The Rover Boys Down East: or, The Struggle for the Stanhope Fortune

“Better be careful after this,” cautioned Dick. “Here, swallow a piece of dry bread. That will help to carry it down.” And it did, and then Hans felt better.

As night came on the boys prepared their beds and then gathered around the campfire and talked, and told stories. All were in the best of humor, and they talked of their old schooldays at Putnam Hall, and of the jokes played on the other boys, and on Josiah Crabtree, and on Peleg Snuggers, the general utility man.

“Those were certainly great days,” said Fred, almost sadly. “I wish they could come back.”

“Well, we’ve got to look ahead, not backwards,” answered Dick.

“How some of the fellows have changed,” went on Fred. “Just think of what a bully Dan Baxter used to be!”

“Yes, and now he is a real good fellow, and doing well as a commercial traveler,” said Tom.

“It’s too bad that Tad Sobber can’t turn over a new leaf.”

“Maybe he will, some day,” came from Sam.

“I don’t believe it is in him,” answered Dick. “He is not like Dan Baxter was. Dan got awfully hot-headed at times, but Sobber is a regular knave – one of the oily, sneaking kind.”

“Have you seen him since his injunction against the Stanhopes was dismissed in court?”

“No, but I have heard from him, Fred. He is after that fortune, still.”

“What can he do?”

“We don’t know. But he is bound to make trouble, some way or other. It makes me sick to think of it.”

“Then let us talk about something else,” said Tom; and then the lads branched off into a discussion of how the days to come were to be spent.

“Any big game left around here?” asked Fred.

“Not that I know of, Fred. And you couldn’t shoot it anyway – it is out of season.”

“Maybe we can get some rabbits.”

“They aren’t of much account this time of year – and they are out of season, too. We’ll have to depend mostly on fishing.”

It was nearly ten o’clock before they turned in. Then Sam was so sleepy he could hardly keep his eyes open.

“Anybody going to stay on guard?” asked Fred.

“I don’t believe it is necessary,” answered Tom. “Nobody will disturb us up there.”

The fire was allowed to die down, so that it might not set fire to any surrounding objects, and one after another the boys turned in. Hans was soon snoring, and presently Fred, Dick and Sam dropped asleep. For some reason Tom could not compose himself, and he turned restlessly from side to side.

“Guess I must have eaten too hearty a supper,” he murmured to himself. But at last he dozed off, to dream of college and a rousing game on the baseball field.

Dick slept for about an hour. Then, of a sudden, he awoke with a start. He felt a pain in his ankle.

“Wonder what’s the matter?” he murmured and sat up. As he did so a weird groan reached his ears. He listened intently, and soon the groan was repeated.

“Hi! what’s that?” he asked aloud. But no answer came to his question. Then came another groan, and now thoroughly alarmed, Dick leaped to his feet in the darkness.

CHAPTER XIV

THE HAPPENINGS OF A NIGHT

“What’s the matter?”

It was Sam who asked the question. Dick’s question had aroused him.

“That is what I want to know.”

“What woke you up?”

“I felt something on my ankle – and then I heard several groans.”

“Vos somepody call me?” asked Hans, sleepily. “It can’t pe morning yet, it’s too dark.”

“We didn’t call you, Hans.”

“Hello, what is it?” And now Fred roused up. “What is going on?”

“We don’t know,” answered Sam, who had been sleeping behind him. “We are trying to find out.”

Dick had gone to a post of the tent. Here a box of matches had been placed in a holder and he took one out, struck it, and held it up.

“Why, Tom is gone!” he cried, seeing that the place his brother had occupied was vacant.

“So he is!” murmured Sam. He raised his voice: “Tom! Tom! where are you?”

There was no reply to this call, and all in the tent gazed at each other questioningly. Then the match went out, leaving them in darkness as before.

“I don’t like this,” muttered Dick, and he made his way outside, followed by the others. Fred had loaded a shotgun and he caught up the piece. Hans walked to the smouldering fire and threw on some dry brushwood which soon caused a glare.

All looked around the tent, but failed to catch sight of Tom. Then they hurried to the edge of the lake, but nobody was there.

“Tom! I say Tom!” yelled Sam. “Where are you?”

All listened, but no reply came back. But they heard a curious noise at a distance up the lake shore.

“Maybe he is in trouble!” cried Dick. “Spread out and look for him!”

One of the boys ran up the shore and one down, and Fred and Hans walked towards the woods, the former carrying the shotgun.

“Do you dink a – a bear cotched him?” asked the German youth, in a tragic whisper.

“I don’t know what to think,” answered Fred.

Dick had gone up the shore, where the rocks were rather rough. As he came out on the point he heard a peculiar noise and then a yell.