CHAPTER VIII

LAST DAYS ON THE FARM

"I believe you are right," said Tom, after he, too, had looked over some

of the bits of paper strewn around. "Here is the word 'box' and here is

the word 'Saturday.'"

"Yes, and here are the words, 'fast freight,'" added Sam. "This was

nothing more than a letter box for the freight thieves."

"But why was it placed here?" questioned Dick. "It's a very

out-of-the-way place and hard to get to."

"Maybe somebody had to come this way," answered Tom. "See, here is

something of a trail."

"Yes, and here are those same big footprints!" exclaimed Sam. "For all

we know they may lead to some house or hut on the mountainside."

Having picked up the majority of the bits of paper and put them in their

pockets for future examination, the three Rover boys followed the path

or trail they had discovered. It led along the mountainside to where

there was a small clearing, backed up by a series of rocks from which a

spring gushed forth, sparkling brightly in the sunshine.

"I'd like to get another drink," said Sam; "I am terribly thirsty

to-day."

"Wait!" warned Dick, and caught his youngest brother by the arm.

"What's up, Dick?"

"I see a log cabin--over yonder, among the trees."

"Yes, and I see Dangler!" yelled Tom, suddenly. "There he goes, with a

big bundle over his shoulder!" And he pointed to the rear of the log

cabin. A man was just disappearing behind a fringe of brushwood. The

bundle he carried appeared to be tied up in a horse blanket. He was

running as hard as he could.

For a moment the boys did not know what to do. Then they ran to the

cabin and entered. It contained but one room, and this they soon

discovered was deserted. In the chimney a fire was smouldering, and the

remains of a meal lay scattered over a box that did duty as a table.

"This must have been Dangler's hangout," was Dick's comment. "He must

have come back for his things."

"Yes, and this explains why the queer letter box was stationed back

there," said Tom.

"Aren't you going to try to catch him?" asked Sam, impatiently.

"To be sure," answered Dick, and rushed out, and the others after him.

"Keep back there!" they heard Dangler cry, as they appeared on the trail

back of the log cabin. "Keep back, or it will be the worse for you!"

"Stop!" called Dick. "You might as well give up Dangler; you are bound

to be caught some time."

"Not much! I am armed and I warn you to keep back," answered the freight

thief, and then a bend of the trail hid him from view.

"Do you think he'd dare to shoot?" asked Tom.

"There is no telling what a desperate man will do," replied Dick. "We

had better be cautious."

After that they advanced with care. Presently the trail came out on a

mountain road and this passed over some rocks and crossed two other

roads. They saw no more of Dangler, and the footprints had disappeared.

"He has slipped us," said Tom, coming to a halt and resting on a fallen

tree. "Hang the luck anyway!"

"He came back to the cabin for his things," mused Sam. "I guess he is

going to leave the neighborhood, and maybe for good."

Chagrined over their failure to catch the freight thief, the boys looked

around that neighborhood for awhile and then retraced their steps to the

log cabin. Here they found several old articles of wearing apparel and a

few newspapers.

"Here is an envelope," said Sam, fishing the object out from behind the

box that had done duty as a table. "It is addressed to William Dangler.

Must have been some letter he got."

"Anything in it?"

"No."

"What is the postmark?"

"It is almost blurred out," said Sam. He took the envelope to the light.

"Well, I declare! Ithaca!"

"Ithaca!" cried Tom.

"Why, that's the city we stop at to take the boat for Putnam Hall,"

exclaimed Dick.

"I know it."

"This is interesting, to say the least," was the comment of the oldest

Rover boy. "Wonder if Dangler has friends or confederates in Ithaca?"

"We must notify the police of this," said Tom. "And the sooner the

better."

Satisfied that they could learn nothing more by remaining around the log

cabin, the boys departed, and inside of an hour were on their buckboard

and bound for the farm. From that place they called up the authorities

and informed them of what they had learned. Another search was at once

instituted for Bill Dangler, but the rascal was not captured.

The next day Mr. Anderson Rover came home, and the boys and Randolph

Rover had to acquaint him with all that had taken place. He shook his

head when he heard of the unregistered bonds.

"I am afraid you will never see them again, Randolph," he said to his

brother.

"I am afraid so myself," was the mournful reply.

Anderson Rover had come home to see his boys off to school.

"I want you to make the most of your opportunities while at Putnam Hall

this term," he said, "for it is to be your last."

"Yes, I know that," answered Tom. "But after that, what?"

"We will talk that over later, Tom. You must either go to college or get

ready to go into business."

"I'd like to go to college!" put in Dick.

"So would I--if I knew what kind of a place it was," added Tom.

"If it was as fine a place as Putnam Hall I'd jump at it," came from

Sam.

The next few days flew by quickly. During that time Dick received a

letter from Dan Baxter, the former bully of Putnam Hall, which

interested him not a little. This letter ran, in part, as follows:

"I am glad to say that I am now doing fairly well. I tried several

positions and am now a traveling salesman for a large carpet house. I

get fifteen dollars per week, all my expenses, and a commission on

sales, so I consider myself lucky.

"When I look back on what I once was, Dick, I can scarcely realize what

a change has come. But I feel happier than I ever was, and I am in hopes

that I shall live to make a man of myself yet. I am trying to give up

all my bad habits, and I haven't smoked, or drank a glass of liquor,

since I left you in the south."

* * * * *

"That's the kind of a letter I like to get," said Dick, as he let his

brothers peruse the communication. "It does a fellow's heart good,

doesn't it?"

"I am glad we let him have that hundred dollars," said Sam. "Do you

think he'll pay it back?"

"Here is a postscript in which he says he will send a money order next

week."

"He certainly means to pull himself together," said Tom. "Well, now he

has turned over a new leaf, I wish him the best of luck."

Almost before they knew it, it was time to leave the farm and journey to

Putnam Hall. Everybody was sorry to see them go.

"I can't abide yo' boys being away nohow!" wailed Aleck Pop. "It jess

don't seem natural to have yo' gone, dat's wot it don't!"

"Oh, we'll be back some day, Aleck," answered Dick. "And if we go off on

some trip later, maybe we'll take you along."

"I most wish I was a waiter ag'in at de Hall," sighed the colored man.

"They can't spare you from here," said Sam.

"Oh, I know dat, Sam."

The boys' trunks had been packed and sent on ahead, so all they carried

with them were their dress-suit cases. Their father drove them to the

railroad station at Oak Run, and their aunt and uncle and the others

around the farm came out on the piazza to see them off.

"Now be good boys," admonished their Aunt Martha. "And take care and

don't get sick."

"And be sure and study all you can," said their Uncle Randolph.

"Remember nothing is quite so grand as learning in this world."

"Yo' keep out ob mischief!" cried Aleck Pop, shaking a warning finger at

Tom, who grinned broadly.

And then the carriage started off, and the journey to Putnam Hall was

begun.