"CATCH HOLD!" JACK CRIED, AS HE SWUNG ONE END OF THE SWEATER TOWARD THE UNFORTUNATE YOUTH."CATCH HOLD!" JACK CRIED, AS HE SWUNG ONE END OF THE SWEATER TOWARD THE UNFORTUNATE YOUTH.
The Mystery of Putnam Hall.(Page 259)
"Of course not!" retorted Jack. "Hold tight now, and we'll haul you up."
He gave the signal, and Andy and Pepper pulled back with all their might, and Jack did the same. Slowly but surely Reff Ritter came up out of the icy water, his teeth chattering loudly. Soon he was out of danger.
"Run for the nearest farmhouse!" cried Jack. "Put the sweater on if you want to," and he tossed the garment over.
"It was Coulter's fault," growled Reff Ritter. "He swung the sail the wrong way." And then he ran off as advised.
"Such meanness!" snorted Pepper. "And Coulter may be drowned!"
"Ritter was always willing to lay the blame on somebody else," added Andy.
The chums skated as closely as possible to where the iceboat was drifting in a sheet of open water—a spot where some days before a farmer had been cutting ice. To the craft Coulter was clinging and still crying piteously.
"Help!" came in a chattering tone. "Please help me, somebody, or I'll be dro—drowned! I can't ho—hold on mu—much lon—ger!"
"We are coming, Coulter!" yelled Pepper.
"I'm nearly fro—frozen to de—death!" chattered the suffering cadet.
"If we only had a line we might throw it to him," said Andy.
"I've got an idea!" exclaimed Pepper. "Come on and get that fallen tree!"
He pointed to the shore, where a long sapling lay partly uncovered in the snow. He skated off for this, with Andy at his heels.
While Andy and Pepper were doing their best to get the sapling out of the snow and drag it over the ice, Jack circled the spot where theRosebudwas drifting. The iceboat was now within ten feet of the ice, so he could see Coulter quite plainly. The poor fellow had been ducked in the water and was shaking from head to feet from cold.
"We'll soon have you ashore, Gus!" he called out. "Keep up your courage."
"I—I can't hold on much longer!" was the gasped-out reply. "I am free—freezing to de—death!"
At that moment a blast of air came sweeping across the lake. It caught the sail of the iceboat and tilted the craft over in the water.
"Oh! oh!" screamed Coulter, and then, as the iceboat whirled around, the exhausted cadet lost his grip and commenced to slip slowly downward. Soon he was in the water up to his shoulders.
"Save me!" he yelled. "Oh, Ruddy, don't let me drown! Please sa—save m—me! Please!" And then of a sudden his head went under out of sight!
Jack was for the moment struck dumb with horror. He felt that Coulter was drowning before his very eyes. Then a sudden noble determination came to him, and measuring his distance carefully he leaped for the iceboat and managed to catch the swaying mast. He went down in the water up to his knees, but held on to a stay with his left hand.
The icy water made the youth gasp. But he set his teeth hard and looked down for Coulter. Presently he saw the other cadet bob upward. Then a hand came up and was waved frantically. Jack tried his best to reach that hand, but couldnot. Then Coulter commenced to sink again from sight.
"I must save him! I must!" thought Jack, and an instant later leaped boldly into the waters of the icy lake.
It was a desperate plunge to take, for the former major of the school battalion ran the risk of getting a chill that would kill him. But Jack was a hero, and he could not bear to see Gus Coulter drowned before his eyes.
As the icy waters closed over him, he struck out boldly for the spot where he had last beheld the struggling youth. Then his hand came in contact with Coulter's body and he caught the cadet by the arm.
As soon as Coulter felt himself touched, he swung around, and the next instant had Jack by the shoulder, in a grip like that of death itself.
The former major of the school battalion realized only too well that he must not let the drowning boy catch him by the neck, otherwise both would go down to rise no more. He shoved Coulter as far off as possible and at the same time struck out to regain the surface of the lake.
When the pair came up they were some distance from the iceboat and also some distance from the edge of the ice.
"Help! help!" yelled Jack to Pepper and Andy.
The latter had succeeded in getting the sapling free of the snow, and were dragging it to the ice on the lake-shore.
"Hello, Jack's in, too!" cried Andy, in horror.
"Hurry with the tree!" yelled Jack, as he commenced to swim for the edge of the ice. "Quick now, or we'll both go down again! This water is frightfully cold."
A few strokes brought Jack and Coulter to the edge of the ice. Coulter was still holding fast, but his strength was rapidly growing weaker. His head shook so that his teeth rattled like castanets.
Luckily Jack reached a spot where the shore ice was tolerably firm. More than this, the water was somewhat shallow, so he could stand on the bottom while Pepper and Andy shoved out the end of the sapling to him.
"Here, I'll lift Gus out!" he called, his own teeth chattering not a little. "He ca—can't hel—help hi—himself!"
He lifted the other cadet as high as he could and with a shove sent him rolling on the ice beyond. Andy and Pepper caught Coulter by the feet and immediately dragged him out of harm'sway. Then Jack caught hold of the end of the sapling and was hauled up by his chums.
"How in the world did you fall in?" gasped Andy.
"I didn't fall in—I ju—jumped in!"
"Oh, Jack!" came from Pepper. "Talk about nerve! But come, you had better get to shelter as soon as you can."
"Yes, I fe—feel as if I wa—was turning to i—i—ice!" chattered the other.
"The Darwood farmhouse is just over the hill, let us run to that," suggested Andy. "Here, put on my sweater!" and he stripped off the garment in an instant.
"Do—don't leave m—me!" came from Coulter. He was on his knees, being too weak to rise to his feet.
"I'll carry you on my back!" cried Pepper. "Come, take hold."
Coulter was too far gone to aid himself, and Andy had to place him on Pepper's back. Then off the whole party started, Andy holding Jack by the arm and thus giving him some support.
"Where did Ritter go?" asked Jack, as they sped over the hill in the direction of the farmhouse mentioned.
"I think he went up the lake, in the direction of the Saldy farm," answered Andy.
The Darwood farmhouse set back from the road, among some cedar trees. Rushing up to the back door, the boys pounded vigorously.
"Who is there?" demanded a man's voice, and then Mr. Darwood showed himself.
"Please let us in, we are nearly frozen!" cried Jack.
"Hello! been in the water, eh?" cried Samuel Darwood. "Come right in and I'll stir up the fire!" and he stepped aside that the cadets might enter.
When Pepper deposited his burden in a chair it was seen that Gus Coulter was in a bad way. His eyes were closed, and he was shaking as with convulsions.
"Here, we'll strip off some of his wet clothes and rub him down!" cried Andy. "And can you get something hot to drink, Mr. Darwood?"
"Sure I can," cried the farmer. "But I'll pile some wood on the fire first!" he added.
He was as good as his word, and soon the fire was roaring, and the kitchen got thoroughly warm. The farmer was home alone, but he knew how to make some hot coffee, which he speedily offered to all of the cadets. Coulter could hardly drink, and it was a good half-hour before he felt at all like even speaking. He was propped up in a big rocking-chair directly in front of the fire, andAndy and Pepper took turns at trying to restore his blood to circulation. Jack was not so far gone, and soon felt quite like himself. The wet uniforms were hung up to dry, Mr. Darwood in the meantime lending the lads some other garments. He had been the one to cut the ice from the lake at that spot, so he felt in some measure responsible for the mishap, even though he had put up several danger signs, to which Ritter and Coulter had paid no attention.
"I don't know that we will care to skate back to the Hall," said Pepper. "Mr. Darwood, could you take us back in your sleigh, if we paid you for it?"
"I'll take you back, and it shan't cost you a cent," answered the farmer, quickly.
"Hadn't we better find out what became of Reff Ritter?" questioned Jack.
"I'll run over to the Saldy farm and see," answered Andy, and set off without delay.
While Andy was gone, Samuel Darwood went to the barn to hitch up his team. Jack, Pepper and Coulter remained in the kitchen. Coulter sat staring at the fire, but occasionally his eyes wandered to Jack. Suddenly, while the others were silent, he spoke.
"Say, but you're a fine fellow, Jack Ruddy!"he said. "A fine fellow! And I'm a—a skunk! That's what I am, a low-down, mean skunk!"
"Never mind now, Gus," answered Jack, kindly. He hardly knew what to say at this outburst.
"You—you jumped in and saved me from drowning, didn't you?"
"Yes. But anybody would do that, Gus, for a schoolmate."
"No, they wouldn't; Reff Ritter wouldn't. He would have left me to drown!" And Coulter shuddered. "You're a real hero, Jack Ruddy! And I'm a—a skunk; yes, a mean, low-down skunk—and I always have been!" And now Gus Coulter buried his face in his hands.
"Jack certainly deserves great credit for jumping in after you," said Pepper, warmly. "It was a mighty cold plunge for anybody to take."
"Oh, let's drop it!" came modestly from the hero of the occasion.
"I am not going to drop it!" retorted Gus Coulter, with spirit. "You saved my life, and I want everybody to know it, especially Reff Ritter. He would have left me to drown!"
"Reff had to save himself. He was chilled to the bone when we got him out," answered Jack.
"If you had been Reff you wouldn't have run away and left me to drown," went on Coulter, stubbornly.
At this Jack was silent.
"You don't know it all, Jack Ruddy. Reff and I had a quarrel. He said he—he didn't want to have anything more to do with me. I believe he—he would have been glad to have me drown!"
"Oh, don't say that, Gus!" burst out Pepper.
"But I will say it!" flared out Gus Coulter. "After this I am going to cut Reff Ritter! And I am going to tell what I know about him, too! And I am going to get Nick Paxton to tell what he knows, too!"
"What do you know about him?" asked Jack, with sudden interest.
"Oh, I know a good deal."
"Coulter, answer me honestly. Do you know anything about his dealings with a certain man named Cameron Smith?"
"Oh, do you know that fellow?" questioned the other cadet, and he stared wonderingly at Jack.
"I know a little about him."
"Don't you have anything to do with him, Jack! And don't you have much to do with Reff! They are both bad! Oh, you don't know how bad!" And Gus Coulter shook his head to emphasize his words.
"What did you and Reff quarrel about, Gus?" asked Pepper.
"We quarreled about—about—— Oh, I don'tknow how I can speak of it! But I suppose I've got to, if I want to remain honest. We quarreled over something I found one day in his private box. I got suspicious of him, and when he was taking a nap I took his key and opened the box. And in the box what do you suppose I found?"
"What?" came simultaneously from Jack and Pepper.
"Your watch and chain, Jack."
"My watch and chain!" cried the former major of the school battalion.
"Yes."
"What did you do about it? Why didn't you report it to me, or to Captain Putnam?"
"I was so stunned I didn't know what to do. I couldn't believe that Reff had taken them, and that he was guilty of the robberies that were going on. I locked the box up and put the key back in his pocket. That night I accused him of the theft, and we had a quarrel and almost came to blows. He said he didn't take the watch and chain, that he found them in the gymnasium near the lockers. He said he was only keeping them to get square with you, and that he would return them to you before the term closed."
"Found them in the gym?" repeated Pepper.
"I don't believe it," came firmly from the former major of the school battalion. "I believehe took them; and I believe he took the other things, too!"
"And I believe that myself, now!" cried Gus Coulter. "Oh, my eyes are open! I used to think Reff was a pretty good fellow, even though something of a bully, but I am learning that he is bad through and through. Paxton saw him sneaking through the dormitories at night, and he got afraid of him and cut him."
"And what of Cameron Smith?" asked Jack. "You said he was bad?"
"He is. I didn't know it at first, but I heard about it during the holidays, when he and Reff went off on what they called a good time."
"Can you give me Smith's real address?"
"He claims to come from Boston, but I know Reff once sent him a letter addressed to Springfield, care of the Excelsior Hotel."
Having once opened his mind, Gus Coulter talked freely of his doings with Reff Ritter. He said the bully had quite some money at times, but the amount was quickly spent.
Just as Mr. Darwood drove around to the door with his sleigh Andy came back to the farmhouse.
"I had some hot words with Ritter," he explained. "He was just as bullying as ever, and gave us no credit for hauling him out of the lake,and he said if Coulter was drowned it would be his own fault. Oh, he is the limit!"
The ride to Putnam Hall was a short one, and on arriving at the school the cadets hurried to their dormitories to change their damp clothing for suits which were perfectly dry. In the meantime Jack asked Pepper to find Captain Putnam and tell the master of the school that he wished to see him on a matter of great importance.
A little later the former major of the school battalion entered the captain's private office, followed by Pepper and Andy. They found Captain Putnam staring at a telegram that had just come in.
"Well, what can I do for you?" he asked.
"I've got something to tell you, sir," returned Jack, and as briefly as possible he narrated what had occurred on the lake and repeated what Coulter had told him. As he progressed Captain Putnam shook his head sadly.
"It must be true," he said almost brokenly. "It all fits in—this telegram and whatyousay."
"The telegram?" repeated Jack.
"Yes, Ruddy. This telegram is from Mr. Ford. He states that Cameron Smith has been caught and has made a confession that he looted the safe at Point View Lodge. Smith was partly intoxicated at the time of his capture, and informedthe detective that some jewelry he had in his possession had come from Reff Ritter. He stated that Ritter took the stuff from the cadets and the others while they slept, and it was Smith's part to pawn the things and divide the proceeds."
"And Ritter was guilty of all the thefts at the Hall?" cried Pepper.
"Yes, and he even took some of his own things, just for a blind, according to this man Smith. What Coulter has to say, and Paxton, seems to corroborate his story."
"What a terrible thing to do!" murmured Jack.
"Smith had a bunch of pawn tickets hidden away in a drawer, and they represent all the things taken from this school, and they also represent some other things, namely, those lost by you, Snow, at the time the horse ran away with you."
"Then it was Cameron Smith after all whom I saw, and who robbed me when I was unconscious!" cried the acrobatic youth.
"Yes. He was a bad man, and I have no doubt but that he was the one to lead Ritter astray."
"What are you going to do with Ritter?"
"I cannot do otherwise than have him arrested. But I hate to have such a scandal attached to the school," and Captain Putnam heaved a sigh that came from the bottom of his heart.
In the meantime, Reff Ritter had come back toPutnam Hall in another sleigh, and had gone to his dormitory to change his clothes. Here he was confronted by Coulter and, a little later, by Nick Paxton, and a hot discussion arose, which ended in blows. Both Coulter and Paxton fell upon the bully together and punished him severely. The pair told Ritter what they thought of him, and each declared that he was going to expose the bully to Captain Putnam.
"I'll tell all I know about Ruddy's watch and chain, and about you and that Cameron Smith, too!" declared Coulter.
"Don't you do it!" shouted Ritter.
"And I'll tell what I know about your sneaking in and out of the dormitories at night," added Paxton. And then he and Coulter went off together.
They reached the office just as Jack, Andy and Pepper were about to leave. Each told his story, and both were closely questioned by the master of the school.
"How long ago did you find this out about the watch and chain, Coulter?" demanded Captain Putnam.
"Only a few days ago, sir."
"You should have told me before. And you, Paxton, should have told me about Ritter's sneaking around."
"Oh, I thought it was only fun at first," pleaded Paxton.
"He is undoubtedly guilty, and there remains nothing to do but to have him arrested."
It was not long after this when he and George Strong went on a hunt for Reff Ritter, to place him in the guardroom until an officer of the law could be summoned. Ritter could not be found, and it was not until some time later that Peleg Snuggers brought in the information that the cadet had been seen leaving the Hall, dress-suit case in hand, by a side door.
"He has run away!" criedGeorgeStrong.
"If so, perhaps it is just as well," murmured Captain Putnam. "To prosecute him in court would create a terrible scandal! I would rather pay for the stolen things out of my own pocket!"
Reff Ritter had indeed run away. By some means unknown he managed to get to a town at the end of the lake and there boarded a midnight train bound West. He was traced as far as Chicago, but that was the last seen or heard of him until many years later, when it was learned that he had gone to Alaska with some gold miners. He got very little gold for a large amount of hard work, and drifted from place to place, picking up odd jobs that offered themselves.
The announcement that Ritter was the fellowwho had perpetrated the many thefts at Putnam Hall created strong excitement in the school. But the matter was hushed up as much as possible by Captain Putnam, and the master saw to it that every cadet got back the things that belonged to him, and also squared matters with the teachers.
In due course of time Cameron Smith was tried for the robbery of Point View Lodge and was sent to prison for a term of years. He admitted robbing Andy after the runaway, and the acrobatic youth got back from the pawnbrokers the things taken on that occasion.
After the excitement had passed, Jack, Pepper, Andy and their chums of the senior class buckled down to hard work for the rest of the term. As a consequence, Jack graduated at the head of the class, with Joe Nelson, second; Andy, third; Stuffer, fourth; Pepper, fifth; Henry Lee, sixth, and Fred Century, seventh.
"I must congratulate you, Ruddy," cried Captain Putnam, warmly. "All through your term at this school you have made a record to be proud of. And the other graduates have made fine records, too. I shall hate to part with all of you."
"And I shall hate to leave Putnam Hall," answered the former major of the school battalion. "I have had the time of my life since I have been here."
"So have I!" put in Pepper.
"The best ever!" chimed in Andy.
"I shall never forget Putnam Hall, no matter where I go," came from Stuffer.
"The best school there ever was!" added Joe Nelson.
And now, kind reader, let me add a few words more and then bring this story of "The Putnam Hall Mystery" to a close. As I promised some years ago, when I gave you "The Putnam Hall Cadets," I have now related in detail the most important events that transpired at the military school during the first years of its existence. What took place there after Jack Ruddy and his chums left will be found set down in another line of books called "The Rover Boys Series," starting with "The Rover Boys at School." In that volume you will not only meet the three jolly Rover brothers—Dick, Tom and Sam—but also learn more concerning the doings of Bart Conners, Harry Blossom and Dave Kearney, and again meet that dictatorial old teacher, Josiah Crabtree, and the bully, Dan Baxter, and his toady, Mumps. The Rover boys went to Putnam Hall for a number of years, and had just as good a time as did Jack and his friends.
The graduation exercises at Putnam Hall werethat year very elaborate, and many visitors were present, including the parents and brothers and sisters of the graduates, and Mr. and Mrs. Ford, and Laura and Flossie.
"Oh, I am so glad that you came out at the head of the class, Jack!" cried Laura, as she came up to shake his hand.
"Thank you very much, Laura," he answered, and then, as he took her hand he looked full into her clear eyes. "I'd rather have your congratulations than anything else," he added.
"Oh, Jack!" she murmured, and then she gave him a glance that thrilled him through and through. Heretofore, they had only been friends, but from that moment a deeper sentiment seemed to stir them both, and, years later, when Jack became settled in business, pretty Laura Ford became Mrs. Ruddy. In the same year, Pepper, who went into the insurance business with his father, married Flossie; and all were very happy. Andy remained a jolly bachelor, to visit one or the other of his chums, as suited him. He went into business with Jack, and the firm prospered greatly.
The fun, when the school broke up for the term, was of the never-to-be-forgotten variety. Great bonfires were lit along the lake-shore, and around these the cadets gathered, to sing and "cut up" generally. Some of the boys caught Peleg Snuggers and made him ride a wooden horse, while others captured Mumps and made the sneak dive head-first into a barrel that contained several pounds of pulverized charcoal. When the cadet came forth he was a sight to behold. One bonfire was made up of discarded schoolbooks.
"Farewell to thee forever!" cried Pepper, as he cast in an old grammar and a volume of Cicero's works. "Never again shall I need thee, thank goodness!" And this speech brought forth a roar of laughter.
"Everybody in a grand march!" shouted Andy, a little later. "Jack, as our old major, you must lead off!"
"So I will," answered Jack, with a happy smile. "Battalion, attention! Present firebrands! Forward, march!"
And then the cadets marched around and across the campus, waving their firebrands, and singing and cheering lustily. And here let us wish them all good luck and say good-by.
(Edward Stratemeyer)
American Stories of American Boys and Girls
NEARLY THREE MILLION COPIES SOLD OF THIS SERIES
12mo. CLOTH. UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING. COLORED WRAPPERS.
THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOLTHE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEANTHE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLETHE ROVER BOYS OUT WESTTHE ROVER BOYS ON THE GREAT LAKESTHE ROVER BOYS IN THE MOUNTAINSTHE ROVER BOYS ON LAND AND SEATHE ROVER BOYS IN CAMPTHE ROVER BOYS ON THE RIVERTHE ROVER BOYS ON THE PLAINSTHE ROVER BOYS IN SOUTHERN WATERSTHE ROVER BOYS ON THE FARMTHE ROVER BOYS ON TREASURE ISLETHE ROVER BOYS AT COLLEGETHE ROVER BOYS DOWN EASTTHE ROVER BOYS IN THE AIRTHE ROVER BOYS IN NEW YORKTHE ROVER BOYS IN ALASKATHE ROVER BOYS IN BUSINESSTHE ROVER BOYS ON A TOURTHE ROVER BOYS AT COLBY HALLTHE ROVER BOYS ON SNOWSHOE ISLANDTHE ROVER BOYS UNDER CANVASTHE ROVER BOYS ON A HUNTTHE ROVER BOYS IN THE LAND OF LUCKTHE ROVER BOYS AT BIG HORN RANCH
Grosset & Dunlap, Publishers, New York
UNIFORM STYLE OF BINDING. INDIVIDUAL COLORED WRAPPERS.
These spirited tales, convey in a realistic way, the wonderful advances in land and sea locomotion. Stories like these are impressed upon the memory and their reading is productive only of good.
TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR CYCLETOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR BOATTOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRSHIPTOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOATTOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUTTOM SWIFT AND HIS WIRELESS MESSAGETOM SWIFT AMONG THE DIAMOND MAKERSTOM SWIFT IN THE CAVES OF ICETOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACERTOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RIFLETOM SWIFT IN THE CITY OF GOLDTOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR GLIDERTOM SWIFT IN CAPTIVITYTOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERATOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHTTOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT CANNONTOM SWIFT AND HIS PHOTO TELEPHONETOM SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIPTOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNELTOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERSTOM SWIFT AND HIS WAR TANKTOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR SCOUTTOM SWIFT AND HIS UNDERSEA SEARCHTOM SWIFT AMONG THE FIRE FIGHTERSTOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE
Grosset & Dunlap, Publishers, New York
Transcriber's notes:Punctuation normalized.The illustration captions read The Mystery of Putnam Hall while the book title reads The Mystery at Putnam Hall. This difference was retained.The remaining corrections made are indicated by dotted lines under the corrections. Scroll the mouse over the word and the original text willappear.
Punctuation normalized.
The illustration captions read The Mystery of Putnam Hall while the book title reads The Mystery at Putnam Hall. This difference was retained.
The remaining corrections made are indicated by dotted lines under the corrections. Scroll the mouse over the word and the original text willappear.