Chapter XXIX: The Hill Climbing Contest

That night Jack called a special meeting of the cadets who had participated in the removal of the trophies from Pornell Academy. This took place in the gymnasium, and every possible care was taken to exclude outsiders.

“We are in a pickle,” admitted the young major. “Events have taken an unexpected turn, and what we had best do I do not know.” And then he told everything, how Will Carey had been robbed of the bracelet and his ring, and how the crazy men had carried off all the bags of trophies.

“Pepper and I did our best to trace the men, but we could not do it,” Jack went on. “We found some whisps of excelsior on the road, and some footprints, but not enough to follow to the end.”

The loss of the trophies carried consternation to everybody present, and the boys felt more than blue as they discussed the situation. They had expected to return the trophies to Pornell Academy in secret in the near future. Some were in favor of going to George Strong with their story.

“The crazy men are his relatives,” said one. “He ought to do all in his power to locate them.”

“If we go to him Captain Putnam will find out that we took the trophies,” said Andy. “And we don’t want that to happen—at least not yet.”

“I move we wait before we do anything,” said Dale. “Let us all go out into the woods and hunt for those men.”

“We don’t want to get killed,” said Stuffer.

“If we find them we needn’t show ourselves. The best plan would be to watch ’em until they go to sleep for the night and then run for help and bag ’em before they move in the morning.”

“Dale talks as if he had spotted them already,” said Bart, with a laugh.

“Well, you offer a better plan,” retorted Dale.

It was finally decided that the cadets should wait at least a week before going to Mr. Strong or the authorities. In the meantime all were to make a strong effort to locate Bart Callax and Paul Shaff.

“I am going out every time I can get the chance,” said Pepper, and many others said the same. Although they did not care to admit it, they were much worried over the disappearance of the trophies and wondered what they would have to pay to get out of the scrape if the things were not recovered.

“I suppose Doctor Pornell can make it hot for us,” sighed Andy. “Hang it all! I almost wish we hadn’t touched the things!”

Just as the meeting was breaking up a noise was heard in one of the lockers of the gymnasium. Pepper rushed to the door and flung it open and confronted Mumps, who looked too scared to speak.

“Playing the sneak, eh?” cried Pepper and yanked Mumps out on the gymnasium floor.

“I—I went into the—the locker to—to—er——”

“To pick violets, I suppose,” said Andy. “Boys, he has been spying on us!”

“Down the sneak!”

“Make him promise to keep his mouth shut!”

“I—er—I won’t say a word!” cried Mumps. “I promise you I won’t. Oh, let me go, please let me go!”

“This way with the sneak!” cried Dale, and pointed to the shower bath at one end of the building.

“No, no!” yelled Mumps. “Don’t turn the water on me, please don’t! I—er—I didn’t come here of my own free will.”

“You didn’t?”

“No, Reff Ritter and Coulter and Paxton made me come,” whined the sneak.

“Were you going to report to them?” demanded Pepper.

“Yes. They made me do it.”

“Then we’ll let you off on one condition—and only one,” said Jack.

“What is that?”

“That you don’t breathe a word to anybody about what has been said.”

“All right, I promise.”

“If you break your promise——”

“We’ll make you wish you had never seen Putnam Hall,” finished Andy.

“That’s the talk,” cried several.

“I won’t say a word—positively I won’t,” answered Mumps, and then he was led to the door and fairly kicked out on the campus. It may be added here that he was so scared he never did say a word until long afterward. Ritter and his cronies tried to “pump him,” but the sneak put them off by stating the meeting was held to consider baseball matters for the coming season.

For three days, including Sunday, the cadets roamed around the vicinity of Putnam Hall, on the lookout for the two insane men. Occasionally they were watched by Ritter and his cronies and this once led to something of a fight between Jack and the bully. Ritter received a black eye and after that, for the time being, kept his distance.

Wednesday of that week was a half-holiday, and a number of the cadets arranged a hill-climbing contest. This was to consist of reaching the top of Devery Hill, three miles from the school. The contestants were not to go by the road, but must travel in a straight line from Putnam Hall, over two small hills before Devery was reached.

“That is something to take the wind out of a fellow,” said Stuffer.

“You wouldn’t lose your wind so quickly if you didn’t eat so much,” replied Andy. “I am going into the race.”

“So am I,” said Pepper. “Jack says he will go, too.”

Sixteen cadets were to participate, and they were to start from the Hall campus at one o’clock in the afternoon. It was a cloudy day and some were afraid it was going to rain.

“Never mind, who’s afraid of a little rain,” said Jack.

“I am not,” answered Pepper.

“Do we take a lunch along?” inquired Stuffer anxiously.

“Certainly,” said Andy. “Onion cakes with liver syrup.”

“Well, I’m going to take a sandwich anyway,” declared the youth who loved to eat.

Promptly on time the sixteen cadets lined up for the race. All were lightly clad and in the best of spirits.

“Now remember,” said George Strong, who had been selected to start the racers off. “The boy to reach the flat rock on the top of Devery Hill first wins the race. Are you all ready? Then go!”

Away they went, pell-mell, across the campus, leaping a small hedge and running up a footpath leading to the top of the first hill. The teacher gave them a cheer and so did Captain Putnam, and Peleg Snuggers waved his big red handkerchief after them. The other cadets yelled wildly and ran along a short distance, but soon dropped behind.

Ritter and Paxton were in the race. Coulter had thought to enter, but was suffering from a sore toe. There were to be two prizes, and the cronies thought they could win, for both were good runners and knew how to climb.

The distance over the first hill was a mile and over the second hill another mile. Then came the third mile, up to the top of Devery, a steep incline, covered with rocks and brushwood.

By the time the first hill was left behind some of the cadets were showing signs of becoming winded. Two dropped out of the race and three others were left far in the rear before the top of the second hill was gained. The pace was a smart one, and Jack, Pepper and Andy found themselves perspiring freely.

“No more of this for me!” came from Stuffer, after two-thirds of the distance had been covered. “I am going to stop off to rest,” and he threw himself down on the grass under a tree. Another cadet did likewise.

At the foot of the last hill Jack, Andy and Pepper found themselves pretty well bunched. In front of them were Ritter and Paxton. The rest were a good bit behind.

“I am going to get ahead of those fellows!” cried the young major, and commenced to climb with renewed vigor. Soon he passed Paxton, who scowled darkly at him, but said nothing.

Pepper was close behind Jack and Andy, but a few yards to one side, when the three heard a noise above them. Looking upward, they saw several stones of good size rolling down the hillside.

“Beware of the rocks!” sang out Jack, and leaped aside just in time. Pepper was grazed on the shoulder and Andy got a pinched foot. Then they heard a yell from Paxton.

“Oh, my foot! The rock has mashed my foot!”

“It was Ritter’s fault!” called back Jack. “He sent the rocks down on us! I guess he wanted to injure me.”

He had hardly spoken when he heard a sudden exclamation of terror. Ritter had slipped and was rolling over and over down the hillside. He passed Jack and Pepper and then came toward Andy. The latter reached out and caught the bully by the arm and held him.

“Don’t let me go down!” screamed Ritter, in fright.

“You are safe,” answered Andy. “Pick yourself up and take care of Paxton—he needs you. Some of the rocks you rolled down struck him.”

“I—I didn’t mean to do it,” stammered the bully. But the look on his face showed that he was not speaking the truth. He had played a mean trick, but Fate had paid him back almost instantly. His face was much scratched, his wind was gone, and he had to withdraw from the race.