CHAPTER XVI SOMETHING OF A CLUE
"Tad Sobber!"
The cry came simultaneously from all of the Rover boys.
"Yah, dot's so!" exclaimed Hans. "I remember him now. Vonce I vos askSobber vere he got dot sthone."
"If the stone belongs to Sobber--he must have been here!" gasped out Sam.
"Do you think he is around now?" asked Tom, and threw his eyes about thelawn, as if half expecting their enemy to show himself.
"No, he isn't here now--wish he was," answered Dick, bitterly. "More thanlikely he is miles away by this time--and the Stanhope fortune with him."
"I can't understand this," said Fred. "Unless Sobber has been here,spying on you."
"Maybe he followed the Stanhopes here--to find out, if he could, what hadbecome of the fortune," suggested Sam.
"Sam, I think you've struck it!" almost shouted Dick. "It may be that hecame here, heard Mrs. Stanhope ask dad to invest the money for her, andheard dad say that he would let her know when he wanted the cash. Then,perhaps, he went off, and sent Mrs. Stanhope a bogus letter, or telegram,signing dad's name."
"Say, Dick, you're a regular sleuth!" cried Fred. "I guess you've got itstraight."
The boys entered the house, and there told their uncle and aunt of whathad been found. Randolph Rover looked at the stone with interest.
"It is a curious one," he said slowly. "I do not imagine there are manylike it. If this Sobber had one, then this is probably his."
"You didn't see any strangers around the farm, did you?" asked Sam.
"None that I noticed. Of course plenty of folks have passed up and downthe main road, and the back road, too."
It was not long after that when Jack Ness drove up with the campingoutfit. The boys aided the man in putting the outfit away and alsoquestioned him concerning Sobber.
"There was one man, or young fellow, hanging around," answered Jack Ness."I tried to reach him, to ask him wot he wanted, but he jumped theorchard fence and got away. I thought he might be a tramp, although hewasn't dressed like one."
"Why didn't you report him?" demanded Dick.
"Oh, everybody was a-havin' seech a good time I didn't want to botheryou. I watched the fellow until he was away down the road."
"How was he dressed and how did he look in the face?"
As well as he was able the hired man described the individual he hadseen. The clothing counted for nothing, but the face and manner of theperson tallied with that of Tad Sobber.
"I guess it was Sobber right enough," was Tom's comment. "We ought to letdad know about this."
"We will let him know--first thing tomorrow morning," answered Dick.
All waited impatiently for some word from Mr. Rover, but none came inuntil eight o'clock the next morning. Then the telegram was very brief,reading as follows:
"Bad mix-up, money all gone. Better come on and help in investigation."
"Too bad!" groaned Dick. "I am going to start for Cedarville by the firsttrain."
"So am I," added Tom.
"And I," came from Sam.
Then of a sudden all three lads looked at Fred and Hans.
"Don't you mind me at all," cried Fred. "I'll go with you--as far asMarville."
"And I go so far as Ithaca," added Hans. "Py chiminy! I hopes you cotchdot rascal, Tad Sobber alretty quick!"
"So do I hope we catch him," answered Dick.
The Rover boys were so used to traveling that getting ready did notbother them. They knew they could catch a train for Ithaca in two hoursand so lost no time in packing their dress-suit cases.
"We'll go to the depot in the auto," said Dick. "Frank Rand can bring themachine back here." And so it was arranged, Rand being an automobileowner living at the Run.
"Oh, boys, I do hope you will take care of yourselves!" cried AuntMartha, when they were ready to leave.
"Don't worry, Aunty, we'll do that!" cried Sam.
"Here is something to remember me by!" added Tom, and gave her a warm hugand a kiss. Then the others kissed her, and gave a handshake to UncleRandolph.
Dick brought the automobile out, and in all of the lads piled and AleckPop lifted in the dress-suit cases and Hans' bundle. The power was turnedon, and off the touring car moved.
"Good-bye!" was the cry from the boys.
"Don't forget to let us know what is happening!" called out RandolphRover. "And if you need me, don't hesitate to send for me."
Dick turned on more gasolene and advanced the spark, and soon the bigtouring car was shooting along the country road at a speed of twenty-fivemiles an hour. They had plenty of time to make the train, but the Roverswere impatient to get to Oak Run, to send a message to their parent,advising him of their coming.
Through the village of Dexter's Corners they dashed, around a corner, andthen straight for the bridge spanning Swift River. A farm wagon wasmaking for the bridge from the opposite shore, and there was not room forboth vehicles to pass on the bridge.
"Better slow up and wait, Dick!" cautioned Sam, but instead, Dick turnedon more power, and away they sailed over the bridge like the wind, andpast the farm wagon.
"Phew! that's going some!" cried Fred. "I don't know as I would havenerve to run a car like that!"
"Oh, Dick's a dandy driver," answered Tom, enthusiastically.
Arriving at the station, they went to the telegraph office and asked formessages, and found none. Then word was sent to Anderson Rover atCedarville. After that the automobile was turned over to Frank Rand, whoagreed to take it back to Valley Brook farm that afternoon.
"Off ag'in, eh?" said Ricks, when they bought their tickets. "I don't seewhy you boys can't settle down fer awhile."
"Smoking any cigars now, Mr. Ricks." asked Tom, dryly.
"If I am, 'tain't none o' your business!" snapped the old station agent.
"I just heard of a new cure for smoker's jim-jams," went on thefun-loving youth. "You take a squash and boil it in lard, and then cut itinto thin slices, and----"
"I don't want none o' your cures!" roared Mr. Ricks savagely. "I ain'tgot no smoker's jim-jams, nor nuthin'. I----"
"But you saw things, Mr. Ricks, you said you did. Worms, and snakes, andstrange things----"
"I didn't! I didn't!" howled the old station agent, growing red in theface. "Now you shet up, do you hear? The boys has been pokin' fun enoughat me as it is! Everywhere I go they ask me about my smokin'! I'm sick o'hearin' about it, an' I ain't goin' to stand it, I ain't!" And he shookhis fist in Tom's face.
"Sorry you feel so bad about it, Mr. Ricks," said Tom coolly. "I onlywanted to do you a favor. Now this squash cure is warranted to----"
"Didn't I tell you I don't want to hear about it!" shrilled the stationagent. "You mind your business, Tom Rover! I know you! Some day I'll fixyou, yes, I will!"
"Oh, Mr. Ricks, I only want to be of service. Now, if you will onlylisten. This squash cure is warranted----"
"Stuff and nonsense! I won't listen, do you hear? I won't listen!" Thestation agent was fairly dancing up and down. "I--I--There's the train.Go on with you, and good riddance!"
"Oh, Tom, you'll be the death of Ricks!" laughed Sam, as all of the ladsclimbed up the steps of the cars.
"Not much! Nothing like that will ever kill him," answered the fun-lovingRover. "He's too tough!"
"He'll get even with you some day," said Dick.
"Let him--I'm willing," answered Tom, calmly. He was so fair-minded thathe was willing to take as well as give, when it came to practical jokes.
The train rolled on, and for the time being the boys had little to do buttalk over the situation. At a junction point Fred left them. He promisedto write and asked them to send him the particulars of what they did.
Just before Ithaca was reached, the train was delayed. As a consequencethey missed the last boat for Cedarville that night.
"That's too bad," said Dick. "Now we won't be able to get to the Stanhopeplace until eleven o'clock tomorrow
morning."
"Well, we can send a telegram to dad at Cedarville," said Sam. "And maybewe can telephone," he added.
At Ithaca Hans left them.
"I keeps mine eyes open for dot Dad Sobber," said he. "Of I finds him Ilet you know."
"That's the talk, Hans!" cried Tom. "You play detective and some dayperhaps you'll win a great big leather medal."
"Yah, dot's so," answered the German youth, complacently.
At the telegraph office they sent a message to their father, who hadengaged a room at the new Cedarville Hotel. They mentioned that theywould go to the Axtell House in Ithaca, and asked him to communicate withthem there by telephone.
At the Axtell House a surprise awaited them. Seated in the reading roomthey found Dan Baxter, the one-time bully of Putnam Hall, but who hadreformed and who was now a commercial traveler for a large jewelryconcern.
"Why, Dan, you here!" cried Dick, as Baxter, on seeing them, rushed up toshake hands.
"I am," returned the young commercial traveler. "But I didn't think tohave the pleasure of seeing you," he added. "Thought you'd be off on asummer vacation somewhere."
"We were off camping, but we came this way on business," answered Sam."How have you been?"
"First-rate. Don't I look it?" and Dan Baxter smiled openly.
"You certainly do," put in Tom. "Traveling must agree with you."
"It does."
"And business is good?" asked Dick.
"The best ever. And what is more to the point, I've had a raise insalary."
"You mean the one you mentioned when you met us at Ashton," said Tom.
"No, another one. You see, a rival firm made me an offer. My firm heardof it, and they at once came to me, and told me I mustn't think ofleaving--and then they tacked another five dollars per week on mysalary," and Dan Baxter's eyes beamed.
"Good!" cried Dick. "Stick to it, Dan, and some day you'll be a member ofthe firm."
"That is what I am working for. Going to stay here over night?"
"Yes."
"Good enough. We can talk things over. I was rather lonely--not having asoul to talk to. And by the way, whom do you think was here some daysago?"
"Tad Sobber?" questioned Dick, quickly.
"Why--er--yes--he was here. But I wasn't thinking of him when I spoke."
"Who were you thinking of?" asked Tom.
"Old Josiah Crabtree. He is out of prison, you know, and he heard I wasstopping here, and he came to see me."