“Thought you young gentlemen would like to go back that way,” explained Jack Ness. “I can drive slower with the wagon. I would have brought the auto, only I can’t manage that yet.”
“I’m glad you thought of the carriage,” answered Dick. “Now we can go home in jig time.”
The boys entered the carriage, and Dick took the reins and touched up the horses. Away went the spirited team on a gallop, the turnout bouncing from side to side over the rocky road.
“Mine cracious!” gasped Hans, as he tried to hold himself down. “Look owid, Tick, oder we go overpoard alretty yet!”
“Maybe you’d rather ride home with Jack,” suggested Tom.
“No, of you can stand him, so can I,” answered the German youth, firmly.
Away they went for the Rover farm, up hill and down. Soon they left the river road and then struck a highway where going was much better. Here Dick made the team do their best, and poor Hans was badly scared, thinking the horses were running away.
“Of you can’t sthop ’em, ve vos all busted up, so quick like neffer vos!” he bawled.
“They are all right, Hans,” answered Sam. “Let Dick alone, he knows how to handle ’em.”
“Ain’t da running avay?”
“No.”
“All right, of you say so,” returned Hans, but his face indicated that he thought otherwise.
At last they came in sight of the farm, and drove up to the house by the back way. Their Aunt Martha saw them coming, and ran out to meet them.
“Any more news from the Stanhopes?” asked Dick, quickly.
“Not that I know of,” was Mrs. Rover’s answer. “Your uncle has gone off to the telegraph office to wait for word from your father.”
“I don’t think father has reached Cedarville yet,” said Sam.
The team was turned over to Aleck Pop and the boys went into the house. There the Rovers read the telegrams which had been received from Mrs. Stanhope. There was also a telegram from John Laning, in which he said he would look into the matter if he could get around, but that he had fallen from the hayloft of his barn and sprained his ankle.
“That will keep him home,” said Sam. “Too bad—just when the Stanhopes may need his aid.”
“I wish I knew the particulars of the affair—then a fellow would know how to act,” said Dick, impatiently.
“Father may send word before night,” answered Tom.
“I was sorry to see your father go away,” said Mrs. Rover. “He was not very well.”
“Not well?” cried Sam. “What was the matter with him?”
“Oh, it wasn’t much, but it was enough. You’ll remember how he struck his knee on a rock or something, while you were on that treasure hunt.”
“Oh, yes, he fell down in the hole,” said Tom. “He was so excited at the time he didn’t notice the hurt.”
“Exactly, Tom. Well, lately that has bothered him quite some, and he had to go to a doctor about it. The doctor told him to be careful of the knee, or it might give him lots of trouble and maybe get stiff.”
“Then he shouldn’t have gone to Cedarville,” said Dick. “We don’t want dad to get a stiff leg.”
“Say, do you know what?” cried Tom. “I think we ought to got to Cedarville ourselves.”
“That’s the talk!” cried Sam. “We can’t do anything here but suck our thumbs.”
“We’ll wait until morning and see if any word comes,” answered Dick, who did not want to do anything hastily. “Perhaps father may want us to work on the case from this end.”
“What about Fred and Hans?” asked Tom.
“They’ll go along—part of the way,” answered Sam. “They said they would.”
“It’s too bad to break up their vacation.”
“Oh, they understand matters. And, besides, they are both going elsewhere next week,” answered Tom.
Impatiently the three Rovers waited for news from their father or from the Stanhopes. At supper time Mr. Randolph Rover returned from Oak Run.
“Here is a telegram from your father, stating he arrived safely at Cedarville,” said the boys’ uncle. “We ought to get some word late tonight about this mysterious affair.”
A little later Tom was outside, walking around the piazza. He was looking on the ground, and presently saw something bright lying at the foot of a bush, and stooped to pick it up. It was a queer-shaped stone, of blue and white.
“I’ve seen that stone before,” he murmured, as he turned it over in his hand. “It doesn’t belong to any of our folks. Maybe it is Fred’s, or Hans’.”
With his find in his hand he entered the house, where the others were just sitting down to the table to eat. He held the stone up to view.
“Any of you lose this?” he asked, and looked at Fred and Hans.
“Dot ain’t vos mine,” declared Hans, readily. “Vot vos it, a stone from a preastbin?”
“I guess it is from a watch locket,” said Tom.
Fred looked at the stone and started.
“Let me see it!” he cried, and held it close to the light. “Well, I declare!” he gasped.
“What about it, Fred?” asked Dick and Sam, in a breath.
“I don’t know who this stone belongs to, but I do know that Tad Sobber used to wear one just like it, when he went to Putnam Hall!”
CHAPTER XVI
SOMETHING OF A CLUE
“Tad Sobber!”
The cry came simultaneously from all of the Rover boys.
“Yah, dot’s so!” exclaimed Hans. “I remember him now. Vonce I vos ask Sobber vere he got dot sthone.”
“If the stone belongs to Sobber—he must have been here!” gasped out Sam.
“Do you think he is around now?” asked Tom, and threw his eyes about the lawn, as if half expecting their enemy to show himself.
“No, he isn’t here now—wish he was,” answered Dick, bitterly. “More than likely he is miles away by this time—and the Stanhope fortune with him.”
“I can’t understand this,” said Fred. “Unless Sobber has been here, spying on you.”
“Maybe he followed the Stanhopes here—to find out, if he could, what had become of the fortune,” suggested Sam.
“Sam, I think you’ve struck it!” almost shouted Dick. “It may be that he came here, heard Mrs. Stanhope ask dad to invest the money for her, and heard dad say that he would let her know when he wanted the cash. Then, perhaps, he went off, and sent Mrs. Stanhope a bogus letter, or telegram, signing dad’s name.”
“Say, Dick, you’re a regular sleuth!” cried Fred. “I guess you’ve got it straight.”
The boys entered the house, and there told their uncle and aunt of what had been found. Randolph Rover looked at the stone with interest.
“It is a curious one,” he said slowly. “I do not imagine there are many like it. If this Sobber had one, then this is probably his.”
“You didn’t see any strangers around the farm, did you?” asked Sam.
“None that I noticed. Of course plenty of folks have passed up and down the main road, and the back road, too.”
It was not long after that when Jack Ness drove up with the camping outfit. The boys aided the man in putting the outfit away and also questioned him concerning Sobber.
“There was one man, or young fellow, hanging around,” answered Jack Ness. “I tried to reach him, to ask him wot he wanted, but he jumped the orchard fence and got away. I thought he might be a tramp, although he wasn’t dressed like one.”
“Why didn’t you report him?” demanded Dick.
“Oh, everybody was a-havin’ seech a good time I didn’t want to bother you. I watched the fellow until he was away down the road.”
“How was he dressed and how did he look in the face?”
As well as he was able the hired man
described the individual he had seen. The clothing counted for nothing, but the face and manner of the person tallied with that of Tad Sobber.
“I guess it was Sobber right enough,” was Tom’s comment. “We ought to let dad know about this.”
“We will let him know—first thing tomorrow morning,” answered Dick.
All waited impatiently for some word from Mr. Rover, but none came in until eight o’clock the next morning. Then the telegram was very brief, reading as follows:
“Bad mix-up, money all gone. Better come on and help in investigation.”
“Too bad!” groaned Dick. “I am going to start for Cedarville by the first train.”
“So am I,” added Tom.
“And I,” came from Sam.
Then of a sudden all three lads looked at Fred and Hans.
“Don’t you mind me at all,” cried Fred. “I’ll go with you—as far as Marville.”
“And I go so far as Ithaca,” added Hans. “Py chiminy! I hopes you cotch dot rascal, Tad Sobber alretty quick!”
“So do I hope we catch him,” answered Dick.
The Rover boys were so used to traveling that getting ready did not bother them. They knew they could catch a train for Ithaca in two hours and so lost no time in packing their dress-suit cases.
“We’ll go to the depot in the auto,” said Dick. “Frank Rand can bring the machine back here.” And so it was arranged, Rand being an automobile owner living at the Run.
“Oh, boys, I do hope you will take care of yourselves!” cried Aunt Martha, when they were ready to leave.
“Don’t worry, Aunty, we’ll do that!” cried Sam.
“Here is something to remember me by!” added Tom, and gave her a warm hug and a kiss. Then the others kissed her, and gave a handshake to Uncle Randolph.
Dick brought the automobile out, and in all of the lads piled and Aleck Pop lifted in the dress-suit cases and Hans’ bundle. The power was turned on, and off the touring car moved.
“Good-bye!” was the cry from the boys.
“Don’t forget to let us know what is happening!” called out Randolph Rover. “And if you need me, don’t hesitate to send for me.”
Dick turned on more gasolene and advanced the spark, and soon the big touring car was shooting along the country road at a speed of twenty-five miles an hour. They had plenty of time to make the train, but the Rovers were impatient to get to Oak Run, to send a message to their parent, advising him of their coming.
Through the village of Dexter’s Corners they dashed, around a corner, and then straight for the bridge spanning Swift River. A farm wagon was making for the bridge from the opposite shore, and there was not room for both vehicles to pass on the bridge.
“Better slow up and wait, Dick!” cautioned Sam, but instead, Dick turned on more power, and away they sailed over the bridge like the wind, and past the farm wagon.
“Phew! that’s going some!” cried Fred. “I don’t know as I would have nerve to run a car like that!”
“Oh, Dick’s a dandy driver,” answered Tom, enthusiastically.
Arriving at the station, they went to the telegraph office and asked for messages, and found none. Then word was sent to Anderson Rover at Cedarville. After that the automobile was turned over to Frank Rand, who agreed to take it back to Valley Brook farm that afternoon.
“Off ag’in, eh?” said Ricks, when they bought their tickets. “I don’t see why you boys can’t settle down fer awhile.”
“Smoking any cigars now, Mr. Ricks.” asked Tom, dryly.
“If I am, ’tain’t none o’ your business!” snapped the old station agent.
“I just heard of a new cure for smoker’s jim-jams,” went on the fun-loving youth. “You take a squash and boil it in lard, and then cut it into thin slices, and—”
“I don’t want none o’ your cures!” roared Mr. Ricks savagely. “I ain’t got no smoker’s jim-jams, nor nuthin’. I—”
“But you saw things, Mr. Ricks, you said you did. Worms, and snakes, and strange things—”
“I didn’t! I didn’t!” howled the old station agent, growing red in the face. “Now you shet up, do you hear? The boys has been pokin’ fun enough at me as it is! Everywhere I go they ask me about my smokin’! I’m sick o’ hearin’ about it, an’ I ain’t goin’ to stand it, I ain’t!” And he shook his fist in Tom’s face.
“Sorry you feel so bad about it, Mr. Ricks,” said Tom coolly. “I only wanted to do you a favor. Now this squash cure is warranted to—”
“Didn’t I tell you I don’t want to hear about it!” shrilled the station agent. “You mind your business, Tom Rover! I know you! Some day I’ll fix you, yes, I will!”
“Oh, Mr. Ricks, I only want to be of service. Now, if you will only listen. This squash cure is warranted—”
“Stuff and nonsense! I won’t listen, do you hear? I won’t listen!” The station agent was fairly dancing up and down. “I—I—There’s the train. Go on with you, and good riddance!”
“Oh, Tom, you’ll be the death of Ricks!” laughed Sam, as all of the lads climbed up the steps of the cars.
“Not much! Nothing like that will ever kill him,” answered the fun-loving Rover. “He’s too tough!”
“He’ll get even with you some day,” said Dick.
“Let him—I’m willing,” answered Tom, calmly. He was so fair-minded that he was willing to take as well as give, when it came to practical jokes.
The train rolled on, and for the time being the boys had little to do but talk over the situation. At a junction point Fred left them. He promised to write and asked them to send him the particulars of what they did.
Just before Ithaca was reached, the train was delayed. As a consequence they missed the last boat for Cedarville that night.
“That’s too bad,” said Dick. “Now we won’t be able to get to the Stanhope place until eleven o’clock tomorrow morning.”
“Well, we can send a telegram to dad at Cedarville,” said Sam. “And maybe we can telephone,” he added.
At Ithaca Hans left them.
“I keeps mine eyes open for dot Dad Sobber,” said he. “Of I finds him I let you know.”
“That’s the talk, Hans!” cried Tom. “You play detective and some day perhaps you’ll win a great big leather medal.”
“Yah, dot’s so,” answered the German youth, complacently.
At the telegraph office they sent a message to their father, who had engaged a room at the new Cedarville Hotel. They mentioned that they would go to the Axtell House in Ithaca, and asked him to communicate with them there by telephone.
At the Axtell House a surprise awaited them. Seated in the reading room they found Dan Baxter, the one-time bully of Putnam Hall, but who had reformed and who was now a commercial traveler for a large jewelry concern.
“Why, Dan, you here!” cried Dick, as Baxter, on seeing them, rushed up to shake hands.
“I am,” returned the young commercial traveler. “But I didn’t think to have the pleasure of seeing you,” he added. “Thought you’d be off on a summer vacation somewhere.”
“We were off camping, but we came this way on business,” answered Sam. “How have you been?”
“First-rate. Don’t I look it?” and Dan Baxter smiled openly.
“You certainly do,” put in Tom. “Traveling must agree with you.”
“It does.”
“And business is good?” asked Dick.
“The best ever. And what is more to the point, I’ve had a raise in salary.”
“You mean the one you mentioned when you met us at Ashton,” said Tom.
“No, another one. You see, a rival firm made me an offer. My firm heard of it, and they at once came to me, and told me I mustn’t think of leaving—and then they tacked another five dollars per week on my salary,” and Dan Baxt
er’s eyes beamed.
“Good!” cried Dick. “Stick to it, Dan, and some day you’ll be a member of the firm.”
“That is what I am working for. Going to stay here over night?”
“Yes.”
“Good enough. We can talk things over. I was rather lonely—not having a soul to talk to. And by the way, whom do you think was here some days ago?”
“Tad Sobber?” questioned Dick, quickly.
“Why—er—yes—he was here. But I wasn’t thinking of him when I spoke.”
“Who were you thinking of?” asked Tom.
“Old Josiah Crabtree. He is out of prison, you know, and he heard I was stopping here, and he came to see me.”
CHAPTER XVII
DAN BAXTER’S REVELATION
The announcement that Josiah Crabtree had come to see Dan Baxter filled the Rover boys with interest.
“Did he have much to say?” asked Dick.
“He had a great deal to say,” answered Dan. He looked around at several who had entered the reading room “Come up to my room and I’ll tell you all about it.”
“We will—after we have notified the clerk where we will be,” said Dick. “We are waiting for a message from our father.”
The boys engaged their rooms and had their dress-suit cases taken up. A few minutes later the whole crowd entered the apartment Dan Baxter occupied. They noticed that it was well-kept and that on the bureau rested a photograph of Dan’s father.
“How is he, Dan?” asked Dick, motioning to the picture.
“Fairly well. He is getting old, you know.”
“When you see him next, give him our regards.”
“I will,” answered Dan, and then he motioned the Rovers to seats and sank down on the edge of the bed with something of a sigh. In spite of his success as a commercial traveler Dan could not help but think of his own past and of his father’s past. How his father might have prospered, even as the Rovers had prospered, had he followed the path of fairness and honor! He had reformed now, but this reform had come too late in life to enable him to make another start in the business world. Dan was supporting him, and father and son were glad enough to have the Rovers drop their many just causes of complaint against them.
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