CHAPTER XIV THE MYSTERY OF A BRACELET
"We have been wondering why you didn't come and pay us a visit," saidFlossie, tossing back her curly hair.
"Well, you see, we have been very busy with our studies," answeredPepper, before his chums could speak. "We've been thinking about coming,I can assure you."
"I heard down in Cedarville that you had a bowling contest with thePornell Academy team," said Laura. "I understand that you won." And shesmiled brightly.
"I wasn't in that," answered Jack. "But Andy was, and he made a finescore, too."
"Oh, the other fellows did as well as I did," said the acrobatic youth,modestly.
"I am so glad you beat the Pornell boys," exclaimed Flossie. "Do youknow, I think some of them too horrid for anything!" And she drew downthe corners of her pretty mouth.
"Oh, yes, we remember Roy Bock and his crowd," answered Pepper. "I trustthey haven't annoyed you lately."
"Oh, the most of them keep their distance now," said Flossie.
"Flossie has had trouble with one of the boys," went on Laura. Sheturned to her sister. "Shall I tell them about it?"
"Oh--well, I don't care!" murmured Flossie, and blushed deeply.
"Maybe they can help you to get it back," continued the sister.
"Get what back?" asked Jack.
"Flossie's bracelet. Have you ever met a Pornell student named WillCarey."
"Yes."
"Do you like him?"
"No," came from Jack and Pepper simultaneously.
"He has Flossie's bracelet--one papa gave her last Christmas. He calledhere once and when they were fooling on this croquet lawn he took thebracelet away from her and carried it off. Ever since that time she hasbeen trying to get it back, but he won't bring it or send it."
"The mean fellow!" cried Jack. "Of course he isn't base enough to stealthe bracelet, is he?"
"I hardly think that," spoke up Flossie. "I guess he is just trying totease me. Once he said----" She broke off short and blushed deeper thanever.
"He said he'd give it back for a kiss," finished Laura.
"And I said I'd rather box his ears!" cried Flossie, "and I would, too!Oh, I wish I had that bracelet back! I'd never speak to him again!"
"He certainly is no gentleman to keep the bracelet when you want itback," was Pepper's comment. "You ought to send a constable after him,or something like that,--just to scare him."
"Oh, I wouldn't dare!" cried the girl who had lost the jewelry. "Papawould be very angry, I am sure, if he found out I had allowed thebracelet to go out of my possession, and mamma wouldn't like it either.No, I'd like to get it back as quietly as possible, if I can."
"Wonder if we could get it back for you?" mused Jack. "We might try it,anyway, if you say so."
"Do you think you could?" questioned the girl, brightening up. "Oh, ifyou could I'd be so thankful!"
"Let us try it anyway," said Pepper.
"But you will go at it quietly?" pleaded Flossie.
"Yes, nobody shall know of it but Carey himself," answered the youngmajor.
"He acted real nice first," explained the girl. "But the second time hecalled I saw he was of the Roy Bock stamp and I treated him real cool. Iwas very foolish to let him call at all. I cannot bear such rude boys."
The cadets remained to play several games of croquet, and to partake ofsome lemonade and cake. They told the girls about the proposed bicyclerace, and the latter said they would be on the watch to see thecontestants pass.
"We'll have cold milk or lemonade ready for you," said Laura. "So if youwant to drink it won't take you long to do it."
"Thanks awfully!" cried Andy. "That will be fine. I guess we'll bepretty dry after climbing the hill below here, especially if the road isdusty."
On the way back to Putnam Hall the three chums discussed the question ofgetting back Flossie's bracelet. They had learned that the bracelet wasof solid gold, with five small diamonds set in a row. It had cost atleast a hundred dollars, if not more.
"If that rascal really means to keep the bracelet he ought to behorsewhipped for it!" declared Andy.
"I think he is only teasing Flossie," answered Jack. "But he has nobusiness to do that. She is terribly worried."
"The idea of Will Carey wanting to kiss her!" said Pepper, almostsavagely. "I'd like to--to--thrash him!"
"I think I'll write Carey a letter, asking him to meet me inCedarville," said Jack, after thinking it over. "When he comes I'll tellhim he must return the bracelet at once, or take the consequence, andI'll hint at the law. Most likely that will fetch him."
"Want us along?" asked Pepper.
"I think it may be better if I met Carey alone, Pep. If all of us got athim he might get stubborn, thinking we wanted to have the laugh on him."
"Well, if he doesn't give up, we'll all get after him, and good andhard, too," said Andy.
Jack wrote the letter to the Pornell Academy student that evening. Itwas short and to the point, and informed Carey that he must meet theyoung major without fail. He was told to come alone, and was informedthat Jack would also be unaccompanied. The next day brought a briefanswer, as follows:
"Do not know what you want, but will be there.
Will Carey."
"He'll be astonished when you tell him what brought you," said Pepper,when the young major showed him the communication.
There was a small village green in Cedarville, with a number of benchesand a bandstand, and Jack had requested Carey to meet him there. Theyoung major was on time, but he found the Pornell student ahead of him.
"Well, what do you want that is so mysterious?" demanded Carey,abruptly. "I haven't much time. I've got another engagement inside of anhour."
"What I've got to say, Carey, won't take an hour," answered Jack. "Infact, it won't take me five minutes."
"All right--let's have it."
"You have a bracelet belonging to Flossie Ford."
At this announcement Will Carey was startled and showed it. He gazed atthe young major hesitatingly.
"Who told you that?" he asked slowly.
"She did--and she wants it back."
"Humph! Did she send you to me?"
"No, I volunteered to come."
"Want to worry me into doing something, I suppose," and the PornellAcademy student tried to put a sneer into his tone.
"I simply want you to give the bracelet back, that's all. You've got todo it."
"I did give the bracelet back."
"You did! To-day?"
"No, two or three weeks ago. I didn't want her old bracelet. I simplytook it to tease her, that's all."
"You gave the bracelet back two or three weeks ago?" said Jack, slowly."She told me yesterday that you still had it."
"It isn't so! I returned it to her three or four days after I took it."
"How did you send it?"
"I didn't send it. I put it in a box of chocolates and gave it to her."
"It's queer she didn't say anything about that," mused Jack. Carey'sstatement mystified him a good deal.
"Is that all you wanted to see me about?" demanded the Pornell youth.
"Yes."
"Then I'll be going," and without another word Will Carey walked awayacross the green and down the street leading to the steamboat landing.Jack made as if to follow him, then changed his mind and turned in thedirection of Putnam Hall.
"There is a mistake somewhere," he told his chums. "I guess I had bettersee Flossie Ford again before I go further in this matter."
"You might write her a letter," suggested Pepper.
"Mrs. Ford might not like us to be sending her daughters letters, Pep.No, I'll talk it over, the first chance I get."
The chance came sooner than expected. The chums were out on Mondaypracticing for the bicycle race when they saw a buggy ahead of them.They spurted up, intending to pass the vehicle, when they discoveredthat it contained t
he Ford girls, who had been down to the Cedarvillepost-office.
"Glad we met you," said Jack, when the greetings were over. "Pleasestop, I want to ask you something."
Then, when all had come to a halt by the road-side, he told theparticulars of his meeting with Will Carey.
"He never returned that bracelet at all!" cried Flossie, indignantly."He said it was in the box of chocolates--if he hadn't said that I nevershould have taken the box--but when I opened it all there was in it werethe candies and a note asking me to meet him for a row on the lake."
"You are positive it wasn't in the box?" asked Pepper.
"Yes, I am. I dumped all the chocolates into my lap, for I wanted mybracelet and not the candy. When I saw that he had fooled me I was soangry I threw the chocolates away."
"Was he there at the time?" asked Andy.
"No, he went away just as soon as he gave me the box."
"You didn't go rowing, I suppose," said Jack.
"No, indeed! I tore up the note and didn't answer it. Then I didn't seehim for a week. When I did I asked for the bracelet, and he began totease me and said he had put it in the box of chocolates, under thetissue paper."
"And you are perfectly positive it wasn't in the box?" insisted Jack.
"Why, Jack, don't you believe me?" asked Flossie, reproachfully.
"Yes, but I want to make certain there was no mistake. You lookedthrough the box carefully?"
"I surely did. All that was in it besides the candy was a sheet oftissue paper and a tiny tin tongs. Oh, I am positive the bracelet wasnot there."
"Well, I must confess I don't know what there is to do," said Jack,biting his lip meditatively. "He declares he gave the bracelet back.Even if you went to law, his word would be as good as yours."
"Oh, we are not going to law!" cried Laura, horrified.
"I understand. But I don't see how you are going to get the braceletback."
"I've got a plan," put in Pepper.
"Oh, what is it?" asked Flossie, eagerly.
"I don't think I'll mention it just now. I'll tell you about it later,"was the reply. "But you can rest assured of one thing. If Will Carey hasgot that bracelet we'll get it for you."
"I think I know what Pep's plan is," broke in Andy. "And if so, I thinkit's all right," and he winked at his chum.
"I trust I get the bracelet soon," said Flossie, soberly. "Every day Iam afraid papa or mamma will ask me about it. And when they do I won'tknow what to say! Oh, I wish I had never met that horrid Will Carey!"