who’s out there?” cried the owner of the cow-shed, and, lantern in hand, he turned to survey the newcomers.
“Why, it’s Mr. Opper!” cried Sam. “Don’t you remember me? I called last summer, to see some of your young lady boarders.”
“Oh, yes, I remember you,” replied Homer Opper. “You hired my dappled mare for a ride.”
“That’s it, Mr. Opper. Say, that mare could go.”
“Go? Ain’t no hossflesh in these parts kin beat her,” cried the farmer proudly. “She won the prize at the last county fair, she did! But wot brung ye here, sech a night as this?” added Homer Opper curiously.
“Hello, Porter, old man!” cried Mallory, rising from a box on which he had been seated and shaking hands. “Caught in the storm, too, eh?”
“Yes,” answered Dave. He gazed curiously at the Rockville cadet and his companions. “Been up the river?”
“Not any further than this.”
“Hunting?”
“No, skating. We would be going back, only Holt broke one of his skates and that delayed us. Been out hunting, eh? Any luck?”
“Some – good and bad. We shot some rabbits, squirrels, and partridges, and we likewise had our hamper, our skates, an overcoat, and some other things stolen.”
“Stolen!” cried Homer Opper. “By gum, thet’s tough luck! Who tuk the things?”
“That is what we want to find out,” and as Dave spoke he looked sharply at Mallory and the other Rockville cadets.
“Not guilty,” came promptly from Bazen. “Honest Injun, Porter, if you think we touched your things, you are on the wrong track; isn’t that so, fellows?”
“It is,” came promptly from Mallory and Holt. Then suddenly the star hockey player of Rockville Academy let out a long, low whistle of surprise.
“You know something?” demanded Dave.
“Maybe I do,” was Mallory’s slow answer. “Yes, I am sure I do,” he added. “You can put the puzzle together yourself if you wish, Porter – because, you see, I hate to accuse anybody.”
“What do you know?”
“I know this: Less than an hour ago we met two fellows on the river, one with a hamper and the other with a bundle that looked as if it was done up in an overcoat turned inside out. We came on the fellows rather suddenly, at a turn where there were some bushes.”
“Our stuff, as sure as you’re a foot high!” cried Phil.
“Who were the fellows, do you know?” demanded the senator’s son.
At this question Mallory looked at Holt and Bazen.
“I wasn’t exactly sure, but – ” He hesitated to go on.
“I was sure enough,” chimed in Holt. “They were those chaps who came to our school from Oak Hall and then ran away – Jasniff and Merwell. How about it, Tom?”
“I think they were Jasniff and Merwell,” answered Tom Bazen. “To be sure, as soon as they saw us, they skated away as fast as they could, and kept their faces hidden. But if they weren’t Jasniff and Merwell they were pretty good doubles.”
“Jasniff and Merwell,” murmured Dave, and his heart sank a little. Here was more underhanded work of his old enemies.
The farmer and the Rockville cadets were anxious to hear the particulars of the happening, and the Oak Hall lads told of what had occurred.
“I know those chaps,” said Homer Opper. “They stayed here one night last summer. But they cut up so the boarders didn’t like it, so my wife told ’em she didn’t have no room for ’em, an’ they left. They ought to be locked up.”
“They will be locked up, if we can lay hands on them,” replied Phil.
“They must have followed us to Squirrel Island, and spied on us,” said Shadow. “Ben, you were right about seeing somebody. It must have been either Merwell or Jasniff.”
“Have you any idea where they went?” asked the shipowner’s son.
“No, they skated away behind an island and that’s the last we saw of them,” answered Mallory.
“Yes, and I reckon it’s the last we’ll hear of our things,” returned Buster, mournfully. “But come on, let us see about getting back,” he continued. “It’s ‘most time for supper now.”
“Mr. Opper, can you take us back to Oak Hall?” asked Dave. “We’ll pay you for your trouble.”
The farmer looked at the students and rubbed his chin reflectively. Then he gazed out at the storm and the snow-covered ground.
“Might hook up my big sleigh and do it,” he said. “But it would be quite a job.”
“What would it be worth?” asked Ben.
“Oh, I dunno – three or four dollars, at least. It’s a tough night to be out in – an’ I’d have to drive back, or put up at the town all night.”
“Supposing we gave you fifty cents apiece,” suggested Roger.
“And we’ll go along – as far as Rockville, at the same price – if you’ll have us,” added Mallory, quickly.
“Why, yes, Mallory, and welcome,” answered Dave cordially. “That is, if the turnout will hold us all.”
“Sure it will,” answered Homer Opper. “An’ if ye all go an’ pay fifty cents each,” – he counted them mentally as he spoke – “I’ll hook up my four hosses an’ git ye there in jig time.”
“Then it’s a go,” answered Dave, after his chums and the Rockville cadets had nodded their approval.
“And do hurry,” called out Buster, as the farmer moved away to prepare for the journey. “We don’t want to miss our suppers.”
“Ye ain’t goin’ to miss nuthin’,” called the farmer.
Inside of fifteen minutes he came around to the cow-shed with a big, low sleigh, to which were attached four fine-looking horses. The sleigh contained two lanterns and a quantity of wraps and robes.
“Don’t want ye to catch cold, when we’re a-drivin’ fast,” chuckled Homer Opper. “Now pile right in, an’ we’ll be movin’.”
The boys needed no second invitation, and soon all were aboard – Dave and Roger on the front seat with the driver and the others behind, including the Rockville cadets. Then came a crack of the whip, and away through the swirling snow moved the big sleigh, bound for the two schools.
CHAPTER VI – GOOD-BY TO OAK HALL
“Where in the world have you boys been? Why didn’t you come back in time for supper? Don’t you know it is against the rules to stay away like this?”
Thus
