Chapter XXIX: At the Haunted MILL

“I think Ritter and his cronies will catch it rather heavily,” remarked Andy, as he and his friends walked away from Captain Putnam’s quarters. “Well, it will serve them right.”

“I think we have gotten ourselves in trouble,” said Jack. “We have promised not to leave camp unless we have permission to do so. How are we to get off to go to the old mill with Bert Field?”

“We might ask Captain Putnam for permission,” said Pepper “But I doubt if he would let us go.”

The morning passed, and at noon the lads heard that Ritter, Coulter and Paxton had been assigned to extra guard duty. More than this, they were cut off from leaving the camp at any time and were also cut off from taking any part in all athletic contests.

“That’s a blow for Ritter,” said Dale. “He wanted to row in a race and wanted to play another game of ball.”

“Well, he can be thankful he wasn’t expelled,” came from the young major.

What to do about meeting Bert Field the cadets did not know. They wanted to keep their word with the youth and they did not desire to break their promise to Captain Putnam.

“I suppose we’ll have to go to the captain and tell him about the old mill,” said Jack. “But I am almost sure he won’t let us go there, especially at night.”

“Well, he might let us go in the daytime,” returned Pepper.

The matter was solved in a most unexpected manner. From the Fords came in an invitation to visit them at their hotel that evening, when a well-known magician was going to give an entertainment for the benefit of the guests. Mr. Ford enclosed a note to Captain Putnam, asking the master of the school to give Jack, Pepper, Andy and Dale leave of absence.

“Hurrah! I guess we’ll get off!” cried Pepper, and lost no time in handing the note to Captain Putnam. Mr. Ford was to call for the cadets in a launch, and they were given permission to take in the entertainment.

It must be confessed that the boys did not enjoy the entertainment as much as they might have under other circumstances. They liked the show, and the girls treated them as cordially as ever, but they could not help but glance at the clock, and wonder if they could get away in time to meet Bert Field. At last Laura noticed Jack’s nervousness.

“What is the matter?” she asked.

“I’ll tell you,” he answered frankly. “We have another engagement—a secret one—an hour from now. It’s something Captain Putnam doesn’t know anything about—something just among us boys.”

“Oh, I know—a feast or hazing, or something like that!” cried Laura. “Well, I’ll see that you get off to it, and when it is over you’ll have to write to me and tell me all about it.”

“Perhaps I will,” answered the young major.

Laura explained to her sister, and the two managed it so that the cadets left the hotel without having Mr. Ford take them back to camp in the launch.

“Now for the place where we are to meet Bert Field,” cried Pepper. “I hope we find him on hand. I am just in the mood for an adventure.”

“Well, you’ll get it—if we get in the old mill,” answered Andy, grimly. “Don’t forget what happened before.”

“I am not forgetting it,” answered The Imp, and felt of the pistol he had brought along. He had no desire to do any shooting, but he was resolved to do his best to save himself from bodily harm.

Their numerous tramps in that vicinity had made them more or less familiar with the roads, and they took as direct a course as possible for the spot where they were to meet Bert. He was on hand and glad to see them.

“I was afraid you couldn’t come,” he said. “I made up my mind to wait just an hour and then go it alone. Here is the rope. Are you armed?”

“Yes; are you?”

“I am.”

But little more was said, for the boys were afraid that somebody going to or coming from the old mill might hear them. Like a file of Indians they walked through the woods in the direction of the dilapidated structure that was located on the bank of the river.

“I’ve got a notion that Jabez Trask is at the mill,” whispered Bert, when they came within view of the place. “I’ve been watching around his house all afternoon, but he was nowhere in sight.”

They did not go very close to the old mill, but halted at the foot of the trees before mentioned. Andy boosted the others into a tree and then climbed up himself. Then the acrobatic youth led the way, from one tree to another. All moved closer to the mill without making any noise.

There was no moon, but the stars were shining brightly, and by the light they saw the building loom up before them. Not a light was to be seen, and the only sound that reached their ears was the roaring of the Falls some distance away.

“Now then, be careful!” whispered Andy, as he moved out on the end of a limb. “Don’t make a noise when you drop on the roof.”

As he went out the limb bent beneath his weight until it rested on the shingles of the roof. He alighted on the top of the mill with ease, and one after another the others followed.

The roof was of the low, gabled sort, with several windows at either end of the building, just below the top. Andy crawled over the shingles with the ease of a trained athlete and looked over the edge. One of the windows was within three feet of him and he noted with satisfaction that one of the sashes was completely gone and the other was minus its panes of glass.

“I’d hate to break any glass—it would make such a noise,” said he. “Now then, the rope.”

This was quickly made fast and Andy went down and crawled through the window into the loft of the mill. The others came after him. Then the five boys stood in a circle, almost holding their breath, and wondering what they had best do next.

“Well, we are in the place anyway,” murmured Pepper.

“Yes, and they haven’t dropped us into the river either,” added Andy.

It must be admitted that the hearts of the four cadets thumped wildly in their bosoms. They realized that they were in a dangerous situation, and there was no telling what would happen next. Bert Field was strangely self-possessed, even though his nerves were at a high tension.

“I’ll go first,” said he. “I think it is my place to do so.”

“Well, we’ll watch out, and do all we can to protect you, and ourselves, in case of trouble,” answered Jack.

Having listened for several minutes, the boys grew bolder and Bert Field lit a small bullseye lantern he had brought along. By the aid of the light, they tiptoed their way across the loft floor and down a narrow pair of stairs.

“Listen!” said Bert, suddenly, and came to a halt. He shut off the light, and all came to a halt and strained their ears.

From a distance came a murmur of voices. Three men were talking in one of the rooms of the old mill. Then the boys saw a ray of light shining under a closed door.

“They are in that room,” said Bert. “I’m going to the door and listen to what they have to say.”

He moved on and so did the cadets, all anxious to listen to the conversation. Now the boys were certain they had only human beings to deal with they felt better.

“I want you, Vidder, to go out on the road and watch,” came in the voice of Jabez Trask. “Put on that cowhide with the horns to-night.”

“All right,—but I am pretty tired,” croaked the voice of an old man.

“Never mind—you can sleep all day to-morrow,” answered Jabez Trask. “You, Jepson, guard all the doors. If anybody comes, why—the trap—you know!”

“Indeed I do!” answered another voice, shrill and harsh.

“I am going to make another hunt to-night,” went on Jabez Trask. “I must find that will. That boy is watching me and I don’t like it.”

“Wish you would find the will,” growled the old man called Vidder. “Then we’d get our money.”

“Right you are. Now begone, so I can get to work,” went on Jabez Trask.

The men in the room began to move, and the cadets and Bert crouched out of sight behind some boxes and barrels. Then two of the men came out and left the mill. A moment later Jabez Trask appeared, lantern in hand.

“I’ll follow up that new clue to-night,” the boys heard the miser mutter. “Let me see, what was it? Third stone from the top, sixth stone from the left. William Robertson wrote that in the note-book, and it must mean something. If I can get that will, and destroy it, the fortune will be mine, all mine!”

Lantern in hand, Jabez Trask crossed the room and entered another apartment. The boys heard him going down a flight of stone steps.

“I am going after him,” whispered Bert, excitedly. “He thinks he is going to locate that will! Maybe I got here just in time!”