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

  CHAPTER I

  AN ENCOUNTER ON THE ROAD

  "Here we are again, as the clown says in the circus!"

  "Right you are, Pepper. And I'll be glad to get back to Putnam Hall oncemore," responded Major Jack Ruddy, as he followed his chum from the lakesteamer to the Cedarville dock.

  "Hello, there is Andy!" cried Pepper Ditmore, as he caught sight of afamiliar face in the crowd of cadets, "Andy, where have you been? Whydidn't you come on the boat with us?"

  "I got in last night," answered Andy Snow. "How are you, anyway?" And heshook hands cordially.

  "Oh, I'm as fine as a new-tooth comb," answered Pepper Ditmore, with agrin. "Ready for study and fun."

  "Especially fun, I'll wager. How about it, Jack?"

  "Oh, Pepper usually manages to get his share," came from the young majorof the Putnam Hall battalion. "But, Andy, did you---- Hi, look where youare going, will you, Ritter!" cried Jack, rather angrily.

  A tall youth, carrying a big dress-suit case, had forced his way throughthe crowd, hitting Jack in the knee with his baggage.

  "What do you want to block the way for?" demanded Reff Ritter, sourly."Think you own the dock?"

  "I've got as much right here, Ritter, as you have!" retorted the youngmajor, sharply. "Don't you knock me again like that."

  "I will--if you get in my way."

  "If you do, you'll take the consequences."

  "Bah! Don't you try to dictate to me, Jack Ruddy!" growled Reff Ritter."You got the best of me last term, but you'll not get the best of methis term, I'll tell you that!"

  "Phew! Ritter is somewhat peppery!" whispered Andy Snow.

  "I guess I know the reason," came from a student named Dale Blackmore.

  "What is it?"

  "I'll tell you later--too much of a crowd here," rejoined Dale.

  About twenty cadets, all bound for Putnam Hall Military Academy, hadarrived on the boat from Ithaca, and these, along with some others whohad come down to the dock to see the boat come in, gathered around JackRuddy and Reff Ritter to see the outcome of the unexpected encounter.

  Jack Ruddy had good cause to consider Reff Ritter his enemy. But he hadhoped that during the term now opening at the school the bully of PutnamHall would keep his distance.

  "I am not trying to dictate to you, Ritter," answered Jack, as calmly ashe could. "But I don't propose to let you hit me with your suitcase."

  "Huh! It was an accident!" growled Reff.

  "Oh, come on, Reff!" put in Gus Coulter, the bully's close crony. "Letus get good seats in the carryall."

  "That's the talk! Let us get in before the others take the seats!" camefrom Nick Paxton, another crony.

  He pushed ahead, and his elbow caught Pepper Ditmore directly in theribs.

  "Not quite so swift, Paxton!" cried Pepper, and he gave the cadet aquick shove backwards. Paxton bumped into Reff Ritter, lost hisfooting, and fell over the dress-suit case in the bully's hand.

  "Hurrah! One down!" cried Andy Snow. "How many yards to gain for atouchdown, Nick?"

  "What do you mean by knocking me down!" roared Nick Paxton, as hescrambled to his feet. "I'll not stand for it."

  "Then sit down again," answered Pepper, merrily. "And next time keepyour elbow out of my ribs," he added. "Come on, we don't want to getleft!" he added to his chums.

  A bolt was made by many of the cadets for the Putnam Hall carryall, andsoon a crowd was inside and on the front seat, talking, joking andcheering, as suited the mood of each individual. Jack, Pepper, Andy andDale managed to crowd inside throwing their suitcases on the top. GusCoulter got in also, but when he saw that Reff Ritter and Nick Paxtonhad been left, he scrambled out again, and his place was taken by FredCentury, another student.

  "Hello, Peleg, old sport!" cried Pepper, gaily, to the driver of theturnout. "How have you been for the past fifty years?"

  "Oh, I'm very well, thank you," responded Peleg Snuggers.

  "Heard you had a fortune left to you," went on Pepper, with a wink athis chums. "Old uncle died and left you half a million."

  "Three-quarters of a million," put in Andy Snow, scenting fun. "All ingold, too."

  "Isn't that fine!" said Jack. "Peleg, how about lending me ten orfifteen dollars?"

  "I could use a five-spot myself," added Dale.

  "I'd like to borrow about fifty for a new bicycle," came from FredCentury.

  "Don't be modest about lending us the cash," went on Pepper. "Just handit out as if you had always had it."

  "I ain't had no fortune left to me!" burst out the general utility man,desperately. "Who said I had?"

  "Why, everybody knows it, Peleg," responded Pepper. "Come, don't bemodest about it. Was it really three-quarters of a million?"

  "Maybe it was more," suggested Jack.

  "If I were you, Peleg, I'd not carry so much around in my pockets," saidDale.

  "I ain't had a cent left to me!" shouted the driver of the carryall."This is some of your jokes, an' I want you to stop it! Oh, dear, nowthe school's opened ag'in I suppose there won't be no rest fer nobuddy!"And he heaved a mountainous sigh.

  "Oh, Peleg! Don't be angry with me!" murmured Pepper, with a trace oftears in his voice. "If you get angry I'll die!"

  "You behave yourself, Pepper Ditmore, or I won't drive you to the Hall."

  "Peleg, don't you want me to drive?" asked Andy, who was on the frontseat. "I'm a cracker-jack at driving."

  "Not much! Don't you tech them hosses!" shouted the general utility manin alarm. "That off hoss is a new one an' he's mighty skittish, I cantell you. This mornin' when I was hookin' him up he nigh kicked the legoff o' me!"

  "Say, how are we going to get to the Hall?" came in ugly tones from ReffRitter. He, with six other boys, was standing beside the carryall.

  "Captain Putnam said he'd send down some carriages," answered PelegSnuggers. "There they come now," and he pointed to the turnouts.

  "Pshaw! I wanted to go in the carryall," grumbled Ritter.

  "So did I," added Gus Coulter.

  "Well, this is full, so you'll have to take the carriages," answeredPeleg Snuggers. "Everybody hold fast!" he shouted, as he took up thereins.

  "We are off!" shouted Pepper, gaily. "Farewell to Cedarville and ho! forPutnam Hall!"

  "Wish I had room, I'd turn a handspring for you," came from Andy, whowas quite an acrobat.

  "Now don't you cut up any monkey-shines," pleaded the driver of thecarryall. "That new hoss won't stand for 'em."

  "All right, Peleg, I'll keep as quiet as a lamb without a tail."

  "Why is a lamb without a tail quiet?" asked Fred Century, quickly.

  "Give it up, Fred. Why?"

  "Because he has no tale to tell."

  "Wow!"

  "What a joke!"

  "Throw him out!"

  "Give him some cotton to eat!"

  "Say, do keep quiet!" pleaded Peleg Snuggers, as the boys in thecarryall commenced to push Fred from one seat to another. "Want thesehosses to ran away with you?"

  "Better draw it mild," suggested Major Jack. "We don't want any accidenton the way to the Hall." He looked back at the crowd left on the dock."Has anybody seen Bert Field?" he asked.

  "Yes, I saw him last week," answered a student named Paul Singleton."He'll be here to-morrow."

  "How about Emerald?" asked Pepper.

  "Coming to-night," answered Andy. "He went to Ireland this summer, andhis brogue is worse than ever."

  "Never mind, Emerald is a good fellow," said Major Jack. "His heart isas big as a barrel."

  "Say, but wasn't Reff Ritter mad!" came from Dale.

  "Oh, he makes me tired," answered Pepper. "After all that happened lastterm wouldn't you think he'd behave himself better?"

  "It isn't in him to behave himself," answered Fred Century. "He is abully and always will be."

  "Well, he has got to keep his distance this term," said Major Jack, witha firm look on his face. "I am not going to stand for what I have in thepast."

  "Nor I," ad
ded Pepper. "If he doesn't keep his distance he'll suffer forit."

  The carryall was now leaving the little village of Cedarville. Soon itcame out on a country road that ran in the direction of Putnam Hall.

  It was an ideal day in early September, and the cadets returning to theschool were in high spirits. One started to sing and the others joinedin.

  "Hello, there goes the Pornell Academy stage!" cried Pepper, presently.

  "And there are some fellows we know!" returned Jack, as the turnoutbelonging to a rival school came closer. "Roy Bock and Bat Sedley."

  "I'll bet they are sore over what happened last June," cried Pepper.

  "It was their own fault that they suffered," came from Andy.

  "Look out!" sang out Dale, and dodged down in the carryall.

  Spat! A half-decayed apple struck the side of the turnout. Spat! cameone through the open window. Then the skin of a banana followed, landingin Jack's lap.

  "Stop that, Bock!"

  "Don't throw things in here, Sedley!"

  "Something to remember us by!" shouted Roy Bock, the bully of PornellAcademy, and he threw another soft apple into the carryall. It landed onPepper's arm, leaving quite a mess there.

  "All right, if that's your game!" cried Pepper, and feeling in hispocket he brought forth an orange he had purchased on the boat. Takingcareful aim, he let fly with all force. The orange landed fairly andsquarely on Roy Bock's nose.

  "Ouch!" roared Roy Bock, and clapped his hand to his nose, which beganto bleed.

  "Here's something for you, Sedley!" cried Andy, and sent a handful ofpeanut shells into the Pornell student's face.

  "I'll fix you fellows!" roared Roy Bock in a rage, and catching up aheavy book that was on the seat beside him he started to throw thevolume at Jack and Pepper.

  But the volume slipped and went sailing in the air in another direction,catching poor Peleg Snuggers on the cheek. The driver of the carryallwas so startled that he let go the reins and fell from his seat into thedust of the road.

  As the reins dropped at their heels, one of the horses--the newone--threw up his head in sudden fright. Then he made a mad lungeforward, dragging his mate with him. The carryall gave a lurch and abound that sent the occupants flying into each other's laps.

  "Stop the team!" was the cry.

  "The horses are running away!"