CHAPTER XXIV
MORE RIVALRY
"Do you mean to tell me that you saw Arnold Baxter?" exclaimed Dick, after listening to Sam and Tom's story.
"We did," replied the youngest Rover.
"There was no mistake?"
"If it wasn't Arnold Baxter do you think he would take such pains to get out of our reach?" asked Tom.
"That is true, Tom. But it seems so unnatural. What can he be doing in this out-of-the-way place?"
"As Powell says, he must be keeping out of the reach of the law. Perhaps he expects to keep shady until this affair blows over."
"As if it would blow over!" cried Sam. "Dick, we ought to do something."
Captain Putnam had already learned why the four cadets had been late in returning to camp. The Rovers now went to consult him further.
"I agree, something should be done," said the captain. "Perhaps you had better go to the nearest telegraph office, Richard, and telegraph to your folks. You might also get some of the local authorities to take up the hunt for this criminal."
"Who are the local authorities?"
"I really don't know, but we can find out at Oakville."
In the end Dick and Tom received permission to leave camp for an indefinite time. Late as it was, they hurried to Oakville and caught the telegraph operator at the little railroad station just as he was shutting up for the night.
Having sent the message to their father they made inquiries of the operator and learned that the town boasted of a Judge Perkins and that the local constable was Munro Staton.
"Do you mean the farmer who lives down on the road to Bass Lake?" asked Dick. "The man who has twin daughters?"
"That's the man."
"Why, he was in camp to-day, with his daughters," cried Dick. "Wish I had known of this before. I might have hired him to make a hunt for the fellow we are after. Where does that judge live?"
"Sorry, but he went to New York yesterday and won't be back for several days."
The boys said no more, but without delay turned away from Oakville and made their way to the Staton farmhouse.
"Hullo! I didn't expect to see you again to-day!" exclaimed Munro Staton, as he opened the door for them. "Come in."
They entered, to find the girls sewing and Mrs. Staton darning stockings. Mr. Staton had been reading his favorite weekly newspaper.
"We have come on a very important errand, Mr. Staton," began Dick. "We have been down to Oakville and learned there that you are the local police officer."
"Ah! Do you want somebody arrested?"
"If it can be done."
"Somebody at the camp?" put in Helen.
"No, I wish he was at the camp," said Tom. "But I'm afraid he is miles away."
All of the Statons were interested and listened to the tale Tom and Dick had to tell with close attention.
"Seems to me I've heard of this Baxter and his son," said Munro Staton, scratching his head. "How does he look?"
As well as he was able Tom described the man, while Dick took a sheet of paper and a pencil and made a rough but life-like sketch of the individual.
"Why, you are quite an artist!" said Alice Staton as she gazed at the picture. "I'm sure I'd recognize that man if I met him."
"So would I," added her father. "Can I keep this picture?"
"To be sure," replied Dick. "Now, Mr. Staton, to come to business. What are your services as constable worth a day?"
"Oh, about two or two dollars and a half."
"Well if you will start a hunt for this man Baxter at once I'll guarantee you three dollars per day for a week or two, and if you succeed in landing him in jail I'll guarantee you a reward of one hundred dollars. I know my father will pay that amount willingly."
"And if he won't, I will," said Tom.
"You must be rich."
"We are fairly rich, Mr. Staton. This man is a great criminal and has been an enemy to our family for years. We don't want to see him at large."
"Well, I'll take the job and do the best I can for you," said Munro Staton and arose to his feet. "My hired man can run the farm while I am gone."
He said he knew the spot where the boys had first seen Arnold Baxter, and he would visit it at sunrise the next day and take up the trail as best he could
"That trail through the woods used to lead to the village of Hopdale," he said. "Perhaps I'll learn something about him over there."
"I sincerely hope that you do," returned Dick.
The boys, and especially Tom, were worn out with traveling and readily consented to borrow a horse from Munro Staton, on which to ride back to camp. The steed was returned early in the morning.
"It's rather a wild-goose chase," said Dick, in talking matters over with his brothers. "But I don't know of anything else to do. Mi, Staton may catch Baxter quicker than a metropolitan detective could do the job."
Three days passed, and during that time the boys received two telegrams from home, stating they should do as they thought best in the Baxter affair, and that a detective was on the way. Then the detective appeared at the camp and followed Munro Staton on the hunt for the missing criminal. But the search by both men proved useless, and nothing more was seen of Arnold Baxter for the time being.
The cadets had arranged for a series of athletic contests, to come off at the beginning of the following week. There was to be broad aad high jumping, and running, as well as throwing the hammer. All of the students were interested, and for some time these contests formed the total subject of conversation.
The cadets to enter for the various events, eight in number, were those already introduced in these pages and a dozen or fifteen in addition, all lively, wide-awake youths, each of whom looked as if he would do his best to win.
In a manner not to be easily explained, the camp divided itself into two factions, one led by Dick and Major Larry, and the other led by Lew Flapp and Pender. To the former belonged the Rovers and their numerous chums, and to the latter Rockley, Ben Hurdy, and boys of a similar turn. Each crowd had one or more followers entered for every event and, as before, numerous wagers were made as to which person and which crowd would win.
Dick had entered for die high jump, Tom for the hammer throwing, and Sam for a half mile race for cadets of his own class. The boys practiced a good deal, although not always where the others could see what they were doing.
The day for the contests was a perfect one and as news of the events had traveled to Oakville and other places, quite a respectable crowd of outsiders came to the camp to witness the affair.
"I hope you Rover boys win," said Alice Staton, who had come with her twin sister and her mother in a buggy.
"Thank you," returned Dick politely. "We shall certainly do our best. But you must remember that we have some first-class athletes at this academy."
"Oh, I don't doubt it. All academies have them," put in Helen Staton.
The first event to come off was the hammer throwing, to take place in the middle of the parade ground. There were four entries for this, Tom, as already mentioned, Jackson, Pencil, and a big boy named Larson.
Larson, who belonged to the Flapp crowd, was looked on as the probable winner, for he handled the hammer exceedingly well. But Jackson could also throw, as the others well knew. Nothing was known about the skill of Tom or Powell in this direction.
The contest began with a throw by Powell. It was not very good and Jackson outdistanced him by three feet.
"That's the style, Jackson!" cried Lew Flapp. "Show 'em what you can do."
"This is the day our crowd comes out on top," put in Pender.
"Crowing rather early, seems to me," came from Fred Garrison dryly.
It was now Tom's turn and he threw the hammer with all the force at his command. It fell just beyond the point reached by Jackson.
"Good for you, Tom!" cried Sam. "That's the way to do it."
"Humph! Just wait till Larson takes his turn," came from a Flapp follower.
Larson stepped to the mark with the air of one who knows just what he is doing. Up went the hammer with a long swing—to land in the very spot where Tom had thrown it.
"A tie! A tie!" was the cry.
"Well done, Larson!" came from Lew Flapp, but he was by no means satisfied over the showing made.
Being tied, it was necessary for Tom and Larson to throw once more, and again Tom took his position at the mark.
"Be careful, Tom," whispered Dick. "Take your time."
Again the hammer swung up into the air and went sailing forward.
"Hurrah, eight inches beyond his first mark!" came the cry.
"Larson will have to hump himself to beat that!"
It was now Larson's turn and he stepped to the mark with a quick, earnest air. He realized that he must do his best if he expected to beat Tom.
Jackson had picked up the hammer and he it was who had handed the article to Tom.
As Larson swung the hammer on high Tom cried out quickly:
"Stop!"
"What's the matter with you?" cried Jackson uglily.
"I want Captain Putnam to examine that hammer."
"There ain't nothing wrong with it."
"Possibly not. But please remember that I used the one marked A."
"So did I," came from Powell.
Captain Putnam brushed forward.
"I will look at that hammer, please," he said to Larson quietly. He knew that the cadets had several hammers for practicing throwing in the camp.
"I—I guess it's all right," faltered Larson.
"This hammer is marked B."
"B!" cried Tom. "That B hammer is about half a pound lighter than the one marked A."
"It ain't so!" yelled Jackson.
"Let me see the hammer marked A," said the captain, and it was brought from the spot where Jackson had thrown it. "It is certainly heavier than this one," he went on. "Jackson, what do you mean by making such a substitution?"
"I—er—I didn't know there was any difference."
"But why did you make the change at all?"
"I—er—I knew Larson liked this hammer better. The handle just suits him."
"That is so," replied Larson blandly.
"We will try the contest over again," said Captain Putnam. "And every contestant will use the hammer marked A."
"I don't like the hammer marked A," grumbled Larson.
"I would just as lief use the hammer marked B," said Tom quickly.
"So would I," added Powell, who felt he could not win anyway.
"Very well then, we will use the hammer marked B," said Captain Putnam. "And after this, Jackson, be sure of what you are doing," he added sharply, and at the words the boy who had tried to work such a mean trick was glad enough to slink back out of sight ai much as possible.