CHAPTER XVI A GAME OF BASEBALL
"What's the trouble now?"
"Did somebody get shot?"
"Say, this night is the worst yet! Why can't they let a fellow sleep?"
"If it's going to keep on like this we better go back to the Hall!"
So the talk ran on, as the cadets rushed out on the parade ground tolearn the cause of the new disturbance.
Those to make first appearance beheld Nick Paxton and Billy Sabinerunning as if some demon was after them. Both were out of breath andshaking with terror.
"Save me!" screamed Billy Sabine, and ran to Captain Putnam and clutchedhim by the arm frantically.
"What is the trouble, Sabine?" asked the master of the school anxiously.
"It's a ghost--a madman, a monster!" gasped Sabine. "Oh, don't let himtouch me, please!"
"A ghost?" queried Captain Putnam.
"Yes, sir."
"It was worse than a ghost," came from Paxton, when he was able tospeak. "Oh, I hope it doesn't come this way!" And he glanced over hisshoulder apprehensively.
"This is nonsense, boys! There are no ghosts."
"Who fired that shot?" asked George Strong, while a crowd of cadetsgathered around to learn what the new alarm meant.
"I did," said a guard named Leeks. "I called on those fellows to halt,but they didn't, so I fired to arouse the corporal of the guard."
"Which was quite right, Leeks," returned the master of the school. Heturned again to Paxton and Sabine. "Now, give me your stories. Wherehave you been? You had no permission to leave the grounds. We missed youan hour or more ago."
At these words Paxton and Sabine hung their heads. Sabine lookedthoroughly miserable. As my old readers know, he was not naturally badbut was a lad easily led into wrongdoing.
"Cannot you answer me?" demanded the master of the school, after apainful pause.
"Paxton got me to go to a hotel down the lake shore, sir," said Sabinein a low tone. "I am very sorry I went, sir, and I hope you'll forgiveme, sir. I won't do it again." And he gazed pleadingly at CaptainPutnam.
"How about this, Paxton?"
"I--er--I went to the hotel because I thought some of my friends werestopping there," was the lame reply. "As soon as I--er--found my friendsweren't there I came back."
"Do you usually make calls after midnight?" demanded the master of theschool, with fine sarcasm.
"I--er--I didn't know it was so late, sir. But we would have been backlong ago if it wasn't for that--er--ghost, or worse!" continued Paxton.
"What did you see? Now no fooling, Paxton, or it will go hard with you,"and Captain Putnam's voice grew extra stern.
"We saw a ghost, or demon, or something, sir. It was horrible!"
"The most frightful thing one could possibly imagine," broke in Sabine,and his voice commenced to tremble again. "Oh, Captain Putnam, you maynot believe it, but it was awful, sir, awful!"
"But what was it?" persisted the master of the school, seeing how muchin earnest both cadets were.
"It was like a half-man and a half-beast," answered Paxton. "It was verylarge and had a terrible voice. It chased us with a stick that was fullof flashes of fire, and both of us thought we were going to be killed."
"Maybe a trick of some of the cadets," suggested George Strong.
At this suggestion Paxton and Sabine looked up quickly.
"Oh, could it have been some of the cadets?" questioned Sabine. "But no,it couldn't be--it was too awful!" And he shook his head positively.Evidently he had been almost frightened out of his senses.
"The cadets have all been accounted for," said Captain Putnam. "I don'tthink any of them are responsible for this."
"Where did this happen, over in yonder woods?" questioned George Strong.
"Back of the woods, sir."
"Back of the woods?"
"Yes, sir, near the falls. There is an old mill up there. We were comingalong the mill road when all of a sudden the Thing, whatever it was,rushed at us. We ran and it came after us! Oh, I thought my last momenton earth had come!" gasped Sabine, shaking afresh over the recollectionof what had occurred.
"This is strange, to say the least," mused the master of the school."How did it look to you, Paxton?"
"I can't tell you any more than I have, sir," was the reply. "It wasghostlike and half-man and half-beast, and it had a loud voice and thatstick of fire. It came at us so--so ferociously that we had to run forfear of being killed on the spot!"
This was all either Paxton or Sabine could tell. They stuck to theirtale so persistently that Captain Putnam felt compelled to believe them.
"I'll investigate in the morning," said he. "It is probably some trick."
"Maybe it was played by some of the Pornell students," suggested BartConners.
"Possibly. Now go to bed, all of you, and let me hear no more alarms."
Once again the cadets retired. Pepper walked off with Jack and Andy.
"Jack, what do you make of this?" asked Pepper.
"Oh, it was some trick," answered the young major.
"But did you hear what they said--that it happened near that old mill,the Robertson mill?"
"That's so," mused Jack. "The place that Bert Field was asking about,and the spot some claim is haunted."
"I don't think the Pornell fellows would play that trick," said Andy."They wouldn't dare--so close on their other doings."
"I'd like to investigate this on my own account," continued Pepper. "Iam very curious to visit that haunted mill, and I am curious to know whyBert Field is interested in it."
"Well, you may get a chance some day," answered Jack; and there the talkhad to come to an end.
In the morning the majority of the cadets were sleepy and inclined tolay around after inspection and breakfast and take it easy. Paxton andSabine were again questioned, and Captain Putnam departed on horseback,to investigate their story.
"Looks as if it was going to rain," said Andy, and he was right, andsoon the drops commenced to fall. It was a steady downpour, lastinguntil the middle of the afternoon and the boys were glad enough to keepunder shelter, only the guards being out, wearing their rubber coats.
In the midst of the storm Captain Putnam came back. He held a long talkwith George Strong and then called in Paxton and Sabine.
"I do not know what scared you," said the master of the school. "I rodearound the old mill and found it locked and nailed up and nobody insight. As you were badly frightened I will not punish you for leavingthe camp without permission. But do not do it again, or I will punishyou severely." And there the matter rested.
The rain put a damper on the enthusiasm of the cadets and a few wishedthey were back at the Hall. But by nightfall it cleared off, and greatcampfires were kindled, so that things might be dried out, and theneverybody felt better.
On Saturday it had been arranged that a game of baseball should comeoff, between nines of Company A and Company B. The rivalry between thenines was intense and much interest was manifested as a consequence.
Company A had for its pitcher Reff Ritter. Ritter had not been chosenfor his popularity but because he knew how to pitch and had lately beendoing good work in the box. For a catcher Ritter had Coulter, and two ofhis other cronies were in the field.
Dale was the pitcher for Company B, and Stuffer was catcher. On thisnine, Andy was shortstop and Pepper covered second. These were not thepositions the lads had previously filled, but Captain Putnam insistedthat some changes be made, so that other lads might have a chance.
To make matters more interesting it was announced that visitors would bewelcome to the camp during the game and afterwards, and Jack, who didnot play, quickly invited the Fords to attend. A little stand waserected, so that the visitors might have seats.
Mr. Rossmore Ford came up the lake road in a big tallyho, bringing withhim his wife, his two daughters, and half a dozen other people. Othersarrived in carriages, on bicycles and on foot, until the visitorsnumb
ered fully a hundred.
"Oh, I hope Pepper and Andy's side win!" cried Laura Ford,enthusiastically, after she had looked over the players.
"So do I," added Flossie.
"Well, I think Company B has as good a show as Company A," answeredJack, with a smile.
A professional ball player who chanced to be stopping at one of the lakehotels had consented to be umpire, and promptly at three o'clock hecalled out "Play!"
Company A was first at the bat, with their best men heading the list,and when they retired they had scored two runs. This made theirsupporters enthusiastic and they were loudly applauded.
"Now show 'em what you can do!" cried a cadet, as Company B came up tothe home plate.
"Ritter will strike 'em out!" said another.
The first man up was struck out and the second followed. Then came a popfly, which was easily gathered in, and Company B retired with the score2 to 0 against them.
"This looks bad," said Jack. "But the game is young yet."
In the second inning Company A managed to get one more run and in thethird they brought their score up to seven runs. Company B scored threetimes.
"Take a brace, boys!" cried Jack, to Pepper and Andy.
"My arm was a little stiff at the start, from getting wet during thestorm," said Dale. "But it is limbering up now." And this proved to betrue, and in the next inning he struck out three men in succession, amidgreat applause.
When Company B came to the bat Pepper knocked a home run and Andy athree-bagger. But that ended the run getting for the time being.
The beginning of the eighth inning found the score 11 to 7 in favor ofCompany A. Ritter and his followers were in high feather, thinking theywere sure of winning.
"And maybe we won't celebrate to-night," chuckled the bully.
"Rub the defeat in good while you are at it," said Paxton, who was onthe substitute bench.
"You bet we will!" answered Ritter boastfully.
Ritter was to the bat and managed to line out a safety. He was followedby a player who went out on a foul, but the next man knocked atwo-bagger and Ritter managed to slide home, amid well-deservedapplause. When Company A retired they had 14 runs to their credit.
Dale was now to the bat and managed to get to second in safety. Peppergot to first and a wild throw over the baseman's head gave Dale thirdand Pepper second. Then came a streak of good batting and the end of theeighth inning found Company B with 11 runs.
"We must hold 'em down!" said Pepper, as Company A came up for the ninthtime to the bat. "Dale, do your best!"
The pitcher tried to steady himself and struck out the first man up. Thesecond went to first on balls and the next batter hit a safety.
"Steady, Dale, steady!" cried Jack. And Dale settled down to even workonce more, and Company A retired with only its 14 runs.
"Our last chance to win!" cried Pepper, as his side came in.
"Right you are," answered the young major, anxiously. "Three runs to tiethe score and four to win!"