CHAPTER XIX
WHAT HAPPENED AT THE PARTY
It was a clear, bright evening when the boys drove over to the Stanhopecottage. All were in high spirits and sang and joked to their hearts'content. For the time being the trouble with Tad Sobber was totallyforgotten. So far nothing more had been heard of the bully, and all weresatisfied that he had left both Putnam Hall and Cedarville and perhapsfor good.
"One boy told me he used to live with an uncle in New York City," saidLarry. "He didn't know the uncle's name."
When the carryall arrived at the Stanhope place they found the cottagewell lit up. Dora had invited a number of her girl friends and these,with her cousins, Grace and Nellie, were already on hand. The boys letout a ringing cheer as they stopped at the horse-block, and the girlscame out to greet them.
"All here?" cried Dora.
"All here," was the answer.
"Good!" cried several of the girls.
"I guess we are a bit early," observed Dick. "But we wanted to make surewe wouldn't be late, and it's a long drive over."
"You are not a bit too early," answered Dora, and gave him her daintyhand which he squeezed ardently.
Soon the boys were piling out on the ground, and a general handshakingfollowed. Those who did not know each other were introduced, andeverybody walked into the house, where a room upstairs had been preparedfor the cadets' reception.
"Now, everyone must feel perfectly at home," said Mrs. Stanhope, who wasbeing assisted by Mrs. Laning and Mr. Laning. The older folks preparedthe refreshments while the young people sat down in the parlor and thesitting room.
At first, as at all parties, there was a little stiffness, but this wassoon broken by Tom asking in a solemn voice:
"Say, did anybody bring an iceberg in his pocket? If he did he willplease set it on the kitchen stove to thaw out."
"Oh, Tom!" shrieked Nellie, and all the girls giggled. Then the "ice wasbroken" and everybody started to talk at once. Even William Philanderwas pleased, for he had discovered a tall, willowy girl who exactlysuited him and who thought him charming.
At first they played half a dozen different games and gave out riddles,and Songbird recited a poem written in honor of the occasion. The poemwas the best effort he had yet made in the verse line and of courseeverybody applauded. Then Grace said he ought to have it published inthe Cedarville weekly paper, and this pleased the poet very much.
"Maybe you can get a dollar a line for it, Songbird," suggested Dick.
"If he can we'll let him divide up with us," added Tom, and this causeda laugh.
Presently refreshments were announced, and the boys and girls paired offand entered the dining room. Here a long table was spread, decoratedwith autumn leaves and the Putnam Hall colors. There were six coloredcandles on the table, each with an elaborate red shade, and the generaleffect was warm and pleasing. There were plenty of good things to eat,including ice-cream frozen into all sorts of forms. When the forms werepassed around, Dick got a drum major, Tom an Uncle Sam, and Sam anairship. Hans got a fat Dutch boy, which tickled him immensely.
"Dot vos look chust like some poys by der Fadderlandt," he observed.
With the ice-cream came snapper bonbons, filled with all sorts of thingsmade of paper, and soon one boy was wearing an apron, another anightcap, and the like. Dora got a yellow jacket, and Nellie a baker'scap, while Grace skipped around wearing a poke hat over a foot high.There was plenty of laughter, and the old folks did not hesitate to joinin. Nuts and raisins followed the ice-cream, and then the young folkswent back to the sitting room and the parlor to finish their games andhave some music.
"Dora, you must play for us," said Dick, and led her to the piano. Then,while some of the others gathered around the girl played "Waiting forthe Wagon," "Aunt Dinah's Quilting Party," and a number of otherfavorites, and these the crowd sang lustily.
"Guess it is about time for us to leave," whispered Fred to Dick,presently. "I know you'll like to have Dora play all night for you, butit can't be done."
Dick looked at his watch.
"Phew! as late as this!" he exclaimed softly. "Yes, we'll have to go."
"Let us sing 'Home, Sweet Home,'" suggested one of the boys, and Dorastruck up the opening chords. They were in the midst of the first versewhen Dick chanced to glance towards one of the windows and stoppedshort.
A man was outside peering in at the party.
A MAN WAS OUTSIDE PEERING IN AT THE PARTY.]
It was Merrick!
"Well, I never!" burst out the eldest Rover boy, and his suddenexclamation caused Dora to look at him curiously and stop playing.
"What is the matter, Dick?"
"Did you see that man at the window? He is gone now."
"I didn't see anybody."
"Who was it?" asked Tom, quickly.
"It was that rascal Merrick!"
"Merrick!" ejaculated Sam. "The fellow who took Uncle Randolph's bonds?"
"The same."
"Oh, Dick, you must be mistaken."
"I was not mistaken--I saw him as plain as day. I am going to look forhim," added the eldest Rover, for the man had now disappeared.
He ran for the hall door, and the other boys followed. The girlsremained in the parlor, much frightened, for it was after midnight.
As Dick reached the piazza he saw a dark form stealing along a row ofbushes near the garden fence.
"There he is!" he exclaimed. "Stop!" he called out, loudly. "Stop, Itell you!"
"Who did you say it was?" asked John Laning, as he came from the kitchenwith a stout cane in his hand.
"That rascal Merrick, one of the two men who stole my uncle's tractioncompany bonds," explained Dick.
"What can he be doing here?"
"I don't know. There he goes, over the fence!"
"He is running towards the side road!" exclaimed Sam. "Come on afterhim!"
"Wait till we get our hats and coats," said Tom, and ran back to pick upthe articles mentioned. This took a couple of minutes, and by the timehe came back Merrick was out of sight.
The three Rovers ran to the side road, Fred Garrison and Mr. Laning withthem.
"I wish I had a pistol," remarked John Laning. "No telling how desperatea character that villain may be."
"I'd like to know if he came on foot or with a horse," said Dick.
"Do you think he followed us to this place?" asked Sam.
"I am sure I don't know. The whole thing looks mighty queer to me."
There was no moon, but the stars were shining brightly, so they couldsee fairly well on the road. As they reached a bend Tom pointed forward.
"There he is, just going into the bushes!"
"He had better not go that way," was Mr. Laning's remark, "unless heknows the ground well."
"Why not?" asked Sam.
"Just beyond that patch of timber is Nixon's Swamp, as it is called--asboggy and treacherous a spot as can be found for miles around. If hedon't look out he'll get stuck there and never get out."
"Do you know the swamp?" asked Dick. "I mean the good spots?"
"Fairly well--I used to come over here when I was a boy--to pickhuckleberries. They are plentiful on the other side of the swamp."
"Then supposing you lead the way and we'll follow."
They were soon in the woods and saw a well-defined path running to theeastward. Beyond was Nixon's Swamp, and still further on another woods.
They were afraid they had lost track of the man they were after whenthey heard a crack ahead of them, followed by a short yell of alarm.Merrick had stumbled over a fallen log and pitched headlong into somethorny bushes. It took him some time to extricate himself, and meanwhilethe pursuers drew closer.
"I see him!" cried Tom. "He is turning to the right!"
"He is headed for the worst part of the swamp," was Mr. Laning'scomment. "If he doesn't look out----"
A minute later a wild cry rang out from ahead. The cry was repeatedtwice, and then all became as silent as the grave.
; "He must have gone down into the swamp," exclaimed Dick.
"Yes, and more than likely he is drowning to death," added John Laning.