Chapter XIX: The Result of the Nutting Party

All the boys who accompanied Jack were good walkers, and it was not long before they were deep in the woods back of Putnam Hall. The clear, bracing air put them in good spirits, and more than one began to whistle as they went on their way.

"There is a barbed wire fence!" cried Pepper, as they began to ascend Top Rock Hill. "We can't go over that, I suppose."

"Here is a path to the left," answered Andy. "And I don't know but what it is the better of the two."

Not long after that they struck the first nut tree. They sent up a dozen sticks and stones, and down came a perfect shower of chestnuts, so thick in fact that they had to "stand from under" until the nuts stopped coming down.

"We've struck a bonanza, first trip," cried Dale. "This will fill one-third of our bags at least."

They began to pick up the nuts industriously, and soon had the majority of them. Then they passed on up the hill and soon found another tree almost as good.

"Let us go to the very top of this hill," said Jack. "We are sure to get a beautiful view from up there."

For the time being nutting was forgotten, and they raced along, to see who should get to the top of the hill first. But Dale outdistanced the others with ease.

"No use talking, Dale, you are the champion runner of Putnam Hall!" cried Jack, enthusiastically. "If we had a game of hare and hounds you ought to be the hare."

"And no hounds would ever catch him," put in Pepper.

"Gosh, but running makes a chap hungry!" came from Stuffer.

"Have some chestnuts," answered Andy.

"Yes, here are a few to start on," came from Pepper, and he let several fall down the hungry youth's back, inside his shirt.

"Wow! Let up!" ejaculated Stuffer, squirming around. "Don't! They'll scratch me all the rest of the day!"

"Stand on your head and shake them out, Stuffer," suggested Jack, and in the end that was what the hungry youth had to do. But he got square that night by placing some chestnut burrs in Pepper's bed, much to the Imp's discomfiture.

The top of the hill gained, a grand panorama was spread out on all sides of them. To the westward were other hills, with streams winding along them, and to the eastward Putnam Hall and the broad lake, the latter lying like a sheet of silver among the trees and rocks.

"Isn't it great?" said Jack. "Do you know, I wish we had brought a camera along. I'd like a photo of it."

"We can come up some day and take pictures," replied Andy. "The folks at home will be glad to see them."

"Say, fellows, look over there!" came from Stuffer, a moment later. "Am I mistaken, or is that Dan Baxter and his party?"

"To be sure it is Baxter, Paxton, and Mumps," answered Jack. He gazed a moment longer. "What are those men doing to them?"

"I can't make out."

"The men have sticks, and one has a gun!" exclaimed Pepper. "As sure as you are born, Baxter and his cronies are in trouble!"

"They went into private grounds, that's what the trouble is, and those men have caught them," said Dale. "Just the same, fellows, I'd hate to see any of our cadets come to harm."

"Baxter will earn what he gets, Dale."

"Let us sneak closer and see what is being done," said another. "We don't want to see anybody shot."

So it was agreed, and with their bags of nuts over their shoulders they hurried in the direction where they had located the bully and his cronies.

As they surmised, the party had poached on a private preserve, and the owner of the place, a hot-tempered old gentleman from Syracuse, and his three workmen, had caught them red-handed, with their bags loaded with the choicest kind of nuts.

To their consternation the old gentleman at first threatened to shoot the evil-doers, at which Mumps fell on his knees and begged for mercy. Then he ordered them to place all their nuts in a heap on the ground.

"Now, I'll let you off on one condition," he said, sternly.

"What condition?" asked Paxton.

"Oh, I'll do anything!" howled the sneak of the Hall. "Only don't have me arrested."

"If the three of you will pick for me a full bushel of nuts I will let you all go," said the owner of the preserve.

"Humph!" grumbled Baxter. "Aren't you satisfied to rob us of those we have already picked?"

"I cannot rob you of what is already mine, young man."

"I'll pick nuts for you," said Mumps, eagerly.

"So will I," added Paxton, humbly.

"I'll not pick any more," came from the bully, defiantly.

"Very well, then, I'll have you sent down to the Cedarville jail. I don't think Captain Putnam will like that, or your parents, either."

"It's a mean thing--to send a fellow to jail for a few nuts."

"You saw my signs, and when you came in here you did it at your own risk. Men and boys have been hunting, fishing, and nutting in here until I am tired of it, and I shall make an example of you, unless you agree to do as I wish. I make this offer merely out of friendship for Captain Putnam."

"I'm not going to pick any nuts," came firmly from Dan Baxter. He had on an extra stubborn streak.

"Very well, then. Mike and John, make him a prisoner."

Without ceremony two of the workmen leaped forward and caught hold of the bully. He tried to resist, but in a twinkling one of the workmen laid him flat on his back. Then his hands were tied behind him.

"Let me go!" he roared.

"You keep quiet or you'll get a sound thrashing," ejaculated the gentleman, whose temper was none of the best.

"I--I'll make you pay for this!"

"Perhaps you'll do a little paying for yourself, unless you wish to serve a term in prison."

After this there came a spell of silence, during which Paxton and Mumps piled up as many nuts as they could.

"I want your names," said the gentleman, taking out a note-book and a pencil.

"Mine is John Fenwick," said the sneak, humbly. He felt there would be no profit in acting ugly.

"Now yours, young man?"

"Nick Paxton."

"And now I want yours."

"Perhaps I won't give it to you," returned the bully.

"Really! Mike, did you bring that horsewhip along?"

"I did that, sur," answered the workman addressed.

"Don't you dare to horsewhip me!" cried Baxter, and now for the first time he turned pale.

"Then give me your name."

"Jerry Smoker."

"Um! I believe I heard one of the others call you Dan," said the gentleman, sharply.

To this the bully was silent.

"Come, give me your correct name--or it shall go hard with you."

"Dan Baxter."

"That's better."

"See here, if I help pick nuts will you let me off?" said the bully, after an awkward pause.

"No, it is too late now."

This reply disconcerted the bully greatly, and he did not know what to say further. He had a vision of being taken to the Cedarville jail, and it caused him to shiver.

"That's rough on Baxter," whispered Jack, he and his chums having come closer during the conversation.

"Well, he brought it on himself," answered Pepper. "The captain warned him not to go on private property."

"He could easily do as Mumps and Paxton are doing," put in Andy. "They are getting off easily enough."

Not long after this the gentleman that owned the preserve told Paxton and the sneak of the Hall that they might quit gathering nuts.

"Let this be a lesson to you, John Fenwick and Nicholas Paxton," he said, sternly. "I shall keep your names before me, and if I ever find you here again it shall go hard with you."

"Can we go?" questioned Mumps, eagerly.

"Yes."

"Come on, Nick."

"Are you going to desert me?" cried Dan Baxter, in fresh alarm.

"I want them to go, and at once," said the gentleman. "I can take care of your case without their aid."

A little more talk followed, and then Paxton and Mumps shoved off, in the manner of two whipped curs, leaving the bully of Putnam Hall to his fate.

"Perhaps we ought to try to rescue Baxter," whispered Jack to his chums. He was too generous-hearted to see any fellow cadet in trouble without trying to aid him.

"Don't you attempt it," put in Dale.

"But if Baxter is put in jail it will bring discredit to the whole school, Dale."

"I'll tell you what we can do," came from Pepper. "To get to Cedarville, the owner of this place will have to take the Rumley Road. Let us get back to the Hall and tell the captain what is going on. Perhaps he can stop the party on the way to Cedarville and make a deal with the man who wants to have Baxter arrested."

"That's an idea! Come on!" cried Andy.

With their bags of nuts on their shoulders, Jack and his friends hurried away, down the hill and along the highway leading to Putnam Hall. Before they reached the school they had to take to a side road, and along this they fairly ran, so that they might not be too late with their news. As luck would have it, they came upon the master of the Hall just as the latter was returning from a visit to the gymnasium.

"Oh, Captain Putnam, we have news!" cried Andy. "Dan Baxter is in trouble, and a man is going to take him down to Cedarville to have him jailed."

"Baxter in trouble?" repeated Captain Putnam. His face grew serious. "Tell me the particulars."

As well as they were able, they did so. The master of the Hall took in what they said in silence and his face grew stem.

"You are sure Paxton and Fenwick were allowed their liberty?" he said at last.

"Yes, sir."

"Very well; I'll meet Mr. Ringwood, and see what I can do about this. I am glad you told me."

"We didn't wish to see any of the cadets put in jail," came from Jack. "It would bring discredit to the whole school."

"Right you are, Major Ruddy. I'll go out to meet Mr. Ringwood at once, and you can go along if you wish."