CHAPTER XXVII
A CASE OF TIT FOR TAT
Reff Ritter was evidently in high spirits over the success of his midnight raid, for his voice sounded positive and loud. Coulter was a little bit afraid.
“They may follow us up,” were the first words Jack and Pepper caught, coming from Gus Coulter.
“Oh, they may try it, but I don’t think they can do it,” answered Ritter. “We took good care to keep to the rocks when we left their camp. They can’t follow the wagon tracks. Oh, say, but it’s a rich joke on them, isn’t it?” And the bully of the Hall chuckled loudly.
“It sure is, Reff. But if they found us out – ” Coulter shook his head. “I suppose Jack Ruddy would be mad enough to chew us up.”
“I am not afraid of Ruddy.”
“Oh, I know that, Reff.”
“And I don’t think he can find us out. He isn’t as knowing as you think he is.”
“Yes, but he’s pretty sharp,” insisted Coulter.
“Humph! He never found out how he happened to get sick so suddenly the day we had the gymnastic contest and he fell from the flying-rings.”
“Oh, you said you’d tell me all about that some day,” said Coulter. “How did you manage it, Reff?”
“It was easy enough. If I tell you, will you keep it to yourself?”
“Sure.”
“Well, I got that French headache powder out of the medicine cabinet. I knew about how much to use to make Ruddy dizzy and dull.”
“Yes, but how did you manage to give it to him without his knowing it?” went on Coulter with interest.
“That was easy enough. I went down to the mess room just before the evening parade. I watched my chance, and when none of the waiters were looking, I slipped up to Ruddy’s seat and put the powder into the glass of water in front of his plate. Just as I hoped, he came in feeling dry, and he drank the stuff without knowing it. I think he did say something about a bitter taste, but that was all.”
“It was an all-right trick,” said Coulter. “Only it didn’t pan out just as you wanted.”
“But Jack Ruddy never found out about it,” answered Reff Ritter. “Say, I’m getting sleepy,” he added, with a yawn. “Let’s turn in, like the rest have done.”
“Want to set a guard?”
“Oh, all the fellows are too tired to stand guard,” was the bully’s reply, and then he passed into one tent and Coulter into another.
With keen interest Jack and Pepper had listened to every word of the conversation. The young major could scarcely control himself, and his chum had to hold him back.
“The rascal!” cried Jack. “I always suspected him of having drugged me, and now I have the proof. I ought to hammer him well!”
“Wait – don’t let him see you here,” pleaded Pepper, and pulled his chum back of some bushes.
“But, Pep, that villain – ”
“Yes, yes, I know. You’d like to pound the life out of him, and so would I. But we can do no more – we can expose him to Captain Putnam.”
“Certainly. But let me pound him first.”
“Not yet, Jack. Remember, we are two to two, and Ritter and Coulter can deny anything we say. We had better go slow, and fix it so that, when the time comes for an exposure, Ritter can’t worm out of it.”
As angry as he was, the young major saw the wisdom of this, and he allowed Pepper to draw him away from the vicinity of the tents. Both rejoined Dale and the others, who were behind some bushes close to where the horse was tied.
“Our stuff is all in the wagon,” announced Dale. “We were going to drive off with it, but we saw Ritter and Coulter looking this way and we didn’t want to be discovered.”
“Wait – they are going to retire,” said Pepper. “I think in a few minutes every fellow in this camp will be asleep, and then – ” He did not finish but his eyes began to twinkle.
“Hurrah!” cried Dale. “I know what you mean! Tit for tat, eh?”
“And why not, Dale? Let me tell you fellows something.” And then The Imp repeated the conversation that had just been overheard.
“Is that true?” demanded Dale.
“It is – word for word. Jack wanted to pound Ritter then and there, but I made him hold back, for we want to prove this matter to Captain Putnam.”
“If that’s the sort he is, he and his cronies deserve to be cleaned out,” said another cadet.
“And we’ll clean them out,” answered Jack. “We’ll leave them the tents and their clothing and that’s all.”
The boys had not long to wait for Ritter and Coulter to retire. Then, when they felt certain that all of the enemy were asleep, they stole into the camp and picked up the cooking utensils and provisions lying around and loaded them on the wagon. Then the horse was untied and the journey back along the wood road was begun.
“We can change our own camp this afternoon,” said the young major. “And we can fix it so they won’t have an easy time to find us.”
It was nearly noon when the boys came into their camp with the horse and wagon. The other searching party had come back a few minutes before, much discouraged.
“Good for you!” said one of the other searchers. “I’m glad we didn’t all fail.”
“Jack, don’t forget that we expect visitors,” said Andy, a little later.
“Of course!” exclaimed the young major. “Boys, I want you to put this camp into first-class shape immediately,” he added, and then proceeded to wash up and brush his hair before the one tiny mirror brought along from the Hall.
It was not long after this that a call sounded through the woods, and then the cadets saw two men and two girls approaching, each carrying a basket covered with a napkin. The party consisted of Mr. Rossmore Ford and his two daughters, and the family coachman.
“So this is where you are stopping!” cried Mr. Ford, after the greetings were over. “An ideal spot, I must say, and one pretty well hidden from the carriage road. I take it that your teachers haven’t found you yet.”
“No, sir,” answered Jack.
“Would you mind telling me why you rebelled? I am very much interested,” went on the gentleman.
In as few words as possible the young major told the particulars of the trouble with Josiah Crabtree and Pluxton Cuddle. Mr. Ford, Laura and Flossie listened with close attention.
“Well, if all this is true, I do not wonder at your running away,” said Rossmore Ford. “I rather think I should have run away myself.”
“Here are the pies, and some cakes and fresh rolls,” said Laura. “The pies are apple, lemon and cocoanut, and we hope you’ll like them.”
“Like them!” cried a dozen cadets in chorus. “Just you wait till you see us eat them!”
“We have only one lad here who doesn’t like pie,” went on Pepper, soberly. “That’s Paul Singleton. He – ”
“Hi, you!” cried Stuffer. “I like pie as well as anybody, and you know it. Miss Ford, don’t you pay attention to what he says!”
“Maybe he wants all the pie to himself,” answered Flossie.
“We’d feel honored to have you take dinner with us,” said Jack to Mr. Ford, after consulting some of his chums.
“Oh, let us stay, papa! It would be such fun!” pleaded Laura.
“Yes! yes!” added her sister.
“Well, if it is not too much trouble – ” murmured Rossmore Ford.
“No trouble at all!” cried the cadets and then it was arranged that all of the visitors should remain for the midday meal. This settled, Stuffer and the other cooks bustled about to get the repast ready.
CHAPTER XXVIII
AFTER THE TRAMPS
It was pleasant for Jack and his chums to have the Fords with them, and all spent an agreeable hour together, while waiting for the meal and during the repast. The pies and fresh rolls proved highly acceptable. The cake Stuffer wanted to cut, too, but the young major said that must be kept for supper.
“He’d put on everything in camp, if I let him,” Jack explained to the girls. “He’s the greatest eater in the school, and that’s why we call him Stuffer. But he’s a good fellow all the same,” he added, hastily.
During the meal the boys told Mr. Ford of the tramps, and what was to be done that afternoon to capture the fellows. The gentleman was much interested.
“We have lost fowls over to my place,” he said. “Perhaps these men are guilty of the depredations. If so, I think I ought to have a hand in this round-up,” and he smiled faintly.
“You can go along if you wish, Mr. Ford,” answered Jack, readily.
“Then I will. The girls can drive home with Michael.” And so it was arranged.
“Papa, I want you to keep out of harm,” said Laura, on parting. “And you boys had better take care, too,” she continued.
“We’ll be on our guard, don’t fear,” answered Pepper, and then he and Andy saw the girls to the carriage, and saw Michael the coachman drive off with them.
While the cadets were awaiting the arrival of Landerson the butcher and Peters and Robinson, two farmers who had lately lost chickens by stealing, the young major gave some of them directions where to go and establish a new camp. This was a spot known to but a few, and he felt certain that Reff Ritter would not be able to follow them to it.
“Take the horse and wagon along over the stones,” he said, “and then drive them down Baker’s brook. Water leaves a mighty poor trail.”
“All right, we’ll do the best we can,” said Bob Grenwood, who was placed at the head of the cadets to superintend the removal.
About half-past two the butcher and the two farmers arrived, in company with a small, fat man who gravely announced himself as one of the deputy sheriffs of the county.
“Great Cæsar! Has he come to arrest us!” whispered Bart Conners, as the deputy sheriff eyed the boys in a suspicious manner.
“No, he has come to arrest the chicken thieves – if he can find them,” answered Jack.
It looked as if a storm might be brewing, so no time was lost in starting in the direction of the tramps’ camp. Andy and Stuffer, knowing the trail, led the way, and the men from Cedarville and Mr. Ford and six of the cadets followed. The deputy sheriff and the two farmers carried shotguns, and the butcher boastfully exhibited a pistol of the old “hoss” variety, and nearly two feet long.
“We may as well arm ourselves,” suggested Rossmore Ford. “There is no telling what may happen, if those rascals show fight.” And he cut himself a stout stick, and the cadets did likewise.
The deputy sheriff being fat was also short of wind, so the party had to move slowly. Once they came to a halt, Andy and Stuffer being a little doubtful of the trail.
“Don’t – er – take us off the road,” panted the deputy sheriff. “This walk – er – is bad enough as it is,” and he gave a deep sigh. Walking had never been his strong point.
At last they came in sight of the hollow and Andy pointed out the rude shelter and the remains of a campfire. Not a soul was to be seen.
“Perhaps they have deserted the spot,” said Jack. “If they have it’s too bad.”
“Ha! don’t tell me you have brought me here on a fool’s errand!” puffed the deputy sheriff.
“If you are fooled, Mr. Nugg, so are we,” answered Rossmore Ford.
“I think I see somebody sleeping under that shelter,” said the butcher. “Yes, I do! It’s a man – and a tramp, by the looks of his ragged clothing!”
“Then some of them must be on hand,” answered Pepper.
“I hope the man I am after is there,” put in Andy. He was thinking more of the things he had lost than of capturing the rascals on account of the chickens that had been stolen.
“Hadn’t we better surround the place?” suggested Jack, with true military instinct.
“Just – er – what I was going to suggest,” said Mr. Nugg, quickly. “But don’t do any shooting unless I give the command,” he continued warningly.
“I doubt if it will be necessary to do any shooting,” said Rossmore Ford. “Tramps are usually cowards and give up at the sight of firearms. If we do any shooting somebody of our own party may get hurt.”
They spread out in a circle and with caution drew closer to the tramps’ camp. As they approached they saw that three men were resting under the rude shelter. Presently one of the men raised his head, looked around and uttered a cry of warning. Then all leaped to their feet, gazing at the approaching men and boys in consternation.
“Surrender, in the name of the law!” shouted the fat deputy sheriff.
“Wot’s dis anyhow?” demanded one of the tramps, trying to retreat, and finding himself hemmed in.
“Do you surrender, or do you want to be shot?” asked the butcher.
“Surrender?” asked a second tramp. “Wot’s dis? We ain’t done nuthin.”
“Up with your hands!” went on the deputy sheriff, who was bound to make the capture as dramatic as possible, and up into the air went three very dirty pairs of hands.
“Any more of you around here?” asked Andy, quickly, for he saw that not one of the fellows present was the individual he had met at the jewelry store.
“De udders have – ” began the third tramp, a nervous looking young fellow.
“You shut yer mouth, Bug!” cried the first tramp who had spoken, warningly.
“Let him speak if he wants to,” said Jack, stepping forward. At the sight of the military uniform the rascals looked much worried.
“So youse is bringin’ de soldiers here, hey?” said one.
“Da ain’t soldiers, da are cadets from a school,” said one tramp. “Don’t yer know Flatnose told us about ’em?”
“Where is Flatnose?” asked Andy eagerly. He remembered that the tramp he was after had a somewhat flat nose.
“He’ll be back in about – ” began the younger of the three tramps, when a warning look from both of the others halted him as before.
“When will he be back – answer me?” said Rossmore Ford sternly.
“Don’t youse say a word more!” growled the largest of the tramps.
“Here comes some men now – over yonder hill!” cried Dale, who chanced to look back.
“Yes – and there is the rascal I want to catch!” returned Andy. “Come on, Jack and Pepper, will you help me?”
“We will!” answered his two chums.
“There are four men!” cried the butcher.
“I know one of ’em!” yelled one of the farmers. “I saw him around my henhouse one evening! He’s the chap I want to catch!” And away he went with his shotgun.
“Hi! Wot’s dis?” cried one of the tramps in the distance.
“I know wot’s up,” answered another. “Da are after us! Our hangout has been discovered! Say, boys, we have got to dust if we want to keep out o’ jail!”
And then off they ran, in several different directions, and after them went Andy, Jack and Pepper, and two other cadets, and Mr. Ford and one of the farmers did likewise.
CHAPTER XXIX
SOMETHING OF A CONFESSION
“I want to get hold of that fellow with the flat nose!” cried Andy to his chums. “I don’t care so much about the others.”
“We are with you, Andy,” answered the young major.
“We are bound to catch him sooner or later,” added Pepper.
The tramps had a start of at least a hundred yards and lost no time in trying to escape. The fellow called Flatnose made for a dense patch of woods behind the spring and was soon lost to sight. But the cadets heard him as he crashed and plunged through brushwood and over rocks, and slowly but steadily they drew nearer to the rascal.
“You might as well stop!” cried Andy. “We are bound to catch you.”
“If you come any closer somebody will git hurt,” called back the tramp roughly. “You ain’t goin’ to catch me, not much you ain’t!”
“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.
All ran up to Coulter, to learn that he was alone – some others who had been with him having scattered to look for the new camp of the crowd under the young major.
“See here, Coulter, I want to talk to you!” cried Jack, grabbing the cadet by the arm. “Come here, boys!” he added, to his friends.
Thus caught alone, Coulter was much frightened and when the young major began to talk to him he trembled in every limb.
“What do you want?” he faltered.
“I want to talk to you, Coulter.”
“What about?”
“About a certain talk you had with Reff Ritter.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Well, you will know before I am done with you.”
“You let me go,” said Coulter, uneasily. “You haven’t got any right to detain me in this fashion.”
“Well, I am taking the right,” answered the young major sturdily. “I want you to understand – ”
Jack got no further, for with a sudden twist and a push Gus Coulter freed himself, leaped through the crowd, and dashed away.
“After him!” yelled Pepper. “He mustn’t get away like this!”
“I reckon we can catch him,” put in Andy, and then all of the cadets started in pursuit of the fleeing one.
Coulter was badly scared – why he could not exactly tell – and he ran like a deer. But the others kept on his track.
“There he goes!” cried Jack, as the running lad darted behind a heavy clump of bushes.
The next instant there arose on the air a wild cry of dismay and alarm.
“Oh, dear! Help me, somebody!”
“He’s in trouble!” said Andy.
“Go slow – or somebody else may get into trouble, too,” cautioned the young major.
Slackening their pace, the crowd approached the clump of bushes and passed around to one side. They then saw what had caused Coulter to cry for assistance.
On the other side of the bushes was a big swamp hole, filled with muck, dead leaves and water. In his anxiety to escape Gus Coulter had plunged into the swamp hole and was now up to his waist and rapidly sinking.
“Ge – get m – me out, somebody!” he gasped. “Quick, or I’ll – I’ll go down an – and be smothered!”
The others saw that Coulter’s plight was serious and something must be done to save him.
“I’ve got it!” cried Andy, as he looked around. “I reckon I can get him out.”
“How?” questioned Pepper.
“Wait – I’ll show you.”
The acrobatic youth ran to a big tree growing close to the edge of the swamp. He climbed up with marvellous rapidity, and then worked his way out on a branch that grew over Coulter’s head.
“Good for Andy!” cried Jack.
“If only the limb will bend down far enough,” added Pepper.
Soon the acrobatic youth was close to the outer end of the limb. He bent down, but his hand did not come within a foot of Gus Coulter’s reach.
“I – I can’t ma – make it!” gasped the boy below. His face was full of abject fear.
“Wait a minute,” answered Andy.
He turned over, and the next moment was hanging from the limb by his feet, which he had crossed one over the other. Thus he was able to reach Coulter with ease.
“Look out, Andy, that you don’t go down, too,” cautioned Jack.
“And take care that the limb doesn’t break,” added Pepper.
Slowly but surely Andy began to draw poor Gus Coulter from the muck. It was a severe strain on the acrobatic youth, and his muscles stood out like whipcords, while his face, from hanging down, became purple. The tree limb bent low, until the outer leaves swept the swamp hole.
“I don’t think he’ll make it,” was the comment of one of the cadets, but even as he spoke there was a sucking sound and up came Coulter, and the tree limb bounded several feet higher.
“Hurrah! He’s got him!” yelled Pepper, and his cheer was echoed by the others.
Both boys in the tree were somewhat out of breath and they did not descend at once. Finally Andy slid down and Coulter followed.
The lad who had the accident presented a most woebegone appearance. He was covered with black muck up to his armpits, and some of the muck was on his hands and face. Now that the danger was over the others had all they could do to keep from laughing at the unfortunate one.
“Coulter, you can thank Andy for saving your life,” remarked Pepper.
“I – er – I wouldn’t have tumbled into the hole if you hadn’t chased me,” grumbled Coulter.
“And we wouldn’t have chased you if you hadn’t tried to run away,” came from the young major.
“You had no right to stop me.”
“As I said before, I am taking the right, Coulter. I want you to confess something.”
“Me? I haven’t done anything.”
“You know what Reff Ritter did. I heard you talk it over.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean just this,” answered Jack, and then spoke about the talk he had heard between Reff Ritter and Coulter concerning the use of the French headache powders.
“Now I want you to tell the truth, Coulter,” said the young major, finally. “Who put those powders into my drinking water? Answer, or I’ll give you the biggest thrashing you ever had in your life!”
“Don’t – don’t hit me!” cried the cadet.
“Then answer – and tell the strict truth.”
“Reff Ritter. But if he learns I told on him he’ll hammer me to death,” added Coulter, with a very white face.
And then he told the particulars, just as Ritter had given them. All of the cadets present listened with interest. When Coulter had finished Jack caught him by the shoulder.
“Now get out!” he cried. “Go back to Ritter, and don’t you show your face near our camp!” And Coulter lost no time in disappearing.
Five minutes later the cadets came in sight of the new camp. As they entered the clearing Pepper gave a gasp.
“Look! There is Captain Putnam!”
“You are right,” answered Jack. “Now we’ve got to face the music!”