also to +be good payers from the start. + +When the boys got home they found that the story of the Baxters' +fate had preceded them. Many folks were inclined to think that the +wrongdoers deserved the catastrophe which had overtaken them. As +nothing was heard of either father or son for a long while, it was +presumed that both were dead beyond a doubt. + +But they were not dead, although terribly bruised and unable to do +much for themselves for a long while. The landslide threw both +into the creek, and when they came to their senses they were fully +a mile from the scene of the disaster. Here they fell in with a +body of miners from Canada, and these men took them to a settlement +still further West, where Arnold Baxter hovered between life and +death for many weeks. Dan recovered more quickly. + +"It's the Rovers' fault," growled Dan Baxter, when he was able to +sit up. "I'll fix them yet." + +He had still many plans for the future, and what some of them were +will be told in the next volume of the series, to be entitled "The +Rover Boys on the Great Lakes; or, The Secret of the Island Cave." +In this volume we will meet all of our old friends again, and also +learn what was done by the Rover boys to outwit their old enemy. + +Yet all went well for the present. Randolph Rover had quite +recovered, so the boys' Aunt Martha was happy. Anderson Rover +could now walk around again as well as ever. + +"Never saw such boys in my life!" declared Martha Rover. "No +matter what scrape they get into, they always come out with colors +flying. God bless 'em every one!" + +And to this, kind reader, let us say Amen, and bid each other +good-by. + + + + +THE END + + + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Rover Boys out West, by Arthur M. 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