The Putnam Hall Rivals

“Mr. Crabtree, let the boys explain,” said the captain, stiffly.

“Captain Putnam, I think I can explain,” retorted the teacher. “To-day I made a discovery.”

“Well?”

“Some of the students have been in the habit of going down to the old boathouse to smoke and to drink.”

“To smoke and to drink!” cried the master of the Hall, “You are sure of this?”

“I am, sir.”

“Why did you not report to me at once?”

“I did not find it out until this afternoon. I was on my way to speak to you about it when the alarm of fire rang out.”

“Ahem! And you think, Mr. Crabtree – ?” The captain paused suggestively.

“I think Ruddy and Ditmore are guilty. They were smoking and they set the building on fire, perhaps by accident.”

“Mr. Crabtree, there isn’t a word of truth in that!” cried Jack, his temper rising.

“Ha! don’t contradict me!” cried Josiah Crabtree.

“But we shall contradict you,” said Pepper. “We have not been smoking, neither have we been drinking.”

“But you were down to the old boathouse,” put in Captain Putnam.

“We admit that,” said Jack. “We went down there for a certain purpose.”

“What was that purpose?”

“I can’t tell you, exactly.”

“We were looking for some other students,” said Pepper. “Some fellows who are enemies of ours.”

“Did you find them?”

“No.”

“Was the building on fire when you got there?”

“We didn’t see any fire.”

“Hum!” The master of the Hall mused for a moment. “How did the fire start?”

“It sprang up all at once,” said Pepper. “We got scared and started to run away. Then we found the door closed, and we had a big job getting out of the place.”

“That is a fine story to tell,” sneered Josiah Crabtree. “Captain Putnam, if I were you, I’d place them in a room by themselves, while we make an investigation.”

“But, Mr. Crabtree – ”

“I am certain we shall learn a good deal,” went on the assistant teacher. And then he whispered something into the ear of the master of the Hall.

“If you think best,” said Captain Putnam. “Come with me, boys,” he added, to Jack and Pepper, and led the way to the school, and then to his private office.

“Captain Putnam – ” began Jack.

“I will listen to what you have to say later, Major Ruddy,” said the master of the Hall. “For the present both of you must remain here.”

Then Captain Putnam walked out, locking the door after him, and leaving Jack and Pepper in a decidedly unsettled state of mind.

CHAPTER IX

UNDER SUSPICION

“What do you make of this, Jack?”

“I give it up.”

“Something is in the wind.”

“I know that. If possible, old Crabtree is going to get us into trouble.”

“Not Crabtree alone.”

“What do you mean?”

“This is the work of Dan Baxter and his crowd. Don’t forget the three fellows we saw sneaking from the old boathouse.”

“That’s so! Do you suppose they set the place on fire?”

“I do – either by accident or design.”

“You don’t suppose they meant to burn us up?”

“Oh, no, they knew we could get out. But it would take time, and they wanted to detain us, so that we’d be found down there.”

“Well, we were found, and now we’re in a mess over it.”

After that both cadets looked at the sheet of paper once more.

“The writing has entirely evaporated,” said Pepper. “I can’t see a scratch.”

“Have you any idea who dropped the note?”

“Not the slightest.”

“Perhaps it was a friend who wanted us to learn what the Baxter crowd was up to.”