The Rover Boys on the Farm; or, Last Days at Putnam Hall

traction company bonds," answered Dick. "If he has disposed of the bonds it won't do much good to catch him,--unless, of course, he can get the bonds back." "And he may not have had the bonds," put in Sam. "That fellow Pike may have handled them." "That is true, too,--although I somehow think Merrick is the prime mover in this swindle." "I think that, too," said Tom. The _Golden Star_ was a trim little side-wheeler with a fair-sized deck fore and aft. The boys sat on the forward deck, and as the boat ran along the shore of the lake they pointed out many localities known to them. "There is where we went on the paper chase," said Sam. "Yes, and that is where we went on one of the encampments," added Tom. "We came fishing down here once," put in Dick. "One of the boys went overboard." "It was John Fenwick, the fellow we used to call Mumps," said Tom. "By the way, I wonder what has become of him?" "Went west, I think," answered Sam. "One of the boys said he was in the insurance business with some relative." "He was a great toady to Dan Baxter." "So he was, but he had some good points, too." So the talk ran on, until Cedarville was reached. On account of the delay it was dark, and the boys wondered if they would find any conveyance to take them to the Hall. "Hullo, here is Peleg Snuggers with the carryall!" cried Sam, as the general utility man of the school appeared. "How are you, Peleg?" "Fust rate," replied the man, grinning. "Been waiting a long time for you." "Sorry, but we couldn't make the captain hurry the boat," answered Dick. "Peleg, you're a sight for tired optics," said Tom, giving the man's hand a squeeze that made him wince. "How's your grandmother?" "Why, Master Tom, I ain't----" "And your great-granduncle? Is he over the shingles yet?" "Why, Master Tom, I ain't got no----" "And your second cousin by your first wife's sister? Did she get over the heart failure she had when the canary took a fit?" "Now, see here, Master Tom, don't you go for to joking an old man----" "Joking, Peleg?" returned Tom, solemnly. "Why, you know I never joke." And he took on an injured look. "Don't joke, eh? Well, if you ain't the greatest joker Putnam Hall ever see then I'll eat my hat," declared Peleg. "Jump in an' don't ask me about no grandfathers, or wife's sisters, nor nuthing. Ain't you hungry?" "Hungry? I could eat a brickbat fried in lemon oil." "Then, unless you hurry, you won't get no supper." "Oh, Mrs. Green will get something for us, never fear," said Dick, mentioning the matron of Putnam Hall, who was a warm-hearted and generous woman, even though a little bit "peppery" at times. "All the other boys here now?" asked Dick, as they drove off in the direction of Putnam Hall. "I reckon the most of 'em are, Master Dick. So many coming an' going I can hardly keep track of 'em." "Fred Garrison, Songbird Powell and Hans Mueller back?" asked Sam. "Yes, an' they told me some wonderful stories of your doings down south." "Are Larry Colby and George Granbury here?" questioned Dick. "Yes." "I'll be glad to meet Larry and George again," went on Dick. "I suppose they'll have something to tell of what they did during vacation." "Every time I come to the Hall I think of the first time I came," said Tom. "Do you remember how I set off that giant firecracker?" "Yes, and how old Josiah Crabtree put you under arrest for it," added Sam. "Wonder where old Crabtree is now?" "He is out of prison," answered Peleg Snuggers. "I got that from a man in Cedarville. The man said as how Crabtree went to Canada." "Hope he stays there and never attempts to bother Mrs. Stanhope again," was Dick's comment. About half the distance to the Hall had been covered when there came a shout on the road and Peleg Snuggers had to rein in his team. Then several boys appeared, dressed in cadet uniforms, for Putnam Hall was a military academy. "Whoop! here they are, fellows! Hurrah for the Rovers!" "Rovers by name and rovers by nature!" "Say, Tom, how do you like being adrift on the Gulf of Mexico?" "Sam, don't you want to become a regular cowboy?" "Dick, when I buy a houseboat I'm going to engage you as captain." And then the students in the road clambered into the carryall and tumbled all over the Rovers, hugging them and trying to shake hands at the same time. "Larry, glad to see you, but please don't smother me." "I'll love you, George, if only you won't put your elbow through my ribs." "I knew Fred would meet us." "You gif me der honor of dis," came from Hans Mueller. "I tole dem fellers to come along alretty." "Good for you, Hansy, old boy!" cried Sam, and gave the German cadet a tight squeeze. "Songbird, why don't you turn on the poetry pipe line and let her flow?" queried Larry Colby, who, even though an officer of one of the companies, was as jolly as the rest of the students. "Yes, give us something by all means," said Tom. "Something about 'stilly night,' 'fond recollections,' 'starved cats,' and the like." "Humph! 'stilly night' and 'starved cats'!" snorted Songbird Powell. "You must think I'm running a hash mill instead of----" "By no means, Songbird, dear!" piped Tom. "We all know you're the sole owner of the largest poem factory in New York state. Let her flow by all means." "If you don't recite, we'll sing," said Dick. "No, don't do that--yet," pleaded Songbird. "I've got a verse or two all ready," and he began, in slow, measured tones: "Back to dear old Putnam Hall! Back to the days of yore! Back to the good old times we had! May we have many more! Back to our lessons and our books, And to the teachers, too, Back to the drills and hours off----" "And to the mutton stew!" finished Tom. "Don't forget to put in Mrs. Green's wonderful mutton stews." "No mutton stews in this!" snorted Songbird. "The last line was, 'When days were bright and blue,'" and then he continued: "We love to gather here again, And talk of times to come, And plot and plan, and plan and plot---- And plan and plot----and plot and plot---- And plan----and plan----and plan----" "Songbird, you've plotted and planned too much," interrupted Dick, as the would-be poet hesitated. "Let's sing a song." "That's the talk!" cried Fred Garrison, and started up the song well known to all of them: "Putnam Hall's the place for me! Tra la lee! Tra la lee! Putnam Hall's the place for me! The best old school I know!" And then, as the carryall swung up to the campus, they set up the school yell, which brought out a score of students to witness the arrival of the Rover boys. CHAPTER XI WILLIAM PHILANDER TUBBS As my old readers know, Putnam Hall was a handsome structure of brick and stone standing in the center of a large plot of ground, bounded on two sides by cedar woods. To the front was the campus and the wagon road and beyond this a slope leading to the lake. To the rear were rich farm lands, cultivated solely for the benefit of the institution. Besides the school, there were a building fitted up as a gymnasium, and also several barns and carriage houses. The Hall was built in the form of the letter E, and was three stories high. It contained numerous classrooms, a private office, a large mess hall, or dining room, and both large and small dormitories. The master of the school was Captain Victor Putnam, who was a bachelor, and as kind as he was strict. Captain Putnam was a West Point graduate, and had modeled his school somewhat after that famous government institution. When the school was first organized the Rover boys did not go there, but a number of other bright and lively lads did, and what these cadets accomplished has already been related in a line of stories called "The Putnam Hall Series," starting with "The Putnam Hall Cadets." These lads had some awful quarrels with the head assistant, Josiah Crabtree, and they were glad when the Rovers appeared and made it so hot for Crabtree that he had to leave. George Strong was now first assistant in place of Crabtree, and the cadets found him a teacher after their own heart. "Hurrah! here are the Rovers!" was the cry from the campus. "Welcome back!" "Boys, I am glad to see you again," came from Captain Putnam, as he appeared at the front door and shook hands. "From what I have heard you have had rather strenuous times during the past vacation." "That is true, Captain," answered Dick. "I am glad to get back here." "So am I glad," came from Tom and Sam, and all shook hands. Then the boys were told to go to the mess hall, where a hot supper awaited them. Here Mrs. Green met them with her round, ruddy and smiling face. "It's wonderful stories I've heard of you," said the matron. "I declare, you'll have to go into a museum!" "Not until after supper anyhow," answered Tom, dryly. And then everybody present laughed. The supper over, the boys went up to their dormitory, and here as many of the cadets as could crowded in, to talk over the doings of the past vacation. Larry Colby had spent the time on the coast of Maine, and George Granbury had been to the Thousand Islands and to Montreal. "Yes, Crabtree is in Canada," said George. "I met him in Montreal, and I can tell you, he looked seedy enough." "Well, he deserves to be seedy," was Dick's comment. He could not forget how the former teacher had endeavored to hypnotize the widow Stanhope into marrying him, so that he could gain possession of the money she was holding in trust for Dora. Of course all the boys wanted to know about Dan Baxter, for he had been a leading character at the Hall for many years. Some shook their heads at the idea of the former bully reforming. "It will be the greatest surprise I ever heard of," was Larry's comment. "He'll do it--mark my words," said Dick. "Let us hope so," said George. "Well, it would seem that Putnam Hall is not to suffer for the want of a bully," came from Fred. "We've got a new one here who is as bad as Dan Baxter ever was." "Who is he?" questioned Dick, with interest. "A chap named Tad Sobber. He is a big, overbearing fellow with hardly any education, and he wants to rule everybody. I can't understand how Captain Putnam took him as a pupil." "He came well recommended, that's why," answered Songbird. "But I guess the captain has found out that the recommendation was false." "He shan't rule me," said Tom, decidedly. "We want no bullies here," put in Dick. "The day for all such is past." "So say we all of us!" cried several cadets. At that moment came a knock on the door, and a tall youth, wearing an unusually high collar and very large cuffs, came in. "Well, if it isn't our old chum, William Philander Tubbs!" cried Dick, running forward and grasping the hand of the dude student. "Hullo, Tubbsey, old man!" said Tom, gaily. "What's the price of the best cologne now?" "Very--ah--glad to meet you again," drawled Tubbs. "But--er--please don't call me Tubbsey, because it isn't my name, don't you know." "To be sure, Buttertub--I mean Washtub," answered Tom. "Had your hair crimped lately?" "Now, Tom, I never crimp my hair--it hurts the color, don't you know," explained William Philander. "I use----" "Glue with an egg beater," finished Tom with a wink at his friends. "By the way, Tubblets, do you know what I heard some girls say last week? They said they thought you were a regular fashion plate." "Now did they really?" gushed the dude, much pleased. "Who--er--said it?" "Two girls living not many miles from here." "You--ah--don't happen to know their names?" "No. But I can tell you all about them."