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diff --git a/old/51749-0.txt b/old/51749-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 0bdb876..0000000 --- a/old/51749-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4884 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, Fairview Boys and Their Rivals, by Frederick -Gordon - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - - -Title: Fairview Boys and Their Rivals - or, Bob Bouncer's Schooldays - - -Author: Frederick Gordon - - - -Release Date: April 13, 2016 [eBook #51749] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FAIRVIEW BOYS AND THEIR RIVALS*** - - -E-text prepared by Giovanni Fini and the Online Distributed Proofreading -Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by -Internet Archive (https://archive.org) - - - -Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this - file which includes the original illustrations. - See 51749-h.htm or 51749-h.zip: - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/51749/51749-h/51749-h.htm) - or - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/51749/51749-h.zip) - - - Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive. See - https://archive.org/details/fairviewboysthei00gord - - - - - -[Illustration: _Bob Ran with the Pail to a Man at the Broken-in Door_ -Frontispiece] - - -FAIRVIEW BOYS AND THEIR RIVALS - -Or - -Bob Bouncer’S Schooldays - -by - -FREDERICK GORDON - -Author of “The Young Crusoes of Pine Island,” -“Sammy Brown’S Treasure Hunt,” etc. - -Illustrated - - - - - - - -Charles E. Graham & Co. -Newark, N. J. —— New York - - - * * * * * * - - BOOKS FOR BOYS - - BY FREDERICK GORDON - - FAIRVIEW BOYS SERIES - - Illustrated. Price, per volume, - 60 cents, postpaid. - - FAIRVIEW BOYS AFLOAT AND ASHORE - Or, The Young Crusoes of Pine Island - - FAIRVIEW BOYS ON EAGLE MOUNTAIN - Or, Sammy Brown’s Treasure Hunt - - FAIRVIEW BOYS AND THEIR RIVALS - Or, Bob Bouncer’s Schooldays - - FAIRVIEW BOYS AT CAMP MYSTERY - Or, The Old Hermit and His Secret - - FAIRVIEW BOYS AT LIGHTHOUSE COVE - Or, Carried Out to Sea - - * * * * * * - - -Copyright, 1912, by -Graham & Matlack - -Under The Title -_Bob Bouncer’s Schooldays_ - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - - I. THREE CHUMS 7 - - II. THE FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL 18 - - III. THE LOST LETTERS 30 - - IV. SOMETHING OF A MYSTERY 38 - - V. THE BIG BONFIRE 50 - - VI. BOMBARDED 56 - - VII. THE SPELLING CONTEST 64 - - VIII. THE MAD BULL 71 - - IX. THE NUTTING PARTY 79 - - X. “THE DAY OF THEIR LIVES” 85 - - XI. ROBBERY 93 - - XII. BOB BOUNCER’S CLEW 100 - - XIII. AN EXCITING HOUR 108 - - XIV. FIRE 115 - - XV. THE CAPTURE—CONCLUSION 124 - -[Illustration: LOGO] - - - - - Fairview Boys and Their Rivals - - OR - - BOB BOUNCER’S SCHOOLDAYS - - - - -CHAPTER I - -THREE CHUMS - - -“WELL, fellows,” said Frank Haven, “the long vacation is over at last.” - -“And now for school and study,” added Sammy Brown. - -“And fun!” echoed Bob Bouncer. - -He was well named, was this Bob Bouncer. On this bright September -morning, Bob looked full of vim and go. He skipped along the pretty -village road like the active lad he was, bounding through life with a -laugh and a cheer, and getting out of it plenty of fun and frolic. - -“Don’t look so glum, Sammy!” he cried. “If any fellows had a grand old -vacation to brag of, it’s us three.” - -“Yes, that’s so, and no mistake,” replied Sammy. “I’m not grumbling. -I was just wishing that the boating, and the swimming, and getting -wrecked on Pine Island, and that dandy time in the mountains, could -last forever.” - -“Well,” said Bob, “school isn’t going to be a prison, is it? Especially -this school. I found something this morning, and they say it’s a sign -that things will be stirring right along.” - -“What is it, Bob?” asked Sammy, eagerly. - -“A lucky stone,” replied Bob, with a chuckle, producing the object in -question. - -“Maybe it means that you’re going to be put into a higher class,” spoke -Frank, with a smile. - -“Or that we’re going to get half-holiday Fridays,” said Bob. - -“Or that Jed Burr is going to leave school,” put in Sammy, with a wry -grimace. - -“Huh! no fear of Jed leaving,” said Bob. “He’ll stick on till he’s too -old to stick any longer, and pester the life out of every one he meets.” - -“Are you afraid of him, Bob?” asked Sammy, slyly. - -“Afraid?” cried Bob. “I guess not! He’s just like a gnat or a hornet.” - -“I’m not going to play with him,” said Sammy. - -“You’ll have to, in the football game,” replied Frank. - -“Well, I won’t at other times. He got me in trouble last term in a -mean, sneaky way, and I won’t give him a chance again. Tell you one -thing, fellows.” - -“And what’s that, Sammy?” - -“If Jed Burr tries any of his sly tricks on me this term, he’ll find me -ready for him.” - -“How ready, Sammy?” asked Bob, with a sharp look at his comrade. - -“That’s a secret,” chuckled Sammy. “But you wait and see.” - -“There’s the half-past bell,” sang out Bob. “Let’s hurry and see what’s -going on before school begins.” - -The Fairview schoolhouse was about half a mile from Bob’s home. He, -Frank and Sammy lived near together. They had taken the bluff road -lining Rainbow Lake. Just beyond the curve they were turning, the -schoolhouse would come into view. - -Bob broke into a run, swinging his books at the end of a strap gaily. -Just past the stone wall and the line of trees shutting out the view, -he halted dead short. - -“What’s he staring at, I wonder?” said Frank. - -“Don’t know. Let’s find out,” replied Sammy, and both hurried on. - -“The mischief!” shouted Sammy. - -He, too, halted. Frank joined them, and the three lads for a moment -stood looking in wonder down the slanting road. - -“It’s a runaway automobile,” cried Sammy. - -“And a boy in it,” added Frank. - -“Whew! there’s a tumble,” shouted Bob, dancing up and down in a state -of great excitement. - -Not fifty feet away from them, near a vacant house, an automobile -was coming towards them. A boy in its front seat seemed to have been -trying to turn around. When Bob and his chums first caught sight of the -machine, they saw that this boy was trying to stop it, but he did not -seem to know how to go about the task. - -In some way he had gotten mixed up on the steering gear, and the auto -crossed the road sideways. As it reached the edge of the road, its -front wheels struck a fallen tree. As the auto passed over the log, -there was a big jolt. The boy in the machine was lifted up in his seat, -and either jumped or fell flat into a great puddle of mud. - -“Frank,” cried Bob, “see where it’s headed!” - -“Say, it’s a goner!” gasped Sammy. - -Frank was the only one of the three who knew much about an automobile, -and that was very little. An uncle of his owned a machine, and he had -spent a day or two lately with his relatives at Fairview. Frank had -gone on several runs with his uncle. He had noticed how his relative -had handled the automobile, but in a general way only. As he ran -towards the machine now, he hardly knew what he should do to stop it. - -The runaway automobile was not going very fast. It was the way it was -headed that made Frank realize that something must be done. The machine -was tearing up the earth, and running against rocks, and bumping past -trees, directly at the edge of the bluff road. - -“If it keeps on that way,” said Frank to himself, “it will go over the -edge of the bluff.” - -If that happened the auto would be wrecked. It would roll over and over -down quite a steep slant until it reached Rainbow Lake. - -“Don’t get in! don’t get in!” shouted Sammy, his eyes nearly bolting -out of his head, as he saw no chance to stop the auto. - -Frank could hardly have jumped into the machine, it wobbled about so. -But he reached its side, ran along with it, and then jumped to the step. - -Once Frank had been with his uncle when his auto, turning a sharp -curve, nearly ran into a great load of hay blocking the road. Frank -remembered that his uncle had acted as quick as lightning. He had shot -out his hand and grasped the side brake, at the same time turning off -the power at the wheel. - -“That was a narrow graze,” his uncle had told him, as the machine -stopped short. - -He called it “killing the engine.” All this was in Frank’s mind as he -now gave the brake of the runaway auto a quick wrench and at the same -time shoved back the controls on the steering wheel. As a sway of the -auto threw him off the step, the chug! chug! of the machine stopped, -and so did the auto itself. - -The big red car had one wheel wedged between two rocks. Frank breathed -pretty hard as he noticed that had the auto gone ten feet farther, it -would have toppled over the cliff. - -“Oh, say, you’ve done a big thing,” panted Sammy, running up to the -spot. - -“I’m glad it didn’t go over the bluff,” said Frank. - -He might well say this. As he glanced down the slant, Frank almost -became frightened. Three little huts, where some fishermen and their -families lived, were right in the course the auto might take. Just now -some small children were playing near one of the huts. - -“Say, if it hit those houses—say, if it smashed over those -children——” began Sammy, in a gasp. - -“Where is Bob?” asked Frank. - -“He’s helping the fellow who tumbled out of the auto,” explained Sammy. - -Frank turned around, to see Bob back at the spot where the boy in the -auto had taken his tumble into the mud puddle. - -Bob had helped the boy out of the water and mire. Just now he was -rubbing the mud from his coat with some dry grass. The victim of the -accident was mopping his face with a handkerchief. - -“Here comes the man who owns the automobile, I guess,” said Sammy. - -Frank saw a man rush down the road from the direction of the vacant -house. He was in a great hurry, and excited. He shouted some words -at Bob and his companion, and, passing Frank and Sammy, gasping for -breath, ran to the automobile. - -As he looked it over and saw that he could get it back into the roadway -without risk or damage, he walked up to the boys. - -“One of you stopped that machine,” he said, glancing from Frank to -Sammy. - -“It was Frank, mister,” said Sammy, pointing to his chum. - -“I haven’t got much with me,” spoke the man, his voice trembling. - -First he shook Frank’s hand warmly. Then he groped in his pocket and -drew out a bright new silver dollar. - -“You take that till I see you again,” he said. - -“No, no,” replied Frank. “I don’t want any pay for doing the little I -did.” - -“Little!” cried the man, pressing the coin on Frank. “That machine is -worth three thousand dollars, and you saved it.” - -“Well, I’m glad if I did,” said Frank. - -“If that boy back there was my boy,” spoke the man, with a look at the -lad who had tumbled out of the auto, “I’d either teach him how to run -the machine, or handcuff him when he was aboard.” - -“Oh, isn’t he your boy?” inquired Sammy. - -“No, I’m his father’s chauffeur.” - -They all went up to the mud puddle. Bob was helping his companion get -cleaned up in as friendly a way as if they had been chums for years. - -“Why,” shouted Sammy, in blank surprise, “it’s the fat boy.” - -“So it is,” replied Frank, in a wondering tone. - -“Hello,” spoke the boy who had tumbled out of the auto. “You fellows -here, too?” - -Bob’s face, as were the faces of the others, was set in a broad smile. -They all had good reason to remember “the fat boy.” - -“Yes, it’s me,” said the victim of the accident, rubbing some dirt out -of one ear. “Is the machine all right, Buxton?” - -“Yes, the machine is all right,” replied the man; “but ten feet more, -and it would have been all wrong. What was you trying to do with it, -anyhow?” - -“I thought I would turn it around. I only touched one little handle, -and then the foot-plate, and the pesky auto wouldn’t go straight at -all. Yes, fellows,” smiled the speaker at Frank and Sammy, “I’m like -the bad penny, turned up again.” - -“I’m glad to see you in Fairview,” said Frank. “How are you getting on -at the academy?” - -“Oh, I’ve quit there,” said Tom Chubb, otherwise “the fat boy.” - -“How is that?” - -“They said I wasn’t far enough along to keep up with the class.” - -“I see.” - -“You know I don’t know much,” said the fat boy, frankly. “The fellows -all made fun of me. Then they got mad. I couldn’t hit back when they -fought me, I was so fat. Well, all I could do was to get them in a -corner and fall on them.” - -“Ha! ha!” laughed Sammy. - -“That’s pretty good,” chuckled Bob. - -“Father is thinking of coming to Fairview to live for the summer,” went -on the fat boy. “I think we’ll take that vacant house Buxton was just -looking at.” - -“Why, then, you may come to our school?” said Sammy. - -“I reckon I will,” replied the fat boy. “I hope so, for I like you -fellows. Say,” and he grinned from ear to ear, “remember how you met me -in the mountains that night?” - -“Of course we do,” smiled Frank. - -“How you told me how to get even with the students who hazed me? Well, -I did it great and grand, and I’ll never forget you for that.” - -In a few minutes the chauffeur got the automobile back into the road. -The fat boy waved his hand to the boys until the machine turned out of -sight. - -“Well, who ever thought of meeting that fellow again!” laughed Frank. - -“He’s a comical one,” said Bob. - -“He asked if we remembered that night in the mountains,” said Sammy. -“Huh! as if we’d ever forget it.” - -Each one of the boys was busy for the moment thinking of that same -night in the mountains. It had brought back some adventure that had -made the long vacation a time of great delight to them. - -Those of my young readers who have read the first book of the present -series, entitled: “Fairview Boys Afloat and Ashore; Or, The Young -Crusoes of Pine Island,” will recall the exciting but jolly time Frank, -Bob and Sammy had when the sail-boat _Puff_ was wrecked on Pine Island. - -The three boys had been allowed to make a one day’s cruise on Rainbow -Lake. They had, however, gotten caught in a big storm, and were -marooned on Pine Island for several days. - -All the time Sammy Brown’s busy head was full of misers’ hoards and -hidden treasure. In the second book of this series, called “Fairview -Boys on Eagle Mountain; Or, Sammy Brown’s Treasure Hunt,” Sammy induced -his two loyal companions to go with him to Eagle Mountain in search of -a fancied lot of treasure. - -The boys had found no treasure. However, they ran across a stolen horse -and got a twenty-five-dollar reward for returning it to its owner. - -It was during the first night of their camping out in the mountains -that they came across the fat boy, Tom Chubb. - -Some school chums of his at a distant academy had made Tom believe -they were going to let him help them cut down a bee tree. They induced -him to lug along a heavy log chain nearly ten miles. Then they scurried -away, leaving him to guess the trick that had been played upon him, and -to find his way back home alone at midnight the best way he could. - -Bob and his friends had come across Tom, and had given him food and -shelter for the night. Bob had told him how to get even with the -schemers. This was to buy two pails of fine comb honey from a farmer, -and march back with it to the academy just as if nothing had happened. - -“He did it, fellows,” said Bob now. “He says he gave the whole school a -royal treat, never told a word as to how he got the honey, and crowed -over the fellows who played the trick till they were as mum as turtles.” - -“Well, he’s a pretty good fellow,” said Frank. “I hope he comes to our -school.” - -“So do I,” echoed Sammy. “Here we are.” - -A turn in the road brought them in full sight of the village -schoolhouse. They hurried forward eagerly. There was always a novelty -in the first day at school. They looked over the bright active scene -before them with interest. - -“Pretty near the same old crowd,” said Sammy. “See, there’s Nellie -Somers.” - -“Hum!” spoke Bob, slyly, “how is it you always manage to see her first, -Sammy?” - -“Don’t get smart, Bob,” cried Sammy. “Oh, there’s little Benny Lane.” - -“And Jed Burr, big as life,” added Bob. “Look at him, Frank. I should -think he’d get tired of that same old trick of his.” - -“What trick, Bob?” asked Frank. - -“Watch him and see.” - -Their eyes were fixed on a boy who was moving from place to place on -the playground. This was Jed Burr. He was known as the bully of the -school, and, except by a few chums of his own kind, was not very well -liked. - -As a new arrival came upon the playground, he would go up to him and -put out his hand as if to welcome him. Just now an innocent-faced -little fellow put out his hand in response. Jed seized it, gave the boy -a quick jerk, and sent him flat on his face with a great laugh. - -Jed spied the three friends as they came up, and hurried towards them. - -“Look out, fellows,” warned Sammy. - -“Oh, we know his tricks,” replied Bob. - -“You know, when he can’t catch a fellow with the hand-shake,” said -Sammy, “he runs up to him when he isn’t looking and gives him a slap on -the back that nearly knocks the breath out of him.” - -“Yes, and he calls that fun,” said Frank. - -“I hope he tries it on me,” said Sammy, with a chuckle. - -“Hello!” said Bob, with a sharp look at Sammy, “what are you up to?” - -“Never mind. You just watch me if Jed Burr tries it,” said Sammy. - -“Why, hello, Frank!” spoke Jed, reaching out his hand. - -“Fine, thank you,” smiled Frank, and he shook his own hand. - -“Yes, Jed, never better,” laughed Bob, putting his hand behind him. - -Sammy had turned clear around, facing the schoolhouse. Jed saw this, -and his eye brightened. He even drew up his coat-sleeve, winked at -Frank and Bob, stole up behind Sammy, and, bringing his hand across -Sammy’s back, gloated out: - -“Hello, Sammy Brown—wow! ouch!” - -A wonderful change came over the face of the school bully. He drew back -his hand as if it had touched red-hot iron. He wrung it with a pained -look on his face. - -Sammy turned around, as cool as a cucumber. - -“Why, Jed, what’s the matter?” he asked, innocently. - -Jed Burr grumbled out something, stuck his hand in his pocket, and -strode away with a scowl on his face. - -“What have you been up to, Sammy?” asked Frank, half guessing. - -“Oh, nothing but wearing a pin cushion between my shoulders,” chuckled -Sammy in reply. - -Just then the bell rang, and the scholars began to flock into the -little schoolhouse. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -THE FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL - - -FRANK HAVEN piloted Benny Lane among the crowding scholars. The little -fellow used a crutch, and some of the rougher boys nearly swept him off -his feet. - -“It seems like home again, doesn’t it, Sammy?” whispered Bob, as they -took their places at their old desks. - -There was the usual hum and bustle that always took place on the first -day of school. - -Miss Williams, the teacher, welcomed all the boys and girls with a -pleasant smile. She gave the scholars time to settle themselves in -their seats before she called the school to order. - -When she finally tapped the little bell on her desk everybody became -quiet, except Jed Burr. He was leaning over towards Sammy’s desk, -mumbling out something about getting even with him. Miss Williams -tapped the desk sharply with her ruler, and looked right at Jed. He -scowled at Sammy and then at the teacher. - -“There will be no school this afternoon,” began Miss Williams, and -there was a great rustling about, and everybody grew eager and smiling. - -“The school board will meet here this afternoon,” went on the teacher, -“so you will have a half holiday.” - -“Hurrah!” cheered Sammy to himself. - -Bob touched his foot with his own and chuckled. - -“This morning you will all come up in your turn and get your classes -and lists for new books,” added Miss Williams. “The new scholars will -come first, please.” - -Minnie Grey, a shy little girl whose folks were poor, and who carried -milk and eggs around to sell mornings and evenings, got her list of -books. - -She sat right in front of Bob. He could look over her shoulder and read -the list. When he got his own he wrote and slipped her a note. - - “dear Minie,” it read, “I have got all the books you nead, and I am - threw with them. You can have them after school.” - -Minnie had been looking over her list very solemnly. The cost of the -books seemed a small fortune to her. She studied over Bob’s hasty note -and her eyes sparkled. Then she wrote on her slate, and held it up so -Bob could read the words: - - “You are a reel gude boy.” - -Jed Burr, who was watching everything Bob did, snickered. One of his -crowd said “cluck-cluck!” in a whisper. Another one pretended to pull -Minnie’s braid of hair as if it were a cow’s tail, and said “Moo-oo.” - -It made Jed madder than ever when he found he would have to go over the -studies of the last term. Bob, Frank and Sammy were pleased to find -that they were promoted to the third class, and would all have the same -studies. - -Dave Duncan, who was a leader with the best crowd of boys, kept busy -till recess time making up a list of the football teams. It got -whispered about what he was up to, and most of the boys were thinking a -good deal more of the coming sport than of their studies. - -Miss Williams went home at recess time for some reports she had left -in her room. Most of the boys stayed in the schoolhouse, for Dave was -telling of the make-up of the new teams. - -Jed Burr had a good deal to say about it, but Dave settled it all -without his advice. When they had arranged their plans there were a few -minutes left for play. The boys began chasing each other about the room. - -Bob, in dodging a boy who was chasing him, pulled open a door of -a little storeroom just behind the teacher’s desk. He was intent -on hiding, but the other saw his move. Bob only slipped inside the -storeroom, and then sprang out again. - -Several times Jed Burr brushed by Sammy and Bob, and seemed to take a -pleasure in bumping up hard against them. Bob paid no attention to his -ugly ways. - -Then the teacher came back, and recess was over. There was half an hour -of practising on some school songs. After that Miss Williams gave out -some writing exercises to be done at home. - -She went to the little storeroom to fill an ink-well. Jed Burr threw a -wad of paper at some girls as the teacher’s back was turned. He jumped -on his seat and was getting ready to go through what he thought was -some smart antics, when Miss Williams cried out sharply, and came back -into the schoolroom. - -“Who pushed the large bottle of ink off the table in the storeroom?” -she asked, sternly. - -No one replied. There was utter silence as she looked from face to face. - -“Some one did,” went on Miss Williams. “It lies broken on the floor, -and the ink is all over the room.” And necks were craned to notice her -black footmarks from the storeroom. - -[Illustration: _Bob Held His Breath, for It Was a Startling Sight_] - -Miss Williams waited a moment or two for some one to speak. Then she -asked: - -“Has any one of the scholars been in the storeroom this morning?” - -“Yes, Bob Bouncer,” said a quick voice. - -Bob knew that it was Jed Burr who had spoken. He flushed a little, and -rose to his feet. - -“I was in the storeroom, but it was only for a second, Miss Williams,” -he said. - -“Then you broke the bottle of ink?” - -“No, ma’am, I didn’t,” said Bob. - -“You must tell the truth, Bob,” said Miss Williams. “If you broke it by -accident, it could not be helped.” - -“I didn’t break it at all. I wasn’t near the table. I wasn’t over a -foot inside the room, Miss Williams.” - -There was a sniff and a sneer. The word “stuff” was heard all over the -room. Miss Williams looked very sharply at Bob. Then she touched the -bell, with the words: - -“School is dismissed. Bob, you may remain.” - -Bob looked pretty glum as the other scholars trooped out. Jed Burr -chuckled as he passed him. Little Minnie Grey was in tears. Frank was -angry, and he hurried out after Jed to give him a piece of his mind. - -Miss Williams sat down at her desk and paid no attention to the lonely -scholar left in the room. She knew Bob to be a good boy, but she knew, -too, that he was proud and stubborn, and never liked to be censured -before the whole school. She hoped that silence and thought would lead -Bob to confess, if he had really spilled the ink. - -Bob heard the boys in the distance shouting and playing. It made him -more gloomy than ever to think how they were planning for the football -game that afternoon, and he was shut out from it. - -Miss Williams went on quietly writing at the desk. Bob got tired -looking around the room. He dropped his head upon his arms and tried -not to feel mean. Miss Williams thought he was sulking, and did not -disturb him. Suddenly Bob raised his head quickly. - -“Sit still, dearie,” spoke a strange voice. “Sit still now, or I’ll -stick you.” - -Bob’s eyes opened to their widest. The door of the storeroom was now -open. A woman had come from it. She had stolen up behind the school -teacher without being seen or heard by Miss Williams. - -As she spoke the words that caused Bob to look up, she grasped the long -back hair of the school teacher in one hand. In the other she waved a -long sharp-pointed pair of scissors. - -Miss Williams tried to turn around, but the woman kept a firm hold on -the coils of her hair. - -“Why, Mary,” spoke the teacher, turning pale, but trying to act calmly, -“how did you come here?” - -Bob also knew the woman at a glance. She was called Simple Mary. Some -years before, her husband and child had been drowned in a great storm -on Rainbow Lake. The shock drove the poor creature out of her mind. - -Since then she had had frequent spells, when the authorities had to -shut her up in an asylum. Then she would be very quiet for weeks at a -time, when she would roam about the country. Some kind-hearted people -always gave her work or shelter. - -Bob held his breath, for it was quite startling to see Mary waving the -scissors. Her eyes looked wild, and she was not in one of her quiet -moods, that was certain. - -“I’ve been here hiding in the storeroom since before school,” began -Mary, with a sly laugh. - -“Why, what for?” asked Miss Williams. - -“To wait for you.” - -“For me, Mary?” said the teacher, as calmly as she could. - -“Yes, ma’am. You see, I expect my little child home to-night. You know, -she has been away at school for nearly four years.” - -“Indeed, Mary,” replied Miss Williams, humoring the delusion of the -poor mother. “That will be very nice, indeed.” - -“Yes, ma’am. I’m making her a beautiful doll, and I need some hair for -its head. You have got such lovely hair, I want it. Now, if you hold -still I won’t hurt you, but if you don’t I will have to stick you.” - -Mary’s eyes glared as she said this. Miss Williams was very much -frightened, but she sat perfectly still. - -“If you will come home with me, Mary, I will give you some hair I have -that was cut off when I was sick.” - -“No, ma’am, I want this hair,” replied Mary, stubbornly. “Oh, how -pretty it will look on the doll!” she cried. - -Bob made up his mind that it was time for him to act. He saw that the -witless woman would either cut off Miss Williams’ hair, or hurt her -with the scissors. - -“It’s lucky I’m here,” thought Bob, “even if I was kept in for nothing.” - -Bob stooped low in the shadow of the desks, and crept down the aisle. -As he got clear of the last desk, Mary pulled back the head of the -teacher. Miss Williams uttered a faint scream. - -“I don’t want to hurt you, but you must keep still,” cried Mary, quite -angrily. - -Bob reached her side in a quick dash. He reached out so strongly that -he managed to wrench the scissors from her hand. Giving them a fling -away over beyond the last row of desks, Bob got a firm grip on Mary’s -wrist. - -Miss Williams saw what he had done and gave a glad cry. - -She at once seized the other wrist of Mary. Then both held her a -prisoner. - -Mary got very wild. She turned on Bob and her eyes were blazing. - -“You bad boy!” she cried. “When I get my scissors again I’ll cut your -fingers off.” - -“Now be sensible, Mary,” pleaded Miss Williams gently with the -struggling woman. “You don’t want me to send for the constable and have -you taken back to the poor farm, do you?” - -This terrified and finally quieted the mad woman. - -“Oh, no, no!” she cried. “Please don’t do that; please don’t!” - -“See here, Mary,” said Bob, “you know my mother?” - -“Yes, I do, Bob,” answered the woman, nodding. - -“She’s your friend, isn’t she?” - -“Yes, indeed! She gave me a week’s work and a nice room all to myself -last spring.” - -“Well, you come with me, Mary,” said Bob, “and we’ll go up to the -house. My mother has been making a silk quilt, and I’m sure she has -some pretty pieces she’ll give you to fix up your doll.” - -“Oh, won’t that be fine!” cried Mary, in childish glee. “Yes, yes,” she -said; “take me there right away, will you?” - -They felt safe now to let go of Mary. She clapped her hands in great -glee, and seemed to have forgotten about cutting off the teacher’s hair. - -“Mary,” asked Miss Williams, “have you been hiding in the storeroom -ever since school began?” - -“Oh, yes, ma’am, and long before that” - -“Did you tip over a bottle of ink in there?” - -“I didn’t mean to, but I did,” said Mary. - -“Well, never mind; it was an accident. I am very sorry, Bob, I -suspected you of hiding the truth, and kept you in.” - -“It’s good you did, the way things have turned out, isn’t it now, Miss -Williams?” laughed Bob. - -“I shall tell the scholars that I was in the wrong,” said the teacher. - -“Oh, you’re never much in the wrong,” said Bob, gallantly. “All the -fellows know you’re always fair and good to us.” - -“Thank you, Bob.” - -“Come on. Let us run,” spoke Mary, and Bob let her take his hand. -“Remember, now, I’m to have some of those fine silk patches?” - -“I am sure my mother will give them to you, Mary,” replied Bob. - -Some of the Burr crowd hooted and jeered as they saw Bob with Simple -Mary. Sammy ran after him, and Bob explained matters to his chum. - -“Be sure to get back here by one o’clock, Bob,” called out Sammy, as -they parted. - -“Is there going to be a game?” asked Bob. - -“Yes, a fine one, and our crowd needs you.” - -“I’ll be on hand,” promised Bob. - -Mary chatted in her childish, innocent way. When they reached the -Bouncer home Mary sat down on the grass to pet a little kitten. This -gave Bob a chance to get to his mother and explain how matters were. - -Mrs. Bouncer came out, in her pleasant, kindly way, and took Mary into -the house. Bob knew that his mother would do all that was right for the -poor lady, and set about his noon-time chores. - -He had his lunch and then went up to his den to get some of his -football togs. When he came down his mother told him that the village -sewing circle was to meet at the house that afternoon. They would -arrange for the comfort and safety of Mary in some way, she said. - -As Bob started from the house he saw Mary seated in the little -summer-house, looking over some pretty pieces of silk like a pleased -child, and singing to herself in a happy, contented way. - -“I’ve got lots of time,” said Bob to himself, as he walked down the -street, “but I’ll get to the field early, so as to have a talk about -the game with Dave.” - -“Oh, Bob! Bob!” called out a hurried voice, as he was passing a neat -little cottage, setting somewhat back from the street. - -Its owner and tenant, Miss Simmons, the prim old maid of the village, -came out to the gate. She looked worried. - -“Bob, will you do me a favor?” she asked, in an excited way. - -“I’ll be glad to, Miss Simmons,” replied Bob. - -“Well, my little nephew Walter has been staying with me for a few days. -He has been missing for over an hour. I thought he was playing with -some neighbors’ children, but I find that none of them has seen him.” - -“Oh, he’s safe somewhere,” said Bob, seeing how nervous and frightened -the old maid was. - -“Won’t you please try and find him?” - -“Of course I will,” replied Bob, promptly. “I’ll look myself, and if I -don’t find him I’ll get the other boys to join in the search.” - -“Oh, thank you, thank you,” said Miss Simmons. - -Bob turned around to start down the street, when he chanced to look -ahead of him. - -“Why, Miss Simmons, there is Walter now,” he said. - -“Oh, so it is,” cried the old maid, starting down the street. - -A dusty, tired-out little youngster came towards them. Bob walked on -with Miss Simmons, until they reached him. - -“You bad little boy!” cried Miss Simmons, seizing Walter by the arms. -“Where have you ever been?” - -“I’ve been playing postman, that’s all,” replied the little fellow. - -He perked up in a proud sort of a way as he said this, Bob thought. - -“Postman?” repeated Miss Simmons, with a sniff. - -“Yes, Aunty.” - -“What do you mean?” - -“Why, I’ve been giving out letters all along the street, ’way, ’way -down it,” replied the little urchin, with a slow, long sweep of his -chubby little arm. - -“What letters? Where did you get them?” asked Miss Simmons, sharply. - -“Just out of the box on your bureau, Aunty,” was the innocent reply. - -“Out of—my box—on—the bureau!” almost shrieked Miss Simmons, turning -pale. - -“Yes, Aunty.” - -“And what did you do with them?” cried Miss Simmons, greatly excited. - -“I passed them out, just as our postman does, to all the houses.” - -“O-oh! o-oh!” screamed the old maid. - -Then she fell against the fence as if overcome, and slipped to the -ground. She wrung her hands, and screamed outright. The amazed Bob saw -her roll over on the grass in a fit of hysterics. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -THE LOST LETTERS - - -BOB hardly knew what hysterics were. He thought that Miss Simmons was -in a fit. - -“Don’t get scared, Walter,” he said to the little boy, who was -frightened and began to cry. - -Bob jumped over the fence and ran to the pump in the yard. A cup hung -on a nail. He filled this with cool, fresh water, and ran back to Miss -Simmons. She was sitting up by this time and moaning, but she saw him -coming. - -“Don’t throw that water on me,” she said. “I’m only faint. Let me -drink. Oh, those letters! those letters!” - -Miss Simmons got to her feet, and at once fell against the fence again. -Bob wondered why she was so stirred up. - -“I wouldn’t get so excited if I were you,” he said. “What about the -letters, Miss Simmons?” - -“Oh, I can’t tell. That is—they are very precious—I mean important,” -stammered the old maid, covering her face with her hands. - -“Maybe I can get them back for you.” - -“Oh, could you? Can you?” cried the woman, eagerly. - -“I can try,” said Bob. “Were there many of them?” - -“Just twenty, Bob,” replied Miss Simmons. - -“Twenty? Were they all addressed to you?” - -“Yes, years ago. Oh, I must get them back at once, Bob—at once,” and -she acted as if she was going into another fit. - -“Maybe people will bring them back to you,” said Bob. - -“But they would read them first. Oh, I should die if they did! I would -leave town. Everybody would be laughing at me.” - -“What would they laugh for?” asked honest Bob. - -Miss Simmons did not reply to this. She only wrung her hands and looked -worried to death. - -“Oh, Bob, please try and get those letters back,” she begged of him. -“I’ll pay you well.” - -“I don’t want any pay,” said Bob. “Here, Walter, you come with me and -show me what you did with those letters.” - -Bob caught hold of Walter’s hands, but the little fellow hung back. - -“I don’t want to go,” he whimpered. - -“Why not?” asked Bob. - -“I’m all tired out.” - -“I’ll carry you on my back part of the way,” promised Bob, “and I’ll -make you a fine kite next Saturday.” - -“Oh, goody! I’ll go, I’ll go,” cried Walter. - -“Now, Miss Simmons, you go in the house and get some rest and quiet,” -said Bob. - -“Do you think you can get the letters back?” asked Miss Simmons, -anxiously. - -“Don’t worry now,” said Bob. “I’m going to do the best I can, and, you -see, I stand a good show, getting after them so quickly.” - -Miss Simmons went into the house, and Bob hoisted Walter to his back. - -“Now then,” he said, “you must tell me just what you did with those -letters.” - -“Yes, I will,” replied the little fellow, greatly delighted at the ride -and the promise of a kite. “You see, I went down this street to the -next corner.” - -“Yes,” nodded Bob. - -“Then I turned and went down one side of the next street and back the -other.” - -“What did you do with the letters?” - -“I went up on the stoops, just like the postman, and left a letter on -each step.” - -“Did you knock or ring the bell?” - -“Oh, no.” - -“Why not? The postman does.” - -“Yes, I know that,” said little Walter, “but I did it as a s’prise.” - -“Oh, a surprise?” - -“Yes, s’prise. That’s the first house,” said Walter, pointing around -the corner as they reached the next street. - -Bob lowered Walter to a hitching-block, and went up the walk leading to -the house before which he had halted. - -“That’s good,” he said to himself, as he saw the end of an old envelope -sticking out from half-way under the door. - -“One of the twenty letters, anyway,” added Bob, placing the envelope in -his pocket, as he read the address of Miss Simmons upon it. - -At the second house he saw no letter lying around the porch. A lady -came to the door. She knew Bob. - -“I am looking for a letter Miss Simmons’ little nephew left on your -door-step,” he said. - -“Oh, yes. I saw him come in, and I thought it was a circular. Then I -noticed Miss Simmons’ name on it, and guessed the little fellow was up -to some boyish prank. Here it is. I was going to return it to her.” - -Thus Bob went down one side of the street. At every place but one he -found the letters where they had been left. At the one place a boy had -found the letter, and carried it as far as the street, and threw it -into the grass, where Bob now found it. - -By the time Bob had gone up the other side of the street nearly to its -end, he had gathered up sixteen of the lost letters. There was only one -house left. It was a big residence. A rich family named Dunbar lived -there. Bob knew they were still absent at some summer resort. - -“Did you leave any of the letters here, Walter?” he asked of his little -charge. - -“Oh, yes, all of the rest of them.” - -“How many?” - -“Three—no, four, I guess,” replied Walter. “You see, it’s a big house, -and I thought a good many people would live in it.” - -“Where did you put the letters?” asked Bob. - -“I threw them right up on the porch.” - -“I don’t see them,” said Bob. - -The porch was sheltered by vines. Bob walked around the yard. He knew -that no one occupied the house just now. There was quite a breeze, -and he thought that maybe the wind had blown the letters out into the -garden. - -Bob looked all about the lot. It slanted at the rear to a little creek. -He noticed papers and leaves all along this, but he did not come across -the missing letters. - -“They must have blown away,” he said to himself, “unless they’re on the -other end of the porch. I’ll look there.” - -Bob went up to the steps. He paused, a little surprised, as he noticed, -stretched out on a rustic settee in its shade, a shabbily-dressed man -he had never seen in Fairview before. - -“Hello, mister,” spoke Bob. - -“Why, hello, lad,” replied the man, getting up and looking Bob over in -a sharp, quick way. “Belong here?” - -“No, I don’t,” said Bob. - -“Neither do I. You see, I am tramping it through town. Sort of hot and -dusty. Nobody living here, so I thought no one would grudge me a trifle -of rest.” - -“No, indeed,” said Bob, glancing all about the porch. - -“Looking for something, lad?” asked the tramp, noticing this. - -“Why, yes, I was,” answered Bob. - -“What was it?” - -“Some letters. That little boy out at the gate got hold of some letters -of his aunt, Miss Simmons. She lives down the street. He played -postman, and left them at a lot of houses.” - -“Oh,” said the man, slowly, as if thinking hard, “that’s it, eh? -Valuable letters?” - -“Why, I don’t suppose so,” replied Bob. “They were old letters that -Miss Simmons had kept for a good many years. She is dreadfully upset -about losing them.” - -“Say,” grinned the man, “I’ll bet they’re old love-letters.” - -“Maybe,” replied Bob. “Anyhow, there were twenty of them.” - -“Twenty?” - -“Yes.” - -“Did you find any of them?” - -“All except four,” replied Bob. “Little Walter says he left those on -this porch here. You didn’t see them, did you, mister?” - -“Me? No,” said the man, in a sort of a shifty way. - -“I thought you might, having been here probably when the little fellow -left them. - -“Oh, I was snoozing,” declared the man. “Where do you suppose they went -to?” - -“I think they have blown away among the litter down by the creek,” -explained Bob. - -“Yes, that seems likely,” said the man. - -He slouched down the steps and loitered about the gate as Bob took -little Walter away towards the home of Miss Simmons. As he turned into -her yard he happened to glance back. The man he had just left stood in -the middle of the sidewalk, watching where he went. - -“Did you find them—oh, did you find them?” asked Miss Simmons, -anxiously, as Bob came up the steps. - -“Most of them, Miss Simmons,” replied Bob, handing her sixteen of the -letters. - -“There are four of them missing,” said the old maid, counting the -letters. - -“Yes, ma’am. I know where Walter left them, though.” - -“Where, Bob?” - -“At the Dunbar house.” - -“There is no one at home there now.” - -“I know it, but the letters were gone. Tell you, Miss Simmons, I feel -pretty sure the wind blew them across the yard and in among a great lot -of litter near the creek.” - -“Oh, I hope so! Oh, I hope no one will ever find them!” sighed Miss -Simmons. “I haven’t got any change in the house, Bob, but when you come -by again stop in, and I’ll give you ten cents.” - -“Don’t think of it,” replied Bob. “When I have time, Miss Simmons, I’ll -make another search for those four missing letters.” - -“You’re a good boy, Bob.” - -“Thank you, Miss Simmons.” - -“And—and, Bob, please don’t tell anybody I took on so about those -letters.” - -“Oh, no, ma’am, I won’t,” promised Bob. - -He went on his way, whistling. The man he had met at the Dunbar house -had gotten out of sight by this time. Bob supposed he was some tramp -passing through the village. He forgot all about him, and Miss Simmons, -too, as he hurried towards the schoolhouse. - -There was a fine meadow right near the school grounds. This had been -chosen as a favorite spot for sport. The baseball and football teams of -the town played there regularly. It was marked off for both games, and -there were some benches at one corner of the field. At the other end -there was a tennis court. - -“Those letters have made me late,” said Bob to himself, as he passed -the schoolhouse and saw the crowd of boys already gathered on the field. - -Dave Duncan was just telling off the school teams for football. There -was some squabbling, as usual, on the part of Jed Burr. - -“I’m not going to play till my right tackle comes,” he declared. - -“Oh, we can’t wait for that,” said Dave. - -“You’ve got to. You ain’t running my crowd.” - -“I don’t want to,” said Dave, “but if you make me the manager I’ve got -to have some say, haven’t I? We’ll only practise this afternoon, and -get in trim for the real game Saturday.” - -“All right,” grumbled Jed. - -There was a merry boyish scramble as the game began. Not much attention -was paid to the rules, and that made it better than ever. Bob was quick -and active. - -The boys had been playing for about twenty minutes, when a kick past -goal meant three hand-running for his side. He had got the football, -and was in position for a splendid play, when he saw Jed making for him -to spoil it. - -“No fair!” shouted Sammy, Bob and some others. - -Jed paid no attention to this. He ran forward all the faster. This made -Bob hurry. He gave the ball a wild kick. - -“Hurrah!” - -“Ya-ah! three times and out!” - -Bob, with a good deal of pleasure, watched the leather sphere swing -past Jed. Then, with a little start, he stared hard as it landed. - -A weazened old man was making a short cut across the end of the field. -The ball landed directly against his stomach. - -It must have been going with some force, for at once the man doubled up -like a jack-knife. - -He fell flat to the ground, his hat flying in one direction and his -cane in another. Sammy ran up to Bob with a look of dismay on his face. - -“I say, Bob,” he spoke hurriedly, “we’re in for it now—it’s old Silas -Dolby!” - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -SOMETHING OF A MYSTERY - - -“THE mischief!” cried Frank, as he joined Bob and Sammy. - -Jed Burr and his crowd thought it was funny to see the old man flounder -around. - -“Buffer!” cried one of them. - -“Hey, want a back-stop?” echoed another. - -“He’s smashed something,” spoke a third. - -“Seems to be his watch,” reported the first speaker. - -“You’re in a fix, Bob, this time, sure,” said Sammy. - -“I’m sorry it’s Mr. Dolby,” replied Bob. “He doesn’t like any of us any -too well.” - -Silas Dolby was a miserly old man who had few friends in Fairview, and -he was tight-fisted, cross, and too shrewd to please honest people. - -Bob, Frank and Sammy were “down in his bad books,” as the saying goes. -It was none of their fault, but rather a merit. While camping in the -mountains on Sammy Brown’s treasure search, they had found a pocketbook. - -This they gave to Frank’s father, who looked it over. It belonged to -Silas Dolby, who had lost it, and was full of papers. Among them Mr. -Haven found some notes that should have been given to a poor widow in -the village, the mother of little, crippled Benny Lane. It seemed that -her husband had paid money on a mortgage on their little home to old -Dolby. After Mr. Lane died the miser said nothing about this. He was -going to turn Mrs. Lane out of her house. When Mr. Haven told of the -hidden notes, they made old Silas Dolby turn the house over to its -rightful owner. This made Mrs. Lane a happy woman, but after that Mr. -Dolby snarled and glared at the boys whenever he came near them. - -“Hold on, Bob, I’ll try and explain to Mr. Dolby,” said Frank, as Bob -started towards the prostrate man. - -“No, I’m going to face the music myself,” replied Bob. - -The other boys had run forward to where the old miser was just getting -to his feet. His face was wrathy, and he scowled at the crowd. - -“Here is your cane, Mr. Dolby,” said Frank, picking up the stick and -offering it to its owner. - -“And here’s your hat,” added Sammy. - -“Who threw that ball at me?” roared the old miser. - -“Bob Bouncer kicked it,” said Jed Burr. - -“Oh, it was you, was it?” snarled the angry old man, making a lunge -with his cane. Bob stood his ground. - -“Yes, Mr. Dolby,” replied Bob, “but it was an accident.” - -“Bah!” - -“I didn’t know anybody was crossing the field.” - -“Bosh! That ball has lamed my chest. I don’t know but what I’m hurt -inside.” - -“Let us help you home, Mr. Dolby,” said Frank. - -“Get away!” shouted the old man, not much like a person very seriously -injured. “See here, Bob Bouncer, I know your mean feelings towards me.” - -“I haven’t any,” declared Bob. - -“Bah! Well, whether you have or not, who’s going to pay for that?” - -Mr. Dolby pointed down to the spot where he had fallen. A half-sunken -stone marked a base. In falling, it seemed that his watch had spilled -out of his pocket. It had landed on the stone. There it lay, its case -open and bent, and its glass face smashed in. - -“It’s too bad, I declare!” spoke Frank. “Mr. Dolby, we’re awfully sorry -you broke your watch.” - -“I didn’t break it,” snarled the perverse old man. “You fellows smashed -it—Bob Bouncer did. Think it smart, don’t you?” - -“No, I don’t,” answered Bob, “for I didn’t mean to do it.” - -“Well, I’ll make you smart for it, never fear.” - -“Maybe the watch isn’t much hurt,” said Sammy. - -“Hurt? It’s ruined!” cried old Dolby. “A valuable old timepiece, too. -Why, I wouldn’t lose that watch for one hundred dollars.” - -“See here, Mr. Dolby,” spoke Frank, somewhat angry at the way the old -man talked, “we’ll get the watch fixed for you.” - -“Huh! you’ll have to.” - -“My father has bought out the Jones jewelry store, and put my uncle -in charge. I’ll tell him about the watch, and if you’ll give it to me -he’ll mend it for you.” - -“Give it to you and never see it again?” sneered the old man. “Not -much.” - -“Then fetch it down to the store, and my uncle will fix it.” - -Silas Dolby did not say much after this. He took up the watch, shook -his cane at the boys, and went away grumbling to himself. - -“I hope that watch won’t cost much,” said Bob. - -“Well, I’ve got a dollar towards fixing it,” said Frank. “The money the -chauffeur gave us, you know.” - -“We’ll all pitch in and work out the rest of it,” said Sammy, -cheerfully, for he saw that Bob was rather glum over his bad luck. - -The accident quite dampened their spirits, and they did not take much -more interest in the game. - -About three o’clock, as they were leaving the field, Dave Duncan came -up to them. - -“Hi, you fellows,” he sang out in his usual lively fashion, “our crowd -is in for a picnic to-night.” - -“Is that so?” asked Frank. - -“Yes, we’re to meet at the Cove at seven o’clock.” - -“A boating party, eh?” inquired Bob. - -“No, we call it a clam bake, but, of course, there won’t be many clams. -We’ll have a big bonfire, and some of the fellows are going to bring a -lunch.” - -“Jolly,” said Sammy. “I’ll be there.” - -“So will I,” added Bob. - -“Count me in, Dave,” said Frank. - -He and Bob and Sammy started homewards. They were all thinking of the -broken watch. - -“I think I’ll go around to the store and tell my uncle about that -watch,” said Frank. - -“I’ll go, too,” said Sammy. - -“I’ve got to go home for a bit,” said Bob. “But I’ll come around to -your house in about half an hour.” - -“All right.” - -Bob went home. His mother at noon had asked him to call some time -during the afternoon, to take a note to a lady living some distance -from them. Bob got the note and delivered it. Then he started on his -way to look for his chums. - -As he came to the street where Miss Simmons lived, Bob continued down -it. - -“It’s only a block out of my way,” he said. “Maybe something new has -turned up about those letters. I’m curious to know.” - -Just as Bob got near the Simmons place, he paused and drew back in the -shelter of a big oak tree. - -“That’s queer,” he could not help saying, and he peered curiously at -the gateway of the place. A man was just passing through it. - -The lad stood stock still and stared as he saw that this man was the -tramp he had caught lounging about the Dunbar place. The fellow was too -much taken up with what he was about to notice Bob. Besides, he started -from the gate in the opposite direction. - -As he did so, Bob noticed that he was looking over some money in his -hand. Bob caught sight of a green bank note, and heard some loose -silver jingled. The man thrust this money into his pocket, and folded -up a piece of paper that made Bob think of a note or a check. - -“I don’t understand that at all,” spoke out Bob. “And I don’t like it -at all,” he added, after a moment’s thought. “I guess I’ll see Miss -Simmons.” - -Bob entered the yard. As he came up the steps of the porch he heard -some one sobbing. Looking towards the other end of the porch he made -out Miss Simmons. - -She was seated in a porch rocker and looked very wretched. As she saw -Bob she tried to hide her tears. - -“Why, what is the matter, Miss Simmons?” asked the lad in a kindly way. - -“Oh, nothing,” replied the old maid. “You see, I have had a very trying -afternoon.” - -“I suppose so,” said Bob. “Miss Simmons, I just saw a man leave here. -He’s a stranger in Fairview, I think.” - -Miss Simmons looked quite startled at this. She flushed a little and -clasped her hands nervously. - -“Why—why, Bob, I guess he is,” she stammered. - -“Was he begging? I think he is a tramp.” - -“Yes, that’s it,” nodded the old maid, quickly. - -“I thought I would stop in as I was going by,” said Bob. “I’ll try and -get time to look again for those four missing letters this afternoon, -Miss Simmons.” - -“Oh, no, you needn’t do that.” - -“Why not?” - -“Because they have been found,” said Miss Simmons. “See, I have them -all now,” and she drew aside her apron to show a package in her lap. - -“Well, I’m awful glad you got them back,” said Bob. - -He was very much surprised, but Miss Simmons did not explain any -further. - -“I guess I’ll go,” he said, moving down the steps. “If I can help you -in any way, Miss Simmons, please tell me.” - -“No, Bob,” replied the old maid, “there is nothing you can do. I am -greatly obliged for what you have done. I’ll have a little change for -you when I see you again.” - -Bob went away slowly. He did not at all like the looks of things. - -“Sort of funny,” he thought. “She has got those letters back, she says. -How did she get them? I’ll bet I know. That tramp found them.” - -Bob walked along, figuring out his own ideas. - -“I feel pretty sure that tramp told me a story,” he said to himself. “I -was goose enough to tell him about the letters and Miss Simmons. He had -the letters all the time he was pumping me on the porch of the Dunbar -place. Then he came to Miss Simmons and made the poor woman pay a lot -for them. How much, I wonder? I hope she wasn’t foolish enough to let -the fellow rob her.” - -Bob had promised Miss Simmons that he would say nothing about the -letters. A few minutes later he saw Frank and Sammy coming down the -street. - -“I wish I could tell them about Miss Simmons, and see what they think -about it,” he mused. “I can’t do it, though, and keep my word. Hello, -fellows, which way?” he hailed, as he came up to his chums. - -“We’re going up to Mr. Dolby’s,” said Sammy. - -“What for?” asked Bob. - -“My uncle told me to go up there and get that watch,” explained Frank. - -“To have it mended?” - -“Yes, he says he’ll do it for nothing for us.” - -“That’s good!” cried Bob. “Come on, I’ll go with you. What’s that, -Frank?” he asked, as he saw his friend put a key from his hand into his -coat pocket. - -“It’s an extra key to the jewelry store.” - -“Are you going to carry one?” - -“Oh, no,” replied Frank, with a laugh. “My uncle got it made, and I’m -to take it to my father, so if he ever wants to get into the store when -uncle is away he can do so.” - -“I see.” - -“Father has put a lot of money into the business,” went on Frank. - -“So I heard.” - -“You see, uncle is a watchmaker, and both thought it would be a good -thing to buy out the old jeweler, Jones, who wanted to move to the -city.” - -The boys reached the Dolby house to find it shut up tight and as dismal -looking as ever. Frank went up the walk, while his comrades waited at -the gate. - -Just as he went up the steps there was a rush and a growl, and a savage -dog came running up to Frank. - -[Illustration: _The Animal Growled and Sprang at Him_] - -Every boy in Fairview was afraid of the old miser’s dog. A good many -had pelted him as they went by the place, and that made him ugly. Silas -Dolby, it was said, half starved the poor animal, and that made him -fierce. - -“Get back! Go away!” called Frank, backing away from the dog. - -The animal growled and sprang and snapped at him. Frank stumbled over a -broken board. Then he picked up a crotched piece of tree wood. The dog -fought him half way back to the gate, when Bob and Sammy came running -up to the rescue of their chum. The dog had caught and torn Frank’s -sleeve. They beat him off with switches, but the animal was vicious and -stubborn, and followed them up. - -Just as they got through the gate and slammed it shut, Mr. Dolby -appeared on the steps. - -“Hi, there; what are you up to?” he shouted. - -“I had a message for you, but your dog wouldn’t let me in,” said Frank. - -“What’s your message?” asked the old man, surlily. - -“My uncle says he will fix up your watch for you as good as new.” - -“Who pays for it?” - -“We have arranged for that.” - -“All right, I’ll take it down to him this evening.” - -Sammy was brushing the dirt from Frank’s clothing while this talk was -going on. - -“I’m a good deal mussed up,” said Frank. - -“We won’t go into that yard again in a hurry,” said Bob. - -Frank was smoothing down his coat. He happened to feel in his pockets -to see if everything was safe. - -“Hello!” he cried, suddenly. - -“What’s the matter?” asked Bob. - -“The key.” - -“What about it?” - -“It’s gone! You saw me put it in my pocket on our way here.” - -“Yes.” - -“It must have fallen out of my pocket over in the yard there.” - -“Think so? Oh, say, Mr. Dolby!” called out Bob. - -“Well, what is it?” asked the old man, who was just going back into the -house. - -“I wish you would chain up that dog of yours for a few minutes.” - -“What for?” - -“Frank has lost a key in your yard, and he wants to find it.” - -“Key to what?” growled old Dolby. - -“To my father’s jewelry store,” explained Frank. - -“What were you doing with it?” - -“My uncle asked me to take it up to the house.” - -“Huh! You’re making a great lot of trouble.” - -Mr. Dolby picked up a heavy club off the porch and started after -the dog. When the animal dodged his blows he flung the club at him, -striking him on the ribs. The dog howled with pain, slunk into his -kennel, and then his master chained him up. - -The boys now came into the yard. They looked and groped all over the -garden where Frank had backed away from the dog. Silas Dolby stood -watching them. - -“Give it up,” at length spoke Frank. - -“Yes, we’ve gone over the ground pretty well,” said Sammy. - -“Perhaps I lost the key before I came here,” added Frank. “Thank you, -Mr. Dolby.” - -The old miser only grunted and scowled. The boys started for home. - -As they came to the next corner Bob chanced to look back. He hung -behind his chatting companions for a moment or two. - -“That’s queer again,” he said to himself. - -He had seen a man turn into the Dolby place. It was only a glimpse he -had of the fellow, but Bob was quite startled. - -“Hey, what are you lagging behind for?” called out Sammy, briskly. - -“Pshaw!” mused Bob, “I’ve got my head so full of that tramp, I take -every stranger I see for him. It couldn’t have been him I just saw go -into Dolby’s. And if it was, what of it?” - -With that Bob let the subject drift out of his mind. He joined his -chums, who were gaily talking over their plans for the big bonfire on -the beach of Rainbow Lake that night. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -THE BIG BONFIRE - - -“BOB, isn’t this fine?” cried Frank. - -“Jolly!” replied Bob, with vim. - -“And the eating—um! um!” gloated Sammy, nibbling at a toasted piece of -cheese on the end of a stick. - -The big bonfire was in progress, and it was a great success. During -the afternoon Dave Duncan and some friends had gathered up all the -driftwood along the beach of Rainbow Lake for half a mile. It was now -blazing cheerily. - -Others of the crowd had brought the eatables. A farmer’s boy had -donated a quarter of a cheese. Another had brought a whole ham, -home-smoked. The baker’s boy had come on the scene with a box of -crackers and some doughnuts. - -It was a regular toasting bee. The great fire cast a cheery glow out -over the beautiful blue waters of the lake. It lit up a group of -lively, happy faces, The crowd roasted potatoes, ham, crackers and -cheese. Forks made out of branches were used as toasters, and the -novelty and variety gave the boys wonderful appetites. - -“I’m sorry Ben Travers and Dick Hazelton are missing this,” said Dave, -sprinkling some salt into a luscious, roasted potato. - -“Yes, they promised to come,” spoke Sammy. - -“Here they are, now!” cried Bob, as two welcome figures came into the -glow of the campfire. - -“Hurrah!” shouted half a dozen jubilant voices. - -Dick carried over his shoulder a great big corn popper, and Ben a bag. - -“Had to do some running around to gather up half a bushel of prime pop -corn,” reported Ben. - -Soon there was the swish-swish! of the hard kernels in the popper. -Then—pop-pop-pop! Eager eyes watched the little snow white mountain in -the popper grow and try to burst its cage. - -“Here you are, fellows!” sang out Ben, emptying several quarts of the -popped corn on the spread-out bag he had brought along. - -Ben had a can of salt, and each one fixed the corn to his liking. -Very soon all hands had eaten their fill and were bubbling over with -excitement and fun. - -Five mischief-makers, including Bob and Sammy, dubbed themselves a -“Committee” to get up a programme. They went aside a little to make -their plans. There were some suspicious and mysterious whisperings. -Three of the crowd disappeared in the shadows down the beach. - -“Now then, fellows,” sang out Dave, mounting a rock, as if it was a -throne, “attention and order.” - -“Set the ball rolling,” drawled out lazy Tim Barker, who had eaten so -much that he lay flat on the sand. - -“Speech! speech!” called out Bob. - -“Yes, that’s good,” said Dave. “Let’s see—whom shall we select?” - -“Why, Clarence Brooks here is the orator of the school, isn’t he?” said -Sammy, winking. - -Clarence was a fussy little fellow whose father was a public lecturer. -He was always ready to speak a piece. - -“Give us ‘The Boy Stood on the Burning Deck,’ Clarence,” suggested -Frank. - -“Oh, that’s too old,” sang out Tim Barker. - -“That’s why he knows it so well,” chuckled Dick Hazelton. - -“All right,” bowed Clarence, putting one hand behind him, as he had -seen his father do on the lecture platform. “‘The boy——’” - -“Hold on!” cried Bob. “You’ve got to have a ‘deck’ to stand on.” - -“Here,” said Sammy, “this is just the thing for it.” - -An anchor log floated right near to the beach. It was pretty steady, -and after some wobbling Clarence got a foot-hold on it. - -“‘The boy stood on the burning deck——’” he began. - -Flop! - -Splash! - -Mischief lovers hiding behind a near rock had given a rope tied to the -log a sudden jerk. Clarence took a dive. - -His mouth was so full of water and sand, as they fished him out, that -he could not say much. He acted pretty grumpy, until the next thing -on the programme made him laugh with the others, and forget his own -troubles. - -“A song!” shouted Bob. - -Everybody looked at Dudley Norton. He always sang at the school -exhibitions. - -“Come on, Dud,” called out Dave. “There’s no piano here, but ‘What Are -the Wild Waves Saying’ will sound real cute.” - -Dudley had a fairly good voice. He got the first line out all right. -Then—— - -Ba-a! - -Me-aiow! - -Honk-honk-honk! - -To-whit! to-whoo! - -Catcalls, hootings, imitations of all kinds of animals rang out from -a dozen spots among the shrubbery of the bluff side, where one-half of -the crowd had secretly placed themselves. At the end of every line they -had some new hoots and calls. - -A hideous babel rang out at the end of the song. - -Dudley, however, stuck manfully to his task. As he sounded the last -note something whizzed through the air. It was then that Clarence -laughed. - -Some flying missile came whirling towards the bonfire. Then another, -and another. The first one landed directly in the open mouth of the -singer. - -Swish-chug-splatter! - -Dudley seemed to swallow the last note of the song. The second missile -landed on the nose of the “chairman” of the crowd, Dave. The surprise -and the force sent him backwards, and he landed flat on his back on the -sand. - -“Yah-yahoo! Bob! bing! boo! Biggity-baggity, Blue! Blue! Blue!” - -This was the war-cry adopted by “The Blues,” as the Burr crowd had -dubbed themselves. A regular shower of missiles began to rain down from -the top of the bluff. - -“Tomatoes!” gurgled Dave, rubbing his face. - -“And ripe ones, too!” added Clarence, with a grimace. - -“Give them the chase!” said Bob. - -“No, they’ll round on us and spoil our campfire,” said Dave. - -The triumphant cries of “The Blues” died away in the distance. Then -Dave suggested a game. - -The crowd was divided. A space about twenty feet either side of the -fire was marked with stakes. It was a sort of “Hunt the Gray,” only -that one side was given time to disappear in the darkness. They could -hide along the beach, or in among the shrubbery of the bluff side, as -they chose. - -Six of the party held “the fort,” as the staked-off space was called, -three at either end. The other six were called “scouts.” They were sent -out to rout out and capture “the enemy.” Any of the latter who got into -the fort without being tagged, became a “ranger” for the next game as -well. - -Every once in a while it was the rule that a ranger should give out a -signal shout, so as to direct the scouts in the direction of his hiding -place. - -Bob kept with his fellow rangers until they scattered to different -points along the bluff side. Then he tried a scheme of getting into the -fort on his own hook. - -There was not a foot on the bluff that Bob did not know by heart. He -aimed to reach a point where a sharp descent led right down to the -campfire. If he could get on a line between the stakes, and could run, -tumble or slide fast enough, he counted on landing in the fort before -any one could reach and tag him. - -Edging along in among the shrubbery, Bob finally reached the bare spot -in the shelving bluff where he was to try his dash for the fort. - -“I guess the way is clear,” he said to himself, peering around the edge -of a nest of shrubbery on a shelf of rocks. - -Then Bob was a good deal surprised to catch the sound of voices. At -first he thought it was some of the Burr crowd lying in ambush, and -pricked up his ears sharply. - -As he listened, Bob traced the voices right beyond him. They were -men’s voices. By stooping and peering through a network of vines, Bob -made out two men lying on the ground. There was light enough from the -campfire to show that they had made a bed of leaves and branches, and -that one of them had a green patch over one eye. - -“I know the other man,” said Bob to himself. “He is the tramp I met -to-day.” - -Bob was very sure of this as he heard the voice of the man. - -“Yes,” he was saying, “I’ve picked up some money in the town.” - -“Then why don’t we go to some hotel and be comfortable?” - -“What’s the matter with this soft bed in such fine weather? Has a -haystack got too common for you?” - -“No, but if you’ve got money, let’s enjoy it.” - -“H’m! See here, we’re partners, but I’m the boss.” - -“You act it, sure,” grumbled the man with the green patch over his eye. - -“I’ve got some money,” went on the tramp, “but we’re going to get so -much more, that this little bit isn’t worth thinking of.” - -“Is that so?” - -“Yes, it is. We’re coming back here soon to rob a place where we’ll get -a whole fortune.” - -“What place?” - -“Never mind, now. Why I want to stay here till we leave town early in -the morning, is because I don’t want to be seen around here, so that -when we come back again we won’t be known—see?” - -“I declare!” breathed Bob to himself. “These men are thieves! I wonder -who they’re going to rob?” - -Bob became quite excited over what he had heard. It startled him to run -across the tramp so many times in one day. He had had a poor opinion -of the man all along. Now it was worse than ever. Bob fidgeted around, -hardly knowing what to do next, when something happened. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -BOMBARDED - - -BOB heard some object come rolling and ripping its way along from -the top of the bluff. It mowed down grass, snapped off bushes, and, -striking a rock, bounded up like a rubber ball. - -“It’s a pumpkin,” said Bob. “Here she comes! Crackey!” - -The pumpkin cut through the vines that sheltered the tramp and his -friend. The man with the green patch over one eye seemed to have heard -it coming. - -He half arose, and just then the great yellow sphere struck him. He -went flat as a pancake. The pumpkin rolled over him, struck a tree, and -was smashed into a thousand pieces. - -“Uh! what’s this now?” spluttered the tramp, as pieces of rind, seeds -and fiber rained over his body and face. - -“Get out of this!” cried his companion. - -“Yes, ’tain’t safe.” - -“It’s them boys. They’ve seen us, and are playing tricks on us.” - -“Let’s make ourselves scarce, then.” - -Bob was about ready to laugh at the comical event of the moment. Just -then, however, he had all he could do to take care of himself. - -A second pumpkin came bounding down the bluff side. It took Bob across -the ankles, and swept him off his feet. He was thrown headlong to the -ground, doubled up like a ball. The boy grabbed at a bush, missed it, -and went rolling over and over down the smooth incline. - -[Illustration: “_It’s Raining Pumpkins!_” _Gasped Bob_] - -There was a bare sheer descent for nearly thirty feet. Along this Bob -sped, and he could not stop himself. He landed at the bottom of the -slope, slid across the sand, and came to a stop not ten feet away from -the blazing fire. - -“It’s raining pumpkins!” gasped Bob, sitting up and staring around him. - -All along the beach the yellow balls were bounding into view. He saw -the guards and the scouts skipping about to get out of the range of -the missiles. Fellows who had been in hiding came dashing down to safe -ground. Dave gave the signal whistle for “All in.” - -The boys gathered excitedly about their leader. - -“See here, Dave,” cried Sammy, “this is the work of ‘The Blues!’” - -“Of course it is,” said Frank. - -“Let’s capture them,” shouted Bob. - -“Yes, it’s pretty near time to go home, anyway,” agreed Dave. “Keep -together, fellows. If we catch any of them, we’ll put them through a -course of sprouts.” - -“Hear them! hear them!” yelled Sammy. - -Derisive cries floated down to the beach. This nettled some of the -boys. All of them were glad of a chance for new fun and excitement. - -“Divide, fellows,” ordered Dave. - -“Yes, surround the enemy!” cried Sammy. - -The two crowds scrambled up the bluff. Bob looked about for some trace -of the two men he had found in their hide-out. They seemed to have -gotten away from the spot. - -The two parties got to the top of the bluff and ran towards each other, -hoping to capture the mischief makers in a group. - -They found a wagon which Jed and his friends had dragged from some farm -near by, loaded for the market. It was only half filled with pumpkins. -The rest of the load had been used to bombard the boys on the beach. - -“They’ve sneaked across the meadow yonder,” said Dave. - -“Yes, I see some of them now,” cried Sammy, eagerly. “See, they’re -making for that grove yonder.” - -There was a hot chase. Sammy had called to Bob and Frank to join him. -They and several others kept with Sammy. - -They reached the patch of timber and ran in and about it. They hunted -in the bushes and even up in some of the trees, but got no sight or -trace of the enemy. - -Suddenly the well-known signal of the crowd rang out over near some -haystacks. The scattered group ran in the direction of the call. They -came upon Dave and six of his fellows, who had formed a circle. In its -center were two panting, done-out boys of “The Blues.” - -“We’ve got a couple of them,” said Dave. - -“Good!” echoed a chorus. - -“Find some ropes, fellows,” ordered Dave. - -Several boys ran towards a farm-yard near by. Bob noticed that one of -the captives was Jed Burr. - -“What are you going to do with us?” asked Jed. - -“Douse him in the lake!” cried one urgent voice. - -“No, roll him down the bluff,” said another. - -“We’ll do better than that,” replied Dave. “Here, tie their arms behind -them,” he ordered, as several pieces of rope were brought to him. - -“Hold on,” said Jed. “Fun’s fun, you know.” - -“Yes, you spoiled ours just now, so we’re going to have some fresh -fun,” laughed Dave. - -Jed tried to fight off his captors, but the crowd found it easy to bind -him and his companion. - -“Lead them over into the timber,” said Dave. - -This was done. In its loneliest part they halted. Ted was tied with his -back to a tree. - -“Now you’ll have lots of time to think,” said Dave. - -“Yes, about pumpkins!” - -“And tomatoes!” - -“Ha! ha!” - -They left Jed to his fate, kicking and scolding. The other prisoner -they took along with them. A little on their way, they heard Jed -whistling and yelling. - -“Some of his friends will come and let him loose,” said Dave. - -“What are we going to do with the other fellow?” asked Bob. - -“Oh, we’ll give him a walk.” - -“Say, I’m due home,” said the captive. - -“Not quite yet,” replied Dave. “You’ve got a long tramp before you, -sonny.” - -“I only rolled one pumpkin.” - -“That’s as bad as twenty-six.” - -“And it smashed before it hit any one.” - -“Never mind. We’ve got to make an example.” - -“Jed’ll make you smart for it.” - -“Oh, Jed is smarting himself about this time,” chuckled Sammy. - -“March!” ordered the leader. - -They made their prisoner dearly earn his liberty. He had to escort the -whole crowd home. As they dropped out one by one, the unhappy captive -had to keep right on with the others. Some of the boys took the longest -way home they could think of, purposely. - -Dick Hazelton was the last one to reach home. He lived about a mile -north of the town. They had dragged the captive around for nearly an -hour at this time. As Bob was bidding Dick good night, the prisoner sat -down in the road and began crying. - -“Oh, well, if it’s the baby act, let him off,” said Bob. - -He was tired out himself after an active and exciting day. When he got -home, however, he did not forget to tell his father about the two men -he had heard talking in the hide-out on the bluff. - -Mr. Bouncer seemed to take the matter quite seriously. Bob did not tell -about Miss Simmons and the letters, nor about thinking he saw the tramp -at Silas Dolby’s house. He only said that he had met the tramp several -times during the day, before he saw him with the man with the green -shade over his eye. - -His father went at once to the telephone and called up the village -marshal. The next morning Bob learned that the officer had not been -able to find the two tramps. They had probably left town. - -Bob, Frank and Sammy the next day went over the route they had taken -when they went to the Dolby place. They found the dog chained up, and -even made a new search in the miser’s yard, but they did not find the -lost store key. - -That day, too, the story of Simple Mary was told about the school. Some -Fairview ladies had gotten her a pleasant place to work on a farm. Miss -Williams explained in open school about the broken ink bottle, and all -Bob’s friends were made happy to see him cleared from a false charge. - -The wind-up of the big bonfire had made “The Blues” and “The Grays” -more at war than ever. About all it led to, however, was closer rivalry -in baseball and football games. - -Things started in smoothly at school. The daily routine of study had -the usual fun mixed in with it. There was nothing very new or exciting -until the second Monday of the term. - -Then, just before school commenced, as Bob, Frank and Sammy passed the -house where Frank had stopped the runaway automobile, Sammy pointed -towards it. - -“Hello!” he cried. “Some one has moved into that place since Friday.” - -“That’s so,” said Frank, noticing some big empty boxes on the porch, -“and somebody is moving about there.” - -“I wonder if it’s the fat boy’s father?” spoke Bob. - -“I’ll bet it is,” said Sammy, as they walked on. - -“Hi, hello! you fellows!” sounded a breathless voice, a minute later. - -Tom Chubb came running out of the gate of the place the boys had just -passed. - -“Oh, moved into town, have you?” asked Frank, shaking the hand of the -fat boy. - -“Yes.” - -“We’re glad of it,” said Bob. “Where are you going?” - -“I’m going with you,” was the reply. “My father saw the teacher last -evening, and I’m to start at school this morning.” - -“Hurrah!” shouted Sammy, waving his cap in the air. - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -THE SPELLING CONTEST - - -TOM CHUBB was smiling all over his face at getting such a warm welcome -from Bob and his friends. - -“Say, fellows,” he spoke, “I don’t pretend to know much, but I stick to -a chum.” - -“Good for you!” cried Sammy. - -“There’s a fellow you don’t want to let stick to you,” spoke Bob. - -He pointed to Jed Burr, who was up to his usual trick of meddling with -the affairs of others. Two little fellows were tossing a croquet ball -to each other. Jed stood about half way between them, jumping up in the -air, and trying to stop the ball. - -“No, I don’t like his looks one bit,” said Tom. - -Jed looked at Tom. He always had fun, as he called it, with green -scholars. He made no move towards Tom, however, for he thought that Bob -and the others had warned the fat boy against him. Besides that, Tom -did not look as if he would mind one of Jed’s smart slaps on the back -any more than he would a fly. Then again, it looked to Jed as if it -would not be easy to pull the fat boy over with his famous hand-shake -trick. - -“I guess he’ll leave me alone,” grinned Tom. - -“Well, look out for him, anyway,” warned Frank. - -“See that, now!” cried Sammy. - -Benny Lane sat on the grass near by, watching some girls skipping -rope. The little crippled lad placed his crutch by his side. Suddenly -Jed stooped down and picked it up. Swinging it as he would a club, he -struck with all his might at the croquet ball three feet above his head. - -Crack! went the ball, stopped in its flight, and falling to the ground. - -Snap! echoed the crutch end, and went flying straight through the air, -striking a little boy about twenty feet away. - -The lad was playing “Duck on the Rock,” and was nearly knocked over. -The crutch end struck his cheek, scratching and bruising it, and he -gave a cry of pain. Then, seeing the cause of his hurt, he raised the -brick he had been playing with, and hurled it at Jed with an angry cry. - -“Good!” said Sammy, as the missile landed on Jed’s stomach, and sent -him reeling back. - -The fat boy tried to get out of the way, but Jed stumbled and went -flat. His feet swung out, and down came Tom, right on top of him. - -“Hi! get off!” roared Jed. - -“I can’t—I’m too fat,” declared Tom. - -“Ouch! you’re heavy.” - -“Can’t help it. Don’t wiggle so—you’ll tip me over.” - -“Help!” whined Jed, all out of breath. “Oh, take him off!” - -“Yes, I can’t lift myself,” chuckled Tom. - -Frank, laughing, pulled Tom to his feet. Jed groaned as if a big load -had been lifted from him. He started to get up. But his misery was not -ended yet. - -The little fellow he had hit with the crutch end had a sister, who also -attended the school. She was a regular spitfire in temper. Now she came -running up to Jed. - -“You great big ape, you!” she cried. “Striking my little brother!” And -she grabbed Jed by the hair and held on. “You—hit—my—lit-tle—brother, -did you!” - -“It was an accident,” gasped Jed. - -“Take that—and that! and that!” - -Jed roared like a whipped calf. At each word she spoke, the little miss -gave him a hard box on the ears. - -By this time every boy and girl on the playground had gathered at the -spot. - -“Oh, goody! goody!” cried some little girls, clapping their hands in -glee. - -“You let go my hair!” blubbered Jed, making a pretty picture to look at. - -“And that!” cried the girl, giving him a last cuff, as he ran off. - -“Cow-ard! cow-ard!” shouted all the little fellows, as Jed, in shame -and disgrace, sneaked away. He left his cap behind him, and was afraid -to come back for it. - -“Tom,” said Sammy, slapping him on the back, “you fell down just in -time.” - -“Sorry, but I’m so fat, you know!” grinned Tom, and everybody laughed. - -Jed Burr was grumpy all the rest of that day. He kept away from the -games at recess. Bob noticed him and two or three of his favorite chums -talking together in a mysterious way. - -“Tell you, Frank,” he said, a little later, “Jed looks pretty ugly at -us.” - -“Oh, he’ll get over it,” replied Frank, lightly. - -“One of Jed’s friends hinted to me to-day that we’d better look out.” - -“Pshaw, Jed Burr is just squelched,” said Sammy. - -The seat the teacher gave Tom was not very comfortable for him. Bob had -an end desk, and gave it up to Tom till the teacher could arrange for -some other. Bob took the desk of a scholar who was absent. - -The next morning was announced for a spelling contest. This meant high -marks for those who spelled best, and there was a great deal of talk -and excitement over it. - -“Spelling is about all I know,” said Tom, the next morning, as he and -Bob and the others wended their way to school. - -“Good at it, are you?” asked Frank. - -“Ought to be. My father wouldn’t get me my bicycle last year until I -had the whole spelling book perfect from end to end. Say, you’ll just -see me shine to-day.” - -After recess, the teacher named those who were to do the spelling. Jed -Burr was absent, but two or three of his chums were on the list. - -“Alphabet,” “ardent,” “alder,” “animal,” “beauty,” “blanket”—there -were no mistakes so far. Miss Smith gave out “cote.” - -“C-o-a-t,” said Sammy, proudly. - -“Next.” - -“C-o-t-e,” spelled Bob. - -Everybody laughed at this. - -“Correct,” said the teacher, “I should have explained that the word -meant a pigeon-house.” - -There were a lot of misses after that. There was a great deal of fun, -too, for some comical errors were made. One boy spelled knock “noq.” -Another made “kwal” out of quail, and a pert little girl lisped out -“sqwirm” when Miss Smith gave out the word “worm.” - -When the contest was over, Tom, two of Jed’s closest chums, and Bob -received high marks. Tom was older than most of those in the class, and -it was not wondered at that he did so well. Bob was always at the head -of his class. The great surprise was that the friends of Jed, who like -him were put down as very backward scholars, got high marks. - -Bob noticed that after the spelling was over Miss Williams went all -through the papers in her desk. She acted quite thoughtful and serious. -After the dinner hour, just before school commenced that afternoon, a -little girl came out to the playground and spoke to him. - -“Miss Williams wants to see you, Bob Bouncer,” she said. - -“I wonder what for?” spoke Bob. - -He found Miss Williams alone in the schoolroom. - -“Close the door, Bob,” she said, as he entered. “Sit down,” she added, -as he obeyed her and came up to the desk. - -The school teacher looked very serious. Bob wondered what it all meant. -He sat waiting for her to speak to him. - -“Bob,” said Miss Williams, after quite a pause, “you did very well in -your spelling to-day.” - -“Yes, ma’am,” replied Bob. “I tried to. I did the best I could.” - -“Did you have any help, Bob?” Miss Williams asked, looking straight -into Bob’s face. - -“Why—I don’t know what you mean, Miss Williams,” said Bob. “Frank and -I went over a lot of words at home, last night.” - -“I mean, you had no key, no idea of what words I was going to give -out?” asked the teacher. - -“Oh, dear, no! How could I?” - -Miss Williams paused again. It seemed hard for her to go on, but she -finally said: - -“Bob, I had two lists of words. One I had copied to send to a sister -who is a teacher in the next township. Both were in my desk when I left -the school last night.” - -“Yes, ma’am,” replied Bob. - -“This noon I found one of them missing.” - -“Why, who could have taken it?” said Bob. - -“I am sorry,” replied Miss Williams, “but I found it in your desk.” - -“In my desk?” cried Bob. - -“Yes, Bob.” - -“When?” - -“Just now. I searched all the desks. It was in yours, Bob,” went on -Miss Williams, and her voice shook a little. “I think a great deal of -you, and I do not wish to misjudge you, but you must explain this.” - -“Why, how can I?” spoke Bob. “I don’t know anything about the list.” - -“Have you any idea how it came in your desk?” - -“Why—yes, I have——” - -A sudden thought had come into Bob’s mind. It was a dreadful thought, -too. He almost turned pale, he was so upset. Just like a flash a quick -idea made him almost gasp. - -“Speak out, Bob,” urged Miss Williams, but Bob was silent. He hung his -head and tried to think out a great muddle in his mind. - -“If you know anything about the missing list, Bob,” went on his -teacher, “you must certainly tell me. If you suspect any one, it is -right you should say so.” - -“Miss Williams,” replied Bob, making up his mind and looking up now, “I -could make a guess, but I won’t do it till I am sure I am right.” - -“Bob,” said Miss Williams, “a week from Monday the school board meets. -It is my duty to tell them what has happened. You know as well as I do -that they will suspend or expel a scholar for using a key to any of the -lessons.” - -“But I haven’t used any key. I never heard of the list until this -minute,” declared Bob. - -“But you know who did take it. You will have to tell me whom to -suspect, or I shall report to the board. That is all.” - -Bob left the schoolroom without another word. - -“It’s too bad!” he said, almost angrily, as he reached the outside. -“I can guess who did it—and it’s too bad for him, too,” added Bob -Bouncer, gloomily. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -THE MAD BULL - - -“NEWS from the North Pole!” shouted Dick Hazelton, bounding into the -playground, two mornings later. - -“What does that mean?” asked Bob. - -“Frost.” - -“When—where?” - -“On the pumpkins! You fellows who live in town don’t get up early -enough to see what’s going on these crisp, bright days. Get ready for -some new fun, fellows.” - -“What’s doing?” asked Frank. - -“Nutting.” - -“Hurrah!” cheered Sammy. - -“Walnuts down in the flats, and hickory nuts over in the North Woods,” -said Dick. “See here, Frank, can’t we get the fellows to go Saturday?” - -“Of course we can,” replied Frank. - -“My crowd will go,” put in Jed Burr. - -“Thank you!” laughed Frank, slyly. - -“Say, what will I do?” asked Tom. “I’m too fat to climb trees.” - -“You can hold the bag,” chuckled Sammy. - -Bob looked at Jed, and then at Tom. Then he walked away to another part -of the playground. - -“Hi, Bob!” sang out Sammy, running after him. “Where are you bound for?” - -“Nowhere.” - -“What’s the matter with you, anyway, the last day or two?” - -“Nothing.” - -“Yes, there is.” - -“I’m sort of feeling cross, that’s all.” - -Sammy fell back with a rather glum face, and Bob walked about alone. -He was not feeling cross at all, although he thought he was. He was -thinking. - -Bob had felt for two days that he was in disgrace. Miss Williams showed -no change in her manner towards him before the scholars, but he did not -feel as free and friendly with her as of old. - -Bob had worried some, but he had no hard feelings against anybody. He -knew that he was not to blame about the stolen spelling list. One thing -troubled Bob greatly, however; he believed that Tom Chubb had taken the -list from the teacher’s desk. - -That was the very first thought that had come into Bob’s mind when Miss -Williams spoke of the list. Bob hated to think that Tom could do a mean -trick. Something he remembered, however, helped to turn his mind in -that way. - -Ever since Tom had come to school, he had told a lot of stories of the -ways down at Springville Academy. The boys there had taught him a good -many tricks, as they called them. - -Tom said it was quite usual for the fellows to have key books and carry -notes with them, when they were trying for a new grade. What was worse, -the fat boy did not seem to see much wrong in these acts. - -So Bob had jumped at once to the conclusion that Tom had stolen the -spelling list out of Miss Williams’ desk. - -“Didn’t he have every word right?” Bob asked himself. “How could it -come in his desk, or rather my desk, which he was using, unless he put -it in there?” - -Only guessing this, however, Bob was not willing to give the teacher -the clew. Besides that, he would not betray a friend. He felt sorry for -Tom, and he did not believe he could trust or like him as he had done. - -All this Bob had carried in his mind for two days. He did not tell -Frank or Sammy about it, but he did not feel very good over the way he -was being suspected by the teacher. - -“If Tom did take the list,” thought Bob, “and they fasten it on him, he -will certainly be expelled. That would be pretty bad for his folks, for -he didn’t seem to have been a very bright scholar before.” - -Just now, Bob had some new thoughts about the affair. He had put some -facts together that had not at first come to his mind. He remembered -that Jed Burr had not been at school the day of the spelling test. He -remembered, too, that two of Jed’s chums had come out better than they -ever had before in the spelling. - -Putting this and that together, Bob wondered if it could be possible -that Jed had tried to “get even” by getting him into new trouble, just -as he had when the bottle of ink in the storeroom was found broken. - -If Jed had done this, he must have done it after school, when the -teacher and all the scholars were away, and forgetting that Tom was -just then using Bob’s desk. - -“I won’t speak to Tom about it, not just yet, anyway,” decided Bob. “If -he didn’t do it, he will feel bad at my thinking he did. If he was bad -enough to do it, he will deny it, of course. It’s some days before the -school board meets. I’ll just keep quiet, and see how things turn out. -I’ll keep a sharp eye, too, on Jed Burr and his friends.” - -Bob was in a better frame of mind by the time the school bell rang. He -crossed the playground slowly. Most of the scholars had got into the -building. Just coming through the gate, and hurrying along as fast as -they could, were Minnie Grey and little crippled Benny Lane. - -Minnie had hold of Benny’s arm and was urging him along. The little -fellow was using his mended crutch the best he knew how. Minnie wore a -red winter cape, for the mornings were beginning to get quite chill. -She was hurrying so fast that this fell from her shoulders. She did -not stop to pick it up. Instead, she acted as if too frightened to do -anything but run and make Benny keep up with her. - -“Why,” cried Bob, suddenly, “that bull is chasing them!” - -Just then Bob caught sight of the animal. It came rushing down the road -Minnie and Benny had just left. The bull was roaring, its head down, -its tail lashing the air. - -“Hurry! hurry!” shouted Bob. - -He ran towards the gate as fast as he could. As he got between it and -the two children, the bull lowered its horns. - -There was a post midway in the gate space. The animal could not get -through without getting this out of the way. Bob saw the bull make a -great rush. Its big horns struck the post, and snapped it off near the -ground as if it were a mere pipe-stem. - -Bob cast a quick glance at the two children. They were still fully -fifty feet from the schoolhouse. Minnie was about dragging Benny along, -who had begun to cry in terror. - -“It’s Farmer Doane’s big bull, the one he always keeps shut up,” said -Bob. “They say he’s very ugly. He gored and killed two pigs last week. -He must have broken out. It’s that red cape that roused him up.” - -Bob made a run for the spot where the cape lay on the ground. He -snatched it up just in time. The bull with a great bellow was making a -rush after the two children. - -[Illustration: _He Made a Bee-line for the Schoolhouse_] - -“I’ll have to do some dodging,” thought Bob, “but I’ve got to keep him -away till Minnie and Benny get into the schoolhouse.” - -What Bob tried to do now was to get the attention of the animal away -from the children. He gave the red cape a fling right into the face of -the animal. It fell at one side. The bull eyed it and made a dash for -it. - -“Good! they’re safe!” cried Bob, as he saw Minnie and Benny pass -through the open doorway of the schoolhouse. They fairly fell over the -threshold in their wild haste and fear. - -The bull drove its head down at the cape. Then the animal stamped it to -fragments in the soft sod. Then with a frightful bellow it started for -Bob. - -“It’s a run, and a fast one,” thought Bob. - -He made a straight bee-line for the schoolhouse, not daring to risk -looking behind him. He could hear the great thudding hoofs of the -pursuing bull strike the ground hard and fast. - -The animal snorted, and once Bob almost fancied he could feel its hot -breath sweep the back of his neck. At any rate, it was an eager race. - -“I’ve made it!” cried the lad, breathless and excited, as he bounded -over the threshold of the schoolhouse door. - -As he did so he knocked over Frank and Sammy, crowding towards it to -see what was going on. Bob had just a glimpse of crowding, frightened -boys and girls. - -“Shut the door!” he yelled, and got to his feet to help two of the -scholars to give it a quick slam. - -Bob shot the bolt just in time. The door shook violently the next -moment, as the heavy body of the bull grazed it. - -“What is it?” asked Miss Williams, hurrying from her desk. - -“It’s a mad bull,” said Sammy. - -“Are the children all in?” asked the teacher, anxiously. - -“They’re all right, Miss Williams,” replied Bob. - -Just then a frightful scream came from the side of the room. - -Crash! went the lower half of a window, sending splinters of wood and -glass half way across the floor. - -The terrified scholars crowded to the other end of the room, as the -bull, with a fierce roar and blood-shot eyes, stuck its head through -the ruined window. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -THE NUTTING PARTY - - -THE schoolroom was in an uproar. Some of the smaller scholars were -crying. Miss Williams looked quite pale. - -“Be quiet, children,” she said. - -“Oh, that cow will come in here and eat us all up!” blubbered one -little girl. - -“Do not think of going outside,” said the teacher to Bob and Frank, who -went towards the door, while Jed and his crowd made sure they were safe -at the other end of the room. - -“We ought to get word to Farmer Doane,” said Bob. - -“You must not risk going out,” insisted Miss Williams. - -“The bull may go away,” spoke Sammy. - -“He doesn’t act like it,” replied Bob. - -They watched the animal from the window. The bull did not move away -from the building. He walked around it twice, rooted up some vines, -kicked the door-step loose, and looked in at the window. - -“We are in a state of siege,” said the teacher, “but there is no danger -while we remain indoors.” - -This did not, however, quiet the scholars. Nobody thought of sitting -down, and study and order seemed out of the question. - -“Can’t we do something, Bob?” asked Frank. - -“I’m trying to think if we can.” - -“Say, I wouldn’t like to tackle that animal,” said Tom, in a scared -way. - -“Let’s throw something out at him,” suggested Sammy. - -“I think I know how to fix things,” said Bob, finally. - -“How?” asked Frank. - -“The bull keeps well on this side of the schoolhouse.” - -“Just now he does, yes.” - -“Well, you come over to the other side and open a window.” - -“What for?” - -“And let me out, and then shut the window quick.” - -“See here, Bob——” - -“You needn’t worry. I may not do all I hope to, but the bull won’t -catch me.” - -“He will if he sees you.” - -“Not until I’m all safe and sound.” - -Frank knew that Bob was bold and brave, but not reckless. Something had -to be done, so he went over to the window with Bob. - -“You watch, and tell us if the bull starts away from that side of the -house,” Bob said to Sammy. - -“All right.” - -Frank lifted the window quickly. Bob was outside before Miss Williams -knew of it. As he started on a run, Sammy set up a great shout of -warning. - -The animal caught sight of Bob as he got past the end of the building, -and started after him. Frank and the others, curious and breathless, -watched Bob as he dashed across the playground. - -“Oh, he’ll be caught!” cried Minnie Grey, in affright. - -“No, he won’t,” said Sammy. “I see what he’s after.” - -“Oh, yes—the swing,” guessed Frank. - -Bob was too smart to think he could reach the fence before the bull -could come up with him. About a hundred feet from the schoolhouse was a -big swing. Two large dead trees formed the sides. Across their top was -chained a big wooden log. - -Two holes had been bored through the log. The rope, a thick heavy -cable, was run through these, and knotted. - -Bob reached the swing well ahead of the bull. He was a good climber. -Spry and nimble, he was up one of the dead trees in a jiffy. The bull, -headed for the swing, arrived under it as the boy got clear to the -cross-piece, and sat astride of it. - -The animal moved around the swing in a circle, glaring up at Bob and -bellowing. The lad pulled one knotted end of the rope up and cut off -the knot with his pocket-knife, then the other. - -Now he made a stout slip-knot of one end. The other he tied around one -of the side supports of the swing. He did not know much about lassoing -animals, but the task Bob had set himself was a pretty easy one. - -The bull kept moving around in a ring. Once in a while it would rush up -against one of the trees and prod with its horns. Then it would glare -up at Bob and roar fiercely. - -“Now’s my chance,” said Bob, quickly, as the animal paced almost -directly under the log piece on which the boy sat. - -Bob did not fling the rope. He just dropped its looped end. He was -well pleased, as without any tangle with the horns the loop fell right -against the neck of the bull. - -The instant the animal felt the rope it reared and shook its head. Then -it started on a run. Bob clung close to the top beam of the swing, for -he guessed what was coming. - -The bull was going pell-mell. As the loop of the rope tightened, it -came to a halt so sudden and terrific, that the animal was forced to -its knees. - -The swing shook and creaked, but Bob did not feel at all uneasy. The -rope was strong and the sides were solid. - -“Hurrah!” - -“Good for Bob!” - -Cheers greeted the brave boy as he slid down one side of the swing and -landed safely on the ground. Then he ran his fastest. There was no need -of hurry, he found, as he halted outside of range of the bull. The -animal had got a wrench that tamed it down a good deal. - -Bob saw that the loop was tight as could be about the neck of the bull. -The more the bull tugged, the tighter it became. The boy started out on -a new run, and waved his hand at the peering faces at the schoolhouse -window. - -“I’m going to tell Farmer Doane,” he shouted. - -Bob came back in a quarter of an hour with the farmer. Mr. Doane -brought a leather muzzle and a leading rope, and soon had the bull -under mastery. - -Bob felt pleased and proud as he walked into the schoolroom. The girls -were looking at him with beaming eyes. Tom Chubb could not help giving -him a hearty slap on the shoulder. Miss Williams smiled at him in a -grateful way. - -It took some time for the school to quiet down. Before studies were -taken up, a little scrap of folded paper passed from hand to hand till -it reached Bob. When he opened it, he read: - - “You are a reel heero, Bob Bouncer. - - “MINNIE, - “BENNY.” - -At recess the little fellows crowded about Bob as if he was a hero, -indeed, and the girls said all kinds of nice things about him. - -Bob still had in mind the trouble about the stolen spelling list. He -felt a good deal better now, however, than he had done before. - -Miss Williams was kinder to him. Jed Burr was uglier than ever. - -Everybody looked forward to Saturday with a good deal of pleasure and -excitement. About a dozen of the boys were going with the nutting -party. They were to meet at a crossroads just south of the town. - -Bob, Frank and Sammy were on hand bright and early, each provided with -a good-sized feed bag and some lunch. Jed and his friends came upon the -scene a little later. - -Tom Chubb arrived panting and late. He went on to tell one of his -wonderful stories about a dream he had about being in a cocoanut -forest, and hated to wake up from it. - -“I say, Tom,” remarked Frank, “you’ve brought no bag.” - -“Me? Guess not,” replied Tom, smartly, sticking his hands in his -pockets, and strutting around. - -“Why didn’t you?” asked Bob. - -“Oh, I carried things for some fellows once,” chuckled Tom, “and I -don’t do it again in a hurry.” - -The boys laughed heartily at this hint of the time when some chums at -Springville Academy got Tom to carry a heavy chain several miles to tap -a bee-tree that did not exist. - -“Besides,” added Tom, “I’m too fat to climb trees, so I’m no use except -to have fun with.” - -The party trooped down the pleasant country road, joking, singing, and -hailing every farmer they met. Dick Hazelton met them about half a mile -out of town. - -“Here’s our guide,” shouted Sammy. - -“Yes,” cried Dick, “and I’m going to lead you to the biggest raft of -hickory nuts you ever laid your eyes on.” - -“Jolly!” shouted Sammy, waving his cap in glee. - -“I went over to the flats this morning early,” said Dick. “I tell you -the nuts are prime for picking.” - -Jed and his crowd kept pretty well to themselves. As the crowd reached -another cross-road they started down it. - -“Hold on, there,” shouted Dick. - -“What for?” asked Jed. - -“That’s the wrong way.” - -“It’s right enough for us,” retorted Jed, smartly. - -“This road is the shortest one to the flats.” - -Jed did not reply, but with his party swung off on the cross-road. - -“They’re up to something,” said Frank. - -“I wonder what it is?” asked Sammy. - -“Something to spoil our fun, I’m sure,” spoke Tom. “It’s just like -them.” - -“I think they’re going to run for it when they get out of sight,” said -Dick. “They are aiming to make a cross cut and reach the flats first.” - -“Suppose they do?” - -“Oh, they think they’ll gather up all the nuts. Huh! there’s a month’s -picking for ten schools.” - - - - -CHAPTER X - -“THE DAY OF THEIR LIVES” - - -THE boys kept on their way. As they reached the farm where Dick lived, -he took them all into the dairy. His mother came out and welcomed the -crowd. She brought half a dozen tin cups. - -“Now then, boys,” she said, passing these around, “Dick will show you -where the buttermilk is.” - -“Say,” spoke Tom, as he helped himself to the second cup of the cool, -refreshing buttermilk, “I’d like to live here.” - -“Jed’s crowd are missing it, I tell you,” said Sammy, smacking his lips. - -“Dick, this is just fine,” spoke Bob. - -Mrs. Hazelton came out with a package of home-made cheese to add to the -lunch, and the boys greeted her with a cheer and started briskly on -their way. - -Their guide led them to a fence, over it, and through a dry watercourse. - -“Here we are, fellows,” he announced, pointing to a scattered grove of -trees on the rise opposite. - -“Hurrah!” shouted Sammy. “I feel like a squirrel.” - -The crowd placed their lunches under a shady tree and started over for -the hickory grove. Soon each one, except Tom, was scrambling up a tree. - -“There’s a rather low one over yonder,” said Tom to Bob. “I guess I’ll -tackle it.” - -“What with?” asked Bob. - -Tom drew a stout slung-shot from his pocket. Then he rambled along -the watercourse, and filled an old fruit basket he had found with -good-sized pebbles. - -The next hour was a jolly one for the happy crowd. There were some -mishaps, but only amounting to scratches and scrapes. The shaken limbs -of the trees rained down hickory nuts like hailstones. - -Bob came back to the tree where he had left Tom to find his friend -lying fast asleep on the grass. A little pile of hickory nuts lay near -his coat and cap. - -“Had lots of fun,” Tom declared, when he woke up. “I’m not a very good -shot, though.” - -All hands were soon ready for lunch. Nearly every bag was filled. The -boys were pleased with their success, and it was a gay crowd that -enjoyed the dinner under the trees. - -“What now?” asked Sammy, when he had eaten his fill. - -“Walnuts next,” replied Dick. - -“What will we do with the hickories?” asked Frank. - -“We’ll leave them here,” said Dick. “Bring along the empty bags, and -we’ll go up to the North Woods after the walnuts.” - -“It will be some tramping, each lugging two bags home,” spoke Sammy. - -“You won’t have to do that,” answered Dick. - -“Why not?” - -“When we get all the bags full, I’ll go home and get a wagon and team.” - -“That will be fine,” said Tom. - -“Say, Dick,” spoke Frank, “what do you suppose has become of Jed and -his crowd?” - -“They must have taken in the walnut trees first,” replied Dick. - -The route to the North Woods took the boys along the road where Jed -and his friends had left them earlier in the morning. As they came up -to a farmhouse Dick said: - -“Farmer Griggs lives here. We’ll go in and get a good cool drink of -well water.” - -They trooped into the farm-yard. They were all gathered about the well -when an old man came out from the house. - -“How’dy, Dick,” he said. “Mornin’, lads. Hey, lost any of your friends?” - -“Have you found any, Mr. Griggs?” asked Dick. - -“I have, for a fact,” replied the farmer, with a grin, “six of them.” - -“He means Jed and the others,” said Frank. - -“I shouldn’t wonder,” answered Bob. - -“Where are the friends you spoke of, Mr. Griggs?” asked Dick, guessing. - -“Treed. Just step this way, so you can see the orchard, and you’ll -understand what I mean,” replied the farmer, with a grim chuckle. - -The boys trooped eagerly after the farmer. Behind the barns of the -place was a small fenced-in orchard. The trees hung heavy with red, -luscious fruit. More than one of the boys knew of the fine fruit that -came from the Griggs farm and was on sale in the village every fall and -winter. - -“After you’ve looked a bit, lads,” said the farmer, “you can go and eat -your fill. I’ve no objection to any orderly boys helping themselves -to an apple or two, but when it comes to stealing bagfuls, though, -and breaking whole limbs off the trees, I can’t stand it. There’s the -fellows I spoke of,” added Mr. Griggs, coming to a halt. - -Inside the orchard were four big dogs. They did not look so fierce and -ugly, but there was something about them that told one they knew how to -protect the property of their owner. - -Each one of the animals lay on the grass under a tree, its head between -its paws, its eyes fixed up among the branches overhead. Among these, -two in one tree, the boys made out Jed and his companions. - -“How long have they been there, Mr. Griggs?” asked Dick, his face on a -broad grin. - -“About three hours.” - -“And haven’t dared to come down on account of the dogs—I see,” said -Frank, smiling. - -“They may now,” answered the farmer. “I guess they’ve had a good dose -this time.” - -He whistled to the dogs, opened the gate for them to pass out, and -waved his hand towards the treed captives. - -“Hey, you fellows!” he shouted, “you can go on your way now.” - -Jed and his friends climbed down from the trees. They sneaked for the -further corner of the fence away from their amused schoolmates. - -“They look pretty forlorn, for a fact,” chuckled Tom. - -“Go in and help yourselves, lads,” invited Farmer Griggs, opening the -gate for Bob and his friends to pass through. - -“Oh, say, you’re awful kind,” cried Sammy. - -“Just pick the windfalls,” directed the farmer. “Hey!” as the boys -rushed gladly for the trees, “as you go over the next fence you’ll find -a little melon patch. You take two of the late watermelons—no more, -mind you.” - -“I’ll see that they obey orders, Mr. Griggs,” promised Dick, -“and—thank you!” - -“Many thanks!” shouted the others. - -The boys ate two or three apples apiece and stowed as many more in -their pockets. Then there was a rush for the melon patch. Bob and Dick -came out into the road, each carrying a big fat melon of the late -variety that looked ripe and tempting. - -[Illustration: _“Oh, Say! Isn’t This Glorious!” Cried Sammy_] - -“Oh, say, isn’t this glorious!” cried Sammy, as they all sat down under -a tree by the roadside, and Dick got out his pocket-knife. - -Jed and his friends sat on a fallen tree about fifty yards distant. -They watched the boys enviously, while not getting slivers out of their -hands and the creases out of their clothes. - -“Come on, Burr, and all of you,” cried Dick, in a pleasant, -open-hearted way. - -Jed and his companions skulked up to the spot, rather shame-faced. No -one referred to their long roost in the apple-trees. Sammy, however, -had to laugh outright when it came out that they had left their lunches -on the ground, and the dogs had eaten them up. - -Bob and his friends divided what they had in their pockets with Jed’s -party. This and a watermelon made the deserters feel a good deal better. - -All hands went to the North Woods, and put in two hours gathering -walnuts. About three o’clock Dick and Bob started off for the Hazelton -farm, leaving their comrades in the woods. - -Dick got a team and a light wagon at the farm. First, he and Bob drove -over to the flat and loaded in the bags of hickory nuts. - -Then they drove around into the North Woods, and the walnuts were -safely stowed. The boys crowded into the wagon on top of them. - -“Say, this feels good,” said Tom, as he rested his tired limbs. - -“Never had such a grand day in my life!” cried Sammy. - -The team took the boys around to their homes. Even Jed Burr voted that -they had enjoyed a fine occasion. - -Bob was so tired he could hardly do his evening chores, and he was -glad to get to bed early. All the next day, too, he had to keep his -scratched hands rubbed with grease. His knees were pretty sore from -climbing. - -Monday morning he woke up with a start. A loud voice sounded in the -yard below, and Bob ran to the window, wondering at the commotion. He -heard the window in his father’s room pushed up. - -“What’s the matter?” called down Mr. Bouncer to Mr. Haven, his -neighbor, who, quite pale and excited, had just breathlessly called out -to him. - -“Get up quick, Mr. Bouncer—the jewelry store has been robbed!” - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -ROBBERY - - -“ROBBED!” echoed Mr. Bouncer, in great surprise. - -“Yes, of nearly everything of value it contained.” - -“You amaze me,” said Bob’s father. - -“My brother just notified me,” went on Mr. Haven. “I wish you would -come down to the store with me.” - -“Certainly, at once,” replied Mr. Bouncer. - -Bob was greatly excited at the news. He ran for his clothes and got -them on in a hurry. Then he bounded down the stairs. By this time his -father had joined Mr. Haven, and the two gentlemen were hurrying down -the street towards the center of the village. - -Bob started to run after them, when he saw Frank just leaving the -yard of his own house. He waited till Frank came up, all in a flurry, -buttoning up his coat as if he had put it on in haste. - -“Frank, the store has been robbed, I heard your father say.” - -“Yes,” replied Frank. “He’s terribly worried about it. You know, he -borrowed a lot of money to buy it out and start my uncle in business.” - -“Yes, I heard so.” - -“It would about ruin him if the thieves took much.” - -“Your father says they did.” - -“Oh, I hope not—my uncle may be mistaken.” - -As the boys, following their fathers, turned into the main business -street of the town, they noticed a crowd gathered in front of the -jewelry store. - -Early as the hour was, the village marshal had already reached the -place. The boys expected to see the windows smashed, or the doors -broken in, but there was not a sign of disorder about the place. The -show windows and the shelves looked as neat and orderly as usual. - -Frank and Bob went inside the store. They found the marshal and the -others standing in front of the large iron safe at the end of the -store. Its massive doors stood open. Its drawers were pulled out and -scattered on the floor, and its shelves were empty. - -“Gone—all gone!” groaned Mr. Haven, turning very pale. - -“Yes, they have taken everything there was in the safe,” said his -brother. - -“When did you find it out?” asked the marshal. - -“Not half an hour ago,” was the reply. “I came down earlier than usual, -because I had some hurry repairing orders. I let myself in and then I -noticed the open safe.” - -“It’s a weak, old-fashioned iron box,” said the marshal, looking the -safe over. “I often told Jones it wasn’t any good. The robbers pried it -open easily.” - -“But how did they get into the store?” asked Mr. Bouncer. - -“That is the mystery,” replied Frank’s uncle. “The door was locked as -usual, and the window-catches all in place.” - -“Why, then, they must have had a key,” said the marshal. - -“Evidently they did.” - -“The lost key—do you remember?” Bob whispered to Frank, in an excited -tone. - -“Some one found it!” - -“Yes!” - -“And let himself in here! Who could have done it?” - -Before Bob could reply, Mr. Haven sank into a chair with a groan. - -“They have taken everything,” he declared, “the silverware, the watches -and chains, and all the solid gold goods we carried.” - -“Did they amount to much?” asked the marshal. - -“Over five thousand dollars.” - -“Too bad! My assistant watchman and myself patrolled the town all -night. He reported no suspicious persons about, and I saw none.” - -“They got in easily, and took what they liked.” - -Neither Frank nor Bob ate much breakfast that morning. They were too -excited to think of anything except the robbery. When they started for -school the whole village was aroused over the robbery. Everybody was -talking about it. When they got to the schoolhouse even the smallest -scholars spoke of the event. - -Frank felt pretty bad. Bob was very sorry for Mr. Haven. He told Frank -so, and tried to cheer up his chum. - -“The robbers must have been strangers,” he said. - -“I think that,” returned Frank. - -“The marshal has got half a dozen men started in different directions. -They are bound to get some idea of the way the thieves have gone.” - -“I hope so. Why, they even locked the door after them when they went -away! My father has offered two hundred dollars reward.” - -Bob did not do much studying that day. When school was over in the -afternoon he went home with Frank to hear if anything had been heard of -the robbers. - -Mr. Haven was seated on the porch, talking gloomily with a lawyer. Mrs. -Haven was about her work as usual, but looked very serious. - -“What’s the news, Frank?” asked Bob, after Frank had gone into the -house and had seen his mother. - -“They haven’t caught the robbers.” - -“It’s queer how the fellows have gotten away without being seen, isn’t -it?” - -“Yes, it is, Bob, and that’s what puzzles the marshal, my mother says.” - -“I’ll be back after supper, Frank,” said Bob. “I wonder if Sammy will -be over?” - -“He said he would,” replied Frank. - -“All right, I may want you to go somewhere with me.” - -“What do you mean?” asked Frank. - -“I’ll tell you after supper.” - -Bob went away, very thoughtful. He was doing much thinking. At the -corner of two streets he stood still for a long time, as if trying to -make up his mind to something. - -“It can’t do any harm to follow out my idea,” he said to himself and -started up quickly. - -Bob went straight to the home of Miss Simmons. He had not seen her -since the day he had noticed the tramp leave the place. Bob found her -seated in a rocking-chair on the porch, sewing. - -“Why, how do you do, Bob?” said the old maid. “I thought you were -coming to see me? I wanted to give you something for helping me get -back those letters.” - -“I don’t want anything for that, Miss Simmons,” replied Bob, “but -there’s something else you can do for me, if you will.” - -“What is that, Bob?” - -“I’d like to know if that tramp I saw here brought you back those four -letters.” - -Miss Simmons flushed and fidgeted. Then she asked, sharply: - -“Have you told anybody about the letters, Bob?” - -“No, ma’am, not a soul.” - -“You’re a good boy, Bob; a very good boy.” - -“Thank you, Miss Simmons.” - -“And about those letters——” - -“Yes, ma’am?” - -“The man you speak of did bring them back.” - -“I thought that. Miss Simmons, have you seen him since the day you lost -the letters?” - -The old maid looked troubled. Then she glanced sharply at Bob. - -“What are you asking that for?” she said. - -“Because I believe he has been up to some mischief,” replied the boy. -“If I knew all about his dealings with you, it might help me find out -what I am after.” - -“Well, Bob,” said the lady, “he is certainly a very bad man. He found -those letters, and nearly scared me to death saying he would print them -if I didn’t pay him to get them back. I gave him all the money I had. -He wanted more.” - -“How much?” asked Bob. - -“Sixty dollars, ten in cash.” - -“The rascal!” - -“He made me give him a note for that fifty dollars. Then he asked me -who would cash it. He got out of me that Mr. Silas Dolby did that kind -of business. I suppose he placed the note with him.” - -“That explains how I came to see the tramp at the old miser’s house the -night Frank lost the key to the jewelry store,” thought Bob. - -“Early yesterday morning,” went on Miss Simmons, “the man came to the -back door here. He had another man with him.” - -“What kind of a man?” asked Bob, eagerly. - -“A man with a green shade over one eye.” - -Bob could hardly keep from crying out. He was sure now that the two -men he had heard talk about robbery in the bluff hide-out, had been in -Fairview the day previous. - -“He wanted something to eat,” said the old maid. “I gave them their -breakfast. Then the man asked for some money. I told him I had given -him all I intended to. He acted sort of ugly, and I said I would call -the marshal if he troubled me any more. Then he went away pretty quick.” - -“Thank you, Miss Simmons,” said Bob. “You have told me just what I -wanted to know.” - -“It won’t—won’t mix me in anything about those letters?” asked the old -maid. - -“No, indeed. I haven’t mentioned about them, and I shan’t. The man -won’t bother you any more, either, Miss Simmons.” - -Bob left the place with big thoughts in his mind. He was only a boy, -but he felt that he had found out something that a grown man would be -glad to learn. - -“I’m going to do something about that robbery,” said Bob to himself. “I -hardly know what just yet, but I’ll think out some way.” - -It was just after supper that Bob went over to the Haven place. Frank -and Sammy were waiting for him. - -“Any news of the robbers yet?” asked Bob. - -“Not a word,” replied Frank. “The marshal says he can’t find that any -tramps or strangers have been hanging around town lately.” - -Bob said nothing. He kept it to himself that the town marshal was -mistaken. - -“Well, fellows,” he said, “I want you to join me in a hunt.” - -“Eh? What kind of a hunt?” asked Sammy, with great interest. - -“Not a treasure hunt, mind you,” replied Bob, with a faint smile, -remembering Sammy’s weakness. - -“Oh,” said Sammy, flushing up, “what kind of a hunt, then?” - -“I want to see if we can’t find the men who robbed Mr. Haven’s jewelry -store,” replied Bob. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -BOB BOUNCER’S CLEW - - -“TRY to catch the robbers?” gasped Frank, in wonder. - -“Yes,” replied Bob, in a way that showed he was very much in earnest. - -“Say, wouldn’t it be grand if we could!” cried Sammy. “Why, there’s a -reward of two hundred dollars for that!” - -“Yes, but we wouldn’t take it from Mr. Haven,” said Bob, quickly. - -“That’s so, I forgot,” replied Sammy, readily. - -“Have you found out something, Bob?” asked Frank, seriously. - -“I think I have.” - -“What is it?” asked Sammy. - -“I can’t tell you all at once,” replied Bob. “There’s just this, -though, fellows; I know that two tramps were in town yesterday.” - -“You do!” cried Sammy. - -“Yes.” - -“And you think they are the robbers?” - -“I’m pretty sure of it. Frank, do you remember my telling you about the -two men hiding on the bluff the night of the bonfire?” - -“Yes, Bob.” - -“And how they were talking about robbing somebody?” - -“And you told your father, and he got the marshal to look for them?” - -“That’s it.” - -“But they got out of town.” - -“Yes. Well, those fellows were here again yesterday.” - -“You don’t say so!” exclaimed Sammy. - -“Yes, they were. I’m going to tell you something else.” - -“What’s that?” asked Frank. - -“You know, we thought you lost the key to your father’s jewelry store -in Silas Dolby’s yard?” - -“I know I did.” - -“Well, I’ve found out that one of the tramps knows Mr. Dolby. In fact, -he was at his house right after you lost the key.” - -“Why, Bob,” cried Sammy, “then old Dolby broke into the jewelry store?” - -“Oh, dear, no, I can’t know that,” said Bob, quickly. “I don’t say so, -either.” - -“But——” - -“I’m just putting this and that together.” - -“I should think you were!” said Sammy. - -“We know that Mr. Dolby has a bad name, and is tricky and all that, but -he wouldn’t rob a neighbor,” went on Bob. “He knows one of the robbers, -though. I happen to know he has had business with him. Mr. Dolby may -not know that the tramp is a bad man, but somehow or other I can’t get -it out of my head that the key to the jewelry store Frank lost was the -one that was used by the robbers.” - -“We know it was, Bob,” spoke Frank. “There were only two keys, and my -uncle had the other.” - -“How the robbers got hold of it, I don’t know. I can think of a way, -but it’s only a guess.” - -“What is it, Bob?” asked Frank. - -“Why, Mr. Dolby may have spoken of your losing it in his yard.” - -“That’s so.” - -“And the robber hunted for it and found it.” - -“How are we going to find out?” - -“Well,” said Bob, “I thought we’d go down to Mr. Dolby’s place, and -hang around and watch it.” - -“Maybe the robbers are there now,” cried Sammy, quickly. - -“The marshal says he believes they are in hiding somewhere near -Fairview,” said Frank. “They had to have two big satchels to handle -all the stuff they stole. Anybody seeing two men carrying big satchels -would remember them. The marshal says he and his men have gone over -every road in the county, and they haven’t found a trace of the -robbers.” - -“All right, we’ll try too,” spoke Bob, with a good deal of confidence. - -“Say,” observed Sammy, “hadn’t we ought to have stars?” - -“Why, what for?” asked Bob. - -“To arrest the robbers.” - -Bob laughed outright. - -“You great detective!” he railed. “Badges and clubs, and horse-pistols, -too, I suppose?” - -“Well, don’t you expect to catch the robbers?” - -“I hope to find out something about them to tell the marshal, yes,” -replied Bob. “Come on, fellows.” - -Bob led the way to the dismal abode where the old miser lived. He -halted under a tree near the fence of the place. - -“Now, then,” he said to Frank and Sammy, “stay here till I skirmish -around a bit.” - -“All right,” replied his companions, in a breath. - -Bob went slowly and cautiously all around the fenced-in lot. He made -sure that the big vicious dog old Dolby owned was chained up and -asleep. The house looked dark and dreary, as usual, except in the -living-room, where the miser passed most of his time. - -[Illustration: _They Saw the Miser Go Out to the Old, Rickety Barn_] - -Bob vaulted the fence and got down on hands and knees. He crept across -the garden without making any noise, and paused right under the window -of the room where there was a light. He could hear some one moving -about inside. Finally, Bob ventured to raise his head and peer past the -ragged end of a curtain. For fully five minutes the boy watched the -miser. Then he went back to his friends. - -“Well?” asked Frank. - -“Mr. Dolby is in the house,” replied Bob, “but I didn’t see any one -else.” - -“Then the robbers aren’t there,” broke in Sammy. - -“I don’t know that.” - -“What are you going to do now?” - -“Oh, keep on watching for a spell,” replied Bob, “and thinking.” - -Bob wondered if he had better not go and tell the marshal all that he -knew. The boy kept quiet until Sammy spoke in a quick whisper the words: - -“Bob, old Dolby is coming outside!” - -“That’s so,” added Frank. - -“He’s got a lantern,” continued Sammy. - -“Hush!” warned Bob. “Keep quiet and watch!” - -They saw the miser go out to the old rickety barn at the rear of the -lot. The dog growled, but quieted down at a snarl from his master. Bob -ducked down as he ran along the fence and got behind the barn. - -He could see, through broad cracks in the barn, its owner slowly -climbing a cleat ladder at one corner, carrying the lantern with him. -There was a shed near the barn. Its slanting roof came almost up to the -loft of the barn. - -Bob could see into this part of the building clearly through gaping -breaks in the rotted boards. The miser had set down the lantern. There -was no hay in the loft, except a little heap in one corner. Upon this -was spread a blanket. - -“Some one has been sleeping in the loft,” Bob decided. “He’s gone now, -though.” - -Silas Dolby took up the blanket and folded it. Then he took some -dishes, a cup, plate, knife and fork from an old chair. These he placed -on top of the folded blanket. He held blanket, dishes and lantern on -one arm. Then he came down the ladder. In a few minutes the miser went -back into the house. - -“Well, that’s all plain,” said Bob to himself. “Some one has been -sleeping and hiding in the barn. Who could it be but that tramp? Then, -if he robbed the jewelry store, where did he put the stuff he stole?” - -Bob went back to Frank and Sammy. He had about made up his mind to go -straight to Mr. Haven, and tell him all he had found out. It was Bob’s -idea that Frank’s father and the marshal could scare the old miser into -telling enough about the tramp to lead to his arrest. - -“Why, hello, where are they?” exclaimed Bob, as he reached the tree -where he had left Frank and Sammy. - -They were nowhere to be seen. As Bob looked around, somewhat puzzled, a -sound came from some near bushes. - -“Hist!” - -Bob strained his eyes and made out Frank near the bushes. He beckoned -to Bob. - -“What is it?” asked Bob. “What are you hiding for?” - -“Some one crossed over from behind the barn.” - -“Who was it?” - -“A stranger, so Sammy has cut through the brush lot here to keep him in -sight.” - -“Which way?” - -“Come on, I’ll show you,” said Frank. - -Both boys stole silently across the lot. They ran upon Sammy near some -trees. - -“He’s just turned into the road yonder,” panted Sammy. - -Bob hurried to the spot where Sammy pointed. He saw a man going down -the highway whom he thought he had never seen before. He was certainly -a stranger to Fairview. The man had a cane, and was bent over it as if -he was old or sick. - -“Where did he come from?” asked Bob. - -“Beyond Dolby’s barn,” replied Frank. - -“I didn’t see him near it,” said Bob, “but maybe he went out of a door -on the far side of the barn.” - -“Is he the man you know about, Bob?” asked Sammy. - -“He doesn’t look like it,” said Bob. - -“I saw him pretty plain when I sneaked over here,” spoke Sammy. “He -looks like a tramp.” - -“Hello!” broke in Bob, “that’s queer.” - -“What is queer?” asked Frank. - -“Why, just as the man came near that first house,” said Bob, “he -stooped more and walked more lame. That looks as if the man was playing -off.” - -“Yes, it’s sort of suspicious,” said Sammy. - -“Say, fellows,” added Bob, “we want to keep that man in sight. He may -lead us to something worth finding out!” - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -AN EXCITING HOUR - - -“DO you suppose that man is one of the robbers?” asked Sammy. - -“I don’t know about that,” replied Bob. “But he doesn’t act right.” - -“No, he isn’t any more lame than I am,” declared Frank. - -“Just look at him,” spoke Bob, quickly. - -Some one was coming down the street. The minute the man saw the boys -were following him, he began to act like a weak old man. He spoke to -the other man in a whining kind of a tone. Bob cut across a yard to -head off the man the stranger had spoken to. He found him to be Mr. -Dale, the village postmaster. - -“Oh, Mr. Dale,” spoke Bob, “will you please tell me what that man who -stopped you just now said to you?” - -“Oh, is that you, Bob? Why, yes, he is a beggar and he asked me for -a nickel. He says he is trying to get to Bartonville. Was hurt in an -accident, he told me, and his eyesight is nearly gone. Do you know him?” - -“No, sir, I was just curious about him. Thank you, Mr. Dale.” - -Bob bolted off and got back to his friends. He told them what Mr. Dale -had said. Then he added: - -“Now, then, fellows, we’re going to follow that man. I feel sure he -isn’t honest.” - -“I don’t think so, either,” said Frank. - -“Keep close inside the yards. We don’t want to have him suspect that -we’re after him.” - -Frank and Sammy did just as Bob told them to do. Sammy was in his -element. He found himself in the midst of a mystery, as he called it, -and was greatly excited. - -The man they were following kept along the street. The boys skulked -from place to place inside of yards and across vacant lots. They knew -the neighborhood well, and were never at a loss to get ahead. - -When the man came to where the streets were more deserted and the -houses further apart, he began to move faster. - -“See that,” said Bob. “He can walk straight as an arrow when he wants -to!” - -“Oh, yes, he is just putting on his lameness and all that,” added Frank. - -“Say, fellows,” whispered Sammy, “see where he’s going now!” - -They had reached the edge of the town. The man ahead of them had -crossed a stretch that was a lonely patch of high weeds and bushes. - -“He’s making for the schoolhouse,” said Frank. - -“That’s what he is,” spoke Sammy. - -“No—see,” added Bob, “he’s stopped near the old water hole where they -used to graze the cattle.” - -The three boys were crowded up against a fence, and kept staring after -the man and noticing every move he made. He stood still near the spot -Bob had mentioned. Then he put his fingers to his lips. - -The boys caught the echo of a soft birdlike call. They breathlessly -watched the man’s figure as it stood outlined against the sky. Then in -a minute or two there came a reply to the whistle. - -“This is getting exciting,” said Frank. - -“Listen,” ordered Bob. - -The man they had followed replied to the last whistle. Then the boys -saw another man come from some shrubbery just beyond the schoolhouse -wall. - -“Oh, my!” gasped Bob. - -“What is it?” whispered Frank. - -“Don’t you see?” - -“What?” - -“The last man! He’s carrying two satchels!” - -“Why, then,” said Sammy, “they’ve got the stolen jewelry in them!” - -“S-sh!” warned Bob. - -He was terribly excited. Not for an instant did he doubt that the -satchels held the plunder of which the robbers had rifled Mr. Haven’s -jewelry store. Bob thought it out this way: These two men were the -thieves. They had not risked carrying their plunder away from Fairview, -knowing they would be pursued, but had hidden it. Then they had gone -into hiding themselves. The tramp whom Bob knew had found shelter in -Silas Dolby’s barn. The other man had found safety in some other spot. - -“Now, then,” spoke Bob, quickly, “you, Sammy.” - -“Yes?” replied Sammy, on pins and needles of excitement. - -“Run as fast as you can to town, and tell the marshal that the jewelry -store robbers are down here near the schoolhouse.” - -“You bet I’ll run!” said Sammy. “But will they be here when we get -back?” - -“Probably not, but they won’t be far away.” - -“What are you going to do?” - -“I will keep them in sight, and Frank will help me.” - -“Oh, I hope we catch them!” said Sammy. - -“Don’t delay.” - -“I won’t.” - -Sammy sneaked along the fence until he got out of range of the men. -Then he arose to his feet, and got out of sight in the direction of the -village in a flash. - -“What are those men doing now?” asked Frank, a moment later. - -Bob craned his neck and bent his ear. He could hear only the vague -murmur of voices. He could not make out any clear words. The last man -to come on the scene kept the satchels, one in each hand. Finally the -two men started off. They seemed to be wrangling about something. - -“Frank,” said Bob, “all we’ve got to do now is not to lose sight of -those men.” - -“Till the marshal catches up with us,” replied Frank. - -“I’m going to get nearer to them.” - -“It’s risky.” - -“Well, I want to find out all I can.” - -“What shall I do?” - -“Follow very slowly. If they see me or anything happens we don’t -expect, don’t you lose sight of them till the marshal comes.” - -“All right, Bob. Oh, I do hope they are the people you think they are, -and that father is going to get back his property!” - -Bob now began crawling flat on the ground across the open field. When -he came to where the weeds or bushes were high he ran a bit, but kept -stooping as low as he could all of the time. - -In this way, Bob had gained quite a little on the men. Once they -rested, near a little clump of shrubbery just beyond the schoolhouse. -The man Bob believed to be the tramp went ahead, as if seeing if the -road was clear. The other man sat down on one of the satchels, and the -boy got quite near to him. - -“It’s the man I saw in the hide-out!” whispered Bob to himself. “It’s -the man with the green shade over his eye! Now I am sure these men are -the fellows who broke into the jewelry store.” - -“I guess it’s safe to go on,” said the tramp, coming back to his friend. - -“All right.” - -“Here, I’ll carry one of the satchels.” - -“Oh, no; they’re not heavy.” - -“But I want to.” - -“Well, you can’t, and I won’t let you.” - -“Huh!” said the tramp in an angry way, “what’s the matter with you?” - -“Well, for one thing, I know you,” said the other man. - -“Oh, do you?” - -“Yes, I do. I shan’t drop these satchels till we get to where the man -who hired us is waiting for us.” - -“It’s two miles away.” - -“I don’t care if it’s ten miles away. If you got your paws on one of -these satchels, you might bolt with it.” - -“Well, I’ve done some of the work, haven’t I? Who found the key to the -jewelry store?” - -“You did, and our boss will pay you well for your share of the work, -but you don’t handle these satchels.” - -“I bet I do!” - -The tramp suddenly sprang at his companion, but the other was too quick -for him. The man with the green shade over his eye sprang to his feet. -He whirled one satchel around. It struck the tramp on the head and -swept him to the ground. - -The man with the green shade over his eye at once picked up the two -satchels, and started on a run. In a minute he was around the corner -of the schoolhouse and out of sight. The tramp sprang to his feet with -an angry cry. - -Bob did not dare to move from the shelter of the shrubbery at once. -He thought he heard something drop around on the other side of the -schoolhouse. As the tramp ran around its end, Bob hurried forward and -peered towards the road. - -“Why,” said Bob, in great surprise, “what has become of the satchels?” - -He could see the man in the lead about two hundred yards away, as he -jumped into a ditch and was gone from sight. The tramp was putting -after him as fast as he could. One thing was sure: neither of them had -the satchels. - -“Where could they have gone to?” Bob asked himself. - -He ran to the road. The tramp was standing in the middle of it, at a -loss where to go. The other man was nowhere to be seen. Finally the -tramp ran into some woods lining the road, on a search for the man who -had run away from him. - -Frank, who had kept track of Bob in cautious stages, came up to him now. - -“Where are they?” he asked. - -“Somewhere in the woods,” answered Bob. “They have had a quarrel.” - -“Yes, I noticed it.” - -“We couldn’t do much if we caught up to them. Hark, Frank!” - -Down the road beyond the schoolhouse echoed the sound of horses’ hoofs -and wagon wheels. - -“It’s some one driving awfully fast,” said Frank. - -“It must be the marshal! Yes, I think it is,” said Bob, peering down -the road. - -Then he ran to the middle of the highway, and down it, waving his -arms. The wagon stopped, and Bob saw that it held the marshal, and -three other men, and Sammy. - -“Where are those men, Bob?” asked the marshal, quickly. - -Bob told enough to give the officer an idea of how things stood. The -marshal drove the wagon up to the side of the road, and then he and two -of the men who had come in the wagon started out to scour the woods. - -Bob told Frank and Sammy about the two satchels being gone when he ran -around the schoolhouse corner. They at once began a search all about -the place and even out to the ditch, but found no trace of the valises. - -“See here, Bob,” said Frank, “maybe the man threw them into the ditch, -jumped after them, and got away with them?” - -“I hardly think that,” replied Bob. “He didn’t have them with him the -last sight I had of him.” - -The boys had a long wait of it. It was over an hour before one of the -men came back. - -“We’ve beat the woods in every direction,” he told them. “The marshal -and his aid have kept up the hunt. We’re to go back and start some more -men on the chase.” - -Up to the time, two hours later, that Bob, Frank and Sammy stayed up, -no trace was found of the jewelry store robbers. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -FIRE - - -“YOU quit that, Jed Burr!” - -“Shut up, or I’ll lam you worse.” - -Bob Bouncer paused as he was on a run to join Frank and the others -across the playground. - -Bob was passing the row of shrubbery, from which he had spied the -jewelry store robbers the night before. Now, halting and peering -through those same bushes, he saw Jed cuffing a helpless member of his -crowd, three years his junior and about half his size. - -This was Ned Thomas, a weak, timid little fellow, who was so afraid of -the big leader of “The Blues,” that he had fetched and carried for Jed -all the last school term. Jed imposed on him terribly. The way he held -the little fellow, was to make him believe he would work him into the -ball nine in time. - -Ned was sobbing and crying. Jed had knocked his cap off. He threatened -him with his fists. - -“You do as I say,” he was speaking now. - -“I can’t, I won’t,” choked out Ned. “I just felt splendid at my luck in -writing what I did. And you’ve taken it.” - -“I gave you mine.” - -“Humph! Yours! You give it back to me, Jed Burr! If you don’t, I’ll go -home. I won’t go to school at all.” - -“Do it, then,” shouted Jed. “See here,” seizing the little fellow, and -shaking him hard, “you blab one word, and I won’t let a fellow in the -crowd play with you, or even speak to you.” - -“See here, Jed Burr, you drop that,” cried Bob, stepping into view and -pulling Ned away from the grasp of the bully. - -“Hello! sneaking around, are you?” - -“I don’t have to sneak,” replied Bob. - -“Mind your own business.” - -“I’m minding it fine when I save a little fellow from your meanness.” - -“Say, I’ll lick you,” cried Jed, doubling up his fists. - -Bob said nothing. He just looked the bully squarely in the eye. - -“Some time. You see if I don’t,” added Jed. - -Bob did not move. Jed edged away. - -“I’ll give it to you good and hard,” scowled Jed, and went clear away. - -“See here, Ned,” said Bob, going up to the weeping boy, and placing his -hand on his shoulder in a kindly way. - -“Leave me alone,” sniffled the little fellow. “Jed has spoiled -everything. I’ll stay away from school. I’ll play hookey.” - -Just then the school bell rang. Bob had to let the little fellow go -his own way. There was a special programme for that morning, and Bob’s -mind was full of it. This was the public reading of a composition on -“Ceylon.” A prize was to be given for the best piece. - -On these occasions at times several visitors came to the school. As he -entered, Bob noticed a number of ladies whom he knew. Seated in a chair -near the platform was a young man smartly dressed, who wore a single -eye-glass. - -“He’s the English artist staying at Ned Thomas’s house,” Frank -whispered to Bob. - -[Illustration: _Several Scholars Read Their Pieces_] - -Several scholars read their pieces, Bob among the number. They were all -very good, for the writers were allowed to consult books, and even get -help from others. The story had to be told in their own language. - -Bob noticed that Ned was absent. When Jed Burr’s turn came, the bully -stood up in his usual bold way, and began drawling out the contents of -the written paper in his hand. - -Even Bob had to confess to himself that Jed’s paper was very fine. It -told things about Ceylon that the other boys had not mentioned. Jed -read about the wonderful tricks of the elephants in that country. - -As he did this, Bob noticed the English artist straighten up, fix his -eye-glass, and stare at Jed. He was sure he heard the artist speak the -words: - -“Ah, extrawordinary, you know!” - -When Jed told of how the women of Ceylon worked, carrying great loads -on their backs, the artist said, under his breath: - -“I say, remawkable!” - -This puzzled Bob, for the artist kept staring hard at Jed, and rubbing -his head, as if something had happened that he could not understand. - -When recess came the artist went up to Miss Williams. Bob noticed that -he spoke to her quite seriously. Most of the scholars had gone out onto -the playground, and Bob was about to join them, when the teacher said: - -“Will you come here for a moment, Bob?” - -“Yes, Miss Williams,” he replied, going up to her desk. - -“Have you seen Ned Thomas to-day?” asked Miss Williams. - -“Yes, ma’am.” - -“Do you know what kept him from school?” - -“I think I half know, Miss Williams, but I don’t care to say anything -about it.” - -“You should speak out, my lad,” said the artist. “Some wrong work has -been going on, and we wish to get at the bottom of it, don’t you know.” - -“I’ll tell you, Miss Williams,” spoke Bob; “you had better ask Ned -about it.” - -“But he is not here, Bob.” - -“No, but I’ll try and find him.” - -“I wish you would, Bob,” said the teacher. - -Bob started out on his hunt for the truant. He wondered a good deal -about what was up. Nobody on the playground had seen Ned. Finally, a -boy who lived near by, and who had run home for a quick bite to eat, -told Bob that little Ned was playing over near a spring in the woods. - -Bob came across Ned wading in some water. His feet were soaked and -his clothes muddy. He had been building a little dam, and he looked -reckless and unhappy. - -“Teacher wants you, Ned,” said Bob. - -“I don’t want to see teacher,” spoke Ned, in a sullen way. - -“You’ve got to.” - -“What for?” - -“She’ll tell you.” - -“I won’t go,” declared the little fellow, starting to wade deeper into -the water. - -“No, you don’t,” said Bob, quickly, catching hold of Ned’s arm. “See -here, don’t be a gump. The artist who boards down at your house is up -at the schoolhouse with the teacher.” - -“Oh, is he?” cried Ned, brightening up. “I’ll go, then, Bob.” - -All the scholars looked curious as Bob crossed the playground with Ned -in his charge. - -“Close the door. Bob,” spoke Miss Williams, as Bob led Ned into the -schoolroom. “You can remain, if you like.” - -Bob sat down at one of the desks. In a halting, shame-faced way Ned -hunched up to the teacher. - -“I didn’t mean to play hookey. It wasn’t my fault,” he blurted out. - -“Ah, my lad,” here spoke the artist, “you know I was a -bit—ah—er—surprised, don’t you know, and I wanted to awsk you -something.” - -“Yes, sir,” blubbered Ned, humbly, with eyes cast down. - -“I gave you some stories of my journey through Ceylon for your -composition, you know. Another lad read them off here this morning.” - -“He stole my paper from me,” burst out Ned. “The mean bully! He gave me -his to read, but I tore it up. I won’t stand it any longer,” and Ned -began to bawl. - -“It’s a clear case, Miss,” said the artist. “A—ah, er—decidedly mean -theft. This Thistle boy——” - -“Burr,” corrected the teacher, with a smile. - -“Ah, yes, Burr. He should be exposed, Miss.” - -“I think the school board will expel him when they know the facts of -the case,” said the teacher. - -“Won’t he be boss of ‘The Blues’ any more, then?” asked Ned, eagerly. - -“I fancy not,” replied Miss Williams. - -“Then I ain’t afraid any more,” cried Ned. “I’ll tell the truth; yes, -I will. I’ve been a mean boy, but Jed Burr made me that. He got me to -play all kinds of tricks on the scholars; and say, Miss Williams,” -added Ned, with a quick glance at Bob, “Jed stole a spelling list from -your desk, and some of his fellows copied it, and Jed got me to put it -in Bob Bouncer’s desk, so as to get him into trouble.” - -“Oh, Bob!” cried Miss Williams, coming up to him and putting out her -hand, “I have wronged you very greatly!” - -“Don’t speak of it, Miss Williams,” replied Bob, smiling loyally. “It’s -all right now, isn’t it?” - -“You are a noble boy, Bob,” said his teacher. - -“I think it’s myself that wronged somebody,” said Bob to himself, as he -left the schoolhouse. “Here I went and suspected poor Tom Chubb of what -he never did. A fine friend I am! I’m going to tell him how mean I’ve -been.” - -Tom thought Bob quite the best friend he had heard of, when Bob told -his story. - -“Wouldn’t tell on a friend, would you?” said Tom. “The only mistake was -your thinking I was smart enough to get hold of that spelling list.” - -“It wasn’t very smart in Jed Burr, the way it has turned out,” said -Frank. - -“That’s so,” echoed Sammy. “It pays to be straight.” - -At noon Jed Burr was sent home with a note to his parents. It told that -he was suspended from school until the school board were told of his -unfairness and misdoings. - -Bob felt that something more than being sorry was due to Tom. He -invited him and Frank and Sammy to tea to his house that evening. - -The four boys were playing a game of tennis just at dusk, when they -heard a yell down the road. Bob ran out to the gate. - -A man was coming pell-mell down the middle of the road. He was waving -his arms wildly. - -“Hurry, run!” he shouted, as he espied the boys. - -“What’s the matter?” bawled Sammy. - -“Fire!” yelled the runner, never stopping to take breath. “At the -schoolhouse—it’s on fire, and burning up!” - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -THE CAPTURE—CONCLUSION - - -“THE mischief!” cried Bob. - -“Schoolhouse burning up!” echoed Sammy. “That’s big news.” - -“Come on, fellows!” ordered Frank, making a rush down the road. - -“Don’t wait for me,” said Tom. “I’m too fat to run fast.” - -“Say, I don’t see any blaze,” spoke Bob. - -“No, but look—everybody is putting for the schoolhouse!” cried Sammy. - -This was true. In the dim dusk they could see men, women and children -rushing in the direction of the schoolhouse. They could hear the man -who had told the news, and others, shouting nearer to the center of the -village. - -The news seemed to spread like wildfire. Just as the boys joined the -procession hurrying to the schoolhouse, they caught the echo of a great -clanging and clatter. - -“They’ve got the hose-cart out,” said Bob. - -“The schoolhouse is on fire!” cried Sammy. - -“Sure enough,” added Frank. - -They were now in full sight of the school building. From one end a -great volume of smoke was pouring out of the windows. Then, just as -they bounded over the fence, one of a dozen men already come upon the -scene, ran at a door and kicked it in. - -At once the flames came out in a sheet. Some one shouted for buckets. -Bob knew where there was one under the school building, in use when -people drove to the school and wanted to water their horses. He got it -out quickly and ran to the pump. - -“Help me, Frank,” he called. - -Frank and Sammy took turns in pumping. Bob ran with the pail to a man -at the broken-in door. The man threw the water inside and Bob went back -after more water. Then two men arrived with buckets from the nearest -house, and soon half a dozen pails were in use. - -Men took the place of the boys and crowded them out of service, but -they had done their part. - -“What’s that, now?” spoke Bob, as, rounding the building, they came to -the little addition to the main school building, used as a storeroom. - -“Why,” shouted Sammy, “there’s some one inside!” - -“It looks so,” spoke Frank, in wonder. - -Bang, clatter, crash!—the rear window of the storeroom was smashed out -from inside. A man leaped into view. He must have been sleeping in the -place, and the fire must have started between the storeroom and the -schoolhouse door. He could not get past it, and had broken out that way. - -The flames showed the man plainly. He was a stranger to Fairview, -and had a green patch over one eye. As he jumped from the window he -stumbled and fell to the ground. He was on his feet at once. Then he -started to run away from the spot. - -“Say, I know him!” cried Bob. - -“Who is it?” asked Frank. - -“One of the robbers!” - -“You don’t say so!” spoke Sammy. - -“Stop that man—stop that man!” yelled Bob at the top of his voice. - -He and his friends ran after the fellow. The rascal’s way was blocked, -and he was caught and held by two men who had heard Bob’s cries. - -“Aha! who are you?” demanded one of the captors. - -“I’m only a poor tramp. Went into the schoolhouse to get warm.” - -“He’s one of the men who robbed Mr. Haven’s jewelry store,” declared -Bob, excitedly. - -“Is that so!” exclaimed the man’s captor. - -“Yes, it is.” - -“Bob, here comes the marshal,” spoke Frank just then. - -“And the hose-cart,” added Sammy. - -Bob ran to meet the marshal. He told much that made the officer very -anxious to take the man with the green shade over one eye in charge. -The hose-cart men soon attacked the fire, which had been caused by some -hot coals falling on the floor from the big stove in the schoolroom. -Soon the blaze was put out. - -“You stay with me, Bob,” said the marshal, keeping tight hold of his -prisoner. “I want to question this fellow. You seem to know more about -him than any one else.” - -The marshal led the man to the nearest house. Its owner took them into -a sitting-room. - -“Now, then, Bob,” said the marshal, “you are sure this is the man you -saw with two satchels the night you told me about?” - -“Yes, sir, I am,” replied Bob. - -“My man,” asked the marshal, “what did you do with those satchels?” - -“I’m not going to get myself into trouble by telling,” replied the -robber, sullenly. - -“You’re in pretty bad trouble already, if you only knew it,” said the -marshal. - -“Well, supposing I tell?” - -“It will be the easier for you.” - -“I didn’t break into the jewelry store.” - -“Who did?” - -“My partner.” - -“Very well, tell us where he is, and about those satchels, and we’ll -make it as light for you as we can.” - -“Is that a bargain?” - -“It is.” - -“All right,” said the man with the green shade over his eye. “I dropped -them under the pump platform into the schoolhouse well.” - -“Mr. Ward,” said Bob, quickly, to the marshal, “send for a -well-cleaner, and see if he is telling the truth.” - - * * * * * - -“Say, Bob, the whole town is talking about you,” spoke Frank Haven. - -“Are they?” - -“Yes.” - -“I should think they would!” cried Sammy Brown. “Why, you’ve done the -biggest thing ever done in Fairview.” - -“Oh, pshaw!” said Bob, flushing up, “you’re making too much of nothing.” - -“Nothing?” echoed Frank. “Do you call it nothing saving my father from -ruin, Bob Bouncer?” - -“Have I done that?” - -“Father says so, and he sent us down to bring you right up to the -house.” - -“What for?” asked Bob. - -“He wants to pay you that reward.” - -“Well,” replied Bob, “he simply can’t do it. Do you suppose I’d let the -father of my best chum pay me for what any boy would be glad to do? I -guess not, Frank Haven!” - -“He wants to see you, anyway, so you’ve got to come along.” - -“That’s a fact,” put in Tom Chubb. “No getting out of it, Bob.” - -The others surrounded Bob and marched him down the street. A dozen -people met him and shook hands with him. They met Minnie Grey, who -called Bob “a hero,” and cried, as she always did when Bob met with -“good luck,” as she called it. Little crippled Benny Lane cheered Bob -with a dozen hurrahs as they passed his home. - -The satchels had been found in the schoolhouse well, and only a few -pieces of jewelry were missing. The captured robber was now in jail, -and the marshal and his men were looking for his partner. - -It came out that the tramp had heard Silas Dolby tell about the lost -key to the jewelry store, and had found it in his garden. He had been -given shelter in the old miser’s barn, because Mr. Dolby was afraid to -refuse him, he was such a rough, ugly fellow. - -When the boys reached Frank’s home, Mr. Haven came out and met them. He -grasped both of Bob’s hands, all smiles, and as happy as he could be. - -“Well, Bob,” he said, “I suppose you’ve come for that reward?” - -“Not a cent of it, Mr. Haven,” replied Bob, firmly. - -“I have decided to give you one hundred dollars, Bob. The balance, I -suppose, should go to the marshal and his men.” - -“Mr. Haven,” said Bob, “my father told me that if I took so much as a -cent from a good neighbor like you, he’d invite me out to the barn with -a strap.” - -“Why, the town would mob him if he laid a finger on its hero!” declared -Mr. Haven. - -“All right,” laughed Bob, “but you know I must obey my parents.” - -Mr. Haven was silent for a moment or two. He looked over the four -fine-spirited lads in a proud and kindly way. Then he said: - -“Well, Bob, as you won’t have the reward, I shall go to work on a new -plan. I intend to have the loft of the old barn fixed up nice and tidy -for a clubroom for you and your friends.” - -“Oh, father, that will be fine!” cried Frank. - -“Famous!” echoed Sammy. - -“I shall spend the hundred dollars getting you the best gymnasium -outfit it will buy,” added Mr. Haven. - -“Hurrah!” shouted Tom Chubb. - -“Vacation until they fix up the schoolhouse, and that grand gymnasium -to think of!” said Sammy Brown. “Say, fellows, we’re having the finest -time on earth!” - -Then the boys gave three rousing cheers for Frank Haven’s father, and -started out on a new round of healthy fun and adventure, as will be -related in the next volume of this series, to be called, “Fairview Boys -at Camp Mystery; Or, The Old Hermit and His Secret.” - -“We are bound to have lots more of fun and excitement,” said Bob -Bouncer. - -And they did. - - - - - * * * * * * - - - - -Transcriber’s note: - -—Obvious errors were corrected. - - - -***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FAIRVIEW BOYS AND THEIR RIVALS*** - - -******* This file should be named 51749-0.txt or 51749-0.zip ******* - - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/5/1/7/4/51749 - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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