It took Randolph Rover several minutes to comprehend the various statements made by the boys. That he had really been swindled by such nicely-spoken men as he had met at the Carwell hotel seemed extraordinary to him.
"I understand the bonds were not registered," said Dick.
"That is true," groaned his uncle.
"Then anybody could use them."
"Yes, although I have the numbers,—on a sheet in my desk at home."
"Well, that will make it more difficult for the rascals to dispose of them," said Sam.
"I'd like to catch that Merrick and that Pike, and punch their heads for them," commented Tom. It angered him exceedingly to see how readily his open-minded relative had fallen into the swindlers' trap.
"But there may be some mistake," said Randolph Rover, in a forlorn tone. "Would that Merrick dare to impersonate Mr. Jardell?"
"Swindlers will do anything," answered Sam.
"We can make sure of that point by sending word to the traction company offices," answered Dick. "You are sure Mr. Jardell is the treasurer?"
"Yes—Mr. Andrew D. Jardell."
"Let us go back to town and see if we can catch him by long distance 'phone or by telegraph."
Shaking his head sadly, Randolph Rover turned his buggy around and followed the boys to the central office of the telephone company. Here all was activity on account of the broken-down wires, but communications were being gradually resumed. They looked into the telephone book, and at last got a connection which, a few minutes later, put them into communication with Andrew D. Jardell's private residence in the city.
"Is Mr. Jardell at home?" asked Dick, who was doing the telephoning.
"Mr. Jardell is away," was the answer.
"Is he at or near Carwell, New York state?"
"No, he is in Paris, and has been for two weeks."
"You are sure of this?"
"Yes."
"Who are you?"
"I am Mrs. Jardell. Who are you?"
"My name is Richard Rover. My uncle, Randolph Rover, has been swindled out of some traction company bonds by a man who said he was Mr. Jardell."
"Mercy me! You don't say so! Well, my husband had nothing to do with it, you may be sure. He went to London first and then to Paris, and in a day or two he is to start for Switzerland. His health is very poor and the doctor said he needed the trip."
Some more talk followed, and Mrs. Jardell advised Dick to communicate with the traction company at once, and he said he would do so.
"It wasn't Mr. Jardell at all, Uncle Randolph," said the youth, as he hung up the receiver. "The whole thing was a cleverly-planned swindle, and unless you can get the bonds back you'll be out the money."
At this announcement Mr. Rover nearly collapsed—for he was rather a retired man, and had had little to do in a business way since his trip to Africa with the boys, as related in "The Rover Boys in the Jungle." He did not know what to do, and stood rubbing his hands nervously.
"The swindlers!" he murmured. "Really, it is getting so that nobody can be trusted!"
"The best thing we can do is to send word to the various towns to stop the runabout with the two men in it on sight and have the rascals held by the authorities," said Dick, who felt he must take charge of affairs.
"That's the talk!" cried Tom, "and the sooner we get at it the better."
"Let us find out where that side road leads to," added Sam, "I mean the road on which we heard the auto."
Inside of an hour various messages had been sent by telephone and telegraph. It was now growing late and the Rovers hardly knew what to do next. From their uncle the boys got the whole tale concerning the bonds, but the new light shed on the subject did not help matters.
They also told the authorities about the cave and the boxes stored there, and some men were at once sent off to investigate and take possession of whatever could be found.
"I think some of us ought to go home," said Sam. "Aunt Martha won't go to bed until we get back, and she will be greatly worried."
It was finally decided that Tom and Dick should remain at the Carwell hotel over night and Sam and his uncle should go home in the buggy. The team was put up at the hotel barn, and then all hands went to the dining room for a late supper.
"I'm as hungry as two bears," announced Tom.
"Well, I shan't say no to a good feed," answered Sam.
Randolph Rover could eat but little. Now that he realized what had occurred, he upbraided himself bitterly for having been so deluded.
"They talked about scientific farming just to get me into good humor," he said, bitterly. "I see it all! Oh, if I can only get my hands on them!"
After Mr. Rover and Sam had departed, Dick and Tom wandered around the hotel and the vicinity for three hours. They anxiously awaited some message regarding the two swindlers, but nothing came. Then, worn out by the strenuous day they had put in, they went to bed and slept soundly until morning.
Before having breakfast they asked for messages. There was one from a village called Bahan, saying a green runabout with two men had passed through there about midnight. But the men had not been captured, and it was not known what had become of them.
At noon the telephone line between Oak Run and Carwell was in working order once more, and the boys sent word home. Then they left directions at the hotel, so that any messages coming in might be transmitted to the Rover farm.
"Well, I never!" cried Dick, suddenly.
"What now?" asked his brother.
"That freight thief, and that stuff in the cave——"
"Humph! it slipped my mind entirely. I was thinking only of Uncle Randolph's bonds."
"Let us find out if anything has been done."
At the local police headquarters they found that a wagon had just come in, loaded with the three full boxes of goods located at the cave. A search was still in progress for Dangler, but so far he had not been located.
"This clears up the mystery of the freight thefts," said an officer to the boys. "I only hope we can get our hands on Bill Dangler."
"You know him?" asked Dick.
"Oh, yes. Years ago he used to work for the freight division of the railroad."
"Do you know anything of this Merrick and the fellow called Pike?"
"No, but our idea is that the three men were in the deal together. Probably this Merrick and this Pike pulled off this affair of the traction company bonds as a side issue."
"Have the freight robberies been large?" asked Sam.
"Not so large at one time, but they have been going on for months, and the total from four different stations along the line foots up to a good many thousand dollars."
"Well, I hope we catch all three of the men—and any others who may be in league with them," said Dick, and then he and Tom walked off. A little later they were on the buckboard and bound for home.
When they arrived at the farm they found that their uncle had sent a long letter to the officers of the traction company, relating in full what had occurred. In return the officials of the concern said they would put a private detective on the case, and this was done. But weeks went by and nothing was seen or heard of Merrick and Pike, and what had become of the missing bonds remained a mystery.
"I am anxious to take a look at that cave where the stolen freight was stored," said Sam one day. "Supposing we drive to it?"
"That will suit me," answered Dick. "I want to learn about something else—that red tin box I saw hanging from a tree."
"Oh, yes, I had forgotten about that," put in Tom. "Well, shall we walk or drive over?"
It was decided to drive as far as the cave, and not knowing how long they would be gone, the boys took a lunch along.
"Now, take care of yourselves," warned Randolph Rover. "Don't fall into any more holes."
"We'll try to watch out!" sang out Tom.
Then Dick cracked the whip, and off the team started at a good pace, the eldest Rover, however, holding them well under control. It was a clear and beautiful day. The boys did not dream of the odd adventure in store for them.
"It won't be long now before we'll have to get back to Putnam Hall," observed Sam, as they drove along. "Dear old school! How I love it!"
"It's too bad that we are getting too old to go there," said Tom. "But we can't be boys always."
"I shall be glad to see the other fellows again," came from Dick.
"Do you know what I think?" declared Tom. "I think the Putnam Hall cadets are the finest lot of boys in the world!"
"Throwing bouquets at yourself, Tom?" said Sam, with a laugh.
"Well, don't you agree with me?"
"I certainly do, Sam, and Captain Putnam is the best teacher in the world. My, but won't we have fun when we get back!"
"We'll have to have a feast in honor of our return," said Dick, and smiled that quiet smile of his which meant so much.
The distance to the cave was soon covered, and the boys tied their team to a tree in that vicinity. They went inside and found that everything, even to the empty boxes, had been taken away. The place had been explored by a number of curiosity seekers.
"It is queer that this cave wasn't discovered before," was Dick's comment, after they had spent half an hour in walking around.
"Perhaps the opening to the road wasn't so large formerly," suggested Tom. "Dangler may have enlarged it, so he could drive in."
"That is true. Well, it will be a regular picnic place after this. Its fame will spread for miles around." And Dick was right, and the cave is a well-known spot in that portion of New York state to this day.
The boys had brought with them two electric pocket lights, as they are called—lights they had purchased while on their river outing—and with these turned on they walked to the extreme rear of the cave and along the various passageways running up the mountainside.
"Here is where we dropped in," said Dick, pointing out the spot.
"I wish we could drop out—and land up on the mountain outside," returned his youngest brother. "Then, maybe, you could locate that tin lunch box, or whatever it was."
"I'd get up,Very soonIf I had,A big balloon!"
"I'd get up,Very soonIf I had,A big balloon!"
sang out Tom, merrily. "But as there doesn't seem to be a balloon handy, what's the matter with trying to climb up?" he added.
"And pull down several tons of dirt and rock on your head," said Dick. "Better go slow. We already know how treacherous these holes are. You'll get out of one by getting into another that's worse."
"I brought a lariat along," said Sam.
"A lariat?" queried the others.
"Sure,—the one I bought when we were out west. I thought we might use it for climbing purposes. It is light but strong, and we can lasso a tree or stump up there with it."
"Hurrah! Sam has solved the problem of how the Rover boys shall rise in the world!" exclaimed Tom, gaily. "Sam, try your skill by all means."
"Show me the tree or stump and I will," answered his brother readily.
As well as they were able, they crawled from one part of the hole to a spot that was somewhat higher. Then they found a projecting rock above them and Sam threw the noose of his lariat over this.
"Will it hold?" queried Dick. "You don't want to try to climb up and fall."
With caution Sam pulled on the lariat. It held, and he went up hand over hand, for he was a fair athlete. Then his brothers followed. They now stood on a ledge of rock, and the top of the hole was still twelve feet above them.
"There is a small tree, Sam," said Tom, looking upward. "If you can lasso that I think we'll be all right."
Once more the youngest Rover started to use the lariat. As it swung upward it missed the tree and swished out of sight over the edge of the hole.
"Ouch!" came the unexpected cry from above. "Oh, my eye!"
"Hullo! you've lashed somebody!" ejaculated Dick.
"I didn't know there was anybody up there," answered Sam, as the noose of the lasso slipped downward.
The three Rover boys looked upward. They heard a hasty movement in the bushes and caught a brief glimpse of a man's face. On the instant the man disappeared, muttering something to himself.
"It was Dangler!" ejaculated Dick.
"Are you sure?" asked both of the others, in a breath.
"Almost positive."
Dick had scarcely spoken the last words when down into the hole came a shower of dirt and stones, shoved over the edge above. The boys were struck by the stones and got some of the dirt in their eyes. Then down came a second mass of the same sort.
"Sto—stop that!" spluttered Tom, when he could speak. "Do you want to kill us?"
There was no answer, but down came more dirt and stones, until the boys were almost covered. What to do they did not know, until Dick suggested they drop from the ledge and seek safety in the cave. As they went down, a fair-sized rock followed, scraping Tom's shoulder and causing him to utter a sharp cry of pain.
"Are you hurt, Tom?" asked his two brothers.
"Oh, it isn't much," panted Tom. "But I wish I could get my hands on that rascal, that's all!"
"I am sure now that it must be Dangler," said Dick. "Nobody else around here would try to injure us. He is mad because we have exposed him. He must know the officers of the law are looking for him."
"I wish we could catch the rascal," muttered Tom.
"Supposing we climb the mountain from the outside?" suggested Sam. "It is a perfectly clear day and is early yet. We'll know enough to look out for pitfalls. If we can catch this Dangler the three of us ought to be able to manage him."
"If we are going to try anything like that we want to hurry," returned Dick. "He won't remain in this locality long—now he knows he is discovered."
"Maybe he thinks we didn't see him," came from Tom.
"Well, that will be in our favor. But he'll know somebody will be after him, for throwing down the dirt and stones."
Having eaten a hasty lunch and washed it down with water from a nearby spring, the three lads began the ascent of the mountain. This was hard work and caused them to perspire freely.
"I'm glad I'm not fat," said Tom. "If I was I'd be winded sure."
"I think we'd better keep quiet as soon as we reach the vicinity of the holes," cautioned Dick.
Half an hour of hard climbing brought the boys to the vicinity where they had first fallen into the holes leading to the cave, and then they advanced cautiously and in almost absolute silence. They stopped to listen several times, but heard nothing but the calls of some birds and the trickling of water over the rocks.
Arriving at the top of the hole from where the dirt and stones had been thrown, they gazed around with interest. Where the soil was soft they could see the footprints of shoes much larger than those they themselves wore.
"Here is his trail, going away," said Dick, after a close examination.
"There is your tin box!" cried Sam, pointing to the object, still dangling from a distant tree.
"Wait till I see what is in it," answered his big brother. "It won't take but a minute or two."
"Beware of holes!" cautioned Tom.
Feeling his way through the brushwood, Dick approached the dangling tin box. It was a small affair and now hung open. He felt certain in his mind that when he had seen it before it had been closed.
The box proved to be empty and Dick was, somehow, disappointed. He glanced on the ground and saw a number of bits of paper, some old looking and some new. He picked up some of the bits and saw they had been written on in pencil, but the words or parts of words were undecipherable.
"Well, what do you make of it?" questioned Sam, as he and Tom came up.
"I think I know what this is," answered Dick.
"What?"
"A sort of a private post-office. Somebody was in the habit of leaving messages here, and Dangler or somebody else got the messages from time to time."
"I believe you are right," said Tom, after he, too, had looked over some of the bits of paper strewn around. "Here is the word 'box' and here is the word 'Saturday.'"
"Yes, and here are the words, 'fast freight,'" added Sam. "This was nothing more than a letter box for the freight thieves."
"But why was it placed here?" questioned Dick. "It's a very out-of-the-way place and hard to get to."
"Maybe somebody had to come this way," answered Tom. "See, here is something of a trail."
"Yes, and here are those same big footprints!" exclaimed Sam. "For all we know they may lead to some house or hut on the mountainside."
Having picked up the majority of the bits of paper and put them in their pockets for future examination, the three Rover boys followed the path or trail they had discovered. It led along the mountainside to where there was a small clearing, backed up by a series of rocks from which a spring gushed forth, sparkling brightly in the sunshine.
"I'd like to get another drink," said Sam; "I am terribly thirsty to-day."
"Wait!" warned Dick, and caught his youngest brother by the arm.
"What's up, Dick?"
"I see a log cabin—over yonder, among the trees."
"Yes, and I see Dangler!" yelled Tom, suddenly. "There he goes, with a big bundle over his shoulder!" And he pointed to the rear of the log cabin. A man was just disappearing behind a fringe of brushwood. The bundle he carried appeared to be tied up in a horse blanket. He was running as hard as he could.
For a moment the boys did not know what to do. Then they ran to the cabin and entered. It contained but one room, and this they soon discovered was deserted. In the chimney a fire was smouldering, and the remains of a meal lay scattered over a box that did duty as a table.
"This must have been Dangler's hangout," was Dick's comment. "He must have come back for his things."
"Yes, and this explains why the queer letter box was stationed back there," said Tom.
"Aren't you going to try to catch him?" asked Sam, impatiently.
"To be sure," answered Dick, and rushed out, and the others after him.
"Keep back there!" they heard Dangler cry, as they appeared on the trail back of the log cabin. "Keep back, or it will be the worse for you!"
"Stop!" called Dick. "You might as well give up Dangler; you are bound to be caught some time."
"Not much! I am armed and I warn you to keep back," answered the freight thief, and then a bend of the trail hid him from view.
"Do you think he'd dare to shoot?" asked Tom.
"There is no telling what a desperate man will do," replied Dick. "We had better be cautious."
After that they advanced with care. Presently the trail came out on a mountain road and this passed over some rocks and crossed two other roads. They saw no more of Dangler, and the footprints had disappeared.
"He has slipped us," said Tom, coming to a halt and resting on a fallen tree. "Hang the luck anyway!"
"He came back to the cabin for his things," mused Sam. "I guess he is going to leave the neighborhood, and maybe for good."
Chagrined over their failure to catch the freight thief, the boys looked around that neighborhood for awhile and then retraced their steps to the log cabin. Here they found several old articles of wearing apparel and a few newspapers.
"Here is an envelope," said Sam, fishing the object out from behind the box that had done duty as a table. "It is addressed to William Dangler. Must have been some letter he got."
"Anything in it?"
"No."
"What is the postmark?"
"It is almost blurred out," said Sam. He took the envelope to the light. "Well, I declare! Ithaca!"
"Ithaca!" cried Tom.
"Why, that's the city we stop at to take the boat for Putnam Hall," exclaimed Dick.
"I know it."
"This is interesting, to say the least," was the comment of the oldest Rover boy. "Wonder if Dangler has friends or confederates in Ithaca?"
"We must notify the police of this," said Tom. "And the sooner the better."
Satisfied that they could learn nothing more by remaining around the log cabin, the boys departed, and inside of an hour were on their buckboard and bound for the farm. From that place they called up the authorities and informed them of what they had learned. Another search was at once instituted for Bill Dangler, but the rascal was not captured.
The next day Mr. Anderson Rover came home, and the boys and Randolph Rover had to acquaint him with all that had taken place. He shook his head when he heard of the unregistered bonds.
"I am afraid you will never see them again, Randolph," he said to his brother.
"I am afraid so myself," was the mournful reply.
Anderson Rover had come home to see his boys off to school.
"I want you to make the most of your opportunities while at Putnam Hall this term," he said, "for it is to be your last."
"Yes, I know that," answered Tom. "But after that, what?"
"We will talk that over later, Tom. You must either go to college or get ready to go into business."
"I'd like to go to college!" put in Dick.
"So would I—if I knew what kind of a place it was," added Tom.
"If it was as fine a place as Putnam Hall I'd jump at it," came from Sam.
The next few days flew by quickly. During that time Dick received a letter from Dan Baxter, the former bully of Putnam Hall, which interested him not a little. This letter ran, in part, as follows:
"I am glad to say that I am now doing fairly well. I tried several positions and am now a traveling salesman for a large carpet house. I get fifteen dollars per week, all my expenses, and a commission on sales, so I consider myself lucky.
"When I look back on what I once was, Dick, I can scarcely realize what a change has come. But I feel happier than I ever was, and I am in hopes that I shall live to make a man of myself yet. I am trying to give up all my bad habits, and I haven't smoked, or drank a glass of liquor, since I left you in the south."
"That's the kind of a letter I like to get," said Dick, as he let his brothers peruse the communication. "It does a fellow's heart good, doesn't it?"
"I am glad we let him have that hundred dollars," said Sam. "Do you think he'll pay it back?"
"Here is a postscript in which he says he will send a money order next week."
"He certainly means to pull himself together," said Tom. "Well, now he has turned over a new leaf, I wish him the best of luck."
Almost before they knew it, it was time to leave the farm and journey to Putnam Hall. Everybody was sorry to see them go.
"I can't abide yo' boys being away nohow!" wailed Aleck Pop. "It jess don't seem natural to have yo' gone, dat's wot it don't!"
"Oh, we'll be back some day, Aleck," answered Dick. "And if we go off on some trip later, maybe we'll take you along."
"I most wish I was a waiter ag'in at de Hall," sighed the colored man.
"They can't spare you from here," said Sam.
"Oh, I know dat, Sam."
The boys' trunks had been packed and sent on ahead, so all they carried with them were their dress-suit cases. Their father drove them to the railroad station at Oak Run, and their aunt and uncle and the others around the farm came out on the piazza to see them off.
"Now be good boys," admonished their Aunt Martha. "And take care and don't get sick."
"And be sure and study all you can," said their Uncle Randolph. "Remember nothing is quite so grand as learning in this world."
"Yo' keep out ob mischief!" cried Aleck Pop, shaking a warning finger at Tom, who grinned broadly.
And then the carriage started off, and the journey to Putnam Hall was begun.
As my old readers know, Putnam Hall was located not far from the village of Cedarville on Cayuga Lake. To get to the school the boys had to take a train to Ithaca and then board a little lake steamer stopping at Cedarville and various other points along the shore.
"It seems a long time since we were at the Hall," observed Dick, as they settled down in the train.
"And what a lot of things have happened since then!" exclaimed Sam. "I can tell you what, we'll have a story to tell to the others, won't we?"
"I guess Songbird, Fred, and Hans Mueller have already told everything," returned Tom. "More than likely Songbird has concocted some verses about it."
The run to Ithaca took several hours, and they lunched at noon in the dining car. It was a beautiful day, and the boys enjoyed the scenery as much as if they had never seen it before.
"I hope we can make a good connection for Cedarville," said Sam as they left the train and started for the dock from which theGolden Starmade her trips on the lake. But they were doomed to disappointment, the steamboat had had a break-down and would be delayed two hours or more.
As there was nothing to do but to wait, the boys checked their dress-suit cases and then started for a stroll through the city. They soon learned that a wild west show was giving an exhibition there and consequently the place was crowded with folks from the surrounding districts.
"I shouldn't mind going to the wild west show," observed Tom. "Do you think we have time?"
"We could spend an hour there anyway," answered Sam.
"It depends on where the show is to be held," came from Dick.
They soon ascertained that the show grounds were not far off, and made their way thither. The exhibition had already started, and they got inside the big tent-like enclosure as speedily as possible.
The show was a fairly good one, and the boys thoroughly enjoyed the trick riding by cowboys, and the fancy rifle shooting. Then came some wild riding by real Indians.
"Almost makes a fellow feel as if he'd like to be on a horse himself," said Tom. He liked horseback riding very well.
"Say, I want you to look over there," said Sam, pointing to the seats some distance away. "Do you see that man sitting near the bottom—right beside that boy with the basket of peanuts?"
Tom and Dick looked in the direction pointed out, and the eldest Rover gave a start.
"Sam, do you think it is the fellow called Merrick?" he exclaimed.
"Doesn't he look like it?"
"He certainly does—now you speak of it," came from Tom. "And, by the way, don't you remember about that envelope picked up in the log cabin? It was postmarked Ithaca."
"So it was! Perhaps this Merrick lives here."
"Let us go over and get a closer look at him," said Dick, and left his seat, followed by the others.
There was a large crowd, so they had some difficulty in making their way to where the man was located. In his haste, Dick bumped against a waiter selling lemonade and spilled the contents of two glasses on the ground.
"Excuse me," he said.
"Hi! you've got to pay for the lemonade," roared the waiter, angrily. "You pay up, you clumsy clown!"
"See here, my man, I'll pay you, but I want you to understand you can't call me a clown," said Dick, angrily.
"Ah! go on wid yer! Pay up, see?"
"Here's your money," and Dick held out ten cents. "Now, am I a clown or not?"
"Well, er——"
"Am I or not?" And the eldest Rover boy doubled up his fists. He knew he must "take the bull by the horns" with such an individual as that before him.
"Excuse me," mumbled the fellow and moved away. "I—er—suppose yer couldn't help it."
Sam and Tom had gone ahead and they were now close to the man they took to be Merrick.
"No mistake here!" declared Sam, as he got a good, square look at the fellow's face.
"He sees us!" exclaimed Tom, a second later. "He is trying to get away."
The boy was right, Merrick had seen them. He was greatly amazed, for he had not dreamed of their being in that vicinity. He left his seat in a hurry, and, elbowing his way through the crowd, started for the entrance to the big tent-like enclosure.
By this time Dick was coming up and Sam and Tom quickly acquainted him with what was going on. All three of the Rovers pushed through the big crowd after Merrick, but, before they could draw near, the rascal was outside and running between a number of carriages and wagons standing in that vicinity.
"Come on after him!" cried Tom. "We must capture him if we can!"
They set off on a smart run, but Merrick could run also, and fear now lent speed to his flying feet. On and on went the swindler, with the Rover boys less than a square behind him. Then, as they came to a number of tall buildings, Merrick darted around a corner and out of sight.
When the Rover boys reached the corner they looked in every direction for the man. Only a few people were about, the majority of the town folks being at the show.
"Wonder if he went straight on, or took to some side street?" mused Dick.
"I'll go straight on," said Sam. "Dick, you can take one side street and Tom can take the other," and away went the youngest Rover, at a fresh burst of speed.
Sam's advice was considered good, and soon all of the boys had scattered. The street Tom followed was lined with tall tenements and ended in little more than an alleyway.
Coming to another corner, Tom paused and gazed in all directions. As he turned his head he saw a man look out from a tenement doorway. Then the head was drawn back quickly.
"Merrick!" muttered Tom to himself, and turned back to the tenement, which was a building four stories high. On one side was something of an alleyway and beyond were other tenements, and the rear of a big building used for a factory and offices.
Tom found the front door of the tenement wide open and he did not hesitate to go in. Nobody was in sight, but he heard hasty footsteps on the floor above.
"Merrick! you might as well give up!" he called out. "Come down here!"
"Go on about your business, young fellow!" came the reply. "If you try to follow me you'll get the worst of it."
Undaunted by this threat, Tom mounted the stairs two steps at a time. As he did so he heard Merrick go up a second flight and then a third.
"Must think he can hide on the roof," thought Tom. "Well, I'll corner him if I can."
As Tom ran through the hallway on the third floor a door opened and an old woman confronted him.
"What do yez want here?" she demanded, in strong Irish accents.
"I am after a thief," answered Tom.
"A thafe! Sure an' there's no thafe in this house."
"He just ran in here from the street."
"Bedad, is that true now? Where did he go to?"
"I don't know. How do you get to the roof?"
"Be the laddher at the back av the hall."
The old woman pointed in the direction, and Tom sped on. Soon he reached a common wooden ladder leading to a scuttle, which was wide open. As the youth mounted the ladder the scuttle was banged shut, almost hitting him on the top of the head. Then he heard hasty footsteps across the roof.
"Maybe he thinks he can jump to one of the other buildings," said Tom to himself. "Well, if he can do it, so can I."
He pushed the scuttle up with difficulty, for it was heavy. Then with caution, for he did not want to receive a kick in the head, he gazed around the roof of the tenement. Nobody was in sight.
With caution Tom stepped out on the roof. A number of chimneys were not far off, and he wondered if Merrick was concealed behind them.
"I wish I had a club or something," he thought. "I'd have a tough time of it up here, if it came to a hand-to-hand struggle."
With eyes on the alert, Tom made his way to one chimney and then another. The swindler was not there, nor was he on the adjoining roof. Then the youth got down on his hands and knees and looked over the edge of the tenement, on the alleyway side. Here was an iron fire escape, running from the fourth story to the second. On the fire escape he saw Merrick, descending to the bottom with all possible rapidity.
Evidently the swindler had dropped from the roof to the upper landing of the fire escape. He was now almost to the bottom.
"Stop!" cried Tom, but he knew the command was a useless one. At the sound of his voice Merrick looked up and muttered something the boy could not catch. Then he swung himself from the bottom landing of the fire escape and dropped to the ground.
"If he can get down that way, so can I," thought Tom, and in another moment he was descending the escape in the same fashion as the swindler had done. As he reached the second landing of the escape he saw Merrick turn the corner of the alleyway and disappear on the street beyond.
When Tom came out on the street he almost ran into the arms of two burly men who had come out of the tenement. Both caught him by the arms.
"What does this mean, young fellow?" asked one, savagely. "Doing the sneak-thief act?"
"I am after a thief," was the answer. "Did you see a man running away?"
"No, and we don't think there was a man," answered one of the tenement dwellers.
"Well, there was a man," said Tom. "Come, if you will help me catch him I will reward you well."
"What did he steal?"
"Some bonds worth ten thousand dollars—they belonged to my uncle," explained Tom, hastily.
The promise of a reward made the men attentive and they soon agreed to assist Tom as much as possible. Then Dick and Sam came in sight, and had to be told of what had happened.
The two men knew the tenement and factory district well, and they led in a hunt lasting over half an hour, and a policeman was likewise called into service.
"I've heard of that bond case," said the policeman. "I'd like to lay my hands on Merrick."
But the hunt was a useless one, for Merrick could not be found. For their trouble Tom gave the two men from the tenement a dollar each, with which they had to be satisfied. The policeman promised to report the matter at headquarters, and as there seemed to be nothing else to do, the three Rover boys walked down to the steamboat dock, first, however, sending a telegram to Randolph Rover, relating briefly what had occurred.
"It's a great pity we didn't catch this Merrick," sighed Tom, when they were steaming along the lake shore. "Perhaps we'll never see or hear of him again."
"Well, we don't want Merrick as much as we want Uncle Randolph's traction company bonds," answered Dick. "If he has disposed of the bonds it won't do much good to catch him,—unless, of course, he can get the bonds back."
"And he may not have had the bonds," put in Sam. "That fellow Pike may have handled them."
"That is true, too,—although I somehow think Merrick is the prime mover in this swindle."
"I think that, too," said Tom.
TheGolden Starwas a trim little side-wheeler with a fair-sized deck fore and aft. The boys sat on the forward deck, and as the boat ran along the shore of the lake they pointed out many localities known to them.
"There is where we went on the paper chase," said Sam.
"Yes, and that is where we went on one of the encampments," added Tom.
"We came fishing down here once," put in Dick. "One of the boys went overboard."
"It was John Fenwick, the fellow we used to call Mumps," said Tom. "By the way, I wonder what has become of him?"
"Went west, I think," answered Sam. "One of the boys said he was in the insurance business with some relative."
"He was a great toady to Dan Baxter."
"So he was, but he had some good points, too."
So the talk ran on, until Cedarville was reached. On account of the delay it was dark, and the boys wondered if they would find any conveyance to take them to the Hall.
"Hullo, here is Peleg Snuggers with the carryall!" cried Sam, as the general utility man of the school appeared. "How are you, Peleg?"
"Fust rate," replied the man, grinning. "Been waiting a long time for you."
"Sorry, but we couldn't make the captain hurry the boat," answered Dick.
"Peleg, you're a sight for tired optics," said Tom, giving the man's hand a squeeze that made him wince. "How's your grandmother?"
"Why, Master Tom, I ain't——"
"And your great-granduncle? Is he over the shingles yet?"
"Why, Master Tom, I ain't got no——"
"And your second cousin by your first wife's sister? Did she get over the heart failure she had when the canary took a fit?"
"Now, see here, Master Tom, don't you go for to joking an old man——"
"Joking, Peleg?" returned Tom, solemnly. "Why, you know I never joke." And he took on an injured look.
"Don't joke, eh? Well, if you ain't the greatest joker Putnam Hall ever see then I'll eat my hat," declared Peleg. "Jump in an' don't ask me about no grandfathers, or wife's sisters, nor nuthing. Ain't you hungry?"
"Hungry? I could eat a brickbat fried in lemon oil."
"Then, unless you hurry, you won't get no supper."
"Oh, Mrs. Green will get something for us, never fear," said Dick, mentioning the matron of Putnam Hall, who was a warm-hearted and generous woman, even though a little bit "peppery" at times.
"All the other boys here now?" asked Dick, as they drove off in the direction of Putnam Hall.
"I reckon the most of 'em are, Master Dick. So many coming an' going I can hardly keep track of 'em."
"Fred Garrison, Songbird Powell and Hans Mueller back?" asked Sam.
"Yes, an' they told me some wonderful stories of your doings down south."
"Are Larry Colby and George Granbury here?" questioned Dick.
"Yes."
"I'll be glad to meet Larry and George again," went on Dick. "I suppose they'll have something to tell of what they did during vacation."
"Every time I come to the Hall I think of the first time I came," said Tom. "Do you remember how I set off that giant firecracker?"
"Yes, and how old Josiah Crabtree put you under arrest for it," added Sam. "Wonder where old Crabtree is now?"
"He is out of prison," answered Peleg Snuggers. "I got that from a man in Cedarville. The man said as how Crabtree went to Canada."
"Hope he stays there and never attempts to bother Mrs. Stanhope again," was Dick's comment.
About half the distance to the Hall had been covered when there came a shout on the road and Peleg Snuggers had to rein in his team. Then several boys appeared, dressed in cadet uniforms, for Putnam Hall was a military academy.
"Whoop! here they are, fellows! Hurrah for the Rovers!"
"Rovers by name and rovers by nature!"
"Say, Tom, how do you like being adrift on the Gulf of Mexico?"
"Sam, don't you want to become a regular cowboy?"
"Dick, when I buy a houseboat I'm going to engage you as captain."
And then the students in the road clambered into the carryall and tumbled all over the Rovers, hugging them and trying to shake hands at the same time.
"Larry, glad to see you, but please don't smother me."
"I'll love you, George, if only you won't put your elbow through my ribs."
"I knew Fred would meet us."
"You gif me der honor of dis," came from Hans Mueller. "I tole dem fellers to come along alretty."
"Good for you, Hansy, old boy!" cried Sam, and gave the German cadet a tight squeeze.
"Songbird, why don't you turn on the poetry pipe line and let her flow?" queried Larry Colby, who, even though an officer of one of the companies, was as jolly as the rest of the students.
"Yes, give us something by all means," said Tom. "Something about 'stilly night,' 'fond recollections,' 'starved cats,' and the like."
"Humph! 'stilly night' and 'starved cats'!" snorted Songbird Powell. "You must think I'm running a hash mill instead of——"
"By no means, Songbird, dear!" piped Tom. "We all know you're the sole owner of the largest poem factory in New York state. Let her flow by all means."
"If you don't recite, we'll sing," said Dick.
"No, don't do that—yet," pleaded Songbird. "I've got a verse or two all ready," and he began, in slow, measured tones: