The Putnam Hall Encampment: or, The Secret of the Old Mill. Stratemeyer Edward

don’t want my holidays cut,” said Pepper. “And to have Jack’s official position taken from him would be too mean for anything.”

      All of the boys who had had a part in taking the clapper and putting it in Josiah Crabtree’s room were very much worried although they tried not to show it. It was one thing to play a joke and quite another to take the consequences.

      “How Reff Ritter and his crowd will laugh if we are found out and punished,” said Pepper to his intimate chums.

      “If they laugh too loud I’ll punch ’em,” answered Andy.

      “I believe what the captain does will depend upon what the church folks do,” put in Joe Nelson. “If they raise a big row he’ll have to investigate pretty thoroughly. It might be a good thing to smooth matters over with the church people.”

      “And how would you do that?” asked Pepper.

      “Oh, you might explain that it was only a bit of boyish fun, done on a dare – and you might propose to give the church an extra donation if the matter was dropped. I think Deacon Pelham would drop the matter if the extra donation was made – and he’s the head man in the church just now.”

      “Deacon Pelham!” cried Fred Century. You mean Isaac Pelham, who lives up the lake shore near Grape Creek?”

      “Yes.”

      “Why, I know him well. I took him out in my boat once, – when he was in a great hurry to get a doctor from across the lake. He was very thankful and wanted to pay me for my services, but I told him I wasn’t running the Ajax for money. That was when I was a student at Pornell.”

      “Then you are the one to go to Deacon Pelham and smooth matters over,” cried Stuffer. “Go ahead, Fred; it may aid Pep and Jack a good deal.”

      “Fred needn’t to do it unless he feels like it,” said the young major of the Hall battalion.

      “I’ve got a plan,” came from Dale. “Fred needn’t to mention any names, only state that some of the boys would like to hush the matter up and also want to make a contribution.”

      The matter was talked over, and presently it was decided that Fred should pay the deacon a visit, accompanied by Dale. They carried with them a “contribution” amounting to six dollars.

      “Might as well go on bicycles,” suggested Dale, and got out his machine. Fred used a machine belonging to Pepper, and as the road was good the distance to Deacon Pelham’s home was quickly covered. They found the deacon coming in from a day of labor in a distant field.

      “How do you do, Deacon Pelham,” said Fred politely.

      “Why, bless my soul, it’s Fred Century!” cried the deacon smiling. “How do you do!” And he held out his hand. “Who’s this with you, another young sodger, I suppose.”

      “Yes, sir, my fellow cadet, Dale Blackmore.”

      “Come into the house. My wife will be glad to see you – she’s much better than when I had to hurry for a doctor that time,” added the church man.

      “We haven’t much time to spare, Mr. Pelham,” said Fred. He lowered his voice. “We came on a little business.”

      “Is that so? What do you want?”

      “You once said if you could do me a favor you would,” continued the owner of the Ajax.

      “So I will.”

      “I came to see you about that bell clapper that was brought back to the church this afternoon.”

      “Ah!” Deacon Pelham’s face became a study. “Did you take it?”

      “No, sir.”

      “Glad to hear it. It was a scandalous piece of business. But what do you know about it?”

      “I know that some of the cadets of Putnam Hall wish to hush the matter up. It was only a little joke and – ”

      “A very bad joke, my boy.”

      “Perhaps, but they thought that if you’d drop it they would make the church a contribution of this.”

      Fred drew out the money – six new crisp one-dollar bills.

      “Hum! Six dollars, eh? Well – er – the church needs money that is sure.”

      “It will pay for the cut rope and more, sir. It was only a joke. If you’ll drop it, it will save some cadets a lot of trouble,” went on Fred earnestly. “All you’ve got to do is to send word to Captain Putnam that the matter has been adjusted. You’ll do that for me, won’t you Mr. Pelham?”

      At first the deacon was obdurate, but in the end he weakened. The church was in a poor way and needed every dollar it could get. As head of the committee he promised to drop the matter, and wrote a note to that effect and signed it. Then Fred gave him the money.

      “But, mind you, no more jokes,” said the deacon, as the cadets departed.

      “Not that kind anyway,” answered Fred, and off he sped on his bicycle, with Dale beside him.

      “It was easier than I thought,” said Dale. “Now to get that note to Captain Putnam in secret before he starts his investigation.”

      CHAPTER VI

      AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF IMPORTANCE

      “I guess that note will do the business – and we’ll never be suspected.”

      It was Reff Ritter who spoke and he addressed Gus Coulter and Nick Paxton. The three cronies were in a wing of the school, out of sight and hearing of the other pupils.

      “What did you put in the note?” asked Paxton with interest.

      “Oh, I wrote in a disguised hand and stated that I knew the cadets had banded together to keep mum about the bell clapper and the only way for Captain Putnam to get at the bottom of the affair was to ask each officer and private, starting from the major down. I put the note on the captain’s desk and he must have it by now.”

      “Good!” chuckled Paxton. “If he starts in by questioning Ruddy he’ll soon get at the bottom of the matter, for the major won’t dare to tell a falsehood.”

      “And more than likely he’ll lose his position,” put in Coulter. “I hope he does.”

      “He ought to lose it,” answered Reff Ritter. Not for a moment did he give Jack credit for the good turn he had done him.

      While the three lads were talking Captain Putnam had entered his office and taken up the note. He read it with interest and his brow contracted.

      He was much disturbed, for since the open rebellion of the cadets, when they had refused to be starved into submission by Pluxton Cuddle, he had made the students promise not to band together in secret against the discipline of the school. Ritter knew this, and this was why he sent the note.

      “I cannot permit this,” murmured the head of the school to himself. “I must make a complete investigation to-morrow, – and the guilty parties must be made to suffer.” And then he held a conference with Josiah Crabtree and George Strong. Crabtree was in favor of punishing nearly everybody, but George Strong, with his usual goodheartedness, counseled moderation.

      “It most likely was merely a thoughtless prank,” said Mr. Strong. “The cadets meant no harm. Bell clappers, as you know, have been taken by students from times immemorial.” And at this Captain Putnam had to turn away with a smile, for in his younger days he himself had assisted at the removal of, not a clapper, but the bell of the boarding school he had attended.

      “We’ll see in the morning,” said Captain Putnam, and there for the time being the matter rested.

      It must be confessed that Jack, Pepper and their chums were somewhat worried that night, and the young major slept but little. Fred and Dale had reported the interview with Deacon Pelham and had seen to it that the note got into Captain Putnam’s hands.

      Early in the morning Pepper was out on the campus when he saw Captain