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

in the balance and they worked with a strength born of despair. With a bang the top of the ladder struck the side of the church, directly under the young major’s legs.

      “Can you reach it, Jack?” questioned Pepper anxiously.

      “I – guess – so!” panted Jack, and let himself down at arms’ length on the rope. His feet struck the top rung of the ladder, and in a few seconds more he came down to the ground. He staggered as he struck the grass, and then, lurching into Pepper’s arms, he fainted dead away.

      CHAPTER III

      REFF RITTER’S CONFESSION

      “He got down just in time,” said the strange boy, as he assisted Pepper in making Jack comfortable on the grass. “Is there a well handy? If there is I’ll get some water.”

      “There is a well back of the church,” answered Pepper. “But I reckon my chum needs a chance to get back his wind more than anything else,” he added.

      The strange youth ran off, to return presently with a large tin dipper full of water. With this he and Pepper bathed the young major’s face and gave him a drink. Jack soon opened his eyes and sat up.

      “Did I – I fall?” he stammered.

      “Not until you were on the ground,” answered Pepper.

      “You held out just long enough and no longer,” said the strange boy, with a short laugh. “You were plucky to hold out as long as you did.”

      “It was a terrible experience,” answered Jack soberly. “I thought at one time I’d surely lose my grip and break my neck!”

      “You keep quiet awhile,” advised Pepper. “You need a chance to rest and get back your nerve, that’s all.”

      “He certainly had nerve!” said the strange youth, with a grin. “But, say, you promised to tell me what it was all about. I know there is a military school near here called Putnam Hall? Do you go there?”

      “Yes,” answered Pepper. “But – er – would you mind helping me put that ladder back before we talk? We don’t want to be spotted if we can help it.”

      “Sure, I’ll help you,” cried the stranger, and soon he and The Imp had the ladder down and back to the shed. By this time Jack had recovered sufficiently to stand up. He was still a bit dizzy but his strength was coming back fast.

      “I am Pepper Ditmore,” said that youth to the stranger. “And this is my chum, Jack Ruddy. I am only a private at the Hall but Jack is an officer.”

      “And I am Bert Field,” said the stranger, and extended his hand, which both of the other boys shook. “I am just stopping in Cedarville for a day or two on business which – er – but that won’t interest you,” he added hastily. “It was a lark, eh, climbing into the belfry?”

      “Yes, we intended to take away the bell clapper,” answered Pepper. “Some of the other cadets dared us to do it.”

      “But how did you get locked in?”

      “We think one of the other cadets – who is down on us – followed us and fastened the trap door. I suppose he thinks we are up there yet.”

      “I want to thank you for what you did for me, Field,” said Jack, earnestly.

      “Oh, that’s all right.”

      “If you’ll – er – accept a gift, I’ll be pleased – ”

      “No, thank you just the same, Ruddy. I don’t want a thing.”

      “But we’d like to do something for you – to show you we appreciate your coming to our assistance,” put in Pepper.

      “Maybe you’d like to visit our school?” suggested the young major.

      “Thanks, but I haven’t time just now. But tell me, do you know a man living in these parts named Jabez Trask?” went on Bert Field, eagerly.

      “No,” answered Jack, and Pepper shook his head.

      “Never heard of him?”

      “No,” said Pepper.

      “Too bad! I thought maybe you boys knew about everybody living in this neighborhood.”

      “Is it somebody you want to find?” questioned Jack.

      “Yes, but – er – well, never mind. Don’t you bother your head about it.”

      “The postmaster might be able to tell you where this Jabez Trask lives,” said the young major. “Why not ask him?”

      “Well, – er – I don’t want to ask too many questions in public,” stammered Bert Field. “You see I – that is – can I trust you with my secret? You’ve trusted me with yours.”

      “Certainly,” came from both of the Putnam Hall cadets.

      “Well then, I want to find this Jabez Trask without his knowing anything about it.”

      “Why, what in the world – ” began Pepper, for he scented a mystery connected with the youth with whom he and his chum had just become acquainted.

      “I can’t explain it – or at least I don’t wish to, now,” answered Bert Field, quickly. “Please don’t say anything about it to anybody.” He pulled a silver watch from his pocket. “Phew! after ten o’clock! I’ll have to be going! Goodbye! Maybe we’ll meet again!”

      “Good-bye!” answered Pepper.

      “Much obliged!” added Jack. And then the tall, thin boy turned out of the churchyard and hurried along the country road, some bushes and trees soon hiding him from view. The young major gazed after him curiously and so did Pepper.

      “That’s a strange fellow,” was Jack’s comment. “But he certainly did us a good turn.”

      “He sure did,” answered Pepper. “Wonder what he wants of this Jabez Trask?”

      “Something important, you may be certain of that, or he wouldn’t be so secret about it.”

      The two cadets walked to the roadway and then both stopped short and looked at each other. The same thought had occurred to each.

      “We came for that clapper and we might as well have it,” declared Pepper. “I’ll go back and get it, Jack. You can rest behind the bushes, where nobody will see you.”

      “All right – and I’ll watch out, – that nobody comes up to fasten that trap door again.”

      “By jove! that’s so! Maybe the Ritter crowd is hanging around yet!”

      “If they are, it was mighty mean of them not to come to my assistance when I was in peril of my life!”

      “Maybe they were too scared and ran away.”

      Jack found a convenient spot behind some bushes and Pepper disappeared once more inside the church. In less than ten minutes The Imp reappeared with both the bell clapper and the battered lantern.

      “I shoved the broken glass into a corner with my foot,” he said. “And I pulled the rope back into the belfry. The lower end came loose easily when I pulled it up.”

      “To be sure,” answered Jack. “A knot was caught in a crotch and that is why it held when the pull was downward. But come on, we’d better be getting back, or we’ll have trouble getting into the Hall.”

      “I am not going to carry this busted lantern,” said Pepper, and threw the thing behind some bushes. Then, with the clapper of the bell done up in a newspaper he had brought along, he struck out for Putnam Hall, with Jack beside him.

      “There will be a big row when they find the clapper gone, that’s certain,” mused the young major.

      “Maybe they’ll lay it to the Pornell fellows,” answered Pepper, with a broad grin. “Hope they do! It will pay back Roy Bock and his crowd for their meanness to us.”

      Jack had now fully recovered his strength and both boys kept up a rapid gait