CHAPTER XXVI A STORY OF INTEREST
The cadets listened with much interest to what Bert Field had to say.Here indeed was a mystery--yet more of a mystery was to follow.
"I won't go into all the details of the case," went on the strangeyouth, "for it would take too long. As I said, Jabez Trask sent me toboarding school. He also went into court and had himself appointed myguardian. My folks left a little money and this he handled to suithimself."
"I believe he is equal to it--he looked like a miser," was Pepper'scomment.
"In a roundabout way I heard about the Robertson mill and the Robertsonfortune. My mother and the Robertsons were related and I heard that whenWilliam Robertson died he had expected to leave his property to mymother's side of the family and not to the Trask side. I wrote to JabezTrask about this and he came to see me. He was furious and said thefortune belonged to him. He admitted that William Robertson's will wasmissing. Nobody knew what had become of the paper."
"This sounds like a story book," said Dale, as Bert Field paused.
"Perhaps, but I am telling you only facts. Well, time slipped by and Iwas treated worse and worse at the boarding school. Then, one day I gota letter from an old woman who had once been a servant in the Robertsonfamily. She said she was dying, but before she died she wished to tellme something. She said she was sure that William Robertson had made awill leaving his property to my mother and her heirs. She said shethought he had gone to the old mill with it, and that maybe the will washidden in the mill. She added that Jabez Trask knew about this will andwas looking for it and probably wanted to destroy it, so that he couldkeep possession of the Robertson fortune. That letter set me tothinking, and one day I up and ran away from the school."
"To find the will, I suppose," said Andy.
"Yes. But first I had to locate the old mill--and also locate JabezTrask, who had moved, as I told you. You must remember that I was astranger in this part of the country and had never known much about theRobertsons or the old mill. When I found the old mill I learned that ithad the reputation of being haunted."
"I believe I begin to see the truth!" cried the young major.
"What do you think?" asked Bert Field.
"Jabez Trask makes folks believe the old mill is haunted so that theywill keep away. He is afraid that if folks visit the mill they may,accidentally or otherwise, find the missing will."
"That's it exactly--or at least, that is how I figure it out," answeredthe strange youth.
"Do you think Trask plays ghost?" asked Pepper. "If he does, I'd like togo there and catch him at it."
"He either does it himself or has somebody do it for him," answered BertField. "You must remember that he is a very queer man,--very suspiciousas well as miserly."
"Have you been to his mansion, or to the old mill yet?" questionedPepper.
"Yes, I was near the mansion several times, once during thatthunderstorm, when I saw two of you, and I have been around the oldmill. I tried to enter it once, when it was dark, but was warned away bya ghostlike figure. I wasn't much alarmed by the ghost, but when thefigure threatened to shoot me I walked away."
"That proves that the so-called ghost is nothing but a man," was Andy'scomment. "Well, I was sure of that before," he added.
"When you saw me with the rope I had a new scheme I was going to try tocarry out," continued Bert Field. "I have been watching the streamsaround here and I came to the conclusion that the one flowing alongwhere I met you ran under the old mill. I got the long rope and wasgoing to let myself down in that opening and see if I couldn't followthe stream backward to the place. By doing that--if it could be done--Ithought I might be able to get into the old mill without Mr. Ghostknowing anything about it. Then, if I did get into the mill, I was goingto watch my chance and hunt for that missing will. The old woman wroteto me that William Robertson was a great man for hiding valuable thingsunder the floor. Maybe that will is under some flooring in the oldmill."
"Perhaps you can get into the mill by that stream," said Andy. "But Iadvise you not to attempt it. Pepper and I came through that way andwere nearly drowned."
Then Andy and Pepper related the particulars of what had occurred tothem during the game of hare and hounds. Bert Field's manner showed thathe was keenly interested.
"It fits in!" he cried. "Whoever is at the mill is doing his best tokeep all other folks away."
"Do you know what I think we ought to do?" said Jack. "We ought to marchon the old mill in a body and demand admittance. They can't play offthat game of ghost on a big crowd."
"That's the talk!" exclaimed Pepper. "Why, we can organize a regularcompany for that purpose and go there with our rifles! I think CaptainPutnam would let us do it."
"That might work, if it wasn't for one thing," answered Bert Field."Jabez Trask may get so alarmed that he may burn the old mill down--andthen the will would be burnt up too. Even as it is, I am afraid everyday that he will set the place on fire."
"Yes, that is true," answered Dale. "And I suppose all you care about isthat will."
"Exactly. The old mill is of no account whatever."
"Well, we are willing to help you all we can," said Pepper, after apause. "I said I'd do that before."
"Then you don't think I can get into the mill by way of that stream?"
"Hardly. I'd not risk it. I think, if I were you, and you wish to getinto the mill on the sly, I'd wait for a dark night and then crawl upvery cautiously."
"But the traps? You fell into one, and there may be others even moredangerous."
"I've got a plan!" cried Andy. "I am sure it will work, too."
"What is that?" asked Bert Field with interest.
"When we were near the old mill I noticed that on the upper side wereseveral very large trees. One of these trees had its branches hangingdirectly over the roof of the main building. Back of that tree wereother trees, stretching down into the woods. Now, why couldn't some ofus climb into the trees and work our way along from one limb to anotheruntil we reached the tree near the roof? Then we could get on the roofand from there into one of the upper windows of the mill. I don'tbelieve that way is guarded, and if we worked quietly and in the dark Ithink we would give whoever is in the mill a complete surprise."
"Say, that's a great scheme!" cried Pepper. "Let us try it."
"I'm willing!" said Jack.
"So am I," added Dale. And then all of the cadets looked at Bert Field.
"Aren't any of you fellows afraid of the ghost?" asked the strange lad.
"No!" was the prompt reply.
"We don't believe in ghosts," added the young major. "But we realizethat there may be great danger in visiting the old mill--the visit ofAndy and Pepper proves it."
"And you all want to go with me?"
"Yes,--if you'll take us," was the chorus.
"It is very kind of you," said Bert Field, with a little catch in hisvoice. "Say, do you know, you're the only ones who have been friendly tome since I ran away from school? Most folks think me a suspiciouscharacter and an odd one. Once I stopped at a farmhouse, wanting to buymy dinner, and the woman set her dog at me!"
"Well, maybe they have seen you skulking around the Trask mansion and inthis vicinity and didn't know what to make of it," answered Jack kindly.
"Maybe." Bert Field paused. "I must say I like that idea of getting intothe old mill by way of the roof," he went on. "And if you want to aidme, why come ahead. How soon will you be ready to tackle the job?"
"Let us make it to-morrow night," said Jack. "We can all get away then.Shall we keep it a secret?"
"Sure," answered Pepper. He saw that Bert Field was not one to courtpublicity.
"When and where will you meet me?" asked the strange boy.
The matter was discussed for a few minutes, and then it was decided thatthe crowd should meet where they were then standing, at exactly eleveno'clock the following night. The cadets were to procure pistols and thusarm themselves, and B
ert Field said he would also bring a weapon andlikewise a rope for possible use in climbing. This settled upon, thecadets and their new friend separated, and the former hurried back tocamp, leaving the strange lad to go his own way.