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

  CHAPTER IV.

  A FRUITLESS SEARCH

  "Hello, Pepper!"

  "How are you, Fred?"

  "My, here's the old bunch back again!"

  "Well, Henry, did you have a good time during the summer?"

  "How about that trip out West, Bob? Did you kill any bears or Indians?"

  "Getting high-toned, hiring a carriage to bring you."

  So the cries rang out, as the three-seated carriage driven by AmosDarrison rolled up to the front of Putnam Hall. A crowd of cadets hadrushed forward to greet the newcomers.

  "Where is Andy Snow?" asked Pepper, as he leaped to the ground.

  "He went past on horseback like a streak!" cried Bob Grenwood. "Some ofthe fellows just went off to tell Captain Putnam about it. What did itmean?"

  "Tell you later, Bob. Just now somebody had better go after Andy. Thathorse was running away with him."

  A hubbub arose, in the midst of which Captain Putnam, the owner of theschool, appeared. He was a fine-looking gentleman, with a face that wasat once kindly and firm.

  "What is this I hear about Andrew Snow?" he said anxiously. "A horse ranaway with him?"

  In as few words as possible Pepper and some of the others related theparticulars of what had happened to the carryall. Just as they werefinishing, Peleg Snuggers came up on the other horse.

  "This is very unfortunate!" murmured Captain Putnam. "We'll have tofollow poor Snow at once. Mr. Darrison, will you drive me?"

  "Why--er--yes, but it will take time, Captain Putnam, an' my wife wantsme to----"

  "I'll pay you for your time, sir," interrupted the owner of the schoolquickly.

  "Yes, sir? all right, sir. Jump in an' we'll go right after therunaway."

  "Can I go along?" asked Pepper.

  "I'd like to go, too," came from Stuffer Singleton.

  "So would I," added Bob Grenwood.

  "Very well, you three cadets can go along," replied the captain. "It ispossible you may be needed--if poor Snow has been hurt." He turned toJack. "How do you feel, Major Ruddy?"

  "Oh, I guess I'll be all right after I have rested up," answered Jack,with a faint smile.

  "You have a cut on the forehead."

  "Yes, sir, but it doesn't hurt like it did."

  "Better bathe it with warm water and put something on it," said CaptainPutnam, and then leaped into the carriage, and Pepper, Stuffer and Bobfollowed.

  "Hope they find Andy all right," said Joe Nelson, as the turnout movedoff in the direction the runaway had taken.

  "Yes, it would be too bad if Andy was seriously injured," answered theyoung major. "Come on, I'm going in and wash up and put some witch hazelon my forehead."

  "Glad to see you, young gentlemen," said a pleasant voice, when thenewcomers entered the school building, and George Strong, the secondassistant teacher, stepped forward to shake each by the hand. "I hopeyou all had a nice time this summer." And then he asked about thebroken-down carryall and looked at Jack's wound.

  Although he did not say so to his chums, Jack was glad enough to getupstairs to his dormitory and rest. The room was a large one and wasoccupied not only by the young major but also by Pepper, Andy andseveral others. While some of the boys busied themselves in arrangingtheir things, Jack rested in an easy chair near the window.

  "Quite a few new fellows here this term," said Fred, who was present. "Iunderstand that all of the new dormitories that were built in the wingthis summer will be filled up."

  "That shows the school is growing popular," answered the young major.

  "Jack, aren't you afraid somebody will try to get your position awayfrom you?" went on Fred.

  "What do you mean, Fred? Try to be elected major?"

  "Yes."

  "Well, some of the fellows deserve the position. Bart Connors, thecaptain of Company B, would make a fine major, and so would Henry Lee,the captain of Company A. And Sergeant Dave Kearney is a good fellow whodeserves promotion."

  "Then you don't care so much for the position?"

  "Oh, yes, I do care. But I realize that it isn't fair to be major allthe time. I'm willing to step down and give the other fellows a show."

  "But not a fellow like Reff Ritter, or that Dan Baxter you told meabout."

  "No, I couldn't stand for those chaps."

  "Reff is as sore as he can be over what happened last term."

  "I know it."

  "Dale says he knows something about Reff."

  "I do," came from Dale Blackmore, who had entered a moment before. "Doyou know, in one way I am sorry for Ritter," he added.

  "What is it you know?" asked Fred.

  "I don't suppose I ought to speak about it, but it is bound to get outsooner or later. It seems Mr. Ritter, Reff's father, was a rich stockbroker and promoter of various mining companies. Well, this summer hegot himself tangled up in some mining companies that were trying to makemoney too fast. As a consequence he lost the most of his wealth, andsome folks who had bought mining stock from him came close to having himarrested for fraud. It was that state of affairs that made Reff give uphis trip to the Adirondacks and go home. I got it from some closefriends that the Ritters were almost cleaned out, and that Mr. Ritterwanted Reff to give up school and go to work. But Mrs. Ritter was tooproud and insisted that Reff be returned to Putnam Hall. So he is back."

  "Well, that certainly is hard luck," returned Fred. "I wonder if Coulterand Paxton will stick to him, now he is poor? My notion of it was,Coulter stuck to him mainly for what he could get out of it, he nothaving much spending money of his own."

  "Well, I shan't throw it up to Reff that he is poor," said Jack,quickly. "All he has got to do is to behave himself and I'll treat himas well as anybody." And then the young major left the dormitory, tobathe his head in the bathroom, and wash up generally.

  In the meantime those in the carriage had driven along the country roaduntil they came upon the unconscious form of Andy. All leaped out andgathered around while Captain Putnam made an examination.

  "He has had a bad fall," said the master of the school. "But I doubt ifany bones are broken."

  They raised the sufferer up, and presently Andy stirred and opened hiseyes.

  "Whoa!" he murmured. "Whoa!"

  "He must think he is still on horseback!" cried Pepper, and but forAndy's pale face he would have laughed outright.

  "Snow, are you hurt much?" asked Captain Putnam, kindly. "The horse isgone. You are safe."

  "Oh!" gasped poor Andy, and then he stared around in bewilderment. "I--Iwas hung up in the--the tree, wasn't I?"

  "If you were, you must have dropped down," answered Bob Grenwood.

  "Yes. I remember now. I got caught by the throat and then I dropped--andthat's all I know. Where is the horse?"

  "Went on, I guess," answered Stuffer Singleton. "He was streaking it likean Indian when you passed the Hall."

  "Shall we help you to get up?" asked Captain Putnam.

  "I--I suppose so," faltered Andy. "Oh, dear, but I'm weak!" he added, ashe tried to rise.

  "Let us carry him to the carriage," suggested Pepper, and this was done,and he was made as comfortable on the cushions as possible.

  "I wonder did anybody catch the horse?" asked the acrobatic youth, asthe turnout was on its way to Putnam Hall.

  "I don't know. I'll find out after you have been taken care of,"answered Captain Putnam. "You cadets are certainly arriving this term inan unusual manner," he added grimly.

  "You can lay the whole trouble at the door of some Pornell students,"returned Pepper. "They pelted us with soft apples and other things andthat started the team to running away. If it hadn't been for them wewould have come to the school in the carryall all safe and sound."

  "I shall investigate," answered Captain Putnam, briefly.

  "Hello!" cried Pepper, a moment later. He was gazing at Andy's clothing."Weren't you wearing a watch and a stickpin?"

  "Of course," replied the sufferer. He put up his hands and felt around."Both gone, I declare!" r />
  "Did they jounce off when you were riding?" asked Stuffer.

  "They must have! Oh, this is the worst yet!"

  "Did you lose anything else?" questioned the young quartermaster.

  "I don't know." Andy felt in his pockets. "Yes, my money is gone--eightdollars in bills!"

  "Where did you have the bills?" asked Captain Putnam.

  "In this vest-pocket. It must have jounced out during the hard riding.Oh, what luck! Captain, I'll have to go back and look for my property."

  "You are in no condition, Snow, to do that."

  "I'll go back," said Pepper. "Stuffer and Bob, will you go along?"

  "Sure thing!" cried Stuffer.

  "And if we can't find your things where you fell we'll look along theroad all the way back to the Hall," added the young quartermaster.

  "Thank you," answered Andy, and then, feeling a curious fainting spellcoming over him, he laid back on the cushions and closed his eyes.

  The three cadets sprang from the carriage and made their way back to thespot where Andy had been found. They made a thorough search, but, ofcourse, failed to find any of the acrobatic youth's belongings.

  "He must have lost them farther back," said Pepper. "Let us look withcare as we walk along."

  This they did, but arrived at the school without finding anything but acoat-button and a yellow lead pencil. Then they walked past the schoolin the direction of Cedarville.

  "Might as well give it up," said Bob. "It's getting too dark to see verygood, anyway."

  "Yes, and I'm getting dead hungry," added Stuffer.

  "Was there ever a time when you weren't hungry?" asked Pepper, with agrin.

  "Aw, now, quit it," cried the lad who had a reputation as an eater."Don't start so early in the term."

  "I must confess I'm a bit hungry myself," said the young quartermaster."I had an early dinner."

  When they got back to the school they learned that Andy had been put tobed and that a doctor had been summoned. The acrobatic youth had beenmuch shaken up and it was thought best to make him keep quiet for a fewdays.

  "Better not say anything about his loss for the present," advisedCaptain Putnam. "I will have a man sent out to make another search."

  The accidents to Andy and to Major Jack put something of a damper on thearrival for the term, and a jollification that had been scheduled forthat night was indefinitely postponed. Captain Putnam questioned thecadets concerning the actions of Roy Bock and his cronies, and then senta stiff letter to the head of Pornell Academy.

  When Reff Ritter heard about the accidents he shrugged his shoulders andtossed his head.

  "That's what they get for crowding us out of the carryall," he said toCoulter and Paxton, who roomed with him.

  "Yes, and it serves 'em right," grumbled Coulter.

  "That's what!" chimed in Paxton.