CHAPTER XVIII
A CURIOUS MEETING
As the cadets were good walkers it did not take them long to cover thedistance to Cedarville. They stopped at a shoe store, and at a candystore for some chocolates, and then started for the postoffice.
"I guess Jack is looking for a letter from his best girl," remarkedPepper, with a grin.
"Maybe you're looking for a letter yourself," returned the young major.
"No such luck," and The Imp heaved a deep sigh. "None of the girls everwrite to me."
"Rats!" came from Andy. "I saw you get a letter from Flossie Ford only afew days ago."
"I am looking for a check from dad," said Jack. "I want it to buyChristmas presents with."
"So early?"
"Better early than too late."
"That's true."
The three cadets entered the local postoffice. As they did so they cameface to face with a big cadet, who was carrying a dress-suit case.
"Why, see, it's Dan Baxter!" cried Andy.
"Hello, Baxter, coming back to Putnam Hall?" queried the young major.
"I am," was the short answer of the bully.
"Been away quite awhile," put in Pepper.
"Yes," answered Baxter, shortly, and without another word he hurried outof the postoffice.
"Not very sociable," remarked Jack, dryly.
"He acts as if he had something on his mind," said Pepper.
"I wonder if he will be as bullying as he used to be," mused Andy.
"If he is, he'll get punched," answered Pepper. He had not forgotten hisformer encounters with Dan Baxter.
"It's queer that Baxter and Ritter don't hit it off better," saidPepper, while Jack was asking about letters. "They seem to be two of akind."
"They are in some ways," answered Andy. "But, somehow, I think Ritter isthe worse of the two."
In a moment the young major came up. He was smiling broadly.
"Here's the letter from dad, and what do you think? He sent me a checkfor ten dollars more than I asked for! Isn't that fine?"
"Best ever," answered Pepper.
"I'd like the same kind of a check," returned Andy.
"While you are wishing, make it double the amount--it doesn't cost anymore," chattered The Imp.
From the postoffice the cadets strolled down the main street of thevillage, and then turned a corner near which were some new buildings.
"There is another cadet!" cried Jack, pointing ahead. "Hello, where ishe going?"
He and his chums looked and saw the boy in the uniform of a Putnam Hallstudent enter an unfinished building. He was accompanied by a heavy-setman wearing a long overcoat and a soft hat. The two were in earnestconversation.
"That looked like Reff Ritter to me," cried Pepper.
"It was Ritter," answered Andy.
"Who was the man?" asked the young major.
"That is what I want to know!" cried Andy. "Say, I'm going to followthem!"
The acrobatic youth was plainly excited, and his chums could not helpbut notice it.
"What are you going to follow them for, Andy?" asked Jack.
"I want to see that man."
"Do you know him?"
"I don't know--yet. I want to find out."
"If we follow them Ritter will think it mighty queer," was Pepper'scomment.
"I don't care--I want to get a good look at that man," answered Andy,doggedly.
The acrobatic youth led the way and his chums felt compelled to follow.Ritter and the stranger had passed between two buildings. They found aside doorway of one structure wide open, and stepped into a lathed butunplastered hallway. Andy bounded up on an unfinished front piazza andstepped through an open casement into a lathed but unplastered parlor.
"Shall we follow?" asked Pepper of Jack.
"Might as well," returned the young major. "Andy may get into troublewith Ritter, and if so we want to be on hand to help him."
Ritter and the man were talking in a low tone, so that what was saidcould not be overheard. They had stepped into the house to get out ofthe keen wind that had sprung up. Andy tiptoed his way across theunfinished parlor and applied his eye to a crack where a lath wasmissing. He watched until the man shoved back his soft hat and turnedhis face around. Then he uttered a low cry.
"See anything, Andy?" whispered Pepper.
"That man--he's the same fellow--I feel sure of it!" gasped theacrobatic youth.
"What are you talking about?"
"That man! Don't you remember how the horse ran away with me and I gotcaught in the tree and was knocked unconscious? Don't you remember mytelling how I had seen a man ahead of me just before the accident? Well,that is the man!"
"Are you sure?"
"I think so. Of course, I didn't get a very good look at him--I had myhands full with the horse. But I think that is the man."
"Then maybe he robbed you, Andy!"
"Maybe he did."
"Don't say that unless you are sure of it," warned Jack. "It's a seriousaccusation and may get you into trouble."
"Oh, I know enough to go slow," answered the acrobatic youth.
Ritter and the stranger had turned to the rear of the house and thewatchers saw something passed between them. Then, a minute later, Ritterturned and hurried off by a back way, while the stranger turned to leaveby the way he had come.
Andy was undecided what to do, and while he still hesitated the mancame through to the front of the house.
"Hello!" he cried, as he caught sight of the three cadets. "What are youdoing here?"
"Perhaps we might ask the same question," returned Jack, as he saw thatAndy did not know what to say.
"Have you been following me?" demanded the man, suspiciously.
"Why should we follow you?" asked Pepper.
"No reason at all, so far as I know. I only asked the question," and nowthe man tried to speak as carelessly as possible.
"I saw you come in here a few minutes ago and I followed, because I wantto speak to you," said Andy, shoving to the front and eyeing the fellowclosely.
"What do you wish to speak about?"
"Haven't I met you before?"
At these words the man started, but quickly recovered.
"I don't think so," he answered slowly, looking Andy straight in theeyes. "You see, I am a stranger in Cedarville."
"Didn't I meet you in September, on the road back of Putnam Hallschool?" asked the acrobatic youth, sharply.
"In September?" The man shook his head slowly. "No, I wasn't here inSeptember--I was in Boston."
"You are sure about that?" demanded Andy.
"Certainly I am sure," growled the man. "Do you doubt my word?"
"If it wasn't you it was a man who looks very much like you," said Andy,pointedly. "Will you tell me your name?"
"It's none of your business, boy! I never met you, and that settles it.I'm in a hurry now, I've got to get to Ithaca, so I'll thank you to letme pass." And so speaking the stranger brushed forward. Andy put out hishand, as if to detain him, but then changed his mind. In a moment morethe man was hurrying down the street. He turned the nearest cornerwithout looking back.
"I believe he is the same fellow, and I believe he robbed me!" criedAndy.
"Possibly he is, but you are not sure of it," answered the young major."And it would be foolhardy to have him arrested when you have noevidence against him."
"He acted as if he was scared," came from Pepper. "That growl of his wasall put on."
"I wish I had forced him to give me his name and address."
"That's true."
"You can get that from Reff Ritter."
"Providing Ritter will give it," added Jack. "He may be as backwardabout it as the man was himself."
"Why should he be, if the man is honest?"
"Perhaps he won't want it known that he met the man," said Pepper. "Hecame in here rather sneakingly."
"Where did Ritter go?"
"To the Hall, most likely. It's time we got back, too."
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The three cadets left the vicinity of the unfinished buildings and weresoon on the way to the school. As they trudged along they talked overwhat had happened, and also discussed the arrival of Dan Baxter.
"Baxter will try to stir things up," said Jack. And he was right, thebully did stir up the whole school, but it was not until the next term,after the young major had left.
About half the distance to Putnam Hall had been covered when the threecadets discovered a crowd ahead of them.
"Who are those fellows?" asked Pepper.
"Pornell Academy lads," announced Andy. "And see, they have spotted us!"
He was right, the other crowd, nine strong, were students from Pornell.They were led by Roy Bock and a fellow named Grimes. They had beengood-naturedly snowballing each other, but now they stopped.
"Three Putnam Hall cadets!" cried Bock. "Come on, fellows, here's achance for sport."
"Let's snowball 'em good and proper!" exclaimed Grimes.
"Everybody on the jump!" yelled another Pornell youth.
"Let's surround 'em," was the suggestion offered.
"We'll hammer the daylights out of 'em," came from one lad, who couldonly be brave when backed up by a crowd.
"Yes, surround 'em, don't let 'em get away!" cried Bock. "Come on!" Andhe led the way on the run, making snowballs as he moved.