The Mystery at Putnam Hall: The School Chums' Strange Discovery

  CHAPTER XXV

  THE MAN AT POINT VIEW LODGE

  At first it was an even race. Reff Ritter knew how to handle an iceboatto perfection and brought his craft up in the breeze in a manner thatwon considerable admiration.

  "Take care that he doesn't beat you, Fred," said Pepper. "If he does, hewill never get done crowing over you."

  "This race isn't over yet," answered the owner of the _Skimmer_. "Waittill we round the bend yonder."

  When the bend mentioned was gained the _Rosebud_ was a good threelengths in the lead.

  "Good-by!" shouted Coulter. "Here is where we leave you behind!"

  "Your iceboat isn't in it with this," added Mumps.

  "We'll tell them you are coming by-and-by!" came from Ritter.

  "Don't answer them," whispered Jack. "Fred, can we do anything to helpthe boat along?"

  "Just shift a little more to the left--that's it," was the reply. "Nowwe'll soon get the breeze and then we'll do better."

  Fred's words proved true. As the _Skimmer_ rounded the bend, a good,stiff blast struck her sails and away she started after the _Rosebud_.

  "Now we are going some!" cried Andy, his face brightening.

  "Make her hum!" cried Pepper.

  Slowly but surely the _Skimmer_ crept up on the _Rosebud_, until the bowof the second craft overlapped the stern of the first.

  "Not walking away so fast now, are you?" questioned Pepper, cheerily.

  "Just wait, we'll beat you, see if we don't!" growled Coulter.

  "Swing the mainsail over!" cried Ritter.

  His order was obeyed, and the _Rosebud_ commenced to pick up again. Butthe _Skimmer_ kept on steadily, and at last, when the turning-point wasreached, was several lengths ahead.

  "Now for the homestretch!" cried Jack.

  "I hope we win by about a mile!" was Andy's wish.

  The turning-point was a well-known rock, and the _Skimmer_ came aroundthis in fine style. But, just as this was accomplished, Ritter allowedthe _Rosebud_ to swing around out of the proper course.

  "Look out, you'll run us down!" yelled Fred, in alarm.

  "Clear the track!" yelled Ritter, angrily. "Clear the track!"

  "The clown!" muttered Jack. "Does he want to run into us?"

  Fred worked quickly, assisted by all the others and the _Skimmer_ wasthrown out of her course. On rushed both of the iceboats and the_Rosebud_ slid by the other with less than six inches to spare.

  "Ritter, that wasn't fair!" shouted Fred. "I won't race with a fellowwho won't sail fair!"

  "You go to grass! I don't care about the race anyway!" howled the bully.

  "You are beaten and you know it," cried Pepper.

  "In a regular race such actions would disqualify you," was Jack'scomment.

  "Oh, don't preach! I know what I am doing!" grumbled Ritter, and then hesteered off in another direction and out of hearing.

  "What a mean bully he is getting to be!" said Fred. "It seems to me heis much worse than he was when I first came to the Hall."

  "He is slowly but surely losing his grip here and that is souring him,"answered Jack. "Before he knows it he won't have a friend in the world.As it is, about the only fellow who is really friendly with him isCoulter. Paxton doesn't have much to do with him, and Mumps merelytoadies to him the same as he toadies to Dan Baxter and some of therest."

  "Where shall we go now?" asked Fred.

  "Anywhere you please," came from the others.

  "Shall we take a run up to Point View?" and Fred looked quizzically atfirst one and then another of his friends.

  "Might do that," answered Jack. "But the Lodge is shut up, you know; theFords are at their city home for the winter."

  "Well, we can run up that way anyway," said Pepper. "One place is asgood as another."

  The course of the iceboat was slightly changed, and in less than aquarter of an hour they swept up to the dock attached to Point ViewLodge. The sails were lowered and they went ashore to stretch theirlegs, for sitting on the iceboat rather cramped them.

  "Might as well take a look around the Lodge while we are here,"suggested Jack.

  "Is there a caretaker here?" asked Andy.

  "I don't think so, but there may be."

  The four youths walked through the snow in the direction of the mansion,which was set among some heavy trees.

  "Hello, what is that, an animal track?" asked Jack, pointing to a trailamong the trees.

  "Looks more like human footprints to me," replied Pepper.

  "Then somebody must be here."

  "Funny the trail leads from the side fence," came from Andy. "If it wassome person who belonged here why wouldn't he come from the road or thedock?"

  "Maybe it was easier to come that way than by the road, right after thesnow fell," suggested Pepper.

  They walked forward to the mansion and saw that the trail led to theback door and then around to a side window.

  "Hello! I don't like this!" exclaimed Jack. "What would a person bedoing at the side window?"

  "Try the window?" suggested Fred. They had already tried the door, tofind it locked.

  Jack stood on a flat rock that was handy and took hold of the lowersash. Much to his surprise it went up with ease.

  "It's open!" he exclaimed. "Do you know what I think? I think somebodycame here and got into the house by this window!"

  "A tramp, perhaps," said Fred.

  "Or a burglar!" vouchsafed Andy.

  "Do you think he is in the house now?" asked Pepper.

  "That is something for us to find out. If he is, we must catch him andturn him over to the authorities!"

  "Have we a right to enter the house?" questioned Andy.

  "I am sure Mr. Ford would want us to do so, Andy."

  "I guess you are right. But be careful, Jack, that fellow, whoever heis, may be a desperate character."

  "Perhaps he isn't here now," said Fred. "He may have looted the placeand skipped."

  "I'll soon see," cried Jack. "Pepper, do you want to go in with me? Youother fellows might stay on guard."

  "Sure, I'll go in," answered The Imp.

  In a moment more the two cadets stood in the sitting-room of themansion.

  "Better not make too much noise," whispered Jack. "If he is here we maybe able to take him unawares."

  As the sky was overcast that afternoon it was rather dark in themansion, and the cadets could see but little as they made their way fromone room to another. They were just entering the dining-room whenPepper's foot struck something and sent it spinning across the floor.

  "What's that?" asked his chum.

  "I don't know--sounded like a spoon or a fork," was the reply. Pepperwalked forward, bent down, and felt around. "Yes, it's a silver fork!"

  "It made as much noise as if it was a dozen of 'em!" murmured his chum.

  "Hark!"

  Pepper put up his hand and both listened intently. They had heard anoise, as of footsteps overhead.

  "Somebody is up there!" whispered Jack.

  "It must be the fellow we are after!" returned Pepper. "What shall we donext, go after him?"

  "Yes, but we had better try to arm ourselves."

  "I've got the fork."

  "I'll take this," said Jack, picking up a bronze ornament from themantelpiece.

  Hardly daring to breathe, the two cadets stole from the dining-room tothe hall and prepared to mount the stairs. As they did this they heardmore footsteps, this time in the rear of the upper floor of the mansion.

  "There he goes, Jack!"

  "Sounds as if he was going to try to get out the back way!"

  "Hi, there, stop!" called Pepper, at the top of his voice. "Stop, yourascal!"

  "Don't you try to stop me!" was the reply from the upper hallway. "Ifyou do, it will be the worse for you!"

  "Who is he?" asked Pepper, quickly. "I've heard that voice before."

  "I think I know," answered his chum. "Come on, and we'll soon see if Iam right."