Sitting down in front of the fire the three boys told their tale, Mrs. Stanhope and Dora listening with keen attention. When Dick got to the point where Jasper Grinder had wanted to thrash him Dora gave a scream.
“Oh, Dick, the idea! Why, he really must be crazy!”
“I believe his passion got the best of him,” said the eldest Rover.
“I’m glad Tom took the cane away,” went on Dora.
“It is really too bad,” observed Mrs. Stanhope, when their story was finished. “I quite agree with you that Captain Putnam will not uphold Mr. Grinder in his inhuman course. Of course you must stay here to-night, and as long after that as you please.”
It was not long before supper was ready for Sam, and when he entered the dining room Mrs. Stanhope went along, to see that he got all he desired.
“I am awfully glad you came,” said Dora, in a low voice, when she was alone with Dick and Tom. “I have something important to tell you, something I didn’t wish to mention in front of mamma, for it will only worry her without doing any good.”
“And what is it?” asked Tom and Dick, in a breath.
“I was down to Cedarville yesterday to do some shopping, and I am almost certain that I saw Dan Baxter hanging around the hotel there.”
“Dan Baxter!” ejaculated Dick.
“Hush, Dick! not so loud. Yes, Dan Baxter. He was on the hotel stoop, but the minute he saw me he went inside.”
“Perhaps you are mistaken,” said Tom. “I hardly think he’d dare to show himself here.”
“At first I was uncertain about it. But when I came back that way I looked again, and I caught him peeping out at me from one of the bar-room windows. As soon as he saw me look he dodged out of sight.”
“If Dan Baxter is in this neighborhood, he is here for no good,” was Dick’s blunt comment. “Evidently he has not forgiven us for helping to put his father back in jail.”
“Dan Baxter is not of a forgiving nature, Dick. You must be careful, or he will make trouble for all three of you.”
“We can take care of ourselves, Dora. If only he doesn’t annoy you and your mother.”
“I don’t think he’ll do that—now Mr. Crabtree is out of it,” answered Dora, and then, as Mrs. Stanhope re-entered the room, the subject was dropped.
CHAPTER VII
SOMETHING OF A SURPRISE
Despite the stirring events which had just passed the Rovers managed to pass a pleasant evening at the Stanhope cottage. This was in a large measure due to Dora, who did all she could to entertain them and make them forget their troubles. All played games, and Dora played the piano and sang for them, while Dick and Tom also took a hand at the singing. Sam could not sing, and declared that he was certainly getting a cold, whether from being in the storeroom or not.
At ten o’clock the boys retired, to a large bed chamber containing a double bed and a good-sized cot. They were soon undressed, and after saying their prayers dropped asleep and slept soundly until seven in the morning.
When they arose a surprise awaited them. On the ground outside the snow lay to the depth of a foot or more, and it was still showing as heavily as ever.
“Hullo! we are snowed in!” exclaimed Sam, as he gazed out on the whitened landscape.
“Sure enough,” returned Dick, and added:
“This looks as if Captain Putnam might not come back to-day,”
“If that’s the case, I vote we stay here,” put in Tom. “I’m sure Mrs. Stanhope will keep us.”
It was found that Sam’s cold had attacked him in earnest. He was very hoarse, and complained of a severe pain in the chest.
“You’ll have to do something for that cold,” said Dick. “Better stay in bed this morning, and let Mrs. Stanhope put a plaster on your chest.”
Going below, he told the lady of the cottage of his brother’s condition. A mustard draught was at once prepared and placed upon Sam, and he was also given some pine tar cough mixture. These things relieved him somewhat, but Mrs. Stanhope insisted upon it that he remain in bed, and brought him his breakfast with her own hands.
“Of course you must stay here, especially since Sam is sick,” said Dora, while they were eating a breakfast of buckwheat cakes, honey, chops, and coffee. “He may not get worse, but if he does, one of you will have to take the horse and go for the doctor.”
“Yes, we’ll have to watch Sam,” answered Dick. “But don’t put yourselves to too much trouble on our account.”
“As if we could take too much trouble for you!” exclaimed Dora, and blushed sweetly. It was not likely that she would ever forget all the Rovers had done for her and her mother.
Tom was anxious to learn about the Lanings, and was told that they were all at home and doing finely.
“Nellie and Grace are going on a visit to an aunt at Timber Run after the holidays,” said Dora. “They wanted me to go along, but I didn’t care to leave mamma, and we didn’t wish to lock up the house for fear some tramps might break in and rob us.”
After breakfast Sam said he felt like sitting up, but toward noon his chest began to hurt him again, and Mrs. Stanhope said it would be best that somebody go for a doctor. Dick and Tom both volunteered, but it was finally decided that Dick should go alone, on horseback.
A steed was soon saddled, and off Dick rode, wrapped in his overcoat and with an old fur cap pulled well down over his ears. It had now stopped snowing, so the weather was not quite as unpleasant as it had been.
Dick was bound for the house of Dr. Fremley, a physician he knew well, and thither he made his way as speedily as the horse could plow through the drifts which presented themselves. At times, when the wind arose, it was nipping cold, and the youth was glad to get in where it was warm when the physician’s office in Cedarville was reached.
“Certainly, I will come and see your brother,” said Dr. Fremley. “I’ll be ready to go in about half an hour.”
“Will you go on horseback?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’ll wait in town and go back with you,” said Dick. “I wish to make a purchase or two.”
It was agreed that the youth should meet the physician at half-past twelve, and leaving his horse in the latter’s stable, Dick walked down the main street of Cedarville.
He had his Christmas money with him, and entering a drug store he bought a cup of hot chocolate, that warmed him considerably. After this he selected a bottle of cologne and a box of chocolates as a Christmas gift for Dora.
Opposite to the drug store was a stationery and book store, and here Dick procured a fancy floral calendar for Mrs. Stanhope and an interesting girl’s book for Dora.
From the store Dick could obtain a side view of the Cedarville Hotel, which stood on a corner up the street, and having paid for his purchases the youth stood near the door and watched the hotel, wondering at the same time if he would see anything of Dan Baxter.
Presently a number of men came from the bar-room of the hotel and moved in various directions. With one of these was the youth for whom Dick was looking.
Dan Baxter and his companion moved in the direction of the lake shore, and Dick lost no time in following the pair.
The man with Baxter was a stranger to Dick, but he showed by his manner that he was a rough individual, and when he talked he did a great deal of swearing, which, however, will not appear in his conversation in these pages.
Having reached the road running along the lake front, Baxter and his companion, whose name was Lemuel Husty, passed northward past a straggling row of cottages and then on the road leading to the village of Neckport.
“I wish I had time—I’d follow them,” said Dick to himself, and turned back, much disappointed over the fact that he had not had a chance to speak to Dan Baxter.
As Dick turned in the direction of the doctor’s office once more he was hailed by a lad of the vill
age, named Harry Sharp.
“Hullo, Dick Rover!”
“How are you Harry? How do you like the snow?”
“All right enough, only it will spoil some of the skating.”
“So I’ve been thinking,” answered Dick, as the two came closer.
“Say, Dick, who do you suppose I met a while ago,” went on Harry Sharp.
“I don’t know—Dan Baxter?”
“That’s the chap. How did you guess it?”
“I saw him myself.”
“I thought he didn’t dare to show himself?”
“Well, he ought to be arrested, Harry. But perhaps having his father in prison, and losing most of his money, is punishment enough for him.”
“I met him in the post office. He was posting several letters.”
“Did you see the handwriting on the letters?”
“No. As soon as he saw me he slid out of sight.”
“I guess he doesn’t fancy being recognized. By the way, have you seen Captain Putnam?”
“Saw him about an hour ago. I think he was going to the Hall.”
“Good enough! I was waiting for him to get back.”
A few words more followed, and the two boys separated, and Dick hurried to the doctor’s office. Dr. Fremley was ready to leave, and soon the pair were on the way to the Stanhope cottage.
Not wishing to give the Hall a bad name Dick deemed it advisable to say nothing about the fact that Sam had been locked in an ice-cold room without his overcoat or hat, and merely stated that his brother had exposed himself.
“He has a very heavy cold,” said the doctor, after an examination. “If let run, it would have become serious, beyond a doubt; but I feel confident I can check it,” and he left some medicine and some plasters.
As soon as the doctor was gone Dick announced his intention of returning to Putnam Academy. “The captain has got back, and I want to lay the whole case before him, and do it, too while Sam is still sick.”
“Shall I go along?” asked Tom.
“No, I’ll go alone. They may need you here on Sam’s account.”
Dick was soon on the way, riding another horse, for the Stanhopes now kept two. He had had a fine dinner, and felt in the best of spirits, despite the disagreeable task before him. He did not doubt for a moment but that Captain Putnam would side with him and condemn the actions of Jasper Grinder.
He was still out of sight of the Hall when he saw Peleg Snuggers riding toward him in the captain’s cutter.
“Is that you, Master Rover!” sang out the man of all work. “Where are your brothers?”
“Safe, Snuggers. Has the captain got back?”
“Yes—got in a couple of hours ago.”
“Has he said anything about our going away?”
“Said anything? Just guess he has. Why, the whole school is so upset nobody knows what he is doing. Do you know what happened after you and your brothers ran away?”
“Of course I don’t. What did happen?”
“Mr. Grinder had a terrible row with more than a dozen of the boys, who sided with what you had done. He got awfully mad at them, and was going to cane the lot, when all of a sudden he fell down in a fit, just like he was going to die, and we had to work over him most an hour before we could bring him around.”
CHAPTER VIII
JASPER GRINDER IS DISMISSED
Dick was greatly surprised over the news which Peleg Snuggers conveyed to him. He knew that Jasper Grinder was an intensely passionate man when aroused, as on the occasion of the attempted caning, but he had not imagined that the man would fall into a fit while in such a condition.
“Did he come out of the fit all right?” he questioned soberly.
“When he came around he was as weak as a rag, and I and one of the big boys had to help him up to his room. He stayed there the rest of the evening, and the other teachers had to take charge.”
“What do they say about the matter?”
“As soon as the captain got back all of ‘em got in the private office and held a long talk. Then the captain had a talk with Mr. Grinder, and after that the captain sent me off to look for you. He said you must be at the Lanings, or at Mrs. Stanhope’s, or else somewhere in Cedarville.”
“We are stopping with Mrs. Stanhope. Sam is sick with a heavy cold.”
“It’s not to be wondered at. Master Tubbs has a cold, too, and the captain had Mrs. Green give him some medicine for it.”
“Has he punished Tubbs?”
“No. He’s awfully upset, and I don’t think he’ll do anything right away,” concluded the general utility man.
The cutter was turned around, and Dick and Snuggers hurried toward the Hall. Their coming was noticed by a score of boys who were snowballing each other oh the parade ground, and a shout went up.
“Dick Rover is coming back! Snuggers has brought Dick Rover back!”
“Take care of the horse, Snuggers,” said Dick. “Do the right thing, and I won’t forget to pay you at Christmas-time.”
“All right Master Rover; thank you,” answered the man of all work.
Dick was at once surrounded, but before he could answer any questions he saw Captain Putnam appear at one of the windows and at once went inside to greet him.
“Well, Rover, what does all this mean?” demanded the head of the school, but there was not much sternness in his tone.
“It means Captain Putnam, that Sam, Tom, and I couldn’t stand the treatment we received from Mr. Grinder. For a little set-to which Sam and Tubbs had in the gymnasium Mr. Grinder put Sam in the ice-cold storeroom, and was going to keep him there all night, with nothing but stale bread to eat and cold water to drink. If Sam had remained in the storeroom he would have died from the effects of it. As it is, he is now in bed at Mrs. Stanhope’s, and we had to call in Dr. Fremley to attend him.”
“Is he very ill, Rover? Tell me the exact truth.”
“I have never told you anything else, Captain Putnam. No, I don’t think he is very ill, but he’s got a bad cold. He is very hoarse, and he complained of such a pain in the chest that Mrs. Stanhope put on some plasters, and when the doctor came he left some more.”
“Humph!” Captain Putnam began to walk up and down his private office. “What did you tell Dr. Fremley?”
“Nothing but that Sam had exposed himself. I didn’t want to give the school a black name. But one thing is certain, we can’t remain here if Mr. Grinder is going to stay. I shall write to my father and tell him the full particulars.”
“It will not be necessary to do so, Richard.” The captain caught Dick by the shoulder. “I have investigated this affair, and while I find that Sam was to blame, and Tom and you, too, yet I am convinced that Mr. Grinder exceeded his authority here. He had no business to put Sam in the storeroom and Master Tubbs in the stone cell in this freezing weather. More than that, something happened after you left that shows plainly Mr. Grinder is not the proper person to be a teacher here, and from to-day I intend to dispense with his services.”
Dick knew what the captain referred to, the falling of the teacher into his passionate fit on the floor, but he said nothing on that point, for in a way he felt sorry for one who could control himself so little.
“I am glad we won’t have to put up with him, sir, any longer. In one way, he is worse than Mr. Crabtree was.”
“Let us drop the whole subject, Richard. I have not been satisfied with Mr. Grinder for some time past, and had in view a teacher to take his place before this happened. The new teacher will come after the holidays, and I feel certain all the students will like him fully as much as they like Mr. Strong.”
“We won’t ask for anybody better than Mr. Strong—or yourself,” answered Dick, with a smile.
A talk lasting quarter of an hour followed, and it was decided that Dick should return to the Stanhope
cottage, to tell Tom and Sam what turn affairs had taken. Then Tom was to come to the Hall, leaving Dick to look after Sam.
It was nightfall before Dick got back to the cottage. Of course his brothers and the others listened to his story with interest. Both Sam and Tom felt greatly relieved.
“If Grinder keeps on he’ll kill himself in one of his fits,” said Sam. “I hope he leaves before I go back to school.”
“If I was you, I wouldn’t go back until he does leave,” said Tom. “I’m sure Mrs. Stanhope will let you stay here; won’t you?”
“To be sure, Tom,” answered the lady of the cottage. “But now Captain Putnam has made up his mind, you may be sure Mr. Grinder will not remain at the Hall many days.”
“Perhaps he’ll go to-night,” said Dora. “The captain surely wont wish him at the Hall over Sunday.”
Tom remained with his brothers until evening; then started for the Hall on foot, not caring to bother with a horse. The road was now well broken, so he had no trouble in making the journey.
When he arrived at the Academy he found the boys assembled in the classroom, in charge of one of the under-teachers.
“You cannot see Captain Putnam at present,” said the teacher. “You will have to remain here with the other pupils until he is at leisure.”
“Something must be wrong,” murmured Tom, as he slipped in a seat next to George Granbury.
“I think the captain is getting rid of old Grinder,” was the whispered reply. “He’s afraid we’d go out and give him three groans when he left.”
“I see. Well, it’s best to let him go quietly. Good riddance to him.”
“That’s what all the boys say, although some are sorry he had the fit.”
“So am I sorry; but he brought it on himself.”
Presently there was loud knocking in the front of the building and the slamming of a door. Then a trunk was dumped into the captain’s cutter, and the horse started off, carrying Peleg Snuggers and Jasper Grinder behind him.
When the captain came into the classroom he was pale, and pulled nervously on his mustache Evidently his task of getting rid of the passionate teacher had not been a light one. He said but little, and shortly after the boys were dismissed and sent to bed.
The Rover Boys Megapack Page 79