The Putnam Hall Rebellion

“Do you think he’ll dare to shoot at us?” asked one of the cadets.

“No,” answered Jack. “I believe they are all cowards.”

On and on plunged the tramp, with the boys after him. He was now ascending a small hill. Beyond, the cadets knew, was a cliff, fringed with brushwood.

“Wonder if he knows about the cliff?” said Pepper.

“He must – since he has been in this neighborhood so long,” answered Jack. “But if he doesn’t he may take a nasty tumble.”

“Maybe he is hoping to make us take the tumble,” came from Andy.

This was a trick the tramp had in mind, and reaching the edge of the cliff, he darted to the right and crouched down under some thick bushes.

The cadets ran on at full speed until they neared the cliff and then slowed up. They peered over the edge of the height into the little valley below but could see no one.

“He’s around here somewhere,” declared Jack, and just then saw a bush that had been caught back switch itself into place. He leaped into the direction.

“Here he is, fellows!”

“Where?” asked Andy and Pepper in a breath.

“Under a bush. Come out of that!” Jack added to the fugitive.

“I ain’t comin’ out,” whined the tramp. He was out of wind and crestfallen.

“If you don’t come out, we’ll kick you out,” answered Andy, and then he shook his stick at the fellow. “Come out of that, and be quick about it.”

The tramp looked at the acrobatic youth and he gave a little gasp. Evidently he recognized Andy.

“I ain’t done nuthin,” he grumbled. “I’m an honest fellow, I am.”

“You certainly look it,” answered Jack. “Come, get up.” And he, too, raised his stick as if to hit the rascal over the head.

“Don’t – don’t strike me!” was the cry. “I’ll come out! But I ain’t done nuthin’.”

Very reluctantly the tramp crawled out from under the bushes and faced the boys. When Andy looked at him his eyes fell.

“I guess you know me,” said Andy, sternly.

“You? I ain’t never seen you before.”

“Oh, yes, you have. We met in the jewelry store in Cedarville one evening.”

“Not me. You’ve got the wrong man.”

“No, you are the fellow. And after we met at the jewelry store you attacked me on the road, threw me off my bicycle, and robbed me.”

“No, I didn’t!” cried the tramp, but his manner showed that he was much dismayed by the accusation.

“What I want to know is, What did you do with the things you took from me?” continued Andy.

“Didn’t I say you had the wrong man?”

“Will you give up the stuff or not?”

“Say, I ain’t – ”

“Answer my question.” And Andy raised his stick as if to hit the fellow on the head.

“I – I ain’t got the stuff,” cried the tramp in alarm. “Don’t hit me. I – I turned the stuff over to Levi, the fence.”

“Levi, the fence?” queried Andy.

“A fence, in criminals’ language, is a receiver of stolen goods,” explained Jack. “Where is this Levi?” he asked.

“Over in Albany. He was in Cedarville when I give him the goods. He promised me twenty dollars, but I only got five. He ought to be pinched,” went on the tramp, meaning by “pinched” he should be arrested.

“You come with us,” said Andy, and between them the cadets marched the tramp back to the camp in the hollow.

At the hangout they found that four of the tramps had been caught and made prisoners. The others had escaped, and what became of them nobody found out.

“I have heard of that fellow Levi,” said the deputy sheriff. “He has been wanted for some time. I think the Albany police are now after him.”

Seeing it would be useless to conceal matters longer, the tramp called Flatnose made a full confession, in which he told of attacking Andy just as had been supposed. He had found the tree limb in the woods near the road, and had thrust it out from the bushes just when the bicyclist was passing.

“I got scared when you didn’t come to your senses,” he said. “I didn’t mean to do nuthin’ but knock you into the road an’ take the things.”

“Well, that was enough,” said Andy, grimly. “But I must say I am thankful I wasn’t killed.”

“These men are all rascals,” said Rossmore Ford. “They are petty thieves, and they have terrorized the women and children for several miles around. We’ll see to it that they all get what they deserve.” And it may be added here that every one of the tramps was sent, later on, to jail. At the camp were found ample proofs of how they had been robbing not only henroosts and sheepfolds, but also houses and barns. The butcher and the farmers were glad to see the rascals rounded up, and the deputy sheriff was proud of the part he had played in the affair.

“We’ll look out for your things,” said the deputy to Andy. “And as soon as we get them we’ll let you know.”

It was not deemed necessary for the cadets to help get the tramps to the Cedarville lock-up and so, after bidding the men good-bye, the boys started off in the direction where the new camp of the school runaways was to be located.

“I’ll wager Reff Ritter was mad when he found the horse and wagon and all those things gone,” said Pepper.

“He’ll do his best to find our new camp,” answered Jack. “Perhaps he’ll want to fight next.”

“If he does, I reckon we can give him all he wants,” said Andy.

The sky was much overcast and it looked as if it might rain at any moment. This caused the cadets to increase their speed, and soon they were past the spot where the first camp had been located.

“Hello, look there!” cried Pepper, presently, and pointed among the trees.

“It’s Gus Coulter!” answered another cadet “What is he doing here?”

“They must be looking for us already,” exclaimed Jack.