CHAPTER XIV
AT THE FORD MANSION
"Don't you admire our very fashionable turnout?" questioned Pepper, ashe came forward and shook hands with the girls.
"It's the latest in carriages," came from Andy.
"Oh!" murmured Laura. "Did you really come all the way from Putnam Hallin that?"
"It must have been hard riding," was Flossie's comment.
"No, we didn't come all the way," answered Pepper. "We'll tell you aboutit later," he added. Then Ezra Cole was paid. The old farmer lost notime in driving away.
As the girls and boys walked slowly toward the mansion the cadets toldthe particulars of the breakdown on the road.
"And you really think some of your rivals did it?" questioned Laura."How mean!"
"I'd never speak to them again," added Flossie, with a flash of hereyes.
"Well, we'll talk a whole lot to 'em," answered Pepper, grimly.
"But you have got to prove them guilty first," said Laura.
Once at the mansion the situation was explained to Mr. and Mrs. Ford,and the boys were conducted by a servant to a bathroom, where they mightwash and brush up and make themselves otherwise presentable. They didnot linger long, and when they came below, the folding-doors to thedining-room were opened and the butler announced dinner.
It was a jolly meal, and the cadets were made to feel perfectly at home.Mr. Ford asked them how they were getting along in school, and wassurprised when told that they hoped to graduate from the Hall thefollowing June.
"We shall miss your visits to the Lodge," said Mrs. Ford.
"You'll have to visit us anyway--if you get a chance," said Laura, andall of the cadets said they would remember her kind words. Then theytalked about old times, and especially about the time when the boys hadvisited the Lodge and killed the tiger that had escaped from the circus,as related in "The Putnam Hall Cadets," and of how the girls had visitedthe cadets in the woods, when the boys had run away from the Hall, astold of in "The Putnam Hall Rebellion."
"I'd like to go to a boarding-school," said Flossie. "It must be lots offun!"
"Fun and work, mixed," answered Andy.
After the dinner, over which they took their time, the young folksgathered around the piano and sang and played, and they also had severaldances, with the old folks looking on. All too soon it came time for theboys to go back to the Hall.
"I have ordered the auto around," said Rossmore Ford. "John can take youback, and he can also stop for your bicycles, if you wish."
"Thank you very much," answered Jack. "We'll ride home in the auto withpleasure. But I guess we had better let the bicycles rest to-night wherethey are; eh, fellows?"
"Yes," answered Pepper and Andy.
A little later the cadets said good-night. The big touring car wasbrought around and they got in the tonneau. Then the chauffeur turned onthe power, and away they shot into the darkness, the girls crying agood-by after them.
"Well, we had a dandy time, in spite of the breakdown," remarked theyoung major.
"But we have got to find out who played this trick on us," came fromPepper.
"That may be easier said than done," said Andy. "Whoever was meanenough to play such a trick will do his best to lay low."
When the boys got back to the Hall they found that the majority of theirfriends had gone to bed. Only Stuffer Singleton was up, reading a novelby the light of a wax-candle he had smuggled up to the room.
"Hello! have a good time?" queried the boy who loved to eat, as he castaside the volume.
"Bang up," answered Jack, and then he went on quickly. "Stuffer, wereyou near the gym this afternoon?"
"No. Why?"
"Somebody was mean enough to tamper with our bicycles," answered theyoung major, and gave a few particulars.
"Oh, you can bet it was the Ritter crowd, or Ritter alone," saidStuffer, quickly. "It would be just like them to do their best to spoilyour fun."
It was not until two days later that Jack and his chums had a chance togo for their broken-down wheels. They found them exactly as they hadbeen left, and explained to the owner of the barn how they happened tobe there.
"It's all right," said the farmer. "You can leave them here a month ifyou want to." He knew Captain Putnam well, having sold him some strawfor the school stables.
The cadets had to trundle the bicycles back to Putnam Hall and then hadmany hours' work in fixing the wheels so they could be used again.
During those two days the youths made many inquiries, but were unable toget a clue as to who had played the trick. Ritter and Coulter "laid low"and kept out of their way.
Following the game with the Dauntless Club came several other footballcontests, and Putnam Hall won two games and lost one. Then the weatherturned off cold, with a promise of snow in the air.
During those days it must not be supposed that the search for Jack'sgold watch and chain was abandoned. It was continued with spirit, but noclue was brought to light.
"It's as much of a mystery as the disappearance of my things when thehorse ran away with me," said Andy. "I don't suppose I'll ever hear ofthose things either."
"Yes, but that was different, Andy," said the young major. "You were ona public highway, where anybody might pick up the things, supposing youmerely dropped them. But I was right here, where everybody is supposedto be honest."
"It gives the school a black eye, doesn't it?"
"That's it. I know Captain Putnam feels terrible about it, too."
"Do you suspect any of the hired help?"
"I don't know what to think."
The weather grew colder rapidly, and one morning the cadets arose tofind the ground covered with snow to a depth of several inches.
"Hurrah!" shouted Fred. "See the snow! Doesn't it look inviting?"
"Want a roll in it, Fred?" questioned Bart Field.
"Not exactly. I was thinking of a snowball fight."
"That's the talk! Let us get up a fight after school hours!" cried BartConners.
Pepper was at the window. Slyly he raised the sash and scooped up a bighandful of snow from the broad ledge outside. Andy was nearby, bendingover, lacing up his shoe.
"Welcome to the snow!" cried The Imp, gaily, and let a portion of thefrozen mass slip down the acrobatic youth's collar.
"Wow!" snorted Andy, straightening up with a jerk. "Hi, you, what do youtake me for, an ice-box?" And he commenced to squirm as the cold snowran down his backbone. Then he made a dive for Pepper and chased The Imparound the dormitory. Over two of the beds they flew, and then broughtup in a corner with a crash.
"Have mercy on the furniture!" cried Joe Nelson.
"Don't knock over the table!" added Stuffer.
"Give me that snow!" cried Andy, and managed to get a small portion fromPepper. "How do you like that?" And he plastered the snow in The Imp'sleft ear.
"Hurrah! Snow from Snow!" cried Jack.
"'Twill warm Pepper's blood, so it will!" was Emerald Hogan's comment.
More snow had been scooped from the window-sill by Fred and Joe, andsoon a battle-royal was in progress in the dormitory. But it came to anabrupt end when Dave Kearney appeared.
"Stop it!" cried the young sergeant. "Crabtree is coming!"
"All over!" whispered Jack. "All as orderly as lambs!" And at once everycadet settled down and started in an orderly fashion to finish hismorning toilet.
"What was the noise in here?" demanded Josiah Crabtree, as he threw openthe door and strode into the dormitory.
He glared around savagely, but nobody answered him.
"I demand to know what was going on here!" he continued.
"Mr. Crabtree, did you speak to me?" asked Pepper, meekly.
"I spoke to you all!" thundered the teacher. "What were you doing inhere?"
"I am dressing, Mr. Crabtree," answered Andy.
"I am dressing, Mr. Crabtree," came from Jack.
"I am dressing, too," put in Fred.
"And so was I dressing," said Stuffer, with
a smile.
"And I was dressing," supplemented Pepper. "Come to think of it, Irather fancy we were all dressing. You see, we always do dress when weget up in the morning, Mr. Crabtree," he added with a simple smile.
"I want none of your impudence, Ditmore."
"Oh, dear, was I impudent?" murmured The Imp. "I didn't know it. I begten thousand pardons--yes, a million, if you'd rather, sir."
"Be quiet, you--you forward boy! Something was going on in here! If Ifind out what it was, I shall punish all of you!" And having thusdelivered himself, Josiah Crabtree strode out of the dormitory, bangingthe door after him.
"Isn't he an angel!" murmured Andy.
"The sweetest teacher that ever grew!" returned Pepper.
"I'd like to know how long Captain Putnam will put up with him," wasJack's comment.
"I don't believe it will be very long," answered Fred.
The cadets finished their dressing and hurried below. On account of thestorm the morning drill was held in the gymnasium, and then the youngsoldiers marched to the mess-room. On the way several could not resistthe temptation to pick up some snow and throw it at each other.
"Hi, you stop that!" roared Reff Ritter, as a snowball took him in theneck. "Who threw that?" he demanded; but nobody answered him. "I believeit was you, Ditmore!" he went on, turning an ugly look on Pepper.
"That's one for tampering with our bicycles, Ritter," retorted Pepper.
It was a chance shot, taken on the spur of the moment, but it told. ReffRitter started and turned pale.
"Who--er--told you I--er--tampered with your bicycles?" he stammered.
"Never mind who told me, Ritter. We are going to get square with you,and don't you forget it."
"Who said I touched 'em?" grumbled the bully.
"Never mind about that."
"You are trying to corner me, that what's you are up to!" grumbledRitter. "But you shan't do it! I never touched your wheels, and youcan't prove that I did. Now don't you throw any more snowballs at me,or I'll report you." And then Ritter hurried into the mess-room as fastas he could.
Pepper, Jack and Andy looked at each other.
"He is guilty, I know it!" said Pepper firmly.
"I believe you," answered the young major; and Andy nodded his head toshow that he agreed with his chums.