CHAPTER XXIX THE HILL CLIMBING CONTEST
That night Jack called a special meeting of the cadets who hadparticipated in the removal of the trophies from Pornell Academy. Thistook place in the gymnasium, and every possible care was taken toexclude outsiders.
"We are in a pickle," admitted the young major. "Events have taken anunexpected turn, and what we had best do I do not know." And then hetold everything, how Will Carey had been robbed of the bracelet and hisring, and how the crazy men had carried off all the bags of trophies.
"Pepper and I did our best to trace the men, but we could not do it,"Jack went on. "We found some whisps of excelsior on the road, and somefootprints, but not enough to follow to the end."
The loss of the trophies carried consternation to everybody present, andthe boys felt more than blue as they discussed the situation. They hadexpected to return the trophies to Pornell Academy in secret in the nearfuture. Some were in favor of going to George Strong with their story.
"The crazy men are his relatives," said one. "He ought to do all in hispower to locate them."
"If we go to him Captain Putnam will find out that we took thetrophies," said Andy. "And we don't want that to happen--at least notyet."
"I move we wait before we do anything," said Dale. "Let us all go outinto the woods and hunt for those men."
"We don't want to get killed," said Stuffer.
"If we find them we needn't show ourselves. The best plan would be towatch 'em until they go to sleep for the night and then run for help andbag 'em before they move in the morning."
"Dale talks as if he had spotted them already," said Bart, with a laugh.
"Well, you offer a better plan," retorted Dale.
It was finally decided that the cadets should wait at least a weekbefore going to Mr. Strong or the authorities. In the meantime all wereto make a strong effort to locate Bart Callax and Paul Shaff.
"I am going out every time I can get the chance," said Pepper, and manyothers said the same. Although they did not care to admit it, they weremuch worried over the disappearance of the trophies and wondered whatthey would have to pay to get out of the scrape if the things were notrecovered.
"I suppose Doctor Pornell can make it hot for us," sighed Andy. "Hang itall! I almost wish we hadn't touched the things!"
Just as the meeting was breaking up a noise was heard in one of thelockers of the gymnasium. Pepper rushed to the door and flung it openand confronted Mumps, who looked too scared to speak.
"Playing the sneak, eh?" cried Pepper and yanked Mumps out on thegymnasium floor.
"I--I went into the--the locker to--to--er----"
"To pick violets, I suppose," said Andy. "Boys, he has been spying onus!"
"Down the sneak!"
"Make him promise to keep his mouth shut!"
"I--er--I won't say a word!" cried Mumps. "I promise you I won't. Oh, letme go, please let me go!"
"This way with the sneak!" cried Dale, and pointed to the shower bath atone end of the building.
"No, no!" yelled Mumps. "Don't turn the water on me, please don't!I--er--I didn't come here of my own free will."
"You didn't?"
"No, Reff Ritter and Coulter and Paxton made me come," whined the sneak.
"Were you going to report to them?" demanded Pepper.
"Yes. They made me do it."
"Then we'll let you off on one condition--and only one," said Jack.
"What is that?"
"That you don't breathe a word to anybody about what has been said."
"All right, I promise."
"If you break your promise----"
"We'll make you wish you had never seen Putnam Hall," finished Andy.
"That's the talk," cried several.
"I won't say a word--positively I won't," answered Mumps, and then he wasled to the door and fairly kicked out on the campus. It may be addedhere that he was so scared he never did say a word until long afterward.Ritter and his cronies tried to "pump him," but the sneak put them offby stating the meeting was held to consider baseball matters for thecoming season.
For three days, including Sunday, the cadets roamed around the vicinityof Putnam Hall, on the lookout for the two insane men. Occasionally theywere watched by Ritter and his cronies and this once led to something ofa fight between Jack and the bully. Ritter received a black eye andafter that, for the time being, kept his distance.
Wednesday of that week was a half-holiday, and a number of the cadetsarranged a hill-climbing contest. This was to consist of reaching thetop of Devery Hill, three miles from the school. The contestants werenot to go by the road, but must travel in a straight line from PutnamHall, over two small hills before Devery was reached.
"That is something to take the wind out of a fellow," said Stuffer.
"You wouldn't lose your wind so quickly if you didn't eat so much,"replied Andy. "I am going into the race."
"So am I," said Pepper. "Jack says he will go, too."
Sixteen cadets were to participate, and they were to start from the Hallcampus at one o'clock in the afternoon. It was a cloudy day and somewere afraid it was going to rain.
"Never mind, who's afraid of a little rain," said Jack.
"I am not," answered Pepper.
"Do we take a lunch along?" inquired Stuffer anxiously.
"Certainly," said Andy. "Onion cakes with liver syrup."
"Well, I'm going to take a sandwich anyway," declared the youth wholoved to eat.
Promptly on time the sixteen cadets lined up for the race. All werelightly clad and in the best of spirits.
"Now remember," said George Strong, who had been selected to start theracers off. "The boy to reach the flat rock on the top of Devery Hillfirst wins the race. Are you all ready? Then go!"
Away they went, pell-mell, across the campus, leaping a small hedge andrunning up a footpath leading to the top of the first hill. The teachergave them a cheer and so did Captain Putnam, and Peleg Snuggers wavedhis big red handkerchief after them. The other cadets yelled wildly andran along a short distance, but soon dropped behind.
Ritter and Paxton were in the race. Coulter had thought to enter, butwas suffering from a sore toe. There were to be two prizes, and thecronies thought they could win, for both were good runners and knew howto climb.
The distance over the first hill was a mile and over the second hillanother mile. Then came the third mile, up to the top of Devery, a steepincline, covered with rocks and brushwood.
By the time the first hill was left behind some of the cadets wereshowing signs of becoming winded. Two dropped out of the race and threeothers were left far in the rear before the top of the second hill wasgained. The pace was a smart one, and Jack, Pepper and Andy foundthemselves perspiring freely.
"No more of this for me!" came from Stuffer, after two-thirds of thedistance had been covered. "I am going to stop off to rest," and hethrew himself down on the grass under a tree. Another cadet didlikewise.
At the foot of the last hill Jack, Andy and Pepper found themselvespretty well bunched. In front of them were Ritter and Paxton. The restwere a good bit behind.
"I am going to get ahead of those fellows!" cried the young major, andcommenced to climb with renewed vigor. Soon he passed Paxton, whoscowled darkly at him, but said nothing.
Pepper was close behind Jack and Andy, but a few yards to one side, whenthe three heard a noise above them. Looking upward, they saw severalstones of good size rolling down the hillside.
"Beware of the rocks!" sang out Jack, and leaped aside just in time.Pepper was grazed on the shoulder and Andy got a pinched foot. Then theyheard a yell from Paxton.
"Oh, my foot! The rock has mashed my foot!"
"It was Ritter's fault!" called back Jack. "He sent the rocks down onus! I guess he wanted to injure me."
He had hardly spoken when he heard a sudden exclamation of terror.Ritter had slipped and was rolling over and over down the hillside. Hepassed
Jack and Pepper and then came toward Andy. The latter reached outand caught the bully by the arm and held him.
"Don't let me go down!" screamed Ritter, in fright.
"You are safe," answered Andy. "Pick yourself up and take care ofPaxton--he needs you. Some of the rocks you rolled down struck him."
"I--I didn't mean to do it," stammered the bully. But the look on hisface showed that he was not speaking the truth. He had played a meantrick, but Fate had paid him back almost instantly. His face was muchscratched, his wind was gone, and he had to withdraw from the race.
CHAPTER XXX A CAPTURE--CONCLUSION
It had begun to rain and from a distance came the rolling of thunder.But Jack, Andy and Pepper paid no attention to this--their one thoughtwas to reach the top of Devery Hill first.
They had spread out along the hillside, each seeking the easiest way upthe steep rocks. Pepper was slightly ahead, with Jack and Andy an equaldistance behind him. The other contestants were considerably to therear.
"We are in for a big thunderstorm!" cried Andy.
"Who cares?" flung back Pepper. "I am going to win this race no matterwhat happens."
"Not if I know it!" came from the young major.
"The fellow to win will be the one to get there first," said Andy. Andthen no more was said just then, for the hill was becoming steeper andthey wanted to save their breath.
At last, just as it began to rain in torrents, the three cadets saw,fifty feet above them, the top of the hill. To reach it each had toclimb some rocks that were now wet and slippery.
"Don't break your neck, whatever you do!" cried Jack. "The race isn'tworth it."
"I am safe enough!" panted Pepper, as he pulled himself up with vigor."Hurrah, I'm up!" he added, a moment later. "Where's the rock?"
"There it is!" shouted Andy, coming to the top and racing off. Jack wasbeside him, and away the three started for the flat rock less thantwenty yards away. They came up abreast, and all three flung themselveson the rock simultaneously.
"Here!" gasped Andy.
"Here!" panted Pepper.
"A tie!" said Jack, when he could speak. "Creation, but wasn't that lastclimb a corker!"
"So it was," answered Pepper.
"Talk about rain," came from Andy. "Say, we've got to get under shelteror we'll be soaked."
"There is something of a cliff," said Jack, pointing with his hand."That ought to afford some protection. Phew!"
The last exclamation followed a vivid flash of lightning and a crack ofthunder that made all the cadets jump. They leaped in the direction ofthe cliff and crouched under it. Then came another flash and a crack,and the rain came down in a deluge.
"Here is an opening, under the cliff," said Pepper, looking around amongthe brushwood growing at the base of the rocks. "Let us get in that. Itwill be some protection against the lightning as well as the rain."
None of the youths liked the vivid flashes of lightning and all wereglad to turn into the opening, which was a cavern between the rocks. Asthey looked around them Jack's eye saw something on the flooring whichimmediately attracted his attention. It was some loose excelsior and hepointed it out to his chums.
"Oh, Jack, can it be possible those crazy men came here?" exclaimedAndy.
"I don't know, but I think it will pay us to investigate, as soon as thestorm clears away."
"Let us investigate now," said Pepper, impulsively. "I don't believe Icould get much wetter than I am if I tried."
The trail of the loose excelsior led around the base of the cliff and toa much larger opening than the first they had discovered. Jack was inadvance, and of a sudden he put up his hand as a warning.
"What is it?" asked his chums, in a whisper.
"The two crazy men--in a cave. I think they are sleeping."
With extreme caution the cadets moved forward, so all could look intothe cave beyond. The young major was right, there on the ground, near asmall campfire which was almost burnt out, lay Bart Callax and PaulShaff. Both were sound asleep in spite of the fierce thunderstorm thatwas raging.
"They must prowl around so much in the night that they have to sleep inthe daytime," said Pepper, and guessed the truth.
The boys looked behind the sleepers and saw a number of bags piled in acorner of the cave. On a rock lay the green masks and hoods and also abutcher knife, a hatchet, and several other things.
"Can we capture them?" questioned Andy.
"We must do it," answered the young major.
"But they may show fight--and they say crazy folks are very strong."
"Let us take some ropes and tie them up while they are asleep,"suggested Pepper. "We can take the ropes on the bags."
This was agreed to, and in nervous haste the three cadets procured theropes and advanced on the two men who were, fortunately, sleepingheavily. One had his hands up over his head and it was an easy matter totie his wrists together. Then they secured his feet. After that theysecured the feet of the second man and turned his arms so they could tiehis wrists. At this he awoke, but before he could collect himself andoffer any resistance he was a close prisoner.
"What does this mean?" asked Callax, and then of a sudden he began toweep. Shaff began to talk wildly and offered them the Presidency of theUnited States if they would set him free.
"We mean to do you no harm," said Jack, gently. "We want to take you toyour relative, Mr. George Strong. He wants very much to see you."
"Will he let me play the organ?" demanded Paul Shaff, sharply.
"Certainly," said Pepper.
"Then I'll see him."
"I am the king of this mountain, and he must come to me," said BartCallax, stubbornly.
By talking kindly the cadets managed to soothe the two prisoners, andthen, as the thunderstorm was passing, Andy ran out and part of the waydown the hill after some of the others who had taken part in the race.In the meantime Jack watched the insane men and Pepper examined thestuff in the cave.
"All of the trophies seem to be here," announced Pepper. "And here arethe Confederate bills and the vest taken from Mr. Chetwood."
"See anything of Flossie Ford's bracelet?" asked the young major.
"No."
"I have a bracelet in my pocket," announced Bart Callax. "It belongs tothe Empress of China."
"Where is it?" asked Jack, and when told, brought the bracelet forth. Byits appearance he knew it was the one belonging to Flossie.
"That clears up that mystery," said Pepper. "Won't she be glad to get itback, though!"
"Yes, and Will Carey will be glad it is found," added the young major.
Later they discovered Carey's ruby ring on Shaff's finger.
It was some time before Andy returned,--with five cadets who were in thesecret concerning the Pornell Academy trophies. Those boys took thesacks containing the things and marched off with them in the slight rainthat was falling. Then Jack and his chums started off with Shaff andCallax, taking the other things along.
Two hours later the two insane men were placed in the keeping of GeorgeStrong. The teacher was delighted to learn that they had been found andpromised to see to it personally that the men be placed in an asylumfrom which escape would be practically impossible.
"I will take them to the asylum myself," he said, and left Putnam Hallthe next day for that purpose.
The reader can imagine how delighted Flossie Ford was to get back herprecious bracelet. She was amazed when she learned the true storyconcerning it.
"After this I shall take care that it never gets away from me again,"said she.
"Oh, you'd lend it to me, wouldn't you?" asked Pepper, with a twinkle inhis eye.
"Maybe; but I'd not lend it to anybody else," answered Flossie.
Will Carey was also delighted and glad to get back his ring, and whenthe boys asked him to assist in getting the trophies back to PornellAcademy he readily consented. As a consequence the trophies were takenback one night and placed in a row on the ma
in dining room table of theschool, much to Doctor Pornell's amazement.
"Somebody shall suffer for this!" he thundered. "Wait till I get at thebottom of this trick!" But he never got at the bottom of it, for WillCarey kept his secret, being afraid that if he did not the cadets wouldtell all about the bracelet.
"Well, we've had some warm times this season," remarked Jack, one day,when talking matters over. "But things seem to be quiet now."
"And I hope they stay so," said Andy, but his wish was not realized.Very strenuous times were close at hand, and what they were will be toldin the next volume of this series, to be entitled "The Putnam HallRebellion; or, The Rival Runaways." In that volume we shall learn whatthe absence of Captain Putnam from his school led to, and how ReffRitter once again tried to do Jack and his chums serious injury, and howhis rascally use of the French headache powder was exposed.
"Some day we'll have to run that tie race off," said Pepper. "As it is,we don't know who is the best runner and climber."
"Why not leave it as it is?" suggested Andy.
"Just what I say," came from the young major. "By the way, Paxton gothurt quite badly by the stone Ritter rolled down on him."
"Yes, but he thinks we are to blame," said Pepper. "He will try to getsquare some day, I suppose," and in this surmise the Imp was right.
The next day came a surprise that pleased the boys very much. The Fordswere to give a lawn party and they invited about a dozen of the cadetsover. The chums went and had "the time of their lives," as Andydeclared.
"Tell you what, they are all right folks," said Pepper.
"I agree with you," answered Jack.
And here we will leave the young cadets, wishing them well.
THE END
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Transcriber's Notes
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The Putnam Hall Champions; or, Bound to Win Out Page 30