THE ROVER BOYS Boxed Set: 26 Illustrated Adventure Novels. Stratemeyer Edward

can't ride that wheel any further," announced Sam.

      "I don't want to ride. I've had enough, for a few days at least."

      It was a good quarter of an hour before Tom felt like standing up. Then he found his ankle pained him so much that walking was out of the question.

      "I'm sure I don't know what I am going to do," he said ruefully. "I can't walk and I can't ride, and I don't know as I can stay here."

      "Perhaps Dick and I can carry you to Hopeton," said Sam, mentioning a small town just beyond the railroad tracks.

      "It will be a big job. If you — Here comes a wagon. Perhaps the driver of that will give me a lift."

      As Tom finished a large farm wagon rattled into sight, drawn by a pair of bony horses and driven by a tall, lank farmer.

      "Hullo, wot's the matter?" asked the farmer, as he drew rein. "Had a breakdown?"

      "No, I've had a smash-up," answered Tom.

      "My brother's ankle is sprained, and we would like to know if you can give him a lift to the next town," put in Dick. "We'll pay you for your trouble."

      "That's all right — Seth Dickerson is allers ready to aid a fellow-bein' in distress," answered the farmer. "Can ye git in the wagon alone?"

      Tom could not, and the farmer and Dick carried him forward and placed him on the seat. Then the damaged bicycle was placed in the rear of the turnout, and Seth Dickerson drove off, while Sam and Dick followed on their steeds of steel.

      "I see you air dressed in cadet uniforms," remarked the farmer, as the party proceeded on its way. "Be you fellers from Pornell school?"

      "No; we come from Putnam Hall," answered Tom.

      "Oh, yes — 'bout the same thing, I take it. How is matters up to the school — larnin' a heap?"

      "We are trying to learn all we have to."

      "Had some trouble up thar, didn't ye? My wife's brother was a-tellin' me about it. A darkey stole some money an' watches, an' that like."

      "They think he stole them," said Tom.

      "We can hardly believe it."

      "Why don't Captain Putnam hunt around them air pawnshops fer the watches?" went on Seth Dickerson, after a pause.

      "The thief would most likely pawn 'em, to my way of thinkin'."

      "He hasn't much of a chance to do that. But I presume the police will keep their eyes open."

      "I was over to Auburn yesterday — had to go to see about a mortgage on our farm — and I stopped into one of them pawnbrokin' shops to buy a shot-gun, if I could git one cheap. While I was in there a big boy came in and pawned a gold watch an' two shirt studs."

      "Is that so," returned Tom, with much interest. "What kind of a looking boy was it?"

      "A tall, slim feller, with reddish hair. He had sech shifty eyes I couldn't help but think that maybe he had stolen them things jest to raise some spending money."

      "Did he give his name?"

      "He said Jack Smith, but I don't think thet vas correct, for he hesitated afore he gave it."

      "A tall, slim fellow, with reddish hair and shifty eyes," mused Tom. "Do you remember how he was dressed?"

      "He had on a rough suit of brownish-green and a derby hat with a hole knocked in one side."

      "My gracious me!" burst out the boy. "Can it be possible!"

      "Can wot be possible, lad?"

      "That description fits one of our students exactly." Tom called to Dick and Sam. "Come up here, both of you!"

      "What's up, Tom; do you feel worse?" asked Dick, as he wheeled as closely to the seat of the wagon as possible.

      "No, I feel better. But I've made a big discovery — at least, I feel pretty certain that I have?"

      "What discovery?" questioned Sam.

      "I've discovered who stole that money and other stuff."

      "And who was it?" came quickly from both brothers.

      "Jim Caven."

      CHAPTER X

       A STRANGE MESSAGE FROM THE SEA

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      "Jim Caven!" repeated Dick slowly, "What makes you believe that he is guilty?"

      "From what Mr. Dickerson here says," answered Tom, and repeated what the farmer had told him.

      "Gracious, that does look black for Caven!" said Dick, when he had finished. He turned to the farmer. "Would you recognize that boy again if you saw him?"

      "I allow as how I would. His eyes was wot got me — never saw sech unsteady ones afore in my life."

      "Yes, those eyes put me down on Caven the minute I saw him," answered Tom. "More than half of the boys at the Hall have put him down as a first-class sneak, although we can't exactly tell why."

      "See here," said Dick. "I think it would be best if Mr. Dickerson would drive back to the Hall with us and tell Captain Putnam of what he knows."

      "And see if he can identify Caven," finished Sam. "Are you willing to do that, Mr. Dickerson?"

      "Well, to tell the truth, I've got some business to attend to now," was the slow reply.

      "I am sure Captain Putnam will pay you for your trouble," went on Sam. "If he won't, we will."

      "You seem mighty anxious to bring this Caven to justice," smiled the farmer.

      "We are, for two reasons," said Tom. "The first is, because he isn't the nice sort to have around, and the second is, because one of the men working at the school, a colored waiter, whom we all liked, has been suspected of this crime and had to run away to avoid arrest."

      "I see. Well — " The farmer mused for a moment. "All right, I'll go back with ye — and at once."

      The team was turned around as well as the narrow confines of the hilly road permitted, and soon the Rover boys were on their way back to Putnam Hall, a proceeding which pleased Tom in more ways than one, since he would not have now to put up at a strange resort to have his ankle and his wheel cared for. They bowled along at a rapid gait, the horses having more speed in them than their appearance indicated. They were just turning into the road leading to Putnam Hall grounds when Dick espied several cadets approaching, bound for the lake shore.

      "Here come Caven, Willets, and several others!" he cried. "Mr. Dickerson, do you recognize any of those boys?"

      The farmer gave a searching glance, which lasted until the approaching cadets were beside the wagon. Then he pointed his hand at Jim Caven.

      "Thet's the boy I seed over to Auburn, a-pawning thet watch an' them studs," he announced. "He's got his sodger uniform on, but I know him jest the same."

      Jim Caven looked at the farmer in astonishment. Then when he heard Seth Dickerson's words he fell back and his face grew deathly white.

      "I — I don't know you," he stammered.

      "I seed you over to Auburn, in a pawnshop," repeated Dickerson.

      "It — It isn't true!" gasped Caven. "I was never over to Auburn in my life. Why should I go there to a pawnshop?"

      "I guess you know well enough, Caven," said Tom. "You bad better come back to the Hall with us and have a talk with Captain Putnam."

      "I won't go with you. This is — is a — a plot against me," stammered the slim youth.

      "You will go back!" cried Dick, and caught Caven by the arm. But with a jerk the seared boy freed himself and ran down the road at the