Frederick Gordon

“ What Bob tried to do now was to get the attention of the animal away from the children. He gave the red cape a fling right into the face of the animal. It fell at one side. The bull eyed it and made a dash for it.
"Good! they're safe!" cried Bob, as he saw Minnie and Benny pass through the open doorway of the schoolhouse. They fairly fell over the threshold in their wild haste and fear.
The bull drove its head down at the cape. Then the animal stamped it to fragments in the soft sod. Then with a frightful bellow it started for Bob.
"It's a run, and a fast one," thought Bob. ”

“ THE CAPTURE—CONCLUSION
"The mischief!" cried Bob.
"Schoolhouse burning up!" echoed Sammy. "That's big news."
"Come on, fellows!" ordered Frank, making a rush down the road.
"Don't wait for me," said Tom. "I'm too fat to run fast."
"Say, I don't see any blaze," spoke Bob.
"No, but look—everybody is putting for the schoolhouse!" cried Sammy.
This was true. In the dim dusk they could see men, women and children rushing in the direction of the schoolhouse. They could hear the man who had told the news, and others, shouting nearer to the center of the village. ”

“ Bob noticed that one of the captives was Jed Burr.
"What are you going to do with us?" asked Jed.
"Douse him in the lake!" cried one urgent voice.
"No, roll him down the bluff," said another.
"We'll do better than that," replied Dave. "Here, tie their arms behind them," he ordered, as several pieces of rope were brought to him.
"Hold on," said Jed. "Fun's fun, you know."
"Yes, you spoiled ours just now, so we're going to have some fresh fun," laughed Dave.
Jed tried to fight off his captors, but the crowd found it easy to bind him and his companion. ”

“ He had been building a little dam, and he looked reckless and unhappy.
"Teacher wants you, Ned," said Bob.
"I don't want to see teacher," spoke Ned, in a sullen way.
"You've got to."
"What for?"
"She'll tell you."
"I won't go," declared the little fellow, starting to wade deeper into the water.
"No, you don't," said Bob, quickly, catching hold of Ned's arm. "See here, don't be a gump. The artist who boards down at your house is up at the schoolhouse with the teacher."
"Oh, is he?" cried Ned, brightening up. "I'll go, then, Bob." ”

“ The boys gathered excitedly about their leader.
"See here, Dave," cried Sammy, "this is the work of 'The Blues!'"
"Of course it is," said Frank.
"Let's capture them," shouted Bob.
"Yes, it's pretty near time to go home, anyway," agreed Dave. "Keep together, fellows. If we catch any of them, we'll put them through a course of sprouts."
"Hear them! hear them!" yelled Sammy.
Derisive cries floated down to the beach. This nettled some of the boys. All of them were glad of a chance for new fun and excitement.
"Divide, fellows," ordered Dave.
"Yes, surround the enemy!" cried Sammy. ”

“ Some kind-hearted people always gave her work or shelter.
Bob held his breath, for it was quite startling to see Mary waving the scissors. Her eyes looked wild, and she was not in one of her quiet moods, that was certain.
"I've been here hiding in the storeroom since before school," began Mary, with a sly laugh.
"Why, what for?" asked Miss Williams.
"To wait for you."
"For me, Mary?" said the teacher, as calmly as she could.
"Yes, ma'am. You see, I expect my little child home to-night. You know, she has been away at school for nearly four years." ”

“ Frank joined them, and the three lads for a moment stood looking in wonder down the slanting road.
"It's a runaway automobile," cried Sammy.
"And a boy in it," added Frank.
"Whew I there's a tumble," shouted Bob, dancing up and down in a state of great excitement. Not fifty feet away from them, near a vacant house, an automobile was coming towards them. A boy in its front seat seemed to have been trying to turn around. When Bob and his chums first caught sight of the machine, they saw that this boy was trying to stop it, but he did not seem to know how to go about the task. ”

“ THE SPELLING CONTEST
Tom Chubb was smiling all over his face at getting such a warm welcome from Bob and his friends.
"Say, fellows," he spoke, "I don't pretend to know much, but I stick to a chum."
"Good for you!" cried Sammy.
"There's a fellow you don't want to let stick to you," spoke Bob.
He pointed to Jed Burr, who was up to his usual trick of meddling with the affairs of others. Two little fellows were tossing a croquet ball to each other. Jed stood about half way between them, jumping up in the air, and trying to stop the ball.
"No, I don't like his looks one bit," said Tom. ”

“ Jed did not reply, but with his party swung off on the cross-road.
"They're up to something," said Frank.
"I wonder what it is?" asked Sammy.
"Something to spoil our fun, I'm sure," spoke Tom. "It's just like them."
"I think they're going to run for it when they get out of sight," said Dick. "They are aiming to make a cross cut and reach the flats first." ”

“ Bob—at once," and she acted as if she was going into another fit.
"Maybe people will bring them back to you," said Bob.
"But they would read them first. Oh, I should die if they did! I would leave town. Everybody would be laughing at me."
"What would they laugh for?" asked honest Bob.
Miss Simmons did not reply to this. She only wrung her hands and looked worried to death.
"Oh, Bob, please try and get those letters back," she begged of him. "I'll pay you well."
"I don't want any pay," said Bob. "Here, Walter, you come with me and show me what you did with those letters." ”

“ It was the way it was headed that made Frank realize that something must be done. The machine was tearing up the earth, and running against rocks, and bumping past trees, directly at the edge of the bluff road.
"If it keeps on that way," said Frank to himself, "it will go over the edge of the bluff."
If that happened the auto would be wrecked. It would roll over and over down quite a steep slant until it reached Rainbow Lake.
"Don't get in! don't get in!" shouted Sammy, his eyes nearly bolting out of his head, as he saw no chance to stop the auto. ”

“ Jed Burr and his crowd thought it was funny to see the old man flounder around.
"Buffer!" cried one of them.
"Hey, want a back-stop?" echoed another.
"He's smashed something," spoke a third.
"Seems to be his watch," reported the first speaker.
"You're in a fix, Bob, this time, sure," said Sammy.
"I'm sorry it's Mr. Dolby," replied Bob. "He doesn't like any of us any too well."
Silas Dolby was a miserly old man who had few friends in Fairview, and he was tight-fisted, cross, and too shrewd to please honest people.
Bob, Frank and Sammy were "down in his bad books," as the saying goes. ”

“ Men took the place of the boys and crowded them out of service, but they had done their part.
"What's that, now?" spoke Bob, as, rounding the building, they came to the little addition to the main school building, used as a storeroom.
"Why," shouted Sammy, "there's some one inside!"
"It looks so," spoke Frank, in wonder. Bang, clatter, crash!—the rear window of the storeroom was smashed out from inside. A man leaped into view. He must have been sleeping in the place, and the fire must have started between the storeroom and the schoolhouse door. ”

“ Miss Williams looked quite pale.
"Be quiet, children," she said.
"Oh, that cow will come in here and eat us all up!" blubbered one little girl.
"Do not think of going outside," said the teacher to Bob and Frank, who went towards the door, while Jed and his crowd made sure they were safe at the other end of the room.
"We ought to get word to Farmer Doane," said Bob.
"You must not risk going out," insisted Miss Williams.
"The bull may go away," spoke Sammy.
"He doesn't act like it," replied Bob. They watched the animal from the window. The bull did not move away from the building. ”

“ They ran upon Sammy near some trees.
"He's just turned into the road yonder," panted Sammy.
Bob hurried to the spot where Sammy pointed. He saw a man going down the highway whom he thought he had never seen before. He was certainly a stranger to Fairview. The man had a cane, and was bent over it as if he was old or sick.
"Where did he come from?" asked Bob.
"Beyond Dolby's barn," replied Frank.
"I didn't see him near it," said Bob, "but maybe he went out of a door on the far side of the barn."
"Is he the man you know about. Bob?" asked Sammy.
"He doesn't look like it," said Bob. ”

“ The dog fought him half way back to the gate, when Bob and Sammy came running up to the rescue of their chum. The dog had caught and torn Frank's sleeve. They beat him off with switches, but the animal was vicious and stubborn, and followed them up.
Just as they got through the gate and slammed it shut, Mr. Dolby appeared on the steps.
"Hi, there; what are you up to?" he shouted.
"I had a message for you, but your dog wouldn't let me in," said Frank.
"What's your message?" asked the old man, surlily.
"My uncle says he will fix up your watch for you as good as new." ”

“ In a few minutes the miser went back into the house.
"Well, that's all plain," said Bob to himself. "Some one has been sleeping and hiding in the barn. Who could it be but that tramp? Then, if he robbed the jewelry store, where did he put the stuff he stole?"
Bob went back to Frank and Sammy. He had about made up his mind to go straight to Mr. Haven, and tell him all he had found out. It was Bob's idea that Frank's father and the marshal could scare the old miser into telling enough about the tramp to lead to his arrest. ”

“ Just like a flash a quick idea made him almost gasp.
"Speak out, Bob," urged Miss Williams, but Bob was silent. He hung his head and tried to think out a great muddle in his mind.
"If you know anything about the missing list. Bob," went on his teacher, "you must certainly tell me. If you suspect any one, it is right you should say so."
"Miss Williams," replied Bob, making up his mind and looking up now, "I could make a guess, but I won't do it till I am sure I am right."
"Bob," said Miss Williams, "a week from Monday the school board meets. It is my duty to tell them what has happened. ”

“ Bob was too smart to think he could reach the fence before the bull could come up with him. About a hundred feet from the schoolhouse was a big swing. Two large dead trees formed the sides. Across their top was chained a big wooden log.
Two holes had been bored through the log. The rope, a thick heavy cable, was run through these, and knotted.
Bob reached the swing well ahead of the bull. He was a good climber. Spry and nimble, he was up one of the dead trees in a jiffy. The bull, headed for the swing, arrived under it as the boy got clear to the cross-piece, and sat astride of it. ”

“ The others surrounded Bob and marched him down the street. A dozen people met him and shook hands with him. They met Minnie Grey, who called Bob "a hero," and cried, as she always did when Bob met with "good luck," as she called it. Little crippled Benny Lane cheered Bob with a dozen hurrahs as they passed his home.
The satchels had been found in the schoolhouse well, and only a few pieces of jewelry were missing. The captured robber was now in jail, and the marshal and his men were looking for his partner. ”

“ Bob was helping his companion get cleaned up in as friendly a way as if they had been chums for years.
"Why," shouted Sammy, in blank surprise, "it's the fat boy."
"So it is," replied Frank, in a wondering tone.
"Hello," spoke the boy who had tumbled out of the auto. "You fellows here, too?"
Bob's face, as were the faces of the others, was set in a broad smile. They all had good reason to remember "the fat boy."
"Yes, it's me," said the victim of the accident, rubbing some dirt out of one ear. "Is the machine all right, Buxton?"
"Yes, the machine is all right," replied the man ”

“ Bob traced the voices right beyond him. They were men's voices. By stooping and peering through a network of vines. Bob made out two men lying on the ground. There was light enough from the campfire to show that they had made a bed of leaves and branches, and that one of them had a green patch over one eye.
"I know the other man," said Bob to himself. ”

“ He scowled at Sammy and then at the teacher.
"There will be no school this afternoon," began Miss Williams, and there was a great rustling about, and everybody grew eager and smiling.
"The school board will meet here this afternoon," went on the teacher, "so you will have a half holiday."
"Hurrah!" cheered Sammy to himself. Bob touched his foot with his own and chuckled.
"This morning you will all come up in your turn and get your classes and lists for new books," added Miss Williams. "The new scholars will come first, please." ”

“ THE MAD BULL
"News from the North Pole!" shouted Dick Hazelton, bounding into the playground, two mornings later.
"What does that mean?" asked Bob.
"Frost."
"When—where?"
"On the pumpkins! You fellows who live in town don't get up early enough to see what's going on these crisp, bright days. Get ready for some new fun, fellows." ”

“ Miss Williams?" laughed Bob.
"I shall tell the scholars that I was in the wrong," said the teacher.
"Oh, you're never much in the wrong," said Bob, gallantly. "All the fellows know you're always fair and good to us."
"Thank you. Bob."
"Come on. Let us run," spoke Mary, and Bob let her take his hand. "Remember, now, I'm to have some of those fine silk patches?"
"I am sure my mother will give them to you, Mary," replied Bob.
Some of the Burr crowd hooted and jeered as they saw Bob with Simple Mary. Sammy ran after him, and Bob explained matters to his chum. ”