Edward Stratemeyer

“ The path around the shore of Butterfly Island was rough, but the young folks did not mind this. Jack led the way, and he and the other cadets helped the girls down and up the rocks, and “jumped” them over the hollows. All were in the best of spirits, and the woods rang with laughter.
“Come on out to the headland,” said Andy presently, and led the way to a narrow strip of land extending out into the lake for fully a hundred feet. All followed and Andy was about to point out some object of interest when Pepper, who chanced to glance back, uttered a cry of alarm. ”

“ The two walked over to the other tent, and there beheld Coulter and Paxton surrounded by Andy, Dale and Pepper. Paxton was trembling as if with the ague, and Coulter was also much disturbed.
“We caught them in our tent at our things,” said Pepper. “At least, they were at my things.”
“And Ritter was in my tent, putting something in my bed,” answered Jack.
“Coulter dropped something. Make a light and see what it was,” suggested Andy.
“Oh, don’t make a noise! You’ll have the guard down on us! And Captain Putnam and Mr. Strong!” cried Paxton, hoarsely. “We don’t want to get caught!” ”

“ Then, as the Bock crowd stopped, the cadets surrounded them, so that none of them might slip away.
“What do you want?” demanded Bock, who was evidently the leader, though Plunkett was older.
“We want you to have a good time,” said Bob, in a pleasant voice. “We came to treat you—in return for giving the Putnam Hall boys so much trouble.”
“Who are you?” demanded Plunkett. It was too dark under the trees to distinguish faces, especially when distorted from the glowing of the phosphorus.
“Friends,” said another cadet, for the quartermaster’s plan had been explained to all. ”

“ It was arranged that Jack, Andy and Able Fales should make the trip.
“If the launch is there I’ll fix her up as soon as I can and run her back here,” said the old boatman.
The Spray was soon on the way. She was a light-built craft and cut the bosom of the lake like a thing of life.
“I like my sloop, but I declare I’d like a motor boat too,” said Jack. “They certainly can travel!”
“And they don’t have to wait for the wind,” added Pepper.
“It’s fine—if the motor doesn’t get out of order,” said Roger Penwick. “But sister and I have to do a lot of tinkering, I can tell you! ”

“ He spoke in a low tone, and in amazement the four Pornell students stopped short. Then Sedley caught sight of the figures with the glow upon their faces and he set up a yell.
“It’s ghosts!”
“Ghosts?” repeated Carey.
“Ye—yes—don’t—yo—you see ’em?” And Sedley’s teeth commenced to chatter. “Oh, I wish I wa—was ba—back to Pornell!” he wailed.
“They aren’t ghosts,” growled Plunkett. “This is a trick!”
“They look like ghosts!” gasped Carey, who was as much of a coward as Sedley.
“I don’t believe in ghosts,” said Roy Bock. “It must be some of the Putnam Hall cadets—or else some of our own crowd.” ”

“ As quietly as possible, so as not to disturb Captain Putnam and George Strong, the cadets looked around the various tents of their enemies. They found Ritter in his tent, lying on his cot and snoring loudly.
“He is shamming,” whispered Pepper. “Just wait till I prove it.”
“How will you do it?” asked Dale.
“I’ve got some red ink in a bottle here. I’ll daub his face with that. It’s indelible and it won’t come off for a month. He’ll look like an Indian on the warpath.” ”

“ WHAT HAPPENED UNDERGROUND
“You mean the Robertson mill?” asked Andy.
“Yes, the one mentioned by that Bert Field.”
“Have you heard from that boy, Pepper?”
“Not lately.”
“Shall we go to the old mill and see what it looks like?”
“We might pass it. We haven’t time to stop—not unless we want to get caught.”
Still walking swiftly, the chums went along the river until they came in sight of the Falls. Not far off was the old mill.
“Think we’ll meet that ghost?” asked Andy, as they paused at a distance to gaze at the ancient structure, some of the lower windows of which had been boarded over. ”

“ As the cadets had good bicycles they often took rides up and down the lake road, or out in the country back of Cedarville.
All of the cadets were soon ready for the spin, and off they went, Jack and Pepper abreast, with Andy and Dale close behind.
“Want a race?” asked Andy. “I feel as if I could ride like the wind.”
“Well, I’ll go you!” cried Pepper.
“I’m not stripped for racing, but I’ll join in for the fun of it,” said Dale.
“So will I,” added the young major. ”

“ The announcement that Jack made filled the Ritter crowd with alarm, and they showed it.
“Have us arrested?” cried the bully, and he grew somewhat pale.
“That is just what he said,” broke in Pepper. “Fun is fun, but to steal a launch is another story.”
“We didn’t steal the boat,” came from Coulter. “We—er—What do you know about it anyway?” he demanded suddenly.
“We know all we wish to know,” said Andy. “You took Mr. Fales’s boat and did not return it. You can well imagine how angry he is. He looked all around Butterfly Island for it, but with no success.” ”

“ You cannot deceive me!”
“We are schoolboys and we came in here to get out of the storm,” explained Andy.
“I do not believe it! You are burglars! Those uniforms are merely a disguise. You were after my precious silver plate! The world-renowned Robertson silver plate! But you shan’t have it! Jabez Trask knows how to protect his own!”
At the mention of the old man’s name the cadets started. This then, was the man for whom Bert Field was seeking. Certainly as strange an individual as the tall, thin youth himself.
“Mr. Trask, you are making a mistake,” said Pepper, as calmly as he could. ”

“ Then the girls turned homeward, and the boys continued their ride.
“They are fine girls,” said Dale. “It was a great feather in your cap to save them from drowning.”
“Oh, let us forget that!” cried Andy, who did not care at any time to pose as a hero.
“There is one thing I regret about this encampment at Lake Caboy,” said Jack, as the four cadets turned in the direction of Putnam Hall. “There is no way of getting our sailboats up to that lake. Some of the rowboats will be taken over on the wagons, but I’ll have to leave the Alice behind, and Fred Century will have to leave the Ajax, too.” ”

“ It was a heavy door, with an equally effective lock, and the cadets knew that they were prisoners.
“Ha! ha! very well done, I do declare!” chuckled the old man, after the door was fastened. “A neat trick, if I do say it myself, a clever trick! It takes a smart man to get the best of Jabez Trask. You thought I’d shoot you, didn’t you? Well, let me tell you that the shotgun isn’t loaded and hasn’t been for a month! But now I am going to load it, and load it well. If you try to break out—well, your blood will be on your head!”
Andy and Pepper did not reply. ”

“ Fales may get out warrants for your whole crowd,” said Andy. “After we found the hornets’ nest he wanted to know who you were.”
“Humph! I suppose you told him too,” sneered Ritter.
“Why not? You put us in a hole. But you’d better get the boat. Don’t you know that there are some thieves on this lake? They wouldn’t hesitate to take that launch if they found it, and paint it over and change the name—and then you’d never find the craft.”
“Yes, you’ll get into serious trouble if you don’t return that boat by morning,” said the young major, and then he motioned to his chums and all walked away. ”

“ With caution, the two cadets moved around the now semi-dark belfry. At every step the glass crunched under their feet.
“With the ring gone we can’t get any hold on the trap door,” sighed Pepper. “Jack, it looks as if we were booked to stay here for some time.”
“That’s so. But don’t you think the others will come to our aid, if we don’t get back to the Hall soon?”
“Maybe—but they may wait longer than we want them to.”
“Wonder if we can’t climb down from the outside? We could use the bell rope.” ”

“ The girls laughed outright and Mr. and Mrs. Ford smiled.
“Now here is where the Ritter crowd pay us back,” went on Pepper. “I don’t know how they got here, but they did—and they have either hidden the launch or made off with it. I am awfully sorry—on your account,” and he looked anxiously at the Fords.
“Well, you are in the same boat as ourselves,” said Mr. Ford.
“I guess you mean we are both out of the boat,” returned Andy, with a sickly grin. He turned to Able Fales. “Have you looked all along the shore for the launch?” he asked. ”

“ As they returned to their tents speculation was rife concerning the two missing cadets.
“If they slipped off to one of the lake hotels they will be punished for it,” said Andy.
“Paxton is getting quite sporty,” answered another cadet. “And poor Billy Sabine is just foolish enough to follow his example.”
“I am sorry for Billy,” said Dale. “He is a pretty decent sort sometimes.”
The cadets retired and for about an hour matters in camp were quiet. Then, from the woods, came several screams of terror. A rifle shot rang out, and once more the camp was in an uproar. ”

“ He bunted the ball, reaching first on a fumble by Coulter, while Stuffer got down to second.
Conners was followed by Fred who, so far, had done but little to aid Company B to win the match. Fred had two strikes called on him, and it looked as if he would be put out when he met the sphere fairly and squarely and sent it far down into the center field.
“Run! Run! Everybody run!” was the cry, and amid great excitement Stuffer ran in, followed by Bart. Fred got to third and might have reached home but Ritter got in his way, sending him flat on the grass. ”

“ Some of the other cadets had been told about what was going on, and at several dormitory doors heads peeped forth. But then sounded a peculiar whistle, coming from Emerald Hogan.
39
It was a signal that the teacher was coming around, inspecting the dormitories. Every cadet understood, and there was a wild scramble to put out the lights and leap into bed.
The only lad who did not escape was Gus Coulter. In the semi-darkness he ran into another cadet and was knocked flat. Before he could get up and reach his bed the door opened and Josiah Crabtree appeared. ”

“ The two cadets walked to the roadway and then both stopped short and looked at each other. The same thought had occurred to each.
“We came for that clapper and we might as well have it,” declared Pepper. “I’ll go back and get it, Jack. You can rest behind the bushes, where nobody will see you.”
“All right—and I’ll watch out,—that nobody comes up to fasten that trap door again.”
“By jove! that’s so! Maybe the Ritter crowd is hanging around yet!” ”

“ With the coming of summer, the cadets turned their attention to sports in the field and on the lake. Jack’s uncle had presented him with a fine sloop, and in this the youthful major sailed several races, as told about in “The Putnam Hall Champions.” The boys also had a bicycle race and a hill-climbing contest, and likewise went bowling against a rival institution of learning called Pornell Academy. At Pornell at the time was a youth named Fred Century, but this lad became so disgusted at the actions of some of the boys, and at Doctor Pornell, that he left the school and came to Putnam Hall. ”

“ AT THE HAUNTED MILL
“I think Ritter and his cronies will catch it rather heavily,” remarked Andy, as he and his friends walked away from Captain Putnam’s quarters. “Well, it will serve them right.”
“I think we have gotten ourselves in trouble,” said Jack. “We have promised not to leave camp unless we have permission to do so. How are we to get off to go to the old mill with Bert Field?”
“We might ask Captain Putnam for permission,” said Pepper “But I doubt if he would let us go.” ”

“ I’ve got good news!” cried Dale, bursting into the dormitory where Jack and some others were sorting out their things.
“Then tell it quick,” returned the young major.
“Old Crabtree isn’t going to camp with us. He has a call to come to Albany on some family business. Only Captain Putnam and Mr. Strong are going.”
“Thanks be to Crabtree for staying away,” said Andy solemnly. “What a blessing it would be if he would stay away forever.”
“No such luck,” put in Fred, who, though a comparatively new pupil at the Hall, detested the first assistant teacher as cordially as did the others. ”

“ They saw Ritter, Coulter and several others hanging around.
“Looks like a fine cake,” said Jack, in a low voice, addressing his chums. “Must have come from the Fords.”
“Wish you could cut it to-night,” grumbled Andy.
“It will keep,” was the reply. “I’ll invite the crowd and open up the bundle to-morrow night, eight o’clock.”
“All right, we’ll be on hand,” said Pepper, and then he and Andy walked away. A little later the chums saw Ritter and his cronies slouch off much disappointed.
“We’ve got to wait for our fun,” growled Ritter.
“Maybe the hornets will be dead by that time,” said Paxton. ”

“ When Jack and Pepper came to the Hall everything was, of course, new to them. But it did not take them long to make some good friends, including Andy Snow, who was of an acrobatic turn, Stuffer Singleton, who preferred eating to studying, Dale Blackmore, who was a great football player, Joseph Hogan, who, because of his Irish accent, was usually called Emerald, and Joe Nelson, a lad who was the best scholar in the academy. They also made some enemies, including Reff Ritter, already mentioned by them, and his cronies, Gus Coulter and Nick Paxton. ”

“ Laura explained to her sister, and the two managed it so that the cadets left the hotel without having Mr. Ford take them back to camp in the launch.
“Now for the place where we are to meet Bert Field,” cried Pepper. “I hope we find him on hand. I am just in the mood for an adventure.”
“Well, you’ll get it—if we get in the old mill,” answered Andy, grimly. “Don’t forget what happened before.” ”

“ I don’t believe that way is guarded, and if we worked quietly and in the dark I think we would give whoever is in the mill a complete surprise.”
“Say, that’s a great scheme!” cried Pepper. “Let us try it.”
“I’m willing!” said Jack.
“So am I,” added Dale. And then all of the cadets looked at Bert Field.
“Aren’t any of you fellows afraid of the ghost?” asked the strange lad.
“No!” was the prompt reply.
255
“We don’t believe in ghosts,” added the young major. “But we realize that there may be great danger in visiting the old mill—the visit of Andy and Pepper proves it.” ”

“ This election resulted in Jack becoming major of the Putnam Hall Battalion, with Henry Lee captain of Company A and Bart Conners captain of Company B. Jack wanted Pepper to try for an officer’s position, but The Imp declined.
“I’ll continue to be a high private in the rear rank,” said Pepper, with a wink. “I can have more fun that way—especially if I have a major over me who knows when to keep his eyes shut.”
“Humph! I expect to have fun myself, even if I am a major,” had been Jack’s answer. ”

“ If you see anybody coming give a low whistle,” continued the bully. “Remember to look in every direction.”
Coulter and Paxton promised to keep their eyes open, and as silently as a shadow Reff Ritter walked around to the front of the tent, untied the flap and peered inside.
All was dark, yet in a faint way he discerned George Strong resting on a cot and sleeping soundly. He tiptoed his way into the tent and felt around. ”