Stratemeyer Edward
The Rover Boys at Big Horn Ranch: or, The Cowboys' Double Round-Up

CHAPTER XIII
A STARTLING DISCOVERY

“Drop that, Codfish!” exclaimed Randy, and backed away so suddenly that he tripped over some brushwood and came down flat on his back.

“I’m not going to be tormented any more,” stormed Codfish, and swung the firebrand around again, this time so the flames brushed Andy’s shoulder and also Fred’s arm.

“Drop that, you imp!” exclaimed Ned Lowe. “Do you want to put out somebody’s eyes?”

“I don’t care! You’ve got to let me alone!” screamed Codfish.

“We won’t let you alone until you learn how to behave yourself and act like the other fellows do,” answered Andy. “You’re the worst sneak this school ever had, and you know it!”

“Yes, and see how you acted after all we did for you when we were at Cedar Lodge,” added Randy, who had scrambled to his feet.

“I – I didn’t mean to say anything about those snowballs,” whined Stowell. “They made me do it!” And thereupon, pitching the firebrand back on the bonfire, he pushed his way through the crowd of cadets and disappeared in the darkness in the direction of the school.

“Gee, he certainly is a pill!” was Dan Soppinger’s comment. “I think none of us would weep if Codfish left the school for good. How about it?”

“Never mind – don’t let it spoil the festivities,” cried Andy gayly. “Come on! Everybody join in! A fine of one suspender button for the fellows who don’t sing!” And thereupon he began a ditty he had composed during the war.

 
“Johnny get your musket!
You must get your musket!
Johnny get your musket!
You must get it now!”
 

And this ditty the lads sang over and over again as they leaped and swung in a circle around the bonfires.

But all gala occasions must come to an end, and by eleven o’clock the bonfires were nothing but heaps of smouldering ashes, and then one by one the cadets returned to the Hall and retired.

“Well, Jack, it will seem kind of funny, won’t it, to be at the head of the school battalion to-morrow morning?” questioned Gif, as he and the newly-elected major turned into the corridor leading to their rooms.

“Yes, Gif. But it won’t be so very strange either, because you know I had to command the battalion two or three times when the other officers were away.”

Their activities during the whole of the day had made the cadets sleepy, and nearly all turned in without much ado. Here and there there was an exception, and these included Fatty Hendry and Dan Soppinger.

“I’ve got to get out some sort of a composition on City Improvements,” declared Fatty. “I don’t know much about ’em, but if I don’t get the paper in by nine o’clock to-morrow morning there’s going to be trouble.”

“And I still have some examples in algebra to work out,” answered Dan. “So I think I’ll go at them before I retire.”

All of the Rovers slept soundly and did not awaken until they heard an unexpected knock on their door some time before the rising bell.

“Let me in,” came in the voice of Dan Soppinger. “I’ve got news.”

Jack opened the door and Dan came in, followed by Fatty.

“Say, what do you know about this!” exclaimed Dan. “Colby Hall has been robbed!”

“Robbed!” ejaculated Jack. “What do you mean? What did they take?”

“What did they take!” burst out Fatty. “I guess they took about everything they could get their hands on that was easy to carry off. I lost my stickpin and my watch.”

“And I lost two old stickpins and two rings that I haven’t been wearing,” put in Dan.

“When did you find this out?” questioned the newly-elected major.

“I made the discovery just when I was going to bed after doing some examples in algebra,” answered Dan. “It was about half-past twelve, so I didn’t want to wake anybody up – that is, none of the other fellows, although I did call on Fatty because I knew he was writing a composition. He looked around his room then and found he had been robbed, too. Then, as Professor Duke was away, we called on Professor Watson. He made an investigation and then said he would report to Colonel Colby the first thing this morning.”

The talk in Jack’s room had brought Fred to the scene, and a few minutes later Randy and Andy came in, rubbing their eyes sleepily.

“What was your stuff worth, Dan?” questioned Fred.

“I think the rings were worth about fifteen dollars each, and the stickpins almost as much.”

“My stickpin was worth thirty-five dollars,” groaned Fatty. “And the watch was a gold one given to me by my grandfather, and I wouldn’t lose that for a good deal.”

“Hark! What’s that commotion?” put in Jack suddenly.

There was a murmur of excited voices in the corridor, and, throwing open the door, the Rovers and their friends came out to see what was up.

“My room has been robbed!”

“My watch is gone and a whole lot of other jewelry!”

“I lost three dollars!”

“Huh, that isn’t anything! I lost fourteen dollars and a half!”

So the talk ran on as an excited group of cadets, some fully attired and some still wearing their pajamas, crowded forward.

“Say, what do you know about this!” exclaimed Fred.

“Is anything belonging to us gone?” questioned Jack suddenly.

“I’m going back to find out,” came from Randy. “I was so sleepy last night that I just tumbled into bed and let it go at that.”

Without further ado the four Rovers ran back into the rooms they occupied and began a search of their chiffoniers and the other places where they kept their things of value.

“My stickpin is gone and also one of my rings,” groaned Randy.

“I had a brand new five-dollar bill tucked away in one of my drawers,” said his brother. “I can’t find it anywhere. And, yes, my wrist-watch is missing!”

“My watch and chain and stickpin are gone, and likewise all my badges!” cried Fred. “Oh, this is the worst ever!”

“Well, I’m out a ring and three stickpins,” announced Jack, “including that brand new pin I got last year.”

As quickly as possible the four Rovers dressed and then joined the other cadets in the corridor. From all sides were heard excited exclamations as one pupil after another came forward to announce that either his jewelry or his money – and sometimes both – were gone.

Colonel Colby and several of the professors had already been notified, and they quickly appeared on the scene and tried to interview the cadets. This, however, was a hard thing to undertake because nearly all the boys wanted to talk at once. There was so much excitement that for the time being the morning parade and breakfast were completely forgotten.

“This is certainly a terrible state of affairs,” remarked the colonel to Captain Dale. “Have you any idea who can be guilty?”

“No, Colonel. I have always thought that every one connected with this school was honest.”

“It may be the work of some of the hired help,” mused Colonel Colby. “But I hate to think that. Every one who is here came highly recommended.”

“We might make inquiry and see if any strangers were in the school last night during the celebration,” suggested Captain Dale. “There was so much excitement that some one might have slipped in and out without our noticing.”

Finally Colonel Colby told all the cadets to go below for breakfast, dispensing with the early morning drill.

“As soon as you have finished eating I wish each cadet to make a thorough search of his room and make out a written list of everything that is missing and sign the paper. Take careful note of everything when you are making your search, and if you find any clues to the perpetrator of this outrageous affair, let me know. The lists can be left at the office as soon as they are made out.” And then, after a moment of thought, he added: “There will be no session of the school this morning.”

“Shall we notify the Haven Point authorities?” questioned Professor Brice.

“Not at present. I wish to make my own investigation first,” answered the head of the school.

It did not take Jack and his cousins long to swallow their breakfast, and this finished, they hurried back to their rooms and began the search Colonel Colby had advised.

“Well, I’m shy that gold fountain pen Aunt Martha gave me,” announced Jack presently. “I’d forgotten about that because I didn’t usually use it. I use the one mother gave me.”

Outside of this the Rovers could find nothing more missing nor did they locate anything in the way of a clue that might lead to the robber. They sat down and made out their brief lists, signed them, and then walked together down to the office.

Here a crowd of cadets were coming and going. It was learned that twenty-two cadets in all had suffered losses which ranged from seventy-five cents to one hundred and twenty-five dollars. In all it was figured that the loss would amount to at least twelve hundred dollars.

“This is about the worst thing that ever struck Colby Hall,” announced Jack.

“Who do you suppose did it?” questioned Randy.

“Don’t ask me, Randy. I’d hate to suspect any of the fellows.”

“Oh, I don’t think any of the fellows did it!” burst out Fred.

“Well, what about the hired help?” questioned Andy.

“I don’t know any of them that I’d suspect,” said Jack promptly. “Every one looks like a pretty good sort.”

Only two cadets came forward with objects that might possibly be a clue to the robbery. One boy had picked up a handkerchief in his room that he said did not belong to him, and another boy had found the marks of muddy footprints over his window sill and on a fire-escape outside.

“Say, that looks as if somebody had come up the fire-escape and got into the rooms that way,” said Jack, when he heard of this.

“They say the handkerchief that was picked up is not marked in any way,” said Gif.

“Well, every handkerchief used by the cadets is marked,” returned Spouter. “They’ve got to be that way or they’d get all mixed up in the laundry.”

“How about the help?”

“Their stuff is all marked, too. One of the teachers told me so,” put in Dan Soppinger.

“Say, Ned! you came upstairs for your mandolin,” cried Jack suddenly. “Did you see anybody up here?”

“I don’t remember that I did,” answered Ned Lowe. “I was in such a hurry to get the instrument that I didn’t pay much attention. And, besides that, it seemed pretty dark in here after coming away from that big bonfire.”

“A robber would be sure to keep out of Ned’s sight,” put in Fred.

“I remember seeing some fellows in the lower hall – Major Mason, Bart White, and one or two others. But I can’t seem to remember seeing anybody upstairs – and yet, somehow or other, it seems to me I did pass somebody just before I ran into my room,” and now Ned looked perplexed.

“Can’t you think who it was?” questioned Andy quickly.

“No, I can’t.”

“If it was a stranger you would have remembered, wouldn’t you?” asked Jack.

“I think I would, Jack. I’d think right away what that person was doing upstairs.” Ned scratched his head. “No, if I did meet somebody, I’m sure it must have been one of the cadets. But who it was, I can’t think.”

A little later Colonel Colby continued his investigation by asking all those who had been inside the building during the celebration to come forward and tell anything they could that might be of advantage. It developed that not only Ned but also Ralph Mason, Bart White and two of the older cadets named Lawrence and Philips had been upstairs some time between eight and eleven o’clock. The most of these cadets said they had seen no one else upstairs in the building. But Bart White declared while at one end of a long corridor he had seen some one slip around a corner out of sight. He was not sure whether the person had been a cadet, one of the hired help, or an outsider.

“It was either a man or a big boy,” said Bart. “But he moved so quickly and it was so dark I didn’t recognize him, even if I happened to know him.”

“And what time was this?” questioned Colonel Colby.

“Some time between half-past nine and ten o’clock.”

Bart was asked to show the colonel where the disappearance of the stranger had taken place, and it was proved that this was at a point just around a corner from the room where the footprints leading to the fire-escape had been discovered.

“Perhaps you saw the person just at the time he was making his escape,” was Colonel Colby’s comment. “We will look for footprints below the fire-escape.”

This was done, but the cadets the night before had tramped around the school building so much that the footprints were hopelessly mixed. Then the boys were questioned as to whether or not they had seen any one dropping from the fire-escape to the ground, and all answered in the negative.

“We will question the hired help and see what they have to say,” announced the master of the school.

CHAPTER XIV
THE PARADE

The inquiries made among the hired help of Colby Hall produced little results. Some of the servants were rather scared and declared to Colonel Colby that they were innocent of any wrong doing.

“I am not accusing any one here,” declared the master of the Hall. “I only want to find out, if possible, who was guilty of this outrageous proceeding.”

It was found that two men with wagon loads of supplies for the school had visited the place during the evening, but neither of these men had gone any further into the building than the storeroom, and both had departed as soon as their errands were finished. Outside of that, so far as the servants could remember, no outsiders had been on the premises.

“And yet those footmarks on the window sill and the fire-escape look as if it had been done by an outsider,” said Captain Dale to the head of the school.

“It’s just possible that it may have been an inside job and an outside job combined,” ventured Professor Grawson.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Somebody in the institution may be in collusion with some outsider – some professional thief. The inside person may have given the outsider a tip as to when the coast was clear and may even have stood on guard while the rooms were being looted.”

“That is possible, Professor. But is there any one in the place that you suspect?”

At this Professor Grawson shook his head.

“No, sir. So far as I can imagine they are all thoroughly honest.”

“We might institute a general search of all the buildings,” announced Captain Dale. “We can call all the cadets out on the campus and all the hired help into the mess room and request them to remain while the search is going on.”

“Some of the hired help may object to that,” came from Professor Watson.

“If they did it would throw suspicion on them,” answered Colonel Colby quickly. “I think the idea had better be carried out.”

All the persons in the school were assembled as mentioned, and then Captain Dale explained to the cadets what had been proposed and Colonel Colby did the same to the hired help.

“They’re certainly welcome to search our rooms,” declared Major Jack promptly.

“And mine, too,” added a score of others.

“I’m sure I haven’t anything to conceal,” put in Lieutenant Harkness.

“And I haven’t anything to conceal either,” came from Brassy Bangs. “They can search my room all they please.” He had announced the loss of a stickpin and six dollars and a quarter in cash.

Among the hired help there was more or less murmuring, one of the old cooks, an Irish woman who had been in the place since it had been opened, shaking her head dubiously.

“Sure an’ I didn’t think yez would take me fer a thief, Colonel Colby,” said Bridget, gazing at the head of the school severely.

“I’m not taking any one for a thief, Mrs. Mulligan,” he answered. “But it would not be fair to search any of the rooms without searching all of them.”

“Sure an’ that’s true fer yez,” announced the cook, nodding her head in assent. “An’ if that’s the way ye’re after lookin’ at it, go ahead and search me room all ye please. Only don’t be disturbin’ them trinkets I have from me dead mother.”

The search was made without delay, all of the teachers and the cadets who had lost their belongings taking part. It occupied the rest of the morning. Every room was gone over carefully, and when anything in the way of jewelry or other such articles as had been reported missing were discovered all those who had suffered were asked to look on and see if they could identify anything.

“Gee! there’s a fountain pen that belongs to me,” cried one of the boys presently. And then he added in a crestfallen manner: “It’s all right. I lent that to Bill Latimer a couple of weeks ago and forgot all about it.”

Outside of this incident the search came to an end with nothing out of the ordinary happening. Not an article that had been taken was discovered in any of the rooms occupied by the cadets or the hired help. Nor was anything discovered in any of the other rooms or closets of the institution.

“It certainly is puzzling,” declared Colonel Colby, after the search had been called off. “It looks to me as if a thief had gotten away with everything he took.”

“Either that or he has some hiding place which we as yet haven’t unearthed,” answered Captain Dale.

After that the hired help were told they might go, and as soon as possible dinner was served to the cadets and the teachers. Then, when the pupils were told to go to their afternoon classes, Colonel Colby and Captain Dale held a conference in the office and notified the local police authorities.

“I hate to do it,” said Colonel Colby. “But there seems to be no help for it. It will certainly give our institution a black eye.”

“But I do not see how anyone can hold you responsible for this affair,” returned Captain Dale. “We are as watchful at this institution as they are anywhere.”

“Of course I shall not permit our cadets to lose anything by this,” went on the master of the school quickly. “I shall ask each of them to value carefully what they have lost, and then, if the things are not recovered before the end of the term, I will make the loss good.”

“That would be very nice on your part, Colonel Colby. And I think it would be a good investment too,” added Captain Dale. “It will prove to the parents of the cadets that you consider yourself responsible while they are under your care.”

When the local authorities came to the school they went over the ground carefully with Colonel Colby and some of the others and asked innumerable questions.

“We have a number of strangers stopping in town, mostly traveling salesmen,” announced the chief of police. “I’ll look ’em up, and also look up any tramps or any other suspicious characters that may be hanging around.” And that for the time being was all he could say. Soon he and his men departed.

That evening Jack found a letter in his box which had been mailed early that morning at Haven Point. It was from Ruth. There was also a brief note to Fred which had been sent by May.

In her communication to the newly-elected major Ruth congratulated him heartily on his success and said she hoped soon to see him in a parade at the head of the battalion. After that she wrote as follows about the sleighing party that had been called off:

“I received an invitation to that party from Lester Bangs and May received an invitation from Paul Halliday. Jennie Mason, Ida Brierley and several of the other girls had invitations and they wanted us to go very much. But, of course, I did not want to go with such a fellow as Bangs. Then he came to me and started a report that all of you Rovers were going to another party with some of the girls from the town, and that the party was to take place the same night as our party. Of course, I did not want to say anything about it, because I realized that you could do as you pleased. But I told Bangs positively that I would not go with him and May told the same thing to Halliday. Then both of them got quite ugly and accused you and your cousin of trying to spoil his outing. I told him you had had nothing to do with it, but he declared that you had and that you had better look out or you would get into hot water. So, Jack, please look out for him and tell Fred to look out for Halliday and the others.”

There was more to the letter, and Jack read the communication with great interest. He felt greatly relieved to think that Ruth had not intended to accept Brassy’s invitation, and later on he dropped her a note thanking her for her kind congratulations and telling her that the report of another party in which the Rovers and some girls from Haven Point were to participate had been faked up.

The note received by Fred was on lines similar to the communication sent to Jack. He sent word to May clearing up the situation.

“It was a mean thing for Bangs and Halliday to do,” declared the newly-elected captain of Company C. “We ought to pitch into them.”

“We can’t afford to do it, Fred, now that I’m a major and you’re a captain,” was Jack’s reply. “Remember what Colonel Colby said: We must be models for the other cadets.”

“Great Scott! does that mean we can’t stick up for our rights?” demanded the youngest Rover indignantly.

“Not at all, Fred. If those fellows say anything, give it back to them. And if they start to fight, defend yourself just as well as you are able.”

As mentioned before, Snopper Duke had been absent from the Hall during the election for officers and the celebration which had followed. When he returned he looked much worried, and this worry was far from dispelled when he visited his room.

“Colonel Colby, I, too, have been robbed!” he exclaimed, as he came rushing down to the office. “I’ve had a silver cardcase taken, and also a gold watch which has been in our family for several generations, a watch that belonged to my father and my grandfather.”

“It’s too bad, Professor Duke,” answered the master of the Hall seriously. “May I ask what the articles were worth?”

“I don’t suppose the cardcase was worth more than a few dollars, but the watch was of gold, and I presume it must have cost fifty or sixty dollars. It was an heirloom and I treasured it highly.”

“I am doing my best to find out something about the robbery,” said Colonel Colby. “But so far all my efforts have been in vain. I intend, if the articles are not recovered by the time the school session comes to an end, to pay for everything that has been stolen.” And that was all the master of the Hall could say.

It must be admitted that both Jack and Fred felt quite proud when the first regular parade of the battalion took place that spring. The cousins had, of course, sent home word of the election and had received permission to purchase new uniforms. Both looked spick and span as they marched out at the head of their respective commands. It was a clear, warm day, and Colonel Colby announced that the cadets could parade through Haven Point to Clearwater Hall and return if they so desired.

“Hurrah! That’s the stuff!” cried Fred.

And so it was arranged, and one of the teachers telephoned over to the girls’ academy, to let those at that institution know what they might expect. Then one of the cadets telephoned to Felix Falstein, the owner of the Haven Point moving picture theater.

“Falstein always hangs out his flags for us,” said this cadet. “And he’ll do it this time, I’m sure.”

Colby Hall now boasted of a drum and fife corps of twelve pieces, and they made merry music as the battalion marched away in the direction of Haven Point. All but three or four of the cadets were in the best of spirits.

“I think marching over to Clearwater Hall is punk,” declared Brassy Bangs, with a snarl. “Why can’t they march some place worth while or just go around the town and let it go at that?”

“I guess Jack Rover wants to show off before those girls,” grumbled Paul Halliday.

“I wouldn’t go if I could get out of it,” growled Brassy.

“Oh, don’t squeal,” returned his crony quickly. “If you do they’ll only laugh at us and make us go anyway.”

“Attention there, Bangs!” cried the captain of Company B, the command to which Brassy belonged. “No talking in the ranks!” And thereupon the cadets became silent.

As had been anticipated, when the cadets reached Haven Point they found that Felix Falstein had outdone himself in the way of decorations. Not only were several flags displayed across the front of his theater, but he had strung two big flags across the street, and between them placed a banner which he had had painted some time before and which read:

WELCOME TO

COLBY HALL

“That’s very nice of him,” remarked Jack, who was marching at the head of the procession with Captain Dale on horseback close beside him.

“Very nice, indeed, Major Rover,” answered the military man.

“I wonder if we can’t come to a halt here and go through the manual of arms?” went on the newly-elected major.

“Certainly, if you wish to do so.”

“Battalion halt!” called out Jack, turning around and the three companies came to a stop.