The Putnam Hall Rebellion

“That makes six all told,” said Stuffer, as he and his chum withdrew.

“Did you notice that fellow who was in the corner?” demanded Andy, excitedly.

“Not particularly. Why?”

“Unless I am greatly mistaken he is the fellow I saw in the jewelry store the day I was robbed – the chap I thought might be guilty.”

“Is that so, Andy? Are you certain it is the fellow?”

“No, because I didn’t get a good look at his face. But he certainly looked a good deal like him.”

“Then you ought to investigate – I mean later on, when we have some of the others with us,” went on Stuffer hastily. “It would be foolish for us to tackle six men alone.”

“I’ll come back some time to-morrow – if I can get a crowd to come along,” was the reply from the acrobatic youth. “Beyond a doubt these fellows are thieves, and the farmers around here would be glad to place them under arrest.”

“In that case let the Putnam Hall cadets make the capture. It will be quite a feather in our cap.”

“I’d like to get back that stolen medal and the ring,” said Andy, as they moved away from the tramps’ hangout. “And I’d like to see the guilty party punished for attacking me.”

Having withdrawn into the woods once more the two cadets set to work to find the right path to the old barn. This was no easy task, and it was not until almost daybreak that Andy gave a cry and pointed ahead.

“I see the lake! I think I know where we are now.”

He hurried on and Stuffer came behind him, and presently the pair struck a wagon road running directly past the old Bailey barn. They ran up to the structure, to be stopped by a cadet who was on guard.

“Halt and give the countersign!” cried the cadet.

“Hello!” cried Andy. “That sounds natural. Is the crowd here?”

“It is,” answered the cadet. “How did you make out?”

Andy told him and then went in the barn, where he found the other cadets assembled, some sleeping and a few talking in low tones. Four guards had been stationed outside, to give the alarm, should the enemy be seen approaching.

“We might as well be on the move,” said Jack, after Andy and Stuffer had told their story. “As soon as it is daylight Crabtree and Cuddle will most likely send somebody out to look for us.”

“Yes, and we want to make a regular camp somewhere,” put in Stuffer. “Then we can start a fire and cook a good breakfast, and – ”

The boy who loved to eat did not finish for several began to laugh.

“We’ll make Stuffer head cook,” cried Pepper. “Stuffer, how does that suit you?”

“All right – if only you won’t ask me to wash dishes,” was the reply.

“Everybody will have to do his share of work,” said Jack, and looked knowingly at Pepper. Then he leaned over and whispered in Andy’s ear. “I am afraid we are going to have trouble with Reff Ritter and his crowd. Reff wants to have everything his own way, and he thinks the fellows ought to make him leader.”

CHAPTER XXIV

THE RIVAL RUNAWAYS

By eight o’clock that morning the runaway cadets of Putnam Hall went into camp not a great distance away from where Andy had driven the wagon into the woods. They found an ideal spot in a small clearing surrounded by dense woods. There the tents were pitched, and some of the boys cleaned out a handy spring, that all the water needed might be procured. While some of the cadets were raising the tents, others, under the directions of Bob Grenwood and Stuffer, were preparing breakfast. The cook stove had been set up, and three cadets had been detailed by Jack to procure firewood.

“We’ll have this camp in apple-pie order before noon,” said the young major. “I am going to observe the same kind of regulations as if we were off on an annual encampment.”

Early in the morning one of the cadets had hurried away to Cedarville, to send a telegram to Captain Putnam, notifying him of the state of affairs. A letter was also dropped into the post-office for the master of the Hall, and this was marked Private. Then another letter was sent to Josiah Crabtree, a farm boy being hired to deliver it. This letter ran as follows:

“Mr. Josiah Crabtree:

“Dear Sir: We have left Putnam Hall to camp out until the return of Captain Putnam. To remain at the school under the management of yourself and Mr. Cuddle was impossible. As soon as Captain Putnam returns we shall lay our case before him.

    “Yours truly,
    “The Students’ Committee,
    “Joseph Nelson, Sec’y.”

“I guess that will set old Crabtree to thinking,” was Dale’s comment, when the communication was dispatched. “He’ll find out that he can’t do just as he pleases.”

“Yes, and it will set that new teacher to thinking too,” added Pepper. “Oh, wouldn’t I like to square up with Pluxton Cuddle, for cutting us short on rations!”

Andy had told the young major about the tramps and Jack agreed to see what could be done as soon as camp matters were arranged.

“I’ve got to get things into shape here first,” said Jack. “I feel it in my bones that Ritter is going to make trouble. Since we ran away he acts like a regular sorehead.”

While breakfast was being served Reff Ritter and Gus Coulter growled at nearly everything that was being done. The camping spot, to them, was no good, the tents were not properly placed, and Reff stated loudly that he would have picked out a spot that had better drinking water, while Coulter turned up his nose at the coffee served.

“This is regular dishwater,” said Gus. “I thought we ran away to have something good to eat and to drink.”

“See here, Gus, if you don’t like the coffee, supposing you make some for yourself,” answered Bob Grenwood, sharply.

“Huh! Maybe you think I can’t make coffee!”

“This ham is about half done,” came from Nick Paxton. “It isn’t fit for a dog to eat.”

“Well, what can you expect, when those fellows are running everything to suit themselves?” growled Reff Ritter. “If I was leader I’d have things different.”

“See here, Reff!” cried Jack, sharply. “I don’t like your talk at all. The boys are doing the best they can. You can’t expect everything to work like a charm at the very start. We are all tired out, and what we need is a good night’s sleep. Don’t grumble so much.”

“I’ll grumble if I please!” flared up the bully of the school. “You may be major of the battalion but you can’t boss me here.”

“You didn’t have to come with us if you didn’t want to,” put in Dale. “Jack is our leader, and everybody in this camp has got to obey his orders.”

“That’s the talk!” cried Pepper.

“Humph! Then I reckon the best we can do is to get out,” answered Ritter, with a meaning look at his cronies.

“Yes, give us our share of the camp stuff and we’ll go,” added Coulter.

“All in favor of going with Reff Ritter raise their right hand,” sang out Nick Paxton.

Evidently the matter had been talked over between the bully and his cohorts for on the instant nine hands went up.