The Putnam Hall Rivals

“What’s up now?” queried the Imp.

“I saw a streak of light and then it suddenly disappeared. I think – There it is again!”

Jack turned his eye upward, and now Pepper saw the light also. It lasted about half a minute and then disappeared, and the boys heard the slamming of a door.

“I know what it is now,” said Jack. “The flooring above is that of some storeroom or closet. Somebody opened the door, letting in some light. Then the door was closed again.”

“Maybe we can get up into the room or closet. Are any of the boards loose?”

“I’ll try them and find out.”

Jack began to press upward and soon found a board that was loose at one end. He worked at it and soon had an opening large enough to admit the passage of his body.

“Give me your hand,” he whispered to Pepper. “Don’t make any noise.”

Soon the Imp was standing beside his chum on the upturned end of the bench. Then both crawled through the opening above. As Pepper followed Jack the bench fell over with a crash.

“Quick, put the board down! Somebody may come!” ejaculated Jack, and they replaced the flooring of the closet in which they now found themselves. It was partly filled with clothing for outdoor wear, and also held rubbers, rubber boots, and umbrellas.

The cadets waited, and as nobody came they gradually breathed more freely. They tried the door to the closet, to find it unlocked.

“Well, what’s the next move?” asked Pepper, after a pause.

“We’ll have to get out of this, that’s certain,” answered Jack.

They tiptoed their way out of the closet and found themselves in the main hallway of the academy. Then they ran up the front stairs and into their dormitory.

“I wish I knew when Captain Putnam will get back,” observed Jack, after they had looked around, to find the sleeping quarters empty.

Below they could hear the students returning to their classrooms, having had their midday meal.

“We’ve lost our dinners, that’s certain,” said Pepper, with a sigh. “If only we had some of Dan Baxter’s stuff here now, it wouldn’t go half bad, eh?”

“Do you know what I think, Pep?”

“Well?”

“I think Dan Baxter put up a job on us.”

“About that liquor, cigarettes, and cards?”

“Yes.”

“Would he be mean enough to do it?”

“I think so. Remember, he was terribly angry over that feast affair.”

“Oh, I know that. If he put up a job on us I’d like to prove it.”

“That may be a hard thing to do. No doubt he covered up his tracks well.”

The boys remained in the dormitory for some time and then stole to the rear of the Hall and down a back stairs. This brought them close to the kitchen.

“If we could only get into the pantry,” whispered Pepper. “I am going to try it!” he added, with sudden determination.

“I am with you,” answered his chum.

Watching their chance, they crossed the kitchen and entered the pantry, on the shelves of which rested a variety of good things. There was a basket handy, and into it they put such things as they desired. Some maids came into the kitchen, but then went back to the mess-hall, in one corner of which they were now having their own dinner.

“Now is our chance!” cried Jack, softly, and once more they crossed the kitchen and made for the stairs. In a few minutes they were on the upper floor, and there they almost ran straight into Dale Blackmore.

“Hullo!” cried Dale, staring as if he saw two ghosts. “I thought you were prisoners.”

“We were, but we escaped,” explained Jack. “You won’t tell on us, will you, Dale?”

“Me tell on you?” said the other cadet, reproachfully. “Not by a jugful!”

“Do you know when Captain Putnam is coming back?”

“Not until to-morrow morning, so I heard.”

Pepper and Jack looked at each other.

“What shall we do next?” asked Pepper.

“Let us stay in hiding until the captain gets back.”

So it was decided, and Dale told them of a vacant room on the top floor where they might make themselves comfortable in the meantime.

“It’s got a bed in it and all,” said he. “You can lock yourselves in and I’ll keep you posted.”

They talked the matter over a few minutes and then went to the room. It contained no heater, but the main chimney of the Hall was at one end, making it fairly comfortable. From a window they could get a view of the road leading to Cedarville.

“Make yourselves at home,” said Dale, on departing. “I’ll try to keep you posted.”

CHAPTER XI

JOSIAH CRABTREE’S TROUBLES

There was a key in the lock of the door, and the two cadets locked themselves in. Then they proceeded to unpack the basket of good things, and sitting on the edge of the bed, began to satisfy their hunger.

“This certainly beats the cellar,” said Jack, munching some cold roast beef and a biscuit.

“Yes, and we can keep our eyes on the road below,” answered his chum. “If the captain comes I believe in reporting to him at once.”

“So do I.”

As they had nothing else to do, they took their time eating, and then placed what was left to one side, for supper and a possible breakfast. Then Pepper strolled to the window and gazed down on the campus below.