CHAPTER VI
THE PRACTICE SHELL
The four chums stared, almost uncomprehendingly, into the open box.It was of good size, capable of holding several trophy cups, withcompartments, velvet lined, for smaller pieces of jewelry.
"The things all fell out!" cried Tom. "They must be scattered aroundhere somewhere. Let's look," and he started off.
"No use," said Frank, quietly.
"Why not?" asked Tom, in wonder.
"Because those things never fell out of that box," went on the BigCalifornian.
"Why didn't they?" demanded Phil. "When the box was knocked around inthe water, or even inside the locker, why wouldn't it be split open andthe things fall out?"
"It wasn't split, as you can easily see," went on Frank, calmly, "andthe cover wasn't forced open by banging against the rocks. It wasopened by some slender instrument being shoved under the catch, andthen pried upon. See, there are the marks. No rocks ever made those,"and he showed several scratches in the shiny surface of the box, nearthe clasp. The scratches went entirely under the broad brass fastener,showing that something thin enough to have been employed in this way wasused. As Frank had said, no rock against which the case might have beentossed by the storm-waters, could have done it.
"Well, let's take it to Mr. Farson," went on Sid. "We'll tell him how wefound it, and he can then see that we had nothing to do with taking thethings--even in a joke. Let's hurry back to town."
"Let's do nothing of the sort!" exclaimed Frank quickly.
"Why not?" demanded his chums in chorus.
"If you want tongues to wag any more--if you want a real suspicion to becast on us, where there's only the faintest one now--if you want to makereal trouble, take that box to Mr. Farson. If you don't, and if you wantto get at the real facts in this case, just keep quiet about it."
For a moment there was silence, and then Tom objected:
"Well, maybe it's clear to you, Frank, but I can't see it that way."
"Me either," declared Phil.
"Why, it's as simple as anything," declared the Big Californian.
"Well, maybe it is," admitted Sid, "but kindly translate. It's too deepfor us."
"Look here," went on Frank. "That jeweler saw us at the wreck; didn'the?"
"No question about that," admitted Tom.
"And we helped him look around. We were here first; and we said wedidn't see anything of the stuff."
"No question about that," admitted Sid, following Tom's lead.
"And now here we go and find the empty box--it has every appearance ofhaving been forced open by human hands. We take it to Mr. Farson, andsay--'Here's your box, Mr. Jeweler; but it's empty--that's just how wefound it, honest it is!' Say, wouldn't he smell a rat right away, andthink we had the stuff?"
"No question about that," declared Phil. "That ends it! Frank is right,we'll have to keep mum about this for our own sakes, though I don't likeit. It makes us look guilty."
"Not a bit of it," declared Frank, stoutly. "It gives us a chance tofind out who the guilty party is."
"Who do you suppose it is?" asked Tom.
"I haven't the least idea," answered the California lad, quickly."Someone may have been on the island before we were, and found, andrifled, the box; or that person may have come after we did. That's onething we've got to find out--and it isn't going to be any cinch, take itfrom me!"
They all examined the box, and then looked about the place where it hadbeen found, for other clues. But they found none--no other parts of thewrecked boat seemed to be there.
As they were coming away, to get to their boat and row to Randall, Tomstooped and picked from the ground a bit of gaudily-colored silk, aplaid of many colors, in a sort of ribbon.
"What's that?" asked Sid.
"Looks like part of a Scotch necktie," replied the tall pitcher.
"Let's have a look," suggested Frank, as he closely examined the pieceof silk. "That's no part of a necktie!" he exclaimed. "It's a pieceof a Mexican silk handkerchief of all the colors of the rainbow. I'veseen 'em on sale out in my state. The Mexicans and some other folks arefond of sporting them, but they were always too rich for my blood. But,fellows, do you notice one thing about this?" and he held it up forinspection.
"Do you mean it might have been worn by the jeweler, and dropped in hismotor-boat?" asked Tom.
"It _might_ have been worn by the jeweler, but not very likely," saidFrank. "In the first place, notice that it shows no signs of havingbeen wet, except by the dew. It was never in the flood, or it wouldhave mud on it. And I don't believe it was worn by the jeweler, anddropped here; otherwise, having good eyesight, as all jewelers and watchrepairers have, he would have seen his box."
"Then you think----," began Sid.
"That it was dropped here by someone who was on this island eitherbefore, or after, we were here the first time; by someone who found thebox, opened it, and took the stuff away," finished Frank.
"And who that person was it's up to us to find out," declared Tom.
"Exactly. And here's another thing," went on Frank, "this piece of silkis torn off in a long strip, cleanly, and it looks to me as if it mighthave been one of several so torn, or ripped, to make a bundle of thecups and jewelry. If we can find a handkerchief like this, with a striptorn off, we'll come pretty close to the person who has the Boxer Hallcups," finished the Big Californian.
"Maybe the fellow tore off a couple of strips, used the main part ofhis handkerchief in which to wrap his stuff, and left one strip here bymistake," suggested Phil.
"Maybe," admitted Frank. "Well, we've got about all we can find here, Iguess. I vote we get back, and talk this matter over among ourselves.And, mind, not a word to a soul!"
All promised and then, carefully concealing in their boat the jewelrybox, with the piece of silk inside, they rowed back to college.
But the discussion they brought to bear on the matter in their roomlater, failed to throw any light on the subject. All the conclusion theycould come to was that if they found the owner of the gaudy handkerchiefthey might find the possessor of the jewelry.
In the days that followed rowing matters occupied much of the attentionand the talk of the Randall students. The chairmen of the variouscommittees called meetings, and made reports of progress to the generalathletic body. The offer of the alumni to provide a fine boathouse, anda rowing equipment, was formally accepted, and the required promise made.
There was no lack of material for an eight-oared shell--two infact--several fours, a couple of doubles, and one or two singles. Inresponse to a request for a list of what was needed, it was decided toask for one first-class eight-oared shell, for two fours, two doubles,and three singles, though the gift committee, naturally, would do asthey thought best. This would give plenty of craft in which to practice.In view of the expense of the eight-oared shell it was decided that thestudents themselves would subscribe enough to purchase a second-handeight for practice.
They learned of one in good condition, that could be had at a bargain,also a single and a four, and, as it would take some time for thegenerous old graduates to provide their equipment, it was voted to buythe second-hand ones for use the remainder of that Spring.
"That will give us a little time for practice," decided Kindlings, whohad the matter in charge. He had been elected temporary captain of atentative eight crew; a temporary arrangement, as it would not be known,until the coach had selected the crew, who would row in the differentcraft. There would be try-outs as soon as possible.
The old boathouse would have to answer until the new one was built,but, to accommodate the many students who now thronged it, a temporaryaddition was built, the coming warm weather making it unnecessary tohave it very substantial.
The interest in rowing increased every day. Our four chums and theirfriends were perhaps the foremost in showing their delight in the comingevents.
Boxer Hall had been communicated with, as had Fairview Institute, andboth had agreed to enter into triangular-lea
gue contests that Fall, thedetails to be arranged later.
The second-hand shells had been ordered, and Mr. Lighton agreed to dothe water coaching, in addition to looking after the baseball lads, forthe affairs of the diamond were beginning to hold the attention of many.Of course our friends did not lose interest in baseball because of thecoming water sports.
Meanwhile no further trace of the missing cups or jewelry had beenfound. No one claimed the reward offered by Mr. Farson, to which theBoxer Hall Athletic Association added a substantial sum for the recoveryof their trophies. Our friends said nothing of their find, and, thoughthere was hardly a breath of suspicion against them, even in Boxer Hall,still they fretted.
"We've just got to find out who took those things!" cried Tom, oneafternoon, coming back from a row on the river.
"That's right!" agreed his chums.
A number of the ordinary rowing boats had been secured, and Mr. Lightonspent some time giving the lads an idea of the rudiments of getting downto the right stroke. Of course with toe stretchers, and sliding seats,there would come a vast change, so he did not want to go too deeply intothe matter until the right craft were at hand.
"Well, what shall we do this afternoon?" asked Sid, as he yawninglytossed aside a book that he had dipped into on coming to his room aftera lecture.
"I'm for a row!" exclaimed Tom.
"We ought to do some baseball practice," suggested Phil. "We've sort ofbeen letting that slide."
"Let's do a little of----" began Frank, when the door flew open, and incame Kindlings, all excited.
"It's come!" he cried.
"What?" chorused the others.
"The new shell--I mean the second-hand eight--the boat we're going todo our practice in! I just got word from the freight office that it'sthere. Let's get a truck, and have it carted to the river. I'm crazy toget in and go for a row!"
"Hurray! That's the stuff!" cried Tom. "Come on, everybody!" and he ledthe way, the others following.