CHAPTER XXI
HOW THE CADETS RAN AWAY
While the uproar below was still in progress, Jack and Pepper climbed down to the dormitory, and there the young major told of all that had occurred since his departure.
“Old Crabtree and Pluxton Cuddle are carrying matters with a high hand,” he went on, “and we have decided to stand it no longer.”
“Well, we about reached the same conclusion here,” said Andy. “Pepper was going to try to find you, and then we were going to see if we couldn’t get the whole crowd to run away.”
“I hope none of the fellows who were in the guardroom with me are captured,” continued Jack. “If Crabtree or Cuddle laid his hands on anyone it will go hard with that cadet, I know.”
The guards had all gone below, so the cadets in the dormitories were left to themselves. They crowded to the various windows and soon espied Bob Grenwood, Reff Ritter and two others on the road beyond the campus. As soon as the runaway cadets saw that they were noticed they raised their hands and beckoned for those left behind to join them. At this the cadets in the windows nodded vigorously. And so the plan to run away from Putnam Hall grew rapidly.
“I see two of the guards going after those cadets,” said one student who chanced to have a field glass. “But I doubt if they catch our fellows.”
“It will soon be night,” said Dale. “In the darkness getting away ought to be easy.”
“Provided the teachers don’t get a stronger guard,” answered Stuffer. “Now they are on the warpath there is no telling how far they will go. I expect to see one of the cadets beheaded next.”
“Or made to learn ten pages of Latin backward,” put in Joe Nelson, and this remark caused everybody to laugh.
“If we are going to run away, we want some definite plan of action,” said Jack. “I’ve got my own idea, but I don’t know if it will suit the rest.”
“What is the plan?” asked several.
“That we get away as best we can, and, if possible, get some tents and rations, too. If we can’t get the rations from the pantry and the storehouse, get them from the storekeepers of Cedarville. I am sure we can raise some money, and we can get trust for the rest. Then we can go off and establish a regular camp until we hear from Captain Putnam.”
This plan met with instant favor, and the idea was quickly circulated to some of the other dormitories. Fully three-quarters of the cadets agreed to run away, if the chance offered. The others, including Mumps and Billy Sabine, were too timid and said they would not go.
Of the lads who had broken out of the guardroom only one was captured and that was Frank Barringer. He and Josiah Crabtree had a warm discussion after the capture, and what Barringer said made the teacher somewhat nervous.
“You are carrying matters with a high hand, Mr. Crabtree, and when Captain Putnam comes back I feel certain he will not uphold you,” said Barringer.
“We must have order,” grumbled the teacher.
“That is true, but you must try to get it in the right way. To treat the cadets as if they were hoodlums is not the right way.”
“We know what we are doing,” interposed Pluxton Cuddle. “You boys eat too much, and – ”
“Mr. Cuddle, I am talking to Mr. Crabtree,” said Barringer, with dignity. “He is the oldest teacher in the Hall, and he is responsible for what is happening.”
“I am responsible for what happened in the classrooms,” said Josiah Crabtree, quickly. “The outside care of the students was left to Mr. Cuddle.”
“And I know what I am doing,” said that individual, pompously. “I am willing to assume all responsibility, and I want no advice from you.”
“All right – we’ll wait till Captain Putnam gets back,” said Frank; and there the discussion ended. But the talk made Josiah Crabtree nervous and after that he left the management of affairs largely in Pluxton Cuddle’s hands. Perhaps he was “casting an anchor to windward,” and he had need to, as later events proved.
Before the excitement attending the escape from the guardroom came to an end, it was growing dark. When it was time for supper the door to each dormitory was suddenly thrust open and a basket was set inside, containing bread and butter and a tin pail full of milk, with a glass.
“Hello, they have given up the idea of starving us!” cried Dale.
“Huh! Nothing but bread and butter!” grumbled Stuffer. “I’m glad some of that other grub is left.”
“They are afraid to let us go without food,” said Andy. “Perhaps they think we’ll grow desperate on empty stomachs and break down the doors and create trouble generally.”
“’Tis a great shame old Crabtree is so pig-headed,” observed Emerald. “I shall be greatly surprised if the captain is afther upholdin’ him in it.”
While it was growing dark the boys completed, as far as they could, their plans for leaving Putnam Hall. Of course, much depended on chance and there was considerable fear that their actions might fail. Word was circulated that the movement should commence at exactly midnight, and in the meanwhile every cadet should pretend to go to sleep.
Fortunately for the boys, nature aided them in their undertaking. Heavy clouds obscured the sky, making it very dark outside of the school. From a distance came the low rumble of thunder, drowning out many other sounds.
“I hope it doesn’t rain,” said Pepper.
“I don’t think it will,” said Jack. “That storm is passing off to the westward.” And he was right, hardly a drop of rain fell in the vicinity of the lake.
A heavy rope had been procured and this was strung along the windows of the various dormitories and by its aid many of the cadets climbed into the room occupied by Jack and his chums. Then Andy went through the trunk room to the upper hall and from thence, by a ladder, to the roof. From that point of vantage he let down the rope to the window of a dormitory on the other side of the building. To the end of the rope was a note reading as follows:
“Use this to get down to the ground. Wait until we make a noise down by the gym., to attract the guards. Meet us at the old Bailey barn. Bring camping outfit with you, if possible.
“The Putnam Hall Rebels.”
To deceive the guards in the hallways, many of the cadets pretended to go to bed about eleven o’clock.
“Might as well get a good night’s rest,” said Jack loudly. “We can’t do anything more until morning.”
“Right you are,” answered Bart Conners, in an equally loud voice. “Call it off, boys, and get to bed.” And this ruse was worked in every dormitory from which the cadets hoped to escape. It deceived the guards completely, and when Pluxton Cuddle came up to learn how matters were progressing he was informed that the cadets had retired.
At one minute after twelve the boys arose from the beds upon which they had been resting, and with their shoes and various bundles in their hands crawled silently through the hole in the ceiling to the trunk room above. Then, with Jack to lead them, they tiptoed their way through the back hall and down the rear stairs, and then to the kitchen. Here the back door was opened, and ten of the lads went out and in the direction of the barn and storehouse. This detail was led by Andy.
“We want at least ten tents,” said the acrobatic youth. “And as much food as we can lug along.”
“Say, why can’t we get a horse and wagon?” suggested Stuffer, who hated to carry anything.
“Maybe we can – if Jack is willing. But get out the tents and food first – so we can dust with them if there is any alarm.”
“We might take to the boats,” said Dale.
“No, Jack said that wouldn’t be safe. Old Crabtree would hire a steam tug and come after us in no time. But say, I’ll tell you what we can do – hide the boats in the creek! That will throw them off the scent.”
In the storehouse were packed a number of army tents, to be used when the cadets went out on the annual encampment. Here were also boxes and barrels of provisions, for use in the school. Making certain nobody was around, the boys shut the door, pinned some empty potato bags over the windows, and lighted a lantern. Then, with great rapidity, they got out some of the tents, and in them rolled up various kinds of rations, beans, bacon, dried fish, coffee, sugar, butter, crackers and so forth. They also took along a small sack of potatoes and another of apples. Then they got out a camp cook stove, and some tinware, including cups and plates, and pots, kettles and frying pans.
“We can’t carry all this,” said Dale, in dismay. “We’ll simply have to get a horse and wagon.”
“Very well then, we’ll do it,” said Andy. “But it is running an extra risk.”
CHAPTER XXII
JOSIAH CRABTREE IS WORRIED
While Andy and those with him were getting out the things in the storehouse, Jack and some others were searching the pantry and kitchen for such articles as they thought they needed. These included knives, forks and spoons, and also pepper, salt, lard and several smoked hams and tongues, and all the bread in the big wooden bread box.
“Let’s take some jam too,” said one cadet, and several glasses were added, and also such cake as chanced to be in sight. The boys also found a small cheese, some lemons and oranges and a box of raisins.
“I reckon we’ve got all we can carry,” said Fred Century. “Talk about moving day! This looks like one to me!”
As silently as shadows the cadets took the things outside and hurried with them in the direction of the storehouse, where they met some of the others.
“Where is Andy?” asked the young major, anxiously.
“Gone for a horse and wagon,” answered Dale. “It is simply out of the question to carry all this stuff by hand.”
“But the risk!” cried Pepper. “I’m going to see how he is making out.”
He ran for the stable and saw Andy bringing forward one of the horses. A spring wagon stood near by, under a shed, and Pepper ran it forward, and helped his chum to hitch up the horse.
“Listen, somebody is coming!” said Pepper, presently, and a moment later they heard Peleg Snuggers calling from his room over the horse stable.
“Who’s down there? What ye doin’?” bawled the man. And then he appeared at a window in his nightdress.
“Stop your noise, Snuggers!” ordered Pepper. “If you don’t they may find a dead man around here in the morning.”
“Land sakes alive! Don’t shoot me!” spluttered the man of all work, and dropped out of sight in a hurry.
“Don’t you say a word and you won’t be touched,” went on The Imp. “If you open your mouth there will be trouble, and lots of it, Peleg!”
“I ain’t sayin’ nary a word!” answered the man, in a voice filled with terror. The doings of the day had filled him with apprehension.
As quickly as they could the cadets loaded up the spring wagon, putting in all of the things collected and adding such additional stores as the wagon would hold. Then Andy drove off, taking Dale, Stuffer and some others with him.
“I’ll go up to Daly’s clearing,” said the acrobatic youth. “I’ll drive right into the woods beyond. I don’t think anybody will find us there.” And so it was arranged.
The outfit having been sent on its way, the cadets left behind breathed more freely. If an alarm came they could take to their legs, and they doubted if any of the teachers or guards could catch them.
“Now for the demonstration near the gym.,” said Jack. “Make as much noise as possible, so the other fellows will have a chance to get out of the dormitories, but don’t let the enemy catch you.”
In less than five minutes after that a loud yelling arose back of the gymnasium and several cadets could be seen running in as many different directions. There were calls for “Come this way, boys!” and “Look out, there’s a guard after you!” and a lot of other cries that seemed to mean much.
“What is that?” ejaculated Josiah Crabtree, who had fallen asleep in an easy chair in his room. “Are they breaking out?”
“To the gymnasium!” was the call outside. “Catch them, men, at yonder building!”
Then came a rush from the guards, and they were quickly joined by Crabtree and Cuddle. All ran in the direction of the gymnasium, leaving the school building, for the time being, to take care of itself.
It was what those left in the dormitories were watching and waiting for, and in a twinkling cadet after cadet came sliding down the rope and a line made of torn-up sheets. They threw out their bundles in advance, and then, picking up the baggage, darted for a back path, leading through the vegetable garden attached to the Hall.
“Hi! hi! Look!” shrieked Pluxton Cuddle, as he chanced to gaze behind him.
“What is it?” demanded Josiah Crabtree.
“The boys! They are leaping from the dormitory windows!”
“Impossible! Some of them will be killed. Ha! I see. They have ropes! Come, this is a trick – to get us from the school!” And the teacher ran back toward Putnam Hall.
By this time the guards were thoroughly bewildered and did not know what to do. Crabtree gave orders, and Cuddle told them to do something else, and, as a consequence, nothing was accomplished. The teachers were frantic.
“They have – have run away!” gasped Josiah Crabtree, as, having reached the school, he threw open the door of one dormitory after another.
“All of them?”
“No, but the majority. What shall we do?”
“I don’t know.”
“Mr. Cuddle, you are responsible for this!”
“I, sir?” gasped the new teacher.
“Yes.”
“Not at all, sir, not at all, Mr. Crabtree! You started the affair. You are responsible.”
“It is not true. If you had not cut down the food – ”
“Tut! tut! tut! If you had not made a mistake in that Latin lesson, sir, the cadets – ”
“Don’t talk to me, sir! I say it was your fault, Mr. Cuddle,” growled Josiah Crabtree.
“And I say, sir, it was your fault.”
And then the two teachers glared fiercely at each other.
“Please, sir, what do you want us to do?” asked one of the guards, somewhat sheepishly.
“Do!” cried Josiah Crabtree. “You can’t do anything! You allowed those cadets to run away! You are a set of blockheads!”
“So they are, blockheads!” added Pluxton Cuddle.
“I’m not a blockhead and I want you to know it,” answered the man angrily. “You fellers brought us up here on a fool’s errand, I think. If you’ll pay me off I’ll go home.”
“Yes, pay me off and I’ll go home too,” added another of the guards.
“What, are you going to desert us!” exclaimed Josiah Crabtree, in sudden fear.
“I ain’t no blockhead. You pay me and I’ll go.”
“But see here, you promised to stay here as long as wanted,” pleaded Crabtree.
“You don’t want me any longer – now the boys have run away. And let me say one thing – I think the boys had a right to run away.”
“Bah!”
“You teachers ain’t treatin’ ’em right,” went on another guard. “Just you wait till Captain Putnam gits back – I reckon he’ll make it warm for you!”
At this plain talk Josiah Crabtree almost collapsed. He realized that he had gone too far. He wondered what the result would be when the captain did get back. He was getting a fine salary and he did not wish to lose his position.
“My dear fellows, you are making a mistake,” he said, in a milder voice. “Those cadets have broken the rules of this institution and must be punished. I was simply going to keep them in their rooms until to-morrow and then I was going to give them a lecture, nothing more.”
“What about the grub they wanted?” asked another guard, who had come up during the talk.
“A little hunger would do them good. They would have gotten their fill to-morrow, and – ”
“No! no! that’s a mistake!” burst out Pluxton Cuddle. “Too much eating – ”
“Mr. Cuddle, I no longer agree with you on that point,” said Josiah Crabtree coldly. “If they return they shall have the same quantity of food as they got when Captain Putnam was here.”
“Humph! Then you have not the boys’ welfare at heart,” snorted the new teacher.
“I want you men to stay here, at least for the present,” continued Josiah Crabtree. “Let me see, I believe I promised you two dollars a day, didn’t I?”
“You did,” said one of the guards.
“Your work has not been pleasant and therefore I’ll make the pay three dollars a day. I did not mean to call you blockheads – I – er – was excited. Let us get down to – er – business now – and see if we cannot find those runaway cadets and persuade them to return to the Hall. If we can do that and – er – hush up this whole unpleasant matter I will – er – reward you handsomely.”
This talk was “pouring oil on the troubled waters,” and in the end the guards promised to stick by Josiah Crabtree and do what they could to bring the cadets back to school. They also promised, in view of a liberal reward, to tell Captain Putnam that the students and not the teachers were to blame for the outbreak.
CHAPTER XXIII
A DISCOVERY IN THE WOODS
“Andy, look out that you don’t drive off the road and into the gully,” said Stuffer, as the spring wagon lurched forward over the rough ground leading to Daly’s clearing.
“Stuffer wouldn’t have you lose any of that food for a fortune,” said Dale, with a laugh. “Trust him to look out for that!”
“Well, you’ll be just as ready to eat your breakfast as anybody,” grumbled the cadet who loved to eat.
Forward rolled the wagon, groaning dubiously when it bounded over the rocks. It was loaded to the limit and the boys feared that the springs would break before the journey was over.
From the vicinity of the Hall came calls and considerable noise. But this presently died away, and then all was as quiet as a tomb on the woody road the runaway cadets were traveling.
In half an hour the clearing was gained. They drove across it, and into the woods beyond for a distance of a hundred yards. Here it was so dark they had to light a lantern to see the way.
“They’ll be good ones if they track us to this spot,” observed Dale.
Having reached the place, they blanketed the horse and sat down to wait. It was somewhat chilly and all of the cadets present were glad enough to put on the heavy coats they had brought along.
“Don’t you think some of us ought to go over to Bailey’s barn and see if the others have arrived?” asked Stuffer, presently.
“We might do that,” answered another cadet. “But we can’t all go. Somebody must remain here and watch the horse and the outfit.”
In the end it was decided that Andy and Stuffer should make the journey to the old Bailey barn, a distance of a mile or more. They set off at once, Stuffer first, however, filling his pockets with crackers and apples.
“I know a path right through these woods,” said Stuffer. “It will bring us out just to the north of the old barn.”
“Well, be sure of the way,” answered the acrobatic youth. “We don’t want to get lost in this darkness.”
“How can we get lost in the dark if we carry a lantern, Andy?”
“Easily enough – if you get twisted around, Stuffer. I was lost once, in the Adirondacks, and I know.”
The two boys set off, Andy carrying a small lantern picked up in the carriage shed. This gave more smoke and smell than light and they had to proceed slowly, for fear of tumbling over the tree roots or into some hollow.
“Oh!” cried Stuffer, presently, as a strange sound struck his ears from close at hand. “What’s that?”
“Only an owl,” cried Andy, with a laugh. “How you jumped!”
“Are you sure it was an – an owl?” was the nervous question.
“Dead certain. Go ahead, or we won’t reach the old barn till morning.”
The path through the woods was not well defined and at one place forked in several directions. Stuffer did not notice this and kept to the right when he should have gone to the left. Andy followed without question, and thus the two cadets, instead of nearing the old barn, plunged deeper and deeper into the woods.
“Say, Stuffer, this doesn’t seem to be right,” observed Andy, after a full mile and a half had been covered.
“Huh! I know I am right,” was the reply. “We’ll get to the barn in a few minutes.”
They continued to go forward, up a slight rise of ground and then down into something of a hollow. Andy was just about to say again that he thought they were on the wrong path when he caught sight of a small campfire.
“Hello, see that!” he exclaimed.
“They have arrived and lit a fire!” answered Stuffer. “I don’t blame them. It is pretty cold. But they are running the risk of being discovered.”
“Stuffer, this isn’t the location of the old barn. We are not near the lake.”
“How do you know?”
“The locality doesn’t look like it. These are hemlock trees, while back of the barn there are chestnuts and walnuts.”
“That’s so too,” and now Stuffer became doubtful.
Moving a little more slowly, the two boys drew closer to the campfire. They saw that it was in a little clearing, to one side of which were some rocks and a spring of water. On the other side several small trees had been cut down and a rude shelter erected, covered with an old wagon top and several old horse blankets.
“Must be a gypsy camp,” said Stuffer, in a low tone, as the two boys stepped behind some bushes to gaze at the scene presented.
“They are tramps,” was Andy’s answer. “Don’t you see the hoboes lying around?”
He pointed to the forms of three men resting near the campfire. They were all rough-looking individuals and their clothing and shoes were much dilapidated. Several empty bottles lay scattered around, indicating that the fellows were drinkers. Near the shelter were a pile of chicken feathers and the skin of a lamb.
“I’ll tell you what I think,” whispered Andy. “These are not only tramps but also thieves. They have been robbing the farmers’ henroosts and somebody’s sheepfold. They’ve got a regular hangout here. I wonder how many of them there are?”
“I see three – but some of the crowd may be under the shelter. If they are thieves they ought to be locked up.”
“Yes. Shall we go into the camp and ask them the way?”
“I don’t think we ought to trust them. They might detain us, and rob us.”
Putting out the light so that they might not be discovered, the two cadets walked around the camp of the tramps. They saw that it was a hangout that had been used for some time. With great caution they stole up to the back of the rude shelter and peered within. They saw three more men, who were all snoring lustily.
“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.”