The Rover Boys Down East/Chapter 16
CHAPTER XVI
SOMETHING OF A CLUE
"Tad Sobber!"
The cry came simultaneously from all of the Rover boys.
"Yah, dot's so!" exclaimed Hans. "I remember him now. Vonce I vos ask Sobber vere he got dot sthone."
"If the stone belongs to Sobber—he must have been here!" gasped out Sam.
"Do you think he is around now?" asked Tom, and threw his eyes about the lawn, as if half expecting their enemy to show himself.
"No, he isn't here now—wish he was," an swered Dick, bitterly. "More than likely he is miles away by this time—and the Stanhope fortune with him."
"I can't understand this," said Fred. "Unless Sobber has been here, spying on you."
"Maybe he followed the Stanhopes here—to find out, if he could, what had become of the fortune," suggested Sam.
"Sam, I think you've struck it!" almost shouted Dick. "It may be that he came here, heard Mrs. Stanhope ask dad to invest the money for her, and heard dad say that he would let her know when he wanted the cash. Then, perhaps, he went off, and sent Mrs. Stanhope a bogus letter, or telegram, signing dad's name."
"Say, Dick, you're a regular sleuth!" cried Fred. "I guess you've got it straight."
The boys entered the house, and there told their uncle and aunt of what had been found. Randolph Rover looked at the stone with interest.
"It is a curious one," he said slowly. "I do not imagine there are many like it. If this Sobber had one, then this is probably his."
"You didn't see any strangers around the farm, did you?" asked Sam.
"None that I noticed. Of course plenty of folks have passed up and down the main road, and the back road, too."
It was not long after that when Jack Ness drove up with the camping outfit. The boys aided the man in putting the outfit away and also questioned him concerning Sobber.
"There was one man, or young fellow, hanging around," answered Jack Ness. "I tried to reach him, to ask him wot he wanted, but he jumped the orchard fence and got away. I thought he might be a tramp, although he wasn't dressed like one."
"Why didn't you report him?" demanded Dick.
"Oh, everybody was a-havin' seech a good time I didn't want to bother you. I watched the fellow until he was away down the road."
"How was he dressed and how did he look in the face?"
As well as he was able the hired man described the individual he had seen. The clothing counted for nothing, but the face and manner of the per son tallied with that of Tad Sobber.
"I guess it was Sobber right enough," was Tom's comment. "We ought to let dad know about this."
"We will let him know—first thing tomorrow morning," answered Dick.
All waited impatiently for some word for Mr. Rover, but none came in until eight o'clock the next morning. Then the telegram was very brief, reading as follows:
"Bad mix-up, money all gone. Better come on and help in investigation."
"Too bad!" groaned Dick. "I am going to start for Cedarville by the first train."
"So am I," added Tom.
"And I," came from Sam.
Then of a sudden all three lads looked at Fred and Hans.
"Don't you mind me at all," cried Fred. "I'll go with you—as far as Marville."
"And I go so far as Ithaca," added Hang. "Py chiminy! I hopes you cotch dot rascal, Tad Sobber alretty quick!"
"So do I hope we catch him," answered Dick.
The Rover boys were so used to traveling that getting ready did not bother them. They knew they could catch a train for Ithaca in two hours and so lost no time in packing their dress-suit cases.
"We'll go to the depot in the auto," said Dick. "Frank Rand can bring the machine back here." And so it was arranged, Rand being an automobile owner living at the Run.
"Oh, boys, I do hope you will take care of yourselves!" cried Aunt Martha, when they were ready to leave.
"Don't worry, Aunty, we'll do that!" cried Sam.
"Here is something to remember me by!" added Tom, and gave her a warm hug and a kiss. Then the others kissed her, and gave a handshake to Uncle Randolph.
Dick brought the automobile out, and in all of the lads piled and Aleck Pop lifted in the dresssuit cases and Hans' bundle. The power was turned on, and off the touring car moved.
"Good-bye!" was the cry from the boys.
"Don't forget to let us know what is happening?" called out Randolph Rover. "And if you need me, don't hesitate to send for me."
Dick turned on more gasolene and advanced the spark, and soon the big touring car was shooting along the country road at a speed of twenty-five miles an hour. They had plenty of time to make the train, but the Rovers were impatient to get to Oak Run, to send a message to their parent, advising him of their coming.
Through the village of Dexter's Corners they dashed, around a corner, and then straight for the bridge spanning Swift River. A farm wagon was making for the bridge from the opposite shore, and there was not room for both vehicles to pass on the bridge.
"Better slow up and wait, Dick!" cautioned Sam, but instead, Dick turned on more power, and away they sailed over the bridge like the wind, and past the farm wagon.
"Phew! that's going some!" cried Fred. "I don't know as I would have nerve to run a car like that!"
"Oh, Dick's a dandy driver," answered Tom, enthusiastically.
Arriving at the station, they went to the telegraph office and asked for messages, and found none. Then word was sent to Anderson Rover at Cedarville. After that the automobile was turned over to Frank Rand, who agreed to take it back to Valley Brook farm that afternoon.
"Off ag'in, eh?" said Ricks, when they bought their tickets. "I don't see why you boys can't settle down fer awhile."
"Smoking any cigars now, Mr. Ricks." asked Tom, dryly.
"If I am, 'tain't none o' your business!" snapped the old station agent.
"I just heard of a new cure for smoker's jimjams," went on the fun-loving youth. "You take a squash and boil it in lard, and then cut it into thin slices, and"
"I don't want none o' your cures!" roared Mr. Ricks savagely. "I ain't got no smoker's jimjams, nor nuthin'. I"
"But you saw things, Mr. Ricks, you said you did. Worms, and snakes, and strange things"
"I didn't! I didn't!" howled the old station agent, growing red in the face. "Now you shet up, do you hear? The boys has been pokin' fun enough at me as it is! Everywhere I go they ask me about my smokin'! I'm sick o' hearin' about it, an' I ain't goin' to stand it, I ain't!" And he shook his fist in Tom's face.
"Sorry you feel so bad about it, Mr. Ricks," said Tom coolly. "I only wanted to do you a favor. Now this squash cure is warranted to"
"Didn't I tell you I don't want to hear about it!" shrilled the station agent. "You mind your business, Tom Rover! I know you! Some day I'll fix you, yes, I will!"
"Oh, Mr. Ricks, I only want to be of service. Now, if you will only listen. This squash cure is warranted"
"Stuff and nonsense! I won't listen, do you hear? I won't listen!" The station agent was fairly dancing up and down. I—I—There's the train. Go on with you, and good riddance!"
"Oh, Tom, you'll be the death of Ricks!" laughed Sam, as all of the lads climbed up the steps of the cars.
"Not much! Nothing like that will ever kill him," answered the fun-loving Rover. "He's too tough!"
"He'll get even with you some day," said Dick.
"Let him I'm willing," answered Tom, calmly. He was so fair-minded that he was willing to take as well as give, when it came to practical jokes.
The train rolled on, and for the time being the boys had little to do but talk over the situation. At a junction point Fred left them. He promised to write and asked them to send him the particu lars of what they did.
Just before Ithaca was reached, the train was delayed. As a consequence they missed the last boat for Cedarville that night.
"That's too bad," said Dick. "Now we won't be able to get to the Stanhope place until eleven o'clock tomorrow morning."
"Well, we can send a telegram to dad at Cedarville," said Sam. "And maybe we can telephone," he added.
At Ithaca Hans left them.
"I keeps mine eyes open for dot Dad Sobber," said he. "Of I finds him I let you know."
"That's the talk, Hans!" cried Tom. "You play detective and some day perhaps you'll win a great big leather medal."
"Yah, dot's so," answered the German youth, complacently.
At the telegraph office they sent a message to their father, who had engaged a room at the new Cedarville Hotel. They mentioned that they would go to the Axtell House in Ithaca, and asked him to communicate with them there by telephone.
At the Axtell House a surprise awaited them. Seated in the reading room they found Dan Baxter, the one-time bully of Putnam Hall, but who had reformed and who was now a commercial traveler for a large jewelry concern.
"Why, Dan, you here!" cried Dick, as Baxter, on seeing them, rushed up to shake hands.
"I am," returned the young commercial traveler. "But I didn't think to have the pleasure of seeing you," he added. "Thought you'd be off on a summer vacation somewhere."
"We were off camping, but we came this way on business," answered Sam. "How have you been?"
"First-rate. Don't I look it?" and Dan Baxter smiled openly.
"You certainly do," put in Tom. "Traveling must agree with you."
"It does."
"And business is good?" asked Dick.
"The best ever. And what is more to the point, I've had a raise in salary."
"You mean the one you mentioned when you met us at Ashton," said Tom.
"No, another one. You see, a rival firm made me an offer. My firm heard of it, and they at once came to me, and told me I mustn't think of leaving—and then they tacked another five dollars per week on my salary," and Dan Baxter's eyes beamed.
"Good!" cried Dick. "Stick to it, Dan, and some day you'll be a member of the firm."
"That is what I am working for. Going to stay here over night?"
"Yes."
"Good enough. We can talk things over. I was rather lonely not having a soul to talk to. And by the way, whom do you think was here some days ago?"
"Tad Sobber?" questioned Dick, quickly.
"Why—er—yes—he was here. But I wasn't thinking of him when I spoke."
"Who were you thinking of?" asked Tom.
"Old Josiah Crabtree. He is out of prison, you know, and he heard I was stopping here, and he came to see me."