CHAPTER XXIII
HOLIDAYS AT THE FARM
Almost before they knew it, the mid-winter holidays were at hand, andthe Rover boys went home to enjoy Christmas and New Year. On their waythey stopped at several stores in Ithaca, where they purchased a numberof Christmas presents. Some of these they mailed at the post-office.Dick sent a nice book to Dora, and Tom and Sam sent books to Grace andNellie. The boys also united in the gift of a stick pin to Mrs. Stanhopeand another to Mrs. Laning, and sent Mr. Laning a necktie. CaptainPutnam was not forgotten, and they likewise remembered George Strong.The rest of their purchases they took home, for distribution there.
A number of the other students had come as far as Ithaca with them, andhere the crowd had dinner at one of the hotels,--the same place whereTom had once played his great joke on Josiah Crabtree.
"By the way, who knows anything about Nick Pell?" asked one of thestudents, while dining.
"He has been removed to his home in the city," answered George Granbury.
"Is he better?" questioned Dick.
"They say he is better some days, but at other times he is worse. Thepoison somehow affected his mind."
"What a terrible thing to happen," murmured the eldest Rover, and thenshuddered to think what might have ensued had the snake bitten him.
"Any news of Tad Sobber?" asked another cadet. He looked at each of theothers, but all shook their heads.
"It's queer where he went to," said Songbird. "Wonder if Captain Putnamtried to communicate with his folks?"
"He has only an uncle, and the captain couldn't find him," answeredanother youth who was present.
As the dinner progressed the boys warmed up, and at the conclusion theysang several songs. Then the Rovers had to rush for their train and theycaught it just as it was pulling out of the station.
"Hullo!" cried Sam, as he dropped into a seat, and he pointed out of thecar window.
"What's up now?" queried Tom.
"I saw a fellow on the depot platform who looked like Tad Sobber!"
"Are you sure it was Sobber?" demanded Dick.
"No, I am not dead certain--but the fellow looked a good deal like Tad."
"Must have been a mistake," was Tom's comment. "What would he be doingaround Ithaca?"
"Well, he's got to stay somewhere, Tom."
"But he wouldn't stay so close to Cedarville--he'd probably go to somebig city," put in Dick.
As the train rushed on the Rover boys talked the matter over, but couldmake nothing out of it.
"I suppose he is in hiding waiting to see if Nick Pell will recover,"said Dick. "He knows that if Nick doesn't get over his trouble he'll beliable to prosecution."
At the station at Oak Run the boys found their father awaiting them withthe big family sleigh. All piled in, and over the crisp snow theystarted for Valley Brook farm.
"I need not ask how you are feeling," said Anderson Rover. "Every one ofyou looks the picture of health."
"I never felt better in my life," declared Dick, and Tom and Sam saidthe same.
"Has Uncle Randolph heard anything more of his traction company bonds?"asked Tom, as they drove along.
"Not a word more," answered his father. "It is a great loss to him."
"Do you suppose the game was tried on anybody else?" asked Sam.
"We have not heard of it."
Arriving at home, the boys were warmly greeted by their uncle and theiraunt and also by the others around the house. Their aunt had a hotsupper awaiting them, and while they ate this the whole subject of themissing bonds was thoroughly discussed. The boys learned that a privatedetective was still on the trail of Merrick and Pike, but so far hadreported nothing of importance.
"I believe those rascals,--or at least Merrick--must belong around LakeCayuga," observed Dick. "Otherwise we shouldn't have seen Merrick inIthaca and up at the Stanhope place."
"I was very simple to let them get the best of me. The next time I shallbe more careful," said Randolph Rover.
The boys learned from Jack Ness that hunting in the woods back of thefarm was good, and two days before Christmas they went out with thehired man. They went for rabbits and squirrels, and each took hisshotgun along and a substantial lunch, for they expected to be out thegreater part of the day.
It was clear, cold weather, the sun glistening brightly on the snow.They journeyed directly for a portion of the woods they knew was afavorite spot for rabbits, and it was not long before they started upseveral.
"There they go!" cried Dick, and took aim. Bang! bang! went his gun, andthe reports of Tom's firearm followed. Three rabbits came down, and afew minutes later Sam brought another one low.
"Four for a starter are not so bad," remarked Tom, as the game wasplaced in their bags. "Even if we don't get any more we won't have to gohome empty-handed."
By noon they had made their way directly through the woods and hadeleven rabbits and three squirrels to their credit. Then Tom suggestedthey build a campfire and rest while eating their lunch and this wasdone.
"I wish we could bring down a fox or two," said Jack Ness. "They havebeen bothering the chickens again lately--carried off two only nightbefore last."
"Do you know where they hang out?" asked Dick.
"I think they come from over yonder," and the hired man pointed with hishand to the northward.
"Let us travel in that direction after dinner," suggested Sam. "Even ifwe don't spot any foxes we may find as many rabbits and squirrels thereas anywhere else."
The others were willing, and half of the afternoon was spent by the fourhunters in a locality that was new to them. One fox was sighted, andJack Ness shot the animal in the hind quarters, and then Sam finishedhim by a shot in the side.
"Well, that makes one fox less anyway," said the hired man.
They kept on, and brought down two rabbits and a wild turkey. By thistime they were pretty well tired out, and Tom suggested that they startfor home.
"It's a long tramp," he said, "and by the time we get back I guess we'llall be ready to rest."
"As for that, I am ready to rest now," said Sam. "Tramping through thesnow is no easy task."
"Especially if a fellow's legs aren't very long," returned Dick, with agrin.
"Well, mine are as long as they ought to be," came from Sam, promptly."They reach to the ground, and yours don't reach any further," and thenthere was a general laugh, Jack Ness guffawing loudly.
The hired man said he knew of a short cut to the farm, and they followedhim to something of a path through the woods and then out on a trailmade years before by charcoal burners. Soon they came in sight of acabin, from the chimney of which the smoke was curling.
"Who lives here?" asked Dick.
"An old man named Derringham," answered Jack Ness. "He is very old andsomewhat out of his head. He makes his living by selling herbs and barksfor medicine. Years ago, so they say, he was an herb doctor, but hedidn't have a certificate, or something like that, so the authoritiesdrove him out of business. After that he got queer and took to thewoods."
"Let us go in and see him," said Tom, whose curiosity was aroused. Hewalked boldly up to the hut and knocked loudly on the dilapidated door.
"Who is that, Pop?" he heard somebody ask, in a startled voice.
"I don't know, sir," was the answer, in the voice of an old man.
"I don't want to see anybody," went on the first speaker. "Send himaway, whoever he is."
"Go away!" cried the old man. "I don't want anybody around here."
By this time all of the party outside were at the door. Tom's faceshowed that he was laboring under sudden surprise.
"Evidently the old man doesn't want visitors," was Dick's comment.
"There is somebody else in there with him," whispered Tom. "From hisvoice I should say it was Bill Dangler!"