CHAPTER XXVI A CONFERENCE OF IMPORTANCE
The cannon was there, true enough, and as they viewed the piece thecadets present set up a cheer.
"It must have been quite a job to hoist the cannon into the tree,"observed Pepper, as he gazed at the object, which was suspended fullyfifteen feet over his head.
"Not so difficult as you think, Pep," answered Andy. "All they had to dowas to throw the ropes over a couple of strong limbs, tie the ends tothe cannon, and hoist away. If they had horses--and I think they had--itwas easy."
"The question is, How are we to get the cannon down, now we have foundit," said another cadet.
"Wait till I see if the ropes have been cut short or simply wound aroundthe tree limbs," answered Jack. "Somebody give me a boost into thetree."
He was soon up in the branches, and then he announced that the ropeswere sufficiently long to lower the cannon to the ground.
"But we'll have to work with care," he said. "For if the cannon shouldslip somebody may get hurt,--and, besides, the cannon would be damaged byfalling on the rocks."
Half a dozen cadets climbed up into the big tree. The cannon weighedseven or eight hundred pounds and was dangling by several feet of thetwo ropes. The ropes were slipped into two crotches of the tree and thenwound around a part of the trunk. With care the boys loosened thefastenings.
"Now let down an inch at a time," ordered the young cadet. "If you findthe rope slipping catch it in the crotch and wind tight at once. Don'ttake any chances, for Captain Putnam would never forgive you if yousmashed the cannon. It cost a neat penny, I am sure."
Slowly and cautiously the cadets in the tree, assisted by some who hadhold of the ends of the ropes below, lowered the cannon to the rockyroadbed. Then all gathered around to inspect the find. It seemed to bein perfect condition, for which they were thankful.
With all the boys pulling on the rope it was an easy matter to haul thecannon in the direction of Putnam Hall. As they approached the campusthey set up a loud yell, which speedily brought many cadets and teachersto the scene.
"Well done!" cried George Strong, as he looked the cannon over. "CaptainPutnam will be delighted to know you have found it."
"Where is he?" asked Jack.
"Out on a hunt for it."
"Let's fire a salute," suggested Pepper. "That will let everybody knowthe cannon is found."
The teacher was willing, and the piece was quickly cleaned and loaded.Jack touched it off, and the report echoed far and wide across the lakeand the hills around.
"There, that will tell everybody we're on deck," cried Andy, with ahappy laugh.
"I hope they heard it at Pornell Academy," said Dale.
"They must have--unless they are all deaf," said Stuffer. "Gosh! say thatwork makes a fellow hungry, doesn't it?" he added, and hurried off toget a bite to eat.
Captain Putnam came in shortly after the cannon was fired and viewed thepiece with pleasure. He had to smile when he heard how the cannon hadbeen discovered swung up in the tree.
"Certainly a schoolboy's prank," he said. "But not the kind I admire."
Fred Century and the others on the _Ajax_ did not come in until dark.They had hunted along the lake shore for several miles, but withoutsuccess.
"Maybe they hung the flagpole in a tree, too," suggested Pepper, with agrin.
"It is not likely," answered Bart Conners. "They'd be more apt to weightit down with stones and sink it."
"Did you look in the water along shore?" asked Andy.
"We did in some spots, but not in all. We can go out again," said Fred.
To keep the flag afloat that day Captain Putnam had a rope run from theschool building to a nearby tree. He said he would wait a week and seeif the flagstaff could not be found and then would order a new one.
"And if I can find out who took the old one I'll make them pay for it,"he added.
Several days slipped by, and then Staffer came to Jack and Pepper whilethe others were in the gymnasium exercising.
"I've discovered something," said Stuffer, and then related how he hadbeen down to Cedarville on business and had overheard Roy Bock andseveral other students talking at the steamboat dock. He had notoverheard all that was said, but had heard enough to make sure that Bockand about twelve other students from Pornell Academy had come over toPutnam Hall at midnight and removed the cannon and the flagstaff.
"They think it is a mighty good joke," said Paul. "I wish we could paythem back for it."
"We'll do it, Stuffer!" cried Pepper. "I was just waiting to make sureBock and his gang were guilty."
"Did you learn anything about the flagstaff?" asked Andy.
"They took it somewhere down to Rock Point and sunk it."
"In that case, the best thing we can do is to go after it and tow itback," said Jack.
They visited the Point the next afternoon and after some trouble locatedthe flagstaff. It was in several feet of water, and held down by two olddoors loaded with stones. Once the stones were rolled away, doors andflagstaff came to the surface instantly. Then the big pole was fastenedto the stern of the _Alice_ and towed to the Putnam Hall dock.
"Let's fire another salute, to celebrate the return of the flagstaff!"cried Andy, and this, with Captain Putnam's permission, was done. Thecadets insisted upon planting the flagstaff themselves, just as it hadbeen before, and the work was accomplished under Captain Putnam'spersonal directions. Around the foot of the pole they dumped some rocksand poured in a quantity of cement to bind them.
"Now, they'll never take that pole up again," said Jack, and they neverdid, for the flagstaff stands on the campus of Putnam Hall to this day.
That night a special meeting was called in the dormitory occupied byJack, Pepper and others. About a dozen cadets were invited to bepresent, including Fred Century, and not a one was absent.
"This meeting is called for the purpose of discussing ways and means ofsquaring accounts with the Pornell Academy students," said Pepper, whopresided. "They had the audacity to come here at midnight and steal ourcannon and our flagstaff. We owe them something. Are we going to pay 'emback or not?"
"Pay 'em back!" was the cry.
"With interest," added Andy.
"Compound interest," said Dale, and this made everybody laugh.
"We have here a fellow cadet who was once a student at Pornell,"continued Pepper. "He knows the buildings and the grounds thoroughly. Heis willing to tell us all he knows, and will even lead us if we say so."
"Good for Fred Century," cried one cadet. "May he live as long as hisname implies!"
"I have been at some pains to question Fred concerning Pornell Academyand he says they have in the building one room devoted to trophies ofall sorts--flags, banners, silver cups, a statue, and so on, which thevarious teams and clubs of the school have won from time to time. It hasbeen suggested"--here Pepper drew down the corners of his mouth in such afashion that everybody knew the suggestion was his own--"It has beensuggested that somebody might go over there some night and----"
"Clean the room out!" cried Andy. "Just the cheese!"
"It's as good as done,--provided Fred will show us where that room is,"said Dale.
"With the greatest of pleasure," was Fred Century's answer. "It is onthe north side of the building, next to Doctor Pornell's privateoffice."
"Of course we don't want to hurt any of the things," said Jack. "Wecan't run off with them as they did with the cannon and the flagstaff."
"We can take sacks along and some excelsior," said Pepper. "No, I don'tgo in for breaking or scratching anything myself. And, oh, say!" hecried suddenly. "I've got a dandy hiding place for them!"
"Where?" asked several.
"I'll tell you that after we have the stuff out of the school. I am sureyou will all agree with me the hiding place will be the best ever."
"In a tree?" queried Andy.
"Not much! This is something better," said the Imp.
The matter
was talked over for half an hour, and then it was decidedthat the raid on the Pornell Academy trophy room should take place thefollowing night.