CHAPTER XXVII
OFF FOR THE SUMMER ENCAMPMEMT
The present situation was enough to make any pitcher nervous, andit must be confessed that Tom could scarcely control himself. "Awild pitch, and it's all up with our side," he thought, as he tookhis place in the "box."
"One ball!" That was the verdict as the sphere landed in Frank'shands. "Two balls!" came immediately after.
Frank paused, then rolled the ball to Tom. "Do be careful,"whispered Dick. "Take your time."
"Perhaps we had better put Larry in the box," suggested anotherplayer, but Tom shook his head determinedly. "I'll stick it out!"
"One strike!" The batter had tried, but failed to hit the sphere.Tom felt more hopeful, but immediately after came three balls andthen four balls, and amid a cheer from his friends the Pornellplayer walked to first base.
The second man at the bat went out on a foul, and the cadetscheered this time. Then came a strong hit to left field, and incame one run.
"Hurrah! 3 to 2 in Pornell's favor!"
"You've got 'em on the run now, boys; keep it up!"
Two balls, and the next batter knocked a hot liner to Fred. Itcame along like lightning, but Fred wore a "do-or-die" look andmade a dive for it--and held on, although his hands stung as ifscorched with fire.
"Hurrah! Two out! Now for the third, and then knock out thatlead of one run!"
Alas! This was easier said than done. The next player gainedfirst, and so did the youth to follow. Then came a heavy hit, andthe score went up to 5 to 2. But that was the last of it, so faras Pornell was concerned.
"Now, Putnam Hall, see what you can do!"
Larry was at the bat, and cautious about striking. "One strike!"called the umpire, as the boy let a good ball go by. Another realstrike followed, and then Larry caught the sphere fairly andsquarely, drove it far into left field, and made a home run.
"A homer! Wasn't that great!"
"That makes the score 5 to 3. Keep it up, Putnam Hall!"
The home run was very encouraging, and now Dick came forward withhis ashen stick. He had one strike called on him and then managedto make a clean one-base hit.
Another player, named Forwell, took stand next. The pitcher forthe Pornell team was now as nervous as Tom bad been and suddenlyForwell was hit in the arm by the ball.
"Dead ball!" cried the umpire. "Take your base," and Forwell wentto first, while Larry marched to second.
Then Sam came to the bat, but his first strike was a foul, caughtby the third baseman. Another out followed, made by the captain,much to his chagrin. The score now stood 5 to 3, with two playerson base and two out. One more out and the match would come to anend, unless the score was a tie.
"Tom Rover to the bat!" called the score-keeper, and Tom marched tothe plate. A strike and two balls, and he made as clean a one-basehit as had his elder brother.
"Three on base and two out!" came the cry.
"Now, Pornell, be careful!"
Fred Garrison was the next of the team to come forward. All eyeswere centered upon Fred. "Be careful, oh, be careful!" pleadedFrank. "Don't get out as I did!"
"One strike!" cried the umpire as the ball whizzed over the plate."Ball one!" came a moment later. "Strike two!" was immediatelyadded.
Bang! the ball had come on again, and Fred had hit it with all ofthe force at his command. It shot past second base and towardcenterfield. "Run! run!" yelled Frank, and the crowd joined in,as Dick started for home, followed by Forwell and Tom. The centerfielder fumbled the ball, and the four runners came in one righton top of the other.
"Putnam Hall has won!"
"Say, but wasn't that a great game?"
"Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah!" came from the cadets and their friends.
It was a great time for the boys. They gave three cheers fortheir opponents, but the Pornellites felt their second defeat tookeenly, and as quickly as they could they left the grounds, andquarter of an hour later were on their way home.
After this contest matters moved along quietly until June. In themeantime the cadets studied up with all diligence for theexaminations soon to take place. All of our friends passedcreditably, Dick standing second in his class, Tom fourth and Samthird in their classes. Captain Putnam and George Strong heartilyapproved of the showing made.
"That Tom Rover is full of fun," was the captain's comment, "buthe knows how to study as well as how to play jokes."
Mumps was almost at the foot of his class. The sneak had hardlyany friends left, and he announced that he was going to leavePutnam Hall never to return--for which no one was particularlysorry.
Immediately after the examinations it was announced that theentire school would march to a place called Brierroot Grove, wherethey would go into their annual encampment for two weeks. At onceall of the cadets were in a bustle, and soon uniforms were brushedup, buckles and buttons polished, knapsacks packed, and riflesoiled and cleaned.
"Makes a fellow feel as if he was going off to the war!" observedSam. "I don't know but what I would like to be a soldier someday."
The battalion marched away one Monday morning, with flags flying,drums beating loudly, and the fifers blowing away upon "YankeeDoodle" with all of their might. The route was the lake road, andmany of the farmhouses passed were decorated in honor of thedeparture. As they passed the Stanhope homestead, Dora and Mrs.Stanhope came forth and waved their handkerchiefs, and Dick, assecond lieutenant of Company A, could not resist the temptation towave his sword at them.
The camping-out spot was reached that afternoon at five o'clock.The provision wagon and that loaded with the tents had alreadycome up, and soon the cadets were putting up their tents, whilethe cooking detail was preparing supper. The evening mealconsisted of nothing but bread, coffee, and beef stew, but neverdid plain fare taste better, with such pure mountain air forsauce.
"It's just boss!" said Tom on the second day in camp. "Living ina tent suits me to death."
The next day, however, he changed his tune, for it rained intorrents, and everybody got soaked to the skin.
"Ugh!" said Tom. "I wasn't thinking of this when I said it suitedme to death." All made the best of it, and luckily the storm didnot last over twenty-four hours, when the sun came out warmly, andthat was the last of the rain while the encampment lasted.
A week had passed by when one afternoon Dick, Tom, and Samreceived permission to visit the town of Rootville, a mile away.They were not to be gone not over three hours, and were topurchase some medicine needed by several cadets who had taken coldduring the damp spell.
The boys walked to Rootville in high spirits, and readily procured thedrugs desired, then they wandered around from place to place, takingin the sights.
There was a depot, and as natural they drifted thither, and intothe waiting room. Here almost the first persons they saw wasArnold Baxter and Buddy the tramp thief.
"Gracious!" burst from Dick's lips, and then he pulled Tom and Samback. "Here is a chance at last to arrest that thief!"
"That's so!" cried Tom. "Wait, I saw a policeman outside. I'llcall him," and he darted off. While Dick and Sam awaited Tom'sreappearance, they noticed that Baxter and Buddy were holding aconversation of great interest.
"I will pay you well if you will help me in this deal," ArnoldBaxter was saying.
"I'll do all I can," answered Buddy Girk. "But what of your sonDan?"
"Dan is not to be depended upon," answered Arnold Baxter. "Herobbed me of two hundred dollars and skipped out for Chicago."
"Humph!" murmured Dick. "Here is certainly news of Dan Baxterthat is very much to his discredit. I hope I and Dora and therest never hear of him again."
Some other folks now came into the depot, and Arnold Baxter andBuddy lowered their voices, so that Dick and Sam could hearnothing further.
Soon Tom arrived, followed by the policeman, who lookedanxiously at the two men.
"You say they are thieves?" he asked of Dick.
"The short
man is. He stole my watch."
"What of the other?"
"He is a bad man too--although it may be hard to prove it."
At once the crowd approached the evil pair, and the officer caughtBuddy Girk by the arm, "I want you," he said in a low, firm voice.
The thief turned swiftly, and as he saw himself confronted by Dickand the officer of the law his face fell.
"I ain't done nothing'!" he cried, and tried to break away, butthe officer at once overpowered him and brought forth a pair ofhandcuffs.
"You'll put these on," he said grimly, and spite his protestationsBuddy Girk was handcuffed.
"Hold on!" cried Dick, as Arnold Baxter started to run. He made aclutch for the man, but Baxter was too quick for him and slippedthrough the crowd and out of the depot. Instantly Dick made afterhim.
CHAPTER XXVIII
THE RECOVERY OF THE WATCH--CONCLUSION
Arnold Baxter hesitated but a moment on gaining the depotplatform. A freight train was passing the station at a slow rateof speed, and, running to an empty car which stood wide open, heleaped on board.
Dick was close behind him, and as the man boarded the freight carcaught him by the leg. As Dick held on like a bulldog there wasnothing left for Arnold Baxter to do but to drag the youth upbehind him.
"You imp!" he snarled, as the two faced each other on the carfloor. "What do you mean by following me in this fashion?"
"And what do you mean by running away in this fashion?" pantedDick.
"I have a right to do as I please."
"And so have!"
"You have no right to follow me."
"That remains to be seen, Arnold Baxter. I would like to ask youa few questions."
"Would you, indeed?" sneered the tall man.
"Yes. I won't waste words. Were you and my father enemies yearsago?"
At this direct question Arnold Baxter scowled darkly. "Yes, ifyou are anxious to know," he muttered.
"I fancied as much. You tried to swindle him out of some Westernmining property."
"The boot was on the other leg--he tried to swindle me--ranoff to Africa with my papers, I think, or else left them somewherewhere I can't find them."
"I do not believe you, for my father was an honest man, while youare the boon companion of a thief."
"Have a care, boy--I won't stand everything!" snarled ArnoldBaxter, his eyes gleaning like those of an angry cat.
"I am not afraid of you, Arnold Baxter. I shall hand you over tothe police at our next stopping place!"
"Will you!" hissed the man, and leaped at Dick, bearing him downto the car floor. At once his hand sought the lad's throat.
"I've a good mind to choke the life out of you," he went on. "Ihate you all--everyone who bears the name of Rover!"
"Le--let up!" gasped Dick, growing purple in the face, while hiseyes bulged from their sockets.
"I'll pitch you off!" was Arnold Baxter's answer, and suddenly helifted Dick up in his strong arms and stepped to the open doorway.They were passing over a trestle spanning a wide gully, at thebottom of which were bushes, rocks, and a tiny mountain stream.
"Don't!" cried Dick, and snatched at the handle of the car door.He had just clutched it, when Arnold Baxter launched forth hisbody into space.
The next instant, and while Baxter stood by the edge of the door,the long train swung around a sharp curve. There was a quickjerk, and with a yell of fright which sounded in Dick's ears fordays afterward, Arnold Baxter slipped through the doorway and wenttumbling head foremost down into the gully!
Dick shut his eyes at the sight and clung fast mechanically.Then, as soon as he could recover, he swung himself into the car.He could not stand, and sank like a lump of lead to the car floorunconscious.
When he recovered, several train hands surrounded him, and hisface was wet from the water they had poured over him. It wasfully an hour before he could tell his story, and then a hand-carwas sent back to the spot where Arnold Baxter had had his terriblefall.
The rascal was found at the foot of the gully, a leg and severalribs broken and otherwise bruised. He was carried to the hand-carlike one dead, and later on transferred to a hospital at Ithaca.Here it was announced that he might possibly recover, althoughthis was exceedingly doubtful.
"He's a bad one," said Tom, when he heard Dick's story. "I wouldlike to know what Buddy Girk has to say about him."
Buddy had been taken to the Rootville jail and searched, and apawn-ticket for the stolen watch found in his vest pocket. Theticket was on a Middletown pawnbroker, and showed that fifteendollars had been loaned on the timepiece. Buddy had more than thisamount in his pocket, and some time later the money was forwardedto the pawnbroker, and then the precious watch and chain came backto Dick, in as good a condition as ever.
"I haven't got nuthin' to say," said Buddy, when Dick tried tomake him talk. "I didn't steal the watch, and I didn't donothin'."
"You won't tell me anything about Arnold Baxter?" questioned Dick.
"Ain't got nuthin' to say," repeated Buddy, who was planning toescape from jail that very night.
And escape he did, through a window the bars of which were bentand broken. The authorities searched for him for nearly a week,but the search proved unavailing.
"I don't care particularly," said Dick, in commenting on the affair."I have my watch back and that's the main thing."
"But Buddy ought to be punished. Now if it was Arnold Baxter whohad gotten away--after that terrible fall--I wouldn't say aword," answered Tom.
The encampment came to an end in a blaze of glory on the Forth ofJuly, with firecrackers and fireworks galore. The cadets "cut uplike wild Indians" until after midnight, and Captain Putnam gavethem a free rein. "Independence Day comes but once a year," hesaid. "And I would not give much for the boy who is notpatriotic."
"You are right there, captain," returned George Strong. "Our boysare true blue, every one of them."
Out on the parade ground the cadets were singing loudly andmarching at the same time. Everyone was in the best of highspirits, and it was a time never to be forgotten.
Here I must bring to a close, for the present, the story of theRover Boys' doings at Putnam Hall and elsewhere. We have seen howDick was robbed of his watch and how he recovered the timepiece;how the boys joined the other cadets, and what friends and enemiesthey made; and we have likewise entered into many a sport andcontest with them.
With the termination of the encampment the school term came to anend, and the Rover boys returned to their home with their uncleand aunt. But more adventures were in store for them, and thesewill be related in another volume, to be entitled "The Rover Boyson the Ocean; or, a Chase for Fortune." In this volume we willmeet all of our old friends, and also learn more concerning JosiahCrabtree and his little plot to marry Mrs. Stanhope and obtain themoney the lady was holding in trust for Dora. We shall likewisemeet Dan Baxter and his toady Mumps, and learn much concerning athrilling chase on the ocean and its happy results.
But for the present all went well. The boys arrived at thehomestead two days after the Fourth and were met at the door bytheir Uncle Randolph and Aunt Martha.
"Welcome home, all of you!" cried Randolph Rover. And as theiraunt kissed them, he continued, "And what do you think of yourschool?"
"What do we think?" repeated Tom.
"Why, we think Putnam Hall is the best boys school on earth!"
And Dick and Sam agreed with him.
The End
The Rover Boys at School; Or, The Cadets of Putnam Hall Page 27
