CHAPTER IX--NAT POOLE GETS CAUGHT
In the middle of the week came Phil and Roger, in the midst of anothersnowstorm that was so heavy it threatened to stall the train in whichthey arrived. Dave went to the station to meet them.
"Say, what do you think?" burst out Phil, while shaking hands.
"We saw Jasniff and Merwell!" finished the senator's son.
"You did!" ejaculated Dave. "Where?"
"On our train. We walked through the cars at Melton, to see if we knewanybody aboard, and there were the pair in the smoker, smokingcigarettes, as big as life."
"Did you speak to them?"
"Didn't get the chance. The car was crowded, and before we could get toJasniff and Merwell they saw us, ran down the aisle the other way, andgot off."
"Is that so? Evidently they must know we are on their track," said Dave,shaking his head gravely.
"I wish we could have collared 'em," went on the shipowner's son. "I'dlike to punch their heads."
"Don't do it, Phil. If you ever catch them, call an officer and havethem locked up. A thrashing is wasted on such rascals."
"Do you know some more about them?" questioned Roger, quickly.
"I do." And then Dave related what Nat Poole had had to say, and alsotold about how Laura and Jessie had been scared when attending thechurch fair.
"You are right, they ought to be locked up," was Roger's comment.
"By the way, did you hear the news from Oak Hall?" went on Phil, as theydrove off towards the Wadsworth mansion.
"What news?"
"Somehow or other, the storm lifted off two of the skylights from theroof of the main building and the snow got in the garret and there theheat from the chimney must have melted it, for it ran down--the waterdid--through the floor and loosened the plaster in several of thedormitories, including ours. I understand all of the plaster has got tocome down."
"What a muss!"
"Yes, and it is going to take several weeks to fix it up--they couldn'tget any masons right away."
"Then where will we sleep when we go back?"
"I don't know. I understand from Shadow that the doctor was thinking ofkeeping the school closed until about the first of February."
"Say, that will give us quite a holiday!" exclaimed Dave.
"For which all of us will be profoundly sorry," responded Phil, making asober face and winking one eye.
The girls greeted the newcomers with sincere pleasure.
"What a pity Belle Endicott isn't here," sighed Laura.
"So it is," answered Jessie. "We'll have to do what we can to make upfor her absence."
Two days later it cleared off, and the young folks enjoyed a longsleigh-ride. Then they went skating, and on New Year's Eve attended aparty given at Ben Basswood's house. Besides our friends, Ben hadinvited Sam Day and Buster Beggs, and also a number of girls; and allenjoyed themselves hugely until after midnight. When the clock strucktwelve, the boys and girls went outside and tooted horns and rang a bigdinner-bell, and wished each other and everybody else "A Happy NewYear!"
The celebration on the front piazza was at its height when suddenly camea shower of snowballs from a near street corner. One snowball hit Davein the shoulder and another landed directly on Jessie's neck, causingthe girl to cry out in mingled pain and alarm.
"Hi! who's throwing snowballs!" exclaimed Roger, and then came anothervolley, and he was hit, and also Laura and one of the other girls. Atonce the girls fled into the house.
"Some rowdies, I suppose," said Phil. "I've half a mind to go afterthem."
"We can't without our hats and coats," answered Dave.
Just then came another shower of snowballs and Dave was hit again. Thiswas too much for him, and despite the fact that he was bare-headed andwore a fine party suit, he leaped down on the sidewalk and started forthe corner. Phil and Roger came after him. Ben rushed into the hallway,to catch up two of his father's canes and his chums' hats, and then hefollowed.
Those who had thrown the snowballs had not dreamed of being attacked,and it was not until Dave was almost on them that they started to run.There were three boys--two rather rough-looking characters. The third waswell dressed, in a fur cap and overcoat lined with fur.
"Nat Poole!" cried Dave, when he got close to the well-dressed youth."So this is your game, eh? Because Ben didn't see fit to invite you tohis party, you think it smart to throw snowballs at the girls!"
As he spoke Dave ran closer and suddenly gave the money-lender's son ashove that sent him backwards in the snow.
"Hi, you let me alone!" burst out Nat, in alarm. "It ain't fair to knockme down!"
By this time Dave's chums had reached the scene, and seeing Nat downthey gave their attention to the two others. They saw that they wereroughs who hung around the railroad station and the saloons ofCrumville. Without waiting, Ben threw a cane to Roger and sailed in, andthe senator's son followed. Both of the roughs received several severeblows and were then glad enough to slink away in the darkness.
When Nat got up he was thoroughly angry. He had hired the roughs to helphim and now they had deserted the cause. He glared at Dave.
"You let me alone, Dave Porter!" he cried.
"Not just yet, Nat," replied our hero, and catching up a handful ofloose snow, he forced it down inside of the other's collar. Then theother lads pitched in, too, and soon Nat found himself down once moreand all but covered with snow, which got down his neck, in his ears andnose, and even into his mouth.
"Now then, don't you dare to throw snowballs at the girls again!" saidDave sternly. "It was a cowardly thing to do, and you know it."
"If you do it again, we'll land on you ten times harder than we did justnow," added Ben.
"And don't you get any more of those roughs to take a hand," continuedDave. "If you do, they'll find themselves in the lock-up, and you'll bethere to keep them company."
"You just wait!" muttered Nat, wrathfully. "I'll fix you yet--you see ifI don't!" And then he turned and hurried away, but not in the directionhis companions had taken. He wanted to escape them if possible, for hehad promised each a dollar for aiding him and he was now in no humor tohand over the money. But at another corner the roughs caught up to himand made him pay up, and this added to his disgust.
When Dave and the others got back to the house they were considerably"roughed up," as Roger expressed it. But they had vanquished the enemyand were correspondingly happy. They found that the girls had not beenmuch hurt, for which everybody was thankful.
"Maybe they'll lay for you when you go home," whispered Ben to Dave,when he got the chance.
"I don't think they will," answered Dave. "But we'll be on our guard."
"Why not take a cane or two with you?"
"We can do that."
When it came time to go home the girls were somewhat timid, and Jessiesaid she could telephone for the sleigh. But, as it was a bright, starrynight, the boys said they would rather walk, and Laura said the same.
In spite of their watchfulness, the boys were full of fun, and soon hadthe girls laughing. And if, under those bright stars, Dave said somerather sentimental things to Jessie, for whom he had such a tenderregard, who can blame him?
On the day following New Year's came word from Oak Hall that the schoolwould not open for its next term until the first Monday in February.
"Say, that suits me down to the ground!" cried Phil.
"Well, I'm not shedding any tears," answered Roger. "I know what I'dlike to do--take a trip somewhere."
"I don't know where you'd go in this winter weather," said Dave.
"Oh, some warm climate--Bermuda, or some place like that."
Another day slipped by, and Dave was asked by his father to go to one ofthe near-by cities on an errand of importance. He had to go to alawyer's office and to several banks, and the errand took all day. Forcompany he took Roger with him, and the boys did not get back toCrumville until about eleven o'clock at night.
"Guess they thought we weren't coming
at all," said Dave, when he foundno sleigh awaiting him. "Well, we can walk."
"Of course we can walk," answered the senator's son. "I'll be glad tostretch my legs after such a long ride."
"Let us take a short cut," went on Dave, as they left the depot. "I knowa path that leads almost directly to our place."
"All right, if the snow isn't too deep, Dave."
"It can't be deep on the path, for many of the men who work at theWadsworth jewelry place use it. It runs right past the Wadsworth works."
"Go ahead then."
They took to the path, which led past the freight depot and then along ahigh board fence. They turned a corner of the fence, and crossed avacant lot, and then came up to one corner of the jewelry works, at apoint where the new addition was located.
"Now, here we are at the works," said Dave. "It's not very much furtherto the house."
"Pretty quiet around here, this time of night," remarked Roger, as hepaused to catch his breath, for they had been walking fast. "Theredoesn't seem to be a soul in sight."
"There is usually a watchman around, old Tony Wells, an army veteran. Isuppose he is inside somewhere."
"There's his lantern!" cried the senator's son, as a flash of lightshone from one of the windows. Hardly had he spoken when the lightdisappeared, leaving the building as black as before.
"It must be a lonely job, guarding such a place," said our hero, as heand his chum resumed their walk. "But I suppose it suits Tony Wells, andhe is glad to get the money it brings in."
"They must have a lot of valuable jewelry there, Dave."
"Oh, yes, they have. But it is all locked up in the safes at night."Dave thought of the Carwith diamonds, but remembered his promise not tomention them to anybody.
As the boys turned another corner they came face to face with a fat man,who was struggling along through the snow carrying two heavy bundles.
"Hello!" cried Dave. "How are you, Mr. Rowell?"
"Bless me if it isn't Dave Porter!" cried Amos Rowell, who was a localdruggist. "Out rather late, aren't you?"
"Yes."
"So am I. Had to visit some sick folks and I'm carrying home some oftheir washing. Goodnight!" and the druggist turned down one road andDave and Roger took the other.
Inside of five minutes more our hero and his chum were at the entranceto the Wadsworth mansion. Just as they were mounting the steps, and Davewas feeling in his pocket for his key, a strange rumble reached theirears.
"What was that?" asked the senator's son.
"I don't know," returned Dave, in some alarm. "It sounded to me as if itcame from the direction of the jewelry works!"